Stampin' Anne

FMS #37 - Rita's Baby Blog Hop

2012-05-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello there! Happy Wednesday to you! I'm so excited to share this post with you today. You may have hopped on over here from the Freshly Made Sketches challenge blog. This week, I am happy to be a part of a very special blog hop for a very special friend, Rita Wright!

Welcome to the first stop on Rita's Baby Blog Hop!

Rita is getting ready to welcome her little bundle into the world in just a couple of short weeks. We all wanted to do something special to celebrate her sketch challenge over at FMS this week, which is her last before she takes "maternity leave". Congratulations to you Rita...and SURPRISE! ;)

This was a fun card to put together! First of all, I just love Rita's great sketch. I wanted to use one of her favorite stamp sets for this card, Fox and Friends. I was really stumped with how to pair it with the sketch until I came upon another stamp set that I know Rita loves, Send Me Soaring. I mean you really can NOT get much more fun then a monkey flying a kite, can you?

My color combo was inspired by the cutest pair of shoes that Rita recently picked up for her little lady. Seriously, can I get these in my size?

As this card is coming from me, I'm pretty sure Rita would expect it to be pink, so I couldn't disappoint her. I used a new In Color, Primrose Petals along with Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade and Pretty in Pink. The monkey's face and belly were colored with ink and a Blender Pen, as were the clouds. Then I added some Crystal Effects to snazz them up a bit. Because every little lady needs some sparkle, I added some Silver Glimmer Paper to the punched border and to the little kite. All of the supplies used are listed at the end of this post.

Here is the inside of the card, with one more cheeky monkey, just for fun.

Hey Rita, now you know why I haven't sent that package off to you yet. Hee Hee!

I hope you enjoyed your card, Rita! You will see it "in-person" very soon! Now who is ready to continue the baby hop? Next up, please stop and visit the lovely and talented Ann Schach to see what she has made for our momma-to-be. Also be sure to pop in and share some bloggy love with the ladies of the day, Rita and baby Laila!

Here is the official order of our Blog Hop:

Anne Marie Hile (you are here)

Ann Schach (next stop)

Cindy Hall

Erna Logtenberg

Jen Mitchell

Jennifer Timko

Kathy Tanner

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Linda Callahan

Nance Leedy

Tui Nathan

Tara Murphy Bourgoin

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a HAPPY day! :)

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Fox and Friends (retiring 5/31), Send Me Soaring (ret.), Up, Up, and Away (clouds), Petite Pairs, Occasional Quotes (inside sentiment) and Baby Bundle (inside gift box stamp)
Paper: Subtles DSP paper pad, Silver Glimmer Paper, Pretty in Pink, Primrose Petals (New!), Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Primrose Petals, Lucky Limeade, Pretty in Pink and Pool Party Classic ink
Punches: Pinking Heart Border punch, Triple Heart punch, 1" Circle punch and 1- 1/4" Circle punch
Accessories: Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Square Lattice Embossing folder, Blender Pens, Crystal Effects, Stampin Dimensionals and Basic Rhinestones
Non-SU! Accessories: circle and scallop circle die

Chock-Full of Holiday Cheer for Paper Players #97

2012-05-27T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hey, hey..it's Sunday!! That means it's time for another fab challenge over at the Paper Players! This week, LeAnne is our hostess and she has created an awesome sketch to play along with.

Since it is the end of May and over 90 degrees here in South Texas...I went with a Christmas card for this challenge. Seems perfectly logical, right? Haha! Actually, I just REALLY wanted to use some of my new stampin' goodies that arrived at my doorstep not too long ago. The Chock Full of Cheer stamp set featured here, is a "sneak peek from the upcoming SU! catty"...which makes it's debut June 1st!!

I punched the ornament from the 1- 3-4" Circle punch and then accented the middle of the ornament by adding the complimentary color with the 3/4" circle punch. I cut out the heat-embossed "ornament hanger" for a little added detail. The color combo is Chery Cobbler, Very Vanilla and the brand-new, Gumball Green! I am SO loving this new color!

Here is the inside of the card, with a sentiment from the Occasional Quotes set (ret.) Never too early to get started on those holiday cards, I say:

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I sure hope you will play along with this fun sketch challenge over at the Paper Players. The rest of the Design Team have created some wonderful projects. Please stop by and say hello to them. The challenge is open until 12:00 Noon (PST) on Friday, June 1st.

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile (you are here)

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Our Guest Designer for May:

Narelle Farrugia (GD)

Have a very HAPPY day today,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Chock-Full of Cheer, Teeny Tiny Wishes and Occasional Quotes (inside, ret.)
Paper: Be of Good Cheer DSP, Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green and Very Vanilla card stock
Ink: VersaMark, Gumball Green and Cherry Cobbler Classic ink
Punches: 1- 3/8" Circle punch, 3/4" Circle punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, Modern Label punch and Word Window punch
Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Gumball Green 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon. Snowburst Embossing Folder, Basic Pearls and Stampin Dimensonals
Non SU!: scallop circle die

Shabby Chic for Our Creative Corner

2012-05-26T04:30:00.000-05:00

Looking for my Dynamic Duos post? It's right after this post. :)

Hello again! This week at Our Creative Corner, the lovely and talented Sue Butler is our hostess and she is challenging us to create a "Shabby-Chic" project. Here are the details in Sue's own words:

"The theme this week is unequivocally 'Shabby Chic'. This means the shabby part of Vintage! The challenge requires you to pull elements together, the more old/worn and distressed the elements/images the better; think of muted colours, layers, roses, burlap and pearls. You do not have to use all of these elements. The effect you are aiming for is a soft warm palette."

Ok, do you want to know a secret? I am NOT a shabby-chic gal. (not shocking, right?) I absolutely love this style, but it is a style that doesn't really come easily for me. After being a part of the Our Creative Corner Design Team (and having a friend like Ann Schach), who are masters of the "shabby chic-ness", I was hoping that I learned a thing or two from viewing their fantastic projects. In searching around "blogland" before I got started on my card, I was also inspired by the Crafty Creations Challenge featuring Pastels, Pearls and Lace.

