Asian Birds in Cherry Blossoms

Welcome! My Blog Candy Deadline is February 28 - click here for details.

This card was made in a No Glitter Create Zone! How did that happen? ...out of my comfort zone with this Asian theme card, created for a Swap with the Florida Stampers Yahoo Group.

It was my first attempt using clear EP resist with watercolors technique.

Everyone else's looks so pretty. I need to practice this technique to learn how to apply the shading and color intensity.

Another first: A fellow blogger explained how to crumple, dye, and adhere the seam binding ribbon in a distressed manner. It is the first time I've used seam binding (courtesy of Barbara). The ribbon is tied with thread, and an antique button from my great aunt's sewing stash from the 1950s is sewn in the middle.

New-to-me Decorative Labels 27 SB dies (4 layers).

Does anyone know if release/ejection foam will work on SB's detailed dies?

The designer papers, Hero Arts Bird stamp, antique button and seam binding are from my stash - been in my stash for at least a year, and all virginal. ~smile~

The edges of the card base, the designer paper panel, and one SB die panel have been distressed with gold detail embossing powder from Sparkle N Sprinkle. (The detail clear EP is also courtesy of SNS).

Hero Arts K4892 Decorative Birds
SNS Clear Detail & Gold Detail embossing powders
Raisin dye ink, VersaMark ink
SB Labels 27 and Decorative Labels 27
Kraft, DP, White and Burgundy cardstock

This card was submitted to the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations - #29 Buttons and Bows (ribbon is died, tied with thread, and an antique button sewn in center of bow)

Crafty Bloggers Network - #8 Anything Goes

Crafty Boots Challenge - "Out of Your Comfort Zone" (used new-to-me techniques - Watercolor Resist, died and distressed ribbon with different style bow, sewn with a button)

Created With Love Challenges - #29 Things that Fly (birds in stamped image and butterflies in DP)

Deep Ocean Challenge - #45 Anything with Letter "B" - (Bow, Birds, Butterflies, Blossoms, Button)

Loves Rubber Stamps - #40 Lots of Layers (4 die cuts, ribbon designer panel, base card)

Make It Monday - #128 Anything Goes

Make My Monday - Ribbons and Buttons (distressed ribbon with antique button sewn in center)

Victorine Originals - #53 Stamp, Emboss, Embellish (image is clear embossed, 3 layers distressed embossed with gold EP, 1 layer is dry embossed, embellished with ribbon and antique button)

Alphabet Challenge Blog - Anything With Wings (Birds, Butterflies on DP)

Thank you for pausing to visit my blog today!

Stamping hugs,

The Turquoise Snowman and Blog Candy

Hi, everyone! Here in central Florida we have been enjoying our usual April and May style weather all winter long. But Sunday and Monday mornings are supposed to be in the 30s, so here is a Snowman in hopes that we can enjoy some "more appropriate" seasonal temperatures.

In the meantime, I've become addicted to that Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter by Sparkle N Sprinkle, and cannot stop playing with it. Those who know me can attest that my "fumble fingers" find coloring difficult. But stamping and shading are so enjoyable on this glitter. You'll likely be tired of seeing how much I use this technique. My favorite way of coloring on this glitter is with a Dove Blender pen and watercolor crayons because they are so forgiving and extremely easy to blend. This card only has a slight dab of color.

To see this snowman's brother, please click here.

The three delicate snowflakes are from Impression Obsession's new die line.

The die cuts were cut from white cardstock, coated with VersaMark ink, and heat set with Sparkle N Sprinkle's glistening Cosmic Ice Rink embossing powder (EP408).

The easy techniques for using Velvet Glitters are found on the SNS Site:

Copics on Velvet Glitter - coloring on Glitter

Outline Stickers, Markers and Velvet Glitters

Staz-on Ink and Velvet Glitter (several tips in one tutorial)

Watercoloring on Velvet Glitter

(and there are even more techniques for velvet glitter if you'd like to take a look!)

I stamped on top of the velvet glitter with Rubber Cottage's Snowman inked in Azure Blue Staz-on ink. The shading was accomplished by pulling the color off Lyra watercolor crayons with a Dove Blender Pen, and applying directly to the glitter. Easy to manage the color. Easy to blend and shade.

