TioT - Use a stencil

Over at Try it on Tuesday we want to see you use your stencils for our first challenge in May.
I used a leaf stencil from Altenew, and I chose to use rainbow colors again - it's probably the first time I do so "voluntarily". I used to think rainbows were an almost impossible task, but now I think these colors are fún to use. I added an almost equally colorful bird - or owl? - from Art by Marlene's Artsy Arabia. I love that hairdo! I made it sit on a die cut branch.
The birthday sentiment translates to something like: A year older? I would'nt believe it if I didn't know it.

The card was quick and easy to make, so I made another one but used the colors in the reverse order. I think I prefer my first take, though...

 

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my TioT teamies have made and to get inspired. 

This card is also for:
Allsorts - #726 Anything Goes with an option of One For The Girls
Crafty Catz - #635 ANYTHING GOES - with Optional Twist Things with Wings
Krafty Chicks - #661 All Occasions

INK #288 - Spots AND stripes

At Inkspirational Nonni has chosen the theme for this fortnight - Spots AND stripes. Both favorites of mine.

I love DPs with these patterns so I knew I wanted to use DPs for this card. The sentiment and label are also from a paper pad. I stamped and fussy cut a fairy from Lavinia, colored with my Posca pencils. I added stamped sparkle and bling sparkle to pick up the theme of the sentiment.

I encourage you to head over to the challenge blog to see what my INK-teamies have made.   

This card is also for:
My Time to Craft -#506 Fantasy Creatures/Characters
Addicted to Stamps and More - #444 Any occasion

TioT - Rainbow Colours

Over at Try it on Tuesday we have a new challenge for you and this time we want to see projects inspired by the rainbow colors.
I used a Tim Holtz number stencil and distress inks in rainbow colors to make my colorful background. My hippo was colored grey, but his accessories, ballons, hat, tie bow and preset, were all colored in rainbow colors as well. The birthday greeting was made with my Dymo.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my TioT teamies have made and to get more inspiration. 

This card is also for:
Allsorts - #724 - Anything Goes with an option of Create Your Own Background
Day of the Month Cart Club - #50 Find a Rainbow Day

INK #287 CAS

At Inkspirational we want to see your CAS creations. You can also incorporate the optional twist which of  'Sunshine and/or Rain' if you want to.

I used a stencil from Simon Hurley to make the odd shape of the gently stencilled area, which was also stamped with a splatter stamp + actual splatter was done with gold paint and water. De cut leaves and sentiment and a small stamped bird. I also used som straw like texture.

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

This card is also for:
Little Red Wagon - #699 Spring or Fall

 

TioT - Hello spring

Over at Try it on Tuesday we have a new challenge for you - Hello spring!
So spring to me means a lot of different things - seeing the sun again after a long winter, hearing the birds sing, Easter period with its yellow flowers, greeneries of different sorts...
Here I chose to go with sunrays, Easter flowers and a hen and a rooster, colored with Posca pencils.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my TioT teamies have made and to get inspired. 

This card is also for:
My Time to Craft -#504 SPRINGTIME
Papercraft Challenges - #91 Easter
Sparkles Forum Challenges - #162 Clean and Simple

March Card Chain Challenge Reveal 2023

Here's my card for The Card Chain Challenge March reveal. It's an open invitation to anyone who wants to enter and if you'd like to be part of the April chain you can sign up here until til 6th. You don't have to join every month, it's up to you.

THE CARD I SENT 

This is the card I sent to Viv in the UK. I used the colors (carrot, shamrock and spice), a stamp (but also dies) and the theme of friendship

 

 

In return I received a fantastic card from Hilary in the UK, to me it represents the art deco style, a favorite style of mine, however I have never made a card in this style. I recommend you go check out her blog, here

INK #286Moodboard

At Inkspirational we have a moodboard for you. I was inspired by the speckled eggs and used the distress oxide with the same name and adding spckles with a Dina Wakley mica spray. 

Die cut straws, a flower ephemera and two stamped businnes, everything in soft, natural colors, alyered up in the bottom right corner.

