DIE-VERSIONS / SPARKLE N SPRINKLE blog hop‏

hello crafty friends!

and WELCOME to the DIE-VERSIONS and SPARKE N SPRINKLE blog hop! 

the joint blog hop with DIE-VERSIONS and SPARKE N SPRINKLE begins today, august 15th {7am EST} and goes until august 17th {5pm EST}, so there will be plenty of time to check out all the great projects created by both teams.

the theme is CHRISTMAS, so you'll get lots of great inspiration for your upcoming HOLIDAY SEASON!!!

DIE-VERSIONS manufactures low profile dies made right here in the UNITED STATES and SPARKE N SPRINKLE manufactures rubber stamps, glitters, embossing powders, and flocking, also made in the US. this is like a match made in heaven - low profile dies combined with lots of bling!
doesn't get much better than that!

one winner will receive a GRAND PRIZE consisting of a $50 gift certificate from DIE-VERSIONS and a $50 gift certificate from SPARKE N SPRINKLE, for a total of $100. the WINNER will be announced on august 17th on both the DV blog and the SNS blog as well as their FACEBOOK pages.

 in order to be eligible for the GRAND PRIZE, please:
* leave a comment on each designer's blog
* follow both companies on FACEBOOK {DV facebook page; SNS facebook page) if you haven't already ,so you can keep up to date on all the latest goings on. {I'm sure that all of the designers would love for you to Follow them too, but that isn't a requirement to win this prize.}

if you followed the right path, you should have arrived here from MAYRA's blog and you next stop is STEFF's blog.

if not, then you should begin at the DIE-VERSIONS blog and end at the SPARKLE N SPRINKLE blog. if you get lost along the way, you can go to either the DV blog or the SNS blog to see the complete list of participants.

we'd love it if you'd like to leave a comment at either the DV blog or the SNS blog telling us which projects were your favorites. :-)

here is what i've prepared for you today -

to create my card i used pattern paper, SPARKLE N SPRINKLE winter essentials collection embossing powders, silver dreams glitter [G1002], cloud nine velvet glitter [GM2000], SNS pine forest stamp and DIE-VERSIONS whispers delicate snowflake die, whispers SANTA's reindeers die and sweet wordlets season's greetings die.

and here are some close ups of my project:

i stamped the pine trees with  SNS pine forest stamp and versamark ink two times on pattern paper. then i heat embossed the sets using EP406 frosted juniper from the SNS winter essentials collection embossing powders. after the embossing powder has cooled down, i fussy cut some of the pine trees from the second image to create the 3d effect on my card.

for the large snowflake i used white cardstock, which i covered with 2 1/2"double sided tear-ific tape, and DIE-VERSIONS whispers delicate snowflake die. after i die cut the snowflake, i peeled off the protective layer and sprinkled SNS cloud nine velvet glitter [GM2000] on top of it. then i divided the glittery die cut in two parts and adhered it on my card.

for the SANTA sleigh embellishment i used reddish pattern paper and DIE-VERSIONS whispers SANTA's reindeers die. to create the vintage effect, i rubbed my die cut with VERSAMARK ink and heat embossed it with EP409 winter white from the winter essentials collection embossing powders.

for my sentiment i fussy cut the banners and then i used DIE-VERSIONS sweet wordlets season's greetings die and SNS cloud nine velvet glitter [GM2000] for the words.

we hope you enjoy this blog hop and it gives you lots of inspiration!
don't forget to leave each of us a comment and follow both DIE-VERSIONS and SPARKE N SPRINKLE on facebook!

have fun hopping!

hugs 'n smiles,

WARNING! GYMNAST! {merly impressions & kaisercraft}

hello crafty peeps!

i have another fun KAISERCRAFT project to share with you today, i made using a mix of two of KAISERCRAFT’s best collections – GAME ON and LAVENDAR HAZE. i chose this colour combination {black – lavender – aqua – white}, because i think it is perfect for the picture of my sweet goddaughter EMMA. 

 to create my background i used KAISERCARD coconut weave cardstock. i added a layer of lavender colour dotted pattern using KAISERCRAFT bubble wrap background clear stamp. then i added the edge pattern, using the KC lattice background stamp and film edges clear stamp, and the dimensional layer using modelling paste and THE CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP  "mini tile texture" masking template.

to finish off the design of my background i splattered DYLUSIONS ink sprays on the cardstock and added a purple edge with RANGER liquid pearls lavender lace. 

 i created the various paper strips and embellishments using different pattern papers – from the GAME ON collection: PERFORM, ATTITUDE; and from the LAVENDAR HAZE collection: AMETHYST, PUCE GLOSS PAPER and die cuts from the matching Collectables packages – GAME ON, equipment and LAVENDAR HAZE. 

for my title i used an aqua sentiment block from the PERFORM pattern paper.

after i arranged my embellishments, i doodled the arrows using TIM HOLTZ' layering stencil arrows and a black artistic pen. 

 i’ve added a hidden journalling tag on my page. i cut out the label from KAISERCARD coconut weave cardstock. for the purple lacey pattern i used the corner stamp from the KAISERCRAFT storyteller clear stamp set and for the sentiment – two of the phrases from the blubelle stamp set.

 and of course there can be no layout without rhinestones – black and lace. the pretty coloured baker twine is from WE R MEMORY KEEPERS – sew easy line. i used twine spool black and twine spool purple. 

here is a list with some of the products i used on this project:

Kaisercard Coconut Weave cardstock	Lavendar Haze "Amethyst"	Lavendar Haze "Puce Gloss Paper"	Lavendar Haze Collectables	Kaisercraft Clear Stamp - Film Edges	Kaisercraft Clear Stamp - Lattice	Bubble Wrap background stamp
Blubelle collection clear stamps	Storyteller "Clear Stamps"	Tim Holtz Kushgrip scissor	Kaisercraft Glue Stick	Kaisercraft Double-sided Tape	Mounting Foam Tape

i hope you enjoyed today’s post!

