InkspiredTreasures.com

Snow Swirled

I was surprised to see that I hadn't inked up Stampin' Up!'s Snow Swirled set at all this year!  I used it a TON last year!  So, when the sketch for Stamping 411 needed a large focal element, I pulled it out.  I decided to use some unusual Christmas colors, though.  I saw a card done by Ilina Crouse that used Orchid Opulence and Bashful Blue colors and thought they were beautiful!  My Orchid Opulence rarely gets used!

I started with a base of Orchid Opulence.  I ran the Bashful Blue layer thru the Big Shot with the Petals A Plenty Impressions Folder and added it to the base.  I used a Sponge Dauber and changed the color of the White Striped Ribbon to Orchid Opulence with my classic ink pad. 

The tree image I stamped in Bashful Blue, then used my Blender Pen to remove the Bashful Blue on the snowflake ornaments and my Orchid Opulence Stampin' Write Marker to color them back in.  I added some Dazzling Diamonds to the snowflake ornaments and the star at the top (punched with the Small Star Punch).

I stamped the words Season's Greetings in Basic Black on Orchid Opulence and punched with my Oval Scallop Punch.  I added some more dots of Crystal Effects in each of the scallops and added Dazzling Diamonds.  Too bad you can't see how pretty this is in person!

I hope you check out the rest of the Stamping 411 Operators fun projects this week and play along with the sketch challenge!  We love to see your creations!

INKspired Treasures Blog

Blogger’s Challenge 78 – Non-traditional Christmas colors

I’m glad I finally was able to work on this card.  A patriotic Red/White/Blue card was one of the ideas I had floating in my head from when I first bought this Snow Swirled set several months ago.  I just never sat down to work on it.  This week’s Bloggers’ Challenge was to create a Christmas card with non-traditonal colors…I think red/white/blue are pretty non-traditional…at least in my mind. 

It ended up being VERY simple.  I used Real Red Craft Ink and Brilliant Blue Craft ink on Whisper White, then clear embossed over those colors.  I used silver embossing powder for the "white" tree and cut it out, then popped it up with dimensionals over the red and blue ones.  "Sending you Holiday Peace" came from To You and Yours stamp set.  I punched it with the small oval and then layered it on Real Red.  The small stars were punched from Brushed Gold cardstock.  I layered the Whisper White on Brilliant Blue and then on Real Red base card.  Simple.  I tried adding ribbon and other embellishment, but it really took away from the feel of the card.  So…I’m letting it stand by itself and the message it portrays.

I’m headed out of town for the day, so won’t get a chance to check out the rest of the Bloggers’ creations until late evening.  I’m sure everyone will do an awesome job, like usual.

It is crunch time this weekend, as I’m sure it is for everyone else is, too.  My son and his girlfriend come into town on Tuesday evening for the holidays, I’m excited to see them.   I still have all my wrapping and baking to do, plus prepare for Christmas dinner.  I’m sure it will all get done…lol!

THANK YOU! 150,000 Views!

Oh my!  Sometime yesterday, we FLEW by the 150,000 views on my Blog!  I can’t believe it!  I am so grateful for those of you who visit my Blog…sometimes several times a day.  It means a lot to me that you appreciate my work.  And those of you who leave comments…I love it!  I know you are out there and it isn’t just me talking to no one!  I started my Blog never thinking that I would be as consistent at posting as I am or that I would still be doing it over a year later!  But I found it is a great way to share what I’m working on with you. 

I wanted to share something I mailed into Stampin’ Up! for their contest…no, I didn’t win, but I thought it was a great idea to do for your Christmas photo card!  Mary Polcin I think was the one who showed the idea of altering the CD Folders.  I shared a similar one to this as our Make & Take at our demo Convention Roundup meeting last August.  This one, I added some additional ribbons and embellishments to jazz it up a little.

I started with the stamp set, Snow Swirled and the Holiday Treasures designer paper.  I stamped the snowflake in Baja Breeze over the Baja Breeze cardstock (background).  I inked the Snow Swirled Tree in Versamark, then Baja Breeze and stamped on Whisper White, then embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder (VERY sparkly in real life!).  Added a filigree brad to the top of the tree, and the Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon for a touch of elegance.

Inside, I covered the left side with more Baja Breeze cardstock and stamped the snowflake again randomly.  I added a strip of the Holiday Treasures DSP and scalloped the edge.  I also added a bit of bling with the Snow Blossom punch (The snowflake is an perfect match for this punch) and a Rhinestone brad in the center of it.  Then I cut a square of 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 Whisper White cardstock, used my Scallop Edge punch centered on each side to get a scalloped square design inside the overall square (does that make sense?  lol!).  On one edge, I looped some Kiwi Kiss ribbon around and tied it.  I backed up the Whisper White with Riding Hood Red cardstock, so the red color peeked through. 

The right side I stamped the small snowflake in Riding Hood Red randomly, used the Season’s Greetings stamp with Chocolate Chip and punched with the Key Tag punch…added another strip of the designer paper that I scalloped.  Inside that flap, I placed a photo of my son, Ross, and his girlfriend, Allie, on Riding Hood Red cardstock, punched a Round Tab out of Baja Breeze and used the snowflake punched with 1/2 circle punch and another Rhinestone brad in the center.

The third picture you can see the Christmas Letter that I tucked inside the left side.  I used the Round Tab punch again in Baja Breeze with the snowflake and Rhinestone brad.

Finally, the back I covered with more Holiday Treasures designer paper.

I was pretty happy with how it turned out!  I was hoping for an "announcement" from either one of my boys that I could send this out as an engagement announcement for Christmas…but no such luck.  Still waiting!  Oh well…maybe after Christmas?  lol!

Control Freaks Swap

This was my Swap card for the Control Freak Swappers last time (New Catty).  I chose Snow Swirled because it is one of my favorite new ones in this catalog!  I love to decorate with snowmen and snowflakes, so a tree made from snowflakes works well for me!

I embossed the tree on Whisper White with Gold EP and then separately embossed the snowflakes with Silver EP.  I punched out the snowflakes with my 1/2 circle punch and adhered them to the tree.  The tree is cut out and placed on the Bigz Top Note die cut out of Brushed Silver.  The Verse is stamped with Basic Black and shows up much better in person.  I wrapped some White Taffeta Ribbon around it.  I stamped some larger snowflakes in Baja Breeze on the Baja Breeze cardstock and layered everything on a base card of Whisper White.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I JUST NOTICED!!!  UGH!!!  I forgot to put the Brushed Gold punched small stars on the top of the trees for my swaps!!!  Oh no!  Sorry Control Freaks!  My sample one has it, but not the ones I sent.  GRRRRRR!!!!!  Oh well!

I’m out of town all day tomorrow, so I’ll catch you again on Friday for the Blogger’s Challenge!