Party Time

It's time to start counting down till the New Year and to help you Die-Versions has some great New Year's dies.  Since Die-Versions dies are so die-verse (thanks Suz!) I decided to create a bithday themed card and layout with a couple of the December new release dies.

First up is the Party Hats and I created a simple and quick card for someone of any age.  (I really love that subtle background stamp from River City Rubber Works.)  I pop dotted the image for added dimension.  I didn't stop with decorating the outside either.  On the inside of the card, I used the Sparkler font and some of the negative portions for the hats.

 Next up are the Party Horns and again, I thought of birthday instead of New Year's celebrations.  Just shows how versatile these dies really are.  I created a layout of my husband's birthday a couple years ago (I'm really behind on my scrapbooking).  To create the title, I used the Party Pennants 1 banner and the Tick Tock font.  I carried the pennant idea down to anchor my party hats that are closer to the photos.

I also used all the negative portions of the die and colored them with Smooch inks.  The finishing touch is some tomato red tinsel glitter from Sparkle N Sprinkle for lots of bling and added dimension.

Head on over to the Die-Versions Blog to see the fabulous New Year's projects the rest of the team created!

Poinsettia gift bag

glossy paper, alcohol inks

glittered paper, alcohol inks

I made a gift bag topper using the Poinsettia 2 die from Die-Versions and had so much fun that I created two - one for each side.  Love all the dimension this die gives you.  For the background of both of them, I stamped my sentiment (by Serendipity Stamps) directly onto glittered paper using Staz-On.

For the first one, I created my paper by inking up a sheet of glossy paper with alcohol inks and a blending felt.  For the second one, I created the background by applying Cloud Nine glitter from Sparkle N Sprinkle directly to double sided sheets of adhesive paper and applied alcohol inks on top of the glitter.  (You can see the tutorial here.)


The end result was absolutely gorgeous and you could see all the different variations of colors.  What I learned when I was adhering this glittered and inked sheet to cardstock was that you should use a light colored cardstock so you can still see the variations.  I added it to pink cardstock and it's very hard to see now (lesson learned).

Here's what it looked like on the tall gift bag.

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy 2013!

Zendoodle Flowers

Here's a quick change of pace from all the Christmas cards I've been making - a spring criss-cross card featuring the Zendoodle Flowers stamp set from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

I used a couple different techniques on this card - stamping with Staz-On on Cloud Nine velvet glitter.  (See the technique here in the SNS Tips and Techniques section) and watercoloring on velvet glitter (the SNS Tips and Techniques tutorial can be found here).  After stamping the image with black Staz-On, I used Distress Markers and my water brush to color the sky.  One of the cool things I discovered is that if you make a little boo-boo, just re-wet it and blot it dry with a paper towel  (very helpful when the color went outside of where I wanted it to go).  For the rest of the image, I colored it directly with Distress Markers as I wanted these colors to be bolder and more vivid.  I also found that if I blotted a small section right after coloring, it fades that little area, giving a nice blending effect.

Here's a closer view of the insert for the criss cross card.  I wish the camera captured how shimmery and glittery this is in person - it's pretty amazing.  I wish SNS sold the Cloud Nine velvet glitter in a huge tub size, as it's SO versatile.  Another thing I love about all the velvet glitters is that they don't come off when you rub your finger across it.  (We received a store bought Christmas card that had lots of glitter on it and my hubby kept pointing out all the glitter specs I had - all night long :-)  It was everywhere.)

Since the inside of the card is so glittery, I had to bling up the outside a bit.  Raspberry Soda glitter, Luau Green velvet glitter and two sizes of Tear-ific tape (1/4" and 1/2") to the rescue.   Lay down the tape and add the glitter.  Be sure to burnish it well with your finger or a bone folder.   Now you've got lots of sparkle and bling exactly where you want it - all over your card (and not all over you).

Merry Xmas

The Sweet Spots from Die-Versions are so versatile and easy to use.  Here are a couple examples using the new Merry Xmas sweet spot.  First I made a "designer handbag" using a Sizzix album purse die. 

Next, I created a Christmas card that does double duty as an ornament on the tree.  Two gifts in one!  (I used removable tape to attach the ornament to the card.)

If you haven't checked out all the new dies from Die-Versions, what are you waiting for.  There's new ones every month and I love the fact they are designed to compliment each other and can work together or separately.  That way you get lots more bang for your buck!  Gotta love that!

Old Mailbox

Sparkle N Sprinkle has added a new artist to their line up - Beccy Muir.  SNS has Beccy's complete line of digital stamps and a select few will also be made into rubber.  I've used the digi version of Old Mailbox and created several different versions.  I chose this image because I wanted to work on my coloring of rust, although not all the cards feature a rusty mailbox. (I hope it looks like rust and not random dots :-).)

For the first card I colored the image with Copic markers and added Amethyst Spray embossing powder to the flower stems beside the mailbox with a VersaMark embossing pen and heat embossed them.  Spellbinders dies were used to cut out the image and to create a mat behind the image.

For this card, I used a variation of the spotlighting technique found in the SNS Tips and Techniques section.  I printed the image out 3 times so I could fussy cut out various sections.  The wooden posts are colored with Distress Stains and fussy cut out of one of the printouts.  I colored the mailbox and bird in the second printout and fussy cut.  For the final printout, I cut the entire image out with a Lifestyles Crafts scalloped oval die.  I adhered the colored mailbox on top of the colored posts and even though I didn't pop dot it, that small layer added just enough dimension.  Next, I pop dotted the entire spotlighted mailbox to the main (non-colored) image.  I added some random dots of Saukra glue pen to the rust on the mailbox and added Tiger Orange glitter for bits of sparkle and I also used Tiger Orange glitter to create my sentiment, which is a Die-Versions die.

