Inkspirational: Photo Inspiration

Inkspirational is back with a new photo challenge! When I first glanced at this, I wasn't seeing a lot to inspire me - I mostly noticed the neutral colours. Then I took a closer look... there are books! And the plants provide a touch of green! And the walls have a very cool texture to them. I was ready to make my card:

I was even able to add a comfy armchair, thanks to the photo. Having a reading rabbit is all me, though. :) I can't decide if the walls in the inspiration are brick or wood, but using a brick stencil gave me a little bit of the same textured look, I thought. Both the bunny and the chair are coloured with Copic markers. It took a great deal of willpower to use that sentiment - where's my U in favoUrite? :D But it seemed right for the little reading scene. 

It's always interesting to see how my Ink teammates are inspired, so be sure to check out their work. And then I hope you'll join us! 

Supplies: Neenah white & Fabriano green cardstock, Avery Elle Feels Like Home & Feels Like Home Addition stamps & dies, Versafine onyx black & antique linen distress ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz bricked stencil

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Use Something Free or Gifted

The new challenge at Inkspirational is fun and one, I think, all of us can participate in because of this generous crafting community: USE SOMETHING FREE OR GIFTED! I have two gifted items in play on my card: 

My cute little hedgehog and accompanying sentiment are from a set gifted to me by friend and Ink teammate Carol! My background panel is edged with a stencil I received from Uniko as part of a package when I was designing for 25 Days of Christmas Tags. (By the way, Uniko has some free digital images if you're unsure what you should use for this challenge...) After I stencilled the snowflakes, I also blended some of the same ink over them, and then edged the panel by running it along the ink pad's surface. I sometimes like to do this when I don't want to add a mat for another layer. Hedgie is coloured in Copics, and of course had to have some Stickles on his Santa hat. He's popped up on some foam tape - if I currently had some wobbles, it would have been a definite consideration! 

As you'll see from my teammates' cards, free and gifted elements can make fabulous cards! Hope you'll be inKspired to join us. 

Supplies: Neenah white cardstock, Sunny Studio Hedgey Holidays stamps and dies, Versafine onyx black & tumbled glass distress oxide ink, Copic markers, Uniko Let It Snow stencil, frosted lace Stickles, foam tape

 

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Bark

Welcome to a new Inkspirational challenge! We have a word prompt for you: BARK. I thought my teammates might tend toward the four-legged association, so I went with the tree kind: 

It also never hurts to add another Christmas card to the stash, and I tend to use my paper birch dies that way. (I like them, so yes, I have more than one set of birch dies. :D) I almost always hide the cut off ends of these trees behind a frame of some kind, but for a change, let them show atop a patterned paper mat. It was also the first time I just Copic-coloured the outlines instead of cutting them out of dark cardstock - I'll definitely do it that way again! After I added the sentiment and the little red flower/snowflake/? it still seemed to need something, so I added a sparkly snow crystal. It may still need a little something, but I'm not sure what. :D 

Fun and inspiring cards from my Ink teammates! Whatever direction the word prompt takes you, we'd love to have you join us! 

Supplies: Neenah white & SU real red cardstock, Echo Park Keeping' Cozy patterned paper, Paper Smooches Birch Trees & Merry dies, MFT stitched rounded rectangle & (?) flower dies, Copic marker, Marvy-Uchida corner-rounding punch, Studio Katia iridescent ice flakes crystals

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Watercolour

Inkspirational is back with a new Technique Challenge: Watercolour! I like the forgiving nature of watercolour; if I stray outside the lines, I can often "erase" the extra with more water, or failing that, decide to call it artistic. :D On my card today, I decided to show that watercolours can be either bold or more muted:

We recently needed to make use of a sympathy card, and since my husb mentioned how much he liked it, I decided to more or less recreate it. The pretty stem of sweet pea flowers is stamped on watercolour paper and coloured with Zig markers: intense for the blossoms, and more watered down for the stems. To add a little interest to the background, I dry embossed it with a triangle embossing folder. The sentiment comes from the same set as the flowers. 

The cards by my Ink teammates will show you just how varied and versatile watercolours can be! I hope they will inspire you to join us. 

Supplies: Neenah white, Recollections black & (?) green cardstock, Ranger watercolour paper, Studio Katia You're So Sweet stamps & dies, Versafine onyx black ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Zig markers, Echo Park mini triangles embossing folder

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Photo Inspiration

Welcome to the newest Inkspirational challenge, where we have a pretty photo to inspire you! I was inspired by the flowers in glass containers, and the grey backdrop: 

...and inspired to make another sunflower card as the war in Ukraine continues. :( The image is watercoloured with Zigs. I actually looked at a few tutorials for watercolouring glass, but they were way above my pay grade. :D After the flowers were done, I went a bit nuts with patterned paper! For my usual style, at least. I liked how the yellow brought out the sunflowers and the small, darker grey panel added a bit of contrast. Hugs seemed an appropriate sentiment. 

I love the variety of cards my teammates were inspired to make from this photo - and I hope you'll feel inspired to join us. 

