INK #268 - Precious

At Inkspirational we have a word prompt - precious. The first thought that came to mind was baby, so I made a baby card.

I used an embossing folder, two cut out squares from a DP, a onesie die and a baby rattle stamp.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see what my INK-teamies have made. 

INK #267 - Use a digital element

At Inkspirational we have a theme challenge - use a digital element - the possibilities are endless.
I chose to use a digi stamp from Vera Lane as my digital element, and I combined it with  background made with lots of clear stamps from Lavinia, using different shades of pink inks. The princess angel was colored with Inktense pencils and was fussy cut and placed on foam.
The sentiment is in Norwegian and it translates to something like this: " Don't forget, the age is only in your head. The trick is not to allow it to crawl down into your body"

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Craft Rocket Challenges - #93 Girls
Seize The Birthday - #240 Favourite Technique (fussy cutting)

May Card Chain Challenge Reveal

Here's my card for The Card Chain Challenge Mayl reveal. I have joined every month since I first joined back in September last year and I do look forward to once a month receiving a card from a fellow card maker from anywhere in the world. Anyone can enter and if you'd like to be part of the June chain you can sign up here until til 6th.  

  This is the card I sent to Patti in Ohio

 So I chose the theme option of desert and technique option of fancy fold. I used inks and paints to make the background for my sticker camel and Art by Arlene elements. I used a die to cut an opening or window on the front and to make a red frame, adding spots with my Posca pen. The pen is in the photo because it was nightmare to photograph. You can see in the small picture below the fold design and how the desert scene takes up a full A2 page.

  

 

 And I got this cool card and a fab gift from Mia in Greece
Thank you, dear Mia, much appreciated!

INK #266 - Photo with books

At Inkspirational we have a photo challenge this fortnight and I was inspired by the colors incorporating brown and green, and I also used thin strips of wooden paper.
I was also inspired by the books, by using a page from an unloved book for my wreath, which I then fussy cut.
The wreath is from a set from Altenew, the bird is from 7gypsies. I stamped directly onto DP, then fussy cut.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
C.R.A.F.T.- #639 Recycled (book page)
Krafty Chicks - #613 All Occasions

Book page flowers

I wish I had more time to craft and visit around blogland than I do at the moment.
I love reading books, but haven't had much time for that either, so I've started to listen to books instead. It can easily be combined with cardmaking, and I save myself some time and can do two things I love at the same time! Yay!

About my card: For the flowers I used pages from a paperback book I really didn't like - normally I keep all books I read but this one I did not care for to take up space in my bookshelf. So I gave it a new pupose by using some of the pages for my Altenew and Prima flowers. Leaves are Altenew and stamped onto a green DP. Sentiment was a recent freebie with a magazine. 2 DPs were used as well as a striped sticker border. I quite like the style, it's not typical for me. A sketch was used as inspiration for the layout, as is often the case, and I wanted to celebrate Allsorts' birthday as well.

This card is for:
The Paper Players - #592 Sketch
Allsorts - #677 Anything For A Birthday

INK #265 - Use something free or gifted

At Inkspirational we have a new challenge and this time I was the one to pick the theme. I want you to use something gifted to you, e.g. a birthday present or sent to you by another blogger, or something free, like a freebie of some sorts - you get the idea.

I used an embossing folder that came free with a magazine, Heartfelt Creations stamps I got for Christmas and some twine that was sent to me by a fellow cardmaking blogger.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Addicted to Stamps and More - #429 Any Occasion
The Male Room - Sport (Sailing)

Die cuts and designer papers

One of my nephews' birthday is coming up and I made him this card using a new die from Papirdesign - the boy in his hoodie - and 2 older ones, a stitched one from MFT and an ornate one from Spellbinder.

I used 3 different designer paper leftovers in aqua and brown tones. I used several birthday greeting stamps for the frame. The bottom left corner felt empty so decided to add his age with old stickers from stash.

This card is for:
Cardz 4 Guyz - #295 D is for... (dies and designer papers)
Moving along with the Times - #142 Birthday

 

Cute bee

I don't have an overwhelming stash of bee elements, but I did receive this cute stamp as part of a gift from Gail in connection with the Card Chain Challenge.
I gave the bee sparkly wings and a background made with die cut hexagons and flowers, as well as a stamped border in combinaton with a floral washi tape.
I used a black Posca pen to make the doodled border around the panel and lines on the hexagons. A white pen was used on the black parts of the bee.