I encourage you to head over to the challenge blog to see what my INK-teamies have made.   

This card is also for:
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes
Fab n Funky - #569 - Lots of layers 

 

TioT - Oh so sweet

Over at Try it on Tuesday we have a new challenge for you - Oh so sweet! Easter bunnies are sweet and perfect for this time of year, so I went with that.

I made the background with different shades of acrylic paint and I used an embossing folder once it was dry.
Stamps are from different stamp sets and I colored the images before fussy cutting all the part.s

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my TioT teamies have made and to get inspired. 

This card is also for:
Allsorts - #720 Anything Goes with an option of Perfect Pastels
Sweet Stampin - Spring/Easter
Critter Crazy Challenges - #72 Anything Goes with a Featured Critter

INK #285 - Numbers

This time at Inkspirational we want to see numbers! To be honest, I had something very different in mind, then a need for card for a youthful gent's 80th, and this was the result.
I used Tim Holtz number stamps and a snarky cat, dressed up with a bow for the occasion. Numbers were gold embossed and fussy cut, the sentiment is cut out of red mirri card. I love how the balloons turned out, stamped on vellum and decorated with frantage, they look translucent and perfect to create a party feel. I added silver string for the cat to hold them. Background was made with black and gold watercolor paints.

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

This card is also for:
Cardz 4 Guyz - #317 Make Us Laugh
Stamping Sensations - Anything Stamped
Do-Al(l) Kreatives - #75 Cat(s)

TioT - Go green

Over at Try it on Tuesday we have a new challenge for you - Go green. There are so many possibilities with this theme. I have used green in different ways on my card:

-  First, as the theme. Spring is approaching, nature will bloom and people with green fingers (not mine) will do their planting business outdoors.
- Second, as color. I used plant stamps and a leaf wreath stamp from Altenew and those required the use greens.
- Third, as recycling as I used bookpages from an old book to stamp all the greeneries on. 

I did lots of fussy cutting as the pots and animal life were stamped on scrap pieces of papers.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my TioT teamies have made and to get inspired. 

This project is also for:
We Love Stamping - March Anything Stamped + Spring Is In The Air
Creatalicious Challenges - #254 Anything Goes + Green
Krafty Chicks - #653 Use Stamps
Day of the Month Card Club - Plant a flower day

February Card Chain Challenge Reveal 2023

 Here's my card for The Card Chain Challenge February reveal. It's an open invitation to anyone who wants to enter and if you'd like to be part of the March chain you can sign up here until til 6th. You don't have to join every month, it's up to you. I joined the frist time back in October 2021 and I've only missed signing up for 1 month since the beginning because I enjoy it so much.

THE CARD I SENT 

This is the card I sent to Linda in Minnesota. Linda was the first person I sent a card to back in October 2021. For this card I followed the sketch, the colors and the theme of friendship

In return I received a gorgeous card from Gundi in Germany. I love her cards and I urge you to go check out her blog.

Shaped Christmas card with die cuts only

Trying to increase my card stash, all card types needed as I gave many away as  Christmas gifts to family members. Here is anoterh Christmas one, my third so far this year.
For this shaped card I used die cuts only and colors green, silver and white. Dies are from Go Kreate, Amy Design, Marianne and Papirdesign. I used glitter paper, mirri card and frosted glitter on the holly wreath for a bit of sparkle and shine. The sentiment is in Norwegian and means "Christmas hug".

This card is for:
ABC Christmas - C for checks/D for Die Cuts
Little Red Wagon - #693 Die cuts

Shaker card with Birthday cake

I'm participating in an online scrapping event in Norway this weekend, and I just made this card for a shaker design challenge.
The background with stencilled numbers in pink was already made, as was the cake, made with a stamp set from Hero Arts that allows you to build your own cake. Both elements have been ready in my stash for at least 6 months, I've taken them out from time to time to see if inspiration hit me, but that didn't happen until toady.
I die cut 2 ovals and a scalloped frame, added lots of golden stars and a few round sequins.

