Inchie INKlings

Inchie Fold Out Book

Just a quick note to let you know that I posted a inchie project on The CLASSroom blog today.

A Slight Delay

Happy Friday Inchie Friends,

I had a little accident last weekend were I injured my eyes and was really hoping to be ready to post Inchie Card Sketch #5 for you yesterday, but alas, after twenty minutes of really trying to focus I realized that my eyes are not quite ready yet.

There was a split second where I thought I had lost my sight and it certainly put some things into perspective.  I have been so grateful this week for the beauty I can see in the world around me. 

I will back later today to look at all the sketches from this week and choose a winner.

Thanks for your outstanding support of the Inchie INKlings blog!

Hugs,

Lisa

Inchie Card Sketch #4 - Young at Heart

Just a quick post from me today dear Inchie Inklings friends.  Have you ever had a REALLY long week that isn't even over yet?  I know you have.  :)

First things first, let's get some winners picked for sketch #2 and #3 - no....I didn't forget.  *wink*

Week #2 Winner - Harriet Hensely

Week #3 Winner - Eveline Etten Leur

Ladies, please send your addresses to [email protected]

I think there are lots of possibilities for this sketch and have more ideas in my head to share with you this week!  For now, here is a vintagy design featuring the Graphic 45 Collection called "On The Boardwalk".  I was absolutely THRILLED when G45 released 8x8 inch paper pads as a part of their latest release.  I wish desperately that more paper companies would catch on to the fact that the scale of their designs are often too big for card makers and those of us who like all things small.

The background paper and image of the bathing beauty are both from On The Boardwalk and make the creation of a perfectly coordinated vintage card snap - not always easily done I might tell you.

The sentiment was created from the Brown Tiny Type Stickers(Cosmo Cricket) with are coming in more handy than I might have thought.  STICKERS?  But I am stamper!  I know some of you are nodding your heads right now.  C'mon.  Admit it.  Just give these babies a try and you will be surprised at how handy they are to have in your supply kit.  Did I mention that you get 15 of EVERY letter and at $1.49 who can resist?

Black Banner Ribbon Lace and Scallop Brown Vintage Crochet Trim were applied with 1/8 inch Be Creative Tape.  This tape is so narrow that you can hide it under just about anything.

A little note about Black Inchies Squares...why do *I* need them right?  Here is one reason.  White Inchies would have stuck out like a sore thumb on my black and brown card.  Even though there is just a little peeking out, it makes a difference.

The trio of trinkets to finish off the design have a distinctly beachy feel - at least that is the look I was going for!  The Vintage Pearl Trinket Pins could have come from an oyster; the truly vintage button from my grandmother's collection reminded me of those shells that have been broken and battered and smoothed into something pretty you might reach down to pick up and examine more closely; the linen thread could be tying large wooden pillars together than a seagull might land on and finally, the black "seaweed" is the Autumn Branch Punch by Martha Stewart.

Don't forget to leave a comment with a link to your sketch design on this post for a chance to win an inchie related prize!

Inchingly Yours, Lisa Strahl 

Inchie Card Sketch #3 - Canning Inchies

It's Thursday and you know what that means...it Inchie Sketch time!  Makes me soooo happy.  Without delay, let's get to the sketch - as always, don't be afraid to turn it if you are inclined.

I put together a fun little quad of fruit and preserve themed Itty Bitty stamps by Lockhart for this sketch and used Adirondack Dye Ink Pads to water color the images.

 

Stamp the IB Cherries, IB Jar of Jam, IB Jar of Berries and the IB Pear with Graphite Black Brilliance Ink (Tsukineko) on White Inchie Squares (Inchie Arts, LLC).

Press the lid of the Red Pepper Adirondack Ink to the pad and use the lid as your palette to dilute the color with a Niji Waterbrush.  Lay down a VERY light layer of ink on the cherries.

Repeat the process with Cranberry Adirondack Ink, this time just highlighting the cherries.