When I thought "shabby-chic", the stamp set that came to mind was Artistic Etchings. I was going to try to make it work with the pink/yellow/ivory/kraft color combo I had decided on. There are a lot of details on this card. I sponged ink on all of the edges, used the Color Spritzer Tool for some soft accents, glittered up the edges of the scalloped frame, dyed the seam binding, distressed all of the edges, busted out some acrylic paint to color the corner accent, heat embossed the stamped images...it was a lot but I totally had fun with the process of creating the card. I left the inside of the card dressed-up yet blank. I figure I can add a sentiment when the occasion suits. (anniversary, engagement, wedding)

I dyed some Very Vanilla seam binding to match Blushing Bride. It's really easy, just fill a small bowl with water and a couple drops of re-inker. Add your seam binding, swirl it around, (don't splash it on your white shirt like I did) let it dry and BAM...custom-colored seam binding! All of the supplies used are listed at the end of this post.

I hope you will join us and play along this week over at Our Creative Corner! Please stop by and see what the rest of the gals on the Design Team have created for inspiration this week, as well:

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Wendy Janson- It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts
Holly Kean- Kean On Paper
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) - Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu- Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan- Stampin Time
Lori Rider- The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney- Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet- Designs by Sharon

Have a SUPER day!!

Stampin' Up! Supply list:
Stamps: Artistic Etchings
Paper: Subtles Patterns DSP, Blushing Bride, So Saffron, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla card stock
Punches: Small Oval (ret.) and Scalloped Oval punch
Accessories: Very Vanilla seam binding (dyed with Blushing Bride re-inker), Color Spritzer Tool, Crumb Cake Stampin' Write Marker, Cutter Kit (for distressing), Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Stamping Sponges, Basic Pearls, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter and Stampin' Dimensionals
Non-SU! Accessories: lace trim and flower sent from a friend in Denmark, metal corner accent and metal accent behind sentiment from Linda Coughlin at Our Creative Corner and acrylic paint (for metallic corner accent)

Dynamic Duos #4 - Monochromatic, Baby!

2012-05-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Hello there! It's Saturday and time for the 4th challenge over at Dynamic Duos! This week we are featuring a monochromatic color combo to play along with. Do you have the "blues"? We sure do at Dynamic Duos! But not the "sad and mopey blues", our combo features Bashful Blue and Marina Mist. So pretty! I've dubbed my card "Monochromatic, baby!" (*said in the Austin Powers voice*...Yeah!)

As soon as I saw this week's sketch over at Mojo Monday, I knew I wanted to use it for a baby boy card with these colors. Love this sketch! I added black and white as my neutrals and used the Subtles DSP paper pad for the patterned paper.

I colored the baby carriage with Bashful Blue and Marina Mist markers and added some Dazzling Details glitter glue to jazz up the image. That sweet baby face stamp is so cute, I always add that tiny face to the carriage image when I use it. He kind of looks like a sweet version of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy, without the booglie-eyes.

Here is a shot of the inside of the card, using a quote from the Occasional Quotes stamp set (ret.). That set has seen a lot of ink, for sure. I added some bitty booties to the corner because they were just too adorable NOT to.

Thanks for stopping by today! I sure hope you will join us and play along over at Dynamic Duos this week. Check out the site for the challenge rules and also be sure to pop by and visit the rest of the gals on the Design Team to see what they have whipped up with these colors:

The Dynamic Duos Design Team:

Have a very HAPPY day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Baby Bundle and Occasional Quotes (inside, ret.)
Paper : Subtles DSP Paper Pad, Marina Mist, Basic Black and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Basic Black Classic ink
Punches: Scallop Trim Border punch
Accessories: Bashful Blue, Marina Mist and Black Stampin' Write Markers, Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta ribbon, Subtles Designer Buttons, White Baker's Twine, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, bitty Banners Framelits (new), Dazzling Details, Basic Pearls and Stampin' Dimensionals

Photo Inspiration and Furry Pearls for Our Creative Corner

2012-05-20T20:48:00.001-05:00

Hello there! I wanted to share this week's challenge over at Our Creative Corner. I am a day late with my card, because I had a crazy couple days leading up to the weekend. More on that, coming soon. But, I finally got my card finished and am so excited to share the current challenge with you. The fabulously talented Miehsia Liu is our hostess this week and she has a great photo and color inspiration challenge for us. Here are the challenge details in her own words:

"We would love to see a color combination of orange and blue with tones from white, cream to a bit of brown."

I based my card design on the wonderful sketch over at Stamping 411. I know I say it a lot, but I REALLY love their sketches and the fun inspiration on their site. Check it out, if you have never visited them before.Thanks, ladies!

Here is a close up of this really thick, layered flower. I'm pretty sure this one will be hand-delivered to the recipient because it is absolutely not fitting in a standard envelope to mail. Oops! I sponged all of the edges with some Soft Suede ink to add some extra interest. It seemed like it needed a little distressing. As an added bonus, there is a random "fur-deposit" from one of my four-legged buddies stuck under one of the pearls. I am not going to tell you which pearl...I would hate to ruin the surprise. I attempted to edit most of it out of the close up photo below. Ugh...sorry about that. :/

Thanks for stopping by to visit. If you have a chance this week, I hope you can play along with us over at Our Creative Corner. Be sure to visit the rest of the gals on the Design Team to see their beautiful creations, too.

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Our Guest Designer this week:

Lin Brandyberry- Sending Hugs

Have a HAPPY day today,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Perfect Punches
Paper: Everyday Enchantment DSP (ret. SAB), Peach Parfait, Pool Party and Very Vanilla card stock
Ink: Peach Parfait and Soft Suede (for sponging) Classic ink
Punches: XL Oval punch, Boho Blossoms punch
Accessories: Designer Neutrals Buttons (new), Apothecary Accents Dies (new), Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Basic Pearls and Stampin' Dimensionals

Paper Players #96 - CAS with Polka Dots

2012-05-20T03:30:00.000-05:00

Hello there! It's Sunday and that means it is time for another fun challenge over at the Paper Players! This week, I am the hostess and I selected a CAS (Clean and Simple) Challenge featuring Polka Dots. Polka dots are so fresh and fun! Lesley created a super-cute inspiration photo for the challenge, too. You can use the photo for some creative mojo, or not...but we really hope that you will play along with us this week.

In the effort of keeping things CAS, I decided on the Up, Up & Away stamp set simply because of the polka-dotted balloon. I dressed it up with the Cheerful Treat DSP (Hostess reward). Figured I should probably bust into this paper before it retires at the end of the month. I stamped, heat embossed and cut-out the balloon with Iridescet Ice embossing powder to give it some sparkle.All of the supplies used are listed at the end of the post.

