Greenhouse Gala Bird-Day

Hello there! I hope you are enjoying your week so far! I wanted to share a card I created for our monthly demonstrator meeting, last night. (Thanks ladies for a great time and awesome inspiration!) I had a request to share a tutorial with the group, for a Joy Fold Card. I just love this style of card...it looks complicated but is really easy to assemble. It always gets a "Wow!" from the recipient, too, so that is an added bonus. :) 


For my card, I decided to keep the stamping simple and focus on the fold. So, I used the Two Step Bird punch and Floral Fusion Sizzlits die as the focal points. It also made things easier for all 5 of us to assemble the card, at one time. CLICK HERE for a great tutorial on how to make a Joy Fold Card, if you have never tried one before. 

All of the supplies used are listed at the end of the post. I decided to base the color combo around the Greenhouse Gala DSP. I love that paper but haven't used it in quite some time. It is really a great mix for the spring season and perfect for a "bird-day" card...yup, I'm trying to be "punny" again...don't worry, I'm not planning on doing stand-up comedy anytime soon. Thank goodness, huh? *insert sound of chirping crickets here*

The only stamping on the card was on the front and inside sentiment. Even though the sentiments came from the Create A Cupcake stamp set (Occasions Mini catalog), they work great for non-cupcake themed projects, as well. Haha! :) 


I'm also entering my card in these fabulous challenges, because they (thankfuly) helped to inspire my creativity while putting this one together: 
*Dutch Dare Card Challenge: Create a CELEBRATION themed card
*Paper Cutz Challenge: Make a card, LO or craft project using 3 patterned papers, and any colors or theme you’d like (the bird wing is my third DSP...it is TINY, but it works) 
*Ginger Loft: Use Die Cuts and/or Punches

Thanks for stopping by today for a visit! Please leave a comment to say hello, before you go. Have a very HAPPY day today and please stop back soon! 

Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Create A Cupcake (sentiments), Friends Never Fade (inside flower)
Ink: Pear Pizzazz Classic ink
Paper: Greenhouse Gala DSP, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White card stock
Accessories: Two-Step XL Bird punch, 1-3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Scalloped Oval punch, !-1/4" Circle punch, 1-3/8" Circle punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Pear Pizzazz 1/2" Stitched Poly ribbon, Floral Fusion Sizzlits die, Basic Rhinestones, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing folder  and Stampin' Dimensionals

Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #61: Shadow Box Cards

Hi there and Happy Tuesday to you! It's time for a fun, new challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments. This week we are focusing on Shadow Box Cards. This style is not a new technique. However, it IS a very cool way to share a 3-D effect on a card, that can easily be displayed by the recipient. It can also be MAILED, which is a fabulous bonus! 

CLICK HERE for a link with directions on how to create a Shadow Box Card, or HERE for another great Shadow Box style. We sure hope you will play along with us this week! :)

I have included a list of all the supplies used to create my card at the end of the post. 

I used many items from the Occasions Mini Catalog, which is ONLY available until April 30th! You can order anytime 24/7 by clicking HERE.

Here is a shot of the card "standing up":

• I used heat embossing on the main image and sentiment, simply because I really like the effect. That, and I seem to ALSO like to make a big ol' mess when I create lately. Note to self: turn the ceiling fan OFF before playing with embossing powder. ;)
• The little pearl eggs in the basket were colored with a Baja Breeze marker to tie in the color. 
• This was the first time I have ever created a sponged "sky" with the help of the Scallop Circle punch as a guide. I really like how it came out. Thanks to the person who came up with that clever idea! HERE is one of many links to create these clouds. I used a single Scallop Circle punch to create mine, and started at the top of the image.

