Beautiful Dreamer - Scrapbook Page #1 for Artisan Award entry

Happy Sunday everyone!!!  Today I have to share with you the first of my scrapbook pages I entered for the Artisan Award Design Team contest by Stampin' Up!

The page is 12 x 12 and uses Basic Black as the main page color.  I pulled the colors for the page from the picture of my granddaughter, Alysha, and what she was wearing.

I just love this picture of her and how I seemed to capture her dreaming off into the future!  That's why I went with the butterflies and cloudy day embossing folder (now retired) to try to capture that.

The butterflies were cut with the Beautiful Wings embosslit and Beautiful Butterflies die.  The large butterfly was actually "double cut" with the two large half butterflies on the die to give you a double effect.  I hope that make sense!  I then topped it with the larger butterfly from the embosslit.

The scallops on the title are actually circles cut with the 1 1/4" circle punch and topped with rhinestones.  I finished off the page by shadowing the edges with the Whisper White craft pad.

I really like how this turned out!!!

Thanks for looking!!!

Stamped Blessings!!

Ann :)

Creative Sketches Color Challenge - From a Strawberry!!!!

Hello all!!!!  Boy does it feel good to be back to stamping and blogging.  I am humbled and overwhelmed get well wishes and thoughts of concern.  So much love out there in blogland and stamping!!

Anyway, this week over at the Creative Sketches blog it is a color challenge - inspired by a Strawberry!!!  The colors are Real Red, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi and Soft Suede.  I had a hard time not making a Christmas card with these colors!!!  LOL!!

I saw the sketch for the Mojo Monday this week and decided to try it out too!  I really liked the mix of stripes and circles.  I also paired this with a new fave technique of mine: Faux Mother of Pearl.  The large butterfly is done with Real Red and the smaller on with Soft Suede.  The sentiment comes from the new Level 1 hostess set in the Summer mini.

Check out the Creative Sketches blog and play along if you have a minute.

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #132 - Anything Goes with a Technique!!

Hello all!!!  Sorry for the late posting.  Actually, I thought I had it posted earlier and just needed to add my sample!  Oh, well!

So, the challenge this week is "Anything Goes" theme wise, but with the additional twist of using a technique. Is it required to use a specific technique? No. I just like finding all the new techniques that I can!! If you do use a technique you found on a blog, in a paper craft mag or even one you came up with, let us know so we can check it out too!!  A couple of sites I can lead you to is SCS - Try a New Technique challenge and Technique Junkies.

Actually the sample I have for you tonight is one of the technique cards we did at club today.  This one is called Faux Mother-of-Pearl.  And does it pack a WOW!!  A little messy, but the results are worth it.

Started with a card base of Daffodil Delight, folded at the top.  On a piece of Whisper White the swirl from Baroque Motifs was stamped in Wild Wasabi and the flower in Tangerine Tango.  Once those were stamped the entire piece was run through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice ebf.  Sort of gives the panel the look of fabric, doesn't it?  I took my inspiration for this card from one I saw on Stampin' Connection by Brenda Ruse.

The butterflies were cut with the Butterfly die and Big Shot with glossy white card stock. 

To create the Faux MOP look you need shimmer paint, preferably white, plain or glossy white card stock, paper plate, plastic wrap and ink.  Here's how it goes:

1.  Pour a little of the shimmer paint onto a paper plate.  Scrunch up the plastic wrap and lightly dip into the paint.  Dab off excess if needed.
2.  Dab the paint over the image, or panel, randomly.  Leave parts of the card stock open.
3.  Set aside to dry.  Doesn't take long.
4.  Once dry, use a sponge or brayer to cover the image or panel with the ink of your choice.  On my sample the large butterfly is sponged with Daffodil Delight and the smaller one with Tangerine Tango.
5.  Set these aside to dry for a few minutes.  Then embellish and finish your card!

Daffodil Delight 1/8" taffeta and white crochet thread finishes off the butterfly.

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by April 23, 2011 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts, Stampin' Connection (for SU! demos) or Stamp TV, please put GCA132 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~~ 

GCA #128 - You Are In My Thoughts!

Hello all!!!  Another week has just flown by and it's Sunday once again.  Unless, you live under a rock, you know all about the massive earthquake and tsunami damage in Japan.  The more I look at the images coming from Japan and read the articles, the more I am grateful of where I live, but most importantly my heart just breaks for those who have lost their lives and the families left behind.

So, this week the focus is to create a card, or something, for someone you know, or don't know, and let them know that you are thinking of them.  It could be a Thinking of You, Sympathy, Get Well or just a general You're in My Thoughts.  Not only have the events in Japan occurred, but closer to home I have lost a dear co-worker and another co-worker fractured her pelvis while skiing.  So, I have cards to get done!  And I have had a couple of RAK requests come through my inbox that I need to get out.

Here's my sample.  Tried to keep it simple, but that doesn't always work for me!!!  I used the sketch from TechnoStamper's blog (AKA MaryJo), TSSC164.  I'm also using this for the Late Night Stamper's weekly challenge - to go green!

The thought here was to keep the colors somewhat subdued, yet still give the recipient a bright spot to their day.  The dsp is Greenhouse Gala, layered on a Very Vanilla card base.  The Top Note piece is cut from Old Olive, layered with Cajun Craze and then Very Vanilla.  The Cajun Craze layer was punched with the corner and border scallop trim punches.  Almost forgot how to do that I haven't done it in a while!!

The large butterfly was cut with the butterfly die in the cork and the smaller one is from the Beautiful Wings embosslit.  Layered those with an Old Olive button and Pumpkin Pie flower brad.  I took the prongs off the flower brad and used my hot glue gun to attach to the button.  The entire butterfly piece is up on dimensionals.  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by March 19, 2011 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts, Stampin' Connection (for SU! demos) or Stamp TV, please put GCA128 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!


Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~~ 

My Tall Treat Box on Craft Project Central!!!



Hello all!!!  My project as a February guest designer for Craft Project Central, is now posted!!!  And, it's the February Bonus project!!!  Hop on over there and subscribe and refer your friends!  All of the projects on this site are SUO and fabulous!!!!

This tall treat box can be used to give many different types of gifts to your friends and family! With the clear window front it will give the recipient a sneak peek of what’s inside! Change up the theme and use it to give gifts for any holiday! Makes a great club or class project!
To get the instructions for this great project, just subscribe to two or more months in a row, put our badge on your blog, or refer a friend and when they subscribe, let us know!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Artistic Etchings 3-D project for UDI

Hello all!!  While I LOVED being in Salt Lake City at convention, it is always nice to come home!  My cats missed me and haven't let up about me being gone for a week yet!

Anyway, I wanted to show the 3D project I made for the Utah Divas International (UDI) group I belong to.  We had dinner, a card swap and 3D swap at convention on Friday night.  It was a lot of fun and good food, too!  We had dinner at Biaggi's, an Italian restaurant.

Now, not to pat myself on the back, but this shadowbox really is not as hard to make as it looks.  I am absolutely thrilled with how this came out.  The most expensive item on here is the shadowbox itself!!!  And that I found on clearance at my LSS!  The rest is done with scraps and bits of card stock, which cost next to nothing.  (I'm not sure exactly how much, but you get the point!)  And it didn't take forever to make.  I literally completed this on the Saturday before I left for convention.  Now I did have the idea thought out in my head, but we all know how those ideas sometimes come out.  What took the longest was painting the box, which is painted with buttermilk craft paint.  The frame was stamped with the medallion in black staz-on, the decorative accent in Cherry Cobbler and then I spritzed Crumb Cake over it.

The inside is layered with black textured card stock, Very Vanilla and Cherry Cobbler.  My thought for this was a collage look, so I used as many different, yet similar, items as I could.  The Very Vanilla squares were put through the Big Shot with the new Vintage Wallpaper eb folder, which I inked up with Crumb Cake first and punched with the 1 1/4" square punch and layered on black textured c.s. 

