IT'S A CULTURAL THING!

Hi there!  I'm so glad you are joining the Sparkle N Sprinkle Team for another Blog Hop - this time round "It's a Cultural Thing".  Today we are celebrating all of America's customs and cultures, so you're bound to find something that appeals to you among the many designers' blogs.  We have a few newbie designers, which I'm looking forward to viewing and of course our Golden Oldies are with us for one more round!

If you got here by way of one of our new designers, Amanda Reed, then you are in the correct place, but if you didn't, then you really need to go back to the start of the blog hop at the Sparkle N Sprinkle home page in order to be eligible for the Grand Prize.  You also need to leave comments on all of the designers' blogs to be able to pick up one of the three other possible prizes.  Good luck and now let's get going!

We had a few options for our Blog Hop theme this time round, to celebrate American diversity.  Being Scottish, I felt it would be appropriate for me to embrace one of the many other countries that join me in sharing your great America, so I chose to make my two cards from Asian Set 300.  Of course, as always, the stamps that we are highlighting this month are on sale.

For my first card, I used Umbrella Geisha, and colored her with Copics.  For the background I stamped the willow branch, several times, using the thumping technique.  You can see full instructions on how to make this card right here.

For my second card, I decided to have a try at another fun fold, this time it is the "Side Spring Card".  Here is how it came out!  It has 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" dimensions, although it appears smaller when completed.  This was definitely one of the more fun fold cards to put together!  You have to give it a try!  Click here, to get the full instructions.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Remember to leave a much appreciated comment here, so that you have a chance to pick up one of the three extra prizes as well as the Grand prize.  Once you've done that, you should jump on over to  Angie Blasingame, who is another talented newbie for our Design Team, to see what she has in store for you.

Have a great day!

Double Z-Fold Card

Today I am sharing a birthday card that I made yesterday.  My good friend, Donna Ellis, forwarded some card ideas including this Double Z-Fold card, which immediately caught my attention!  The tutorial, by Beate Johns, is very easy to follow and I can just tell you that you'll be seeing a few more of these types of cards coming from me!

I needed a birthday card for a special family friend, Nathan.  He's the kids' old Choir Director, so it had to be music-related.  I recently picked up the Sissix Sizzlits Sheet Music Decorative Strip and so I decided to incorporate that into my card.  After die cutting, I placed it along a strip of Sparkle N Sprinkle's 2 1/2" Tear-ific Tape (SAT11) and then I applied Fantasy Gold Glitter (G1001).  That became the border along the top of the card.

I made my own music note out of the brown background card  and covered the stem in Versamark and then heat embossed with Sparkle embossing powder (EP107).  The sentiments are both from Set 416 - Happy Birthday and were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with Detail Gold embossing powder (EP168).  The little notes are from Set 175 - Music, which are also embossed with Gold Detail.  I cut out the saying with Spellbinders Lacey Circles and applied Versamark and heat embossed with Sparkle again.

Here is the end result:

You have to give this a try - it really is much easier than it looks!  For any of the fine products used in this card just pop on over to Sparkle N Sprinkle!   Thanks for stopping by.

WORLD ANIMAL DAY

W(OOF)ELCOME to our Sparkle and Sprinkle World Animal Day Blog Hop!  I'm so glad you've taken time out of your busy day to come see what we are doing with our products over at Sparkle N Sprinkle.  Today we are honoring all our two and four-legged friends (oh, I guess there are six, eight and one hundreds too - hopefully they are not that smart - so they won't sue me!!)) that share the planet earth with us.

Here is the in-order-list of the Blog Hop this month:

SNS Home Blog

Patti White 

Sandy Meier 

Barbara Bruder

Dawn Thomas

Judy Rozema

Julie Zippel 

Karalee Ingram

Karin Martin

Marie Berquist

You're here

Linda Loew 

So, you're on the final stretch, and should have galloped over from Marie Berquist's  blog to get to here.  If you have come here without seeing all the other blogs, you will want to go back to the SNS Home Page to be eligible for one of the two prizes this month - a stamp set of your choice.  Winners will be announced on Wednesday, the 5th of October (between 11 am and 3 pm) on the SNS Blog.

