Smeared Ink - You're Stuck With Me

Yes, it's dark...yes...it's creepy and yes...it's awesome. The Carnies stamp set from Smeared Ink simply rules. I simply love it because it is FAR from your standard run of the mill stamp company. Terra and Tori think differently, draw differently and rock Smeared Ink hardcore.

My creation today is a card made with the "twins" from The Carnies set. I used the sentiment that comes with the set "You're Stuck With Me". Fitting...don't you think?
The girls are colored with my Copics. The circles on the left were punched out of a variety of scrap DP I pulled from my stash and heavily stitched randomly. I then used a few rub ons for added detail on the left hand side while I stamped my sentiment on the right.

I used a crumply piece of satin ribbon that I had in my stash and stamped that as well with my sentiment. I was debating on whether or not to iron the ribbon before affixing it to my card but knew I was going with a distressed look so I kept it "messy".
I hope you enjoyed my creation!! Pop over to Smeared Ink and don't forget to come join our forum!!! Challenges, swaps, inspiration OH MY!

Not For The Timid

Good Morning Y'all!!! Now...if it's early for you...be forwarned...this is NOT FOR THE TIMID ;) Here's another card that I've created for our awesome team at Smeared Ink!!
I've used the Carnies set - using the fantastically detailed Mermaid image. I started with an envelope from The Paper Source that has a little half moon cut out at the top. The texture of the paper is kind of a creamy, shimmery ivory. I stamped my first stamp "Freak Show" on the front...warning the reader of what's inside!! ;) It is stamped in VersaMagic Night Sky and heat set.
I did a postcard style card for this. My first layer is a scrap of DP that I had leftover from a retired SU! set. My next layer is Kraft cardstock followed by Navy blue cardstock. All seriously edge distressed and stitched together with a funky stitch that reminds me of the heart monitoring machine. Beep, beep, beep...beeeeeepppppp...you get my drift ;) (remember...this is a dark creation here people!)
I then took a piece of PTI white cardstock weighing in at 110 lbs. You need this weight paper to do what I was about to do. I took my Archival Multi-surface chalk VersaMagic Ink pad in Night sky and smooshed it all around...heavily. Everything was VERY inky. I then used my Melt Art Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel in clear and coated everything TWICE. I then heat set it and watched the melty goodness display before me!!! So cool!!!
I then stamped my Carny Mermaid. I carefully colored her with my Copic markers and glittered up her tail with Doodlebug Sugar Coating Blue Jean Glitter. I made a band with the NOT FOR THE TIMID stamp that goes along with the set on Kraft cardstock and wrapped it around the main layer.
The back was so pretty and useful that I couldn't NOT embellish a bit!! I used a cool strip of DP that I had laying around for the bottom and used another stamp from the Carnies set "Friends Forever" punched out and matted with the next size circle punch.

I hope you've enjoyed my Not For The Timid Creation today!!!

Thanks as always for visiting!!!

XOXO-
Meredith

Smeared Ink - All Complaints This Way Please!!!

Hello!!! I'm so excited to FINALLY be posting as an OFFICIAL team member of Smeared Ink!!!

Today I am bringing you an altered project made with the super awesome CARNIES set.

I've had my iPhone box in my "alterables" basket in my studio since I got it months ago. Just waiting for the right project to come along. And here it is!! For those of you who are Mothers, and even for those of you who are not, you'll get it. This is my Mommy Complaint Box. There are LOTS of things that we as Mommies could complain about, lack of sleep, lack of free time, lack of quiet, on some days lack of obedience from said little ones, etc. But most of them just come with the territory of having little ones. So complaining constantly does no one any good. So, I've decided that when I'm having one of THOSE days, I will write my complaint down on a scrap of paper and deposit into my newly decorated "complaint box" and let my Carny Friend inside deal with it!! LOL!!After picking out my papers which are all SU! DP, I then lightly sanded down the iPhone box. I eyeballed about where I wanted the spot for my "complaints" to drop into and I cut it out using my Exacto knife. (I don't measure much unless it's absolutely necessary)

I then ran "red liner" tape around the entire perimeter, top and bottom so that the paper would seriously adhere. After I added my base layers of paper on the cover of the box I then again lightly sanded the papers so that they had a slightly distressed look to them. I covered the slot with ribbon scraps and added screw brads to each corner to make it look more constructed than it really is!! ;) I then pulled out some super cool, black, fuzzy yarn and just wrapped it around a bunch of times and tied it off. I then hit my hubby's tool bench...AGAIN... ;) grabbing a handful of washers and whatnots to tie on with ribbon scraps.
I then decided on my image. I REALLY wanted to work with our desolate looking, accordion playing, cigarette smoking, roughed up gal. She speaks to me...in a certain manner of speaking. lol!
I inked her up in Brilliance Lightening Black and heat embossed her. She is colored with a mix of my Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils (for her face). I added a strip of baby silver beads to adorn her forehead. I then, using matching paper to the cover, matted her and stitched her down to add some dimension.
I love that when the box is photographed from the side that it looks a bit...coffin like!!! Not intentional but after I photographed it, that's what I saw!!!

My last touches were my sentiments on the cover of "Step Right Up" and "Don't Be Afraid" both inked in Colorbox Pigment Ink in Eggplant, the first punched out with my SU! circle punches and the second with my SU! word punch. I dug through my sticker stash and came out with the glittery letters to spell 'complaint dept' on the bottom.

I hope you enjoy my altered creation for today!!!