• I added a piece of Baja Breeze Seam Binding, that I...get ready for this one...SEWED, for some added dimension. I wanted it to play off the "grass" on the image. I have mentioned before that I am rather dangerous with a needle and thread. Thankfully, I did NOT sustain injury today. Phew! 
• The Vanilla Rosettes were colored with a Baja Breeze marker. They just stood out a little TOO much in Vanilla.
• Finally I framed the image with some Silver Glass Glitter because everything is better with some sparkle! :)

That's my take on a Shadow Box card for this week's challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments. I hope you like it and I would love to hear what you think. Please check out the challenge to see what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has whipped up. More importantly, I hope that you will play along this week and share YOUR creation with us! Thanks for stopping by to visit. I hope you have a very HAPPY day today! :)

Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Easter Blossoms
Ink: Basic Black Craft ink and Baja Breeze classic ink (for the "sky")
Paper: Springtime Vintage DSP (Occasions Mini), Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla and Basic Black card stock
Accessories: 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Scallop Oval XL punch, Scallop Circle punch (to make clouds), Black Embossing powder, Basic Pearls,  Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sponge Dauber...the rest are all from the Occasions Mini Catalog...Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Vanilla Rosettes and Silver Glass Glitter
Non-SU! Accessories: circle die cut (you can use a Circle Scissor Plus to create the same effect, btw), needle and thread

Paper Players Challenge #40-A Sketch Challenge

Happy Sunday! It's time for another new challenge at The Paper Players! 

This week, we are having a sketch challenge designed by the fabulous, Nance Leedy. 

(It's no secret that I think Nance is pretty cool!) 

There are a lot of possibilities with this sketch and we really hope that you will join us!

When I saw the sketch, I was immediately inspired by the new Always Elegant stamp set that was sitting on my desk. I just received this set as a free item from Sale-A-Bration and have been anxious to ink it up. There are only a few days left to earn free products with this promotion, by-the-way. 


I decided to try something different and reach for a color that I usually pass up, Bravo Burgundy. Still not sure why that is! Originally, I embossed the image in gold on Very Vanilla card stock, but it just seemed like it was missing something. Again, for something a little different...I embossed it again on Basic Black card stock. It definitely stands out more. 

Then came the pearls! There are 20 pearls on this card, inside and out. That may be a new record for me. Haha! The only DSP I own in Bravo Burgundy happens to be retired, but the polka dots just seemed to work with all of those pearls. 


***Ok, I have to share, every time I type Bravo Burgundy, all I can seem think of is that movie Anchorman, with Will Ferrell...remember that one?  "I'm Ron Burgundy. Stay classy, San Diego." That  is WAY off topic, sorry. That's just me...full of the random thoughts! Haha!  

Originally, I was thinking that I would create this card for a wedding. But, with the rich color combo and the gold embossing, I went with an anniversary card instead. I continued the same elements from the front of the card, to the inside. I like the tiny pair of flowers with the bitty pearl accents. A "pair" for a "pair"...ok, I'm done with the cheesy puns!  :) 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I really appreciate you taking the time to visit. Before you go, please leave a comment to say hello and let me know what you think. Be sure to check out The Paper Players to see what the rest of the gals on the DT have created, too. Have a very HAPPY day today and "stay classy, stampers"! (hee hee)

Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Always Elegant and Teeny Tiny Wishes (inside sentiment)
Ink: Versamark and Bravo Burgundy Classic ink
Paper: To the Nines DSP (ret.), Bravo Burgundy, Basic Black, Brushed Gold and Very Vanilla card stock
Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper Embossing folder, Eyelet Border punch, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Scallop Oval XL punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch (inside card), Gold elastic cord (ret.), Gold Embossing Powder, Stampin' Dimensionals and LOTS of Basic Pearls

Keep it Simple Saturday with the Dapper Dogs

Hello there! It's the 6th week of "Keepin' it Simple"!  It's kind of fun to challenge myself to create a card in under 30 minutes. This past week I really didn't have a ton of time to create so it worked out perfectly. I did cheat a little and use a color combo I that I have used with this stamp set, in the past. I saw a piece of that DSP in my scrap pile and just went with it.

• The stamps are from the Season of Friendship set. I love this set and it has seen a LOT of ink, especially those little leaves. It's so easy to color them with markers to create fun pops of color with little effort.

• The color combo is More Mustard, Really Rust (ret.) and *deep sigh* Sage Shadow (also ret.). I still haven't come to terms with that color retiring. Good thing I stocked up on it. I only use it for special occasions...and special people! :)

• Using a die cut and punches made putting it all together a snap. A few little pieces of bling and a dressed up button finished it off. I meant to paper pierce the corner punches...whoops, I just remembered that. Oh look, my sentiment is a bit crooked, too. Ugh! 

