Friday, February 5, 2016

Leave a Little Sparkle

Hello everyone! I had a little fun in my Closet today, and made this snowy card for a blog friend.  She always brightens my day with her comments and I couldn't help but choose the Small Talk sticker for a sentiment on the front of this card. She always leaves a little sparkle for me!


 I photographed this outside in the sunshine and inside under my "studio" lighting.  Which do you like best?


I made the background by applying my beloved mechanical repair tape to card stock and embossing it with my Tim Holtz Snowflurries Texture Fade.  First I applied black gesso, heated it 'til almost dry (doesn't take much more than two seconds) and then wiped with a damp paper towel. I randomly swiped on Distress paints in Wilted Violet and Blueprint Sketch (great investment--I've used these a lot lately!) and followed with a bit of DecoArt Patina Antiquing Cream.  I wiped this back and gave it a spritz of DecoArt white Shimmer Mister.  I smooshed on some Picket Fence Distress paint with a makeup sponge to highlight the embossed snowflurries and heat embossed with Emerald Creek's Soft Fallen Snow powder. I  took the cap off  the Shimmer Mister and splattered some on with the hose end. I heat dried and added Stickles in Platinum to the largest snowflake center and wiped some on lightly here and there for a little extra sparkle.



The Small Talk sticker was colored with Brushed Pewter Distress paint mixed with Perfect Paper adhesive and more Stickles wiped on for extra sparkle, again in Platinum.





If you hold your mouth just right you can see the sparkle both on the background and in the center of the snowflake--it looks like a brilliant diamond.





I mounted the metallic panel on a panel which was stamped with... get this!!!...a Stampin' Round!!!! Wow!  I've had a drawer full these for decades and NEVER used them.  I was going to get rid of them the other day when I saw one with snowflakes! I inked in Watering Can Archival, dried and then went over the stamped card with a wash of DecoArt Titanium white and water.  I distressed the edges with scissors (wish I had one of those Distress it All's!), wiped with Versamark and embossed with Soft Fallen Snow.  This is very fluffy and shimmery in real life, just like fresh fallen snow!







That's it for today!  I hope you enjoyed my card and have a sparkly day!

I would like to enter my card into the following inspiring challenges:
Frilly and Funkie Enjoy Your Embossing Heat and pressure embossing used.
Mixed Media Place Creative Gym # 16 New Beginnings Fresh fallen snow always signifies new beginnings to me--a clean, fresh dusting ready for the first footprint to be made in it.  Following the theme, too, with achieving texture on a flat card--something new to me. New beginnings with my  newest paint colors.
Open Minded Challenge # 1 Something New New: Patina Antiquing Cream, use of old Stampin' Up Wheel--I've had for a long time, but never used. New techniques to me: using Stickles wiped on to create a glittery wash as opposed to applied thickly, white wash over stamped images, FLAT card! ( I usually make layered cards).
Stamps and Stencils Splatter, Spritz, and Smoosh! Now that's a lot of S's!  (I stamped with a Stampin' Round Wheel in snowflakes on my back card. My splatter, spritz and smoosh are in bold within the text of my post.)
A Vintage Journey-February Challenge-Industrial My Tim inspiration comes from his Painted Industrial technique.


Thank you for stopping by today and for all your wonderful comments!  I read and appreciate each and every one of them!
Hugs and Blessings!
Sara Emily

37 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, this is stunning, Sara!! Wow oh wow oh wow, the texture is unbelievable!! I love the design and the sparkle!! The details you put into this are amazing!! This is absolutely gorgeous!! Love!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  2. this is awesome Sara - really beautiful work - and thanks for joining us this month at countryview challenges and stamps and stencils too!! Big hugs Rachel x

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  3. Fabulous Sara, such wonderful textures, love those gorgeous snowflakes and it certainly left a sparkle in my heart, - stunning make!

