Inspired by Challenge #297 -- SEASHELLS

 

The challenge theme for this week's Inspired by Challenge is SEASHELLS.

 Here's the challenge graphic and Laurel's sketch.

And here's my card, with inspiration from both the sketch and colors.

I've been having fun with C&9th's latest release. Putting together these mini

Poolside sunbathers was challenging because of their size, and in the end I chose 

three of them per the sketch.

 

I adhered them onto a sandy, torn edge panel and stamped the sentiment.

Clear drops finished off the card.

 

I have about a dozen more of the sunbathers and hope I can use them up on a

future project They're so cute! Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

Inspired by Challenge #253 -- SUNFLOWERS

Squeezing in a card for Inspired by Challenge #253 -- Sunflowers.

Here's the challenge graphic and sketch.

 

 

Here's my card. I was inspired by the sketch, and of course, the sunflowers.

 

I cut a strip of Craft Consortium patterned paper and ran it through a wood plank 

embossing folder. To add to the weathered look, I distressed the edges with a scissors.

 

After adhering it to a card base, I added the sunflower and a sentiment that was

in my scrap bowl. It's so old, I don't know which stamp company it's from, but I like 

that it was cut and ink distressed and fit perfectly on the card.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Inspired by GILDED LEAVES

This week's challenge theme at Inspired by Challenge is GILDED LEAVES.

 Here's the challenge graphic and Laurel's sketch.

 

 

And here's my card which was inspired by both the photo and the sketch.

Since the challenge was posted on National Old Stuff Day, we were challenged to use 

an item that is older than a year. Leaf Fragment Dies by Tim Holtz fit the bill as they

made their debut in August 2021. 

 

I cut them out from light green card stock then added more color with Distress Oxide

inks. Gold paint was added to the tips and spattered on top. After they were completely

dried, I crushed them for a bit of dimension.

I used a really old tree trunk embossing folder by We R Memory Keepers. And that 

foiled sentiment is from The Stamp Market. For those of us who don't own a foiling 

machine but love the shine 😁

I'd better link this up--I'm a little early for once! Thanks for stopping by.

Inspired by LEMONS

It's been a week since I've returned from an overseas trip and I think I'm still 

a bit jet lagged. I've been wanting to enter card challenges but I'm two steps behind.

When I saw the current Inspired by Challenge with the theme of lemons, I

couldn't resist.

 

Here's my card. I was inspired by the lemon slice and the color of the truck.

I happened to have some of The Greetery's lemon slices already made so this card

came together rather quickly.

Off to link up this card--I hope I made it! Thanks for stopping by!

 

* * *

 

Edited to add: Honored that my card was chosen as the weekly winner AND

I won the digital prize! Thank you, Inspired By Challenges!

 

 

Supplies:

The Greetery Dried Citrus Slices Die 

Papertrey Ink Just Sentiments: Summer Mini Stamp Set
SSS Vine Canopy 3D Embossing Folder

Paper Smooches Botanicals 3 Dies (discontinued)

Inspired by GNOMES

I'm joining the newest Inspired by Challenge because of the challenge theme: GNOMES.

 

Gnomes. You either love 'em or not. They were so trendy last Christmas and I believe 

I bought every gnome die that Simon Says Stamp came out with. 

 

Here's my simple card. I was going to use Laurel's sketch but was too lazy to cut up

the patterned paper. 

 

I embossed a panel with woodgrain planks, adhered the paper and popped up the

gnome.The (retired) PTI sentiment was cut three times from white card stock and 

adhered together to form a thicker sentiment.

 

The card was finished off with some iridescent sequins. Off to link up this card.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inspired by National Coffee Day

 

I was excited to see that Laurel and Inspired by Challenges are back! And I wanted

to participate in the current challenge which is all about coffee.

 

 

Here's Laurel's easy peasy sketch.

 

 

And here's my easy peasy take on it.

 

 

 I own SO MANY coffee themed stamps and dies and one of my faves is this set of 

cups from Memory Box, which is long discontinued. I cut them from white card 

stock and inked them in warm colors. I die cut a small heart from the middle 

mug and mounted all of the cups on a kraft card base.

 

 Originally I was planning to white emboss the sentiment, but after stamping it 

in Versamark ink, I like how it looked so I clear embossed it instead. 

 

And that's a wrap. I'd better link this card in the IB gallery. 

Thank for stopping by! 

 

 

Inspired by Challenge 199C -- Tweet Winter

I'm linking up another project to Inspired by Challenge because of the chubby guy

in the graphic. And I happen to have a flock of bird stamps and dies.

 

 

I used Laurel's simple sketch, too.

The bird and branches are Nestled from Penny Black. I tried to channel the amazing

Jill Foster to color the bird, but ended up ink blending him because the first two 

attempts were a watercolored mess. 

 

A band of color was blended per the sketch design and I adhered the bird and

branches and finished off with the sentiment from Hero Arts.

 

Hope your weekend is going well. Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

Inspired by Challenge 198C -- Winter Love

Cutting it close with my entry to Inspired by Challenge 198C -- Winter Love.

 I was inspired by the graphic and Laurel's sketch.

