Inkspirational Challenges - Photo

At Inkspirational , we have a photo to inspire you:

I used four different Christmas tree stamps from Lil Inker , plus filler stamps(Craftwork Cards), die cut and stamped sentiments and glitter drops. 

Hope you're all having a fabulous holiday season! 

The Library Challenge - Anthology

The new challenge at The Library is to pick any book, previously featured in The Library, as inspiration. I chose the book The Hobbit, which was the second challenge, back in March 2018.

I made these little gnome boxes (with chocs inside) for my neighbours' children. I used a cutting file and the Silhouette digital cutting machine.

I'd like to enter:
The Male Room 
Challenge up your Life  packaging
International Art and Soul 

Inkspirational - No Stamping

At Inkspirational , Anila has chosen the theme 'no stamping'. It's actually quite hard to do no stamping at all as the temptation (for me) is to stamp on a sentiment at the end! But I resisted!

For my DT card I used my Silhouette digital cutting machine and some cutting files from Lettering Delights. LD make fantastic cutting files which can be time-consuming as there is layer after layer to cut and assemble. I find using these kinds of files quite different to making a stamped card - it's more like using a knitting or sewing pattern where you follow the instructions and end up with something more or less that matches the photo on the packet.  My only variations really are to change the colours, add a few drops of gold liquid pearl and a die-cut sentiment. 

I hope you'll join in the challenge. 

I'd like to enter:

Die Cut Divas

Cut it Up

Fab n Funky 

52 CCT snowmen

The Library Challenge - Rupert Annual 1965

The new book at The Library is Rupert Annual 1965.  I have no recollection of reading any Ruper the Bear books or comic strips or TV shows but somehow I do know a song that goes' Rupert, Rupert the Bear, everyone knows his name...'! So I guess somewhere in the depths of my childhood I must have watched the TV programme. 

Anyway, I thought the cover was a great inspiration to combine two of my card-crafting faves: bears and snow. 

For my first card (top) I stamped the bear and sentiment, paper-pieced his outfit and coloured him in. I created the snow using stencils. 

I'd like to enter: 
Through the Purple Haze 
Sweet Stampin 
Time Out 

For my second card (above) I watercoloured using Lindy's Magicals powder pigments - although my watercolouring is dreadful, in real-life the shimmer from the paints kind of makes up for it. I added shading etc with a grey marker (I'm quite pleased with the footprints in the smow). and falling snow with a gel pen. The sentiment is from my new CCC holly set - I've used it a lot already , it's my new favourite.

I'd like to enter:
Krafty Chicks  fave stamp is the sentiment!
Cardz4Guys
My Time to Craft 
52CCT  watercolour 

One Layer Christmas Flowers

For this quick and easy one-layer card, I stamped the flowers on green textured cardstock and coloured them with pencils. I stamped the sentiment in white and added some white gel pen.

I'd like to enter:
Retro Rubber  stamp is at least a year old as I used it last Christmas
Penny Black at Allsorts 
Just Add Ink 

Portmeirion Penguin

Way back in August, I took a shoebox of craft stuff to Portmeirion in Wales and crafted while looking out at the sea and mountains. This is one of the cards I made but haven't got round to blogging yet!

The penguin is a partial image of a Woodware stamp and it's coloured with shimmer pen.

I'd like to enter:
CAS on Friday 
Crafty Animals 
Animal Friends 

Shimmery Hearts

These little hedgehogs are carrying these shimmery green hearts to an evening wedding reception we've been invited to -  although it's a thank you card, I put the RSVP inside,

I'd like to enter:
Let's Create
Shopping Our Stash 
Use Your Stuff 

Inkspirational - Naughty

Our new challenge at Inkspirational  is to be inspired by the word 'naughty'. 

For my DT card I used a Santa stamp by Pinkfresh. I created a background using a stencil and hung the sign(can't remember which stamp set this is from!) on the wall behind him.

I hope you'll join in the challenge.

I'd like to enter:
Sparkles Forum 
Christmas Kickstart
The Male Room - not saying Santa's sweater is ugly, obvs, just unusual to see him in one!

Dreaming of a Black and White Christmas

This card was inspired by the Inspired By challenge photo(below). I used a Paper Artsy Bauble stamp, coloured it with black, light grey and shimmer pen and doodled a frame. The glittery Noel was cut on a Silhouette.
I'd also like to enter Just Add Ink. 

