Get Well Angel

 

This is the second angel in the Christian Angels (#448) stamp set at Sparkle N Sprinkle.  The sentiment is from Sparkle N Sprinkle's Just For You set (#444).  The angel was embossed with Gold Coast embossing powder (also SNS) on watercolor paper and colored with H2O twinkling watercolor paints.   The cardstock is Bazzill.  Complete instructions can be found on the Sparkle N Sprinkle website here.  This angel could be used for so many occasions and is just as cute as the Christmas angel.  I can't wait to use the third one, the bride, for a shower card - maybe after the holiday rush.  Thanks for looking!

Christmas Angel

This is the newest stamp set from Sparkle N Sprinkle called Christian Angels (set #448) and I couldn't wait to use this one of the three angels for one of my Christmas cards!  All three angels are absolutely precious, but I thought this one deserved a heavenly background.  Complete instructions for this card can be found here at the Sparkle N Sprinkle website. 

Snowflakes

Why does time between Thanksgiving and Christmas always seem so compacted?  I wish there were two months inbetween!  It's a roller coaster ride from here on out!  So some simple snowflakes seemed like just the thing.  This is an older set from Stampin Up called the Snowflake Spot, but it is so similar to the new Serene Snowflakes.  I embossed them with Sparkle N Sprinkle's Ice Rink and Sparkling Sky and then added some more Snowflakes with Sparkling Snow Glitter.  The cardstock is Baja Breeze and the snowflake punch is EK Success.  The sentiment is SU, but I don't know which one because I put all my sentiments in one container for easy access.  Just think, all this rain we've been having could have been snow!

Kris Kringle

I really should have called this the "not-so-simple simple card".  What started out as a quick card using another digi, this one by Squigglefly, ended up by my adding and adding this and that and Oh! that too!  The ornaments are cut with my Silhouette and as you can probably tell, I had to add the sentiment by hand with a gold gel pen.  And of course, there are lots of Sparkle N Sprinkle supplies too - Snow White Flocking on Kris's hat, Crystal Ice glitter on his beard, and Sequin Gold glitter on the ornaments.  The background paper is from The Paper Studio and the frame around Kris is a sticker frame from Flower Soft.  Have a great week!

Sparkle N Sprinkle "It's a Cultural Thing" Blog Hop

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle It's A Cultural Thing blog hop!

If you hopped here by way of Karin then you are in the right place!  Otherwise, you might want to start from the beginning (right here) to become eligible for four great prizes.

I’m proud to say that this is my first Blog Hop, and that I’m one of nine new designers for Sparkle N Sprinkle.  So in addition to some of your favorite designers at SNS, you will see a lot of fresh, new ideas for using Sparkle N Sprinkle products!

All of the stamp sets used in this blog hop are on special this month – 15% off all Asian, Design Elements, Medallions, and Andrea Roberts stamps.  You have until midnight, November 11, to participate!

Since I have a few “Rockers” in my family, I chose the set Rock N Roll (#428) for my cards. The culture of rock music in America is as diverse as the population itself.  For my first card, I chose a Metallica album cover as my inspiration.

 

 The background paper is created by first embossing with Americana embossing powder (EP396) using a paint brush and Versamark refill.  On top of that, I embossed the notes and bass and treble clefs using Silver Detail embossingpowder (EP257).  To complete the “heavy metal” look, I used Silver Mirror cardstock to frame the guitar and the sentiment. Complete instructions can be found here.

                          

My second card is representative of Latin Rock music by Santana (music that I’m more familiar with but I’m sure that is not in my nephew’s or son’s repertoire).  

Latin Rock originated in California and quickly spread to all corners of the country. 

The reds and yellows on this card are created using four colors of Memento inks and sponged on white cardstock using daubers.  The textures are created using an embossing folder (Allegro), Nestabilities Deckled Rectangles and embossing powders (Copper MountainEP370, Pineapple EP122, and Firecracker Red EP291).  Complete instructions can be found here.

