Monday, August 31, 2015

Sea Lady {SNS Sept Reveal}


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Welcome to Sparkle N Sprinkle's
 Sept 1 New Reveal Blog Hop!

This month we are doing something a little different.  Instead of releasing new stamp sets, we decided to do a themed reveal.  Our theme is "Beach/Water" related, so you will see lots of different stamp sets used by our Designers.   Any "beach themed" set will be 20% off until Sept 3.  So once you finish the blog hop, head on over to the store and start shopping.  All of the sets are available on cling mounted rubber or as a digital image.  

Big Day 749, a calendar/planner stamp set, is featured with this month's Technique Video Kit

Here are a few of the Beach themed sets being used this month:

Tropical 158 (digi version DIGI158)
Ocean Treasures 560 (digi version DIGI560jj)
Sea Lady 735 (digi version DIGI735)
Mermaid Kisses 529 (rubber only)
Surf's Up 455  (digi version DIGI455)
Beach Babes 473 (digi version DIGI473m)

On Sept 3, one GRAND PRIZE WINNER will be selected from the comments left on the Designers' blogs.  Please leave a comment with each Designer in order to be eligible for the Grand Prize.  You never know who the Mystery Designer will be that has the winning comment.  

The winner will get to choose FOUR beach/water themed stamp sets of his/her choice (or the digi version, if preferred).

The Grand Prize Winner will be announced on Sept 3 on the SNS Facebook page, the Designer's blogs, and here on the SNS Blog.  

In addition to our regular Designers, two of our 2015 Guest Designers this month, Ani and Chris are with us again this month.

The Blog Hop order this month is:
Anne (you are here)

(*Tip: if you have difficulty with a particular link, try clicking on the Designer's blog title to send you to their Home page.)

We love reading your comments and hope that we have inspired you as well.  If you can not leave a comment for some reason, please email icinganne@yahoo.com with your comment and the name of the blog or the Designer you are commenting about.

The Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge also begins today.  There are lots of prizes and recognition badges.  Come check out how you can become a SNS Featured Artist as well.  The theme is always Anything Goes using Loose Glitter, Embossing Powder, and/or Flock.

We hope you enjoy the New Reveal Blog Hop as much as we do.  Thanks for joining us and remember to comment on each of the Designers' blogs to be eligible for the Grand Prize.  
 Wonder who the Mystery Host will be this month????


Now for a bit about my easel card.


I used the digi version of Sea Lady and colored the image with Copic markers.  Once the image was colored, it was die cut using a Sue Wilson die (Noble dies - Ornate Pierced Rectangles).  Lots of glitters were used to decorate the shells, including Periwinkle, Starfire (my new favorite at the moment :0), Sunny Daze, and Lacy Lilac.  I also heat embossed the Sweet Seahorse die cut (by Die-Versions) with Sparkle embossing powder.  In order to get the background for the seahorse, I traced around the die itself and fussy cut it out.


For the inside of the easel card, I started out by dry embossing the bottom with a Spellbinder M-Bossabilities folder (Sea Beauty) and then I lightly went over the raised areas with Distress Inks (Spun Sugar, Dried Marigold).

The small sea shells are dies from Impression Obsession (Mini Shell set).  These were all colored with Copic markers and then heat embossed with more Sparkle embossing powder.  The sentiment, by Penny Black (Doodles), was die cut twice from navy cardstock and a lighter blue cardstock.  After adhering the two together, Glossy Accents was added for a shiny look.

Now it's time to head on over to Ani's blog to see which beach themed stamp set she used.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

In the Forest



Have you seen the newest release from Die-Versions?  It includes both Halloween and Christmas dies!  For today's project I used the beautiful In The Forest die.

To start off, after die cutting it from white cardstock, I heat embossed it with Velvet Sparkle embossing powder.  Although it was extremely difficult to photograph (especially with the metallic silver card base), it is gorgeous in person. 

The background was dry embossed using a Spellbinder M-Bossabilities embossing folder (Dainty Dots).  Staz-On ink (Cotton White) was then rubbed over the raised areas, creating my falling snow :-).

The sentiment was created using two of the Sweet Wordlets (Happy and Holidays), which were die cut from a Super Adhesive Sheet and then covered with Cloud Nine velvet glitter.


The triple looped bow was the result of combining two very different pieces of ribbon together.  The silver (thin one) ribbon did not want to cooperate, so I used double sided tape and adhered it to the center of the blue strip of ribbon.  As there are cut out areas in the silver ribbon, I covered the entire strip of ribbon with more Cloud Nine velvet glitter to get rid of any stickiness.  This is also a great way to add glitter to any type of ribbon.


Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Tag, You're It! {Scrapy Land Challenge #24}



It's the second Wednesday of the month and that means it's time for a new Scrapy Land Challenge.  The theme for this bi-monthly challenge is Pockets and/or Tags: create a pocket and/or include a tag on your project.  Plus, use any brand of die that Scrapy Land sells.

I created an anniversary card and started out by die cutting a tag out of watercolor paper using an Elizabeth Crafts Designs die (Tags and More 1: Lace).  The background was created by using various colors of Ken Oliver's Color Bursts.  Once that was dry, I used an old Cornish Heritage Farms rubber stamp and heat embossed the script with clear embossing powder.  Distress Inks were used to distress the edges and a Mon Ami Gabby pearl mesh - large was added to the top of the tag.


The vintage girl and boy are a die cut from Die-Versions (Victorian Kids) and so is my sentiment (I Love You Sweet Wordlet).  The doily behind the tag is from Cheery Lynn Designs (Canadian Kaleidoscope).

I also heat embossed another background stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms with clear embossing powder onto the mat before attaching the tag.

Now it's your turn and you can submit as many entries as you like (as long as you don't backlink and you follow the criteria) until Aug 31.  Be sure to check out what the rest of the team has created for you too.



Scrapy Land has created a new Scrapy Land Pinterest account and has lots of boards for inspiration and pinning of your favorites.  

There will be a very generous prize given once we reach 100 followers, 200 followers, etc.  To make it more fair, the winner will be chosen  randomly from all the followers.   

So be sure to follow Scrapy Land on Pinterest too!

I'm entering this in the following challenge: Cheery Lynn Designs - Doily

Monday, August 17, 2015

Race For A Cure - Lymphoma


During the month of August, Sparkle N Sprinkle and Die-Versions have partnered together to bring you the Cancer Awareness Campaign.  Today's project features the SNS Pink Ribbon Background stamp and the DV Awareness Butterfly die.  I chose Lime Green as it symbolizes the fight for Lymphoma, a cancer an immediate family is fighting.

To start off, I used the resist emboss technique with White embossing powder on watercolor paper.  After heat setting the embossing powder, I then added some Zig Clean Color Real Brush (Pale Green) to the watercolor paper and blended it with a water brush.

The Awareness Butterfly die ribbon center was colored with a Copic marker and then I heat embossed the entire die cut with Sparkle embossing powder.

As a finishing touch I stamped the sentiment, from the SNS Survivor stamp set, onto a strip of ribbon with Staz On ink (Jet Black).

As a reminder,  a portion of the proceeds from sale of the Awareness dies and the Awareness stamp sets revealed this month will go toward cancer research.  Let's all do our part to end all cancers once and for all.



On a different note, I have updated my Pinterest account and somehow in the process, deleted some of my Followers.  I would love it if you would check out my Pinterest boards and hopefully become a Follower there as well.  Thanks so much! I really do appreciate each and every one of my Followers, both here and on my Pinterest account!

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Faith, Hope, Love



For today's project, I used the new Awareness dies from Die-Versions, paired with a couple stamp sets from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I wanted to show many of the different colors that are associated with cancer.  Here is a chart that lists various colored ribbons for various cancers.



To start out, I die cut the Awareness Ribbon Words out of white fun foam.  Then I applied VersaMark to each fun foam ribbon and covered them with embossing powder: Jazzy Orange (representing Kidney Cancer), Green Apple (representing Lymphoma), and Lemon Chiffon (representing Bladder and Sarcoma/Bone Cancer).  As I've shown you in previous posts (you can see an example here), when you heat fun foam, it shrinks.  That's exactly what I wanted; a smaller ribbon that was colored.


To create my background on the blue circle,  it was stamped using sentiments from both the Sparkle N Sprinkle Survivor stamp set as well as the Awareness stamp set.  I then heat embossed the center stamp (also from the Survivor stamp set), with Gold Detail embossing powder (representing Childhood Cancer).

The larger and smaller multicolored circles are actually from a paper towel that I used to soak up excess Color Burst water colors.  In order to get the paper towel to die cut easily, I first adhered it to a piece of cardstock using a spray adhesive.

The outside edges of the two squares were covered with Sunny Daze glitter (smaller square) and Green Apple embossing powder (second largest square).  To give the card base a bit of shimmer, I spritzed kraft cardstock with Smooch Spritz.

I also wanted to remind you that a portion of proceeds from the sale of the Die-Versions Awareness dies and SNS Awareness stamp sets will be donated to cancer research.  Every little bit helps in reaching the goal of eradicating all cancers completely.


Monday, August 10, 2015

What!?!!


