Inkspirational #356 - Stencils - Optional Twist of Snowflakes

 Here's my card for the newest Inkspirational Challenge - #356 Stencils -  optional twist -Snowflakes!

I used the Optional Twist with snowflake PP and a snowflake stencil!

I used a 'new to me' technique called Stenciling over Patterned Paper - that I saw on FB - there are several tutorials on YouTube if you'd like to see more examples.

This is a pic of the patterned paper I used on the left - the snowflake stencil placed over the patterned paper and inked with Stormy Sky Distress Ink on the right

Here is a photo of the stencil removed - and the snowflake pattern revealed.

I used a light enough ink that the pattern of the paper showed through the sponging as well as under the area of the stencil.    

I die cut the sentiment twice and adhered it to the middle of the card,  I die cut the edge with a frame die and added 3 sequin snowflakes.

We hope you will join us over at Inkspirational - and show us how you use stencils on your card design! 

This challenge ends Dec 19th.

Also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using this stencil that went with a Make it Market Kit from PTI I bought over 10 years ago! I had the box up on a shelf! I used other things from the kit - but never the stencils and, of course forgot what was in the box!

Stencil Fun 

optional winter related

ends 1/3

Christmas Kickstart

ends 12/31

Paper:  white - Papertrey Ink, DP - The Magic of Winter 6x6 paper pad - Echo Park.

Ink:  Ranger Distress Stormy Sky

Other Supplies:  Let It Snow Die - Christmas Cheer Die Collection - Papertrey Ink (retired), Nested Stitched Scallop Rectangle Frame die - Amazon, Snow Flake Sequins - This Calls for Confetti, blender brush.

Inkspirational Challenge #352 - Seasonal

 Today I'm sharing my DT card for the newest Inkspirational Challenge debuting today.

I chose Halloween as my Season.  

(also could be Fall since Oct 31 is in that season!)

You can see the glittery black gate better in the photo below.

I stamped a piece of grey card with a grid stamp and used it to ground The Count standing at the gate of the graveyard.

I'm on a mission to use more of the neglected supplies in my craft room -  I've only used this iron gate die once before - and this is the first time using The Count die despite my purchase of it several years ago!   The gravestone die and sentiment are from an older PTI set - that I have used but not for a few years!  Even the star paper is from a retired Halloween Print pad from PTI.

We'd love to see what you create for the theme: Seasonal!  

You'll find inspiration from the rest of the DT and Mr. Linky for this challenge over at Inkspirational.

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using The Count

Two Old Bats

ends 10/31

Craft Rocket

Halloween  ends 10/31

Die Cut Divas

Anything Goes  ends 10/31

Stamps: Haunted Head Stones - Papertrey Ink (retired), Distressed Grid Cover Stamp - Cornish Heritage Farms (retired).
Paper: Pure Poppy, Weathervane, White, True Black, Summer Sunrise, Dark Indigo - PTI, Glitter Black - Coredinations, Halloween Print - PTI (retired)
Ink: Old Paper - Ranger Distress (on moon), Nocturne - Versafine Clair.
Accessories: The Count Colorize Die, Gatekeeper Die - Sizzix, Haunted Head Stones Dies - PTI (retired), foam dots,

Live a Thankful Life

 I had a pad of Indian Summer DP on my desk from another project when I saw the latest Color Hues Challenge and knew it would be perfect for it!

As you can see, it has mostly the Rust part but also has touches of Yellow.  I was going to just stamp the sentiment and call it done (!)  but I also had the Buckeye Leaf die on my table (I've been bad about putting things away lately!) and thought I could add a little more yellow - so I smooshed Ranger Distress Mustard Seed ink on my craft mat, spritzed it with water and then smooshed the white die cut leaf into the ink.  I adhered it over the DP with foam dots and added 3 yellow acrylic dots.

The Color Hues Challenge

ends 10/14

Stamps:  Beautiful Berries: Autumn - PTI.