Before I go, I wanted to share a photo with you from earlier today. When I picked my boys up from the groomers, this is what I was met with: 

Look at those little angelic faces!! They both got new "dapper 'do's" for the warmer weather. Ozzy is a little bit shorter then I planned, but like any haircut...it will grow back. I had to laugh at their little John Deere bandanna's, too. That is probably the closest either of them will ever get to a tractor. Haha! 


With that, I will sign off until tomorrow. Please come back then to see my card for the new challenge at The Paper Players! Thanks for stopping by. Have a great rest of your day! :)


PS: Did you notice the new look on my blog? I have to thank my fabulous friend, Lesley for the awesome design. Thank you again, Lesley! You rock and I LOVE it! :)

A-Z Recipe Swap

Howdy! Who is a bad blogger this week? *Ooooh, ooooh, raising hand, jumping up and down!*  So sorry for the lack of posts, but I have had one of those uber-busy weeks. You know, the ones where you just need a few more hours in the day. Ugh! One of the stamping-related projects I did complete this week, was for a recipe swap. 


For this swap, we had to make 6 x 6 recipe pages and we each picked a letter of the alphabet to share a recipe from. My choice was easy. I picked "P" for POTATOES, my favorite food! Remember that movie "Forest Gump"...with that guy and the shrimp? Yeah, that's ME with potatoes!!...mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, hash browns, potato pancakes, french fries, baked potatoes...."  


My recipe was passed on to me, by a friend, a couple of years back. It was quickly a favorite. This is NOT one of those recipes we eat often in our home. It is strictly reserved for holidays and other occasions where calories "don't count"! But that's only once a year or so!  I have tried to make a low-fat version and seriously, after tasting the "real deal"...it was just ok.

Here are all my swaps, before the BIG send-off: 

Since there were SO many cards, I used 5 different colored flowers for accents, because I didn't have enough of one single color.

 Which color is your favorite?

Thanks for stopping by today! I'm sorry I have been so absent lately. Be sure to come back tomorrow for "Keep it Simple Saturday". I hope you have a great rest of your day. Be HAPPY! :) 

Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #60: Blooming Blossoms

Hello and Happy Tuesday to you! 

Tuesday is terrific because it is THE day for a brand new challenge at 

Hand Stamped Sentiments! 

This week we are focusing on a "Blooming Blossoms" theme. 

Got Flowers? 

Well, this is the place to share your creation! I sure hope you will play along with us! 

My "blooms" are an interesting story. They started as stamped images. But, I just wasn't happy with how they played out. After viewing that inspiration photo, I knew I wanted to GO BIG! (I DO live in Texas, after all!) My flowers are a Gerber Daisy "hybrid". Gerber Daisies are my absolute, FAVORITE flower! These are a more layered version. I topped off my chunky blossoms with some Sweet Stitches Designer Big Buttons from the Occasions Mini catalog. I also added some plain, baker's twine to the centers of the buttons to dress them up. I think I have mentioned before that I do not like "naked buttons"! Eeek, scandalous! ;)

The flowers were made with the Scalloped Circle Punch. This is NOT my idea, I'm not exactly sure who originated it, to give proper credit. I think it is pretty cool, though! I cut along the scallops to create little petals. Then, I "smooched" all of the layers with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. I love this stuff...I'm on my 4th bottle in 2 months! 

I really like the bright colors in the Sew Suite DSP and decided it would make a fun background. There are a few floral shapes in that button paper, too. I also used the Paper Crimper to add texture to my flower "stems". The leaves were made from the 2-Step Bird Punch. Finally, here is the decorated inside of the card, using scraps from the front:

I hope you enjoyed my take on the "Blooming Blossom" theme at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week. Leave me a comment before you go and let me know what you think. Please check out the site and see what the rest of the fabulous DT has created for your inspiration. Then, share some of YOUR fan-tab-u-lous Flower Power and play along with us!! Have an awesome day today and thanks for stopping by! :)


Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes (sentiment)
Paper: Sew Suite DSP, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Melon Mambo Classic ink
Accessories:  Paper Crimper, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch. scalloped Circle punch, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Scallop Border punch (inside), 1 3/8" x 5/8" oval punch, 1 3/4" x 7/8" oval punch, 2-Step Bird punch (petals), Sweet Stitches Designer Big Buttons (Occasions Mini), Basic Rhinestones and Melon Mambo Polka Dotted ribbon (ret.)
Non-SU! Accessories:  plain baker's twine

Paper Players Challenge #39-CAS Sketch Challenge

Happy Super Sunday! 