Lay down a light layer of Willow Adirondack Ink on the leaves and tops of the jars.

Highlight the green areas with Lettuce Adirondack Ink.

Color the Jar of Jam and Pear with Lemonade first and then highlight with Sandal Adirondack Ink.

 

Use the Red and Clear Spica Glitter Pens to add some depth to the images.

Here is a shot of my final images.

 

Other Supplies Used:

-Material Girl 6x6 Mini Deck Paper (Cosmo Cricket)

-Red Pepper Duplex Cardstock (Memory Box)

-Can It Stamp Set (Cornish Heritage Farms)

-Trinket Pins, Crystals (Maya Road)

-Scalloped Dot Border Punch (Martha Stewart)

-white pearls (Kaisercraft)

This card was just a delight to make - I hope you enjoy the sketch this week.  :)  I am going to make you wait one more day to announce the winner of this week's inchie stamp.

Inchingly Yours, Lisa

Inchie Card Sketch #2

Hello!  I can't believe it's been an whole week since the first sketch!  I am absolutely thrilled at your response, encouragement and participation.  Woot!

If you find this post and use the sketch after the closing date for the giveaway I would still love it if you left a link so I can visit your blog or gallery.  Deal?

Who's ready for Sketch #2?

I began by stamping the Peas and Carrots Dress from the Vegetable Couture Collection (Lockhart) with Lettuce Adirondack Ink on Natural White (Neenah).  I just couldn't help but pair up this dress with the Garden Variety Paper Pad (Cosmo Cricket) - what a perfect match!!

 

I colored dress as follows with Copic Markers:

Lay down a base layer of Y21 on the carrots. 

Color directly over top with R27.

 

Color over the center of each carrot with YR04 to lighten and create an orange tone.

 

Color the peas with YG63 and then color over the entire pod with G40.  Color the ruffle on the dress with Y21 and then highight with YR04 from the top; drizzle with Clear Spica Glitter Pen (Copic).  Color over the peas again, this time with the Opaque White Gel Pen (Ranger) and color the hanger with the Silver Spica.  Cut the image in half and mount onto White Inchie Squares.  Finally, add a layer of Glossy Accents over the carrots and pea pods for dimension.

I didn't have quite the right green paper to coordinate with my project so I sponged the same Lettuce ink that I stamped my image in over Natural White card stock punched with the Binding Punch border using Cut 'n Dry Foam.

Finally, sponge around the edge of each inchie with the same ink to pull it all together.

 

All papers used are from the Garden Variety Paper Pad (Cosmo Cricket), ribbon is 1 1/4 inch moss silk (May Arts) and the sentiment stamped with Jet Black Archival ink (Ranger) is from the Birds and Branches set (Hero Arts).

Finally, the winner of the first Inchie Card Sketch Challenge is Melissa Cash!

You will recieve this adorable little Itty Bitty stamp named "Inchie" by Karen Lockhart in the mail.   Please send us an email with your address.  It will be coming from Canada so be patient. :)

Please note that there will be a giveaway each week - you can be entered into the random draw if you participate, post your card and comment on the our Sketch post with your link.

Inchingly Yours, Lisa

Inchie Card Sketch #1

How exciting!  Our inaugural Inchie Card Sketch.  I'll let you in on a little secret...I already have 25 Inchie Card Sketches prepped and ready to go.  :^)

Without further adieu, go forth!  Create!  The sketch can be either portrait or landscape.  I have created a few cards below to inspire you.

