InkspiredTreasures.com

Asian Artistry

Today is the last day to order from the Occasions Mini Catalog and any of the retiring Stamp Sets, Decor Elements or Accessories.  Don’t miss out…once they are gone…they are gone.  See the lists HERE.

So tomorrow at 12:00 N starts a new catalog!  I’m excited to order some new things…already have my list waiting to be put into the system!

This was one of the Hostess stamp sets that I was able to preorder as a demonstrator.  It is a five piece Level 2 hostess set, Asian Artistry.  I loved the clean lines of this set!  I started out with the thought that this would be my Control Freaks swap, but the pieces just didn’t come together as smoothly as I like!  I’m happy with the card, it just didn’t say WOW to me…it also didn’t use any of the new In-Colors and I wanted to make sure I used some of them for this swap.  So…this is in the "reject" pile.  (You’ll see another one tomorrow!)

I used a Watercolor Wash technique for the background I learned from the Technique Junkies Newsletter.  I stamped the grass and dragonfly stamps in Chocolate Chip Craft over top of the technique.  I also added a little Mellow Moss color to the dragonfly with my marker.  This I layered onto Chocolate Chip cardstock and used my Spiral Punch along the right side.  In the background on the Mellow Moss, I stamped the flower stamp from this set randomly with Mellow Moss, then I ran the layer through the Big Shot with the Texturz Plate Kit #4.  I distressed the edges with my Cutter Kit and added more Mellow Moss to the edges.  I wrapped some Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon around this layer before adhering it to the Blush Blossom layer on the base.  In the top corner, you can see I also stamped the flower stamp in Blush Blossom for a tone-on-tone look.  This card turned out a Shabby Chic kind of look…definitely not my usual design preference!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

BBQ Grill – Punch Art

FINALLY, I get to show you this BBQ Grill punch art I made up last month!  My final Punch Class using this Grill was this past week…the other group did it earlier and I’ve been DYING to show it.  Then I saw Shelli (CEO of Stampin’ Up!) had a Summer Party Challenge and I thought this grill would be PERFECT to submit for her contest!  The card my Punch Classes did was a little different…they used the U Rock stamp from It’s A Sign…but I made another to show off as an invitation using You’re Invited stamp from Sincere Salutations.

Included in this set is the Invitation, the food place card, the plasticware/napkin holder and a little pennant for the condiments. The grill is made using Real Red cardstock and the 1 3/4 Circle Punch and cutting it in half, I used a Silver Mini Brad as a hinge.  The legs are the Word Window punch with Basic Gray cardstock…one is used whole and the other I cut in half lengthwise.  The large wheel is Basic Black cardstock with the 1/2 circle punch and the smaller wheel is cut from the Crop A Dile (approx. 1/4" circle).  The handle for the top of the grill, I punched the Crop A Dile, then the 1/2 circle around it.  I used the White Gel Pen around the edges of the gril and the center of the large wheel.  Urban Oasis Designer Paper is used for accents on the card, sleeve and the food tent. 

I used  the Sizzix Go Go Boots dies to spell BBQ on the foot tent place card.  I also used the Photo Corner Punch as an accent with more Silver Mini Brads on the invitation.  Oh…and the SMOKE from the grill!  I looked and looked at all my sets…finally saw the Swirl Stamp from Spotlight on Christmas…it is perfect!

The napkin/plasticware holder is REALLY easy and I’ve used it several times at parties!  It is quite impressive to have a basket of them sitting on the buffet table.  I cut a sleeve of Urban Oasis Designer Paper 3 x 11" and folded it in half to 3 x 5 1/2.  I created a Real Red cardstock belly band, 1 x 8 1/2" and ran it thru the Crimper Tool, and wrapped it around the center of the folded sleeve…allowing a little room to place the napkin and plasticware inside.  The napkin I just folded the edges in and the bottom up to make a "pocket" and slid the plasticware inside.  Then I just decorated the outside of the sleeve with the same Grill element as the card!

