Hennah Flower Just Saying Hello Card - Inkspirational 160 Purple & Gold

I haven't taken part in challenges for such a long time and I'd like to try and play along with a few every now and again.  I used to be on the design team at the Inkspirational challenge blog - I stepped down back in 2013 - I cannot believe it was that long ago!  Anyway, I thought I'd check to see what my old friends were up to over there!  The current challenge is purple and gold - hmmm, I'd usually put silver with purple so that was challenging me immediately to do something different!  Now I've completed the card I love purple with gold - it's very regal!

Running out of storage space in my craft room means a clearout has become absolutely necessary.  I've already sorted out quite a lot that I'm happy to let go to new homes but I have a big 'undecided' pile full of items I haven't used much but I just can't bring myself to say goodbye to them.  I'm making myself use items from the 'undecided' pile to help me make my mind up one way or another!  The items for this card are the AlteNew 'Hennah Elements' stamp and die sets and the SU! 'Victorian Lace' background stamp.  A firm decision has been made - they are staying in my stash!

I bet many of us crafters can remember the 'oooooh' moment when we first experienced heat embossing.  As I was embossing my flowers, leaves and sentiment with gold powder I still had 'oooooh' moments - clearly for me it never gets old!  I embossed the flowers on SU! Rich Razzleberry CS and the leaves on vellum CS.  After die cutting them I snipped the petals of the flowers and shaped them a bit and I popped up the small flower.  I used stitched square dies for my layers and stamped the lace background stamp on the Rich Razzleberry square using Rich Razzleberry ink for a lovely tone on tone look.  I added a few gold nailheads as a finishing touch which gives a tad more gold shine to the card.

To decorate the inside of the card and the envelope I stamped the lace background stamp onto Whisper White CS, cut two strips, glued them in place and added lines drawn with a Rich Razzleberry marker.

Supplies:
Stamps: AlteNew 'Hennah Elements', SU! 'Victorian Lace' background stamp, Hero Arts 'Messages with Flourish' set
CS: SU! Rich Razzleberry & Whisper White, SU! vellum
Ink: VersaMark, SU! Rich Razzleberry
Tools: Altenew 'Hennah Elements' die set, Memory Box 'Stitched Square Layers' die set, heat tool
Embellishments & accessories: gold nailheads, SU! gold embossing powder, Dimensionals
Ruth

Sparkly Meadow Flower To You From Me Card - Inkspirational Challenge 67

The Inkspirational 67 Challenge caught my attention the other day while I was web surfing, it's a purple with grey/silver colour challenge.  I love purple and silver together on a card but I think I've only ever used the combo for Christmas cards so I resolved to make a non Christmas card with the colours.

 

Stencils are popular in card making at the moment and I'm having fun using them.  Actually, I enjoyed using them many moons ago when they were the in thing for home decor!  I stencilled three walls of my neighbour's bathroom and I decorated loads of bits and pieces and small furniture items for our home - I still have a couple of pieces!  

For this card I used a Meadow Flower stencil, Memento inks and Sparkle Medium embossing paste.  I used low tack tape to mask areas of the stencil and I stippled Memento London Fog and Grape Jelly inks through the stencil using ink duster brushes.  I removed the stencil, heat set the inks by blasting the panel with my heat tool and carefully repositioned the stencil.  I then applied Diamond Sparkle Medium embossing paste and allowed that to dry - because the glitter in the Diamond paste is suspended in a clear gel the colour shows through the sparkle.  I made a 5 3/4" card from SU! Elegant Eggplant CS and added the stencilled panel plus white and silver striped paper to a mat layer of silver mirri CS.  I attached the die cut and dry embossed ribbon and bow and added the sentiment element.  I punched two Eggplant flowers and placed those on the silver mirri CS label and I added a rhinestone to the centre of each flower.  A Small Circle Dazzler embellishment on the bow completed the card front.

