Your Sparkle & Shine Challenge cards

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all enjoying your weekend, boy have we had some rain, the river Thames that runs through the village has burst it's banks, flooding the fields along side it.

Sadly we didn't get to go to the Red Lion Re-launch/opening party as I awoke in the early hours of Saturday morning with that very familiar and very painful feeling that is the start of a UTI, so miserable, just not my week I guess!  Luckily after calling 111 I got an early appointment at a local Cottage Hospital and the lovely Nurse Practitioner confirmed the diagnosis.  She prescribed Nitrofurantoin which is what I normally take but these particular ones were 'Prolonged' release which is new to me, I'm not sure if it is this new type of tablet but my whole body is itching, my heart was in one long AF episode all day, so exhausting! 

I was so disappointed to not be able to go to the Red lion party, Paul said we can pop in on Monday or Tuesday when it is a bit quieter, which sounds like  a good idea.

Enough of that anyway, let's get on with the show...…..

Brenda

Brenda has used Crafters Companion Cut and Emboss Folder (one of the earlier ones) to create the background of her card, I love it, I don't actually have any of these 'Cut and Emboss' folders, they look amazing, like they virtually create the whole card, short of embellishments and sentiment.

Brenda has embellished this card beautifully with butterflies and that lovely flower, a couple of the butterflies have been die cut in a lovely colour glitter card, embellished with crystal gemstones. I can't work out if the glitter background is one of the double sided adhesive sheets with silk glitter or the no shed glitter sheets, either way it looks lovely.

Thank you so much Brenda for making time to make such a lovely Challenge card, despite being so busy, I really appreciate it XXX

Maria

Maria has made an absolutely stunning 'White on White', sparkly card for this weeks challenge, Maria I absolutely love that delicate vellum background, have you stamped those delicate flowers onto that vellum yourself ? it's a genius idea and I love it.

With that stunning background you don't need much else to enhance your card, the simple white frame and beautiful, sparkly butterfly are the perfect finishing touch.

Thank you so much my lovely for such a beautiful card XXX

Lilian

Lilian has used some beautiful, Gold & Silver Embossing paste through a mask or stencil to create this amazing card, the amount of detail that you have managed to pick up through the stencil is incredible, look at the tiny stars and music notes.  I have different embossing pastes but after 1 failed attempt at using them I didn't really bother again, do you recommend using Watercolour card Lilian?  the card I used seemed to buckle from the moisture in the paste, it's a Dreamweaver brand too, so not cheap.

The amount of detail on this card, most of it being delicate would have been overwhelmed with a large greeting, so the Stampin Up! Teeny Tiny Sentiments works perfectly for this card.

Thank you Lilian for such an amazing challenge card and for inspiring me to have another go with my embossing paste. XXX

Janet

So apart from booking tickets, organising medication packs, packing clothes, replenishing craft supplies, cleaning the house etc Janet manage to 'knock up' 3 amazing projects for our Sparkle and shine Challenge!!  

I have to say that I love those Winter Town papers from The Craft Box, they are unusual in design, very modern and great for cards for young adults as well as adults, they are the kind of papers that you see something different every time you look at them, Anna has a great relationship with the lady that designs her papers, she explained once how many layers of design were in one sheet, it's incredible, you have let the papers speak for themselves in both of your designs Janet, two beautiful cards. 

Your cracker is a gorgeous Janet, not just for Christmas either, great for Gift wrapping too.

Janet's Description:

My first card is made using papers   called 'Winter Town' from

The Craft Box'. The snow flakes and twine are also from the same company and the sentiment is one of Crafter's Companion dies.

My second card is made using the same papers from 'Winter Town/ (The Craft Box) The snow flakes and blue gems are also from the came company.

My third offerings are of course Tonic dies (this year's Seasonal dies). They are made using gold coloured glitter card and highlighted with glitter. The small box is made by just using three quarters of the Cracker and making the last quarter into the base of the box.

  Thank you so much Janet for 3 amazing projects, I hope that you are relaxed and enjoying your break XXX

Lynda

Lynda has used one of her amazing backgrounds to create her Sparkle and Shine Challenge card,
I love the die that you have used Lynda, but it is your background that is the star of this card, you just can't beat the 'Caught in Crystal' Technique.
Lynda's Description:

My challenge card
The die I used is from wish so no name for it.. I cut out two one in red one in white
The background I made a cought in crystal. I cut the piece  out & glued it to my card bace then I  glued the two die cuts together off setting slightly & glued them to the background. Then I made a white frame and Glued it over the die cuts. I will add sentiment later.

Thank you Lynda for such a lovely Challenge card, I hope that you are all packed and ready for your holiday XXX

Michele 

Michele found her 'Mojo' in her suitcase i think,  beither way it's definitely back, which is lovely to see, all of yout cards are amazing Michele,  they are all 'sparkly ' .  I love the Owl, such a stunning die!  I will add Michele's Description below:

"Challenge cards-the Owl Card was a donated image from my crazy friend so I’ve made it into a Thank You Card for her. The 3 Christmas cards are using glitter card/Mirri card."

Thank you Michele for 3 amazing Challenge cardsXXX 

Three A-maz-ing! (Can you tell i was watching strictly while writing this post )?! 

I love all three of your cards Karen,  you know the funny thing is I wanted to use that Tim Holtz background die that you used on your third card, I searched for around an hour  for the flippin thing to use on my dragonfly card (Sue will back me up)! Great minds think a like !!  I love how you have used it 

Karen's Description:

"Here’s a couple of cc to start your pile off At craft club I took the little Aldi machine and cut a few from my new Stacked Noel dies Didn’t do a lot because I forgot my pokey tool haha Not sure where the EF is from So it’s matted onto gold mirri and the NOEL is white Linen gold and Mirri gold So difficult to photo"

Card 2...

And a laminating sheet one matted onto red for a change (not sure I like it on red) Again difficult to photograph

Card 3...

Here’s a 3rd cc for this week It’s a shame that shine and sparkle is so difficult to photograph 

I have used a beautiful pale blue card with a lovely sheen A Tim Holtz die and JL butterflies I embossed the blue layer of the butterfly with a butterfly folder And tiny turquoise gems.

Thanks for 3 amazing cards Karen XXX

Pat

I shared this card of Pat's on Thursday,  its a simple, elegant design, the sparkle is subtle. 

The plate that Pat used to create this masterpiece is called 'Tina's Christmas Baubles' 

I love the combination of great shading and colouring.

Thanks Pat for sharing such s lovely card XXX 

Ladies you are all amazing, thank you so much for your hard work, your cards are incredible, so many amazing works of art !!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx