A Peek at the Players and More Blog Awards

Today I have a little peek at this week’s The Paper Players inspiration card for you, as well as the remainder of the Stylish Blogger Award recipients. I hope that you will stop by The Paper Players site and check out the winners of last week’s challenge.

Stylish Blogger Award

Yesterday I mentioned that I had received the Stylish Blogger Award from three young stampers:

Holley Sullivan
Carrie Sampsel
Angela Timms

You can imagine my surprise when I had an email this morning from Crystal Rancourt stating that she was giving me this award, too. How sweet! Yesterday I listed four of my favorite blogs. Today, I will list four more. Now remember, there are many, many talented stampers that I love and visit daily. These are just four from a long, long list.

1. Julie B — I love her vintage style!

2. Linda Fisher —Linda is fairly new to the blogging scene. I love how she mixes up vintage and clean and classy.

3. Julie Gearinger — Julie’s designs are always classics!

4. Mary Anderson — A visit to Mary’s blog will reward you with classy cards, fabulous MDS scrapbook pages, and some of the most beautiful photographs you will ever see.

You Never Know…

What a surprise I received when I read through my comments for yesterday’s post and found this one. Needless to say, it brought a tear to my eye…

Chris P. said…
I am not a blogger or a stamper. Found this site while looking up old teachers. Ann was my biology teacher in the mid 70’s. She was a pretty cool chick and a great teacher as I recall. I just did not have a head for biology! Great of you to share your personal feelings with your readers….Even though I spent 20 years in the military and even served in Iraq, I almost cried at the last episode of Monk too! Glad to see that even though you retired from teaching, you found another way to channel your energy and passion.
Good luck!


Isn’t that soooo sweet! I have not heard from Chris since 1978. (And I don’t think anyone has ever described me as a pretty cool chick! Thank you for brightening up my day!)

I hope you enjoyed today’s sneak peek and that you will join me tomorrow for the full reveal! Remember, your comments are important to me. And if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away. Until next time…

Blog Award and Rhinestone Winner

Three sweet stampers recently bestowed the Stylish Blogger Award upon me. I am always touched when people think enough of what I do, to honor me in this way. Even though I am retired, the teacher in me still has that desire to teach and inspire. So I would love to thank these three young stampers and I encourage you to check out their blogs:

Holley Sullivan
Carrie Sampsel
Angela Timms

Of course, like all awards, there are certain stipulations. I have to share 8 facts about myself, and pass this on to 8 stampers whom I admire. Now I have shared facts with you before, so I feel that I am running out of facts. However, I will try to share something new. Here goes:

1. I am very sensitive. As I have already shared, I cry at sad commercials. I also cried during the American Idol eliminations. Sometimes I even cry at comments…you are all so sweet. I cry when reading sad stories. I cried at the last episode of Monk. Yet…I am a very positive and upbeat person.
2. I do not have an art background. I never even took an art class while in school. Yet I wish I had!
3. I love to sing! I just wish I could carry a tune.
4. I have to watch my weight. I am currently using Weight Watchers On-line…and love it. I have lost 11 pounds in the last 5 weeks. I want to be svelte for Convention. At my heaviest, when I was expecting my son, I weighed 170 pounds. At my thinnest, during my first year of teaching, I weighed 96 pounds. Yes…I had an eating disorder.
5. I don’t tan. I burn. I have perennial freckles. Growing up I was always envious of those people who had beautiful tans. I don’t wear shorts or capris because of this.
6. I never leave the house without wearing make-up. I am a child of the ’60’s and ’70’s, so I love my eyeliner!
7. I am blessed with a supportive husband. He was one of my best friends in high school. When I went away to college, we ended up going our separate ways until I called him up 15 years later. He has been there for me ever since.
8. My favorite quote is from the poem “Invictus”…”I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul”. I incorporated it into the valedictory address I gave when I graduated from high school in 1972. Yes…I am old! But, I love poetry and wrote poetry when I was younger.

