A Wise Valentine Owl - DIC134

Hello all!!!  The UDI Blog Inspiration challenge this week is a fun and flirty pic in reds and pinks.  Just in time for Valentine's Day!!  Are you ready?

I have to confess actually.  The basic components of this card were sitting on my craft table, leftovers from a previous class.  A Christmas class to be exact, but I thought it would make for a nice Valentine card.  I think it turned out just fine!

The card base Blushing Bride, layered with Real Red, CandyCane dsp and striped Shimmery White.  Some of these items are retired, but just goes to show how some dsp can be used for other holidays too!  The big button is from the 2010 Holiday mini and I soooo hope they show up in the new catalog this year!!

As I'm still lovin' this owl punch and stamp set, I had to use him!  The owl is from the SAB set Punch Bunch and punched with the 2 step owl punch.  So much fun.  The owls "chest cover" was stamped separately in Real Red on Whisper White.  The small heart is in Blushing Bride, popped up with a tiny dimensional and topped off with a rhinestone.  The pinking hearts border punch was used on the back of the card base.  A 1/4" is cut off the front so it shows through.

If you have a chance, check out the UDI Blog and play along!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Three Silly Reindeer - DIC127

Hello all!!!  I'm still plucking away at Christmas gifts and such this week, how about you???  This week's UDI Inspiration piece is a traditional Christmas picture of Santa with a darling little girl.

No Santa on my creation, but I do have 3 of his silly reindeer, chomping at the bit to get going!!!  At my December stamp club this is the scrapbook page the girls made.  The colors and feeling of the piece are what I used.  This is 12 x 12.

Do you have the owl punch yet?  If not, what are you waiting for???  You can do so much more than just owls with it!  The reindeer were made with the owl punch, minus the little feet!  I'm not sure who came up with idea, but it is one darling, and clever, use of the punch!!  I used a card I found on SCS for the basic idea of the reindeer "looking" over a stall.  We had a lot of fun making this page.

Be sure to check out the UDI Blog and play along if you get a minute!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Girl in Christmas Red - DIC125

Hello all!!!  With Christmas right around the corner, the inspiration pieces on the UDI Blog are all about Christmas.  I had ideas for my card this week, but in getting ready for my own Christmas projects, I ran out of time!!!  So this one is quick and simple.

At my Christmas card club this year we made this card and the ladies loved how easy it was.

I used Old Olive for the card base, a strip of the Holly Jolly dsp, Cherry Cobbler square and layered with a Very Vanilla scalloped square.

The scalloped square was cut using the Big Shot and the duo scallop die in the Holiday mini.  It fits so well with the large clear scallop square.  The image is embossed with black craft and black embossing powder and then watercolored.  We used ink from the stamp pads to watercolor and an aquapainter.  While watercoloring is not my forte, I do enjoy it and keep trying to improve my skills.

I still needed to add something, so I put a scallop edge in Old Olive on here.

So, check out the UDI Blog if you get a moment and play along.

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

A Candy Cane Christmas - DIC124!!

Hello all!!!  This week Maria, over at the UDI Blog, has presented us with a yummy inspiration picture of candy canes!!!  Since I have been working on Christmas cards I had this one all ready!!

The card base is Blushing Bride along with Real Red, Whisper White and the Candy Cane dsp.  Love that dsp!!  The stamp set I used is Season of Joy.

The eyelet punched border is attached on the inside of the front and I cut 1" off the bottom to make it even.

My first intent was to stamp the collage sentiment in the Blushing Bride and then over stamp the tree in Real Red.  Well.... I decided that wasn't going to work, so I stamped the tree on Whisper White and cut it out.  I used the new stick on rhinestones for my "bling"!  The big Candy Cane buttons was used with the Blushing Bride poly twill. 

So check out the UDI Blog and play along if you get the chance!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Non-Traditional Christmas Colors!!

I love to use non-traditional colors on my Christmas cards.  With any holiday for that fact.  Why conform when I can express myself through color????  LOL!!

The two cards I'm showing now are also for the LateNightStampers Yahoo group I belong and the current challenge.  And, of course the challenge is to use non traditional colors on a Christmas card.

The first one uses Soft Suede and Blushing Bride.  I love these two colors together!!!!  I paired the colors with the Season of Joy set and the wonderfully fun big buttons in the Holiday mini!!  The ribbon is the Blushing Bride poly twill and I frayed some of it.

