I'm all ears!

Digging through my drawers of individual stamps, I came across *Roger*, this adorable bunny from Rosie's Roadshow. I have neglected Roger for far too long, so out he came!


Sure, Roger can be an Easter/Spring time bunny, but I prefer him to wear his Psychologist hat and hop in the mail with words of encouragement, or an offering of a shoulder to lean on. The saying "I'm All Ears" really says it all, don't you think?

I stamped Roger twice on white cardstock and colored him with Copic markers. I die cut one of the images with a Nestabilities square. The other I cut out and attached over the first with thin chipboard. Sometimes I like thin chipboard for just a hint of elevation vs foam tape.

I added some green grass and finished the scene with the Copic Airbrush System. (I would be SO totally lost without that airbrush! You can get the system at Eclectic Paperie or at Ellen's Store. Both links are on my sidebar.)



The frame around Roger is created using different size Nestability square dies. Each one is slightly elevated again using thin chipboard.






I attached the sentiment to the frame with a Basic Gray button that is threaded with a thin piece of the green polka dot paper to match the frame. A few rhinestones finished off the corner.



For the base, I did a zig zag stitch around the edge of the matte using green thread that matches the cardstock (Ya, can you believe it? I actually had matching thread in my stash! Who knew!?!?)




Ok, so here's a tip... use transparent thread for your bobbin! That way you can change the color of thread all you want and not have to worry about having a bobbin to match! Cool huh!

Thanks for hopping by! (giggle)

HB

Supplies:

Stamps: Rosie's Roadshow

Paper: Nana's Nursery (DCWV), Certainly Celery (SU!), Neenah

Ink: Palette Noir, Copic Markers, Craft White, Certainly Celery (SU!), Inkssentials opaque white pen, Crystal Stickles

Misc: Word window punch (SU!), Nestabilites, button (Basic Gray), rhinestones (KaiserCraft), tracing wheel, sewing machine

Taylor's box

When I was at CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) I had a chance to chat with the awesome, awe-inspiring Taylor. Before we went our seperate ways, she handed me a goodie bag filled with die cuts and delicious ribbons! I was so dang excited!

This morning, I hopped over to SCS to see what all these DD challenges are about and Taylor is hosting a cupcake challenge! Well, cupcakes and boxes go together, right!?!




I used a notecard box that had an oval cut-out in the cover. I covered it with pretty WeR paper and then stamped the sides and the bottom of the box with polka dots using white craft ink.

I wanted to keep the oval as a see-through, and vellum was too flimsy and I don't have any sturdy acetate. Bummer. Then I spied my package of quilt blanks. Ah HA! Perfect!


Quilt blanks are used by quilters who want to make their own templates. I picked up a package a long time ago because they work perfect to make additional sheets for my stamp positioner.

I used the large scallop oval Nestability (the plastic is thick though, so I had to use my scissors to finish the cut, but this was easy peasy) because it fit perfectly over the cut out. The plastic is lightly frosted and didn't show up so well over the floral paper, so I used a mask for the center of the oval and sprayed the edges with my Copic Airbrush System and YR21 (cream) and YR24 (pale sepia). I attached the scallop oval (after putting the cupcakes on) using just a couple drops of Ranger Matte Accents.





The cupcakes are glitterfied and attached to the scallop oval with tape (the center one is attached with foam tape for a little dimension). A little red gem finished them off nicely.







Now, what to do for the *inside* of the box? I don't have any envelopes to fit this size (which I use alot, so I don't know why I don't have any), so instead I made a stack of simple, lined pages.
You know, the kind you want to have handy 'cuz you don't want to write on the actual card 'cuz if you mess up, you can't fix it? (yes, I do this!!!)

I used the Lined Paper backgrounder by CHF for the lines and added a strip of the floral paper to match the box top. I think I'll make a box of assorted cards to match these note sheets. It'll be a perfect little gift!

I better go check out Taylor's store and see if she has the size box I need!



Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Supplies:

Stamps: Hey There Cupcake (Stampendous), Bold Patterns (Hot off the Press), Lined Paper (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: White Out Collection (We R Memory Keepers), GP white
Ink: Palette Noir, Copic Markers, Craft White, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink (SU!)
Misc: Box from Taylored Expressions, Nestabilities, Copic Airbrush System, quilt blank, red gemstone and glitter (?)

