Sketchy Wednesday!

Recently, I was asked to join the Sketch Challenge Team on Splitcoaststampers, and I am thrilled!  I get the sketches in advance, and post late Tuesday nights.  Deadlines are good for me!  I'll be on the DT April through September.




Today's Sketch #744 came from Cathy (cathymac) and it has lots of layers.  I love layers!  Great way to use designer paper, which I have in seemingly endless supply.  I pulled out SU's "Painted Blooms" dsp which has lots of wonderful colors.  My stamps are from Unity Stamp Company, "...So very Grateful."  My first attempt was watercolor, but the wc paper was too yellow for this designer paper.  At least I have a colored image to use later!  Instead, I stamped with Stazon jet black on whisper white, then colored with markers.  Couldn't find my blushing bride marker, so I used regal rose, along with rich razzleberry, blackberry bliss, daffodil delight, wild wasabi, and marina mist.  The sentiment is punched out and popped up, then adorned with a tiny enamel heart. 









Last week's Sketch was from Diane (DCinkit).  It's very different, with the multiple strips.  First, I started with a card base of sahara sand and SS pattern paper.  I then opted to create a scene, cutting it up.  I used SU's "Wetlands" and my aqua brush for the beach scene in sahara sand, bordering blue, and regal rose. The sentiment is from "Teeny Tiny Wishes," stamped in island indigo. I chose to keep it just on the word window punched piece so the original sketch is not obstructed.  Lots of baker's twine finishes it off. 

It's going to be lots of fun creating these sketch cards over the next 6 months.  Be sure to join in; there are no deadlines to upload on SCS!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Bright Color Throwdown

  I am posting a card I made last Wednesday for the Sketch challenge on SCS, along with  the Color Throwdown for the week.  I am finally posting here; still getting acclimated to my blog again.  The first card I made used vanilla instead of white, and the sketch wasn't quite right.  (It was also combined with a recent SCS Inspiration challenge.)  So I made a second card which I am much happier with.  The colors definitely look brighter on white!  I used very old SU stamps - "Three Little Words" and "Define Your Life." The card base is the thick style of whisper white.  I used daffodil delight pattern paper for the large layer, and a strip of real red pattern paper (from an old hostess 6x6 stack!) for the narrow strip.  Using real red and pear pizzazz markers, I colored the tulip and stamped three times on the oval die cut.  A scrap of certainly celery is finally used up as a matte for the sentiment stamped in pear pizzazz. Red enamel hearts are the finishing elements.  Feels Like spring!  

Here's my other card, which I still haven't uploaded to my gallery yet.  I looked on the Inspiration site, and found this item with lots of red.  That's why I chose it for the color throwdown, but it just didn't work for me.  Not a bad card, just didn't feel like the best fit for the challenges.  The feathers weren't showing up enough, especially in the lighter yellow and green colors.  Great excuse to make that other card!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Spring Virtual Stamp Night!

Hello Friends!

I am finally posting my Mini VSN cards here.  The Mini took place on March 8th, but there is actually still time to play!  Misti, Lee, and I give out "VSN Virtuoso" prizes for people who complete ALL of the challenges.  Since some people come by later, we don't want to punish them for missing the Mini.  But you have to upload your Mini projects by Thursday April 11th.  The Main VSN kicks off Friday April 12, and continues Saturday the 13th.  Our theme is "From Here to There," and you can come and chat about it HERE.

I hosted the first challenge, "Traveling Ink."  I challenged people to use the Rolling Marble Background technique, and I was thrilled to hear how much fun everyone had!  I used regal rose, lovely lilac, and lucky limeade for my backgrounds.  Cutting a full sheet of whisper white in quarters, it took me less than 10 minutes (easily) to make the backgrounds.  Then I had fun picking various stamps to complete four different cards.  The one with the bird features "Elements of Style."  The bicycle card features an image from Stampabilities.  The big prima-like flowers have been in my stash for years, as well as the big yellow brads.  That card will need extra postage! The card with the ruched ribbon is my favorite.  I colored white ribbon with markers and used my heat tool to scrunch it up.  Fun color and texture!  The stamps are from "Just Believe."

