Since one of the selected winners for Day 1 never contacted me with her snail mail address, I drew another winner using Random Number Generator, and the lucky person is...
Janet a.k.a. swanlady21, who said...
I got to have my lovely sharp Victorinox knife!
Congratulations, Janet! Please send me your snail mail address at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com.
Showing posts with label Little Things Anniversary Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Little Things Anniversary Week. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Rest of the Little Things Winners!
First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you who posted comments for the Little Things Blog Anniversary celebration! I enjoyed reading all the little things that make you happy in so many areas of life. I also want to thank the Sue in South Carolina (you know who you are!) who sent me a microfiber cloth of my very own. Big hugs, prayer buddy!
If you're lucky enough to be listed below, please send me your snail mail address at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com.
Day 4's winner of the glitter and glue pen is...
Charlotte, who said...
I will be copying the fine glitter trick -- sometimes my cards need a bit 'o bling. I use a lambswool duster to clean the cobwebs and dust from upper ledges and shelves and angles on high ceilings. Love that little thing. You can also immobilize a spider in it and transport it safely outside.
Day 5's winners of the Smooch are...
Christine - Cndn Stamper, who said...
Great cards. I haven't tried Smooch yet, I have so much that I didn't want to like anything new in case I need it multiple colours. Your ink enabling was bad enough! I used to happy with just my SU inks - no longer... Another story. My favourite piece of jewellery is a pair of small garnet earrings that my DH gave me even before we started dating. I should have known then. Anyways, they are on small hooks, like the old fashioned dinner sets with pewter wire coiled around them to look like flowers. They always make me feel loved.
Brenda R, who said...
I am always loosing earrings from the cheap to expensive ones, so I tend toward inexpensive ones that my niece makes from beads. I wear the "fish hook stoppers" and that doesn't guarantee I won't loose one. My favorite jewelry is a three diamond ring with white gold made by a CA designer in a very unique design that does not have the standard "prongs" to hold the diamonds. Sorry I don't have the exact words to describe it, but it is beautiful to me.
Day 6's winners of the metallic Prisma markers are
Susie, who said...
Casting Crowns - Jesus, Hold Me Now. I must look at your tutorial to see how you get the lines straight.
Cassie_lu said...
beautiful card and my tops has got to be any song by Toby Mac. Really not picky about which one of his as long as it's him singing :)
Finally, Day 7's winners of the scissors and dimensionals (which will not ship until I receive the dimensionals on my SU order) are...
stampjourney, who said...
Lovely card! I love using dimensionals--they just add that little perfect touch! Someone framed our wedding invitation with beautiful pressed flowers. It's on a shelf and I smile every time I look at it.
Nancy L., who said...
lots of pictures of my family :)
Congratulations, everyone!
If you're lucky enough to be listed below, please send me your snail mail address at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com.
Day 4's winner of the glitter and glue pen is...
Charlotte, who said...
I will be copying the fine glitter trick -- sometimes my cards need a bit 'o bling. I use a lambswool duster to clean the cobwebs and dust from upper ledges and shelves and angles on high ceilings. Love that little thing. You can also immobilize a spider in it and transport it safely outside.
Day 5's winners of the Smooch are...
Christine - Cndn Stamper, who said...
Great cards. I haven't tried Smooch yet, I have so much that I didn't want to like anything new in case I need it multiple colours. Your ink enabling was bad enough! I used to happy with just my SU inks - no longer... Another story. My favourite piece of jewellery is a pair of small garnet earrings that my DH gave me even before we started dating. I should have known then. Anyways, they are on small hooks, like the old fashioned dinner sets with pewter wire coiled around them to look like flowers. They always make me feel loved.
Brenda R, who said...
I am always loosing earrings from the cheap to expensive ones, so I tend toward inexpensive ones that my niece makes from beads. I wear the "fish hook stoppers" and that doesn't guarantee I won't loose one. My favorite jewelry is a three diamond ring with white gold made by a CA designer in a very unique design that does not have the standard "prongs" to hold the diamonds. Sorry I don't have the exact words to describe it, but it is beautiful to me.