For the condiment pennant, I cut two small pennants from the XL Pennant Die in Whisper White and Real Red, then trimmed off the edge of the Whisper White and layered over the Real Red.  I added a couple Jumbo Eyelets and tied some Real Red Striped Ribbon for a hanger.  The Grill is placed on the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Fun…I loved making this, and it really came together quickly as a set!

Woohoo!!!

My son just called…he just got ENGAGED!  We are SO happy for them…this is the one who just turned 27 this week.  We love her and she is SO good for him.

Hmmm, now to be thinking about making the wedding invitations!

Here is a picture of the two of them taken at the Wisconsin/Ohio State football game last year (they are a rival household!)  We love her even though she is a Badger!  lol!

Aren’t they a CUTE couple!

Congratulations, Adam and Beth!

Remember…time is running out to order any of the retiring stamp sets or accessories!  Don’t wait!  Check HERE for the latest updates on retiring accessories.  Retiring stamp sets and Decor Elements are available only until June 30th. 

Stamping 411 Sketch 105

Wow…we are working on Sketch #5 at the Stamping411 blog!  If you haven’t visited this site yet, it is a great site to get information for beginners or more experienced stampers that want to get back to the basics.  We have a sketch challenge each Saturday, so come play along!  All the dimensions are on the site, you just need to pull out your stamps and paper!

Soft Summer stamp set is in the Occasions Mini and I’m sad to say that it did not make it into the new catalog.  So, make sure you place an order with me to get it before it is gone!  I love the dogwoods in this set.  I’m not sure what these flowers are called, but it is pretty used as a background stamp or the focal point as I did here.  The two-step stamps make it so easy to create something pretty!

For this card, I inked up the solid flower from Soft Summer with Pink Pirouette ink and used my Old Olive marker to draw in the stem.  I stamped on Glossy White.  Then I inked up my outline flower with Regal Rose, used the Old Olive marker for the stem and overstamped for a two-tone look.  I punched it out with the 1 3/4 circle punch.  Then I used the Big Shot to cut out one of the large scallop circles from Baskets & Blooms XL Bigz Die with Walk in the Park Designer Paper.  LOVE that I now have something larger than the 1 3/4 circle  to layer together!

The base card is Cameo Coral.  On the Whisper White layer, I placed some Raspberry Tart Designer Paper pattern on the bottom, then a strip of Pink Pirouette.  On each side of the Pink Pirouette, I used my  Eyelet Border Punch with Cameo Coral to add the eyelet edge.  I wrapped White Taffeta Ribbon around it and layered it onto the base card.  Then I placed the stamped flower element and stamped Thanks So Much from the Soft Summer stamp set in Old Olive.  This sketch makes a great card with little effort! 

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!  I have company coming in tomorrow, so today I need to finish cleaning!  I’ve been reorganizing my studio a little, too…so need to get that mess cleaned up.

Bloggers Challenge 105 – Alter it!

Today’s Bloggers Challenge was to alter something.  Well, heaven knows, I have PLENTY of stuff in my Studio that I’ve saved to "alter" someday.  A couple of things were these Stax potato chip containers.  The Brilliant Blue and Yo Yo Yellow colors were hard to work around, but I think the Good Morning Sunshine Designer paper goes pretty well!  Not sure what I’ll use this for…any suggestions?  

I started by wrapping the container with Good Morning Sunshine Designer Paper and securing it with Sticky Strip.  Then I used Sticky Strip along the back of the 5/8 Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon and secure it on top of the DSP along the top and bottom seams of the DSP.

For the lid, I cut three sets of the Daisies #2 die in Brilliant Blue, Summer Sun and Old Olive cardstock and alternated the colors and sizes to make the flower.  I finished the center with a Kiwi Kiss Corduroy button (since they are being retired!)  I secured it to the lid with dimensionals.

As a design for the front, I decided to use a little of the On Board I’ve been hoarding.  We received an entire package of So Tweet OnBoard at Convention or Leadership and I hadn’t even cut into it.  So, I used the large bird, covered the On Board with Craft Summer Sun and Craft Pumpkin Pie.  I used Crystal Effects to hold on the wing, beak and tail feathers…then went ahead and painted on a thin coat of Crystal Effects over the entire body to give it a little bit of shine.  I was going to put some kind of words or something…but really couldn’t think of anything I wanted it to say, so…I’ll just keep it until I use it and then come up with something!  lol!