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  4. Oh my, Sara, you did a fantastic job with this amazingly beautiful card! Such rich textures and those wonderful snowflakes! I love sparkle and that quote is just perfect for this stunning piece of art! I am sure your blog friend is going to treasure it! Simply brilliant, my friend!
    While I am here, thank you so much for joining in our Splatter, Spritz and Smoosh challenge at Stamps And Stencils! Huge hugs! Branka DT xxx

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  5. Hi Sara! I am new to your blog - found you through Pamellia's post a bit ago. I love this card! Winter is my favorite season, especially when it snow. The details on this card are fantastic!

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  6. Gorgeous! Love the colors! Love the texture! This is absolutely perfect! I think I have several of those wheels too! HAHA! I might have to pull them out and see what I can up with! :D Thanks so much for playing along with us at Open-Minded Crafting Fun Challenges!!! Good Luck! I hope we see you again!!

    - Susan, Owner @ Open-Minded Crafting Fun Challenges
    {Scrap A Thousand Words}
    {Sentimental Susan - Etsy}
    {Sentimental Susan - Zibbet}

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  7. I always love to read your posts, Sara Emily! Always brimming with fabulous details on how you did your magic in your wonderful closet, and most especially because of your humor!! I could see your sparkle with multiple mouth moves, girl!! Not sure what a stamping round is, but off to google it, as I love what you've done here! I think it might be a rolling stamp thing.... I have them also and need to use them more as they are quite effective on certain applications, as you've shown! xxx Lynn

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  8. The texture is so beautiful and the colours, oh it just perfectly captures a flurry of snowflakes and as though Jack Frost has left his frosty fingerprints.
    Stunning!
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  9. I don't even know where to start, Sara! A visit to your blog is always the highlight of my day. First I couldn't stop looking at the gorgeous creation that is your card, and when I finally pulled myself away I poured over all of the techniques you used to create this beauty! WOW!! I can say with certainty that your friend will treasure this card FOREVER! I can feel the chill in the winter air just looking at your card. What is mechanical tape? I really want to play with some of it:-)) Thanks so much for sharing your card and your creativity with us at the Frilly and Funkie Challenge!
    Hugs,
    Nancy

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  10. Fabulous layers and sparkles Sara Emily, I love the snowflakes and how they have that shimmer to them, beautifully wintry and I see you have shared at AVJ and CVC, thanks for that. Xxx

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  11. First time visitor and really enjoyed the reading . beautiful card .So many elements to enjoy .Thanks for sharing with us at Open-Minded Crafting Fun Challenge

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  12. Gorgeous, what a lovely card for your friend! Great techniques and wonderful texture and colours. Definitely love the photo in natural light the best. Have a lovely weekend xxxx

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  13. Gorgeous wintery card Sara!! I just love that background wowzers!! You always make these cards that shimmer and glimmer, and I just know that they look a million times better in real life because cameras suck at capturing that stuff!! The deep colours are so amazing, what a wonderful frosty creation for some lucky gal!!

    PS, the images that are white are definitely better. White should look white in a photograph, the yellow tinge doesn't quite look as icy and clean. (you know what they say about yellow snow) haha!

    Hugs :)

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  14. LOL...I wouldn't call it "industrial" either - but it definitely is a piece of grungy gorgeousness, Sara! (and I guess one could have endless discussions on what IS industrial or steampunk and what isn't ;)
    Thank you for sharing your winter-industrial-ish make with us at SanDee&amelie's Steampunk Challenges! :)

    Claudia xxx

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  15. Beautifully done! I love all the sparkle and texture, this a fantastic piece! Thanks for joining us at Open-Minded Crafting Fun!

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  16. Gracious - mechanical tape and rolling stencils - all Greek to me but you put it all together to create another MASTERPIECE Sara. The colors - the purple/blue reminds me of the DecoArt challenge colors - soooo wintery and soooo lovely together. The textures are LUSCIOUS. And I really worked hard at holding my mouth just right and dear me - I actually caught a LUMINOUS GLITZ of the DIAMONDIC BLITZ from your snowflakes and background - BLINDINGLY GORGEOUS. I liked both the inside and outside pictures because you could see the shimmer differently in both and that's FUN! SOoooooooo.... it's a bit cold in Texas today and looking at your card made me turn on the little heater under my desk. You definitely created reality - made me feel COLD but definitely WARMED my heart as your art work always does. Hugs. j.