make sure to check MERLY IMPRESSIONS' blog for more inspirational projects!

hugs 'n smiles,

mark your calendars!!! {DIE-VERSIONS & SPARKLE N SPRINKLE}

hello crafty friends!

mark your calendars for august 15th!!!

   a joint blog hop with DIE-VERSIONS and SPARKLE N SPRINKLE. it will begin august 15th at 7am EST and go through august 17th, so there will be plenty of time to check out all the great projects created by both teams.

the theme will be CHRISTMAS, so you’ll get lots of great inspiration for your upcoming holiday cards. 

the winner will receive a GRAND PRIZE consisting of a $50 gift certificate from DIE-VERSIONS and a $50 gift certificate from SPARKLE N SPRINKLE, for a total of $100. 

DIE-VERSIONS manufactures low profile dies made right here in the UNITES STATES and SPARKLE N SPRINKLE manufactures rubber stamps, glitters, embossing powders, and flocking, also made in the US.  this is like a match made in heaven – low profile dies combined with lots of glitter, embossing powder, and flocking. doesn’t get much better than that!

here is a sneak peak of some of the goodies that both teams received: 

so mark your calendars now because this is one blog hop you won’t want to miss!

hugs 'n smiles,

creative embellishments august challenge

hello crafty friends! 

we are half way through the summer already and since it is the beginning of the month, it’s time for CREATIVE EMBELLISHMENTS' monthly challenge! 

this month we have an amazing inspiration picture for you

and the twist is to use a song title for the title of your project. 

when i saw this month’s challenge, i knew in an instant which pictures i’m going to use - from THEO's PROSHTAPULNIK!

this is a very old BULGARIAN tradition that is celebrated once a child starts walking confidently on his/her own. it is believed the party will ensure that the child will not stumble while walking and will have a life without roadblocks to hold him/her back. we often joke that when someone trips often while walking, his/her parents did not do this party for them.

so, how it is made? we prepare a special round bread for the party and then we set up a low table with objects that represent different professions. we choose a box with paints to represent a painter; a guitar to represent a musician; a book for a academic carrier;  a stethoscope for a doctor; a computer mouse to become like his daddy; a pair of compasses for an architect and the most important one a silver coin to be wealthy and well. it is important that the child has never seen the objects, otherwise he/she might ignore the once he/she already know. and  it is very important that the child picks up the item, not just touch it.

then the mother takes the bread and rolls it on a white cloth toward the table with objects. the white cloth symbolizes a life bright and free of evil. the child must walk, not crawl after the bread. when he/she gets to the table he can pick up one item. the first item they pick up is said to represent what their future profession will be.

when THEO got to the table he touched the stethoscope first. we were all very excited! and all the grannies and aunties started to cheer "DOCTOR! DOCTOR!". THEO got confused and didn't picked it up. everybody got quiet, but THEO was just standing there wondering. after a minute or so, he reached for the guitar and he didn't let it go anymore! so, obviously he will be a rock star!

after the item is chosen all guests eat a piece of the bread. the baby gets the first piece.next the other children at the party are served, and then the adults. the bread is served with honey, which represents the sweet moments in life. the more honey the guest eat, the sweeter life THEO will get.

it is also a custom when the guests take a piece of the bread to run a few steps around the room, but carefully not to stumble, so the child would have a life without stumbles and walking without stumbling.

{THANK YOU, chana, for the nice description!}

now back to the monthly challenge!

 to create my layout i used the color palette from the inspiration photo, but I added also red and black to match the colors of my picture. And for the title of my page I used one of my favorite Michael Jackson’s song “You Rock My World”.

"YOU ROCK MY WORLD"

for my background i used CREATIVE EMBELLISHMENTS' distressed moroccan stamp and red and brown GLIMMER MIST. after the paint has dried, i added a second layer with modelling paste and THE CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP masking template. and finally i sprayed and splashed red and brown GLIMMER MIST on it.

i used WEBSTER'S PAGES pattern paper - IN LOVE and ALL ABOUT ME collections. not the typical ROCK STAR paper lines, but i really like how it turned out.

i created my title using CREATIVE EMBELLISHMENTS' you rock frame set and DIE-VERSIONS' missy micro font die. to alter the chippie i used SPARKLE N SPRINKLE's fire cracker red embossing powder.

my sub-title is made with a word chippie from the CE social hash tags set, covered with SNS fire cracker red embossing powder.

and finally the most important one - the GUITAR! when i saw this chippie in the CE online store, i immediately fell in love with it! it is so cool! so of course i had to use it!

i altered it with STAMPENDOUS aged copper embossing enamel. then i added the mini gears 3/4" and the gears 1" to embellish it.

here is a list with all CE products, used on this layout:

Distressed Chicken Wire Stamp

Steampunk Guitar

Mini Gears 3/4" {set of 12}

Gears 1" {set of 12}

You Rock Frame Set

Social Hash Tags

challenge rules: 

* create a NEW project layout, mini album, tag, card, canvas, etc. as of AUGUST 1st 2014; 

* please add your entry to our inlinkz box below the challenge post to be eligible for the prize. you have until AUGUST 31st, 11:55 pm eastern time to enter;

*  it is required that you mention in your blog post that you are playing along at CREATIVE EMBELLISHMENTS together with a link back to our blog. please make sure to reference our challenge. please no back linking; 

* combining with other challenges is permitted; 

* you DO NOT have to use CE products on your projects.

one lucky participant will receive $20 gist voucher to CREATIVE EMBELLISHMENTS' online store!

i can't wait to see your interpretation on this fun challenge!

hugs 'n smiles,