SYMPATHY IN BLACK AND WHITE

What are the hardest cards to make?  In my opinion, it is a sympathy card.  Having to make a few recently,I think it is even harder when you do NOT want it to have any religious tones.  Went looking for some appropriate paper Black and White)and found some Black and Silver that I thought would work at a local big box store. 

I came across the Card Crafter's Circle challenge blog and they are having a sketch challenge similar to what I had in mind....
 
                 

 and thus the card materialized:

Finished size is 5 X 7

My old standby for a sympathy card uses a die cut bird that I call a dove, however I don't have one laying around and no die cut machine, so I found these dove brads and some floral embellishments that look like lilies to me.  Also looking in the dollar bins, I found some great black and white ribbons to add.

Dollar bin finds
 

 

 

The ribbon is sheer and I think really beautiful. It is adhered to a piece of white cardstock and layered onto black.

 

Here it is just added to the inside of the card directly onto the white cardstock.

Heartfelt Creations sentiment

 

                                                  

The brads were plain white, so a little glue was added to the wings along with some white art glitter.

                                             
While I was at it, I made a few more in A2 size.  One for a birthday and 2 more to have on hand.  I also made one into a thank you (not pictured).  I apologize for the quality of the picture--it was at night.

ABC Challenge - O for Open
Card Crafter's Circle - Challenge #78 Feeling Sketchy
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Black, white and one other color (silver)
Sentimental Sundays - Challenge #158 Metal Findings (doves)
Creative Moments - Challenge #18 Lots of Layers
The Hobby House - Challenge #1 Anything Goes
Make It Monday - MIM #144b with Nicecrane Designs (b) - Anything Goes

That's it for now.  I am a little behind getting this posted.  Worked all day in the yard yesterday and my body is really feeling it.  My hands are so stiff it is hard to type!  LOL.  Until the next time.........happy stamping!
Cheesy Sandy  

Smokin' Hot Card Class

Have you ever done SOOT stamping?  There are a few different ways to do it and I've been having fun with it.  I will be teaching a class on it at Scraporium in Lutz, Florida this Thursday, Feb 23 from 10:30 to 1:30. 

Here are two samples using one of the great classic cars from the Sparkle N Sprinkle Set #285 - 1900 Cars:


Soot Stamping



Reverse Soot Stamping

We will be making 3 - 4 cards and the other two will be more feminine for a little variety.  Give Denise a call at the store to sign up at 813-269-7946.  Hope to see you at the Smokin Hot Card Class , even if you are NOT a pyro!  LOL!

Sandy (Cheesy)

"Not So Macho Masculine Card" Blog Hop

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle "Not So Macho Masculine Card" Blog Hop! You are in the right spot if you arrived here via the amazing Patti White's Blog.  If you'd like to start from the beginning and become eligible for great prizes, then click here (that's where you'll find all the directions you need to hop along). 

As I thought about what I'd like to do for this masculine blog hop and the golfers stamp sets I was using, I thought about my two sons and husband and how they would give their presents - - usually still in the bag they brought it home from the store in.  As the boys got older, we started using old newspapers and paper bags to "wrap" the gifts because it "looked my masculine".  Thus, my first creation:  brown paper bag gift wrap!!  LOL

[caption id="attachment_351" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Paper Bag Gift Wrap"][/caption]

It's really simple:  just cut open a brown paper bag and stamp to your heart's content.  Add some raffia "ribbon" and a tag.  To make the gift tag, simply fold a piece of glossy cardstock in half, place it in a Spellbinders circle die leaving the fold outside of the cutting circle.  The result should be a mini circle card.  Then stamp and emboss the words in black detail embossing powder on the front of the card/tag.  Run the front thru a die cut machine using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder 37-1604 (but put the paper in so the back is facing back--this will "de-boss" the image).  Viola!  A golf ball gift tag for the present.  Here's a close up to see it better.

