Blog Takeover: Lin

Hi everyone!

It's Lin, turning the tables on Jill today! I have loved Jill's work for quite a few years and I am so very honored that she asked me to be a guest blogger today while she's away.
I was given permission to choose any of Jill's cards from her Penny Black flickr gallery, and I spent a happy morning going through all of them; when I was finished I had chosen 6 of them. Of those, this one really spoke to me.

Her card is wonderfully rich in color and I love every single thing she did to bring it to life - that gorgeous flower, the turned-down corners, the sweet way she added the twine, her subtle addition of text behind the flower......  I wouldn't change a thing, so I didn't!  I just decided to CASE her card, and use some of my favorite things to make it my own.



supplies: white card stock, K&Company Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna Ledger Pad, BoBunny  Powder Blue Flourish and Rust Dot designer papers, stormy sky, weathered wood, tea dye, and vintage photo distress inks, Hero Arts K5376 Hydrangea, CG22 Music Background, CG246 Classic Fabric Design, CL173 SparkleClear Simple Messages, CL383 Antique Engravings, versafine onyx black ink, Memories Artprint Brown, brush tip markers

If you know me at all, you know how much I love my flowers - I LOVE the daisy that Jill used. But of the stamps I own, this hydrangea is probably my current favorite, and so that's where I started. It was stamped and heat embossed, then colored with markers. As Jill did on her card, the rest of my card uses printed papers. The little panels started out as ledger papers from a K&Company 4 X 6 pad - I warmed them up a bit by lightly sponging them with tea dye distress ink and then randomly stamped a music background in the same ink on the top one. The blue background started out as a pale blue BoBunny flourish, which I sponged with stormy sky distress ink, a little too much so, because the already subtle pattern disappeared, so then I overstamped the big Classic Fabric design over it in weathered wood. The BoBunny rust dot panel was darkened slightly with more tea dye distress ink, and then I edged all of the panels with vintage photo distress ink. I loved how Jill added the twine and I followed suit, using a blue heart button to mine. I put everything together, and as I was preparing to photograph it, I noticed this butterfly sitting on my desk from a previous project. It is a polished stone background in a peachy color, and I love how it looks next to the rust panel, so I added a wire antennae and popped it on top of the leaves. It was an unplanned element, but I like how it fits in with the rest of the elements.

Thank you so much, Jill, for giving me this opportunity to be inspired by you! I loved the process!
Please visit my blog,  where I have an extra set of the Antique Engravings clear stamps which I'd like to give away. Just leave me a comment by September 30 and I'll choose a random winner.

Blog Takeover: Elizabeth

While I'm back home in South Dakota visiting family, some VERY special folks have taken over "Inspired By..." this week.  Take it away Elizabeth....
This is Elizabeth and I have the honor of hosting Jill’s blog today. Imagine my delight at being asked to be a part of her “take-over” week.
I have the pleasure of working with Jill on the Penny Black Design Team. And yes, as I can attest, she is just as sweet and kind in person as she is here on her blog!
As you know, Jill’s sense of style and creative diversity overflow in her Flickr Gallery so picking an inspirational card was easy as they are ALL inspirational.
With Halloween approaching, I selected this spooky delight by Jill.

Her framed window inspired my design:

The frame was created using the fun border from Halloween Treats 30-078. After stamping a few sections on white cardstock with black ink they were colored with Copics and trimmed. The pumpkin, stars and moon (all from the same set) were also stamped in black. The trimmed pieces were edged with a black PITT Big Brush Artist Pen for extra definition. Pop dots were used to elevate the pumpkin and the framed rectangle. The background spider webs (Creepy Crawlies 40-069) were stamped on Summer Sun (17-003) cardstock with black ink. While the ink was wet, it was smudged with Toffee VersaFine for a softer, distressed effect. The sentiment is also a part of this fabulous Slapstick set. A google eye was the perfect embellishment to add to this pumpkin’s dazed expression!

All the supplies for this card are available at Mementos which have been linked at the bottom of this post for you.
If you would like additional details and specific measurements for this card, please feel free to click HERE to pop over to my studio where I will have them available for your reference.
Thank you Jill for having me as a guest on your blog and to all the readers who shared your time with me today!
Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Halloween Treats 30-078, Creepy Crawlies 40-069
Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Summer Sun 17-003
Copic Markers: Y02, Y19, YG13, YR16, YR65, V15, V17
Faber-Castell: #199 Black PITT Artist Big Brush Pen
Tsukineko: Tuxedo Black Memento
Pop Dots
Neenah Tiara White Cardstock

Copic Sketch Markers

Stamper's Big Brush Marker #199 Black

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Pop Dots

Neenah Tiara White Cardstock

InLinkz.com

Iwona *Day 4*

First of all, I want to send a BIG thanks to Iwona for allowing me to share her stunning cards this week.  Her blog is one I visit all the time for inspiration and, lets face it, just to take in all of the eye candy!  This inspiration card by Iwona is BEYOND cute; don't ya think?

And here's my take:

Penny Black 4146K Yummy Mimi was inked with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, stamped onto Copic X-Press It cardstock, colored with Copic markers, and then cut out.  This was mounted onto circle masked and inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink (bottom), Old Paper Distress Ink (top), and Walnut Stain Distress Ink (edges).  The outer circle was inked with Rusty Hinge and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  Background Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock and patterned paper.  And the sentiment? Another one of those FAB SRM stickers. :)

And here's a peek at what's happening on the Mementos Blog today (more Holly Jolly Stampin' Party!):

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

And as you read this, I am sooo thrilled to say I back at home visiting my family in South Dakota.  And even though I'm not in town, be sure to visit all next week as some VERY special guests are taking over "Inspired By..." Hhhmmm... who could it be?? *wink* :)

Iwona *Day 3*

Time for another BEAUTIFUL card by Iwona:

And here's my take:

Penny Black3869K Garden Poems was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto Copic X-Press It cardstock and then colored with Copic markers.  Next this piece was inked with Old Paper and Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.  Sentiment is an SRM sticker.  The green background was creating by embossing Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock with the Swiss Dots embossing folder and then inking with Forest Moss Distress Ink. 

And don't forget, the Holly Jolly Stampin' party continues on the Mementos blog today- here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Copic Sketch Markers

Copic X-Press Paper

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Distress Inks

Inkssentials Blending Foam Tool

InLinkz.com

Iwona *Day 2*

Check out Iwona's cute card for today:

Seriously, it doesn't get any cuter or well crafted Iwona's card!  And I just love all of the orange accents, too.  Here's my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black 4182K Butterfly Suite with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Copic X-Press It cardstock.  This was then colored with Copic Markers.  Next, I inked this piece with Brushed Corduroy and Pumuice Stone Distress Ink.  This was layered onto the background created using Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock and patterned paper.  Sentiment by SRM stickers, layered onto cardstock inked first with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.

Oh, and remember that video I promised you for this card?

Here ya go:

Complete supply list for Snowscape card is available on the Mementos blog HERE.

Penny Black 4182K Butterfly Suite	Copic Sketch Markers	Copic X-Press Paper	Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	Distress Inks
Inkssentials Blending Foam Tool	Tim Holtz Ideology Ruler

InLinkz.com

Inspired by...Iwona

This week's featured artist is Iwona Palamountain.  Iwona was featured here back in July, but the week she was featured I was only able to share 3 of her cards.  Well, I adore her work so much that she's back again this week to inspire us some more!  Take a look at her inspiration card for today:

Iwona's layout is perfect for all of those butterfly stamps I love.  And her mix of patterned papers is superb!  Here's my take:

The butterfly, Penny Black 2422J Blue Wings, was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Copic X-Press It cardstock and colored with Copic Markers.  The background immediately behind the butterfly was inked with Wild Honey, Brushed Corduroy, and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  The sentiment panel was inked with Pumice Stone Distress Ink.  Next I covered this inked cardock with the sentiment- an SRM sticker.  I recently received a fun package of SRM stickers and I have to tell you, get ready, they are going to be on my cards. A LOT.  LOVEEEE them. :)  The woodgrain background is patterned paper by Anna Griffin the remaining paper is Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock.  Piercing done from the back using Tim Holtz ruler, thumbtack and my sew easy piercing mat.

Thanks for visiting! See ya tomorrow with another stunning card by Chupa!

Copic Sketch Markers	Copic X-Press Paper	Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	Self Adhesive Pearls	Distress Inks
Inkssentials Blending Foam Tool

InLinkz.com

PB&J Video Tutorial

I am really excited about this week on the Penny Black blog.  The theme is "drab to fab" and each designer is sharing hints and techniques to take cards from drab to fab.  And each post includes a before (drab) and after (fab) photo.  My video today focuses on 2 simple coloring tips to take your shading from drab to fab.  Here are my before and after pictures.

DRAB

FAB

And here's the finished card:

Check out the video tutorial by visiting the Penny Black blog HERE.

Thanks for visiting! See you tomorrow with our featured artist- I am soooo excited to show her cards!