Make Merry with Christmas Cocoa!

Hello all!!! Another Christmas card for you, today using the delicious Christmas Cocoa dsp and Beary Christmas, both in the Holiday mini.

My Big Shot came in handy for this card as all the circles are cut with the various circle dies and the Mover & Shaper die for the Modern Label background piece. Love my Big Shot!! It makes it so quick and easy to make projects and cards.

The bird is cut out with the Merry sizzlet, also in the Holiday mini. I cut the bird with Real Red and then went over it with the Champange Mist shimmer paint. That stuff is awesome too!

The colors used on this card are Real Red, Soft Suede, Whisper White and Christmas Cocoa dsp, with the exception of the Old Olive for the wreath. The bird, holly berry & leaves and the sentiment panel are up on dimensionals, as is the entire image circle panels. I used the Soft Suede polka dot gg for my ribbon ruffle. These are so fun and easy to make.

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #68 - How do you use those buttons?

Hello all!!! I hope everyone is enjoying the end of the Thanksgiving weekend, but the start of the Christmas Holidays!!!

I love Christmas with all the lights, sounds, decorations and simple happy time the season evokes. But, we must also remember, at least for me, the real reason for the the Christmas Holidays - the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As I was thinking about what to do for this week, I had some spare buttons laying on my table and started to play with them and viola! - GCA #68 was born. I've also seen some very cute cards lately where buttons have been used in place of more traditional items. Like what you ask?

Well...

* red buttons as holly berries
* green buttons as a wreath or Christmas tree
* white buttons as snow or snowmen

The possibilities are endless and only limited by what you want to create!!! Now, the challenge this week is to show how you use your buttons on a papercraft creation, either card scrapbook page or gift item, but DOES NOT have to be Christmas related.

Well my sample for you this week took on a life of it's own as I created this card!! It took me all day, as I had to wait for the glue to dry and then decide on placement and so on!!! But, I love the end result and this is a card that will be going to someone very special and not through the mail!!!

For my button wreath I used buttons from the Playground and Button Bouquet sets - only the green ones! The red ones came from the Playground set. To make my wreath I first started with a circle template cut to use as a guide. The buttons cover this so you can't see it. I used linen thread through my buttons and then placed them in a circle after they were all strung. Using Tombow multi glue, I glued them onto the circle template.

Because I had three different sizes of the green buttons, I used the two larger ones for the wreath base and the smaller ones for adding a second layer. The red holly buttons were strung together as the green ones and then pulled snug to "jumble" them. I used my 5 petal flower punch for the leaves in Garden Green.

The bird is actually a leftover piece I had on my table from an earlier project and I thought it looked just right on the wreath. The bird is from Friends 24-7 and is stamped in craft Garden Green on Certainly Celery and clear embossed.

My base card is Shimmery White and I used a piece of scrap Christmas Cocoa dsp in the flocked red on the top. The wreath is up on dimensionals as is the bird on top of the buttons!

Can't wait to see what you come up with for how to use your buttons!

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by December 5, 2009 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 GCA68 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 #67 Winners are....

... Liz and Michelle!!!! I am so thankful and humbled when other stampers check out my blog, leave a comment or play in my weekly challenge, how can I NOT have both of them as the winners this week?? Check out each of their creations by clicking on their names! Thanks ladies for playing along this week!

Please email me at pinkstamper06@yahoo.com with your address so I can get a stampin goodie package out to each of you!

Up Next: GCA #68 - How do you those buttons?

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

Merry Christmas with Snowbuddies!

Hello all!! How many of my friends are out in the mob of people today shopping???? Not me! Been there, done that and I am in no hurry to do it again! I would rather stay home and stamp!

The card I have for you today is one of them I made during my peace and quiet yesterday! I certainly wouldn't want to mass produce this as it took me around 2 hours to complete!
I had an idea for this in my head and I think it came pretty close to what I envisioned. Since I was going for the whole snow and cold feeling, I used Night of Navy, Ballet Blue and Whisper White as my color choices.

The Night of Navy layer was swiped with Whisper White craft ink and left to dry. I was going for the look of snow. How did I do?

On the Ballet Blue Top Note piece I stamped some of the snowflakes from the Snow Buddies set (Level 2 hostess - Holiday Mini) in Whisper White craft and heat embossed with white ep. I then overstamped the other other snowflakes and the star in Ballet Blue to create more depth.

My snow was created with Tombow multi glue, Dazzling Diamonds and Chunky clear glitter. Before I applied the glue and glitter I swiped the pieces, which I tore to create hills, with Ballet Blue ink. Since the Tombow dries clear, the ink shows better than I thought it would.

Each of the snowmen were stamped on Whisper White with black staz on and then cut out. Again, I would not want to mass produce this card! What was I thinking??? I then took scraps from the Christmas Cocoa dsp and paper pieced the hats and scarves. The "carrot" noses were stamped on Only Orange and the boots were done in Kraft. I used small pom-poms for the tops of the hats.



I wanted the snowmen to look like they were holding a "sign" and so I used a leftover piece of jute and strung it through the ends and around. Not sure if you can tell in the photos, but I put their hands around the jute. Both of the snowmen are up on dimensionals and the sign is up on double dimensionals.

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hello all!!! I hope all my American friends are enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving today! I am not doing much today, and it's just what I want! My son, his girlfriend and Malaki are over at her mom's and I have some peace and quiet!!!! I will be doing some quality stamping today.

Since the challenge this week is Thankful Thoughts, I thought I would post some of what I am thankful for.

First and foremost, I am thankful to my God in Heaven for His saving grace everyday of my life! (I so need it some days more than others!!)

Second, I am most thankful for my family. While I do enjoy the peace and quiet today, I also thoroughly enjoy having my grandchildren around me. The joy they have brought to my life is unspeakable and nothing I thought it would be. The pictures I share with you today were taken just a couple of weeks ago. Cameron is 4 1/2 years and Malaki is 5 months.

Third, I am thankful for my friends. Those who live near and those who live far away. One should never be without friends and I am so grateful for those I have.

And lastly, I am thankful for my stamping habit!! Without stamping I would not have met some of the friends I am ever so grateful for, nor would I have my blog, or people who stop by and say hi! Stamping has helped keep me sane in the past couple of years when times got tough and dark.

So, what are you thankful for? Even if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving today, it's never a bad idea to reflect on thankful thoughts once in a while.

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #67 - Thankful Thoughts

Hello all!! For those of celebrating Thanksgiving this week, a Happy Thanksgiving to you! But, more important we need to remember what Thanksgiving is all about and be aware of what blessings we have in our life. My sample will be up later.

So for this week our creations will be centered around thankful thoughts. Your creation can be either a thank you card, a Thanksgiving day card or a scrapbook page telling us what you are thankful for. Anything is possible to show your thankfulness.

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 28, 2009 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 GCA67 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!

There is no winner for last week as there were no entries.

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #66 - Grab a Mask!!

Hello all!! I am so sorry that I wasn't able to post the newest GCA until today. Life just got in the way for a few days.

The challenge for this week is to use the MASKING technique on whatever it is you create. When you click on the link it will take you to the SCS tutorial for masking. This was one of the first techniques I learned as a new stamper, and did I ever say WOW!!

Basically, you need a piece of copy paper or a post it note, to use as your mask. You want to be careful with the images you choose to mask, as you will be cutting out a copy of that image.
For my sample I simply used a 1 3/4" circle punched out of a post-it note. When you do that make sure you have some of the sticky part on your mask. Or you can use removable adhesive.

Since I was going for the look of a wreath on here, I placed my circle mask in the center of the card and then began stamping my image around the circle to create the wreath. I used the snowflake stamp from Berry Christmas, in Old Olive, currently in the Holiday mini. There is a wreath stamp with this set, but I was going for a larger wreath and something a little different. I think I achieved what I wanted. Once I had stamped enough images, I pulled up my mask to check the end result. It needed to have few more images stamped, so I put the mask back down and continued stamping. It's that easy!

To finish the wreath I stamped the holly leaves in Certainly Celery on Certainly Celery card stock. The berries were punched from Melon Mambo with the 1/4" circle punch. I just layered the leaves and berries on until I got the result I wanted.

Now for the rest of the colors on my card, anyone who has come by my blog around Christmas, or knows me, knows how I LOVE to use non-traditional colors for Christmas cards!! This card is no exception. The card base is Shimmery White with a layer of Melon Mambo and then Shimmery White over that. This card actually uses only two colors, plus white, yet the impact those colors make is wonderful.

I used the wonderful new Melon Mambo polka dotted gg, with one piece turned over and the ruffles showing the polka dots. I used a Filigree brad with a pink (fire) circle rhinestone brad in the center. The sentiment is stamped onto Shimmery White and punched out with the Word Window punch and layered on the Old Olive piece punched with the Modern Label. The sentiment panel is popped up with dimensionals.

So, the challenge this week is to create a card, scrapbook page, or project using the masking technique. 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 21, 2009 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 GCA66 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 #65 Winner is....

...Irit!!! You can see her fabulous pages on her blog Irit Shalom's Designs. Thank you Irit for playing along this week. I'll get a stampin package out to you this week!

Up next: GCA #66 - Grab A Mask!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #65 - A Scrappin' We Will Go!!

Hello all!!! Sorry for the late post. Today was club day and I am also packing to be out of town all week.

As I've said in previous posts, my club girls want to do more scrapbooking pages and so I really need to practice!! I am not a traditional scrapbooker and therefore I look at my pages more as a card front than a scrapbook. But, like my cards I tend to over do!!!

The page I have for you today is the actual page we did at today at club. The colors we used were different, but the layout was the same as well as the overall theme.

I started this page with a 12 x 12 piece of Creamy Caramel, since my theme was fall. The center mat piece is 8 x 8 from Confetti Cream.

The strips of dsp on the right are from the Autumn Meadows pack out of the Holiday mini. Those are both cut at 10" long and the top piece of dsp is ripped along the edge. A strip of 1/4" Chocolate Chip grosgrain, More Mustard brads and Not Quite Navy buttons finishes the strip off. Not sure if you can see in the picture, but I tied linen thread (LOVE IT) around the ribbon and through the button holes.

The leaves were cut with the Leaves #2 die and my Big Shot. I just received this die and I love it!! So many possibilities and not just for fall. And since I do not have any of the alphabet dies (I know what am I waiting for?) I used one of the sayings from the Bright Blessings jumbo wheel: "Blessings brighten when we count them". This is so true for me and the two little guys and one big guy on this page!!!

On here I have my son Gregory, grandson Cameron and second grandson Malaki. I wanted to put another photo of Malaki on here, but my printer wasn't cooperating with me!

So, the challenge this week is to create a scrapbook page, or a scrapbook theme project, upload it to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by November 14, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. You DO NOT have to follow my layout!! If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts or Stamp TV, please put GCA65 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 #64 Winner is....

..... Kate!! You can see her wonderful card on her blog Kate's Creations. Kate please email me your snail mail addy to pinkstamper06@yahoo.com so I can get a stampin' goodie package out to you!

Thanks to all who stopped by and played along this week!!

Up next: GCA #65 - A Scrappin We Will Go!!!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

Fun with Faux Paper Folding

Hello all!!! Can you believe it - 3 days in a row of posts!!! Seriously, though I am making an early resolution to post more often, share my creations more with the groups I belong to and comment like crazy on creations that come through from other people! I know how much I love to get even one comment, so I am trying to repay that kindness to my fellow stampers.

This is an amazingly easy treat bag to make!! I received one in a recent swap and just knew that I had to CASE it!! This one was made as Halloween treat bag and I did the Faux Paper Folding from Technique Junkies. This is so easy to do too! I was amazed at easy it was.

On the swap I received, made by Robin Spinner, she used the ornament M&S die to create a window. I did the same thing with my Pumpkin sizzlet, but covered it with the faux paper folding. The swirls are made with the Scribbles sizzlet. I used the Modern Label punch with scrap dsp and stamped in Choc Chip "Happy Halloween" with Teeny Tiny Wishes.

As you can see in the photos I attached, I used pumpkin and mustard dsp for inside the pumpkin and the Cast a Spell dsp for the swirls and sentiment tab. I also used my new MS pumpkin punch that I just HAD to have!!

The button is literally tied on with the linen thread through both layers. Once untied the button wont fall off as it is glued on.

I used a cello bag, held in place with sticky strip, for the candy. I put a fun size Milky Way and Reese PB Cup inside.

Off this went to my UDI Stampin' Sis - Carol!! Hope she enjoys it!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

October Just One from Karyn

Hello all!! As you've seen from previous posts, I am a Technique Junkie! I may not do alot of the techniques, but I love learning and seeing the wonderful art that produced by the JT design team! And the JT members!

Every month there is a "Just One" teaming coordinated by Beth U. This is voluntary and sooo much fun! My partner for October was Karyn C. at A Froglady Creation. The idea is to send a card to each other using one of the many techniques available to us.

On this card Karyn used the "Drywall Stitching" technique on the frame. The leaves she used on here are metallic and so shiny and she even put shimmer mist on the scarecrow! There's even a row of metallic leaves inside.

I have gotten some great cards with this swap and love seeing the many different techniques in person.

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

Reese's Gratitude - LNS43

Hello all!!! Wanted to share another Late Night Stampers challenge card I did. The challenge last week was to be inspired by a piece of candy for your creation. I chose the Reese PB cup.

Actually, the card came together from scraps that were sitting on my table! I had started a previous card with the "cattails" from Inspired by Nature, but it wasn't working so I went to something else. This piece uses the Gesso Off technique which I learned from the Technique Junkies newsletter. This is a fun technique, but messy!!

The strip of Kraft with the Bright Blessings wheel is left over from a recent club meeting. I just cut out the words from the wheel I had in Old Olive.

Not sure how I feel about the butterfly, but it needed something and this is what I came up with.

Happy Stamping!!


~~~Ann~~~

GCA #64 - Inspired by Art

Hello all!! This week we are using some wonderful artwork pieces to create our own masterpieces!

My sample for you is using the C is for Cat set. This is one of the first sets I bought as I am a major cat lover!! The piece of artwork I used for my inspiration can be found in the Ten Marilyn's poster originally done by Andy Warhol. Hence the name of the technique too!!

I'm sending this off to a very good friend, who also likes cats, and her favorite colors are from the Earth Elements family.

I used Ruby Red, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Dusty Durango, Old Olive, More Mustard, Soft Suede, Autumn Traditions dsp and Confetti White. The difficult part of this type of card is getting your squares the same size and matching them up when you adhere them to your card!

This was also the first time I made the ribbon ruffles, and I like the result on here. The sentiment is popped up with dimensionals and I used felt flowers from Flower Fusion and an EE brad in Ruby Red.

Please take a moment and check out the Fulcrum Gallery and find your inspiration. Either link us to your inspiration piece or describe it to us.

So, the challenge this week is to create a card, project or scrapbook page using one of the art pieces found on the Fulcrum Gallery site, upload it to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by November 7, 2009 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 GCA64 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 #63 Winner is.....

....Olivia!!!! You can see her wonderful creation at Olivia's Creative Quest. I'll be getting you some stampin goodies in the mail this week!! Thanks for playing along again!

And thank you to JuneeRene and SuzARTe for joining in this week too!!!

Up next: GCA #64 - Inspired by Art

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~