Stampin' Celebration 98-Thank You

Hello there!  I'm back with another Stampin' Celebration!  And like I explained in my MDS Monday post...this one will be short and sweet due to me making a very foolish mistake!  Click here to read about it!  So also please forgive the quality of my picture... I could not get onto MDS at first, so I made a card and took a picture with my iphone, but the lighting in the room wasn't the best, and I didn't do any editing of the photo at all, so.... it is what it is!

Here's my card...  

I tried the 'stencil in watercolour technique' from one of my Online Card Classes using the colours from the challenge board.  It worked out ok, except the stencil popped up in the middle despite my best efforts, so you don't get the full effect, but it is still pretty!

Challenge Guidelines 

• Feel free to use any brand of product you may have in your stash. 
• We ask that you create a new project for this challenge and add a link to our blog or use the challenge graphic in your post. 
• Please link directly to the post for this challenge, not your entire blog (so we can find your project better)
• Please limit the combined challenges on your project to no more then 4 including ours. 
• And have fun!!! 
• The challenge will be open for 2 weeks and the linky will close on Friday Feb. 27th @ 9pm EST.

See you in the gallery!  xo Anita

Thanks A Bunch-SC88

Good morning... it's another Monday, so... time for a new challenge again at Stampin' Celebration!  Today we've got a great inspiration challenge.  Take a peek at this...

Doesn't this get you all excited for fall?  Don't get me wrong... I love summer and all the sunshine-y gloriousness that brings us... but you gotta admit that there's something about being cozy inside while the rain is falling outside, crockpot meals, reading in front of the fireplace.... tucking the kids in early..."because look how late you stayed up, it's dark out already!"  (Although admittedly that only really works with  our three year old these days!)  But anyway... the challenge... here's what I came up with...

I needed ALOT of thank you cards these last couple weeks, as I just had surgery and was absolutely overwhelmed, I tell you, by the people that brought our family meals, flowers, gifts, made my kids' school lunches, babysat, had play dates for my kids, etc.  Overwhelmed... it doesn't even seem like an adequate enough word!  But it was the perfect opportunity to make a fall-ish 'thank you' card.

Click on over to Stampin' Celebration, check out what the other designers have created, read the guidelines, and make sure you take some time to play along with our challenge.  See you in the gallery!

xo Anita

SC87-Hello Perfection

Hello and welcome to another Stampin' Celebration!  This is not my only post for today... if you are looking for MDS Monday.... just scroll down.... it's there somewhere!  But if you are here for another Stampin' Celebration challenge... read on!!!

We've got a sketch for you from Wendi today!  I have to be honest... it had me stumped... and on top of it all, I'm recovering from a surgery I had last Wednesday.... so I didn't feel on top of my game at all... but it is what it is!  Here's the sketch....

... and here's a card I made... I've been seeing feathers everywhere.... so thought I'd try my had at it too!  I don't know though... I think this card needs a little more love... I think I'll revisit it when I'm feeling a little better!

Don't forget to check out the Stampin' Celebration blog to see what all the other fabulous team members have created.... get inspired... and get playing with us.  See you in the gallery!

xo Anita

You Are One Of A Kind-SC83

Hi everyone!  Welcome back to another challenge for Stampin' Celebration!  This month we have a great sketch which can be used for a card or a scrapbook page!  We'd love to see what you've got!  

Here's the sketch...

And here's my card I designed in MDS!

I used the new in-colours... Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss, Lost Lagoon, Moss Meadow and Tangelo Twist!  I love the finished result!  

I hope I've inspired you to play along with our awesome sketch... don't forget that you can come back at the end of the challenge to our Stampin' Celebration blog and vote on YOUR favourite...  you could be the Pick of the Party!  Be sure to click on over to all the other awesome creations and get inspired to play along with us!

See you in the gallery!