For this Blog Hop, the Design Team had an in-house challenge to use Spellbinders in our animal cards.  I was in!!   I don't really know how I made a card pre-Spellbinders!!  I just love my Grand Calibur!  So I just went wild (animal) - I love to use the Grand Spellbinders as a base of a card and my first card today is no exception!

I had so much fun creating this.  I had used the Mirror Stamp in my last blog and was thinking "What could I fit in that heart shape Tent Topper?".  I just think the giraffes fit quite nicely into the space - don't you?  To find complete directions on how to do this card, just click here.   

I felt that I had to give our two-legged friends some love too!  So for my second card I used a few other images from the Set 275 - Critters, along with the Oval Spellbinders.  Oh and don't forget - my embossing painting.  Yes, I know I really need to get that Tutorial up.  After doing a rather mono-chromatic card - I really wanted the next to be super colorful.  I hope that I succeeded!

 

I wish the Blog Hops weren't so close together this time - as I could go on forever with animal cards!  I do have a big month of birthdays coming up.  Two brothers and umpteen friends!  So maybe I'll just go let my animal instincts go wild in my stamping room - after all - it already looks like a stampede just ran through it!!  LOL

Well that's all for now folks!  Remember to leave a comment for me here now, and at the SNS home blog, after you have visited the incredibly talented Linda Loew.  Thanks again for stopping by!

MAGICAL WINTER MOMENTS

Hi there, so glad you have stopped by for a look at the Sparkle N Sprinkle September Blog Hop.  Now that the temperatures are dropping, along with the first of the leaves, it is time to get a start on those holiday cards.  To make things easier on the pocket book, for the month of September, all of our Christmas & Winter, Christian & Sympathy and Jewish images are on special at 15% off along with some coordinating glitters and embossing powders.

So let's get on with the show!  If you came here by way of the amazing Linda Loew,  then you are on the right trail, but if not, in order to be eligible for the Grand Prize, plus three other prizes, you should go back and begin your tour at the SNS home page.

For my first card I decided to use our new Playful Pengies set.  So many fun images in this set, I know a good few of my Christmas cards this year will be made from this set.  This month I challenged myself to think outside the box (or should I say card), so I decided to make a Gatefold card using this set:

Here is the finished card:

If you wish to give this one a go, you will find  complete instructions here.


 Below, you can see the opened card.  I used a mirror stamp to stamp the penguins for the inside.  Doing this (apart from making the inside cuter) it also helped to steady the card.

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So then for my second card, I decided I would take a stab at creating a Step Card.

I made my own Star of David using the SNS Tear-ific Tapes and lots of glitter!!  Click right here for full details, on how to make my Happy Chanukah card:

 

Thanks again for stopping by today.  Remember to leave a comment for me, to increase your chances of winning!  Then continue on the trail by hopping over to see what my awesome fellow Designer, Barbara Bruder has in store for you.

AUTUMN INSPIRATIONS

Did someone mention Autumn?

Autumn already?!!!  Are you  kidding!  I am so, not ready, for the kids going back to school, because that means 5 am wake-ups, and I'm kind of enjoying the fact that I don't even "have" to get up at 6, when my body tells me that I really "should"!!  I have to say, when they are at school, so much more gets done around the house, garden and definitely the stamping room!!  It's still certainly nice to have a three month break, don't you think?

If you fell from the tree of Patti White, then you are in the right place, if not, you may want to go back to the SNS home page, so you start at the beginning to make sure you don't miss out on picking up all the possible prizes.  There will be one Grand Prize and five extra prizes, on five of the designers' blog spots.  I hope I have a surprise hiding for you, so make sure you leave a comment for me!   

On to business!  When asked to re-purpose stamps for an Autumn Blog Hop,  I hung on to the thought of summer as long as I could!  For my first card, I decided to use autumn colors with some summer elements, including flowers and butterflies.    

I decided to make some flowers, with a more Autumn feel to them, by embossing coffee filters with three different "fall-themed" embossing powders.  To learn how to make these fun little flowers, you can find a complete tutorial on the Sparkle N Sprinkle website, right here.  Then I found this great butterfly designer paper, that also echoed fall's colors, and then the card took flight!  I also incorporated one of Sparkle N Sprinkle's new sets Thoughtful Frames. And.... here is the result.