Here's the inside and the envelope.  I may add a sentiment inside at a later date when I know what occasion I'll be using the card for.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Best Yet' set
CS: SU! Elegant Eggplant & Whisper White, silver mirri CS
Patterned paper: First Edition 'Silent Night' 6" x 6" pad
Ink: Memento London Fog & Grape Jelly, SU! Elegant Eggplant
Tools: Imagination Crafts 'Meadow Flower' panel stencil, Creative Expressions 'Classic 3D Bow' die set, SU! 'Apothecary Accents' Framelits die, 1 1/4" circle punch, Woodware multi flower punch, Inkylicious ink duster brushes, heat tool, palette knife, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: Imagination Crafts 'Diamond' Sparkle Medium paste, Creative Expressions 'Small Circle Dazzler, SU! rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals

Flower Thinking Of You Circular Card - Inkspirational Sept Sketch Challenge (#39)

This week at Inkspirational we have a wonderful sketch for you to work with.

 

I'm very partial to shaped cards so as soon as I saw the layout I knew I'd have to make a circular card!  I cut two Crumb Cake 5 3/4" circles as a card base, cut a white 5 3/4" circle as a liner for inside, cut a 5" circle of pretty patterned paper and a 5 3/8" Rich Razzleberry mat circle.  I took my colours from the patterned paper and I thought it would be fun to use the flower from the SU! Flower Shop set that has different patterned petals and to make each petal a different colour.  I got out my Pool Party, Baked Brown Sugar, Primrose Petals, Crumb Cake and Rich Razzleberry markers and inked and stamped a flower - but I really wasn't happy with the end result.  So I stamped 5 flowers using ink pads, one each in the colours I'd chosen.  I punched them out, snipped between the petals and assembled my multicoloured flower by gluing my snipped petals over the top of a punched out flower!  

I love the dotty leaved flower stem from the retired SU! Sweetheart set and I thought it would be perfect for my flower.  Hmmm, the white oval wasn't quite wide enough for me to get the whole image on so I deliberately stamped the stem off centre to get a partial image.  I added a Rich Razzleberry button to the flower centre and popped the flower up.  I stamped and adhered the sentiment strip and popped up the Rich Razzleberry oval.  As a finishing touch to the card front I added a few gems to the sentiment.

The good thing about stamping those five flowers earlier was that I had plenty of coloured petals to assemble more multicoloured flowers!  I added a stem and flower inside the card.

The envelope flap got a flower too!  I sent this card to my friend Jean from card group who had a nasty fall and broke her hip - ouch!  I hope the card at least brightened her day a little bit!

I hope you'll join in with our Inkspirational sketch challenge this week, I'd love to come and see your creations!

I've always enjoyed designing for the challenges, but sadly, that's my last DT card for Inkspirational as I'm stepping down from the design team.  I've taken on more commitments lately and that, as well as recent changes on the personal front, mean I have less crafty time to spare and something had to give!  I'm hoping I can get to take part in the challenges as a player every now and then so I hope to see you there!  

Supplies:
Stamps:  SU! 'Flower Shop', 'Sweetheart' & 'Sassy Salutations' sets
CS: SU! Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry, Pool Party & Whisper White
Patterned paper:  Basic Grey Knee Highs 'Cat's Cradle'
Ink: SU! Pool Party, Baked Brown Sugar, Primrose Petals, Crumb Cake & Rich Razzleberry
Tools: EK Success Circle Scissor Pro tool, Petite Oval Nestabilities dies, SU! 'Pansy' punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Rich Razzleberry button, Rhinestone Jewels, Dimensionals

 

Rosette Only One You Card - Inkspirational Sept CASE Challenge (#38)

This week at Inkspirational we have a CASE challenge - we'd like you to CASE this fab card made by DT member Shauna.

 

The elements I've taken from Shauna's design are the black, white and grey colours, the fancy circle and the mix of patterns - although I haven't been as daring as Shauna on that front!  I've used three different patterned papers but been very conservative - I can never seem to mix patterns that successfully so I played safe!