The second card uses Pacific Point, Silver and Whisper White.  I'm not much of a "blue" person, but I do love Pacific Point!!  I used the Baroque Motifs swirl for the "branches" and silver cord to hang my ornaments from.  The ornaments were punched from Silver which I embossed with the Petals A Plenty and Perfect Polka Dots eb folders.  Each of the ornaments is up with a dimensional.  The saying is from Heard from the Heart.  A quick and easy card to make, that should also be regular price to mail!!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Happy Retirement - DIC123

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!  Even if you are not celebrating Thanksgiving today, take a moment and look around you to see what you have to be thankful for.

The Inspiration challenge on the UDI Blog is a picture of a lush fall scene, ripe with pumpkins, squash and fall leaves.  Check it out and play along if you have a moment.

I needed to make a retirement card, actually a couple more too!, for one of the ladies in my office.  With the early retirement that the state of MI is offering, we have several taking advantage of it.  So, this is card #1.

I just received the new "Have a Seat" set and decided to put it to good use!  Isn't that what retirement is all about?  Relaxing and enjoying life?

I took a variety of the colors from the inspiration piece to complete my card.  The base is Naturals Ivory, layered with More Mustard and pieces from the Autumn Spice dsp in the Holiday mini.  I just love this dsp!  It is heavyweight and textured. 

I stamped the bench in Early Espresso and sponged the edges with the ink pad.  This is layered on Cajun Craze and Pear Pizazz, which has been embossed with the lattice square folder.  The entire panel is popped up with dimensionals.  A mini library clip helps keep the sentiment panel attached to the main image.  Two, non SU!, chocolate stick on pearls finishes it off!  (Sorry Maria, but they were just what I needed!!)

Don't forget to check out the UDI Blog for the rest of the design team creations and play along when you get a chance.

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

A Thanksgiving Greeting - DIC122

Hello all!!! I cannot believe the weather we are having here in Michigan!!!  You would think it's early spring instead of the middle of November.  But, I am truly enjoying it.

Over on the UDI Blog this week, the inspiration challenge is a gorgeous picture of a fall tree in all it's glory!  The color of the leaves is stunning.  Check out the UDI Blog to see it.  And play along!

I had one thought for my card when I looked at the picture, but then, like always, the card went on it's way by itself!!!  But, I do like how this turned out!!

It all started with the "wreath".  I cut out several lattice dies from the wood sheets the other day, and just couldn't throw away all the little bits and pieces left.  If was cardstock, that's one thing, but this was using the wood sheets.  As I had them on my table the "light bulb" went off and I thought those pointed ovals would make a great wreath. 

Originally I intended for this to be a Christmas wreath, but when I looked at the pic for this week, I thought a fall wreath would work too.  I have no idea how many pieces I used, but it does have two rows.  I punch a circle first with the 1 3/4" circle and then punched that out with the 2 1/2" circle.  That is the base.  I added sticky strip and stuck 'em down!!  I then spritzed it with the Log Cabin Smooch Spritz.

I used the Greeting Cards Kids set and actually this image is more for Halloween.  But, we have pumpkins at Thanksgiving!!  I omitted the broom she is holding and made her hat look more like a pilgrim hat.  I watercolored her with my aquapainter and stamp lids.  It's supposed to look like she's "holding" the sentiment!

The sketch is from this month's Fan Club/Dirty Dozen group on SCS.  The card base is Naturals Ivory, layered with Old Olive stamped in the same ink with the Sanded BG.  The second layer is Chocolate Chip with a piece of the Autumn Spice dsp.  I distressed the edges with my distressor tool.  A piece of Victoria lace and linen thread, and it's done!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #111- Recycle, Recycle!!!

Hello all!!!  Sorry for the late posting.  I am currently out of town and have very limited internet access.  Anyway, if I had planned better, I would have had this ready!!!  LOL!!

This week we are focusing on recycling.  And by that, I mean re-using something you have in your craft room, or house, that wouldn't normally be used in crafting!

For example, on my card for this week, the lattice square was cut from the brown wrapping paper that comes in my SU! orders.  I crumpled it up before I ran it through the Big Shot and then tried to "lightly" glue it onto the card front.  I like how it doesn't overtake the card, but lets the rest of the items show off.

I used the new SU! fabric, Deck the Halls, cut with the Tasteful Trim die.  I cut several pieces and I am going to put together a set of Christmas cards using the rest of it.  When I get back home I will add the Christmas sentiment.  The card base is Soft Suede textured.

