Blog Candy

This weeks winner will receive this very cute Valentines Day basket. Of course, I am going to fill it full of goodies (after all I can not send someone an empty basket).

Here are some of the items that you will receive with your Valentines Day basket:

For your chance to win, leave me a comment on any of the posts on this site between today and Thursday, February 12th.

After next weeks drawing I will be posting directions on how to make these baskets. These are great to use for any type of occassion simply by changing color combinations and decorative elements.

Good luck to every one!

P.S. Sorry my pictures are blurry. For some reason my camera was not being good today.

WT202 Challenge: Pizzazz it Up!

Todays challenge comes straight from SCS. (I told you that this was one of my favorite sites!) Here are the rules:

If you're like me you love patterned paper. The more the better and those new glittered, flocked, or die-cut papers....well, I have a serious addiction. The problem is...they really lighten my wallet! I thought it would be fun to design a challenge around adding your own pizzazz to existing patterned paper. The challenge: Ways to Alter Patterned Paper. Make it special. You may want to glitter, emboss, heat emboss, flock, die-cut...whatever you can think of, some patterned paper that you have on hand to make it extra special. Just like that fancy specialty paper that carries the big $2-$3 price tag. Have fun! And in this economy...saving money always a plus! Just in case there is any question...you MUST use patterned paper to start and then customize it.

If you are interested in checking out what others have made please click here.

And, if you have taken on this challenge, then please send me a copy of, or a link to, your picture. I would love to see what you have done.

I am off to create now!

Happy Thursday,

Ana

Card Heart Card

This card is for Challenge #3 from Late Night Stampers. I actually had enough time to finish it before I went to work so I am able to post it much earlier than I thought I would be able too.

I use the Love You Much bundle with Ruby Red, Real Red and Whisper White Cardstock. I only used Real Red Classic Ink.

I am going to make about 50 of these for my kids to take to school on Valentines Day. So, this challenge gave me what I needed to get started.

Hope you like it!:

Sundays Challenge

SCS does not offer challenges on Sunday so I had to get this challenge straight from Late Night Stampers. So, are you ready to play? If so, here is the challenge:

In honor of Valentine's day...we challenge you to make a HEART shaped CARD, that MUST INCLUDE some form of CANDY!!!

 

It doesn't matter what color, size, etc--it just has to be heart shaped, with candy!!!  And of course, all materials must be current Stampin' Up! only (except for the candy, of course - hehe) 

I wont be able to get to this challenge, or any others until Thursday. But, if decide to take on this challenge please feel free to send me a link to your picture.

Also, today I am adding a link to all the other challenges that I have posted so far to the SCS albums that show case the projects all ready submitted! Take a look!!!

My Challenge Results: SC211 and LSC202

I have been really behind on challenges lately. I was planning on getting caught up yesterday but I am still not feeling well, and yesterday was just a bad day.

I made this card using just a few supplies. I used Real Red, Whisper White and Ruby Red cardstock, Real Red Classic Ink, and the Love You Much Bundle Kit.

I am still behind by one old challenge and one new challenge (that I will post in a minute or two). As soon as I get those done I will post them with the recipe. I will also post two new challenges at the end of this week. One on Thursday and one on Friday.

Please feel free to play along, and if you do, please send me a link to your post!

Wednesday's Challenge: SC211

Wednesday's Challenge is to use this sketch as a guide to making a card.

I always LOVE sketch challenges. They open my eyes to new layouts which usually suprise me.

I'm posting this layout early so tomorrow morning (Wednesday) I will take on this challenge and hopefully the last two. Check back tomorrow evening to see what I have come up with!!!!!

To see more cards that use this sketch please click here!

CC201: Not Quite Sage

Tuesday Challenge is to use the colors:

• Not Quite Navy
• Craft or Creamy Caramel
• Sage Shadow

You can use these colors in any type of project... scrapbook, card, 3-D. 

I will take on these challenge (and last weeks) tomorrow. Plus, I will also try to take on tomorrows challenge. (Maybe I will try to role them all into one!)

If you take on this challenge please send me a link to your posting. I'd love to see it!

To see other projects made using this guidelines please click here!

1/9/09: LSC202

Today's challenge is to use hearts, but this is a limited supply challenge so don't go crazy with your design. Here are the rules: 

Here is your challenge...to use a heart...any heart!

*Stamps: Any (bonus points for using a heart image!)
*Paper: any + red...any shade of red
*if you use a punch or die it must be heart shaped
*if you use embossing folders...they must have a heart
*if you use an accessory it MUST be heart shaped or red
*if you use designer paper...yup you guessed it, red or hearts!

I hope you enjoy the challenge, I had a lot of fun with it!

I will post my complete project later on today. And, like always, if you choose to play along please send me a link to your project!

To see more projects from this challenge, please click here!

Mousies Card

I completed the challenge yesterday but was unable to post until today. I made this card off of the Mousies cake at Cake Nouveau. The card was made for my brother-in-law who just celebrated his 60th birthday!

The hardest part of making this card was punching all the holes. Use different size hole punches and you have instant cheese. I did use a retired stamp set. The bigs holes were sponged after they were punched with a dark shade of yellow (Yo Yo Yellow sponged on So Saffron). If you need or want better instructions, please let me know!

There are no challenges today. Sorry! I will be back on Friday with a whole new challenge.

Until then,

Today's Challenge: IC161

Todays challenge is to make a card, or scrapbook page, using the inspiration that you get from his website: www.cakenouveau.com

You do not have to recreate the cake just take inspiration from the colors and/or theme.

I am choosing to use Mousies off of page 4. I will post my card a little later today after its done.

Like always, if you choose to play along please send me a link to your card or page. I would love to see it.

To see cards from this challenge please click here...

SBVC57 Projects

I ended up making 3 scrapbook pages for this challenge. I finished the 3rd project this morning. Before making the pages I decided to use old pictures of my grandmother. I was kind of nervous using pink and red with the black and white photos, but I really love how the pages turned out.

I will post a basic recipe for the 3 pages at the end of the pictures. I ended up using some non-SU! products to complete the pages (ie: straight pins, buttons, large pink eyelets and rick-a-rack).

I hope you enjoy the projects below:

Recipe:

Wild Rose Stamp Set

Real Red Hostess Designer Series Paper

Close to Cocoa Designer Series Paper

Pretty in Pink Cardstock

Real Red Cardstock

Close to Cocoa Cardstock

Pretty in Pink Classic Ink

Real Red Classic Ink

Old Olive Classic Ink

Stampin Glitter Chunky Sprinkles

Rhinestone Brads Fire Circles

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.

Here is a link to see other cards made for this challenge.

New Years Greetings,

Ana

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

P.S. If you would like to see other projects made using this color combination please click here.