Holly the Christmas Fairy at Fashionista

A hearty August Welcome to you, my blogging friends, and my newest followers - Lindsay, Kim, Gery, Jackie, Mimi, Marie, Judith, Pooja (of Quilling) - and my newest friends from Bloglovin and other Readers!

This month the Fashionista Challenge is featuring those "sweet pretties" in Christmas Motif (be sure to upload your Christmas creation for a chance at a prize or badge!)

Focusing on All that is typically "seasonal" -- like...

  Joy, 
     Family, 
        Peace, 
           Friends, 
               Kindness, 
                    Harmony, 
                        Love, 
                           Happiness -- 

this Sparkle N Sprinkle Stamp says it all. Holly the Christmas Friendship Fairy is gentle and sweet. If you are a "digi" person, click here for the digital image.

Glitter - Sparkle - more Glitter!

The Path of Positivity Challenge this month is all about OPTIMISM.

Because Holly sees Beauty in all, her sweetness is evident as she tenderly greets each soul as a special gift. To soothe "ruffled feathers" her lovingkindness pours forth.

Optimism is like that.

Despite what others may say or do,
       despite the hardships or circumstances which come into our lives,
                despite our emotional reactions at situations,

our Souls can rise above. 

Some call it Hope,
     or Optimism,
           or the Silver Lining - ability to see the good in everything,

Some call it "The Peace That Passes Understanding",
        and others call it a knowledge that we can bring Love, Peace, Joy, Harmony
                (or whatever is necessary), by simply "being our true selves".

It has been said that Optimism is the "ultimate survival tool". It is filled with Hope and a certain expectation that in the end, all will not be "merely" well, but it will be beautiful, in its own way.





Not quite ready to move into full traditional Christmas Colors, I selected royal colors instead - purple, magenta, a "distressed" golden hue, and a surprise hint of pale turquoise.

Check out the glittery embossing powder below (it will never come off and is acid-free)

The Memory Box Christmas Tree has been in my stash for over a year, and never used.

The image was stamped twice on white cardstock. One image was oval cut, and the other with Labels 23. The oval was distressed, lightly "painted" with Brushable Glue, coated with Concord and Mulberry EPs and heat set. The other white was cut with Labels 23, so that the framed line in the Oval matches the framed line in the layer below. The outside area around the black line in the bottom panel was "colored" with VersaMarker and embossed with Cappuccino EP. The Panel below the "white" panel was also smooshed with VersaMark and embossed with Mulberry EP around the edges. 

The oval panel is adhered to the panel below with dimensionals.

Holly's furry white cuff, belt and hem are quite fluffy with special dimensional glue and glittery flocking powder.

Snowy coated branches glisten with more glitter that has a touch of lavender in it.

The snowflakes and Swirly Christmas Tree are die cut in advance, smooshed with VersaMark ink, and then dredged with three colors of glittery embossing powder (listed below). SO SPARKLY, with a touch of added creaminess from the EP.

TIP: The smaller snowflakes were done differently. This technique is perfect for punches.

Using scrap paper/card stock, smoosh VersaMark all over the piece. Dredge with glittery embossing powder and heat set. Keep these smaller pre-embossed papers on hand for punches.

Great for punching butterflies and flowers as needed to cover up boo-boos on our cards.
(My boo-boo is shown below.)

See how glittery the snowflakes and swirly tree look? 

(laughing here, because our German Shepherd is just as glittery)

As promised, here is my boo-boo -- 

A MAJOR hole in the metallic lavender layer on the right side, covered up by the layered snowflakes. (you can see the "accidental 3-inch black hole" if you look through the gold snowflake on the right side. The sentiment covers the rest of it up)

Thought you might enjoy that (smile)

Even our traditional "New Years Greetings" are full of Optimism. 

This oh-so-glittery card has been submitted to the following fabuloso challenges!

1. Christmas Cards All Year Long - Fussy and Fancy - (M,P1)
2. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes - (M,P1)
3. Path of Positivity Challenge - #5 Optimism (M -Aug)
4. Card and Scrap - #59 Anything Goes (M P1)
5. Sunshine Mail - Anything Goes (ends Sept 1)
6. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - #9 Winter Animals (birds enjoying the snow covered branches) (ends 9-10)
7. Holly Jolly Christmas - "Gimme Glitter-lots of glitter!" - Glitter everywhere! (W-Tues)
8. Crafts and Me - #139 Anything Goes - (ends 8-21)
9. Divas by Design - Christmas in August - (W-W)
10. Christmas Card Challenges - #38 - Non Traditional Christmas Image (W-Sun, Winners ann'd 1st Challenge of month)

Products Used:
Sparkle N Sprinkle rubber stamp set Christmas Friendship Fairy
Embossing Powder, Glitter, Flocking:
  SNS Mulberry STAR EP427
  SNS Concord STAR EP431
  SNS Cappuccino STAR EP434
  SNS Mediterranean STAR EP429
  SNS Lavender Iris Glitter G1061 (on snow)
  SNS Twinkling Clouds Sparkle N Soft flocking SS107
Ink: Memento Black Tuxedo, Brilliance Orchid Pearlescent, Memento LuLu Lavender, VersaMark
Copics: BV00, V17, V12, E35, 0, W3, R0000, W1, E53, B05
SNS Brushable Glue
SNS Dimensional Glue
Lifestyle Sticky Thumb Dimensionals
Paper: Neenah White, Purple, White, DCWV metallics
Dies and Punches:
Spellbinders:
  Grand Oval Nesties
  Grand Labels 23
  Labels 23
  Gold Labels 4
MS Himalayan Snowflake Large Punch
IO Triple Snowflake Die
Memory Box Wonderland Tree

Warm Hugs Always,