All Dressed Up for Paper Players #128

Hello there stamping friends! This week at the Paper Players, I am hosting with a fun color challenge. I wanted to base the combo around a color that I don't tend to use very often, Pacific Point. 

I finally inked up another new stamp set from the Spring catalog: All Dressed Up. This set has coordinating die cuts, too. Love that! 

This was an easy card to create, not that you could tell by how long it took me to put it together. I couldn't decide on the embossing folder, then whether to use pearls or rhinestones for the buttons, then the ribbon...or no ribbon. Arrrgh! I'm still not 100% sure I love it but it is finished and that's what matters. All of the supplies I finally settled on using are listed at the end of this post.

A quick shot of the inside of the card. That popped up banner is covering up a sentiment that was stamped crooked the first time. Hooray for cover-ups! :)

I think these colors can be used for SO many different occasions and the Design Team really rocked this challenge. Stop by and visit them to see what they came up with. Please join us at the Paper Players this week and play along. The challenge is open through Friday, January 18th at Noon (PST). 

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Amy O'Neill

Brian King

Jen Nelson

Justin Krieger

Sandy Mathis

Also, please check out the all new Stampin' Anne Facebook page, if you haven't already. Click HERE to check it out and "like" the page. Have a great day today! :) 

CLICK HERE to order anytime 24/7 from my Stampin' Up! website

Stampin' Up! Supply List

Stamps: All Dressed Up (Spring Catalog)

Paper: Brights DSP Collection, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray and Whisper White card stock

Ink: Pacific Point Classic ink

Accessories: Daffodil Delight Seam Binding, Dress Up Framelits Dies (Spring catalog), Itty Bitty Banners Framelits Dies, Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

Oh, Hello for Dynamic Duos #35

Hello there stampers! This week at Dynamic Duos we are taking things "Soft and Subtle" with a combo of Certainly Celery and So Saffron. Although Certainly Celery is not my favorite shade of green, I REALLY like this pairing. 

I will be honest, I had no idea where to start when I decided to use the Oh, Hello stamp set. I love that sentiment, by the way. It is something you would say to someone who maybe was standing behind you and you just realized they were there..."Oh, Hello". So nonchalant. Love it! Sorry for that moment of randomness, that is just how I roll sometimes. :) 

Here is another attempt at "shabby". Does it qualify? I'm not sure. I sponged pretty much every edge of the card (and the white doily) with some Crumb Cake ink. There is a "chevron-theme" going on this card, too. After I lined up the little chevron pieces I thought about running some stitching down the middle and then I remembered....I don't sew. So, I opted for a line of pearls instead of the stitching.

Finally, I added a punched and layered sentiment and a little punched butterfly just because it felt like it needed something else. Lots of items from the *new* Spring Catalog on this one. All of the products I used are listed at the end of the post.

I hope you will join us and play along this week at Dynamic Duos this week. Please stop by and visit the rest of the Designers to see what they created with this subtle color combo: 

Allyson Andersen

Christina Barnes

Vicki Burdick

Karen Day

Deanna Dean

Jenny Engelke

Anne Marie Hile

Bobbie Jones

Erna Logtenberg

Amy White

Before I go, I wanted to share some exciting news! Stampin' Anne is (FINALLY) on Facebook! I hope you will stop by and "Like" my new page. Please, please! It's a great way to stay connected and share some more crafty goodness. Check it out by clicking HERE or clicking the photo below.

Stampin' Anne

Promote Your Page Too

CLICK HERE to order anytime 24/7 from my Stampin' Up! website

Stampin' Up! Supply List

Stamps: Oh, Hello

Paper: Subtles DSP paper pad, Newsprint DSP, So Saffron, Certainly Celery and Crumb Cake card stock

Ink: Certainly Celery and Crumb Cake Classic ink 

Punches: Extra-Large Oval, Decorative Label and Bitty Butterfly (Spring Catalog) 

Accessories: Ovals Collection Framelits (Spring Catalog), Chevron Embossing Folder, Paper Doilies (Spring Catalog), Natural 7/16" Trim Ribbon (Spring Catalog), Stamping Sponges, Basic Pearls and Stampin' Dimensionals

Hearts a Flutter for The Paper Players #127

 Hi there stamping friends! Hope you are having a super-fantastic day today! The weather is gorgeous here in South Texas on this bright and sunny day. This week at the Paper Players, Ann is our hostess with a fun theme challenge to play along with: "Love is in the Air". Time to get a jump start on those Valentine's or just a card for that special someone, letting them know you care.

