Good morning and welcome to the very first Stampers United Blog Hop! 

Claudia Rosa thought it would be fun to introduce you to different designers, their styles and blogs.  She decided to get a group of us together and called us Stampers United.  It is our hope that you’ll find an exciting new artist that you would like to visit again! Not only will you be able to visit some hopefully unfamiliar blogs, but there are prizes along the way with a Grand Prize at the end!

In order to have a chance at winning the Grand Prize, you must gather a phrase along the Blog Hop.  Each designer will have a particular word listed on their blog and as long as you visit them in order, you will have the phrase at the end.  Claudia will pick the Grand Prize winner, announce the winner on Monday on her blog.  She will ask that you contact her and ask you for the phrase.  If correct you have won the prize - if not she will pick a second person until the phrase is correct.

To start off, you must begin at the Stampers United Blog! If you have not started there, I suggest you go back and begin again . . . you don’t want to miss out on that fabulous Grand Prize!

If you have arrived from Priscilla’s Blog then all is good and you are nearing the end. 

Before I show you my projects today, you should see the Tawdry Treat that I will be giving away today to one lucky winner.   Compliments of Spellbinders, one of you could win S4-185 Large Octagons Nestabilities.

In order to win, all you need to do is leave me a comment.  I’ll pick the winner on Monday and announce it here! 

Now for my projects!  You know I love snowflakes and just HAD to use them on my projects today.  The first is a gift box made from Jen del Muro’s mini pizza box template;

and then a matching card.

The snowflakes for both the box and the matching card below, were made using the Spellbinders S4-222 Create-a-Flake 1.  Once the snowflakes were cut and embossed, and while they were still in the dies, I lightly sponged them with Old Paper Distress Ink.  The snowflakes were then covered with Ranger Glossy Accents and sprinkled with Art Institute Krystallos Vintage Glass Glitter.  The sentiments were embossed with Ranger Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder and then cut/embossed with Spellbinders S4-190 Labels Four Nestabilities.

• Stamps:  Holiday Script from Lizzie Anne Designs
• Paper:  My Mind’s Eye – The Merry Days of Christmas; Prism Nautical Blue Light and Spring Willow Medium; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
• Ink:  Ranger Distress Embossing, Old Paper and Vintage Photo
• Accessories:  Spellbinders S4-222 Create-a-Flake 1 and S4-190 Labels Four; Ranger Glossy and Matte Accents, Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder; Art Institute Krystallos Vintage Glass Glitter; Foam Tape; Sewing Machine; May Arts Ribbon; Darise Craft Wire; BasicGrey Brads; Sponge Daubers

Now for the most important part . . . my word in the phrase is [word removed], and your next word can be found at Vicky’s Blog, Stamped Smiles. 

We hope you are enjoying this special Blog Hop and that you are finding something new along the way. Thanks for joining us today!

SPELLBINDERS INTRODUCES:

 SNEAK PEEKS ON CHA SUMMER TRADE SHOW RELEASE DIES!

JULY 9 – JULY 22, 2009

PLEASE NOTE:  Commenting on this post is welcome but does not enter you into the contest. This contest is sponsored directly by Spellbinders Paper Arts. Please read the post to find directions for entering. If you have any questions, please e-mail: ContestQuestions@Spellbinders.us.

Welcome to the ninth day of Spellbinders CHA Sneak Peek Blog Frenzy!

Spellbinders is revealing 17 new die templates to be released at the Craft and Hobby Trade Show on July 28, 2009, with some of their greatest fans…YOU!  From July 9 – 22, 2009, you will have the opportunity to be a part of these world wide sneak peeks through visiting the Spellbinders designer blogs listed below and trying your luck at winning spectacular die templates!  You will have a chance to win the die I’m introducing AND the dies previously revealed in this CHA Blog Frenzy by entering the contest at the end of this post.  This is a progressive prize, each day the daily prize grows!  Be sure to read all the rules before entering! You still have until July 17^th, 11:59 pm EST to enter Julie Overby’s blog at Mini Moments and until July 18th, 11:59 pm EST to enter mine.

