Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Thanksgiving

Hello,

I took the opportunity during nap time today to do some crafting!  woo hoo!  sometimes I don't get a chance with the two kids...one goes down, the other goes down, one gets up the other get sup sort of thing...but today I had a few hours...sooo...I decided that I would work on some card club samples...this is one that I came up with.  I used The Paper Players Sketch Challenge 110 as inspiration for me.  I think this might be the first time that I'm actually playing along with the paper players...I've been catching glimpses of the blog for a while though, and checking out the entires and their design team samples.  Great stuff!! Anyways, here is my card:

Recipe:
Stamps: Gently Falling, Teeny Tiny Wishes.
Ink: Pool Party, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede, Certainly Celery.
Cardstock: Very vanilla, Soft suede, cajun craze.
Tools & Accessories: SNAIL, sticky strip, stampin' dimensionals, glue dots, big shot, square lattice ef, stampin' sponges, paper snips, modern label punch, medium oval punch, pear pizzaz seam binding, 3/8" taffeta soft suede. 
 
I think we'll be making this at my next card club night....not sure yet.  I am starting to like participating in the challenges that i want to and then choosing the best of the best for my ladies!  Thanks for checking me out again today!
 
Brenna
 
Submitted at: The Paper Players Challenge #110: Sketch

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Sweet Christmas

I am back!  As you can tell, I am all about christmas these days!  I have been trying to get my cards all created for my stamp a stack that is coming up.  it's not for another month....but I always get nervous If I haven't got it planned early enough, becuase then I can also eyeball my supplies to make sure I have enough of everything and I am not limited by my supplies with what I can make (ie. not enough time to order what i want to make the cards I want).  soooo....I made this sweet thing last night!!  Not sure if it will make the cut for this stamp a stack.  As I try to balance out the ease of creating with time allowed and what not...so I'm going to try and make ten and then choose five...and maybe i'll do a christmas round two!  yay!  ha ha ha...love the holidays!  anyways...I was inspired by Freshly Made Sketches #49, and my colours were inspired by the Snow Festival Product wuite in the Stampin' Up! 2012 Holiday Mini.  Here is the sketch:
Love these sketches, they are so nice and provide just the right amount of inspiration needed to get your mojo going, but not so much stuff that you can't add a bit of your own thing in there too!!  Here is my card: 
Recipe:
Stamps: Sweets for the Sweet, Sassy Salutations.
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Primrose Petals, Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White.
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green.
Tools & Accessories: 1" Circle Punch, SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sticky Strip, 2-way glue pen, dazzling details, Apothecary accents framelits, 3/8" gumball green stitched satin.
 
With my stamp a stack I am also trying to use a variety of colours.  I don't want everyone to go home with ten cards that all look similar becuase they are all red, green and brown.  I am adding a few splashes of other colours also.  Thanks for checking me out today!
 
Brenna
 
Submitted: Freshly Made Sketches #49

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Livin' In the Sunshine

Hello,
The weather has been so fantastic this summer, you really couldn't have asked for anything better! You dont see this many +30 days in calgary usually!! Phew, but it has made for some hot afternoons, and our submission into buying Air Conditioning!
I am back with the third card that we made at the last stamp club evening! I love this card. The focal point is one of the most beautiful background stamps we have, in my opinion. Although there is many beautiful background stamps, this is one of my favorites! I love this card becuase the focal point is the sunflower ina neautral colour, but the card is still a nice bright sunny card becuase of the yellow background paper.
Recipe:
Stamps: Sunflower, Pursuit of Happiness.
Ink: Basic Grey.
Cardstock: Basic Grey, Beyond the Garden DSP (retired).
Tools: Stamp-a-ma-jig, SNAIL, Sticky Strip, Glue Dots.
Embellishments: Daffodil Delight Seam Binding, Neutrals Buttons, Brights Buttons.
I had troubnle puling the seam binding through the buttons tight enough so I used some glue dots to support the buttons on the card.
If you have any questions about how I did this, or would like to purchase the supplies, contact me! Thanks for checking me out!!
Brenna

Friday, August 24, 2012

Thanks A Bunch!

Hello,
 
Just a quick post today!  I haven't been able to get into my crafting area as much as I'd have liked to in the last few weeks, but oh well!  Such is life!!  Anyways, I loved the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge this week.  It was a sketch Challenge!  I love love love those!  anyways...i was dying to play along, plus I needed to sinspiration for some fall cards for a few upcoming workshops and classes!  Giving thanks is a lot of what fall is about, plus the leaves turning and the wind cooling (sadly).  So this is what I came up with.  I am really happy with the result and am lovin' all the new Holiday Mini Products that are showcased on this!!  Will definately be sad to see the DSP and Ribbons go at the end of December!!  I also am going to submit this in the Friday Mashup Challenge.  I just recently discovered this challenge, but it is super unique!  This will be my first time playing along!  There are two challenges every week, and you can choose one or the other or "mash it up" and do both at the same time!  They had a thank you challenge, and a colour challenge (midnight muse, so saffron, tempting turwuoise, and soft suede), obviously I decided to stick with my fall colours...but the design team has come up with some totally awesome inspiration!
Recipe:
Stamps: Friendship Preserves.
Ink: More Mustard, Cajun Craze.
Cardstock & Paper: Early Espresso, More Mustard, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo Patterned DSP, Orchard Harvest DSP
Tools & Accessories: Big Shot, Sticky Strip, SNAIL, Stampin Dimensionals, Corner Rounder Punch, 7/8" Cotton Ribbon, Brushed Bronze Designer Buttons, Window Frames Framelit Collection, Paper Snips, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, 2 1/2" Circle Punch.
 
I cut about 6 inches of the ribbon off, then cut that in half (long ways), and peeled a few of the threads apart to get the frayed look to the cotton ribbon.  I adhered one side of ribbon to each side of the more mustard cardstock.   I then thread the two ends through the brushed bronze button and tied a bow.  I really like how the cotton ribbon looks tied in a bow like that, and so easy to work with.  Bows are usually my nemesis...I tend to stick wtih faux bows....but this time I went with it, and it worked out in my favour I think! 
Anyways, thanks for checking me out!  Hopefully i'll be back with more to share with you in the coming days/week! 
 
Brenna
 
Submitted at: Create with Connie and Mary: Challenge 215 Sketch
Friday Mashup: Saying Thanks/Colours:midnight muse, so saffron, tempting turquoise & soft suede.
Thanks for checking me out today!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Scentsational Christmas

Hello! 

I'm back with another card using the stamp set Scentsational Season! I just love this set, and the coordinating framelits make it just that much better!!  I am going to submit this in the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge.  I love getting my inspiration from sketches!  I can pick my stamp set/style of card I want to make, then my colours and go with it.  Half the job is done for me!  But this is such a cute sketch!  Lots of embossing on this card.  I love to add texture!  Check it out:
Recipe
Stamps: Scentsational Season.
Ink: Real Red, Gumball Green, Chocolate Chip.
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Raspberry Ripple, Real Red, Be of Good Cheer DSP. 
Tools & Accessories: Big Shot, Paper Snips, Simply Scored, Snow Burst EF (retired), Fancy Fan EF, Holiday Collection Framelits, SNAIL, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals.

I didn't heat emboss the images, but I think I will have my ladies (at the stamp-a-stack) heat emboss this with the peppermint sticks embossing powder.  It just adds a major wow factor, and smells soo good.  When you open the envelope you can smell the peppermint! Not only does it give it a great smell, but it also glosses up the mugs a little bit.  I also used my paper snips (one side of them, used like a craft knife) to cut a slit in the mugs to slip the straight end of the candy cane in the mug.  Thanks for checking me otu today!  Be sure to check out some of the other projects at Freshly Made Sketches for some inspiration!!