---------------------------------------------------------------- 

Especially For You

Supplies:

-Say Hello Stamp Set (Hero Arts)

-Sassy Petites (Cornish Heritage Farms)

-Baked with Love (Cornish Heritage Farms)

-White Inchie Squares (Inchie Arts)

-Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger)

-Spearmint and Frond 6x6 Paper Packs (Memory Box)

-Diamond Lace Edger Punch (EK Success)

-5 Petal E-Line Flowers (Prima)

-Eerie Brads (Basic Grey)

-.05 Black Multi Liner Black Pen (Copic)

Congrats Home

Supplies:

-Birds and Branches Stamp Set (Hero Arts)

-Kioshi 6x6 Paper Pad (Basic Grey)

-Coffee Archival Ink (Ranger)

-White Inchie Squares (Inchie Arts)

-Classic Trim Collection (Webster's Pages)

-1 1/4 White Silk Ribbon (May Arts)

-Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Thank You Home

 

Supplies:

-Birds and Branches Stamp Set (Hero Arts)

-Kioshi 6x6 Paper Pad (Basic Grey)

-Coffee Archival Ink (Ranger)

-White Inchie Squares (Inchie Arts)

-Classic Trim Collection (Webster's Pages)

-1 1/4 Pink Silk Ribbon (May Arts)

-Glossy Accents (Ranger)

We would LOVE to see your cards!  Please leave a comment and link to your card on this post and you just might be chosen for a little *inchie love* in your mailbox. 

Inchingly Yours, Lisa

EDITED TO ADD:  The Inchie Card Sketch Challenge is open until 12am PST the following Thursday so that you have the entire week to play along!

A Spring Umbrella by Lisa Strahl

Wow!  How can I begin to thank you for that warm welcome?  Talk about warm fuzzies.  XOXO  Your encouragement can only mean one thing...it means that I am going to work REALLY hard for you!

Today's design features two Itty Bitty stamps by Lockhart - the Umbrella and Escargot.  I worked on the umbrella first and then decided that the background paper for the card needed to be "raining" something - how about snails?!!  We'll get to the snails in just a minute.  First, details on the inchie:

Begin by stamping the IB Umbrella on one of the solid green pieces in the Kioshi 6x6 Paper Pad (Basic Grey) with Coffee Archival Ink (Ranger).  Fussy cut out the top portion with Cutterbee Detail Scissors.  Stamp the image again on the green and orange plaid piece in the same pack.

Punch out the image stamped on the plaid paper with the 1 inch square punch.  Cut a piece of Sticky Back Canvas with the Labels 12 Die (Spellbinders).  This die cuts the PERFECT layer for your inchie!

Paper piece your green umbrella top onto the umbrella stamped on the plaid paper with the Quickie Glue Pen.  Fill in the handle of the brelly with Opaque White Gel Pen (Ranger).

Embellish the two stripes with Clear and Orange Spica Glitter Pens.  I can't emphasize enough the shimmer that these pens produce.  They have micro glass flakes for maximum sparkle.

 

Apply Glossy Accents over the entire brella top.

 

Stamp the Escargot with Peach Bellini Adirondack Ink (Ranger) on another green piece of solid paper from the Kioshi 6x6 Paper Pad and layer onto Mango Cardstock (Memory Box).

Punch Solar White Cardstock (Neenah) with the Thanks Edge Punch (Martha Stewart) and apply 1/8 inch double sided tape to the back side.

Final Details:

-die cut Thin Real Wood Birch with Labels Twelve to create another layer for your inchie; cut a thin strip of wood and adhere to the left of the thanks punch border

-add a small Mango Pearl to the top of the brelly

-add small clear jewels in every other hole on punched strip

-finished card size is 3.75 x 3.75 inches

Inchingly Yours, Lisa

P.S.  Check back Thursday to play along with our very first Sketch Challenge!

A Little Hello by Lisa Strahl

It is a thrill to tell you that we (more specifically - Lisa - LOL!) will be updating our little Inchie habitat! As you will find Lisa is extremely passionate about "little things" and it is so wonderful to have her here now sharing that passion with you - so please join me in welcoming Lis!!!

Three BIG Cheers!

-Ellen

For those of you who don't know yet, I am a certified Inchie NUT.  We are talking illness here people! 

