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

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Anything Goes at Lavinia World - Freya's House

Hello, Fairy Lovers!
Hopefully you are enjoying these sweet Lavinia World images at least half as much as I am in using them. They make everything all better. I used to think glitter and butterflies covered up all boo-boos in crafting. These darling little fairies have convinced me THEY are the answer to all boo-boos!
With that... it is time for a new Lavinia World Challenge!


Details of our Lavinia World Challenge:
Every second Thursday a new Anything-Goes challenge will be posted with chances to win a $15 gift certificate to the store, and badges for your blog. Use ANY clear or rubber stamp - no digitals. If your project features Lavinia World stamps, your chances to win double.

While "our" Lavinia World store is located in the US, it ships worldwide. These delightfully sweet images are extremely detailed and reasonably priced. Even better, buy $25 and get free shipping! Lavinia World carries other coordinating products for your convenience (like Brushos, inks, highlight pens and more).

Ever have a great idea for your card, only to have one blunder after another hijack your creative process to take a completely different route? Of course you haven't.

Or...

Just maybe...

it was the fairies?

(it's always comforting to blame boo-boos on someone or some THING else)

Here are the fantastic Lavinia World products in my hijack...
I mean... in my project: 



Card Front: I decided on a monochromatic theme using white embossing powder and an off-center aperture. The image is on the inside. To accomplish this, I fitted round dies that would accommodate Freya's House and each other.



Using a ruler and Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, I heat set White Detail embossing powder to create a frame. The fairies and "Dream" were stamped with VersaFine Clair Verdant Ink and heat set with White Detail embossing powder.

Partially open:



Inside, a stencil was used with Embellishment Mousse to create Moon Beams. A glue pen covered the beams to adhere white microfine glitter.



The glue pen also was applied around the fairy's lantern, on the little heart, and in some of the details of the house, with more white and burgundy glitter applied. The grasses are coated with green glitter, and shadowed with a Tombow marker.



Tip: I use the VersaFine Clair inks because their ink produces fine, well-covered images. Opaque embossing powders coat the ink so you cannot see through it.



Here are my blunders and how they were remedied:

Blunder Number One:

Here in central rural Florida, we enjoy beautiful night skies, with a bright moon illuminating the pastures and woods until it is just a crescent moon. It's pure magic seeing moon beams caress our sky and filter thought the trees. But when trying to capture that look with a Sun Ray stencil and embellishment mousse, I should have been a bit less vibrant with the application of color. The result was hideous, so I devised using a sentiment instead, with moon beams shining from the sweet saying.

Blunder Number Two:
Forgetting to add the pale green layer to the card front while planning my design.
To remedy it, a ruler and Sakura Quickie Glue Pen came to my rescue, heat set with White Detail embossing powder, to create a frame for interest. Embellishment Mousse was smooshed around the outside edge.



Blunder Number Three:
Because the mousse was applied in a light-handed fashion, lots of unwanted texture resulted - so white microfine glitter was applied to the beams, around the fairy lantern and verse layer, and even in parts of the house design.



Blunder Number Four:
Carefully deciding to add glittered grass to the front of the card, and then wanting to add a fairy and flowers which should have been added first:



Now that you know about the blunders, and how they hijacked what I **THOUGHT** I wanted to do, don't forget to add your ANYTHING GOES card to the challenge! Remember - the only rule is to use a rubber stamp or a clear stamp (no digitals).


Wishing you a great day!

Products Used:


Challenges I'd like to play in please:

  1. ScrapyLand Challenges #116  AG SL Dies 7/3 (please see list of dies above)
  2. World Wide Open DT Challenge #6 AG DT related 7/15
  3. Crafty Friends Challenge #112 Fairies and Fantasy 6/28
  4. 2 Sisters on the Blog #28 Things With Wings 6/30
  5. Sweet Stampers #33 Anything Goes 7/7 (sep post)
  6. Classic DT Open Challenge #6 AG DT related 7/1
  7. Fairy and Unicorn Challenge (June) Fantasy 7/1
  8. Crafting with an Attitude (#52) Anything Goes 7/1
  9. Aud Sentiments #229 Anything Goes + a Sentiment (I have one front and with scene) 6/25


hugs,





Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Divinity Designs

Hello, my friends!
First - thank you for staying with me - it's been a rough few months, and I'm slowly recovering. My fumble fingers are beginning to coordinate with my Mojo, and my strength is kind of getting normalish. I had a body-wide exacerbation which then triggered an unexpected, unpleasant infection. The ways our bodies respond to certain "stimuli" is just amazing (as many of you know first-hand). The most difficult thing is being patient with myself and flexible enough to be satisfied with what can be accomplished, even if it is, seemingly, a big Nothing.

Enough of that!


Today begins a new challenge at 
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'!




My brilliant teammates have fantastic samples to share! The challenge is ANYTHING GOES for ANY Christmas theme craft project. June's Challenge is open until July 6 and has an optional theme of non-traditional colors.


My non traditional color is BROWN.
How fun! I used a Christmas Tree Collage image that has been in my stash for 4-5 years and has never seen ink! How could I be so cruel?
I'm so pleased with the quality and details in the stamp, that I'll be buying more from this company.

My first brown card has an oval frame.



I began by creating a background paper with this beautiful poinsettia stamp, embossing powder and Ken Oliver Liquid Metal Heavy Metal Brushos. I both painted and splattered with them.