Thank you so much for visiting and letting me share “It’s a Cultural Thing” in Rock Music!  Don't forget to leave a comment in order to become eligible for a prize.  Now let’s hop over to Marie’s for more awesome ideas!

Happy Holidays

I wasn't going to post this one, since I needed to quickly get my last three German cards together for my standing order of eight German cards, but he turned out kind of cute, so here he is.  I have to admit, I cheated.  Yes, I used a pre-colored digi stamp!  This one is by Inger Harding and he is just too cute.  The snowflake is cut with my Silhouette and the card itself is a digi pattern by Martine McKnight called Winter Wonderland.  It printed out the perfect size so that all I had to do was fold it in half and the backside of the card is patterned too!  A little glitter, some ribbon, and a computer generated sentiment cut into a tag and tied on with silver wire and you have a super quick card.  Stay tuned...... I'm on a roll.

Letters to Santa

Being with my 2 year old and 5 year old grandsons on a daily basis, I'm constantly reminded of the magic of Christmas - Christmas as seen through the eyes of a child.  There's the mailing of a letter to Santa.  Then there is watching a deer cross the road in front of us as Carter asks if that is Santa's reindeer and just at that moment the big buck stops and stares at us as we drive on.  Yes, I said, he's checking on you and reporting back to Santa.  And then last week Carter followed the chimney sweep out the door asking if it's true that the chimney has to be cleaned so that Santa can come down easier.  This is so much better than concentrating on the shopping!
The digi image I used on this card is by Elizabeth Belle and was colored with pencils.  Sparkle N Sprinkle's Sparkling Snow Glitter on the snow and Snow White Flocking on her hat and coat don't show well in the photo, but add some nice texture.  Stampin Up's Hello Doily in the background is done with Winter White Embossing powder (also Sparkle N Sprinkle), which has a nice subtle glitter to it too.  The dark green scalloped circle (Nestabilities) and the dark green flourish (Silhouette) are embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle's Opaline.  Then last but not least is the Poinsettia die by Spellbinders and stamp by Heartfelt Creations.  You would not believe how many Poinsettias I had spread out on my table and none of them filled the space quite right.  Then yesterday the dies and stamp set came in the mail and I KNEW that was going to be perfect! Thanks for looking - back to the drawing board for me!
I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Christmas Inspirations - Bow
Card Makin Mamas - Die Cut
Cheers & Challenges Eclectic Ensemble - 4 Embellishments
4 Crafty Chicks - Die Cuts
Paper Crafting Journey -Use a Digi

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello!  Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I have a lot to be thankful for, I thought I'd throw in this quick card made with an old Stampin Up set, Little Layers II.  I've been fretting over the composition of a Christmas card for over a week now so this was a nice break - a clean and simple card.  The background is stamped with Apricot Appeal and Pumpkin Pie on a peach colored cardstock and mounted on Early Espresso.   The pumpkin is colored with "mixed media" - Copics, Prismacolor markers, and colored pencils.  I didn't seem to have the right shades in any one category.  I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture, but the pumpkin is covered with Glossy Accents.  A nice chocolate ribbon from JoAnn's and a corner punch on the inside cardstock and it's done!  And the bonus was, I got an order for eight of them.  Who would have thought?

I'm BACK!

Where has the month gone?  I can't believe it's been 4 weeks since I last posted!  I have several projects laying around just half done, so I promise, there IS one coming soon.  But first I have to show off my precious little Maggie, who's been with me exactly one year now. At the beginning of the month, I came home one day to find a squirrel perched on the curtain rod above the crate that she stays in when I'm gone.  I have a neighbor who criticizes me for caging Maggie, but I have never been so glad she was safe from the rampages of that squirrel on that day.  There were knicknacks broken everywhere, including oriental antique plates, and picture frames knocked off the piano, but my Maggie was safe.  I opened the patio door, grabbed Maggie, and ran upstairs to safety.  I saved my Maggie from the wild beasts!  Of course, I had to call Critter Control, only to find out that the squirrels were coming in the roof vent, climbing down between the walls, and coming out the hole in my laundry room.  He managed to trap four of them on the roof, but the roof repair man was sitting in my driveway when I came home a week later and said he couldn't go up on the roof to fix it because there was a squirrel in a trap up there.  He said he had visions of me coming home to find him flat on his back on the ground with squirrel bites and scratches all over him.  Really?  A squirrel attack by a trapped squirrel?  Could that be as bad as a bear attack? On the roof no less?  Lucky for him, Critter Control came by shortly to remove the trap so he could get his work done. 
So now that Maggie and I are safe again, Mom is home from the hospital and recuperating nicely,  the roof is fixed, and the dishes are done from Mom and Dad's birthday dinner, it's back to the crafting table I go..........

