little inklings

Certainly Thoughtful

Aren't these colors so pretty? So soft and relaxing - almost... spa like... ahhhh... Speaking of which, I think its time for a pedi... it is open toe season after all. And no-one needs to see what I've been hiding in socks all winter :). Anyway, back to the card - I had fun with this combo from Splitcoasts Color Challenge 167 (Soft Sky, Blue Bayou and Certainly Celery), and loved Beate's Weekend Sketch challenge layout #49. The Stitched Exotics set is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and so I combined the three, and liked the result. Hope you do too. :) 

Here’s how I made it: The card base is a 4 ¼” x 8 ½” piece of Blue Bayou Cardstock (CS). The next layer is a 4” x 2” piece of Soft Sky Designer Series Paper (DSP) adhered to a 4” Soft Sky square. The flourish is stamped in the top right corner in Soft Sky Ink, and the sentiment is tamped using Blue Bayou Classic Ink. The border is Paper Pierced using the mat pack, and a Certainly Celery wide grosgrain ribbon is tied around the middle. These layers are added to the card base using Dimensionals. The scalloped and plain circles were cut using my Nestabilities dies. I stamped the flower first on the Whisper White circle using Blue Bayou ink, then stamped it again in Celery on a scrap, cut it out and adhered it overtop the Blue Bayou circle using Dimensionals. I sponged around the white and Blue Bayou scalloped circles, adhered them together, then added the Rhinestone brad thru the centre of all three layers. The layered flower was then added to the card front using Dimensionals.

Here’s the supplies I used: 
Stamps: Stitched Exotics, Absolutely Fabulous Paper: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Whisper White Cardstock, Soft Sky Designer Series Paper Ink: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Certainly Celery
Extras:Nestabilities,Paper Piercer, Certainly Celery Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals. Ice Circle Rhinestone Brads

Amazing Father

I featured the Stamping with Bleach technique at my last card club. This technique is really fun and if you haven't tried it yet, Splitcoast has a great tutorial found here. I had it in my head that this stamp set would work perfectly with the technique, and with Dad's day coming up, it all fit! And isn't this sentiment the truth, about our parents getting smarter the older we get? I certainly think so. Anyway, I liked the end result.. and hope you do too!

Here’s how I made it: The card base is a 5 ½” x 8 ½” piece of Chocolate Chip Card stock (CS) folded in half. The next layer is a 5 ¼” x 4” piece of Blue Bayou CS stamped with the paisley image using the Bleach technique, then set aside to dry.  The horse image was stamped full strength in Chocolate Chip, then stamped off twice on a 3 ½” x 2” piece of Very Vanilla CS. The top and bottom paper pierced, all the edges sponged. The image was then adhered to a 5” x 2 ¼” strip of Ruby Red CS that had first been stamped with the Weathered background stamp and edges sponged, both using Chocolate Chip ink.  The tab was made by stamping the sentiment on a scrap piece of Chocolate Chip CS in matching Craft ink, clear embossing powder sprinkled, heated to set, then punched out using the Tab punch. The tab was then adhered to the Ruby Red strip and secured with an antique brad. 

Going back to the Blue Bayou matte - after the bleach dried, the edges were sponged with Chocolate Chip Ink, the sentiment was added to the bottom, using Chocolate Chip craft ink, clear embossing powder & heated to set. Then all the layers were assembled using snail adhesive.

Here’s the supplies I used:
Stamps: Wanted, Dad’s Day, Weathered Background Stamp
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Blue Bayou, Ruby Red, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic & Craft
Extras: Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder, Tab Punch, Paper Piercer, Antique Brads
Technique: Stamping with Bleach

Up for a Challege?

