My blog is called "Creative Smiles" because my designs are the result of incorporating mistakes. With fumble fingers that drop whatever they are holding - repeatedly, it takes a lot of giggles, smiles and creative patience during my crafting process. xx

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Fashionista's Winged Challenge

Note: Last call for my July Christmas blog candy - click here and scroll down for details. (you do not need to be a follower to play)

A big welcome to you, My Dear Blogging Friends, and to my newest followers. Hope you are enjoying a wonderful crafting week!


This month at Fashionista Challenges it is all about WINGS! Anything with wings - images, punches, die cuts, embellishments, graphics. Just enter your pretty card in the challenge for a chance to win a prize, or earn a pretty badge for your blog! You still have a week to submit your artwork!

Featuring the Wee Winged Tiplets!

These are no ordinary triplets. They are fraternal, not identical, but they love coordinating themselves, right down to their hair color and wings.

These sweet little Winged Wonders are from a single digi image found at Scrapbook Stamp Society.


Soooo darling!



Love the Grand Decorative One Labels from Spellbinders. The folded portion is actually the purple area. The Turquoise layer in the back is a single layer.


There are little "wings" attached to the heart. The MS Enchanted Heart Punch was done with white cardstock, Pool Dye ink, Sparkle Embossing Powder, and Tender Leaves die cut in mulberry paper.


The Craft Concepts 5x7 embossing folder (Secret Garden) does not show up very much, but in person, the details are very clear. Princess Rose EP was used on top of the dry embossing to match the other layers and bring a little bling to the layer.


The little fairies are so cute! They are actually fraternal triplets, can you tell? Though they are not identical, they do have the same coloring, same hair shade and same color eyes! They are, after all, sisters!

It's always fun coloring these darling big-eyed darlings!

Products Used:

Stamp Credits:
  Wee Winged Ones Besties Stamp
Craft Concepts: Secret Garden Embossing Folder
Martha Stewart: Enchanted Heart Punch
Spellbinders:
 Grand Labels Four
 Grand Labels One and Grand Decorative One
 Decorative Labels Eight
 Labels Nineteen
Memory Box:
  Tender Leaves
  Fuchsia Sprig
Ink: Cool Peri Dye, Pink Sherbet Dye, Pool Dye, VersaMarker, VersaMark
Copic Markers
Embossing Powder:
  Sparkle embossing powder (around the edges of the image, on heart)
  Princess Rose embossing powder (on embossed portion of panel)
Cardstock: Neenah White, SU (lavenders, old color aqua), aqua Mulberry paper

This cute little card has been entered in the following wonderful challenges:


  1. Creative Creations - #15 Anything Goes (2W 7-22) 
  2. Challenges 4 Everybody - #25 - Anything Goes (2W 7-22)
  3. A Gem of a Challenge - #89 - Anything but a Square Card (W-Sat)
  4. Colour Me Creative - #73 - Anything Goes Using Copic Markers (fairies colored with Copics) (2W-ends 8-2)
  5. Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes #112


thanks for stopping by!

hugs,




Saturday, July 20, 2013

Recycling Frosty's Poinsettia

Note: Last call for my July Christmas blog candy - click here and scroll down for details. For an extra chance to win, share a story about your Christmas recycling venture(s) in a comment below (no need to "follow" my blog - this is just for fun to share with my blog visitors).

A big welcome to you, My Dear Blogging Friends, and to my newest followers - Edwina, Lynda, Lisa, Nancy, K Williams.


Alright! Alright! Alright! I confess! I cheated! 

But Frosty under the poinsettia was WAY TOO CUTE just to throw in the recycle bin from someone's store bought card last year.

And besides...
      a little known fact about Frosty the Snowman is that...

 he loves poinsettias 

Frosty is always happiest being surrounded by the rosy flowers...

Alas...

macho peer pressure caused him to forsake the poinsettias whenever crowds are around. 

Only his closest friends know the truth.


An obscure paparazzi captured this intimate moment of Frosty surrounded by his friends and poinsettias.