Western Elegance

Yes, it's an oxymoron, but that's what my friend's wedding was - Western Elegance.  They even rode in on horses for the ceremony.  It's her birthday this month and since she is probably one of my oldest and dearest friends (over 30 years), I wanted to make her card special.  I cased this card from Linda Duke (Works of Heart) who had done a Father's Day card with a masculine shirt.  I hand drew the bib part to look more feminine and made myself a template.  Then I embossed the bib with a stamp set from Craft 2000 and Sparkle N Sprinkle's Gold Coast EP (#364).  I sponged all the pieces with a gold from Colorbox, added misc rhinestones and buttons and now all I have to do is add a verse inside.
I will be entering the following challenges:
Anything Goes at Anything Goes
Going Grey with Scrap-Creations
Try it on Tuesday
Paper Sundaes
Paper Shelter

Pumpkin Harvest

I know, I know.... I said I don't usually do fall cards.....but I discovered all sorts of possibilities in my fall digi files. This one is from Karen's Doodles and she has some fabulous Christmas digis too!  Or maybe I was just having too much fun with my watercolor pencils?  I left it with no sentiment so that I can add that later for an appropriate occasion.  The image background is finished with pearl chalks and cut out with Spellbinder's Curvy Rectangles.  The brown wood DP is Bo Bunny, but I have no idea what the rest of the papers are - let's just say "from my stash".  The flowers are colored with H2O twinkling paints (I like to buy natural flowers and color as needed) and layered with the Martha Stewart leaf punch.  The tiny little flowers I bought at convention in sprays and cut them off the stems. And, of course, I HAVE to add bling with the rhinestone flower centers!
I will be entering this card in the following challenges:
I Brake for Challenges - Fall
Crafting for all Seasons - Fall
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - Fall
 Scrapbook Sisters - Autumn Colors
Tuesday Throwdown -Fall
 Digi Doodles Shops Best - Autumn Colors
Delightful Challenges - Fall
The Crafty Purple Frog - Fall
4 Crafty Chicks - Fall
Crafts 4 Eternity - Autumn Days

A Touch of Fall

Just had to take a break from Christmas - and I'm usually not much of a fall theme card person, but it was a nice break.  This digi is from Fred She Said, which I've had quite a while.  I would love to have that arrangement on my dining room table!  It is colored with watercolor pencils and cut with a circle cutter (didn't have a Nestie that big).  The background cardstock is Old Olive, Espresso, and probably an "In-Color" from SU that I didn't mark.  The fall leaves DP is from The Paper Studio and the sentiment is Stampin Up.  The lace was half price at Hobby Lobby and then dyed with Lumiere metallic paint in Bronze.  I do have a couple of close friends with September birthdays - this will be perfect!  Thanks for looking!
I will be entering this card in the following challenges:
Crazy 4 Challenges - Fall colors
Digistamps4joy - the colors of fall
Happileigh Scrappin - Fall leaves
The Crafty Pad - Autumn Colors
Lexi's Creations - Autumn
Digital Tuesday - Celebrate the Season
Digi Doodle Shop -Autumn Colors

