Ingenious Inkling

Invent a New One

SmilynStef — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:51:26 -0600

I needed to make a couple of masculine cards tonight, so I decided to create both a vertical and horizontal version of Kazan's Sketch #39 from 2 Sketches 4 You using Basic Grey Archaic papers.

The first features one of my favorite sentimentsfrom the Stampers' Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection, as well Stampabilities Vintage Flourish 03.

The second card features another great sentiment from Inkadinkado.

Santa's Village

SmilynStef — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:23:34 -0600

I've always loved Webster's Pages, so when I saw Ellen Hutson had 6"x6" papers in her shop, I decided it was time to take the plunge. This fun paper called Santa's village works perfectly for CPS Sketch 141.

I added stamped snowflakes, presents, and a sentiment from Hero Arts Clear Design Holiday sayings. I also added Distress Stickles in PIcket Fence and Rock Candy to the snowflakes and fun patchwork roof, and some Antique Bronze Stickles to the door for an all over glittery shimmer for the Hero Arts Puttin' on the Glitz! challenge. Unfortunately, the glitter glue lightened the Maroon stamped snowflakes, so they look a little pinker than I'd like, but I still love the overall effect. The finished card is 5 1/2" square (I trimmed a 1/4 inch from each side of the page).

Owlways in my Heart

SmilynStef — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:14:58 -0600

The current challenge at the Embellish Magazine Blog is to incorporate this wonderful color combination with owls.

As I was putting away my October Kit of the Month from Unity Stamps, I noticed it contained an adorable owl and equally cute sentiment, so that was the start for my design. I was also inspired by the layers of colors in the owls eyes and nose/beak in the photograph collage.

The background is embossed with the Pebbles Impressabilities plate. I spritzed the coral cardstock with water before running it through my Cuttlebug. I love the subtle textured design.

I stamped the owl on the ivory cardstock for the legs, and then three more times to paper piece him together. The heart on the sentiment is also paper pieced. The corner punch is from EK Success, and the green & ivory layers were cut with Nestabilities. I attached the ivory cardstock to brown cardstock and hand-cut the middle layer.

Embrace Giggle Grove

SmilynStef — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:48 -0600

It's another gorgeous day in the midwest, so I think I'm going to fore-go my usual studio time for some time in the great outdoors. I did make a quick card while watching CBS Sunday Morning (my favorite weekend morning routine) for today's SCS Featured Stamper Challenge.

My card was inspired by chrisations.ink's Stumped card. It reminded me of the Giggle Grove Trees from Unity ... unfortunately, those images turned out to be considerably larger than I remembered, so I had to alter the design a bit to make it work. The finished card is 4" x 8 1/2".

When Spellbinders were on sale for 40% off at Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago, I finally broke down and decided to add some to my collection ... of course, when I went to check out, they were all out of stock, but I did get rain checks and finally picked them up on Friday. I used the Classic Ovals Large to cut out my image and the Giga Scallop Oval punch for the frame. The sentiment is from Unity's Bevy of Butterflies and Cornish Heritage Farm's Scratched Grid Backgrounder is the base.

Tis the Season of Joy

SmilynStef — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:15:05 -0600

While I had all of my vintage goodies out on my craft table, I decided to do one more blocked sketch - Sketch #40 at Card Patterns. I love how the Crafty Secrets Christmas Time Vintage Cuts work so beautifully with the Basic Grey Wassail papers ... makes the card come together oh so quickly.

It's too soon to tell, but I'm feeling like I might actually have most of my holiday cards done by December this year ... then again, it could just be wishful thinking.

Vintage Blocked Christmas

SmilynStef — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:44:47 -0600

I love blocked sketches ... I'm sure it's the linear left-side of my brain (where I spend most of my work day) spilling over into my right-brained creative endeavors ... but it's also a fun way to use scraps of paper, stickers, and other little bits & bobs.