This card is for:
The Paper Players - #589 Birds and/or Bees
Stamping Sensations - Anything Stamped, Flora and Fauna

April Card Chain Challenge Reveal

Here's my card for The Card Chain Challenge April reveal. I have joined every month since I first joined back in Septembrr last year and I do look forward to once a month receiving a card from a fellow card maker from anywhere in the world. Anyone can enter as long as you are willing to snail mail a card to another crafter.  If you'd like to join in for the May challenge, you can sign up here until til 6th.  

This is the card I sent to Imke in Germany

 

 

I followed the color palette  and I also had spring and wild, as in wild flowers, in mind.

 

The background was made with my favorte stencil, from Altenew, black paper and Twisted Citron Distress Oxide, and I used this together with Squeezed lemonade and Mustard seed to make the panel for the silhouette flower. I also added 3 rhinstones in a matching color. The flower die is Pinkfresh Studio floral squares and the hello is from a Missees set.

I received this beautiful card from Marga in Spain - thank you:)

 

 

And after hitchhiking its way from Greece since March I have also now received the oh so sweet card from Marianne in Greece

 

INK #264 - Bark

At Inkspirational we have a new challenge, it's a word prompt: Bark. Did you know some owls can bark? I didn´t, until I googled it. Several other animals do too. I also included bark in the form of trees on the DP.

My owls are paper pieced with leftovers and a stamp from StampingBella. The tree is Lavinia, heat embossed on vellum.
The senitment is a sticker from Art by Marlene, I think it fits the owls, with the one odd, standing out from the crowd. And I think it's useful advise for one of my teen or young adult nephews.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Animals

B is for Blooms

I don't have green fingers, I don't know if that's why I love cacti, but I do. They come in some many fun shapes and sizes and they bloom. And they're easier to keep alive than other plants - in my household I'm only allowed to water the cacti - and certainly not the orchides!

I used my Derwent Inktense pencils and water for coloring - such a long time since last ans so FUN! I chose warm, earthly colors for both the flower pots and the stencilled background.
The stamps are a Concord & 9th set.

This card is for Alphabet Challenge - B IS FOR BLOOMS

Dancing piggie in sweet pastels

I treated myself to some Vera Lane digis during Easter, I love the fun and quirky look of these images.
I added the piggie on a tag, colored with Promarkers, added string and paper flowers and rhinestones.
The background was made with a Spellbinders M-Bossabilities folder with hexagons. I used a black Posca pen to make the dots along the edges.

This card is for:
Sunday Stamps - #281 Sweet Pastels
Let's Squash It - #19 Geometric and Repeating Patterns
Papercraft Challenges - #81 Farm Animals

Sympathy card with washi tapes and die cut flowers

I was out of sympathy cards and thought better make some to have on hand.

I used this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches as starting point, found 2 washi tapes to use as borders, die cut 3 simple flowers in black and white and added a fitting senitment in Norwegian. I used a MFT stitched frame die. I thought it a bit too colorless so added gold splatter. In retrospect I think I should have switched places between the tapes, to allow the leaves to be closest to the flowers. Oh well. Next time.

This card is for:
Freshly Made Sketches - #531
Make My Monday - #172 Use Washi Tape

INK #263 - Watercolour

For our new challenge at Inkspirational we have a technique challenge: Watercolour.
I used a Penny Black image and my metallic watercolor paints on a black background and gold embossing, I really like how the colors turned out. Added a bit of splatter too. And after finishing the card I actually realized I had made a one layer card- it's so much easier when it's unintentional, lol.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour April Anything Goes
Challenge Up Your Life - #146 Splatters

A nautical card for a man

My favorite cards to make are masculine ones, and here I went with a nice and simple version with a nautical theme. I do love to be by the sea and feel the salty air.
I used stamps from 2 different Heartfelt Creations sets and colored with Promarkers. Paper is Maja Design, sentiment is Penny Black and the twine was a gift some years ago. Stitched dies are MFT.
I loved this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, this is one I think I'll use for more projects....

Theis card is for:
Freshly Made Sketches - #530
Allsorts - #671/2 Masculine
Sparkles Forum Challenges - #150 For Men Only

Gnome for a gender neutral card

I love this gnome stamp from Stamping Bella, I think he's suitable for cards for  both men and women. It's good having cards on hand that can be used for seveal occasions, regardless of age and gender.
I colored the image and cut it with a circle die. I used a scalloped one for the vellum used as backing panel. A leftover DP was used,and a narrow washi tape with stripes.