Day 6's winners of the metallic Prisma markers are
Susie, who said...
Casting Crowns - Jesus, Hold Me Now. I must look at your tutorial to see how you get the lines straight.
Cassie_lu said...
beautiful card and my tops has got to be any song by Toby Mac. Really not picky about which one of his as long as it's him singing :)
Finally, Day 7's winners of the scissors and dimensionals (which will not ship until I receive the dimensionals on my SU order) are...
stampjourney, who said...
Lovely card! I love using dimensionals--they just add that little perfect touch! Someone framed our wedding invitation with beautiful pressed flowers. It's on a shelf and I smile every time I look at it.
Nancy L., who said...
lots of pictures of my family :)
Congratulations, everyone!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Little Things: Day 7
What a week! Thanks so much to everyone who has played along and answered the questions. It's been so much fun reading all the comments! Over the next few days, winners of the second half of the week will be announced, so keep your eyes peeled...you might be a winner!
Today has two LITTLE THINGS: scallop scissors and dimensionals. I know, I know. Scallop scissors are so old school, so boring, so out of style. But when you use them to round the corners of a raised panel and/or the card base, you get a very subtle yet oh-so-nice rounded edge that can make a huge difference on CAS cards.
By using little snips of SU dimensionals (the best I've ever used) to pop individual flowers and by using the scissors to snip the corners, this very CAS card is so much more finished-looking!
And yes, I did use Smooch in the centers of the flowers for a little flat bling. The branch and flowers are from PTI's Out on a Limb set, and the sentiment is from a limited edition Thank You set from Clear and Simple Stamps.
Today's give-away will go to two lucky winners. Each will get a pair of Fiskars scallop scissors and a package of SU dimensionals. Please note that I have ordered the dimensionals and will not mail these prizes out until my order comes in. To enter this drawing, please leave a comment on this blog post. Email entries will not be included in the drawing.
Scallop Scissors and Dimensionals Give-Away Question
Share a fun LITTLE THING that resides on a shelf in your home. It can be anything...a book, knick-knack, photo, game, CD, candle, food, towel, trophy, iPod dock, whatever. As I'm typing this, I noticed the Inukshuk that George and I brought home from our 20th anniversary trip to British Columbia. It's such a cute statue...even has a belly button!
Today has two LITTLE THINGS: scallop scissors and dimensionals. I know, I know. Scallop scissors are so old school, so boring, so out of style. But when you use them to round the corners of a raised panel and/or the card base, you get a very subtle yet oh-so-nice rounded edge that can make a huge difference on CAS cards.
By using little snips of SU dimensionals (the best I've ever used) to pop individual flowers and by using the scissors to snip the corners, this very CAS card is so much more finished-looking!
And yes, I did use Smooch in the centers of the flowers for a little flat bling. The branch and flowers are from PTI's Out on a Limb set, and the sentiment is from a limited edition Thank You set from Clear and Simple Stamps.
Today's give-away will go to two lucky winners. Each will get a pair of Fiskars scallop scissors and a package of SU dimensionals. Please note that I have ordered the dimensionals and will not mail these prizes out until my order comes in. To enter this drawing, please leave a comment on this blog post. Email entries will not be included in the drawing.
Scallop Scissors and Dimensionals Give-Away Question
Share a fun LITTLE THING that resides on a shelf in your home. It can be anything...a book, knick-knack, photo, game, CD, candle, food, towel, trophy, iPod dock, whatever. As I'm typing this, I noticed the Inukshuk that George and I brought home from our 20th anniversary trip to British Columbia. It's such a cute statue...even has a belly button!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Day 2 and Day 3 Winners...and Some Questions Answered
The lucky winners of Stardust clear pens for Day 2 are
jennvonklein, who wrote: "I know it's Spring, when all I need is a light coat: no scarf, no hat, and no gloves! :)"
and cathystamps, who wrote: "I love the Gelly Roll pen too - I use it for discrete shimmer, especially when I don't have time to wait for my Stickles to dry. I know spring is just around the corner when I leave work at 6:00 and it's still light out!! JOY!"
