Thinking Inking

A Homespun Bouquet: MFT WSC477

Welcome! Today I'm playing along with the My Favorite Things Stamps Wednesday Sketch Challenge, WSC 477. (I also made a bonus card with the same Freshly Picked Die-namics--scroll on down for that one.)  For the first card, I used only colored MFT cardstock for my different Freshly Picked parts (all listed in the first Supply List). 

Even though my second card isn't a sketch card, I wanted to share it for a second possibility using the Freshly Picked Die-namics. I often find it simpler to cut detailed die cuts out of white cardstock and simply color those pieces rather than having to dig though all of my cardstock scraps and send mutilple colors through my die-cutting machine. BOTH ways work just fine--one isn't better than the other. I just prefer coloring my cardstock pieces. 

Shown above are the Copic Sketch markers that I used to color the die cut pieces from the Freshly Picked Die-namics. After I colored the pitcher, I stamped it with Versamark ink using the All Lined Up background stamp and then heat embossed with detail white embossing powder. The tablecloth is another white cardstock die cut, using a Stitched Mini Scallop Squares die. My pale yellow background is just blended ink.

Would you like to play along with the Sketch Challenge? Check the MFT Stamps Blog for more details and more sketch inspiration as well!  Thanks for stopping by,

Happy Birthday Buds: MFT Birthday Project

Welcome! Today I'm playing along with the My Favorite Things Stamps Birthday Project Challenge. This week's Birthday Project Challenge involves using hearts on the birthday card. I chose the Lots of Hearts Cover-Up Die-namics, with watercolor paper and Color Burst powders. I paired that background with images from the sweet Birdie Brown Birthday Buds stamp set, released earlier this month.

Shown above are the Copic Sketch markers that I used to color the Birthday Buds images. (Click on the image to get a full-sized image in a new window if you want to save a higher resolution image.) I used the Mini Clouds Stencil and Sno Cone Dye Ink to create my cloudy sky.

I hope you get a chance to go see the other Birthday Project Challenge pieces and play along with us--remember that there is a chance to win awesome MFT products IF you play along! Thanks for stopping by,

You Are the Best: MFT WSC476

Welcome! Today I've played along with the My Favorite Things Stamps Wednesday Sketch Challenge, WSC476. I used several newer products, including the All About You stamp set and coordinating Die-namics, the You Impress Me Die-namics and Berry Hot Foil, and the Love Is in the Air Stencil. I kept it pretty simple; when you've got that red foil shining, you don't need much to distract from it! 

Let's talk about hot-foiling for a bit: almost every time I've had a problem with extra foil around my image, it has been solved by heating my plate/foil/cardtsock sandwich for LESS time. So give that a try if you find that you have excess foil sticking to your cardstock--cut the heating time a bit and see if it helps.

The other trick that I have finally learned has to do with getting my foiled images centered in my cutting die. Having messed up many nicely foiled images when I die-cut them, I finally found that if I take my impressive die and lay it face down onto my foiled image, feeling for when it nestles exactly back into place on the impression, I can pencil a light line around my impressive die; when I remove it, I have a pencil line with the foiled image perfectly centered. Next I take my regular cutting die and center it inside my slightly larger penciled lines and tape it down with Post-It tape or washi tape before running it through my die-cutting machine. I get a perfect cut almost every time that way. Hope that makes sense and helps!

Would you like to play along with the Sketch Challenge? Check the MFT Stamps Blog for more details and more sketch inspiration as well!  Thanks for stopping by,

Make a Wish: MFT WSC475

Welcome! Today I'm playing along with a My Favorite Things Stamps Wednesday Sketch Challenge, WSC475. I chose the Mini Cupcake Maker Die-namics for my sketch card, paired with the new Birthday Brights Paper Pack for a shaker card. I mounted the cupcake on the outside of the shaker and put die-cut confetti and 3mm sequins inside the shaker.

Shown above are the Copic markers that I used to color the pieces from the Mini Cupcake Maker Die-namics. (I usually die-cut from white cardstock and use my markers to color the pieces rather than cutting several different colors of cardstock.)

Would you like to play along with the Sketch Challenge? Check the MFT Stamps Blog for more details and more sketch inspiration as well! Supply Lists for my card is below. Thanks for stopping by,

Say Thanks: February MFT & Friends

Welcome! It's My Favorite Things Stamps February release day, and I have a floral card to share with you today. I love the Hydrangeas in Bloom stamp set, and I'm sure I'll be coloring this one again! I stamped the images in Versamark ink on watercolor paper, and then heat embossed with detail white embossing powder.

Shown above are the Karin Brushmarkers that I used to color the Hydrangeas in Bloom image (also using a waterbrush). These reminded me of my grandmother's hydrangeas; I love how each hydrangea head can shift colors, so I played up on that color shift choosing red-violet, blue-violet, blue, and green tones for the blooms.

All of the new February products are now available, and the links below should all work. Each of the MFT Design Team members AND some amazing guests will have projects to share today, so please check out the MFT Stamps Blog for many more cool projects and products, as well as a chance to win fabulous prizes. Good luck on the giveaway, and thank you for visiting,

Happy Cake Day: ONE Day Until the New MFT Release!

Welcome! It's ONE day until the My Favorite Things Stamps February Release! At 10am Eastern time on Tuesday, February 4, the February release will be live, and all of the new products shown in the past few days will be available. Today I'm sharing a card using the Birthdays Take the Cake stamp set and the Candy Stripes stencil. I used my MFT Ink Cubes in the colors listed in my supply list below to ink-blend the background.

Shown above are the Copic Sketch markers that I used to color the Birthdays Take the Cake images. 

While I have linked the MFT products that I used below, the NEW products links will not be live until release day, 10am Eastern Time, Tuesday, February 4. All of the other links should work now. Be sure to check the MFT Stamps blog for more February Release inspiration AND for a chance to win some great prizes! Thank you for visiting,

You Take the Cake: TWO Days Until the New MFT Release!

Welcome! It's two days until the My Favorite Things Stamps February Release! At 10am Eastern time on Tuesday, February 4, the February release will be live, and all of the new products shown in the past few days will be available. Today I chose the Free-with-purchase You Take the Cake Die-namics (not linked below for that reason), paired with a couple of images from the Birthday Buds stamp set and the new Birthday Brights Paper Pack. 

Shown above are the Copic markers that I used to color the Birthday Buds images. 

In addition to the ones that I've shared here, there are more fabulous new products being showcased today; I hope you get a chance to visit the MFT Stamps Blog for a complete list of designers playing with today's new products AND to enter for prizes! Remember that while all MFT products that I used are linked below, the NEW product links won't be live until release time--that's Tuesday morning (February 4) at 10am Eastern time. All other links should work now. Thank you for stopping by today!

For My Friend: THREE Days Until the New MFT Release!

Welcome! It's three days until the My Favorite Thing Stamps February release! Today I chose an image from the Pure Innocence Birthday Besties stamp set and coordinating Die-namics. I also used the (older) Grassy Hills Die-namics to cut a stencil so that I had two meshing edges--one to protect the sky, and one to protect the grass.

Shown above are the Copic Sketch markers that I used to color the Birthday Besties images. (If you'd like a larger image to save, click on the picture for a full-sized pop-up.)

I hope you get a chance to visit the MFT Stamps Blog for a complete list of designers using today's new products AND to enter for prizes! Remember that while the MFT products that I used are linked below, the NEW product links won't be live until Release time--that's Tuesday, February 4, at 10am Eastern time. All other links should work now. Thank you for stopping by today,