My inspiration for this challenge was actually my Kate Spade iPhone case. It is pink, polka-dotted and super-cute. Pretty close to the design on the balloon, right? :)

Here is a quick shot of the inside of the card, simply continuing the message from the front:

Please stop by and visit the rest of the gals on the Paper Players Design Team to see what they have whipped up this week. We sure hope you will join us and play along. The challenge closes on Friday, May 25th at 12:00 pm (PST).

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile (you are here)

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Our Guest Designer for May:

Narelle Farrugia (GD)

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a HAPPY day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Up, Up & Away
Paper: Cheerful Treat DSP (Hostess), Lucky Limeade, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette and Whisper White card stock
Ink: VersaMark, Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade and Basic Black Cassic ink
Punches: Scallop Border punch, 1" Circle punch, 1- 1/4" Circle punch
Accessories: Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine, Perfect Polka Dots Embossng Folder, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

Black Tie Color Combo for Dynamic Duos #3

2012-05-19T04:30:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to week #3 over at the Dynamic Duos challenge blog! This week is our "Black TIe Color Challenge"! That means we will be featuring one color, dressed-up and mixed with Basic Black. Everything is better with dessert, right? So, this week we have a special dessert option to add to the colors combo, if you choose: Dry Embossing.

For my "Black Tie" color combo, I decided to focus on a houndstooth-theme. I used the Posy Punch (hostess) stamp set and complimented the houndstooth pattern in the flower with the Houndstooth Embossing Folder. The flower, flower center and sentiment (from the Curly Cute set) are heat embossed for some added shine. I go inspiration for my card after seeing the fun sketch over at the Clean and Simple Stamping blog.

Here is a shot of the flower detail. I punched the embossed flower from the coordinating Fancy Flower punch, the flower center from a 3/4" punch, matted with a 1" Circle punch from black card stock. I dressed up the flower center with a piece of yellow bling from my stampin' stash.

I sure hope you will join us over at Dynamic Duos this week for our Black Tie Color Challenge. You can link up until Thursday, May 24th at 12:00 noon (PST). Please stop by and see what the rest of the lovely ladies on the Design Team have whipped up for this week's challenge:

The Dynamic Duos Design Team:

Thanks for visiting! :)
Enjoy your day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Posy Punch (hostess) and Curly Cute
Paper: Night and Day DSP (ret.), Daffodil Delight, Basic Black and Whisper White card stock
Ink: VersaMark ink and Basic Black Classic ink
Punches: Fancy Flower punch, 3/4" Circle punch, 1" Circle punch, Scallop Border punch, 1- 3/8" Square punch (to create banner sentiment)
Accessories: Houndstooth Embossing Folder, Clear Embossing powder, Stampin' Dimensionals
non-SU! accessories: yellow bling and black shiny accents

Poppy-tastic Birthday Wishes!

2012-05-13T00:26:00.000-05:00

Hey, hey...it's Sunday! Happy Mother's Day to all the momma's out there! This week at the Paper Players, the lovely and talented Ann Schach is our hostess, with a fabulous color combo to take for a creative spin.

ANY color combo that includes Poppy Parade is a winner in my book. Sadly, that color is retiring from the SU! catalog at the end of the month. I may, or may not, have bought an extra ink pad and 2 packs of "reserve" card stock, just because I LOVE that color so much! Ah, Poppy Parade, i will miss you so.... :(

For the layout of my card, I looked no further then one of my favorite sites for sketch inspiration: Stamping 411. Check it out!! :)

I busted out my Floral Fusion and Swirly Scribbles (retiring soon!) dies...simply because I haven't used them in a while. (Although I accidentally used the wrong color blue card stock on the flowers the first time I made my card...sigh) Speaking of unused items...I have been neglecting the Happiest Birthday Wishes (Hostess) stamp set, so wanted to show it some love before it retires. The Designer Series Papers ARE new, however! The Daffodil Delight pattern is from the Summer Smooches DSP and the Baja Breeze pattern is from the Floral District DSP. Both are coming soon in the new SU! catty on June 1st! All of the supplies I used are listed at the end of this post.

A quick shot of the inside of the card, that coordinates simply with the front:

I hope you will join us this week over at the Paper Players! The challenge closes on Friday, May 18th at 12 Noon (PST). Please stop by and visit the rest of the gals on the Design Team to see their colorful creations:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile (you are here)

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Welcome our Guest Designer for May:

Narelle Farrugia (GD)

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Have a HAPPY day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Happiest Birthday Wishes (Hostess set)
Paper: Summer Smooches DSP (New!), Floral District DSP (New!), Poppy Parade, Baja Breeze, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White card stock
Accessories: Poppy Parade and Baja Breeze Stampin' Write Markers, Floral Fusion Sizzlit Die, Swirls Scribbles Sizzlit Die, Poppy Parade 1/2" Stitched Poly ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing folder, Bity Punch pack, Stampin' Dimensionals and Basic Rhinestones

Dynamic Duos Challenge #2

2012-05-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

Looking for my Our Creative Corner post? Please scroll down just a wee bit! :)

Hello! I'm really excited to share my post for the challenge #2 over at Dynamic Duos! We had a BLAST last week at the inaugural challenge and hope to keep the party going this week. Here is the challenge rotation, just so you know what we have planned for upcoming challenges:

Week 1-Bold and Sassy-bright, happy colours
Week 2-Subtly Yours-soft, romantic colours
Week 3-Black Tie-one colour plus black and a dessert option
Week 4-Monochromatic-same colours in different hues (light/dark)
Week 5-Mix and Match-we choose one colour and you add the other colour to ours to create your own "Dynamic Duo".

It's Week 2 and we are playing it up with So Saffron (pale yellow) and Pool Party (light aqua)! Isn't this a F-U-N color combo?

For my card, I really wanted to play along with 2 new *sneak peek* items from the new Stampin' Up! Catalog, coming June 1st: the Layered Labels stamp set and the coordinating Apothecary Accents Framelits dies. That is that really cool shaped layer behind the sentiment.

I opted not to use the sentiment from that stamp as I needed a birthday card to mail and that was how this card came about. I heat embossed the sentiment from Petite Pairs and then layered an Oval and Scalloped Oval punch on top of that fun die. I wanted to keep my card on the simple side, so I went to an embossing folder I don't use nearly enough: Elegant Bouquet. I simply popped some rhinestones on the flowers and added more texture to the card background and there you have it. I actually really like how CAS this card came out...and it is really easy to mail, so that is a huge plus!

The inside sentiment is also heat embossed and decorated in coordinating colors:

Please stop by and visit the rest of the gals on the Dynamic Duos Design Team to see what colorful creations they have whipped up for this week's challenge. I hope you will join us and play along. Our challenge closes on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at Noon (PST).