It's time for a brand-spankin' new, weekly challenge at

The Paper Players!!  

This week, it's all about a Clean and Simple sketch, created by Jaydee.  

For this one, I busted out my Puns from the Past stamp set. I love this set but, for some reason, rarely seem to use it. Not today! :) I also thought it was finally time to break out the First Edition Specialty DSP that I just HAD to have when the Occasions Mini Catalog launched. *sigh*  So many supplies, so little time! 


Scrunchy seam binding (dyed to match Basic Black, with a re-inker) was added to dress things up a bit. It is so easy to achieve this look by fraying the end of the seam binding, then snagging a thread from the middle and pulling it through to "scrunch it up". Thanks to the lovely, Ann Schach, for this uber-cool tip! 

For the sentiment, I simply added a layered oval with a tiny Glimmer Paper heart, punched from the Two-Step Owl punch. I also added a little more sparkle with 3 "faux-brads" by punching the tiny circles from the Two-Step Owl Punch. Who says that punch is ONLY "for the birds"? By-the-way, I think Glimmer Paper is, quite possibly, the coolest thing EVER. I just wish it came in more colors.

Of course, my card wouldn't be complete without a dressed-up inside. I added more sparkly hearts and used the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch. When I saw the sketch, I KNEW that punch was going to be used somewhere on my card. I also left some space for a heart-felt note to an amazing friend.

I hope you will join us at The Paper Players this week with your "sketchy" CAS creation! :) Be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has shared this week, for some inspiration. Thanks so much for stopping by today. Be sure to leave a comment to say hello before you go. Have a very HAPPY day today! 


By request, here is the SU! Supply List: 
Stamps: Puns from the Past
Ink: Basic Black Classic ink and a tiny bit of Basic Gray classic ink (with a blender pen) for the handles of the "graters"
Papers: First Edition Specialty DSP, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla and Basic Black card stock
Accessories: Two-Step Owl punch (hearts and tiny circles), Square Lattice Embossing folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Very Vanilla Seam Binding (dyed to Basic Black), 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Sticky Strip and lots of Stampin' Dimensionals

Keep it Simple Saturday and Ribbon Give-Away Winner

Hello! Hope you are enjoying your weekend so far. If you have visited before, you may be aware that I started "Keep it Simple Sunday" 5 weeks ago. The goal was to feature CAS (clean and simple) cards that can be made in under 30 minutes. Well, since The Paper Players challenge posts on Sundays, I have decided to now feature a new CAS creation on Saturdays. Here are some details of my card today: 

• I really wanted to focus on using some items in my craft room that haven't seen the light of day in quite some time. On my search, I found watercolor pencils (I still need a LOT of practice with them), eyelets, beads and one of the very first stamp sets I ever purchased as a demonstrator, Asian Artistry. 
• The color combo is More Mustard, Chocolate Chip and a tiny pop of Garden Green. 
• I rounded the corners to give a softer look and (finally) resisted the urge to add a lot of layers to the front of the card. 
• The sentiment is heat embossed using Chocolate Chip Craft ink and Clear Embossing Powder.
• Stringing the beads on the Hemp Twine took a little longer then I had expected, but I still finished the card in 20 minutes. Whoo Hoo! :)

Now, the moment is here to announce the winner of my ribbon give-away!!  

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to leave a comment, sharing their favorite craft supply. Ironically enough, ribbon seemed to be a big favorite of many. According to little gadget "thingie" at random.org, the winner of 4 yards of SU! ribbon and a handmade card is....drumroll, please.... #8 KIM P, who wrote: 

Kim P said...

Hi Anne...congrats on being stylish again! (or still!)

My Favorite crafting item...hmmm...must be ribbon!! A close 2nd would be embossing folders. Love adding color and texture!!

Congratulations, Kim! Shoot me an email at: annemariehile@satx.rr.com with your address and I will send your blog candy right out to you. Hooray! I will be doing another give-away really soon, so please check back for that! :)

Before I go, I thought I would share a little "Schnauzer-love" with you. Emmitt was due for a bath today. We can always tell it's time, when he starts to smell of vanilla cupcakes and Fritos. Strange combo, right? But just look at this sweet face!! 

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

Swap Cards and a Very Important FYI

Hi there! I want to say a BIG thank you for all of the well wishes through comments and emails this week. :) Unfortunately, this cold of mine is still lingering but luckily, I am starting to feel more like myself again. Today, I thought I would share a card I created for a demo swap that I sent off earlier this week. After the card, I have another share for you, of a non-crafty nature. Please stay with me! For the swap card, I CASED myself! I made a similar card a few months ago and decided to change up a few things and recreate it for the swap.  Here is a photo of the original, with the revamped card:

I used the color combo of So Saffron, Rose Red and Always Artichoke for the new version, along with some DSP from the Sew Suite collection. I also used a clear button backed with more of the same DSP to tie the patterns together. Finally, here are all the cards before being packed up to send off, on Monday: 

Before I go today, I wanted to share something with you. No doubt, you are very aware of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The tragedy that the country continues to face is ongoing with concerns of the radiation threat and the harsh weather that has descended upon the northern part of the country. Much is needed to help the thousands of people affected. Tomorrow, I will be joining many others in a Blogger's Day of Silence to both acknowledge and respect the devastation Japan is currently facing. If you would like to participate, please visit HERE, for more details. 

Also, as part of this day, you can also give. *HERE* is a link for some more information about how to donate to a wonderful organization: ShelterBox. Any amount you can share will help to rebuild lives. That's pretty special!


ShelterBox was one of THE first organizations asked by Japan to help and were on hand on the Saturday after the quake.  Each large, green ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster but typically contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit, a children’s activity pack and other vital items.  Please consider doing whatever you can to give shelter to Japan through this organization or another of your choosing. 


Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this. I really want to do whatever I can to spread the word so that somehow (hopefully) we can make a difference. Have a good evening, be thankful for all that you have today and please stop by again soon. :)

Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #59: Inspired by Nature

Hello there! It's Tuesday and that means it is time for another fun challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments. This week we are using a photo inspiration to get YOU in the "spring spirit". If you stopped by yesterday, you probably read that I am under the weather. As a result, my card was not what I originally intended. At first, the cherry blossom photo was my inspiration. However, while fighting a cold and subsequently some insane, head-pounding congestion...I just wasn't happy with my attempts at watercoloring. Grrr! I then decided to just take another look at the inspiration photo and spotted that cute, little chick! I was drawn to the warm colors and decided to focus on an Easter-theme using the A Good Egg set.. (I have appropriately named this card: "Sicky Chicky". Haha!)

I don't usually do this for a DT card, but I needed a little push to get going today, for obvious reasons. Funny how a cold can completely slow-down the creative process, huh? I went to Mojo Monday for some "sketch-inspiration" and that helped give me a little kick-start for this one. Their sketches are always awesome! :)

I used my (new) favorite DSP, Sunny Garden for the color combo. I just love this paper, although at first, I never used it at all. Now, I can't stop. All the polka dots and stripes just seemed to work with "Sicky Chicky". I did some paper-piercing around the layers, then used my white gel pen to create some "faux stitching" and more dots around the scalloped circle. The little gal's shell was paper pieced with some Peach Parfait DSP (level 1 hostess set). 

The decorated inside continues the theme, with the egg-shaped sentiment and the little chick making an encore appearance to share some Easter greetings:

I sure hope you will play along this week with us at Hand Stamped Sentiments. There is a bunch of great inspiration in that photo and we can't wait to see what you create with a "Spring / Easter theme". 

Thank you so much for stopping by. Please leave a comment and say hello before you go. Have a great day today and I also wanted to mention that I have a ribbon give-away going on until Saturday. Please CLICK HERE for the details. :)