Inkspirational #358 - Shades of Blue

 There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational today - #358 Shades of Blue

I made a 3 1/4" x 4" encouragement card with a Knot Bird made from Yasutomo All Blue Orgami Paper - perfect for this challenge!  

I found a tutorial for making a Knot Bird on YouTube by

Karen Elaine and there are lots of samples by others on Pinterest.

I used Origami paper as it is thinner and easier to make a knot with it.

  

This Origami paper is one sided and the back is white, so the head on one side and the tail on the other side of the knot end up white. I used coordinating Copics to color the white ends.  You trim one end to be the head and you trim the other end to be the tail.

Cut a tiny triangle out of black card for the beak and glue it on - use a black marker to make the eye.

Your bird can be used facing either way as both sides work.

I made my birds with strips 5 7/8" x 3/4".  

My origami paper is 5/78" x 5 7/8" so that's why I made it that length.

I did later buy some Origami paper printed on both sides but haven't used it yet.

Here is the flock of birds I whipped up in a short time -  and some bird affirmation quotes I found by Google-ing.

I smooshed the panels and the card base on my craft mat using Ranger Distress Broken China spritzed with water.  It gives them a white cloud -  blue sky look!

I die cut the quotes with rectangle dies.

I adhered the quote to the card base, adhered the bird on a foam strip, drew her legs with a fine black marker and added 3 blue enamel dots!  

Please join us and show us how Shades of Blue inspired you to create!  Link up your creation over at the Inkspirational Blog where you will also find some lovely inspiration by the rest of the DT!

This challenge ends on Jan 30th!

Also sending my card to:

Love Those Pretty Papers

anything goes ends 1/31

Make My Monday

Use Paper with a Pattern  ends 1/25

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge

anything goes  ends 1/30

Creative Inspiration Challenges

Always anything Goes  ends 1/29

NBUS

First time using this Knot Bird pattern and this Origami paper

Color Hues

ends 1/29

Paper:  White, True Black - PTI, Yasutomo All Blue Origami Paper (I found it on Amazon, Blick also has it).

Ink:  Ranger Distress Broken China

Accessories:  Blue Copics to cordinate with the paper colors, computer generated Bird Quotes, Rectangle dies - Nestabilities, Stitched Mat Rectangles - Lil Inker Designs (retired), craft mat, water mister, enamel dots - Altenew, heat tool to dry the smooshed panels.

Inkspirational #337 - Designer Choice - Sports

 Inkspirational Challenge #337 is up over at the blog! It's Designer Choice and Pia is the designer this time - she wants to see cards about Sports!  

Basketball, football, baseball, skiing, skating, swimming, bowling, pickleball??!!

A friend of mine asked me to make a birthday card for her grandson who loves playing basketball so here is the card I created for the challenge AND for 13year old Danny!

I always pick up sports stickers when I see them, as several of my friends ask me to make sports cards for their grands or hubbies. The basketball hoop and flying basket ball are from a sticker set I recently purchased at Michaels.  The stadium seating and #1 hand are dies from a set by Lawn Fawn that I purchased quite a while ago and finally got it out to play with! (my New Year's resolution!)

The sentiment and images on the inside are from Tiny Sports Friends also from Lawn Fawn.

So we hope you will join us and create a Sports card!  You will find more inspiration from the rest of the DT as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

The challenge ends on March 28th!

I'm also sending my card to the following:

NBUS

First time using the Stadium Seating dies, the Tiny Sports Friends stamps AND this basketball sticker set!

I.D.E.A.S

Week 2 of March Dies  

Make My Monday

Use a Die or Punch

AAA Birthday

Seize the Birthday

ends 3/25

Stamps:  Tiny Sports Friends - Lawn Fawn

Paper:  White, Kraft - PTI, DP Grain and Grunge - Honeybee.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Other Supplies:  Basketball Stickers - Recollections (Michaels), Stadium Seating Dies - Lawn Fawn, computer generated sentiment on front of card.

Surprise Party Guest at Seize the Birthday - Add a Heart

 I am excited to be playing along with Seize the Birthday today as a Surprise Party Guest! I was asked after my card was chosen a winner on this post.

I almost started making a Valentine (with a heart!) and luckily my brain refocused and remembered this is a birthday card challenge - duh!  

My boxwood wreath and stamp set are from The Greetery.  I have had this stamp set and die since it came out in 2021 and until today, have never used it.  My New Year's Resolution is to stop buying so much and start using what I have that hasn't yet been touched! (it's sort of working!)

I made the background using the Herringbone Parquet Die, also from The Greetery.  I cut it out of white paper and colored it using blender brushes with Brushed Corduroy and Hickory Smoke Distress Inks.  I splattered it using a white POSCA Pen.  I tied a bow out of twine and adhered it to the wreath.  The wreath is popped up on foam dots.

We hope you will join us at Seize the Birthday and you'll 'Add a Heart' to your birthday card design - or you can just make a birthday card!  

You will find some lovely inspiration from the Design Team as well as Mr. Linky over at Seize the Birthday!

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

first time using the Boxwood stamps and die

Double D Challenge: Hearts

ends 2/16

Make My Monday

Love  ends 2/22

Try it on Tuesday

Romance  ends 2/16

Stamps:  Love Is (boxwood wreath) - The Greetery, Birthday Basics - Papertrey Ink.

Paper:  white - Papertrey Ink

Ink:  Light Spruce, Medium Spruce - Gina K Designs, Brushed Corduroy, Hickory Smoke - Ranger Distress.

