You're My Favorite {House Mouse Challenge}

Hello, House Mouse lovers!

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Today's sweet little Valentine is done in unconventional colors for my hubby, and being submitted to House Mouse Anything Goes with optional theme of "Sweets or Hearts". Perfect for this stamp!

I saw the image on Bunny's Blog, and had to have it.

(thanks, Bunny!)

Colored with Copic Markers and die base inks, this little mousie is happily reading all about his fabulous characteristics. One of my great joys throughout the day is reminding Jacky of the various qualities I enjoy about him, or expressing my appreciation for all those drudgery things he does. Every Day. Hearing appreciation really does brighten our days, doesn't it?

My wonky frame was made from white paper, smooshed with VersaMark and heat set with sparkly Sienna Star embossing powder.

Jacky always says, "You are my Favor-ITE" with emphasis on the long "I" sound.

The Stamp may be new, but everything else is old, old, old. 

Thanks for stopping by, and best wishes from a sweet day!

Products Used:

Stamps: "Dearest One" HMCR81, Computer sentiment

Sparkle N Sprinkle House Mouse Category

Dies: Sue Wilson Essential Sized Pierced Rectangles, SB Rectangles, Darice hearts, Nesting hearts

Punches: MS scallop heart, triple chevron

Embossing Powder: SNS Sienna Star (very sparkly)

Embossing Folders: We R Memory Keepers Dotted Hearts 2, Craftwell Modern Stripe

Valentine's Day Hugs,

Bunnies, SheepSki Designs, and 2 Crafty Critter Crazies

Hello, Critter Loving Friends!
Can you believe it is already February?
Here in subtropical Florida, we have intermittently thawed out of our series of "deep freezes." Still, it is nothing compared to what Canada and the upper US have been experiencing. So grateful to live where we do!

It is my pleasure is to Design for the 2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge Blog today!

If you love critters - ANY kind of critter - this is a fun challenge made for you.
The ABCs: From Ants to Anteaters, Butterflies to Buffalos, Crocodiles to Cardinals
you get the picture.

SheepSki Designs is sponsoring February's challenge, so get hopping and show us your projects using critters!

Any style, any theme, any technique - just be sure to have a critter on it!

I'm featuring this dramatic, multi-purpose Rocket and Rosie image; great for just about any theme, but I am especially focusing on "love":

Colored with Copic Markers, and distressed with both water-based and pigment inks, my card uses LOTS AND LOTS of oldies from my stash! Sigh... I love using my hoarded goodies.

(like brads, ribbons, dies, papers, inks)

Do you find a certain SPECIAL ENJOYMENT using your older products? 

It's like running into an old friend, and reliving good times.

Like this amazing Spellbinders die. It's been crying out forever to be used, and it surely is an amazing die! I love all the possibilities with this set.

To make the intricate pop up, cut 4 frames, inking one of them:

Adhere the four frames. A bead of glue using Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive with fine tip around the very thin edge of this frame and the innermost part of the frame produces this look:

A little Brushable Glue on the Foliage and dredged with Beach Ultrafine Glitter gives a bit of texture and visual interest to the floral spray.

Thanks for popping by and don't forget to let us seeing your critter creations!

On A Personal Note:

Did you see the Super Blue Blood Moon the past few nights?
Amazing - it looks like dawn all night long with all the trees, grass, shrubs, etc.  illuminated brightly!

We keep our thermostat rather "cold", but thought you might like to look at the outdoor temperature:

Inside:

Outside:

Ice everywhere! On the roof, wherever trees did not protect the grass and pasture, from the downspout onto the driveway:

The deer don't have much grazing area:

Ice everywhere - I was unable to capture the glistening whiteness with the camera - the Crepe Myrtle trees are covered with icy limbs:

Does not look very subtropical, does it?

Thanks for visiting our little homestead.

Products Used:

• Rocket and Rosie from Sheepski Designs
• Spellbinders Lovin' Diamonds S6-019 die set, and Foliage Leaf set
• Memory Box Chloe Dies, and Flourish Vine
• Copic Markers, Distress Inks, Pigment Inks
• DLArt Rose colored crinkle ribbon
• Craftwell Modern Stripes Embossing Folder
• Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive with fine tip
• Brushable Glue
• Beach Ultrafine Glitter G1111
• White, pink, tan, brown cardstock
• Flowers

Challenges I'd like to support with this pretty card:

1. Cardz 4 Galz #64 Think Pink 2/15
2. Craft Rocket Challenges #45 "Love" 3/1
3. Crafty Creations #359 Anything Goes 2/14
4. DLArt Thankful Thursday #221 "Love" 2/8
5. Moving Along With the Times #64 "love" 2/15
6. Scrapy Land #82 Use Dies SL Sells (2 SB, 2MB listed above) 2/2
7. Sheepski Blog Challenge #11 Love 2/15
8. Sheepski FB Challenges #20 ends 2/20
9. The Crazy Challenge #267 "Love" 2/12
10. Tic Tac Toe Challenge #33 Diagonally - heart.die cut.ribbon (lots of hearts throughout my frame)

hugs,

White on White with Retro Rubber!

