Blog Candy Contests and New Tonic Gold Embossing Card

Would you like to win some blog candy? Of course you would! I am starting TWO blog candy contests today on my blog! In both cases, I need your help and if you help, you could win some great stamping and die-cutting goodies!

My first Blog Candy Contest has to do with the embossing technique shown on the card above and here is more detail:

I am not quite ready to write a tutorial or share the details yet- I need a name for the technique and that is where you can help. I showed some friends and they suggested Patent Leather - but when I picture Patent Leather, it is black and totally smooth- like the patent leather dress shoes from my childhood. These pieces are totally textured, but different from when you normally melt embossing powder. I subscribe to hundreds of blogs and check Pinterest boards every day for new ideas, and I have never seen this technique, so I think it is new?  What does it remind you of? The best name I can think of is Textured Embossing Mix- I know,boring.... It is a little like faux (colored) leather, but that title has been used and used. Think of a name and leave it in a comment on my blog, and if your idea is the one I choose, you will be sent a package of fun stamping and die-cutting goodies. (Sorry, I can only mail to U.S. residents.) THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

**Edited to Add Update: I received many excellent suggestions of names for this technique. I have chosen to use Designs by Donna's suggestion that it looks like a camo pattern. I am going to call it Metallic Camo Technique. Donna- I have a prize package of dies, stamps, sequins and a magazine that features one of my articles ready to go to you. Just need a snail mail address, and I will try to contact you directly for that.**

To create the card above, I added a strip of the textured embossing mix of Tonic gold, black and silver embossing powders to a black card base. I embossed the whole card with an embossing folder from We R Memory Keepers. In doing so, the embossed strip lost some of its texture, so I will probably not emboss future projects in an embossing folder. I love love love Tonic's Crystal Drops (available here on the website) and I added a gold Crystal Drop to each black intersection and a black Crystal Drop to each intersection on the texture strip. I attached Tonic's "Make A Wish" from the Everyday Sentiments Two Collection to complete the card.

THIS BLOG CONTEST IS STILL OPEN:  My second Blog Candy Contest has to do with the number of (Google) followers you see over to the right of my blog. It has hovered close to 500 for quite some time now. I would really love to see the number of Followers and friends cross the 500 + mark and keep moving upward. If you are already a follower, I appreciate that more than you know. If you are not, please sign up as one and leave me a comment you have done so. If you are already a follower, or want extra chances to win, refer someone to my blog who becomes a follower, and leave me a comment you have done so. Tell your friends, followers, anyone you can to take a minute to visit my blog and sign up as a follower. When the number hits 500, I will draw a name from the comments left on one of my blog posts and you might win. (Again, I can only send the blog candy package to U.S. residents.)

I appreciate every one of my followers and subscribers. That number on the side may not seem like a big deal, but it can be a factor when we want to grow in this crafting industry.

**Update on this Blog Candy Contest: My quest for 500 followers is not going as well:( The timing of this attempt to reach 500+ followers is the issue. Blogger had announced that they were going to be deleting followers who do not have a Google account here. This happened mid January and  I went from 482 followers down to 466:( But I am not giving up! I still need your help. Sign up as a follower and/or refer friends to do the same and someone is going to receive the blog candy pictured at the top right of my blog. It will remain there until we hit the goal of 500 Blogger friends and followers. IF YOU SIGN UP AS A NEW FOLLOWER OR REFER SOMEONE WHO DOES, YOU NEED TO LEAVE A COMMENT THAT YOU HAVE DONE SO TO BE IN THE RUNNING TO WIN!**

This is what you can win- lots of stamps, embossing folders, dies, glues, sequins and a magazine featuring an article I wrote:

Thanks and good luck in the contests! I will keep them open until I get a name for my technique and 500+ followers.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at 613 Avenue Create and Crafty Friends.