I die cut the fancy black circle and die cut a circle of grey damask paper to go behind it.  I glued patterned paper strips to the bottom of the 5 1/4" card base and stamped the sentiment.  I made a rosette from black and white patterned paper and placed that in the centre of the circle.  I had a good rootle in my stash to find something to place in the centre of the rosette and I came across some metal flowers that I've had for years!  I added a metal flower and blinged it up with some grey gems.    I added a couple of the gems to the sentiment too.

Some striped and damask paper decorates the inside and the envelope front.

 

I hope you'll play along with our Inkspirational CASE challenge this week, it's always SO interesting to see how people interpret designs differently!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Vintage Verses' set
CS: PaperMania white square card blank, SU! Basic Black
Patterned paper: SU! Night & Day DSP, Echo Park Style Essentials 'Grey Damask', Doodlebug Beetle Black striped
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Sizzix fancy circle die from 'For the Record 2, Documented' Thinlits die set, Ranger Tim Holtz 'Paper Rosette' Decorative Strips die, Sizzix circle #2 die, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: metal flower from stash, PaperMania monochrome gems, glue dots

 

Daisies Happy Birthday Wishes Card - Inkspirational Sept Photo Challenge (#37)

We have a photo inspiration challenge for you at Inkspirational this week and here's the pretty photo we'd like you to be inspired by.

 

I was drawn to the Michaelmas Daisies in the photo.  I stamped several flowers onto watercolour paper and coloured them using inks and a wet paintbrush.  I embossed a panel of green Core'dinations CS with a woodgrain folder, scuffed the embossing to bring out the detail and adhered it to a side opening white A6 card base.  I added the ribbon, die cut the label shape, stamped the sentiment, punched the flowers and arranged them on the label - popping three flowers up.  I popped up the label shape and added iridescent gems to the label to finish the card front.

Here's the inside and the envelope.

I hope you'll play along with our Inkspirational photo challenge this week, I'd love to come and see what you make  based on the photo!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Best of Flowers'  & 'Simply Sketched' sets, Hobby Art 'Sentiments' clear set
CS: IndigoBlu white Perfect Stamping Card, Amazon Core'dinations CS, SU! Whisper White, watercolour paper
Ink: VersaFine Onxy Black, Memento Sweet Plum, SU! Crushed Curry
Tools: SU! Woodgrain embossing folder, Apothecary Accents label die, 1 1/4" scalloped circle punch, plain circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: fine sandpaper, PaperMania iridescent gems, SU! Dimensionals

 

Butterflies Happy Thoughts Card - Inkspirational Sept Colour Challenge (#36)

This week at Inkspirational we have a colour challenge for you.

 

I've used SU! Real Red, Daffodil Delight and Soft Sky along with crisp white.  I love it when I see dry embossing on white CS, it's such a subtle look but I always find it very appealing.  Not easy to capture in a photograph though!  I started off by embossing my A6 card base with a butterflies folder, I stamped the sentiment and added the ribbon.  Then I used the lovely SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits die to cut several coloured butterflies.  I glued them to the card front so the wings were popped up and I added coloured gems to the bodies.

Here's a closer view of the butterfly embossing.

A sentiment and more butterflies and gems finished off the card and envelope.

I do hope you'll play along with us at Inkspirational this week and use this bright and cheery combo to make something crafty!  I'm looking forward to seeing what you make!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts sentiments
CS: PaperMania white A6 card blank, SU! Real Red, Daffodil Delight & Soft Sky
Ink: SU! Real Red
Tools: Craft Concepts 'Butterfly Kisses' embossing folder, SU! 'Beautiful Wings' Embosslits die
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Real Red grosgrain ribbon, PaperMania coloured gems

 

Vellum Flowers Just For You Card - Inkspirational Aug Sketch Challenge (#35)

It's time for our monthly sketch challenge at Inkspirational and here's the fab layout we'd like you to work with.

 

For my colour scheme I've gone for summery, fondant pastels with a bracing dash of Espresso  to cut through the sweetness!  I stamped three flowers onto vellum, heat embossed with white powder and coloured the flowers from behind using markers.   After punching out the flowers I attached them to the circles with rhinestone brads.  The Pool Party card base measures 5 3/4" square and I added texture to the white panel with a diamond patterned Texturz plate. I layered the white panel onto an Early Espresso mat,  added the strip of Pool Party ruffled ribbon and glued the layers to the card front.  I stamped and matted the sentiment circle, popped all four circles up and added the three coloured pearls to complete the card front.

