NaBloPoMo-I DID IT!!

I am so thrilled to say that I met my challenge and blogged EVERY day for the month of November! What a challenge it was for me! Now I can take down the stickie note that has decorated my bathroom mirror for a month reminding me to blog every day!!

My card for today is one of a set of 12 that I made for my school grade level team to give with our holiday gifts to administrators, secretaries and custodians. The tree is all glittery wherever you see white lines in the image. Unfortunately, that portion of the card didn't photograph well, again!!

Stamp: Season of Joy: Stampin' UP
DP: Eskimo Kisses: BasicGrey
CS: Tinsel and Twigs Pantry Set: Taylored Expressions
Extras: star gem, Dazzling Diamonds: Stampin' UP

Antlers Riley

Happy Monday! I love my new Antlers Riley. Riley gets himself in all sorts of predicaments and today is no different! Today he has his Christmas lights all wound around his antlers. He just makes me smile!! That's good for an early Monday morning.

Stamp: Antlers Riley
DP: candy dp: Heidi Grace Designs, dots dp: We R Memory Keepers
CS: Real Red: Stampin' UP, lime green
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: Copics, Black Spica Glitter marker, Dazzling Diamonds: Stampin' UP

Joy!

I made this card for the Crazy 4 Challenge to use script in your background. I love this stamped image and plan to make many more of this card to send out. Yes, I am still working on getting my own Christmas cards done while making card requests for others!! At least the card requests help pay for this little stamping addiction of mine:)

All of the elements (except the stamps) on this card from the dp to the ribbon to the pearls are from the Tinsel and Twig Pantry Set by Taylored Expressions. It was so fun to get a kit with all the "pieces" right there where I needed them. I usually enjoy searching through my stash for just the right elements, but it was a fun change to have them all ready for me in a kit!!


Challenge: Crazy 4 Challenges 65
Stamps: Silhouette Song Bird: Unity, sentiment: Savvy Stamps
DP, CS, Extras: Tinsel and Twig Pantry Set: Taylored Expressions

Celebrate

Good Morning! Today's card is CAS. I let the papers do the talking and added the cute little snowman circle for my focal point. A little doodling on the red cs and I was done.


Stamp: Jolly Good Fun: Unity
DP: Jillibean Soup
CS: Ruby Red: Stampin' UP, Rustic White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: Spellbinders, copics, pop dots

Happy Friends with Flair!!

Happy Friday! I distressed a lot on this card, with a sanding block and brown ink. I thought that the distressed look went well with this stamp set and the coordinating Jillibean soup paper. As you know by now they are a favorite for me this season. My husband found the tickets in a dusty closet at his work and brought them home for me. How sweet:) The snowflake brads are old ones from my stash. I believe they are from Making Memories, but I'm not sure if they are in the stores anymore. I have some white ones also that you may see pop up sometime soon:) Oh! I am also entering my card in the Crazy 4 Challenges to use circles. Again, I thought this set was perfect!!

Have a great day!!
Anne

Challenge: Crazy 4 Challenges 64
Stamps: Snowflakes Fall from Heaven: Unity
DP: Jillibean Soup
CS: Ruby Red: Stampin' UP
Inks: Rich Cocoa Memento, Jumbo Java Chalk: Versamagic
Extras: snowflake brads, tickets, baker's twine: PtI, pop dots

All Hearts Come Home for Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!!

I love this sweet Pure Innocence girl! This time I added pearls to her tree, something I saw on someone else's blog, but I'm not sure where. It adds a neat softness to the photo and goes with the snowy outside scene. The yellow is an unusual touch for me, but this card is for the JUGS color challenge to use black, red, yellow and white. I wasn't sure how I felt about the color scheme, but I really like how this card turned out! I had to make a Christmas card because I'm in the Christmas mood for sure!! (Of course, I also have plenty of cards left to make to send out:))

Have a great day!
Anne

Challenge: JUGS60
Stamp Set: Sending You a Little Christmas Pure Innocence: My Favorite Things
DP: Jovial: BasicGrey
CS: Black: Stampin' UP, Rustic White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: Black Jewels: Mark Richards, Dazzling Diamonds: Stampin' UP, pearls, markers, copics pop dots

it's your day

This is the last of the cards that I made for friends at school. This friend requested unisex cards which I found very hard to make! The dp has little stars on it, not dots as it looks like in this photo.