The Library Challenge - Little Women

The new book at The Library is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  I won a copy of this book as a prize when I was at school and , of course , I loved Jo March who wasn't too girly and had lots of ideas and plans. 

For my first card (top), I took inspiration from the cover , although my skater is more modern! I used a Stamping Bella image with a Concord and 9th sentiment , Uniko snowflakes and touches of glitter. 

I'd like to enter it into:

Crafty Calendar

Cardz 4 Galz 

For my second card I wanted a more vintage look and found this one (an unmounted with brand missing) that reminded me of Marmee visiting the poor. I had fun making the splotchy background and again, used the Uniko snowflakes.

I'd like to enter:

Try it on Tuesday 

Doggone Christmas

If I'm honest, I spend more time looking for craft stuff than I do using it. I have too much stuff, obviously, and I'm no good at categorising so it's all jumbled together.

In the middle of an epic search for some reindeer stamps (which may or may not exist!), I stumbled upon this old Penny Black wood-backed stamp and decided to use it.

I stamped part of the stamp on kraft cardstock and coloured with Promarkers and white gel pen. The sentiment is from my new Colorado Craft Holly stamp set - this is the second time I've used it already, so I think it'll become a favourite.

I'd like to enter:
Time Out 
Sweet Stampin
Penny Black Saturday 
My Time to Craft
Perfectly Cas 

Flash or No Flash?

I spent too long thinking about Less is More's 'torn' challenge - so, due to my working hours, I won't have time to photograph this card in the daylight before the challenge closes. Neither of these photos is great, but at least the top one (flash) shows a bit of sparkle.

Anyway, here I used a torn paper stamp from Woodware and created a mask so I could stencil inside. The deer is from Avery Elle Kitsch Christmas and the sentiment is MFT.  I added lots of iridescent glitter to the trees. I meant it to be a Christmas card but I suppose , as it doesn't say Christmas, it could be a general winter card.

As well as Less is More, I'd like to enter :
Sisterhood of Crafters
Sweet Stampin Christmas 
Crafters Cafe 
Fab n Funky 

Holly Twofer

Last week I treated myself to some Colorado Craft Company stamps , one being the Big and Bold Holly I've used here. They're lovely stamps but I had to do a lot of trimming to stop getting extra ink smudges - it took me back to the old uncut rubber days! Anyway, I think this holly stamp is super-versatile , so perfect to use for the Twofer challenge. 

For my first card I used the whole stamp -it's big! 

I stamped it on some scrap paper and scanned it into my computer. Then I imported it into Silhouette Studio software and,tracing round the image, created a shaped card base cutting file, that I cut out on the Silhouette digital cutter. This is actually a one-layer card as I stamped the holly directly onto the shaped card base and coloured with Promarkers. I heat embossed the sentiment and added shimmer pen to the berries and gold gel pen highlights. 

I'd also like to enter: 

Make My Monday 

Stinkin Inkers

Stamping Sensations 

Little Red Wagon 

For my second card I used just part of the stamp , and even trimmed it further before mounting it onto  a black card base. 

I silver embossed the holly onto watercolour cardstock and then just had fun with pigment powder colours and water. (I used Brushos and Lindy's magicals, for the shimmer). 

The sentiments I used on both cards were also from the holly stamp set - there are lots of great sentiments and I think I'll use them a lot. 

I'd also like to enter this card into:

Country View 

Addicted to Stamps 

Winter Wonderland 

Holly and Ivy Challenge 

Inkspirational Challenge - Celebration

It's our 200th challenge at Inkspirational  and a chance to win a prize from Happy Little Stampers! 

You can use the theme celebration or be inspired by our photo:

For my DT card I made a 50th birthday card, cut on a Silhouette digital cutter , with a champagne spray  inspired by the photo and a stamped sentiment. 

I hope you'll join in. 

I'd like to enter:

AAA Birthday 

Papercraft Challenges

Watercooler 

The Library Challenge - The Sewing Machine

Visiting Librarian Arlene chose the new book at The Library - The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie. I'd not heard of it before but it looks interesting.The cover and title gave me lots of crafty ideas: stitching (real or faux), sewing themed stash...

For my card I used a free Dearie Dolls digital image and coloured it with Promarkers. I paper-pieced some old free-with-magazine paper, which I also used as a mat. The sentiment was a free-with - magazine stamp , and I stamped a frame of stitches (49 and Market). 

I'd like to enter:
Fab n Funky  paper piecing 
CD Sunday  downloaded digital image