#inkspiredtreasures

CCMC Saturday Blog Hop – Abstract Backgrounds

June 2, 2018 By Connie | 1 Comment

OK…how many of you have played ALL day with the Brusho Crystals! Once you get started it is hard to put them away! But I knew they would be perfect for our Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Blog Hop theme…abstract backgrounds!

And…you know what is FUN about this card? ALL the pieces except for the base came from “starters” on my desk. You know…those bits and pieces of projects and images stamped, but not used? How exciting to turn them all into a cohesive card!

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Grapefruit Grove cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
On the 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Shimmery White cardstock, Brusho Crystals of Yellow, Prussian Blue and Gamborge were added to a very wet background.
A large Layering Shapes Circle was cut from Share What You Love DSP, and a smaller scallop circle from Grapefruit Grove cardstock. Both were adhered to the front.
A Whisper White circle was cut with the Stitched Shapes Circle. Thank You from Love What You Do was inked with a Basic Black marker separately, then stamped.
The flowers were stamped with Grapefruit Grove Ink on the circle and colored with the Petal Pink Marker. The centers were colored with Basic Black Marker. The circle was popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
The flower was cut from the Share What You Love DSP and added to the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

That’s it! So glad to use up some of my “starters”, too! OK…make sure to check out the rest of the Design Team’s creations by continuing on with the blog hop…they will have some wonderful ideas! Next up is our Create with Connie & Mary website and then Mary Brown and her creative design!

Take a trip to the shore for peace and tranquility when using Stampin' Up!'s new WATERSIDE RETREAT SUITE of products! The RELAXING WATERSIDE BUNDLE showcases a getaway at the lake with lounge chairs, coffee and books, birds and special greetings! We've combined the RELAXING WATERSIDE BUNDLE and the WATERSIDE RETREAT 12x12 DESIGNER PAPER with its sun-drenched faded colors and unique cut-out images or background scenes. You'll get step-by-step tutorials for SIX projects...four cards and two fun favors for a special little gift this summer! See more details HERE!

Build your own custom paper floral arrangements using Stampin' Up!'s new FLOWERING MEADOW BUNDLE* of products! This FLOWERING MEADOW BUNDLE has a variety of flowers, stems, leaves and accents to mix and match and take the guesswork out of creating! We've combined the FLOWERING MEADOW BUNDLE and the gorgeous VELVET MEADOW 12x12 DESIGNER PAPER with its bold colors and soft flocking elements to enhance your cards and projects. You'll get step-by-step tutorials for SIX projects...four cards and two special-fold cards that will make your friends and customers feel extra special. See more details HERE!

Be inspired by a trip to the coast when using Stampin' Up!'s new SUNSET COAST BUNDLE*. This Bundle features sailboats, a lighthouse, seashells and rock formations to build the perfect oceanfront adventure. We've combined the SUNSET COAST BUNDLE and the SCENIC COAST 6x6 DESIGNER PAPER with dramatic sunset colors and iridescent shimmer for your cards and projects. You'll get step-by-step tutorials for SIX projects...four cards and two favor projects that are perfect for classes and stamp camps! See more details HERE!

CCMC512 – Rooted in Nature

May 31, 2018 By Connie | 1 Comment

I love a good sketch challenge and I LOVE Rooted in Nature bundle! I had fun with the sketch challenge for today on Create with Connie and Mary!

With the temps in Ohio SO hot this week (I’m NOT complaining!), it was nice to think of cool shade trees while I made this card.

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 NEW Shaded Spruce cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
A 4 x 5 piece of Crumb Cake has a 1-3/4 x 5 and 3/4 x 5 piece of two different patterns from Nature’s Poem Desinger Paper adhered towards the bottom.
The tree slice was stamped with Crumb Cake Ink on Crumb Cake cardstock and cut out. The greeting was stamped on top with Soft Suede Ink. It is popped up on the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
The trio leaves and ginkgo (?) leaf were stamped with Shaded Spruce Ink on Whisper White and cut with the Nature’s Roots Framelits. The trio leaf was watercolored with a little more Shaded Spruce Ink and an AquaPainter. They were added to the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Some Calypso Coral Twine from Nature’s Twine package was tied in a bow and added to the leaves with a Mini Glue Dot.

I know I’ve said it before, but I LOVE that tree slice!!! OK…check out the rest of the Challenge Team over at Create with Connie and Mary to see what they did with this sketch challenge! Everyone’s card is SO different!

IM22 Lilypad Lake

May 28, 2018 By Connie | 2 Comments

On this Memorial Day, I wish thank all the service men and women AND their families who have sacrificed SO much for our freedom. I certainly appreciate what you do.

It’s time for the last Create with Connie and Mary’s Inspiration Monday in May! We have a fun, whimsical cake for our inspiration this week! I just love these topsy-turvy cakes!

I decided to use more of the color combination rather than the “theme” of the cake, so used my new Lilypad Lake bundle! I was excited to get this set to use on some cards for my mom and dad, to remind them of Candlewood Lake where they used to live! The images are also SO soothing!

