Clean and Simple House Mouse - blog candy winner

It's a bright sunshiny day here in Central Florida, with amazing weather and happily chirping birds. Wish I could share it with everyone.

What I **can** share is the winner of the blog candy from this post. I enjoyed reading all the scenarios you shared. 

The name my husband drew from the basket is: Amy#8546 of The Tigers Haven

As promised, I have contacted Amy to let her know she won three Sparkle N Sprinkle stamp sets. Thanks for playing! (and we will do it again).

Today's card share is a sweet little House Mousie CAS - clean and simple - get well card. 

Except for the tail, these vibrantly colored, adorable characters were colored with chalks. My friends know that I don't do anything quickly. But this was very quick and easy to put together. The background was also chalked.

Aren't these little guys the cutest?

It was difficult, but I managed not to include a single embellishment, except to apply Crystal Lacquer to the bandaids. Does that count?

Thanks for visiting. 

This little CAS card has been submitted to the ABC Challenge - ABC11 Clean and Simple challenge (badge shown in top tab)

and to a brand new Challenge Blog called Creative Creations Challenges. Their first challenge is called #1 Anything Goes. (Congrats to their new design team, too)

Get Well Hugs for everyone who is under the weather,

Pop Up Gift Card Holder

Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. A few friends said they would like to see the other cards which will be included in the Olive and Navy Card Gift Box so here is the 2nd of the cards. (Everyone knows how slow I am in card creating, so it will take a few days!)

In making the coordinating cards to go into the Card Gift Box, I happened to pass by the closet yet again, only to hear **more** whining and sniveling inside. Opening the door, I found an old corner punch (Trumpet Paper Shaper - remember those?) and some old organza ribbon by Sheer Creations (back in the days when sheer ribbons were used LOL).

Then some pitiful cries erupted from my beloved wood mount stamp stadium. My Leigh Hannan stamps by Impression Obsession were crying from neglect! The Victorian Rose (F2064) and Flourish Three (C2040) literally jumped into my hands and begged to be used with the Gold Coast EP. The front of the card is graced with the Rose image. The leaves are colored with olive and blue pencil pastels (aka chalk pencils). The flowers are painted lightly with Twinkling H2Os (both coloring mediums are part of my "old stuff" collection.) The panel was sprayed with Krylon Workable Fixative to keep the chalks from smearing. I am always so happy using my Leigh Hannan images. To see all her stamps at IO, please click here.

Inside the card, designer paper was enhanced by stamping with the IO Flourish image, and embossed with the same EP. They are happy little stamps now (but like most children, they are dreading their bath time). A blank panel was added to the inside so a stamped or hand-written message could be added.

This card was inspired by Kim, who showed me how to make an A2 size pop up gift card holder. My Victorian Rose card is size A7 to coordinate with other cards which will fit inside the Gift Card Holder.

The Pop Up Gift Card Holder may be found at SplitCoastStampers Pop Up Gift Card Tutorial.

The pretty bow on the front of the card was made with Craft-Dee BowZ, an easy way to create bows, even for those of us bow-challenged folks!

A Martha Stewart border punch and 3 Spellbinders dies were used on the inside of the card, leaving a blank spot for the gifter to write a note.

Thanks for stopping by!

hugs,

Vellum-Embossed Leaves

The Florida Stampers are leafing it this month - we created cards using leaves. The leaves could be anywhere on the card, and used in any manner (stamped, stickers, designer paper, die cuts, etc). Hence my Clean and Simple card.

The Vellum has dry embossed leaves on it (that's why the leaf veins appear white). Under the vellum is a white piece of cardstock with randomly smooshed chalk (pastels). The chalk was applied with a highly technical device called a cotton ball. :-)

The inside image is stamped with another oldie crying out to be used: Memories solvent based dye ink pad Barn Red color. Then image is entirely colored with chalks (one of my favorite coloring mediums). I prefer the softer look of watercolors when applying the chalks. That's why the color is deliberately outside of the lines.

