Sunday, December 13, 2009

Holiday Cheer

Tis the season for parties and visits to friends and families. Tis also the season of crazy busy-ness, so coming up with a hostess gift can be challenging. I found some wine bottle size organza bags at Michaels and thought to myself "hey... this could work!" :o)

I created a tag and card to go with each bottle using Cheers and Merry Wishes for the card and Reindeer Kisses and Merry Wishes for the tag. All sets are from Our Craft Lounge.


The paper (Cosmo Cricket) gave just that hint of holiday!

A little shading with Copic markers, a little bling & sparkle and quick, easy hostess gifts are done!

I hope your holidays are stress free!
HB

Friday, November 27, 2009

Kissing frogs and a Congrats!

Hello all! We've been on vacation for the past week and away from Internet service (relaxing in the northwoods - so very needed to distress before the holidays!) so I haven't had a chance to congratulate the winner of the Our Craft Lounge blog hop! Our fearless Design Team leader, Kendra was kind enough to contact the winner for me. Congratulations Cindy, you won the Hang it up Cupid set!

On to the card - this is one of my favorite creations from the OCL new release. It's the little frog from Fairy Dust is a Must!


I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving! My list of things to be thankful for was very long, and one of those items was YOU! Thank you for stopping by and all the wonderful comments. I truly appreciate it very much.
HB

Friday, November 20, 2009

Girls RULE!

The girls at Our Craft Lounge have done it again! It's New Release Day and holy MOLY are you gonna love these new sets! (I have a few *extras notes* at the end of the post, so be sure and hang around!)

I am featuring *Hang it up Cupid*! Perfect for that single friend who hates Valentine's Day! lol


Here's the whole set. Are the ideas just running through your mind?!?!



The girls have made some gorgeous creations using all the new sets that are just waiting to be drooled over! Hop over to The Lounge blog for all the links.

Oh... and that *extra* I mentioned above? Yup! We are all giving away a new set! One per blog! (ooo' I love free stuff!). Just leave a comment on any of the sneak peeks shown Wednesday, Thursday or Today on our blogs and we'll each be drawing a winner! The drawing will be tonight at 11pm CT. Please be sure and leave your email addy so we can contact you!

Oh ya... where can you get Our Craft Lounge sets? There is a list of retailers on OCL blog (The Lounge) but my very favorite place to shop... Eclectic Paperie! (those girls RULE!)

Thanks for stopping by and sharing in the excitement!
HB

Thursday, November 19, 2009

a Happy Hi!

It's day 2 of Our Craft Lounge sneak peeks - and here comes one of my favorite new sets!

I know, I know... we haven't even seen snow yet and here comes Spring flowers! But hey, a girl's gotta be prepared for spreading some sunshine on those dreary winter days, right!?!?

Be sure and check out The Lounge blog for the list of girls who are sharing sneak peaks! We'd love to hear what you think of the sets! And be sure to leave and email address! ;0)

I'm so SO excited for tomorrow... it's Release Day! woooHOOOO Be sure and stop back!
HB

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Double Peeks!

I have not one... but TWO treats for you today! It's Our Craft Lounge new release week!

From a dainty "little girl" card:


To a Wild West Valentine!

So, what do you think? I'd love to know - and who knows what surprises are in store for sharing your thoughts!!!

You can find a list of all the girls who are sharing sneak peeks this week on The Lounge blog and I KNOW you will want to check them out.

AND... don't forget all the Birthday Challenges!
Oh, this is such a HAPPY week!
HB

Monday, November 16, 2009

Ho Ho Ho

Yup... here comes Santa Claus! Isn't he just jolly! He's from the "Dear Santa" collection (Plum Purdy Designs).


Santa is colored with Copic markers and the puff on his hat and his beard are coated with Fun Flock. (You can click on the pics for a closer look)



The papers are My Minds Eye, and the tag is cut from a Ribbon Tags Trio die (Spellbinders).


On a side note... have you checked out the Birthday Party Challenges over at The Lounge! Fun stuff!!!





Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Happy HOLLYdays

Each year we have a holiday lunch for our teams at work. Since I joined the department I've made a "little something" for a table favor. This year it's the adorable little matchbook candy holder that was featured on SCS.

I used Holiday Button Bits (Papertrey Ink). However, since I was making 40 of them, I opted to not use buttons (sewing 120 buttons was a bit mutch. lol)


Instead I used 3 glue dots covered with red glitter. Soooo much easier! :o)


I stamped the holly leaves on cream cardstock and then trimmed it down (using a square template) so that the edges of the leaves hung over the edges.
The inside will hold a Ghiradelli chocolate and a computer generated note from the management team.
Did you play in the Our Craft Lounge scavenger hunt? There are awesome prizes and I can't wait to hear who won!
HB

Friday, November 13, 2009

It's a Birthday Party!