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Gorgeous Grape cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
A 1-3/4 x 5 piece of the blue pattern in Tranquil Textures Designer Paper was stamped several times with the “waves” image in Lilypad Lake using Balmy Blue Ink. It was adhered to a 3-3/4 x 5 piece of Whisper White towards the bottom.
The crane and lilypad were stamped with Memento Black Ink on Whisper White and lightly watercolored with Balmy Blue, Granite Gray, Gorgeous Grape and Pear Pizzazz Markers and an AquaPainter. They were cut with the Lakeside Framelits. Two grasses were cut from Pear Pizzazz cardstock, too, then all were popped up on the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
The greeting from Lilypad Lake was stamped with Memento Black Ink on the front of the Whisper White.
The Whisper White panel is adhered to a 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Balmy Blue cardstock, then to the Gorgeous Grape base card.
A couple Metallic Sequins were added for a little bling.

So tranquil and calm, don’t you think? And the colors match the colors in the fun cake, don’t they?

OK…go check out what Mary did with the Inspiration Challenge this week over on Create with Connie and Mary!

CCMC Saturday Blog Hop – Bold & Bright

May 26, 2018 By Connie | Leave a Comment

I have to admit…the Brights Collection of colors has to be my favorite of all time! I used to be an “Earth Elements” kind of girl…remember when Stampin’ Up! had those? But this newest lineup of Brights is just SO striking! I had them all laid out on my table making up swatch books and the Brights caught my eye EVERY time! So, the theme for this week’s Create with Connie and Mary’s Saturday Blog Hop is Bold & Bright Colors!

The Garden Impressions Designer Paper was a NATURAL fit for this theme. And, since Peace roses are one of my favorites, I recreated one on paper using the fabulous Abstract Impressions!

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 NEW Mango Melody cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
On the 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Whisper White cardstock, 2-1/2 x 5-1/4 piece of Garden Impressions DSP was added towards the right side.
A large Stitched Shape Square was cut from Mango Melody and added to the front.
Two 1/4 x 5-1/4 strips of Granny Apple Green and Melon Mambo were added over the Square and down the center of the DSP.
The greeting in Abstract Impressions stamp set was stamped in Memento Black towards the right side of the Stitched Shapes Circle.
The Rose solid image was stamped off using Mango Melody and the second image stamped full strength with Mango Melody Ink. On top the detail image was stamped with Melon Mambo Ink to make my Peace rose.
The leaves solid image was stamped off using Granny Apple Green and full strength for the detail image.
The circle was placed on top of the Square with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
A few of the Adhesive Sequins finish off the card with a little bling!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this card!!! OK…make sure to check out the rest of the Design Team’s creations by continuing on with the blog hop…they will have some wonderful ideas! Next up is our Create with Connie & Mary website and then Mary Brown and her creative design!

CCMC511 – Waterfront

May 24, 2018 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Even though I LOVE this Waterfront stamp set, I haven’t used it that much. But today’s Create with Connie and Mary Color Challenge colors really seemed to entice me to use it!

So, here is what I came up with! Aren’t the colors so CALM and COOLING? I think so!

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Emerald Envy cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
A 2 x 5-1/4 piece of NEW Tranquil Textures Designer Paper was added to the bottom of a 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Pool Party.
A 1/2 x 4-1/2 piece of Night of Navy was added to the front with a 1/4 x 3-3/4 piece of Emerald Envy cardstock tucked under it.
Some Sequin Trim was swirled around on the front and adhered.
For the Waterfront “scene”, a large circle was cut from Whisper White with the Layering Circles Framelits. The water was stamped off with Pool Party Ink towards the bottom of the circle, the mountains and greeting with Night of Navy Ink, the trees with Emerald Envy Ink, the sun with a little So Saffron Ink. A few speckles of Pool Party Ink were added to the bottom and right side for a little interest.
The completed stamped circle was placed on the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

So peaceful, isn’t it? Wish I was standing by a lake or ocean right now looking at this view! lol! OK…check out the rest of the Challenge Team over at Create with Connie and Mary to see what they did with this color combination! Everyone’s card is SO different!

IM21 Itty Bitty Greetings

May 21, 2018 By Connie | Leave a Comment

It’s time for Create with Connie and Mary’s Inspiration Monday!!! It’s a fun geometric inspiration this week! I love the colors and thought immediately of Lovely Lipstick! My next thought was that the new Delightfully Detailed Laser-cut Specialty Paper would be PERFECT for this challenge…and Mary had the same thought, although our cards came out totally different!

So, here is what I came up using our newest In Color, Lovely Lipstick and a brand new small greeting set, Itty Bitty Greetings to replace Teeny Tiny Wishes…yeah!!!

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Lovely Lipstick cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
At the bottom of the base, a 1 x 5-1/2 piece of Lovely Lipstick In Color Designer Paper was added.
The Delightfully Detailed Laser panel was cut and added to a 3-1/2 x 5 piece of Lovely Lipstick cardstock, then added to a 3-3/4 x 5-1/4 piece of Basic Black cardstock.
The greeting from Itty Bitty Greetings was stamped with Memento Black Ink on Whisper White and punched with the 1″ Circle Punch, then layered on a 1-1/8″ Scallop Circle punch of Basic Black. It’s popped up on the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals and place in one of the circles of the panel.

