GCA #108 - Trees, Trees Everywhere!!

Hello all!!!  Yesterday I spent a wonderful day at a stamping event with my up - upline, Jan Wakeland.  She is from Pennsylvania and she some to my little town of Jackson, MI!!!  Jan is an awesome person, so full of love, warmth and such a passion for guiding you in your SU! business.  I have learned a lot from her.  She asked me to do a presentation at the meeting, showing how to use our new Distressing Essentials Kit.  It was a lot of fun, and I forgot completely to take pictures of my projects!!  I know a couple of my friends did so I will see if they can forward them to me.

As I contemplated the challenge for this week, I sat on my balcony looking out and thought "I will sure miss the leaves on the trees surrounding the back of my apartment building."  Since I live in an older complex, we have many, many grown and mature trees that shade us and create privacy.  During the spring, summer and fall seasons I feel like I"m living in my own secluded world as much of the surrounding neighbors are hidden by the trees.  So that is where the idea for this week's GCA came from!

The card I have for you is one I made last year, while still a current set (Trendy Trees), some of the papers and embellies are not.  I used Sage Shadow, dsp from 2009 Holiday mini, Sage Shadow gg, Creamy Caramel textured card stock and Whisper White as my card base.  But still, it's a cute card, if I do say so myself!  This card was created for a VSN challenge on SCS last May.  Here's the details of that challenge:

For this challenge there was a list of items you needed to include on your card!! Those are:

5 layers of dp and/or cardstock
3 colors of ink
1 image
1 sentiment
3 dew drops (brads, bling or liquid pearls will qualify for this - no faux brads/etc)
Stickles or Shimmerz or glitter or glittery gel pen to glam it up!!
some sponging....
and to get the suitcase closed, you'll need some ribbon!! (thread will work too)

* Well, I have 6 layers of card stock, not counting the base layer!
* 1 image and 1 sentiment
* 3 brads
* ribbon and thread!!
* sponging on the frame and image panel
* gold and clear glittery pens used on the tree

My frame around the main image was made using the torn frame technique from the Nov/Dec 2008 TJ newsletter. I love how this turned out, but it took over half my time to create!! Good thing the rest of the card came together very quickly!!!!

My glittery pens on the tree don't show too well, but they are there!

So, the challenge for this week is to have your creation incorporate a tree, or trees, on it.  Even branches count.  And if you don't have any tree stamps, feel free to make your own!

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by October 9, 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 GCA108 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~~~

I made the High Rollers Gallery on SCS!!!!

Well, I just can't believe that my card I created for VSN, in the "Hitting the Tables" challenge was a chosen winner!!! You can see the card I created in this post, which we used as last week's GCA!!

I love playing in VSN and am always amazed at all the wonderful talent out there which shows up during this time. You can go to the VSN forum on SCS to see what it is all about and to get to the High Roller's gallery to see all the amazing cards!!

Thanks to Sara, the challenge hostess, for picking my card!! I am honored and humbled!!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #41 - It's All Black & White!!

Hello all!!! Today is getting away from me as I work on laundry and finishing up my cards from VSN over on SCS!! I love playing in VSN, as the challenges are so unique and fun. That is how I came up with this week's challenge!!

One of the VSN challenges was to make a Black, White and Red card. No other colors, just those three. While for the GCA, I am changing it up just a bit, and allowing you to use any other color, just do so in MODERATION!! The primary focus of your card should showcase black & white.

On my sample I decided to make a simple thank you card. I love to make B&W cards, but they sometimes don't always turn out like I envision them!! But this one did! I pulled out my level 2 hostess set, A Little Somethin', which I haven't even used yet!!, to create a dramatic thank you card. I am sending this off to my best girlfriend as a thanks for letting me use her lake cottage for the weekend!

I made this with the Taste of Textiles Black linen and the satin white stripe. The stamped image is clear embossed, but it's not showing too well.

On the inside I used the leftover Top Note frame and used a piece of the Real Red textured to highlight the frame. I just love my Little Leaves sizzlit and will probably wear it out someday!!!

Again, I used my Daisies #2 die for the inside flower.

To be entered in the challenge drawing, make a card or project using Black, White and a touch of another color, 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 May 23, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner through a random number generator 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 GCA41(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 41) 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!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~~Ann~~~~

Viva Las Vegas - VSN style!!!

Hello all!!! Well, I didn't get to pre-posting some items like I wanted, but I will try again this week-end!!

Today on SCS, they are hosting a mini-VSN to get our juices pumped for the main event in May!! You can click on the link and go right to the main challenge forum! But hurry, as you only have until Monday, 4/27 @ 10 pm to get your entries posted!! They're giving prizes!!

This is my first card I made for the "Bellie Up to the Buffet" challenge. This was hosted by Jenn Balcer and Lori Craig last night.

I also combined this with the LateNightStampers sketch challenge this week and CC215 on SCS: Basic Rose Pirouttes.

Now the challenge for this event was to use as many embellies as you wanted!!! No problem for me, seem to use alot anyway!! But, it was a little more difficult than I expected. I kept wanting to use so many things, and yet I had to stop because my card was getting really tacky!

I used the new dsp, Walk in the Park, Basic Gray corduroy brads and the white satin ribbon (all in the Occasions Mini), Button Bouquet and Fresh Fav. II buttons. I also used my Beautiful Butterflies and Billboard alpha die (for the bracket). The Pink Pirouette dsp in the bottom portion and then the PP gg finishes it off.

Now with VSN challenges, you only have 45 minutes to finish and this took me 30 minutes to assemble and complete, UNTIL I got to the corduroy brad!!! It took me almost 15 minutes of fiddling around with that to get it to cooperate!!

You can see on the inside, I put a strip of the Pink Pirouette and Walk in the Park dsp, along with a new toy I just received today: Simple Flower embosslit!!!!!! My Stampin' Sis through UDI sent me this and a jam packed box of wonderful goodies!!! Thanks Kay!!

If you have time, head on over to SCS and try your hand at VSN!!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

I Can See Clearly Now!!!

Hello everyone!!! This past weekend on SCS was VSN!!! I love participating in this event! Lately I've not had as much time as I would like to spend with it, but this past weekend I made three cards!

For this challenge we were create an acetate card, using any sort of clear material, but you had to be able to see through it! This is the very first time I have created an acetate card!!! Not as hard to do as I thought, but it sure is hard to take a good pic of it!! (HINT: To all of my challenge followers you may see this challenge soon!!)

I found some retired window sheets from SU! and used this as my base. I wanted to make sure I had enough stability so I put a *roof* on top and ledges on the bottom!! (These are a little more flimsy than if you used overhead transparencies.) And I wanted to cover up the adhesive showing through!!

I do like how this know resembles a window! As my oval coluzzle was still out from my other card, I just went to town cutting my ovals!!

Thanks for the fun challenge Jenny!!!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

For the Love of Chocolate!!

Hello everyone!!! More goodies to show you!!

My last VSN creation of this past weekend!! For those of you not familiar with VSN, it stands for Virtual Stamp Night and is tons of fun!!! I was a hostess during the February 2007 VSN!

For this challenge Christi gave a choice of three different color combos based on White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate. Since milk chocolate is my fave, I went with this color combo: Close to Cocoa, Almost Amethyst and Real Red!!! WOW! Would have not ever thought to pair these colors together, but I do love the end result!!

I also paired this with Beate's weekend sketch. So glad those are back!!

Thanks for a wonderful, and yummy, challenge Christi!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #30 - Think Ovals!!

Hello everyone!! For this week's GCA we are focusing on using OVALS!! I just received the new oval scallop frame die for my Big Shot and just had to play around with it! My sample is what I came up with and that was how I came up with this week's challenge!!

For this challenge, you must use ovals as the primary focus of your card. These can be cut out like mine, use a framed oval for the negative space or use oval shaped stamps! Whatever you choose, think ovals!!

On my sample I used the oval scallop frame by Sissix with More Mustard dsp. This was in the fall catalog hostess paper pack. For the inside of the oval frame I used the opposite side of the dsp. My choc. chip layer was cut with my coluzzle, as was the the smaller More Mustard inside oval.

