Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Todays Challenge: SBVC57

Here is todays challenge information. I decided to choose a scrapbook page instead of a card this week. This challenge is a little different and that's why I am posting exactly what SCS said.

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SBVC57...Party Time...12.31.08


Good morning scrappers and Happy New Years! While growing up, we didn't celebrate New Years, we had birthday parties. My paternal Grandfather's birthday was December 31st and maternal Grandmother's birthday was January 1st.


One last "Using our stash" challenge -
We are going to revisit the recipe challenge I did 2 years ago for Halloween, except you are going to choose a cake instead of a full menu. After you've chosen your dessert, I'll PM you with your recipe. You must use the items listed (they aren't manufacture related, nor are they hard, so don't be scared away) You can add any "spices" (aka other items) to your layout. Feel free to do this challenge more than once as each recipe will be very different.


Dessert menu:

Angel Food Cake (ingredients: white cardstock, ribbon, a circle, handwritten journaling, flowers, and bling)

Carrot Cake (ingredients: orange, vanilla, sanding, stars, harware and buttons)

Cheesecake (ingredients: white and brown, felt, stampin, cut work, buttons and bling)

Chocolate Cake (ingredients: brown cardstock, swirls/flourishes, doodling, brads, chipboard and a quote)

Fruit Cake (ingredients: black background, stamping, hardware, buttons, chipboard, and the use of a punch)

Rainbow Chip Cake (ingredients: printed paper with rainbow colors, flowers, stitching, rub-ons, and ribbon)

Sponge Cake (ingredients: yellow, inking, flowers, stamping, ribbon, paper piercing)

Strawberry Shortcake (recipe below)

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So, I picked Strawberry Shortcake (mainly because I love strawberries and I thought I would like the colors). My ingredients are:

Pink
Red
Hardware
Inking
Bling
Ribbon

I am now off to create. And, as always, please feel free to join in. If you do, please send me a link to your project.


New Years Greetings,
Ana

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Sizzix vs. Others

I just received a posting from a fellow SU! demonstrator on the differences between the Sizzix/Big Shot, Cricut, Xyron and the Cuttlebug machines. I thought that this might be helpful to more people than myself so I am posting it to this blog.... Thanks June!:

The original Sizzix is similiar to the Big Shot in that it is a plain die cut machine. It's bulky and can only use dies made for the Sizzix. Our machine (Big Shot) is a roller machine. The original Sizzix is a crank thru.
 
The Cricut is a fancy typewriter. It's a bit like a word processor. You get a cartridge and a rubber mat that fits on the keyboard area. You type in the word, words or image that you want and select the size. Then you set the machine to cut. It cuts the letters you want in any size from 1/4 inch to 5 inches. Some cartridges have larger and smaller sizes. Cartridges cost about $100 each.
 
The Xyron is a sticker making machine. You can make any die cut, stamped image, picture, ribbon, or basically anything flat into a sticker. I have a small size that can use images about 1 inch wide and a medium sized machine that goes up to 3 1/2 inches wide. It's great when making large batches of card candy. Refills are available in temporary or permanent adhesive.
 
The Cuttlebug is a roller die cut and embossing machine. It's claim to fame is that you can use any die cut made for any of the other machines out there. You could also emboss paper with it and die cut the same paper in the same machine.
 
The Big Shot is similiar to the Cuttlebug but it is wider and can use the wider dies designed to make baskets and pennants. You can use any of the dies from other machines in it as well. Besides being wider, the other cool feature is that the adjustable cutting mat also has the sandwich lists on it. Basically, you don't have to go running to look for a sheet of paper anytime you want to cut something with another brand of die. Everything is right at your hand.
 
Cuttlebug and Big Shot are approx the same cost

CC199: A Light Unto My Path

 This is my creation for todays SCS challenge. I really like how this card turned out. I was really nervous about the colors but I really like the rich look of the finished project.


Card Recipe:
A Light Unto My Path
Whisper White Cardstock
Bravo Burgundy Cardstock
Handsome Hunter Cardstock
So Saffron Cardstock
Not Quite Navy Watercolor Crayon
Bravo Burgundy Watercolor Crayon
Handsome Hunter Watercolor Crayon
So Saffron Watercolor Crayon
Rich Regal Colored Buttons
Linen Thread
(Retired) Wine Ribbon
Ticket Corner Punch
SNAIL Adhesive
Mini Glue Dots
Blender Pens

Now, this card took a little more time to do then some of my other recent projects. I'm not going to fib to you about this, but I still think this is a card that a beginner can do. Of course, that beginner will need a few items in his/her stamp room.... Hey, but shopping for new, fun items to play with is half the fun.

Now its your turn. Show me your challenge projects!

Tuesdays Challenge: CC199 Saffron Burgunday Hunter

Todays SCS challenge is to use the colors So Saffron, Bravo Burgandy, and Handsome Hunter in a design for a card (or scrapbook page). So, I am off to be inspired... Truthfully, I don't think these are colors I would use for myself but that's why these are called challenges.

