Wow, this is exciting…

I entered my cards from the Santa Baby Blog Hop into several challenges and I just found out I made top 3 on the Sweet Stampin Christmas challenge -  Father Christmas -  with my upside down Santa’s card.  That’s a first for me and I’m pretty stoked about it!

Woodland Critters Blog Hop

Welcome to the Woodland Critters Blog Hop

We are so happy that you are joining us for this fun filled hop full of furry and feathery creatures from the forest.

You should have arrived from Jenny’s blog - http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
but if you need to start at the beginning, Connie Can Crop is the first stop in this hop. This is a one day blog hop and we would really appreciate it if you would leave some love in the form of a comment for all of these talented crafters.

Our sponsor for this hop is also Connie Can Crop.

 

She has reached into her crafty shop, Connie's Crafty Cart, and decided to give away an awesome stamp set by Martha Stewart.

Please visit her shop HERE

OR

you can find her on facebook HERE

What do you need to do to win? Easy... become a follower of each of the fabulous blogs in this hop and leave each of them a comment letting them know what you like best about their projects.

 

You will have until 10 pm Sunday to finish the hop and leave your comments.

Winner will be announced on Wednesday 1/20/16 on Connie Can Crop’s blog.

Be sure to follow everyone and leave a comment along the way!

 

I could hardly wait to use my new Photo Sleeve Fuse™ Tool by We R Memory Keepers to make this fun shaker card.  If you like shaker cards but hate what a pain in the neck it is to put them together – making sure you line the foam tape up perfectly so that there is no chance for any sequins, beads, (or whatever else you might be using) to escape – then this is the tool for you!  All you need to do is make a pocket to hold your shakey things in which is super easy peesy to do with the FUSE tool.  I used photo album inserts that I found at Michaels for $1.49 for six pages.  All I did was cut out a circle large enough to cover the hole in my card, fuse along the edges, making sure to leave a spot open so I could fill it with my sequins.  Once all the sequins were added, I finished fusing the last edge together and – voila! – my shaker pocket was ready to attach to my card.

 

 

 

  Here are a couple of links to videos showing you how to use the tool to make a shaker card:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMSjZHTrkLI
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaiO6_mjZMY

Up next is the wonderful and talented Haidee - http://created2bunique.blogspot.com

Here's our line up in case you get lost.

Connie- http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com
Kim - http://katydidcards.com
Enclade Miranda- www.nanasscrapspot.com
Beth- http://thecraftyscrapyard.blogspot.com
Charmagne Welch- http://sanurascraps.blogspot.com
Angela Corcoran- http://www.crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com
Veronica - http://vickyscrappingpassion.blogspot.com/
Jenny - http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
Sharon - http://piece-ofheart.blogspot.com **you are here**
Haidee - http://created2bunique.blogspot.com
Michelle - http://michellekinder.blogspot.com
Daphne - http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com
Alicia - http://www.goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com/
Rhonda - http://craftingwithblue.blogspot.com
Sarah – www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com
Holli - http://sunflowerholli.blogspot.com/
Lisa - http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com
Barbara- http://barbarab3.blogspot.com
Ronnel- http://www.inkyantics.blogspot.com/
Jessica-http://craftinandstampin.blogspot.com

I Need Your Help - Giveaways and Blog Candy?

Hi there, I’d like to get your opinion on what is proper etiquette for giveaways and blog candy.  I really need to destash my craft room because I have far too much and it’s cluttering my mind.  Some things are new but some are gently used.   Would posting my stash from time time be of any interest to any of you for future giveaways or blog candy offers or is it not proper to offer gently used items?  Just something I’m mulling over in my head .. haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet but I’m interested in hearing your responses.

If you haven’t visited my January Technique Blog Hop yet, please go take a look now.  It’s not a huge one .. only 8 participants so it won’t take long to hop through.  You can find it HERE. 

Thanks for stopping by.

January Technique Blog Hop–Emboss Resist

Welcome To

 

This is the first in a year long series of monthly blog hops focusing on techniques for card makers.  Each month we'll feature a different technique or fold or product.  We've assembled a team of card makers who range from new to advanced so you'll get a great variety of cards and ideas.

This month we will be focusing on emboss resist techniques and WOW have we got some cool cards for you today. We really love feedback so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in today's hop. Each comment on the 12 hops throughout the year will be entered into a prize drawing for a $25 Blitsy.com gift certificate at the end of the year.  Now on with the projects.

 

I decided to try watercoloring as my first attempt at this technique.  I wasn’t that happy with the result .. I think I need better watercolor paper.  Let me know what watercolor paper you like to use in the comments below! 

Here’s what I did.  I inked up the smooth side of my watercolor paper with some Versamark Embossing Ink and embossed it with some clear embossing powder.  After I heatset it, I began adding my colors; Tattered Rose, Seedless Preserves, & Broken China.  I tapped each color onto a clear acrylic block, mixed in a little water using my aqua pen, and colored my page. 

The embossed areas resisted the ink while the paper soaked it up.                I stamped the heart image on some cardstock, cut it out, and coated it with some Glossy Accents.  I popped it up with some dimensionals.

 

 

 

 

My second attempt came out a little bit better.  I stamped some plain white cardstock with my embossing ink and heatset it.  I stamped it with a hexagon background stamp and used my sponge dauber to ink the page with Close To My Heart’s Desert Sand Exclusive ink. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stamped the teacup onto a separate piece of cardstock and inked it up as well with the same ink color.  See how the ink has seeped through the cracks on the cup and the spaces of the background yet resisted the images.  I sponged around the outside edges with some Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry ink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last, but not least, is my favorite of the 3 cards. 

 

 

I used my bone folder and scored diagonal lines on a 3.5-inch x 3.5-inch piece of cardstock.  I laid the cardstock on my Scorepal board with the points facing towards the top and bottom of the board (like the shape of a diamond) and scored across it at every 1/2-inch.  I turned it 90 degrees and scored diagonal lines again at every 1/2-inch to make this tiled pattern. 

 

 

 

I inked up my stamp with some Versamark Embossing ink and stamped my image onto the paper – on the debossed side - being careful not to push too hard so that the ink didn’t creep down into the debossed lines so that I could achieve a somewhat distressed look to it. I covered it with an off-white embossing powder and heatset it.  For the most part it turned out well but the embossing powder did melt down into the crevices in some areas.   I used a regular piece of sponge to lay on some Tim Holtz Distressed Tattered Rose Ink.  The ink resisted the stamped areas as well as the debossed areas.  I added a couple of pearls, some ribbon, and a sentiment to finish it off.  I’m really happy with how this one turned out!  Third times a charm, I guess *smile*.

 

I should mention that after I finished inking and watercoloring over my embossed images, I wiped them down with a baby wipe to remove any remnants of ink that was covering the images.

 

 

Up next is Lisa!

 

Don't forget to comment on all the blogs in the hop each month to be entered into the drawing.

Here's today's line-up in case you get lost along the way:
Theresa
Kim
Claudia
Denise
Debbie
Sharon *YOU ARE HERE*
Lisa
Jearise