I pierced around the oval frame following the scallops, but the picture doesn't show it too well. To get my ribbon through, I used my craft knife to cut a space and wove my ribbon through. None of my punches would fit due to to oval. I also used my new flower brads I just received and the So Saffron SAB ribbon!!

I double layered my butterfly and used Cameo Coral to bring a touch of another color! Lot of dimension on this card too!!! The main base is on dimensionals as well as the small mustard oval. I used thick foam squares on the butterfly.

This card also qualifies for the FEB09VSND - New Love. This challenge was to use new things within the last 2 months. Since I just received my die and flower brads, I think that counts!! Over on SCS VSN was held on Friday and Saturday. I have more to complete, so I better get crackin!!

To be entered in the challenge drawing, make a card with ovals as your primary focus, 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 February 27, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner through a random number generator and post the next Saturday or 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, or Paper Craft Planet, please put GCA30(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 30) 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!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #25 - Ever Heard of Scraplings??

Hello everyone!!! This week for the GCA we are focusing on using scraps to create our cards! Specifically we are making scraplings!!! What are scraplings you ask? Well, here is an explanation of what these cute little creations are!!

Scraplings are normally 1.25” x 4.25” because they are often made from the off cuts we get when we make a square card (4.25” square) from a piece of card that is 4.25” x 5.5”. However, your scraplings may be a little wider depending on what you were working on at the time.

SCS just hosted Virtual Stamp Night this past weekend, and one of the challenges was to create scraplings! To see tons of samples to get your creative juices flowing, check out this gallery.

The key to making scraplings is to use as many scraps from your stash as possible!! All of my samples were made with scraps either on my craft table, or out of my scrap stash.

On the two shorter scraplings I used an extra piece of Confetti Cream for the base, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss and a piece of Choc. Chip textured embossed with the embossing folder "Bird Call". The sample with the bird on it was made by using a scrap of Haiku dsp through the CB and then cutting out the bird and overlaying on the panel. The second sample uses scraps of Haiku dsp with my MS butterfly and branch punches. Both of these measure 2" x 4 1/4".

My third sample uses a strip left over from Riding Hood Red textured 12 x 12 cardstock. This scrapling measures 1 1/2" x 5 1/2". I then used scraps of Pink Pirouette textured and Shimmery White for the front. The hearts are stamped on RHR, Pink Pirouette and Choc. Chip textured scraps and punched out with the new 3 hearts punch from SU! This punch is part of the Love You Much bundle as well as the heart stamps. These are actually leftover from a shoebox swap I was in on Friday night!! Some are popped up with dimensionals and I added three crystal rhinestones for some bling!

To be entered in the challenge drawing, make a scrapling card using as many scraps from your stash as possible, 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 January 23, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner through a random number generator and post the next day.

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, or Paper Craft Planet, please put GCA25(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 25) 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 now for the REALLY fun part!!! To celebrate the 25th GCA, I will be giving away a slightly bigger stampin goodie package than normal!!! As soon as I have it put together, I'll post a pic!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

VSN weekend!!!

This weekend on SCS, VSN is happening right now!!!! Not sure what VSN is? Checkout this forum here for all the deets! The two cards I have here are my samples for the challenge I am hosting.

For this card I wanted to create an elegant Wedding/Anniversary card, and what better way than with black, silver and shimmery white? But what I love the most is how the silver ep just makes the motif pop right off the page!!!

And for just an added touch of color I used Regal Rose for the sentiment and flowers. I used SU!'s retired wide gray organdy for my ribbon so not to distract from the card. I miss our organdy ribbon!!!

For this card I wanted something soft, yet elegant, for a very feminine birthday card. I picked up the shimmery Mango cardstock at Archivers and love just how this goes with Apricot Appeal and just a touch of Pumpkin Pie. I also used Shimmery White c.s. for the Orchid and clear embossed the Birthday Wishes over Pumpin Pie craft.

I've had the big fabric brads forever and just never seem to find the right card/style to use them on. I just love the little touch of extra color they add here. The *{}* are also covered with clear ep over Apricot App. craft.

My layout came from the April/May issue of PaperCrafts JOCM recipe on page 22.

Enjoy VSN!!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~