For my card, I decided to use some of the new items from the SU Spring catalog. You can view the catty by clicking HERE. There are quite a few vintage-inspired items in the catalog and admittedly, that is not one of the styles I feel comfortable creating with. So, I went at this card with a different approach. I'm calling it "Simply Shabby". I came up with a simple layout and then dressed it up with the embellishments. That actually made it a whole lot easier to use the products and didn't make me over think them...like I tend to do.

I love the Hearts a Flutter stamp set and coordinating die cuts. It really makes it easy to create a lot of layers on cards, without a lot of fuss. I used the Heart punch to layer inside the scalloped heart and added some texture from the Fancy Fan Embossing folder along with some pretty pearl trim. You just can't participate in one of Ann's challenges without using pearls, I tell ya. The lace came from the uber cool new Artisan Embellishments Kit. I just cut it down the middle and added it to either side of the middle layer using some Sticky Strip.  All of the supplies I used are listed at the end of the post. 

Finally, a quick shot of the inside of the card, using a Valentine's Day sentiment: 

I hope you will join us this week at the Paper Players and share the "love". Please stop by and visit the rest of the Design Team to see what they whipped up for inspiration. This is the first week our awesome new Guest Designers are joining us, too. Whoop whoop! Have a great day today! :) 

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Amy O'Neill

Brian King

Jen Nelson

Justin Krieger

Sandy Mathis

Before I go, I have had a few people ask about Oscar, our foster dog. Yes, Oscar still lives with us and he is still looking for his forever home. He is doing very well and there has been talk that he might have already found his home with us. I will keep you posted on that. But, until then, here is a shot of the big guy just being cute. 

CLICK HERE to order anytime 24/7 from my Stampin' Up! website

Stampin' Up! Supply List

Stamps: Hearts a Flutter (Spring catalog) and Itty Bitty Banners

Paper: More Amore Specialty DSP (Spring catalog), Rose Red (even though it is Primrose Petals in the paper...oops!), Pool Party and Very Vanilla card stock

Ink: Rose Red Classic ink

Punches: Full Heart punch, Scallop Edge Border punch

Accessories: Fancy Fan Embossing Folder, Bitty Banners Framelits, Hearts a Flutter Framelits (Spring catalog), Big Shot, lace from Artisan Embellishments Kit (Spring catalog), Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Sticky Strip and Stampin' Dimensionals

The New Spring Catalog is Here!

Hello there! I am so excited to share my first card made in 2013! Whoop whoop! Well, I actually made 30 of this particular card...so I guess that is one way to start the crafting year out right. Go big or go home! This is my card for a swap with some of the most awesome Stampin' Up! Demos out there. Our theme for the swap was to feature new items from the Spring catalog, which went live TODAY!

I used the new Oh, Whale! stamp set along with the coordinating die cut, the Cloudy Day Embossing Folder, the new Sunshine and Sprinkles DSP and super fabby new Striped Organdy Ribbon in Melon Mambo. Bright, cheery and BLINGY! As I mentioned above, these products are available to order TODAY! For real! I'm so excited about this catty and I know you will be too. You can order from my website anytime 24/7 by clicking HERE.

View the new catalog by clicking HERE. 

Stampin' Up! also started the My Little Valentine Promotion today! You will receive the Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kit FREE (a $7.95 value) when you purchase the brand-new My Little Valentine Set. The 4 piece stamp set was created exclusively for this promotion and will not be available again after January 21st! Click HERE for more info about this awesome promotion. 

 Have a HAPPY day today! :) 

2012 Year in Review - The Conclusion

Before I get to the cards, I want to say HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! I hope you had a fun time ringing in 2013. This year is going to be great! Are you excited? I know I am! 

To finish up my 2012 recap, I am am back with my favorite cards from July-December of 2012. 

July 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

July was a REALLY fun month! I was super-excited to attend my first-ever Stampin' Up! Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was so amazing! I can't wait to go back again. This card has been dubbed the "traffic light card". The flowers completely reminded me of a traffic light the way I placed them. It was not intentional. This color combo is fabulous, though! It is saved in my book of favorites, for sure. 

August 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

Ahhh, this card. This card had to be my most popular, most "Pinned", most CASE'd card of the year. I am still getting emails about this card, which totally makes me smile. August was an eventful month for me, as I had foot surgery on both tootsies. I was down for the count for two months and this card was one of the first cards I made when I finally hobbled back into my stamp studio. 

September 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

This was a wedding card a family member and I really enjoyed putting it together. September was also  a pretty special month, as it was when we rescued our little kitten Abby from the shelter. Her story is shared in my September posts. We originally intended to foster her but after about a week , ok a DAY of having her in our home, we completely fell in love. She has officially been adopted and we couldn't be happier! 

