Glittery Winter Card

I've made no secret of the fact that winter is not my favorite season.  However, there are times when the beauty of nature takes my breath away.  Winter can make snow and frost just sparkle until it dazzles your eyes - in a delightful way.  Here's my card to pay tribute to that beauty.

I stamped trees all along the inside of the card.

In real life, this card is very dazzling ... full of sparkle.

UPCOMING CLASSES / EVENTS …

SCRAPS AND PRAYERS / 5:30-7:30 / $18.00

January 20 / Pay to register by January 13.

We’ll be creating actual scenes with a variety of stamps.

Come and try this great fun way of creating.  You’ll be amazed!

PAPER PUMPKIN CLUB / FREE FOR MY LOCAL PP SUBSCRIBERS

January 21 / 1:00-3:00 / BRING YOUR KIT.

SALE-A-BRATION (SAB) PREMIER EVENT / 2:00-5:00 / $18.00

February 2 / Pay to register by January 26.

It’s a party.  It’s a class.

Enjoy all the fun of a party and the creative fun of a class.

We’ll have prizes, party favors, new inspirational displays and great projects!

There will be special order incentives, as well.

SCRAPS AND PRAYERS / 5:30-7:30 / $18.00

February 10 / Pay to register by February 3.

We’ll be making some fun cards at this class.

PAPER PUMPKIN CLUB / FREE FOR MY LOCAL PP SUBSCRIBERS

February 18 / 1:00-3:00 / BRING YOUR KIT.

SCRAPS AND PRAYERS / 5:30-7:30 / $18.00

March 9 / Pay to register by March 2.

Project TBA.

PAPER PUMPKIN CLUB / FREE FOR MY LOCAL PP SUBSCRIBERS

March 17 / 1:00-3:00 / BRING YOUR KIT.

MORE CLASSES AND EVENTS - - - TBA

That's it for now.  

Thanks for stopping by my blog neighborhood.   

Have a beautiful day!

Laugh Cry Smile Card

Laugh ... Cry ... Smile ... Repeat.  That kind of sums up daily life sometimes.  Thankfully, I've been able to have the laugh / smile parts the most.  That's good.  I love the text of this card.  The whole thing came out quite pretty.  Of course it would, with this gorgeous DSP and all the butterflies:)

I added Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint to the punched butterfly.  I attached him by just the middle of his body, so his wings could be more dimensional.  The card base is one of our newer colors - Balmy Blue.  It's a really pretty shade of blue.

I covered the envelope flap with the DSP and then used a left-over strip to perk up the front.  Fancy:)

UP NEXT:

March 11 --- Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / $18.
We'll be working with thinlits and framelits, doing some heat embossing, and adding a bit of Shimmer Paint to our beautiful cards. 

SAVE THE DATE:   
March 17 --- 
                 Spring Open House Party / 2:00-5:00 
                              (Yes, it's on MARCH 17.)
                 Grand Re-Opening of my Studio

April 8 --- Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / $18.
We're going to have a blast playing with BRUSHO.  I decided that we'll use it for card making, rather than creating a Swatch Book, but I'll show you how you could make your own Swatch Book at home.

CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED A CATALOG.

Dashing Dear Makes the Cut!

I created another card for our October 20 Saturday Stampers class and this one edged out my previous choice using our Dashing Deer.  It is quite elegant with all the Copper Foil and Glimmer Papers.  You have until October 15 to pay to register for this class.  Class size will be limited.

 There is Shimmer Spritz on the white circle.

I love the elegance of this deer.

October Events: 

Oct. 8 / Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / $15.00
     Christmas Project, showcasing the Timeless Tidings Kit poinsettia.
     CLASS FULL.  REGISTRATION CLOSED.
Oct. 20 / Saturday Stampers / 1:00-4:00 / $20.00 
     6 Beautiful Christmas Cards
     PAY TO REGISTER ONE WEEK PRIOR TO CLASS.

November / December Events:
Nov. 12 / Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30     Mixed Media Christmas Project
     PAY TO REGISTER ON WEEK PRIOR TO CLASS.
Dec. 10 / Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / $15.00
     Christmas Cards, showcasing the Timeless Tidings Card Kit.
     PAY TO REGISTER ONE WEEK PRIOR TO CLASS.

Embossing Two Ways ... and Some Tips

I have 2 little 4 X 4" cards for you today.  They show 2 ways to emboss - both dry embossing.  We'll save heat embossing for another day.  Both cards are in our beautiful new color - Soft Sea Foam.

The card on the left above is embossed simply by running the CS through the Big Shot with the Lovely Floral TIEF (Textured Impressions Embossing Folder).