Ink:  Portobello - Versafine Clair, Mustard Seed - Ranger Distress

Paper:  White - PTI, DP Indian Summer Paper Pad - Basic Grey

Other Supplies:  Jumbo Curiosity: Buckeye Leaf - The Greetery, yellow acrylic dots - Altenew, foam dots, craft mat, water mister.

Floral Stencil for Four

 I just love this Wild Bloom stencil from Papertrey Ink.  I got it out today and made 4 cards for different occasions, using different cover plate dies for the backgrounds.

 Anniversary

Heart Hole Rectangle Cover Plate - Amazon

 Get Well

Rainbow A2 Pierced Cover Plate - Honey Bee

 Birthday

This birthday card was totally inspired by this card by my talented blogging friend Marcia!

Postage Collage Die - Waffle Flower 

Nested Stitched Scallop Die - Amazon

 Sympathy

Waves Pierced A2 Cover Plate - Honey Bee

I'm sending the Anniversary card to:

Just Us Girls

ends 10/1

Sending the Birthday card to:

Seize the Birthday

ends 10/7

NBUS

First time using Heart Hole Rectangle Cover Plate and Nested Stitched Scallop Die

on Anniversary and Get Well cards. 

Paper:  White, Winter Wisteria - Papertrey Ink

Ink: Wisteria, Deep Iris, Olive, Moss, Teal Cave - Altenew

Other Supplies: Wild Blooms Stencil - Papertrey Ink, Heart Hole Rectangle Cover Plate - Amazon, Rainbow A2 Pierced Cover Plate - Honey Bee, Postage Collage Die - Waffle Flower , Nested Stitched Scallop Die - Amazon, blender brushes, A Little Message Sentiments - Better Press Plate and Die Set, You Are Everything Sentiments - Better Press Plate and Die Set - Spellbinders, foam dots.

August 2025 Card Chain Challenge Reveal

 Today's the day all of the cards exchanged through the Card Chain Challenge  for August are being revealed over at the blog.  I sent my card to Carol in the UK and received a card from Arlene in California!

We are always given several options to inspire our card designs - but we only have to use one.  

This month I used the colors (which I rarely do as I hate being told what colors to use!), I "sort of" used the Sketch, the themes of Tropical and Friendship and the technique of Stenciling! 

Phew!  I got a lot of the suggestions in this month - I think this might be the most ever for me!

I used a Pool Water Stencil on my background which is white hammered cardstock. I die cut the squares and the cool summer drink is a rub-on from Taperlogy!

Instead of making a card that opens - I used a die cut easel on the back so the panel stands up for display!

Please pop over to the Card Chain Challenge Blog to see all the cards exchanged and to join us next month if you are so inspired - you'll find all the details for signing up here!  

Also sending my card to:

Dragonfly Dreams

Lots of Layers - ends 9/6

Paper Players

Center Horizonal line

Bright Colors   Free  Enamel Dots 

ends 9/5

Stamps:  Just Sentiments: Summer - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Soft Lilac - Altenew, Nocturne Versafine Clair.

Paper:  Hammered White - Amazon, Amethyst Allure, Summer Sunrise, and Raspberry Fizz - Papertrey Ink.

Other Supplies:  Square Nestability dies - Sizzix, Pool Water Stencil - Papertrey Ink, Summer Vacation Collection Rub Ons - Taperlogy, enamel dots - Altenew, foam dots, Blender Brush, Small Easel  Bigz Die - Sizzix.

Camping in Summer

A friend asked me to make an anniversary card for her to give to her husband this year.  They have an RV and always travel in the summer in it so I thought these camping chairs and the road sign were appropriate!

Sending my card to:

Cardz 4 Guyz

Summer Holidays  ends 8/18

Love those Pretty Papers

anything goes  ends 7/31

NBUS

First time using these dies and stamps

I.D.E.A.S

D=dies

Stamps:  Lifes Great Advventures - PaperTrey Ink.

Paper:  White - PTI,  DP Forest - Stamperia.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Sand Dune, Heart Beat, Rocky Shore, Dark Chocolate - Altenew.

Other Supplies:  Lifes Great Adventures Dies - PTI, foam dots, computer generated sentiment.