The lucky winners of bling and pearls for Day 3 are
diana, who wrote: "Thanks for this advice "Use it. Freely and without regret." I need to start using my stash of supplies rather than unintentionally hoarding them. There will always be more pretty papers & supplies to replace anything I use up. My 'little thing' today is my favorite perfume. A little spritz gives me a lift every morning! That and a great cup of coffee! ;-)"
Catherine Bowers, who wrote: "Hands down, it's eyeliner! Gotta love how simple it is, but it gives a big boost. Thanks for all your thoughts and lessons on design, I've learned a lot."
and Ann, who wrote: "Your cards are always beautiful!!! I can get along without my electric toothbrush."
To all the lucky winners, please send me your snail mail address at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com.
swanlady21 asked if Smooch is like Liquid Pearls. Not really. It dries flat...not as thick as Liquid Pearls. Smooch is mainly an opaque ink with lots and lots of shimmer in it.
Sue asked about Smooch Spritz. I've not used it but I have used Tattered Angels spritzy stuff and got very frustrated with it. Other people seem to have great success with it, but I am not one of them. The plain Smooch, however, is very easy to use.
I'm loving reading all your responses to the questions! Some of them have been really touching and sweet, some hysterically funny. I realized I forgot to answer the questions about beauty products (Covergirl Outlast lipcolor) and cleaning (rubber gloves...although I think I seriously must get a microfiber cloth!).
jennvonklein, who wrote: "I know it's Spring, when all I need is a light coat: no scarf, no hat, and no gloves! :)"
and cathystamps, who wrote: "I love the Gelly Roll pen too - I use it for discrete shimmer, especially when I don't have time to wait for my Stickles to dry. I know spring is just around the corner when I leave work at 6:00 and it's still light out!! JOY!"
The lucky winners of bling and pearls for Day 3 are
diana, who wrote: "Thanks for this advice "Use it. Freely and without regret." I need to start using my stash of supplies rather than unintentionally hoarding them. There will always be more pretty papers & supplies to replace anything I use up. My 'little thing' today is my favorite perfume. A little spritz gives me a lift every morning! That and a great cup of coffee! ;-)"
Catherine Bowers, who wrote: "Hands down, it's eyeliner! Gotta love how simple it is, but it gives a big boost. Thanks for all your thoughts and lessons on design, I've learned a lot."
and Ann, who wrote: "Your cards are always beautiful!!! I can get along without my electric toothbrush."
To all the lucky winners, please send me your snail mail address at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com.
swanlady21 asked if Smooch is like Liquid Pearls. Not really. It dries flat...not as thick as Liquid Pearls. Smooch is mainly an opaque ink with lots and lots of shimmer in it.
Sue asked about Smooch Spritz. I've not used it but I have used Tattered Angels spritzy stuff and got very frustrated with it. Other people seem to have great success with it, but I am not one of them. The plain Smooch, however, is very easy to use.
I'm loving reading all your responses to the questions! Some of them have been really touching and sweet, some hysterically funny. I realized I forgot to answer the questions about beauty products (Covergirl Outlast lipcolor) and cleaning (rubber gloves...although I think I seriously must get a microfiber cloth!).
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Little Things: Day 5
I'm so excited about today's LITTLE THING because it's relatively new to me: Smooch. And yes, as someone observed in Wednesday's comments, all the LITTLE THINGS so far have involved bling and/or shimmer. Tomorrow will be more of the same. Saturday will not involve bling or shimmer. I promise!
I heart Smooch.
First of all, it's a great flat substitute for bling. Smooch's applicator allows you to put little dots of opaque, iridescent ink wherever you want. Like this:
Okay, tiny dots on a tree need a close-up for better effect.
This card would be BORING without those shimmery turquoise dots. I stamped the tree (Hero Arts) and sentiment (Shady Tree Studio) in Memento gray on white Papertrey cardstock. Then, I dotted the Smooch on. Complete transformation!
Second, Smooch can be painted like a rather dense, almost opaque watercolor. Check it out.