The Eiffel Tower was stamped in black staz-on, versa mark and then clear embossed.  At the top, middle and bottom levels chunky crystal glitter was adhered with crystal effects.  The crown also has a row of the same chunky glitter.  The butterflies are from the Beautiful Wings embosslit in Wild Wasabi.  These were scraps from my swap card and had been stamped with the Very Vintage jumbo wheel.  The black 1/8" taffeta is the body.  I used half pearls and 2 of the clear crystals from the now retired Pretties Kit.  The crystals are a little difficult to see, but I placed a black brad through the top.  The buttons are Real Red from the now retired Playground set.

All of the squares, and many of the items on top of them, are up on dimensionals.  I used the thick window sheets for the "glass" so it wouldn't break in my suitcase.  The flowers on the "glass" are one of the decor elements items, just cut in half.

Don't be afraid to let your imagination take you on a new adventure!  I see many more of these in my future!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #96 - Anything Goes!!!

Hello all!!!  As I feverishly continue to work on my convention swaps, I have 8 days until I leave, I just could not think of a theme for this week.  So, anything goes this week!!  Show me what you are busy crafting and creating!!!

My card uses the new Level 1 hostess set, Because I Care.  A wonderful set and love the hydrangea in it!  On my hydrangea I stamped the flower in Bashful Blue and outlined it with the Concord Crush marker.  I also thumped my marker over the surface of the flower.  The stem/leaves were colored in with my Pear Pizazz marker.

Over on Stampin' Addicts the sketch challenge for last week was a minimal version of a card in the new catalog.  You can find it on page 69.  My Top Note piece is Night of Navy layered with Whisper White which I stamped the Sanded bg in NON.  I actually off stamped this twice before applying to the WW.

The dsp layer is from the Greenhouse Gala series and uses the Pear Pizazz ornate trim.  This is layered onto a piece of Pear Pizazz and the top half was stamped with the strip of small flowers, repeatedly, after I inked it up with my Pear Pizazz marker.

I used Whisper White taffeta for my bow, which I created on my bow maker I've had for years!!  There is a triple bow on this one.  The Top Note panel is popped up with dimensionals as is the hydrangea.  I used a leftover butterfly die cut, in Wild Wasabi, to add interest.  The sentiment panel is punched from Pear Pizazz with the scallop oval and WW is the large oval.  The saying is stamped in NON.  NON marker was used to create the dots on the scallops.

Have creating this week!!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

A Michigan Lighthouse!

Hello all!!!  Not too long ago I was in the thumb area of Michigan for work.  Now, I have lived in Michigan my entire life (except for 5 years in SC) and I have NEVER been to the thumb, or seen Lake Huron!!!  How sad is that???  The countryside up there was just gorgeous and helped to remind me just how beautiful our state is.  I'm not too impressed anymore with the area I live in.  That's me in front of Lake Huron.  The second pic is of the lake.

Anyway, the tiny town I was in, Deckerville, had an awesome scrapbook store that was going out of business.  Everything was 50% off!!!  I bought more than I needed, but I got some good deals!  The lighthouse stamp was the last they had and of course I had to buy it.

As I was looking through cookiebaker's, AKA Charlene and FS176's, wonderful gallery, I came across this card http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...p;ppuser=16247 that just called out to me.  Good a reason as any to put ink on this stamp!
My changes are:

* Colors & type of dsp

* My "charm" is a button. Kind of reminds me of those life ring thingys.

* Kept the lighthouse idea, but used a different one

* Used butterflies

Sending this off to a good friend who lives by the lake.

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

An Inspired Thanks - LNS 78

Hello all!!!  I hope everyone was able to enjoy the Independence holiday with family and friends.  I spent the weekend with friends and time in my crafting haven!!  Trying, desperately, to get ready for convention - which only 16 days away!!!!!!

Anyway, this is one of the cards I created this weekend.  The challenge for this week on the Late Night Stampers group is an inspiration one and this is what I came up with.  The minute I saw the picture I thought of my Inspired by Nature set.  Took me a little longer to come up with the idea, but when I did it hit me quick and I HAD to put this together right then!!  Ever have those moments??

