My blog is called "Creative Smiles" because my designs are the result of incorporating mistakes. With fumble fingers that drop whatever they are holding - repeatedly, it takes a lot of giggles, smiles and creative patience during my crafting process. xx

Showing posts with label Aperture-Window Card. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aperture-Window Card. Show all posts

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Anything Goes at Lavinia World - Freya's House

Hello, Fairy Lovers!
Hopefully you are enjoying these sweet Lavinia World images at least half as much as I am in using them. They make everything all better. I used to think glitter and butterflies covered up all boo-boos in crafting. These darling little fairies have convinced me THEY are the answer to all boo-boos!
With that... it is time for a new Lavinia World Challenge!


Details of our Lavinia World Challenge:
Every second Thursday a new Anything-Goes challenge will be posted with chances to win a $15 gift certificate to the store, and badges for your blog. Use ANY clear or rubber stamp - no digitals. If your project features Lavinia World stamps, your chances to win double.

While "our" Lavinia World store is located in the US, it ships worldwide. These delightfully sweet images are extremely detailed and reasonably priced. Even better, buy $25 and get free shipping! Lavinia World carries other coordinating products for your convenience (like Brushos, inks, highlight pens and more).

Ever have a great idea for your card, only to have one blunder after another hijack your creative process to take a completely different route? Of course you haven't.

Or...

Just maybe...

it was the fairies?

(it's always comforting to blame boo-boos on someone or some THING else)

Here are the fantastic Lavinia World products in my hijack...
I mean... in my project: 



Card Front: I decided on a monochromatic theme using white embossing powder and an off-center aperture. The image is on the inside. To accomplish this, I fitted round dies that would accommodate Freya's House and each other.



Using a ruler and Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, I heat set White Detail embossing powder to create a frame. The fairies and "Dream" were stamped with VersaFine Clair Verdant Ink and heat set with White Detail embossing powder.

Partially open:



Inside, a stencil was used with Embellishment Mousse to create Moon Beams. A glue pen covered the beams to adhere white microfine glitter.



The glue pen also was applied around the fairy's lantern, on the little heart, and in some of the details of the house, with more white and burgundy glitter applied. The grasses are coated with green glitter, and shadowed with a Tombow marker.



Tip: I use the VersaFine Clair inks because their ink produces fine, well-covered images. Opaque embossing powders coat the ink so you cannot see through it.



Here are my blunders and how they were remedied:

Blunder Number One:

Here in central rural Florida, we enjoy beautiful night skies, with a bright moon illuminating the pastures and woods until it is just a crescent moon. It's pure magic seeing moon beams caress our sky and filter thought the trees. But when trying to capture that look with a Sun Ray stencil and embellishment mousse, I should have been a bit less vibrant with the application of color. The result was hideous, so I devised using a sentiment instead, with moon beams shining from the sweet saying.

Blunder Number Two:
Forgetting to add the pale green layer to the card front while planning my design.
To remedy it, a ruler and Sakura Quickie Glue Pen came to my rescue, heat set with White Detail embossing powder, to create a frame for interest. Embellishment Mousse was smooshed around the outside edge.



Blunder Number Three:
Because the mousse was applied in a light-handed fashion, lots of unwanted texture resulted - so white microfine glitter was applied to the beams, around the fairy lantern and verse layer, and even in parts of the house design.



Blunder Number Four:
Carefully deciding to add glittered grass to the front of the card, and then wanting to add a fairy and flowers which should have been added first:



Now that you know about the blunders, and how they hijacked what I **THOUGHT** I wanted to do, don't forget to add your ANYTHING GOES card to the challenge! Remember - the only rule is to use a rubber stamp or a clear stamp (no digitals).


Wishing you a great day!

Products Used:


Challenges I'd like to play in please:

  1. ScrapyLand Challenges #116  AG SL Dies 7/3 (please see list of dies above)
  2. World Wide Open DT Challenge #6 AG DT related 7/15
  3. Crafty Friends Challenge #112 Fairies and Fantasy 6/28
  4. 2 Sisters on the Blog #28 Things With Wings 6/30
  5. Sweet Stampers #33 Anything Goes 7/7 (sep post)
  6. Classic DT Open Challenge #6 AG DT related 7/1
  7. Fairy and Unicorn Challenge (June) Fantasy 7/1
  8. Crafting with an Attitude (#52) Anything Goes 7/1
  9. Aud Sentiments #229 Anything Goes + a Sentiment (I have one front and with scene) 6/25


hugs,





Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Trifold with Aperture Style Cards

Welcome, friends! Hope Life is treating you well.
(as always, if you are reading directly on my blog, click on photos to enlarge)



It's time for another
Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge!