All the details on how to make the above card can be found here:

Now for card number two!  I decided, I'd really like to go totally fall, but bring in some "fun" element - (after my daughter played Snoopy in the Church musical - I decided puppies could be a good choice!!)  So what to do with some pups?  Fall pups .... have them playing in a pile of leaves?  Yep, that sounds like it might work!  I used our new SNS 2 1/2" tape to make a backdrop for the many choices of SNS's flocking!!  With a background of Blissful Blue for sky, Palm Leaf for the grass and Amber Wheat for the leaves, just add the punched out leaves and pups, using glue and dimensionals.  Frame the fun with Spellbinders Grand Large Labels, embossed with my all time favorite Sparkle Embossing Powder!

 

Full details of how to make my doggie framed picture can be found right here.  Don't you just want to jump in those leaves with them?

Well, that's all from me, now you have to jump into that pile of leaves and see if you can find Donna.  She is sure to be brewing up something in her caldron, "witch" you'll find extra creepy!  Remember to leave a comment, here, and at the SNS home blog to be eligible for the prizes!



  

Coffee with a Twist!!

With all the new fancy coffee machines that are now out on the market, are you one of those, looking around and saying "So now what will I do with those left-over coffee filters?"  Well, if you are, apart from being great embossing powder catchers, while embossing, I've found an even more "fun" way to use them!

  JUST EMBOSS THEM .... then make pretty flowers out of them!!!!  And yes, it's just that easy!

For my first set of flowers, I went with fall colors:

Sparkle N Sprinkle Embossing Powders:

Bronze Rose (EP335)
Gold Coast (EP364)
Frosted Juniper (EP406)

Start by flattening out a coffee filter, it doesn't have to be totally flat, as the creases etc., add more texture to the end result.  Using a well-inked Versamark pad, ink up the coffee filter.



Then sprinkling on one of the EP's at a time, returning each of them to the jar between colors,  totally cover the filter in three (or more embossing powders).

So I started with Bronze Rose, then added the Gold Coast (remembering to put each back in their jar before adding the next color). 











Then I covered the entire filter with the last color, which in this case was Frosted Juniper.  It will stick to the Versamark where there was no powder before.

Then heat emboss for a lovely shimmery look.  (The back will look like wax paper).

     

     Now isn't that pretty???

Place the filter shiny side up on top of the cutting side of the Grand Calibur Plate.  

Using Spellbinders Rose Creations, place the die cuts, cutting side down on the cutting plate of the Grand Calibur.  Then place the base plate upside down on top, and pass the sandwich through the machine.

Turn over the whole sandwich,  take off the cutting plate and then place the embossing mat and plate over the flowers, and pass through the Grand Calibur to emboss them.

Use a needle to coax the flowers out from the dies.  They will pop out easily!  Note how they feel like wax paper!

Slip a gold brad through the five layers, turning each petal a little, so that they fill in the spaces.  Repeat the last four steps, as many times as you want, to make a bouquet of flowers!!

As you can see, I added a couple of punched-out flowers in the bouquet too!!  So if you don't have the Grand Calibur and flower dies - then just use punches!

Use the needle to punch a hole through the center of each layer and add a brad to make a pretty side-kick for the lovely roses. 

I used the above colored flowers in the Sparkle N Sprinkle Autumn Inspirations Blog Hop, so tune in, on Thursday the 25th of August, to see how the card turned out!



Of course, I couldn't just stop there for the tutorial, how about these colors for another "fall" look!!
For the flowers in this card I used Tequila Sunrise (EP239), Verdigris (EP318) and Fall Fiesta (EP148).

 

For a more springy, summery look, of course you just need to change your embossing powder colors:

Here I chose to use:

Kiwi Fruit (EP401)
Melon Twist (EP402)
Spring Willow (EP388)

Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial on Coffee Filter Flowers!  Now go pour a cup  of your favorite brew, and have a try at making your own!!  Remember to check back on Thursday, to see what I did with the first set of flowers!

SPARKLING WINTER SENSATIONS

Hi there, and welcome to our cool Sparkling Winter Sensations Blog Hop!  I hope that you are beating the heat, sitting in front of your computer, with a nice cool drink and blasting the air-conditioner.  Hopefully the SNS's designers' cool creations will chill you down at least for a while, as you go through the Blog Hop and leave comments on each of the designers' blogs, giving you the chance to become eligible for six "hot" prizes!

