Gotta Have Paper!

HOPPY GOOD FRIDAY!  I couldn't figure out why there was such a traffic jam at school this morning when dropping off my kids!  Then realized that it is GOOD FRIDAY!  Normally we have Good Friday off, of course, and then we even get the following MONDAY off, too.  BUT this year we 'enjoyed' too many snow days to allow us to keep that four day weekend this year, HENCE the traffic jam that went nearly a block!  Well, at least those parents get to plan their Easter today without the kids in tow!  WOOHOO for them!

Anyhoo!  Another week has flown but not without a new challenge at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps SNR GROUP HERE!  The challenge began yesterday and extends through next week!  You can get all of the details HERE and how you can earn some awesome incentives if you take this week's BIRTHDAY challenge!  If you don't have any birthday Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps to play with, that's okay!   Pick up a freebie HERE (make a baby/birthday card!) OR just use what you have that is birthday related and you will earn a sweet FREEBIE!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps has a new challenge EVERY SINGLE WEEK, beginning on Thursdays!  Be sure to JOIN the SNR group HERE or the PCP group HERE if you are active on that forum.  SNSS hosts the same challenge at both forums so we don't miss out on ANYONE!!!  AND if you join, you won't miss the posting of the challenge each time! 

OK, SO I HOPEFULLY recruited you to these groups, it is a great way to meet other crafters like yourself and also to get to know the SNSS Designers and owner, Korin, TOO!

ABOUT MY CARD FINALLY:  I used this GORGEOUS Rainbow Bird image that you can find in the store HERE for just $3.00!!!  Don't forget, it is a digi!  You can make it small enough for a tag and big enough to fill a frame with a picture under the cloud on the left!! (I MAY JUST DO THAT!)  I used some Basic Grey papers, Oregon Rain Drops from PINK HEDGEHOG PAPERCRAFTS, ribbon from Hobby Lobby and of course PRIMA flowers!!  Gotta love PRIMA!  The border punch is from SUP!

You can always see more inspiration using Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps on our BLOG HERE!!  OR just click on the designers in my left sidebar, there's some thumbnail pics for you to be able to get a glimpse of their latest creations!!  Sorry that was such a long post but I sometimes forget that you can't read my mind and don't know everything about the challenge groups and different events at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!  OH, and Korin sometimes adds new digis EVERYDAY, so put this link HERE in your favorites to see all the latest DIGIS!

I thought I would create a card that is more similar to the cards I used to create when I first began card-making years ago!  If you know me, you know how I am a huge fan of SENTIMENTS!!  And when you think of digi companies, you always think of images of cute little creatures, children and things of the sort that you color in...  Well, we tend to forget that Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps has a wonderful line of SENTIMENT digis!!  These are awesome because you can keep them small to coordinate with another image, or you can enlarge them (like above) to make them your focal image!!

I used a sentiment from the 'A TRUE FRIEND' sentiment set on my card and adorned it with a array of paper flowers by Prima, lime green pearls by Kaiser Scrapbook, patterned paper by Basic Grey, Ruby Red paper by Stampin' Up! and ribbon is from Hobby Lobby.

It is pretty simple, but doesn't it showcase the sentiment digi??  I LOVE IT!  So, the next time you think 'digi', don't forget about those sentiments that are also available to go with your digi images!  They are available for ALL occasions in tons of different fonts, too!  SHOP HERE to see more!

Can anyone feel the SPRING FEVER like I can?  OH MY GOSH!  The trees are budding, the sun is tingling my skin, the birds are finally chirping at day break again! YEA!  It is SPRING! 

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a HUGE Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps 'Cocoa' fan!  He's just adorable and so fun to color with my Copic markers!!  With this wonderful feeling of renewal, I just had to color Cocoa with his bouquet of flowers!  Perfect for Mother's Day, a girlfriend's birthday or just to say, "I love you!", this FLOWERS FROM COCOA digi is so versatile!  You can pick him up in the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps store {HERE} for just $3.00! 

