Reminder: Don’t forget the Spellbinders™ and Tattered Angels blog hop with our designers! Today, we are visiting Design Team Member Kimberly Crawford’s blog “For The Love of Paper” to see what kind of eye candy she will inspire us with. Come back to our blog to find out who the next designer will be to create a wonderful project!

Did you see Eli’s wonderful “contained” project? I love how she used the combination of many Spellbinders™ die templates. Very clever! So from a box to a container to … a bag! I thought it would be fun to do a shaped bag - perfect for that special little tricker or treater.

I brought out my S4-227 Pumpkins Nestabilities®, S4-228 Nested Maple Leaf, S7-017 On The Vine Border Grand and S3-150 Ribbon Tags Trio Two. Using the Fancy Pants Designs Trick or Treat paper, I cut/embossed two S4-227 Pumpkins Nestabilities® die #5 (the smallest being die #1).

Then I put the two pumpkins (pokka dots sides out) together and used a paper piecer to piece holes to look like stitching. When I was in high school, I almost failed sewing class (thanks Mrs. Fish for putting up with me!) - I did better in wood class! LOL! So I’m playing it safe and making holes before stitching the brown embroidery floss.

After stitching together the pumpkins, I cut/embossed the S4-228 Nested Maple Leaf #1 and the S3-150 Ribbon Tags Trio Two (the rounder tag with the embossed corner as shown) with Core’dinations ColorCore cardstock.

Cut/Emboss the S7-017 On The Vine Border Grand but leave the paper inside the die template as we will stencil with Clearsnap ColorBox Fluid Chalk Dark Moss. Set aside.

Since the pumpkins had that distressed look, I sanded the S3-150 Ribbon Tags Trio Two tag and stamped a cute image from Hero Arts Owl-Oween stamp set and added googly eyes for a fun accent. Then I added ribbon tails on each side of the tag and adhered onto the bag. I wrote my niece’s name (Jessica) on the maple leaf die cut which I also sanded and used foam adhesive.

Going back to the vine border, choose a part of the border to embellish the pumpkin stalk and adhere. Then I punched two holes - one in the front and one in the back. Thread a ribbon through both holes to make a handle. To finish off the embellishing, I added one of the leaves from the vine border with foam adhesive to give it dimension.

So all we had to do is fill with candy and add a little toy - it’s ready for Halloween!

Last weekend, I went shopping for scrapbook supplies. I found something that I really wanted to use for today’s post…Tattered Angels‘ Glimmer Screens - Garden Ironworks. One particular screen caught my eye - the iron gate! I had the Raven Glimmer Mist at home that would be a perfect match so I “had to have it.” LOL!

Using the screen and Glimmer Mist, I would put them into the Wizard™ to letterpress into an orange cardstock that was in my scrap pile. Beware of dripping Glimmer Mist after spraying the screen (MUHAHAHAHA!!!), my first try was a mess! Let the excess mist drip off the screen first and then place into the sandwich.

Quickly letterpress the cardstock by using the following sandwich (from the bottom):
White Master Mat
Copy paper (for protection)
Screen (Glimmer Misted side UP)
Cardstock
Tan Embossing Pad
White Master Mat

Next, I misted a big white flower. I suggest misting two coats (dry between coats). The front of the flower was dark but didn’t have the glimmer I was looking for. So I flipped the flower to see what happened there - it had all this glimmer, so pretty! I will be using the back of the flower instead. Note to self: mist the back of the flower next time! LOL!! For the center of the flower, I cut/embossed four of S4-227 Pumpkin Nestabilities® die template #2 (#1 being the smallest size). Fold each pumpkin in half and with wet adhesive, adhere each side of pumpkin to the next. For more details, please refer HERE. 

After I stamped “Happy Owl-Oween” from Hero Arts Owl-Oween set, I cut/embossed one of the S4-234 Ribbon Tags Trio Two over the sentiment. I love how this set can accommodate wider ribbons. The black organza ribbon I had in my stash is about 5/8″ wide and the slot still had room! Using the same stamp set, I stamped an owl image onto Core’dinations ColorCore cardstock, cut out the image and glittered its eyes.

