Bling on the Holiday Shimmer!...LPS Snowflakes Blossoms

I wish you could come over to my house and see the blinginess on this puppy! I used some Swarovski crystals and Shimmerz & it was so fun. (I am part crow for sure: shiny things make my heart skip a beat.) Couldn't resist making a different version of the snowflake flowers 'cause I love the "Snowflakes are the Flowers of Winter" sentiment from the Little Paper Shop {Snowflakes} set too much. (Can you guess what's going on my Christmas cards?):

I'll describe this schtuff in the order I did it in, but I secretly just plod along with no plan...so you if you'd like to try it you might want to cut your cloud shapes first and then sew snowflakes after they're cut.

The Snowflake Flowers:
Click on any pictures if you'd like a closer look. :O)

Step 1) Arrange the {Snowflakes} stamps how you like them on an acrylic block & Stamp 'em (these are embossed in white on Basic Grey paper from Urban Prairie)



Step 2) Pierce the snowflakes in spots where you'd like knots. Draw stems in Inkssentials pen & pierce along them.

(if you make mistakes while drawing your stems like I did, you can just erase them with your finger right away. The pen & Basic Grey paper are both very forgiving.)



Step 3) Stitch knots in spots on the snowflakes & Stitch along stems (i did every other stitch)


The Clouds:



Step 1) Cut paper into cloud shapes



Step 2) Sponge cloud shapes with white ink
(or use direct to paper technique like i did here since my stamp pad is almost dry)



Step 3) Step Stick cloud shapes onto a white cardstock mat
(roughly 6 2/8" by 5 1/2" depending on how you've cut your cloud shapes) Layer them over each other to hide the edge of the previous layer.



Step 4) Distress edges of clouds with your fingernail



Step 5) Pierce along the clouds & stitch.
(You could use a sewing machine, of course but I can barely thread mine let alone sew nice-puffy-cloud-lines! lol. I've started to just pierce everything freehand lately; it doesn't have to be perfect, 'cause it's hand-done, no?)

Here's what the cloud stitching looks like with white thread (doubled on the needle):



Step 6) Glue crystals to the centers of the snowflakes with Crystal Lacquer
(or use self-adhesive crystals)

The Snow Blossom:



This is the flower from {Butterflies & Blossoms} two of 'em layered...

Step 1) Emboss flower in white on vellum cardstock. (No need to be perfect; look how messy that little pair up there is...Blush!) ;O)
Step 2) Paint the inside of the petals with Shimmerz or the white from Pearlescent Paints.
Step 3) Cut the flowers out (cutting in between the petals)
Step 4) Shape a little with your fingers.
Step 5) Layer & pierce the center
Step 6) Add a snow flake in the center if you like. [I used a Martha Stewart snowflake punch to punch turquoise cardstock (& cut parts cut off) covered in Tombow & S.U. glitter (the light blue)
Step 7) Attach to mat & stitched clouds etc... with a brad.]
Step 8) Glue a crystal to the top of the brad



Some Finishin' Touches...

The Ribbon:


The ribbon is Tempting Turquoise grosgrain from S.U. It's painted with Angel Wings Shimmerz & wrapped around a torn strip of white Cardstock that's been Cuttlebug embossed with the Snow Dots folder & painted with Shimmerz. (Not a surface untouched on here, LOL)

The bow is a cheaty kind of way to use ribbon. It's tied in a little bow & adhered with Tombow Monomulti. I tried to stick it on with Lacquer but the Tombow is WAY better for ribbon...me likey

The Inside:
A bad pic of the inside, but it gives you an idea:


These are strips of the turquoise from the Basic Grey Urban Prairie & a piece of their Figgy Pudding Silent Night. These stitches are faux just drawn on. To do the sentiment...

Step 1) Emboss it on white cardstock. I tried my only ink pad made by Tsukineko (Encore Teal metallic ink) on the acrylic for the first time: AWEsome!
Step 2) Tear the white strip
Step 3) Dry emboss the strip in the Snow Dots Cuttlebug folder (around the sentiment)
Step 4) Paint the snow with Shimmerz
Step 5) Adhere the white piece so that it forms a pocket (if you like) for a gift card or a letter. :O)

Fiddly Bits:


Fill in every other stitch with a white Inkssentials pen (lets the real stitches stand out.)



Paint Shimmerz along the tops of the clouds. This is more Angel Wings Shimmerz. The effect is subtle but fun 'cause it's like baby bling...and that's all she wrote...

Hope your day is just Blissful!



P.S. Last but never least, don't miss my LPS Peeps. They're making gorgeousness! (See the thumbnails of cards in the sidebar?) :O)