Our Craft Lounge is celebrating it's FIRST BIRTHDAY this month and I figure that's a great reason to play with one of my favorite snowman sets - Tweet Winter Wishes! (like I ever need a reason! lol)



They are celebrating with a Scavenger Hunt and fabulous prizes! If you stopped by here first... head on over to The Lounge blog and check out the fun! ps... you'll want to remember what set I used for this card! ;o)

Speaking of the card - Nichole Heady had a fun idea on one of her cards recently to use double sided tape as a border around an image, and then cover it with glitter. OMGOSH it's even cooler in real life! (you can click on the pics for a closer look).

The *snow* is Sugar Sparkly Fluff and the sparkle is Cosmo Crystal Crafty Sparkles (both from OCL). The papers are last years winter line by October Afternoon and the image is colored with Copic markers.

Hope you have fun *hunting*!
HB

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Sending Warm Wishes

This card must makes me smile. You cannot look at the face on this little gingerbread man and not! He's from the Gingerbread Fun set (Our Craft Lounge).

I stamped him on cream cardstock (Neenah), colored him with Copic markers and cut him out. I did the same with his little outfit. Wanting to give his tie a little texture, I covered it with Distress Crackle Paint - Clear Rock Candy (this stuff is sooo cool!) After his outfit was attached with glue (so much easier to use glue for this because you can move the pieces around a bit to position them perfectly - can't do that with tape), I attached him to a cream panel that I cut out with a Labels One die (Nestabilities) that is matted in green (hand trimmed). As a final touch, I sprayed it with Glimmer Mist for a little shimmer.

The stamp for the tag is from Tweet Winter Wishes (OCL). The stamp actually states "Sending warm winter wishes", but I masked off the word winter so it just says "Sending warm wishes". Get it.... gingerbread = warm, yummy, goodness? lol

The papers are all from the Graphic 45 Christmas Past Collection. It's not really a red, more like a rusty red and matches perfectly with Dusty Durango (SU!). Spring Moss (PTI) cardstock is used for matting the center panel along with his collar and tie. The ribbon is also Spring Moss (PTI).

The sun is shining beautifully in MN today! I hope it's shining on you too!
HB

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Glittery Mittens

Life is so crazy lately that I don't often have time to play in some of the fabulous sketch challenges out in blog-world. But.. when I saw the sketch on the MojoMonday blog this week I just had to play.

I used Snowfall and Snowfall Additions (Papertrey Ink) and lots and lots of glitter! :0)


(you can click on the pic for a closer look)

I stamped the mittens on green cardstock with matching green ink and then, before cutting them out, I ran each through my little Zyron sticker machine. THEN I cut them out, leaving the sticker paper intact. (yes, I tell you this because I completed the trial and error of doing it other ways first. Not successfully I might add. lol) After cutting them out, I pulled back just the top of the paper and covered the mitten band in red glitter. Then I pulled the paper off and *dipped* the rest of the mitten in my glitter container. ooooo' so sparklie!



The snowflakes are stamped in blue on white cardstock and cut out. Because I was covering them with blue stickles and glitter, I wasn't too concerned about perfection when cutting them out.

The papers are from the Polar Expressions collection (Imaginisce) and the ribbon is from Michaels.

I hope you're having a sparklie day!

HB

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Happy Birthday Cupcake!

Well, considering that I made this card for my manager, I sure didn't put that sentiment inside! LOL!

I forgot his birthday, so I needed a quick GUY card. sheesh. Two difficult things for me (quick and guy cards).
I grabbed the Summer Sweets set (OCL) because the cupcake is so perfect for paperpiecing. Some *manly* My Minds Eye papers and I did it! Quick and easy! woooHOOO!

Don't you love it when a summer, 4th of July set can work for birthdays too!?!?

Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

brrrrrr...

It's a chilly one here in MN today! I can only imagine how this little cardinal's butt must feel sitting on that branch! lol

I tried to capture the shimmer and sparkle on this card, but the lighting or the camera (or a combo) just wasn't doing it, so you'll have to take my word for it. lol (you can click on the pics for a closer look)


The image is from Mr. Willie & Friends set (Plum Purdy Designs) and is colored with Copic markers. The snow is covered in a light coating of Cotton Ball White Fun Flock. To get the sparkle on the snow I touched the Fun Flock ever-so-lightly with the tip of my glue pen and sprinkled on the glitter.