Oh Happy Day - SC81

Happy middle of June=only a few itty bitty days of school left!  Yay!  Who am I kidding?  No school means more kids home, which means no time for cardmaking!  But still.... it'll be nice.  No more keeping up with homework, signing agendas, alarm clocks and the like!  Oh happy day!

Which brings me to the reason you are here!  The middle of a month marks a new challenge at Stampin' Celebration!  Check out our versatile sketch!  I love it!

I originally was going to use it for a scrapbook layout, which you can see other DT members did, but ended up going with a pretty card!  I love this colour combo of Garden Green, Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe and Calypso Coral.... with a little Gold thrown in there.... although I cheated with the stitching and used More Mustard as I had no Gold stitching in my MDS.  Here... see what I did!

I'm quite in love with the end result and can hardly wait to see these for real!  I have plans to make an actual card with physical product like this as well!  Who knows... I may even pull out my sewing machine for the stitching!

Hope you enjoyed taking a look here... don't forget to click on over to Stampin' Celebration to check out the challenge and what the other inspiring design team ladies have created!  You have two weeks for this sketch challenge... hope to see you in the gallery!

xo Anita

Hello, You-CCMC303, PP196

Hello there!  I'm back with a soft and pretty floral card today.  I used my Regarding Dahlias stamps to play along with a couple challenges this morning.  I was inspired by the sketch at the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge, and the challenge at The Paper Players was CAS Floral, so that worked perfectly for my card as well.

Check out my card!

I started with a Blushing Bride card base.  I stamped two dahlias in Versamark, one on Calypso Coral and the other on Crisp Cantaloupe. I heat embossed them both with white embossing powder and fussy cut them out.  After adding a few banners in Brushed Gold CS and Crisp Cantaloupe CS, I used some dimensionals to pop up one of the flowers and banners.  I stamped my sentiment in Gold Encore ink, and added a few gold sequins to finish it all off.  Perfect!  Go check out the two challenge sites and be inspired to play along yourself!  So much fun!

xo Anita

Sending Good Thoughts-FM160, CQC#241

Hello again!  This'll be my third post today, but I wanted to get this posted before my day got away on me!  I was inspired by the totally fun colour combo over at ColourQ and the challenge at Friday Mashup to make a get well card with their sketch.

Unfortunately I can't even just add this card to my stash.  We need to cheer up a young family member who ended up in the hospital last week, and finally after a few days of tests they discovered an infection.  I believe he's still in the hospital. but will hopefully return home this week sometime.

Here's my card...

I started with a base of Pool Party, on which I embossed the Dictionary stamp in Pool Party EP.  I stamped my Chocolate Chip layer with the Hardwood stamp and heat embossed my sentiment with Gold EP on a Pool Party banner.  Topped it off with one of my many, many buttons, and a little linen thread... and wah-la... DONE!

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to take a peek!  Seeya later!

xo Anita

The Open Sea-FMS136, CMCC#20

Hello again... it's still Monday, and it's still a holiday, and I am still nursing this gigantic head cold... so I am still gonna be quick!  Here's the other card I had a chance to make this weekend.  I was inspired by the colours at Colour Me...! (hi girls!) and the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.

Here's my card!

I still had The Open Sea on my desk and wanted to make another nautical card... so I did!  I hope you like!  I hardly dare to admit this, but this was also the VERY FIRST TIME I inked up my Tape It stamps.... shame on me!  I like them... ALOT!

OK, thanks for taking time out of your day to look!  That's it for me then!  

xo Anita

Bugs and Kisses-HSSCC#185

Happy Victoria Day if you are a Canadian!  Today is a holiday, and so in honor of that, and in light of the fact that I am soooo nursing a ginormous head cold at the moment... I am gonna be super quick!  I had a teeny chance to play in my craft room this weekend and I played along at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  It's been such a long while since I played along at any challenge... I had a hard time getting going!  All this beautiful weather has not allowed me much time to "play"!  But I don't want to complain about the gorgeous weather either, so....