[caption id="attachment_353" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="'Golf Ball Gift Tag"][/caption]

 

 

 

Then I made a card to go along with it.  First die cut 4 small circles for golf balls and emboss the letters G,O,L and F from stamp #549-255MS on them before putting them thru the embossing folder.  (Hint:  ink stamp and then put scotch tape over the part you do not want to show).  Remove protective cover from 1/2 of sticker paper, lay ribbon and the golf balls onto sticker paper.  (Hint:  work on half of the sticker paper).  Apply Palm Green Flock (FL115).   Make a larger golf ball.  Stamp Father's Day #563-255B as above, remove paper from sticker paper.  Lay down golf ball and words, then apply flock.  Stamp Joe Cool #214-255G, colored him and cut him out.  Pop dot him on top of the golf ball.

[caption id="attachment_359" align="aligncenter" width="298" caption="Father's Day Golf Card"][/caption]

You can see the detailed directions for this card here.

I used two SNS sets for my projects:  Golf-McDuff #255 and Golf-Live Laugh Golf Set #192

We get to donate one product towards the grand prize! and I chose the Palm Green Flock (FL115) which was used on my card. I love to add texture to cards and flocking is a great way to do that. I am so excited to give you a sneak peek of this product as it is not yet for sale, so whoever wins will have this flock before anyone else!  Isn't that exciting?   

[caption id="attachment_342" align="alignleft" width="130" caption="Palm Green Flock FL115"][/caption]

 

Don't forget to leave a comment to become eligible for the prizes, then hop on over to Julie's blog to see her phenomenal creations.

Thanks for hop, hop, hopping by - - and I hope you enjoy the really amazing cards along the rest of the trail.

Sandy

Zebra Cards

I seem to be way behind with my projects.   Having said that, I just finished sending in cards for Sparkle and Sprinkle and thought I'd share them with you.  I am using the stamp set Zebra #337 and came up with 3 different cards.

  

[caption id="attachment_306" align="aligncenter" width="233" caption="Card 1 - Cork Zebra"][/caption]

This card idea came from a lady on the stamping cruise (sorry, I cannot remember her name).  She had some awesome animal stamps and was trying to stamp them onto cork that she had.  When I got this stamp set from Sparkle and Sprinkle and saw the zebra, I knew I had to make a card using cork.  The card is pretty basic:  emboss the zebra using black detail embossing powder onto an adhesive cork sheet.  Then use the EK Success plaid edge punch #54-40089 for pieces of black cardstock glued all around the edges and a craft cardstock base.  I wanted to add more embellishments, but I think it looks good just as it is.

 

[caption id="attachment_305" align="aligncenter" width="236" caption="Card 2 - Split Negative Zebra"][/caption]

 The second card idea came from watching Gina K videos where she was doing split negative cards.  I took it one step further and did 4 pieces instead of just 2.  The basic idea is to stamp your design onto black paper and emboss with white embossing powder.  Then stamp the design again onto white paper and emboss with black embossing powder.  Cut the 2 images in half and place half of each one with the other.  Kind of like a mirror image.  I used "boa" yarn to edge the image and placed it onto green corregated paper then onto black cardstock to finish.  Its kind of an optical illusion card!

Card 3 - Its A Jungle Out There

The last card came about because I wanted to use up some "things" I had laying around for quite awhile.  I purchased some animal print card packs for $1 at Michael's a while ago and have wanted to use them..........and this was the perfect opportunity.  I cut them up to make a background.  Then I used Sparkle and Sprinkle's Dark Chocolate Flock and tear-ifiic tape to make a border on another piece of cardstock and taped the prints inside.   Used a spellbinders die to cut out the words, distressed it with some ink, punched out a paw print and layered onto more flocked paper.  Then I found a lion that I  had cut out at a store a couple years ago and he was purrr-fect for the card.  What do you think?              

Thanks for stopping by for a look......

Sandy