Great Impressions - Moments

Happy Last Thursday of 2012!

I hope that everyone made Santa's 'nice' list...did you receive any Great Impressions stamps? :)

My most recent order included a few stamps I've had on my wish list and, of course, I had to ink up some of my new rubber and show them off on a project!

I started off with a sketch from Splitcoast Stampers - DDSKETCH1212  I turned it upside down and added the circles with the sentiment.

I've been thinking of the highs and lows of my year, of the goals I accomplished and the ones I've yet to set. I can't believe how fast this year has passed! Already it's time for my last post as a member of the Great Impressions Stamps Design Team. It has been wonderful to work with a GREAT company with such fabulous products & service, not to mention the talented team!

 With those thoughts on my mind, Life is Not Measured... (F252) is the perfect sentiment for my New Year's card. I used Simple Elegance (H185) along the bottom edge of my sentiment panel. The flourish is embossed with clear embossing powder and glitter. Embossing with powders is another easy way to add texture and interest to a simple card.

(There is foil, embossing and glitter on this card. Hard to see, I know - they're not so easy to photograph!)

The tiny tag is handwritten with a Glaze pen - goes on wet and looks like the writing was embossed when dry. These pens are great for adding personal touches to patterned papers.

I hope that you have enjoyed your visit today and your 2012 has had more ups than downs! Thank you for your support, comments & participation (you still have a couple of days to link up to the december challenge!) and may 2013 be your best year, yet!

Inky hugs,

Angi

I've linked up to these challenges:
Stamp n Doodle - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Stamptacular Sunday #195 - Emboss Me!
Oozak #9 - Anything Goes + Red
Through the Craftroom Door #50 - Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter #93 - Anything Goes
Loves Rubber Stamps Week 32 - New Year Celebrations

Card Makin' Mamas - Merry Christmas

Every. Single. Year. I make Christmas cards.

Really. I do.

To my chagrin, I usually do not get them mailed. I have seriously sweet intentions, but the pressure of designing just. the. right. card and penning a funny and interesting annual newsletter is absolutely paralyzing!

I get the card made, the pictures taken and then...nothing. So, if I have owed you a Christmas card for this year or year's past...know it's coming...in 2013! (The plan is to write a little each month...fingers crossed this helps! Otherwise, you'll get the cute pictures in a fabulous card with signatures...promise!)

For now, since we are just days from the Gift Giving Gala, let's concentrate on the good stuff!

At the Card Makin' Mamas Challenge Blog we are hosting a HAPPY HOLIDAYS party!

I think this design is one of my faves...easily CAS or if I'm in the mood, I can pile it on!

Lots of gorgeous, shining embossing and clear glitter. I wish I could get more of the background paper...it's a Bo Bunny line from a couple of years ago. Works great for masculine projects and the pretty ones, too! Sigh.

Anyhoo, hope you found something you liked today and get around to joining us for the

HAPPY HOLIDAYS challenge with the Card Makin' Mamas!

Inky hugs,
Angi

Great Impressions - Cool Birthday!

(If you're here from the Great Impressions Stamps blog to see the 'Thanks Snow Much' tag, scroll down to the bottom of this post...)

Happy Thursday! Only 5 days till Christmas...and I'm sitting here typing up this post while a blizzard winds down outside my window! I love days like this where I can start a fire, grab some hot cocoa and take the time to get some crafting done. Even though we are in the last stretch of the holidays for 2012, I'm already looking ahead to 2013 birthdays.

Did you see my Great Impressions Stamps post last week? I used Snow Adorable (E774) on a cute Christmas tag and mentioned how versatile snowmen images can be. Frosty (G476) is another fun snowman image to use on some winter projects...

Frosty (G476)

My youngest daughter will be turning 10 in January and wants a snowman/rainbow party! This is quite the change from the normal glittery princess event, but I like a challenge!

I started with a sketch from Retro Sketches for the birthday card...

I used a few dies, embossing folders, a little bit of distressing and my favorite Smash tape! And, of course, some clear glitter for the snowy parts...and I couldn't leave a nekkid inside...

And it's Swirly Happy Birthday (E367) paired with Snow Adorable (E774)! Such a cute stamp. I couldn't resist putting him on the inside. He makes me smile!

(Thank You tag below!)

Thank Yous are always an important part of birthday celebrations around my house. These will look so sweet tied to the goodie bags! Since I colored the snowman with Copics, I backed the tag with another white tag stamped with lines for writing in Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. Can you see the glitter? There may not be princesses, but there's still going to be lots of sparkle!

I printed the sentiment using the An Accidental Kiss font. Just think of the cute phrases you could use with the snowmen...

Warm Winter Wishes
Friends Warm the Heart
You're the Coolest!
Sending You Warm Fuzzies! (use flock on the hat & scarf!)
You're Snow Wonderful!
Some of My Best Friends are Flakes

I'm sure you know some I haven't mentioned. I would love to hear them!

Next week will be my last post for Great Impressions Stamps. Until then, Happy Holidays!

