my Ink well: April 2021

Friday, April 30, 2021

We Appreciate You

It's time for a new challenge at Festive Friday where every challenge is an inspiration list based on a selected holiday/festivity from the traditional to the unusual. Challenge projects must include at least three items from the festivity inspiration list.

Since the Inspiration List is a mix of elements related to the festivity, the creator has the choice to make something for that festivity, or to ignore the festivity all together and create something using just the three (or more) elements selected.

Today's festivities are in celebration of International Nurse's Day, which is celebrated on May 12th. The challenge runs from April 30th - May 10th.

I like to create a card for our challenge that goes with the celebration. For my International Nurse's Day-themed card, I printed the images from My Favorite Things Digital version of their Call The Shots set that they made available as a freebie last year during the lockdown. I colored it with Copics and fussy cut it out. I popped it up and adhered it to a panel of linen card stock that I had stenciled with Altenew's Warp Speed stencil and Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide Ink. I added a tiny punched heart to the chart. The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions Life Saver Mini Strips, which I heat embossed and die cut with Pink & Main's Sentiment Strip Dies. I used nurse, red and emboss from the inspo list.

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

I'm also Playing at:

Addicted To Stamps And More #404 - Any Occasion

Thursday, April 22, 2021

The Thought Of You Makes Me Smile

Time Out Challenge #186 begins today. We are challenged to create something with the theme of PETS with an optional twist of coloring in any medium.

Our challenge runs from Thursday, April 22nd to Wednesday, May 5. Our wonderful sponsor is Newton's Nook Designs. A random Winner will be chosen from those who twist to receive a $25.00 gift voucher to the Newton's Nook Store.

To create my card, I stamped the sleeping kitty cupcake image from Waffle Flower's Flora Cat Dream stamp set on to Neenah Solar White 80# card stock and colored it with Copics. I stamped the sentiment above and below from the same set with VersaFine Onyx Black ink, then I die cut the white panel with Spellbinders Rectangle Hemstitch Dies and mounted it on a Kraft card base.

Please hop on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog to see the wonderful creations that the Design Team came up with to inspire you. Come play with us!

I'm also playing at:

Watercooler Wednesday #314 - All About Occasions

Krafty Chicks Challenge #556 - All Occasions

Always Fun Challenges #210 - Anything Goes

Saturday, April 17, 2021

Hello Sweetness

Less Is More Challenge #441 begins today. We are challenged to make a Clean and Simple ONE LAYER CARD incorporating diamonds into our design.

I masked and stenciled the left side of my card with Taylored Expressions Double Diamonds Stencil and three Distress Oxide Inks. I love the combination of Chipped Sapphire, Peacock Feathers and Speckled Egg. I added my sentiment from Simon Says Stamp CZ Design Clear Stamps Hello You with VersaFine Onyx Black ink, and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. Voila! My card was done.

Please head over to the Less Is More Blog and see what the Design Team has created for your inspiration. I hope you'll play along with us to share your creations. Remember to keep your design Clean And Simple. See challenge guidelines on the Less Is More Blog.

I'm also playing at:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - CAS

Krafty Chicks Challenge #555 - CAS

CASology # 388 - Hello

Friday, April 16, 2021

Let's Taco 'bout it

Today's festivities are in celebration of World Laughter Day, which is celebrated on May 2nd. The challenge runs from April 16 - April 26.

I like to create a card for our challenge that goes with the celebration. For my World Laughter Day-themed card, I ran a white panel through my Cuttlebug with the CUTplorations Circles All Over Cover Plate to add interest to my background. I stamped the taco image from Paper Smooches Calorie Free stamps and colored it with Copics. I then die cut the taco image with the matching die. I popped it up inside a Lawn Fawn Reverse Stitched Scalloped Circle Window. I used puns, yellow and red from the inspo list.

Please get your funny bone working and join us in our Challenge.

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

I'm also playing at:

CAS Colours & Sketches #415

I'm also playing at:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - CAS

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Greetings From My Happy Place

Time Out Challenge #185 begins today,. It is a photo challenge with the inspiration being the gorgeous photo above.

Our challenge runs from Thursday, April 8th to Wednesday, April 21. Our wonderful sponsor is Kitchen Sink Stamps. Challenge winner will receive at $25.00 gift voucher to the Kitchen Sink Stamps Shop.

Our Guest Designer for this challenge is Claire from Life On The Scrap Heap. Claire is an awesome designer. Please treat yourself to a visit to her blog for some awesome inspiration. You will be so glad you did.

To create my card, I used Kitchen Sink Stamps Isle of Big Bay Lake Multi Step Stamps for the ocean water. For the rest of the design, I used Hero Arts June 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit to complete the scene.

Please hop on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog to see the wonderful creations that Helen and the Design Team came up with to inspire you. Come play with us!

I'm also playing at:

Never Before Used Schtuff #25

My new Kitchen Sink stamps

Happy Little Stampers April AG With Dies

Saturday, April 3, 2021

You Are Special To Me

Less Is More Challenge #440 begins today. We are challenged to use the colors pink, grey and gold on our projects. What a lovely color combination!

I used Simon Says Stamp Falling Stars stencil and applied Dreamweaver Metallic Gold Embossing Paste for my background. I colored with SU markers directly onto the small rainbow from Gina K's Be The Rainbow stamp set, repeating the stamping with my MISTI until I got the pink and grey color the way I wanted it. I die cut two tiny clouds from white glitter paper using Paper Smooches Clouds Wise Dies and glued them to the ends of the rainbow and popped it up with foam tape. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words Encouragement.

I am also playing at:

Retro Rubber #155 - Rainbow Connection

Gina K's Be The Rainbow stamp set was purchased when it was released in January of 2020.

Always Fun Challenge #207 - Rainbows

Friday, April 2, 2021

Earth Day

Today's festivities are in celebration of Earth Day, which is celebrated on April 22nd. The challenge runs from April 2 - April 12.

I like to create a card for our challenge that goes with the celebration. For my Earth Day-themed card, I pulled out these stamps and dies from Taylored Expressions: The World Is Waiting stamp set, and Whole Wide World and Little Bits - Bandage dies. I stenciled the lower right corner with Harlequin Background mini stencil from Funky Fossil Designs. I used green, blue and earth/globe from the inspo list.

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

I'm also playing at:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Have a Joyous Easter

I am here as Guest Designer with my reminder card for the March/April Uniko Challenge #64 - Signs of Spring with an optional twist of Easter. It has been such an honor and a joy to design among these lovely people who are some of my favorite crafting rock stars. I am grateful to have had the opportunity.

For my card, I chose to use the Uniko Mid Century Modern Florals Clear Stamp Set. I just love the images in the set. I binge-watched the entire Mad Men series while on lockdown and I can't tell you how many times I thought of these stamps as I studied the furniture and fashion on the sets of the show. Rather than go with spring pastel colors, I went with some bolder colors in rainbow order. I popped an Easter sentiment from Paper smooched in as it fit perfectly between two of the flowers. I just love the way it turned out.

Please head over to the Uniko Challenge to be inspired and to play along. Thank you Bev and the Uniko Brand Ambassadors for having me.

I'm also playing at: