Happy Halloween with love!!!!

Hello all!!! I hope you are having a Happy Halloween and celebrating it in your own fashion. My grandson Cameron is eagerly awaiting trick or treat time! He has been wearing his costume since Thursday night when I picked him up!! He is so cute!

Today I have two creations for you! I know, I know - I don't post all week and then I post two samples at the same time!! LOL!!

My first card is a Halloween card (how fitting, right?) that I made for one of my good customers and friend, Kathleen. I am putting together a little treat bag for her and will take it over to her today.

Since the only Halloween set I have is Halloween Frights, that is what I used! The sketch is SC252 on SCS.

I started out by stamping my trees, from Lovely As A Tree, in black staz on on Whisper White. I then sponged the grass in Certainly Celery and over stamped that with some Old Olive. The night sky was completed the same way with Bashful Blue and Brocade Blue.

The moon was masked with a 1 1/4" circle punched piece and then reversed it to actually sponged the colors for the moon. The base was Summer Sun and I over stamped that with some Going Gray and Basic Gray. Not quite sure how I managed the ring of white around the moon, but I like the effect.

The bats were stamped in basic black craft and clear embossed. I really like how this makes them pop against the sky.

The pumpkins were stamped in Pumpkin Pie, what else right? I then cut them out and popped them up with dimensionals. The middle one is up with two. I then pierced the bottom of the Pumpkin Pie layer.

My dsp is the new Cast-A-Spell (which I love!) even though you don't see much once I put the black panels on. Those panels were embossed with my diamond texture plate, but I didn't mist them first so the impression isn't that great. I used my Modern Label punch and M&S die for the sentiment. The orange ric rak is from last year, but I still have some left! I roughed the edges for added detail.

My second sample is a 12x12 scrapbook page I put together last night! I was so tired when doing this, but I had to be up with my grandson so I needed something to occupy me! And, my club girls this round want to do more scrapbooking, so I need to practice! And, this also qualifies for Shelli's challenge this month to create a scrapbook page!

The adorable little boy on here is my son at different ages in his first year, 1987! It warms my heart to look at these now and see the likeness my two grandsons have to their father.

My layout is based on a scrap map from SU! in 2008. Once I started moving my pictures around, it morphed! I took the colors of red and turquoise from his clothes and added the So Saffron and put it all on a Whisper White textured 12 x 12.

The dsp is the Write Stuff speciality as is the journal block and Flock Together. Since it already resembled notebook paper, I punched holes along the side and tore in between them.

The letters are chipboard, inked in Turquoise and clear embossed. Oh, that was fun!! Here's what the journal block reads:

"Gregory: You bring such joy & love to my life. I was amazed to watch you grow & develop into you during your first year. From learning to walk & discovering you, it just made me even more aware of how much... I Love U."

The hearts are punched with the Full Heart and Heart to Heart punch. I crimped the turquoise ones, but that doesn't show up too well. The circles were cut with my Circle Scissors Plus, which I think we have a love/hate relationship going! LOL!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

A Fall Thank You

Hello all!!

I belong to a wonderful Yahoo group called, Stampin Up Late Night Stampers. Each week, the design team hosts a wonderful challenge and this week it was color combo of Old Olive, Ruby Red and Really Rust. Now I like Old Olive and Ruby Red together, but was a little unsure of the Really Rust. But, I do like how it turned out in the end.

For the large background panel I used a new technique from Technique Junkies, Crinkled BG. I used all three colors and stamped with wax paper onto my card stock. I used my tag punch on each of the corners and shaded with Old Olive and Ruby Red. Then I tried something I've been wanting to try, but just haven't made the time.

I swiped the edges of the panel with my Versamark ink pad, not really paying attention to where it was swiping, and then covered that with clear embossing powder. Not sure how much you can see in the photo, but it makes for nice framed look on the background piece and the main image panel.

I used the row of trees from Lovely as a Tree, inked in Old Olive and then I used my markers in Choc Chip, Ruby Red and Really Rust to add the color. The Ruby Red kind of overpowered the other colors.