Through a couple of my Design Team friends, Alicia and Candace, I found a new sketch blog called Unscripted Sketches!  This is a past sketch #44 HERE.  I had colored this really pretty digi by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps called WEDDING CAKE, but didn't have a card layout in mind until I saw this one! PERFECT!  Make sure you check out more of wonderful creations using Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps images on their Digi Blog HERE!

I am also entering this card to the TOTALLY GORJUSS challenge blog this week!  Their challenge is "SWEET"!!! SO, being a wedding cake and all, I figured this fit!  AND at Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges their challenge is to use a digi image!! Well, I think I can do that! HA!


I have a list of sketch blogs in my sidebar (scroll down!) in case I ever get stuck, so I will definitely add this one to my blog list for future reference!  Please feel free to browse through my sketchblog list and let me know of any other sketchblogs you think I should know about!!!!

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  Well, I hope your weekend was half as exciting as mine!  I had a wonderful weekend with a surprise 24- hour visit from my son in college!!  He'll be back in 6 days for Spring Break, but it was still nice to have him home!  This one is for him!  After about age 10 it seems that boys don't like to say "I LOVE YOU" anymore!  So, here ya go, Josh, "I WOOF YOU!"!!

This digi and sentiment are from the PUPPY LOVE SET available in the Sweet 'n Sassy Store HERE for a mere $4.00!!  An incredible deal considering you can resize and reuse these images to your heart's content and it leaves room on your shelves for more paper and embellishments! HEE HEE!

To see more creations using Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps see their DigiBlog HERE!

HAPPY DIGI DAY!  Hop on over to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps SNR forum HERE and see what all the chatter is about!  We have two new digis to give away FREE just for playing along!  See all of the dirty details HERE!

Here's my Challenge card using Teacup Cocoa and one of the sentiments from the True Friend Sentiment set!  Papers are of course again from My Mind's Eye, my new favorite paper-product! LOL! 

I hope to see you pop in over at SNR!  I am hostessing all day! 

Happy Monday!!!!  Just having celebrated my 39th birthday over the weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to post a birthday card!  And there is no one I would rather celebrate with than our Cocoa!!  Well, maybe my hubby and kids, but Cocoa is just too cute, you know!! 

{{Thanks to everyone for all of their birthday wishes and love!!!  I really do sincerely think that this was the best EVAH birthday!  I am glad to have family, friends and cyber-buddies, like some of you, in my life!}}

Here's CUPCAKE COCOA, along side a sentiment found in the SWEET BIRTHDAY WISHES set, both by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!  If you haven't picked up a Cocoa image yet, you should!  He's just entirely too fun to color and gives such sweetness to everything you make!  Maybe that is why he's called COCOA! HA!

I used a simpler layout in this card that I made for the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps DigiBlog HERE!  I am always layering, layering and layering some more, so I challenged myself with layers under the amount of five!  I almost managed if you start from the pop-dotted flower.  That would make seven!  Hee Hee!  Below, you can hopefully see how I outlined the word 'sweet' in pink Copic marker... gives it a nice touch I think!  Papers are by Stampin' UP!, diecuts by Spellbinders Nestibilities.


I have another Cocoa image coming up on Thursday for our SNR challenge!  Be sure to pop in our forum group HERE and see all of the exciting things that are happening!!

Happy Saturday!  WOW, can you believe that it is Saturday already!?  OH MY!  That week went fast, but NOT without incident!  We had two snow days, one two hour delay, one daughter with a flu bug and yet another week's delay on KayLee's Valentine's Day program!  At this point it is going to be Mother's Day before we get to see the Valentine's play! HA!

This week at The Sweet Stop, Korin challenged us to make a card with this sketch below:


AND we had to use a SPIN of using flowers!  Well, as you can see, I didn't just place the flowers in the squares!  I decided to make a little scene in each corner of the box!  You can see KATE PLANTING HERE, the butterfly on the flower in FLUTTERING BY HERE, the large daisies in the FLOWER BOUQUET HERE, and also find the SENTIMENT HERE from the Springtime Blessings sentiment set!!