Here's my card for Hand Stamped Sentiments cool and fun color challenge!

Love this set from SU! for all my little itty bitty nieces and nephews birthdays... it's long retired, but I never let that worry me!

 

There's the colours the challenge called for... aren't they just so fun?  Love' em!  OK, I'll be back in a sec with one more card!

xo Anita

Stampin' Celebration! Sketch Inspiration

Welcome back to another episode of Stampin' Celebration!  It's the middle of May (already) and we're back with some more inspiration for you.  This is a brand new challenge... click on over to the Stampin' Celebration website to see who our Pick of the Party for the last challenge was!

 This time around we have a sketch challenge for you...

I'm still on the nautical theme... but that's what all this gorgeous warm sunny weather will do to you... make you dream about being out on the ocean or lake... so that's what I've got for you today!  And, sorry if you can't find the sketch in my card... I got all turned around when I decided to turn it on it's side, but then forgot to account for the elements on the lower right hand side, and put them in a different spot altogether!  Oh well... all in the name of creativity, right?

 So it's pretty obvious what I've done here... and I have to confess that while I was making this card, I totally didn't even know what I really wanted or was even doing!  I was just sort of stamping and sponging all over the place... which is really a poor excuse for a way of doing things, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!  

Be sure to check out the awesome samples from the other DT members... there's so much inspiration there!  I'm looking forward to checking out all your lovely projects in the gallery... so be sure to play along!  

xo Anita

With Sympathy

Oops... I forgot to press publish, so here's my Friday card for you... a little later than usual, but it is still Friday!

I've got a spring-y card for you just as promised.  I really enjoyed using my Mixed Bunch stamps the other day.  Here's the card I came up with.

I hope you like it.  I like to make these cards before I really need them... they seem to be easier to make that way... or maybe that's just me!

OK, see you next week!  Have a fab weekend!

xo Anita

Nautical Inspiration! SC78I

Happy Thursday to you all!  And... it is May!  Just like that!  I love the month of May... soft spring mornings... hints of summer... the end of the school year is nearer!  Ahhh....

And because it's the first of May, the girls and I from Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge have a new challenge for you!  And what better to get you in the mood for those hints of summer... than this inspiration photo!  Love it!

And it's perfect because it seems like the whole nautical thing is 'in' right now!  For once I can say I am 'on trend'!  haha

Take a look at the card I made using this inspiration board as a starting point!  I used it for the elderly men's birthdays in my church last month.  

I really love this stamp.  What I love even more is that it's great for colouring.  I find watercolouring so relaxing.  I made about 6 or 7 of these cards, and it didn't take me long at all!  Love that!

So make sure you click on over to the Stampin' Celebration website, and check out the other design team member's awesome stuff!  Those ladies never cease to inspire me!  Be sure to get creative, link up your card or whatever it is you make, and we'll come by to check out your project and leave you some love!  

There have been a few changes to our challenge again.  Our challenges will no longer run for the whole month, but rather, we will have two separate challenges.  The first half of the month will be an inspiration challenge and the second half of the month will be the sketch challenge!  So, that means more chances for you to win, since we will be choosing a Pick of the Party twice a month now!  Great, right?  So what are you waiting for?  Get creating!

We'll see you later!  I know I said to come back today for a spring-y card... and it's not really a spring-y card.... so be sure to come back tomorrow for that!

xo Anita

CMCC#18-Celebrate!

Welcome to my last post as Colour Me..! guest designer. (sniff, sniff)  I have had so much fun this last month and hope I was able really inspire you to play along with the challenges!  I love challenges for stretching your creative mind.... making you do things you wouldn't normally do... in a good way!

Thank you very much Hayley and Tara for inviting me to be your guest designer for the month of April!  I'll definitely be back to play along!  I always love the colour combos you inspire us with!  And thanks for all the 'love' and positive comments from the rest of the Colour Me...! ladies as well!  We'll see y'all around!

