Top Dog Dies Sweepstakes!

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick post today to let you know about the Happy Holidays Sweepstakes at Top Dog Dies! 
Check this out!

Be sure to pop over and enter to win!
Also, you can get a FREE Merry Christmas Die Set when you spend $50 or more; you have until December 14th at 11:59pm to take advantage of this offer! 
There are tons of dies to choose from, including these Top Dog Dies~

Darling Deer and Merry Christmas Die Sets

Vintage Ornament and Tags #1 Die Set and Snowman Globe Die Set

Vintage Numbers, Snowman Globe Die Set and Gift Tag Die Set

Happy Shopping! 

Lee Ann  :)

Coffee Lover's Blog Hop-Thanks a Latte!

Hello Everyone, and welcome to the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop!  Thank you for stopping by!  

Truth be told, I really do not like coffee- never drink the stuff.  But I LOVE all of the cute 

stamp sets and sentiments that go along with the coffee theme and just had to join in the fun. 

There are lots of prizes donated by many generous sponsors, so, grab a cup of coffee, 

pull up a chair and enjoy the hop! 

You can start the hop here, at Amy Tsuruta's blog, and, if you would like to join

in the fun, you will find the linky for the Hop on her blog.

Edit- Yay!  We finally have sunshine today and I was able to get a much better pic of my Latte card.

Revised

original

I took inspiration for The Card Concept and sketch from Freshly Made Sketches~

                         
I used Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Pick Me Up Stamp Set- don't you just love the swirls of steam!  The stamped sentiment is from their Thankful Blooms Stamp Set.  The LATTE letters are die cut using alpha dies from MFT.  Love the versatility of the letter dies.
My coffee cup is Crumb Cake and the heart is die cut from brushed gold card stock, although you cannot see that here.  Please pardon the poor photo- gloomy weather and bad lighting are not a good combo!  I am hoping to get a better pic tomorrow.

How about some blog candy!

Many of the bloggers are offering blog candy.  Be sure to comment for a chance to win! 

I am giving away a Die-Namites Die to one lucky commenter!  

Be sure to comment by December 14th for your chance to win!  Please leave contact information in your comment in the event that you are the winner. 

A big THANK YOU to Amy Tsuruta for organizing this event! 

Happy Hopping!  

Lee Ann  :)

Dazzling Ornament with Top Dog Dies

Good Morning!
Are you counting down to Christmas yet??  Hard to believe that it is only 15 days away-but who's counting?!!
We have some great inspiration and a new challenge up at Add a Little Dazzle this week to help you with those last minute cards.   Here is this week's gorgeous photo.  We are focusing on colors- white and gold!

Beautiful, isn't it? These were the perfect colors for a CAS card~

I used Glimmering Gold Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal for my ornament die cut.  It gives such a gorgeous shine and looks just like a gold glass ornament, imo!  But I am getting ahead of myself.

I started with an oldie but goodie stamp set from SU, Peaceful Wishes.  I heat embossed the branches in white in the top right corner of the card.
Then, to help the branches stand out ever so slightly, I used a brown Inktense watercolor pencil at the base of each pine needle.
 Next, I used my Vintage Ornament and Tags #1 Die Set from Top Dog Dies to cut out the intricate,  cut decorative piece from Glimmering Gold Craft Metal.  To make a ball ornament instead of  the vintage ornament shape, I cut my Glimmering Gold Craft Metal with the circle die from the Top Dog Dies Snowman Globe Set.  I also trimmed the intricate, decorative piece with the circle die so it was the perfect size for the ball ornament.  Crystal Effects works beautifully to glue the two pieces together.
 I used the silver back of an Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheet to die cut the hook holder 'thingie'.  Seriously, do those things have a name??
When assembling the card, I added an extra layer between card base and image layer.  I used some vellum and dragged the edges through a Versamark pad and then gold embossed the edges of the panel.  The sentiment is also embossed in gold.  I added the scrumptious seam binding ribbon and called it done!
I am linking up to the Merry Monday Challenge this week- use gold, silver, white and a 4th color (I chose brown)~

and the Inspiration Challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More~

And, since I went uber bling'y' with the shiny, elegant craft metal, I am linking up to this week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog, Bling it On!

 Hop on over to the Add a Little Dazzle Blog and check out all of the gorgeous inspiration from the

 Design Team, then why not play along!  You don't have to use Add a Little Dazzle

Craft Metal, but if you have it we would love to see it!

Wanting to have your own Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal to play with?  

You can purchase yours HERE!  I thank you in 

advance as I get credit for your order. 

THANK YOU!

We hope you can join us this week!

Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

It's December with Top Dog Dies!

Hi Everyone!