Vespa Santa

Love this Santa by Elizabeth Dulemba!  Quite a break from the traditional Santa - this guy is ROCKIN'!  I have no idea where I got the background DP, but it seemed to give the little Vespa movement!  Unfortunately I had only enough for 5 of the cards, the rest are done with the paper shown below in version 2.  My goal is to make 10 each of 10 designs.  I may not have time for fall cards. Santa and Vespa are colored with a combination of Copics markers, Prismacolor markers, colored pencils, and gel pens.  Since I don't have a large collection of any of these I had to combine the media. The sentiment is from Happy Everything by Inkadinkadoo. The cardstock is Gable Green and Real Red by SU.
Here is version 2:

And for the German friends and relatives it will say "Frohe Festtage!"
I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Sparkles Forum Christmas Challenge #8 - Santa
Winter Wonderland - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Cuddly Buddly - Add a tag
Crafters Companion - Christmas wishes
Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge #51 - Ho Ho Ho
Oldie But a Goodie - Christmas in September

Wintry Scene

 

My first sponged scene!  I bought this stamp at Sparkle N Sprinkle in Florida last November while visiting my sister in Sarasota.  We took a class together in their tiny little front room and now I understand that they have expanded - I can't wait to go see their new space when I'm there at Christmas!  I think the name of the stamp is Paul Polar Bear.  I stamped and masked him and the snow part  and moon before sponging with SU Ballet Blue, Brocade Blue, and Night of Navy and Memento's Summer Sky, Danube Blue and Paris Dusk.  Then I stamped the little trees in the background with Night of Navy.  I then took all the masks off, tore another mask for the Ballet Blue sponging in the snow and stamped the sentiment (also Sparkle N Sprinkle).  Then I took a toothbrush and white ink to tap a little snow into the sky.  Lastly, I used Sparkle N Sprinkle's Brushable glue to cover the bear and sprinkled Twinkling Clouds (also Sparkle N Sprinkle) flocking.  I layered the scene on Glitter paper, SU Brocade Blue and Night of Navy.  It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Do you Stack Up - Critters

Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes

Sweet Stampin' - Anything but Birthday

Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes

Peaceful Holiday

Last year I ran out of Christmas cards and had to make a "quickie" at the last minute.  Below is the white card that I threw together using a Delicious Doodles digi and cased from someone on SCS, but I don't remember who.  I liked it so much that I decided to make some more and change it up a bit.  I used Marina Mist cardstock and Fiskars, Heidi Grace Frost Blvd DP.  I used watercolor pencil in blue to highlight parts of the image and covered it using Tacky Powder and glitter from my stash.  The ornament is SU punch and various snowflake stamps which I embossed with White Jewels after embossing the Peace in silver.  On to the next one!
I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Christmas Crafting - Sparkle
Christmas Inspirations - Glitter
Crafters Companion - Christmas Wishes
Stampin for the Weekend  - Holidays
Divas by Design - Christmas in August
Card Makin Mamas - Digital
One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi
Stamp Something - Digi
Cute Card Thurs - Use a punch

Christmas #1

My first Christmas card of the year!  Woo-hoo!  I'm late - I usually start in June.  I cased this card from a card I found last year on SCS by BFinlay.  I've waited all this time to try it!  I need to make 10 more and then I'll move on to the next card (I get bored easily).  I may change the ribbon color on the next one to Cherry Cobbler or white.  I used SU Old Olive and Whisper White.  The Dies are Spellbinders Labels Two and Parisian Accents.  The punch for the tree is Martha Stewart (Thank you Terry for finding it for me!) I used a Cuttlebug folder for the background.  The decorations on the tree are Frosted Lace stickles, plus a clear star and red rhinestones.  More to come!
I will be entering this card in the following challenges:
Sparkle Creations Christmas Card Challenge
Craftyhazelnuts  - Build it up
Divas by Design
Winter Wonderland
Crafts 4 Eternity