For the final card of the day (I know it's a pretty long post), the image is colored with Copic markers and I fussy cut out the entire image so I could pop dot it above my background, which was created using Basic Grey papers.  The flower stalks on the side of the mailbox were covered with Sakura glitter and Evening Glow glitter for a touch of bling.

Congratulations

Here are a couple of quick and easy projects using the new Congratulations Presents die from Die-Versions.  The top one celebrates a new engagement with a retired stamp from MFT.  I cut the presents twice so I could have a frosted look to the sentiment and the image is colored with Copic markers.  Glossy Accents was used to really make that huge rock sparkle.

The second example is a single layer interactive card where the recipient has to pull the tag out to see the sentiment.  Although I had this in mind for a younger person, it could be applicable for any age.  The font used on the top is Die-Version's Middle School.  

Be sure to visit the Die-Versions Blog to check out what the rest of this super creative team is creating with all these fun dies.  There are some amazing projects!

Merry Christmas Lamp Post

We have one more challenge for you from Pattie's Creations before we go on holiday for a few weeks. It's an easy challenge: make a Christmas Card.  Pattie has so many wonderful Christmas images in her Etsy store, but I decided to use the Merry Christmas Lamp Post for my card.

The image is colored with Copic markers and I added snow using a Snow Writer with a touch of glitter.  A Spellbinders die was used to cut out the image and I added a double bow with a snowflake embellishment as a finishing touch.

You'll have two weeks to join the Pattie's Creations Design Challenge and then we'll all be back for a new challenge on January 11, 2013.

I'm entering this in the following challenges: Oozak (anything goes + red); Stampendous (CAS Christmas cards); CASology (sparkle).

Feel Better Soon

This was a really fun card to make as I have lots of glitter everywhere and I created my own flourish with a pearl pen.  The sentiment and image are from the Asian Leaf Robe stamp set from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

SNS's Cerulean embossing powder was used to emboss the vase onto watercolor paper.  I then used Distress markers and a water brush to color the image.  Evening Glow glitter was used to add sparkle to the border dies from MFT as well as to the sentiment.  The seam binding ribbon was dyed to coordinate with Distress Stains.  For the flourish, I lightly penciled the design I had in my mind and then used a Viva Decor Pearl Pen to add the pearls on top of the pencil marks.  For the most part, the pencil marks were covered, but I just erased the ones that weren't after everything was dry.  The background paper is from Graphic 45.

You can find additional details about this card in the Sparkle N Sprinkle art gallery, here.  Here's a trick if you want to see all the works by any of the SNS designers: just type their name in the search box under Art Gallery.

Give Thanks

Although the Christmas season is fully upon us, I wanted to share one more fall card.  The technique I used to create this is called a Tunnel card.  It's fun and easy to do.  You could even make up a bunch ahead of time and slip in the perfect Die-Version's Sweet Spot when you needed it (since all the Sweet Spots are the same size).  Even though I created a fall card with the Give Thanks Sweet Spot, it would be perfect for any time of the year.  I added a bit of twine and vintage buttons and my card is all set.

Don't forget to visit the Die-Versions Blog for lots of great inspiration.

Are You Old School?

Yep, I'm pretty old school in a number of ways :-).  I still remember ribbon typewriters and what a pain they were to use when (not if) you made a mistake.  This cute image and sentiment are part of a set from Hero Arts.

In order to create the background, I used Tim Holtz's Marbled Stain technique using Distress Stains (picket fence, barn door, rusty hinge, mustard seed) and then spritzed it with Perfect Pearl Mist (perfect pearl).  In addition to stamping the image onto my background, I also stamped it onto a very old and fragile book page so I could fussy cut out the "typewriter paper".  Then I stamped my image onto the book page.  I also cut a small slit so that the paper feeds up from the typewriter (just like it would on a real typewriter).  I added a couple of buttons for the typewriter ribbon spools and some twine for the typewriter ribbon.   The "hi" buttons are Echo Park (For the Record) alpha stickers and are embellished with Epiphany Crafts bubble domes to make them look more like typewriter keys.  A bit more twine and the front is complete.  I also embellished the inside with a bit of twine and another piece of an old book page.   I created an area for a written message and decorated the edges with a Martha Stewart punch (Cherish).

Happiness

December is already here and that's the beginning of a whole bunch of things....including the new Creative Challenge from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  This month we have a new sketch for you.

I've used the Bamboo Floral Vase from the Sparkle N Sprinkle Leaf Robe set.  After cutting it out with the Lacey Oval die from Spellbinders, I then added several different types of flocking and Sparkle N Soft flock.  Dark Chocolate flock was adhered to a few of the branches, Sparkle N Soft Sapphire Silk highlights the lacy openings border as well as the vase.  Sparkling Sands was adhered to the bamboo stems.  A light coat of pink chalk was applied to the background.  The papers are from the Graphic 45 Bird Song collection - perfect for this stamp set.  For more details, you can visit the SNS Gallery (search under my name and everything will pop up).

Be sure to visit the Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenges blog to see what the other SNS designers have created for you as well as enter your take of the sketch.  You could win some fantastic products from Sparkle N Sprinkle.