Inky hugs,

Angi

Playing along with the following challenges:
Retro Sketches #42
Catered Crop - Tag You're It
Divas by Design #66 - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - Tag
Bearly Mine #66 - Winter Birthdays
Creative Moments #6 - Anything Goes/Anything But A Card

Great Impressions - Snow Adorable

Happy Thursday, Everyone! Here with a simple Christmas tag - with texture, of course! I've got a few more gifts to finish up, so these tags are going to be perfect!

The Distress Markers are great for this image! A little color, a little water, some sparkle with a Spica... Isn't Snow Adorable (E774) so cute?! 

Can you see the white flock on the brim and the pom-pom of the hat? (I decided not to use glitter on this project, but it would have looked fabulous, too!)

I love the texture of this frame. I inked it up with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to highlight the raised design. I felt like it needed just a little bit more character (see my issues with CAS? lol), so I tapped the edge with a Versamark pad and added some copper embossing powder. It's in the details, right?

(I could have stopped right here and made this into a darling tag or ornament...who knows? I still might make a few more of these!)

But if I had stopped, you wouldn't have gotten to see this lovely sentiment Hearts That Give (E775), dressed up with more copper embossing powder and a tiny red punched heart!

I backed this tag with a plain white one, so I can write 'To:' and 'From:'  and leave a little love on the back. The ribbon is wired and tied with a piece of jute twine and a jingle bell.

Snowmen are great winter images!
You could use any of these Great Impressions' snow related stamps for more than just Christmas...hmmm...maybe thank you or winter birthday?
(Watch for my post next week...hint, hint!)

(The 'Artboard' selections are previous Stamp of the Month sample boards. You can see those HERE. Scroll down a bit & click on the boards to see the samples. There's GREAT inspiration to be found!)

It's been great visiting with you today! Thanks for stopping by!

Inky hugs,
Angi

Card Makin' Mamas - Silver and/or Gold

TGIF! There's a new winner and inspiration post up at Card Makin' Mamas Challenge Blog! 

The theme is Silver and/or Gold, sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps. Pretty easy this time of year, wouldn't you say? Here's my card:

It's an easel card. Love those. Easy to have your card on display! :)

This cutie is Princess Charlie - Toad. At first, I thought I would be making a birthday card, but...

...I just couldn't resist the pun!

It's hard to believe 2012 is almost finished. I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of this year and making the best of the next! There's still time to enter the Silver and/or Gold challenge at the Card Makin' Mamas Challenge Blog! Hope to see your entry!

Inky hugs,
Angi

Great Impressions - Need Another "Gift" Card

Happy St. Nicholas' Day!

(Nikolaustag in Germany)

The clock is a tickin' and I needed a few quick and simple cards for those last minute gifts.  

This design fit the bill! I wanted a CAS look with texture. Easy peasy...

1. Stamp a white panel with Old World Merry Christmas (E739)

2. Color any details (optional)

3. Emboss the panel with the Sizzix Holly Swirls folder

(check your local craft store - they may still have it!)

4. Cut 3 lengths of ribbon and layer 2 pieces. Tie a bow & adhere.

5. Pop up panel with foam squares, pop dots, etc. (optional)

If you leave out the coloring and adhere the panel to the card base, this card will be quick and easy to assemble. You could even skip the embossing, if you're really in a hurry!

Here's a close up of this lovely, detailed stamp:

Have you taken a look at all the entries in the Great Impressions' monthly challenge? The theme is ANYTHING GOES! Can't get much simpler than that...I hope you find time to make a little something this month - we'd love to see it!

Inky hugs,

Angi

Great Impressions December Challenge - Anything Goes

With all the holiday festivities I was glad to hear this month's challenge was to be ANYTHING GOES for the Great Impressions Stamps Monthly Challenge! I needed a little break from the holly and the snowmen...

Having boys in the house means that I need masculine cards pretty often. This happens to be the type of card that I have the least of. I mean, you don't usually use satin ribbons, flowers, bling, glitter...any of the usual stuff that makes a card shine!

This required a stretching of the creative muscles...and a little paint! Something I love about my men is they don't mind a little mess! You could use paint daubers, dishes of paint, mists...whatever you wanted to give those chipboard stars a bit of oomph!

Me? I used silver paint straight out of the bottle onto my fingers. Easy to apply the paint & easy to clean up! I used a touch of Black Soot Distress Ink to edge the stars.

The blue splatters are from a bottle of SEI Tumble Dye Spray. I took out the sprayer and flicked the tubing over the cardstock. Now if you're looking for a specific size dot or pattern this is not the method for you! :) I like random splatter. I aim for the areas I'm looking to add color to and work slowly. 

When I had designed this card I used CAS(e) this Sketch #7, but I didn't post this in time to link it up! I really liked this sketch!

Don't forget if you want to earn an extra chance for the prize, use a Great Impressions Stamp on your entry AND leave us a comment on the Challenge Post letting us know that you did!

Good luck!

Inky hugs,

Angi