The very sweet image, snowflakes, heart and the poinsettia were all "distressed" by using a VersaMark pad and VersaMarker and using Sparkle N Sprinkle Silver Lightning embossing powder. All the photos that really brought out the power of the bling, "dulled" the image - not sure why other than maybe the coating on the image?


This sweet little card is entered in the following challenges:


  1. Christmas Stampin All Year Long - #25 techniques (heat embossing all the distressed edges of the image, poinsettia, and the heart and snowflakes will Silver Lightning EP) (W-Thursday winners)
  2. Cut It Up - #23 - Christmas in July use die cut (Spellbinders, Memory Box, Poppy Stamps dies) (2W-F)
  3. Fairytale Challenge - #72 Christmas in July (2W-F)
  4. Inspire Me Fridays - #112 Recycling/Altering beautiful store bought cards (W-F)
  5. Christmas at Sweet Stampin - Snowman theme - (M)
  6. Created With Love - #50 Anything Goes (W-M)
  7. Anything Goes Challenges - #97 Anything Goes (T-2W 7-16)


Products Used:
Sparkle N Sprinkle Silver Lightning embossing powder
Sparkle N Sprinkle Twinkling Clouds flocking (on the bunny tail)
Sparkle N Sprinkle Dimensional Glue (for bunny tail)
Inkadinkadoo Greetings Peg Stamp Set
Papers: DCWV designer papers, SU blue, Recycled image from store bought card (cheating, I know, but isn't it cute?)
Dies and Punches:
Spellbinders Grand Large Labels LF-168
Memory Box Corner Bow (to form frame)
Poppy Stamps Blooming Poinsettia ie #861
MS Himalayan Snowflake Large Punch
MS Heart Seal Punch (two piece punch)
EK Success 3/4" round punch
Inks: VersaMark, Brilliance Starlite Silver, VersaFine Satin Red
Embellies: USArtQuest Prills, Lace

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed learning this wonderful little secret about Frosty! Don't forget to share your Christmas recycling tip for an extra entry in the basket for the blog candy drawing!

Warm Hugs,



Wednesday, July 03, 2013

A Cozy, Warm Christmas AND July blog candy

A big welcome to you, My Dear Blogging Friends, and to my newest followers - Vicky, Asha, Tessa, Anke, Avril Ann, Judith, Milena, Jill, and all those who have moved over to new Readers. (Thank you)

A 5" x 7" Easel Card made with greens and browns

To qualify for this week's WINTER WONDERLAND challenge:
1 image
2 designer papers
3 snowflakes 



We're enjoying a Christmas themed swap this month in my Florida Stampers group, so what could be better than creating a card with one of the newest Besties Images?

I'm calling her Yukon Lovey because she is still unnamed on the website. She looks like a "Yukon" type girly girl with her cap, muffler and fur lined boots. But if you **need** her, just click here for a quick purchase.

The glittery look around the card panel and in the snowflakes is actually embossing powder from Sparkle N Sprinkle (listed below)


How sweet Yukon Lovey looks in her fur pieces (of course, they are not REAL animal fur), but these are so soft, warm and cuddly. Using SNS Dimensional Glue and SNS Twinkling Clouds Flocking, the fur really does stand out quite a bit (and has a touch of sparkle, too!)


The Dimensional Glue from Sparkle N Sprinkle is not essential for flocking, but it does provide additional "plump and fluff" for the fur - smile -


The Sketch from Sketchy Colors Challenge was utilized by turning it sideways. Instead of straight lines, Spellbinders dies and Martha Stewart Punches were used.

Here is my special smile for you!

A friend dared me to create a card which would fit in a regular envelope and accept one first class postage stamp - so I accept her dare, using the same image. Yukon Lovey is colored identically, except browns were substituted for the blues in the the halo around the image:


There is quite a bit of glitter on this card (across the top lace, in the brown panel, in the snowflakes) but for some reason, it eluded the camera.