Ok, now on to business!  It's the fifth week in April, so 'Anything Goes' at Colour Me...!  Choose up to five colours to make a project with, link it up, and list your colours in your post.

For this week, I chose some colours right off of the Colour Coach.  I used Wild Wasabi, So Saffron and Perfect Plum.  I also used Very Vanilla as a neutral. 

This card came together very easily... which was just what I needed.  I think I'm going to find some other pretty colour combos and make a few more of these!  Who wouldn't want to receive one of these spring-y cards in the mail?  I know I would!

OK, that's it for me.  Come back tomorrow to see another spring-y card!

xo Anita

CMCC#17-Happy Birthday

Good morning everybody!  Hopefully your week is going great!  Ours is an exciting one... my husband's 'baby' sister is getting married at the end of it, so those plans are pretty much taking over our lives at the moment!  I'll be grateful when it's all over and we can breathe again!  But in the meantime it is actually pretty exciting!  This is our last sibling to get married, and pretty much the only wedding that my daughters will really remember, so we're trying to make sure it gets enjoyed as much as possible!  And by that I mean new EVERYTHING, hair appointments, limo rides... the works!)  Which reminds me... I have to make them a card still... and for that matter figure out what gift they'll get!  Oops!

But in the meantime, the girls and I at Colour Me...! have another challenge for you!  This one is so much fun!  I just love these colours!  I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Here's what I came up with!

I used my Mosaic Madness stamp set and my SAMJ (obviously!) I could never have managed to do all that lining up with goofing up somewhere along the line!  So this is what I did... the top row, which is partly off the card, I double stamped with Pacific Point.  The next row I just stamped regular, which resulted in a little less intense colour.  Then Tempting Turquoise, Bermuda Bay, and Coastal Cabana.  The next row I stamped Coastal Cabana off once before stamping on the card, and the very last row, which is partly off the card and so light you can barely see it on here, I stamped off twice before stamping on the card!  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out... I should be, I took forever doing it, making sure I would not goof up!!!  The die cut is from Memory Box... the Happy Birthday Tidings... I just cut all the little leaves and flowers and birds off to get just the words.  I stacked five of them on top of each other, coloured the top one black, used my clear Wink of Stella pen, and topped that with a coat of Glossy Accents!  I just love the shiny, wet look that resulted!

OK, click over to the Colour Me...! challenge blog to check out all the details and other FABULOUS cards from the other design team members!  I can hardly believe my time as Featured Designer is almost up... I'm so glad there are 5 weeks for April!  Yay!

CMCC#16-Wonderful You

Hi!  I'm back again with my Colour Me...! card.  We've got a subtle colour challenge for you this week!  Check it out!

Here's my card!

It's a pretty straightforward card really... I used the Inspired by Nature stamp set and stamped the flower full strength and the grass by stamping off once first.  I also used my little clear buttons from SU! (I seriously don't think I have EVER used them!  No lie!)  I punched a little heart out of cardstock and used some Glossy Accents to adhere them to the button and to the card itself!  Pretty cool, huh?!

OK, so go check out all the other talent on the Colour Me...! blog and play along with us this week!  I promise you'll love it!

SC77S-Mid Month Inspiration!

Hello everyone!  I'll be short and sweet today!  I'm off on a school trip with my oldest daughter!  I've been sort of MIA lately and it's all due to this wedding we have in the family and the house that the bridal couple is renovating... or I should say... the house they have everyone else renovating!  Just kidding... but man oh man... it will be nice to settle down after all this excitement in a couple of weeks!  Anyhoo.... let's get to what you came for...

It's the middle of the month (already) so the ladies and I over at Stampin' Celebration have some sketch inspiration for you!  Click on over to their website so you can find all the ins and outs of how you can play along, and check out all the other DT samples as well!

Here's what I made... and forgive me... but these cards are hard to take a picture of without looking all wonky!