Up for a Challenge? Wanna Play? Want Free stuff? .... Happy Wednesday everyone! As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I passed the 10,000 mark on my blog - and am still in SHOCK. Thank you SO much. I am truly humbled. As promised, I would like to give away some free goodies to celebrate. But first I have a challenge for you. Usually, I look to Kristina Werner's blog for her color inspirations, but this week, that poor, sweet girl is taking a well deserved break! So I'm gonna take a crack at it. Here's the inspiration:

There's something about this picture that stirs my creative brain. Hope it inspires you too. What's the rules? Just build a card or project with this picture as inspiration. I've pulled a few SU! colors out of the picture (above), but feel free to pick and choose any combo in the picture that suits you (please use a minimum of 3). Post your creation on your blog or online gallery, then post a link to your card as a comment here before Saturday May 31, 9pm MT. I will randomly draw a winner on Sunday. What's the prize you ask? Well, besides the satisfaction of building a beautiful project, I will be giving away Eastern Eclectic Rub-ons, a 12 (2 ea of 6) sheet card stock assortment of my favorite colors and a buffet pack of Ribbon & Embellishments.... happy stampin! :) 

(PS - This bedset is made by Jeffrey Fisher, called 'Heathcote Gardens').

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

Simply Thanks

You guys are the best! And this card is for you. Thanks so much for all of your kind and encouraging comments you've left on my blog. You have inspired me to dive into other new bloggy-things.. (It's a surprise, so stay tuned! :) This week, however, I have not been able to get to blogging or carding much.
Now that he's back, I can tell you that my DH has been traveling on business for nearly two weeks, and I officially can say that single moms are my HEROS. I did somehow manage to get to this project. A quick and simple Thank-you card for Splitcoast's Limited Supply Challenge #167. A challenge I've been wanting to do for a while. The challenge was to build a card with NO STAMPS. I've always admired Kristina Werner's amazing cards that featured a word or two on the front, so I drew inspiration from her, and some great Designer Series Paper from SU! too. Hope you like it!

Here's how I made it: The card base is a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of Basic Grey Card stock (CS) folded in half. The next layer is a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Wild Wasabi (Hostess)Designer Series Paper (DSP). The layer on top of that is 3 3/4" x 2" & 3 3/4" x 1" strips of Uptown DSP matted to a 4" x 3" piece of Soft Sky CS, a White Taffeta Ribbon tied around the middle to hide the seem, then added to the card front with Dimensionals. The sentiment was punched out twice using my 'Olivia' Dies and Cuttlebug that I purchased at Michaels, first in Whisper White CS, then again in Soft Sky CS. I layered them and adhered them together using a SU! Two Way glue pen, then I adhered the matted sentiment to the cardfront, again with the Glue Pen 'cause its really really hard to get snail adhesive on those itty bitty letters! The glue works MUCH better!

Here's the supplies I used:
Stamps: NONE!
Paper: Basic Grey & Soft Sky Card stock, Wild Wasabi & Uptown DSP
Ink: NONE!
Extras: White Taffeta Ribbon, Dimensionals, Cuttlebug & Olivia Alphabet Dies

You're Wonderful!

'Those are sure interesting colors..' my DH says to me, as I show him my handiwork on this card. He's so funny, and correct. This card is a double challenge - both a SCS color challenge (Soft Sky, Purely Pomegranate and Basic Black) and the final of the three cards I made with Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #47 that I've been holding out on posting (shame on me, I know!). This is definitely not a color combo I would have put together on my own, but I actually decided I liked the bold result. So did my DH, btw :) 

Here's how I made it: The card base is a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece fo Soft Sky Card stock (CS) folded in half. The next layer is a 5 3/8" x  4 1/8" piece of Basic Black CS adhered to a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Soft Sky Designer Series Paper (DSP).
Next is a 4 1/8" x 3 1/8" piece of Basic Black CS adhered to a 4" x 3" piece of Purely Pomegranate CS. The Purely Pomegranate CS was stamped with the Pretty Petals Background Stamp (BGS) using the Thumping Technique, ink used was Purely Pomegranate ink pad and a Basic Black marker. The outside edges were paper pierced, a Basic Black narrow grosgrain ribbon was adhered around the center, and silver brads were added through 3 circles I punched out using my 1/4" circle punch. I then adhered the completed layer to the card front using Dimensionals. 