Welcome, blogging friends! Hope you and yours are healthy and safe.
Today's card share is one of my all time favorites I think!
(are we allowed to say that about our own cards? giggle)

I am swooning in delight to guest design for:

Retro Rubber Challenge 

Loving those old stamps!

It's always a pleasure seeing new twists put to old rubber.
This is one of my favorite challenges because my old rubber finally sees the light of day and emerges very HAPPILY! Try new techniques with your old rubber.

The theme this time is "White Out!"

I am featuring an old, old wood stamp that was gifted to me (but has never seen ink) circa 2002 by a friend whose last name is Berry! So cute since the name of the company is Holly Berry - here is their Facebook Page, and another link to the stamp image called "Garden Maze Medallion" which is available in cling or wood (and a sample from their website).



image close up of my card:




Since the theme is WHITE OUT, I dug out something "new" - English Lace Handmade Paper - this cottony paper boasts deeply embossed imagery so detailed, that you can see the stitching of the eyelet lace. It also has a nice sheen giving the appearance of fabric. In addition, the back side of the paper is absorbent for mixed media applications. Even after running it through the die cut machine a few times for the detailed die cut, you can see how deeply embossed it still is:

 

The image was stamped with VersaMark Ink, heat embossed with Gold Detail embossing powder, and cut out for dimension.
Check out the sheen on the embossed paper:



Lots of layers:



Dimension to show off the pretty shapes:



Gold Detail embossing powder also frames the base image, while Celestial Glitter (gold with transparent highlights) accents the gold frame. A Nuvo Medium Tip Glue Pen was applied to various parts of the image and dredged with either Celestial Glitter or Starfire Ultrafine Transparent Glitter.

Nuvo Glitter Accents (Aztec Gold and Fresh Snowfall) were applied in the small gold areas and as large dots on two of the layers.

Here's a peek at the texture:



A pretty gold-embossed sentiment from the Botanical Orchids Rubber Stamp Set (also available digitally) helps personalize the creation, tied with white twine to continue the White Out effect:



The Finished Creation:



Thanks for stopping by. How about inking up one of your beloved Oldie but Goodies and playing along? White on White is an easy way to bring an old stamp to life!

Retro Rubber Challenge 

Products Used:

• Medallion Image: Holly Berry House Garden Maze Medallion circa 2002?
• Sentiment Image: SNS "lovely you" from the Botanical Orchids Rubber Stamp Set (also available digitally) 
• SNS EMBOSSING POWDER: Gold Detail embossing powder
• SNS GLITTERS: Celestial Glitter (gold with transparent highlights), Starfire Ultrafine Transparent Glitter
• Tonic English Lace Handmade Paper 
• Spellbinders Labels One, Scalloped Labels One, Grand Labels One, Grand Decorative Labels One, Petite Scallop Circles
• Anti Static Bag
• VersaMark Ink (need a refill?)
• Nuvo Glitter Accents (Aztec Gold and Fresh Snowfall)
• Nuvo Medium Tip Glue Pen
• 1/2" Tear-ific Tape (double sided)

Challenges I'm playing in:

1. Card Mania Challenges #100 Monochromatic Theme 2/1
2. Classic DT Open Challenge #21 Anything Goes for a DT 2/1
3. Crafty Cardmakers #203 "Bling's The Thing" 1/26 (1-28) C15
4. Dragonfly Dreams (Jan) Anything Goes 2/4
5. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1802 Anything Goes 1/22
6. Simpy Create Too Challenge #134 Embossing (I have used both wet and dry) 2/2 #2
7. Sisterhood of Crafters (Jan 10) "Frame It" 1/23
8. Sweet Stampin' (Jan 13) Lots of Layers (9 layers plus the tag) 1/20
9. Use Your Stuff Challenge #295 Monochromatic 1/22
10. World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #30 (Anything for a DT) 2/15  #2

Stamping Hugs,

Sparkle N Sprinkle

Welcome, Blogging Friends!