 


Next, Misti gave us an inspiration challenge, with photos of travel ready snacks.  Instead of picking ine snack, I just went with the image of compartments and colors.  I used lots of old 6x6 pattern paper from SU!  My elephant is an old SU image, but I don't know the set, since it is in a box of random stamps.

Finally, Lee had us use Arrows on our cards.  I only have one stamp with an arrow (from SU's Word Play), so I added some by using the photo corner punch.  A local high school has blue and gold for its colors, so this will make a nice graduation card.

I am looking forward to the big event in April!  Hope to get started on samples this weekend.  Mark your calendars for April 12 & 13!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Natural Touch

  Hello Stamping Friends!

Check it out...my second post this week!  Ha!  I made THREE cards yesterday, already uploaded to my SCS gallery, and now I am here.  What's up?  Well, yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and as part of my Lenten commitments I am reducing my time on Facebook and cutting out silly computer games.  I want to create more cards, and stamp more consistently.  I am also going to read more, and pray more.  Whether or not I'll blog more is yet to be seen!



My first card is for the Clean & Simple challenge over at SCS, to use an element three times in a row.  Using a beloved and long-retired SU set, "Touch of Nature," I stamped three butterflies using smoky slate, wisteria wonder and elegant eggplant.  I stamped the foliage around the edge in crumb cake.  The greeting is from "On Your Birthday."  I never would have considered these colors together, but The Color Throwdown couldn't be ignore!  The stamped panel is on a dry embossed whisper white layer; I can't remember the name of the embossing folder.  I added gingham ribbon, but I really should stay away from bows!  I couldn't get it to lay right, especially for a picture.  LOL  All of this is on an elegant eggplant card base.












My next card is for Tuesday's Color Challenge at SCS, using granny apple green, so saffron, pool party, and melon mambo.  I don't have the new green, but used lucky limeade.  The flower is from "Touch of Nature" and the sentiment is from "Sincere Salutations"  I originally planned this for the # in a Row CAS challenge, but it's not very CAS.  I doodled and sponged the grass.  The butterfly was in my little bag of die cuts, and the enamel dots and seam binding are where I added the pool party.

Finally, yesterday's Sketch at SCS is great for using coordinating pattern paper.  My card features Venetian Romance dsp, which has a lot of pistachio pudding & crisp cantaloupe.  I am purging about half of my SU inks, and those two are on the cutting block.  Before they go, I am trying to use up card stock, ribbon, and dsp.  By the time I'm done, I'll either be thrilled I'm getting rid of it, or I'll decide to keep it anyway!  LOL  Once again, I used "Touch of Nature" and "On your Birthday" stamps.  Ruffled ribbon and enamel dots pull it all together.

That's it for today.  Tomorrow night is the SCS Mini Virtual Stamp Night, and I am hosting the first challenge!  I made samples for my cards, but I need to finish samples for Misti & Lee's challenges.  Hopefully, I'll post them all tomorrow night or Saturday.  Less Facebook, more stamping...this will be great!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Hello Spring?

Quick post today, because I almost forgot to post this card, and the blog deadline is looming upon me! 

Friday's Free 4 All Challenge on Splitcoaststampers was all about spring.  Many of us are longing for it, especially as we get ore snow!  I decided to check out the palette for the week on The Color Throwdown, and it is perfect for a springtime card! 








I chose crumb cake for my card base.  The main panel is some specialty paper from SU; white with embossed patterns, ready for sponging or brayering.  I sponged calypso coral ink all over it, then added wild wasabi to the edges which, of course, turned brown.  I wasn't thrilled, but I kept it.  The stamped images are from SU's "Hello Again" using calypso coral, wild wasabi, crumb cake, and marina mist ink on whisper white, matted in wasabi.  Marina mist satin ribbon and enamel dots finish it off.