Adding more embellishments, I cut out a Halloween image from Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Cuts. For texture, I cut S4-228 Nested Maple Leaf #1 with fabric paper and orange felt (note: an extra shim like a piece of cardstock may be needed for the cut to go through or cut twice if it’s thick). For a journal “box,” I cut/embossed the largest maple leaf (die #3) with Core’dinations cardstock and sanded the edges. I inked the edges of my mat and page with Clearsnap Queue Ink. Adhering all the elements as shown onto Fancy Pants Treat or Treat Collection made this layout one of my favorite Halloween pages!

Don’t forget all this month, we are showcasing our designers who used their talent to come up with beautiful projects using Spellbinders™ and Tattered Angels‘ products. Please take a look at what Holly Simoni has inspired you with today! Come back and visit us so that you know who else will dazzle you!

Have a great day!
MargieH

Today’s Savvy Saturday is all about  Letterpress.  This technique dates back to the year 1450, with thanks going to Johannes Gutenberg, as the main method of printing until the invention of offset printing. That is today’s history lesson.

You can do this technique with Spellbinders’™ Impressabilities™!  I started by playing with ink.  I rolled my brayer across an ink pad, then onto the I2-1004 Impressabilties™ Flowers.  I built my sandwich this way:

• White Master Mat
• Inked Impressabilties™ (ink side up)
• Paper
• Embossing Mat
• White Master Mat

Feed the sandwich into the Wizard™.  One pass in the Wizard™ will emboss the paper and transfer the ink into the debossed areas. This is the result with Clearsnap ColorBox White Pigment Ink and black cardstock:

Then I tried acrylic paint. This is the result with Ranger’s paint.  This is a fast drying acrylic paint, and despite working quickly, I am not 100% happy with the coverage in this example. We’ll come back to paint another time.

So then I got to thinking, if ink works, what about ink and embossing powder? I used the brayer to apply Clearsnap Top Boss Watermark Ink to the Impressabilities™, fed the sandwich through the Wizard™ and then applied Sparkle and Sprinkle’s Outerspace Embossing Powder. I heated the paper to melt the powder. Oh my! Its beautiful! Check this out:

Then I did the reverse stencil technique with Clearsnap Black Pigment Ink and S4-234 Ribbon Tags Trio  2, the oval shape. I stamped “thank you” from Hero Arts onto the label with the same ink, and added ribbon from my stash.  It needed just one more thing, so I cut an oval using S4-112 Classic Ovals, Small #4, from the same patterned paper, which is Fancy Pants Caroling.  I mounted that onto black cardstock.

I love the texture and sheen from the embossing powder, don’t you?

Spellbinders™ Die Templates used: S5-019 Labels Eight, S4-112 Classic Ovals, Small #4, S4-234 Ribbon Tags Trio 2, I2-1004 Impressabilities™ Flowers.

Here are a few examples from our Design Team Members:

 Janine Blackwelder also used Impressabilities™ Flowers for this bookmark.  She cut the Impressabilties™ apart and letterpressed a small section.  Clearsnap ink, Hero Arts stamps, and the S4-112 Classic Ovals, Small as well as S4-113 Scalloped Classic Ovals, Small were used on this project.

Julie Overby embossed her chipboard letters with Impressabilities™ Flowers. On the card she used S5-019 Labels Eight; 12-1004 Impressabilities™ Flowers;  Cardstock; Patterned paper; Cosmo Cricket and Maya Road chipboard; ClearSnap Colorbox Ink.

Have a wonderful Saturday!
Beth

PS. Don’t forget to go over to “When Creativity Knocks!” - and vote for Impressabilities™ in the Great Crafter’s Tool Hunt…you could win something cool and we would win ultimate fame and glory (maybe even a trophy? who knows). Click HERE for more info.  Voting closes September 8 at midnight PST.

Spellbinders™ wants to say THANK YOU to all the participants of the Pendant Project Contest!  We were overwhelmed by your response to our contest.   What an amazing collection of Pendant and Borderabilities® artwork!  You can see all the entries in the Inspiration Alley Pendant Project Gallery.The Top 5 winners will be announced August 17 right here!