 

 

Here's my card. A pretty literal take on the simple sketch.

 

 The background was debossed with Altenew's Dotted Swirls plate to mimic the

rising steam. I chose an non-caffeinated sentiment from Gina K Designs and adhered 

the panel to some plaid patterned paper from The Stamp Market. I happened to have 

a pack of heart confetti on my desk and chose three white ones to finish off the card.

 

Ok, off to link up this card so I won't be late again! Thanks for stopping by!

 

* * *

Thrilled to have my card given the Honorable Mention honor! 

Thank you to the IB team!

 

 

Inspired by Challenge #191 -- I'd Fall for You

Once again it's leaves that drew me to Inspired By Challenge #191--I'd Fall for You.

Check out their cute prompt.

 

 I chose to go with Laurel's sketch.

 

I kept it simple and substituted a large maple leaf for the circular element.

A panel was embossed with a woodgrain pattern and I used a scissors to distress

the edges.

The Stamp Market's "fall" was cut from dark brown card stock and the secondary

"happy" was white embossed, trimmed, and adhered to the panel.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Guest Designer for Inspired By Challenge #189

Danni Reid of Inspired By Challenge invited me to guest design for Challenge #189

and I humbly accepted. They now have a new format with a Christmas and non Christmas

prompt in addition to Laurel's sketch.

 

I chose the Christmas prompt, Mistletoe 25 Cents.

And here's my card. I was inspired by the gorgeous wreath, a bit of gingham, and silver.

 

 
 I cut the Grapevine Wreath from Honey Bee Stamps twice from kraft card stock

and inked them with brown inks before layering them, offset, to create a

fuller wreath.

 

The sentiment was silver embossed inside the wreath and I added greenery and

silver circles cut from glitter card stock. The final touch was a bit of black and

white gingham adhered to the bottom of the card.

Visit Inspired By Challenge to see what their design team created and come and

join the challenge. Huge thanks to Danni and to the IB team for for the invite!

Inspired by Challenge -- Colorful Fall

I found some time to play with the latest Inspired by Challenge 188 because...leaves.

 

 

 

 

I love leaves and own about a dozen different leaf stamp sets and dies.

I used the maple leaf dies from Concord & 9th and chose to use the IB sketch.

 

I inked 5 leaves in different colors and arranged them per the sketch. Gold ink was

spattered over the card and the sentiment was gold embossed.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inspired By Challenge -- Wrap Me Up in Spring

I made some time to join this week's Inspired by Challenge. I was totally inspired

by the flowers and used supplies from four stamp companies on my card.

 

 

This is the first time that I'm using Hero Arts' Watering Can Die. I'm not sure why

the watering can turned out the color that it did because I ink distressed white

card stock with Pumice Stone distress ink. Must be my Pic Monkey editing.

The tulips and fillers were cut from white card stock and colored with Copic 

markers. The can was grounded on a strip of diagonal striped paper and

finished off with the Penny Black sentiment.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Inspired by Challenge -- Spring into Color

 

For the latest Inspired by Challenge, I was totally inspired by team member Michele and

 her gorgeous take on the inspiration photo. Go on, click on the link and prepare to be blown away.

 

I decided to use Altenew's Crocus Layering Stamp and Die Set and Laurel's sketch for my card.

 

 

When I Googled crocus, I didn't see pretty red or pink crocuses. Mine look more like

tulips. I'm calling them fantasy flowers. I used Altenew inks--love that they come in sets

of three or four that makes life so much simpler. 

I cut them out with the matching dies and adhered them to a mini slimline card. I white

embossed the Penny Black sentiment, rounded off the top corner and called it done.

I think the crocus gods are frowning down on me. Thanks for stopping by!

Inspired By Challenge -- Take a Number

I'm entering the latest Inspired By Challenge just under the wire.

Where did February go??

 

 Here's my take on the challenge theme.

This Penny Black die is one of my all time favorites and I thought it would work for 

the challenge. I die cut watercolor card stock and inked it with warm Distress inks

then spattered it with gold ink. A gold embossed sentiment finished off the card.

Ok, I'm off to enter the challenge. Thanks for stopping by!

Inspired By Challenge--Tweet Messages

 

I'm joining the latest Inspired By Challenge after I saw the graphic and theme.

 

I was inspired by the cute little bluebird, perched on the branch. I happened to have 

several PTI birds on hand and chose this one for my project.

 

 

I decided on the layout, then stamped the sentiment before running the panel through 

Memory Box's Pinpoint Leaf Plate. I adhered a couple of branches and the bird on top.

Off to enter the card. Thanks for stopping by!

Inspired by Challenge #151 -- Brush On Color

The newest Inspired by Challenge theme is Brush on Color and the graphic has the 

cutest bottle brush trees. I was inspired by both the photo and the challenge sketch.

 

I grabbed Altenew's Leaf Mix Dies and ink blended them in ombré fashion, then 

spattered them with silver paint. They were adhered to an embossed (but difficult 

to see) panel and the card was finished off with the sentiment.

 

I thought I had some bottle brush tree images or dies but had to resort to leaves.

If you squint, you can kinda sorta see bottle brush trees, no? 

Thanks for stopping by!