For the next two weeks, join us by uploading an "Anything-Goes" challenge as long as a an aperture is used. The team has all kinds of inspiration and a variety of aperture styles to view, so take a look! Hope to see yours there.

Having stamped for nearly 30 years, I am embarrassed to admit that this is the first "from scratch" aperture card I have made. It's a tri-fold card. Those of you who are familiar with me know I am NOT a paper engineer, and will be proud of my attempt.

Folded, it measures 6" x 4":



It's a simple design
without many layers,
and would have looked prettier with more ink and dry embossed layers for texture.


The image (a virgin stamp that is at least 12 years old) is by Impression Obsession,
stamped with VersaFine,
and colored with Tombow markers.


The front cut is larger than
the 2nd panel cut,
to offer a turquoise mat
against the glittery white frame in front.


I didn't know how to keep the card closed for photographing.

The second panel still only shows a glimpse of the image beneath, but frame it differently:


Opens all the way to finish the sweet message "you are" on the front --
"very special to me."



Hope to see your aperture creations at the challenge blog -

Products Used:
Challenges I'd like to play in please:


  1. My Time To Craft #377 "More Than One Fold" 8/25
  2. Pile It On #145 "New Technique and/or Oldest Stash" (NBUS stamp over 10 years old and old SB dies AND new-for-me technique in card fold) 9/2 (sep post)
  3. Cardz 4 Galz #78 "Dies and/or Punches" (have used several dies and one punch) 8/29
  4. Word Art Wednesday #348-349 Sentiment Innie and Outie "you are very special to me" 8/29
  5. ScrapyLand Challenges #96 AG with dies SL sells (Spellbinders: Labels Four, 5x7 Elegant Labels Four, Shapeabilities Foliage) 9/5
  6. World Wide Open DT Challenge #8 AG for DT 9/15
Stamping hugs,






Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Easter Spring {Scrapy Land}

Welcome to my project for the 14th Scrapy Land Challenge!
(7 simple, glittery small cards - size A2 US - and flat for mailing)



The Challenge is open from March 18 until March 29. 
The theme is "EASTER OR SPRING using any die manufacturer which Scrapy Land sells".  Scrapy Land sells over 40 brands of dies, including overseas products, and many are discounted.
The prize is a $15 gift card - good for anything in the Scrapy Land store!

My cards feature the following Scrapy Land dies.
(for all the dies used, please see the product list at bottom of post)

Accomplishment Alert! (giggle)

The cards are flat! (for mailing).     They are small! A2 size (5.5" x 4.25"). 
Normally I make size A7 (5" x 7"), so this truly was a difficult card to make in my book. (giggle)

Simple METHOD:
The card "jacket" is white and covered completely with Sparkle N Sprinkle Brushable Glue and immediately dredged with glitter. After 30 minutes, the excess glitter was brushed off, and the jacket was glued to the card base. The Easter dies are covered with VersaMark ink and SNS Sparkle EP.



Next, a lavender card using MS chunky glitter with the texture of mylar Easter Basket Grass:

Last but not least, a double-embossed "jacket", dry embossed with Couture Creations Secret Garden and wet embossed with SNS Sparkle EP, to match the interior die cut. 
(This is my favorite)




Products Used:
  • Scrapy Land Die-Namites "Spring Egg Scene" DN-1143
  • Scrapy Land Die-Namites "Spring Eggs" DN-1152
  • Scrapy Land Memory Box Cascadia Butterfly Trio
  • Scrapy Land Memory Box Leavenworth Butterfly Trio
  • Spellbinders Classic Squares (create window card base and jacket)
  • Spellbinders Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles (LG) S4-143 (inside sentiment)
  • Glitter: Martha Stewart Chunky, Wee Crafts Coarse Diamond Dust, Sparkle N Sprinkle Bubblegum & Sunny Daze, Stampa Rosa Lavender.
  • Embossing Powder: Sparkle N Sprinkle "Sparkle"
  • Adhesives: Sparkle N Sprinkle Brushable Glue, Allene's Quick Dry Tacky
  • Cardstock: Pink Pearlized Stardream, Lavender, White (and assorted scraps for butterflies)


I am playing in the:
Sparkle N Sprinkle Challenge - March - Anything Goes with Embossing Powder and Glitter 3/31


stamping hugs, 


Monday, March 31, 2014

April Showers Reveal - Sparkle N Sprinkle

March 27, 2021 - note:
THIS SET IS NOW AVAILABLE AT JAN'S DIGI SHOP. It is $4.00 and contains 10 images, including a colored version.

