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

Friday, March 31, 2017

Sparkle N Sprinkle April Reveal with Glitter-full Bugaboo!

Happy April Fool's Day to my crafting friends,
and
Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle April Stamp Reveal!
(if you have arrived here by way of artsy Jess, you're in the right place!)

As Guest Designer, I'd like to reveal my glitter-ific project AND invite you to the SNS Blog Hop.
Check out my talented Teamies' beautiful creations,
AND
earn a chance to win the grand prize!



NEW STORE - NEW BLOG - NEW PRODUCT LINES!

IT IS ALL ABOUT FUN WITH DEMO DONNA!

It's Demo Donna on the SNS YouTube Channel!

Subscribe today to REVEL IN all the latest Demo Donna tips and techniques - AND - great entertainment! Each week a new technique is shared, and each month, a new video kit is revealed!

The new sets are 20% off until April 3, 2017, so after the blog hop, hop on over to the NEW STORE and have fun shopping! Be sure to check out the OTHER amazing new products as well! With names like TONIC and NUVO and STAMPENDOUS and HOUSE MOUSE, you're sure to fill that cart up quickly!

There are FOUR new rubber stamp sets being released this month with their digital counterparts (one has a mega bundle), plus a new Digi Papers set.   

The new SNS sets are:




The blog hop order is:

Diane
Chris
Shona
Eret
Belinda
Corner Garden surprise
Jess
Donna (you're here!)
Anne

Thanks for joining us and remember to comment on each of the Designers' blogs to be eligible for the Grand Prize.   Wonder who the Mystery Host will be this month?

Today's share is a GLITTER LADEN project using the Girlfriend Support Set 2 .

It's a perfect little giggle, or even a pick-me-up.

Here's how to stamp on glitter:





How to Dry Emboss with Glitter:

The photos with the card standing up show the darker aspect of the glitter:


The photos of the card laying down show the lighter aspect of the glitter:


Flowers made with the scraps of Super Adhesive Sheets and glitters. The brads are heat embossed, and the flowers are distressed with the same color embossing powder:


Silly little sentiment - also slightly distressed with embossing powder:


I wish you could see this card in person! It sparkles all over:


Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to become the grand prize winner!

Now it is time to hop on over to the very gifted Anne!

Sparkle N Sprinkle Products:

Images: Girlfriend Support Set 2
Super Adhesive Sheets (double sided sticky)
Full Line of beautiful Microfine "Velvety" Glitter Colors
Cloud Nine (white) Microfine Velvet Glitter
Orchid Rose (dark pink) Microfine Velvet Glitter
Hyacinth (medium purple) Microfine Velvet Glitter
Bubblegum Ultrafine (super sparkly) Semi-Transparent Glitter
Morning Glory Cosmic (sparkly) embossing powder
Beach Cruiser embossing powder (with a little glitter added manually)


Challenges I'd like to play in please:
  1. Classic DT Open Challenge #13 (stamping and coloring on velvet glitter, dry embossing in velvet glitter, making flower embellishments with velvet glitter, ultrafine glitter, embossing powder.) 5/1
  2. Colour Crazy Challenge #13 Anything Goes using Coloring Medium of Choice (Copics and Distress Inks on Microfine Glitter) 4/14
  3. Creative Fingers Challenges #127 Anything goes 4/14
  4. Tuesday Throwdown #336 SPARKLES (stamping and coloring on velvet glitter, dry embossing in velvet glitter, making flower embellishments with velvet glitter, ultrafine glitter, embossing powder.) 4/5
  5. World Wide Open DT Challenge #20 (stamping and coloring on velvet glitter, dry embossing in velvet glitter, making flower embellishments with velvet glitter, ultrafine glitter, embossing powder.) 4/15



Stamping Hugs to you!

Sparkle N Sprinkle's Corner Garden Digital Tutorial BLOG HOP

It may be April 1, but no fooling around here!
WELCOME to a bonus edition of the Sparkle N Sprinkle April 1 Stamp Reveal!

If you have arrived here by way of my gifted teamie Belinda you are in the right place!

For details about the blog hop, please click here.

For a chance to win the Blog Hop's GRAND PRIZE,

AND

for a second opportunity to win this versatile Corner Garden mega digital bundle,

please leave a comment below stating what you like in particular about this digital set, and what you would like to do with it.  Don't forget to comment on everyone else's blog for a chance to owin this digital bundle. Random winner from eligible comments will be announced on April 3.