The Dynamic Duos Design Team:

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a HAPPY day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Layered Labels (New!) and Petite Pairs (sentiment)
Paper: Pool Party, So Saffron and Whisper White card stock
Ink: VersaMark, So Saffron and Pool Party Classic ink
Punches: Large Oval, Scalloped Oval, Scallop Border punch
Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, Apothecary Accents Framelits Die (New!), Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

A Sketch Challenge at Our Creative Corner

2012-05-12T02:00:00.000-05:00

Hello and Happy Saturday to you! This week at Our Creative Corner, the fabulously talented Meihsia Liu is our hostess and has a fun sketch challenge to play along with. The details are simple: follow the sketch above and be sure to create a ribbon bow on your project. Simple, right? I hope you will join us and play along!

I'm continuing to have fun with all of the new Stampin' Up! sneak peek goodies from the upcoming catalog. As soon as I saw the Betsy's Blossoms stamp set, I knew it would quickly become a favorite. I don't know who Betsy is, but she certainly has a fun sense of style! The bird, the big flower behind the bird and flowers on the inside of the card come from this set. Love it!

I used the color combo from the new Floral District DSP and my guide for the card. I really like how the yellow pops! I cut out and then popped-up the bird and punched circles for some dimension. I also added some spots of bling to dress it up a bit. All of the supplies I used are listed at the end of the post. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to shoot me an email. :)

Here is a quick shot of the inside of the card:

This challenge is going on through Friday, May 18th, 2010 at 11:59pm (EST) over at Our Creative Corner. Please stop by and say hello to the rest of the gals on the Design Team to see what they have made with Meihsia's fabulous sketch:

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Our Guest Designer this week:

Sandra Mouwen - Made by Sannie

Thanks for stopping by! :)
Enjoy your day today,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Betsy's Blossom's (New!) and Friendly Phrases
Paper: Floral District DSP (New!), Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Rich Razzleberry and Daffodil Delight Classic ink
Punches: 1- 1/4" Circle punch, 1- 3/8" Circle punch, Lace Ribbon Border punch, Boho Blossoms punch (for the flower on the bow) and Bird Builder punch (branches)
Accessories: Daffodil Delight Seam Binding (New!), Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot ribbon (retired), Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Write Marker (to shade around the edges of the cut-out bird and to color in the centers of the flowers on the inside of the card), Glimmer Brad in Pear Pizzazz (but it was really close to Lucky Limeade), Square Lattice Embossing folder, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals
Non-SU! Accessories: scalloped rectangle die

Keep Calm for Mom - Paper Players #94

2012-05-06T02:13:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday and that is great for TWO reasons! Not only is it time for anther fab challenge over at the Paper Players...but it is also my husband's birthday! Happy Birthday, sweetie! But you came here for some stamping, right? So let's get to the challenge at hand. This week, the lovely Nance is our hostess and she has a Theme Challenge for us. It's all about MOM at the Paper Players, this week!

For my project, I was inspired by my own Mom. Seriously, that lady loves to shop. Ha! Guess I know where I get it from! What better Mother's Day gift, then one centered around the "sport" of shopping? Give it up for some new Stampin' Up! goodies! Whoo hoo! As soon as I saw the new Keep Calm Hostess set from the upcoming catalog, I knew I had to have it. "Keep Calm and Shop On" is probably the best sentiment EVER! Paired with that sweet handbag image...ahhh, that is pure shopping bliss! I used the colors in the new Floral District DSP for the project, too. I am seriously, loving this new paper!

After stamping those handbags, I remembered that I had the Petite Purse die which I bought a few months ago and never used. Hello there, coordinating gift box..with more bling, of course! All of the supplies I used are listed at the end of the post, but please feel free to email me if you have any questions. :)

This bitty handbag can hold some chocolates or in this case, a piece of jewelry. The reverse side of the paper was NOT a coordinating color...so, I had to die cut a second purse in Lucky Limeade card stock and glued the patterned paper to it. This way, when the purse is opened, the inside matches the color-theme.

Here is a shot of the inside of the card, which I turned into a gift card holder. With that sentiment, you almost have to add some spending power for the recipient, don't you? I simply added Sticky Strip around the sides and bottom of the Lucky Limeade card stock, to create a "pocket" for the gift card. It's a gift card holder, designed as a card! Super simple and can easily be adapted for any occasion!

Thanks for stopping by! I sure hope you will join us over at the Paper Players and share your creations for Mother's Day. The challenge is open until Friday, May 11th until Noon (PST). Please stop by and visit the rest of the gals on the Design Team, to see their beautiful projects:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile (you are here)

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Welcome our Guest Designer for May:

Narelle Farrugia (GD)

Have a super Sunday!
I'm off to spend the day with my favorite Birthday Boy! *grin*
Hugs,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Keep Calm (NEW, Hostess), Teeny Tiny Wishes and You're a Gem (inside)
Paper: Floral District DSP (NEW), Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Rich Razzleberry and Lucky Limeade Classic ink
Punches: 1" Circle punch, 1- 1/4" Circle punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, 1/4" Circle punch, Bitty Punch Pack (flower on the handbag)
Accessories: Petite Purse Bigz die, Bitty Banners Framelits die (NEW) , Dazzling Details colored with Rich Razzleberry re-inker, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin Dimensionals
Non-SU! Accessories: Amazon Gift Card

Hoppy Hello for Dynamic Duos #1

2012-05-05T04:00:00.000-05:00

Looking for my Our Creative Corner post? Just scroll down a little! :)

Well, the day is finally here!!! It is the FIRST Official Challenge over at Dynamic Duos! How exciting is THAT?! Our first challenge colors came from our Facebook winner, Sharla who suggested that we create with "lime and aqua" this week. That was a fabulous choice for our first challenge, as I love absolutely these colors together! Sharla just happens to be joining us as a Guest Designer this week because she selected these fabulous colors. Are YOU following our Facebook page? CLICK HERE to "like" the Dynamic Duos page.

For my card, I was inspired by this week's Mojo Monday sketch. I tend to shy away from "square or round" cards, so this was a fun challenge for me

I used the Everyday Enchantment DSP which is retired from this year's Sale-A-Bration catty. The pattern on the paper reminded me of the skin of a frog (I have NO idea why!)...so that's where the froggy image from Turtle and Co. came from. I'm not a huge fan of frogs, so this cute image is as far as I get to the little buggers. I added a little embossing, the sheer ribbon, sparkle and that patterned brad. I watercolored the image with inks and a Blender Pen. But, in the end, the googlie eyes are what really add personality to this guy! The complete supply list is added to the end of this post.

