Party Penguin!

The other day I stopped over at my friend Lana's blog and she had made this adorable card using a penguin image I had sent her. I had totally forgotten that I even had that stamp! (please tell me you've done that... forgotten that you have a stamp! lol). Anyway, I dug it out and decided he looked like he was up for a celebration!

And what better day is there to celebrate than the 4th of July? A little picnic... a little cold beverage... some fireworks and you've got yourself a party! My friend Mishie has a huge 4th of July party every year! It's her favorite summer time event!

Speaking of Mish, she's celebrating her one year blog anniversary this month and is giving away lots of prizes. Today she's hosting a fun scavenger hunt!
If you want to play along and be entered for the prize drawings, check out her blog HERE.

There are 13 questions that you have to answer correctly and Mish has selected 13 of her blogging friends, including me, to each post one of the answers to her questions.
So if you're playing along, you've come to the right place.
You'll find the answer to question #11 above.


So anyway... I got carried away on all the party talk. The layout for this party card is inspired by the awesome Beate. Her card just knocked me out it is so cute! The measurements are 4.5 x 4.5 square, with a 2 inch strip trimmed off the front.


Once I colored in the party pengquin, I added a bit of shimmer to his *cocktail* with a GellyRoll Stardust pen and then finished up by highlighting around the entire image with a B000 Copic marker. Gives him a bit of a chilly feel don't you think?


Thanks for stopping by! Best of luck if you are on the *Mishie Scavenger Hunt*!





Supplies
Stamps: Art Gone Wild, Studio G Clear Stamps
Paper: SU!, CTMH, Sweetwater
Ink: Palette Noir, Copic markers
Misc: Nestabilities, Cuttlebug star die, ribbon and brads (JoAnn Essentials)

A Challenge...

One of my very best girlfriends, Bevie Pearl issued a challenge to a bunch of us yesterday. She said "send a card to somebody........just because you have a stash of cards and they are collecting dust and it will make someone's day."

And THEN she said "if you don't do this in the next 24 hours your papers will fade, your ink will dry up, your fur baby will hide your buttons, you will run out of adhesive, nobody will visit your blog, and your rubber will harden."

YIKES! How could I not accept this challenge? Of course I didn't really want to just go to my 'ol stash, so instead I whipped up a special card. (LOL! If you knew me better you'd know I don't really "whip" anything up fast!)

Little miss Elzybell is now on her way east. I hope she's a good surprise for the sweet friend who's mailbox she's heading for.

Will YOU accept Bevie's challenge and mail a card to someone special today?

Supplies

Stamps: Elzybells Art Stamps, Penny Black

Paper: Chatterbox, SU! (old olive), PaperTrey Ink

Ink: Palette Noir, SU! (old olive), Copic markers, Copic mulitiliner pen

Misc: Nestabilities, piercing tool

Use it up!

My friend Mishie always says "use it up!". If you have a piece of paper on your desk, use the whole sheet in one sitting and then you won't have piles of scraps everywhere! So, I am taking the advice of the pro! Ok ok, so I didn't use a FULL sheet, but a half sheet is way better than a small strip, right?

I found this layout over on Splitcoaststampers as part of the Sketch Challenge (#147). It worked perfectly with the tulips and was so easy peasy to put together!

However, once I was done with the card it seemed to need one more thing. That one thing to make it pop. And there on my work table was my new Posies for You set. (see, sometimes it pays to not put things away... as is evident by the background of my picture! LOL).




The little butterfly was the perfect addition! I stamped it on the back of my designer paper, which is yellow and then created polka dots using my Ranger opaque white pen. Then I attached it to my card with just a speck of glue so the wings are loose, and added a dotted line to show it's little flight path.


Thanks for stopping by!



Supplies
Stamps: Hero Arts, Posies for you (Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs), SU!
Paper: Chatterbox, PTI, SU!
Ink: Palette Noir, Copic markers, Copic multiliner pen, Ranger opaque white pen
Misc: Nestabilites, brads, sewing machine

Beate's weekend challenge

At the end of each week, Beate posts a sketch on her blog for us all to use to create something fabulous with. I LOVE this weeks layout! I've really been in a rut with my layouts lately and this was the perfect sketch to get me out of it!

Plus, I received my *Posies for You* set from Anna Wight last week and I haven't had time to put any ink on the rubber yet.

So, I put these two fabulous things together and this is what was born! LOL! I think it looks like Spring (and after the 5 inches of snow we got today, this may be the only way I'll get to see it! pfffft).

Supplies
Stamps: Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs, PaperTrey Ink
Paper: Scenic Route, PaperTrey Ink, CTMH
Ink: Palette Noir, Copic Markers, CTMH
Misc: Nestabilities, sewing machine

Thanks for stopping by!

The amazing Ms. Vic!