This card is for:
TIME OUT Challenges - #232 Anything Birthday
Krafty Chicks - #652 All Occasions

INK #284 - Stitching, real or faux

This time at Inkspirational we want to see some stitching, Machine stitching, hand stitching, faux stitching using pens or dies,.. it's up to you. The theme was chosen by yours truly, and I like to machine stitch. And lately I haven't done much to tidy up the loose ends.
The background is a DP with numbers and text. I also used numbered stamps from Tim Holtz on the DP, and the man -  a stamp from Lost Coast design - has text all over him. I used a book page to stamp the wreath from Altenew, and Tim Holtz s´dies for the stamp with number. Final element is a die cut meaning "conngratulations" or "happy birthday". So there are lots of letters and numbers on here, and the card is made for a man turing 50 later this year.

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

This card is also for:
Sparkles Forum Challenges - #161 For Men Only
Moving along with the Times - #151 February - Numbers

Let's get messy - my first DT assignment for TioT

Wohooo! I'm now a DT member of Try it on Tuesday! I've played along many times, but this is my first post as a DT member and the theme is "Let's get messy". I got messy with my Brushos.

I stamped with a Hero Arts background stamp and cut the panel in two to make a mini slimline card and a tag. I clear embossed, then added red, yellow and green Brusho and sprayed on lots of water. I decorated with a mix of red and green sequins and die cut sentiments, and the tag was finished off by adding yellow ribbons.

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

This project is also for:
Crafty Calendar - Add Ribbon (tag)
Seize The Birthday - #255 Birthday + option: Use Your Initials (birthday card, with option P as for peonies and s as for sequins)

 

 

Cat in the cold

I've only made one Christmas card so far this year, so I felt it was time to get second one done to avoid, or at least reduce, any last minute stress come the end of November.
I pulled out a Snarky cat and colored on kraft. Then I made a wintery scene for him with sparkly snowflake paste through a stenil, white die cut trees and snowflakes. The sentiment is die cut and says Merry Christmas in Norwegian. I added white ink around the edges of the kraft panel, I like how it softens up the kraft panel and also adds to the wintery look.

This card is for:
The Male Room - Nature
Crazy for Cats Challenges  - #4 LOVE MY CAT
Critter Crazy Challenges - #71 - Anything Goes with a Featured Critter
Scrappehjertets Digitreff 6 - venteoppgave "Kaldt"

INK #283 - Use stencils

At Inkspirational we want to see you use your stencils. You can also incorporate the optional twist which of  'Add Splatters', it's up to you.

I used a stencil from Stamplorations and added splatter with a golden watercolor paint.
I used a heart as a backdrop for the silver mirri card birdcage and lovebirds, made with a die set from Memory Box.

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

This card is also for:
Cardz 4 Galz - #192 Include One or More Hearts
Fab n Funky - #566 Valentines
Little Red Wagon - #691 - Somebody You Love

January Card Chain Challenge Reveal 2023

Here's my card for The Card Chain Challenge January reveal. Anyone can enter and if you'd like to be part of the February chain you can sign up here until til 6th. I joined the frist time back in October 2021 and it seems the "family" has grown quite a bit since then. Personally I enjoy it so much, so I've only missed signing up for 1 month since the begunning.

THE CARD I SENT 

This is the card I sent to 

I used Distress Oxides Tattered rose and Kitsch flamingo, as well as Distress Ink Aged Mahogany. I also used a pink ink I got from the Art By Marlene advent calendar 2022. I followed the color scheme:

The stamp is from Aall & Create and I heat embossed a friendship sentiment in white. The background is stencilled, I used a layering set from Pinkfresh. 

In return I received a gorgeous card from Viv - go check out her cards on her blog Viv's Visuals here

INK #282 Moodboard

At Inkspirational we have a moodboard for you to take inspiration from. I was inspired by the colors, the heart shaped cakes with sprinkles on and overall the sweet theme:

I used my sweet mice and sentiment from Colorado Craft Company and some really old sweets and cookie stamps from Magnolia. Coloring with Promarkers and decorating with diamond stickles glue. I don't often make square cards as it's easier for me to make light weight A2 and mini slimline cards for postage, but it's nice with a variation.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made and I hope you will join us.

