little inklings

Box of Inspiration

Do you ever wonder where the time goes? My husband & I just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary, and I can hardly believe its been that many years since our wedding day. As he would say... 'it feels like forever!'. Well, maybe it hasn't been forever, but it seems like we have alot of wonderful years to reflect back on. What did feel like forever though, was the arrival of that new Fall & Winter catalog! My shipment of brand new goodies FINALLY arrived, and in that wonderful brown box was a whole supply of wonderful inspiration. Which included the adorable little set  I used to make this card for my sweetie. Hope you like it.. :)

Here's How I made it:I stamped the strip of Riding Hood Red CS with the Canvas Background stamp in the matching colored ink and layered on the Kraft card base front. I embossed the sentiment in the right bottom corner with Chocolate Chip Craft Ink & Clear embossing powder then tied the Riding Hood Red wide grosgrain ribbon. Those adorable little owls and the branch they are sitting on were stamped using Chocolate Chip Ink on scrap Kraft paper, colored in using blender pens, then cut out and set aside. The vanilla background rectangle was stamped with the branch image along the sides using the Ink to Rubber technique, then once in the middle in solid Old Olive ink. I colored in the leaves, and adhered the branch that I cut out earlier right over top of where I stamped to add texture. Next I stamped and colored in the hearts and added the owls with dimensionals. I sponge daubered around the Vanilla and Kraft layers with Chocolate Chip ink, adhered them together, then layered them on top of an Old Olive rectangle, using dimensionals, then assembled the whole layered image to the card front using dimensionals. I also added this to the inside....

Card Measurements: 6” x 6” Kraft, 2” x 6” Riding Hood Red, 1 ¾” x 3 ¾” Very Vanilla, 2” x 4” Kraft, 2 ½” x 4 ¼” Old Olive, Scrap pieces of Kraft Paper

Here’s the supplies I used:
Stamps: Owl Together Now, Canvas Background Stamp
Paper: Kraft CS, Old Olive CS, Riding Hood Red CS, Very Vanilla CS
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip Classic & Craft
Extras: Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain, Clear Embossing Powder, Dimensionals & Sponge Daubers, Blender Pens

A Blue Bird-Day

Somebody stop me! I'm up to more Pun Fun!  I just love this cute little set. I think mostly becuase its not flowers. Can I confess? Sometimes I just need to make a card without any flowers on it. But I have so many flower sets that I love...I guess its just easy for me to go to these cute little guys for a different kind of card, altogether. This was another cutie and a quickie that we made at my recent workshop. And I thought it would be great for just about anyone to receive. Hope you like it!

Here’s how I made it: My card base is a 4 ¼” x 8 ½” piece of Wild Wasabi Cardstock (CS) folded in half. I then stamped the Polka Dot background stamp using Wild Wasabi ink, and trimmed about ½” off the front pane of the card and scalloped the edge with my corner rounder. I then added a bit of adhesive to the long side of a 4 ¼” x 1” strip of So Saffron. To get the panel perfectly straight, open up the Wild Wasabi card base and lay flat with the polka dots down, and the cut short side to the right. Line up the So Saffron strip with the 4 ¼” panel on the left, adhesive side up, then close the card. VOILA. The main image is a 2 ¼” x 2 ½” piece of Whisper White cardstock, with the Bird embossed using Basic Black craft ink and clear embossing powder. I then colored the birdie in, and adhered him to a 2 ½” x 2 ¾” Brocade Blue matte. I added him to the card front and tied the Brocade Blue wide grosgrain ribbon around the card.

Here’s the supplies I used:
Stamps: Polka Dot Background Stamp, Pun Fun
Paper: Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Brocade Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Brocade Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Grey, Black Craft
Extras: Brocade Blue Wide grosgrain ribbon, Clear Embossing Powder, Dimensionals, Corner Rounder

Happy makes me happy

Doesn’t this card just make you HAPPY? It does for me, anyway. Its so cheery, which we definitely need here since the weather’s been so soggy and gloomy. This card started out as my submission for Beate’s Weekend Sketch Challenge, but ended up a few layers short of her fun sketch. Sometimes creative juices take you in a different direction…and you just have to go with it!