Stamp set: Star Prints: Papertrey Ink
DP: Bitty Star Basics: Papertrey Ink
CS: Summer Sunrise: Papertrey Ink, Real Red, White: Stampin' UP
Ink: Real Red: Stampin' UP
Extras: star punch, pop dots

birthday girl cards

Good Morning! Today is my card for the birthday girls! For some reason the brighter pink looks rather startling in the photo. IRL it is much softer and blends in well with the other colors. The image is also very glittery, but somehow I missed that in the photo also!! This is what happens to those of us who craft at night and take pictures indoors. I'll have to investigate other ways to take pictures. Any suggestions are welcome!!


Stamp: Simply Sweet: Stampin' UP
DP: Bitty Star Basics: Papertrey Ink
CS: Regal Rose: Stampin' UP, white: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: copics, scallop punch, Dazzling Diamonds: Stampin' UP

birthday boy cards

Hello my friends! Some friends of mine recently asked me to make cards for them. They like to give my cards with gifts and I'm flattered that they do! This is the first set I made, birthday cards for a boy. (I think you could use it for a girl, of course, too!) I'm happy with how bright and cheery it turned out. The sentiment is on the inside because I wanted this card to be rather primary and CAS.


Stamp: Buddy's Balloon: Wags n' Whiskers
DP: The Girls' Paperie
CS: Ballet Blue, Real Red: Stampin' UP; white: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: copics

birthday wishes

These little birdies are singing their happy song despite the gray, yucky day outside! My card is based on the newest Unity Hip Hop Sketch. The sketch uses large scallops on the side. I don't have those dies now, but I definitely see them in my future:) I just layered four papers, colored my image and put it on layers, and then added my sentiment. Luckily I found that sparkly bright blue brad just waiting for me in my stash!

Have a GREAT week!
Anne

Challenge: Hip Hop Sketch Challenge #34
Stamps: Birds: June10 KOM: Unity; sentiment: July10 KOM: Unity
DP: Thrift Shop: October Afternoon (LOVE!)
CS: Ivory: Stampin' UP
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: Stampin' UP markers, copics, brad, scallop punch

smiles are proof of every day miracles

It's certainly nice to think about, isn't it?

Friends with Flair!!

Hello! I made this mini card for the Ippity Mini Card Challenge. It measures only 3.25 x 3.25. One glitch in my process was that I didn't have any Ippity sentiments that were small enough, so I had to use another one! I used my new fav dp, Jovial, by BasicGrey. I paper pieced the flowers with that dp also. I added bling with black jewels. They aren't super glittery, but they do add that little extra!!

Please see my post below for another card that I loved making with these same papers and the Unity Silhouette Song Bird stamp.

Have an awesome weekend!
Anne


Challenge: Ippity Hip Hop Challenge #50
Stamp Set: What Matters Most: Ippity/Unity, sentiment: Tag lines: Gina K
DP: Jovial: BasicGrey
CS: Real Red: Stampin' UP, Rustic White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento, Jumbo Java Chalk: Versamagic
Extras: green organza ribbon, black jewels: Mark Richards, pop dots, markers, copic

Joy

This beautiful stamp is called Silhouette Song Bird. I just love the music behind the bird and the simple statement of joy. The image has rounded corners that I matched by rounding the corners on the matting and on the card. I finished with green organza ribbon and three black jewels in the middle of the flowers above the ribbon. I kept it simple because I really wanted to showcase the lovely dp also!


Stamp: Silhouette Song Bird: Unity
DP: Jovial: BasicGrey
CS: Read Red: Stampin' UP, Rustic White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Real Red: Stampin' UP
Extras: green organza ribbon, black jewels: Mark Richards, pop dots

A thought or two...

Good Morning! No card this morning, but I'd like to share a thought or two about blogging and creating. Getting involved with blogging and following others' blogs has sparked an enormous change in my creating. No more waiting for the magazine I get once a month or perusing the aisles of my local bookstore for different magazines. I still love those, to be sure, but I know that I can always jump on the web and discover so many wonderful creations.

I know that instinctively I have added new styles and tools to my "bag of tricks" that I use when I create. (That bag is getting pretty heavy!) I'd love to name a few of the blogs that I really inspire me, but then I know that I would leave others out. There's always the chance blog encounter that really thrills me also.