To see previous reveals, or to go to any of the blogs of future reveals, feel free to visit the following:

7/9       Debbie Olson

7/10     Michelle Wooderson

7/11     Karen Hunsaker

7//12    Kazan Clark

7/13     Linda Duke

7/14     Heidi Blankenship

7/15     Kimberly Crawford

7/16     Julie Overby

7/17     Sherry Cheever

7/18     Debbie Seyer

7/19     Lesa Rapp

7/20     Becca Feeken

7/21     Jennifer Davis

7/22     Keri Lee Sereika

After the entry deadline is reached, Spellbinders will randomly pick one entry from each Blog Frenzy reveal as stated in the “Rules”. Winner will be contacted by e-mail within 24 hours of the contest deadline. Winner will have 72 hours to reply to that e-mail to claim the prize.  If Winner fails to respond within 72 hours, a new name will be drawn for said prize.   Winner will receive the new die templates being revealed on the specific daily blog post they are entering.

Entrants visiting all 14 Spellbinders CHA Blog Frenzy Reveals and correctly entering their information into the separate drawings, as described below, will automatically be entered into a GRAND PRIZE give away of a full set of the CHA Summer 2009 die templates and Impressabilities releases, 29 products, with a retail value of $561.71.

The projects I have made to share with you today are a Christmas card and a matching wall hanging.  We’ll talk about the card first!

The border at the top of the card was made by using the largest of the S4-224 Snowflake Borderabilities Petite.  Starting at the edge of the paper, I cut/embossed the border.  Before removing the paper from the S4-224 Snowflake Borderabilities Petite die template, the embossed areas were sponged with Old Paper Distress Ink.  The snowflake areas of the S4-224 Snowflake Borderabilities Petite die template were then removed and set aside for later use.  The edges of the background papers were also sponged with Old Paper Distress Ink and then sewn to a layer of white paper.  The sentiment was stamped on white paper and then cut/embossed with Spellbinders S4-138 Petite Ovals, Large.  The scalloped background layer was cut/embossed with Spellbinders S4-139 Petite Scalloped Ovals, Large.  The small snowflakes that I set aside were embellished (shown below) and then applied back in the border with foam mounting tape.  The snowflake was made using the S4-222 Create A Flake 1.  Later in this post, I give step-by-step instructions on how to create the snowflake.

Now, here’s the wall hanging!

I used the same paper, die templates and ink for this project as I did for the card.  I did however start with a rectangle chipboard coaster that the background paper was glued down on.  I sanded the excess paper from the edges and then sponged them with Old Paper Distress Ink.  The sentiment was made the same as the card.  Behind the sentiment I used the smaller of the S4-224 Snowflake Borderabilities Petite.  Once again, the embossed areas were sponged with ink prior to taking them out of the die template.

I’ve saved the best for last . . . the snowflakes!  I love making these layered snowflakes and want to show you with step-by-step instructions how I make them!

I prefer to layer two different colors of paper

The S4-222 Create A Flake 1 die templates are cut and embossed.

While the paper is still in the S4-222 Create A Flake 1 die template, the exposed areas are sponged with ink.

This is how the snowflakes will look when removed from the S4-222 Create A Flake 1 die templates.

A layer of Ranger Glossy Accents is applied to the sponged areas.

Then Art Institute Vintage Shards Glass Glitter is sprinkled over the Glossy Accents.  The snowflakes are set aside to dry.

When the Glossy Accents have dried, excess glitter is removed and assembly begins.

Using a vintage button (with the thread still attached), wire is inserted through the button holes and down through each layer of the snowflake.

A button is used on the back to hold the layers in place and to tie off the wire.

The curly cues are made by wrapping the wire around the point of a piercing tool

The wire is then wrapped around the button on the back to secure the wire.

The finished snowflake is now ready to be used as an embellishment.