A year or so ago (maybe 2? time just flies by lately) I was blog hopping and happened upon Lisa Strahl's blog. She had a link to this amazing blog called *This art that makes me happy!* I was so totally blown away by the phenomenal artwork! It soon became my first stop with my morning coffee.

After months of bruising (from falling off my chair after seeing the what this woman creates), I sent her an email telling her how much I loved her art! That was the start of a wonderful friendship with Ms. Vicki Chrisman.

So last week Vicki posts a challenge on her blog. She says she is going to send an envelope of items to the first 10 (ended up being 20) who sign up. I got in on the challenge and when I got my envelope I thought *OMWORD! What am I gonna do? YIKES!

There was 3 pieces of cardstock/paper, a white base card, a piece of ribbon, rickrack and lace along with 3 buttons and 2 brads. The image, called Bunny Love, is adorable! All the cardstock/paper and the image are Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage. The image is from the Seasonal Booklet.

So here is what I created. The backside of one of the sheets of paper has a gorgeous vintage flower pattern, so I cut out one of the flower bouquets, covered it in Crackle Accent and that became my bow (on the right). The button looked so lonely at the top, so I stitched the lace with a running stitch, pulled it tight and made a flower. Between the button and the lace is a circle of the vintage flower paper covered in Matte Accent.

This was so much fun! Thanks Vic!

Be sure and visit Vicki's blog to see what everyone else created.


Supplies
All paper/cardstock and image by Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage
Ink: Ranger Crackle Accents and Matte Accents, Tim Holtz Distressing Inks in Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen
Misc: sewing machine, needle & thread

Plant Your Dreams!

My friend Bethie (MyPrecious) hosts the Featured Stamper challenge each Sunday over on Splitcoaststampers.

Since I don't feel so good, and my brain doesn't work when the rest of me feels like crud, I decided to take the challenge and create something using the Featured Stampers art as inspiration. This week's Featured Stamper is BeckyTE and she has a beautiful gallery.

This tulip stamp by Hero Arts is one of my all time favorites! It seems to surface each year about this time(Spring fever?). I love how I can color them with any medium (markers, watercolors, pencils, etc) and make them any color to match my papers. This time I chose Copic markers, which blend so beautifully.

The sentiment border was created by using a small, embossed Nestabilities square. I then made a mask for the center and using my Copic Airbrush System, I sprayed pink and yellow around the edge. It almost has a rainbow effect IRL.

Copic markers and the Airbrush System can be found at Eclectic Paperie and Ellen's Store! (I love those girls!!!)

Thanks for stopping by!

HB

Supplies

Stamps: Hero Arts, Savvy Stamps

Paper: Fancy Pants Designs, PTI

Ink: Palette Noir, Copic markers, Gelly Roll shimmer

Misc: Nestabilities, Copic Airbrush System, Cuttlebug, American Crafts ribbon, KaiserCraft rhinestones,

A basket full of chicks!

Springy colors and an adorable Whipper Snapper stamp!
These were about the ONLY thing making me feel better this weekend. I have the crud. 'nuf said.

This adorable paper by Imaginisce is called For Peeps Sake (ok, so you'd have to be really out of the loop to not know that cuz I'm seeing it everywhere! lol), and you can find it at Eclectic Paperie. I used two different sheets as I liked the front of one, but the back of another. This layout has 1.5 inches cut away on the front so the green strip is actually the inside of the card. It's what I call a *bonus* layout! (a bonus because your inside is decorated too!)

I didn't have a green ribbon to match (the horror!), so I used white and colored it with a Copic marker.

Hope you had a bit of Spring fever today!
HB

Supplies
Stamps: Whipper Snapper, Amuse
Paper: Imaginisce, SU!, PTI
Ink: Palette Noir, Copic markers
Misc: Nestabilities, glitter, SU! oval punch, flower punch (from Michael's $1 bin)

A Happy Heart!

You know how a week can seem to take a month to get through?
It's a busy time of year for us at the bank and the days are so filled with analytical stuff that my creative mind has a hard time fighting through at the end of the day.

But last night I powered through and created this card for my friend Bevie Pearl. You see, Bevie calls me on my cell almost daily and leaves me the funniest voicemail! I turn my phone off when I get to work, so I listen to the message at the end of the day and laugh until I am in tears on my way home. She has this ability to completely turn my day around! She TOTALLY makes my heart happy!

I love LOVE cards that have a simple line to them, but I usually end up adding *stuff* to mine. This one came together so perfectly that no matter what I tried to add (ribbon, hardware, etc) it just didn't look right. So, I left it just like this... simple, clean lines and happy!


I hope you have someone to make your heart happy today!
HB



Supplies
Stamps: Friendship Blooms (SU!)
Paper: Soft Sky, Groovy Guava (SU!), PaperTrey Ink
Ink: Palette Noir
Misc: Heart punch, brads, Nestabilities

Bee Buddies!

Are these not the cutest little guys EVER!?!