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  17. Your card is fantastic!! Thank you for joining the Mixed Media Place challenge!

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  18. Your card is completely and utterly gorgeous, on so many levels Sara, they are not colours you would normally associate with Christmas but they work so beautifully - the hints of sparkle are gorgeous, the snowflakes are gorgeous, the texture is superb. Altogether a truly stunning card, your friend is going to love and treasure this I am sure!

    Thanks so much for joining in our 'Industrial' challenge at A Vintage Journey. Hugs, Anne xx

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  19. Shimmy shimmy coco puff! I like the outside pictures better because it looks more true to color and the color is gobsmackingly brilliant! I bet this looks even more amazeballs IRL with the shimmer. Love the paint strokes you can see with the vertical lines-such an interesting technique and one I would like to try! Stunning textures and those snowflakes are outstanding! Awesome sauce design dearie! You sure are on a roll! Hugz to you muffin and I hope you got some good sleep. :)

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  20. So pretty!! Thanks for joining us at Open Minded Crafting Fun Challenges! Hope you come join us again!!

    lovies, =o) kel
    Open-Minded DT

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  21. I love the feeling of falling snow that comes through here, Sara Emily! I think it's because you swiped that black gesso off so beautifully. This is such a nifty card, filled with wonderful techniques and your own very special Sara Emily touch. Thanks for sharing it with us at the Frilly & Funkie enjoy your embossing challenge!

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  22. WOW-ser-iously amazing! Once again a jaw dropper! Hugs, Chrisx

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  23. Beautiful Sara, someone is going to be very lucky to receive this beautiful sparkly snowflake card! Deb xo

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  24. Hey Sara Emily! I think both pictures show different qualities of your make. You have so much patience both with your gorgeous makes and then telling us how you did it. I just don't have that same kind of patience both in making cards and stuff and being on the computer. Your card is gorgeous and has that cold night feeling of snow.
    Sandy xx

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  25. Yes Anne, Nancy and Branka... Sara Emily's friend will treasure this beautiful card forever! Oh how honoured I am to be the lucky recipient of this brilliant gift! The shades on the snowflakes are gorgeous. Thanks so much my friend for your warm words and your endless energy in enchanting us with your creations! Hugs from France. Lys.

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  26. Such an amazing background! I am amazed that every single one of your snow pieces is different. You have so much talent and every thing you touch turns to beauty! Hugs, Autumn PS. so thankful that our prayers were heard. <3

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  27. Absolutely LOVE that texture and those diamond inspired colours! Awesome! Thank you for joining us at Frilly and Funkie. Jenny x

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  28. Okay Sara Emily - I think I am going to give up - tried the new address and it came back to me no such recipient.
    Sandy xx

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  29. What a beautiful card! i love the sentiment and the sparkle is just gorgeous!! hugs my sparkly friend! xo

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  30. Absolutely fabulous Card! Sara - the colours , the texture , the grunge, the sparkle - all superb ! Thanks for sharing it with us at A Vintage Journey x

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  31. Gorgeous card. Love the texture you created with the snowflakes and all the splattering, smooshing and spritzing are wonderful and make the texture pop even more. Love the sentiment as well. Thanks for joining us at Stamps and Stencils.
    Hugs!
    Cec

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  32. Your card is gorgeous. Love the distressed look and those snowflakes pop off the card. Thanks for joining us at Frilly and Funkie. :)

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  33. Really cool! Thank you for joining the Mixed Media Place challenge!

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  34. Gorgeous card!
    Thanks for joining our challenge at Mixed Media Place!

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  35. This is absolutely wonderful. Love the sparkles and the distressing. So blessed you joined our bi-weekly Challenge at Word Art Wednesday and hope you join us again for a new Challenge that started yesterday. Leaving you with the inspiration of God's Word in Isaiah 40:8 which tells us, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."

    Have a blessed week,
    JO ANN
    http://jatterburycreations.blogspot.com

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  36. Hip Hip Hooray....Congrats on your win at Open Minded Crafting Sara. So fun to start out a winner on the very first challenge too! This was such a lovely creation - really happy to see it spotlighted! XX j.

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