The first sketch is Beate's Weekend Sketch #105. I will be storing this Sketch under my go-to designs... so perfect for so many occasions. I used a vintage Crafty Secrets sticker that I won in Vicki's blog candy for the focal element together with Basic Grey Wassail papers. I lightly stamped the Hero Arts Outline Bold Flourish (not sure why this stamp isn't in their catalog ... I recently purchased it at Michael's) on each corner and added some Ranger Tea Dye ink to distress.

For the second card I combined the vintage stickers with Crafty Secrets Christmas Time Vintage Cuts to create the entire Get Sketchy #13 blocked sketch. Since most of my elements were horizontal, rather than vertical, I flipped the sketch to make it work. The sentiment is from a very old K & Company sticker book.

Hope the weather in your corner of the world is half as nice as ours was today ... sunny, warm ... fantastic for November.

The Little Turtle

SmilynStef — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:37:53 -0600

The Little Turtle

Author: Vachel Lindsay - 1879-1931

There was a little turtle.
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle.
He climbed on the rocks.

He snapped at a mosquito.
He snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow.
And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito.
He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow.
But he didn't catch me.

My brother loves turtles. I can't even begin to count the number of turtle pets he's had in his lifetime (and still has). When I saw this cool Ceramic Turtle Box by Jonathan Adler (this week's SCS Inspiration Challenge) I knew I had to make him a turtle card.

I love the monochromatic design and the combination of textures, so that is what I translated into my card.

I decided on a light green paper and used tow different embossing folders for the texture. I started by hand cutting the shell, and then the body. Next I attached the head and tail. The finishing touch was an adhesive pearl eyeball.

A small square card is attached to the back of the shell to write a little note.

I hope you find inspiration.

Thursday Link Love

SmilynStef — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:46:48 -0600

Here are a few of my favorite links from the week:

Watercolor Stencil Portraits ... makes me want to go buy masking fluid
I saw works by this collage artist on our trip and fell in love ~ Kelly Goode
I've seen good reviews on this mug & am thinking of getting it for the office (yes, I'm a spiller)
I have several Charley Harper prints hanging in my house ... and now there are some free downloads
Art that makes me drool ... Dina's 6x6 Quickie Collage
Fun box templates
I baked this fabulous Caramel Apple Crisp this week ... it was delicious
Very cool wooden pendant ... gotta try this

Happy Friday!

Unexpected Holiday Colors

SmilynStef — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:23:35 -0600

The challenge at the Hero Arts blog this week is to make a holiday card using one of their unexpected color combinations. Wow, did I find this one challenging. I discarded multiple cards before finally deciding to keeping this one. The grass green was the color that kept throwing me. I probably got a bit too ambitious by trying to combine the colors with Laura's Sketch #38 from 2 Sketches 4 You Sketch, but hey ... I love a challenge.

The silver paper was embossed with the QuicKutz Snowflake embossing folder. Stamps include Her Arts Holly Flourish Border, Holly Flourish Background, and Clear Design: Holiday Sayings. The snowflake punch is a new Martha Stewart punch with a gemstone center.

Bringing Light to the Season

SmilynStef — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:04:37 -0600

This week's Tuesday Trigger at the Moxie Fab World Blog is this picture of Thanksgiving Pumpkin Luminaries from Carolina Panache.

I spent quite a while looking through all of my stamps trying to find inspiration ... there were no pumpkins to be found other than a couple of jack-o-lanterns, so I tried thinking more broadly about what in the picture inspired med.

I loved the green-on-green tones and the subtle glow of the light. I imagined these pumpkins decorating a peaceful farm house surrounded by beautiful trees blazing with fall colors.

The farm house serenity scene from Artistic Outpost is stamped in Olive pastel and light green cardstock. Then I painted the entire scene with Golden Wheat Shimmerz paint for an overall glow. The image is attached to the olive card base with foam for slight dimension I love the fun little card size (approx 3"x4").