This card had a few firsts for me!  First time for that Watercolour Wonder DSP as well as the Circle Card Thinlits die!  Yes... I've had it for awhile, but just haven't had a chance to play with it.  My bad!  So it turned out pretty well after all... you should have seen me waffling back and forth over this and that, diddling around here and there... but in the end, this is it, and I like it!  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Here's a couple of other close ups... not that you really need them, but I took them, so here they are!

OK, that's it for me!  Seeya later for my Colour Me...! post!

Happy Birthday! CMCC #15

Welcome everybody!  Today I have another colour challenge from Colour Me...!  This is my second week guest designing for them, and I just love the colour combo they have chosen for this week!  So fresh and fun!  It reminds me of our week in Mexico last November!  Ahhhh....

At first I had in mind to design something in MDS using pictures from our Mexico trip... but I'm a little too busy designing something VERY COOL for my hubby's youngest sister's wedding.  And that is coming up in just over two weeks, so I am totally focusing on that in MDS.... and on nothing other!  Rest assured... I will show you when I can!

So instead of warm tropical vacations I have a bright flowery card for you instead.  Take a peek!

Isn't it a bright and cheerful card?  I only used the two colours from the palette, but I also did some second generation stamping to give a little background and depth to the flowers.  I also used the Vines EF from SU! on the Daffodil Delight panel, but you really actually don't see it much.  Oh well... it adds a little interest, doesn't it?  I agonized over what colour to stamp the sentiment in. Bermuda Bay... Black... Bermuda Bay... Black... and in the end I stamped it in Black because it drew my eye better than the Bermuda Bay, which just made it sort of blend in with all the flowers!  So there you have it!  A quick and easy card, but a beautiful one nonetheless!

I hope you'll click on over to the Colour Me...!  challenge blog, check out everyone else's beautiful projects, and then make some time to play along yourself!  You can find all the details here!

Colour Me...! April Guest Designer!!

Hello everyone!  I've got a super duper exciting announcement here that I've been sitting on for a couple weeks, and now I finally get to tell you!  I've been asked to join the uber-talented Colour Me...! ladies for the month of April as their featured designer!  If you have no idea what Colour Me...! is all about, you better head on over there and check it out!  You're surely missing out!

 This week's challenge is a fun one... check it out!

If you've never played along before, you should try... it's so fun and inspiring!  Go check out the other design team member's projects and play along yourself!  You could be the next Colour Captivator or Colour Connoisseur!

Seeyou there!  xo Anita

SC77I - My Friend

No tricks or jokes for you today, even though it is the first day of April.  But what I do have is a beautiful inspiration photo for you to kick off a new month at Stampin' Celebration.  Did you see all the beautiful entries last month?  Wow... and now we can't wait to see what you all come up with in April!

Look at this... 

Isn't adorable?  There are so many different directions and options you could take!  The colours for instance, or the bunny and the eggs for an easter themed card, or the tree stump and the vase of flowers... I let the colours, the tree stump and the butterflies and lace inspire me to come up with this card...

What do you think?  How did I do?

Now, we want to see what you will do with this inspiration photo!  Go check out the Stampin' Celebration blog and the other ladies beautiful projects, get crafty and then come back and link up your creations so we can see shat you've done, and for your chance to be the Pick of the Party for April!

Come back tomorrow for an exciting announcement!

xo Anita

More Sweet Sorbet!

I'm going to show you a few more of my Sweet Sorbet cards today.  This isn't even the last of them!  Sorry!  

Let's get to it!

Feel free to shout it out if you know by whom my cards were inspired or outright copied!  I cannot remember them all as it is a few weeks since I made these!  Above is a CASE from Dawn Olchefske I believe! 

Not too sure about this one!  Oops!  But isn't it pretty?

 

No idea who inspired me for the third and fourth cards, but I am thinking the last one is one I CASED from Ilina Crouse.

OK, that's it for me... come back next week for our new Stampin' Celebration post.... and an exciting announcement from me! 

xo Anita