NOTE: TO MY EMAIL FOLLOWERS:
This is a picture laden post. Feedback from my followers is that you appreciate step-by-step photos, rather than a written tutorial.
I fear that the post may possibly be too long for the Feedburner email posts. If you do not see the entire tutorial and are interested, I hope you will click on the title at the top of your email and come to my blog. If that does not work, please email me. I will try to send you a PDF version.

NO NEED TO HAVE SPECIAL SOFTWARE:

USE YOUR WORD PROCESSOR


This post is meant to help newbies to the world of digital crafting.

The ideas are stuffed into a few cards, so I hope you will view the simplicity in the cards merely for ideas. Hopefully some of the buzz words will help new digital crafters find the tools needed in your existing software.

Let's begin the journey using this beautiful Corner Garden mega digital bundle by artist Tracey Miller. The set includes papers, sentiments, black-and-white images, and vibrant, precolored images.

Many of the things we do with conventional rubber stamping can be done with digitals.
It's often faster, and less expensive because it's all done on the computer.

The perks include:
  • No storage room needed, 
  • No big mess if done completely digitally,
  • Ease of assembling, 
  • Takes very little crafting space,
  • Finding papers on line is relatively easy and usually inexpensive,
  • Playing around to see which papers you like with which images,
  • Little clean up involved unless messy techniques were employed,
  • Resizing the papers and images to suit your needs without having to purchase multiples of the same image.
  • You will never run out!
  • Cards can be extremely simple or very complex. 
  • Projects can be compiled a little at a time and saved on the computer until you have time to print and complete.
  • You may leave your scrapbook pages and paper projects as a single "real" layer, even thought it might look like several layers were used. This is great for easy storage and mailing. 
  • Create elaborate layers just as you would with conventional methods and techniques.

First:

Using more than one layer of digital paper, and multiple layers of digital stamps:





Apologies for the stray glitter - here is the finished card:
The decorative border punch on top - white - is actually from the same white cardstock as all the printed digital "layers".


Here is the added dimension - but still flat for mailing - notice the flowers along the bottom, in the left and right corners:




Second:

Make a "plain" multi-layered card with only a few layers of paper:





Finished Card
flat for mailing:


A Close Up of the beautiful paper, with water color blending, and bokeh throughout:


Of course I would have liked to gussy-up the card with glitz and other embellishments, but it has been left "naked" so you can see the digital portions.

Third:

A few more ideas for layering, with easy finishing embellishments:











The finished card is ONE PIECE OF WHITE CARD STOCK, folded in half.
The butterflies have been added for dimension.

A single stamp will suffice for mailing purposes:



Sparkle N Sprinkle Products Used

Corner Garden Mega Digital Bundle (stamps, sentiments, papers, cut file)
Nuvo glue pens (large and small) also comes in medium point.

Thanks for stopping by - please hop on over to talented teamie Jess for artsy creativity!

hugs,
Donna

Thursday, March 30, 2017

A Little Fairy in Us All {Cardz 4 Galz}

I'm so glad you're here, dear blogging friends!
It is FAIRY NICE to see you!

It's time for the 44th Cardz 4 Galz challenge!



Badges are awarded for the Spotlight Winner and Top Picks.



Challenge #44 is chosen by teamie Jan -and the theme is:  Fairy Nice.

Show us your cards using any and all manner of FAIRIES! 
Challenge ends on April 12.

I am using this incredible Fairy Tangles Umbrella Fairy digital image that I just HAD to purchase some time ago, but has never been used. Sound familiar? 


It's always a pleasure mixing and matching die cuts and making wonky frames.
For a little extra texture, I added sparkly Pine Star Embossing Powder to the Tonic Swirling Frame Layering Die Set, which has a slightly marbled appearance. It affords great coverage AND interesting cast of hues as it glitters and sparkles:

  
For a little extra interest, Meadow Sparkle Ultrafine Glitter (a slightly different color green) was adhered on the Tropical Flourish die cut.


The card is topped off with an old Hero Arts Poetic Prints Danselfly and REALLY old embellishment at the top left, and pretty flowers with feathers in the bottom left. Another oldie is the Martha Stewart Geometric Shapes border punch. I'm sad she is not making more punches - I really liked her line.


It is always a pleasure seeing your artful treasures,
so please come play with us at
Cardz 4 Galz.

Products:

Challenges I'd like to support please:
Stamping hugs to you!