I am thrilled to share with you that Ellen has agreed to let me run with the dream that I have for this blog.  Over the next few weeks I hope to share some of the fun things I have rolling around in my brain and that we might share in our love of all things INCHIE together.  Sound good?

Today's inchie focused card was created entirely to welcome you back!

  

My Inchie image is the Baby Bee (Lockhart) which was stamped on sheets from the Earth Love 6x6 Paper Pad (Cosmo Cricket) with Jet Black Archival Ink (Ranger) and layered onto Black Inchie Squares.  Clear Spica Glitter Pen was then added to the bees wings and covered with Glossy Accents  (Ranger).  The sentiment is from the Say Hello stamp set (Hero Arts) which as an aside, has some adorable inchie'ish images in it as well that I used in this Sparkly Owl post.

 

A little tip about the silk ribbon bow.  I did not have coordinating ribbon so I used the chisel tip of the YR21 Cream Copic Marker color it.  It was a little to bold, so I went over the ribbon again with my 0 Colorless Blender and just loved how it soften the color and whicked it to the edges of the ribbon!

All of the patterned paper used on this card are from the Earth Love 6x6 Paper Pad (Cosmo Cricket).  The Black Banner Lace Ribbon (Prima) was adhered with thin double-sided tape.

See you again soon!

Lisa

Plus Size Inchies

As I laughingly stated in our newsletter being a little on the "plus size" myself I think it is hilarious that 1 1/2" and 2" squares are considered plus size - ha! ha! But in the Inchie world they have pushed past those 1" limitations and so I guess it qualifies for this title :)

Having a mathematical, precision based mind I am delighted to work with these little embellishments! Since opening the box I have now created multiple little puzzles, mixing and matching and sorting and layering. I am looking forward to your thoughts on these new sizes of stamping tools!

Always in a time crunch I decided on this little creation which showcases all three sizes! The base is an Inchie Notecard, followed by Inchie Squares, a Twinchie and topped off with an Inchie +.

I began by laying out three colors of neutral inchies in to a pleasing pattern. Once I had determined the pattern I then used temporary adhesive to hold the inchies in place.

To create subtle texture on this layer I used Antique Linen Distress Ink on the Vintage Text Scrapblock. To break up the square lines of this project the image was impressed at an angle.

The pine cone focal image was stamped on an Inchie + Square using Rich Cocoa and colored with Copic Sketch markers and Prismacolor pencils. Having a variety of sizes in the Inchie Arts line of products will allow you to select the best size for your image!

To add dimension to the inch sized squares each edge was distressed using Antique Linen and the Ink Blending tool. Around the outside edge I wanted additional definition and so dragging only the outside portion of each of the square across the Walnut Stain Distress Pad it provided a finished edge to this layer. These squares were then adhered to the Inchie notecard. This technique was repeated on the focal square as well.

A little glitter pen and this project was complete.

Being that it is primarily women who participate in Inchie exchanges I felt that this image from Haute Couture was the perfect one to use for my next creation. Inchie products are meant to be used in so many ways. Not only can you trade squares, but you can use them to embellish your card fronts, gift tags, scrapbook pages, gift packaging and so much more.

Now that we have 2" squares, otherwise known as Twinchies, larger images can be stamped with ease!

Once again I used temporary adhesive to hold my squares in position as I stamped. I then colored these elegant ladies using Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils.

To create my tag I created my own background using the words from the ATC Haute Couture set. Creating your own backgrounds are simple when using unmounted stamps. Position them on a clear acrylic block in a random pattern as show above, ink and stamp. I find that stamping at an angle makes it easier to align without worrying about it being crooked. Before continuing with the next step I quickly made certain the ink was completely dry by using my Heat It tool.

Next I inked the Firey Floral with Versamark ink and stamped it over my custom background. Applying clear embossing powder and heat setting the powder with the Heat It tool prepped my surface so that I could apply color to the tag.