If you need to be inspired also, you can visit the CC199 gallery on SCS by visiting this site: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?mcats=all&si=cc199&what=allfields&name=&when=&whenterm=&condition=and

As always, if you are taking on this challenge too then please send me your finished pictures or a link to your project and I will add your link to the posting.

Have a great (and safe) New Year,
Ana

Friday, December 26, 2008

Smile 6x6 Page (SBSC170)

I finished the challenge page for today. I altered the design a bit, but I still think the page came out very cute.


I am not going to post a recipe for this page because a lot of the items used are now discontinued, and (shame on me) the big brads are not SU!. I hope you like the page just the same though.

I will be back on Tuesday, January 30th with another SCS challenge. I hope you will join me then.

Ana

Todays Challenge: SBSC170

Todays SCS challenge is to use the sketch below to make a scrap book page. Now the challenge does not state what size this needs to be. I am sure that most who take on this challenge will use the standard 12x12 size.... but I hardly use that size myself. So, I am going to try to scale this down to fit a 6x6 page.


I will try to finish this challenge tonight. Today is my only day off work, and I have to wash my work clothes.... oh, and did I mention, I still have the flu?

If you decided to take on this challenge, please send me your link.... or even a picture of your masterpiece! And, if you need a little more inspiration please click here to see what others have made.

Thanks, Ana

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Challenge SC208: Birthday Whimsy

Again today I decided to use a retired Sell-A-Bration set from last year. This set is called Birthday whimsy. I also added to the SCS challenge by telling my self that I could only use scraps of paper that I had left over from other cards that I have made. This is what I came up with:

Recipe:
Birthday Whimsy Stamp Set
Whisper White Cardstock
Certainly Celery Cardstock
Regal Rose Cardstock
Tempting Turquoise Cardstock
Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink
Basic Black Classic Ink
Certainly Celery Stampin Write Marker
Tempting Turquoise Stampin Write Marker
Regal Rose Stampin Write Marker
So Saffron Stampin Write Marker
Earth Elements Eyelets
Stampin Dimensionals
Crop-A-Dile
SNAIL Adhesive

I will not be posting tomorrow. It is Christmas, and I have to work in the afternoon. On Friday I will join in on the SCS challenge, and post Christmas pictures. 

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Todays Challenge: 12-24-08

Todays challenge is again from SCS (seriously, if you haven't visited their site.... you need too!). The challenge is to use the following sketch to create a card:


This is going to be an interesting challenge, but shouldn't be to hard. Now, I just have to start working on it.

As always, if you decided to join in the challenge then please comment to this post with a link to your picture. If need more inspiration to make you vision to come true please click here to see what others have made.

Merry Christmas Eve,

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Friendship Blooms: SCS Challenge

This is my creation for todays SCS challenge.

Recipe:
Friendship Blooms Stamp Set
Cameo Coral
Orchid Opulence
So Saffron
Ice Circle Rhinestone Brads
Cameo Coral Classic Ink
Basic Black Classic Ink
Orchid Opulence Stampin Write Marker
So Saffron Stampin Write Marker
Pop-up Dots
SNAIL Adhesive





Todays Challenge: 12-23-08

Todays challenge comes straight from SCS. The challenge is titled So Coral Opulence (CC198) and the rules are pretty simple. You have to design something that uses So Saffron, Cameo Coral, and Orchid Opulence.

Well this is going to be fun. I am off to find the stamp set that I want to use, grab the paper, and start designing. I will post the card, scrap book page, or 3 D when its done.....

Oh and by the way, if you decide to take on this challenge too then please comment to this posting with the link to your picture.

Monday, December 22, 2008

I'm BACK!!!!

After a little pause in my blogging life and my stamping life, I'm back. Please don't ask me why I ever left. Mainly because I really don't have any answers.

Right after Convention I kind of lost momentum. I know that is not what Convention is suppost to do for us stampers but for some reason.... the "umph!" was just gone.

Then I started working at a new job. Not just any job but a new job working the 11pm to 7am shift at a local nursing home. So, now when I was home I was either sleeping or wishing I was sleeping. After 3 months of working that trying shift I am now on a more normal shift of 3pm to 11pm.

To top everything off, we finally found out why my youngest son was always getting sick. He was in kidney failure. Thankfully though, Chris had surgery on November 17th (9 days after he turned 5) and he is doing great.

So, maybe all of these things that happened shortly after Convention had a snow ball effect on my stamping life and over all happiness. But, no matter what, I am back.

I am starting slowly this time though. I am not jumping in with selling, and classes to start with. Right now I am starting with stamping on my days off.... This means that I will be taking place in SCS challenges and possibly challenges on Shelli's Blog.

My first day with this "new" phase in my life will begin tomorrow. TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS (after all, I didn't even send out Christmas cards this year!). Please join me tomorrow to see what challenge I am planning on taking on and what I make to meet the challenge.

Oh, and.... another challenge I have to face is my stamping room. It has become a junk room where everything gets put instead of being put away. I will post pictures of this black hole over the next few days and start working on the great transformation. And, if any of you have any idea's on how to help transform my mess into success please feel free to post.