Exciting & New at Sparkle N Sprinkle

Hi Everyone - Been having a lot of computer issues over the last couple months & it's been acting up for the last several days again.  My computer is quite old & way over due for being updated (ahem, I mean replaced); so I guess that's to be expected.  But issues & trying to fix issues keeps taking me away from time I'd rather to be posting things.  But I didn't want anyone to miss out on some of the exciting news that has been happening at Sparkle N Sprinkle.  So even though it's later than I wanted; I still wanted to pass along some updates from SNS so you don't miss out on anything!

First, if you haven't heard yet, SNS just added 9 great new & diverse artists to the Design Team last week.  I am always so honored to be a part of this great team and am so excited to see all the new & interesting things that each of these ladies is going to bring to SNS.  They each have their own unique artistic style and I'm really looking forward to getting to know each of them & I just know you're going to as well.  Each of their blogs is listed on my sidebar & I hope when you have a chance you'll take a moment to get to know them a little bit better through their blogs!  So to each of my new team mates, welcome again - Amanda, Angie, April, Charlene, Gerlinde, Jessica, Karalee, Lana, & Shanna!  So excited to get the chance to work with each of you!

Next, this isn't exactly brand new either; but I do have something new to share with you.  Sparkle N Sprinkle now sells smaller stamp sets called Stampettes that just became available this fall.  These fun little sets come in a variety of themes (with more to come) and are a really great price.  So to get you in the "swing of things" with these new Stampettes - I have a new card to share with you using one of these great little economical sets!

This sweet little card was created using the lovely Blossoms to Go Stampette Set 440 (which also coordinates with Set 429 Blossoms & Spellbinders Blossom 3 dies which makes this set extra versatile).  There's four great florals, 3 sayings, and a great little floral flourish all packed into this great set; so you really get your money's worth out of this set!

For this card, I started with a beautiful My Mind's Eye floral card - which I promptly cut apart and made into layers.  Typical maneuver isn't it.....we see something really pretty & then we still have to cut it apart and change it - lol!  Well, I did really love this floral & loved that it wasn't in more "traditional" floral colors.  For something a little different, the muted blues & greens on the brown really called to me.  And I thought it was the perfect background to call attention to the saying piece I had in mind.  For that piece, I put two dotted daisies behind the saying to tie it into the background floral & then the saying itself was made to stand out by embossing it with one of my favorites - Teddy Brown embossing powder.  The embossing powder really makes the saying pop out & come to life.  That whole piece was layered onto a Spellbinders Lattice Rectangle.  I attached the oppsite side of the Spellbinders rectangle piece than you would probably normally use for a little extra interest and because I thought it looked a little more "lacely" on that side.  I really liked the effect.

With that lovely saying, I think this would make a really sweet card for lots of different occasions - birthdays, weddings, thinking of you, or even just a note.  There's so many things you could use this for.  I hope you enjoyed this card as much as I did!  Full directions for this card can be found in the SNS Art Gallery Here.  And since the subject of this post is "New"- fyi, SNS has even more new stamps, glitters, and embossing powders coming out; so make sure to stop by for more details on those too! 

Don't forget - I love it when you leave a comment before you hop on by & thanks a bunch for stopping by!

In a world where you can be anything, Be Yourself.  Author Unknown

Until next time, 

***Julie***

Blog Hop Winners & Another Project

World Animal Day Blog Hop Winners have been announced.  I wanted to share those with you just in case you haven't seen them yet.  And whenever I can, I also like to post another related project for you; so scroll down after the winner list to see that (I have something really fun for all you parents, grandparents, or anyone close to some younger children!)

First the Blog Hop winners!  Congratulations to:
     Grand Prize #1 – Stamp Set of her Choice – Frann (papergardener)
     Grand Prize #2 – Stampette Set of her Choice – Anita Braddock
And the winners of the extra prizes on the "Mystery Blogs"
Prize One from Patti White's Blog – 2 tinsel glitter colors of her choice – Janet LoBianco
Prize Two from  Shona Erlenborn's Blog – 3 embossing powders of her choice – Connie Chapman
Prize Three from Karin Martin's Blog - 3 glitters of her choice – Dee in N.H.

Thank you to all of our hoppers!  We so enjoy sharing our creations with you and really enjoy all your comments!  Hope you'll join us again for the next Sparkle N Sprinkle hop Nov. 10th & 11th - "It's a Cultural Thing".  We have some really interesting & diverse things to share with you for that hop; so be sure to mark that one on your calendar!

On to the project.  When I thought about what Critter themed project I wanted to share with you for my "post hop" creation - I knew exactly what project would be perfect for this!  It's a project that a typical small picture just doesn't do it justice and posting it here is the perfect place to show you a much bigger view as well as give a little more background on what I did.  This project is simple, but a little time consuming - unique but really useful - and definitely full of Critters.  It's a Growth Chart for the favorite child(ren) in your life!

I was working with Set 325 Rodney - Sea Critters from Sparkle N Sprinkle & I just loved every one of the critters on the set.  So I wanted to do something the used ALL of them.  Plus, I have young children - so it just came to me....make a Sea Themed growth chart!