To make this card, I clear-embossed the flower stem (SU's Kind Words, I think) on white cardstock. Then, I used a little water to paint the red Smooch over it. If you water it down more, you get a softer, more transluscent look that totally mimics Twinkling H2Os, but I really wanted this to be thicker and streaky...adding more interest to such a simple card. You'll have to take my word that the shimmer of this is STUNNING!
The give-away today is two bottles of Smooch (gold and silver) going to one lucky winner who comments here on this blog post answering today's question. Remember: Email comments will not count for the drawing.
Smooch Give-Away Question
What LITTLE THING in your jewelry box makes you feel like royalty? I don't typically wear jewelry (other than my wedding and engagement rings which are of course special), but I recently bought a delicate and understated cross necklace that makes me feel happy.
I heart Smooch.
First of all, it's a great flat substitute for bling. Smooch's applicator allows you to put little dots of opaque, iridescent ink wherever you want. Like this:
Okay, tiny dots on a tree need a close-up for better effect.
This card would be BORING without those shimmery turquoise dots. I stamped the tree (Hero Arts) and sentiment (Shady Tree Studio) in Memento gray on white Papertrey cardstock. Then, I dotted the Smooch on. Complete transformation!
Second, Smooch can be painted like a rather dense, almost opaque watercolor. Check it out.
To make this card, I clear-embossed the flower stem (SU's Kind Words, I think) on white cardstock. Then, I used a little water to paint the red Smooch over it. If you water it down more, you get a softer, more transluscent look that totally mimics Twinkling H2Os, but I really wanted this to be thicker and streaky...adding more interest to such a simple card. You'll have to take my word that the shimmer of this is STUNNING!
The give-away today is two bottles of Smooch (gold and silver) going to one lucky winner who comments here on this blog post answering today's question. Remember: Email comments will not count for the drawing.
Smooch Give-Away Question
What LITTLE THING in your jewelry box makes you feel like royalty? I don't typically wear jewelry (other than my wedding and engagement rings which are of course special), but I recently bought a delicate and understated cross necklace that makes me feel happy.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Little Things: Day 4, and One-Layer Wednesday 46
Today, we're combining the One-Layer Wednesday and LITTLE THINGS week. First of all, let's do the LITTLE THINGS: glue pen and glitter!
Yes, I know we did Stickles, so tidy and straightforward, on Sunday, but today, I want to talk about glue pens. LOVE THEM! They are so easy to use to put just a little glue wherever you want it...and adding fine glitter is just perfectly lovely.
See?
The sugar-coated sparkle is delightful! (Click on the photo to see it bigger.) I colored the image with PrismaColor pencils first, then added the glue to the eggs and drew glue lines on the daffodil. A light sprinkle of fine white glitter gives this instant sparkle that works beautifully with the shimmer of the sheer yellow ribbon.
Oh happy sigh!
This image comes from Shady Tree Studio's set Eastertide, which Nancy (the owner of Shady Tree Studio) sent me as a gift. This is just the first of many cards I'll make with this lovely set!
The give-away for today will be one jar of Hero Arts fine glitter and a Quickie Glue Pen. Only one winner today. So make sure you leave your comment answering today's question on the blog post...email replies will not count for the drawing!
Glitter and Glue Pen Give-Away Question
What LITTLE THING could you not clean your house without?
---------------------------------------------------
The One-Layer Wednesday challenge is to use an egg or eggs on your one-layer card. How easy is this! If you're not the Easter basket type, use eggs in a nest...or an egg in a cup, an egg and a chicken, an egg-head cartoon, a good egg, whatever.
Rules for OLW46
1. A one-layer card is a single piece of cardstock folded in half...no other layers.
2. Use an egg or eggs on the card. Be as creative with the theme as you wish. It's not limited to Easter cards.
3. Keep embellishments to a minimum.
4. Post your card on the Internet and link to it using the InLinkz button in the sidebar of Simplicity.
5. Most important rule of all: HAVE FUN!!!
Yes, I know we did Stickles, so tidy and straightforward, on Sunday, but today, I want to talk about glue pens. LOVE THEM! They are so easy to use to put just a little glue wherever you want it...and adding fine glitter is just perfectly lovely.