I sure hope you will join us for the Dynamic Duos kick-off challenge! Please stop by and visit the rest of the inaugural Design Team to see what they have whipped up for this challenge. The challenge is open until Thursday, May 10th at Noon (PDT).

The Dynamic Duos Design Team:

Allisa Chilton

Anne Marie Hile

Anika Lerche

Bronwyn Eastley

Kim Singdahlsen

Lesley Croghan

Lisa Elton

Melissa Chipperfield

Paige Grabau

Sue Joyce

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Enjoy your day today,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Turtle and Co.
Paper: Everyday Enchantment DSP (ret.), Pool Party, Lucky Limeade and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Versamark, Basic Black, Pool Party and Lucky Limeade Classic ink
Punches: Decorative Label punch and Scallop Trim Corner punch
Accessories: Blender Pens, Dazzling Details, Crystal Effects, Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad pack (ret.), Textured Impression Embossing Folders, Clear Embossing Powder,Heat Tool, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimennsionals
Non-SU! Accessories: googlie eyes, grey marker

A Color Trifecta for OCC

2012-05-05T00:37:00.003-05:00

It's Saturday and time for another challenge over at Our Creative Corner! Guess who is the hostess again this week? Yuppers...that would be me. :) A few weeks ago, while perusing Pinterest, I came across a graphic with colors that I absolutely loved. I have a slight ~~infatuation~~ ok, obsession, with giraffes...so that is probably what inspired me with these colors. That graphic is awesome! Then, just yesterday, a big ol' box of new Stampin' Up! goodies was delivered to my door and I was ready to go!

I used the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches (designed by the fabulous Jen Mitchell) for the design of my card. At first, I stamped a couple of different images but they didn't seem to pop like I wanted them to. This card needed dimension! Then I turned to my trusty Butterfly Punch...which sadly is retiring at the end of May. So, I am officially declaring May as the "month of the Butterfly Punch" just to make sure it gets some proper recognition. Who is with me? :)

I used two brand-spankin' new DSP (Designer Series Paper) packs for this card: Comfort Cafe and Floral District. The new 1/4" Stitched Ribbon in Daffodil Delight is also shown on this card. The sentiment was die cut from the new Bitty Banners Framelits Die. It cuts those cute banners PERFECTLY, every time! Can I get a "whoo-hoo" for THAT? For those with "Banner OCD" like this gal, these dies are simply fabulous and a must-have! All four of those products will be available with the new SU! catalog, coming soon. Give me shout out, if you want more details. All of the products used are listed at the end of this post. Please email me if you have any questions at: annemariehile@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! I sure hope you will join us this week at Our Creative Corner! The challenge closes on Friday, May 11th at 11:59pm (EST). Be sure to stop by and say hello to the rest of the lovely ladies on the OCC Design Team to check out their fantastic creations:

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Our Guest Designer this week:

Anna Christensen - Anna Christensen Crafts

Thanks for stopping by,

Stampin' Up! Supply List;
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Comfort Cafe (NEW) and Floral District (NEW) DSP, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Crumb Cake Classic ink
Punches: Butterfly Punch
Accessories: Circle Scissors Plus, Perfect Pennants DIe, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Bitty Banners Framelits Die (NEW), Daffodil Delight 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (NEW), Basic Pearls and Stampin' Dimensionals

Tic-Tac-Toe for The Paper Players

2012-05-02T00:08:00.000-05:00

Hello there, stamping friends! The past few days have been incredibly BUSY, to say the least, but I wanted to share this week's challenge over at the Paper Players with you. Lesley has a super-fun "Tic-Tac-Toe" challenge to play along with. I am sorry that I am taking the week off, due to some unforeseen events. (*can you see my sad face?*) The Paper Players Design Team have whipped up some creative awesomeness for this one. These ladies are truly the BEST! Please stop by their blogs to visit and share some smiles! :)

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile (you are here)

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Shirley Pumpkin - GD for April

The challenge closes on Friday, May 4th at Noon (PST) so I hope you are able to play along!

Have a HAPPY day!

A Mother's Day Recipe for Our Creative Corner

2012-04-28T00:03:00.001-05:00

Hello, hello! It's Saturday and you know what that means...time for another fun challenge over at Our Creative Corner. Whoo hoo! This week, I am the humble hostess and I wanted to share a challenge to celebrate the upcoming Mother's Day holiday. This week we are cooking it up in the "creative kitchen." The mission is to create a "Recipe for Mom" with a list of fun "ingredients" to whip up the perfect project for Mother's Day. I sure hope you will join us!

I was also really inspired by the sketch over at Stamping 411. I just love their sketches! When I saw it, I knew I wanted to use a whole bunch of my under-utilized products from the SU! Occasions Mini catty....which sadly expires on April 30th.

This is the first time my Apothecary Art stamp set (from the mini catty) has seen ink. That is crazy! It is such a pretty set and if I can watercolor it, anyone can. Haha! I used a Blender Pen and Classic Ink Pads for my watercoloring. I love how it coordinates with the Labels Collection Framelits...which was also used for the first time on this card. I'm a slacker! Ugh!

There is a lot of texture and dimension on this one. I popped up and also heat embossed the sentiment from the Something to Celebrate set (ret.) for a little added interest. What better way to dress up an image then to add some pretty pearls? They help to distract from my lack of coloring skills. All of the supplies I used are listed at the end of this post. I'm always so hesitant to over-explain my card, but if you ever have a question, please shoot me an email at: annemariehile@gmail.com. :)

Please join us this week at Our Creative Corner! The challenge runs through 11:59 pm (EST) on Friday, May 4th, 2012. Be sure to visit the rest of the lovely ladies on the Design Team to see what they whipped up in the "creative kitchen":

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Thank you so much for stopping by today!
Hope you have a very HAPPY day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Apothecary Art (Occasions Mini Catty) and Something to Celebrate (ret. Hostess)
Paper: Twitterpated DSP (Occasions Mini), Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze and Blushing Bride card stock
Inks: Basic Black, Riding Hood Red, VersaMark, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride and Baja Breeze Classic ink
Accessories: Blender Pens, Labels Collection Framelits (Occasions Mini), Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Twitterpated Designer Buttons (Occasions Mini), Basic Pearls and Stampin Dimensionals

Exciting News!