CDAC Progressive Challenge #1 -Card 2

Whew!  The creative process was slow on this one.  I had it on the table for over a week and every time I walked past, I moved things around.  I finally decided to start gluing things down and get it over with.  The deadline for Challenge 1 is this week so I HAD to go for it.  The cardstock colors are SU So Saffron, Lovely Lilac, and Orchid Opulence.  The background paper is from Juno's Lavender Twist collection.  The swirls are made with my Silhouette and the sentiment is computer generated and sponged with Memento Cantaloupe and Dandelion.  It it layered on Spellbinder's Fancy Tags Two.  The lace on Priscilla Style's Fan was white lace from my stash that was sprayed with Tattered Angels Lavender Fields Glimmer Mist.  I was hoping to get more cards made for this round of the CDAC Progressive Challenge, but time is running out.  I can't wait to see what digis are available for the next round! Thanks for looking!
I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafts and Me - Lace
Digi Doodle Shop Challenges - Anything Goes
Lothian Crafts Challenge 17
The Paper Shelter - Die Cuts and Punches
Tuesday Throwdown - Dimension and Texture

CDAC Progressive Challenge #1

Created with another new first today!  I needed a cake themed background for this cute little digi from Digistamps 4 Joy and of course didn't have anything.  So I went online and found a digi scrapbooking shop called Scrapgirls and reduced this paper called "Piece of Cake" to a card size topper!  Voila!  Instant DP!  The cardstocks are SU Tempting Turquoise, Blush Blossom, and So Saffron.  I used PK Glitz Glue powder to attach SU Dazzling Diamonds to the Tempting Turqoise for the image layer and the sentiment circle (done with Inkscape).  The image was colored with colored pencils and Pebbles Chalks.  The scalloped piece of DP is SU Sunny Garden.  The Happy Birthday stamp is Hero Arts.  I wish I knew someone with a birthday this month!
I am entering this card into the following challenges:
CDAC Progressive Challenge #1
Card Makin Mamas - Birthday
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
Paper Playtime - Anything Goes

Reds Fan Birthday

Grandson Carter turned 5 this week.  This amazing little man can tell you the full name of every Cincinnati Reds player, his number, and position.  So of course his birthday was baseball themed! This is one of the three cards I made - the other two were given to him by Uncle Eric and Great-Grandma (Oma).

The baseball player was a Fiskar's "Batter Up" stamp and the baseball was a brad.  Both were popped up onto the designer paper, as was the "Happy Birthday".  The bottom DP is from Stampin Up's Celebrations pack and the top is from a Christmas pack I've had for a while and can't remember the name of.  The cardstock and ink is Riding Hood Red from SU.  The white cardstock is from Walmart, with the center stripe having been run through the crimper.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafts and Me Challenge 47 - Make it Count
Craft Your Days Away Challenge 26 - Birthdays
Birthday Sundaes  Challenge 21 - Birthday Card
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge 61 - Birthday
A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 162 - Happy Birthday
Divas by Design Challenge 8 - Birthday

Wedding Anniversary

I made this card for a very good friend to give to her parents for their anniversary. I cased it from a card by  Doodledop at Splitcoaststampers.  It looks ivory in the picture, but it's actually white. The gold cardstock is SU brushed gold.  The background paper is made with SU Elements of Style as are the hearts.  Hearts are a SU punch and butterflies are Martha Stewart punch.  Die cuts are Spellbinders Fleur De Lis and Labels One. Labels One and hearts are edged with Krylon gold leafing pen.

90th Birthday

Created this card last week for a friend who had to attend a 90th birthday party.  I have always loved all the lacy cards I've seen and this is my first attempt at one.  I love Fred She Said digital images and have been wanting to color one for ages.  It is colored with H20 twinkling paints. The dies are Spellbinders Beaded Ovals and Parisian Accents.  The lattice punch is Martha Stewart. 

Life is.....

I was "commissioned" to make two romantic cards, along with some pet sympathy cards, by a kennel in a nearby town.  I had a hard time because "romantic" can mean many different things to different people.  She ended up liking the card, thank goodness, and the bonus for me was winning top 3 choice in the "Dog Days of Summer" challenge by Digital Delights by Louby Loo's Delightful Challenges.  I hope to get my badge to display soon.  The image is a free one from Crafting with Sue blog and was watercolored with H20 twinkling paints.  The DP is from the DCW Far East Stack and the cardstock from SU.  The embellishments are misc stash I had on hand.