Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Sketch Challenge #246 - Bring on the Merry

 I love this stencil so much, I had to make another one! LOL Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Sketch challenge #246 and I used the Argyle Stencil on this background!

Also used the Fancy Edges Tag Die set and the retired Christmas Trimmings stamp set and matching dies. After I created the argyle background, I die cut with Unity Stamp Co. largest scallops and rectangles nesting dies, then ink blended over the edges with Vintage Photo.

Newton's Nook Design Inky Paws Sketch Challenge #246 - Happy Blooming Birthday!

 What does one do when they are procrastinating and not doing the housework that she should be doing.....why making cards of course! LOL

I am a sucker for a sketch so when the Newton’s Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge sketch popped up on my feed, I immediately had to make something! LOL I'll include a picture of the sketch below.

This started with a piece of plain white cardstock and the argyle stencil set from Newton's Nook Designs. I used Gina K. Designs Inks in Peach Bellini and Ocean Mist to stencil this amazing design with some blending brushes!! So crisp and so fun! I then added a strip of teal paper which the manufacturer is unknown to me. I then die cut the entire panel with a Unity Stamp Co. scallops and rectangles die. I then cut the orange polka dot tag using the fancy edges tag die set. The image is from a set called Loads of Blooms, which happens to be retired now. I didn't get the matching die set so fussy cutting is what needed to happen! I colored her in with my KingArt Alcohol Markers and added her to the tag along with some burlap and natural twine. I attached the tag with foam adhesive and then added some enamel dots from Echo Park to finish it off.

The challenge runs through the end of the month!

Inky Paws Challenge #232 - Cozy Fall!

 I struggle with fall cards...."fall" in Florida is basically the same as summer! Also, I don't typically send fall-ish cards! Soooooo, BIRTHDAY CARDS it is!

I created the plaid background based on the inspiration photo. Evergreen bough, festive berries, scattered straw and tea dye are the colors I used. I blended over a plaid builder stencil by Unity Stamp Co. Then I splattered some watered down white acrylic paint and some distress stain in vintage photo.  I die cut the panels with a Tim Holtz nesting die set called Stacked Deckle. Then I ink blended around the edges with more vintage photo and arranged them as I thought would look best. On to this cuuuuute mouse!! This little guy is from Newton's Nook Designs set called Garden Mice. Colored with some kingart alcohol markers and then used the matching die set to cut him out. The sentiment is from an older NND set called Simply Sentimental (sorry, it's no longer available). Stamped onto kraft with versamark and white embossing powder then tore the ends. Added some enamel dots, a cute little paperclip and a couple little accent flags for extra detail! Hope you like this one! It took awhile for me to figure out what to do! LOLOL

Inky Paws Challenge #227 - Color Challenge (second entry!)

 Some days I have all the time, and some days I have no extra time! Today was a good day! :)

It's been rainy and somewhat gloomy today, so nothing going on outside, but my pictures are not the best!

I grabbed the Newton's Nook Designs set called Garden Mice and the matching die set. The paper pack and sentiment came from Unity Stamp Co. I chose a sketch from {BYSHC} for this! I loved the separation between the tan and the blue sky!

Thanks for visiting!

Inky Paws Challenge #227 - Color Challenge

Inky Paws current challenge, #227, is a color challenge! I love the color pallet they have posted!  

My card today was created using the Newton's Nook set called Garden Mice (and matching die set).  I chose a sketch from {BYSHC} which I thought would look great with the cute little mouse I had chosen!

Thanks for visiting!

Inky Paws Challenge #225 - Birthday Shroom

 Squeaking one last card in for the Inky Paws Challenge #225! I grabbed a picture earlier, but just getting around to posting!! 

This cutie came together quickly! I wasn't sure at first but it's growing on me! Stamp set is Garden Mice. Colored with Tombow ABT markers, fussy cut (not sure why I didn't use the die set, but I didn't!) and attached with foam tape. The yellow cardstock and the floral circle cardstocks are both from Unity Stamp Co. kit country lovin.

Thanks for a great sketch!

Inky Paws Challenge #225

 Hear me out here.....have you only had a few minutes so you thought I'll just make a quick card or two, destress for a sec! But then you start working on the first card and all heck breaks loose?!? That was this card for me! LOL

Should have been simple and easy! I picked the paper, I picked the stamps and sentiment....BAMM! Let me start at the beginning! LOL Following the sketch (shown below), I decided to use the retired Peony Blooms from Newton's Nook Designs for the current Inky Paws Challenge. Thought the peonies would be cute as the circles on the sketch! Stamped them onto white cardstock with versafine clair in nocturne, colored with my Tombow ABT markers and then fussy cut them out. The white panel in the middle was embossed with a quilted die. I added it to the center of the panel, die cut the entire thing with the largest die from the scallops and rectangles nesting die set from Unity Stamp Co. Tied on some white bakers twine and added the vellum circles and the flowers (popped up with foam tape). This is where it went all downhill! The sentiment was going to be stamped onto the plaid panel, but alas the universe was against me! LOL The "happy" was salvageable but when I went to stamp the "birthday" not only was it not stamped completely, there was ink on the block that ran right across the smaller flower! :/ 

So after taking several deep breaths, I tore it apart. Saving what I could and pitching what I could not. I did try to stamp the sentiment onto the plaid panel again, and again it wasn't coming out clear enough! So fussy cutting it is! Never give up! It will be ok and turn out fine in the end! Just keep swimming! LOL 

Sketch for reference!

I did stamp out a few more stamps to make a second card, but after this one was such a problem I had to walk away! LOL Maybe later tonight (and a glass of wine) I can try the second card! Thanks for visiting and don't let the universe get you down! :)

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge #224

 Wednesday's are my current favorite day because I have the day off of my part-time job and my family is out of the house, leaving me to craft, craft, craft!

The latest challenge at Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws is #224, which is a color challenge!

I am trying to build my NND stamps and found these two sets on eBay! Peony Blooms (cir 2018) and Simply Sentimental (cir 2014)! Both of which are no longer available! :(

 I started with my background! One of my favorite techniques is ink smooshing! Yes, that's exactly what it is!! I took colors of distress inks that matched the color challenge (worn lipstick, scattered straw and shabby shutters) and added them, individually, to an acetate sheet and added some water. I then gently tapped the color around my white cardstock until I was satisfied with the coverage. I did this with all three colors. *TIP* be sure to completely dry each color before adding another! The colors tend to blend too much if still wet. Next I die cut with the largest scalloped and rectangle nesting die from Unity Stamp Co. This is where I should have thought this through first! LOL I then took a piece of white cardstock and die cut it with a background die plate from My Creative Time called zig zag background die (which also appears to be no longer available). I separated the little pieces that made up the pattern and then realized that the border was the exact same size as my scalloped panel....I tried to line up the die cut panel with the scalloped die to get the scallops to match, but alas it wasn't exactly correct! Oh well!!  I attached the die cut zig zag panel with a zig 2 way glue pen. 

Next I stamped the peonys onto white cardstock with VersaFine Clair in nocturne. Colored with watered down versions of these distress inks and watercolored to match! While most of Newton's Nook stamps have matching die sets....this one did not come from eBay with one! :/ So fussy cutting it is!! After I cut them up I arranged them where I thought they would look best. The sentiment panel was also stamped onto white cardstock with VersaFine Clair in nocturne and then die cut with a banner die from Unity Stamp Co.  I attached the flowers and sentiment using Tombow Mono Liquid Glue to be sure it was stuck in all the little spaces between the zig zags. The last flower I added with some foam tape. I then added some clear dew drops and onto the cardbase it went!

Inspiration for this card was found on Pinterest and an old blog post from 2018 from a former DT member Naki Rager.

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge - #222 Sketch

 Hello again friends! I have created a card for the current Inky Paws Challenge at Newton's Nook Designs. Sketch #222 is the challenge! You all know I love a sketch!!

I guesstimated the measurements and to be honest I didn't really keep track of what they were! LOL I just held the paper up and marked it with a pencil!

