A Little Smile

It has been very busy around here.  This week was my Stamp Club party, my Sunday School party, and my husband’s Car Club party.  One of my daughters also came home to visit, though we spent most of our time together in my craft room where she worked hard to complete projects for her college finals.  I finished up a sweet Christmas card, using one of my favorite products - vellum.

 

The background was created by using a poinsettia embossing folder on heavy.  The image is Snow Goddess, embossed in gold on vellum and colored with markers.  I cut her out with a die cut and layered her on white cardstock cut out with one of the new Nesting Doily Square Dies that Sparkle N Sprinkle is now carrying.  I can never have too many dies.  Make sure you check here to see more new dies.

 

 

 

 

The sentiment is A Little Smile, die cut with Spellbinders’ Heirloom Ornament die, and some lovely die cut poinsettias added.

 

 

To create the sparkly ribbon, I came up with a fun technique.    I simply covered both sides of ¼” Tear-ific” Tape with Gypsy Red Velvet Glitter

 

and actually tied it in a bow.  Head on over to my post on the Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog to get all the details.

 

 

Have a wonderful week,

E. Marie

This card is entered in the following challenges:

Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge Week 137 - Red & Green

Penny Black And More at Allsorts December Challenge – It's Your Choice

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #91 – Christmas (Tip: Made ribbon from double sided tape and glitter)

Charisma Cardz Challenge #48 – Christmas  

Crafts 4 Eternity R#101 – Christmas Wishes Color Recipe

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #246 – Red and Green

The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge – Seasons Greetings

Stamp and Create December Challenge: Sparkly Christmas

Everybody Art Challenge #216 – Christmas

Getting Ready For Christmas

If you are looking for the Sparkle and Sprinkle Winter Wonderland Blog Hop, please click here.

I am really enjoying my weekend with my friends, but alas am not feeling the greatest.  Slept in and took it easy today.  My other friends, April and Susan, joined us.  No wild parties, tonight!!  Just fun times!!

I did manage to finish one card today.  The House Mouse and Friends Challenge is “Getting Ready for Christmas”.  I took this a literally (actually just an excuse to use my new stamps) and thought about what I do before all those Christmas parties.  I take a nice, relaxing, hot bath!! 

I colored this little guy with my Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers and then added some Twinkling Clouds Sparkle N Soft from Sparkle N Sprinkle on the marshmallows and their Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter on the rising steam.  After cutting the image out with a Spellbinders’ Circle Die, I popped it in the middle of the card with dimensionals.  The Ornament is also a Spellbinders’ die with strips of 1/8" Double Sided "Tear-ific"Tape across it, covered with Luau Green Velvet Glitter (also from SNS).  I wanted to add three tiny snowflake buttons but everything I had was too big.  Then I remembered this cute garland I had left over from last year.  I cut the snowflakes off of it and they worked perfect.  As a last touch, I added some faux stitching with a white pen.

Raise your mug of hot chocolate to having a relaxed holiday season!!

E. Marie

This card is entered in the following challenges:

House Mouse and Friends Challenge #132 (#HMFMC132) - Getting ready for Christmas

Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge Week 134 – Pop It Up

Stampin For The Weekend Challenge #21 – All Stitched Up

Anything Goes Challenge 80 – Stitching

Clearly Inspired Challenge #64 (CIC64) – Clean and Simple

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 79 - More Than One Punch And/Or Die Cut (Dies – two size squares, two size circles, ornament)       15

Craft Your Passion Challenge 136 - CAS Cards

4 Crafty Chicks Crazy Egg Challenge #116 {4CCC-116} – Winter

Little Claire Monthly Challenge # 27 - 'Christmas'

Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge #42 - Use Recycled Material (Used snowflakes from old Garland)

The Pink Elephant Challenge TPE174 – Punches/Dies

Totally Gorjuss Challenge 158 – Plain and Simple

BunnyZoe's Crafts Monthly Challenge #30 – Winter

SpectrumNoir November 2012 Challenge - Animals

 

A Year In Review Blog Hop

With 2011 coming to an end, we have a tendency to look back over the year and review everything that has happened, both the good and the bad.  Karin, one of my fellow Sparkle N Sprinkle designers, is have a Year In Review Blog Hop at With an “I” for Paper so I have reviewed the last twelve months on my blog and I am going to share with you my 12 favorite cards for 2011. 

Being a designer for Sparkle N Sprinkle the last six months has been an honor and so much fun, so I want to share my favorite cards using SNS stamps and products first.