June Group of Seven Cardmakers - Second Generation Stamping

 Here is my 1st card for the June Group of Seven Cardmakers post.  

This month we are playing with Second Generation Stamping -  when you stamp an image fully inked then stamp it again without reinking either once or twice.  You'll find a link to Videos on the technique over at the GO7 Blog.

 It creates a wonderful depth to your card design.

I went very CAS with this card, simply stamping the image on the left fully inked with Portobello Versafine Clair Ink then stamping again to the right of that stamping and a bit higher, without reinking.

Next,  I stamped the image off the bottom and half off the right side fully inked - then stamped above it (only the left half of the stamp) again way over to the left off the edge with the right half of the stamp.

   My card base is watercolor paper and the sentiment is from Paper Artsy.

Trees seem to be the first thing I grab when I think of Generation Stamping (or off stamping) so I wanted to stretch myself and use other stamps and also add some color!

   

So this card was born (after about 5 aborted attempts using various Lavinia stamps!)

I started by stamping a text background - inking the stamp and stamping it off on paper before stamping on the card panel as I wanted it just to be a shadow.

Then I stamped the dandelion in black and off stamped it - repeating again and the same with the leaf.  And finally I stamped and off stamped the Orchard Grass along the bottom.

To add color (after I made sure the black ink was dry!) -  I sponged over the top with Distress Speckled Egg and over the bottom with Shabby Shutters.

I stamped the sentiment on white card and punched it with an oval punch.  I sponged the edges with the Speckled Egg and popped it up on the card with foam dots.

We hope you'll give this technique a try 

(you probably have done this already at some point in your stamping career?! but maybe not for a while?)

   

You'll find Mr. Linky and lovely inspiration from the rest of the GO7 team over at the blog.

We'd love to see how you use this technique!

Also sending my card to:

IDEAS Calendar

4th week - A - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping

Nature Inspired ends 7/1

AAA Cards

CAS  ends 7/5

Tree Card

Stamps:  Silhouette Trees #1 - Rubbernecker (retired), Sentiment from Paper Artsy Alison Bomber set EAB01.

Paper:  Water color paper - Canson Cold Press

Ink:  Portobello Versafine Clair

Dandelion Card

Stamps:  Background Script, Orchard Grass, Tall Dandelion - Lavinia, Dandelion Wishes Sentiment set - Papertrey Ink.

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink

Ink:  Nocturne, Morning Mist - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress Speckled Egg and Shabby Shutters.

Other Supplies:  oval punch - SU, foam dots, blender brushes.

Inkspirational #341 - Hot Day at the Beach

 It's time for Inkspirational Challenge #341 - Designers Choice!  

Marlena is the designer to choose the challenge - and here it is!

I created a scene of a hot summers night at the beach as the sun is finally setting, with a hot fire crackling in the fire pit.

I made the background by first stamping the half sun, then masking it and simply rubbing the ink pads over the panel - Mustard Seed for the yellow sky, Arctic for the ocean and Sand Dune for the beach. I stamped and off-stamped the beach grass in Portabello.

The stamps and dies are all from Better at the Beach from Papertrey Ink. (they have the stamps but not the dies right now)

I added Clear Glitter Wink of Stella along the sky line and on the flames of the fire for a little sparkle - hopefully you can see it on the close up below.

So what does HOT make you think of?  food?  Summer? fire?  We hope you'll join us at Inkspirational and link up your cards!   You'll find lovely inspiration from the rest of the DT over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on May 23rd.

Also sending my card to:

Cardz 4 Guyz

Body of Water  ends 5/13

Creative Inspirations

The Great Outdoors - ends May 31

Die Cut Divas

Make it look like water coloring 

(my rubbed inkpad background)

ends 5/31

Stamps:  Better at the Beach - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Mustard Seed Ranger Distress, Russet Orange - Elements, Arctic, Portabello, Sand Dune, Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Cocoa Bean - Papertrey Ink.

Paper:  white, Fine Linen, Soft Stone - Papertrey Ink.

Other Supplies:  Better at the Beach Dies - Papertrey Ink, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, mask tape, foam dots.