  

I cut a white panel for inside the card, added a sentiment oval and some stamped flowers.  I placed a flower circle on the envelope flap too.  

I really hope you'll play along with us at Inkspirational this week and make cards using this great sketch, I'd love to pop by your blogs to see what you've made!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Flower Shop', 'Precious Butterflies' & 'Blooming with Kindness' sets
CS: SU! Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Blushing Bride, Early Espresso & Whisper White
Ink:   VersaMark, SU! Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Blushing Bride & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Pansy & 1 3/4" circle punches, Woodware 2" circle punch,  Sizzix Diamonds Texturz Plate, Petite Oval Nestabilities dies, paper piercer
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Pool Party ruffled ribbon, rhinestone brads, pearls, Dimensionals

 

Doily & Flower Especially For You Card - Inkspirational Aug CASE Challenge #34

This week we have a CASE challenge for you at Inkspirational.  We want to see your CASEd versions of a soft and pretty card made by Marina, one of our Inkspirational DT members.

 

I started off by making a 4 3/4" square Crumb Cake card base and I die cut the doily from white CS and the layer.from So Saffron CS.  I stamped the sentiment onto the doily, stamped the flower onto Saffron CS, punched it out, stamped the leaves onto Crumb Cake CS and fussy cut those out.  I popped up the white doily plus the flower and leaves and I added yellow pearls to the doily.

I cut a Whisper White panel for inside the card, added a strip of So Saffron patterned paper and drew a line with an Early Espresso marker.  I made a matching 5" square envelope with an 8" x 8" square of the patterned paper, using the Simply Scored and Diagonal Plate and scoring all four sides at 3 5/8".   I stamped a label on the front of the envelope and popped up a stamped and punched Crumb Cake flower.

I hope you'll join us this week for our Inkspirational CASE challenge, I'd love to come and see what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps:  SU! 'Flower Shop' & 'Gently Falling' sets,  SU! 'Basic Label', sentiment from Woodware 'Going to Seed' clear set
CS: SU! Crumb Cake, So Saffron & Whisper White
Patterned paper:  SU! Sweet Pea DSP
Ink:  SU! Early Espresso
Tools:  Cheery Lynn French Pastry doily die & matching French Pastry angel wing die,  SU! Pansy punch, SU! Simply Scored & Diagonal Plate
Embellishments & accessories: yellow pearls, SU! Dimensionals

 

Alphabet & Flowers Hi Card - Inkspirational Aug Photo Challenge (#33)

It's time for our monthly photo challenge at Inkspirational and here's what we've got for you this time.

 

Mynnette has described it as 'school house vintage' and I went for a shabby look using die cut alphabet letters and papers from an old Basic Grey 'Bittersweet' paper pad.  I cut the 'HI' in CS and then again in patterned paper and stacked the letters together so they're a bit chunkier to help them stand out a bit more.  I laid the letters out to get an idea of size so I knew what size card base to make - it's a 5" x 7" Early Espresso card.  I glued the letters to a Crumb Cake CS panel, added a strip of patterned paper, inked the edges with Espresso ink and layered the panel onto a Primrose Petals mat.  I punched a mixture of flowers and shaped them.  I used tiny flowers to accent the 'HI' and added a cluster of larger flowers at the bottom.  All the flowers have pink iridescent gem centres.

I cut a white panel for inside the card and after adding the paper and CS strip I inked the edges with Crumb Cake ink.  I couldn't resist using more of the beautiful papers to decorate inside and on the envelope - there's no stamping at all on this card which is rare for me!

After checking out the DT cards I hope you'll be inspired to take our Inspirational photo challenge this week, I'd love to visit your blogs to see what you came up with!  It's always amazing how folks interpret the same photo so differently!