Supplies: Neenah white cardstock, Canson watercolour paper, Authentique Be(you)tiful patterned paper, Technique Tuesday Sunny Flowers stamp & die, Clearly Besotted Many Mini Messages stamp, Versafine onyx black ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Zig markers, Sizzix/Tim Holtz deckle die, foam tape

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Critters That Hop

It's a Designers Choice challenge at Inkspirational starting today, and I just so happen to be the designer that chose the theme: Critters That Hop! When I picked this idea, I had every intention of making a frog card when the time came. But then it was the middle of March, it's slowly approaching spring in my neck of the woods, and Easter is a month away! Out came a bunny: 

I revisited a technique I haven't used for a long time - debossing a focal area in my main panel. I die cut three squares out of cardboard, adhered them together, and then used the result with my die cutting machine for my focal square. In that square I stamped and embossed my little bunny, colouring him and a bit of grass with Copics. I stamped and embossed my punny sentiment, then added a bit of scoring around the edges to go with the square. Of course I had to add a bit of puff to his tail with a snow marker. 

Since I've had this cute stamp set for-approximately-ever, I'm adding this to the current anything goes Retro Rubber challenge. For the cuteness factor, I'm entering Time Out Challenges. 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that all my Ink teammates opted for rabbits, too! But don't let that stop you from choosing any critter that hops - we'd love to see your project in our gallery! 

Supplies: Neenah white cardstock, Lawn Fawn My Silly Valentine stamps, Versafine onyx black ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, Marvy Uchida snow marker

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Curve

Welcome to a new Inkspirational challenge, where our latest word prompt is CURVE! This word led me to some celebratory streamers:

The length of the streamer stamp also led me to a mini slimline card design. I started by stamping and embossing the sentiment in the middle of the panel, then added a rainbow of streamers above and below. For some extra festiveness, I added a silver glitter mat and a smattering of iridescent star sequins. 

Time Out Challenges is celebrating the 8th birthday of their blog, so I'd like to send this card their way. 

My Ink teammates have each interpreted our prompt differently, so be sure to check out their fun creations! 

Supplies: Neenah white & Sizzix silver glitter cardstock, Mama Elephant Party Kit & Stampin' Up Birthday Wishes stamps, Versafine onyx black & Memento ladybug, tangelo, dandelion, pear tart, teal zeal & lilac posies ink, Hero Arts clear sparkle embossing powder, Photoplay stitched frame dies, Little Things from Lucy's Cards clear iridescent star sequins

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Shaped Cards

Happy weekend! We are introducing a new challenge category today at Inkspirational: technique challenges! And we are starting off with a fun one, SHAPED cards. Of course all cards have to have a shape, but we're looking outside the traditional rectangles or squares. Mine is takeout coffee shaped!

I got the idea and basic measurements for this from a tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers. There's a local coffee shop where I live that uses bright green lids, so that inspired my colour choices. I could have used one of my saved coffee sleeves (yes, I have a few) but embossed some kraft cardstock instead.  

On the Ink blog, you'll find cards of all shapes and sizes! ;) Hope we've inspired you to join us. 

Supplies: Neenah white & desert storm & scrap green cardstock, Lawn Fawn My Cup of Tea & STAMPlorations Literary Caffeine-ations stamps, Versamark, Versafine onyx black, Memento London fog & Catherine Pooler garden party inks, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Sizzix/Tim Holtz Pinwheel embossing folder, MFT double stitched rectangle die

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Photo Challenge

Happy February Saturday! February does of course bring with it Valentines Day, and if you need a little help with cards for that, Inkspiration has the perfect photo to help! I stayed very close to the source with my card: 

These little roses are my favourite type of layering stamps - the kind where you can't be exact. :D I lightly traced a heart on my cardstock, then stamped along it with the outline rose stamp. Next, with my lighter ink shade, I used the fill-in stamp, first full strength, and then again on the next rose to get the lighter 2nd generation colour. From a different stamp set, I added a few little leaves here and there. The imprecise look of the flowers gave me permission not to be perfect with them, either. ;)  I picked up on the door from the photo by scoring the panel horizontally. I can't decide if it was a good idea to leave the centre area of the wreath unscored or not - but it felt like it might be above my pay grade the day I was making this. :D The sentiment is from yet another stamp set. 

I've got pink, a heart and a romantic sentiment, so I am going to add this to the current Festive Friday challenge: St. Valentine's Day.

I love the different directions the Ink team went with their inspired cards - and I'm sure you will, too! I hope you will join us. 

Supplies: Neenah white cardstock, Winnie & Walter In Bloom: Frenchy's Festive Florals & In Bloom: Hollie's Festive Florals & MFT Tropical Sensations stamps, Catherine Pooler do-si-do, polished & garden party ink, Studio Katia clear drop mix 2

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Ice

Merry Christmas! It's also a Saturday, and that means it is time for a new Inkspirational challenge! We have a word prompt for you: ICE. I purposely made my card so it could be a Christmas card, or not: 

I have two different stamp sets that include ice floes, and since I've used my polar bear set a lot already this year, I switched to this cute penguin set. I stamped the penguin, masked him, and added the ice beneath him. While the mask was still in place, I sponged in a little Antarctic sky. He's a penguin, so there wasn't a lot of colouring that needed to be done. ;) The sentiment leaves this card available for a number of occasions! 

