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,

A Vintage-Recycled Santa for Earth Day

Good Morning, dear Friends!

I admit it right from the start! This card is a total "cheater". 

• Recycled Santa from last year's received store bought cards
• trimmed with VersaMarker and Gold Tinsel embossing powder
• added some SNS Green Iris glitz glitter throughout the fuzzies on Santa.
• The pretty paper was already printed, so it was just distressed with ink.
• The two Spellbinders die cuts were pieced together to accommodate the framed Santa Face.
• My Mom's Gold Trim - it is at least 40 years old!

Inspired by the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, where Santa was to be the focal point on our cards, my card is terribly easy, right?

My card uses the sketch from Fetch a Sketch Challenge:

It's what I call a cheater card (giggle) - but I love recycling - repurposing beautiful art - do you?

Cheater though I am, this card is still submitted in the following wonderful on-line challenges!

1. 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - #16 Santa Claus
2. Joanna Sheen - Recycle Challenge (Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes)
3. WOW Embossing Powder - Altered or Recycled - (recycled with Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes) also used Gold Tinsel EP around the recycled Santa panel.
4. Jingle Belles Rock - Joy to the Earth - Recycle (recycled with Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes)
5. Crimbo Crackers Christmas - #39 Vintage (Vintage Santa with traditional colors, vintage gold braid, and distressing on papers)
6. Christmas Card Challenges - #21
7. Catch The Bug - Bugaboo Bingo (bottom row= gold tinsel heat embossing, green iris glitter, K&Company designer paper)
8. Crafty Hazel Nuts Christmas - #121 Red and Green Must be Seen (red all over, green holly)
9. ABC Challenges (All Beautiful Cards) - Recycle ((recycled with Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes)
10. Fetch-a-Sketch - #48 - follows sketch
11. LAST MINUTE ENTRY BY INVITATION (4-23) - Crafty Hazel Nut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Goes Christmas (thank you, Hazel!)

Products Used:

SB Grand Labels Twenty Three
SB Decorative Labels Eight
SB Decorative Labels Twenty-seven
Sparkle N Sprinkle Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder
Sparkle N Sprinkle Green Iris Ultrafine Glitter
Inks: Old Paper dye, Fired Brick dye,VersaMarker Pen
Adhesives: Aileen's Quick Dry, Regular Scotch Tape, ZOTS
Papers: K&Company, White, recycled store bought Christmas Card

40-year-old gold braid from my Mom's stash, ribbon, snowflake

Happy Hugs,

Wanna See My Blob?

Hello~ It's not a typo! 

Wanna See My Blob (not blog) is exactly right!

Originally titled "Recycled and Deconstructed Christmas"

... but... 

"Wanna See My Blob?" 

is much more appropriate at this point.

blob    BLOB   blob    Blobbbbbbbb

but first --

my card is created with a pretty recycled image from a store-bought Christmas card, and then a few enhancements, including... The Blob!

Isn't this sketch so pretty?

I'm delighted to play in The Deconstructed Sketch Challenge for the first time!

soooooooo...........


Want to see my blob?  

To achieve this blob look, apply glue to back of bow, then accidentally drop the bow (due to fumble fingers) onto your project.

Carefully pick the bow up, only to drop it a second time FACE DOWN on top of the glue which just transferred from the bow!

Next, attempt to mask the glue blobs now on the bow, with a little red glitter. But drop the spoon first, so that the glitter falls on top of the white glitter, right where the glue transfer took place from dropping the bow the first time.

Then, after trying to brush off the unwanted red glitter, 

just recognize that the situation is hopeless, adhere the bow, and let it go! After all, it's still a pretty card 

<giggle> 

here is a better view of The Blob

Welcome to my life with every layer and embellishment I add to a card and now you know why Fumble Fingers is my middle name.

Do you see the several other blunders on this oh-so-pretty Christmas card? If you can find them, point them out to me in a comment, and I'll put your name in another time for this month's blog candy drawing.

TIP: With a VersaMarker, I covered the white area around the reindeer, coated it with Sparkle Embossing Powder and heat set.

TIP: The red glitter is adhered with SNS Brushable Glue in the scallop area, and with SNS Tear-ific Tape on the inside of the card.

TIP: To camouflage the shiny "sticker" part of the gold rhinestone flourish, SNS Golden Rod Velvet Glitter was applied, and then gently brushed off.

The ribbon is adhered with some Fabric Glue, and, inadvertently, so is some of the red glitter.

The poor, dear (now battered) bow was created on the Craft-dee Bowz tool.


Fabulous Challenges this card is submitted to:

• The Deconstructed Sketch Challenge - #97 - sketch shown above
• Jingle Belles rock Challenge - Earth Day Celebration (use recycled reindeer)
• Christmas Card Challenges - #20 Wings (does a flying reindeer count? LOL)
• Crimbo Crackers - #38 Vintage Flavor (traditional colors and elements)
• 613 Avenue Create - #15 Anything Goes
• Challenges 4 Everybody - #18 Anything Goes
• The Squirrel and the Fox Challenges - #41 Inspired by a song or movie (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)
• Moving Along With the Times - Inspired by a song or movie (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)
• My Grafico Crafts Challenge - #148 Anything Goes
• *NEW* Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes

Supplies Used in this project:

Recycled store bought Christmas Card (reindeer image)
CB Holly Ribbons 5x7 embossing folder
IO Pine Branch die
SB Fleur de Lis die
MS Scallop Punch
Adhesives: SNS 1/2 inch Tear-ific Tape, Aileen's Quick Dry, Dimensionals, regular tape
Paper: White, Red, Green, Gold Glossy cardstock
Wine Satin Ribbon, Sticker flourish,
VersaMarker
SNS Fire Engine Red ultrafine glitter
SNS Sparkle Embossing Powder EP107
SNS Brushable Glue
SNS Golden Rod Velvet Glitter
SNS Fabric Glue

Thanks for stopping by to enjoy my blob today! Remember, find some other boo-boo's on this card, leave them in your comment (along with a little sugar, of course), and have your name submitted another time for April's blog candy (a Papertrey Ink set).

PS - this card was also shown as inspiration on the 4-25 Jingle Bells inspiration moment post.

Stamping hugs,

Wee Winged Little Sister Besties

Note: April's Blog Candy Question can be found here. Deadline is April 30.

Aw...

  aren't we just too,

         TOO
                 sweet?

      and too cute?

             and OH SO darling?

Aren't we?

Introducing Sherri Baldy's new creations

"Wee Winged Besties" 

There are several images for this set - click here to view them all and get your daily dose of adorable-ness.

Each month, the design team at Scrapbook Stamp Society is given a challenge. This month, we are to create cards utilizing embellishments not commonly seen on cards. I was given this adorable image called Wee Winged Little Sister Besties.

It was then that I noticed Big Sister was actually posing in front of a mirror so she could admire her pretty little self, 
          and to make sure her perfect little wings were on straight and had just the right amount of glitter,
                     and that her tights were properly pulled up.
                                 And... you know how big sisters are...

It was difficult keeping my reflection out of the "mirror" while photographing

The CD is both her mirror AND my uncommon embellishment for the card.

Fumble Fingers here used the Craft-dee Bowz to make the little bow. Two layers of organza white, and one layer of poke-a-dotted grosgrain aqua ribbon.

The sentiments for this 6x6 easel card are computer generated.

one more view of the "mirror"

This card is submitted to the following fabulous challenges:

The Besties Challenge- #14 - Use Flowers (flowers as embellishments and in her dress)
Artistic Inspirations- #38 - Anything Goes
The Crafty Bloggers Network- #10 - Anything Goes
NEW - The Paper Girls #1 - Anything Goes
Paper Take Weekly - Bingo - (first column, Glitter, Die Cuts, Blooms)
Tuesday Throw Down - #142 Fancy Folds (easel card)
Creative Moments - #14 Things With Wings (two little fairy sisters)
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - #64 Anything Goes
Fab N Funky Challenges - #166 Spring Colours
Brown Sugar Challenge - #37 Step or Easel Card (easel card here)

Products Used:

*NEW* Wee Winged Little Sister Besties by artist Sherri Baldy
Sentiments are computer-generated
Sparkle N Sprinkle Waterfall Glitter G1071
Sparkle N Spirnkle Waterscape Glitter G1108
Sparkle N Sprinkle Silver Dreams Glitter G1002 (forehead jewelry)
Sparkle N Sprinkle Silver Pearl embossing powder (over the copics on little sister's wings)
EK Success scallop border punch
MS  Punch around the page
SB Grand Big Scallop Circles
SB Decorative Labels Eight
SB Labels 23 Nestabilities
SB Grand Nestabilities Labels Four
SB Fleur de Lis Rectangels S4-317
Cardstock: White, Gold, Aqua, Vellum
Ink: Sunny Yellow, Aqua
Copic Markers
Flowers, CD, Ribbons

Thanks for dropping by today!
hugs,

Christmas Follows Valentine's Day, Right?

