Thursday, March 24, 2011

SNS UNTRADITIONAL MOTHER'S DAY BLOG HOP

Well a warm hello from a finally unfrozen NJ - hope you're all enjoying the first signs of Spring (no need to rub it in, you Floridians!).  If you have hopped over from Patti White's blog, then you are on the right bunny trail.  If, however, you have "hopped" over a few, might I suggest that you turn around and take your cute little cotton tail back to the beginning, http://sparklensprinkle.com/blog/ so you won't miss a hare!!

Here is a photo of my token crocus clump that comes up annually, despite the New Jersey deer which only ate them down to the roots once this year (I covered them in human hair, so that I could take the photo!).  They always signify the start of Spring for my family!  "Mummy, the crocuses are back!!"

So here I am getting ready for my first Blog Hop - hope you are all as excited as I am.  I know, you're all saying, "What's the big deal?  It's only a Blog Hop."  Remember - I'm not even on Facebook yet!!! (LOL)  Maybe soon.  OK, so now on to business.

For this Blog Hop, we are doing an untraditional Mother's Day theme.  So right there, I didn't listen.  My three MD cards are all quite traditional.  Not sure which one my "Mum" is getting, but since Mothering Sunday is on April 3rd in the UK this year I had better decide quickly - don't you think?  And no she doesn't blog either - so we're OK - she's in the UK! 

Anyway, on to the Blog Hop.  Did you know that Sparkle N Sprinkle is now a preferred partner with Spellbinders?  That means some of our new sets, are made to fit very nicely into some of the Spellbinders die sets.   For the Mother's Day Blog Hop, I chose to use one of those such Combo Sets.  It's set 429 the Blossoms - Nestibilities Combo.  Oh how easy (not to mention fun!) is this going to be!!

So here we go with my first card: Happy Mother's Day Blossoms



So, this is my most "untraditional" card.  Not sure why I did this, maybe because I thought it sounded untraditional for a flowery card, but I decided to start with a black and white background.  I made masks of the three flowers I was going to use, and covered the black cardstock with flowers embossed with White Detail Embossing Powder.  Actually, it looked really pretty just like that, but, of course, I couldn't stop there!  I stamped the flowers in Memento Black Ink and colored them in with Copic markers.  Still not bold enough!  So after cutting them out, I covered the flowers with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Clear powder - twice!!  You'll find the complete instructions here.

Now on to the more feminine side of me.  Next is my Stripes and Blossoms card:

For this card, I decided to go mono-chromatic, so I used double-sided cardstock.  It was a two-tone pink cardstock.  For the card's background, I made my own glitter paper - I covered strips of both colors of the cardstock with Super Adhesive Sheets.  I took off the protective backing and applied Sparkling Snow Glitter to the entire piece.

I just love the way it twinkles - don't you?  I love this technique, because when you need some pizzazz , but want to stay in the same color family - it's a no-brainer!  I made my flowers out of white, and the two tone pink cardstock, and embossed them with Petal Pink EP and Melon Twist EP. 

Here is a more detailed shot of the dimensions on the card, which I achieved by using different height dimensionals.  Complete details for this card are right here.

Hope you're enjoying being with me on my first Blog Hop (actually I'm enjoying doing this way more than I imagined I would).  So I'll just keep going!! - I see that little Energizer Bunny is still hopping! - but at least he's going in the right direction this time!


... And now on to my final card - Mother's Day Jar. While at Stamp Fest (right before going on the cruise) I was looking around the booth and for some reason one of our other new sets Fill the Jar just jumped out at me and "screamed" to be filled with flowers!!  I think this may be my favorite of the three (maybe my Mum's MD card too - what do you think?).

So I decided to take the Large Jar from the Fill the Jar set and take it to another level!  I suppose after you're finished with your dryer sheets, you clean off the lint screen and throw it in the garbage?  Well don't do that anymore!  You need to give it a quick iron (oh, do stop complaining - the effect you get is way worth it!).  Stamp the Large Jar and Happy Mother's Day in Memento Ink then cover in a piece of the Super Adhesive Sheets.  Stick down the dryer sheet and apply Sparkling Snow glitter to the surface and burnish it in with your finger.  Cut out - now you have a frosted jar! Isn't that cool!


The flowers were stamped on white cardstock with Versamark and then heat embossed with Melon Twist, Morning Glory, Petal Pink and Princess Rose Embossing Powders.  I used green raffia for the stems.  Here is a close-up photo to show how, by using different heights of dimensionals, the flowers take on the look of a real posie popping out of the jar.  For the complete directions on how to make a Mother's Day Jar, just click here! 
I'm so glad you took the time to be part of my first Blog Hop.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing my projects, along with all the other beautiful cards presented by my fellow Sparkle Team designers.  So for now, I bid you a fond farewell and hope to see you back real soon!  After leaving a comment on my blog, hop on over to the blog of the last, but certainly not least - the one and only - Donna Ellis, to see what lovely creation she has to s(hare) with you. Here is the address to her burrow!  http://creativesmiles2.blogspot.com/   With all those lucky rabbit feet out there - I wonder who will win the prize!  Good luck!

46 comments:

  1. Always a pleasure to see your amazing creativity!

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  2. Great cards Shona!! Love the black and white background:) Also just grabbed the Shiraz Group photo....love it:)

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  3. As always, very imaginative and great use of medium, Shona! Beautiful cards! The two pink cards are strikingly feminine, but the black and white card is so gorgeous! It's my favorite.