With Gratitude

There are so many sources of inspiration for this card. It started out with a challenge issued by my friend Bevie Pearl. She said "use your Scor-Pal in honor of how hard our friend, Val worked in the Scor-Pal booth at CHA." So, I started with a 4.5 inch square of Neenah white and embossed a line every 3/4 inch to create a grid. It looked kinda like a quilt!

I don't have the new Papertrey Ink Quilter's Sampler set (yet!), so instead I used the flowers from Piece of Cake and stamped them in 4 different colors in the boxes. I then used Antique Linen Distress Ink and the blender tool to smoodge color all over and make the grid lines pop.




Needing some depth, I stamped the larger flower in the set on scrap cardstock in 3 colors, cut them out and then popped them on a larger flower using a small piece of a 3D glue dot.

I just love how this turned out. Doesn't it look like a quilt? Kinda?

Thanks for stopping by!

HB

Supplies

Stamps: Piece of Cake, Beautiful Blooms (Papertrey Ink)

Paper: SU!, Neenah, Basic Grey

Ink: SU!

Misc: Scor-Pal, flower punch (SU!), Rhinestones (KaiserCraft), chipboard and ribbon (from my stash, unsure of manufacturer)

Back to work...

ok, so I really mean back to fun! It's been 10 days since I've put rubber to ink, and I am beginning to have issues! LOL


I decided to make my own background paper using the fern stamps in the Blossoms & Butterflies set (Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs). Starting with a piece of ivory cardstock, I stamped the solid fern randomly with light green ink. I then went over the entire piece with the outline fern stamp with black ink and then colored each leaf in with a Copic marker. Wanting just a tich more texture, I ran the piece through my Cuttlebug using a Fiskars diamond texture plate. Finally, I ran an Antique Linen Distress Ink pad over the whole thing, and added a zig zag stitch around the edge.

Here is a closer look:

The cone flowers (I *heart* cone flowers!) are just the perfect size for coloring and shading! I stamped them on white cardstock for the main image and then stamped them again on a scrap piece. After coloring both (you can't let the underlying image be nekkid!) I cut out the flowers on the scrap piece and attached them with foam tape.

The sentiment, from the Blooming Expressions set, is stamped with Palette Noir ink. I used a Copic multiliner pen to draw the doodle line around the edge.

Ok, I'm off to play some more.

Thanks for stopping by!

HB

CHA Chicago

What an amazing adventure! Pine, Lisa, Maria and I headed out for Chicago bright and early last Thursday morning. It is so fun to go on road trips with these girls!

Thursday night, the fabulous Cindy Lyle (StarLitStudio) held us captivated as she taught us how to solder! (dang, another tool I HAVE to have!)

Friday morning, it was off to the convention center to drool over all the new products, meet up with friends that were coming in from all over the place and get a little star-struck over big names like Tim Holtz, Ali Edwards and the like.

I thought I'd share a few of the pics I took.

Tim Holtz and me. (I KNOW! Can you even believe it!!!)

The fabulous Anna Wight and me (I am totally in awe of this woman's talent!)

The gorgeous Lori Craig and me (this woman's light comes right from her heart through her smile!)

Cindy Lyle, me and one of the Inque Boutique girls (Stephanie Barnard) (we are pointing at a display card created by our friend Lana)

Vicki Chrisman and me (I adore, ADORE this woman! I am hoping some of her creative genes flowed over to me as we walked around!)

I spent a lot of time walking the floor with Joy & Daisy from Eclectic Paperie, looking for fabulous things for the store to carry. I can tell you this.... SAVE YOUR MONEY! These girls are gonna be rockin hot with new product in the coming months! (I *heart* Joy & Daisy!!!)

I spent time with so many people that I love this weekend (ya'll know who you are!), but I get so wrapped up in just being with them that I didn't get pics.

Although I had a blast... it sure is nice to be snuggled in my own bed at night again!

HB

Where flowers bloom...