TIP: the Dove Blender allows you to control how much moisture gets on the glitter so the underlying adhesive is not affected.

The snow flake on the top right has been cut through to the center, so that part of it is behind the white layer, and part is in front, to create visual interest and depth.

The velvet glitter is applied with Super Adhesive Sheets (double sided hi-tac adhesive). Burnishing the velvet glitter onto the adhesive enlivens the glistening power.

BLOG CANDY: Three Sparkle N Sprinkle Stamp Sets to the winner whose name is pulled out of the hat. Just leave a comment stating what your favorite card colors are to use on a snowy card. If the winner's e-mail address is available through their blogger account, I will notify them, so you do not have to become a follower :-) Deadline is February 28.

Sparkle N Sprinkle Supplies:

SNS Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter (microfine) GM2000

SNS Super Adhesive Sheets SAS02 (double sided)

SNS Double Sided Tear-ific Tape SAT01

Dove Blender Pen

Ice Rink EP408

Other Supplies:

Rubber Cottage Snowman

SB Grand Labels Twenty-Three

MS Swirling Lace punch

IO Snowflake die cuts

White, Navy and Teal cardstock

Lyra Watercolor crayons

ribbons, lace, rhinestone snowflake

This card is submitted to the following challenges:

Holly Jolly Christmas - (Feb 12) Two Dies and/or Punches (2 punches, 6 dies)
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #25 Anything Goes
Winter Wonderland - (Feb 15) It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Crimbo Crackers - #35 Shaped Card
Through the Craft Room Door - (Feb 12) Anything Goes
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - #3 All Tied Up - (organza bow, dotted grosgrain and lace)
Tuesday Throwdown - #134 Anything Goes
Christmas Card Challenge - #11 Scallops (3 scallop dies, and scallop lace punch)
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - #3 - Snowflakes (3 snowflake dies, rhinestone snowflake)
Charisma Cardz - #6 Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy sharing with my on-line friends.

Friendship Booklet

Do you ever have "sappy" days? You know, those days where nothing but those sappy "lovey" thoughts are in your mind? I'm having one of those lovey days. 

There are no adequate words for Most of what happens in Life - 
Or so it seems to me - 
my heart is always touched by much more than just seeing someone's card, 
   craft or 
      scrapbook layout -

and I become deeply humbled by the Beauty being shared.

We see beyond the Touchable, 
and know 
there is far more there than

 "mere" Friendship,

 "mere" Love,

 "mere" Anything.

Directions for making this booklet may be found here.

This booklet-card is for a lovely friend I met through our Florida Stampers group. The Graphic 45 "A Ladies' Diary Collection" paper and old Anna Griffin stamps inspired this friendship mini waterfall booklet. 

These beautiful papers made assembling the booklet Pure Joy.  

A few Embellishments made it fun to coordinate. 

But the words...

   ... eluded me still.

So I used simple one liners...

or...

even, 

   a single word...


Thanks for stopping by today! And thank you for sharing your artwork with me through your wonderful blogs. I try to return each of your visits when your sweet comments are left so I know where your blog is.

To see another, more embellished mini waterfall booklet I made, please click here. The tutorial is also at that link.

This booklet is submitted to the following challenges:

Crafty Ribbons - #38 Anything Goes With Ribbons (two ribbons tie the booklet together)
It's All About The Vintage and Beauty -  #36 Lace and Pearls
Sarah Hurley Challenge - #77 Anything But a Card (booklet)
Crafts and Me Challenges - #118 Favorite Embellishment (Lace)
Crafty Creations - #207 Anything But a Card (booklet)
Creative Belli Challenge - #162 Rhinestones (2 yo pink heart rhinestones on booklet cover)
Simon Says - Anything Goes Jan. 30
The Perfect Sentiment - PSC64 Anything Goes with a Die-Cut (sentiment with die cut - Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Square, trimmed edges on front)
Creative Craft Challenges2 - #2 Bling it Up (rhinestone hearts)
Die Cuttin' Divas - #100 Anything Goes with a Diet Cut (3 Spellbinders dies used)


Always Hugs,