Brenna

Submitted at: Freshly Made Sketches: # 48


 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Snowflake: Clean and Simple for Merry Monday

Hello,
I found a new challenge blog that is christmas all year round!!  LOVE IT!  ha ha ha...don't get me started about how much I love christmas again!  Anyways, the blog challenge is the Merry Monday Challenge.  Anyways, I am going to try and participate in this one a few times as well!  Lovin' all the challenges I'm finding!!  Anyways, clean and simple is difficult for me, I like to have as little blank space as possible...and that goes for anything i'm doing whether it be scrapbooking or cardmaking!  ha ha ha...anyways, I think I did okay with this one.  I decided to get out my dusty brayer!  i haven't used my brayer barely at all!!  So...that was a challenge in itself!  ha ha ha...anyways, onto my card,  I used the snowflakes from the snow flurries bigz die and placed them on my first edition dsp and then brayered over it with cherry cobbler ink.  I like how it came out...It looks nice, clean and simple!  ha ha ha...I think I might like emboss resist with the snowflake soiree stamp set a bit better.  As it has a bit more details but is still very clean and simple, but I am waiting on my set from the 2012 holiday mini to arrive at my door...about a week away still, I knew I should have preordered but oh well!  When I get it, one of the first things that I am going to try is emboss resist with the same idea.  I think it may be a stamp-a-stack card!!  ha ha ha...of course!  anyways...this is my card.
Recipe:
Stamps: More Merry Messages.
Ink: Cherry Cobbler.
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, First Edition DSP, Very Vanilla.
Tools and Accessories: 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Scallop Circle Punch,  1/16" circle Punch, Snow Flurries Bigz Die, Brayer, Sticky Strip, SNAIL, Stampin Dimensionals, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine.

I love how the 1 1/4" Scallop Circle punch layers so beautifully with the 1" Circle Punch!  It looks soo cute!  So anyways, this is as clean as simple as I can do it I think!  ha ha ha... Anyways, thanks for checking me out!!

Brenna

Submitted at:


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Merry and Warm!

Hello,

Just a quick post today.  I made this card to submit in the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge (#213)!  It is a sketch challenge this time.  Go and check it out.  I am having tons of fun getting back into challenges and such!  So this is one that I am trying to participate in somewhat regularly!  Anyways, here is the card.  This card may or may not be found in my christmas card stamp-a-stack in September, if you like what you see check out my events page at www.brennaanderson.stampinup.net and RSVP to my christmas stamp-a-stack on the 23rd of September!  More Christmas events to come, but that event is for sure a go!! 
Recipe:
Stamps: Scentsational Season, Pennant Parade.
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Island Indigo, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Festival of Prints DSP.
Ink: Island Indigo, Soft Suede.
Tools & Accessories: Simply Scored, Lace Brocade EF, Houndstooth EF, Holiday Collection Framelits, SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Jewellery Tag Punch, Sugar & Spice Embossing Powder, Window Frames Framelits, Festive Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Island Indigo Bakers Twine.

Thanks for checking me out today!  You can check out my online store at www.brennaanderson.stampinup.net if you feel like creating this card or one like it for your loved ones this christmas!!  Have a great week!

Brenna

Submitted at: Create with Connie and Mary 213: Sketch

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Watercolour Winter

I Love Christmas!  Everything about it.  It is my favorite holiday of the year for many reasons:
1. It is a time when my family takes time to really enjoy each others company.  In the dead of winter it is a lot of in your face family time, which for most of the year we are so deprived of (I feel anyways).
2. It is the dead of winter, so we can put the fireplace on, belt out some christmas tunes, have some hot chocolate and cuddle up with each other and a good movie, Christmas Vacation comes to mind.
3. Because my husband is a golf pro, and his busy time is in the summer, it is often the time that we take to go on a family vacation, usually some place warm.
4. Christmas is the time that you get to not only spend time with immediate family, but reconnect with aunt's uncle cousins, etc.
5. It is the "craftiest" time of the year for me!!
I could go on and on really...but Christmas inspires me to get on my craftiest thinking cap and make some really neat things for my family.  It all starts with the greeting cards.  So I usually try to do a few throughout the year to keep my mojo going...sooo....I got my holiday mini order in and got crafting away.  As soon as I saw all the beautiful stuff in this mini it was soo hard to not buy!  ha ha ha...So this is one of my favorite stamp sets from the 2012 holiday mini...I've got a few favorites this time around.  But Watercolour winter is soo classy and versatile.  I just love it.  Anyways, onto chattingabout my card!  ha ah ah...I was inspired by the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches with this one.  I made a few changes, but the main premise is present!!  Check 'er out!
Recipe:
Stamps: Water Colour Winter, More Merry Messages.
Cardstock: Be of Good Cheer DSP, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla.
Ink: Versamark, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke.
Tools: Big Shot, Simply Scored, Paper Snips, Glue Dots, SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals, Lacy Brocade EF, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Scalloped Dotted Ribbon Punch, Heat Tool.
Embellishments: Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Regals Buttons, Early Espresso 3 1/2" Scalloped Tulle, Gold Embossing Powder.
I love love love the scalloped tulle!  I didn't think I would like it as much as I do!  It is soo awesome!!  It adds the perfect extra touch to the card! 
Here is a close up of my homemade tulle embellishment!