This swap card has been mailed to temporarily transplanted Florida Stampers member Rita Held who is residing in Kansas, much to our chagrin. The sentiments were embossed with a platinum embossing powder which contains chunky glitter.

Thanks for stopping by to see creations done with more "old stuff" stashed in the crafting closet and whining to be used!

hugs,

Autumn Inspirations Blog Hop - Celebrating Fall's Colors

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle Autumn Inspirations Blog Hop celebrating Fall’s Robust Colors and its Holidays!

If you hopped here by way of the very talented Shona Erlenborn, then you are in the right spot. But if you just happened here as your first stop, you may wish to start at the SNS Home Blog Page to become eligible for six prizes!

My inspiration comes from the muted cries emitting from the stamping closet's closed doors. You know, that place where all the "older" stuff gets put? Upon opening the doors, the muted cries became loud whines! My older tools and art supplies were feeling left out and wanted to come out for some play time. 

Having only made one other Halloweenie card in my stamping lifetime, I decided to try some of those images. 

First comes "Spooky Night", an EASY A2 size card using household bleach, black detail embossing powder, and Pearlescent Watercolors (mica paints). Here in rural Florida, it is common to enjoy a full moon, ribbons of fog or stringy clouds, and bats. (Bats are great for keeping the flying insects at bay!)

 Spooky Willow, Hocus Pocus, and a nickel were used to create this landscape.

Next is "My Haunt or Yours"? Those pesky Acrylic Paints were REALLY whining to be used. Drizzle paint on glossy card stock, and smoosh with another piece of glossy. Open the sandwich quickly from a single corner, and the result is a cool background. I used other neglected art supplies like pastels and colored pencils, two ribbons in a layer, and even old brads! LOL

Of course, I couldn't make cards without my Spellbinders Grand Callibur. Even here I used the oldest of my Spellbinders dies (the Petite ovals 140 & 141) BUT the new Grand Labels One created the shape of this card. (there had to be one new thing in play, after all!)

Your final destination is the SNS Blog! To become eligible for the prizes, please leave a comment on my blog below and return to the SNS blog and answer the following question. There are no right or wrong answers LOL

What styles of Autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving stamps are you looking for? (ie: scenes, cute sayings, children, harvest time items, detailed stamps, simple images, elegant etc). We value knowing what you most like. (Not a difficult question at all, is it?) Answering that question back on the SNS Home Blog helps us, and makes you eligible for the Grand Prize!

hugs always,

Birthday Flowers for Lis

Hi! One of the greatest of Life's pleasures is creating a special gift for a friend. It brings a Creative Smile to our hearts as we work on it, and a Creative Smile to the recipient's lips when they open it. Lis and Lisa were my inspiration in making Lis' birthday gift:

(complete directions for bag and card are at the bottom)

Lis, because she is an avid recycler, happy gardener, flower lover, and prolific paper crafter, and Lisa, because she is in love with altering silk flowers, and drawing others into her creative vortex.

The gift bag is a reclaimed, coated white gift bag spritzed with Ranger's Blending Alcohol, and then spritzed some more with 3 reinker colors. Move the colors around as needed, and allow 30 minutes to dry thoroughly. (I spritzed each side separately, allowing a side to dry before beginning the next one). When dry, Creatix Pearl Lime acrylic paint was sponged on top of the inks to pop the colors and give that pearly finish.

The silk flowers were originally part of a bush obtained from Michaels. After removing the hard rubbery plastic backing, the petals were shaded with chalk, and put back together with brads. Flowers on the bag were adhered by punching a hole through the bag, and sticking the brad post through it, flattening it open on the inside of the bag. Pretty tissue papers hide the interior brad prongs.

Labels Five & Eleven Nestabilities were used for the sentiment. Sentiment and Embossing Powders are from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

It's fun embellishing the brads as well, using embossing powders and a heat tool. Hold the prongs of the brad with a tong to protect your fingers. Heat the brad top and quickly dip into embossing powder. It should automatically melt. If touch up is needed, just heat a little bit, and dip again. Heat set if necessary. Multiple embossing powder colors may be used to create interesting effects. VersaMark or Embossing Ink may also be used if desired before dipping or pouring embossing powder. Then heat set.