Really! That’s all there is to it!!! So simple, but dramatic with the laser-cut detail on there, isn’t it?

OK…go check out what Mary did with the Inspiration Challenge this week over on Create with Connie and Mary!

Control Freaks Blog Hop May 2018

May 19, 2018 By Connie | 2 Comments

Hi! Welcome to the monthly Tour de Freaks, brought to you by the Control Freak Swappers! This month our theme is PREORDER GOODIES! Yes…we are featuring products that demos could preorder prior to the catalog going live on June 1st! This is one of the MAJOR benefits of being a demonstrator! You’ve probably just come from Melissa Davis’s blog...love her projects, don’t you? Just click on the link below to take you around the entire blog hop for some GREAT inspiration!

Abstract Impressions

Yes, one of the first stamp sets I grabbed on the preorder was Abstract Impressions! You know me and flowers. But, did you also know that one of my favorite rose colors is purple? It’s a toss up between the yellow/pink Peace roses and Lavender roses as to which is my favorite. I nearly SQUEALED when I saw the new purples in the Color Revamp! I had the idea to make purple roses…and this came together REALLY quickly!

Here’s a closeup of the card:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Gorgeous Grape cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
A 2 x 5-1/4 piece of Tranquil Textures Designer Paper was adhered to the bottom of a 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Whisper White.
Some Mint Macaron Nature’s Twine is wrapped around and tied in a bow to hide the seam.
The roses were triple stamped on 3 x 3-1/2 Whisper White cardstock…the background in stamped off Highland Heather, the middle with full strength Highland Heather and the top detailed image with Gorgeous Grape.
The leaves were stamped with stamped off Mint Macaron, the full strength Mint Macaron to fill in around the roses.
The greeting was stamped with Tranquil Tide.
The stamped Whisper White panel was adhered to a mat of 3-1/4 x 3-3/4 Gorgeous Grape cardstock and added to the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
A couple of the Mint Macaron Faceted Dots were added next to the greeting for a little bling.

I LOVE making these little bags…SO easy!

To make the bag, cut 6 x 12 piece of Tranquil Textures DSP, score with the 6″ at the top of the Simply Scored Tool at 1-1/4 and 4-1/2. Turn and score with the 12″ at the top at 5-1/4 and 6-3/4.
Cut flaps from edge to score line. Fold in and adhere to inside FRONT panels. Apply adhesive to outside panels of BACK and adhere inside the front panels..
Squeeze the top together on the sides so that it form a natural gusset.
Belly Band is Gorgeous Grape cardstock cut to 1-1/2 x 9-1/2, score the 9-1/2 side at 1-3/4, 3-1/4, 6-1/4, 7-7/8. Wrap around and adhere so the seam is in the front.
Place and adhere a Pearlized Doily over seam on Belly Band.
Cut a 1-7/8 circle from Whisper White cardstock with Layered Circles Framelits and stamp the flower and leaves the same as above.
Ink So Happy from greeting with Tranquil Tide Marker and stamp. Layer on larger Mint Macaron Scallop Circle. Adhere to doily with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Add Mint Macaron Faceted Dot under greeting.
Add a Birthday Mini Binder Clip (retiring soon!) tied with Mint Macaron Nature’s Twine to the top to hold the bag closed.

Here’s a closeup of the bag:

Hope you liked my projects! OK…next up on the Control Freaks Blog Hop is LeeAnn Greff . I love her work, too, so I know you’ll enjoy her projects, too!

CCMC Saturday Blog Hop – Favorite New Preorder Product

May 19, 2018 By Connie | 4 Comments

Oh gosh! Only a couple more weeks until the new catalog goes LIVE on June 1st! I have a BIG wish list…how about you? But, Stampin’ Up! has given us a TASTE of the new catalog by allowing demos to preorder certain items! The theme for this week’s Create with Connie and Mary’s Saturday Blog Hop is our favorite new preorder product! Of course…I have MANY more than ONE favorite…all the new colors for sure! But, I do LOVE the new Rooted in Nature stamp set, so I went with that one.

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Mint Macaron cardstock, scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
On the 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Whisper White cardstock, the leaf was stamped with Pool Party at the top, then Mint Macaron, then Bermuda Bay and finally Shaded Spruce at the bottom. I thought these colors complemented each other VERY well and I liked the dark to light alternating contract!
The You Are Wonderful greeting from Rooted in Nature was stamped with Memento Black Ink.
A few Pool Party Adhesive Sequins and Rhinestones add a little JAZZ to the card.

I think it is pretty elegant for a simple card, don’t you? No designer paper, no framelits, just stamping! OK…make sure to check out the rest of the Design Team’s creations by continuing on with the blog hop…they will have some wonderful ideas! Next up is our Create with Connie & Mary website and then Mary Brown and her creative design!