Today I have a fun little card to show off.  I was playing around, inspired by some of the beautiful Pendant Projects and the set that is becoming my favorite, the S4-208 In Spades Pendant and S4-217 In Spades Borderabilities®, and F-001 Red Premium Craft Foil.

I started out with those die templates, and added the S4-234 Ribbon Tags Trio 2, S4-112 Classic Oval Small, #2 (with the smallest being #1).

My white card is 5×7″. I cut a piece of black cardstock to 5×6″. I lined up the cut edge of the S4-217 In Spades Borderabilities® die template along one 5″ edge and cut/embossed in my Wizard™. Then I repeated that on the opposite edge, however when I embossed, I made sure not to cover the previously embossed areas with the Tan Embossing Pad, so they didn’t flatten out.

I cut/embossed the F-001Red Premium Craft Foil with the S4-208 In Spades Pendant and sanded the embossed areas.

I love the S4-234 Ribbon Tags Trio 2 set, particularly the oval tag.  But this time I wanted an opening in it, so I pulled out my ovals to see if they were compatible. Voila!  The #2 oval in the S4-112 Classic Oval Small set fits perfectly inside the Oval Ribbon Tag!  Who knew this was a “Nestabilities®”?  Just remember, you can nest any two die templates as long as there is no overlap.

I cut another oval slightly larger from white paper to stamp my Hero Arts “Thanks!” and Clearsnap Black Pigment ink, adhered it to the back of the Oval Tag, and attached some white ribbon.

Here is my finished card!  And thanks for the inspiration!

Beth

First of all, many thanks to all those who participated in the contest entries, blog comments and excitement surrounding our CHA Blog Frenzy! BIG THANK YOU!!!

Our lucky winner has entered all 14 CHA Blog Frenzy contests to be eligible and has been drawn randomly. As a result, the winner will receive all 29 newly released Spellbinders products valued at over $550.00!

And the winner is (opening the envelope):

LAURA from Virginia, USA!!!

“OMG! OMG! OMG! I am literally shaking right now with excitement. I saw the email title and thought you were announcing the winner. It never dawned on me that I WAS the winner! (I had to read the email twice to make sure).

I have followed the day-to-day CHA announcements by your design team and can’t tell you how excited I am about the new release. The dies are amazing! I would also like to say that I am so impressed by your design team. I appreciate how much time and effort they put into their detailed step-by-step tutorials on how to use the new dies. Not only did they make me excited about the new products, but I feel as though I will be able to “hit the road running” with the new release.

I can’t tell you enough how much this prize means to me. I wish I could put into words what is going through my shaky, adrenaline-rushed body. Money is really tight right now, and I feel truly blessed to be given such a grandiose prize. It simply doesn’t feel real. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of the heart.”

S7-017 On The Vine Border Grand

S5-017 Snowflake Frame

S4-227 Pumpkins Nestabilities®

S7-015 Holiday Lights Border Grand

S7-016 Poinsettia Border Grand

And from the bottom of our hearts, we thank Laura and the other winners for participating! Again, congratulations!!

See any that you like? I have my list. Be sure to ask your favorite local retailer to order yours.

Today we’re getting back into our Savvy Saturday mode, and what better to do that with than a card boasting our newest die templates!

This card features the S5-019 Labels Eight, S4-210 Lattice Pendant,  S4-110 Classic Oval Large,  S4-112 Classic Oval Small, and S4-234 Ribbons Tag Trio 2 die templates, I2-1002 Impressabilities™ Butterfly, as well as F-005 Gold Premium Craft Foil, 7gypsies patterned paper, Clearsnap ink and Hero Arts stamps.