I'm back with more inspiration from Top Dog Dies.  I used the fabulous Darling Deer Die for this card~

I die cut the deer from red cs and then heat embossed it with a snowflake image.  Using the inlaid die technique, I then added the die cut to the negative die space on a piece of white cs.   I secured the die with some washi tape on the back.  The words 'Merry Christmas' were then die cut from the panel (with Darling Deer Die inset) and then again die cut from grey cs.  The words 'Merry Christmas' were then placed, also using the inlaid die technique.
Bling to the antlers gives some fun sparkle to the card.
I think this is my favorite color combo for Christmas this year.  How about you?  Do you have a favorite color combo this season?
I am linking this card up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, which is Christmas!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lee Ann  :)

Dazzling in December

Hello Everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Did you all get a lot of good deals over the weekend?  I TRIED to be good.  :)
We are in the home stretch for 2014 and only have a few more challenges to go with Add a Little Dazzle.
I hope you can join us this week; we have some amazing inspiration and our challenge to you is to use snow or snowflakes on your card.

Please excuse my picture quality; I am without a computer right now so am editing, uploading and blogging where ever I can use a computer.  It is hard to believe how dependent we have become on them!

Here is the beautiful inspiration photo~

I used a sketch from Fusion Card Challenge and the colors from Color Throwdown (although I missed uploading to the challenge).

I started with a PTI stamp set and created a snowy scene on Crumb  Cake cs.  I die cut a large circle in my top panel to create a shaker card.  The frame of the circle is made using the back side of of a craft metal sheet.
I used my Sweet 'n Sassy Snowflake dies, white cs, and Perfect Peacock Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal for my snowy embellishments.  I love the pop of color and shine from the Peacock snowflake.  Poppy Parade was the perfect red for the banner.  I felt at that point that the card was a little blah, so I added white cardstock snowflakes for an all over effect to the card front.  Some bling and a bow finish it off.

Now it is your turn!  I hope that you can squeeze in some crafty time to play along with us!

Pop by Add a Little Dazzle to see the rest of the amazing Design Team inspiration!

Ready to play with some Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal?  

You can purchase yours HERE!  I thank you in advance

as I get credit for your order!  

THANK YOU!

Have a Dazzling Thanksgiving!

Hi Everyone!

Hoping everyone has a Happy Happy Thanksgiving!  If you are not spending all of your free time shopping for bargains, why not join us at Add a Little Dazzle for this week's newest challenge?  The Design Team is embossing this week, using stencils.

Here is your inspiration photo~

I used a piece of Midnight Blue (love that color!) Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal, clear embossing paste, Martha Stewart Fine Glitter and my Add a Little Dazzle Mosaic Swirls Background Stainless Steel Stencil.  I have to say, this is my only stainless stencil and WOW, what a difference from plastic stencils.  It is super sturdy- no shifting of the stencil or anything!
So, first I embossed the metal, using the stencil and suede and paper stump from The Basic Embossing Tool Kit.  Once I had dry embossed the entire image, I embossed again, this time using clear embossing paste.  I added a good amount of glitter to the entire embossed area, shook off the loose glitter and let the whole thing dry.
My snowy landscape was cut freehand and glittered with Stampendous' glitter.  The deer is cut using the Top Dog Dies Darling Deer Die.
Admittedly, I had different plans for this stencil in the beginning.  But, once I got started, what I saw with this stencil and Midnight Blue Metal was a night sky.  To me, the glitter gives the sky a Northern Lights appearance.  I love how it turned out!

I sure hope you can join us this week!  As always, there is a prize involved!  

You do not need to use craft metal, but if you have it, we would LOVE to see it!

edit-I am linking this card up to the End of Term Blog Hop over at Mynn's House of Cards.  

Thinking you want to purchase Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal or embossing supplies for yourself?  

You can do so HERE.  I thank you in advance as I will get credit for 

your purchase.  

THANK YOU!

And, in case you need a little more incentive, Monica at Add a Little Dazzle is having 

lots of Black Friday specials, including brand new product and Freebies!  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Lee Ann  :)

Tag- You're It!

Hello Everyone!
Just a quick post today as I am having computer trouble.   I have used one  Top Dog Dies Tag Die to make  3 very different  Christmas tags.   The first is CAS and rustic - I used the new Tag Die and the Snowman Globe Die,  along with a Stampin Up Woodgrain Background Stamp.   The trees are inlaid in the tag.

I used the same two dies for this snowman tag.   In addition,  the mound of snow is from the Darling Deer Die Set.   I gave this sweet guy a felt hat!

The last tag is a bit vintage;  I achieved this with some great dp from Theresa Collins.   For this tag I  used the Snowman  Globe  Die  to cut  the circle  and the Vintage  Numbers  Die along with the Tag Die.

I love this new Tag Die!  Not only does it make great tags,  but it is great for layering!   But that is another post!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lee Ann  :)