2012-04-27T01:24:00.000-05:00

Hello there! I am super-excited to share some Design Team news. I have been invited to be a part of the inaugural Design Team team over at the NEW Dynamic Duos Challenge. Whoo hoo!!!

I am so thrilled to work with the amazing ladies that are on this team.

Here is the DT line-up:

The Dynamic Duos Challenge Blog

Our first challenge will premiere on Saturday, May 5th. You won't want to miss it! Our first challenge colors were decided via our Facebook page. CLICK HERE to "like" the Dynamic Duos team on Facebook. Here is how our challenge works:

The challenge is divided into weekly "themes"...
Week 1-Bold and Sassy - bright, happy colours
Week 2-Subtly Yours - soft, romantic colours
Week 3-Black Tie - one colour plus black and a dessert option
Week 4-Monochromatic - same colours in different hues (light/dark)
Week 5-Mix and Match - we choose one colour and you add the other colour to ours to create your own "Dynamic Duo".

Thanks for visiting!

Have a HAPPY day,

Time to Say Goodbye - SU! Retired Lists are HERE!

2012-04-25T10:47:00.000-05:00

This morning, Stampin' Up! announced the accessories that are set to retire with the arrival of the new catalog.

This list is packed with some fantastic deals that are available ONLY while supplies last, through May 31, 2012

Some items are up to 70% off! Wowza!

Don't wait to purchase, as these items will sell out quickly!

Click this link to view the list: Retiring Accessory List

Don't stress out when you see the ink pads on this list....they are simply re-designing them to make them better then ever!

Also, don't forget to check out the retiring stamp sets that will only be available through May 31, 2012.

Click this link to view the list: Retiring Stamp List

Contact me today to get your hands on these great products before they are gone! As always, you can always place your order anytime 24/7 on my website.

Click HERE to shop NOW!

Happy "Bird-day" for Paper Players #92

2012-04-22T02:03:00.000-05:00

Hello and Happy Sunday to you!

This week at the Paper Players, our very own Nance Leedy is our hostess

with a super-fun sketch challenge to try.

I decided to throw this challenge to the birds...well, not literally... but they were the theme of my card. I have completely neglected the Nursery Nest DSP over the past few months and decided that it was time to dig that paper out for this week's challenge. After a couple (*cough, cough*) stamped attempts with a few different images, I finally decided to go with a trusty punch for this one. I dressed up the bird with some embossed accents for texture along with a polka dot wing and some sparkle for good measure. This is the first time EVER that I was able to punch a banner sentiment with a 1- 1/4 Square punch. I usually snip the banners by hand...but I followed THIS TUTORIAL and finally achieved "punchy-success!" Thanks Mary Fish!! All of the supplies used are listed at the end of this post.

Finally, here is a quick shot of the inside...with the "punny" sentiment that plays off the front of the card..."Happy *Bird* Day!":

Please join us this week at the Paper Players! If you have a chance, please stop by the rest of the Design Team blogs to see what they created with Nance's awesome sketch this week. The challenge closes at Noon (PST) on Friday, April 27th, 2012.

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Shirley Pumpkin - GD for April

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Have a very HAPPY and creative day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: You're a Gem and Picture This (inside sentiment, retired)
Paper: Nursery Nest DSP, Subtles Collection DSP (for the bird wing), Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Perfect Plum and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Perfect Plum and Pear Pizzazz Classic ink
Punches: 1- 1/4" square punch (to create the banner sentiment), 1- 3/4" Circle punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch and Bird Builder Punch
Accessories: Blushing Bride 1/2" Poly-Stitched Ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Stampin' Dimensionals and Basic Rhinestones
Non SU! Accessories: circle and scallop circle die cut

Bright Butterflies for Our Creative Corner

2012-04-21T00:02:00.000-05:00

Hey, hey, it's finally Saturday! Woot woot! Time for another fun challenge over at Our Creative Corner. This week, Irena Kowalczyk is our hostess once again and she has a fun theme challenge to share:

"This week's challenge is based on this inspiration photo of "Butterflies". Make a project, card, or tag inspired by the photo. Then tell us why you love butterflies."

My card ended up pretty clean and simple. When I thought about what I wanted to make for this challenge, all that came to mind was to use the Summer Smooches DSP. I love the bright and cheerful colors in that paper! Then I just played off the colors in the paper to create some layered butterflies using the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die. I added some texture and a little bling (shocking, I know) and there you have it. I'm planning to use this card for one of the projects in my Summer Fun Big Shot class, next month.

Speaking of butterflies, we seem to have a lot of them visiting our yard over the past week or so. I snapped a few photos of them to share.

They are such beautiful and delicate creatures, aren't they?

I sure hope that you will join us this week at Our Creative Corner as we celebrate butterflies. Please stop by and visit the rest of the gals on the Design Team to see their creations:

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Our Guest Designer this week:

Birgit Edblom- Rapport från ett skrivbord

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a HAPPY day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Friendly Phrases
Paper: Summer Smooches DSP, Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Island Indigo Classic ink
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

CAS Watercoloring for The Paper Players

2012-04-15T01:38:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday and you know what that means! Time for another fun challenge over at the Paper Players! This week, Jaydee is our hostess and she has challenged us to create CAS (Clean and Simple) projects featuring: Watercoloring.

Now, I'm not the best at watercoloring, but it's fun to keep on trying it out. I decided to color-up the Greeting Card Kids stamp set using my Blender Pens and ink pads. I attempted to keep it pretty CAS, which for me, still means a couple of layers. One day, I will make a one-layer card...really. All of the supplies used are listed at the end of the post.

Here is a close-up of my awesome coloring skills. *Insert chuckles here.* I added some Dazzling Details (glitter glue) to her little heart and a piece of bling to her hair bow. Yes, I am attempting to distract you with sparkly accents. Is it working? ;)

This card is going in the mail to a good friend who needs a little cheering up (along with a cute pair of earrings from Brighton). Here is a shot of the inside with a sentiment from the (ret.) Occasional Quotes stamp set:

I hope you will share some CAS Watercoloring with us this week over at the Paper Players! The challenge is open until Friday April 20th at Noon (PST). Be sure to visit the rest of the gals on the Design Team to see what they have created this week:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Shirley Pumpkin - GD for April

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a HAPPY day today,

Stampin' Up Supply List:
Stamps: Greeting Card Kids, Perfect Words and Occasional Quotes (ret.)
Paper: Everyday Enchantment DSP (ret.), Pool Party, Poppy Parade and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Poppy Parade, Pool Party, So Saffron (hair), Crumb Cake (hair) and Basic Gray (ground) Classic Ink Pads
Punches: Large Oval punch
Accessories: Blender Pens (to watercolor), Blush Blossom Stampin' Write Marker (to color skin), Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad pack from Sale-A-Bration (ret.), Dazzling Details, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals
Non SU! Accessories: circle and scallop circle die cut

Boys and Their Toys for Our Creative Corner

2012-04-13T23:51:00.001-05:00

Hello there and Happy Saturday to you! This week at Our Creative Corner, the amazingly talented Irena Kowalczyk is our hostess and she has a fun theme challenge for us. Here are the challenge details in Irena's own words:

"Our Boys and Their Toys": Show us the hobby or interest of a man in your life – husband, father, son, brother or another male member of your family. Maybe he likes sports or cars or models. Make a paper craft project that depicts that hobby/passion – and be sure to explain what it is in your post write up.