My card is using papers by Stampin UP! and Nestibilities for the circles and scalloped circle diecuts and I used Copics for coloring and STICKLES to bling it up!  I hope you decide to play along with this week's sketch at THE SWEET STOP!

Happy GREAAAAAAAAAAT American's Day!  Can you believe it is yet another MONDAY!?  I am always feeling so blessed when I get to post something new on the wonderful Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps DigiBlog because it means that I survived another week of winter with snow!  Sometimes being homebound with my three kids!  HA! 

I thought I would bring some "SPRING" into your step with this Spring-inspired digi called 'One-Of-A-Kind' that you can find HERE in the SNSS store!  I love this digi because not only does it bring warmth and the remembrance of the season to come, but it also reminds me a bit of myself!  I have never been one to want to fit into a 'mold'.  It seems that I have always wanted to make a statement, of sorts, and go against the grain... so I really love this image and the sentiments that go with it!  I have been trying to teach my three younger children that it is no fun being like everyone else!  However, it IS SUPAH FUN being yourself and believing in who you are!  I hope they grasp that some day because it really will help them in this competitive day and age!

I hope you all are staying warm and surviving the snow!  We're half way through February!  Hang in there!

Happy MONDAY to you!  Isn't this the sweetest?  I made this card for the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps DIGI BLOG HERE!  I used the Bowling Strike image HERE and one of the three Bowling Sentiments HERE!  I kept my card simple and stream-lined so it would look more masculine.  This way I can give it to my hubby for Valentine's Day!  Good thing he never checks out my blog, otherwise he would know he's getting this adorable card! HA! 
 

There are so many new digi images at the Sweet 'n Sassy STORE now that it has gone ALL digital!  Don't forget to pick up some clear stamps while they last, though!  There are some really awesome deals, perfect for you and those stamping friends of yours!!

Here are Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps new images for this Thursday!!  Aren't they cute!?  I have been working on getting my jewelry blog up and running for Monday, so sadly I haven't had any time to paper~craft!  But, I can't wait to use that DOGGIE image!  It reminds me of my dog, Pepsi! LOL!  Be sure to head on over to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps store HERE to get these images for yourself!  And check out the digi blog HERE to see some new cards using these images!

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!  WOW, what a productive weekend!  I won't tell you all that I got done this weekend, gonna keep that up my sleeve, but wow, let me tell ya I AM SMOKIN'!! LOL! 

I DO have a change that I will share, though!  Beginning on February 1st, this blog url/http link is going to change.  As of February 1st, the name will no longer be {AndersonArtsOnline(dot)blogspot}; it will be {GottaHavePaper(dot)blogspot}!  If you are a follower of this blog, no need to worry, you will remain linked to me.  However, if you just have me in your 'Favorites' list in your browser, you may want to go ahead and add it, if that is even possible.  I will remind you later in the week.

WHY this change?  WELL, originally this blog featured more than just paper, I had jewelry, gifts, a crocheted piece now and then, hence the ARTS part in the title.  Since I am only featuring cards/paper crafts here, I thought I would change it.  PLUS, I have a blog for my jewelry and gifts, which is {GottaHaveBling(dot)blogspot}, so keeping it consistant, I took the 'GottaHavePaper' too! HEEHEE!  I am looking forward to this change, for some odd reason, maybe because it feels like a fresh start!  NONE of my blogposts will be deleted, no worries there, so that is cool!

OK, that is the ''info'' part of my blog post, now onto my CUTE CARD that I made for today's post over at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps digiblog HERE!  I used a new image that came out a couple of weeks ago called BLOWING KISSES, which features this teddy bear (in full length) and three sentiments!  Just $4.50 for the entire set; perfect for Valentine-Card-making, don't you think?  Begin NOW, because Valentine's Day will be here before you know it!!