I am so totally in love with the sentiments in the new Blooming Expressions set by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs! When I create cards I just have to have a sentiment on the front. Don't know why, just do. Probably why I have drawers full of sentiment stamps! lol Having a whole set of possibilities, all in one tidy CD case, makes my life so much easier!

When I create a card like this one, with a beautiful sentiment on the outside, I leave the inside blank. Then it's ready to grab for any occasion; birthday, get-well, thinking of you, I miss you, just 'cuz, etc.






Ok, so on to the card... I found this gorgeous orange and turquoise paper by AtoZ Essentials and I knew it would be perfect for this darling little poppy! I stamped the flower three times directly on the paper. Then I stamped it 6 more times on white cardstock. I colored the flowers with Copic markers and cut three of them out. I colored just the front petal of the other three and cut the petal out. I then layered them with chipboard pieces.








You can see the varying layers in this picture (and you should be able to click on it to see a larger image. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't).



I *grounded* the flowers with a strip of coordinating orange paper and tied a bow with some beautiful American Crafts ribbon.










Isn't this sentiment beautiful *Where flowers bloom, so does hope*! Anna picked such wonderful words and fonts for this set!




I'm heading out for CHA bright and early tomorrow morning! I LOVE seeing all the new ideas and products! Plus, I'm meeting up with a group of friends from around the country! BONUS! There will be lots of chatting and giggling and ooooo'ing and aaaaah'ing!


I hope you have a fabulous rest of the week! Go stamp something!

See you Monday!

HB

Friends are like Flowers

*Friends are like flowers, they always bloom in color!*

I LOVE this sentiment from the new Blooming Expressions set by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs! I think it is especially true of friends who like to play with ink and rubber! LOL

I created this card with another of the adorable flowers from the Blossoms & Butterflies set. I stamped three of the flowers on white cardstock, colored each with Copic markers, added a touch of sparkle to the centers with yellow Stickles, and then cut them out. I hand stitched the stems and then attached each flower with a little different thickness of chipboard.

The sentiment is stamped on a piece of chipboard (found in my ever growing box of miscellaneous chipboard pieces) and then anchored with two green dew drops.

You should be able to click on each image to see a larger view.

Be sure and check out the other featured designers blogs to see what fabulous things they've created! (OMGosh, they are all SO talented!!!)

Jami Sibley

Leslie Miller

Pam Hooten

Trudee Sauer

HB

We're Blooming!

I am SO excited! Today is THE day! I've been keeping a secret for a while now, and today is the day I get to share... spill the beans... open the vault... SHOUT OUT LOUD!

So, ya'll know how much I love Whipper Snapper Designs right? I mean really, you'd have to be a brand new visitor here to not know! lol Well, a few weeks ago I received an email from the fabulous Anna Wight (SweetMissDaisy) asking if I'd like to be one of the featured designers for her July/August release of the new unmounted sets she has designed for Whipper Snapper Designs!

OMGOSH! I'm sure they heard me squeal in Wisconsin!

And you know what the best part is? The July sets are titled *Blossoms & Butterflies* and *Blooming Expressions*! Is that me or what?!?!

So... without further ado, here is my first creation:

Anna took the flowers in this set (these adorable bells are just one of SEVEN different flowers) to a whole new level!

The sentiment, from the Blooming Expressions set, is one of 18! The little butterflies are also part of the Blossoms & Butterflies set. There are 6 different ones in the set, each one facing a different direction! I could create a different card from just these two sets every day for months! Actually, I've made quite a few already and I'll share them over the next few weeks! :)

Anna has links to each of the new featured designers over on her blog Sassy & Sweet. I am SO excited to see what every one has created!

It's a happy day here on Happiness Blooms!

HB

Supplies

Stamps: Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs

Paper: Blashful Blue and Whisper White (SU!)

Ink: Black Soot (Tim Holtz Distress Ink), Copic Markers, Ranger Inkssentials opaque white pen, stardust pen (Gelly Roll)

Misc: Wizard tag dies, Copic Airbrush System, May Arts ribbon, tracing wheel

Man Cards

That sounds so tough, doesn't it? *Man Cards* Makes me want to grunt like Tim "The Toolman" Taylor! LOL (please tell me you remember the show Home Improvement and I am not showing my age!)