See?
The sugar-coated sparkle is delightful! (Click on the photo to see it bigger.) I colored the image with PrismaColor pencils first, then added the glue to the eggs and drew glue lines on the daffodil. A light sprinkle of fine white glitter gives this instant sparkle that works beautifully with the shimmer of the sheer yellow ribbon.
Oh happy sigh!
This image comes from Shady Tree Studio's set Eastertide, which Nancy (the owner of Shady Tree Studio) sent me as a gift. This is just the first of many cards I'll make with this lovely set!
The give-away for today will be one jar of Hero Arts fine glitter and a Quickie Glue Pen. Only one winner today. So make sure you leave your comment answering today's question on the blog post...email replies will not count for the drawing!
Glitter and Glue Pen Give-Away Question
What LITTLE THING could you not clean your house without?
---------------------------------------------------
The One-Layer Wednesday challenge is to use an egg or eggs on your one-layer card. How easy is this! If you're not the Easter basket type, use eggs in a nest...or an egg in a cup, an egg and a chicken, an egg-head cartoon, a good egg, whatever.
Rules for OLW46
1. A one-layer card is a single piece of cardstock folded in half...no other layers.
2. Use an egg or eggs on the card. Be as creative with the theme as you wish. It's not limited to Easter cards.
3. Keep embellishments to a minimum.
4. Post your card on the Internet and link to it using the InLinkz button in the sidebar of Simplicity.
5. Most important rule of all: HAVE FUN!!!
Little Things Day 1 Winners
Our lucky winners of Stickles (three bottles each!) are
Regena Baine, who wrote: "I visit your site every night when I get home from work for inspiration or, sometimes, just a good giggle. My husband; he is my favorite thing in my kitchen. Whether we're cooking Kraft dinner or an elaborate meal for our friends, he's the bomb. He pours me my wine, he chops the veggies, he flips the meat and he loves making creme brule. He also oohs and aahs over every card I make and actually makes specific comments about the things he REALLY likes about it. I know; weird as a three dollar bill isnt' it? But I love him anyway. :-) Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement to mull over ideas."
Chris Simon, who wrote: "One of my favorite little kitchen things is the bamboo tongs from Pampered Chef. They allow me to grab things out of the toaster without burning my fingers or risking electrocution. Congrats on the blogavesary!"
Ladies, please contact me via email at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com with your snail mail address!
Regena Baine, who wrote: "I visit your site every night when I get home from work for inspiration or, sometimes, just a good giggle. My husband; he is my favorite thing in my kitchen. Whether we're cooking Kraft dinner or an elaborate meal for our friends, he's the bomb. He pours me my wine, he chops the veggies, he flips the meat and he loves making creme brule. He also oohs and aahs over every card I make and actually makes specific comments about the things he REALLY likes about it. I know; weird as a three dollar bill isnt' it? But I love him anyway. :-) Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement to mull over ideas."
Chris Simon, who wrote: "One of my favorite little kitchen things is the bamboo tongs from Pampered Chef. They allow me to grab things out of the toaster without burning my fingers or risking electrocution. Congrats on the blogavesary!"
Ladies, please contact me via email at susanraihala at woh dot rr dot com with your snail mail address!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Little Things: Day 3
First of all, WOW! I can't believe how many people are participating in the comments. I'm doing my best to read them all, but it's taking a while!
Second, I will announce the winners of the Day 1 giveway later on Tuesday.
Third, today's LITTLE THING is rhinestones and pearls! These are my go-to LITTLE THINGS for taking a ho-hum card and making it something extra special. It's just so incredibly easy! To place the self-adhesive bling, I use a craft knife to cut them off their adhesive strip (if needed), lift them off the backing sheet, and place them wherever I want them.
Bling comes in varying quality. Look for clear gemstones that aren't unstuck from their backing before you buy and pearls that are fairly evenly colored (some natural variation is fine). And like real wealth, DON'T HOARD IT. Use it. Freely and without regret. You'll always be able to find more.