There are a lot of guys in my family who really enjoy the game of GOLF. As soon as I saw this challenge, I knew I wanted to make a card centered around that theme. I know this card will be put to good use in the coming months...so I made a couple of them to have on hand. For inspiration, I used this week's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches (created by the lovely Tui Nathan, who is also on the OCC Design Team):

I dusted off my And Many Mower (ret.) stamp set, which I will never get rid of because, let's face it...can you ever have TOO many guy stamp sets? I paired it up with the polka dot patterned paper in the Just Add Cake DSP. The paper and the embossed layer reminded me of the textured pattern of a golf ball. The border on either side of the polka dot embossed layer was created by...are you ready for this?...some old school decorative edge scissors. Awww yeah, I dusted those babies off to create a "grassy" border for this little golfer. There is always hope for forgotten crafting supplies!

I'm not sure why I decided to add the baker's twine bow. It felt like it needed "something" else and I'm not positive that was it...BUT it is tied on the cards and all put together, so I guess it is staying. I added some silver-toned pearls as a final touch. Regular pearls just seemed to frilly.

Here is the shot of the inside of the card, with the "PAR-fect" sentiment for a golf enthusiast:

I sure hope you will join us this week at Our Creative Corner where we are celebrating "boys and their toys" this week! Please be sure to stop by and visit the rest of the gals on the Design Team to see what they have created:

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Thanks for visiting! :)
Have a very HAPPY day and a wonderful weekend,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: And Many Mower (ret.)
Paper: Just Add Cake DSP, Wild Wasabi, Peach Parfait and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Basic Black Classic ink
Punches: Word Window and Modern Label punch
Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, White Baker's Twine, Peach Parfait, Wild Wasabi and Baja Breeze Stampin' Write Markers and Stamping Dimensionals
Non SU! Accessories: decorative edge scissors, some markers, silver pearls, circle and scallop circle die cuts

Party This Way for Paper Players #90

2012-04-09T15:30:00.002-05:00

Hello there! Sorry my card for this weeks Paper Players challenge is a wee bit late. I got really caught up in the Easter festivities yesterday. I snapped some family photos in the Texas bluebonnets for our dear friends (sadly, this is their last year in Texas) and then we hosted a delicious dinner at our house. I'm still pretty full! It was a wonderful day!

Now, let's talk about that challenge! This week at the Paper Players, the lovely LeAnne is our hostess and she has selected a beautiful palette perfect for the spring season.

I have had the Party This Way stamp sitting on my desk for a couple of weeks now begging to see some ink. It's a great set for birthday cards...something I know I am always in need of.

To create the card, I stamped the balloons in place, then used a ruler and a black marker to create their "strings". On the first try, I tried to make the strings curly but it just looked wonky....and I have a slight obsession with keeping things linear. Haha! Then I stamped another set of balloons, cut them out, pressed them into a VersaMark ink pad and sprinkled some Iridescent Ice Embossing powder on them for some extra birthday sparkle. I popped-up the balloons, the cut out sentiment and the card layers using Stampin' Dimensionals.

A quick shot of the inside of the card:

Thanks for visiting today! I sure hope you will join us this week over at the Paper Players with your colorful creation. The challenge is open until Friday, April 13th (yikes...Friday the 13th!!) at 12:00 Noon PST. Be sure to pop on over to visit the rest of the Design Team to see what they have whipped up, as well:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Shirley Pumpkin - GD for April

Have a HAPPY day! :)

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Party This Way
Paper: Soft Subtles DSP Paper pad, Not Quite Navy, Pool Party, Certainly Celery and Whisper White card stock
Ink: VersaMark, Not Quite Navy, Pool Party and Certainly Celery Classic ink
Punches: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch
Accessories: Certainly Celery Stampin' Write Marker, Basic Black Stampin' Journaler Marker, Adorning Accents Textured Expressions Embossing Folder (Occasions Mini catalog), Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Easter, Everybunny!

2012-04-07T00:48:00.003-05:00

Hi there! "Hoppy" Saturday to you! Can you believe tomorrow is Easter? Wow!

This week at Our Creative Corner, the marvelous Marcy is our hostess and she has a fun challenge to share:

"My challenge for you this week, is to design a card/project that is inspired by a frilly Easter bonnet. Use elements that you would put onto your own bonnet, such as lace, flowers, pearls, etc."

I just love the sketch over at Create with Connie and Mary and as soon as I saw it, I knew which stamp set was getting some ink this week.

If I were to have an Easter bonnet, it would probably be full of bright and happy colors. That is just my personality. Initially, I thought about soft pastels for this card but when I was scanning my card stock for some color inspiration...I stopped on Melon Mambo. I know, it is shocking for me to be inspired by the color pink, right? Haha! I'm also going to link this one up for the Lily Pad Card Challenge, where they are featuring a pink, green and yellow color palette right now. Thank you to Maria, for letting me know about their super-fun site!

I wanted to include a few (ok, there are WAY more then a few) accents on this one including: a bow, pearls, texture, flowers and some scrunchy ribbon. That is what comes to mind with a fabulous bonnet. How cute is this sweet little rabbit from the Everybunny stamp set? After coloring her in with markers, inks and a Blender Pen, I added some pearl "eggs" to her basket and a little pearl to the bow on her dress. Every girl HAS to accessorize, right? :)

I threaded some Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine through the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch. You can't really tell that it is not the same color as the Pear Pizzazz card stock, which I think makes it even more versatile. All of the supplies used are listed at the end of this post.

Finally, here is a shot of the inside of the card with another image from the Everybunny set and the sentiment from the (ret.) Easter Blossoms stamp set. I always like to dress up the inside of my cards. It just "keeps the party going" from the front of the card!

