ODBD Release day Blog Hop!!

WOW!!! Can you believe it is December 1st!!! Only 24 more days 'til Christmas...are you ready??? I sure am not! LOL!! Since it is the first of the month, that means one thing...an Our Daily Bread Designs new release and blog hop!!

If you arrived from the ODBD BLOG, then you are in the right place...if you just happened on my blog but did not start at the ODBD Blog, you really should go there and start from beginning, so you can collect all the secret words words hidden along the hop! You will need to collect the words along with the name of each Designer. Then return to the ODBD Blog and leave a comment that you have visited and commented on all the blogs. You will then be given a special email address where you need to email the collected words and the DT member connected to each word! That's all you have to do for the chance to be one of TWO lucky winners who will have their choice of one free set! Winners will be chosen by Random from the correct emails received by Dec.2, 8PM EST.

Now on to my cards for you today:

First up, I have used the Peace and Joy set...LOVE the snowflake images in this set...just sooo beautiful, and imagine how excited I was to realize that the smaller image fits wonderfully in one of the dies in Spellbinder's Create a Flake 1 set!! When I first saw this set I immediately thought of doing a suspension card with this snowflake...so very fun!! I embossed the snowflake (and the sentiment with a mixture of white embossing powder and dazzling diamonds. I then added some rhinestones to the snowflakes to add a bit more bling! I then paired this snowflake with some SEI Winter Glitter Land DP. To finish off the card, I added some white satin ribbon.

My second card uses the His Gift set. WOW...talk about an amazing poinsettia image! For this card I decided to try one of my favorite techniques...Faux Bleaching. I heat embossed the image on glossy card stock with clear EP. I then sprayed some Tim Holtz Ranger Ink Red Pepper and Bottle color wash over the image (if you do not have color washes, this technique also works with alcohol inks). Once dry, I placed my image in between two pieces of copy paper, and iron the image with my craft iron. The heat melts the clear EP and give the image a bleached look!

To finish off this card, I added some red satin ribbon, Tim Holtz metal corners, the sentiment (which is from the Peace and Joy set), and dry embossed the green background with the Holly Ribbons cuttlebug embossing folder.

I hope you have enjoyed my cards today. Now from here you need to go visit Sandee's blog! However, before you go... my secret word is "All". Be sure you are keeping a list of all the DT Names so you can write their secret word next to them and email that to the address given on the ODBD Blog at the end of the hunt! You have until 8 PM EST on Wed. Nov. 2nd to email the secret word each designer had! Remember...TWO LUCKY WINNERS will receive their choice of one FREE set!

I hope you have a wonderful day and a blessed December!!

Connie

Card 1 Details:

Images: Peace and Joy - ODBD

Inks: Versamark

Paper: Whisper White, Taken with Teal, SEI DP

Accessories: Circle Punches, Dental Floss, Create a Flake 1 Spellbinders Die, White EP and Dazzling Diamonds, White Satin Ribbon, Heat tool

Card 2 Details:

Images: His Gift - ODBD

Inks: Versamark

Paper: Glossy White, Real Red, Handsome Hunter

Accessories: Clear EP, Tim Holtz Ranger Ink Color Washes, Craft Iron, Heat Tool, Red Satin Ribbon, Tim Holtz metal corners

ISC January Release!!!

I have some very exciting news...you may know that I was a spot guest creative architect for Innovative Stamp Creations for the months of November and December...well, I have asked by Betsy to continue on a permanent basis!!! How exciting is that!! What better way to get going then with a couple of projects with the new January release!

The above card was made with the Refections set...love this butterfly!!! When I saw it, I immediately thought of making a suspension card. I started by stamping the image in black, colored it with copic markers, and cut it out (the new largest circle punch from SU punches the whole out of the inner circle perfectly)! I used the canvas image for the background, along with some walnut stain distress ink sponged on the edges. I suspended the sentiment within the circle with some linen twine. I then finished the card off with some so saffron twill from SU.

Card Details:

Images: Reflections - ISC

Paper: So Saffron, Close to Cocoa, Bordering Blue

Ink: Basic Black, Copics, Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Close to Cocoa

Accessories: So Saffron Twill, Linen Twine

I made this 4" x 4" minibook with the AlterIt! set from the minibook series. This is only the second time I have used my bind-it-all, and I am soooo loving it!

The front and back are made with plain grungeboard. I started out by using some Scattered Straw distress crackle paint. Once it was dry, I stamped the corner image with some Pallette Noir ink. I then sponged a little pine needles distress ink on the edges of cover. For the sentiment, I stamped it in black on a piece of white card stock. I then sponged scattered straw and pine needles distress ink over it. Next, I adhered it to some plain grungeboard and cut it out.

For the closure, I used a hinge from a package of elements grungeboard. For a little sparkle, I added some scattered straw distress stickles, used some brads to hold it on the back and a Tim Holtz snap to hold it on the front.

I then finished it off with some cream taffeta ribbon sprayed with a little glimmer mist to give it some added sparkle.

Minibook Details:

Images: AlterIt! - ISC

Paper: Grunge board, White Card stock

Ink: Pallette Noir, Pine Needles distress ink, Scattered Straw distress ink

Accessories: Bind-it-all, scattered straw distress crackle paint, Tim Holtz snap, scattered straw distress stickles, brads, ribbon, glimmer mist.

TLC197 - Holly Wreath with Speckled Background, AND Blog Candy reminder!!

I made this for TLC197 - Speckled Background technique. This technique is so fun and easy. Basically you first your ink colors to some glossy card stock by either using your brayer, or sponging on your ink (Try not to overlay colors on top of one another, to avoid "muddying" the ink.) Next, put a little Simple Green Cleaner into a spritzer bottle. If you don't have a spritzer bottle, you can put a little into a bowl and tip your fingers into the bowl and flick the cleaner onto your inked glossy card stock, leaving some droplets on the card stock...you'll see the effect right away. Let your card stock dry and then proceed to finish your card as you normally would. How simple is that!! :)

For the holly wreath...I used kitchen sink stamps 3 step mistletoe & holly set. I stamped and cut out 36 holly leaves...yes...36!! I then placed them on a circle ring cut out with my creative memories circle cutter. I then added the pearls and ribbon to finish off the wreath.

I then decided to make the card a suspension card, by taking the sentiment and stringing it in the middle of the wreath with some dental floss...you can see the tutorial on suspension cards here.

Okay, have you ever made a card, and when you finally finished it you thought...there is no way I am ever sending this out...I just spent WAAAAY too much time on it! Well...this is the card for me! I literally spent weeks on this card. I had the idea, and started it about a week and a half ago, when the Way to Use It challenge was to use pearls...as you can see...I still used the pearls on this card. LOL!! I finally finished putting the wreath together this weekend and waited impatiently for today's technique challenge to be posted to see if I could incorporate it with today's challenge, and viola, my card is finally finished!! :)

Also, don't forget to post a comment on my birthday post from November 29th, for your chance to win some Tim Holtz Grungeboard!!

Card Details:

Images: 3 stamp Holly and Mistletoe, Ready 4 Any Holiday - KSS

Paper: Whisper White, Glossy White, Old Olive, Riding hood red

Inks: Mellow Moss, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: White Satin Ribbon, Half Pearls, Dental Floss, Scalloped circle punch, circle punches, simple green, sponge. creative memories circle cutter