Anyway... Pine and I are going to the SCS Summer Stamp Fest in Apple Valley, MN this weekend. I haven't seen some of these girls for a long time, so I am EXCITED! Kathleen puts on a great party!


It's a shoebox swap, so I needed to come up with something simple, but still has wow factor. Now I have been accused in the past of not keeping my shoebox cards very simple (toooooo much glitter! lol), so I tried really hard with this one. Plus, I figured everyone is always looking for ideas for man cards.





I used the "It doesn't get much better" Thomas Kincade stamp by Cornish Heritage Farms. It is so perfectly detailed that it makes for a perfect monochromatic image. (fewer ink pads make for more simple, right?) The green layer is a Flannel Plaid background stamp (SU!) stamped in Handsome Hunter on Handsome Hunter cardstock.


But, even a simple card is all about the details for me! The image is stamped twice on ivory cardstock. One is trimmed out around the outer edge of the rectangle and the other is trimmed out around the oval edge. Both are then outlined with a gold paint pen. The oval image is then placed over the base using a heavy piece of chipboard to raise it up just slightly (foam tape was too high).



The brown strip of cardstock that separates the colors of the card base has one simple line of faux stitching (using a tracing wheel) down the center. The sentiment is stamped on Kraft, punch out with the SU! oval punch and then placed on the green layer with two gold brads.



waaLA! A simple, Manly Man card that can be created in 10 minutes (I'll have all pieces cut and ready to go, of course)!



'ooooo I've got to run to work! I'll add the supply list tonight.
HB

edited to add:

Supplies
Stamps: Thomas Kincade (CHF), SU!, Hero Arts Paper: Kraft, Handsome Hunter, Choc. Chip (SU!), Neenah Ink: Handsome Hunter, Choc Chip (SU!) Misc: gold brads (Making Memories), gold painters pen, oval punch (SU!), paper piercer, tracing wheel

Thanks!

I've was making thank you cards right and left this weekend! There are SO many people to thank for helping with all the little things that need to get done for a wedding.

This is one of my favorites. It's just so bright and happy. I love this little flower from the Posies for You set (by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper). Doesn't it just have a personality of it's own?

I used my Nesties to cut the circle and then embossed it to make create the *frame*. The scallop boarder was created using the scallop circle Nestie. I stamped and colored the flower using my Copic markets and then stamped it again on a scrap piece, colored and then cut out just the flower heads. These are mounted over the original image with foam tape.

I created the blue sky by placing the circle Nestie over the image (to protect the edge) and using my Copic Airbrush System. Just a light spray of B00 is all that's needed!






I stamped *thanks* on a scrap of pink card stock, trimmed it really close and snipped the ends to make a banner. I ran the strip over my bone folder a few times to soften the cardstock, ran a shimmer pen around the edges, and then attached it to the image with a micro teeny piece of foam tape.



The layout is from a past sketch challenge that Beate hosted.


Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Supplies
Stamps: Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs
Ink: Black Soot Distress Ink, Copic markers
Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle, SU!
Misc: Nestabilites, Ribbon (from LSS, unsure of brand), tracing wheel, shimmer pen

I wish for you...

Do you ever start your card making process with an idea in mind and when you're done, you've gone in a different direction? Without even realizing it?

As I sat down to play today, I had Taylor's sketch in hand (TECC23). It's a fabulous sketch and I knew just what I wanted to do. I bought these adorable orange glitter dots a while ago and said to myself "ooooo', these will be PERFECT for that sketch!".

HA! Not so much. I didn't like the dots by themselves so I started looking for a flower stamp that was big enough for them to be the center. I spied my Cuttlebug dies and knew instantly that the big flower die with the flower from Green Thumb (Papertrey Ink) would be perfect. I stamped the flower in Soft Sky to match the paper I choose, then added Ranger Matte Accents to give it *pop*.

Ok, so now I have the paper and the flowers (which represent the 3 circles on the sketch) but what am I going to do for a sentiment? So off I went to dig in my sentiment drawer and found this oldie but goodie. After many layers (there are 6 layers on this card! LOL!) and an added butterfly touch, it was done.

