HELLO MY FRIEND!

Hello there!

Just a quick blog to keep things ticking over.  My eldest leaves for Scotland again tomorrow for his second semester.  Have to say, since he's been home, my schedule has been a little off kilter!  But while he's been sleeping-in, and after I've gotten the younger two off to school, I've been trying to catch up on projects, both inside the house and in my stamping room.

Today, I managed to use up this little Cloud Nine Frog, from Set 482.  He's been sitting on my desk for at least two weeks - he even had a Lator Gator Velvet Glitter Crown at one point! Anyway, after I decrowned him, I still thought he was adorable and then I gave him a little friend - from the same set, (see if you can find him hidden amongst the lily!)  The other set, 47, that I used, for the fence and the bucket, happens to be on sale right now.

Here is the finished project:

Here are the full directions to make the card.

Have you entered your project for the January Monthly Creative Challenge here yet?  New rules - you don't "have" to use SNS images! Things have changed a little. Take a look!  What are you waiting for?

See you soon!

Shona

Sparkle N Sprinkle Amazingly Fancy Folds Blog Hop

Hi there,

Welcome to the first 2013 Sparkle N Sprinkle blog hop. This month, rather than following a theme, we were asked to create cards using a fun fold.  We have an entire section in our Tips and Techniques area devoted to some of the many different card designs out there. When you're done hopping, and feel like that you might want to have a try at something different, pop on over and check it out.

In the meantime - on with the inspiration.  I hope you have made it to me by way of  Karalee. If you didn't then you need to go back to the beginning of  the hop at the Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog Page.  Remember to comment on each designer's post in order to be in the running for the great prizes that are up for grabs this month.

So on to the projects!  Last month, we were asked to create a scrapbook page, as part of our project package. I incorporated many of the sparkly options that SNS carries, to make up my page.  Sparkling  embossing powders and the new Velvet Glitters were at the top of the list!

Here's a quick look at the page:

For one of my fun folds, I thought I'd make a card incorporating another one of my backyard snowy pictures, which I took the day of the snowstorm right after Hurricane Sandy.  I decided on an easel card:

For the photo, instead of covering the entire picture in Velvet Sparkle Embossing Powder as I had done in the Scrapbook page, I went for the more subtle look with Sparkling Snow Glitter applied with the glue pen, along the branches. The snowflakes were die cut from 2 1/2" Tear-ific Tape using a couple of Spellbinders collections and  then attached with dimensionals, so that they act as a ledge for the fold.  This card then folds down to a normal 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card.  Click here for full details.

For my second card, I went with a Side Spring Card.  This fancy fold  is definitely one of my favorites. To add to a favorite fold, I had to add one of my favorite SNS products - and we all know what that is (so far) - Yep, you guessed it - Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter!

I decided to leave winter behind for the next card, so I brought in a pretty little aster from Set 271 - Daisy Rectangle. I stamped directly on top of the Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter with Staz-On and then used Watercolor crayons and a waterbrush to color the image.  I love the subtle color and sparkle achieved using this technique:

You can find full directions for this card, right here.

I hope you'll find some inspiration in this Blog Hop to try a new fun fold in your next project.   Next in line is one of our new designers, Anne Temple.  Remember to leave a comment at each post, to make sure you have a chance to win the mini prizes as well as the Grand Prize!  Good luck!  

'Till next time,

Shona

PRETTY IN PURPLE

Hi there and Happy New Year (as this is the first post of the year for me!)  My whole family was under the weather for different parts of the festive season.  I was just doing the bare minimum in order to get by!  Things seem to have settled down now, both younger kids went to school this morning and so I'll get started with my long list of to-dos!

Sparkle N Sprinkle has its first of the year Blog Hop airing on Thursday morning, which I hope you will be joining.  There are always great prizes to be won. Until then, let me share with you a card I made using a few bits and pieces that were lying in my "later" pile.  

I had a piece of watercolor paper that I had sprayed with Dylusions Crushed Grape spray, so I ran it through this pretty Darice "Butterflies in Corner" embossing folder and then sanded the color from the raised image.  Love that look!  I put part of a doily in the top left corner (which had previously been covered in Versamark and Sparkle embossing powder).  An embossed vellum tag for the sentiment was attached with white ribbon. I then added a piece of tulle with a pearl brad and heat embossed it a little to make it crinkle in places.   The butterflies were made from outline stickers.  The little ones were colored with watercolor crayons and a waterbrush, and the big one was placed on a piece of Tear-ific tape and covered with Purple Potion Velvet Glitter before being cut out. 

Here is the finished card:

Remember to stop by on Thursday morning - I'll be waiting!

'Till then!

Shona