The flowers are with the new Paper Dasies, love them!!!  The smaller one was colored with the Cherry Cobbler pad using a sponge dauber.  You have to be very careful when doing that, as the name implies, they are paper!!!  The button comes from the Deck the Halls buttons in the holiday mini.  I used the Itty Bitty flower punch to put in the center and topped it with a stick on pearl.  For my "leaf"  I used a piece of the Always Artichoke seam binding.  It is sooo smooth!!!  The entire flower is popped up with dimensionals.

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by November 13, 2010 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 GCA111 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~~~~

An Old Fashioned Christmas! - DIC119

Hello all!!!  I hope everyone is doing good and, of course, finding time to stamp!!!  Halloween is now behind us, and Thanksgiving and Christmas soon approaching.  Where does the time go???

The UDI Inspiration pic this week is a basket of different breads and wheat.  I'm not quite sure how I got from that to a Christmas card, but it's where I felt lead.

The "wreath" is made using the new, and gorgeous, Deck the Halls fabric.  If you haven't seen or felt this fabric, you are missing out!  I cut four of the large scallop circles from the Scallop Circles #2 die and my Big Shot.  My idea for this card came from a Christmas card on the front of our monthly demo magazine, Stampin' Success, but I made a few changes.  They used the scallop circle from the Pennant die.  Since my circles are just a bit bigger, I added additional layers to the center.

The button is from the new Deck the Halls buttons currently available in the Holiday mini.  I LOVE those buttons!!!  I used the new stick on Pearls for the center.  Another fave of mine!

The ribbon tags are using the Always Artichoke seam binding ribbon, also available in the Holiday mini.  My card base is 4.25 square from Soft Suede textured and layered with a piece of Very Vanilla.  I ran this through the Perfect Polka dots eb folder and then aged with my Distressing Kit inks.  The saying is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and held on with linen thread tied around the button.

Don't forget to check out the UDI blog to see the inspiration piece and what the other team members did!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

DIC #119 - Happy Halloween!!

WOW!  What a week this has been for me!!!  Craziness, craziness, but it all works out in the end!  Here we are at another Thursday and a UDI Inspiration piece.  This week Maria gave us a pic of a Norman Rockwell Saturday Even Post cover, featuring Halloween.

For my card I used the new Wicked Cool set and Wicked Fun dsp.  I actually started this card by playing around with scraps, put them together and then cut them out with the Top Note die.  I used the new waffle paper in black around the edges.

The witches shoes were colored with my markers and then stamped.  The hat was stamped in black stazon, Versamark and then clear embossed, but it doesn't show up that well.  I colored the blocks in her hat with the Rich Razzleberry marker and popped it up with a dimensional.  I spritzed the panel with the RR marker and the same with sentiment circle, but I used the Cajun Craze one.

The bat was cut from the Wicked Fun dsp, added some rhinestones for a little bling and the Rich Razzleberry grosgrain, all scrunched up!  Love the way that it pops off the card with the polka dots.

Check out the UDI Blog when you get a minute to see the inspiration piece and see what the other team members did!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Happy thanksgiving - DIC118

Hello all!!!  Here we are at Thursday again.  We are still experiencing some gorgeous weather here in Michigan.  I'm lovin it!!  The colors have pretty much reached their peak, but we still have some late bloomers!!!

The UDI inspiration piece this week is a pirate ship.  Reminds me of the one from Pirates of the Caribbean, how adorable is Johnny Depp???????  So I looked at and thought of Thanksgiving.

My layout comes from the Clean and Simple site and the FTL112.  I really love the look of CAS, but I always have such a hard time with it!  I just want to keep adding and adding!!!  I really tried to limit myself on this and I think I did ok.  For me, this card is clean and simple and took me around 30 minutes to do!

My card base is 4 1/2" square of Very Vanilla top folded.  I used the awesome Autumn Spice dsp, from the Holiday Mini, and ran it through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice folder.  After, I rubbed the Mahogany and Tea Stain spots from the Distressing Essentials Kit.  I layered in on Early Espresso and distressed the edges.  Three of the new glimmer brads in the corner finishes it off.