• Stamps:  Holiday Script from Lizzie Anne Designs
• Paper:  BasicGrey Wassail; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Prism Vanilla Cream
• Ink:  Ranger Archival Coffee and Old Paper Distress Ink
• Accessories:    Spellbinders S4-222 Create A Flake 1, S4-224 Snowflake Borderabilities Petite, S4-138 Petite Ovals, Large, and S4-139 Petite Scalloped Ovals, Large; May Arts Ribbon; Sanding Tools; Ranger Matte and Glossy Accents; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Venture Foam Tape; Clear and Vintage Buttons; Chipboard Rectangle Coaster and Accent Piece; Making Memories Wire; Sewing Machine; Art Institute Vintage Shards Glass Glitter #901 Krystallos

Don’t forget to read the rules below and click on the link to enter the contest.  Photos of the die templates I have used in today’s post are:

S4-222 Create A Flake 1

MSRP - $19.99

Dimensions:  Largest Flake 2-5/8ths; Smallest Flake 1/2”

S4-224 Snowflake Borderabilities Petite

MSRP - $19.99

Dimensions:  Smallest Border 5-1/2”x1-1/4”; Largest Border 5-1/2”x1-1/2”

Rules
Any participant wishing to be included in the daily drawing for the Spellbinders CHA Blog Frenzy give-away must adhere to all of the following rules. We are happy to welcome US and international blog guests for this Frenzy.

To enter each drawing on sneak peeks between July 9 and July 22, visit the reveal blog and click on the contest link to reveal an e-mail window. In the subject line of the e-mail, enter the die template name being revealed. Each blog reveal will remain open for 48 hours. Only 1 entry per blog is allowed and participant must use the same email address daily to be considered for grand prize entry, no exceptions.  Please consider whether you will have access to the same e-mail address from July 9^th through July 22^nd and plan accordingly.

Spellbinders Design Team members and employees are not eligible for drawings.

Any participant wishing to be automatically entered into the drawing for the CHA Blog Frenzy Grand Prize must enter all 17 blog reveals and follow all the above rules.

Please note:

*Spellbinders will only use email information to contact the winner.

*Spellbinders will not share this email address with any other parties.

*Spellbinders will not use this email information for advertisements or communications other than to contact the winner.

*If you wish to be included in further communications from Spellbinders, please go to their homepage SpellbindersPaperArts.com and sign up for their newsletter.

Spellbinders CHA Blog Frenzy drawing

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

(If you use an e-mail client that does not work with this pop-up box, you may copy and paste this address to send your entry to:  ContestDay9@spellbinders.us)

For more Spellbinders new product release information go to:   http://www.spellbinderspaperarts.com/new

If you have any questions regarding the contest, send an e-mail to: ContestQuestions@spellbinders.us

I hope you’ve been enjoying the Spellbinders CHA Blog Frenzy over the last few weeks and that you’ve entered at all the blogs for the Grand Prize.  Don’t forget to enter mine today in order to win the template dies that I’ve previewed today.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Happy Friday!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  We had Christmas Eve here with my family and lots of food.  Once again we over did it with the food . . . but oh my was it good!

As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, I had made some gifts for my sister, aunt and mother that I couldn’t show until after they had received them.  Today, I get to show you!  You have to bear with me though, there’s a lot of info to share.

These are the notebooks that I made for them.  Each one has their initial that was covered in Ranger Glossy Accents and then sprinkled with glitter.  Once the first layer had dried, the initials were covered again with another layer of Glossy Accents.  I love how it made the initial thicker and more durable when the books are handled.

I used heavy weight chipboard coasters for the covers, painting them black with acrylic paint.  The inside pages were made from loose leaf paper that was cut to size, and then all was bound with 5/8″ O wire binding and the Bind-it-All.  For the front panels, I used Spellbinders Labels One Nestabilities and layered them all, with the monogram raised with foam tape.  The background was made by stamping my image on white paper, clear embossing and then inking in Black Soot Distress Ink.  After I had the black color I wanted, I ironed off the embossing using the Faux Bleach Technique (you’ll see more on this later).

• Stamps: Tim Holtz Nature’s Discovery by Stampers Anonymous from Rubbernecker Stamp Company
• Ink: Ranger Black Soot and Emboss Distress
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; SU Basic Black; Heavy Weight Chipboard Coasters, Loose Leaf Notebook Paper
• Accessories: Spellbinders Labels One Nestabilities; Clover Craft Iron; Bind-it-All, 5/8″ O Wires; Ranger Adirondack Pitch Black Acrylic Paint Dabber, Glossy Accents, Clear EP, Ink Blending Tool; Venture Foam Tape; Black Glitter; Ribbon

I needed something to wrap the notebooks in, so I decided to make my own boxes using Jen del Muro’s mini pizza box template.  Of course, I needed to make the box larger so I added 1″ to the dimensions.