I sure hope you will join us this week over at Our Creative Corner. The challenge closes on Friday, April 13th at 11:59 EST. Be sure to check out the Create with Connie and Mary and Lily Pad Card challenges, too. The rest of the OCC Design Team have created some beautiful projects for inspiration, too. Stop by their blogs and say hello:

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Our Guest Designer this week:

Lisa Minckler- You Made Me Ink

Thanks for visiting today!
Have a great day and a very Happy Easter! :)

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Everybunny and Easter Blossoms (ret.)
Paper: Spring Fever Simply Scrappin' Kit, Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Basic Black, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Tangerine Tango (inside) and Melon Mambo Classic ink
Punches: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, 1- 3/4" Circle punch (for stamped bunny image), Owl Builder punch (for flower centers) and Large Oval punch
Accessories: Perfect Pennants Bigz L die, Square Lattice Embossing folder, Daffodil Delight Seam Binding (NEW!), Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine (Occasions Mini catalog), Daffodil Delight bitty button flowers (ret. from last year's Sale-A-Bration), Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals and Blender Pens

Hangin' with My Gnomies for Paper Players #89

2012-04-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hello there and Happy Sunday to you! So, it is April 1st...rather then play an April Fool's Day joke on you, I am just going to celebrate with this week's Paper Players challenge. This week, I am the hostess and I thought it would be fun to share some smiles with a Theme Challenge.

Did you know that this April marks the 36th anniversary of "Humor Month?" (<---click the link for more info) So, in honor of that, we are "getting our funny on" over at the Players. Here is my card:

I completely bought the Gnome Sweet Gnome and Gnomenclature stamp sets STRICTLY for the "Hangin' with My Gnomies" sentiment. There are other fun sentiments in these sets but this one just rocks. I have had these stamps for a while now and this week's challenge made me realize that they needed some inky-love. What better way to do that then with two of my favorite things...fussy-cutting and coloring. GAH! (kidding) They call it a challenge for a reason, right? Lol! I attempted to create a little scene for these "gnomies". The cloud is punched from the Cupcake Punch. I added it at the last minute, so I hope it works. I paired the stamps with the Sumer Smooches DSP which is coming out in the new SU! Catalog.

Here is yet another close-up of my awesome cutting skills. Bwhahahaha! I tried and I can't believe I am actually going to say this but...I am actually starting to LIKE cutting out tiny images. *GASP* Maybe one day I will become the Edward Scissorhands of the crafting world and cut without rough edges...but until then, I will keep practicing.There are a lot of layers on this card and I popped each one up using Stampin' Dimensionals. All of the supplies I used are listed at the end of this post.

I am NOT even going to discuss that bow. I wanted to try to do something with all of the baker's twine that is sitting in my stamp studio. Yup, this bow took me over an hour to get t tied to and situated on the card. I don't know if I love it 100% or not, but it's always fun to try new things, right? :)

Here is a shot of the inside of the card...with one more "mini-gnomie" and room for a hand-penned note:

Thanks for stopping by! I sure hope you will hang with the Paper Players "Gnomies" this week and share your humorous creation. Please stop by and visit the rest of the Design Team to see what they have created to "tickle your funnybone". The challenge closes April 6th, 2012 at 12:00 PM (PST):

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Shirley Pumpkin - GD for April

Before I go, I wanted to share a photo of one of my "furry-gnomies." This guy has been super-excited to meet me at the door every day this week, no matter how long the days have been. How can you NOT love this face??

Have a HAPPY day today! :)

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Gnome Sweet Gnome and Gnomenclature
Paper: Summer Smooches DSP, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo, Pool Party and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Pool Party (sponging) and Basic Black Classic ink
Punches: Cupcake punch (cloud), 1- 1/4 Square punch and 1- 3/8" Square punch, Word Window and Modern Label punch
Accessories: Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Island Indigo, Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers, White Baker's Twine, Basic Rhinestones, Sending Love Epoxy Brads (retired) and loads of Stampin' Dimensionals
Non-SU Accessories: a couple markers, oval and scalloped oval die cuts

How GREEN is Your Spring?

2012-03-31T00:09:00.003-05:00

Hello there, stamping friends! I have attempted to keep up with my blog (and blog visits) recently, but life has been really busy over the past two weeks. I can't believe another week has flown by. Yikes! Please bare with me, I'm trying to get caught up! The good news is...it is time for another new challenge over at Our Creative Corner. We are going GREEN for the spring season. The amazingly talented Marcy Kamiski is our hostess this week and here is her challenge, in her own words:

"How Green is Your Spring."

I love this photo montage - it's chock full of inspiration.

Make whatever paper-craft you like and show us Spring in all its splendor, using GREEN as your main color!"

I paired up this theme with this week's awesome sketch at Stamping 411:

I decided to feature the Fresh Vintage stamp set and the Everyday Enchantment DSP from Stampin' Up's Sale-A-Bration event. Today is the last day for Sale-A-Bration...and I'm really having a hard time saying good-bye to this patterned paper. Good thing I have 4 packs stored away. ;) I focused on the flowers in Marcy's inspiration photo, for my card. All of the supplies I used to create this card are listed at the end of the post. I am always uber-hesitant to over-explain the "how-to's" of a project, but if you ever have questions, I am only an email away: annemariehile@gmail.com.

Here is the shot of the inside of the card:

As I was snapping photos of my card on the front porch last night, I felt something brush by my leg. Looking down, I saw the neighbor's kitty staring me in the face. This little guy is super-sweet and always on "patrol" with the neighborhood happenings. Thought I would share his furry face with you all today. Isn't he cute? :)

Sure hope you can join us at Our Creative Corner this week. (Along with the sketch challenge at Stamping 411.) Please stop by and visit the rest of the OCC Design Team to see their glorious GREEN creations for this challenge:

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch
Anita Houston- The Artful Maven Haven

Anne Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Our Guest Designer this week:

Maya Stenshagen-My Love for Papercraft

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a HAPPY day,

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Fresh Vintage (SAB) and Petite Pairs
Paper: Everyday Enchantment DSP, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla card stock
Ink: Pool Party, Lucky Limeade and Crumb Cake Classic ink
Punches: 1-1/4 Square punch, Scallop Square punch, 3/4" Circle punch
Accessories: Everyday Enchantment Ribbon pack, Pool Party Designer Brads, Square Lattice Embossing folder, Stamping Sponges, Basic Pearls and loads of Stamping Dimensionals