Here's a close up of the "Heavy Metals". I painted them around the tree's star halo, and a little on each ornament:


The frame is glittered, of course, and covers portions of the stamped collage:


The second card features the Cracked Glass technique. The image was stamped and distressed with inks. The background paper was also stamped with a Music background stamp. Here are the pieces before assembling:


I smeared Judikins embossing ink on the dried image, and heat set several coats of clear EP on it. Next it was put in the freezer for 45 minutes, and then "cracked". Black Soot distress ink was smooshed into the cracks. 

You can see the glassy effect here. The entire panel shines like that:



Hopefully you can see some of cracks here:



I love this stamp! How could I have neglected it for so long?

Will you come play, too? Remember, the non-traditional color is optional.

Two cards, one stamp, one brown color:


Some Products:
  • Stamp (on both cards) Divinity Designs Christmas Tree Collage with VersaFine Clair Acorn Brown Ink
Oval Card:
  • Me and Carrie Lou Poinsettia (apparently they are only sold at Violette's a brick-and-mortar store in Lakeland FL)
  • Ken Oliver Liquid Metals Heavy Metals watercolors
  • Vintage Brown Cosmic embossing powder
  • SB Classic Oval die set
  • SB Fleur de Elegance 5x7 oval die set


Rectangle Card:
  • Embossing Ink (for cracked glass technique)
  • Clear embossing powder (for cracked glass technique)
  • Scattered Straw, Aged Mahogany, Black Soot Distress Inks
  • Tutti 123 Arched Fir Branch die
  • Tonic Studios English Picnic Rectangle die set
  • MS Doily Trim punch
  • Judikins Music Background Stamp

Challenges I'd like to play in please:


  1. Merry Little Christmas Challenge #11 Anything Christmas Goes 7/1
  2. The Holy and Ivy Christmas Challenge #51 Anything Christmas Goes 6/16
  3. Christmas Cards All Year Round (June) Garland-Leaves or Christmas Flowers (one card has stamped poinsettias, the other has golden garland die cut) 7/1
  4. Classic DT Open Challenge #6 June  AG for DT 7/1
  5. Love to Craft Challenge Blog #35 Anything Goes 7/1
  6. Crafting by Designs (June) Anything Goes 7/1
  7. Artistic Inspirations #216 Anything Goes 7/2
  8. Use Your Stuff #362 "Vintage" 6/17
Stamping Hugs,

Thursday, June 06, 2019

Anything Goes at Lavinia World Challenge

Hi, everyone! Hope you are enjoying your summer!
It's Challenge time!


Details of our Lavinia World Challenge:
Every second Thursday a new Anything-Goes challenge will be posted with chances to win a $15 gift certificate to the store, and badges for your blog. Use ANY clear or rubber stamp - no digitals. If your project features Lavinia World stamps, your chances to win double.

While "our" Lavinia World store is located in the US, it ships worldwide. These delightfully sweet images are extremely detailed and reasonably priced. Even better, buy $25 and get free shipping! Lavinia World carries other coordinating products for your convenience (like Brushos, inks, highlight pens and more).

To make this fun card, I cheated by using one of the beautiful background papers called "Blue Sky" Laser Printed on high quality semi-glossy paper, it brought a richness and depth to my creation without extra effort on my part. Four papers come in each Paper Pack:


Because of the sheen on these papers, I had a bit of trouble photographing their true vibrant colors. I trimmed 1/4 inch off each side to make the paper a bit smaller. Here, I stamped the Aurora Fairy image with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat embossed with a black detail powder containing lots of glitter.


To give the trees their leaves, I took a tip from Darlene's gorgeous card.
Using Leaf Miniature 2 image, I stamped with black on the black trees, and Blue Belle VersaFine Clair on the blue trees. Both were heat set with black (or blue) detail powders containing glitter.


Here is the finished card after using the cute little Fairy Bugs (four to a set):


Please join us. If you've never tried Lavinia's very detailed stamps, you'll want to play for a chance to win and own a few. I'm addicted!

Thanks for visiting!



Challenges I'd like to play in please:

  1. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #107 Anything Goes 6/16
  2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1922 Anything Goes 6/8
  3. Crafting from the Heart #244 Anything Goes 6/8
  4. 2 Sisters on the blog Challenge #28 Things With Wings 7/1
  5. A Bit More Time to Craft (June 2) #93 Anything Goes 6/15





Moving Along With the Times - Sketch

Good Morning, dear blogging friends!
How deeply grateful I am to know you!
I am not able to snail mail today's card to each and every one of you, but please know that I would if I could!



It's time to share a Project for the new Moving Along With The Times Challenge!

Challenge #99's theme is A SKETCH - for the next 2 weeks upload your creations that feature our pretty SKETCH shown below.




I chose a monochrome gold theme to go with this beautiful sketch!

For those of you who remember February's Turner Syndrome Awareness Blog Hop, we have added a new tab that says Digital Stamps for Charity.

The Kindness Sentiment Set is our first digital set, available with or without borders. One Hundred Percent of the Proceeds goes to The Turner Syndrome Foundation. There are 11 PNG images in the set for $2.00.




ProductsKindness Sentiment Set, Darice Ornate Rectangles Die Set, Sue Wilson Pierced Flags Die Set, EKS corner punch, Gold Detail EP, Gold Vellum.

Looking forward to seeing your creations at Moving Along With The Times Challenge!

Challenges I'd like to play in please:
Daisy Chain Challenge #31 Monochrome 7/1 

Warm Florida Hugs,