The flower is the largest one in the new Paper Daises layered with a Pumpkin die and and leaf cut from the new cork sheets.  Some twine around the ends, and it's good.  I stamped the "Paris" stamp from French Foliage in Early Espresso.  This all has lots of dimensionals on it!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Sock Monkey Thanks - DIC114

Hello all!!  Thursday again and time for another UDI inspiration project.  Check out the UDI Blog to see the inspiration piece, a collection of cereal box covers, and play along if you have time.  To be honest, when I saw the inspiration piece for this week, I was a little scared!!  I thought, "What am I going to do with this?"  Well, after I took a deep breath and calmed myself, I focused on the one thing that jumped right out at me:  COLOR!  Bright and bold colors.  And bold and bright colors mean fun, at least in my book!!

So, I looked through my stamp collection and took out Sock Monkey.  He's fun and playful and makes for fun image to create with.  He's a lot of fun to paper piece  with and watercolor.  And, of course, I had to buy the new More Monkey Accessories in the new catalog.  The hat he's wearing comes from that set. 

My sketch is from the weekly sketch on Stampin' Connection, which a site just for SU! demos.  My card is 5 x 5 square and the base is from Pacific Point.  I pulled colors from most of the cereal boxes and put on here!  I couldn't seem to stop, yet they all go together wonderfully on here.  At least I think so.  The colors I used are: Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Real Red and Very Vanilla.  The dsp is Newsprint and my goal was to mimic the words on the boxes. 

A lot of dimension going on here too!  The balloons are popped up and I used linen thread to "tie" them all together.  The Daffodil Delight strip is from the Tasteful Trim die, available in the Holiday mini. 

Don't forget to check out the UDI Blog and play along!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #106 - Time for Halloween!!

Hello all!!!  Another week gone by and we are now into the middle of September!!  Can you believe it?  Before you know it, the man in the Red Suit will be here!!  But, before he comes, the Great Pumpkin will arrive!  You know, that holiday where we loved to be scared and get all kinds of treats!  Halloween!!!

I'm not big into Halloween, but I do put some small decorations up and send Halloween cards to my friends that "do" Halloween.  I prefer the cute and fun images/things for Halloween as opposed to the gory and scary.  This year at convention, one of the bundles they offered us was one for Halloween.  This bundle was from Brent Steele's presentation, as he loves Halloween.  The bundle included: Spooky Things decor elements, 1/2" Raven lace trim and Black Flourish designer jewels.  I haven't bought the sheet of decor elements in the past, but as I work with this set I can see so many possibilities for projects.

On my project for this week I used 3 of the d.e. images:  "Happy Halloween", the full bat and the smallest spider.  I started with the saying applied directly to the glass and then backed with a piece of Rockabilly dsp (retired) in the Kiwi stripe.  Now, the cracks in the glass were not, at first, planned, but as I was working on this one happened and then I went with them.  I used Black staz-on along the cracks to give it a "eerie" look.  Does it work?  I ran a piece of the black lace along the bottom.

The bat was put onto a piece of Pumpkin Pie and cut around.  The same for the spider.  Now, Putting the d.e. onto card stock is tricky when removing the transfer paper.  It likes to pull up the card stock when you remove it.  The bat was put on with double thick dimensionals and I "squished" him in the middle to make it look like he was flying.  With the spider, I ran a piece of Very Vanilla through my Big Shot with the Spider web eb folder.  I covered the folder with black ink first and then cut around it to get the size I wanted.  After that, I spritzed it with water and crumpled it up.  Once it was dry I stuck it onto the corner of the frame with Sticky Strip.  The spider is up with dimensionals.

The "hanger" is made using Pumpkin Pie 1 1/4" gg and tied with the black lace and Concord Crush poly twill.

Now, its difficult to see in the picture, but I did a lot of distressing to the frame before I put all of this onto it!  My frame came from the $ store, $4, and I removed the stand from the back so it would lay flat on the wall.  My up-up-line is coming to Michigan on October 2nd, and she asked me to do a presentation for the event!  (I'm so excited, but scared silly at the same time!!!)  The item I am going to demonstrate is the new Distressing Kit (118762) on page 195.  This is an awesome kit and I'm sure I have only begun to tap into all the fun things I can do with it.  First off, I sanded down the frame, to help remove some of the glossy finish.  Once I had it where I wanted, then I swiped it with the Charcoal and then Mahogany ink spot.  Not satisfied with that, I then spritzed it with the Log Cabin smooch spritz.  I like the look, but it took forever for the smooch spritz to dry.  I hope you can see how all of this "aged" the frame.