 

Tri-fold card using Fancy Butterflies.

  

        Bird Swirl Set                                       Easter Chicks Set combinded with

                                                                  Spellbinders' 2010 Heirloom Ornaments.

 

Shaker Ornament using Playful Pengies and Tis The Season sets combinded with Spellbinders' 2010 Heirloom Ornaments.

My next cards use stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs.  When I first started to enter their challenges, I borrowed a stamp from a friend and had to be very creative with this one image to meet the various challenges.  I was really thrilled to be asked to be a guest designer for two months this summer.  Here are a few of my favorites.

 As You Graduate and Faith sets. 

     

        

Card Holder and a set of cards using Scripture Series 2 and Scrolly Borders

A side-step card using Scripture Series 2, Scrolly Borders, and Happy Birthday sets from ODBD.  I added a Garden Oval Topper, Fushia Mix, and Ultra-Fine Sage from Flower Soft.

  

  

         

Holiday Easel Card using Serve the Lord and His Gift stamp sets and Crocheted Circle Die from ODBD and 2010 Heirloom Ornaments, Standard Circles, and Layered Poinsettia dies from Spellbinders.

The remaining favorites use stamps from various companies whose challenges I try to enter as often as I have time. 

I have collected House Mouse stamps for years because they are just tooo cute and irresistible.

Another one of my favorite companies is Impression Obsession.

    

My final card used stamps from JustRite .

This was my first Center Step card and one of the first cards I won a challenge with.

 I hope you enjoyed reviewing these favorites.  I would love if you left me a comment, letting me know which of my favorites is your favorite and why.  Also, don't forget to go here to find links to other blogs that are participating.

One last item - in reviewing my blog I realized that I totally forgot about my one year blogiversary.  I plan to combine this with a celebration of another year to come in January.  Watch for this because I will be offering some candy.

E. Marie

Sparkle N Sprinkle "Sparkling Wintry Sensations” Blog Hop

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle "Sparkling Wintry Sensations” blog hop!  If you hopped here by way of Linda’s inspiring blog, then you're in the right spot.  If you'd like to start from the beginning and learn how to become eligible for SIX great prizes, get all of the details by returning to the Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog here.

It has been extremely hot around here so thinking about winter and Christmas was very refreshing.  I am notorious for making my Christmas cards last minute, but after seeing all the wonderful images used by the designers and their “sensational” cards, I know you will be inspired to start right now.  Get a refill on that hot chocolate and enjoy the rest of this hop.

I love to use a variety of color palettes for my Christmas cards and for my first card I decided to use black and red.  Not the usual Christmas colors.  I used Sparkle N Sprinkles’ Joy Ornament and Poinsettia Ornament, embossing with Midnight Madness Embossing Powder.  I cut them out using the coordinating Spellbinders’ Heirloom Ornaments dies.

I used two different sentiment stamps, Rejoice in the center of the Poinsettia Ornament and Good Will & Happiness. 

Detailed directions for this card can be found on the Sparkle N Sprinkle website here.

My second card is a tri-fold card.  I used the stamps Joy Ornament and Striped Ornament, and, once again, I cut them out with the Spellbinders’ Heirloom Ornament dies.  I used Silver, White, and Sparkle embossing powders and Impulsive Purple Glitter on the ornaments.

The Striped Ornament is created using Clear Embossable Acetate.

 On the inside of the card I used the Joy of Christmas sentiment.  Go here to learn how to make this card.

All of the ornament images and sentiments can be purchased separately or together in Stamp Set 418 - Nesties Ornaments.  If you want to include the coordinating Spellbinders dies check out the 418 Combo.   Check back at the SNS blog for a super special on SNS Winter Holiday stamps.

Maybe I am one of “The Five” with a secondary prize, so don't forget to leave a comment to become eligible for the Grand Prize and one of the 5 secondary prizes.  Now hop on over to Barbara’s for more sparkling sensations.

E. Marie

These cards are entered in the following challenge:
Simon Says Stamps Challenge - Anyhthing Goes
Craft Us Crazy Wednesday Challenge #12 - Chistmas In July and/or Distressed Vintage
Delightful Sketches Weekly Challenge - Fancy Folded Cards
Ellephantastic Challenge #27 - Celebrations
Moving Along With The Times Challenge #107 - Favorite Things (Embossing, Punches, Spellbinder Dies, Pearls, Ribbon)
Stamp and Create July Challenge - Ribbons and Bows