I hope you'll have time in the next two weeks to join us! 

Supplies: Neenah white cardstock, Mama Elephant Arctic Penguins & MFT Chill Wishes stamps, Versafine onyx black, MFT extreme black & faded jeans & wilted violet distress ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, MFT wonky stitched rectangle die

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Photo

It's time for a new Inkspirational challenge, and we have a beautiful and seasonal photo to inspire you! I took a number of different elements and mashed them together to end up with this: 

Hot chocolate with marshmallows, the word JOY, the deer (both from the cushion) (that is a deer, right?), and the warm colours combined with white. To put it together, I combined the stamped mug of cocoa with a die cut J and Y and added them to the patterned paper background. The secondary sentiments are also stamped and embossed. 

This photo has so much inspiration to offer! Be sure to visit the Ink blog to see in what directions my teammates have taken this. Hope you'll join us! 

Supplies: Neenah white, Concord & 9th pearl glitter & Sizzix gold cardstock, Pink Paisley Snow Village patterned paper, Lawn Fawn Thanks a Latte stamps & dies, Versamark & Versafine onyx black ink, Wow clear gloss & vintage champagne embossing powder, Paper Smooches joy & Sugar Pea Designs card front element builder dies, Copic markers, foam tape

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Plaid

Happy weekend! It's time for a brand new challenge at Inkspirational, where my teammates Marlena and Pia have together come up with a fun designers choice theme: PLAID! Since I'm all about the Christmas cards at the moment, I took the opportunity to make two more. Here's my first: 

I took inspiration from a card I made a couple of years ago, but changed the layout and my bear's choice of sweater. I continue to often paper-piece this guy even though the little details (paws, point of Santa hat) can be... painstaking. The background is distress inks splattered with water, and then after I die cut the panel, I added a little more dark blue around the edges above where I planned to put the vellum ocean. With his mug (hot buttered rum, perhaps?) I thought the "stay warm" sentiment worked well. 

My second card was much easier to make, but still adds another one to the holiday stash: 

As I checked through my supplies for various iterations of plaid, I came across this cute snowman panel. I rounded one corner, matted the panel on red, then found coordinating patterned paper and cardstock to make up the design. (That snowflake-embossed cardstock is actually marketed as cream, but it's definitely yellow to my eye!) After I put it together, it seemed to need just a little something, so I added the die cut snowflake that balanced everything out. 

There is more plaid inspiration on the Ink blog - I hope you'll join us! 

Supplies: (stay warm) Neenah white cardstock, vellum, Echo Park Christmas This & That patterned paper, MFT Cool Day stamps, Versafine onyx black & salty ocean, wilted violet & chipped sapphire distress ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, MFT blueprints 29 stitched rectangle & border dies; (winter fun) Neenah white, Fabriano cream & (?) red cardstock, Cosmo Cricket Mitten Weather & Basic Grey Evergreen patterned papers, Sunny Studio slimline basic borders & Sizzix/Tim Holtz mini snowflake dies, PTI snowflake impression plate, fun foam

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Photo Challenge

It's time for a new photo to challenge your creativity at Inkspirational! Other than putting a big chair on my card ;) I think I went the most obvious route - lots of gold on black: 

So easy to make; so very hard to photograph. I guess you could call this a background stamp, but it definitely has enough going on that it can be the star of the show, especially gold-embossed on black cardstock. I debated adding something else, but decided to leave it just as it is. 

It's always fun to see how many different interpretations can be inspired by one photo! Be sure to check the Ink blog to see my teammates' great cards, and then I hope you'll find time to join us! 

Supplies: (?) black cardstock, Uniko Block Party Christmas stamp, Versamark ink, Simon Says Stamp antique gold embossing powder

Pin It Now!

Inkspirational: Cheer

Happy Saturday! We have a new word prompt challenge for you at Inspirational today - CHEER! Lots of ways to interpret this word, but happy for another reason to make a Christmas card, here's mine: 

I also decided to stick with the singular, although I have lots of stamps and sentiments that would work with "cheers", too. ;) But a little penguin holding a Christmas Cheer sign - why not? He's coloured in Copics, with an ink-blended snowy sky behind him. I initially tried adding some dry embossing to the white panel, but preferred the clean look that didn't compete with the stitching on the frame. 

I'm adding this to the Wednesday Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp. 

Cheer as a noun, cheer as a verb - you'll see both uses by my Ink teammates! Lots of inspiration to get you started on your own cheer. 

Supplies: Neenah white cardstock, Pretty Pink Posh Holiday Signs stamps & die, Versafine onyx black, Stampin' Up real red & faded lilac & wilted violet distress ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, Studio Katia elegant scallop oval die, Gelli Roll white glaze pen, fun foam, foam tape, frosted lace Stickles

Pin It Now!