How adorable is this??  Like I said, it doesn't show up too well in small pics; so I can post a really big pic here where you can see it much better.  (Don't forget, you can click on any pic to get an even better view - click your back arrow when you're done looking to come back to this post.)

To make this really cute chart, I used 12 x 12 designer paper, cut it in half & backed it with black cardstock for a border & a little stiffness.  Black cardstock "marks" were placed every 2" and the numbers were cut out with a Sizzix die.  Each critter was stamped (some multiple times) onto Neenah Solar White paper using Memento Ink and then colored with Copic markers.  The fish were extra fun because I colored them in lots of different color combinations!  After coloring, each critter was cut out by hand and then arranged on the chart.  All pieces were attached using Tearific Tape.

The main image at the very bottom is the very adorable Little Darien.  She is one of Sparkle N Sprinkle's single stamps (doesn't come on a set) and she matches the Sea Critters so well.  I did put a few more images at the bottom (than at the top) since most of your measuring won't start down that low.

After all the critters were in place, I laminated the whole chart for durability & to be resistant to little fingerprints :-)!  I made two moveable markers to show the childs current height.  You can also make multiple fish & put a new fish on each time you have a new measurement - put the date right on the fish with a Sharpie for a great keepsake!  If you'd like to see the full instructions for this project; they can be found in the SNS Art Gallery Here.

This would make a great gift for a new parent or a child.  I absolutely adore these critters, but there's also several other SNS sets that would work great for a chart like this - dogs, cats, fairies - bears, bunnies, or butterflies - or perhaps Becca & Mandy or Rusty.  There's so many great sets that would work well for this - think of all the possibilities!

I hope you really enjoyed this project - something really different this time!  I'd love it if you left a little comment before you hopped on by - I read & appreciate every one!

"While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about." ~Angela Schwindt

Until next time,

***Julie***

SNS World Animal Day Blog Hop

Welcome to my page on the SNS World Animal Day Blog Hop.  If you've hopped here from the amazing Judy's blog; you're in the right place.  If not you may want to hop back to the SNS Home Blog so you don't miss out on any of the great critter cards (and details on the great prizes too).

Out & About after the Blizzard 2010

I'm so excited about this hop because I'm a major animal lover!!  I live on a small hobby farm & have also rescued many, many animals over the years.  I am amazed, amused, and educated by my animals every day and I am so very grateful to have them in my life.  Sadly, one of my dear farm friends just passed yesterday.  Taz was one of our "adoptees".  We took him in from a neighbor that was moving & couldn't have animals at their new place.  He was an older, gentle giant (compared to our other goats) and was a joy to have around for his last few years.  Of course, I couldn't find a good picture of him when I wanted one, but this is my son & Taz "out & about" after the blizzard of 2010.  Taz, this post is dedicated to you - you will be dearly missed - rest in peace dear friend.  And to all those other critters that touch our lives in so many ways - this day we honor you. 

On to my cards - there are sooo many great critters in the Sparkle N Sprinkle stamp line that there's soooo many I would have loved to share with you today!  I settled on using the adorable Mulder.  For those times when we accidentally miss someone important day, the expression on Mulder's really shows how sorry he is that he "Fur-got".  I just love the look on his face!  And in theme with our critter hop - even the embossing powder I used goes with the theme..... it's Teddy Brown - I know, really that was a coincidence; but it happens to be one of my favorites though!  Mulder & the saying were cut out & framed in with Spellbinders.

I also did another "piece" with Mulder - he was so much fun to work with!  This time I created a great multipurpose piece that could either be a card (for various occasions for a dog lover) or it would make a great picture frame or scrapbook piece if Mulder was replaced with a picture of a favorite pooch.  Either way you choose to do it; again, Mulder hits the spot with that expression and those perfect sayings to match him.  This piece was done up with an older Spellbinders frame - the polka dot frame - I love the perfect size of that frame; I just didn't emboss the polka dots.  Mulder & the sayings were done up in a bunch of different embossing powders.  Black & white detail EP's were used for him & the main saying.  And then a bunch of really fun, really colorful SNS EP's for the "Woof" - By the Lake, Spring Willow, Firefly, and Spiced Cider create the bright & colorful squares.  It's funny how things work out sometimes.....I had chosen those four colors specifically to match a printed ribbon that I thought would be perfect for this project.  But then after all the pieces where made & "test fit" together; I ended up deciding the ribbon just didn't add what I had envisioned.  So I left the ribbon off, but still loved the look of those bright colors & decided to keep them even without the "matching ribbon".  It's interesting to see how our pieces "evolve".

Sayings for both projects comes from the really fun - Set 249 - Kramer There's even more great sayings on this set, a great & versatile set of paw prints, and a few more of the great SNS dogs.  Be sure to check them out.

Well, I sure hope you enjoyed your two visits with Mulder!  I know I've enjoyed working with him so much I'm sure I'm going to be reaching for his expressive eyes many more times!  I hope you'll leave a little comment to let me know what you thought of these two projects - I always love hearing from you all!  Then hop on over to our wonderful guest designer for October, Karalee Ingram, and check out what she has for you on her blog! Enjoy the rest of the hop!!

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms."  ~George Eliot

 "An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language."  ~Martin Buber

Until next time,

***Julie***