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  4. Beautiful cards and a nicely written blog too Shona. Congratulations you did good girl!

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  5. Beautiful cards Shona! The glitter is reallly sparkly! You have really done a great job with your blog!

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  6. love the black & white & bold flowers & the pink is clever also

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  7. Shona, these are fabulous! I LOVE LOVE the black and white/orange one - it just pops! And the others are just beautiful. Wowza woman!

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  8. Love your cards and seeing the different looks you can get from the same stamps and dies. I especially like the bold one.

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  9. Wonderful cards, Shona! Love all the different looks and colors. The first is terrific w/ the abstract bg and bold color and the two pink cards are so pretty.

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  10. I love the use of flowers!! I think my favorite card has to be the first one with the black and white background.

    Carrie Ray Donnell

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  11. The pink and purple flowers on your third card just pop right off the card and really brighten my day! Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Rest assured Shona - you rocked your first blog hop. Love your cards, especially the first one the colors just pop. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. I like all three cards. However, the pink monochrome and the pink with purple are my favorites. I guess I like "soft" cards. They seem more feminine.

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  14. I love the flowers - especially the bold ones. And the flowers in the ball jar brings back memories....Very nice!

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  15. All three cards are spectacular! I love the boldness of the contrast on the first one, but my favorite is the second. So much detail showing up in a monochromatic scheme is beautiful!

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  16. Love the way you made your own glitter background. Great idea!

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  17. Love your cards Shona. The first one reminds me of the hippie days the colors and flowers. The second one has the perfect glitter back ground and shades of pink. The jar for a vase I really like.

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  18. What fun cards you made. I love all the sparkle and bling you added to each one.

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  19. Hey Sistah! What a wealth of creativity you are! All 3 cards with the same set and such different looks. I can't choose a favorite...I love them all. The black + white is stunning. The pink one is just beautiful and the jar is adorable. Way to go!!
    Cheesy

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  20. Absolutely love the black and white flowers with the orange flowers popping of the card. My style. But then again, the other two card are just so pretty. I must make all of them. Thank you for sharing.

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  21. Lovely cards! Very interesting to see three different cards using the same stamp and the look is so different on each. I think I really like the last card the best. Thanks for the interesting technique using the dryer sheet.

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  22. What a great trip. I like the black and White, so untraditiona lfor Mom's Day. THe pink, you made your own custom colorered glitter paper. original to say the least. The third---- IRON>???? Finally another crafter only uses her iron for one thing (any actualy iroing goes out to the cleaner) I laughed after realizing how you used it. A keeper and can smell nice too!

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  23. I am in love with that set of stamp designs and also the Spellbinder, but after seeing your work with them I am even more determined to own them. What gorgeous designs you did and even though they are not untraditional, they could easily be adapted to suit a birthday or a get well wish too. Any woman would love to receive these no matter their age.

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  24. Shona, I dearly love each of your cards and can't wait to get my hands on the combo set of stamps and Nesties! I know mine is in the post somewhere between Florida and California! Your cards give me great inspiration for when the set does arrive! TFS

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  25. Flowers, no matter how they are delivered, are always appreciated. Yours are beautiful

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  26. Wow. All three of those cards are awesome. I need those Spellbinders.

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  27. Shona, you've outdone yourself. My fave is the first one -- very graphic looking. Great idea!

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  28. Great flower die cuts. You've been creative in their use on each of the cards.

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  29. I always like pink but I think the first card is my very favorite with the black and white background. With all the lucky rabbit feet about I have to tell you I have a real concern about those rabbits!

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  30. Wow--all 3 are super! The first one with the colors popping against the black and white really caught my eye!

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  31. Wow, I love how you used the same stamp set and went from one extreme to the next. Love the bright bold colors of the orange and the black, but I also love the softness of the pastel pink. Amazing cards, amazing work.

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  32. Gorgeous cards! Love those flowers!

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  33. I especially liked the pink flower card; very pretty.

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  34. The cards are so happy and cute - wonderful work!

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  35. Just love the flowers - all of them! (been a long winter, I guess) I'd hate to choose which one is my favorite, they are all gorgeous.

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  36. Love your work. All the flowers look different from each other. The black background one really caught my eye, but the one with the jar is my favorite.

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  37. Love the flowers and the pink is so pretty..nice use of glitter!

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  38. Shona, that unexpected POP of color in the first card is FABULOUS!!!! Thanks for the great ideas today

    Toodles
    Erika

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  39. Pink, pink and more pink. Love those cards.

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  40. Very nice! I especially like the last card. Beautifully creative!

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  41. This is a set that I really want to get my hands on. I love flowers and your cards are so beautiful. Great stamps, great colors, and a great job!!!

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  42. You not only do beautiful cards - You are also a good writer. What a nice blog. The "stripes & Blossoms" and "Mothers Day Jar" were so feminine and glittery. Just loved them.

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  43. Hi, Shona, Lovely cards especially the pink flowers. I am so excited that your card, Deb Lovett's and my card are all on the same page of the Spring 2011 Just Cards. How cool is that??? I'm ready for another stamping cruise. How about you after the winter you've had??? Best wishes and best stamping, Jean H.S.

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  44. Love the cards Shona, some great inspirations.

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Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me share in part of your day. I would love to hear what you think about my latest creation!