Well Behaved… or… Not?

Mostly I’m naughty… I think…. at least with sketches.  I like rules because they give me boundaries and usually I see things in black and white with very few grey areas…. however with crafting I break all the rules…usually…  but not today!  {Go ahead, pick your jaw up off the floor….}

Today I followed the sketch and left everything in it’s right place.

Brent did not scold me.

Like he really ever does…

Usually he just gives me a hard time.

But that’s his job.

I {heart} him.

 

But moooving on…  Here’s today’s sketch:

Excellent sketch, but  totally not how I would normally lay things out… but I believe that is the point of a sketch CHALLENGE, right?  To challenge us to step out of our box and stretch the imagination and challenge ourselves to do something and grow!

So.. I obeyed the rules.

And my brain stretched.  You should have heard it.  Scary sound.

Heather sent me some fabulous stamps to play with again and I decided to use a FABULOUS sentiment from her newly revealed set, “Well Behaved”.  I believe that it’s being revealed today, Tuesday, and you’re gonna luuuuurve it!

Again, I pulled out the Basic Grey “Lemonade” paper kit and went to town.  I had so much fun stitching on the last card (and my cross stitch threads box was still on my desk) that I decided to do a little more stitchin’. With metallic thread that was a pain to separate and work with…  Woot!

And I didn’t want to use the big ol’ circle as a stamped bit, so I pulled out the beginnings of a funky flower I’d been working on earlier in the day.

The flower is made using some scraps of paper and tulle (that funky netting stuff that you usually find under wedding dresses or as the veil) and a DESIGNER button.. hahaha!  Anyway… I blinged it up with some Stickles (icicle flavor) and let it dry forevvvvvvver.  I tied the button with some metallic thread.  I used some home made glimmer mist and spritzed it on the paper parts of the flower.  You can kind of see it on the green paper (bottom left of it).  In real life it’s all shimmery and luuuuurverly!  Oh yah, and the light pink tulle (which came from my sweet friend, Jeanne Tomshack, is inked up with some CTMH Vineyard Berry ink to distress it even further.   My fingers were so gross. LOL!

Fiddled with the sentiment placement and decided on this:

Here’s the final product.   I did elongate the card a little to allow the uber long sentiment to be placed on it and fit a little better.

 

Thanks for stoppin by today!  Think of me as I slave away over numbers and contracts and customer payments and tax prep today at work.  Tee hee! :)

~Inky Smiles!

PS… Answering the last post comments.  

1) THANK YOU for your kind comments on my charms!  You made my day.
2)  YES!  An Etsy shop is likely in the works.  I am going to try my hand at selling my creations, both paper craft and especially jewelry.  (Jewelry posts coming…)  I love making jewelry and can’t wait to share my creations! 
3)  I have to figure out the whole Etsy thing and a shop name. LOL!

Supplies:
Stamps – Skipping Stones Design’s “Well Behaved”
Paper – Basic Grey “Lemonade”
Ink – CTMH Vineyard Berry
Miscellaneous"- Kaisercraft Rhinestones, pink tulle, Stickles, Silver metallic thread, border punches.

Sketch Challenge {013}

I've been checking out cool artwork on the web lately and it seems that "cropped corners" are highly popular, so I figured that I might try my hand at them, too! It has been quite some time since we've done a Sketch Challenge and I had some time to play around in PSE today while waiting for laundry to be ready to switch over and get folded... (oh the joys of laundry)....

So ladies n gents... here's a Sketch Challenge for you. Use this basic sketch, add some patterned paper, a sentiment, something metal or sparkley and maybe a stamp that you haven't used in a while (or yet) and make a card or a layout, digi or paper.

Share the link to your artwork in the comments on this post because we all love to see everyone's take on a sketch! ** If you have trouble posting your link, try making it shorter using TinyURL. Blogger seems to have a hard time with long links in comments.

Inky Smiles!!

PS - I have an answer for Miranda's question on my last post as well as a few cards to show you later today. But first I have to help Brent with some yard work (winterizing everything) before the snow flies (yes, we're expecting a storm in the next few days... ugh) and my yard is buried.

Sketch Challenge {012}

Here's a little sketch to coincide with today's TFT... Use it as a card, digi layout, a scrapbook layout, etc. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Inky Smiles!

Thoughts for Thursday - Appreciation

I received this quote earlier this week via email.

“Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement -- and we will make the goal. ”

~ Jerome P. Fleishman

And then I received this one:

“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”

~ Margaret Cousins, author

Do you know of someone who could use a lift? Drop them a note today!

Thoughts for Thursday & Sketch {011}

“We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.”
—Max De Pree (b.1924), author, former CEO of Herman Miller, Inc.

Here's a 6x6" card sketch for you this week. You can also turn it into a 6x6, 8x8, 9x9, or 12x12 layout! I'd love to see what you come up with :) Feel free to rotate the sketch, flip the sketch, sketch up the sketch.... do something fun and creative with it! Leave a comment with a link to your artwork!

Inky Smiles!

Erin

It May Look Like Your Gramma, But They "Ain't" Her Stamps

Ok friends, here's my cheeky take on the "Sketch" Challenge {010}... I used some really fun stamps from Missy B Designs, "Doodles" and "Halloween Women". I fell in love with the whimsical and spunky attitude of these sets.... "While they may look like your gramma, they definitely aren't her stamps...", I say.


I used a Zig two way glue pen to apply a puddle of blue glue to the leotard of our sweet gramma and painted it into place with a paintbrush and then dumped on the glitter. (You have to work fairly quickly because the glue dries fast. I practiced on a couple of stamped images first.) The skin is colored with watercolor pencils. I used a very light touch of Autumn Terracotta. Perfect Pearls highlighted her ears and earrings and Stickles blinged out the headband. I shredded a white Sassy Strand to create the fluff for the bunny tail. Gramma got her "pleather" foxy mama boots courtesy of SU!'s black embossing powder, a Versamark marker and a nifty little heat gun.

Supplies Used:

Missy B Designs Stamps
Spellbinders' Nestabilities Scalloped Rectangle Die
Fiskars 1/8" hole punch
Some Office Supply Store regular hole punch
CTMH - watercolor pencils, blender pen, Sweet Leaf CS, Sassy Strands (shredded some for the bunny tail poof)
SU! black embossing powder (hot mama leather boots)
Ranger - Versamark ink, Stickles, Perfect Pearls
Stazon Black Ink (nice for watercoloring.. no bleeding)
Tree House Memories Main Street collection Papers "Oh Fudge" circles and "Flavor of the Weeks" stripes
DoodleBug Designs - Glitter (Mmmm can't get enough of that stuff!)
Papertrey Ink 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (another terrible habit to get into)

Sketch Challenge {010}

Here's a different take on a "sketch" challenge..... I was playing around today with some different papers that I've picked up here and there and of course, PaperTrey Ink RIBBON... I love this pink grosgrain ribbon! Anyway... I have since added to this background and I think it turned out way cute. :)



So go ahead, use this "sketch" to create a piece of art. Would love to see what you create, so leave a link using tinyurl in the comments on this post. I will post my finished creation tomorrow :) I think you will find it has a little attitude :)

Sketch Challenge {009} plus artwork!

Here's Sketch Challenge {009} for you! Use some patterned paper, a horizontal element or two, TWO stamps only (sentiment and something else) and some dimensional pop dots or something to give dimension to your art, oh and don't forget... add something sparkly!

Feel free to post a link to your art here on the blog! We'd all love to see what you come up with!

IMPORTANT TIP for Posting URL's:

Blogger tends to cut off long URL's. Here's a nice way to make a comment friendly URL to paste into your comment - It's great for using in emails and such, too.

1.) Go to wherever you've posted your project and copy the URL (http:.....)
2.) Open up a browser and go to http://www.tinyurl.com and paste the URL to your art in their converter.
3.) TinyURL will spit out a nice short n tidy URL that you can paste into your comment.
4.) If you want to view the projects... copy and paste the tiny url from the comment into a new browser just like you would any url.... voila! you have art!





Here's my take on the sketch! It's a multi fold card.... I'll upload the tutorial sometime in the next few days or so. :)

Elegant Floral Card - for Sketch Challenge {008}

Simple, yet elegant card based on the sketch {008} . It's sharp and clean and screams feminine to me.

Techniques - 2 step stamping/2nd Generation stamping, cuttlebug embossing.
Stamps: Elegant Floral-CTMH, For Every Occasion - CTMH
Inks: CTMH
Other: Cuttlebug Textile folder, Stickles-icicle

This card is a simple and fast card. Once I had the colors picked out the whole thing took maybe 10-15 minutes in production, well, plus a little dry time for the Stickles.

Sketch Challenge {008}

I'm in the middle of a huge project for church... we're having our quarterly Enrichment night and I've planned a super fun Spiritual Spa Spectacular. We'll have 5 - 10 minute mini classes, a Keynote Speaker and some yummmmmmy goodies. It's going to be a BLAST!

Tonight I am working on thank you notes for our class presenters/speakers and used this simple sketch to plan the card. I'm pretty much sticking to the basic sketch, but it's turning out soooo darling!

Here's your challenge for this week. Use this very simple sketch and make something lovely! Use something shiny, add some texture and some froofroo and have a little fun! Bling out a simple sketch with the fine details.

I will post my card as soon as it's dry (or tomorrow) :) Feel free to leave a link in the comments to your gallery or card! I'd love to see what you come up with!


Inky Smiles!

WINNNER ANNOUNCED: Viewers Choice: Sketch Challenge {007}

It's taken a little longer than I planned on to count the votes for this contest. I've counted them up and the winner is:

#4 - Laura Casey

Please send me your address and I will get your prize sent out to you.

Thank you everyone for playing along!

Erin

Erin's card for the Sketch Challenge {007}

Here's the card that I drew up Sketch Challenge {007} for. I first sketched the idea and then went a little crazy with the design elements. This card was made for that swap from AAAGES ago... this card is made with random stamped paper by Susan Hankins. Click on the pictures for a larger view.


I loved it so much that I recreated Susan's RS paper and made a card for myself! Yes, that is real stitching. :)

Techniques:
Machine Stitching, Tone on Tone stamping, Dry Embossing, Beading

Supplies:
Cardstocks - Close To My Heart, Chipboard E & S - Basic Grey, Cuttlebug Machine - Provo Craft, Textile Embossing Folder - Provo Craft, Ribbon - Offray, Inks - Close To My Heart, Stamp Set - Playful FLourishes - Close To My Heart, Liquid Glass - Close To My Heart, Tiny Glass Marbles - Michael's Craft, Brads - Making Memories, Crop O Dile - We R Memory Keepers, Foam Adhesive - American Crafts

Viewers Choice: Sketch Challenge {007} Voting Open

Whew! It's been a loooong day. I hadn't planned on working today, but I was needed, so I went in and spent several hours at work today. It was a good thing and this means next week won't be so crazy!

Anyway... on to the VOTING!!!

Here are the entries for Viewer's Choice: Sketch Challenge {007}

Rules:
1.) Each entry has a # on it.
2.) Please leave a comment on THIS post with the # of the entry you are voting for.
3.) Voting closes on Sunday, Dec 9th at midnight.

Good luck to the contestants and HAVE FUN!

Sketch Challenge {007} & Viewer's Choice

*EDITED* - Slight change - Voting will open on THURSDAY morning. I need to wait to post the entries until Wednesday afternoon. E.

So it's been a while since I gave away some treats.... I thought I would give an opportunity for you to win a treat! Yesterday I posted about "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and this morning the sun is shining on the snow that fell yesterday and last night. It's sparkly and BEAUTIFUL! I just looooove bright cheery days when the ground is covered with fresh snow.

Here's the sketch I drew up (actually, I drew it up on paper and then re-created it in PSE today for the blog) to create a really fun card which I will show you Wednesday :)


1.) Use this sketch, create a fun, "wintery" (does not have to be Christmas) card
2.) Send UNMARKED photo to me via email.
3.) Voting opens on Wednesday, Dec 5th and you will have until Sunday, Dec 9th to round up your friends to vote for your card. Post your votes ONLY to the post of artwork.

Twist - this time I am not putting names on the photos... I will number each photo and voters will cast their votes not knowing who's card it is. Once a winner is chosen, I will post the creator's names with their artwork.

The prize will be some American Crafts ribbon (mini spools) and a package of Double Churned Scrapboard Alphabets (Vanilla Bean/naked - 209 pieces of alphas, numbers, and punctuation, retail $12.99) by We R Memory Keepers.

Good luck and happy creating!

Sketch Challenge {006}

Gosh! It's been a while since we've had a sketch challenge. Here's #006 just for you! I picked up this design from Becky @ PageMaps. Her sketches are free to the public and are absolutely fabulous! She's also having a card contest... jump on over and check it out!

Don't forget to leave a comment and show us what you've done with this sketch!

Happy creating!

Erin

TFT-Sketch Challenge {005} VOTING IS OPEN!

VOTING INFORMATION:
* Recruit your friends and family to vote for your submission. (PLEASE COMMENT ONLY TO THIS POST with your votes. I won't count votes that I have to hunt for.)

* Voting will be closed on Friday, Oct 19th
The winner will be announced within 24-ish hours.

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In no particular order, here are the awesome entries I received.
You may click on each photo to view it larger.

10/11 Thoughts For Thursday - Safe Harbors & BONUS Viewer's Choice Sketch Challenge {005}

My sweet friend, Amaryllis sent this quote to me on Monday. I asked her for a TFT idea and she said, "What about that quote I just sent you?" Sounds like a volunteer to me!!!!! Soooooo..... I decided to ask her to be my guest blogger and fill in for me while I was gone to Vegas this week.

Thoughts From Amaryllis:
"I love to create. I love to make layouts of my kids. I like to show off my scrapbooking talents… to my husband. When I show him a layout or a particularly good card I’ve done, it is easy to take his criticism because I’m craftier than he is and I know how it is supposed to be. He is a better writer than I am, so sometimes I enlist him for journaling. He is my “safe harbor”.

Stepping out of my comfort zone, the safety of my husband’s encouragement, the security that everything I make is perfect in my children’s eyes, is like going out into the unknown sea. Posting my art in public forums is really hard for me. Even though I feel my work is worthy, I am baring a piece of my soul, which is vulnerable to the criticism of my crafting peers. But what a better place to learn and grow!

I could keep my scrapping to myself and my family where I would only have to endure my husband’s occasional grimace when the colors don’t quite work out, or when he asks why I’m using staples for the 50^th time (Editor’s note: I still don’t get the point of that). Occasionally I do post something that falls short of expectations, but I get encouragement and constructive criticism that helps me learn and grow, making me a better artist.

Amaryllis Briggs
Wife, Mom & CTMH Independent Consultant

Note to self: share more; grow more!
Edited by my DH who thinks that staples are for work not play!!

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Bonus: Here's a challenge to set your ships out sailing with.....
Tall & skinny cards are the hardest for me to do. Show me your stuff and use this basic sketch as your starting point.

Email a photo of your artwork or a link to your photo in your online gallery to me. I will post the artwork on the blog when I return from my trip and the VIEWERS will CHOOSE again. You may enter more than once.

The prize this time is a clear stamp set in the Thank You theme (40+ individual stamps)... and some other fun surprises. I think this is from Heidi Grace or Cloud 9. It is unused, but not in the original package.


October is Breast Cancer awareness month...

*Incorporating PINK as a theme will receive ONE BONUS VOTE from Sadie (my adorable furrbaby doggie buddy).

*Use PINK RIBBONS in your project and receive ONE BONUS VOTE from Brent (my adorable furry husband buddy).

*BONUS VOTES will be added on to the final vote count.

---

10/13/07 *UPDATE* - THIS INFO MOVED TO NEW POST

VOTING INFORMATION:
*Entries must be in my inbox by Friday, October 12th at 11:59 pm (MST).

* On Saturday, October 13th, I will post your artwork and voting will be open once it is posted. Recruit your friends and family to vote for your submission. (PLEASE COMMENT ONLY TO THIS POST with your votes. I won't count votes that I have to hunt for.)

* Voting will be closed on Friday, Oct 19th and the winner will be announced within 24 hours.

Sketch Challenge {003}

Here's a sketch challenge for ya! This one will be a contest for you, too! (I am working on my piece o' art and will post it within the next couple of days.) I have a prize pack (aka BLOG CANDY) in mind and I think you will like it!!!

This is a very basic sketch (lines in the dirt) ... use it and show me what you can do with it!

Rules & Guidelines:

1.) Create a piece of artwork, email (inkysmiles@gmail.com) a URL (link) to me to view/download it BY Aug 9th by 6:00 PM (MST). Make sure to post a comment on this post to let me know you've sent something.

2.) I will collect up all the pics of your artwork and post them all in a new post with your name on them on Aug 9th by 8:00 PM (MST).

3.) The contest is VIEWER'S CHOICE. Round up your friends and get them to vote for your piece of art! The artwork with the most votes will win. Votes = comments posted by UNIQUE users for your artwork.

4.) Voting opens once the post is up and will be closed on August 16th (when I get back from vacation). The winner will be announced on August 17th.

5.) Any and all product allowed.

6.) Consider using some of the following:

• something metal
• something "fibrous" other than paper
• something shiny
• some "non traditional" embellishment
• a "new to you" technique

Sketch Challenge 001

Everyone else is doing it, so why don't I?

Thought I would try my hand at a sketch. This one is very random.

Your challenge is to create something fun with this very basic sketch. I have suggested elements for the card -OR- layout on the sketch!
If you want to email me a photo of your creation, I will post it here on the blog -OR- post a comment with a link to a photo of your creation!

Come on... be brave!!! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Inky Smiles!

Erin