If you mountain boarded in from Dawn Thomas' blog - then you are on the right ski trail!  If not, take the ski lift back to the Sparkle N Sprinkle blog at http://sparklensprinkle.com/blog/. You don't want to miss out on any chances to win!

For my winter season cards, I wanted to highlight one of my latest favorite products from Sparkle N Sprinkle, the 2 1/2" Tear-ific Tape.   It is a super-quick way to make super cool backgrounds.  For my first card I adhered the tape across a piece of ivory cardstock , then applied Waterfall glitter, to make a sparkly strip to highlight my ornaments!

I also used the tape on the two background ornaments.  After stamping and embossing in gold, I colored in with Copic Markers and then stuck the Tear-ific tape over the front of the entire ornament.  I cut out the ornament using the Spellbinders die cut, which can be purchased as a combo along with the Heirloom Ornament stamp set and then I took off the protective backing and applied Sparkling Snow Glitter.  For complete instructions to make this card, just click here.

The tape is strong enough to hold everything.  In this sample, I colored the same ornament three times and then applied the tape on top of the center ornament in the same way after it was colored.  This time I stuck clear micro beads for a different look.  To see full instructions for this card, click right here.





So now, how about a couple of ornaments!  I stamped the big Joy Ornament from the Heirloom Ornament stamp set, twice in red, and twice in green.  Cover both with the tape again and cut out with the Spellbinders die cut.  Glue the two ornaments together and punch a hole for the thread.  Remove the protective backing and apply the micro beads to both sides.  An easy ornament ready to adorn your Christmas tree this year!  Here they are, and their full instructions are here:

 Joy, Joy, Joy!

For my last card, I switched gears back to a technique that I used in the last SNS blog hop, which was the "embossing painting".  I got many favorable comments on my embossable acetate over the basketball court photo card.  So I thought I'll keep you "oiled", while you wait on my next blog, which I am hoping to get to soon, which will be a tutuorial on the embossing painting technique.  My Christmas card is less complex than the basketball player, so if you tried the technique and were scared off, perhaps try doing this card, and you'll see how easy and effective it can be!

For full instructions on how to create this card , just click here.  Basically, for the embossing painting on the acetate all you do is stamp the tree in Versamark on the embossable acetate and heat emboss with Silver embossing powder. Repeat the process with Merry Christmas, under the tree image and heat emboss with Gold.  Then turn the piece over and using the Penboss marker, paint within the outline of the tree and then heat emboss with Halo embossing powder.  One more step, apply Versamark ink to the same side as the Halo EP and then heat emboss with "my-all- time-favorite, never-be-without" Sparkle embossing powder.  Such a sparkly little number - don't you think?   

Well that is it from me for this Blog Hop.  I hope I am one of "The Five" holding a secondary prize, so please be sure to leave a comment here, before you ski down the mountain to Eleanor Jenkins' blog at http://stampinginva.blogspot.com/ and see what she has in store for you!  Enjoy the cool ride! 

Two Passions in One

Well I came down and looked out the kitchen window this morning.  The deer have been in last night and had themselves quite the gourmet meal!  I now have a sinking feeling in my tummy!  Well, I'll just have to get out the nasty smelling spray, it's raining, so we won't be eating out on the porch today anyway.  As you know, if you've already read my profile, gardening and stamping are two of my favorite passions.  That's why I was furious this morning!  I love taking pictures of my yard, as each new plant comes into bloom (of course, I'll have to wait a couple of weeks now, 'till they come back), but there is usually something new every week.  Today, I want to show how I put the two passions together in my latest card.

Our challenge for this month with Sparkle N Sprinkle, was to create a card using at least one glittery product and a greeting.  I had done a Scrapbooking Convention with Margaret, about a month ago, and we demonstrated on how to add "bling" to photos.  So I decided to go that route for my glittery card.

I took a photo out in my yard and sent it down to Costco, but had it developed in black and white, instead of color.  I took four Copic markers: two pink, RV02 Sugar Almond Pink and RV42 Salmon Pink, 0 the Colorless Blender and G99 Olive and put color back into the photo.




Next I punched the bottom of the photo with the Tulip punch from EK Success.                           