I started by cutting/embossing black cardstock with the largest (#6) of the Labels Eight die templates.  Then I cut a piece of Gold Premium Craft Foil with  the S5-019 Labels Eight (#5) die template.  To get the finished border around the Labels Eight die cut, as well as the I2-002 Impressabilities™ Butterfly embossing, I used this sandwich:

• White Master Mat
• Impressabilities™ Butterfly
• Labels Eight die template, cut side facing up
• Die cut of Gold Premium Craft Foil, gold side down, fit into Label die template
• Tan Embossing Pad
• White Master Mat

By feeding it into my Wizard™, it resulted in an embossed die cut!  With a piece of fine sandpaper, I sanded the top of the die cut to reveal the silver color.  I adhered it onto the black die cut.

Next, I cut/embossed a black oval from S4-110 Classic Oval Large (#5).  Then I cut a Gold Foil Oval from the S4-112 Classic Ovals Small (#5).  Using the same sandwich as above, but I replaced the Impressabilities™ with the Center piece from the the 4-210 Lattice Pendant. I fed it into my Wizard™ and the shape of the Center embossed into my gold foil oval.  Again I sanded the detail for more definition.

I trimmed the 7gypsies patterned paper 6×4.5″ so that it made a nice  background for the Labels Eight die cuts, which are big, measuring at nearly 5.5″ long!

I also cut/embossed the Long Rectangle Tag from the S4-234 Ribbon Tag Trio 2 set.  I used the the back side of the 7gypsies pattern paper.  Then I stamped a sentiment on it from Hero Arts, distressed with Clearsnap Black pigment ink and set aside.

I arranged and adhered the Labels Eight and Classic Oval die cuts on top of the 7gypsies patterned paper as shown.  I mounted the patterned paper onto a piece of black cardstock.  Taking the stamped Ribbon Tag Trio 2 die cut, I strung a 1 3/8″ wide ribbon (the openings are 3/4″, allowing for thicker ribbon!) and wrapped it around the front of the card, and adhered it to the back side of the black cardstock.

Here are a few more examples from our fabulous Design Team:

Holly Simoni’s layout features her daughter and her love of horses.  Holly used S4-215 Renaissance Hearts Borderabilities®, S4-206 Renaissance Hearts Pendant and S5-018 Labels Eight.  Her supplies include 7gypsies pattern paper, Clearsnap ink, and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

Christy Farneth-Kerr’s card is Magically Delicious!  She cut an opening in the front with the S4-189 Labels Three,  and covered it with S4-207 Kaliedoscope Pendant.  She used the S4-216 Kaliedoscope Borderabilities® cut from Premium Craft Foil and from cardstock to make the other elements.  Christy folded a Pendant to make the iris flower element.  Other supplies include Chatterbox paper, The Paper Company paper, and Flower Soft adhesive.

Kimberly Crawford employed reverse stenciling to get the 2-toned effect on this S4-206 Renaissance Hearts Pendant card.  She added Clearsnap’s Smooch to the small heart accents.  Kimberly used My Mind’s Eye paper, Clearsnap ink, Hero Arts stamps, and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L supplies.

So if these Pendant ideas get your mojo flowing, be sure to enter the Pendant Party, and you could win some fabulous prizes!

Happy Saturday!

Beth

The last, but certainly not the least of our daily CHA Blog Frenzy winners is Joni, from Keene, New Hampshire, USA! Pinch yourself, make sure you are awake! Joni visited Keri Lee Sereika’s CHA Blog Frenzy and entered to win, and boy, did she ever!

“OMG I can’t believe it. This email just flashed across my screen. Am I dreaming??? Thank you thank you thank you. I love Spellbinders and use one in every card that I make. Thank you so very much! I am shaking just typing this. I hope there are no typos!”

Typos, schypos! Get your mojo ready Joni, because you’ll have a lot of cardmaking to do when you get a package full of these:

S4-227 Nested Pumpkins

S7-015 Holiday Lights Borderabilities Grand

S7-016 Poinsettia Borderabilities Grand

Our Grand Prize Winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 28.  You will see 29 new Spellbinders™ releases and the one very lucky crafter who wins them all!

We are not quite done yet, even though we’ve given away over $4,000 in Spellbinders™ die templates and Impressabilities™ so far this summer! (I hope the big bosses aren’t reading this!) The Pendant Project Contest is open until August 10, and there will be 5 more lucky winners to add to the winners circle!

