Thinking Inking

Joy to the World

Welcome! Yes, it's about that time--time to start making Christmas cards, of course! I have to confess that I mailed fewer than I made last year. Sometimes I get carried away with the making part, but don't get around to the more mundane part of addressing and mailing them in time. I'm hoping to do better this year. . . We'll see!

One of the things that I have tried to do in the past is to post some "easy to make, easy to mail" cards, and this one certainly falls in to that category. I used my new Papertrey Ink Wet Paint Holiday stamp set for the front sentiments, and Keep It Simple: Christmas for the inside (not pictured).

Since my card was pretty plain, I thought I would use a couple of dies to give it a bit more oomph--is that really a word? I used my Spellbinders A-2 Matting Basics A to cut the patterned paper card front, and A-2 Matting Basics B to cut the sentiment panel. The gold cord is some older stuff in my stash from Stampin' Up, and patterned paper is also a year or two old, Authentique 6 x 6 Bundle Collection: Wonder. Speaking of old paper pads, remember all of the ones that you hoarded because they were so pretty? Pssst, I have a secret to share: you will want new ones eventually, so you may as well pull them out and USE them! I'm trying to use some of my older Christmas paper stash, and simple sentiment cards are a great way to do that, especially since you don't need to coordinate images that you are coloring with papers. You can simply pull out those hoarded papers, and find some coordinating ink. Yes, just do it. ;-)

I hope you are having a fabulous week!

The Princess and the Queen

Welcome! I just finished a card for two of my young friends and thought I'd share it tonight. I started with a printout of the Saturated Canary digital image, Queenie and Princess; it was perfect for them!

 

Shown above are the Copic markers that I used to color the image, which was printed on X-Press It Blending cardstock with a Canon MG5220 inkjet printer. (As always, just click to enlarge.)

I used three die template sets on my card: Spellbinders Classic Squares Large for the opening in the middle, Grand Squares (oops--I think this one is retired) for the outer edge of the patterned card front, and Framed Tags 1 for the sentiment (stamp from Mega Mixed Messages from Papertrey Ink). Finished size of the card is about 5-1/8" square. Now to get it in the mail for the Queen and the Princess! Thanks for stopping by,

Curvy Hello

Welcome! Before I tell you about today's card, I wanted to mention several upcoming Copic Workshop Classes; I am teaching Copic Workshops in Kalamazoo, Michigan (October 11) and Minneapolis/Eden Prairie, Minnesota (November 8). Cindy Lawrence is teaching Boston, Orlando, and Houston; and Sherrie Siemens is teaching in Calgary in the near future. We would LOVE to have you join us at one of these locations!

For today's card, I used another A Day for Daisies digital image, Curvy Purse. 

Shown above are the Copic markers that I used to color the Curvy Purse image.

Additionally, I used Spellbinders 5 x 7 Matting Basics A and Back to Basics Tags to cut and emboss the focal image and tag. Tag sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Mega Mixed Messages stamp set, and papers are from the Echo Park 6 x 6 Sweet Girl paper pad. I think that the string is from Martha Stewart; it was in my random-bits-of-ribbon-and-string drawer. Do you have one of those? That's it for today--I hope you have a great day!

Simple Thank You cards

Welcome! I've been coloring like a madwoman lately, but most of it has been for next year's Copic Workshop class samples. Tonight I needed a couple of thank you notes and thought I'd go the clean and simple route. I used some pretty papers and my Papertrey Ink Banner Sentiments stamp set--such a useful set! To cut the banners, I used my PTI Double Ended Banners die.

Papers are both Echo Park 6 x 6 pads: Baby Mine (boy version), and Sweet Girl. What did we card makers do before there were 6 x 6 pads? Oh, that's right. . . We stamped. ;-} I do like my little patterned paper pads! That's it for tonight. I'll get a Copic-colored card posted in the near future. My next-to-last batch of class projects goes in the mail tomorrow morning. Thanks for visiting,

Cupcake Birthday

Good morning! Today I have a birthday card to share. For the focal image I used an MFT Birdie Brown Sweet Birthday Wishes stamp set--isn't she a cutie? 

These are the Copic markers that I used to color the image. **Please note that after I took this photo, I went back and added pleats to the skirt and darkened the cupcake a bit as well. I forgot to take a second photo after I reworked her.**

The the background I used a Spellbinders Celebra'tions Rosette Wall embossing folder, as well as a Pierced Circles die cut for my cupcake girl to stand inside. (I hand-cut the cupcake girl, but there is an MFT die available that will do this for you.) The circle background is airbrushed with Copic B02 and C1 inks, and white seam binding was dyed with Copic RV21, RV23, and 0 Various inks. I used a little banner from Nested Lacey Pennants for the "Surprise" tag.

That's it for today's card. Thanks for stopping by!

Big Birthday Greetings

Welcome! Today I have a simple, potentially masculine card to share using JustRite's new Extra Grand Sentiments clear stamps (shown below), paired with the Modern Lattice Cling Background. For the sentiment's background, I played with Ranger Distress Inks (Crushed Olive, Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers, and Salty Ocean) and a spritzer bottle of water. I used white embossing powder and heat embossed the sentiment after the watercolored background dried.

If you're in need of large sentiments, most of the bases are covered with this set!

Cardstock colors are Rustic White (PTI), Tropical Teal (PTI), and Sno Cone (MFT). I stamped a white envelope with Snow Cone ink to finish my little ensemble. That's it--simple, and (hopefully) not too frilly, since I'm always needing more guy cards! If you'd like to see some inspiration with the Extra Grand Sentiments clear stamps, be sure to check out the blogs below, okay? Thanks for visiting,

JustRite Inspiration
Becca Feeken
Debbie Olson
Heidi Blankenship
Amy Tedder 
Eva Dobilas
Darsie Bruno
Kathy Jones
Marisa Job 
Michele Kovack
Kristi Schurr

Sunshine, Freedom, and a Little Flower

Welcome! Today I have a floral sentiment card to share with you using one of Becca Feeken's new JustRite stamp sets, A Flower for Your Thoughts clear stamps (pictured below). I used it with the Garden Trellis Cling Background stamp, stamped on PTI's Spring Moss cardstock with Spring Moss ink.

Becca has put together a really helpful TIP SHEET for using this set. (Clink on the blue link for the downloadable tip sheet.)

I wanted a little variety in the sentiment colors, so I started by inking the stamp with PTI Berry Sorbet, then added some Pure Poppy, and at the very bottom some Scarlet Jewel for an hombre effect. For the stems and leaves, I used Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse inks. For the poppy, I used Berry Sorbet and Pure Poppy inks, then colored a hint of sky around the blossom with my Copic BG10 and Colorless Blender. I cut and embossed the lacy oval with a Spellbinders Elegant Ovals die template, and cut the plain sentiment oval with a Classic Ovals Small die template. I did a bit of stitching and distressing of edges, then tied some rustic twine and a button, and taadaa--that's it!

Would you like to see more ideas and inspiration using the A Flower for Your Thoughts clear stamp set? You'll love the blog links below! Remember that all of the JustRite 6" x 8" clear stamp sets are 25% off through September 7, including this one. :-) Thanks for stopping by,

JustRite Inspiration
Becca Feeken
Debbie Olson (here)
Kristi Schurr
Eva Dobilas
Heidi Blankenship
Darsie Bruno
Kathy Jones
Marisa Job

Healing Thoughts and Sunshine

Welcome! Can you handle another pink card today? JustRite's September release is here, and the Sunshine Vintage Labels Eight and Nine clear stamp set (shown below) was perfect for a card that I needed for a friend undergoing chemo. I stamped the frame image on PTI's Vintage Cream cardstock in Lavender Moon ink. I used Autumn Rose ink to stamp the sentiment. The background is stamped with the Framed Vintage Labels Eight cling stamp on Lavender Moon cardstock. (More about the rose later.)

One of my favorite sentiments in this stamp set is the Winnie the Pooh quotation: "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think!"

So. . . true confessions: I'm not the best flower maker, even with a great collection of dies. I'm usually not patient enough to do all of the requisite cutting, scrunching, twisting, rolling, and distressing that convincing paper flowers require; but I really wanted a flower on my friend's card. I used my Spellbinders Rose Creations die template set for the blossom, paired with a Foliage die template for the leaves (Lavender Moon and Spring Moss cardstock). I needed a flower center and didn't want to use a brad, so I cut a 1/4" strip of yellow cardstock and cut one edge about 1/8" down, ever 1/16", approximately. Next I rolled that strip, trimmed part of the solid bottom off, stuffed it in the hole, and glued it in as my rose center.  I liked the result much better than having a brad in the middle. :-) 

I found out last night that all of the JustRite 6" x 8" clear stamp are 25% off through September 7--even the NEW ones like Sunshine Vintage Labels Eight and Nine. No code is needed; these sets should show a reduced price already.) Would you like to see some lovely creations that the other DT girls came up with? Have fun looking!

JustRite Inspiration
Debbie Olson (here)
Kathy Jones
Heidi Blankenship
Eva Dobilas
Marisa Job
Kristi Schurr
Darsie Bruno