Once everything was colored, flocked and sparkled I sprayed the entire image with Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels) and set it with my heat tool. (have you tried the Ranger Heat It yet? OMGosh it's fabulous! All heat and no air to blow your embossing powder all over the table!)

The sentiment is from Snowfall (PTI) and I used SC249 for my sketch. Fancy Pants papers (love love those papers!) and a snowflake CB embossing folder finished it all off.

Keep warm today!
HB

Monday, November 2, 2009

Happy November!

I love fall... the colors, the crisp air!

This weekend I finally had a chance to use the October sketch challenge (yup, I'm a little behind. lol), over on the Our Craft Lounge forum {OCL07}. It was perfect to pair with Autumn Garden (OCL).

The image is colored with Copic markers and the papers are My Minds Eye. (You can click on the picture for a closer look)

Be sure and check out the OCL forum for all the monthly sketches! The November sketch is awesome!

Oh... and hop over to The Lounge blog... Autumn Blessings is the spotlight set this week and the team will be posting some gorgeous creations!

On a side note... I cleaned my space on Saturday - put Halloween away, re-organized my stuff and do you know my table is actually white? LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween!

One last Halloween post... I cleaned my space this morning and put it all my spooky goodies away until next year (insert sad face).

So, on to the project! Treats for the Team!

I like to make a little something for my team at work each holiday. Something to set on their desks the night before to welcome them in the morning. This time it's little boxes filled with mini-candy bars.

I covered each box with a strip of paper that I scored to perfectly fit the box, and then attached a spooky greeting using Boo to You (PTI).
Each box holds 3 mini candy bars.

You really can't put something cute on the front of the box, and nothing on the back... so I stamped and glitterfied the bat.









Farewell until next year Halloween!
HB

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Frightful...

The sketch (SCS252) over on Splitcoast this week is FAB! I just had to make one more Halloween card using it.

I used the outline stamp of the candy bucket from Boo to You (PTI) and made it into a black kettle by simply coloring it deep gray (Copic - T5) and stamped the stars bubbling out of it.

The image is outlined with two different Vintage Label stamps (PTI), cut out and matted on black.

Papers are Bo Bunny and Making Memories.

I really don't want Halloween to come this year. I'm having SO much fun with all the cool papers and stamps!
HB


Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Farewell Mrs. Newbody

Today we honor Mrs. Anita Newbody. I can so relate to her (say her name fast). LOL


I stamped the tree, fence, crow and moon from Spooky Nights (Our Craft Lounge) on white cardstock. After coloring the moon I used the Copic Airbrush System to spray the dark sky (cuz shouldn't the sky over a cemetary on Halloween be dark and scary? lol). I sprayed V95 around the center to give the sky a purplish tint and T5 around the outside.


The papers are My Minds Eye (BOO! to you collection).

I purchased a bag of Halloween buttons at Archivers a while back and this was in the bag. Isn't it a hoot!

See ya tomorrow!
HB

Monday, October 26, 2009

Halloween Kitty

I know people are superstitious about black cats, but really, who could be afraid of this face!

Although she does look a little spooked - maybe it's that glitterfied spider hanging in the corner! lol

The kitty and spider are from Spook-tacular (Our Craft Lounge) and the paper is Heidi Grace Designs and Bazzill.

Do you cringe when a black cat walks in front of you?
HB

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Wishing you a BOO-tiful Day!

Well, it's finally here... Halloween week! OMGosh I have sooo much Halloween paper that I haven't even TOUCHED yet! I need another month at least. yikes!

So, this week we are going to celebrate that spookiest of weeks! Day #1 is using Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge (#103) and Spook-tacular (Our Craft Lounge).





I love that little bat! I glitterfied him all up (and the little spiders in the webs) with Eyeliner Black Crafty Sparkles.

This card came together so easily! The only coloring was the bats under-wings (with Copic markers). The papers are My Minds Eye (Boo! to You line)

The ribbon is from my scrap stash and unfortunately I cannot remember the line.

Are YOU ready to get BOO'd?
HB

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Perking Up!

It's that time of year... the weather can't decide what it wants to do; rain, snow, sunshine, cloudy - you know what I mean? This change in weather sure can effect my mood, and it always seems like there is someone around me saying something to make me smile. So... what a better way to say "thanks for the smile" than to give a card!

I stamped the percolator from Fueled by Caffeine (for you youngsters out there, that's a coffee pot. lol) in black (Memento) and colored it with Copic markers. I did the same for the strip of coffee cups.


The sentiment is stamped in black and die cut using a Nestie tag die.