Soooo... Nannie Nannie boo boo - I did it! The Christmas Tree folds flat, and no "dimensionsals" were used, except the Dimensional Glue for the fur. The card is 5" x 7" and fits in a standard 5x7 envy with 46¢ stamp :-)

(grin)

Products used:

Stamp Credits:
Sherri Baldy's "Yukon Lovey" Besties IMG848
Sparkle N Sprinkle:
  Sparkle embossing powder (around the edges of die cuts)
  Cappuccino Stars embossing powder
  Twinkling Clouds Sparkle N Soft (flocking) (white fur on Yukon Lovey)
  Guava Nectar Glitter (2nd card)
  Dimensional Glue #539
Martha Stewart:
  Holly Leaf PaP
  Snow Flake Trim (deep edge)
  Himalayan Snowflake Large
SU - punches (Oval and Scalloped Oval)
Impression Obsession:
 Snow Flake Trio die
 Pine Branch die
Spellbinders:
 Grand Big Scallop Ovals
 Wonky Rectangles
 Petite Small Ovals
 Petite Small Scallop Ovals
 Fleur de Lis Rectangles
 Long Classic Scallop Rectangles
 Decorative Labels Eight
 Holiday Trees 2010 (now retired)
Copics
Ink:
 Walnut Stain Dye
 Old Paper Dye
 Shabby Shutters Dye
 VersaMark
Cardstock: KandCo Christmas (2 DPs for Winter Wonderland Challenge), (SU) Browns, Greens, Salmon, Neenah White, Vellum, Pale Beige
Sentiments are computer-generated

Fabulous Challenges my card has been submitted to:

  1. Winter Wonderland (W) - 3 Snowflakes - 2 designer papers  - 1 image (mentioned above in blog post)
  2. Sketchy Colors (W) - #170 Sketch (turned sideways)  (mentioned above in blog post)
  3. Merry Monday (M) - July is a Month Long "Anything Goes Christmas" challenge
  4. Artistic Inspirations (W) - #48 "Anything Goes"
  5. ABC All Beautiful Cards (W) - #35 "Anything Goes"
  6. Craft-Dee BowZ - (M) - "Anything Goes with a Bow"
  7. Holly Jolly Christmas (W) - "Something New" (new image, new Cappuccino EP, new Guava Nectar glitter, unused MS Snowflake trim punch, unused SB Tree die, unused Christmas paper from KandCo)
  8. Created With Love Challenges (W) - #48 "For the Girls" (new girly image)
  9. Sparkles Chrismas Challenge (M) - #30 "Christmas Tree" (in the 2nd card right side)
  10. Path of Positivity Challenge (M) - #4 "Caring" (see paragraph below regarding my blog candy)

July Blog Candy

  1. There are two July blog candies. One is a new clear acrylic Christmas set by My Mind's Eye, which will be sent to someone outside the US (for postage reasons).
  2. The other consists of 2 wood mount Christmas/Holiday sentiment stamps and some other Christmas items which will be mailed inside the US.

Just leave a comment (or email a comment) about what special thing you have enjoyed doing for a charity or unsuspecting person during the Winter Holidays. 

This ties in with this month's Path of Positivity Challenge about Caring

We have been given so many opportunities to care for others, and I'm grateful for each one. One of my fondest Christmas memories was the year we "brought" a Cozy and Warm Christmas to a family experiencing extreme hardship. Without going into details, we anonymously left everything needed for the month of December on the porch of a family experiencing extreme hardship a few days before Christmas. SO FUN!

As always, I promise to get in touch with the person whose name is drawn from the basket in August - as long as your information is available through blogger, or if you email me with your contact info - you don't even have to follow my blog :-)

Thanks for visiting today!

Warm and Cozy Christmas-in-July hugs,

Monday, July 01, 2013

June Blog Candy Winner

Thanks to everyone for sharing from your hearts about "being kind to yourself".

Some visitors even commented on other vistors' comments! :-)

Our June winner is Debi Brile of 

Debi, will you please email your address? Your new Stampin' Up! set will be put in the mail. 
(I'm pretty sure Debi will see this by tomorrow, but if not, I'll contact her).

July's little blog candy will be shared later this week in another post.

hugs,