Sparkle N Sprinkle has started to carry this great 2 1/2" tear-ific tape (SAT11).  It is wonderful for making all kinds of backgrounds - just apply it to card stock and remove the protective backing and apply glitter, flocking, tinsel, even beads - it is very sticky and everything sticks to it!  I took this tape and stuck it behind the punched area of the  photo.  I then applied Cyclamen Glitter (G1090) which stuck to the open areas of the punch.

Cut the photo down to 4" x 5 1/4" at this point, so it will fit nicely on to your finished card.  Then using the Quickie Glue Pen draw around the petals and leaves of the roses and add different glitters (one at a time).  For my card, I used Cyclamen (G1090), Bubblegum (G1088) and my all-time favorite SNS Glitter Sparkling Snow (G1003).  When you want some bling, but don't need color - then he's your man!  Put the photo aside at this point to dry (although it only takes five minutes).  Meanwhile make the label for the card.

Take a piece of pink card and stamp your sentiment in Staz-On ink.  I used the saying Happy Birthday to You from the new  Happy Birthday Set 416  from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  A very versatile set, full of great sayings for every birthday occasion!            

Cut and emboss the saying with Spellbinder's Ribbon Tag Trio Two.  Then take a Versamark pad and cover the entire label with the ink.  Heat emboss with the "one and only" Sparkle Embossing Powder.  It gives a lovely sparkly, intensified color to the label.




Thread a piece of white organdy ribbon through the label as shown and using dimensionals attach it to the front of the card.

Tape the ribbon down on the back of the photo with Tear-ific tape and then remove the protective backing of the 2 1/2" tape then you can go ahead and stick it down to your card front.

Here is the finished card:

I hope you have enjoyed making this card with me.  I also hope that you will see the endless possibilities you have with your very own black and white photos.   Have fun!

The "Not So Macho Masculine" Card Blog Hop

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle "Not So Macho Masculine" Card Blog Hop.  If you are anything like me, meaning you cringe every time you have to make a masculine card, then you are in for a treat this month!  This month all the sports, vehicles and school stamp sets are on sale, just in time for Father's Day creations.  If you got here by way of the SNS Home Page then you are heading for a field goal!  If you came directly to me, go back to home plate here at SNS to get all the information you need to be eligible to win a stamp set of your choice and 13 different designer choice goodies!

Throughout my life, I've always been surrounded with sports. Actually, I can't think of many that I haven't tried (well OK. I don't do skydiving, but then I really don't think that should be considered a sport - more like a suicide aid!!).  I grew up with three brothers; enough said!  My Dad is a very keen and reasonably proficient (I would say) golfer.  I met my hubby playing coed softball and my 11 year old is not happy unless there is some kind of sport ball at his finger-tips or toes!  So for me, when I heard masculine theme, I just had to go with Sports.

So for the SNS masculine Blog Hop I decided to highlight Set 257 - Baseball and Basketball.  I have a soon-to-be 11 year old, (next Monday, actually) and his birthday present is going to be a basketball hoop!  Hopefully he'll like the card too!  So, here is my first card, Slam Dunk!

When my hubby and I met, I was the pitcher on the team!  So, I think I'll strike him out again!  Here is my Father's Day card.  For this one I used three of my favorite Sparkle N Softs!  I used Irish Sparkle (for the grass), Blissful Blue (for the sky) and Sparkling Sands (of course for the mound).  Just stick a piece of Tear-ific Tape down and apply the different Sparkle N Softs and you have an instant background!  My personal give-away to add to the Grand Prize today is Irish Sparkle.  Remember to leave a comment at the bottom of each of the blogs and at the home blog to increase your chances of winning!

And for my final card, I thought to incorporate one of SNS's new avenues!  Lately, Sparkle N Sprinkle has been attending Scrapbooking Conventions, so we've been giving a lot more thought to how to incorporate our products in the Scrapbooking World!  Our designers have been been busy showing some fun things to do with photographs, using our embossing powders, glitters and lately, the Copic markers.

I personally love to play with our Embossable Acetate, and that is what I have used in the creation of my final card for you today.  I call it "embossing painting".  You paint the embossable acetate with a Versamarker pen and then "color in" with an Opaque embossing powder.  Layer it over a black and white photograph - e voila!  Click here for complete instructions for this card.







I hope you have enjoyed seeing my projects!  Don't forget - leave a comment here (to increase your chances of winning) and then slide on over to Eleanor to see what she has in the second inning for you!