White on White Anniversary Card

My husband's sister & her husband are celebrating their 45th anniversary this coming with weekend with a party at their home. This is the card I created:

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close up of shimmer

First of all I cut a layer and spritzed it all over with Perfect Pearl "Pearl" mist.  When it was dry, I embossed it with the Cuttlebug  folder "Scrollwork", and cut an oval aperture opening using Nesties large oval.

The wine glasses were cut at 2.25" using my Cricut and the "Stretch Your Imagination" cartridge, page 73. I placed a tiny piece of acrylic behind each top opening of the glass and attached bows on each stem.

Then I stamped and embossed the word "love" on a piece of scrap,  cut it out with Spellbinders Fancy Tags and attached two self-adhesive pearls.

I used Stampin'Up Shimmery White for the background paper.

Sharon
Nov.23/2011

Challenges:

Crop Stop All inWhite #46

Southern Girls Bingo #32 (I used the middle line across "diecuts, gems, ribbon"
I hope that pearls are acceptable as the gem requirement.

Penny's Paper  Craft Challenges #67 - Tie One On (I have tied ribbon bows on the wine glasses)

Winner on Oldie but Goodie challenge!

I had entered my Santa Paws card on the Oldie but Goodie challenge on Nov. 8th.  When I was checking their blog for this week's challenge, while I didn't make the top three, I noticed that my name was randomly drawn to win 5 stamps from Stampelkallen, a swedish rubber stamp company. 

I'm so excited, this makes my day!!

Sharon
Nov.17/2011

Snowman Tag

I was playing with some of my Tim Holtz stuff and created this snowman tag  based on a "debossing" tutorial by Tammy Tutterow but I changed a few steps.
http://tammytutterow.typepad.com/tammy_tutterow/2011/11/tuesday-tutorial-frosty-deboss.html

So here's what I did. The background (TH Tumbled Glass and Broken China Distress Ink) is done using the technique on page 33 of Tim's book "A Compendium of Curiosities". Next I placed the tag in Stampin Up "Northern Flurry" embossing folder, but upside down to deboss the image. This makes indents, rather than a raised surface. In the indented areas only, I spread some TH Rock Candy Distress Stickles, as I didn't have the rock candy crackle paste to spread over the whole tag.  I also spritzed some Perfect Pearl "Pearl" Mist over the whole surface once the stickles was dry. Finally I randomly stamped some snowflakes with Versamark and embossed with clear irridescent EP.  It's so shimmery - wish the camera could capture it!

Tim's snowman stamp is inked in black, then I covered the image with self-adhesive acrylic and fussy cut all around. I wrapped some red baker's twine around the neck to look like a scarf, and diecut a snowflake from  SU Silver Glittery paper to place on his body. The rhinestone snowflake is a dollar store find.

Beneath the snowman, I tore a strip of paper rounding it to give the impression of snow, stamped the verse, and sponged around the edge with Broken China. Added the silver rickrack, and some SU Mica Flakes.

double click to enlarge pic

Sharon
Nov.17/2011

Challenges
Top Tip Tuesday - Tags
Stamps are Us - Bling it on
Whoopsie Daisy - Colours of winter

Santa Paws

The Stamptacular Sunday Challenge this week is a sketch challenge:

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The 2 stamp, clear mini set is by Inkadinkadoo #60-30592 "Santa Dog"  There is also a verse "santa claus is coming to town"; however, I created a verse in Wordpad changing it to "santa paws is coming to town" for a touch of humour.

I created a scene with tree and snowflake stamps, stamped the dog image in the middle, and coloured it with Copic markers. Tim Holtz DI "Weathered Wood" was sponged around the edge. I added CrystalGlaze to the dog's nose, belt and jingle bell, along with white fun flock on the dog's coat.  Star Dust Stickles was applied along the snow lines. I also embellished it with a north pole arrow  brad, green twine and a star button.

The tree and striped paper is from a 6x6 pad Basic Grey "Eskimo Kisses". The red star paper is from 6x6 pad Basic Grey "Jovial".  Martha Stewart Edge punch.

I'm going to give this card to Alex, the owner of the doggy day care where my dog, Penny, boards when we are on vacation and has grooming.

Here's a tip for  Top Tip Tuesday

After using Stickles or Crystal Glaze, this is what I do. I unbend a paper clip to make a straight piece of metal, insert it in the tip of the Stickles and pull upward clearing out any residue, then replace the cap.This makes it much easier to start the product the next time I use it.

Sharon

Nov.8/2011

Challenge

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #137 - sketch

Cards for Men #23- Its Nearly Christmas

Oldie but Goodie - Buttons and Bows

Top Tip Tuesday -Anything Goes Christmas (see Tip in above post)

Tim Holtz Alterations Snow Flurries Edge die

The Tim Holtz snow flurries edge die is also a new toy I recently purchased. I used SU Glittery Silver paper for the die and the snowflakes.  The paper is 12x12 and comes two sheets to a package. I'm loving it!!! The glitter does not come off when using it for die and punch cutting, and it's so SPARKLY!!!!

The stamped image underneath the oval aperture (cut with Nesties) is a Penny Black cling stamp #40-030 "Wish for Peace". I inked it with SU "Not Quite Navy".  I also used Silver Stickles on the image but they seem to pick up the navy blue, rather than being silver - not quite pleased with that!  The embossed snowflake background is a SU folder from last year's catalogue.

My daughter and husband were home visiting for the weekend. The guys are outside doing some carpentry on our garage, so we did some stamping and each made a couple of these cards. She has previously done a little stamping, but not much, so I thought this design would be fairly easy for her.  She was pleased with her efforts and now she has a couple of handmade cards to send out.

