GCA #131 - Anything Goes with a Sketch!!!


Hello all!!!  Today is a fabulously warm and beautiful day in my area of Michigan!!!  It's at least 80* out!  Not to last forever, but the temps coming up this week aren't so bad either.

I haven't done an "Anything Goes" challenge in awhile, but this one has a slight twist.  I've said it on here many times that I LOVE sketches.  Any time I find a new one, or a card with an unusual layout, I make I save it!  There are so many blogs out there now that have specific sketch challenges and one of them I happen to be a design team member of!!  What a plug, I know!  Check out the Creative Sketches blog to see all of the fabulous sketches they have.

So, the challenge this week is "Anything Goes" theme wise, but with the additional twist of using a sketch.  Is it required to use a specific sketch?  No.  I just like finding all the new sketches that I can!!  If you do use a sketch you found on a blog, in a paper craft mag or even one you came up with, let us know so we can check it out too!!

My sample this week is using the weekly sketch challenge on Mary Jo's blog, TechnoStamper.  She posts a new sketch every Monday.

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by April 16, 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 GCA131 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~~ 

GCA #128 - You Are In My Thoughts!

Hello all!!!  Another week has just flown by and it's Sunday once again.  Unless, you live under a rock, you know all about the massive earthquake and tsunami damage in Japan.  The more I look at the images coming from Japan and read the articles, the more I am grateful of where I live, but most importantly my heart just breaks for those who have lost their lives and the families left behind.

So, this week the focus is to create a card, or something, for someone you know, or don't know, and let them know that you are thinking of them.  It could be a Thinking of You, Sympathy, Get Well or just a general You're in My Thoughts.  Not only have the events in Japan occurred, but closer to home I have lost a dear co-worker and another co-worker fractured her pelvis while skiing.  So, I have cards to get done!  And I have had a couple of RAK requests come through my inbox that I need to get out.

Here's my sample.  Tried to keep it simple, but that doesn't always work for me!!!  I used the sketch from TechnoStamper's blog (AKA MaryJo), TSSC164.  I'm also using this for the Late Night Stamper's weekly challenge - to go green!

The thought here was to keep the colors somewhat subdued, yet still give the recipient a bright spot to their day.  The dsp is Greenhouse Gala, layered on a Very Vanilla card base.  The Top Note piece is cut from Old Olive, layered with Cajun Craze and then Very Vanilla.  The Cajun Craze layer was punched with the corner and border scallop trim punches.  Almost forgot how to do that I haven't done it in a while!!

The large butterfly was cut with the butterfly die in the cork and the smaller one is from the Beautiful Wings embosslit.  Layered those with an Old Olive button and Pumpkin Pie flower brad.  I took the prongs off the flower brad and used my hot glue gun to attach to the button.  The entire butterfly piece is up on dimensionals.  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by March 19, 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 GCA128 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!


Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~~ 

Inspired by a Funky Cake!!!

Hello all!! I belong to a Yahoo stamper's group called LateNightStampers. This group is open to demos and non-demos, so if you're interested check them out!!

Anywhoo, each we the design team brings us a new challenge. They mimic the challenges that are all over the web. This week the challenge is an inspiration one and the picture is of a funky cake!!!

Since I am still working on Valentine's, I made mine into a V-day card. I also used Mary Jo's weekly sketch105.

This card actually started with the leftover panel of Rose Red and Welcome Neighbor SAB dsp. From there I built it up with other pieces and dsp.

My card base is Regal Rose and is a top fold card. The dsp on the medium square panel is also from the SAB dsp. I then ran a strip of Regal Rose through my crimper and attached this with dimensionals. My bow was a frustrating work in progress!!! I seem to be bow challenge, but I wanted more than just a simple knot.

I used my scallop trim corner punch on the smaller square and it was the perfect size (2 1/8 x 2 1/8) to create my frame. Another piece of SAB dsp that panel was done.

The bird and leaves were punched with the new 2-step extra large bird punch available in the Occasions mini. Love this punch!! There are some many possibilities and color combos you do with this! The bird was punched with Choc Chip and his wing is a leftover piece of the dsp I used on the other panels. I used the small parts of my dimensionals under the wing and then the entire bird is popped up with dimensionals. The leaves are Old Olive.

My sentiment tab was punched with the Modern Label in So Saffron and the white with the Word Window and stamped in Rose Red from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~