Color Box Sunflower Yellow pigment ink was used as direct-to-paper for the dry embossed background.

Lastly, the flower stamp was inked with Sunflower Yellow pigment ink and embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle Dandy Dandelion EP around the edges of the card.

How lovely being inspired by friends in creating the gift and its wrapping.
Thanks for stopping by!
hugs,
Donna

Gift Bag and Birthday Card

Stamp Credits:

Happy Birthday To You 1237-234A

Primrose 1242-234B

Wild Geranium 1241-234E

Other Supplies:

Gold Coast Embossing Powder EP364

Dandy Dandelion Embossing Powder EP178

Brushable Glue 540

Pink Chalk

Labels Five Nestabilities

Labels Eleven Nestabilities

ColorBox Sunflower Yellow pigment ink

Cardstock: White, Ivory, Black and Yellow

Coated White Gift Bag

Silk Flowers

Alcohol

3 reinker colors (Magenta, Cyan, Yellow were used) placed in spritzers

Pearlized Chartreuse Createx Paint

Embossing Folder

Brads

Corner Punch

Dimensional Tape

Gold Krylon Pen

Instructions:

Flowers and Brads:

1.    Take apart silk flowers, removing the plastic stems which hold them together. Using chalks or pastels, enhance colors of flowers. The entire flower may be utilized, or just a few layers – whichever best meets your needs.

2.    Choose desired shape of brad. Holding the prongs of the brad with tongs, heat the head of the brad with embossing tool. Heat well and immediately dip into Dandy Dandelion EP. Allow to melt on brad. If it doesn’t melt all the way, heat set it. If more EP is desired, repeat steps of heating and dipping until desired effect is reached. Set aside to cool.

3.    Brads will ultimately be placed through the flower layers, and then onto bag or card.

Bag:

1.    In well-ventilated room (or wear a mask), spritz Ranger’s Alcohol Blending Solution onto one side of bag. Immediately spritz yellow reinker, then cyan and finally blue. Allow colors to blend and pool for a moment, then move some of the colors around with a sponge, or absorb excess color. Set aside to dry. Continue around each side of the bag until all 4 sides are complete.

2.    Pour a little Createx Paint onto sponge and smoosh across one side of bag. Set aside to dry. Continue around each side of the bag until all 4 sides are complete.

3.    Punch hole into bag. Insert decorated brad through flower layers and bag. Open prongs on inside so they are flat. Flower will stay in place.

Card:

1.    Fold ivory cardstock into size desired for card.

2.    Cut black cardstock 5/8” smaller than card front. Trim with corner punch if desired. Set aside.

3.    Cut white cardstock ¼” smaller than black layer. Run through dry emboss folder and antique with Sunny Yellow pigment ink. Set aside for ink to dry.

4.    Around edges of card base, randomly stamp Wild Geranium images with Sunny Yellow pigment ink, and heat emboss with Dandy Dandelion EP.

5.    With Labels 11 die, cut & emboss white cardstock. Ink “Happy Birthday to You” in Sunny Yellow Pigment ink and heat emboss with Gold Coast Cosmic EP. Using Primrose image, randomly stamp around edges of die cut with same ink, heat emboss with Dandy Dandelion EP. Edge with Gold Krylon Pen and set aside to dry.

6.    Cut yellow cardstock with Labels 5 die. Edge with Gold Krylon Pen and set aside to dry.

7.    Chalk flowers on label piece to match silk flower. With dimensional adhesive, layer it onto yellow die cut.

8.    With Brushable Glue adhere white dry embossed layer to black layer, corner punching if desired. Punch hole through both layers and insert flower via brad prongs. Flatten the prongs securely on the back.

9.    Tilt the layer and adhere to ivory card base with Brushable Glue.

10.  Attach sentiment layers with dimensional tape.