Cracked Christmas

It's technique time with Just Us Girls and today we're challenging you to try the Cracked Glass technique on your project. It's SUPER cool and makes a really wow focal image!

Here are a couple of links to tutorials.

• Gina K and Stamp TV video of Cracked Glass
• Cracked Glass on SplitCoastStampers

The one from Gina K on StampTV is a video where Gina shows you just how easy it is to do this and
Beate Johns does a great step by step AND video on Splitcoaststampers site as well. 

This week's challenge is being sponsored by JustRite Stampers! (and they have a WOWZA prize package to offer too!!!) We are SO tickled that they have enjoyed the JUGS team efforts and they graciously asked us if they could sponsor us again (how could we say no to such a great company?!?!).  JustRite asked us each to make a Christmas project so get ready to be inspired for the holidays!!!

I am just in love with JustRite Stamper's new Christmas Ornament 3-1/4 set. Probably because I grew up with this style of tree ornament and they were usually made from delicate but beautiful glass.  I opted for very traditional colors on this one. I started by embossing my ornament and circular border with fine gold embossing powder. I then colored with Copics (JustRite now carries Copics in color-coordinated sets) THEN I went to work to make the cracked glass. You can't really see the gold embossing here but it's there IRL.

I was totally thrilled with how wonderfully mine "cracked".  (But remember if you don't like your crack pattern you can reheat and cool and crack again!)  I also used a bit of distressing ink to add to the vintage look of the cracked glass and I used it on my vanilla CS for a vintage flair as well.

An easel card was the perfect way to show off this beautiful new sentiment from the stamp set called Christmas Nested Sentiments and Verse. I love this sentiment because I believe that it IS the amazement and wonder of children that is part of what makes Christmas so special. The frame around it is the larger of the two frames from Victorian Nested Frames. I simply stamped with Gold ink (SU!) and then embossed with the same fine gold embossing powder that I used on the ornament. I added an organdy bow and some red pearls as accents to finish off the project.

I really, really hope you will try this technique. I was a little scared when I first did this several months ago but it's SUPER easy and really kind of fun. In fact, here's a link to a photo of my first cracked glass project.

I hope you will pop over to the JUGS DT (in my sidebar) and see what they have created - It IS all it's cracked up to be (tee hee a little punny humor).  ALSO stop by our Featured Designer Lynn Mangan and leave her a little love, too.

OH YEAH.... JustRite is offering a SWEET prize package to one lucky winner.....

The prizes will be: (so you WILL want to play along!)

2 JustRite Christmas Collection stamp sets of choice
2 JustRite coordinating stampers/mounts
5 Copic Sketch markers of choice, from JustRite’s offering
2 Memento full-sized ink pads of choice

In case you don't know too much about JustRite here's a little info...
JustRite Stampers has a huge collection of Christmas and holiday stamp sets from which to choose.  Their entire collection can be viewed here.  They also offer the full line of Memento full-sized ink pads and now a selection of 96 expertly-chosen Copic Sketch markers which may be purchased as singles, trios or quads!  The number one question people have about Copic markers is which colors will work together nicely to give a great shading of color.  Now the JustRite design team has done all the work for you -- their quad and trio sets are designed so that you can be assured they will work together to give you a perfect blending group! JustRite has a great 2-page reference guide you can download her.

NOW - before you get busy, take a peek at the Design Team cards. (In my sidebar) They are going to thrill you as well.  ALSO - be sure to stop and see the beauty Lynn Mangan has for you this month. Lynn is our Featured Designer for this month.

Thanks for stopping by - I look forward to seeing YOUR projects too!!!

Hugs n Smiles.