I love this Abby Road line (My Minds Eye), the circles on it and the ribbon all tie together with the coffee cups! Yeaaa!

Do you need perking up?
HB

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Double Batty!

I used a sketch challenge (SC248) from SCS for this card. I love the layout... that you can either "double" one thing, or use two things that relate.

I choose to "double" this cute little bat from Spooky Nights (Our Craft Lounge).

Once I stamped the tree on each panel, I sprayed a little ominous sky with my Copic Airbrush System (what did I ever do before that tool!?!?) using C1 and YR31. Then I stamped the bat in Tuxedo Black (Memento), added glue to his wings (Quickie Glue Pen) and sprinkled on the Eyeliner Black Crafty Sparkles (OCL). Did you know you can get all these things at Eclectic Paperie?

The fun paper is from Heidi Grace Designs, and the cardstock is Bazzill, SU! and Neenah.

Hey... Spooky Nights is the Spotlight Set of the Week this coming week over on the Lounge blog. Check it out!
HB

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Green Snowflakes!

I love non-traditional colors for the holidays, and green snowflakes have got to be my favorite! (yes, it could be 'cuz green is my favorite color. lol) So, when I saw the Breezy Freezy line (Cosmo Cricket) I squeeeeled!


The snowman and sentiment are from Sharing the Holidays (Plum Purdy Designs). I colored him with Copic markers and sparkled up the snow with glitter. The "frame" around the image is done using the Copic Airbrush System. I placed a square scallop Nestability with a post-it note covering the center over the image and sprayed E31 around the edge. Then I ran a 2-way glue pen around the edge and dipped it in glitter.



I stamped the sentiment on cardstock with the intention of cutting it out with an oval Nestie. But, I realized I stamped too close to the edge of the paper and I couldn't center it in the Nestie. Not wanting to waste a perfectly good stamped sentiment, I attached a piece of polka dot paper (October Afternoon) and then cut out the oval. I kinda like the look!

What is your favorite non-traditional color?
HB

Monday, October 12, 2009

brrrrr...

It's snowing in MN today and what is better than curling up in front of the window and keeping warm by putting rubber and ink to paper? lol

Being that it's a tich chilly, I reached for Fueled by Caffeine (Our Craft Lounge). A hot cup of coffee with a little French vanilla cream sounds sooo good about now, but first the card.

The coffee pot and cup are stamped in Burnt Umber (Palette) and colored with Copic markers to match the paper (Pebbles Inc). I needed a tray for them to set on, but didn't have a stamp that would work. So, I improvised. I used a small oval stamp, but just ran the brown ink around the edge. I masked the coffee pot, stamped the tray and colored it in.

The paper doesn't have any turquoise in it, but I wanted a third color, so I colored the little spaces in between the pattern with a marker. I also highlighted each cream "flower" with a darker shade of yellow. I love *enhancing* to match the colors I'm using!

I hope you're keeping warm today!
HB

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Hey Ghoulfriend!

This was a stress-release creation! You see, coloring and cutting are two of my favorite things to do when life gets the better of me. So, I colored this cute little witch from Spook-tacular (Our Craft Lounge) and then sloooowly and carefully cut her out. Not all the stress was gone, but a big chunk was by the time I was done! LOL

She's attached with foam tape to white cardstock that I cut with a Labels One die and airbrushed with YG91 (Putty). Notice that little orange star all sparkly up in the corner? It started as a clear, orange button, but didn't *pop*, so I covered it in glue and sprinkled on the Real Juicy Orange Sparkly Fluff. I love that stuff!

Hope you're staying stress free, and if not... try coloring and/or cutting something up!
HB

A Fall Thank-You

A quick little post today, using Beate's 100th sketch challenge. It's such a fun and easy layout!


The center image, Pumpkin Birdhouse (Plum Purdy Designs), is one of my new favorites to color with Copic markers. The sentiment is Hero Arts and the papers are October Afternoon.

Thanks for visiting!
HB

Monday, October 5, 2009

WCMD - Trip to Mexico

My card yesterday took us to Japan for Nichole Heady's WCMD challenge. Today, we are heading to Mexico.

I love the look of Mexican tiles. They are so vibrate and colorful! I used one of the medallion's from Simple Little Things (Papertrey Ink anniversary set) and colored each with Copic markers to match the *tiles* of cardstock I had cut.

The center tile is the sentiment "estoy feliz que somos amigos" which translates to "I'm happy we are friends".

