Shimmer & Shine!

I was saddened to hear that Luminarte is closing up shop - Twinkling H2Os have long been a favorite supply of mine. I have to say, though, the blow was a little less difficult for me since I had found Shimmerz Paints shortly before! These little jars pack a BIG shimmery shine! They are a bit different than Twinkling H2Os in that they're already in liquid form. All that you need is a paintbrush that is watercolor-compatible. A little really goes a long way with these, too. Here are a couple of other examples:







I hope that gives you an idea of what a great visual punch you can give to your cards! I find myself reaching for them on almost every project lately - they're fantastic. ~ Jenn

Spray Mists

Hi!
Lately, I've been having a lot of fun with Glimmer Mists. I just love all of the fun things you can do with them. Today, I have a card to share with you that I created using Glimmer Mists.
First, I started off by spraying the white cardstock with Creme de Rouge and Meadow Green. As that was drying, I decided to try a Glimmer Screen on patterned paper. I placed it on the paper and sprayed with Sherbet mist.


Once that was dried, I assembled the rest of the card. I love the mottled look it gives the paper. It tied in the pinks so nicely.


And here is the finished product.



So, get those Glimmer Mists out and start playing around. They look wonderful on cardstock and create a fun look on patterned paper, too.

Have a great day!
Anabelle :)

Thrifty tips for a chance to win a product giveaway!

With the recent state of our economy, I know I'm not the only one out there interested in ways to make more money, save money, become a bit more frugal, etc.

I'm so interested in your ideas, I'm willing to resort to bribery...so how about a giveaway?! Below is a photo of the goodies! There are 9 patterned papers, alpha stickers, die cut tag sheet, sticker sheet, rubons, scalloped shimmer note cards & envies, brads, flowers, rickrack, faux jewels, and a pack of photo anchors.

Share your tips, blogs or website links that relate to becoming more frugal, stretching those hard earned dollars a bit further, crafting on a budget, making money at home, and so on. Basically, if you have a tip that has a positive impact on your financial life- share it!
You have until Saturday night @ midnight (March 22, 2009) to enter. For each tip, I will enter your name once into the drawing for a chance to win the goodies. Enter a 2nd tip and your name will be added to the drawing twice! Good luck!

Hey! So, as you can tell, there has been much glittering happening at my work table lately. It's all her fault. Because she made this. And I bought it. Except my box has *24* bottles of glitter. Yeah, I know... what does anyone need 24 different colors of glitter for? Everything, I tell you.

I originally bought the box for a set of assignments on glitter. I've since used said box of glitter on nearly every project since. It's an addiction. I first let on about it in this post. However, even I did not know at the time how bad it would get. For this project, I went old school and attempted a glitter puzzle.

The first step (or at least, this was the way I did it!) was to design my card layout. I knew I didn't want to do an entire background of glitter, so I wanted to come up with a design that would feature the glitter puzzle, but keep it from overwhelming the card. For that reason, I kept the puzzle fairly small but prominently featured on the card. Cut a piece of cardstock in the size you want the puzzle to be.

Second step... bust out your handy Xyron machine and run the cardstock strip through it. I used a Xyron because this project requires an adhesive with a backing on it. If you don't have a Xyron machine, you could also use a sheet of double stick tape, such as a sheet of red liner tape, etc. If you don't have a sheet, you could place a few lines of liner tape next to each other to create a larger double stick area. The Xyron machine leaves a backing on both sides of the cardstock. Peel off the side that is not covering the adhesive (that would be the clear backing). (If you're using red liner tape, just adhere the tape down and move on to the next step.)

Lay the cardstock down and draw your design on top of the remaining backing with a pencil. I used a ruler to keep my lines straight because I'm just tedious like that. I also marked which squares would be which color. Again... I'm just tedious.

Go over the lines with a ruler and craft knife. The goal is to cut only through the backing layer, *NOT* through the cardstock.

Now for the glittering! Peel off the backing on only one square! Pour glitter over that square, then dump the excess in a coffee filter (scrap paper, etc.). Continue on until all your squares are glittered.