Supplies:
Stamps: none!
CS: SU! Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Primrose Petals & Whisper White
Patterned paper:  Basic Grey 'Bittersweet' paper pad
Ink: SU! Early Espresso & Crumb Cake
Tools: Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet die set, SU! Boho Blossoms & Itty Bitty Flower punches, embossing stylus & moulding mat, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: PaperMania pink iridescent gems

 

Flowery Branch & Butterflies Thinking Of You Card - Inkspirational August Colour Challenge (#32)

We have a fresh colour combo of white, light pink and green bean for you as our Inkspirational challenge this week.

 

 I started by die cutting the Cheshire Branch Outline twice - once from Garden Green CS and once from Pink Pirouette CS.  The outline die does have a matching background die but I told myself I didn't need it so I didn't buy it.  I glued the little pink petals inside the green outline - yeah, the background die would be SO much easier!  I then promptly decided the pink was too pale and I didn't like it but I definitely didn't want to have to die cut and glue the petals again!  So I coloured over the petals with a Pretty in Pink marker - much better!  I die cut the white label, stamped the Linen background stamp over it in stamped off once Pretty in Pink ink and stamped the sentiment.  I made an A6 Pretty in Pink card base, die cut a fancy curved border on the right side and glued a strip of Garden Green CS inside the card.  I glued the label to the card and pierced around the label using a template.  I added butterflies, popped up the branch and embellished with a few pearls.  A few days ago I buckled and got the matching background die!

Here's a view of the front when the card is closed. 

 Here's the inside and the envelope with a sentiment label, more butterflies and a touch of gingham.

So that's what I made - now it's your turn to take the Inkspirational colour challenge and I'm looking forward to visiting your blogs to see your creations! 

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Linen' background stamp, 'Gingham' wheel stamp, 'Thinking Of You' from SU! 'Wetlands' set, Hero Arts 'Sending Happy Thoughts'
CS: SU! Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Garden Green & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink & Garden Green
Tools: Memory Box Cheshire Branch Outline die, Spellbinder's Card Creator Borderabilities 'A2 Curved Border One' die set,  SU! Apothecary Accents Framelits die set, SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, SU! Essentials Paper Piercing Pack & Piercing Tool
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Pearl Jewels, Dimensionals

 

Three Notepads & Pens - Inkspirational July Anything Goes Challenge

As there is a 5th Wednesday in July we have an Anything Goes challenge at Inkspirational for you this week - great fun, you can create anything you like!  I try to make a non card project on Anything Goes weeks, just for something a bit different.

 

It's sad but true, I'm at that age where if I don't write things down then things get forgotten!  I've identified where I need pen and paper to hand - my handbag, my craft desk and by the laptop - so I bought three notepads, made covers for them and decorated pens to match.  Hopefully, this means I won't be scrabbling around for pen and paper when I need it!

Here they all are together.

Here's the one I'm keeping in my handbag.  No 3D embellishments on this one as I don't want anything snagging as I take it in and out of my bag - although I couldn't resist adding some ribbon!  I made the cover by stamping the Going to Seed image in black ink onto a piece of Memory Box patterned paper and I added the black taffeta ribbon.  I rolled up a piece of the same patterned paper and inserted it into the clear pen barrel.  

This next notepad is kept on or around my craft desk and I deliberately made it very bright to make it easier to find amongst the crafty chaos!  I've used a green leafy patterned paper and I've added Primrose Petals ribbon.  I stamped the flowers in Strawberry Slush and Crushed Curry inks, punched them out with the Pansy punch, stamped the centres from another flower in the Flower Shop set, punched those out with a 1/2" circle punch and added 1/4" circles of CS over the top which I glossed with Crystal Effects.  Both flowers are popped up.  Again, I inserted rolled up patterned paper into the pen barrel but I made this pen a tad more fancy by adding two dahlia embellishments to the pen clip.