Started with a white card base, to that I added the peach background. I then cut a piece of white with the smallest scalloped and stitched rectangle die from Unity. I then stamped the cutest mouse from Newton's Nook Designs set called Garden Mice along with a few flowers and a butterfly from the same set.  I used the matching die set to cut them out. I colored with Tombow ABT Markers. The peachy gingham paper is from Unity in a set called Pastel Gingham Perfection. I stamped the sentiment (also from the Garden Mice set) directly onto the patterned paper. Added some foam tape and glued it all together!

Sketch link is open until Friday!

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge - #217 Lucky Green

 Sneaking one in for the Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge - #217 Lucky Green. Now I don't make St. Patrick's Day cards, but I can always use more birthday cards so that's what I did today!

I took inspiration from Crystal's card with the green circles! I started with a piece of white cardstock. With a scrap piece I punched a circle using a hand punch. I used that as my stencil! I ink blended twisted citron, salvaged patina, lucky clover and shabby shutters randomly...sometimes overlapping or going off the edge. I die cut it with one of the large dies in the Unity Stamp Co. scallops and rectangles nesting die set. I also used the same die set to die cut the green background panel as well.  I also wanted to give a little more interest or dimension and took a black journaling pen and outlined a few of the circles then "doodled" more circling around that and added some squiggles! I love how it looks!! I'll have to remember this for another time! I die cut a vellum circle that was embossed with a dotted swiss embossing folder using the scallops and circles nesting die set (from Unity). I then used the Garden Mice stamp and coordinating die set from Newton's Nook Designs. This sweet mouse with the flower is so cute! I colored with kingart alcohol markers (both the floral palette and the neutral pallet. Colors 109, 132, 28, 125 and 138). The sentiment is from a Unity set called ...aging gorgeously, stamped in lucky clover and embossed with clear embossing powder. Mounted the mouse and sentiment with foam adhesive, natural twine and green enamel dots (gina marie designs) to finish it off!

Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge #216

 Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge is a challenge I try to do! I've recently just purchased a new-to-me set called Garden Mice and instead of only using the Llama (previously only set I owned) or a freebie....I have a new option!

Challenge #216 is a sketch! I have said it before....but I love a good sketch! This one sort of came to me during the middle of the night! LOL Does that happen to you too?!? I knew I wanted to use this mouse with the flower and then remembered some Unity Stamp Co. paper I have (Hello Daisy) that would go perfectly! Following the sketch I die cut the grey/daisy paper and the yellow gingham paper with Unity nesting die sets in both scallops and rectangles and scallops and banners.

I stamped the image onto white cardstock with versafine clair in nocturne and die cut with the coordinating die set. I colored with some kingart alcohol-based markers (neutral palette and floral palette) and then added some white gel pen accents. He was getting a little lost on the yellow gingham paper so I die cut a vellum circle (used Unity Stamp Co. scallops and circles nesting die set). I stamped the sentiment right on the vellum and then embossed with clear embossing powder....mostly because it was taking too long to dry and I'm somewhat impatient! LOL I added some gina marie enamel dots for a little accent!

so cute!! Wish me luck! ;)

Newton's Nook Designs - Inky Paws Challenge (#215 Color Challenge)

 I'm sneaking one in for the Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paw Color Challenge #215

These colors are so amazing! I have just purchased a new-to-me NND set called Garden Mice and it's so sweet!

Started with a white card base, to that I added a background panel of kraft cardstock. All else was from my scrap bin! The mouse w/ the butterfly were stamped onto watercolor cardstock and colored with my Tombow ABT Dual brush markers then die cut with the coordinating die set. The colors I used are 772, 990, 491 and 373. The circles were die cut using Unity Stamp Co. scallops and circles nesting dies. First from white, then a smaller vellum circle. I popped the mouse up using foam tape.

I followed a sketch from Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Facebook Group (I've attached it below).

I'll attach a few more tools I used below!

ATG

Favorite scissors

Foam tape

liquid glue

Misti stamping platform

VersaFine Clair Nocturne

scalloped and stitched circles nesting dies

tape refills

Tombow ATG Dual Brush Pens

Fiskars trimmer