SPARKLE N SPRINKLE'S APRIL 1ST REVEAL

Hello there, and welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle April 1st Reveal. This month we have 5 new stamp sets being introduced. These five sets are 20% off their regular price until April 3rd. The April Showers stamp set is available on cling mounted rubber, as a digital image and is also included in Jazzy Jill's Technique Video for the month.

For my reveal card this month I incorporated three of the five stamp sets and a sentiment from one of last month's sets (see if you can catch all four?). Here it is:

Here are the five new sets this month:

April Showers #555P7
*NEW* also available as digital image here.

Ellie the Elephant #553P7

Diamond Medallion #530P7
*NEW* also available as digital image here.

Flamingo Bay #512P6
*NEW* also available as digital image here.

Crackle Background #609P5

On April 3rd, five winners will be selected from the comments left on the designers' blogs listed below.  Each winner will receive a new stamp set, and their choice of one embossing powder and glitter to go along with their new set.

The winners of the blog hop will be announced on April 3rd on Facebook, the SNS Blog and on our blogs:

Anne Temple
Anita Scroggins
Steff Munnings - new designer!
Donna Ellis

Shona Erlenborn (you are here)
Eret Pank
Mayra Hernandez
Emmy van den Heuvel
Belinda Shupe
Marie Berquist
April Williams
Jazzy Jill

Ok, so now that you know all the ways you can win all these fabulous prizes, let's get back to business! That's Ellie the Elephant business, who is happily taking her first Spring bath in Flamingo Lake!

After stamping the flamingo scene with Black StazOn on watercolor paper and coloring with watercolor crayons and aqua brush, I added Bubble Gum and Sparkling Snow glitters to the flamingos, lilies and butterflies. 

I stamped the new Crackle Background in Angel Pink ink on pink cardstock and then stamped Ellie over the top in Versamark and heat embossed her in Raspberry Tart. I added Dimensional Glue with Bubblegum glitter nail polish for her toes! A girl's got to look good taking a bath!

I stuck a piece of 2 1/2" Tear-ific Tape to white cardstock and cut out the flourish using a die cut. I removed the protective backing and added Waterfall glitter to the sticky tape to make my "water spray". 

"Spring has Sprung" from Springtime Spunky was stamped in Versamark on a scrap of the crackled pink cardstock and heat embossed with Black Detail, It was then cut out with a window punch and attached with dimensionals.

I then edged the base card with Versamark and heat embossed with the Raspberry Tart again, to finish off the bling. You'll find complete directions in the Art Gallery right here, if needed.

So that's all for today. Remember that the new  SNS Creative Challenge also begins today, with lots of prizes and recognition badges. This month, if you use a Sparkle N Sprinkle image in your Challenge project, not only will you become a Featured Artist, but your name will be entered in a separate drawing for 3 Ultra Fine Glitters and/or Embossing Powders. I'm looking forward to seeing your creations.

I'd like to enter this card in the Pumpkin Spice Challenge: Challenge No. 65 Elephants

I'll be back with some of my other reveal set creations over the next couple of weeks. 

Hugs,

Shona

CARDINAL JOY!

Hi there,

I'm back today to share with you another sample of my flocked backgrounds. For this one I ran a piece of Sticker Paper applied with Palm Leaf Flocking, through the Sizzix Plaid embossing folder inked with Rhubarb Stalk Memento ink. The full tutorial for this technique can be found in the Tips and Techniques section.

I used another of the March Reveal Sets, A Winter Cardinal, Set 518. I stamped the image in Black StazOn and used watercolor crayons with a Dove Blender Pen to color. I fussy cut the image and applied Dimensional Glue to the beak and when it was dry I went over it with an orange Copic.

The Gypsy Red Velvet Glitter and the Green Iris Glitter was added to the image using the Sakura Glue Pen.

"Joy", a chipboard word, was heat embossed first with Firecracker Red and then I went over it and heat embossed with Green Marbled Christmas, love the mottled effect these marbled embossing powders give!

I tied up my bow and wrapped it around the flocked background and layered the background to red card base edged with 1/4" Tear-ific Tape. Sparkle N Soft Cherry Sparkle was then applied to the exposed sticky edge.

I stuck some Tear-ific Tape to red cardstock and then punched out a circle, removed the protective layer from the tape and stuck "Joy" to the center. Cherry Sparkle was again added to the exposed tape. I layered that with dimensionals to another punched red circle, which had been attached to the center of the bow with a brad. You can see this in the photo below. The image was then also added to the cardfront with dimensionals to finish off the card..

If you need further instructions, you'll find them in the gallery, right here. Hope you've enjoyed my share for today. Come back and visit me soon.

I'd like to enter this card in the Crimbo Crackers' Challenge, where it is Anything Goes Christmas.

Hugs,

Shona

SPARKLE N SPRINKLE'S MARCH 1ST REVEAL WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED!

Hi there and thanks so much for participating in Sparkle N Sprinkle's March 1st Release. We all had a fun time creating the following new projects and hope you enjoyed browsing through them.