I'll start with the Bashful Blue background layer.  I attempted to try a technique which uses mesh bagging to create the texture.  I had a piece from utensils I bought and just found it today while cleaning!!  Anyway, I say attempted because it didn't turn out like I thought it would.  I used my brayer, a sponge, the ink pad and then a sponge dauber and just kind of rubbed it over the mesh.  The effect on here is fine, but I would have liked it slightly more detailed.  I did use Bashful Blue ink.

The main image panel was created using Pacific Point, Bashful Blue and Whisper White.  My thought/idea was to give the look of looking out of a window, but necessarily from an inside view.  Make sense?  Not sure I quite achieved that look, but I do love how this card turned out.

The grass was stamped on Whisper White in Wild Wasabi a couple of times, to create depth.  I then sponged Bashful Blue over, with a scalloped oval, to create sky and clouds.  The sun was actually a "boo-boo", but it turned out ok.  The window frame was created by punching four 1 1/4" squares and running it through the Lattice Square eb folder.

The cone flowers were colored with markers and stamped onto Whisper White.  I used Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight and Chocolate Chip.  LOVE that we now have markers to go with former/new In Colors!!!  I then cut them out and popped them up with dimensionals.  To create even more depth I purposely curved the stems out some and curled up some of the petals.  I then wove them through the linen thread, which is wound around the bottom.

My sentiment is stamped with the new Perfect Punches set, using the Round Tab image and the saying is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  Both of these are done with Pacific Point ink.

The butterflies are cut from the Beautiful Wings embosslit in Pacific Point and Wild Wasabi.  The entire main image panel is popped up with more dimensionals.  To finish this off I used my distressor tool on the Pacific Point and Whisper White panel.  Reminds me of looking at a scene on the beach.

The inside was done with the leftover butterflies, stamped some more grass and layered Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi dsp and Whisper White together.

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #91 - Where the Butterflies Are.

Hello all!!!  Another week has gone by and I spent time playing with my new goodies.  I have lots more to show you this week.

Butterflies are everywhere and one of my favorites.  They can be so beautiful with their unusual colors and designs, it just amazes me.

This week, you need to have a butterfly somewhere on your creation.  It can be stamped, on dsp, a die cut or made with ribbon.  However you decide to include a butterfly, at least one must be on your creation.

My sample for you uses the Beautiful Wings embosslit from SU!  This is the largest of the butterflies and was cut/embossed from Sweet Pea dsp.

The card was put together using all scraps from my stash!  I love it when I can do that!!  The card base is Kiwi Kiss and folded at the top.  Layered with White, and the layout is from the Stampin' Connection weekly sketch challenge.  I ran the Chocolate Chip piece through my Big Shot with the lattice eb folder and punched the edge with the scallop trim border punch.  The strip of Ruby Red dsp comes from the Write Stuff speciality dsp. 

For the center of the butterfly I punched the scallop circle from the Bitty punches and topped it with one of the clear bitty scallop circle buttons.  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by June 12, 2010 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts or Stamp TV, please put GCA91 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #86 - What's Your Inspiration?

Hello all!!!  I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend and my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the recent tornado.

This week I want you to look around at your surroundings.  What do you see?  Is there a picture you have that you have thought many times would make a nice card, or do you have an awesome view from your windows?  Whatever may be around your home that gives you inspiration, that is what I want you to use for this week.

When you upload your creation, please, if possible, upload a picture of your inspiration piece too!  If you can't, then tell us about it so we know what you were inspired by.

My inspiration came from the new "Welcome" mat I recently purchased for my front door.  Every time I come home, I look at it and think "That would make a neat card."  Well, today I sat down and created it!

I started with a card base of Kraft (soon-to-be Crumb Cake) and layered that with Whisper White and Gable Green.  I am trying to use as many retiring colors I can now so I wont have a ton left over come the new catalog year.

Since the mat has white polka dots in the background, I ran my Gable Green layer through the Big Shot with the Perfect Details texture plate.  I then colored all of the dots with my white gel pen.  They're a little difficult to see on the the Gable Green.

I used another strip of Kraft/Whisper White across the bottom and covered it with a piece of the Melon Mambo polka dotted gg, except I flipped it over.  Way too many polka dots!  My flower comes from the Pretties Kit and place a large white grommet in the center and filled it with clear chunky and pink fine glitter.  I also ran the Melon Mambo pad around the edges of the flower to make it pop a little more.