There's a funny story behind why I have a Spanish sentiment set. Our granddaughter, Grace, was in a Spanish immersion kindergarten class last year. SU! has Spanish sets and I thought it would be fun to send her a card using them once in a while. However, once I got the set I didn't know what any of the sentiments said. I had to ask her to ask her teacher if she would translate each stamp for me. LOL.

So, there you go... a little trip to Mexico on a Monday.
HB

Sunday, October 4, 2009

WCMD!

What a FUN day yesterday was! I was able to sit at my table and play the day away!

The first challenge I did was the Nichole Heady's challenge. I was intrigued by her "trip around the world". Talk about a challenge!

This card is Japanese inspired. I used Out on a Limb for my blossom tree, stamping the blossoms with Fresh Snow ink (PTI) and then embossing with white EP. I used a pink (R30) Copic maker for the center.

When I googled Japanese art, I found a site that showed pictures Japanese birds. I stamped the little bird from Bird Watching in a light blue to represent a Blue Rock Thrush.

I finished it off with a sheer pink ribbon and a tag with a little blossom stamped in pink and Life stamped in red.

A simple layout, just using pink and red cardstock. (and look... not a piece of pattern paper in sight! lol).

I'm hoping to finish up the rest of my challenges tomorrow. Today was cooking day (a stockpot of soup and a yummy pork roast for meals this week)!

Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Friday, October 2, 2009

October? Already?

Where o' where did October come from? YIKES! I am soooo not ready!
Next think I know someone is gonna post how many days left until Christmas. I'm gonna plug my ears.

So, to combat this early arrival of October, I took today off and decided to see if I can get the creative side of my brain to start working again. lol And, since it is October, I broke open my new BOO TO YOU set from Papertrey.



Since this set was designed by Pine, I just had to use Kraft as my cardstock. :o)

This card is a simple little 4x4. I used a dark purple cardstock as a mat, and stamped the stars in Vintage Cream. The bat and sentiment are stamped using Black Soot (Distress Ink). A purple "moon" for the bat to fly in front of finished it off.

I used a page from the Eerie paper pad (Basic Grey) for the background on the next card. Don't you love those trees!?! The ghost is stamped on Kraft with Vintage Cream and then I trimmed part of the cardstock so the sentiment part wasn't so wide. I wanted more of the trees to show.
The ghost/sentiment strip is layered with purple cardstock that I punched with an EK Success border punch.

This last card is my fav of the bunch. After I trimmed the tree paper for the card above, I had a strip left that had one lone tree on it. I just couldn't throw that lone tree away! I trimmed the tree out and after stamping a couple of the pumpkins on Kraft, I glued on the tree. One more pumpkin is stamped, cut out and attached with chipboard to raise it up a tich. The strip of pattern paper from the same paper pad is attached to the base card before I put the tree panel on.
I stamped the pumpkin again in orange and cut it out for the moon. I covered it with Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint and OMGosh, it is just the coolest effect! If you click on this pic you should be able to see a closer view, and see the *crackle* I love this stuff!

The bat is stamped in Black Soot, cut out and attached in the corner. I added a few stars in Antique Linen.

It's World Cardmaking Day this weekend and there are challenges galore out in the universe! I am hoping to take on a couple of them! How about you?
HB

Monday, September 28, 2009

Something new!

A couple weeks ago, my friend Bevie sent me the link to THIS site; a company called Plum Purdy. O...MY...GOSH! The memories came flooding back of the time I was a wood crafter! Yup, pre ink & rubber, me and my skillsaw were the best of friends. I used to buy patterns from this company and make wonderful wood creations as gifts for my family and friends.

So now they are taking some of their fabulous designs and making them into STAMPS! Yipppeee! I placed an order right away for the Pumpkin Birdhouse. I just bought one... needing to make sure it was all I was hoping it to be in terms of quality. I was not disappointed!

Here is my first creation. I used the SCS sketch challenge (SC246) from last week and fall papers from SEI.

I used Copic markers to color the image. I wanted the birdhouse to have a *weathered* look, so I used colors that you wouldn't typically blend together; B12, YG91, B34, B72 and E31 (Marianne from Copic would either cringe or cheer to read that combo! lol)

The leaves and stem are colored in YG91, YG93 and touch of R39 and an over-shadow of E31. I like the effect E31 gives as a final color. Kinda dulls everything out.

The pumpkin is shades of orange; YR04, YR15 and YR18.

The bird is stamped a 2nd time on scratch cardstock, cut out and attached with foam tape.

I finished the image by shading B0000 around the image and a little E31 on the *ground*. Here is a closer look.


I will SO be ordering more of these stamps and hope they come out with a full line of their adorable snowmen!

Don't you just LOVE discovering new things! Thanks Bevie!!
HB