Remember a few weeks ago, I mentioned I had some exciting news?  Well, I’ve been selected by Korin Sutherland to be on the Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps Design Team!  I’m so honored to be able to share my creativity with this team!  You’ll see we have a SNSS Blog Hop scheduled over on the left sidebar…my post will be on July 2!  Hope you stop by and see some of these talented gals’ work next week!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Say it with Scallops

Uh oh…I’m scraping the bottom for photos that I have ready to post!  Better get back to my studio and start stamping some more!  Actually, I had quite a few, but just mailed them off for publication, so can’t show them here.  However, when I got home from class yesterday, I did have the magazine, Just Cards, in my mailbox!  Woohoo!  I’m published again in the Volume 14 issue of Just Cards!  I posted that card HERE, for a Bloggers’ Inspiration Challenge last October, so you can see a sneak peek!

This card is one that my Stamp Club did last month.  It is heavily inspired by one I saw online, but I changed up the center somewhat.  I love how it focused on the Ronald McDonald House Charities stamp set, Say It With Scallops.  The greetings in  this set fit the Scallop Square Punch perfectly!  Say it with Scallops will be retiring at the end of June…so don’t miss out!  $2 for every set sold goes to RMCH and I also donate my profit.  I can see using the Congrats for LOTS of different occasions…graduations, retirement, promotions, new license!  lol!

I started with a base of Brilliant Blue in 5 1/2 x 11 and folded it in half, then a layer of Whisper White cut to 5 1/4 x 5 1/4, then a layer of red 5 x 5.  I stamped Congrats in Black, Real Red and Brilliant Blue on Whisper White and punched with the Scallop Square punch.  The center is the Large Star punch out of Brilliant Blue, with a  Small Star punch in the center, anchored with a 5/8 White Jumbo Brad and a folded over tail of 5/8 Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon.  It came together VERY easy!

Had a lot of fun with my friends at the Stamp Class yesterday…always good to see them.  The hours I spend in prep work is so worth it when I see them enjoy working on the punch cards!  

Say it with Scallops
benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities
#111678
$17.95

Just Beachy – LNS Sketch Challenge

Today I worked on the Late Night Stampers Sketch Challenge for the week!  It is one of Mary Jo’s TSSC19 original sketches,  It is a really nice sketch, so I thought I’d have a little fun with it and I pulled out my Just Beachy stamp set.  I’m sad this set will NOT be in the new catalog…so if you want it, get it now!  I made this card for my nephew’s birthday card.  He will be turning 14!  I thought he’d get a chuckle out of it.  It also uses another retiring set, It’s A Sign, for the Prepare to Party words.

I started with a base card of Summer Sun.  I ran the Whimsy Jumbo Wheel with Ballet Blue ink over the Brilliant Blue cardstock to make "bubbles" and layered it on the base card.  I cut smaller layers of Tangerine Tango and Green Galore and layered them together on top of the Brilliant Blue.  I stamped Be Prepared to Party from It’s A Sign with Basic Black on Green Galore and cut out around the shape.  I stamped each of the fish from Just Beachy with Basic Black on Whisper White, colored them with markers and punched them with 1" circle punch.  I adhered all of them to the Tangerine Tango layer.  Finally, I wrapped some Tangerine Tango Striped Ribbon (still available on sale!) and tied a knot bow.  I love how this turned…so bright and fun!

I’m experimenting with my PhotoShop Elements and camera.  When you get this, please let me know if the file is HUGE in your email (larger than normal) by leaving me a comment.  Thanks!

Have a great day!  I’m finishing up details for my Punch Class tomorrow.  I’ll try to get something scheduled to post, but if I don’t..you’ll know why I’m missing!  lol!

Just Beachy
#113796
$25.95

It’s A Sign
#114994
$30.95

Great Friends

Last days to order my CARD KIT!!!