The butterflies were made with the awesome Beautiful Wings embosslit using Razzleberry Lemonade dsp.  And for a little more bling, I added two of the small rhinestones from the Eggcellent Easter Egg kit on my sentiment panel.

Not sure who this will go too, as I have my mother's day card already made, but I do have many friends at work who are mother's!!

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by May 1, 2010 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts or Stamp TV, please put GCA86 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Deb's Christmas Gift

Hello all!! I hope you are finding time to spend with your family and friends this week, as well as some stamping time! I have the whole week off work and both of my grandsons here! (I have now retreated to my stamp room to preserve my sanity!!! LOL!!)

This gift set I put together for my BFF, Deb. Are 40 year somethings supposed to have BFF's? Too bad, I do! Actually we have been friends since we met in 1990 when we both started our pre -reqs at the community college for the nursing program. We have since gone through our bachelor's and master's programs together and have watched both of families grow through the years. And I wanted to really give her something from the heart this year as she, and her husband, have been so good to me over the past couple of years when I needed it.

She was just amazed at how everything looked liked you would find it in a store! She kept asking me, “Did you really make these?” She knows I stamp and she buys cards from me all the time!! When people only see the cards you make they don't realize all the other possibilities out there too!!



The picture frame I found on clearance at TJMaxx. I backed it with a piece of groom’s dsp and then laid my card front over it. This actually was a card to begin with, but someone suggested I should frame it and so I did! And I think it made a lovely gift.



The candle I just covered up the label on the front and wrapped some ribbon around the neck and the body. And yes, that is a contraband butterfly punch but the current SU! one is too big and my new butterfly embosslit comes today!!!! (Pre-order for the new Occasions mini & SAB starting on January 5th.)



Then I made a set of 10 monogrammed notecards for her. She loves red, so I used my leftover Riding Hood Red and Bella Rose dsp. I am so happy with how they came out.
And, one of the best parts is this only cost me around $10 to put together! I also put some lotion/bodywash in I bought after Christmas last year on clearance. But, most of all she loved it and that is what makes me happy!!



I also gave her the button wreath card I made for GCA68. She thought the buttons were purchased that way and then I put the bird and branch on it. I think I told her three times that put the wreath together myself!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

Butterfly Thanks!

Hello all!! I just have a quick minute to post a card I made awhile ago and haven't shown you!

This uses the Inspired by Nature set, which I really love, but rarely use! And it's not because it's double mounted!

I put this together using scraps and pieces I had in my "extra" bin. Seems like I always have leftovers from club, stamp camps, workshops or just from playing around. I keep, like everything, and every once in awhile I put the pieces to good use!

I believe this color combo, Choc Chip, Pixie Pink and Pink Passion. The flowers were colored with my markers and the grass is stamped in Kiwi Kiss. The panel the flowers is on is popped up on dimensionals. The finished size of this card is 5 x 5.

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Rich Butterfly Thanks

Hello all!! This is for the LSC this week on SCS: A Challenge to DIE for!!

This is the first time I have used my Rich Razzleberry, and I am so loving it paired with Orchid Opulence!!! That is one color I hardly EVER use and now I can see it will be used a lot!!

Since Wendy limited our stamping to either a sentiment or making our own BG dsp, I opted to use the sentiment. Again, I pulled out my new all-time fave: Teeny Tiny Wishes!!

And, since I finally got my first order in from the new catty, I had to play with new toys!!! Now, I know the M & S die has been out for awhile, but I have drug my feet about getting it, basically because I wasn't sure how to really use it! Well, I recently spent time at a fellow SCSer's house and saw how they worked! Thanks Debra!! So now I have it and the newest additions too!I used the curly label die to create my window and the modern label die to back my punched piece. Since we were limited on the number of stamps we could use, I punched three flowers from WW with the Trio Flower punch and made a bouquet.

And how about that butterfly punch!!!!!! LOVE IT!!! As you can see, the butterfly is going for the flowers.The rest is pretty obvious, except I used thin strips of WW through the button holes. (Not fun, but I do like the result!)

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~