Monday, August 31, 2009

Spidey!

No... not the one who climbs buildings, and definitely not the ones that crawl around the basement (ew!), but a super CUTE one!

I love this little guy, especially when he's all glittered up! He's from the Spook-tacular set (Our Craft Lounge). Eclectic Paperie has all the new OCL sets!

I had this paper in my scrap box from last Halloween - don't ya just love it when you have exactly the right paper already! I added some orange polka dot (Bo Bunny) with the edge punched with a tab punch (EK Success).

The center piece is cut using a Labels One die (Nestabilities). I left the die on after it was cut and airbrushed the background using Putty (YG91) Copic marker. The spiderweb is stamped with London Fog (Memento) and Spidey is stamped in Tuxedo Black (Memento).

I stamped Spidey a second time in Tuxedo Black (Memento) on white cardstock. After I cut him out I "colored" him with a Sakura Quickie Glue Pen and then glittered him up with Eyeliner Black Crafty Sparkles (Our Craft Lounge). Then I attached him with a little foam tape.

I don't always stamp the inside of a card, but since I used black cardstock I thought it would be a good idea to decorate the white insert.


I have SO many cards to show you! The end of the month is always soooo busy for me at work, but I wear out some of that stress by stamping. I just run out of daylight to take pics and get them posted. So stay tuned!
HB

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Recipe Set

Each year, I meet up with a fabulous group of girls at a retreat center in Chippewa Falls, WI. These girls are from all over the country and ooooooze papercrafting talent. One of the events is the gift exchange. The rules are simple... if you bring something, you get something and it must be handmade.

I do all the cooking throughout the retreat (no frozen pizzas for us - it's homemade cooking filled with love for these girls!) so this year I thought I'd put some of the favorite recipes in a book.

I found a Maya Road chipboard book at a local craft store and a simple notebook and coupon pouch at Michael's. I picked up a package of Cosmo Cricket *Early Bird* papers at Archivers and having that whole package of fabulous, matching papers really made everything come together so easily!

I typed up the recipes on the computer and sized them so they wouldn't cover the whole page, but instead leave some of that delicious paper showing. Once the book was completed I added various buttons throughout.


If you are gonna cook, you gotta have a shopping list book! And with today's economy, one has just gotta save coupons! So why not save them in a cute pouch! :o)

Lastly, I picked up a plain jane gift bag and covered the front with matching papers. The note card front is from the tag sheet in the paper pack.


I needed just a little something to go with the gift, so I found these adorable mini red rubber scrapers at Williams Sonoma. Perfect!!

My friend Robin ended up with this set and was so excited! I was so happy that it made her so happy! Now... she just has to USE the recipes! lol

Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Amazingly blessed!

I have had THE most amazing 7 days! It started with spending 4 days with a group of exceptionally talented, beautiful, funny and crazy women! These girls are some of my very favorite people in the whole world! We meet at a retreat center in Wisconsin every year and stamp, eat, and laugh until we cannot stand it! And then we laugh some more!

One of the girls, AngFABULOUS, is a digi-scrapper extraordinaire. She created a digi mini album for each of us of all the pics she took.

This is the page Ang created of our group shot. I'm way over on the right, hiding behind Joy! LOL

After the retreat, it was off to the MN Northshore for some relaxation. (ya right.) The weather was gorgeous and we saw a bounty of God's beautiful creation.


These two do not stop. It was hike down this trail, and up this hill and over these rocks.


I loved every minute of it!!!
HB

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Aloha Kona!

I am SO excited! This is Retreat Week! A bunch of girlfriends from around the country get together at a retreat center in the middle of an apple orchard in Wisconsin for 4 days! OMGosh you cannot believe how much fun this is. We stamp, laugh, talk smart and eat for 4 days! Of course, I should be packing... Instead, I thought I'd post a quick card. :o)

I found this paper at Archivers (Mango Luau Slang by BoBunny) and knew instantly I had to have it to go with the Hangin' Loose with Kona set (Our Craft Lounge sold exclusively at Eclectic Paperie)

I just love to color this little guy! I used Copic markers for the image and the Copic Airbrush System to airbrush the sand and sky.

I cut the sentiment out with an oval Nestie. I wanted an edge, but didn't want to layer (ok... it's really cuz I didn't have any orange cardstock that matched). So, I cut another oval, same size, and tripped it down just a tich. I put just a tiny tiny bit of repositionable tape on the mask and laid it over the sentiment. Then, using the airbrush, I sprayed the matching Copic orange that I used on the surfboard. Perfect frame! I used a shade darker orange to ever-so-carefully run the chisel tip around the edge. waaaLA! The center of the flowers are highlighted with an orange Spica glitter pen.

Ok. Enough stalling. I need to figure out what I'm taking so I don't pack the whole room! See you in a few!
HB

Sunday, August 9, 2009

and we have a winner...