Last is the sentiment and Butterfly. The Basic Black scallop and Whisper White ovals were cut using my Nestabilities Dies. Before adhering them together, I stamped the sentiment and the butterfly on the oval using my Stamp-a-ma-jig, in Basic Black craft ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder and heated to set, and sponged around the edge of the Whisper White oval with Soft Sky. I stamped the butterfly on a piece of scrap paper, using Softy Sky & Purely Pomegranate ink and the Rock n' Roll technique, cut out the butterfly and adhered with dimensionals over top the embossed black butterfly I'd already stamped, and finally, added a bit of sparkle with some Diamond Stickles, which you can't see very well in this photo. I adhered the two ovals together, then added it to the card front using dimensionals. Hope you like it!

Here's the supplies I used:
Stamps: Garden Whimsy, Curvy Verses, Pretty Petals BGS
Paper: Soft Sky, Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate & Whisper White CS, Soft Sky DSP
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Soft Sky, Basic Black Craft
Extras: Nestabilities, Paper Piercer, Diamond Stickles, Clear Embossing Powder, Basic Black Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Brads, 1/4" Circle Punch, Dimensionals, Diamond Stickles

One of a Kind

It's been another busy weekend at my house, as we made the most of the beyond beautiful weather. A pretty rare event for May long weekends here. It reached almost 30C (86F) on Saturday!  I'm pretty sure last year we had snow. So needless to say, my stampin' station didn't see a whole lot of ink. I'm hoping to change that tomorrow, as they are calling for rain... I did manage to put a card together for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #48, though. Wowza - this was a toughie! And the color combo was inspired by the Fall Flowers Designer Series Paper (DSP) I got in my last stash - this was a combo I'd never done before. The jury's still out for me... you?

Here's how I made it: The card base is a 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" piece of Soft Sky Cardstock (CS) folded in half. The next layer is a 3 3/4" square of Fall Flowers DSP adhered to 3 7/8" Really Rust CS square. I cut a strip of Really Rust CS for across the middle, measuring 3 3/4" x 1 1/2", and paper pierced the top and bottom edges using my Mat Pack & Paper Piercing tool. I added three Soft Sky circles I punched out with the 1/4" circle punch, then added the antique brads. I adhered the strip to the cardfront along with the strip of Fall Flowers DSP on the bottom (it measures about 1/2" x 3 3/4"). I adhered the Old Olive Wide Grosgrain Ribbon with snail adhesive and tied the Linen Thread in a bow around the bottom. The Whisper White plain & Old Olive scalloped ovals used for the main sentiment are cut and embossed using my Nestabilities. I stamped the Canvas Background Stamp first on the Whisper White CS oval in Soft Sky, then added the sentiment using my Stamp-a-ma-jig, in Chocolate Chip craft ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder and heated to set. I adhered the two ovals together, added the matted sentiment to the cardfront using dimensionals, then added all the layered pieces to the cardfront using dimensionals.

Here's the supplies I used:
Stamps: Canvas Background Stamp, One of a Kind
Paper: Soft Sky, Really Rust, Old Olive & Whisper White Cardstock, Fall Flowers Designer Series Paper
Ink: Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip Craft
Extras: Clear Embossing Powder, Old Olive Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Linen Thread, Antique Brads, 1/4" Circle Punch, Paper Piercer, Nestabilities, Dimensionals.

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

Bundle of Joy

I can't believe this was the first time I sat down and used this stamp set. Shame on me! I needed a baby card for a co-worker, and thought this little bear was perfect for the occasion. And since I let it sit on my shelf collecting dust far too long, out it came! This was the second card I put together this weekend, inspired by Beate's Weekend Sketch challenge. I just didn't like the look of the bear off to the left. It was just too CUTE and demanded center stage. So I deviated from the sketch a bit. But look - no Chocolate Chip! :) (Close to Cocoa, yes - but I'm still calling it progress). Hope you like it.

Here's how I built it: The card base is an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Piece of River Rock Cardstock (CS) folded in half. The next Groovy Guava layer measures 5 1/4" x 4" and is stamped using matching ink and the Jumbo Sweet Stars wheel, then paper pierced around the border.
The next layer is a 4 ¼” x 3 ¼” piece of River Rock CS with strips of Apricot Appeal Designer Series Paper (DSP) measuring 4”x 2” and 4” x 1” adhered to it. The Apricot Appeal narrow grosgrain ribbon was wrapped around to hide the seam, then the whole piece adhered to the card front using Dimensionals. The two ovals for the center Bear image were created using my Nestabilities, Oval and Scalloped dies (BTW - I {heart} my Nestabilities,). I stamped the bear first, in the centre of the Very Vanilla oval using my Stamp-a-ma-Jig (I {heart} my Stamp-a-ma-Jig too!) and paper pierced around the outside. (Beate has a great tutorial on paper piercing curves here).  I stamped the bear again on a scrap piece of Very Vanilla, colored him in with blender pens and Close to Cocoa ink, and cut him out.  I tied the gingham ribbon around his neck and secured it with a glue dot, then adhered the cut out on top of the stamped bear with Dimensionals. I adhered the Very Vanilla oval to the Apricot Appeal Scalloped oval matte, and added the whole matted image to the card front using Dimensionals.

Last, I made the sentiment at the bottom by stamping the large announcement stamp on a scrap of Apricot Appeal CS in Groovy Guava, punched out just the words I wanted with the Word Window punch, and added it to my card using Dimensionals.

Here's the supplies I used:
Stamps: Bundle of Joy (retired), Sweet Stars Jumbo Wheel
Paper: River Rock, Groovy Guava, Apricot Appeal Cardstock & Designer Series Paper, Very Vanilla
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Groovy Guava
Extras: Apricot Appeal narrow grosgrain ribbon, Word Window Punch, Moss Gingham Ribbon, Nestabilities, Paper Piercer, Dimensionals

One and Only Dad

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! And Happy Mother's day to all of you who are .. My DH took my boys to the park on Sunday so I could do a little stamping... in the AFTERNOON versus late into the evening.. I'm quite amazed at how much faster things seem to come together during the day. Plus, I really loved Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge this weekend. I ended up making three cards based on, or inspired by her sketch. This is the first of the three that I did. (I'll be sharing the other two shortly). And yes - GUILTY - Chocolate Chip overdose on this card. But Its the ONLY one of the three! You'd be so proud! I'm sure getting alot of mileage out of the Bronc Buster and Wanted sets. They are great for those masculine cards.

Here's how I made it: The card base is a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Piece of Chocolate Chip Cardstock (CS) folded in half. I stamped the swirl pattern up the left and right sides of the next layer, a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Cranberry Crisp (retired) CS, using Cranberry Crisp Ink. I paper pierced around the border and distressed and drug the edges over the Cranberry Crisp Ink pad. The next layer is a 4 ¼” x 3 ¼” piece of Close to Cocoa Paper with strips of Outlaw Designer Series Paper (DSP) measuring 4”x 2” and 4” x 1” adhered to it. The Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain Ribbon was wrapped around to hide the DSP seam. I added the little ‘Dad’ tag by using a small scrap piece of Very Vanilla CS, inking up the stamp with my marker as I just wanted the sentiment and sponging around the edges in Creamy Caramel. The Antique Brads were added next, right over top the Blue Bayou circles from my ¼” circle punch. I then adhered the whole piece it to the cardbase using Dimensionals.

The ovals for the main sentiment were created using my Nestabilities dies. I stamped the sentiment on a Very Vanilla oval in Chocolate Chip ink and sponged around the edges using Creamy Caramel. I adhered it to the Chocolate Chip Oval matte and added the antique brad in the center. Then I adhered the ovals to the card front using Dimensionals.

Here's the supplies I used:
Stamps: Bronc Buster, Dad’s Day
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, Outlaw Designer Series Paper, Cranberry Crisp (07 In Color – retired),
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Cranberry Crisp (07 In Color – retired).
Extras: Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain, Nestabilities, Antique Brads, ¼” circle punch, Paper Piercer, Dimensionals