HHH and Verve Looking for Love

Happy HHH!

(To see all the participants in today's blog hop, head over to the Unity blog) Now, on to the card! *grins*

This is the last of the Verve 'Looking For Love' release challenges (VSLFL4), and it was another sketch challenge (Julee always has *amazing* sketches!). I also made it to fit two other challenges, yesterday's HHT 'Unity Dazzle' challenge to create a card using rhinestones, and Joy (aka Daiseyfreak)'s challenge to make a love-themed card using ShortCuts products if you have 'em (and I do, so I did!).
I started with a ShortCuts frosted acetate card blank, and then built up my layers based on the sketch. The textured CS is by Bazzill, but I'm not sure of the color...I bought it at the same time that I bought this DP, and never noted the name (sorry!). Might be Papaya?

I stamped the Distressed Dot Butterfly from Unity's September KOTM, and reverse-masked it so that I could sponge on the Apricot Appeal and Regal Rose ink. THEN, I GOT TO USE MY NEW NESTABILITES DIES FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! Seriously excited about that...they really are all that everyone says that they are! I even did the embossing with the die, and used it as a stencil for sponging more Apricot Appeal ink around the edge...SO COOL! I attached the die-cut parts using some foam mounting tape. Check it out:
Of course, I added the obligatory bling *wink*, and a lovey sentiment from the July KOTM (which was inked with Apricot Appeal and then sponged on some Regal Rose before stamping...you can see that better if you click on the image to see the bigger version).

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out the other HHH bloggers! Have a great weekend!
~Michelle

Supplies used:
Paper: Frosted acetate card blank (ShortCuts); textured CS (Bazzill); patterned paper (Scenic Route)
Ink: Apricot Appeal, Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa (SU!)
Stamps: butterfly from September KOTM, sentiment from July KOTM (Unity Stamp Co.)
Other: Nestabilities 'Labels Two' dies (Spellbinders); foam mounting tape (3M); makeup sponge; rhinestones (Michael's)

Penguin Snowglobe Card! (as promised)

Ever make something and you're just totally jazzed about how it turned out and want to show everyone? Well, this card is it for me!! I had a vision of trying to do this while I was pondering my ShortCuts clear sheet, and just had to try...and it turned out even better than I imagined! *grins*
I started by punching two circles from the acetate using my purple Marvy circle punch, and then two circles of Whisper White using my pink Marvy circle punch. (As I've stated earlier, I can't remember what their actual names are, or whether 'Giga' or 'Mega' is the bigger one, so please forgive me!) On one of the acetate circles, I stamped 'snow' using Stazon Cotton White ink, and attached it to the front of the card base. I stamped my little penguin scene onto one of the white circles using Jet Black Stazon ink and 'Jolly Little Winter' from Unity Stamp Company, masking the penguin to add the elements behind him, and colored it in with blender pens.

The card base is a 6" x 4 1/4" piece of Chocolate Chip CS, folded in half, with the fold at the *bottom*...you'll see why in a bit. I cut a strip of Ski Slope DP and adhered that to the bottom, then cut a piece of Baja Breeze DP to look like a snow globe base, and drew a line across it with a Platinum ZIG Writer to define it, and attached it with the top aligned with the opening for the card. ('Merry Christmas' from Bitty Christmas Tags is stamped in Old Olive ink.)

The 'winder' for the snow globe is two photo turns, held together with a snap, and attached with a mini Glue Dot (I admit it, I thought it was a clever idea! Just look! ---------------------------------->)







Inside (and this is why the fold was at the bottom) is a gift card holder made from Baja Breeze CS, using the instructions from TLC196: I scalloped the edges with my corner rounder and punched the scallops with my Crop-a-dile. I attached one of the acetate circles to the Chocolate Chip base, then attached the penguin scene, and adhered the other white circle to the back to hide the adhesive. The ribbon (see above) is tied all the way around the card to keep it from flopping open...and because I love ribbon. *grins*

SO....What do you think?? Isn't it cool?!? (I'm seriously excited about it, but if it's not as cool as I think, don't burst my bubble, k?) *wink*

Thanks for stopping by today!
~Michelle

Supplies used:
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Whisper White CS, Ski Slope DP (SU!); Acetate sheet (ShortCuts)
Ink: Stazon Jet Black and Cotton White (Tsukineko); Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, and Going Gray (SU!)
Stamps: 'Jolly Little Winter' and 'Bitty Christmas Tags' (Unity Stamp Co.)
Other: Photo turns and snap (Making Memories); Crop-a-dile (We R Memory Keepers); corner rounder (EK Success); Mega and Giga circle punches (Marvy Uchida); satin ribbon (Club Wedd by Target)

As promised...a ShortCuts review!! (and a little Twilight goodie)

First, the background. I commented on this card in the SCS gallery about a month ago and stated "and bravo for the acetate card!! I haven't been brave enough to do one yet!"...which was the complete, unadulterated truth.

(*Confession time: though I love the look on clear elements and am constantly amazed by the things ever-so-clever crafters are able to do with them...they scare(d) me.*)

That card, though, was the right one to comment on...the card's creator, Alicia, sells the acetate card bases online at ShortCuts, sister website to SheetLoadof Cards. She saw my comment, and was wonderful and gracious enough to offer to send me a sample pack...