Now, I will say, I wondered later if I could have just peeled off all the squares of one color and glittered all of them at one time, then moved on to the next color, etc. I didn't try it, so I don't know if the colors would blend a bit or not. Probably worth a try, though!

I used Heat & Stick powder to make the glitter letters, cut them out, and adhered all of it to the card with foam tape.

This project is definitely a bit more intricate than I typically go for, but I am really happy with how it turned out! The glitter has been out on my table for a few weeks now and has yet to be put away... I've used it on nearly everything, I swear. Just bought some paper mache eggs at Hobby Lobby, so those are up next!

Later, friends!

Jessica

Materials:
Patterned paper - Back to Basics Ocean Dot by Bo Bunny
Cardstock - Kraft and White by Papertrey Ink
Rubber Stamps - Big Deal Alpha by Stampin' Up
Watermark ink - Versamark by Tsukineko
Glitter - Feldspar, Aquamarine Crystal, Verdelite, and Turquoise by Martha Stewart Crafts
Tools - Xyron, sewing machine, Heat & Stick powder by Stampin Up
Finished size: 3 3/4" x 8"

Simple Masking

Valentine's Day has past, so it is time to start thinking about Easter cards! I picked up this adorable A Muse stamp at my local stamp store last week - and I just adore it (almost as much as I love the candy!). I couldn't resist adding a little detail to it, notably:


Yes, I made the last one without an ear! Couldn't help it, as it is the first thing that I always eat with Peeps. It was so easy to do, that I thought I would share this simple masking technique with you today and you could give it a whirl, too.

First, grab a Post-It Note. I decided that for the appearance of 'teeth marks', a scalloped edge would be perfect. I cut my Post-It with a petite scalloped circle die from Spellbinders, but you could just as easily use a scalloped punch to achieve a similar look. Once you Post-It has been edged, you're ready to stamp.



Lay your Post-It down on the surface that you're going to stamp. Use your favorite technique for positioning your stamp (eye-balling, stamp positioner, etc.) and stamp, making sure that the ear portion stamps onto the Post-It, while the rest of the image goes onto the white.



When you take away your Post-It, you have a great edge that looks like someone was being sneaky with the Peeps! See how easy it is? By playing around with your stamps, you will find that masking can give new life to your images. I hope you give it a try and post back so we can see it!

Be well, Jenn

SUPPLY LIST
Cardstock: (Stampers Select, Summer Sunrise) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Summer Sunrise) Papertrey Ink, Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: A Muse Art Stamps
Dies: (Classic Square, Petite Scalloped Circles) Spellbinders Paper Arts
Other: (Waterfall Stickles) Ranger

Card Sketches and Challenges

Hi!
My name is Anabelle and I love to make cards! ;)
Lately, I've been finding myself drawn to some of the many card sketch or challenge sites that are out there. It's really fun to participate in the challenges. Usually, they involve trying something I didn't think of doing. And the sketches are great, too. I love how you can interpret them literally or take pieces of them that work for you. I decided that for today's post, I wanted to assemble as many sketch/challenge site links as I could find. I'm sure the list is incomplete, but here are the ones I've found.

Sketch This

Cardalicious


CPS Card Sketches

2 Sketches 4 You

Caardvarks

Kristina Werner Color Challenge

Our Creative Corner

His Holy Name Challenge

Colour Create

Sketch Saturday

Friday Sketchers

Cute Card Thursday

Everybody Art Challenge

Daring Cardmakers

Roses on Paper Challenges

Thank God it's Friday

Magnolia Vs. Stampavie

Just Christmas and Birthday Cards

Tales from Pollycraft

A Spoon Full of Sugar

Whiff of Joy Challenge

Dutch Dare Card Challenge

Stamp Something

Forever Friends Challenge

House Mouse Monday Challenge


Card Patterns

The Pink Elephant Challenge

Cuttlebug Challenges

Sketches! (By Tamara)

