GCA #130 - Happy Mother's Day!!!

Hello all!!!  Finally, I have the never-ending wedding invites done!!!  I am so envious of those stampers who can do CAS to perfection!  I have another set to do later this year and I will definitely be doing them CAS!!!

While Easter is late this year, it seems that Mother's Day is EARLY!!  (We can never win can we??)  So, anything related to Mother's Day: cards, scrapbook pages, gifts or whatever are in order for this week. 

My sample for this week's GCA is also a combo with the Late Night Stampers weekly challenge of Mother's Day.  And, I was also asked to be the guest designer for April!  How cool is that??  Now I'm really nervous about posting my work!

The card today is really quite simple and easy.  The base is Very Vanilla textured (and leftover from the invites), the second panel is plain Very Vanilla and the punched scallops and circles are Peach Parfait textured.  The dsp is from Sweet & Sour.  The sketch is from Clean & Simple stamping - FTL134.

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 9, 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 GCA130 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 #49 - Spread Your Wings & Fly!

Hello all!!! I hope this finds everyone enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon in their neck of the woods, as I am.

For this week's GCA, you are to use anything on your card, project or scrapbook layout that has wings and flies! Such as, birds, butterflies or even fairies if you want!

This week's card is another from my archives that I haven't posted before. (And if I have, I'm sorry!)

This card uses the Garden Whimsy, which I had to have after convention in 2007!!! This is a very simple, clean and cute card. I alos used the only color I hardly EVER use, Orchid Opulence!!! But paired with Basic Black and Certainly Celery, it works!

So, for this week's GCA you need to create a card, project or scrapbook page that uses any images that fly, 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 July 18, 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 GCA49(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 49) 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 for next week, GCA #50, don't forget I will have an awesome stampin' goodie package for the lucky winner!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #48 - The Basic Tools!

Hello all!! I hope everyone had an enjoyable 4th, and safe one!! For this week's GCA, we are focusing on those basic tools we all had when we first started stamping!!

I have been using my crimper A LOT these days, and every time I use it I remember why I like it, but many times I forget to use it!

Both of my samples for you are using the crimper, but you DO NOT have to use a crimper. Any basic tool you really haven't pulled out and used in awhile is perfect! Remember when we used a light box and stylus for dry embossing? So make sure you're tools are basic!

My first sample I made during the week I spent in Indy for training. I took 1/2 of my stamp room with me, I think! I'm sure the hotel staff didn't know what to think! But, I had a lot of parts and pieces of things and used them to create some cards, and this is one of them!

The black piece was put through the crimper, length wise and not real tight, to create a subtle textured BG. The rest just kind of went together by chance, and there it is. I kept trying to put something at the top of the card, but nothing ever looked right and now I like it just fine! Actually, it is one of my favorites!

My second sample was created for this weeks Color Combo challenge on SCS: Kraft, Night of Navy and So Saffron to make a quick and simple thank you card for a co-worker. Actually, my layout/design came from a shirt she was wearing one day!! The only stamping on here is the sentiment. All the rest is Big Shot or punching!! I used my Simple Flower embosslit and Little Leaves sizzlet for the main images and to add a little texture, I crimped the So Saffron layer.

Again, I used the new set Teeny Tiny Wishes for sentiment. I am so loving this new set, and I can't seem to stop using it!! There is a sentiment for almost any occasion in there. The polka dotted ribbon I used is the new Crushed Curry gg. Yummy isn't it?

So, for this week's GCA you need to create a card, project or scrapbook page that uses any of your BASIC TOOLS, 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 July 11, 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 GCA48(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 48) 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 #43 - Clean and Simple

Hello all!!! Thank you to everyone who sent me well wishes for a speedy recovery from my recent back issues!! I am slowly recovering, but at least I can walk upright!! Need to go see the chiropractor now.

Anywho, on to our GCA for this week: Clean and Simple stamping. I am going to link you to the Clean and Simple (CAS) forum on SCS and to a blog devoted entirely to Clean and Simple cards/creations. Please visit either of these links to get an idea for CAS stamping. I have included a definition of CAS stamping that comes directly from the CAS forum on SCS:

Definition: A clean and simple card has limited layers and sometimes just a card base. It leaves a lot of "open space". It uses little or no embellishments. Any techniques should be the old standard everyday kind like sponging, distressing and piercing. Limit the number of tools you use. Any colored images should be small and quick. Don't go overboard on tons of punches and embossing. CAS cards should be easy and quick.

Essentially there is no right or wrong way or doing a CAS card. If you are someone, like me, who likes to pile on the layers and embellishments and such, then just by eliminating layers and embellies, you can have a clean and simple card.

My first sample I have to show you is based on CAS #13 - a sketch. We completed this card during my May club as a Father's Day card, and my girls just loved it!! I used the To The Nines speciality dsp and the oh so adorable, Forest Friends, from the Occasions mini. A few circle punches and, viola!! The circle with the owl is up on dimensionals for added interest.

To be entered in the challenge drawing, make a card or project using clean and simple stamping, 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 June 6, 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 GCA43(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 43) 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!!

Please remember to add the correct keywords to your creations, or give proper credit on your blog, if you use any of the CAS sketches or ideas from either site!!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

A Note for You!

Hello all!! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week and that spring has finally come to your area! Here in Jackson, MI, we are finally having warm, sunny days, birds are out and the flowers are blooming!! I love spring!!

My card for you today is one I made for the Inspiration challenge on SCS (IC176).

This IC is from a site called SKEEM - and it has a variety of eclectic candles and perfumes, all with amazing inspirations to get your mojo flowing!!I chose this pillar here: http://www.skeemshop.com/SkeemShop/p...illa%20Tobacco

The colors and simplicity of the design are what pulled me in. As I find it difficult to do "simple" cards, I wanted to take another stab at it! So for me, this is a simple card! My card base is PTI's white, along with SU!'s brushed silver, creamy caramel and black. Until I put these colors together, or saw them in the candle!!, I would never have thought they looked this good!

Let me know what you think!!! I love reading your comments!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~