My first card uses self-adhesive rhinestones I got for free from the now-closed StampinTreasures. I think they are from Memory Box. And for those of you who hate green galore and gable green, here's a card to show you how cheerful and pretty they can be! Now, aren't you sad StampinUp discontinued them?
The second card uses pink half-pearls. If you're a regular reader, you will recognize my use of the First Theory of Using Colored Cardstock on CAS Cards: light base, darker mat, monochromatic color scheme. It's going to take a long time for me to get sick of this. It just works so beautifully!
Three lucky readers will win three packs each of rhinestones and/or pearls! REMEMBER TO COMMENT ON THE BLOG, not via email. Email entries will not be considered for the drawing.
Rhinestones and Pearls Give-Away Question
What LITTLE THING from the cosmetic or beauty/grooming aisle makes you happy when you're getting pretty/handsome to face the day? Think of an item of make-up, favorite shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, hair brush, perfume, or similar LITTLE THING.
Supplies
stamps: tree and branch (Hero Arts), sentiments (Papertrey)
paper: StampinUp gable green, green galore, pretty in pink, regal rose; PTI white
ink: Memento
accessories: rhinestones, pearls, dimensionals
Second, I will announce the winners of the Day 1 giveway later on Tuesday.
Third, today's LITTLE THING is rhinestones and pearls! These are my go-to LITTLE THINGS for taking a ho-hum card and making it something extra special. It's just so incredibly easy! To place the self-adhesive bling, I use a craft knife to cut them off their adhesive strip (if needed), lift them off the backing sheet, and place them wherever I want them.
Bling comes in varying quality. Look for clear gemstones that aren't unstuck from their backing before you buy and pearls that are fairly evenly colored (some natural variation is fine). And like real wealth, DON'T HOARD IT. Use it. Freely and without regret. You'll always be able to find more.
My first card uses self-adhesive rhinestones I got for free from the now-closed StampinTreasures. I think they are from Memory Box. And for those of you who hate green galore and gable green, here's a card to show you how cheerful and pretty they can be! Now, aren't you sad StampinUp discontinued them?
The second card uses pink half-pearls. If you're a regular reader, you will recognize my use of the First Theory of Using Colored Cardstock on CAS Cards: light base, darker mat, monochromatic color scheme. It's going to take a long time for me to get sick of this. It just works so beautifully!
Three lucky readers will win three packs each of rhinestones and/or pearls! REMEMBER TO COMMENT ON THE BLOG, not via email. Email entries will not be considered for the drawing.
Rhinestones and Pearls Give-Away Question
What LITTLE THING from the cosmetic or beauty/grooming aisle makes you happy when you're getting pretty/handsome to face the day? Think of an item of make-up, favorite shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, hair brush, perfume, or similar LITTLE THING.
Supplies
stamps: tree and branch (Hero Arts), sentiments (Papertrey)
paper: StampinUp gable green, green galore, pretty in pink, regal rose; PTI white
ink: Memento
accessories: rhinestones, pearls, dimensionals
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Little Things: Day 2
Important Note: Lots of people answered yesterday's questions via email rather than commenting directly on the blog. Email responses will NOT be entered in the drawing. If you read Simplicity in your email, you must click on the title of the post in the email and leave a comment on the blog to be entered to win. Feel free to leave an anonymous comment...just make sure you leave your name or screen name in the body of the comment.
Using Stickles Without Your Ink Bleeding: Several of you commented that you have trouble with Stickles making ink bleed. I think this happens when you use an ink that is water soluble...like SU's classic ink. If the ink is water soluble, adding liquid glue over it will probably make it bleed. Using a water resistant or waterproof ink prevents this. I have used my Stickles over Memento, VersaColor, VersaMagic, Palette, Ancient Page, and Memories inks without the inks bleeding. Copics, Bics, Sharpies, and Memento Markers are all bleed-proof, so you can use Stickles over them without a problem. Hope that helps!
Today's LITTLE THING is the Sakura Stardust Clear gelly-roll pen. Oh, my golly gracious! What a handy little pen! An employee at Archiver's first introduced me to to them years ago, and I've not been without a couple in my stash ever since because you can do really cool--and FLAT--things with these pens with almost no effort at all.
