Sparkle N Sprinkle “My Favorite Technique” Blog Hop

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle “My Favorite Technique” Blog Hop.  I am so excited about this hop because I LOVE techniques!!  I can hardly wait to see what my fellow designers have created.

If you came here from the Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog you are in the right spot to start this hop!!  If you are just visiting and would like to join the hop, you might want to start back at the SNS Blog to get all the details!!  The hop runs from Thursday, March 14 through Friday, March 15 and the winners will be announced on Saturday, March 16.

Speaking of winners, by completing the hop and leaving a comment for each designer, you will have the chance to win a prize.  The grand prize is a stamp set of your choice and there are also 3 hidden prizes on 3 different designers’ blogs.  The designers don’t even know who has these prizes – it might be me!!

Here is the hop line-up so you know where you are headed:

Marie Berquist (that’s me)

Dawn Bennett

Cammy Vietzke 

Barbara Bruder

Karin Martin

Jackie Smith

Julie Zippel

Shanna Shands  

April Williams

Brigita Skopas  

Shona Erlenborn

Anne Temple 

Karalee Ingram  

Brenda Smalle  

Now, get comfortable and let's get started.

As I said, I love different techniques and certainly couldn’t pick just one favorite so today I will share just two.

This first card uses the EP Cosmos Technique which can be found in the SNS Tips and Techniques.  It uses a variety of embossing powders, including a touch of Super Thick EP.  To avoid making too much of a mess, you might want to do your heating from beneath the card.  I started with a maroon piece of cardstock and added Spiced Cider, Copper, and Sparkle EPs, along with the Super Thick Clear.  It gives such a great look and texture.  I cut out a window with a Spellbinder label die and popped it up over my image from the Chianti set.

I used the window scrap to cut out a smaller die to back my sentiment, Fine Wine.  I found these great wine charms and used them to hang my sentiment tag.  You can find the full detail of this card in the gallery here.

My second card also uses embossing – with powders and with an embossing folder.  I used the new Passion embossing folder and some Antique Gold EP to create another lovely background, this time using the Faux Patina Technique.   

I added a tag created with a Spellbinder label die and colored with a variety of the same distress inks I used on the background.  The floral image is from the new Spring Florals set and was heat embossed with Teddy Brown EP and colored with a Dove Blender and the same distress inks.  The sentiment comes from the same stamp set.

I colored my ribbon and lace to coordinate with the card and added some baby wipe flowers I made (see Flower Making in Tips and Techniques).  Check out the card details here.

I hope you enjoyed these cards and techniques.  Make sure you visit the Sparkle N Sprinkle Tips and Techniques section as it is full of great ideas for your cards.  Now it is time to head to the next stop at Dawn Bennett’s beautiful blog!!  Let’s head on over together to see what she has made using her favorite technique.  Don’t forget to leave a comment before you go so you have a chance for a prize.

Have a fun hop!!

E. Marie

These cards are entered in the following challenges:

Good Friends

Totally Papercrafts Challenge #157 - Punch It!

Corrosive Challenge #169 – All That Glitters

Crazy 4 Challenges C4C176 – Being Negative

Kaboodle Doodles Challenge #162 - 3 Dimensional

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #206 - To DIE For

Cherish, Live, Dream

Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge: Challenge: Chic to be Shabby

Stampin For the Weekend Challenge #29 – Lace

Anything Goes Challenge 88 - Seeing Double

Catch The Bug Theme Challenge – Green Thumb

Crafts and Me Challenge #124 - Ribbons and Lace

Creative Card Crew Challenge #31 – Ribbon

Fussy and Fancy Challenge 84 – Flowers

Ladybugs Crafts Ink Challenge – Spring

Oldie But a Goodie Challenge – Feeling Floral (Lace, Ribbon, and Dies over 6 mo. old)

Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge PWC249 – Create Your Own Background Paper

Sentimental Sundays Challenge #145: 3 Embellishments That Start With "B" (Bow and Buds)

Welcome Spring

This weekend was so nice.  My daughter is on spring break and just came home and the weather is so lovely.  You know Spring is just around the corner.  It is hard to believe that Easter is in just a few weeks.  I can hardly wait!!  I am definitely in the mood to make some spring cards.

This card used the new set, Happy Spring.  This frolicking bunny is stamped and heat embossed with black detail EP and colored with markers and a dove blender.  I layered her on a sparkly Doily Circle die cut from Tear-ific Tape.  Cloud NineVelvet Glitter was added to the die and the edges sponged with yellow ink to give it the bright yellow coloring.