The card on the right above is embossed using our Springtime Impressions Thinlits.  This 'new' way to emboss is so much fun and super easy.  Now we can use our thinlits dies for more than just cutting.  I'll have a tutorial on it in a future post.

I wanted just one more element on my little cards to complete them and I chose our beautiful new butterfly.  It's large for the card, but I like it.  After die cutting it, I spritzed it with my mixture of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and Rubbing Alcohol.  Mix by adding paint to your alcohol until you get the intensity you like.  I use a larger bottle to mix mine because I use it all the time.
TIPS:
- Remove nozzle from your spray bottle and clean it frequently, to prevent clogs.
- I use a little travel size bottle for mine because I use it so much.
- Add a little 'marble' to your bottle to help keep it mixed.
- Swirl your bottle.  Don't shake it.  This prevents bubbles.
- My 'marble' is from an empty Shimmer Paint bottle.  Yes, I use it a lot:)

AUGUST HOSTESS CODE:   

36XNEJK9

   Aug. Hostess Code Special ($35.+ orders)
--- Surprise Gift 
--- Free Color Coach (new/updated) !!!

AUGUST 1 -31 --- BONUS DAYS --- 
    - SEE INFO ON LEFT SIDE OF PAGE.

REMINDER:
BEGINNING SEPTEMBER, YOU MUST PAY TO REGISTER AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO ANY CLASS. 

SEPTEMBER EVENTS: 
 
MY SUMMER GARAGE SALE HAS BEEN MOVED TO SEPTEMBER 21 AND 22 ... 8:00-4:00 BOTH DAYS.

Sept. 10 / Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / $15.00
       Fall Project, showcasing the gorgeous colors of nature.
       PAY TO REGISTER ONE WEEK PRIOR TO CLASS. 
Sept. 15 / BONUS Saturday Stampers / 1:00-4:00 / $20.00
       Let's make some gorgeous Fall and Christmas cards.
       PAY TO REGISTER ONE WEEK PRIOR TO CLASS. 

- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world.

- Come back often for more creative inspiration.

- Let's create something beautiful today.

Shimmer Painting Tutorial

Get ready for a super fun tutorial today.  I am in love with this technique! 
We made the Calypso Coral version at my workshop last week.

I made 2 versions of each card --- horizontal and vertical.  

Aren't the flowers gorgeous? 

Here's how you do it:

• Stamp your flowers (Secret Garden stamp set) with VersaMark ink.
• Heat emboss with white embossing powder.
• Gather some old containers from brads, buttons or embossing powders.
• Mix reinker (in the color of your choice) with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (a few drops).
• Using an Aqua Painter,  stir it up and paint on the mixture of reinker/shimmer paint.  The embossing helps to keep the reinker inside the line, making it super easy to paint them.
• Let the ink/paint mixture dry.
• Cut out the flowers using our framelits, for a quick and easy way to have perfect cuts every time.
• Now create your card, using your beautiful flowers.

NOTE:
Be sure to really clean your Aqua Painter, to get out all the Shimmer Paint.

I used Wisteria Wonder on my first card --- reinker AND card stock.
I used Calypso Coral and Regal Rose reinkers on the coral cards, with Calypso Coral card stock.

I used Daffodil Delight reinker for all the flower centers.

I tried really hard to get a close-up of the flowers so you could see how much they actually shimmer.  In real life, they are gorgeous.

So, what do you think?  Can you think of any other stamped images that would look pretty using my Shimmer Painting technique?  Let me hear from you!  Now, go try this!!!  You'll love it.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Sneak Peek at Wrapping up Christmas

I had so much fun at my Open House yesterday.  Everyone was busy making lots of fun cards for Christmas and I got to see a few people who hadn't been here for a while.  That's always fun.  Everyone enjoyed the projects and the goodies and visiting with each other.  With all my Christmas decorations up, it just really put us into the Christmas spirit!

Here's a little sneak peek today at what we'll be making this Friday at my Wrapping up Christmas class.  This class will focus on a few super elegant cards, some tags and gift card holders --- all to help you wrap up your Christmas preparations.

It's difficult to see it, but there is a shimmer mist over the embossed flower and the entire front of the card.  To add even more elegance, I used a sponge dauber and covered the embossed vanilla layer with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.

I like to stamp the envelope to coordinate with the card, too.  I stamp the lower left corner on the front and then add something to the flap on the back, too.  By using black and vanilla, it just gives off a special elegance.

 

Come back soon for more Christmas fun.  Have a great day and a great week!