Friday, June 28, 2013

Join Us


Die-Versions new Fun in the Sun Sweet Spot is paired with the Seaside Sunset Whispers die.  The invitation letters are from the Die-Versions Casting Call font.  Yellow-green Inka Gold was used to highlight the new Sweet Spot.

Be sure to visit the Die-Versions Blog and the Die-Versions Facebook page to see more great projects from our team.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Pumpkin in the Window


Although it's quite hot here in Alabama, I decided to do a fall themed card just for a little change.  The Pumpkin Patch is part of the Fall Harvest stamp set by Sparkle N Sprinkle and the sentiment is from the Shabby Chic Birdhouse set.

I colored the image with Copic markers and cut it down to fit the Our Daily Bread Window die set (which includes the window and all the curtain pieces).  I added a piece of acetate behind the window panes for a more realistic look.  The curtain pieces are covered with Mustard flock and highlighted with  a Distress Marker (Mustard Seed).

The "wallpaper" background is an M-Bossabilites embossing folder called Dainty Dots.  It's one of the newer Spellbinders folder that's approximately 8" x 11".  I love that large size as it allows me to emboss an entire sheet of cardstock at one time (no more seams).  Distress Ink (Scattered Straw) was lightly blended over the dots to give it a bit of color and to make it look more like wallpaper.

The sentiment was stamped with Staz-On and cut out with the Spellbinders Grommet Tag die.  Next came out the Cloud Nine Velvet glitter to give it a sparkly look.  A couple of pearls on either side complete the look.  I also pop dotted the center of the tag so that it bowed outward.


Monday, June 24, 2013

Dream Vacation



Wish I were there :-).  For this quick and easy card, I combined the Die-Versions new release "Vacation" Express Edge with the Short Stop font from Die-Versions.  I painted the letters with Cobalt Blue Inka Gold metallic paint.  The sunset is actually the Die-Versions Lucky Scallop die and the image is a digi from Create with TLC.

Friday, June 21, 2013

You're Car-ismatic


This is a fun set for any car enthusiast called Cars - Clyde by Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I've used the car image called Harvey for my guy card.  He's all decked out in my version of a metallic finish.


In order to create you own version of this card, start out by die cutting a piece of Sticker Paper with the Deckled Edge Classic Ovals Large die from Spellbinders.  Be sure to save the backing paper for the next step. Take the backing paper and stamp the image with Staz-On.  Allow to dry for a minute or two and then fussy cut it out for your mask.  Stamp the image again onto the sticker paper and then cover the stamped image with the mask you just created.  Pour Cloud Nine Velvet glitter over the exposed adhesive on the sticker paper and burnish it in with your finger.

Use an Exacto knife and cut out the windows of the car.  You want to apply enough pressure to cut the mask, but not all the way through to the sticker paper.  Add Mountain Mint Velvet glitter and burnish it in.  Do the same thing for the car tires and cover with Black Detail Velvet glitter.  Finally, you're ready to expose the rest of the car.  Cover it with Celebration Velvet glitter.  You car now has it's own sparkly, metallic looking finish.  The photo on the left really shows all the colors of glitter, especially in the Celebration glitter.

The card base is dry embossed with the Industrial embossing folder by Spellbinders.  It goes perfectly with any type of vehicle image.  Adhere the sticker paper to the top.

To create the sentiment, I played around with some new Inka Gold metallic paints from Viva Decor.  I randomly applied Cobalt Blue and Violet to a piece of acetate.  I didn't want to cover the entire area as I wanted some clear areas.  I cut this out with the Spellbinders Grommet Tag die and stamped my sentiment with Staz-On.  DMC Memory Thread (which has a little bit of wire in it) adheres the tag to the card.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Thanks, Dad


Fishing with Dad is one of the new stamp sets from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I created my own version of a Polaroid picture using the image colored with Copic markers and the Sizzix Retro Circles embossing folder (supposed to represent water rings).  The boy's hair is covered with Amber Wheat flock for a fun change of pace.  It's a nice, two-toned flock.  Glossy Accents was used to "rubberize" their waders.

I covered a piece of cardstock with VersaMark and added Cerulean embossing powder.  I also sprinkled some Navy glitter into the powder before heat setting.  Once this was ready, I cut it to match the image size and framed the two pieces.  I also added lines of glitter throughout the water and near their pants with a Sakura glue pen and more Navy and Waterfall glitter.  I also outlined some fish scales on the fish with the glue pen and added a touch of Cloud Nine velvet glitter.

One of the other stamps in the set is a grouping of 3 lures.  I colored them with Copics and fussy cut each one out and added a bit of thread for the fishing line.  The bow is made from the same thread.  Finally, I stamped the sentiment (also part of the set) with Memento Danube Blue ink.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Summer Treats


Here's a quick and fun idea using the new Sandcastle Sweet Petite from Die-Versions.  It's a coupon book that you can fill will all sorts of special treats for the kids during the summer.