October 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

Every year, I bust out the Snow Swirled stamp set for a holiday card. It is my "go-to" holiday stamp set. Even if that set retires, it will always have a place amongst my stamp collection. This is just one of those sets that I think everyone should own and looks great in any color combo. 

November 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

November and December were very challenging months for me in my stamp studio. Between work and my commitments at the animal shelter, time was limited in my stamp studio. My favorite card from November features another favorite stamp set, Day of Gratitude. Perfect for the fall season and super easy to fussy-cut the images. Love that! 

December 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

My favorite card in December featured some brand NEW products coming out in the upcoming SU! Spring Catalog. Not to mention, this color combo from the Paper Players challenge is a total keeper. Perfect for so many different occasions, from holiday to everyday. Love it! 

Thanks for stopping by and strolling down memory lane with me as I revisited 2012. I want to thank everyone who visits my blog and especially for the awesome words of encouragement that are left. You have no idea how much they mean to me. I am so excited for 2013! Lots of new things on the horizon here on the Stampin' Anne blog. I can't wait! Have a super day today!! :) 

2012 Year in Review - Part One

Hi there stamping friends! Wowzers, it has been a while since I have posted, hasn't it? I didn't fall off the planet, things have been crazy busy around here with the holidays and all. As today marks the last day of 2012, I wanted to take a moment to share my favorite cards from the year with you. It is fun to look back on another year of crafty creations. With that, here are my favorites from January to June. 

January 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

This was a fun card to make! It was for an Our Creative Corner challenge called "Show Us Your Shape". We had to make anything OTHER then a standard fold card and I wanted to try something fun. I found the template for the dress on the web and went from there. 

 February 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

This is one of my favorite color combo's EVER paired with one of my favorite stamp sets, Aviary. 

Ok, I'm totally cheating because I have two favorites for the month of February. I couldn't decide between the two so I thought I would just share them both. I guess I was really inspired by owls in February. Ha! Click HERE for the original post for this card.

This one was made for a color splash challenge over at  Our Creative Corner. I love that little glitzy owl  and the sentiment just worked so perfectly. 

 March 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

I'm a huge fan of layers (no really?) on my cards. The more the merrier. I also love any card sketch that has repeated elements on it. I have no idea why, I am just drawn to them. 

 April 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

Ahhh, the bunny card. This card made the list because it took over 3 hours to finish. Not kidding! I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it and just kept adding little details to it. The color combo on this one makes me really happy, too. . 

 May 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

I was really proud of this card because it took me WAY out of my comfort zone. Shabby chic is a style that I wish I could do well, maybe one day. This card took a while to put together and had a lot of little details but I really love the end result.

 June 2012 - Click HERE for the original post

It goes without saying why this card made the favorites list. Pink and bling...yup, yup! I also fondly remember this card because I was so excited that the bow looked good on the first attempt to tie it. Any crafter knows, that is a small victory sometimes. :) 

I will be back soon with the cards from July through December. Stay tuned! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Sparkly Purple Snowflakes for {PP#126}

Hello there stampers! This week at the Paper Players the lovely and talented Ann Schach has a CAS (clean and simple) Theme Challenge for us: Snowflakes. Now, here in South Texas, we rarely see snow, so I am happy to enjoy it anyway I can get it.

My card is...ummmm..a little sparkly. Once the Glimmer Paper comes out, I am not responsible for my actions with it. Haha! I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches for inspiration, along with the purple & silver / Christmas challenge from the gals at Our Creative Corner.

As this was a CAS card, I kept it simple...well, except for the layers. I heat embossed the image from the Snow Swirled set and the sentiment from Petite Pairs, for added shine. Where there is Glimmer Paper, there must be rhinestones, so I topped off the snowflake with a few to finish things off. :)

Finally a quick shot of the inside of the card, held by "Nordstrom Santa". We have had this guy the entire time we have been married and look forward to his appearance every Christmas. Although this year, he sits on "higher ground" as our foster dog, Oscar, has developed an affection for chewing on his feet.

I hope you will join us over at the Paper Players this week. Be sure to stop by and see what the rest of the gals on the Design Team have whipped up for inspiration. This is our last challenge of 2012 as we take a holiday break...whoa, I can't believe I just typed that, where did this year go? So, you will have until Friday, December 28th at Noon (PST) to link up a card for the challenge. Happy Stamping! 

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy
Amy White

Dawn Easton

Helen Heil
Jen Arkfeld