Timeless Tuesday #246: "Pick a Sketch"

Hello, and welcome to this week's Timeless Tuesday Challenge! I think you're going to like this one a lot!

I enjoy all kinds of card challenges--color, sketch, photo inspiration, theme, tic tac toe...I haven't found a challenge yet that I didn't want to try. ;-) But, my favorite challenge is a sketch challenge. That gets my mojo going like no other challenge can. I don't always stick to the sketch literally, because changing things up is part of my creative process, but it is always fun to see where I end up. 

Well, Joy!, Joy!, the crazy-talented Allison, has challenged us with a sketch this week! And, not only has she given us a sketch, she designed two different sketches, and you get to choose which one you want to work with! Thank you, Allison! :D I went with the rectangular sketch on the right. 

I not only had the sketch challenge for this week's card, I also had a personal challenge, given to me by a friend. I have been making her wedding anniversary card for the past couple of years, and they are always interesting because she likes to incorporate the traditional and modern wedding anniversary gift ideas into them. (Here are her 9th and 10th anniversary cards.) The gifts for an 11th anniversary are steel and fashion jewelry. Now, actually finding a steel or fashion jewelry gift for a husband doesn't seem too difficult, but I had to really think about how I was going to include both those things on an anniversary card, and keep it masculine.  

My friend's husband is a fisherman, so for my focal point, I used this beautiful image from the In Nature stamp set, stamping it on Flourishes Classic White Cardstock in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, and matting it with Flourishes Classic Black Cardstock. And, I've been wanting to try my hand at monochromatic coloring in sepia tones, which seem perfect for a masculine card, so I limited myself to only one of Flourishes' Copic Sketch Collections:

For the steel portion of my card, I covered a piece of scrap cardstock with aluminum HVAC tape, then dry embossed it with a diamond plate embossing folder. I "tarnished" it with Mustard Seed Distress Ink so it would blend better with the sepia image. For the vertical strip in the sketch, I used burlap ribbon, and for the fashion jewelry, I considered using a fancy fishing lure, but kept envisioning a terrible anniversary accident when he opened his card, so instead, I die cut a "leather" belt and buckle from Flourishes Classic Kraft Cardstock, sponged Gathered Twigs Distress Ink over the belt portion, embossed it with a Tiny Bubbles embossing folder, then heat embossed it a couple of times with clear embossing powder. For the buckle, I sponged Mustard Seed Distress Ink over the die cut, then heat embossed it with clear EP several times. The backdrop for all this was a piece of dp, which I dressed up with some zigzag stitching.

On the inside, I die cut a curved border on white cs and stamped the Happy Anniversary sentiment from Floruishes Inside & Out Happy stamp set. On the bottom, I used the same dp as on the front of the card, stitched around the edges, and created the ""steel" the one" sentiment in Word, making a rub on with a transparency. I was pleased with the finished card, and even better, my friend loved it!

So, do you like sketches as much as I do? Which one is your fav? I hope you'll choose one and play along! It's always fun to see all the different takes on a sketch challenge, and you might just win a prize, too! You can find all the details for the challenge here.

You'll definitely want to see how the rest of the DT interpreted this week's challenge! And, be sure to show them a little blog love with a comment, too! :)

• Allison Cope
• Cheryl Lea...that's me!
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Judy Rozema
• Katie Sims
• Connie MacFarlane, our November Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by, and have a fantastic week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Got Ink?
Challenges 4 Everybody #33: Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create Challenge #45: Anything Goes w/Optional Twist Holiday Thanks
CAS-ual Fridays: CFC119: Embossing

~Hugs,

Supplies:

Thanks for visiting my blog!

To have Ink Up delivered to your inbox,

subscribe in the box at the top right of the page.

It's Okay!

Like most everyone, I like weekends. But, I'm really excited that this coming weekend is almost here because I'm going to visit some stamping friends whom I haven't seen in several months! We always have SO much fun together!

When I go away overnight, I often leave a card for my DD. I'm doing that this time, but this card serves a dual purpose. She has been working on a craft project for about a week, and yesterday, just as she was finishing it up, disaster struck, and now she may have to start all over again. She was heartbroken! So I hope this card helps cheer her up. :-)

I used the Mojo318 sketch for my layout, creating a background using Dylusions Ink Sprays, stencils, and Distress Inks, and machine stitched around the edges. Then, I stamped a Verve sentiment onto a tag cut out of a cork sheet, added some splatters of ink as a "mistake,"cut and embossed a fishtail banner, and added a few cute little die cut hearts, which I covered in Stickles. Finally, I die cut large filigree hearts out of a dark burgundy cs. Then, putting the die cut back in the die, I backed it with a piece of scrap dp and ran it back through my GC with an embossing mat so it would cut the dp, causing the dp to be pressed through the filigree of the cs. 

After die cutting the sentiment layer and sponging Worn Lipstick Distress Ink around the inside of the die, to continue the "mistake" theme, I pressed the sentiment panel into a Toffee Crunch Memento Ink Pad, and stamped another Verve sentiment over it. I had a couple of die cut hearts left, so I added some Stickles dots and glued them in the corner. The two thin strips were an afterthought. They are scraps from trimming the bg that I used on the front of the card. I found them under my paper cutter when I was cleaning up later, and they looked so cool, I just had to find a way to use them. :)

I appreciate you stopping by today, and I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
MojoMonday 318 Sketch Challenge
Catch the Bug Challenge: November-Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody #32: Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create Challenge #44: Anything Goes/No Optional Twist

~Hugs,

 

Supplies:

Thanks for visiting my blog!

To have Ink Up delivered to your inbox,

subscribe in the box at the top right of the page.