I've used Mudd Puddles (Tropical Beach) to cover the sandcastle and popsicle brads to hod the coupon book closed.   Die-Versions Sparkler and Mister Micro fonts were used to create the title of the coupon book.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Graduation day



Can you believe no dies, stamps, or glitter were used in this project?  Pretty unusual for me.  I hand cut the graduation cap out of cryogen cardstock (which has an embedded glittery look all on it's own) and I hand tied the tassel too.  The diploma is rolled up cardstock with Distress Ink added to the edges and a bow tied around.  The embossed background is Garden Lattice from Spellbinders.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Quilted Berries


I wanted to try something a little different with the Sweet Berries rubber stamp set from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  Since I had just come back from a quilt show with my mom, I decided I wanted a quilted look, but wasn't sure how I wanted to achieve it.  Enter my postman and the goodies he delivered.  Sitting out on my desk was a new M-Bossabilities folder (Garden Lattice) that will emboss a 8.5" x 11" sheet of cardstock.

I started out by heat embossing my image with Moss Star embossing powder and then colored it with Copic markers.  You can see a little of the sparkle from this embossing powder in the photo on the right - but it has more sparkle in person. Then I ran it through the embossing folder.  I happened to set it on top of a "test run" piece of embossed cardstock and knew that was exactly what I was looking for.

I layered the colored image onto dark blue cardstock and then lined it up the embossed area of the larger piece and adhered it.   Dylusions Ink Sprays were used to give color to the circle with my stamped sentiment.  (These stamps are part of the set.)  The final step was to adhere this to another piece of white cardstock and add some faux stitching to the two inner white panels and the circle.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Fun in the Sun


This month's new release from Die-Versions is all about Summer Vacation.  I've incorporated two of the new dies into my layout: Fun in the Sun Sweet Spot and the Sandcastle Sweet Petite.

The Sandcastle die cut is covered with Mudd Puddles Tropical Beach for a realistic looking and feeling sandcastle.  I also added some Mudd Puddles Seasehlls below the die cut and more of both in the flower centers.

The date was added using the Die-Versions Make A Date 1 Compliments die.


Be sure to visit the Die-Versions Blog to see all the new releases this month as well as the Die-Versions Facebook page.  We'd love to see your Die-Versions creations on our FB page.

Friday, June 7, 2013

School of Fish


Fishing with Dad is one of the new stamp sets from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  The technique used on the first panel is a new one introduced on the SNS Blog a few weeks ago - Stains and Shimmer.  I modified it just a bit and used Distress Inks on the base and used Distress Stains for the shimmer.  The embossing folder is an old Cuttlebug folder called Spots and Dots.

To create the fish, I tried my hand at using a brayer.  Although I've had it for a long time, I've never gotten around to trying it but was inspired by some of the beautiful pieces by Shona on the design team.  For my first attempt, it was't bad but it wasn't as smooth as I would have liked.  (Guess I need to practice some more.)   After brayering the ink onto a piece of cardstock, I added Opaline embossing powder and heat set it for a shimmery look.

Next, I stamped the fish image multiple times and fussy cut each one of them out.  I also stamped the fish directly onto the background (but it's hard to see them in the photo).  I pop dotted the colored fish, added a few brads, some netting, and a die cut anchor by MFT to complete my undersea scene.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Birthday Wishes



I have to say that I think this Silhouettes stamp set from Sparkle N Sprinkle is one of my favorites as it is so versatile.

For this birthday card, I started out with a vintage book page and I heat embossed the image with Clear Detail embossing powder.  Then out came the Distress Inks (Vintage Photo and Gathered Twig) and I just started adding ink to the paper with my blending tool.  Once I was happy with the results, I wiped a paper towel over the embossed area to get the excess ink off.  (This is called the clear resist technique).   I colored a few pearls with my Copic marker, added a bit of yarn and adhered it to my panel.  The sentiment is heat embossed with Brown Fizz embossing powder.  Even though the image is flowers, I think it has a nice masculine feel to it.


Monday, June 3, 2013

A Prayer for You



The Sweet Seahorse Whispers die is one of 19 new releases this month from Die-Versions.  This CAS card pairs the Seahorse die cut with a rubber stamp sentiment from I Brake For Stamps on kraft paper.  A double looped bow finishes the card off. 

Be sure to visit the Die-Versions Blog to see all the new dies.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Irish Blessing



Can you believe June is already here?  Well, you know what that means....summer and a new Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge.  This month we're following a sketch.


As you can see, I followed it pretty closely.  The focal point is one of the sentiments from the Irish Shamrocks rubber stamp set from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  After die cutting my cardstock using Spellbinders Labels Five die, I covered it with VersaMark and Vintage embossing powder.  Once it was heat set, I stamped a shamrock (the stamp actually has three of them) with Versamark and Forest Green embossing powder and used the Molten Pearls technique of embedding the embossing powder into more embossing powder.  Then I stamped the entire shamrock stamp with VersaMark and heat set it again.  This gives it a fun watermark.  The sentiment was then stamped with Staz-On ink.

The green embossed banner is actually metal tape that I adhered to cardstock.  I ran it through my Sizzix embossing folder (Regal Flourishes) and then tapped VersaMark on the raised portions.  I covered it with Forest Green embossing powder and heat set it.  The metal stayed silver in the recessed portions.  The backdrop is a Hambly Screen print (acetate with a design) and the card base is kraft paper.  I thought it went nicely with the Vintage embossing powder.

Now it's your turn!  You have the entire month of June to come up with a project following the sketch. Can't wait to see what you make.