It's a bit drab for spring, but as I said in my SCS gallery, early March is usually quite drab in central Illinois!  I'll probably use this palette again, though it won't be on time for the Link-Up.  It's just too pretty not to give it a second shot! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

First Blog Challenge Card of 2019

Hi Stamping Friends!

Like many in the blogosphere, I let my blog go into hibernation.  I looked at y list of posts, and there are 5 in the drafts.  I had a bit of a rough 2018, so many projects suffered a bit.

But I was stamping a fair amount, just not posting here.  In fact, last fall I was asked to join the Dirty Dozen on Splitcoaststampers!!  My term began in November and completes in April.  Because the Dirty Dozen projects are only available to Fan Club members, I can not post them here until months after my term.  By then, I might forget about it!  LOL

I also kept busy with Virtual Stamp Night duties; in fact we are prepping for the spring event now.

But last Friday, while looking at the MIXability challenge on SCS (be inspired by tin tile ceilings), I decided to search for an interesting color combo.  I have The Color Throwdown bookmarked, and saw a very tough palette staring me in the face! Of all the weeks to decide to look for a challenge not on SCS!  I needed a masculine birthday card, so I gave it a go.  This took forever!  Ha! 

My card base is basic gray.  I covered a card front-sized piece with aluminum foil, and ran it through my Big Shot with the chevron embossing folder.  I coated some portions with versamark, and heat embossed with copper powder.  I also added some gold pigment ink and embossed with clear powder.  Grabbing a Spectrum Noir alcohol ink purple marker (hey, it is a MIXED media challenge!)  I started coloring a portion of the card front, and thought Yuck.  That's when I decided to cut 4 tiles out of the card front so the purple would be random.  The chevrons were set up in alternating directions.  There wasn't enough purple, so I added the center circle.  All of the purple was coated with the gold pigment ink (which doesn't show) and heated with clear embossing powder.  As you can see, I also have a strip of cajun craze which is partially coated in copper embossing.  The sentiment is from SU's "Epic Celebration."

It was hard to photograph, so I took 2 angles.  I think this took me 2 hours to finish, compared to 15 minutes for the Free4All challenge to use our birthstone color!  I definitely need to get more comfortable with mixed media projects!  But at least, it inspired me to wake up my blog!  Hope to see you again soon!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Random Cards

Hello Stamping Friends!

In an attempt to catch up a bit, I am going to post some random cards here.  I went through photo files on my laptop, and thought, Good grief!  I am so far behind!  Here goes!


This was for a nephew and his new bride.  I love this die from Stampin' Up!  It makes fancy cards so quick and easy!  The glimmer paper is sweet sugar plum, and I think I had sparkles on my floor for weeks!






I have another nephew in the US Navy, stationed in Japan.  The Open Sea stamp set goes perfectly with this paper stack, also from SU, though I forget the name.  Plus, I think lost lagoon is a perfect color for ocean themed cards!




Now, a card for a niece.  I had to take the photo quickly before I stuck it in the mail.  Her sorority recently took group photos with everyone wearing burgundy, holding sunflowers.  I had a stamp set in mind; turns out I gave it away!  So I chose this Itty Bitty set from Unity Stamp Company. It's hard to tell, but the crown is gold embossed.  I brushed more mustard and delightful dijon ink around the bees, and sponged my embossed background.  And I love the lace as an added detail!

Another nephew (I have 12, not to mention nephews-in-law!) was in a musical recently.  It was put on by a group called The Penguin Project, and the entire cast is made if children with developmental or sensory disabilities.  I am so proud of Ethan being on stage, even doing a few dance steps and having a few spoken lines.  The "Broadway Bound" dsp from SU was perfect.  My penguin is from an unknown dollar bin source.

Finally, this card was made months ago for a friend in ministry who completed her term in leadership.  She was SO supportive of me, as I grew to understand my own role.  I am blessed to have worked with her.

I have lots of "get organized" goals for the coming months.  Not just here, but in reading more books, getting more exercise.  I better not wait until the New Year...no time like the present!

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim