INKspirations!

Greetings!  How about a grumpy cat to bring some joy to your holidays this year? 🤣.  This card was designed using this month’s sketch at Build Your Holiday Card Stash - #74 For my card, I used the Bagged and Bothered - stamp from Unity. (SHOP HERE) I stamped two images, and combined them with paper piecing, using Versafine - Onyx Black ink for the printed bag, and SU - Early Espresso Ink for the outline of the cat. The cat was stamped on multi-media paper, and I layered watercolors with watercolor pencils and fine tip markers. White acrylic paint was used for highlights using a small rounded ball stylus tool for rock painting.  (Perfect dots every time!) For the eyes, I used a SU - Pool Party Marker The Bag was distress with a sponge and Crumbcake Ink (SU), and embellished with embroidery floss for the handle and a small red velvet bow. (DEI - crafts for velvet paper) The sentiment is also from Unity - from a Christmas themed ephemera pack.   Other Accessories: SU -...

 Hi there!  School is just around the corner, and that means that summer is drawing to an end.   Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year.  The crisp weather, comforting soups and hoodies!  It looks like this little field mouse is getting a head start.   It is from Unity stamps called Mice and Cozy .  There are three adorable mice and three sentiments with this set.   For my card, I took a white panel that was about 2 1/2” x  5 1/4” and embossed with Leaf Fall from Stampin Up.  The mouse was stamped in Early Espresso ink (SU) and colored with a combination of markers and prismacolor pencils.  The colored panel was attached to a patterned piece of paper from Unity’s Fall Tones - paper pack.   The leaves were cut from a coordinating sheet from the same pack with old leaf dies.  A Wink of Stella was added to the muzzle of the nose.  Thanks for stopping by! - Valerie Kaye

 Hi Friends!  I had a chance to sit down and create this afternoon, and it was such an enjoyable break! I gravitated towards the flower patterned paper pack  from Unity stamps called Fall Tones for the starting point.   The stamp is called Sniffs and Stems (Unity).  It’s currently a Spotlight steal priced at $8.99, so I couldn’t resist picking him up.  SHOP HERE The dog was stamped in Early Espresso Ink (SU) and colored with markers.   I added a couple of hearts using the wonky hearts from Unity, and Yana Smakula.  A small bow was added in blue bakers twine to the bouquet.   This card is for the following challenges: Love Those Pretty Papers (Aug) -  (LINK) Creative Fingers #327 (Anything Goes) -  (LINK) Pattie’s Creations #245 -  (LINK) Thanks for stopping by! - Valerie Kaye

  Hello!  Today’s card is inspired from the current sketch at Atlantic Hearts. To join in on the fun, click the link  (HERE) For this card, I used the Chirp Up - stamp and Swing into Spring Paper pack from Unity stamps.   Single stamp:  (SHOP HERE) Bundle:  (SHOP HERE) Assembly: I stamped and colored the chick with markers, and fussy cut the image. I added baker’s twine in place of the ropes.   The sentiment was stamped onto a heart (Cotton Candy CS-SSS) with Polished Pink ink (SU), and popped up using mini foam dots. Butterflies were cut from (SSS) Artful Palette dies and brushed with Wink of Stella. The finished panel was attached to a Strawberry Sorbet (SU) card base, measuring 5 1/2 x 4 1/4.   Thanks for stopping by! - Valerie Kaye

 Hello! I hope your weekend was great.  The cool crisp air rolled in today, and before long the midwest will be seeing flurries.   The cool pastels in the  Color Dare Challenge #674 , made me think of arctic polar bears.   Here are the card details; This is a side folding card (A2), measuring 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.  I began by using a piece of Sea Side Spray (?- Stampin Up. )   I die cut a snow flake pattern from Concord and 9th’s covered Snowfall Card Front die Shop here: ( Concord and 9th)  Then I used Gina K. Designs Master Layouts #9, to cut a small panel. Shop here: ( Simon Says Stamp ) The bear from Spellbinders Holiday Besties set, was stamped in Versa Fine Ink, then colored with Prisma color pencils.   The bear was die cut, popped up on foam, and mounted onto the die cut rectangle. A small iridescent gem was added to the hat, and silver stickles was added to the packages. Thanks for stopping by! - Valerie Kaye

 Hello!  I finished watching a great technique video posted by Jennifer Macguire on using small images to pop through a window.   I have a few Lawn Fawn stamps that I have used for book marks, and tags-but, was excited to give new life to my older stash of stamps! Following the video, I began with a card base of canson white 120# cardstock.   I had a precut panel of SU-Poppy parade and die cut with Gina Marie designs cover die.  I centered the panel onto the card base and positioned a stitched oval die from the Lawn Fawn Magic Slider Set, and cut both the card base and poppy layer at the same time.   I used the small oval die, and cut a second oval in SU-Coastal Cabana and glued through the center opening.   The otter was stamped, die cut and popped up using a piece of card-stock measuring 4 inches x 1/2 inch.  Scoring at the recommended 1/2 inch, inch, and 1 1/2 inch mark.  I secured into place using a strong tear tape. To adhere the re...

 Greetings! I finished up this cute cat card from Inkadinkadoo Woodblock  (60-01339) stamps (from 2016).  The theme for Shop Our Stamps this week is “In The Bag.”.   Every year, this kitty has to make an appearance, and I thought playing with a bag would be fun.  To start, I wanted this little cat hanging off the bag.  I used a corner of a piece of white cardstock to help position the little cat.  I stamped, and fussycut the cat and mounted it behind the white cardstock corner.  The cat was colored with an aqua pen and Tangerine Tango Ink from Stampin Up.   Next, I cut a gift bag from Waffle Flower Flat Bag Cutting die and lined the edge to the front of the white cardstock.  The bag was embellished with red embroidery floss and stamped with a small snowflake from Amuse Stamps - Season’s Tweetings set.   The sentiment is also one of my favorites, and this was a thank you gift from Unity Stamps.  The sentiment was heat embossed i...

 Good Morning! Today’s theme with Clean and Simple’s blog, is geometric shapes.   I began with cutting a card base from Accent 120# white cardstock.   I placed the border dot stamp from Amuse Stamps (Sampler Pack 2) onto a stamp positioner and stamped in (SU) Real Red ink.   The deer from Simon Says Stamps ( Dashing Deer Delivery ) was stamped onto white cardstock, cut with a nesting circle die and mounted on a freebie tag from Unity Stamps. Thanks for stopping by! - Valerie Kaye

 Greetings!  This card was created for two challenges.  I used the layout from Tawnie Owl Paprie Sketch Challenge #35, and the color theme is for Color Dare Challenge #668. Using these two starting ideas, I thought of something to fill the sketch on the left hand side.  I found a scrap with a yellow and white print that had a pattern but didn’t compete with the other elements on the card.   Next, I began building the Geometric Squares from Simon Says Stamp.  They remind me of nautical sail flags, and I used patterns of either red or white or red and black.  The sea gull, is from Stampin Up - Friendly Seagulls.  It was stamped in Versafine black ink,  colored with marker, and fussy cut.   The sea gull is standing on the sentiment “Let’s get this party started” From Simon Says Stamp - Simon’s Big Birthday.  The card base was trimmed with Poppy Red- from Stampin Up.  This card is a side folding card measuring 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches....

 Hello!    Today’s card is inspired from  CAS-#567 .   Using this color scheme, I used a top folding card base SU( Pool Party) measuring 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches.   I took the diagonal striped paper (Recollections 12x12 paper pad Michael’s) and added the square window frame to cut a window.  Adding the diagonal striped layer created a window for the bunny, with pool party color to fill the negative space. The Bunny and flower came from Spellbinders February 2025 release.  They were colored with an aquapen with (SU- Rococo Rose, Pool Party, and Soft Succulent), and added to the window.   Thanks for stopping by! - Valerie Kaye

 Good morning, Today’s card is inspired by  Atlantic Hearts Sketch #642 . I used this super cute bunny from Unity’s June Kit of the Month 2025.   To begin this sketch, I started with two pre-cut pieces of SU-Berry Delightful 12 x 12 paper.  I die cut with a rectangular frame die.  Next, I die cut 3 - rectangles with another die in the coordinating berry print.   The card base was assembled and set aside to dry, then I began working on the bunny.  I used a piece of Strathmore multi media paper.  I have found this paper works well for both watercolor and pencil, and can use them interchangeably! I love coloring, but I can save a lot of time by applying a base color to areas first, allowing to dry, and then add shading with pencils over it.  This has been my newer way of enjoying coloring! To begin, I stamped the bunny in SU- Tip Top Taupe.  I added a little water around the ears and body and then took an aqua pen, and touched it to the ink...

 Hello! Today’s card is part of a card challenge at  CAS#566 .  I was trying to find a stamp that was oblong in shape, so I chose Gertie and Gus - Ride On - Taylored Expressions.   Initially I started with white cardstock, but I liked the contrast of the kraft color with the Gertie and Gus.   I stamped onto a piece of white cardstock and a piece of newsprint scrapbook paper.  The boat was diecut and then paperpieced.   I used a zig zag stamp from Amuse Stamps Sampler Set 2 to stamp a simple wave in black ink.   The “happy birthday”- came from Stampin Up but I don’t have the name.  (As soon as my Mom looks it up, I’ll edit this post)  Thanks for stopping by! Valerie Kaye 

 Hello! I am participating in Sunday Stamps current color challenge.   Challenge 366 .   I also needed to make 3 - birthday cards this month, so I dug through my stash and used My Favorite Things- Penguin Parasise set.  I began by choosing 3 penguin images from the set and a few of the accessories included.  I had a precut sheet of white cardstock cut down to 4 1/4 x 5 1/2, so I used a My Sweet Petunias platform and arranged all the images and stamped them all at once.  This is a huge time saver if you need to make a few cards at once.  Next, I tried to match the colors as closely as possible with Prismacolor pencils.  A black thin crayola marker and SU- Costal Cabana marker were used to larger areas. I found yellow diagonal striped paper as the DSP used.  It’s from Stampin Up’s - It’s my Party Paper Pack.  I cut 4 - 4 x 5 1/4 inch pieces and set them aside. The first card I used the whole diagonal striped paper as sheet of paper was the...