For example, you can make fish scales shimmer:
This cute fishy is from Oceans of Joy, a clear set from Hero Arts. I colored it with Memento Markers (quick review of the markers: colors are darker than the matching pads and don't cover as well as Bic/Sharpie markers, but I still like them because the light colors are lighter than the Bic/Sharpies and they don't bleed through PTI white cardstock).
To color the fish, I used two shades of pink and London Fog gray; then I accented random bits of the fish with the clear Stardust pen. The shimmer below is exaggerated by the photo, but you get some idea of the shimmer a simple swipe with a pen can give. It takes a few minutes to dry, so be careful not to smear it!
I liked this so much I made a blue one, too!
Just adding this shimmer to an image can help turn an ordinary simple card into an extraordinary simple card. I find myself reaching for these most often on Christmas cards but really should use them more to accent flourishes (I could make curls of steam shimmer as they leave a coffee mug!), flowers, and all sorts of other images.
Today, there will be two winners picked at random. Each will receive a two-pack of the Sakura Stardust Clear pens. Just answer the following questions in the Comments section of this post. Entries will be closed 48 hours after this post. Please leave only one comment!
Stardust Pen Give-Away Question
What one LITTLE THING makes you realize that spring is finally going to arrive? For me, it's walking out my door early in the morning and hearing the robins singing in chorus.
Using Stickles Without Your Ink Bleeding: Several of you commented that you have trouble with Stickles making ink bleed. I think this happens when you use an ink that is water soluble...like SU's classic ink. If the ink is water soluble, adding liquid glue over it will probably make it bleed. Using a water resistant or waterproof ink prevents this. I have used my Stickles over Memento, VersaColor, VersaMagic, Palette, Ancient Page, and Memories inks without the inks bleeding. Copics, Bics, Sharpies, and Memento Markers are all bleed-proof, so you can use Stickles over them without a problem. Hope that helps!
Today's LITTLE THING is the Sakura Stardust Clear gelly-roll pen. Oh, my golly gracious! What a handy little pen! An employee at Archiver's first introduced me to to them years ago, and I've not been without a couple in my stash ever since because you can do really cool--and FLAT--things with these pens with almost no effort at all.
For example, you can make fish scales shimmer:
This cute fishy is from Oceans of Joy, a clear set from Hero Arts. I colored it with Memento Markers (quick review of the markers: colors are darker than the matching pads and don't cover as well as Bic/Sharpie markers, but I still like them because the light colors are lighter than the Bic/Sharpies and they don't bleed through PTI white cardstock).
To color the fish, I used two shades of pink and London Fog gray; then I accented random bits of the fish with the clear Stardust pen. The shimmer below is exaggerated by the photo, but you get some idea of the shimmer a simple swipe with a pen can give. It takes a few minutes to dry, so be careful not to smear it!
I liked this so much I made a blue one, too!
Just adding this shimmer to an image can help turn an ordinary simple card into an extraordinary simple card. I find myself reaching for these most often on Christmas cards but really should use them more to accent flourishes (I could make curls of steam shimmer as they leave a coffee mug!), flowers, and all sorts of other images.
Today, there will be two winners picked at random. Each will receive a two-pack of the Sakura Stardust Clear pens. Just answer the following questions in the Comments section of this post. Entries will be closed 48 hours after this post. Please leave only one comment!
Stardust Pen Give-Away Question
What one LITTLE THING makes you realize that spring is finally going to arrive? For me, it's walking out my door early in the morning and hearing the robins singing in chorus.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Little Things, Day 1
Welcome to the Second Anniversary of Simplicity! Thank you all, each and every one, for making Simplicity the happy place it is. Your encouragement and support mean the world to me, and to thank you, I have a whole week of festivities planned, including...
wait for it...
wait...
wait...
A GIVE-AWAY EVERY DAY!!!!!
That's right. SEVEN days of GIVE-AWAYS!!!!
