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Good Sunday morning!  Today's offering is a stained glass technique card.  It has been done using the longer, original method as I find it rather relaxing.   I cut the Austrian Background out of coconut white card and glued a piece of clear acetate to the back of it and rub it down with an anti-static pad.  I selected my glitter colours, using Vintage Violet, Lilac and Ice blue, all polished silk glitters.  Starting with the darkest colour areas first, apply the Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue to those sections on the back of the acetate, sprinkle on the vintage violet glitter and tap off.  Work through all three colours this way and leave aside to dry overnight.  As the glue dries, the glitter colour will become visible.   Next I stamped my sentiment in black and sponged around it lightly with Shaded Lilac distress ink.  I cut a white on white frame using the Salzburg die set and mounted foam on the back.  I placed it over the sentiment and trimmed away the excess card.  I mounted it in the middle of my background.  I tied a messy bow out of Green Gem seam binding and added it to the corner of my frame.  Using several layers of white tulle taped to a piece of card (it won't cut unless it is put through with card), I cut the Delicate Daisy Complete petal to make a frilly flower for my bow.  I topped it with a pearl button.  I finished the card with a white on white mat layer with a pierced inner layer.  The finished dimensions are 7" x  9" in size.

Now for the Sunday Comment game winners.  This week's winners are:

Jan Moss!!!
June Ballenger!!!
Alimecca!!!

From the extra qualifying post of Wed. Dec 3rd, the winners are:
Jean Z!!!
Christine (Andy Pandy)!!!
Annette M!!!

Just a quick note to everyone, but I do see that we have reached our next blog candy goal, but the drawing will have to be delayed a bit until I'm back.  I will get it done and posted as soon as I'm able to do so.

Congratulations all!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your prize.  All for now, Sue x

Just Because

Hello bloggers!  It's a clean and simple offering today.   I stamped my sentiment in the lower corner of a piece of white card using a Black Archival ink pad.   Using the white card as a base, I embossed the top portion with the Daisy Tiers embossing folder.  I cut a stripe of red card and put a thinner white strip in the centre and glued it between the embossed and non embossed section.  Using the Itty Bitty Dotty bow and the Classic Itty Bitty Bow, I made a red and white bow to accent the border strip.  The Camellia Complete petal die just happened to fit perfectly into the flowers from the Daisy Tier embossing folder.  I cut one small one for each of the flowers and finished them with a small white pearl.  I pierced a white mat to frame the card,then added a thin red mat and completed it with a final white mat.  The finished dimensions are 7" x  8 1/4" in size.

This week's winner of the Wednesday Card Giveaway is:

Maureen Killen!!!

Congratulations!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your card.

A quick mention that Julia Watt has shows today on C & C at 10am and 3pm.  Be sure to tune in to see her great demos and samples!  All for now, Sue x

It's A Double Day!

 Hello crafters!  Christmas is getting closer and closer now, so hopefully these cards won't have to be used for inspiration because your card are already finished, right! LOL   This first card is the result of a bit of experimentation.  I started with a piece of clear acetate and drizzled Cosmic Lacquer all over it.  Next I cut some Mosaic Poinsettias out of plain white copy paper and laid them in the drizzled lacquer.  I then sprinkled Calypso Gilding Flakes all over covering almost all of the piece.  I left a few wholes to give some depth to the finished piece.  I covered the piece with black card and set it aside to dry overnight.  It turned out really lovely from the front, but the card was quite warped on the back so I had to press it under a book  for another night before I was able to use it.  If I were to do it again, I would use black tissue paper, like the "caught n crystal" technique as I think that would eliminate the problem with the warped card but still give a similar look to the overall piece.  I matted the piece with a white mat and a thin black mat.  Using the Nordic Trees embossing folder, I created texture on a larger piece of white card and mounted my gilded piece to it.  I cut the Joy die in white and cut the letters in white and glued them together for a tone on tone look.  I cut another one in black and glued it to the back of the word, slightly offset to act as a shadow.   I added mounting foam to the letters and added it in the centre of my gilded panel.  I finished it with a pierced mat layer, then a thin black mat and a wider white mat.  The finished dimensions are 7" x  7 1/2" in size.  Scroll down to see card no. 2.

