Aqua Happiness, Today

Welcome! Whew, I think I am starting the new year off right!  Crafting!  Oh my goodness, this feels soooooooo good!  I know you crafters out there know this feeling!  Its bliss, happiness, accomplishment, and satisfaction all in one!

Ok, so I stalk visit Mojo Monday blog multiple times a week.  {yes, multiple}.  I know the challenge is posted for a week.  But i love to visit to see what people have posted.  I love to see what others create.  Sometimes, it really gets my mojo working, and I can 'see' the sketch in a different light.

So, this week, (yes, I have visited at least 4 times) I decided to play along with this incredibly talented group of ladies.  Here is this weeks sketch:

One of the things that I have noticed over the years with MOJO, is that they get on these little 'kicks'. A few years back, they would add a 'round' card to each month of sketches.  This past  year, and well it continues, is to add 'tall & skinny' sketches.  I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of this style of card.  Maybe its because I don't have envelopes for this 'size'. 

Anyways, I did create a card.  I'm not sure it will 'count' as 'tall & skinny', as I trimmed a 1/8" off the sides.  But, I do love the sketch.  So, here is my 'not so tall & skinny' card:

original image posted

photo taken 1/3/15

* the sun came out this morning, so I was able to re-photograph this card in natural light.

Recipe:  The card base is Pool Party card stock by Stampin' Up!.  The matt is Kraft by Recollections. The first layer is a wood grain floral pattern paper.  This is actually a digital paper I purchased.  It's pretty sweet!  

For the two flagged ended papers, I used a digital bookmark pattern paper, and an actually pattern paper. 

For my belly band, I added a strip of gold glitter paper by Stampin' Up!.  I really wanted to add some sparkle.  I machine stitched some cream colored tulle fringe to the glitter paper.  I thought it added some interest, and a touch of softness.  I then machine stitched (zig zag stitch) a piece of cream crochet trim to the front of the card.

For my circle element, I added a cream fabric blossom.  But it looked too random and 'alone'.  So, I added a multi-loop bow made from 1/4" white silk ribbon from Paper Trey Ink.  

To me, the card needed a sentiment, or something, so I cut a tag with a tiny tag die, by Paper Trey Ink.  I used whisper white card stock, by Stampin' Up!.  I stamped the sentiment in basic black classic ink, by Stampin' Up!.  I attached the tag to the card front with a tiny metal button brad, by Stampin' Up!.  I also tucked in an aqua mist vintage button, by Paper Trey Ink.  I tied the button with a piece of cream twine, but only through 2 of the 4 thread holes.  And finally, I added a trio of marshmallow colored faceted sequins to the card front.

This card is also for sale in my Easy shop: InkwoodDesigns, if you love it some much you need to have it {smile}.  Now, if the sun comes out today, and I can get a better shot of this card, this post will be edited. {fingers crossed}

Enjoy the beginning of this new year!

Watercolor Wreath

~ photo heavy post ~

Howdy!  and welcome to my little piece of blog-land.  A place where I craft, cook, and share.  Ok, I share more crafts than baked goods here, but I do both!  (I post more food photos on Instagram.  Don't really know why, but I do.)

Anyways, I want to share with you a card I made.  It's a Christmas/Holiday card.  I know, you aren't really surprised, are you?  I wanted to try a technique I saw on Michelle Wooderson's blog: Mish Mash.  She calls it 'embossing + watercoloring'.  I think it's beautiful in a eclectic way.  It's basically emboss resist but instead of sponging color (ink) onto your paper, you use water colors.  Now, how gorgeous and fun does that sound?  So, I wanted to give it a try.  But first, I need a challenge to play along with.  So, I set out into the vast 'land' of the blog world and found TWO great challenges to play along with:  Just Us GirlS and Divas by Design .

So, the lovely ladies over @ JUGS, have a wonderful holiday theme challenge:  Wreaths!  Oh boy! right up my alley!  Here is there inspiration board:

For those of you who have not been to the JUGS site, they have changed their challenges.  So, this week, it is a word challenge.  I love the different format they have adopted.  It keeps their site fresh and new!  So, join them this week.  Make something with a wreath.  Have fun.  Craft.  and share!

The wonderful ladies over @ Divas by Design, have a fun and easy challenge: anything goes.  So, craft something that makes your heart happy! and share it with us!

Ok, here is what I made!

Recipe:  I used Aqua Mist cardstock for the card base.  I used the pattern papers from the Library Ledger paper pack, by Paper Trey Ink.  I used the Tasteful Trims die by Stampin' Up! to cut the scallop trim.  I did some machine stitching along the edges of the top panels.  I tied some gold bakers twine from Stampin' Up!, around the middle of the card.  I used a vintage button to add a little something to the bow.  (Aqua Mist button by Paper Trey Ink)

The ticket at the top is a digital download.  Love those little things: tickets and digital downloads. {smile}  The sentiment was hand stamped in Soft Suede classic ink by Stampin' Up!.  It paired very nicely with the rich chocolate browns in the ledger paper.

I stamped the wreath in versa mark ink onto the pattern paper.  I heat embossed antique gold embossing powder, for the wreath.  Love the subtle shine.  I used my aqua painter for the water coloring.  First, I just 'painted' plain water over the embossed areas.  It's like prepping your work surface.  This allows the paint to 'move' over the area.  For the 'paint' I used a few drops of the Pool Party classic re-inker by Stampin' Up!.  I dipped the tip of the brush into the 'color' and simply washed the embossed wreath with paint (aka: re-inker).  To add a little more depth, I splattered some more color onto the painted wreath.  I used crumb cake and pool party for the splattered colors.

I had some much fun making this card, I made some gift card holders with the same technique:

I had a lot of fun making these.  But as you can tell, once I start something it kinda becomes what I do.  And I want a variety of items at my craft fairs, so I stopped at 4 gift cards.  I don't want everything to look the same.  {smile}  Making these gift card holders really allows me to use my scraps in a fun, and festive way!  

Sidetone:  I had so much fun with this technique that I didn't (couldn't) stop to take a photo.  That's why these gift card holders are already packaged for sale.  Sorry for the glare of the clear bag.

Thank you for looking.  I hope I have inspired you to create something new, and challenging!  Why not try emboss resist but with watercolors!

But Without Faith . . .

Welcome.  Come on in.  Sit a spell.  Take a look around.  I am happy you're here!

I hope you have something wonderful planned for this beautiful weekend!  Everyone deserves a chance to take a breath and recharge.   Work this week, has been . . . w o r k.  So, now lets take a moment to do something creative!  Paper craft!  But, lets see what some wonderful challenge sites would like us to create.  And use what we already have!

I first stopped by a new favorite challenge site:  Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog.  These creative crafters will sure to inspire you!  Very creative.  Very clever.  Just wonderfully talented.   There challenge this week:  #16 - who loves school and office supplies?  And who doesn't?!

The next stop I made, was over @ Word Art Wednesday.  These creative, talented crafters use bible scripture to inspire their crafts.  How super sweet is that?  They do provide a scripture that influences them, but you don't have to use that particular scripture.  But why not?  They create these scriptures with some beautiful fonts.  

And last, a well established sketch challenge site:  Mojo Monday.   This design team, has a variety of styles and use an equally diverse techniques, so I am sure that you will be inspired with their work, as well.  Here is this weeks sketch:

and here is what I made:

This card was a lot of fun to create, and to be honest, it really didn't take me a long time.  Easily an hour.  I used products that I love, and had on hand.  Which makes it very easy to create, no waiting for delivery {smile}.  Also, I did rotate the sketch.  My office supplies: staples, regal clip (paper clip), and a file folder.  I wanted a feminine card, and now the recipe {smile}.

The card base is Baked Brown Sugar (Stampin' Up!).  The aqua polka dot and ledger paper is from Library Ledger paper pack (Paper Trey Ink).  I did sponge the edges lightly with crumb cake classic ink (SU!).  The file folder is a die by PTI.  I used a digital pattern paper for that piece.  The sentiment (scripture) is downloaded from Word Art Wednesday blog.  I printed it on whisper white card stock (SU!) and matted it onto a scrap piece of pool party card stock (SU!).

I wrapped a piece of crochet trim (SU!) around the front of the card and tied it into a simple bow. I tied a cream button to the bow with some cream twine.  I added a trio of pearls on the sentiment piece, and I also added 5 clear sequins randomly, to give this card a more feminine look.  

I added a strip of aqua striped washi tape, and a fussy-cut, hand-stamped numeral washi tape to the lower left of the card.  I added a regal clip to this area.   I also added a trio of staples around the card.

Thank you for stopping by!  Hope you have a great weekend, and get a chance to do what makes you happy! {smile}