Here’s how I made it: My card base is a 5 ½” x 8 ½” piece of Confetti White Cardstock (CS) folded in half. The next layer is a 3 ¾” x 5” piece of the Fall Flowers Designer Series Paper (DSP) matted on a 4” x 5 ¼” piece of Not Quite Navy CS. I tied the Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon around the middle, then added the photo corners and Not Quite Navy brads, using my mat pack for perfect brad placement. The main image is a 2 ¼” square piece of Whisper White CS. I first stamped the flowers, inking them up with a Soft Sky ink pad, then I used a Ruby Red and Old Olive marker for the flower centre and stem. I paper pierced the border, then adhered the image to a 2 ½” square Not Quite Navy matte and added it to the card front using dimensionals. The final step was to add the sentiment, which I first stamped on Soft Sky CS with Not Quite Navy ink and punched out with the large oval punch. I matted the sentiment by punching out two Not Quite Navy ovals, and adhered them together with a slight overlap. I then adhered the sentiment over top, and added the sentiment to the card using dimensionals. 

Here’s the supplies I used:
Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley
Paper: Confetti White, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Cardstock, Fall Flowers Designer Series Paper
Ink: Not Quite Navy & Soft Sky Classic Inks, Rose Red & Old Olive Markers
Extras: Paper Piercer, Old Olive Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Photo Corner & Large Oval Punches, Earth Elements Brads

Hello, Inspiration!

Warning: The following is actual dialogue from my house, and may be offensive to some men who don't understand stamping.
DH says: Honey? It's noon? Where are you?What are you doing? Have you showered yet?
Crazy stamper wife replies: Just a minute, I just have to get this card idea out of my head.. be right there! I'm so lucky my hubby understands me. Ever since I posted the Heathcote Gardens bedding pic for inspiration, I've had this card in my head, but seemed to struggle with finding the time to put it together. I finally snuck away for a few hours, and I'm glad I did. I think it came out pretty close to how I envisioned it. Hope you like it.
Now - the fun stuff.... As promised, a random winner has been drawn {read: my 3 year-old choose a name from his Lightning McQueen lunchbox} and the winner is... AMY! Amy submitted this beautiful card, that can be viewed on her blog, Gone INKognito. Congrats Amy! I'll email you shortly with some instructions, so I can get your goodies to you :)

Thanks for playing along. Would you like another challenge? Leave me a comment.... :) !
 

Here's how I made it:  I started with Very Vanilla card stock (CS) as the base, measuring 8 ½” x 4 ¼”. I stamped it with the Stitched Background stamp in Chocolate Chip Classic Ink. I added a strip of Ruby Red CS measuring 4 ¼” x 2” to the bottom half of the card, then rounded the corners. Next, using a scrap piece of Old Olive CS that measured 4 ¼” wide, I scalloped the trim using my slit punch, sponged the scallops with Old Olive ink and adhered it to the card front with adhesive. I then sponged all around the edges of the card with Chocolate Chip ink, and heat embossed the sentiment using Chocolate Chip craft and Clear embossing powder. Then repeating the heat embossing, I made the butterfly on a scrap piece of paper, colored it in using Blender pens, cut it out and added it using a dimensional. Last step – I added that yummy Chocolate Chip Ribbon.

 

Here’s the supplies I used:
Stamps: Sweet Shapes, Stitched Background stamp, Fun & Fast Notes
Paper: Very Vanilla, Ruby Red, Old Olive
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic & Craft, Old Olive, Ruby Red
Extras: Clear Embossing Powder, Slit Punch, Corner Rounder, Dimensionals, Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain ribbon

Wild Bird-day

I'm still here! And as I pass the 10,000 mark (OMGOSH!! TY!) on my blog, I'm excited to share with you several projects I've been working on this past week. I will also be posting a challenge for you with a chance to win some FREE STUFF. So check back tomorrow for all the details!

