Welcome to the July Blog Hop!

Blog Hop with Sean & Regina is featuring cards and sentiments celebrating the Christmas/Winter season! Those of you in the US are going through extreme heat right now and are looking for relief!  On the other side of the coin, it’s freezing cold here in Australia as we’re in the midst of winter.

However, I know many of my US friends need relief from the heat, so hopefully this blog hop will help!

We have some amazing creations for you to see and what’s even better is that there are goodies you can win!

When I think of relief from stifling heat, I think of a cold winter’s day. Here in downtown suburban Melbourne, we don’t have snow.  But I was bought up in the snow (we lived in the countryside, high on a mountain), and I used to love watching the snow fall.  My sister and I would play in the snow with other kids, and in no time we’d be shivering with the cold.

I hope my card today helps you feel a bit cooler.

 

 

 

As you can see, my card is a Snow Globe Christmas card. This is my first attempt at making a snow globe card, and I have to admit, I’m pretty happy with it.

Being my first time using this technique, it was a bit fussy, but I do feel it was worth the extra effort.

First up I used an embossing folder with a holly background.  You could use just about any Christmas embossing folder you want.  In fact, you could even use a fairly universal EF such as Swiss Dots.  Next I stamped the image I wanted (in this case a Gina K Designs snowman image) then coloured it using Stampin’ Up! markers.

The next step was to cut the image out.  I did this using a Spellbinders circles die. Once that was done, I covered the entire surface of the circle with Versamark ink, then thoroughly covered with Hot Set Powder.  (This is a brand-new product to me.  I hadn’t even heard of it two weeks ago, but saw it demonstrated at a craft show and had to have it.)

Hot Set Powder is used in exactly the same way as embossing powder – cover the whole surface, then remove the excess and return to the original container.

The next step was to lightly heat the Hot Set Powder. Heat it only until it begins to shine, then turn off the heat gun.

Next step is to add glitter.  I’ve used an opal glitter, but you can use any white glitter than will allow you to still see the image beneath.  You will need to use a fine glitter, not chunky glitter. Again, add heaps then remove the excess.  Just as you did with the hot set powder, you need to use your heat gun to set the glitter.

Leave it to set for a few minutes as it can be damaged while still hot.

For the base of the snow globe, I cut out a medium shape from Spellbinders Labels Six in black cardstock. Then I sliced the bottom section off it to give it a flat base. I gave it the exact same treatment as the snow globe, but used black glitter instead. (And there was no image used in this instance.)

I found an appropriate greeting, ran the outside edges around a Versamark ink pad, added hot set powder, and again used the same technique as before.  I used the same glitter as the snow globe for uniformity.

The only thing left to do was mount it all on a cardbase.

 

Here’s a list of the products used for this card:

 

Spellbinders Nestabilities Dies, Labels 6

Spellbinders S4-116 Nestabilities Small Standard Circles Die Template

Gina K Designs Snowman image (from the Snow Much Fun stamp set)

Darkroom Door Dear Santa Collection Images
(These appear to be available only in Australia, but you can use any suitable images.)

Craft Concepts Embossing Folder – “Happy Holly” – this appears to be no longer available.
Here are some other suggestions: Christmas Embossing Folder

Ultrafine Glitter
– white/opal/crystal and black

Hot Set Powder (also known as Stamp N Bond Adhesive Powder)

VersaMark Pigment Inkpad

Markers – I used Stampin’ Up! but you can use any brand, such as Copics

Cardstock

If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend the Cuttlebug Embosser and Die Cutter. I use mine on an almost daily basis.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about this card!

Now it is your turn to blog hop with all of our friends!  The rules are simple:

 

1.    Leave a comment on Sean’s blog first (and become a follower to enter a chance to win the grand prize of a Gina K. Designs stamp set, a Gina K. Designs designer paper pack, card stock and a some embellishments)!

2.    Go down the list of blogs visiting all of them (see below).  Leave comments on their blog pages to be eligible for bonus blog candy from select blog hosts. Each blog will have the name and blog address for the next hop.  Our number 2 on the list is Regina at http://cardsbyregina.blogspot.com/   (The next blog will be Regina’s and so on)

3.    At the end of the hop, a random winner will be chosen for the Grand Prize and select blog hop hosts for Bonus Blog Candy.  The deadline for leaving comments is Monday, July 23, 2012 at 8pm CST.   Winners of the Grand Prize and bonus Blog Candy will be announced Tuesday, July 24, 2012.

 

 

The Blog Hop with Sean & Regina participants are as follows:

 

1.            Sean      http://cardcraftyclub.blogspot.com/

2.            Regina   http://cardsbyregina.blogspot.com/

3.            Zenita    http://scrappinwithz@blogspot.com

4.            Lee         http://luvleestamper.blogspot.com/

5.            Lori        http://smilingwhilestamping.blogspot.com/

6.            Jennifer  http://cardcraftygallery.blogspot.com

7.            Alex       http://prettypaperandinkyfingers@blogspot.co.uk

8.            Madeleen         http://madeleenscraftcorner.blogspot.co.nz/

9.            Cheryl    http:/ideasforcardmaking.net    *You are here!

10.         Tracy     http://craftymomfl.blogspot.com

11.         Ceal       http://simplybeautifulcreations.blogspot.com

12.         Cheri      http://stampnboomer.blogspot.com/

 

 

So, now it’s your turn to go visit each of our blog hop friends to view his/her cards and leave a comment to be eligible to win!

After leaving your comment, you are invited to join my email list – top right. (If you can’t see the comment form, click the post title and it will appear!)

Then your next stop is……. Tracy’s blog!

 

Good luck and thanks for visiting!