Using a combination of Adirondack Denim blue and Distress Faded Jeans ink along with the ink blending tool, color was added to the tag. Use a circular motion when you apply ink to the surface. Upon completion wipe the surface with a paper towel to remove the excess ink from the embossed surface.

 

The Webster's Pages Whimsy Threads are spectacular and I felt that this "bow" added just the right touch to my piece. I wanted to stabilize the bow and have it protrude slightly from m tag and so I improvised by apply a piece of cardstock to the "bow" portion of the whimsy. First trace the bow and then cut out your shape slightly smaller than the actual thread piece. Apply ribbon glue and attach the cardstock to the back of the bow as shown above.

Attach film strip to the tag base using the mini stapler for added dimension. Adhere the Twinchie Squares.

Thread 1 1/2" width silk ribbon through the tag hole, adhere the Whimsy Bow and attach the type charm using a mini pin. Just a quick note regarding the type charms - a 1/2" circle punch can be used to punch a unique center for your dangling accent.

We would like to invite you in to the CLASSroom over the next couple of weeks to see how the girls use the new Inchie Arts products in their creative endeavours. Hmmm - I have to wonder what our twin will do with the "Twinchies!"

 
stamps: All Things Considered Evergreen Holiday, Vintage Text Scrapblock, All Things Considered Haute Couture, Fiery Floral Scrapblock

ink: Memento Rich Cocoa and Tuxedo Black; Distress Ink Pads - Antique Linen, Walnut Stain, and Faded Jeans; Adirondack Denim, VersaMark Ink

paper: Neutral Inchie Notes, Large Manila Tag, Fashionista Perfumeria (insert in type charm),  Neenah Classic Crest Natural White

accessories: Inchie Neutral Squares, Inchie + Neutral Squares, Twinchie Assorted Squares, Ink Blending Tool, Stardust Glitter Pen, Nature's Storybook Whimsy Threads, Film Strip Ribbon, Tiny Attacher, Typewriter Charms, 1/2" circle punch, Clear Embossing Powder, Ivory Silk Ribbon, Copic Markers and Prismacolor Color Pencils

inchie sympathy

 

The new Neutral Inchie Squares and Inchie Notes pair off perfectly for today's project - sympathy cards.  It is a sad fact that some card makers often create more sympathy cards than any other occasion.   These new neutral tones are perfect for this type of card.

Starting with four Inchie Squares, two of each color, I taped them together on the back with a square of red liner tape, or use any type of broad adhesive in your crafting arsenal.

You'll find Inchie Squares have a 'front' and a 'back'.  The Inchie Square front is 'softer' in appearance and has nice edges.  The sides of the Inchie Square back are slightly raised in appearance.

Flip the Inchie quad over and ink all edges with Distress Vintage Photo using an ink blending tool.

Dust the surface of the Inchies with an embossing buddy, dryer sheet or whatever you use to eliminate static and moisture prior to heat embossing.  Distress inks are slow-drying, so you are going to want to use one of these tools prior to proceeding. 

After preparing the Inchie surface, stamp Hero Arts' Leaf Flourish using Versamark ink.  Heat emboss using clear embossing powder.

Punch a hole where the four Inchies meet at the center.  This will allow us to poke a few flower stems through.

Thread the flowers through the punched hole, then carefully peel back the adhesive square on the back.  Firmly press the wire floral stems into the adhesive.  I added a few Glue Dots on top of the wire stems for additional security.

Next, use Nestabilities Label #1 and die cut a label using white cardstock.  Ink edges using Distress Antique Linen and an ink blending tool.

Very gently and lightly tap the tiny white flower petals using the ink blending tool and a small amount of Distress Antique Linen ink.  The small amount of Antique Linen on the flower petals removes the harshness of the white against the aged look of the Inchie Squares.

With Sympathy sentiment is from Kim Hughes' Silhouette Blooms I.  Finished card - Size of Inchie Note is 3-1/2" (9cm) square.  I'll make a few more of these to have on hand.  Thank you for stopping by Inchie INKlings today!