My papers are from the 6x6 pack of Basic Grey's Sugar Rush and bling by Basic Grey as well!  The sketch is inspired by yet another new sketch challenge blog that I have just found called INSPIRATIONAL CARD SKETCHES; this is my take on ICS50, I switched it up a bit, but I like it!  AND if you see below, I am adding a new feature to my card-posts, I am taking pictures of the COPIC colors that I used in creating that card.  So, maybe this will hope those newbie Copic colorers out there!

Well, that is all for now!  I have a BUSY few days ahead of me, but will be back for sure on Wednesday, if not sooner!!  If you ever have a question, please comment on a post or send me a personal email!!  HUGS!

Good MORNING!  I thought I would share a card that I made for last week's Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps ScrapbookNews&Review challenge, you can find HERE! {And take a good look at this because I am going to be pulling it for publication for the SNR E-Zine later this week! WOOHOO!}

I forgot to post this one along with my KOALA one {you can see HERE}.  Our challenge was to use red and pink, so a color challenge!  I used this new digi stamp that was released last Thursday called ALL MY HEART on a SplitCoastStampers Sketch Challenge #261 from a couple weeks back.  This stamp set has two different hearts and quite a few sentiments to go with!  Such a steal!  Remember, with digistamps you can make the images smaller or larger depending on what you are making!  SO VERSATILE!

Today marks ANOTHER digi release, too!  Each Thursday Korin, fabuloso owner of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, releases TWO new digi stamps!  Aren't they adorable?! 


Here's my card using the new stamp set PUCKER UP!   I also used this week's SplitCoastStamper's Sketch SC263 for this card!  Papers are by Basic Grey, from the June Bug paper line, Copics for coloring and various ribbon by Hobby Lobby, Stampin' UP! and Michael's and Nestibilities for oval and circle diecuts.




Be sure to check back NEXT Thursday for the Paper Craft Planet CHALLENGE!  There is friendly chatter, and some free giveaways, too, so you don't want to miss out on this one!

Happy MONDAY!  Was your weekend as eventful as mine?  I had to let my son head back for his second semester of college on Saturday.  MAN, talk about being a WRECK!  I don't know what my problem was, but I was worse that morning when he left than when he first left for college in August!  So, I had to take the rest of Saturday to just rest up and pray a lot.  I trust that the Lord is watching over him, but I guess it is just hard still since I am no longer there to even just talk to him everyday.  I married out of high school and Josh when I was just 19, so having him for half of my life now, we are very close.  AND there's something to be said about a mother-son relationship, I think.  A bit special, I guess you could say.  ANYHOO!  I am all better now and had some crafty time and conjured up this card for the SWEET 'N SASSY DIGI BLOG today!

Cocoa's Be Mine IMAGE HERE is paired up with this sentiment from another digi set called ALL MY  HEART.  I think it is perfect for this Cocoa image, don't you?  SO SWEET!  I used this weeks sketch SSS38 from THE SWEET STOP sketch blog; same as my froggie card from Saturday (Scroll down and see below....).  This is an EASY yet challenging sketch, is that even possible?  HAHA!  Make sure you check out these and the rest of the awesome stamp images from the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps STORE HERE; the prices are phenomenal and the quality is spot-on!  AND if you get some of your own crafty time this week, play along with us at THE SWEET STOP, you could just be next month's guest designer!

SERIOUSLY!!  Is this cute or WHAT???? HA!  Mr. Koala sending a love note?  HEEHEE!  I bet my sister likes this, she was once fond of Koala bears...  I used this adorable 'just released' KOALA stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps for my ScrapbookNews&Review challenge card today!  Today's challenge is a COLOR challenge: RED AND PINK!  To see the full details of the challenge AND to play along to get a free digi, too CLICK HERE!