I just used about a four inch length of the tulle, scrunched it up and stuffed it in the loop of the cherry cobblers baker's twine behind the button.  That way, when you pull the twine tight you get a beautiful "bow" of tulle.  I just adhered it to the card with a glue dot.  With the tulle coming in crumb cake and cherry cobbler also, I definately see a lot of this being used on my thanksgiving and christmas cards this year!!
This is on of the first christmas cards that I have done this year, and I can definately see this showing up in one of my classes!  If you are in the Calgary area and interested in attending a christmas stamp-a-stack or my monthly drop in nights please contact me for more info or visit my events page on http://brennaanderson.stampinup.net to RSVP!!  Would love ot have you join in the fun!

Thanks for checking me out today!!

Brenna

Submitted at: Freshly Made Sketches: #47
SU Only Challenges: Love those Designer Papers

Scrapbook Club Month #2

Hello,
I've had my second month of Scrapbook Club! It has been great and I'm loving that I decided to embark on this journey. It has been a lot of work, but also really fun to see all the babies and especially mama's and have some good chats with everyone! below is the layouts for the girls:


Recipe:
Stamps: Fabulous Phrases, World Treasures.
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Birds of a Feather DSP, 2012-2014 In Colour Patterned Paper.
Ink: Island Indigo, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Elegant Eggplant, Crumb Cake.
Tools: Big Shot, Tasteful Trim, Labels Collection Framelits, 1/8" Circle Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Paper Snips, 2 1/2" Scallop Circle Punch, SNAIL, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals.
Embellishments: Primrose Petals 3/8" Stitched Satin, Raspberry Ripple 3/8" Stitched Satin, In Colour Dahlias.
Below is a few pictures of the boys layout! (This is one of my club members layouts, and the blue is just as cute!!)


The only difference in the supply list is that for the boys I used marina Mist and Island Indigo Cardstock, and also those inks, and the ribbon is a bit different: Island Indigo 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, and Marina Mist Scallopped Dots Ribbon.
The layouts this month turned out beautifully! I am soo happy with how this club is going, and I can't wait for the other months and to get scrapping some more with some awesome mamas!!
If you would like more information on these layouts please contact me, and if you'd like to join in the fun let me know, I can always make room for more!!
Brenna

Friday, August 10, 2012

Up Up and Away

Hello,
I am back with another card today. I made this card for one of the Fellows at work who has finished his fellowhip and was leaving our hospital to go back to Quebec. While he was here in Calgary he charmed his way into many nurses hearts! He was a great guy and an even better surgeon! He will be greatly missed in Calgary, and a huge asset to his team in Quebec. Anyways, this is the card I made for him. I'm real happy with how it turned out!
Recipe:
Stamps: Up Up and Away.
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Pool Party, Whisper White, 2012-2014 In Colour DSP.
Ink: Island Indigo, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Basic Grey, Jet Black Staz on.
Tools: Big Shot, Fancy Fan EF, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Circles #2 Die, SNAIL< Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals.
Embellishments: Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon.
Well that's it for today. If you'd like to make this card or cards like this, please check out http://www.brennaanderson.stampinup.net and RSVP to Stamparama Club night and join in the fun. If you'd like to purchase supplies check out my online store at that same link!
Thanks for looking today!
Brenna