Timeless Tuesday #245: Negative Energy

Hey, all you Flourishes' Fans! Cheryl here with this week's Timeless Tuesday Challenge. Ready to create some Negative Energy? ;) No, I'm not talking bad feelings, bad vibes, or bad chi. I'm talking about die cutting!













You know, the part that's left over after you cut out your die? That's the negative die cut. My challenge for you is to put some energy into the negative and create something positive! :)

For my negative energy, I started with a cardbase of Patch, from the Pistachio Color Made Easy Paper Collection. Then, using Flourishes Classic White Cardstock, I die cut the center out of an elegant Spellbinders die cut and used the negative as a frame. That beautifully detailed tree is from Flourishes' Trimmed With Love stamp set. I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, colored it with Copics, added Stickles for sparkle, airbrushed Copic B000 around it, then set it in its frame. So easy!

A little tip for coloring shadows: make blue violets your new best friend! The Copic Sketch Hyacinth Collection is my go-to collection for creating shadows. Once I had colored my darkest shades of red, brown, and green on the ornaments and tree, I finished them off with touches from the Hyacinth collection of blue violets. The result is subtle, but it definitely makes a difference in your finished image. I couldn't get it to show up in a photo, but when you pivot this card slightly, it looks like the ornaments and ribbon are raised--as though you could run your finger over them and feel bumps. I absolutely know it is a flat image, but I still keep checking to see for sure. ;~)

I made use of the die cut from the front by using it for my sentiment panel on the inside of the card, which is stamped with Versafine Onyx Black Ink, and sponged Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, while still in the die. The corner designs are Spellbinders die cuts, too.

Couldn't get much easier! So...are you ready to work out some negative energy? Let's see whatcha got! :)

Remember, you don't have to use Flourishes stamps, but if you do, you get two ballots toward the weekly prize! You can find all the details for the challenge here.

Before you get too far, be sure to visit the rest of the DT's blogs, as well as our November Guest Designer, Connie MacFarlane, and leave them a little blog love. In return, they will amaze you with their beautiful work.

• Allison Cope
• Cheryl Lea...that's me!
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Judy Rozema
• Katie Sims
• Connie MacFarlane, our November Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, POSITIVE week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
Catch the Bug Challenge: November-Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody #32: Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create Challenge #44: Anything Goes/No Optional Twist
CAS-ual Fridays CFC#119: Embossing

~Hugs,

 

Supplies:

Thanks for visiting my blog!

To have Ink Up delivered to your inbox,

subscribe in the box at the top right of the page.

Let's Celebrate!

Happy Monday! I needed a masculine birthday card this week, so I pulled out one of Tim Holtz's Birthday Blueprint stamps and whipped this card up in no time!

I think this card is self-explanatory, so I won't add unnecessary details. If you have any questions about something on the card, just shoot me an email. :)

Inside the card, I attempted to created a shadow on the sentiment. It worked, but maybe too good. The sentiment seems to be hovering over the cs, which makes my eyes a little crazy. But, it's still a cool technique.

Gotta run...I'm going to meet a friend for breakfast, and some stampers for lunch. This will be a good day!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a good day, too! :)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
Color Me Creative Challenge #80: Dudes, Guys, Masculine (DUDES13)
Catch the Bug Challenge: November-Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenge #186: Tic-Tac-Toe (I used patterned paper, a stamped image, & a sentiment)
Challenges 4 Everybody #32: Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create Challenge #44: Anything Goes/No Optional Twist

~Hugs,

 

Supplies:

Thanks for visiting my blog!

To have Ink Up delivered to your inbox,

subscribe in the box at the top right of the page.

Twine & Faux Button Wreath Hello

Hi there! I had a few challenges I wanted to enter, and decided to really challenge myself and combine all of them into one card. Here it is:

The card is pretty simple, but it took a little while to figure out the logistics of how to do it.

                       

I began with the Curtain Call inspiration photo and Prickley Pear Sketch, and cut a rectangular piece of white textured cs, sponged Stormy Sky and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink over it, then cut it into 3 equal strips. After gluing them to dark blue cs, I ran it through my Grand Caliber with a Woodgrain embossing folder (I was going for a front door look). Then I glued a branch die cut across the upper part of the card. For the PTI inlaid die-cut challenge, I cut an Ironwork Motifs design through all the layers, and used a circle die to cut the center out of the Ironwork die cut. I made the same cuts on a piece of white cs, sponged Tea Dye ink across the Ironwork die cut, and stamped a Prickley Pear flourish swag design randomly on it to give it a little texture (the swag is the same design that I eventually stamped in blue outside the top and bottom of the wreath). Finally, I put the stamped Ironwork die cut and the blue circle inside the card front like puzzle pieces.

To make the wreath, I die cut faux buttons from white cs, using the Papertrey Ink Buttoned Up #2 die, and stamped button images on them using Seedless Preserves and Festive Berry Distress Inks. I threaded them onto a length of twine, alternating colors, then wound the twine over the top of the inlaid die cut, gluing the faux buttons down to the card front as I went. The fuzzy flowers are artificial baby's breath that I cut from the stems and glued white Sparkly Fluff to.

Finally, I stamped the flourish swags over and under the wreath, stamped a hello sentiment in the lower right corner, added some Pearl Pen pearls, and spritzed Silver Shimmer Spritz over the entire card front for a little shine.

Just a little decoration on the inside, leaving a blank personalization panel, finished it up.

And, that'll do it for me today. Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a fabulous weekend!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
PTI Make It Monday #138: Inlaid Die-Cuts
Curtain Call Inspiration: Nov 1-Welcome Home
Prickley Pear November 2013 Sketch Challenge
Paper Issues: Fallin' For You

~Hugs,

 

Supplies: 

Thanks for visiting my blog!

To have Ink Up delivered to your inbox,

subscribe in the box at the top right of the page.