Inkspirational #335 Mood Board - Inspired Flowers

 Inkspirational Challenge #335 has just posted and it's a lovely Mood Board!

I was inspired by the aqua colors and the florals.

Still trying to follow my New Year's resolution to use things I've had for ages and never used,

I pulled out the Craft-A-Flower Lily die set from Altenew.  And boy, aren't these pretty blooms?!  I didn't think they would still have them, I bought them so long ago - but they do!   I added Silver Wink of Stella on the stamens but it doesn't show much on the photo.  The flower on the right is popped up on foam dots.

This challenge ends on Feb 28th so we hope you will join us before then and link up your card inspired by our Moodboard!   

You'll find more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using these Altenew Lily dies!

Love those Pretty Papers

did not use optional red ends 2/27

Cut It Up Challenge

Flowers make me smile ends 2/17

The Neglected Stuff Challenge

ends 2/28

Paper:  Robins Egg - Bazzill, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shore, Tropical Teal, True Black - PTI, DP: Untamed Meadow - Unity two shades of textured green from my stash.

Other Supplies:  More Sentiments Hot Foil Plate and die set - Spellbinders, Silver Hot Foil, Glimmer Hot Foil System, foam dots, Silver Wink of Stella.

Group of 7 Cardmakers - January 2025 Technique

 Today the Group of 7 Cardmakers are playing with the technique of Dry Embossed Highlights over Ink Blending.

You'll find links to a couple of YouTube Videos over at the Group of Seven Blog.

I tried two of the techniques with varying success depending on the embossing folder and lighter colored ink I used over the panel.  

The instructions say to use a white pigment ink to rub over the embossing. All of my white ink pads seem to dry out by the time I go to use them?! I used the one I had on the heart card below this card - but it wasn't very 'juicy' and also picked up the pink from the background.

So, I used Antique Linen Distress Oxide over the embossing on the two cards below.  I used Distress Oxide Seedless Preserves, Squeezed Lemonade and Salvaged Patina on the backgrounds.

A few creation photos for these two using the same embossing folder.

I used an old Colorbox Frost White Ink rubbed over the embossed hearts on the card below -  the pad wasn't very 'juicy' and picked up some of the Festive Berries Distress Oxide ink so the white was not very 'white'!  But I liked the result.  This older embossing folder was not very deep. 

I rubbed my Squeezed Lemonade Distress Oxide ink pad over the embossing, using Speckled Egg Distress Oxide inside the rectangle.

Notes:  I decided to use light Distress Oxide Inks to rub over the embossing on 3 of my designs instead of white (accept on the Valentine) since I didn't have a 'fresh' White Pigment Ink.

I found if the embossing wasn't deep enough, the ink pad I rubbed over the embossing would also get ink onto the un-embossed areas of the card.

I tried 4 other embossing folders that didn't work out either with the colors I used on the background or the thinner depth of the embossing - so keep playing!

We'd love to see what you create using this technique.  You can link up your card over at the Group of Seven Cardmakers blog so we can all come and see them!

I'm linking my Thank You card

 to:

Can You Handle the Pressure

anything goes with embossing ends 2/5

Allsorts Challenge

optional: Close to Nature (flowers) ends 1/31

Thank You and Sympathy Cards

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, Gold foil, Silver Foil

Ink:  Ranger Distress Oxides - Seedless Preserves, Squeezed Lemonade, Salvaged Patina, Old Paper.

Other Supplies:  Masking Tape, Flowers and Leaves Embossing Folder - Altenew, Way with Words Hot Foil Stamps (Thank You) - Ellen Hutson, Classic Frame Foil Set (Sympathy)- Waffle Flower, foam dots, blender brushes.

Valentine Card

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, gold foil

Ink:  Ranger Distress Oxide - Festive Berries, Frost White - Color Box.

Other Supplies:  Masking Tape, Hearts 3D Embossing Folder - Sizzix, Way with Words Hot Foil Stamps (Love You) - Ellen Hutson, foam dots, masking tape, blender brushes.

Congratulations Card

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, gold foil

Ink:  Ranger Distress Oxides - Speckled Egg, Squeezed Lemonade.

Other Supplies:  All Star Burst Embossing Folder - Simon Says Stamp, masking tape, foam dots, blender brushes, Way with Words Hot Foil Stamps (Congratulations) - Ellen Hutson. 

Guest Elf at Christmas Kickstart - Jan 2025 Baubles

 Today, I'm excited to be posting a card as the Guest Elf at Christmas Kickstart for January!  

For those of us living in the US - baubles are what we call ornaments, just in case you weren't sure (like me)?!

I recently purchased a fun die set - Festive Ornaments - from Spellbinders that has 5 ornament designs 

(sold out on Spellbinders site, but still available on Amazon)

I used plum pudding dies from the set for this card - matching it with patterned paper that had plum pudding and other Christmas desserts and foliage on it! 

 

And - I made my Christmas card a Christmas Thank You card because I needed one to send a friend and I used a bauble on it!

So we hope you will join us in January, creating a Christmas card with Baubles on it!!  You'll find the challenge here.

I'll  be back with a reminder post on January 15th!

Also sending my card to:

Christmas Crafts All Year Round

Christmas Song  ends 1/31

Line: Jack Frost Nipping at your nose - 

 Frosty snow on the ornament and snowflakes in background

Jingle Bells

Something Old - Something New ends 1/15

DP is old - ornament die is new

NBUS

first time using the ornament dies

Love those Pretty Patterned Papers

ends 1/31

Peace on Earth Christmas

Anything Christmas  ends 1/16

Stamps:  Join Us - Waltzingmouse (retired)

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Paper:  Scarlet Jewel, Pine Feather - Papertrey Ink, White Glitter Paper - Recollections, Kraft Stock Metallic Gold and Silver - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, DP Wintery Wonderlands - Brass and Bliss.

Other Supplies: Festive Ornaments Dies - Spellbinders, foam dots, silver cord - from stash. 

Inkspirational #332 - Pretty Quilts Jan 2025

 Welcome to the first challenge of 2025 at Inkspirational - this month the challenge is Designer Choice and I'm the designer to choose!  

My challenge is Pretty Quilts and here are some suggestions to help you start designing.

Show us something pretty using squares or strips of different patterned papers.  

 

Cut squares out of several different patterned papers and arrange them to make a larger 'quilt', check out YouTube quilt card tutorials.

 Here's a link : https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=quilt+card+tutorial

Use a blanket or beach towel stamp or die - color with several colors or stamp flowers etc on it?

 I have two samples to share with you today.

To create my 'quilted' birds - I took a piece of computer paper and adhered some 1/4" to 1/2" strips of scrap DP over it, just a random mix of patterns and colors.  You can see all thestrips in the bowl - I save them when I trim DP for other projects.  I laid the thinlit bird dies over the paper and ran them through my machine.

 (note - if you have a Bigz die you can adhere the DP strips onto a piece of card stock as Bigz Dies will cut through thicker paper)

Here is my 2nd sample of a Pretty Quilt.

I used the Coaster Die from The Greetery to cut the base out of white card.  Then I cut two pieces of patterned Soft Stone paper into 2 3/4" squares (one dotted, one stripes).  

I placed each square (one at a time) over the center square of the die and ran it through my machine so it would imprint the quilted dots.   

Then I put both squares together (one on top of the other) and cut them into approximately 1/4" to 1/2" wide strips.  

I laid the strips out, alternating stripes and dots and then adhered them over the coaster base.  The coffee mug is from Paper Cut Cafe Thinlit dies.

So I hope I have inspired you to think about creating some kind of a pretty quilt and to join us over at Inkspirational - you will find inspiration from the rest of the DT as well as Mr. Linky -  which closes on Jan 17th.

I'm also sending my Birds card to:

Cut it Up Challenge - Anything Goes using die cuts 

ends 1/6

I'm sending my Espresso card to:

Inspired by Challenge

Warmth, blue mug and tan coaster  ends 1/8

Where Your Birds Sing

Stamps:  Backyard Bird Friends Stamps - Ellen Hutson (retired)

Paper: White, Soft Stone, Grey - PTI, DP - Make it Merry -Honey Bee Stamps, scraps of mixed patterned paper.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Feathered Friends Thinlits Dies - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, 2" circle punch - SU, enamel dots - Altenew.

An Espresso of My Thanks

Stamps:  Coffee Set - Waltzingmouse (retired)

Paper:  White, Hawaiian Shores, Enchanted Evening, Blueberry Sky, Dark Chocolate - PTI, White and Grey Cordinations, DP - Bitty Big Patterned Paper Collection Soft Stone - PTI

Ink:  Portabello Versarine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Coaster Die - The Greetery, Paper Cut Cafe Thinlit dies - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, foam dots.