The sentiment is from Fresh Cuts and I clear embossed the entire panel after stamping. The frame was cut with one of the dies from Lots of Tags and then I paper pierced the edges.

The flower/leaf design is made from the die Birds with Leaves. I used the pine cone from Lovely as a Tree for the center.

Lots of dimension on this card, as I added dimensionals under the main image panel, the flower/leaf design and on the sentiment panel.

The sketch is from Gretchen Barron at Inspiration in Action. She is a fellow LNS member and she now has her own week end sketch challenges she hosts. This is my first time to play, but I'll be back for more!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #63- Black & White with a touch of Orange!

Hello all!! Since this week ends with Halloween, I thought this weeks challenge should be Halloween themed too! Well, sort of. My sample this week covers two other weekly challenges too!! First the sketch is WSC 103 by Beate and the second is Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply #110 - Feeling Square?

I started out with a square card base, 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 in Whisper White. Then I layered on a piece of dsp from the Night & Day set, which is currently in the Holiday Mini. Actually all the dsp on here is from that set.

My 2 Whisper White squares are 2x2 and layered with a sheet of dsp. I used my black marker to make the dots around the border.

The main black square is 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 and layered with Whisper White and overlaid with the black polka dotted window sheet that comes with the Night & Day dsp.

The ribbon on the top is from last year's ribbon originals, Valet I think. This is ridged velvet. I used a smaller strip for the bow and then put a jumbo silver brad, which I embossed first in black, through the middle. This covers the strip of adhesive along the top.

Along the bottom adhesive strip I put my sentiment strip, made from the Modern Label and Word Window punches and stamped with the thank you from Teeny Tiny Wishes. I used a Fire circle rhinestone brad in Pumpkin Pie to keep with my "Touch of Orange" theme.

The black and white flowers are some I've had forever and as I was cleaning out today I found them! At first I started with just the black flower, but I added the white and really like how it makes the pumpkin pop! The pumpkin is a Martha Stewart punch, which I just HAD to buy because it was on sale at my local LSS.

I hope this inspires you to create a black, white and touch of orange creation this week!!

This week is a color combo of sorts, too. We are going to use the colors of:

Black

White

Orange

The "twist" is to make your card with the majority of Black and White, white only a touch of Orange. That touch of Orange could be in a button, brad, ribbon or punched image from orange card stock. Just remember, the amount of Orange is to be a small amount.

So, the challenge this week is to make a card, project or scrapbook page using Black, White and a touch of Orange, upload it either to your blog, or to an online gallery and post a link to your card to this blog entry as a comment by October 31, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner through a random drawing and post the next Sunday.


Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenge and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! If you upload your card on SCS, Stampin' Addicts or Paper Craft Planet, please put GCA63(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 63) in the keyword section.That way everyone can look at all of the creations at once! If you've been waiting to join in the fun, jump on in and have some fun!! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!!!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #62 Winner is....

.... JuneRenee!!!! You can see her wonderful Halloween colored card on her blog Junque by JuneRenee. Congrats to you June Renee and please email me your address to pinkstamper06@yahoo.com so I can send out a stampin goodie package to you!

And a big thanks to all of you who played along this week. The colors of Halloween, and Halloween in general, was big hit on many blog challenges! And I am astounded by how many of you were able to incorporate multiple challenges into one! Way to go!

Up next: GCA #63 - Black & White with a touch of Orange!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Halloween EEK!!!!

Hello all!!! Sorry it's been a few days, but I have to hit up the local Big Boy for my Internet connection this week!!! But, I didn't want to miss out on posting.

This Halloween treat bag is actually made from two of the Top Note die cuts. For the middle part I cut strips of card stock and made a pocket, but you could do this with a cello bag or other type of bag.

My stamp set I used is the Sweet Centers set, the Halloween image. I stamped the image twice, once in black and the center image in Old Olive. I punched it out with my 1 3/4" circle punch. I layered this with Old Olive and rounded each of the corners with my corner rounder punch.

The dsp is from the Cast A Spell set, which I just love!!!!! I already have some Halloween scrapbook pages made with this dsp, and I'll post them soon! And next week is Halloween and I will have both of my grandsons this year!!!! Cameron is set to be Spider Man and Malaki is Darth Vader. Leave it to my son to make a 4 month old Darth Vader! Back to the project at hand.

The handles were punched out with the new Modern Label punch. After I took this picture I tied a piece of the Old Olive striped grosgrain around the handles.

The treat cup is filled with brads, clips and other doo-dads that rattle when shaken. They are in the colors of orange, white and copper.

Again, I have to say, if you don't have this Top Note die you don't know what you are missing!!! I love it!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Crazy Happy Birthday!!

Hello all!!! Since today is my birthday, I thought I would show you a birthday card I made back in 2007!!! I don't think I have posted this on my blog, but it bears a repeat if I have!

This card was for IC80 and if I remember right it was a site of crazy cakes!

I love how this turned how though! Except with the ribbon and the oval overlay you can't see the middle panel.

I took Pink Passion, Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink and swirled the ink on dtp style. I made my stars by just drawing a star on the card stock and then cutting them out. Harder than thought because they were so small!

This was even before the scallop edge punch when I used my slit punch to make scalloped borders!! I hope you enjoy!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #62 - Colors of Halloween!!

Hello all!! I'm back and ready for another bout of stamping! Not only did I, NOT, get any posts pre-set, but I didn't even get to stamp this past week!!! I believe that I am in withdrawal!

My sample for you this week was created a few backs for a sketch challenge on Stamp TV, hosted by my wonderful friend Charlene of Where M&M's Gather. I am just now getting around to post a pic! Sad, I know! I used the well from a Gina K set, Make a Wish and the bats are from the Halloween Frights set by SU! The dsp is the Cast A Spell and has all the colors for this week's GCA in it!

The skulls are just punched from one sheet of the dsp and then mounted to Old Olive circles. The circle for the main image were cut with the Circle Scissors Plus and then roughed up with my cutter tool. The black circle is actually a piece of the new Groom's dsp, but you don't see much of it.

The pumpkin is super easy to make, too! You need 3 circles, or ovals, of an orange cardstock. (Unless you want your pumpkin another color!!) On here I used three 3/4" circles, and then layered them over each other. The top circle is the one that will be your main pumpkin image and the two background circles are for the width. So, you can play around with the circles and get the size you want. Then to make it look more realistic, I swiped the Pumpkin Pie ink pad over the top and used my Choc Chip marker to create the "ridges". A small scrap of green for the stem and some linen thread for the vines, and you have a pumpkin!

For this week we are getting our inspiration from the colors of Halloween. I am not a big Halloween person, per se, but I do love the colors. This week your creation needs to use at three of the following colors, but DOES NOT have to be a Halloween card!

Green

Purple

Orange

Black

So, the challenge this week is to make a card, project or scrapbook page using any type of Halloween Colors stamps, upload it either to your blog, or to an online gallery and post a link to your card to this blog entry as a comment by October 24, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner through a random drawing and post the next Sunday.

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenge and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! If you upload your card on SCS, Stampin' Addicts or Paper Craft Planet, please put GCA61(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 61) in the keyword section.That way everyone can look at all of the creations at once! If you've been waiting to join in the fun, jump on in and have some fun!! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!!!

Happy Stamping!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #60 Winner is...

...actually there are two!!! Both Cathy and Maria are my winners this week!! I will get both of you something special in the mail!!! I do so appreciate you both playing along so faithfully!

This week I am taking a break from the GCA. It has been a very hectic week and even crazier weekend, and I really need to have some down time. I am going to work on getting some posts pre set, so you have something to look at this week. I am, yet again, out of town this week. But good news, I now have my lap top and I can access the Internet!!!

Thank you for understanding and I promise we'll do something really neat for neat! Halloween is coming!!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA# 61 - Poppin' Pastels!!