Sharon
Nov.6/2011

Double click to enlarge pic

Challenges:

Winter Wonderland - Make your card Glitter/Sparkle

Cas-ual Fridays #27 - panel or design over edge of card

Trash to Treasure Blog Give-away

Linda is a having a birthday give-away on her blog Trash to Treasure. Check out the link by clicking on the title of this post to see the wonderful goodies she is offering and to read what is required. There is a BONUS too, which I would like to be part of as well.

Sharon
Nov. 6, 2011

New Dove Sizzix Die and Embossing Folder combo

I recently ordered this new Sizzix die and embossing folder combo #657361. The dove is quite large when cut - about 4-1/2" wide. After you cut the die, you place it in the embossing folder exactly within the "frame" of the design to create the beautiful embossed pattern. There are several other combos just released - a star, ornament, holly leaves and snowman.  I think they are all very pretty!

Here is the card I created with the dove. I sponged Tim Holtz Tea Dye distress ink all over the raised embossed areas, applied German Glass Glitter to the wing portions, along with a pearl brad, pearl for the eye and ribbon bow on the neck. The verse is embossed directly on the background paper with Fine Gold EP.

The christmas cards I'm recently making will actually be mailed. So I'm trying to keep my embellishments to a minimum to reduce the postage costs of thicker envies.

Sharon
Nov. 6/2011

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Challenges:

Winter Wonderland - Make your card sparkle

Truly Scrumptious #69 - Bingo Challenge. I used the bottom third row -glitter, punch/die-cuts/ribbon

Really Reasonable Ribbon #35 Christmas Theme ribbon/lace trim

CCEE#1144 - four embellishments (ribbon, lace, pearl brad, german glass glitter
.

Christmas Tree Cards

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I found this template for a christmas tree shaped card on-line; however, it didn't download and print off correctly. So I had to go ahead,draw and cut one myself which took a bit of time. It's an odd shape when laid out flat before scoring and folding. After making the first card, I also decided to cut a layer somewhat smaller to glue the bits of paper and ribbon to that piece, then attach it to the main card layer.  This makes it easier to tuck the ends of the ribbon behind, concealing them and making a clean finish.

 It's a great card for using up those small bits of left over paper, scraps of ribbon/lace and your decorative punches!  The pink card on the left has stickles on the dots along the bottom and around the loops of the punched piece which is hard to see in the pic.

I stamped inside "Have yourself a merry little Christmas!"

Sharon
Nov.1/2011

Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #35 -Christmas

Tim Holtz Inspired Halloween Tag

I was reading the current Grungy Monday challenge at Studio L3 - Tim Holtz in 10! and thought I would give it a try. Now this is quite a challenge for sure! I planned out the design, set the timer for 10 minutes, then got to it.

I cut out the raven using my Cricut and the "October 31st" cartridge, then cut a 3"x6" piece of Tim's halloween word paper from his Idea-ology 12 x 12 paper pad, ripped both ends, and applied it to a tag. Sponged Spiced Marmalade DI around the edge, followed by Black Soot DI.  I already had a stash of grungeboard bookplates cut from Tim's Alterations Tag die, so this saved a minute or two. Rubbed Versamark over the bookplate and covered it with black EP in which I mixed a few specs of Stampendous Frantage Mica Fragments. They bond when the EP is melted.  You have to be careful and gentle with the heat gun doing this technique - the first time I tried it, the mica bits blew all over the place!

I used my oval punch to cut an orange background for the bookplate, sponged it lightly with Black Soot DI and affixed the numbers (Doodlebug 123's) in the centre. They are sort of white coloured but  pick up the orange shade when glued down. Copper brads on each end, and foam tape pop up the bookplate.

I also cut out a little sign "trick or treat" from Tim's Idea-ology paper, covered it with self-adhesive acrylic, placed it behind the bookplate and underneath the raven.

Finally, I applied Black Stickles glitter to the wing portions of the raven, along with black eyelash fibres and orange glittery ribbon to the top of the tag.

The timer rang when I was applying the stickles and I hadn't covered as much as I wanted, so it probably took an actual 12 minutes to finish. Is this OK for the challenge??  I have never moved so quickly while stamping/creating!!!! LOL

So, thanks Linda for this challenge....it was fun.

double click to enlarge pic

Sharon
October 22/2011

CHALLENGES:

Studio L3 Grungy Monday - Tim in 10

Gingersnap Creations GC123 - Ravens

Going Grey with Scrap-creations Challenge - Tags

All Sorts - Week 128 Halloween

Autumn Trio

On Saturday past, I had a card making afternoon and created three autumn themed cards.

I began by using a new clear stamp by Inkadinkadoo- "Corn Stalks" #60-30561. First of all, I sponged Tim Holtz distress inks Scattered Straw and Spiced Marmalade on glossy C/S, then I embossed the image in black which created fall colours in the plants and the yellow harvest moon. I cut it out with Spellbinders circles.
I embossed Coordination paper with the Cuttlebug Pumpkin Harvest folder #37-1906, sanded the embossed areas, and sponged TH Spiced Marmalade on the leaves and pumpkins. The edge was distressed with TH distressing tool and sponged with the same two colours of inks.

Each card I created a little differently with brads, rafia, punches, crocheted edged ribbon, Sizzix Sizzlet pumpkin & oak leaf dies, chipboard phrase, Spellbinder scallop circles, Spellbinder Curved Rectangle nesties, etc.  The two bottom cards have the fall verse label on  the inside.

The verse label is also a new Inkadinkadoo clear set that contains two phrase stamps- "Autumn Verses" #60-30566.

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I am entering the first card "Fall Gold" into the following challenges:

-Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: "Fall Photo Inspiration  #132

-Friday Mashup #26: Fall & Brad

-Dragon Den: Fall into Colour

-Pals Paper Arts #113: Heat Embossing

Sharon

Oct. 3/2011