The sparkly border is created by punching sticker paper with two different border punches.  A combination of more Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter and the new Mountain Mint Velvet Glitter was added using the Masking on Velvet Glitter technique.  Full details of this card can be found in the gallery here.

Make sure you come back on Thursday to join the Sparkle N Sprinkle “My Favorite Technique” blog hop.

Have a wonderful week and make sure you have turned those clocks ahead!!

E. Marie

This card is entered in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamps Challenge – A Bit O' Green

Totally Papercrafts Challenge #157 - Punch It!

Allsorts Challenge Week 197 – Springtime

CatchThe Bug Theme Challenge – Green Thumb

Clearly Inspired Challenge #70 (CIC70) – Die Cuts

Corrosive Challenge #168 – All That Glitters

4 Crafty Chicks Crazy Egg Challenge #132 {4CCC-132} – Die for Dies

Fussy and Fancy Challenge 84 – Flowers

MAWTT Challenge 173 – The Birds and the Bees!

Oldie But A Goodie Challenge – Feeling Floral (Border Punches)

One Stop Craft Challenge 219 – Spring

Ooh La La Challenge #125 – Four Legged Friends

Sparkle N Sprinkle March Creative Challenge SNSSC17

March has arrived and it is time for a new challenge at the Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenges Blog.  This month the theme is “Anything Goes - WITH GLITTER”.  You can use any colors as long as you use glitter!!  Make sure you check the challenge blog for all the details, along with the winner of the February challenge.

I love the look of glitter so I took full advantage of this theme.  I used the single pansy image from the new Pansy set, along with the sentiment All Things Grow.

The pansies were heat embossed with Cerulean EP on top of Jasper Blue Velvet Glitter and additional color added with alcohol markers.  I cut them out and layered them.  The small dark blue flowers are die cut from dark blue cardstock covered with Cloud Nine Velvet Glitter, colored with a dark blue alcohol marker, then layered and small silver blue pearls added to the centers.  The flowers are all arranged on a glittery flourish die cut and added to a lovely elegant card front covered with Bridal glitter and embossed with an embossing folder.  Even the sentiment is layered on glitter covered die cuts.

Your card doesn’t need quite this much glitter, but it does need a little sparkle.  You have until 8: oo p.m. EST on March 31^st to link your project at the SNS Creative Challenges Blog for a chance at a stamp set of your choice.  We can’t wait to see what you create!!

E. Marie

This card is entered in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Crafts Monthly Challenge #33 – Flowers and Pearls

Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 69 - Die Cut Flowers (used Fanciful Flourish and Miniature Rose Dies)

Spectrum Noir February/March 2013 Challenge – Bling

Simon Says Stamps Challenge – Anything Goes

Crafts and Me Challenge #122 – Dies or Punches

Crazy 4 Challenges C4C174 – Texture, Texture, Texture

CCW February Mini Challenge – Anything Goes/Smaller Than 12x12

CI Paint Inspired By: Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #258 – Something Old (Have had all the dies for quite a while)

Flourishes TimelessTuesday #209 (FTTC 209) – All That

Kaboodle Doodles Challenge #160 – Use Any Bling

Ooh La La Challenge #124 - Sparkle & Shine

Warmest Sympathy

As much as I enjoy making cards, it is always hard when you need to make a sympathy card.  My future son-in-law’s grandfather has been very ill for quite a while and this last week my daughter called to let me know that he had passed away.  I had met his grandmother and was very touched by her sweet and kind personality.  She holds a very special place in my heart for opening her home to my daughter, after she had surgery, and taking such wonderful care of her.  I knew I wanted to make her a very special card to let her know she was in my prayers.

I decided to give the card a very delicate look by combining vellum with mulberry paper.  I heat embossed the image from the new Pansy set with white detail EP and colored from the back.  I layered it on die cut sticker paper covered with Purple Potion Velvet Glitter, and added it to a wispy piece of mulberry paper on an embossed card front.

I needed several more cards for other family members and made this card using a simple embossed resist technique.  The image is Spiked Blossoms Rectangle, embossed with Velvet Sparkle Embossing Powder and sponged over it with Sweet Plum Memento Ink. 

Head on over to the Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog for more details on these cards.

E. Marie

These cards are entered in the following challenges:

Pansy Sympathy

Totally Papercrafts Challenge #155 - Hope for Spring

Crafty Catz Challenge #171 – Dies and Punches

Craft Your Passion Challenge #150 – All That Glitters
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Monthly Challenge #33 - Flowers and Pearls

Spiked Blossoms Rectangle Resist

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 85 – Blooming Images

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 257 – Simplify