I'll definitely be ordering more!

Alicia, you have a clear-card-convert on your hands! True, they do require a bit of cleverness on how you attach elements, and cover up your adhesive, but I think that challenge is unbelievably fun, now that I've done it. If you haven't tried a clear card yet, take the plunge. You *really* won't regret it! This card is probably my most favorite that I have *ever* made. Really.

It has serious "Wow" factor with the acetate, and I love the dimension of looking through all those layers...check it out:
For this card, I started by choosing the 'Frosted Card Blank', and was immediately impressed. The acetate is very thick and sturdy, pre-scored for folding, and has a wonderful finish. I stamped the front of my card with Unity's Distressed Dots background using Stazon Cotton White. I stamped and cut out the Butterfly from the September KOTM, sponged it with Not Quite Navy, Wild Wasabi, and some Rose Red, and adhered it to a circle of So Saffron CS with foam mounting tape. I also adhered a scalloped circle frame of Wild Wasabi CS using the foam tape. (I made the frame by cutting the center circle first with my Coluzzle, then punching the scalloped circle around it).

Inside, I backed the circle with an Apricot Appeal oval and a punched Whisper White scalloped oval, stamped with the sentiment and the same butterfly image. On fantastic perk of working on the acetate...I originally put this on upside-down. :oops!: I easily pulled it off, turned it over, and re-attached with no worries of tearing the card or the oval!
I cut the same size oval from Whisper White for writing my message, and attached it inside the card. FYI: One thing I will remember next time (if I can get myself to plan that much) will be to attach the panel for the inside *first*, so that it's easy to line up the front panels.

Since the sample pack Alicia sent to me had both the clear and the frosted product, I decided next to make something with the clear sheet. (Twilight fans...hope you enjoy!) *wink*
I made a favor box using the clear sheet in the sample pack. (Note: I'm not sure, but I think you can order the 'clear card blanks' and have a pre-scored panel. The one in the sample pack was not scored, which was perfect for this project.)

I began by cutting the acetate sheet with my paper trimmer (worked perfectly!) per the tutorial instructions on SCS, and then scored it with my Scor-Pal. The scoring also went *perfectly*, and produced clean, crisp scores without any effort. I was worried at first that the product would be too thick to stay in the Scor-Pal's grooves, or that it would slip, but both were proved unfounded! Worked like a charm...
I decided to stamp the front and back triangles with the Royal Day background from Unity, again using Stazon Cotton White. Another joy of working with the acetate...it's clear, so I turned the stamp and the box upside-down, and was able to line up the image perfectly through the box! *smiles*
This time I didn't worry about being able to see the Glue Dots on the other side of the package, since it'd be inside and the receiver will be distracted by the chocolate. *wink* The apple image is from Unity's Mix-Up of Cuteness kit, and is also available as a single until 11/21 at 12 noon Central time. I stamped it in black, colored in the image with Real Red ink, and then put a HEAVY layer of red Stickles over all the red. It dried slightly raised, very sparkly, and covered the 'core' (which was what I wanted). Here's another picture of the finished favor box, with a close-up of the apple:
I love the sparkle of being able to see the kisses through the box!

Verdict: A+++, 5 stars, highly recommended!! Go to the website and order some for yourself! *wink*

Thanks for stopping by today!
~Michelle

Supplies used (Butterfly Card):
Paper: Frosted acetate card blank (ShortCuts); Apricot Appeal, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White CS (SU!)
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Apricot Appeal, Wild Wasabi, Not Quite Navy, Rose Red (SU!)
Stamps: Distressed Dots, September KOTM (Unity Stamp Co.)
Other: Foam tape (3M); Glue Dots; punches (Marvy Uchida); Coluzzle cutting system; ribbon; makeup sponges

Supplies used (Twilight favor box):
Paper: Clear acetate panel (ShortCuts); Real Red, Very Vanilla CS (SU!)
Ink: Stazon Jet Black (Tsukineko); Real Red (SU!)
Stamps: Mix Up of Cuteness apple (Unity Stamp Co.)
Other: Punches (Marvy Uchida); Coluzzle cutting system; Paper piercer (Tim Holtz for Tonic Studios); ribbon

Hip Hop Challenges!!

It's Hip Hop Thursday!! As usual, make sure you check out the Unity Blog for Angela's amazing deals (like Oh Happy Day! for only $5!!!) and you *have* to go see the new releases, designed by Lisa Hetrick...they're AMAZING!

Unity is also having two challenges today, and I played along! (I'm just going to show them to you right now, and I'll be back later to give you a full description and a review of the *wonderful* ShortCuts acetate card products). The first challenge was the 'Clearly Unity' challenge: to make a card or project using Unity stamps with a clear element...the clear element could be acetate, dew drops, ghost images, etc. The second challenge was 'Oh, Just cut it out!': Make a card or project using Unity stamps with an image that is cut out and popped up with foam tape or a pop dot. (For those of you that have been here before, you know that I could count *any* project I make for that one!! I {heart} foam tape, and probably keep 3M in business for their foam mounting tape! lol)

So, without further ado, here they are:I'll be back later with all the details and even some step-by-step pics! Thanks for stopping by!
~Michelle