You know, it is funny when you think about it... Blue, light blue; Green, light green; Yellow, light yellow.... Red, PINK.  NO, not light red! HAHA!  So, you would think they would go 'together' like the other sets, but not so much.  We hardly ever see clothing with red and pink together if you think about it!  AND the same is true for orange!  Light orange is peach or apricot, I guess, but you still see those together in closing and home decor.  But when it comes to Red and Pink, I guess the contrast is funny to us for some reason and we don't put the two together as often!  I LOVE this paper by Basic Grey!  These are from the Nook and Pantry paper set that my Mom gave me for Christmas along with the Eskimo Kisses!  Just love these sets!  {Thanks MOM!}

The sketch layout is a MOJO MONDAY sketch challenge from this week, and was this a CHALLENGE FOR ME! WOW!  For some reason, I just couldn't work it as easy!  Guess that's why they call it a challenge!! HA!  If you ever get 'stuck' go there for some great sketches!!  I also entered this for CUTE CARD THURSDAY!  A new sketch blog to me that I will keep in my sidebar for your inspiration!  Their challenge is to use something new!  Well, this IS a new DIGI!!!!!!!  Hope they like it!

Be sure to join me over at the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps CHALLENGE at SNR!  There's sure to be chatter, free digi's and a bunch of beautiful projects shared!  Hope to see you there, I will be waiting for ya! 

It is the first Monday of the year! WOOHOO!! Are you looking forward to what this year is going to bring you?  I am so eager to have 2010 come into my life full force!  Last year was NOT "my year", to say the least {due to some minor medical issues that went sour and worsened}, so seeing 2010 on my calendar gives me such a refreshing feeling!

I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it has been for me to be associated with Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and the wonderful women that come along with it!  These gals are just so sincerely supportive; and not just with my creative efforts, but with personal ones, too!  So, please allow me to THANK Korin, Sandy and ALL of the wonderful SNSS designers for being who they are!  Their prayers and caring emails are such a blessing to me and I just wanted to let them know!

OH! MY CARD!! HA!  Yes, Cocoa (which you can find HERE!) certainly is smart!  Look at him all snuggly between those mittens!  Yesterday when I woke up it was 5 degrees!  YES, FIVE!  NOT much fun to look at when you have a big new dog that needs to be walked quite often!  So, this digi came to mind right away when thinking about my card for the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps DIGIBLOG today!  I used some retired SUP paper in some wintery cool colors, some Basic Grey bling and 1/2" white organza ribbon to make this one simple and sweet!! 

I hope you all STAY WARM today and I wish you all the best in 2010!  May God bless you and make this the best year EVAH for you AND yours!

WOW, it's over, can you believe it?  I can't!  All that preparation for weeks and it ends in, what?, two days? HAHA!  Well, I know it is worth it and to be able to celebrate the birth of our Savior is such a blessing.  I couldn't imagine living in a country where there was not freedom of religion, I'd have to escape!  HAHA!

Well, I sincerely hope that this Christmas brought you wonderful times and wonderful memories!  I know it did for me! 

As for my cutie of a card above, I used THE SWEET STOP's Sketch #SSS36 as inspiration for this sketch and I used a just released sleepy kitty digi that you can find HERE at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!  I used some Basic Grey Ambrosia papers to give it that warm feeling with yellows, golds and deep reds.  Even the gray, while still a 'cool' color, makes you feel all warm and snuggly like a good furry blanket!!  Flowers by Prima, rhinestones by Basic Grey in gray, gold and orange, nestibilities for scalloped shapes.

OH, the sentiment is from a different set that you can find HERE at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, too.  I like that saying, don't you?  It's a cute one!

Now then, I am off to get some more family time in with the Hubby's family!  I hope you are enjoying your extended weekend! 

Well, at least for me it is exciting news!  I am a PERMANENT fixture at the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Digi Blog HERE!  I am so blessed to be working for Korin again!  Besides being surrounded by such talent, I love being a part of such a caring and supportive Design Team!

See the Big Announcement HERE! 

And see below my fellow Digi Divas!

Deedee Anderson - Stamping Sunshine

Sandy Domelle - Handstamped by Me

Micki Harper - Artful Xpressions

Melanie Holtz - Paper Blessings

Lynne Jardine - Ruby Dooby Doo's Stampin' Spot