Cheery Lynn's Sophia's Heart & French Lattice

Sophia's Heart die came in today and it is truly gorgeous!

Now, look at all the different looks you can get from it!  Just make a few snips and you get a different die cut.  I just love it when we can get more uses from our supplies.

Can't wait to make some lovely Valentine cards with this!  

And here is the French lattice background die.  Isn't it delicate?  This too will make a lovely background for many projects.

Can't wait to see what you will design with these fabulous dies!  Stop by soon and pick yours up before they are gone!

Thanks for "stamping" by,
~Anna

Great New Year Card by Ginny

To ring in the new year, Ginny made this fabulous card for me!  

 First, I apologize for the picture.  It was very difficult to take a picture of this card since Ginny used silver mirrored card stock.  And even though I did not use my flash, there was still a lot of reflection going on.  I think you get the idea though!

 

Ginny used an old Outlines stamp, Illusion 1, embossed it in silver on black card stock and covered the center with Spellbinders Wonky Squares to give it a very dramatic look.
 
Dig out some of your older stamps and give them new life on some new cards!  Those old stamps will be glad you did!

Thanks for stopping by,
~Anna

Clean & Simple Butterfly Card

I just can't stop making these "chip board like" embellishments that Jennifer McGuire showed us in class.  They are so much fun, easy to make and they look so "cool" on your card; and for those of you who have a Cricuit machine, or a Silhouette or a Pazzles, it is even easier for you since you can cut multiple images at one time!

Here's a tip for those of you who don't have any machine:  find a PUNCH you like and punch out several images and layer them.  You will get the same effect!

For this card, I used the Cheery Lynn butterflies set DL112 and the matching "angel wings" set, DL112A.  I cut several butterflies in white, one in black and one angel wing in red.

 I adhered it to white card stock that was stamped with the saying "May your dreams take flight", added a few peel off red gems and layered it onto a Bar4 size black card.

I have seen this layout on so many simple but elegant cards in TJ Max.  That's right, TJ Max!  TJ Max  sells pretty note cards and this is a classic layout!  Now is the time to start using this layout and make a bunch of note cards.  Won't this make a great gift? 

After I completed the card, I stepped back and thought that the plain white card stock was just a little too plain for me.  I know, I know, it is supposed to be Clean & Simple.  But you know me! 

I therefore went a step further...................

and used the Swiss dots embossing folder to texture the white card stock, leaving a space for the saying.  I also used my Scor-it to score the lines to make a finished border for the space for the saying.

Basically, the same layout, just a little texture added for some interest.

So, get those punches and dies out and start cutting some images and have some fun!!!
Please post your cards on our Facebook wall................everyone would love to see what YOU have created!!!

     Thanks!
        and
Happy Stamping,
     ~Anna

Fabulous Clean & Simple Cards by Soni Larson

Soni is also taking the Clean & Simple Card Making Class with me and she was inspired by the following card made by Julie Ebersole.

 

Julie used the large solid flower and the large open flower stamps, both by Hero Arts.  Soni didn't have the large flowers, so she used the smaller version of the same images.  Since the images were smaller, she ended up with more white space.  To cut down on that white space, Soni decided to make some layers.  She ended up with these two fabulous versions!

 On this one, she used buttons for the centers of the flowers and cut the upper flower with a Spellbinders scalloped circle nestie.

Pretty punched hearts were used for the centers of these flowers.  

In addition, all of the images, on both of Soni's cards, were heat embossed to make them bolder and therefore, stand out more.

Stay tuned for more cards to come!  I'll have a butterfly card for you tomorrow!

Happy Stamping,

~Anna

Clean & Simple Card Making Class Week 1

At times, the CAS card making style is difficult for me.  I usually make my cards complicated with lots of layers and embellishments.  I love this style though and so I decided to take this class on line.  It's wonderful!  I'm getting lots of ideas and inspiration. 

I finally got some time to make a card and be pleased with it.  I finally finished it last night at 10PM!  I have another one in the works......see it's supposed to simple, yet it takes time to complete a card that I like!  You are not the only one struggling with designs, colors, layouts, etc!