Winter Thank You Cards and Christmas Tags Using Eileen Hull's Sizzix Dies - Comfort and Joy

 Many of Eileen Hull's Design and Educational Team members are creating Comfort and Joy posts - quick projects for the holidays and beyond using Eileen's Sizzix dies.  All of the teams projects will be linked over at the Eileen Hull Fan Club FB.

I have created an easy to make winter Thank You Note using the snowflake die from Eileen's Wreath and Snowflake Thinlits die set.

I also made two tags, also using the lovely snowflake die along with the bird die from the Wreath and Snowflake set.  I die cut the tag using the largest tag die from her Waterfall and Tags Thinlits die set. By changing the sentiment these could be used on any winter gift!

Here is a brief tutorial on making the quilt background for the Thank You note.  

I found the tutorial for the 'Disappearing 9 Patch' in the Forum over at Splitcoaststampers.

First, I picked out 3 snowflake patterned papers from a 6x6 paper pad.  I cut a couple of 1" strips from each pattern and then cut the strips into 1" squares (so each strip gave me 6 one inch squares.)

I cut a 3" square out of white card stock and adhered a double sided adhesive sheet over the white panel (you could also just put glue on the squares to adhere them to the white panel)

I laid out the snowflake squares onto the white panel mixing the patterns 

(looking at the top row across below) - I did pattern 1, pattern 2, pattern 3  second row Pattern 2, 3, 1, then third row pattern 3,1, 2) 

You want to try and adhere the squares evenly with edges touching.

Next, I cut the square in half one way, then the other way as per below.

Then I laid the 4 quilt pieces on a 4"x4" black panel leaving 1/2" outer edge all around, turning each square to create a mixed up pattern. Once I was happy with the look of the pattern, I adhered the 4 pieces to the black panel.

I die cut the snowflake out of Disco Glitter Cardstock (Michaels) and put thin foam strips on the back as shown.

I adhered the snowflake with the foam strips, to the center of the quilt piece.  

My outside edges on this one didn't quite come out even (!?)  so I die cut a square frame using 3 1/4" and 2 3/4' Nestibilities and adhered it over the quilt square. (There's always a 'fix' right?!)

The frame makes the outside lines look crisp and clean.  

You could also just trim your quilt square outside edges to make them even, if you're trying to make a bunch of these as quickly as possible!

Another way to get these put together quicker is to just leave your 9 patch and don't cut it in quarters!  

It's still a lovely quilt look!  I lined up these pieces better and the edges were even so I didn't need a frame around it.

Below is the simpler finished card with the 9 patch and no framing.  I also just adhered the snowflake over the panel without foam so it lays flat.

Below is the Disappearing 9 Patch with the frame over it and the snowflake up on foam.

I adhered the black panel to a 4 1/4" square white card base.  I stamped the thank you, punched out the oval and adhered it to the corner of the frame.

Now on to the tags.   

You could use this tag for any winter gift giving with a different sentiment (Happy Birthday, Just for You, Congratulations)  It would look pretty on a bottle of wine, right?!

A simple how to for the tags.

I die cut snowflakes out of the Disco Glitter Cardstock. I cut the birds as well as the tags out of blue and red Glitter cardstock using Eileen's Wreath and Snowflake Thinlit dies.  I used the largest tag die from Water Fall and Tags Thinlit Dies.  

I stamped the sentiment on a strip of white card and adhered it as a grounding for the bird's feet.  I added tiny black gems for the eyes.

I hope I have inspired you to create some simple but impressive holiday/winter cards and tags!

All of the teams' Comfort and Joy projects are being shown on Eileen Hull's Fan Club Face Book page with links to our blog posts during the month of December.

Are you a member of the Eileen Hull Fan Club? Join over 5,ooo other members to share ideas, inspiration, sources, challenges and make some fabulous friends – make sure to answer the questions! Watch her Facebook Lives at Eileen Hull Designs on Tuesdays at 6:00 Eastern and Thursdays at 4:00 for project ideas, techniques, inspiration and creative community. Additionally, you can also find Eileen on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Stamps:  Thank You from Vintage Roses Add On Stamp Set - Altenew, Merry Christmas from Silent Night - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Obsidian - Altenew

Paper:  White and True Black -Papertrey Ink, red and blue glitter paper, Disco Glitter Cardstock - Michaels, DP North Winkd 6x6 paper pad - Craft and You.

Accessories:  Wreath and Snowflake Thinlit Dies, Waterfall and Tags Thinlit Dies - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, 6x6 Adhesive Sheets - Sizzix, word window punch - Stampin' Up, black tiny twinkles - Taylored Expressions.