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Arty Girlz

Fab's Big Christmas Cards Challenge

Mojo Monday

Splitcoast Stampers: Try a New Technique Challenge

Created By Courney Sketches

Inspirational Card Sketches

Splitcoast Stampers Color Combinations Challenge

Color Throwdown

Splitcoast Stampers: Card Sketches Forum

Splitcoast Stampers: Ways to Use It Challenge

Prairie Paper and Ink Sketches


Splitcoast Stampers: Limited Supplies Challenge


Tag You're It Challenge

Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge

Splitcoast Stampers: Inspriation Challenge


Ann's Creative Nook

Page Plans

Basic Grey Challenges


Card Sketch a Day

My Time to Craft Challenge

Scrummy Stash Cafe

Cupcake Craft Challenge

So Sketchy

Taylored Expressions

3D Design Challenge

Di Hickman Card Sketches

Scrapaddicts Sketches

Little Book of Sketches

Card Maps (On Becky Fleck's Pagemaps Site)

Colour Create

My Sketch World

Ooh La la Creations

Papertake Weekly

Sketch and Stash

Tanda Stamps
I'm sure this is not a complete list of all the card sketch and challenge sites out there. So, if you know of another, please link it and I'll add it to the list.

So, here are a few examples of cards I've made using some of the sites...

This first one is a card I did for Cardalicious' challenge last week. I needed to make a thank you card using the color pink, some stitching and some felt.





This next one was based on this week's CPS sketch, 103. I made a gift tag. I used a Tattered Angels glimmer screen and sprayed Key Lime glimmer mist onto it to create the background.




And finally, here is the one I did for 2 Sketches 4 You last week. It's based on Laura's Sketch 19.




(I can't seem to stop using pink right now. Must be because I live in a house filled with testosterone. I gotta get my girly fix somehow!)

Well, I hope this list will help get your creative juices flowing! And remember, if you have another site you'd like me to add, please leave it in the comments.

Have a great day~ Anabelle

Be Mine Flower

What can I say...I love February. And it's not because of the weather..because I'm NOT a cold weather girl. And it's not because it's the 2nd month of the year. Rather I love February because it has Valentine's Day in it. I get all giddy when I spy the conversation heart candies, the decorations all pink and red, the cute kids valentines to hand out at parties, red heart boxer shorts for your sweetie...red hots!

I think you get the picture...I heart Valentine's Day. And I love to leave a little bit of that around me..and not just for the holiday. I've grown to love finding unique ways to incorporate decorations that I can make into my home decor. And when I mix those ideas with flowers..my other love..it's a win-win or maybe I should say love-love!

Here's my newest creation for the holiday that just may stay out quite a bit past the 14th!

Supplies:

Bo Bunny Sweetie Pie Squeeze, Bo Bunny Sweetie Pie Sigh, Bo Bunny Sweetie Pie Smooth, Bo Bunny Double Dot Licorice Ribbon, Blush dot, Tutut Dot, Wild Berry Dot Pink Punch Dot Cardstock, Bo Bunny Gettin In Shape Bleached Chipboard, Mega & Giga Marvy Uchida Scalloped Circle punch, Felt Heart, Heidi Swapp Felt Butterfly, Foam Adhesive, Paper Shaper Large Heart Punch, Colorbox Chalk Inks: Warm Red, Lime Green and Blush.

Instructions:

1) I used a green, stryofoam circle for the base of the flower. I covered the back and front with the pink dotted cardstock. The front circle is larger than the styrofoam circle...extending about a 1/4 past.

2) I then added layers of chipboard and papers using foam circles to pop them up for dimension. The felt heart I found at Hobby Lobby and could not pass it up! I tied a small length of the black polka dot ribbon. Added a small Heidi Swapp pink felt butterfly.

3) I punched hearts that I layered around the backside of the circle.

4) For the stem I painted a wood dowel then added diecut leaves (Cricut - Accent Essentials) that I layered the new Bo Bunny Chunky Charms Swirls in Clover on.

5) Last I used black river rocks I found on clearance at Target. Added those to a cute red, speckled bucket..and added in the flower.

After making this I realized it would look cute to tuck in two smaller, simplier versions of the flower on shorter stems...so I may just do that.

But for now..this definitely is one flower that will "Be Mine!"

Julia