Blog hop - Credits and candy!

Here's a little story behind my bloghop cards for world card making day. One of my favorite places to shop for card making supplies is a local storefront to a company called Artco. They make those really fancy schmancy wedding and graduation announcements and such. I can buy odds and ends of some really great paper from them by the pound. Since they are always making different sorts of announcements or invitations, their supply is always different. It's kind of like a box of chocolates, as Forrest Gump would say.

The paper that I used to make my cards this week is a heavy cardstock with a solid core. I'm not sure how to describe it adequately other than it is shiny but not metallic and glittery without the glitter. It dry embosses really nicely without cracking and you can heat emboss on it without warping or melting the way that some metallic papers do. Here are some close ups.








I love this paper... It reminds me of a paint job on a new car. So shiny! It also goes really nicely with gel pens, if you enjoy using those.

A few credits for my hop cards... I did use sketches 22 and 45 for basic layout inspiration but changed the measurements a little to make some layers and match the stamps a little better.







The stamp sets that I used that are still available for sale are Happy Hanukkah and the Snowflake set by Close to My Heart (I used the sentiment.) Bundled Buddies (the little Raccoon) is retired but is a favorite of mine.






I must also give credit to one of my favorite card designers, Jenny Gropp - I have always been inspired by her use of multiple layers and rhinestones and I fashioned the red white and green card similarly to one that she made last year. I love the snowflake design used as a layer behind the circle mats.

CANDY... Yes, I have candy... I purchased two extra packages of that awesome metallic paper to share with one lucky winner for the blog hop. One package has the red white and green color used in my first card, the other has white blue and more of the same red. Could be fancy for making patriotic cards too, no? The paper is an odd size. 5 x 7" but it is so pretty. I just know that someone will have fun with it. I'll even emboss a few pieces with some fun patterns.

I'll pick one random winner - I do insist that my random pick is here for the OWH bloghop... I don't mind if you are not a participant in the hop (as in one of the stops,) as long as you are hopping along with the rest of us. Sometimes when you offer blog candy, you get some odd entries...knowwhatimean??? I won't be shipping outside the U.S., ok? :) Please leave me a comment on this post along with some way that I can contact you, to enter to win.

Thanks for stopping by and a very happy card-making day to each of you.