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My flip/swing card uses the new mid-month release of the Cool Chicks stamp sets from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I used digi versions of all the images and sentiments.

The flip card was die cut using a Sizzix steel rule die (Cards, Square Flip It) and was cut out of watercolor paper.  Ken Oliver's Color Bursts were used to give color to the watercolor paper.  I started out by placing a Dreamweaver stencil (Feathers- Large) onto the right hand side of the card and sprinkling a little blue and violet Color Bursts into the openings of the stencil.  Then I spritzed the entire area with water.  The metallic parts in the feather are just concentrated areas of the Color Burst.

Once the feather was dry,  I wadded up a small piece of paper towel and dabbed it into the extra Color Burst that was on my craft sheet.  I then dabbed the paper towel onto the rest of the card (front and back).  I also randomly added little dots of Dimensional Glue to the entire card front and covered them with Orchid glitter.

Both images were colored with Copic markers and placed on the swing panel.  Orchid glitter was also added to the flower and the shoes of the bird on the front panel.  Glossy Accents was added to her beak.

When you flip the panel to the interior image, you can see the surprise reaction.  Her beak was printed twice so I could add a little extra dimension and it was also covered with Glossy Accents.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Survivor Bra


Die-Versions and Sparkle N Sprinkle are partnering together this month to bring you the Cancer Awareness Campaign.   Today's card combines the DV Survivor Bra along with a SNS sentiment from the Awareness stamp set.

I started out by die cutting the Survivor Bra from white cardstock and coloring it with Copic markers.  I die cut it a second time from Sticker Paper to create the lacy cups. 

I used the lacy background technique for both the background as well as the lacy bra cups.  This is an easy technique to do.  Start with some Sticker Paper and lay down a piece of lace.  Cover the entire area with glitter (Mauvelous was used here) and burnish it in with your finger tool.  Remove the lace and cover the exposed adhesive with another glitter color.  I used Cloud Nine velvet glitter for this part.  The ribbon in the center of the bra was covered with more Mauvelous glitter and Silver Detail embossing powder was used for the hook on the hanger.   The sentiment was heat embossed with Black Detail embossing powder onto colored vellum and tucked under the oval. 
I also used the Bling Your Brad technique with Mauvelous glitter to have a place for the hander to hang from.  This card is so glittery and I felt that the old adage "less is more" definitely applied.   

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Awareness dies and the Awareness stamp sets will be donated to help cancer research.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Just A Note {Scrapy Land Challenge #23}


Today is the start of the newest Scrapy Land Challenge #23.  The theme for this challenge is Anything Goes using any brand of die that Scrapy Land sells.  You have until Aug 16th to upload your project and the winner will get to go shopping at Scrapy Land with a $15 gift certificate.

Although this is a pretty simple card, I used a lot of different products on it.  To start off, the dies used were

Sue Wilson Designs: Expressions - Just A Note
Sue Wilson Designs: Finishing Touches - Delicate Fronds
Heartfelt Creations: Blazing Poppy

(If the items aren't showing up at the moment, they may be out of stock.  So check back often.)

I started off by stamping the Heartfelt Creations Blazing Poppy Petals rubber stamp onto white cardstock and coloring with my Copic markers.  Then I die cut them using the coordinating Heartfelt Creations die.  Once everything was die cut (you'll need to die cut two sets to create layered petals), the petals were formed and glued into shape.  As you can see in the photos below, this flower definitely has some height to it.  I also added a few drops of Glossy Accents here and there on the petals to create dew drops.


I used the Sue Wilson Delicate Fronds for my foliage behind the flower blossom.  The sentiment, which was die cut from Sticker Paper, was covered with Black Ice glitter from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

The background mat was created by using Ken Oliver's Color Bursts on watercolor paper and letting it do whatever it wants :-).  This is such a fun product to use and I know you'll be seeing more of it here (and probably everywhere else too :-).)


To finish off this 6" x 6" card, I used Heartfelt Creations Blazing Poppy Paper Collections papers and a strip of lace.

The Scrapy Land Challenge is having a new Guest Designer call, so head on over to the blog to find out how you can be a Guest Designer!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Surprise Happy Mail


I've been Published! (again - but it NEVER gets old :-).)  Last night as I opened my mail, I received a magazine that I wasn't expecting. The letter inside said that I was receiving a complimentary copy as my work had been featured in the Just Cards! - Just Christmas Cards & Decorations Vol 2 magazine.  How cool is that!

You can read about how I created the Delicate Tree card on my post here.  It uses a Double Flocking technique and I have step by step photos showing you how to create this technique too.  All the dies are from Die-Versions and all the flocking is from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

The short version is on page 95 of the magazine :-).