Great Friends stamp set is probably one of my favorite sets in the Occasions Mini Catalog and I didn’t even buy it the first order I placed from it!  The butterfly is so easy to cut out and the sets pieces just coordinate so well together.  I also seem to use the greeting "for you" a lot, and it is nice having one that fits the  Scallop Oval punch.

This Wet Stencil technique was done by my tech class members earlier this month and they loved it!  I found the directions in a recent Technique Junkies Newsletter and felt it was perfect to promote Stampin’ Up!’s Decor Stencils and Watercolor Crayons!  This stencil is called Kind Thoughts Flourish.  I used the small one (#116572, $9.95). 

I started with a base of Taken with Teal cardstock.  I next used a layer of Elegant Eggplant cardstock and used the Cutter Kit distressing tool to rough up the edges.  On the Whisper White stencil layer, I wrapped some 1/4 Eggplant ribbon around and secured to the back.  Then I stamped For You in Taken with Teal on Whisper White and punched with my Large Oval Punch and then a Taken with Teal Scallop Oval Punch.  Finally, I stamped the Great Friends butterfly with Elegant Eggplant ink on Taken with Teal cardstock and cut it out.  I added a couple silver mini brads to the center of his body.  I hope you like it, too!

Had a very nice dinner here last night to celebrate all the June birthdays, Father’s Day, Anniversaries, college graduations…whew!

I hope you enjoyed the Tour de Freaks Blog Tour over the weekend!  Lots of great ideas!  Come back next month on July 20th  for some new catalog set ideas!

Great Friend, #113792, $17.95

Tour de Freaks Blog Hop

Welcome to the monthly Tour de Freaks Blog Hop!  You may have just come from Lisa Martz over at Get Your Stamp On Blog…hope you enjoyed her projects!  We have 12 stops for you today, each of the wonderful Control Freak Swappers are featuring projects from retiring stamp sets.  Click at the bottom of my post to go to the next person, Mary Brown at Stampercampers Blog!  When you go thru all the stops in the loop, you will end up back here.

My first card uses the stamp set, To You and Yours, that will be retiring at the end of June.  You won’t see it in the current catalog either…that’s because it has been sitting on the Dormant List.  BUT…it is still available to purchase!  (#111706, $18.95).

I started with a base of Night of Navy and layered Riding Hood Red on top.  I stamped the dove with White Craft and heat embossed with White Embossing Powder on Night of Navy and layered that on Brushed Silver.  I added about an extra inch in length to that Brushed Silver layer so I could use the Eyelet Border Punch across the bottom, then wrapped the Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon around the entire element.  I used a piece of Riding Hood Red Patterns Designer Paper as an additional layer before adding the Dove Layer on top.  Seasons Greetings is from To You and Yours, too, and I stamped it with Night of Navy on Whisper White, then punched with the 1 1/4 circle and layered on a Brushed Silver 1 3/8 circle.  Finally, I stamped the snowflake from Holiday Blitz stamp set with White Craft on Night of Navy and embossed with White Embossing Powder, then punched with my 3/4 circle punch and placed above the Dove layer.  The Red, Blue and Silver make it almost a Patriotic looking card, although that wasn’t my intent!

My next card uses the same stamp set, To You and Yours and the Mojo Monday #90 sketch!  But I used a couple of the other stamps in the set!  Again I started with a base card of Night of Navy.  I stamped the house with Night of Navy Craft ink on Whisper White and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder.  I added some piercing decorations with my Piercing Mat and Tool in each upper corner.  I layered the Whisper White on Night of Navy.  Then I cut a square of print pattern from Walk in the Park Designer Paper, and  layered it on another Night of Navy cardstock.  Both these pieces were placed on a Baja Breeze layer that I stamped randomly with the snowflake from Holiday Blitz in Baja Breeze ink.  I used the Ticket Corner Punch on each corner and layered it on Whisper White.  I wrapped some Night of Navy grosgrain ribbon around the entire layers and added a piece of White Taffeta on top of the knot.  Finally, I stamped the greeting with Night of Navy Craft ink on Whisper White and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder.  I punched with the 1 1/4 circle, the punched the 1 3/8 circle from Baja Breeze and double punched the Night of Navy Scallop Circle so I’d get a pinking edge to my scallop circle.  I added a Clear Rhinestone brad on top.  That entire element was popped up with dimensionals and placed above the house!