I made a band from the coordinating cardstock and put velcro on the bottom to make removal easy.  I made the snowflakes from the same paper, die cutting them with Spellbinders Snowflake Wonder Shapeabilities.  I covered each snowflake with Ranger Glossy Accents and sprinkled each with glitter.  The layers were put on a pearl brad, and to hold the wire embellishments in place, I wrapped the wire around the brad before I flattened the prongs out.    The snowflakes and sentiments were put on labels made with Spellbinders Petite Oval Nestabilities.

• Stamps: Holiday Script from Lizzie Anne Designs
• Paper: BasicGrey Fruitcake; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
• Ink: Ranger Antique Linen Distress and Juniper Pigment
• Accessories: Spellbinders Snowflake Wonder Shapeabilities and Petite Oval Nestabilities; Ranger Clear EP, Glossy Accents; Venture Foam Tape; Diamond Dust and Sea Sprite Vintage Glass Glitter; Sulyn Crystal Glitter; Pearl Brad; Making Memories Wire; Velcro

Oh and by the way, here’s a closeup of the monogram,

and of the gift box.

I hope you all have a great day!

Happy Sunday!  I know I’ve been MIA for a few days, and I really have no excuse.  I didn’t feel that well the later part of last week and never wandered into the studio once.  When I finally went in yesterday and turned on the lights, I had a project sitting on my work table I had completely forgotten about.  I got it done yesterday, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see it.  What I have today is for yesterday’s Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoaststampers, Images under Glass.

When I saw the inspiration pieces for the challenge, I immediately thought of making my own acrylic pieces . . . and I did!  However, they turned out yellow (forgot I had added some flex to the UTEE), so I’m calling those practice pieces.  I’ll need to work on that technique at a later time.

What I did instead, was make an inchie that I covered with Crackle Accents.  I mounted it on a square of illustration board, and then I had a brainstorm (yes, it actually hurt) to make a window card.

I used Spellbinders Classic Square Nestabilities for all the image layers and the window frames.  Here’s the inside of the card:

And a close up of the birds, which is actually on the inside of the card.

To finish off the front of the card, and add my sentiment, I tried my hand at glittering a few of the snowflakes that I cut using Spellbinders Snowflake Wonder Shapeabilities.  I have been so taken and awed with Anna’s snowflakes that I couldn’t wait to get the snowflake dies and play with them.   I inked each snowflake, covered each with Glossy Accents and then sprinkled with glitter.  For this one I added a button and tied it to the front of the card with twine.  The sentiment was stamped and then die cut using Spellbinders Scalloped Tag Shapeabilities.

• Stamps: Birds from Magenta; Holiday Script from Lizzie Anne Designs
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; SU Always Artichoke and Riding Hood Red; BasicGrey Wassail
• Ink: Ranger Archival Coffee, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Aged Mahogany
• Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Square Nestabilities, Snowflake Wonder and Scalloped Tag Shapeabilities; Sewing Machine; Ranger Glossy and Crackle Accents; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Tonic Paper Distresser; Crystal, Pixie Dust, White/Silver Mix Glitter; Twill Tape; Hemp Twine; Button

Enjoy the rest of your weekend . . . you might find an adventure or two!

Happy Thursday!  I’m today getting my laundry done and packing to leave tomorrow morning.  I’m sure I told you, BUT. . . if you are in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area, I’ll be demonstrating in the Rubbernecker Stamp Booth this coming weekend at the 1st Annual Fall Rubber Stamp Show at the Expo New Mexico State Fairgrounds.  If you happen to be at the show, please come by and say HI!

Not too long ago, a close family friend asked me to make her some cards.  She knew exactly what she wanted and for whom she wanted it for.  It pleases me when I get to make cards, with just that right touch of humor, for someone special.

This card was for her mother, who happens to love leopard and well . . . enough said.

The sentiment on the next card is the most important thing about the card.  It was for a friend that recently had surgery (yes, some female surgery).

This last card, I honestly can’t remember who it was for.  I do vaguely remember however, there was something about being 50+ years old, toe shoes and being flexible.

Well, that’s all I have today . . . how I love a bit of twisted humor!  I hope you have a great day!