This week's festivities were prompted by a reader who asked me to discuss design tips for taking an ordinary clean-and-simple card and making it look fabulous. The key to achieving that transformation is a LITTLE THING: the one small touch that pushes a design over that line without cluttering it up so it isn't clean and simple anymore.
So this week, we're celebrating my favorite LITTLE THINGS that make such a BIG difference.
Some are items I've used for years, and at least one is a newer product that's quickly becoming a favorite. Each day, I'll post cards that spotlight one of these LITTLE THINGS and give some away!
*squeal*
Each give-away will be open for 48 hours and then I'll draw a random commenter who answered the question for that post. Ya gotta answer the question for your entry to count! Please leave only one comment per post! Some days will have more than one winner...some of the items are fairly small, and it is more fun to give away multiples of those! If you win, you have 48 hours to send me your snail-mail address. If I don't receive it in that time, I'll select another commenter to receive the prize.
Let's get started, shall we!
Today's LITTLE THING is Stickles! Oh how I love this form of adding glitter to a card because it's just so easy. No mess, no trying to dump glitter back into a little container.
Today's card is an effort to continue working on Christmas cards all year long. It uses Papertrey's Framed set combined with Stocking Prints. The Deck the Halls sentiment fits perfectly in the frame opening, doesn't it? I used Memento inks and Baby Blue Stickles to accent the top of the stocking. The card is 4.25" square.
BTW, in the future, I'm going to do a quickie tutorial with photos on how to use the Framed set. The idea behind this set (and a similar one at Waltzingmouse) is really very cool, but I found it difficult in the extreme to get a good impression (this card took three tries) and finally figured out some tricks that do make this set easier to use.
Today's give-away will have two winners...each will win three bottles of Stickles!
STICKLES Give-Away Question
This week's questions all focus on (surprise!) LITTLE THINGS. For today, what is one LITTLE THING that makes a big difference in your kitchen? For me, it's a Pampered Chef apple slicer/corer. Golly, we use that handy thing all the time!
wait for it...
wait...
wait...
A GIVE-AWAY EVERY DAY!!!!!
That's right. SEVEN days of GIVE-AWAYS!!!!
This week's festivities were prompted by a reader who asked me to discuss design tips for taking an ordinary clean-and-simple card and making it look fabulous. The key to achieving that transformation is a LITTLE THING: the one small touch that pushes a design over that line without cluttering it up so it isn't clean and simple anymore.
So this week, we're celebrating my favorite LITTLE THINGS that make such a BIG difference.
Some are items I've used for years, and at least one is a newer product that's quickly becoming a favorite. Each day, I'll post cards that spotlight one of these LITTLE THINGS and give some away!
*squeal*
Each give-away will be open for 48 hours and then I'll draw a random commenter who answered the question for that post. Ya gotta answer the question for your entry to count! Please leave only one comment per post! Some days will have more than one winner...some of the items are fairly small, and it is more fun to give away multiples of those! If you win, you have 48 hours to send me your snail-mail address. If I don't receive it in that time, I'll select another commenter to receive the prize.
Let's get started, shall we!
Today's LITTLE THING is Stickles! Oh how I love this form of adding glitter to a card because it's just so easy. No mess, no trying to dump glitter back into a little container.
Today's card is an effort to continue working on Christmas cards all year long. It uses Papertrey's Framed set combined with Stocking Prints. The Deck the Halls sentiment fits perfectly in the frame opening, doesn't it? I used Memento inks and Baby Blue Stickles to accent the top of the stocking. The card is 4.25" square.
BTW, in the future, I'm going to do a quickie tutorial with photos on how to use the Framed set. The idea behind this set (and a similar one at Waltzingmouse) is really very cool, but I found it difficult in the extreme to get a good impression (this card took three tries) and finally figured out some tricks that do make this set easier to use.
Today's give-away will have two winners...each will win three bottles of Stickles!
STICKLES Give-Away Question
This week's questions all focus on (surprise!) LITTLE THINGS. For today, what is one LITTLE THING that makes a big difference in your kitchen? For me, it's a Pampered Chef apple slicer/corer. Golly, we use that handy thing all the time!
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