 My next card uses Stitched Exotics stamp set.  This was one of the sets I received to make the display samples at Leadership a couple years ago!  I kind of burned myself out on using it, so I felt it was time to give it a proper send off since it will be retiring.  (#115080, $34.95)

I find I get better coverage with solid stamps when I stamped them with Classic Ink on Glossy cardstock.  Works fine as long as you don’t mind them being shiny!  I love this sketch!  Mary Brown and I did a fun challenge using it.  It starts with a Whisper White base card.  Then I added a piece of Regal Rose Pattern paper from Raspberry Tart Designer Paper in the lower right part of the base.  I cut a strip of the Kiwi Kiss print from the same Raspberry Tart DSP and layered it on Real Red…made it POP, didn’t it?  I also added a strip of Regal Rose over the Green print and three mini brads as accents.  The large flower I stamped with Regal Rose on Glossy White cardstock and the leaves with Kiwi Kiss.  I cut each of them out and layered with dimensionals on a Whisper White piece of cardstock, layered on Regal Rose.  Before I placed the flower, I used a Build A Brad and the center flower from Stitched Exotics in Real Red.  The Ticket Corner Punch was used on each corner.  Finally, I stamped Thank You from Short & Sweet stamp set in the upper right.  I love how this turned out and will be using this sketch and designer paper for more cards!  (Raspberry Tart DSP is STILL available on the Last Chance list!)

And my last project uses It’s A Sign.  I’m really sad this set is going…although it will stay in my collection.  I think it is great for teenagers or fun invitations.  I made a little box from two Scallop Envelopes cut with the Big Shot out of Bashful Blue cardstock.  Then I added an extra piece of cardstock around the sides.  I went with a monochromatic color theme with the Pacific Point print from Good Morning Sunshine Designer Paper on the front of the box and wrapped the White Taffeta around the box.  The base of each 3×3 card is Bashful Blue with a Whisper White layer on top and the Pacific Point print as an accent.  Then I used four different signs, stamped them with Pacific Point on Whisper White and cut the to shape or as a square for the front.  Each was layered on Bashful Blue and popped up with Dimensionals.  I think this would make a fun little gift for a teenager…maybe with a gift card tucked inside the box, too!

 Thanks for stopping by my Blog today.  Make sure to continue on the Tour de Freaks by clicking on the button below to take you to Mary at Stampercamper ‘s Blog!

Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge

It’s time for another Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge…SSC104.  I love these sketch challenges and it sounds like a lot of you do, too!  I’m anxious to see your creations…lots of flexibility with the size of the front panel.  Don’t forget to link your SSC104 post to Mr. Linky…Selene gave an excellent tutorial on Stamping 411 on how to link to the individual post instead of your entire Blog.  That way we can find your Sketch Challenge card easier. 

I pulled out Rustic Rooster from my sad pile of retiring sets.  This is a Level 2 hostess set that will be going away soon.  (It isn’t too late to hold a workshop and get yours!)  I started with a base card of Sahara Sand.  Then I ran a Really Rust layer thru my Big Shot with the Texturz background.  I used my Really Rust pad to highlight the raised texture…kind of looks like woodgrain! 

For the focal piece, I stamped the background words with Creamy Caramel and then the Rooster with Basic Brown.  I pulled out my DUSTY Pastel chalks and colored him with various browns and rust.  I like how he turned out!  I need to remember to use those more often!  I matted the Very Vanilla on Chocolate Chip and then another mat of Sahara Sand.  It is popped off the background with dimensionals.  I used a strip of Manhattan Designer Paper across the top and matted it with Chocolate Chip.  Then I couldn’t resist using the NEW Modern Label punched from Really Rust and wrapped around the DSP.  I secured it with a Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button.  LOVE that punch!  It will be available on July 1st!

Have a wonderful weekend.  Stop by this afternoon for the Tour De Freaks Blog Hop!  You won’t want to miss the amazing creations from some very talented Control Freak swappers. 

And…of course…check out what the others have done with the Stamping 411 sketch this week!