I surely hope those of you in North America are staying warm. Even in Florida we are below normal with temperatures below freezing for long periods of time. Even our cat and dog don't want to be outside!

I hear Down Under that it is unusually hot, and I hope you all are staying comfortable and not too overheated.

Today begins 

Sparkle N Sprinkle's January New Stamps Blog Hop

The Blog Hop order this month is:

Belinda

Anne

Chris

Jess

Donna

Diane

Shona

Eret

We are pleased to bring you:

Cherished Moments - Bride 875    (Digital Version: DIGI875BG)

Roses In My Heart Rubber Stamp Set 879

Digital Version: 
DIGI879FS

The Roses in My Heart digital bundle is gigantic, with several color variations. The colors come with or without the pretty watercolor "halo" around the image, too. It is coordinated with the Ornate Greetings set also being released this month:

Ornate Greetings Rubber Stamp Set 880   (Digital Version: DIGI880DE)

The Ornate Greetings set is specially designed to work with the Roses In My Heart sets. They will look great stamped inside the heart, or die cut and layered on top - or even used on their own. 

Cara and Mouse Friend 881  (also Digital Version DIGI881SG)

I colored this darling friendship set with Copic Markers. It is the same colored images you will receive when purchasing the set. The colored version comes with and without the grassy scene. The black and white images also include Cara and the mouse together, or individually, so you can play with the images in many ways.  

Hello Foxy Rubber Stamp Set 882

Digital Version: Digi882B

The digital version of Hello Foxy comes with additional sentiments, as well as colored and black and white PNG images in addition to the JPGs.

SNS digital stamps include JPG and transparent PNG images, and often have additional sentiments and papers.  All the new digital and rubber stamp sets are 20% during their debut from January 15 - 20.

On January 17th, ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER will win a $20 gift certificate to the SNS On-Line Store. Winner will be selected from the comments left on the Designers' blogs listed above. Please leave a comment with each Designer in order to be eligible for the Grand Prize. 

January's Mega Video Kit Club:

The video is at the bottom of the page, or view directly on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHI68x6nOM8

Would you like to win a $15 gift card to the SNS store? Just create a project using any SNS image and join the fun in our monthly ANYTHING GOES Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge group on Facebook. The challenge runs from the 1st through the 25th. 

My card features Cara and Mouse Friend Digital Stamp Set. I colored this darling friendship set with Copic Markers. It is the same colored images you will receive when purchasing the set. The colored version comes with and without the grassy scene. The black and white images also include Cara and the mouse together, or individually, so you can play with the images in many ways.  

First I created a green frame by using two brands of dies to customize the size. So don't hesitate putting different brands of dies together when making your pretty cards:



It was coated with VersaMark Ink, then dredged and heat set with Christmas Green Cosmic Opaque EP149 embossing powder.

The card would have been pretty just done simply with this thin frame:



But I wanted to "gussy it up" a bit with a cute frame to complement the pretty Tonic English Lace Embossed Handmade paper.



The white frame is from lovely Tonic English Picnic Layering Dies embossed with Opaline Cosmic Opaque EP359:



After lining the white frame with green paper, it was adhered over the focal image. 

Close-up of the frames:



The sentiments in the set make this a versatile all-occasion set!

Thanks for popping by. For more design inspiration, please hop on over to Diane's blog!

Products Used:

• Cara and Mouse Friend Digital Stamp Set 881
• Embossing Powders: Opaline Cosmic Opaque EP359, Christmas Green Cosmic Opaque EP149
• Tonic English Picnic Layering Dies 1525E
• Tonic English Lace Embossed Handmade paper
• Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive (with fine tip nozzle)
• 1/2" Tear-ific Tape
• VersaMark Ink
• Craftwell Modern Stripe Embossing Folder
• Spellbinders Grand Rectangles dies
• LifeStyle Scalloped Lace Heart dies, Nesting Stitched Hearts
• Express-it White, Green, Pink, White cardstock
• Copic Markers, Assorted Dye Base Inks
• Rhinestones

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Animal Friends #58 "New Beginning" (new friendship with a mouse) 2/1
2. Crafty Animals #10 Anything Goes with an Animal (new friendship with a mouse) 2/1
3.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #73 Anything Goes  1/20
4. Pile it on Challenge #138 "Thank You" (You're so Sweet) 2/4
5. Simply Create Too #134 Use Embossing (I've used wet on frames and dry on card base - the handmade paper is also embossed) 1/26  #1
6. World Wide Open DT Challenge #1  Anything Goes for a DT  2/15