Friday, August 3, 2012

Triple Time Stamping

Hello all,

I am here today to show you a technique that has taken the stamping world my storm! Everywhere you look, there it is! And it is soo simple, it's crazy! It is such a beautiful technique it really is a WOW factor with little extra time, actually no extra time as it's all done at once!! This card is CASE'd by fellow Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Dawn Olchefske. She did a fabulous video to go along with this card. Check it out!  She used such a beautiful stamp set and colour scheme that I couldn't help myself but to do the same thing....but....if you scroll down you will see one that I did myself.  It is such as easy technique, and looks beautiful.  I think that it works beautifully with many different stamp sets and colour schemes!!  This articular card is for a colleague who is leaving her current position and going to another hospital in the city. 
Recipe:
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla.
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso.
Stamps: Petite Pairs, Creative Elements.
Tools: SNAIL, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals.
Embellishments: Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Naturals Designer Buttons.

I used the small Designer Buttons, but if you look at all three of the buttons in the container, any of them would be a beautiful accent to the card!  Ther is a layer of stampin' dimensionals in between the second and third layer to give it an extra bit of pop also!  Now below is the card that I made using the same technique.  I wanted to show that this technique isn't only for stamp sets with frilly swirls and flourishes.  But it works for background stamps also!
Recipe:
Stamps: Day of Gratitude, En Francais.
Cardstock: Basic Black, Very Vanilla.
Ink: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Real Red.
Tools: SNAIL, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals, Paper Snips, Simply Scored.
Embelishments: 1/8" Basic Black Taffeta Ribbon, Neutrals buttons.

I just love this technique, it is such a stunning effect and so simple.  I can't go on and on about it enough!  ha ha ha...This card is for a girlfriend of mine who I met for luncha and she had the most adorable little outfit for Rylea with her!  I ran out of the other cards that I made in bulk right after Rylea was born.  I am also going to be submitting this card at Create with Connie and Mary - they have a colour challenge.  Basic Black, Sahara Sand, Real Red were the challenge colours.  I like the red in this card, it adds just that splash of colour and personality to this card!  The other Challenge that I am going to submit this to the SU Only Challenge Blog.  Although I haven't entered in this challenge before, I have been watching it and I really like it because the other entrants are so fabulous and it gives me a spot to get even more inspiration for classes and my own cards!  The SU Only Challenge this week is to use buttons or brads in your project. 
Anyways, thanks for checking me out again!  Hope to see you come by and check me out again!!

Brenna

Submissions:
SU Only Challenge - Buttons or Brads
Create with Connie and Mary - Real Read, Sahara Sand, Basic Black


Thursday, August 2, 2012

Freshly Made Sketches # 46

Hello all,

This must be some kind of record for me!  ha ha ha....I am back on maternity leave....that's what it is!  ha ha ha...i get a few hours in the day (nap times) to go to my happy place and do some crafting.  This card is one that i made for a girlfriend of mine who recently wrote the NCLEX exam...I am counting on her passing as she is one awesome nurse!  I'm not sure if she even has her results yet...but I can't imagine any other possibility for her other than passing!!  My colour combination was inspired by a fellow demonstrator, I'm sorry I can't remember her name, but it was seen on Stampin' Connection.  She also used this stamp set in her card, that's how I decide to use this set as a "congrats" type card.
Recipe:
Cardstock: Calypso Coral, Pool Party, So Saffron, Whisper White.
Stamps: Happy Hour
Ink: Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Pool Party.
Tools: Big Shot, Houndstooth EF, Bitty Banners Framelits, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Scallop border Punch, 2 way glue, sticky strip, stampin' dimensionals, SNAIL.
Embellishments: Calypso Coral 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter.

I have submitted this over at Freshly Made Sketches in their weekly sketch Challenge (#46).  I am going to make a pointed effort to participate in more challenges.  I have been doing some more stamping classes lately and these challenges really help me open my doors and try new things and new stamp sets.  Thsi card may be found some day (or a variation of it) in one of my stamp classes!  If you're in the Calgary area and would liek to join in the fun, email me and let me know!!
Anyway, I am looking forward to more challenges and more blog entries and submissions! Thanks for coming by and looking, please drop me a line and let me know you were here!!
Have a great (long) weekend!! 

Brenna