This card is for:
Sunday Stamps - #280 In the Middle
Stamping Sensations - "I Love ..." (this gnome stamp, DPs, bold colors)

March Card Chain Challenge reveal

Here's my card The Card Chain Challenge March reveal. I have joined every month since I first joined back in Septemebr last year and I do look forward to once a month receieving a card from a fellow card maker from anywhere in the world. Anyone can enter as long as you are willing to snail mail a card to another crafter.  If you'd like to join in for the April challenge, you can sign up here until til 6th.  

THE CARD I SENT 

This time I chose the color scheme - pink+green+brown, as well as patterned paper and friendship. The background paper is pink with a mint green foil and her top is made with a patterned paper, also in a minty kind of green. Her hair is brown and her earrings and necklace are made with brown glitter paper and bling. She also has a pink flower in her hair, cut out from a Mintay paper. The background is made with a Finnabair stencil, foil and a laminator.
A 20 year younger version of me could have this girl as an avatar. This is my first attempt at using this Missees stamp and die set, I can tell you it's quite addictive. As a young girl I loved playing with paper dolls, this is kind of the same concept for a crafter.
My card went to the talented Brenda in the UK.

THE CARD I RECEIVED

The card hasn't arrived yet from Greece, but I'm so looking forward to seeing  Marianne's card in real life once it arrives:) 

INK #262 - Flower photo

For our new challenge at Inkspirational we have a photo of spring flowers. I was inspired to use flowers and the colors of the photo.
The image is a LOTV digi, colored with my Promarkers. I added a stamped greeting in one of the corners and used a black die cut square as a panel. I tend to always put things straight, so this time I chose an angle placement. Even my photo is taken at an angle:) The card base is not as yellowish as it might appear in the photo, but it's definetely not white, it's a sort of a natural color, in lack of a better word.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Everybody-Art-Challenge - #510 Spring
Passion For Markers Challenge - #634 In The Garden (flowers and birds)

A butterfly card for a friend

When lacking mojo I find it helpful to use sketches and rummage through my stash. I came by this old DP and thought of this week's sketch over at Paper PLayers. The butterfly border was prepared long ago, I had heat embossed with a lace stamp on vellum and used a TH die to cut it out from the vellum and white backing paper. I heat embossed the sentiment, chosen for it's size mainly. Silver liquid pearls were added. I chose the mini slimline size, I find this card best for cards that are likely to get posted, to keep within weight limits.

This card is for:
The Paper Players - #584 Sketch
Allsorts - #669 In The Garden (butterflies
Moving along with the Times - #140 Friends

 

INK #261 - Critters that Hop

For our new challenge at Inkspirational we have the theme of ANIMALS THAT HOP. I googled it and was surprised how many animals actually do, but I went with the obvious choice of hares or rabbits.

Imade a circle shaped card and flower dies from Tim Holtz. All stamps are from Lavinia.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Little Red Wagon - #645 Die Cuts
Craft Rocket Challenges - #90 Use An Animal
Creative Knockouts - #444 Spring is in the air

Favorite color combination for any occasion

I love a black and white color scheme, with or without a touch of color - this time I added some gold watercolor paint.
The Lavinia stamps are perfect for this kind of color scheme, as well as my old Memory Box flower dies, used with black glitter paper for this card. I'm not always keen on coloring and with these stamps I don't need to. A stamping platform is highly recommended though.
I left out a sentiment as I think this card can be used for more than one occasion, whick makes it quite a versatile card.

This card is for:
Addicted to Stamps and More - #424 Any Occasion
Alphabet Challenge - Y IS FOR YOUR FAVORITE COLOUR COMBINATION

INK #260 - Curve

For our challenge at Inkspirational we have the theme of CURVE for the next two weeks. What I love about our word prompts is that you can interpret the theme in many ways.
I was thinking of the female body and how tailormade clothings show off the curves.
So out came my papers from ScrapBoys, a scalloped oval die from Spellbinders, which I believe was part of my first ever die purchase, and a border die from Pinkfresh Studio. Popped behind the bottom part of the dressmaker is a measuring tape ribbon.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Fab n Funky - #546 - Dies and Stencils
Little Red Wagon - #643 Something with Letter B: Blue, border, buttons, bobbin