Jennifer McGuire showed us how to make these cards on Day 3.

And here is my take on it...........

It was fun cutting out the die cuts; I used Cheery Lynn's Two Hearts (DL128),  a Marvy punch for the smallest one and a Spellbinders heart for the middle size heart.
What you do is cut several hearts and layer them to give them dimension.  Cool idea, right?

Here you can see a side view of the card and see the layering of the die cuts.

All in all, I'm very pleased with the result, though I think you can see that I had to add bling to mine! I felt it needed something and so the Swarovski crystals did the trick.  It makes the whole card sparkle!

Come back soon, as I'll post more of my CAS creations or you can join us for a class and make some yourself!  Check the calendar for the dates.

Thanks for stopping by,
~Anna

New Colors in Copic Markers for 2012

Copic has announced 12 new colors will be added in 2012!  (Like we don't have enough colors to pick from.  But then again................)

These will be available in early March and here is a peak at them:

G43 Pistachio, G46 Mistletoe, BG57 Jasper, BG90 Gray Sky, E84 Khaki, E89 Pecan,
BV34 Bluebell, V22 Ash Lavender, V28 Eggplant, RV52 Cotton Candy, R56 Currant, YR27 Tuscan Orange

I will keep you updated as to when I will be ordering so you will be able to decide what colors you may want to add to your collection.  And you may add ANY color(s) you want from the 358 colors available!  I think we all know that the person who has the most colors, wins!  Right?

Happy Stamping & Coloring,
~Anna

Wishing you a Happy Birthday with a Snowflake Cupcake!

In order to celebrate winter birthdays, I like to use winter theme stamps and this Impression Obsession snowflake cupcake is perfect!  I also made a little box to go with it and filled it with Hershey Kisses.....and who doesn't like Hershey Kisses?

 I used my Copics to color the image and edge the little heart.  I used a Viva Decor pearl pen to make the little blue pearl on the heart and the Crafts-Too Snowflakes embossing folder to make the background for the card.  Stickles was added for sparkle; and we need sparkle for those snowflakes!

 I decorated the box with Marianne Creatables LR0125  snowflake dies, layered with foam tape and added the same heart that I did for the card.  That little heart is so cute and a perfect little embellishment!

 Here's a close up of the box.

Here you can see the inside of the card, decorated with the Hero Arts stamp set Yummy Treats CL489  and the goodies inside the box!

I think I will have to incorporate this into a winter Birthday class.  Would be fun, don't you think?

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!
~Anna

Another Calendar for the New Year

This Saturday is Make & Take Day and what better way to ring in the New Year than to make a small calendar for your desk!

This is a quick, easy and fun project, that also makes a great little surprise gift!  It is only the beginning of the new year and therefore, it's the perfect time to give these little guys out! 

Come in from the cold and join us on the 7th for the first Make & Take of the year!
You'll be glad you did!

~Anna

New Calendar for 2012

It's the start of a new year and the perfect time to make some calendars.
This time I used the fun set from Hero Arts, "Going" (CL478).  I really like this set since it lends itself easily to "male cards".  If you remember, I used the VW Bug from this set to make this card.  I used the same basic design to create the calendar, only this time I used the motorcycle.  (This was going to a friend who loves his motorcycle.) 

 The white and kraft card stock was put inside the acrylic frame and the rest (the sandpaper, the motorcycle and the calendar) was adhered on top of the frame.

 I also used the frame differently this time.  Instead of standing it up, like you would use for pictures, I set it down, so that it can go on a desk.  This way the frame will not be hit accidentally and turned over.  Here are the side views of the calendar, to give you some perspective.

Stay tuned for more posts with more calendars!  (I'm on a roll now!)
~Anna

Happy 2012!!!

Saying good-bye to 2011......................

and Wishing you a very Happy & Healthy 2012 !!!

Looking forward to a great year...........I just know we'll have a blast stamping, cutting, coloring, AND laughing, of course!!!
See you soon,
Anna