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

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Sparkle N Sprinkle's AT THE BEACH blog hop!

Update: May 11 -- winners are posted at the SNS blog HERE.


Note: May's Blog Candy question is at the VERY bottom of this post.

Warm cyber hugs and a VERY special welcome to 
Sparkle N Sprinkle's fabulous 
"At the Beach" 
blog hop!

 If you arrived here directly from SNS Home blog, then you are in the right place. Otherwise, you may wish to start at the beginning by clicking here.

If you like sparkle, 
if you love the sea,
this Hop is for YOU!
Sparkle N Sprinkle has its roots in Southern California, and is currently based in central Florida by the Gulf of Mexico, so we are celebrating with an "At The Beach" theme this month!





The hop will run for two days. All the fine SNS products, like Stamps, Glitters, Embossing Powders, Flocking, etc., will be lavished upon our hoppers in artwork, and also shared as prizes at the end of the blog hop. To become eligible for Sparkle N Sprinkle's outstanding prizes, leave a comment on each designer's blog during the hop. Three of the prizes are "hidden" on three Design Team Members' blogs. Even the designers don't know which blogs contain the prizes, so try not to miss any.

Winners will be announced on the Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog on Saturday, May 11th.


Your blog hostesses are: 
Donna (that's me - smile) ** Marie Berquist ** Cindy Keogh 
Barbara Bruder  ** Keri Brown ** Cammy Vietzke 

My Card Shares

My first card is FAST AND EASY - seriously.
If I had inked the inside of the embossing folder or used dark cardstock to begin with, the effect would have been more dramatic. But with the white base, the embossing powder photographs better, so that is why white was used.

Back to FAST AND EASY:

  1. Run your cardstock through your embossing folder.
  2. Smoosh VersaMark pad all over the embossed piece.
  3. Choose 4 colors of Sparkle N Sprinkle Tuscany STARS embossing powders and apply them in various places of your inked panel.
  4. Heat set. Easy for a spectacular look, isn't it?
For complete directions to make this card, please click here.

I moved the camera just a hair, so that the light would reflect a little differently and capture the beautiful colors - as each embossing powder contains more than one color "shimmer" to it.

Here is a close up of the textures:
Fibers
Gold Leaf Pen
Charm
Tuscany STARS Embossing Powder 


My card is being submitted in the following challenges:
Love to Scrap - #5 Anything Goes!
ABC Challenges - M for Make It Sparkle (every surface of this card is covered with glitter or embossing powder which contains glitter)





My Second Card Share



MEMORIES: This was a fun card to make as it brought back fond childhood memories (nostalgia) of making large sand castles at the beach in southern California. As we dug the "moats" around our castles, we invariably ended up with moister sand and found all kinds of those little rolie-polie sand crabs. They tickled our hands, and caused us to laugh delightedly.

The castle was stamped with Memento Ink, and colored with copics, on top of Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter.

The backdrop is painted with watercolors. The yellow flag is embellished with dimensional glue and Lemonade Ultrafine Glitter.

The Tear Drop circle framing the castle is smooshed with VersaMark ink and then heat embossed with very glittery Mediterranean Sea Star embossing powder.

NOTE:  (all the embossing powders on this project contain glitter, and are very sparkly in person).

I especially like the mix-and-match capability of this delightful stamp set (#403).
The circles fit most dies, and the set is really great for Scrapbookers.



This happy dolphin is an old, old, OLD Spellbinders die, back with their very first release. He is smooshed with VersaMark and embossed with Silver Lightning EP.


The following tutorials found on the SNS Tips and Techniques page were used:
The Sun Rosette tutorial can be seen on Barbara Bruder's video here.


The rosette sun is embossed with Dandy Dandelion EP.


It is my first attempt at creating a "rosette". Even with fumble fingers it was not that difficult.

It is scored and folded at 3/8" increments.

The same border punch was used on the sun's rays, as was used around the card's border.

The white panel border is "distressed" with matching water color blue as in the sky.

TIP: Try distressing with embossing powders and/or glitter, instead of "just ink". It provides dimension and an element of The Unexpected.



A complete list of products is shown below, and detailed directions are shown here.

Sparkle N Sprinkle products used on this card:

Stamps (on sale this month):
Adhesives:
Inks:
Markers:
Embossing Powders:
Glitters:

Other Products:

Cardstock: Lemonade, Kraft, White, Dark Teal
Punches: MS Deco Fans Punch Around the Page, EKS 1” circle, 
Dies: SB porpoise (very old, one of the originals, retired years ago - sorry)
SB Tear Drop Circles S4-344
SB Standard Circle-Small S4-116
Lyra Water Color Crayons


To enjoy more inspirational card shares, please hop on over to the incredible Marie Berquist's blog!




This card is submitted to the following awesome challenges:


  • Ooh La La Creations - Nostalgia (memories of my childhood in Southern California as we built massive sand castles and roasted hot dogs, marshmallows, and popped dried kelp in the bon fire at night)
  • Crafty Catz Challenges - #181 - Inspired by a Song - ("Beach Baby, Beach Baby" by First Class a 1960's song about spending the summer days on the beach - I'm showing my age - smile)
  • Inspire Me Fridays - #101 Anything Goes
  • Sister Act Card Challenge - #5 Anything Goes
  • Stampin for the Weekend - Die cuts and/or punches (3 punches, 3 die cuts)
  • ABC Challenges - M for Make It Sparkle (every surface of this card is covered with glitter or embossing powder which contains glitter)
note: Blog Winner announced here.