Welcome to Sparkle N Sprinkle's April 1 Reveal.

A very special welcome to new followers: 
Dr. Sonia, Kitty, Chrissy, Debs, Kimberly S, Pat N,Carmen and Susan.

singing, "April Showers bring May Flowers"...


This month 5 new stamp sets are being introduced. Until April 3, the sets are 20% off their regular price. The April Showers stamp set by artist Jan Mahew is available on Cling Mounted Rubber, as a digital image, and is also included in Jazzy Jill's Technique Video for the month.

*NEW* also available as 
digital image here.
*NEW* also available as 
digital image here.
*NEW* also available as 
digital image here.

Crackle Background #609P5

















On April 3 five winners will be selected from the comments left on the designers' blogs listed below. Each winner will receive a new stamp set, and the choice of one embossing powder and glitter to go with their new set.

The new SNS Creative Challenges also begins today, with lots of prizes and recognition badges. This month, if you use a Sparkle N Sprinkle image in your Challenge project, not only will you become a Featured Artist, but your name will be entered in a separate drawing for 3 Ultra Fine Glitters and/or Embossing Powders.

The winners of the blog hop will be announced on April 3 on Facebook, the SNS blog, and on our blogs:

Steff Munnings - new designer!
Donna Ellis (me!)
Shona Erlenborn
Eret Pank
Mayra Hernandez
Emmy van den Heuvel
Belinda Shupe
Marie Berquist
April Williams
Jazzy Jill

My card today is a feat!
It is flat! (for mailing)
  It is small! A2 size. 
 Normally I make size A7 (5" x 7"), so this truly was a difficult card to make in my book.
          Still, there is plenty of sparkle. (giggle)


The card "jacket" is white and covered completely with Sparkle N Sprinkle Teal Velveteen Microfine Glitter. Painted with Sparkle N Sprinkle Brushable Glue and immediately dredged with glitter, it only took about 30 minutes to dry completely, even in Florida's humid weather. The excess was brushed off, and the jacket was glued to the pink card base. AND the glitter stays in place.


The sweet little image was heat embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle White Detail embossing powder, then colored with Prismacolor pencils.

The darling sentiments are heat embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle Mediterranean embossing powder, tied with sparkly fibers, and adhered onto the umbrella handle. The umbrella was first heat embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle By The Lake embossing powder, then coated with Sparkle N Sprinkle Pink Lady Cosmic embossing powder to create texture and a unique marbled look, similar to rain.

The raindrops are first embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle White Detail embossing powder and then lines were drawn with a VersaMarker next to each white line, and heat embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle By The Lake embossing powder.

Spellbinder's Classic Square dies were used to create the window card and jacket.
directions to re-create this card are here.

Remember that the new stamp sets are 20% off through April 3, and three of them are available in our digital store as well (see above for the links).
Thanks for stopping by today! I always appreciate your visits!

Products used:
Prismacolor Pencils: Deco Pink, Blush Pink, Precious Red, Light Aqua, Deco Aqua
Stream Water Base Marker
SB Grand Ovals (behind doily)
SB Classic Squares (create window card base and jacket)
SB Labels Nineteen - S4-311
IO Umbella Die049-A
Cheery Lynn Swedish Spring Oval Frame FRM 135

This card is submitted to the following Charming Challenges:
  1. The Kraft Journal - #165 Inside and Out - use Kraft CS and follow inside-out theme 4-6
  2. The Paper Nest Dolls - #7 Anything Goes - 4-11
  3. Use Your Stuff - #129 Die Cuts - 4-6 (used 7 die cuts listed above)
  4. Allsorts Challenge blog - #252 Use Those Dies (used 7 die cuts listed above) 4-3
  5. Speedy The Fox (MFP) Challenge - #205 Use a Negative from die cut (square dies used to create window card and jacket 4-3
  6. Word Play Saturday - March "Anything" (two sentiments on front) 4-5
  7. Alphabet Challenge - Mar28 "D is for Die Cuts" - 4-7
  8. Crafty Cardmakers - #113 "You've Been Framed" (use frame) 4-13
  9. Izazovi I Slatkisi Challenges #30 Embossing (used 4 colors of embossing powder) 4-2
  10. Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - #224 Anything Goes 4-3
  11. Cut It Up Challenges - #41 Anything Goes (7 die cuts) 4-1

Stamping hugs,