I realize that I trust myself more when I am designing cards. When I look back at my creations from years ago, I usually laugh. That's OK, though, it's where I was on the creative journey. I always hope to be moving along on that journey and with the encouragement and talents of so many behind me, I know that I will.

Thanks for the enthusiasm and inspiration!
Anne

Jolly Good Fun!

Good Morning! It has been so much fun playing with the Jillibean Soup paper and coordinating Unity stamps! They could keep me busy for quite a while...and just might! I like the way this card turned out. In real life you can't see the marker strokes on the mittens the way the camera picked them up. I didn't have a copic color that matched this paper quite as well, so that's my excuse for the lines and quality of coloring. Or, WAIT, it could be that I designed the lines in the coloring so that they would look like woolly, well-worn mittens:) I also glittered the small little snowmen on the mittens. LOVE them!

Enjoy your day!
Anne

Stamp Set: Jolly Good Fun: Unity
DP: Jillibean Soup
CS: Ruby Red: Stampin' UP, Rustic White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento
Extras: Dazzling Diamons: Stampin' UP, red jewels: Mark Richards

Christmas Riley

Good Morning! A quick post as I'm off to work early to get things done! The design of this card is Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #99. I enjoyed working with the bright colors and happened to find the awesome snowballs in my stash! It's always fun to go shopping at home:)

Challenge: Crazy4Challenges #63
Stamp: Riley and Company
DP: Heidi Grace Designs
CS: Real Red: Stampin' UP, White: Papertrey Ink, green
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: copics, Glitter Domes: Mark Richards, ribbon, spellbinders, Dazzling Diamonds: Stampin' UP

Joy!

This card is a wonderful mix of lots of great things! Different stamp sets, embellishments and color went together to create it. I distressed all the edges with chalk ink to give it that worn, well-loved feel. I have to say that I love it:) It is a gate card and the sides swing open to reveal the inside.
This is the inside of the card. If I need to write a little more than the green space allows, I will just add a green panel to the left or right side of the card. I love all the mix-matchy goodness (as Mish would say)!

Challenge: JUGS Technique Challenge #59
Stamp Sets: Season of Joy and Snow Flurries: Stampin' UP; merry Christmas: Memory Box; Tiny Holiday Circles: Hero Arts
DP: Eskimo Kisses: BasicGrey
CS: Certainly Celery: Stampin' UP
Inks: Rich Cocoa Memento, Jumbo Java Chalk: Versamark Magic
Extras: tickets: Mish Mash Etsy; snowflake stickers: Jolee's by You; Lush pink rhinestones: My Minds Eye; Dazzling Diamonds and circle punches: Stampin' UP; large snowflake punch: Marvy

Mirror, Mirror on the wall...

I bet you are wondering what on earth I am thinking, right? Well, not to worry, I am participating in the Unity Addicts Challenge this week. Our challenge was to think of a fairy tale and make a card inspired by it. Obviously, I chose Snow White and thought of the character of the Evil Queen. Sometimes I just can't resist the bad guys!:) I'm not sure who I would ever GIVE this to, but I'm thinking the inside could say something like "Who's the best friend of all?" We'll see.

The card was so fun to make because I really needed to think and use my imagination in a different way than usual. For the mirror part of the card I used a frame stamp and then cut out aluminum foil for the actual mirror part. I drew in the chains holding up the mirror and the decorations on the white part of the card. I made the sentiment on my computer...not one that I have in my stash:) Oh! And the frame? It came from a Kit of the Month entitled "Happily Ever After!" How's that for a cool coincidence?

Hope you are having fun, too!!
Anne

Challenge: Unity Addicts Challenge #26
Stamp Set: July10 KOM: Unity
Font: Blackadder ITC
CS: Real Red, Basic Black: Stampin' UP, White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: marker, aluminum foil

Friends with Flair!!

Happy Friday! I am loving the new Jillibean Soup/Unity stamps. Of course, I had to run out to get the paper, ribbons and goodies that match!! For this card I used this week's Hip Hop Sketch Challenge. It was an easy card to make. I colored the noses and scarf of the snowmen to match the paper. (I've listed the exact colors for you below.) Then, instead of matting my stamped image directly onto its mat, I put the mat down, then the ribbon, then popped up the image. That idea was directly from the sketch. It's a fun card to make and one that I could easily reproduce! LOVE those snowmen!!