Now... Onto May's Blog Candy Question. My gift to visitors in 2013 is to have monthly blog candy. You do not have to "follow" my blog to be eligible to win (though I love it if you do). On June 1, I will make every attempt to contact you should you be May's winner, as long as blogger contains your e-mail addy or you leave it in the comment. Because I still have not figured out Random.org, my husband pulls a name out of the basket.

For three SNS Flocking Colors, just include a brief mention in your comment below about how you might use SNS flocking on a project.

Stamping hugs always,

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Blog Candy Winner - And a glimpse of Spring

Greetings from Sunny Central Florida!  

While I don't have a card share today, I do have glimpses of my "back yard". We live rurally in central Florida. Ordinarily it does freeze here, but we experienced fewer freezes than normal, and warmer than usual temperatures most of the Winter.

Hence, my Geraniums did pretty well, despite being covered during frosty nights.


The photos are befores-and-afters. The before photos are during an overcast rainy day.
Below, one more "before" photo, just as the rain was dispersing at the end of the day. Doesn't it almost look magical with the "new" green shooting forth so quickly after Mother Nature's shower? I am always amazed at how different colors-shades change on cloudy moist days compared to sun-shiny days.


The after photos are the same flowers the day after, when the sun was shining his brightest!

Does anyone know the name of the pink flowering shrub? It is huge, despite the fact that I prune it often. The leaves fall off in May, and return the same week. They are a dark-green-to-burgundy color once in June until the first freeze when they return to a drab green.




Now the important stuff - our WINNER! The prize is a Limited Edition clear stamp set from Papertrey ink, featuring 24 images. It is called "The Round and Round" stamp set.

This month, participating commenters had more than one opportunity to play, giving them more chances to win (so some of your names were entered multiple times):

Silvis Kreativstube
Carol (Gingerbeary8)
Shona Erlenborn
Dawn
Wendy H
Ivana Camdzic
Sian Ridley
Glenda Atkins
Leslie Miller
Glo
Sandy Cimbaro
Karen - Stamping in Pink
Amy#8546
Julie Z
Cammy404
Patricia Davis
Berni Cuttino
Anne-Marie
Sue from Oregon
Stampsnob (Lis)
Leslie Miller
Cheryl
Verna Angerhofer
NanaConnie
Sandye (scg)
Dawn Lancaster


And the winner is...

Julie Z of

Congratulations, Julie!
I hope you will enjoy this beautiful stamp set.

Thanks to all of you, followers and non-followers. 
May's blog candy will soon be revealed.

Stamping Hugs,



Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Sooo... What's My Name?

Isn't this little Besties Girl darling?

When my friend Lis recently broke her leg, I asked if Sherri Baldy could please create a Besties character with a cast so I could make a card for Lis. This little darling is the result!

Isn't she delightful?
AND
a mess, too!

(Thank You, Sherri!)

Sherri has a FaceBook contest to name this little darling. Click here and scroll down to the image for the details. There are some great name suggestions!

For the time being, she could be Crutch Girl, but that sounds so impersonal.

I will call her Limping Lis until a proper name can be given her. (smile)




Lis is known in the Florida Stampers as the Paper Maker because she makes her own paper.


To personalize Lis' card, I used some of her own "Velvet Fabric" paper (it's the fuzzy pink layer, and what the flowers are made of).


The card is also very GREEN -- for Earth Day -- and -- because Lis is a Master Gardener.












Click here to buy this adorable little Get Well Besties!

My card uses the sketch from Fetch a Sketch Challenge:


The photo below shows the rich texture of Lis' handmade velvet paper.


Soooo... what's her name? Feel free to share your imaginative names in a comment below for an additional chance to win my April blog candy. (being a follower is not necessary - though I love it if you do - and I will do everything possible to contact you through blogger or you may send me your e-mail address - if you win).


Three ribbons were combined with my awesome Craft-dee Bowz tool to create a bow similar to the one in Limpin' Lis' hair and crutch.

The buttons are stitched to their flowers, and the poke a dotted paper is also stitched around the edges.



A snapshot of the interior, using the plush Velvet Fabric hand-made paper again.


Thank you very much for stopping by today. Hope you enjoyed this latest little Besties. Now you know the story of how she came to be, too!

My Get Well card is entered in the following wonderful challenges:


  1. ABC All Beautiful Cards - #25 Recycle (the pink layers and flowers are hand-made paper made from recycled paper scraps and pink velvet fabric)
  2. Artistic Inspirations - #38 - Card for a Lady (card is for my dear girlfriend who broke her leg)
  3. Bestsies Challenge - #15 - Add Some Ribbon (three ribbons in bow)
  4. Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Favourite Colour Combo (pink and green)
  5. Crafty Bloggers Network - #10 Anything Goes
  6. Crafty Boots Challenges - Recycle (the pink layers and flowers are hand-made paper made from recycled paper scraps and pink velvet fabric)
  7. Critter Challenge - #161 - Use Buttons
  8. Fetch A Sketch - #48 - used sketch inside and outside
  9. Forever Friends & Co - #60 Use Lots of Flowers
  10. Love to Create - #62 Bingo Card (middle across, Flowers-Die Cuts-Ribbons)


Products Used:

Custom Get Well Image Created for Lis by Sherri Baldy
Inks: Copic Markers, Pink Sherbet Dye,
SB Grand Oval Nestabilities
SB Grand Big Scallop Oval Nestabilities
SB Rose Creations
Cheery Lynn Tropical Flourish
Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish
Memory Box Riviera Corner
Paper: Neenah White, Handmade Velvet Blend, designer paper, Green base
Buttons, 3 ribbons, stitching on sewing machine, brads

xoxx,


Sunday, April 21, 2013

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,