This card is also for:
Little Red Wagon - #689 Birthday
Stamping Sensations - Add some sparkle (glitter and/or glitetr glue on all sweets)
AAA Birthday - #45 Anything Birthday Goes

Tag shaped card with cut outs and die cuts

This is not a tag, rather a tag shaped card. The techniqie is simple, fold the card base and make sure the die does not cut over the entire fold. like here, where the card base is slightly below where you have the rounded corner before the tag is more narrow. You just glue a full tag on top. Easy-peasy. I used one of the larger dies from the StudioLight set.

There is no stamping on this card. Just cut out paper elements and some die cuts. The old kraft-looking paper is actually made by me, I used the coffee stain technique and normal white copy paper sheets.   

The top part is decoratad with sark blue organza, white seambinding ribbon and string as well as a metal charm.

This tag shaped card is for:
Fab n Funky - #564 Shaped Cards
Craft Rocket Challenges -  #99 Not Square

Things with wings and Color challenge

One of my crafting goals this year is to try and join color challenges more often, as I find them very inspiring, but tricky at the same time.

Here I used some older stamps, the leaf wreath is from Altenew and the bird is from 7gypsies. I stamped on navy blue/white DPs for both, with opposite colors for the script and background. The grey panel was die cut, the sentiment is from a Kaisercraft paperpad.

This card is for:
Color Throwdown - #726
Cardz 4 Galz - #190 Clean and Simple
Make My Monday - #192 Your Favourite Theme of 2022 (#188 Things With Wings)

Baby shaker card with a heart

I've been joining an online scrapping event this weekend, arranged by a Norwegian store, and I made this card for one of their challenges.
I love seeing Valentine's cards, but I don't use any myself (or, maybe I'll make one, that's all I need), nor do any other family member, so decided to go with a baby card instead. 

I used a favorite embossing folder, it reminds me of a baby blanket. I cut out a heart window and added sequins, some of which were hearts, as shaker elements.

I used paper from an old paper pad from Pebbles and a die cut word, using an old die from Memory Box.

This card is also for:
Just Us Girls - #662 Hearts

INK #281 New and/or Welcome

At Inkspirational we have a very fitting theme to start off the new year: Nw and/or Welcome.

My favorite cards to make - and to send - have always been Christmas cards. However, as my father was very ill in 2022 and passed away October 31, I found I had no joy in making Christmas cards.
So for 2023 I'm starting the year by making a Christmas card - new year and new possibilities, right? I have also used some new stash, some completely unused - like the paper pad with the topper and slim panel. I also used new but slightly used stash - like the Field Notes stamps by Tim Holtz - and the sentiment die, which I managed to use only on one card before Christmas.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made.  We have a new memeber and a returning one as well, I encourage you to head over and join the fun,

This card is also for:
As You Like It Challenge -  Favorite Reason To Send a Card & Why (Christmas is my favorite season)
Krafty Chicks -c#646 Christma
ABC Christmas - A for anything/B for Bear
 

New masculine stamp

 

New year and new stash to use - lucky me:) I've used a new to me stamp from Dylisions, but I only cut parts of it out with as a tag, using dies from StudioLight.
I used black, grey and white colors and papers only, and I followed a sketch.
Did I follow the theme of celebration too? I think, probably yes, as this is a card for boy for his confirmation. I'm not sure if this is a practised in other countries, but confirmation is a ritual that marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is originally a Christian ritual. In Norway, there are many different options for confirmation, both in religious and non-religious communities.

This card is for:
Allsorts  - #710 Something New
The Paper Players - #622 Tag, You're It!
Sunday Stamps - #300 Sketch - Let's Celebrate

 

Bonus card:

I also made another card for the same occasion, using the same stamp and tag dies set, but not entering into challenges. As I have family memebers, and they in turn have friends and neighbours in the right age for confirmation as well, I'm trying to make a batch of cards for this occasion.And I'm trying to be more efficient in my cardmaking, without ruining all the fun, of course:)