Congrats to all of our winners, and thank you everyone for joining in on our CHA Blog Frenzy!  We hope you are as excited about Spellbinders’™ new products as we are!  Do you have a favorite?

Beth

Amy from Kearney, Nebraska, USA, has her happy dance going on! She’s the winner of Day 13’s Blog Frenzy contest. After visiting Jennifer Davis’s Blog Frenzy, Amy entered to win all the dies that had been revealed to date.

“OH…MY…GOSH….I broke out in a sweat when I saw this in my inbox! You have no idea how much I’ve been drooling over all these amazing new reveals. If I scream I’ll totally freak my neighborhood out, but that’s what I’m doing on the inside!! Thank you SO much, I’m beyond thrilled! *happy dance* I can’t wait to use all these goodies!”

Lets take a look at those goodies:

S7-015 Holiday Lights Borderabilities Grand

S7-016 Poinsettia Borderabilities Grand

Congratulations Amy!  We can’t wait to see your creations!  If you have made Spellbinders™ Pendant creations, why not enter them into the Pendant Contest?  You could win even more goodies!  Check out the rules and prizes here.

While it may seem a little bit like Christmas, for Day 12’s winner it is more like a birthday!  And what a great birthday present! Sharlene of North Bay, Ontario, Canada is getting this package of birthday bliss:

S5-018 Poinsettia Frameabilities

S7-016 Poinsettia Borderabilities Grand

Can you believe it? “I AM REPLYING AND THANKING YOU VERY MUCH FOR PICKING MY NAME FOR THE DRAW. IT COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A BETTER TIME BECAUSE MY BIRTHDAY WAS JULY 22. I THOUGHT WOULDN’T THIS BE FREAKY IF I SHOULD WIN. I HAVE BOUGHT FOUR OF THE LAST NEW SPELLBINDERS THAT WERE RELEASED LAST MONTH. I BOUGHT S4-210 Lattice Pendants, S4-218 Lattice, S4-204 Fleur de Lis Pendants, S4-213 Fleur de Lis, S4-208 In Spades Pendants, S4-217 In Spades, S4-206 Renaissance Hearts Pendants, and  S4-215 Renaissance Hearts. THEY ARE JUST SUPER AND I DO A LOT OF CARD MAKING AND SCRAPBOOKING. I HAVE SO MANY OF THE OTHER ONES THAT THESE ARE GOING TO GO GOOD WITH MY COLLECTION. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I WON AS I NEVER WIN ANYTHING! THANKS AGAIN AND CANNOT WAIT TO GET THEM.”

Sharlene entered from Becca Feeken’s Blog Frenzy.  Thanks for visiting with us, and for entering!

Oh Sharlene, one last thing.  I am anxiously awaiting your entries into the Pendant Project Contest! You can enter up to 3 times, and there will be 5 very luck winners! You have until August 10 to submit your projects!

Happy Birthday Sharlene!

Beth

“YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!! I AM SO DARN EXCITED I COULD JUST P** IN MY PANTS!!! I LOVE SPELLBINDERS™ PRODUCTS!!! WHAT AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY THIS WAS AND I CANNOT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH!! I THINK I’D BETTER RUN TO THE LADIES ROOM NOW….LOL!!!!!!! I REALLY WON???????? WOW!!!”

Hmmm, I think we caught Gina of Los Angeles, California, USA, by surprise! Go ahead and take a break Gina, while I let everyone else know what you’ve won! Gina’s prize package includes all these brand new Spellbinders™ die templates and Impressabilities™:

S7-016 Poinsettia Borderabilities Grand

Gina entered to win on Lesa Rapp’s Blog Frenzy. Thanks to everyone who visited, commented and entered.

There is still time to enter on days 13 and 14, so don’t delay! We have a few more lucky winners to announce and then the Big Kahuna of prizes, the Spellbinders™ CHA Blog Frenzy Grand Prize! Oh yes my friends, if you have entered each and every one of the 14 Blog Frenzy contests you will be automatically entered to win each and every Summer CHA Spellbinders™ newly released products. That’s over $550 in product!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Beth