What a wonderful response for the new Our Craft Lounge release! I cannot wait to see what everyone creates when they get their new sets! Looks like a lot of blog hopping in my future! :o)

drumroll please.... the winner of Tweet Winter Wishes is...

Laurie in MN
"Each new set has unique stamps.
I love the monsters hidden behind and under things because it makes me laugh. "

Congratulations Laurie, I will email you requesting your contact information and OCL will send your set out to you!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Winter in August?

* be sure to read all the way to the end of this post *

What better way to cool off on a hot August day than ice and snow! Today is the day Our Craft Lounge releases their 31 new sets to retail locations. Yup... I said 31! 31 sets of TOTAL cuteness!

So... to cool you off on this hot August day, let me introduce you to Tweet Winter Wishes.

My first card shows the adorable little birdies in this set. Oh how I wish you could see the glitter and sparkle on the snow!

This next card has glitter, sparkle and some of that awesome Sparkly Fluff on Mr. Snowman's scarf, hat, mittens and earmuffs. I love Sparkly Fluff!

Both images were colored with Copic markers and accented with Spica pens.

You can find a list of retailers that carry the Our Craft Lounge lines HERE . Eclectic Paperie is carrying the FULL line! (I love eP!)

So... why did I tell you to read to the end of the post? Because we're giving away a Tweet Winter Wishes set to one lucky person! Just leave a comment telling me which is your favorite new OCL set (and you sure can say ALL of them! lol) The winner will be chosen at 8:00pm on Sunday (8/9). Be sure and leave your name and email so I can contact you. If a winner is chosen without contact info, I will have to draw a new name.

Want a chance to win more new sets? Hop on over to The Lounge and check out the list of fabulously creative girls who are each showcasing a new set... and giving that set away! wooHOO! I love giving stuff away! :o)
Happy Hopping! (and I hope you are nice and cooled off *wink*)
HB


Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Zoomin by...

Today's Our Craft Lounge sneak peek, Holiday Cruiser, is one of the funnest sets I've seen in a very long time!

I've made a couple cards to show you what I mean:


I hope you are having fun seeing all the new sneak peeks this week (check out The Lounge for the full list of talented bloggers who are showcasing the 31 new sets!).
Tomorrow is the BIG day! And... there is a surprise in store, so be sure and stop back!
HB

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Give Thanks

It's another sneak peek day for Our Craft Lounge! Today, I'm highlighting Give Thanks, a beautiful fall set.

The first card, I colored the leaves and bow with Copic markers. The markers blend the colors so wonderfully. I did some machine stitching (vs taking the easy route and grabbing my trusty tracing wheel LOL) and added some buttons. The sentiment is die cut with a circle Nestability and then edges distressed a tiny bit.


Next is a long card (6.5 x 3.25). Sometimes ya just gotta change shapes. :o)
I colored the leaves and bow with Copic markers and then spritzed some Old Lace Glimmer Mist on it. I wish you could see the beautiful shimmer!



Be sure and check out The Lounge . You'll find links to all the blogs showcasing the new release this week. Did I tell you there are 31 new sets coming out?!?!?

I've got a fun one to show you tomorrow so be sure to stop back!
HB

Monday, August 3, 2009

Sneak Peek Time

OMGOSH! I am over the TOP excited about the OCL release this week! You will need to lock your pocket book up in a vault to keep from shopping!

Today, I am tempting you with 2 cards made with Witch to Wear! It is such a fun halloween set!


Have you checked out the new Our Craft Lounge Blog? No? It's called The Lounge and you 'll find a list of all the blogs featuring sneak peaks of the new sets there.

I'll have more peeks this week, so stop in back!
HB

Supplies
Stamps: Witch to Wear (Our Craft Lounge)
Papers: K&Company, Little Yellow Bicycle, We R Memory Keepers
Inks: Copic markers, Memento
Misc: label punch (SU!), ribbon (May Arts)

Sunday, August 2, 2009

How Tweet of You!

Hey all! I know... I'm a bad blogger. July was just the craziest month and the only thing I've had time to stamp is new release stuff, which unfortunately, I couldn't share with you (but, starting tomorrow I can!)

Well, that's about to change! I had all weekend to do NOTHING but play with ink and rubber! No kidding! DH is out of town, so other than eat, sleep and go to the bathroom, I've been sitting at my table! Now, the mojo doesn't just come back on it's own. Oh no... trust me. It took a lot of dusting to find it! And to help, I turned to the sketch challenges over on SCS.

This is from sketch challenge 236. I think it is a perfect layout for a small stamp like this.

Now, I better clean up this mess. LOL!
HB

Supplies:
Stamps: Friendly Characters (Inkadinkado)
Paper: Penny Lane collection - My Minds Eye
Ink: Noir Black (Palette), Copic markers
Misc: Nestabilities, tracing wheel, scallop punch (Fiskars)