My SIL's birthday is coming up this week, and I wanted to put together a card for her. I made this one with her in mind and used Beate John's Weekend Sketch Challenge #49. I just can't quite get enough of this Pun Fun set. And that birdie is too darn cute!

Here’s how I made it: The card base is a 4 ¼” x 8 ½” piece of Confetti White Cardstock (CS) folded in half. The next layer is a 4” x 3” & 4” x 1” strip of Wild Wasabi Designer Series Paper (DSP); and a strip of 4” x 2” strip of Wild Wasabi CS that I stamped the All in a Row sentiment in Basic Grey Ink and scalloped with my corner rounder.  All these layered were adhered to a a 4 1/8” Basic Grey Square with Snail Adhesive. The Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon is tied around the middle and secured with a glue dot.
The scalloped and plain circles were cut using my Nestabilities dies. I stamped the Birdie on the Whisper White circle using Basic Black Craft Ink and my Stamp-a-ma-Jig, sprinkled clear embossing powder and heated to set. Next I colored birdie in using Blender Pens and Classic Inks. I sponged the edges of both the white and the Regal Rose scalloped circles, adhered them together and Paper Pierced the scallop freehand, then adhered it to the card front using Dimensionals.

Here’s the supplies I used:
Stamps: All in a Row, Pun fun
Paper: Confetti White, Basic Grey, Wild Wasabi, Regal Rose & Whisper White Cardstock, Wild Wasabi Designer Series Paper
Ink: Basic Grey, Rose Red, Wild Wasabi Classic Ink, Basic Black Craft
Extras: Clear Embossing Powder, Nestabilities, Corner Rounder, Paper Piercer, Regal Rose Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Blender Pens

A Fast & Fun Note

I can hardly believe its Wednesday already! The week is flying by. Hope you're having a great week.
Kristina Werner posted her 9th Color Inspiration Challenge yesterday, and I couldn't wait to play. PLUS I received a box full of new SU! goodies, including the Fun & Fast Notes set I used here. What's better than new sets & great inspiration??
The challenge was to use Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Old Olive and Tempting Turquoise. Now, I know what you're thinking: 'Nicole, I don't see any Old Olive or Pumpkin Pie'... But I promise, its there... you might have to get your magnifying glass out, but it is there! According to my DH - I'm cheating. But I feel like I'm still learning how to work with these bold color combos, so I will accept my husband's 'cheater' label and call this my submission. I do hope you like it! Its a nice ' Fun & Fast' one!

Here's how I made it: The card base is a 4 ¼” x 8 ½” piece of So Saffron Cardstock (CS) folded in half. I stamped it with the Polka Dot Background Stamp (BGS) and coordinating ink, then rounded the bottom corners.
Next, I stamped the main birdie image on a 2 ½”x 2 ¾” piece of Whisper White CS, using Chocolate Chip Craft ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder over the image and heated to set. I then colored the bird in using my blender pens and ink pads. I added Diamond Stickles to the flower, followed by the Real Red button, adhering with a glue dot. I then paper pierced around the border, and matted it to a 2 3/8” x 2 5/8” piece of Tempting Turquoise that was stamped with the matching ink using the Canvas Background stamp (BGS). Next, I scalloped the edges of a 2 5/8” x 1” strip of Real Red Cardstock using my corner rounder, and adhered it to the back of the matted image. I then added the combined image to the card front using Dimensionals.

Here’s the supplies I used:
Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Polka Dot BGS, Canvas BGS
Paper: So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Basic Grey, Chocolate Chip Craft
Extras: Clear Embossing Powder, Corner Rounder, Blender Pens, Diamond Stickles, Bold Brights Buttons, Linen Thread, Dimensionals

Love Ya Bunches!