I got this Stampendous stamp at Eclectic Paperie (eP) a while ago, and finally had time to really play with it! I had to because eP just got in a bunch of new Stampendous clear stamps and YIKES - I want them All!

I'm trying to follow the advice of my friend Lisa Zappa, who says *speedstampin babee! GetRdone!* LOL! She cracks me up! Anyway... I don't know if I'm so good at speedstampin, but I'm trying to use up a full sheet of DP at a time vs having all those scraps all over (and if you'd see my worktable right know, you'd know what I mean by *all over*!). I still have some scraps leftover from this gorgeous paper by Luxe called "Cocktail Dress-Amaretto Sour". (What a delicious name for a piece of paper!), but hey, I'll use it up. Right?

Thanks for stopping by.... hope you're having a fabulous week!
HB

Supplies-
Stamps: Stampendous, Studio G, PTI, SU!
Paper: Luxe, PTI white, SU!
Ink: Palette Noir, Copic markers
Misc: Nestabilities, Fiskars embossing plate, scallop scissors, brads, button, ribbon, glitter

The birds!

A few months ago, I saw a card on Amy Westerman's blog that about knocked me right off my chair. She had made it using a gorgeous bird stamp (oh I LOVE birds!) from a set by Inkadinkadoo.

Well, I bought the set about a month ago and it's been sitting on my work table looking at me every since. All those birds... just looking at me as if to say "we need ink!".

So today I pulled out a packet of beautiful Memory Box papers and fed those little birds some ink!

My favorite of the three is the one in the lower right. I used 4 different shades of Versa Magic Dew Drop inks on the bird and then covered it with Ranger Crackle Accents (you can find both at Eclectic Paperie). The subtle crackle finish just gives it the pop it needed!

Here are the cards individually:

Supplies:

Stamps: Inkadinkadoo, PaperTrey Ink, SU!

Paper: Memory Box, SU!, PaperTrey Ink

Ink: Palette Noir, Palette Burnt Umber, Versa Magic Dew Drops, Copic markers

Misc: Ranger crackle accents, ribbon (Michaels), gold metallic pen, decorative pearls (from Ellen's Store)

I NEED SPRING!

Today, as it was snowing (AGAIN) outside my window, I thought to myself... "maybe if I use bright colors, and fun flowers, and pretty ribbons, Spring will finally come!"

Even if it doesn't (well, it has to eventually) this adorable little Elzybell flower pot makes me feel happy! Well, that and the fact that I got new ribbon yesterday at Michaels! If Mother Nature isn't going to cooperate, by golly I'm gonna get some pretty ribbons to lighten my mood! LOL

Oh, and I guess I shouldn't complain toooo loudly. We got a couple of inches here in central MN, but my friend Otter lives in Ohio and they got 20! YIKES!!!!

Supplies
Stamps: Elzybells Art Stamps, Stampendous
Paper: SU!, PaperTrey Ink
Ink: Palette Noir, Versamark, Copic Markers
Ribbon: Michael's Crafts
Misc: Marvy scallop punches, flower punch (?), white EP, Stickles, brad (colored with Copic marker to match), Ranger Glossy Essentials

Friends...

This time of year is so hard in central Minnesota. Cold, dreary, the snow has that gross, dirty color. I really want sunshine and a warm breeze!

Today, I am giving thanks for friends! Those awesome women who lift us up, help us laugh, listen to us whine and get us through these long days of winters end! I am so blessed to have an awesome group of girls who I chat with almost on a daily basis. (You all know who you are and I love ya TONS!)

This John Lennon quote (SU! Sage Advice) is just the perfect sentiment for these adorable little owls. Don't they look like they are the best of friends? The owl stamp is by Stampendous and you can find it at Eclectic Paperie!

Oh ya... yesterday my DH saw a robin! The first sign of spring for us Minnesotans! woooHOOOO!!!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampendous, SU!
Paper: PTI white, Daisy Bucket Designs, SU! Chocolate Chip
Ink: Palette Noir, Copic markers, Copic multiliner pen
Misc: Chalk, brads, Copic Airbrush system

You're Sweet!

Every so often a bunch of us girls do an image swap. We stamp off 4 of our current favorite stamp, times how many girls are participating, and send them all to the hostess. She then seperates all the images and returns our envies to us filled with all new images to color!

Mine were waiting patiently in my mailbox when we got home today from being gone for the weekend. I was just giddie looking at all the images... and all the possibilities!

This adorable little turle and frog (by Whipper Snapper ) jumped right out at me and said "color me first!". How could I refuse? LOL

I know I know... I should have given him a bright, colorful shell, but I really love green turtles! So, I glitterfied him instead.


Supplies;
Stamps: Whipper Snapper Designs, PaperTrey Ink
Paper: SU!, Fancypants
Ink: Copic markers, Copic Spica glitter pens, Versamark, black (I'm unsure of what brand she used
Misc: Wizard flower creations die, white EP