As for stampers I admire, there are so many. I could probably list 800 and still end up forgetting someone. Some of these stampers are new finds for me…some are old friends. I will list four today, and four on my next post. Enjoy these wonderful sources of inspiration.

1. Mike Funke
Mike is a class act in every way. His designs are timeless and classy. I admire his ability to use sets in innovative ways.

2. Curt OBrien
Curt’s work just blows me away! I recently discovered his blog. Besides his fabulous cards, Curt is an awesome photographer and the proud father of two Giant Schnauzers.

3. Cindy Beach
Vintage, shabby, clean and simple…Cindy does it all. Cindy was a fellow Dirty Dozen design team member at the same time I was. I love, love, love her work. I would love to be able to design like Cindy.

4. Regina Mangum
When it comes to cute, no body does it better! Her ability to see things in different ways make her designs fresh! Whether it’s her scrapbook layouts or innovative cards, Regina is an inspiration.

Remember, I will share four more stampers who inspire me in my next post!

Winner of the Rhinestones

The winner of the Rhinstones this week, as selected randomly is:

#49 Vonnie

Hi Ann,
I knew I wouldn’t be dissapointed in your card today. I just love it and all those scallops in the beautiful DSP! Glad to hear Muffy is better. My “girls’ love those human treats…which I am guilty of giving into them this pass year and letting them have. Thanks for your inspiration!
Yvonne

Congrats, Yvonne! I will get your rhinestones in the mail to you pronto!

I am sorry that this has been such a lengthy post. As usual, I just had so many things to say. Arghh! Until next time…

Vintage Meets Clean and Simple


Are you a lover of Clean and Simple cards, yet have a yearning to create the ever-popular vintage look? Then I have the card for you! It’s a “Goldilocks card”…it’s not too simple, it’s not too vintage, it’s just right! Designed for Pals Paper Arts Clean and Simple Challenge: Scallops, today’s card features the Easter Blossoms stamp set and Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper. Enjoy “Vintage Meets Clean and Simple”!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Quick and easy! Large scallops are a breeze to make when using the Big Shot and the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die. The vintage theme is reinforced by using Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper.
  • How can you resist Resist! The Emboss Resist technique was used when stamping the girl image and sentiment, both from the Easter Blossoms stamp set. The stamps were inked with VersaMark, stamped onto Naturals Ivory card stock, and heat embossed with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder. Crumb Cake ink was then sponged over the embossing, and the excess was wiped away.
  • Age it! The Color Spritzer Tool and Crumb Cake Stampin’ Write Marker add instant speckles! A Sponge Dauber and Crumb Cake ink are used to age edges!
  • Glitz and Glam! Three Basic Pearls adorn the upper right corner. An Always Artichoke Seam Binding bow is accented with a snippet of lace, and softly pleated.
I hope you enjoyed today’s inspiration card. I know that the other members of the Design Team have created fabulous cards to get your creative juices flowing, so please make certain to stop by Pals Paper Arts and check them out! I do hope that you will join us in our CAS-Scallops challenge this week. Remember, your comments are important to me, and I am anxious to hear what you think of today’s card. And if you ever have a question about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away. Coming up tomorrow: Blog Candy Winner and Blog Awards. Until next time…
Stamp Set: Easter Blossoms (W 121905, C 122057); Inks: Crumb Cake (121030), Crumb Cake Stampin’ Write Marker (120967), VersaMark (102283); Designer Series Paper: Springtime Vintage (121782); Card Stock: Naturals Ivory (101849), Crumb Cake (119929); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die (120893), Scallop Oval Punch (119856), 1-3/4″ x 7/8″ Oval Punch (119855), Heat Tool (100005), Sponge Dauber (102892), Stampin’ Sponges (101610), Color Spritzer Tool (107066); Glitz and Glam: Always Artichoke Seam Binding (121000), Chantilly Crochet Trim (118480), Basic Pearls (119247), White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109132)