We had a busy weekend! I didn't get to participate in all my usual challege addictions, as we were off celebrating my nieces 1st Birthday. Aren't first birthday parties the BEST? Cake everywhere... nap deprived, sugar OD'd kids climbing drapery...oh...wait.. maybe that's just my kids..? LOL. Anyway, when I had a free moment, I perused thru all of Jen Tapler 's FUN challenges she posted for her Stampin' Out Alzheimers virtual Stamp-A-Thon this week, and found one I couldn't wait to try. It was the Stampin' Out Alzheimer's Challege #9 - a Color Inspiration Challenge - which are my FAVS! The colors to use were Chocolate Chip, Real Red, and Summer Sun - WOWZA! This is the card I came up with for that challenge, and it's also my {late} submission for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge. Hope you all like it!

Here's how I made it: My card base is a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of Kraft Cardstock (CS), folded in half. The left had side strip is a 4 1/4" x 2 1/2" strip of Real Red Designer Series Paper (DSP) matted to a 4 1/4" x 2 3/4" strip of Chocolate Chip CS. A Chocolate Chip photo corner was added to the matted strips with the antique brads, and adhered to the cardbase, then I tied the Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain ribbon around the card.

The heart outline is stamped on a 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" piece of Kraft CS in Chocolate Chip Craft ink, Clear Embossing powder sprinkled over it, heated to set, then matted on a 3" x 2 3/4" piece of Chocolate Chip CS. The polka dotted heart is stamped with Real Red Ink on a piece of Very Vanilla CS, cut out and adhered inside the outline using Dimensionals. Using (any) solid stamp and scrap paper, I stamped in Summer Sun, then punched the flower out using my Boho Blossoms punch. I added the antique brad, then adhered it to the heart using a dimensional. I added the combined image overtop the ribbon using Dimensionals, and paper pierced around the top half of the matted square.

Here's the supplies I used:
Stamps: Forever in my Heart
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Real Red Designer Series Paper (Hostess Print Pack)
Ink: Real Red, Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip Craft
Extras: Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain, Antique Brads, Photo Corner Punch, Clear Embossing Powder, Boho Blossoms Punch, Dimensionals, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack

Happy Bird-day

Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #44 was a real source of inspiration for me this weekend. I really like this layout, and put a few different cards together. This was my first, and I'll admit, I've used a few retired SU! items on this card... but ain't it cute? I tried something new too, with the linen thread. Kinda fun to practice your basic sewing skills.. not bad for a girl who can't sew on a button! Anyway.. hope you like it...

Here's how I built it : I stamped that adorable little birdy on a 2" x 2 1/4" piece of Very Vanilla Cardstock, in Chocolate Chip Craft - added Clear Embossing Powder and heated to set. I colored the birdy in with my Blender Pens and the colors pulled from the Designer Series Paper.  I paper peered around the border, then adhered it to a 2 1/4" x 2 1/2" piece of Cranberry Crisp cardstock (retired), then adhered both to a 2 1/2" x  2 3/4" matte of Close to Cocoa and set aside.

I cut two strips of the Treehouse Designer Series Paper(retired) to 3 3/4" x 5" in complimenting patterns, then cut those strips so I had 3" and a 2" pieces. I adhered them to a 5 1/4" x 4" Cranberry Crisp matte. I paper pierced the X patter using my mat pack and then sewed Linen Thread through the cardstock on the bottom left and top right corners. I added the Chocolate Chip wide ribbon, then the matted birdy to the cardfront using dimensionals. I then adhered all the layers to the base card, a 8 1/2" x 4 1/4" piece of Close to Cocoa cardstock. folded in half.

Here's the supplies I used: (All Stampin' Up! unless noted)
Stamps: Pun Fun
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Cranberry Crisp (In Color '07 - retired), Treehouse Designer Series Paper (retired), Very Vanilla
Ink: Marigold Morning & Cranberry Crisp (In Color '07 - retired), Basic Grey, Chocolate Chip Craft
Extras: Dimensionals, Linen Thread, Chocolate Chip wide Grosgrain Ribbon