So, for this week's challenge create anything that has to do with a Halloween theme.  Now, I understand that some people do not do Halloween at all, but I still want you to be able to play along.  So your creations DO NOT have to specifically have "Halloween" items on it.  By that, I mean you can use pumpkins, scarecrows, hay wagons or just the colors of Halloween.  Just have fun and create what you love!

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by September 25, 2010 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 GCA106 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 #105 - Scallops and Squares, Oh My!

Hello all!!  I've spent a wonderful afternoon stamping with my stamp club girls and enjoying the beautiful fall day we are having here in Michigan.  Perfect temps, 74*, sunny and a a very slight breeze!!  I could handle this weather all year long!

Speaking on my monthly stamp club, that is where this week's challenge comes from.  This is the scrapbook page we did, which is inspired by many talented crafters out there.  We used new products from the Holiday Mini and in the new catalog.

The size is 12 x 12 and starts with a base of Very Vanilla.  The scalloped squares are cut from Marina Mist using the large scallop square and the scallop square duo in the Holiday Mini.  The small scallop square is cut from Wild Wasabi.  Each square is matted with Very Vanilla and then the picture on that.  I am slowly trying to scrap pictures of myself when I was younger.  It's fun to look at them and try to remember what it was like back then.

The ric rac strip is cut from Daffodil Delight using the Tasteful Trim die, as well as the Wild Wasabi zig zags.  This die is also in the Holiday Mini.  Strips from the Newsprint dsp finish off the bottom.  On the upper right corner, I used one of the Candy Cane buttons (gorgeous and huge!!) and new Decorative Label punch.  Both of these items are in the Holiday Mini.  The stamp set is Define Your Life.  This is a great set for scrapbooking.  I also used some Daffodil Delight and Marina Mist 1/8" taffeta.

Since I have an apple in one of the pictures, I stamped the apple from Tart & Tangy and put in the smallest square.

So, this week your creations need to use scallops or squares, but you DO NOT need to use both on your creations. 

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by September 18, 2010 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 GCA105 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 #100 - Christmas in August & Blog Candy!!!!

Hello all!!!  Here we are at the 100th Getting Creative with Ann challenge!  What a fun time I've had so far, and I love all the new people I've met through my challenges and friendships that have been made!  Here's to another 100 challenges!

Now, I know, that usually it's Christmas in July, but July was a busy month for me and so we are celebrating it in August!  Don't worry, we'll still celebrate it in December too!  But, when you stop and think about it Christmas isn't that far away, 137 days to be exact!!  I always think I will have plenty of time to get my Christmas cards done and any Christmas projects I want to make, and the next thing you know - it's here!!  So, I try to work on Christmas cards and projects all year to keep ahead of the game!  And this way I get to make each Christmas card different and I don't get bored with the same design.

Anywho, onto the card!!  This card uses the new Level 2 hostess set coming out in the Holiday mini - available September 1st.  On the last day of convention Shelli gifted us with an incredible gift:  Peaceful Season hostess set, package of Deck the Halls dsp, the new Champagne Glass Glitter and a Cherry Cobbler ink pad!!!!!  Can you can WOW!!!  I was blown away with this generosity.  Now, I have to be honest, when I saw this hostess set it did not immediately appeal to me, and most likely I would not have worked to earn it.  I have plenty of Christmas sets and I can market the set for purchase easier to my customers, than hostess sets.  But, as with alot of SU! products, once you start working with them you change your mind!  At least I did!!  It really is a nice set and will make some fabulous Christmas cards for this year.

The card I am showing today is the second one I've made and was actually done with scraps left from the first one.  I'll show all three that I've made over this week.  The colors are Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla and Deck the Halls dsp.  My sentiment is stamped in Gold encore and heat embossed in gold.  I first stamped the Sanded background onto the Very Vanilla layer in Crumb Cake.

As I was embellishing this the light bulb went off as to how to use the "earth" ornament!!  Sometimes I wonder about myself!  Since I used the Peace on Earth sentiment, I "hung" the ornament from the Victoria lace trim (which is sooo yummy!!) to make it look like it was hanging.  I colored it with my Al. Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler markers.  The new stick on pearls SU! have finish off the card!

And now to the blog candy!!!  As you can see it is filled with fun stampin goodies for all kinds of projects!    Every time you link to your Christmas card, you will be entered into the drawing.  Yes, you can enter as many times as you like!  Good Luck and I can't wait to see all the fabulous Christmas cards/projects!!

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by August 14, 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 GCA100 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~~~