There were 5 new stamp sets released, 2 new digitals and Jazzy Jill's technique kit.  Each of the winners will get to choose an embossing powder and glitter to go along with their new set.

So without further ado, here they are:

Shona with "Iris Frame"

38 comments

#15 "Go Barb" of Tiles, Tangles and Strings

Eret with "Born to Shop"
31 comments

#10 Barbara Macaskill

Emmy with "Winter Cardinal"

30 comments

#30 Caliboo

*

OOPS! 

(sorry I forget to snapshot the random guy) 

*

April with "Springtime Spunky"

31 comments

#7 Nancy Carroll

Donna with "Crystal Medallion"

52 comments

#47 Nancy of "Scrapping Everyday Miracles"

Congratulations, Winners!

Thank you for checking out the products and sample cards. 

Will you please e-mail SNS_Artist@tampabay.rr.com with your mailing address, choice of one glitter and one embossing powder which can be used with your new stamp sets, and we will get your prize in the mail!

A big thank you to all for joining us in this kick off.

(and for visiting all our blogs)

hugs always from The Sparkle Team,

Hi there, 

TULIP SYMPATHY

Welcome to Spring! Does that mean we're done with snow? I sure hope so.  I see some little stems poking through the ground - so looks like something is happening out there, although we do still have snow out on our back patio. Crazy right? What a winter it has been.

Anyway, a couple of weeks back I needed a few birthday cards, and unfortunately a sympathy card, so with Spring on my mind I went upstairs and quickly stamped out a few clumps of tulips from stamp set 491: Tulips from Sparkle N Sprinkle. I brought the images, a few Copic markers and a pair of scissors back down to the house and sat in front of a nice warm fire and colored and cut away!

Next day, I had five of the tulip clumps to work with and decided to start with the Sympathy card. I added some Sunny Daze glitter to the tulips with a Sakura Glue pen. I chose my sentiment from Sympathy Set 579 and stamped it in Versamark on cream cardstock and heat embossed with Black Detail. It was cut and embossed with Spellbinders Fancy Tag and before removing the die, I sponged with Memento Dandelion ink.

I liked the ornate look of the tag, so sifted through my die cut drawers to find an appropriate background for my tulips. Spellbinders Shapeabilities Ornate Squares was my die of choice! 

I cut and embossed cream card again and sponged with the Dandelion ink before removing that die also. The base was cut off the square so that I could put the tag over the top and make it look like it was a continuation of the background. 

I added the die cut to black cardstock and that was layered to a cream base. The tulips were attached with tape at the bottom and dimensionals under the flowers and then I popped up the tag over the bottom of the stems with dimensionals too. 

I made this card for my sister-in-law back home, who has just lost her father.  I think in my rush to get it in the mail, I forgot to write anything inside!! Well, she'll know it's from me (from the return address) and I guess it's the thought that counts, right? Still, I can't believe I did that, hopefully my memory is so bad that I did write something - I just don't remember writing anything!

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Hobbybook Designer Challenge - Time for Spring 
Inky Impressions -Spring

... and I'll be back soon with a birthday version of my tulips! 

Till then,

Hugs,

Shona

WHAT'S IN YOUR LEFT-OVERS' DRAWER?

I've got two cards to show today, but first, let me share something with you about a very special lady and friend! As some of you know, I have been experiencing difficulties uploading my photos from Picasa to Blogger over the past few days. (BTW, thanks to those who replied to my appeal for help - much appreciated. The problem isn't fixed, but there is apparently a problem with Picasa). 

Yesterday, this wonderful lady, Donna Ellis, had me e.mail my photos to her, and she was able to insert them in my blog - I know, genius right! She blogged for me during Sandy too, when we were without power, keeping us in touch with my worried family in Scotland.  An incredible lady, who even with her own debilitating health issues and her own never-ending to-do list, always finds time to help others out. Thank you Donna, from the bottom of my heart! You make me ........

So, Donna and I are here today, with a couple of cards that I put together using bits and pieces that I found in my left-overs' drawer.

If you're anything like me, then you have a drawer assigned to bits and pieces that didn't quite make the first cut for a card, but weren't quite "ugly" enough to be thrown out? I've a lot of personal birthday cards to make in March, so rather than starting from scratch, I like to tip out that drawer onto a big table (it's a big drawer!) and sift through the contents. The other time I like to do this is when I feel like the mojo isn't quite there.  It always amazes me how a couple of elements will fall together, and spark off an idea to make a lovely card.

Today, I've got two cards to share with you, that I put together quickly yesterday afternoon, using some of my "scraps"!

A piece of yellow card, embossed with the Darice Flower embossing folder and a yellow and orange outlined rose were the beginnings to this one.  

I inked the raised pattern of the background with Memento Lady Bug ink, which highlighted the petals of the flowers. I had just received my order from Paper and Stones yesterday, (use Coupon Code FRIENDS50 for a 50% discount on everything in the store). The owner Lynne is moving from New Jersey to Florida. One of my purchases was the Spellbinders Ornamental Tags One - look at the little flower in the center of the label and how well it mimics the flowers in the background. "Smile" (from Set 520: Flourishes 2) was stamped on the label.