Hi! Thanks for stopping by. I'm delighted to have made a card for some wonderful on-line challenges. 

Ever receive store-bought cards which are just too pretty to be put in the neighborhood recycle bin? This card is one of those. Recycled "in-house", this card front has only been altered slightly with blue ink, VersaMark and Sparkle Embossing Powder, and of course, lots of layers and embellishing.

A very talented Girl Friend invented a spectacularly-easy-to-use Bow Maker called Craft-Dee BowZ. Even my fumble fingers make perfect bows everytime. While it is designed for children and adults, she also made some adjustments for "handi-capped" people such as myself. Thank you DeeDee!

Sparkle EP allows use of the VersaMark Pad and/or VersaMarker, to get in those special spots. Here a small 1" cube was smooshed across the bulk of the snow, and then the marker did the areas around the children and sky, so they remained glitter-less. Much easier than glue, Sparkle EP will never rub off, either. 

This card has been submitted to the following fun challenges:
Christmas Card Challenges #11 - Sketch
Christmas Inspirations - Challenge 41/2012 Anything Goes
Christmas Crafting Challenge - Blue, Silver, White
Crafter's Companion #21 - Anything Goes
Pretty Little Ribbon #7 - Anything Goes
Totally Paper Crafts #104 - Ribbons and-or Bows

Thanks for visiting!
Stamping Hugs,

"It's A Cultural Thing" Blog Hop with Prizes!

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle "It's A Cultural Thing" Blog Hop! If you hopped here by way of artsy Dawn Thomas, then you're in the right place! If you're just beginning here, you might enjoy starting at the SNS Home Blog, to become eligible for a grand prize and three "mystery" prizes! This is my last blog hop as a Sparkle Staff Member - so thanks for stopping by. SNS has such a diverse selection of images, we decided to combine many of the stamps featuring themes which create American culture. 

I was very fortunate to have been raised on the West Coast, then in New England, and finally to the Gulf Coast of Florida. My parents were very open to interesting ideas. Growing up my siblings and I always enjoyed the influences of Asian, European and Latin customs - in our meals, celebrations and home decor. My fondest memories include those earliest childhood years which were in southern California. Horticulturally and architecturally, we thrived with Asian influence. So my projects today are reminiscent of Asian filigree and an Asian garden.

Today I'm showing a "card gift box" which will hold an assortment of coordinating and beautiful cards. These will become a Christmas Gift for a dear person (no names - don't want to give anything away LOL). This idea came from a wonderful mother and daughter team on The Craftiblog.

8.5" x 11" card stock was used.

The gift box is actually a repurposed cake mix box, top cut off, carefully opened flat, spray paint on the printed side, and reassembled with the kraft side out. Just click on the photos below to see how to create the gift box or visit my Gallery at the SNS site (one last time) here.

A Martha Stewart border punch cut gold glossy card stock to provide additional stability and to show off  the lace, which has been attached with 1/2 Tear-ific Tape, and then burnished with one of my favorite glitter colors -  Fantasy Gold, also on special this month!

The card stock was randomly stamped with the Lotus Flower Plant image from the Oriental set 181, embossed with rich Gold Coast Cosmic embossing powder, and highlighted with more Fantasy Gold glitter.

The medallion flower was created with Flowers in the Square image, fussy cut, and combined with purple, navy, and gold glossy layers created from Spellbinders Rose and Carnation Creations sets, cut on their Grand Calibur.

The gold glossy leaves are cut from a Sizzix Sizzlet die.

The box is the perfect size for 5x7 (A7) size cards.

The coordinating A7 card below uses the same background creation, Spellbinders "In Spades" borderabilities die, Butterflies Two shapeabilities die, and the Flowers in the Square image cut from navy and olive, embossed with Gold Coast and Dark Night Cosmic embossing powders. (Cosmics are my favorite EPs - so rich and creamy). The butterfly is embossed with Gold Tinsel EP. The recipe for my card is available on the SNS Art Gallery.

Thanks for stopping by!

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

What is your favorite tradition which was “brought over” by another culture? Does your family celebrate this? If that’s too ambiguous, how about what special thing do you especially enjoy about American Culture? Answering these questions back on the SNS Home Blog makes you eligible for the Grand Prize and 3 other secondary prizes! Good Luck!


Stamping Hugs,