This last notepad is kept by the laptop.  I've used some beautiful Basic Grey paper, scalloped punched borders, die cut leaves, Prima flowers and a button to decorate the cover.  I'd run out of the clear barrelled pens so I've gussied up a Rich Razzleberry marker to accompany this notepad.  I just adhered a strip of the patterned paper to the pen - an idea I saw on page 67 of the UK SU! catalogue.  With double ended pens I ALWAYS uncap the wrong end first - so I added a button and a scrap of ribbon to the brush end of the marker so I know to uncap the journalling end of the marker to write in my notebook!

I hope you'll join in with our Inkspirational Anything Goes challenge, I'd love to visit your blogs to view your fab creations!

Supplies for notepad 1:
Stamps: Woodware 'Going to Seed' clear set
Patterned paper:  Memory Box Nightfall 'Woodland Path'
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Basic Black taffeta ribbon, Zebra Z Grip ballpoint pen, small notepad
 
Supplies for notepad 2:
Stamps:  SU! Flower Shop set
CS: SU! Whisper White
Patterned paper:  Magnolia Sweet Rainbow 'Summer Foliage'
Ink: SU! Strawberry Slush & Crushed Curry
Tools: SU! Pansy, 1/2" circle & 1/4" circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Primrose Petals stitched ribbon, Crystal Effects, Dahlia Embellishments, Dimensionals, Zebra Z Grip ballpoint pen, small notepad
 
Supplies for notepad 3:
CS: SU! Pool Party & Rich Razzleberry
Patterned paper:  Basic Grey Knee Highs 'Cat's Cradle'
Tools: SU! Little Leaves Sizzlits die & Eyelet Border punch,
Embellishments & accessories: Prima aqua flowers, SU! buttons, ribbon & Rhinestone Jewels, SU! Rich Razzleberry marker, small note pad

 

Summery Flowers Birthday Card - Inkspirational July Sketch Challenge (#30)

We have a sketch challenge for you this week at Inkspirational, and a great sketch it is too!  I think this is such a versatile layout, it will work for both squares and rectangles and you can keep it CAS or go a bit more fancy with it.  I rotated the sketch and made a 5 3/4" square card. 

My friend and neighbour Kath asked me to make a birthday card for an old friend of hers - who used to live in the house that Owen and I live in now!  I went with a floral theme (no surprise there!) and used pretty, summery colours - Crisp Cantaloupe, Primrose Petals and Pear Pizzazz - with some white, Espresso and Raspberry Ripple thrown in.  I stamped the flourish from the Everything Eleanor set onto Whisper White CS a few times using Pear Pizzazz ink.  I used the flower stamp from the SU! Morning Meadow set that matches the Pansy punch and inked a few flowers with Crisp Cantaloupe ink and then inked the edges with Primrose Petals ink using a sponge dauber.  I then made two slightly darker flowers by inking in Primrose Petals ink, stamping off once and then edging with Raspberry Ripple ink.  I computer generated the sentiment using the Lobster Two font and cut two scalloped Early Espresso borders using the Large Scallop Edgelits die.  The patterned paper is a scrap of Pear Pizzazz DSP I found in my stash.  I attached a strip of Primrose Petals ribbon, tied a separate bow and glued that over the top.  I popped up the flowers on the white panel and added jewel centres.  I then punched more flowers for the Pear Pizzazz patterned paper panel and had to add jewel centres to those too!  

Here's the inside and envelope - with more flourishes and flowers!

I really hope you'll try this wonderful sketch and take part in our challenge at Inkspirational this week, I'd love to pop by your blogs to see your interpretations!  The other DT members will have fab cards on show to inspire you and our Weekend Warrior, Sandie, will post a card on Saturday too!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Everything Eleanor' & 'Morning Meadow' sets, Hero Arts '???'
CS: SU! Primrose Petals, Crisp Cantaloupe, Early Espresso & Whisper White
Patterned paper:  SU! Pear Pizzazz DSP
Ink: SU! Crisp Cantaloupe, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple & Pear Pizzazz
Tools: SU! Pansy, Boho Blossoms & Itty Bitty flower punches, Large Scallop Edgelits die, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Primrose Petals stitched ribbon, Rhinestone Jewels, Dimensionals