Other Supplies:  Herringbone Parquet Die, Boxwood Heart base Die - The Greetery, Blender brushes, Oval Punch - Stampin'up, twine, white POSCA pen.

Dec Card Chain Challenge Reveal - Tic Tac Toe

 Today's the reveal of all the cards exchanged in December over at the Card Chain Challenge!  

This month it was a doozy - a 5 block Tic Tac Toe with all S words - ugh.  

I sent my card to Gail in Canada (not sure she received it yet due to the postal strike) and I received a lovely card from Arlene in California.   You will find all the cards exchanged here.

After reading each column over and over, trying to think about what I would do with the row of words,  I finally settled on the 4th vertical column from the left -  Squirrel, Sassy, Snow, Sparkle and Shrubbery.

I decided on that column after looking through a booklet I  have of 3" x 4" patterned paper from Kawaii Pen Shop.  

As you can see below - the patterned paper scene includes Snow and Shrubbery.   

Then I added a Rub-On Sassy Squirrel - from Rub On Christmas Collection from Taperlogy.   

I framed the patterned paper with two layers of Sparkle glitter card stock in black and silver, then layered it all over a hammered white card base. 

Easy Peasy Tic Tac Toe, right?   I was in a panic until I found that patterned paper!

So we hope you will come join us for the January Card Chain Challenge - you have until Jan 6th to sign up.  You'll find all the info on how to sign up over at The Card Chain Challenge!  

I'm also sending my card to:

Little Red Wagon

Something new - fresh falling snow ends 1/7

Make My Monday

Your fav challenge for 2024

challenge #218 Use your Patterned paper ends 1/12

Paper:  Hammered White - Amazon, Metallic Glitter Card (black and silver) - Recollections (Michaels), Snowy Night Papers - Kawaii Pen Shop.

Accessories:  squirrel from Christmas Collection Rub-Ons - Taperlogy

Guest DT for Try it on Tuesday 7/23/24 In the Garden

 I'm excited to share that today I'm the Guest DT over at Try it on Tuesday after being chosen in the Top Five for their Small Things challenge in June.  

Today the challenge is "In the Garden".  You can do any kind of project - as long as it has to do with a garden.

I recently purchased some new stamps from Claire Brennan Design and her Mush Love set fits the theme perfectly!  I'm always excited when I use something new right away!

(Claire Brennan was the owner/designer of Waltzingmouse Stamps.  And I'm happy to say she has started designing stamps and stencils again as Claire Brennan Design!)

I stamped the image and sentiment on a panel of white card and colored the images with Copics.  Then I laid my Milky Way Stencil from A Colorful Life Design over the panel and sponged around the image with Speckled Egg Distress Ink where the sky would be and with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink where the ground would be!  I added 3 black Tuxedo hearts around the image and white Nuvo Drops to the mushroom cap.

So please join in with us over at Try It On Tuesday "In the Garden" theme - you'll find lots of inspiration from the talented Design Team!  

And a big thank you to the Design Team for letting me 'play' with you for this challenge!

I'm also linking my card to:

NBUS

First time using this Mush Love stamp set!

We Love Stamping

Anything Goes  7/31

Double D. Challenges

inspired by the flowers 8/4

Make My Monday Challenge

Let's Celebrate ends 7/28

Stamps:  Mush Love - Claire Brennan Design.

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress Speckled Egg and Mowed Lawn.

Accessories:  Copics, Tuxedo Hearts - Honey Bee Stamps, Milky Way Stencil - A Colorful Life Designs, Gloss White Nuvo Crystal Drops, blender brush.

I do Like to be Beside the Seaside

 Today I made a card for the Time Out Challenges

I was inspired by the light house and the ocean!

The DP inside the circle is from Charlie and Paulchen (a company in Germany), the light house is from Guiding Lights from Papertrey Ink (retired) and the sentiment is from Crafty Individuals (no name for this particular set).  I added blue enamel dots and a heart.  The white card is Hammered white that I purchased on Amazon.

I love this sentiment:  "I do like to be beside the seaside, I do like to be beside the sea."

Also linking my card to:

NBUS

first time using this ocean theme DP

Make my Monday

Outside Summer Fun  ends 6/30

Stamps:  Guiding Lights - PTI (retired), sentiment from Crafty Individuals.

Paper:  White - PTI, Hammered White - Amazon, DP Charlie and Paulchen

Ink:  Portabello - Versafine Clair,  Soft Stone, Stormy Sea, Cocoa Bean  PTI.

Accessories:  Circle die - Nestabilities, Guiding Light Dies - PTI (retired), foam dots, blue enamel dots and heart - Altenew.

Time to Hit the Beach

Today I'm joining in with the Just Us Girls Challenge #732

ends 6/26

I was inspired by the blocks of images, the pink and blue colors and the beachy feel.

I die cut the base with the Postage Collage Die and used the Postage Collage Coloring Stencil to color inside the sections - both from Waffle Flower.  The crab, seahorse,  air bubbles, fish and starfish are rub-ons from the Wild Life Set from Taperlogy.  The sentiment and palm trees are stamps from My Island a retired set from Waltzingmouse.  I added 3 pink enamel dots to the sentiment.

I'm also linking my card to:

NBUS

First time using the postal collage die and stencil

Make My Monday Challenge

Out Door Summer Fun  ends  6/29

Stamps: My Island - Waltzingmouse (retired)
Paper: White - PTI
Ink: Sea Glass, Rose Quartz - Altenew, Portobello - Versafine Clair
Accessories: Postage Collage Die and Postage Collage Coloring Stencil - Waffle Flower, Wild Life Rub-On Set - Taperlogy, Enamel dots - Altenew, blender brushes.