Hello all!!! Now you can't say I didn't give you a heads up that this technique was coming!! This technique has been around for the longest time and is really easy to do! Poppin Pastels can be as detailed and elaborate as you like or clean and simple.

As you can see in the two posts here and here, what different types of styles can be accomplished with this technique.

If you click on the Poppin Pastels link above it will take you to the tutorial on SCS.

I will put up a fresh sample in the next few days as I am in South Haven, MI right now. Spent a wonderful weekend in this lovely little town with my best BFF - Deb! She has a delightful cottage here and I use it when I have to work on the west side of the state.

So, the challenge this week is to make a card, project or scrapbook page using any type of Forest Friends stamps, upload it either to your blog, or to an online gallery and post a link to your card to this blog entry as a comment by October 10, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner through a random drawing and post the next Sunday.

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenge and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! If you upload your card on SCS, Stampin' Addicts or Paper Craft Planet, please put GCA61(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 61) in the keyword section.That way everyone can look at all of the creations at once! If you've been waiting to join in the fun, jump on in and have some fun!! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #60 Winner is.....

.....Lori!!!! Congrats to you Lori!! You can see her fabulous card on her blog here. Lori please send me your address to pinkstamper06@yahoo.com and I will get you a stampin goodie package!

Thanks to all who played along again this week!!!

Up next: GCA #61 - Poppin' Pastels!!! Did you see that one coming???

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

Another Poppin Pastels the Charming Way!!

Hello all!!! I have to show you the second card I made using this fun and quick technique!! Have you tried it yet? You might want to think about it!!!!!

On this card I did double stamping with the versamark and double usage of the chalks. By that, I mean I first stamped the script BG in versamark and went over it with the Pale Plum chalk. Second, I stamped the flower in versamark over the already chalked BG. (See how versatile this technique is?) I then went over the flower with the Elegant Eggplant chalk, carefully so as not to muddy up my colors. The image on the punched circle was colored with the Old Olive chalk and then a second one was stamped and the middle portion was punched out and Pale Plum was used.

I also did another circle medallion with my Top Note die!!! These are addicting!!

This was my card for FS138 who is NancyRuth this week!!! What an awesome gallery she has to see. You really should take a peek.

My card I chose is here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...p;ppuser=42694

My changes:

* Colors & stamp set

* Kept the medallion circle, but used a different style

* used pearls instead of brads

* used my SU! texture plates instead of CB folder

* used chalks to color my images

This is also for the LateNightStampers challenge this week to use our chalks!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Poppin Gingko!!

Here is my Tri-Shutter card for the VSN mini. Since I had alot of these papers/colors out on my table from a previous project, the card went very quickly, AFTER I got all the cuts figured out!! Actually it was the folding that hung me up more than anything. I used the Melon Mambo & Going Gray textured cs, Basic Black and Urban Oasis dsp. My stamp set is the Kind and Caring Thoughts - Hostess Level 3. But I made it just under the 45 minute limit! If you click on the link it will take you to the tutorial on SCS for this awesome card!!

I made my first circle medallion with the Top Note die and I just love doing that!! And as you can see I used the leftover pieces on my card. The two brackets are from the first cut and the faux photo corners are from the third cuts. If you click on the link for the circle medallion, it will take you to the blog post by Kimberly Van Diepen, who came up with this cut!! Another great use for the fabulous Top Note die!!!!

And since I had my chalks out from the other challenge to use our chalks, I went with those on here too! And you ask, what do my chalks have to do with this card? Ever heard of Poppin Pastels? It is an old, but wonderful technique to do with your chalks/pastels.

Here's a short tutorial for you:

* Stamp your image(s) in versamark on the cardstock of your choice

* Using a sponge dauber, q-tip or other type of applicator cover your image(s) with the chalk colors of your choice. BE CAREFUL to not rub or swirl with your applicator on the first layer. This will smear your image. You can use as many colors as you like, but be cautious with mixing too many colors as they will muddy.

* Finish your card as desired.

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~