Challenge: HHSC #33
Stamp: Jolly Good Fun: Unity
DP: Jiilibean Soup
CS: Rustic White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento
Extras: Pumpkin Pie Stampin' UP marker, R89 copic, ribbon: Jillibean Soup

Happy Veteran's Day!

Thank you
to all those who are serving or have served in our armed forces.
You keep us safe and free, and we appreciate your willingness to serve and sacrifice!

I have enjoyed a morning of creating thus far! Isn't this little girl the sweetest? I paper pieced her coat and scarf, and then I colored her with markers. Her fur accents are sparkling with Dazzling Diamonds and her tree is full of jewels. The white panel with the image is popped up to add some dimension. I found the awesome snowflakes in my Christmas stash and thought they added the perfect extra to complete the card!

Hope you're having an awesome day!

Anne

Stamp Set: Sending you a little Christmas Pure Innocence: My Favorite Things
dp: Eskimo Kisses: BasicGrey
cs: white: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: copics, Stampin' UP markers, Dazzling Diamonds: Stampin' UP, red jewels: Bazzill Basics, snowflakes: Jolee's by You, pop dots

Introducing Riley!

Good Morning!! My mojo has returned! I decided not to go into school early as I usually do and stamp instead! This adorable little guy is called Riley. I think he's hilarious! He always seems to be having fun and that makes me smile:) My card is for a sketch challenge at JUGS. I flipped the sketch and didn't add any sentiment because there just didn't seem to be room. I'll add it on the inside later.

Hope your day is awesome!

Anne

Challenge: JUGS #58
Stamp: Riley: Riley and Company
DP: Eskimo Kisses: BasicGrey
CS: white: Papertrey Ink; Certainly Celery: Stampin' UP
Extras: copics, eskimo kisses brads: BasicGrey, frosted stickles

NaBloPoMo

Hello! In deciding to blog everyday for the whole month of November, I didn't realize the challenge it would be on some days. Sometimes the challenge is to find something to say. Sometimes the challenge is not to say what is screaming to be said! After another extremely eventful day at school, my challenge is the latter. Suffice it to say that the same craziness from yesterday continued today in full force. I came home emotionally and physically drained. I want to create cards, but my mojo is lacking. Maybe tomorrow will be better!

Monday, just Monday

The good thing about today is that it is almost over. The bad thing is that it even happened at all. I don't know if there was a full moon, weird magnetism, sunflares, or WHAT because my first graders were off the wall today!

Happy Sunday!

This sweet card was so fun to make! The little girl is paper pieced and copic colored, then cut out. Next I stamped my wagon, colored it and glued her right on top. I love how she looks like she is perched on the wagon. I'm just learning how to use my copics, and I really love them. It is so fun to blend the different colors together and I can see that this will soon be a real addiction of mine!!

I have to confess that I did go in to work today, even after I decided not to. I spent 2 1/2 hours just copying stuff and getting ready for the week. It's a good thing that I did that, because I do not have that time on a school day. If you are a teacher reading this blog, I'd love to know how much time you spend outside of the school day getting ready for school. Do you think that people who aren't teachers know that we do that? Just wondering.......

Hope you had an awesome Sunday! Here's to the start of a great work week!

Anne

Challenge: Crazy4Challenges #62
Stamp: Swiss Pixie - C.C. Designs
DP: Green at Heart: BasicGrey
CS: Really Rust: Stampin' UP; White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Extras: Copics, Extra Fine Polka Dot Satin in Harvest Gold: Papertrey Ink

Bookmark

Hello! This is a bookmark that I made recently for a challenge. I really like this stamped image and love to paper piece it!











Today I did NOT spend anytime creating anything other than lesson plans! They weren't the fun, "trying something new" lesson plans either. I graded papers, also. I have to go out tonight and I'm already feeling "done" because I worked so much. Silly me. When will I ever learn? Teaching is one of those jobs that is never "done." There is always more to do. I was going to work tomorrow too, but that's changed! I plan to get crafty tomorrow and have some FUN.

Hope you're having an awesome day!