I punched out the little flowers from the background (putting the extras back in that drawer!) but attached one of them with a sparkly black brad to the label. I felt the rose needed some spark, so  I covered it in Versamark and heat embossed it with Velvet Sparkle (EP437) - yep, that's much better!

I layered the background to a black card base, added the rose and the label with dimensionals and added three little rhinestones to the centers of the spiky flowers and it was complete!

I'd like to enter this card in the following Challenges: 
Love to Scrap Challenge: Back It Up (Create Your Own Background)
Crafting from the Heart Challenge: (Using your favorite colors)
The Crafter's Cafe Challenge: (Use Flowers)

So on to card No. 2:

The two pieces that jumped out at me, were another dry embossed background (which because the raised pattern had been sanded - looked like it had been bleached) and an oval piece that had been stamped with an image and sentiment from Set 493: Silhouettes and heat embossed with Belgian Cream and then really had been bleached!

I cut the background into five pieces and laid it back down on to a piece of Sticker Paper, leaving sticky surfaces in between the tiles and around the edges, to which I added Peruvian Lily Velvet Glitter. Again I added this piece to a black card base. I added another three little rhinestones to the centers of the flower and popped the focal image up on dimensionals.

Hope I've inspired you to go sift through your left-overs - you never know what treasures await!

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge:
Paper Minutes: Glittery Browns 

Thanks again Donna. Hope everyone has a great day,

Hugs,

Shona

My List of Challenges is shown inside this blog post, highlighted in white.

BLOG HELP WANTED!!

Does anyone out there use Picasa and Blogger?  Up until now I have uploaded my photos from Picasa right in to my blog post, without any trouble.  

Two days ago I was almost finished my last post, and I was going to put in a sneak peak, and it would not upload (after uploading others that afternoon onto my blog).

When you go to choose files and click on the required photo, it comes up as "Upload failed" and Server Rejected". 

I thought it may have been a temporary problem, but I'm trying to post today and I'm getting the same thing.

Anyone have any advice? As Picasa is free, there is no telephone no. to call, and I have tried posting my problem in the help section, but haven't got any replies.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

Hugs,

Shona

SHOPPING IS MY CARDIO!

Well that is actually a lie - I am really not a shopper!  The only shops you'll find me in are the grocery stores and craft stores! Unless my Mum is visiting from Scotland, we hit the stores then! She enjoys having something different to wear back home, other than Marks and Spencers! (You need to be British to get that probably!) When I saw this sentiment from the new Born to Shop Set, I immediately thought of the running set which I used last week. 

If you took part in the latest Sparkle N Sprinkle Reveal, then this is the sneak peak I left you with. I used the "Bendy Card" Design, which Jill had featured earlier with one of our Spunky stamps. I thought it would be fun to have my runner jogging through the streets and so the brick background seemed appropriate. I ran the card back and the front tab through the Sizzix Bricked embossing folder and ran Desert Sand directly over the raised pattern.

For the town I stamped the shop image on rust cardstock with Versamark and heat embossed with Belgian Cream embossing powder. I then took Copic Markers and colored on top of the embossing powder to add color to the image. The windows were bleached out with a bleach pen.

The shop scene was attached to the wider tab and I cut off bits that were going to be showing - now thinking again about this, I could have just cut the scene out, leaving the notch on the right side and a fold on the left!  Oh well - next time! You need to cut a slit between the hat shop and the pastry shop, so that the front tab can connect in.

That's pretty much it.  You can find full directions in my SNS Art Gallery, if needed.

I'm so glad you stopped by today, hope to see you soon, when I'll be sharing a card using another of the March Reveal sets - the Winter Cardinal, where I also used the new flocked background technique. 

Till then,

Hugs,

Shona

Sparkle N Sprinkle Winners

Hi!  Thank you for participating in Sparkle N Sprinkle's March 1st Release. 
We enjoyed making the new projects, and hope you enjoyed browsing. 

We released 5 new stamp sets, 2 new digitals, and Jazzy Jill's technique kit.
Winners get to choose an embossing powder and glitter to go with their new set.

Our winners are:

Shona with "Iris Frame"

38 comments

#15 "Go Barb" of Tiles, Tangles and Strings

Eret with "Born to Shop"
31 comments

#10 Barbara Macaskill

Emmy with "Winter Cardinal"

30 comments

#30 Caliboo

*

OOPS! 

(sorry I forget to snapshot the random guy) 

*

April with "Springtime Spunky"

31 comments

#7 Nancy Carroll

Donna with "Crystal Medallion"

52 comments

#47 Nancy of "Scrapping Everyday Miracles"

Congratulations, Winners!

Thank you for checking out the products and sample cards. 

Will you please e-mail SNS_Artist@tampabay.rr.com with your mailing address, choice of one glitter and one embossing powder which can be used with your new stamp sets, and we will get your prize in the mail!

A big thank you to all for joining us in this kick off.

(and for visiting all our blogs)

Shona