GCA #137 - Buy Anything New Lately???

Hello all!!!  Yes, I seem to be behind the eight ball lately!  Leaving for convention next week and I spent the entire weekend working on my swaps to get ready.  Besides doing the normal things like laundry, starting to pack, buying groceries and dealing with a totally annoying (non-life threatening) family drama.  My friend who is going out to convention with me and I, are driving out to Salt Lake City!!!!  Are we crazy you ask??  Maybe, but we are going to see how it goes!  We've traveled several times before and do it fine together.  I'm just excited to be going!

So, in reference to the new catalog year with Stampin' Up!, have you seen it?  I love this catalog and think it just may be one of my faves.  I'm trying very hard to resist buying anything from the catalog until after convention.  We did have a pre-order period of sneak peek products and that is what I have to show you today.  Two card, actually!!  So I'm going to keep the descriptions short.

Both of the cards use one of the new In-Colors - Pool Party!  Think this is my new fave!!  They also use Not Quite Navy, Wild Wasabi and WW.

The first card uses the new Pennant Parade set along with the co-ordinating Pennant Punch.This is a double punch that gives you both the scalloped one and the smaller layered pennant.  The "Thank U" is in the set.  The dsp is from the new set of "Just Add Cake".  White baker's twine was used to string the pennant's "together".

The second card uses the Touch of Kindness set from the current Summer mini.  New to me since I just ordered it!  It is the most delightful set, too!  I watercolored the birdbath and such and then on the water drops I added some of smooch paint, but you can't see it very well.  The belly of the kitty is paper pieced.  One other brand new item this year is the Lace Ribbon border punch.  OMG!!!!  I'm in love!!!

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by July 9, 2011 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts, Stampin' Connection (for SU! demos) or Stamp TV, please put GCA137 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!


Even if you can't make the deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~~ 

It's A Celebration with Sock Monkey - DIC137!!!!

Hello all!!!  Here we are at Thursday again and time for another UDI Blog Inspiration challenge.  The piece that Maria provided us is a very calm and relaxing table setting, but I took some liberties with the piece and used a few other colors.

Finally here is my sample!!! Time just got away from me this week!  I decided to cover 2 challenges in one with this card.  My UDI sample, using the the colors of the inspiration piece of white, blue and a touch of pale green.  The other challenge is for the Late Night Stampers weekly challenge and this week it is to create a kids card!  Next to creating a masculine card, I find these just as difficult!!!

So when thinking of kids right away I thought of Sock Monkey.  And he hadn't seen any ink for awhile so I thought it was time!  LOL!  He was stamped onto Whisper White in black staz on and then watercolored with Crumb Cake and aquapainter.  The dsp I used is the Celebrations set, and is perfect for creating those kids cards with the bold primary colors.  I stamped him on the side I wanted and then cut out the parts and pieces.  Since I used the striped side I when I stamped him I tried to keep the stripes all going the same way.  I think I did ok!  Once he was put together I popped him on dimensionals and attached him to the card!

The cupcake was again stamped in Whisper White and then Pear Pizzaz for the holder.  I colored the "frosting" with the Soft Suede marker and covered it with Crystal Effects.  The cupcake is popped up with another dimensional.  I also added the Champagne glass glitter to the flame, but it's hard to see.

Not too sure about the ribbon tabs and glimmer brads, but I wasn't going to fuss with it once they were on there!  Dry embossed the top part of the Whisper White card base with the Perfect Polka Dots folder.  Even the panel across the front is popped up with dimensionals!!  Love my dimensionals!!
 
Please check out the UDI Blog and the other designers.  And play along this week!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Inspiration for Sock Monkey!!

Hello all!! I created this card using my Sock Monkey set for the second Be Inspired challenge on the Stampin' Connection site. This little guy is just too cute and I haven't stamped with him much lately.

For this week's inspiration challenge I used the Kara Mia Sophia Etsy store we used on a recent GCA. I just love that store and the fabrics which are used for the items.

For some reason I had a desire to use the pink/brown combo and searched through the Etsy store until I found just the right item. You can see it here for comparison.

Of course I used the pink/brown colors, but I also used the twill fabric for inspiration for my flower.

Sock Monkey is paper pieced with Chocolate Chip dsp and Afternoon Tea dsp (for the pink). I used the new Sweet Pea dsp stack in the Occasions mini for the larger background panel. The rest of the colors used were Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip and Pretty in Pink card stock.

My scalloped circle matt was created by using my Buttons #5 sizzlet and my Big Shot!! (I used the largest button and the 1" circle punched layer fits perfectly.)
The twill flower was made with the medium width twill from SU! (of course!) and then I put a simple basting stitch along one edge. I think it is called that!

If I am wrong, please someone let me know!! Once I had the thread through, I just pulled it together in a circle. The brown center was cut from felt with the smallest circle in Circles #2, 1/2" circle piece of Pretty in Pink and one of the yummy new Chocolate Chip epoxy brads!! These are also available in the Occasions mini!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~