But you know what? It doesn't look like the sketch! Oh sure, the 3 elements are there, but you have to admit I took quite a bit of creative license with this. lol

All the same, I'm happy with it and I'll pop it in the mail on Monday to someone who could use a hug. That's really the best part of card making... being able to make something from the heart, fill it with hugs and mail it to someone who isn't expecting it.

Hope you're enjoying your long weekend!

HB

Supplies

Stamps: The Stamp Barn, Papertrey Ink, Whipper Snapper (Posies for You by Anna Wight) Paper: AtoZ Essentials, SU! Ink: CTMH, SU!, Copic markers Misc: Glitter Dots (Jesse James Co.), Cuttlebug, Inkssentials opaque white pen, Ranger Matte Accents

Happy 4th!

First off... on this beautiful, sunny July 4th, I want to take a minute to say Thank You! to our troops who are fighting so hard to safeguard our freedom, and to their families who aren't able celebrate this holiday with them. What a sacrifice! What a GIFT!



I chose this adorable penguin as the center image of my card because he just looks like he'd be bouncin' around the pool, serving up cold Margis! lol






The stars are embossed with white detail embossing powder, as is the word *happy*.
I created the blue and white star on the computer as I didn't have a stamp large enough.



Instead of tying ribbon or string through the buttons, I used teeny tiny strips of paper and attached them to the card with glue dots.

My dear sweet husband says this card is just waaaay to busy. I think it's fun. What does he know anyway. LOL!

I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!
HB


Supplies
Stamps: Art Gone Wild, Karen Foster snap stamps, Paper Inspirations Paper: My Minds Eye, Real Red, Night of Navy, Whisper White (SU!) Ink: Copic markers, Black Soot and Embossing Ink (Distress Inks) Misc: Nestabilites, white embossing powder, buttons, piercing tool

Green, Orange and Brown?

Ok, I know it's 4th of July weekend and I should be using Red, White and Blue. But hey, it's only July 3rd, so maybe tomorrow. ;o)

This layout came via SCS sketch challenge #181, which was inspired by the amazing Kristina Werner (Starofmay on SCS). I love LOVE it's clean lines.

And yes... I'm still using the same Crate paper. LOL

I recently bought some Heidi Swapp ghost shapes (the flower) and decided it was time I actually used something when I bought it, instead of letting it sit there for months until I finally gave in. I stamped a swirl stamp on the paper, traced the flower shape with a pencil and trimmed it out. I used a large brad to hook the two together. The ribbon wraps around the layer, comes up through the brad and ties.

The sentiment *Plant a seed of friendships; reap a bouquet of happiness.* is from the Friends Centers set by CHF (Mona Lisa Moments). Have I told you how much I love that set? No?

It's a beautiful Thursday (ha, I almost typed Friday) night here in central MN, so I'm going to go enjoy it.

See you tomorrow. I'll see if I can find some Red, White and Blue!

HB

Supplies

Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms, Hot off the Press Ink: Burnt Umber (Palette) Paper: Crush Collection (Crate), Neenah Misc: Ghost Shapes (Heidi Swapp), large eyelet (?), ribbon (Crate)

Hello Friend!

The paper I used on this card is from the Crush Collection by Crate. The same collection as the paper used on the card in my previous post. Aren't they just SO different from each other! I LOVE that! I was not born with the talent of putting colors and patterns together easily, so when I get a collection like this, where everything matches, I am in HEAVEN!!!

When I looked at this paper, with it's rich greens and browns ('mmmm I love green!), I instantly reached for this Whipper Snapper stamp *Bucket of Posies* by Anna Wight. I know, it looks a little Fallish for July (yikes, how the heck did it get to be July?), but this is truly my favorite color palette, so I use it all year long.

After coloring the image with Copic markets, I used the Ranger blending tool to smoodge color around the edges and towards the center. The matte under the image was distressed with sand paper.

The sentiment, from the Friends Centers set by CHF, is stamped in Palette Burnt Umber and then *underlined* with Robin's Nest glass baubles.

An easy peasy card to put together. I love that!

HB