Anne

Challenge: Unity Friends with Flair Challenge #49
Stamp: Books a'Flutter
Dp: Tiffany's: We R Memory Keepers
Ink: Tuxedo Black: Memento
Extras: Ribbon scraps

Happy Friends with Flair!!

Happy, HAPPY Friday! Thanks for joining me in FWF. To see the full list of participants, please start at Unity. Another welcome to anyone visiting from NaBloPoMo! I have joined in the challenge of blogging every day for a month. Please stop by and visit me any day during the month of November; I'll have a new post up every day!! I'd love to hear your comments:)

On to the card...I have been in love with this image since I first saw it used. Something about the symmetrical crossword squares on the bird speak to me. I used my copic marker to color in the bird to match the dp. I was just in the mood for PINK!

Do you save your scraps of ribbon? I'm learning to because even the smallest scrap can be worked into a bow or knot to add extra color. I've also seen some cool cards using the negative image of a cut-out shape that is backed with ribbon. Today I threaded my ribbon scrap in to add some pizazz to the light pink organza.

I hope you have a fantastic Friday! Here's to the weekend!!

Anne


stamp set: October 10 KOM: Unity
dp: Tiffany's: We R Memory Keepers
cs: white: Papertrey Ink
ink: tuxedo black: Memento
extras: pink organza ribbon, pink and black ribbon scrap (both from my stash), RV34 copic marker, black Micron 05 marker, circles and scalloped circles (large): Spellbinders, dimensionals

Grateful

Hello! I liked the nontraditional colors of the dp that I used for this card. I do love the usual fall colors, but it was fun to make a card that was a bit brighter. Also, although it's hard to see, the sentiment is all glittery.

Have a great day!

Anne

Challenge: Unity Hip Hop Sketch Challenge #31
Stamp set: A Moment in Time: Ippity/Unity
Dp: Stephanie Hunt
Cardstock: Ruby Red: Stampin' UP; Rustic White: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Ruby Red: Stampin' UP
Extras: Dazzling Diamonds: Stampin' UP; dew drops

Somewhere off the beaten path

Hello! I created this card for a challenge over at Unity. If you haven't seen their stamps before, be sure to stop by and take a look! I just found them over the summer and I am HOOKED!!

The challenge was a "complicated recipe challenge" that used your initials and birth month to dictate how you made your card. The recipe for my card was 1. red, white, blue 2. buttons 3. one layer 4. texture. I stamped the whole card then ran the front part through my cuttlebug with an embossing folder. If you want to try this, be sure to cut your card stock the long way and have the fold at the top. That way you will be able to leave the back of the card with no embossing. Much easier to write on!:) I added the buttons on last.

Have an awesome day!
Anne

Challenge: Unity Addicts Challenge #24
Stamp Sets: rectangles-A Moment in Time: Ippity/Unity; sentiment-Authentic Man: Ippity/Unity
Cardstock: white: Papertrey Ink
Inks: Real Red, Night of Navy: Stampin' UP
Extras: Enchanted Evening buttons: Papertrey Ink, white floss, embossing folder: Stampin' UP

Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Morning! My friend liked my Halloween pinch box so much that she wanted me to make some Thanksgiving ones for her family! It's always so nice when someone appreciates your work:)

This is an easy template to put together, although there is a bit of cutting involved, some with an exacto knife. The ribbon holds the pinch together and the box opens at the top. I've taped it closed for this photo. The only other extra is the heat embossing in gold on the leaf. I thought it went with the fall colors and added a richness to the olive green paper.

Hope she likes it. Have a great day!
Anne

Stamps: leaf-Fall Whimsy: Stampin' UP (retired); sentiment: Hero Arts
Papers: dp: imaginisce; old olive, more mustard: Stampin' UP
Inks: metallic gold: Encore; rich cocoa Memento
Extras: ribbon; gold embossing powder; rustic twine: Papertrey Ink

National Blog Posting Month OR NaBloPoMo

Happy November! This month I am joining fellow bloggers to post every day! I intend to share a handcrafted card or project most days. I also listed my site under education because that's my career, that's what I do.....TEACH!! I will be sharing my thoughts (creative or not) about teaching also!

Today I will be enjoying(?) nature's creativity on a field trip with my first graders to a local nature center. The day promises to be cloudy and cool; the first graders promise to be squirrely...they'll fit right in!! Have you guessed that field trips aren't my favorite??

Happy Day!
Anne