 Card number two is more traditional in its gold and white colour combo.  I used the California Collection Decorative Frames die set to cut an aperture in a piece of white card.  I used the Snowflake Lattice embossing folder to emboss the aperture piece.  I added mounting foam to the back of it to raise it for dimension.  I matted it on to a piece of vintage gold card.  I replaced the Calif. frame by gluing it back into the aperture, but recessed.  The gold card showed through the delicate edge detail nicely.   Next I cut one of the Vintage Baubles, the solid piece was cut from a piece of gold gilded card (which I used the aperture on another card).  I cut the decorative overlay in white card and glued them together.  I cut a cap out of gold card and glued it on top and extended a piece of gold metallic string from it.  I stamped the snowflake bow set on to white card and cut it out with the matching Classic bow die set.  I assembled the pieces to make a pretty 3D bow and glued it to the top of the card with the gold string underneath it.  This card was also finished with a pierced white mat layer, a thin gold mat and a final white mat.  The finished dimensions are 7 3/4" x 8 3/4" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Hand Embellished Flowers

Hi crafters!  Today's video shows an easy way to make beautiful flowers for your projects and embellish them with some added extra detail to really bring them to life.

Finished dimensions are 7"    8 1/4" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Wednesday Weekly Card Giveaway

 Hello my crafty friends!  It is a white on white sort of day and this Bauble Christmas card is up for grabs today.  Unfortunately, the pictures cannot capture the true beauty of this card as it is really elegant in real life.  I found this piece of printed vellum with a holly motif on it in my stash and that became the basis for this card.  I just thought it was too pretty not to use!  I glued three corners to a piece of coconut white card which helped show up the pattern a bit more.  On the last corner, I curled it up and used a couple of die cuts peeking out from underneath.  These were from the Tranquil Moments die set.  I cut two of the Christmas Sentimental Bauble, both in white and cut a matching solid piece out of white card covered with a self adhesive sticky sheet.  I peeled the backing off and micro beaded them both, then glued the decorative piece on top (you can also do it the other way, put the pieces together and then micro bead the exposed sticky parts.)  I cut both of the sentiment plaques and attached them in the centres of the baubles with mounting foam.  Using the Holly Spray die, I cut several of both of them and arranged them around the top of the card to look like the baubles were hanging from them.  I used dries clear glue on the leaves and sprinkled Iced Snow on them.   The main part of the card was finished with a pearl spray in the lower corner.  I added my usual pierced layer, but then matted it with  a piece of card that I glittered the edges before adding my final white mat layer.  The finished dimensions are  7 1/2" x  8 1/4" in size.  If you would like a chance to win this one, just leave a comment and I will draw a winner and post it on Saturday.  All for now, Sue x

Recessed Aperture

Hello bloggers!  This is one of my favourite cards from this release.  I think it really shows off the New York Collection beautifully.  I hope you will be able to take a few minutes to watch the video as it does show you loads of things that this collection can do!

The finished dimensions are 7 1/2" x   7 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

You Made My Day

 Hello to all!  I had a little play with some of the new release dies for today's offering!  I selected a piece of decorative paper from my stash for the background.  I covered it with a piece of sticky adhesive paper and then coated it with micro beads (yes, it has been awhile and I was going through withdrawals!)  I cut two of the New York borders out of milk coloured card and glued them to the top and bottom edges of the background.  I added some 3mm and 5mm cream pearls to the edges of the borders too.  For my focal element, I cut the Copenhagen and the Stockholm dies in milk card.  I layered them up but I cut the Copenhagen in half and moved the pieces outward a bit.  I stamped my sentiment in Blue-Violet Achival ink and cut it out with the inside dies in the Copenhagen set, but using the cutting edge from the Stockholm set.  I added a mat layer from the Stockholm set as well.  I tied a messy bow out of mauve seam binding and attached it with glue dots.  I made a flower out of the Camellia open petal die set and added it over the knot in my bow.  Two matching stick pins were made and added (they look blue in the pic, but they were purplish to match.)  I finished the card with a double milk mat with an inner mat that was wider.  I used the Cosmic Shimmer Ivory PVA glue on that layer to make dots to frame the card.  The finished dimensions are 7" x  9" in size.  All for now, Sue x