Same but Different

 

I have a couple of "same but different" cards to share with you today using the new Best Mom Ever set from Simon Says Stamp. 

 

For this one, I stamped and colored the rose three times so I could layer the center.  Before attaching each layer, I added a bit of rock candy Stickles.  So sparklie!  The square is a piece of balsa wood die cut with a square Nestabilities die.  Sentiment is PTI.

 

 

 

For the next card, I used the same paper but the smaller rose from the set.  The sentiment is from Life is Short (TAWS).   The square yellow/green piece of card stock is embossed with Sunrise impression plate (PTI) and a gold metallic pen finished the edge, along with the edge of the circle, 

 

The paper is Antique Chic (We R).  You can click on the images for more detail.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

HB

6? Already?

Our granddaughter has a birthday this month.  She's turning 6.  I swear someone needs to find a pause button to keep these kids from growing up so fast!  It seems like yesterday when she was born.

She's pretty excited to be turning 6, and she's a girlie girl, so the card is all about pink, flowers and glitter.

I used Big Birthday Numbers and Sunflower Girl (both MFT) along with dies Say What? (MFT) and Spellbinders.  Papers are Echo Park.  The little girl stamp is actually holding a sunflower, so I cut a flower out of the paper and glued it over the top.  Things gotta match ya know.  LOL

 

As long as I had this adorable paper out, I figured I'd make one more.



 

The sentiment is from Birthday Sentiments (MFT).  I covered "happy birthday" with eclipse tape so I could stamp the 2 in pink.  Then carefully stamped the words in brown.  Worked on the first try!  wooohoo!  The balloon, from Sweet Wishes (Penny Black), is colored with copics, cut out and glittered.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

HB



Life...

 

I recently purchased some new stamps from The Alley Way Stamps, a new company to me.  I'm always hesitate to dive into a new company for a couple reasons... not all acrylic stamps are alike and if I love them, oh boy... my addiction grows.  LOL

 

The reason I was first attracted to this company was the Life is Short set.  Specifically this sentiment...

 

 

Doesn't that just about say it all!?!?! 

 

Needless to say, a few more sets have found love in my home and I'm sure they won't be the last.  Super cuteness!

 

The crayon stamp is from Every Child (There She Goes - another new fav of mine).  I stamped it multiple times and then colored each with Copics to match the stripes in the paper (October Afternoon).

 

Keep coloring my friends!

HB

Happy Day!

Happy Easter!
There is still snow on the ground here in MN, but the celebration of today makes the world bright and beautiful!

I have a couple cards to share with you today.  I recently ordered some Paper Smooches sets from Ellen (I heart Ellen's store!) and absolutely adore these images.  LOVE them!  I pared them with some new paper (My Girl - American Crafts) that came in my Easter basket from a good friend.  She sure knows my style!

This sentiment is from Amuse  - isn't it just perfect with this paper!!

I love this chickie.  She even has polka dot wings!  LOL  The fence, grass and bubble dies are MFT and the flower is Memory Box.  The sun stamp is PTI stamped on white vellum and hand cut out.

Have a HAPPY DAY everyone!
HB

'mmmmm coffee

Happy Friday!

It's a "free" day for me... a random vacation day just for the heck of it.  I'm sitting here doing a little research on the web to spark the creative side of my brain (the bank tends to over-ride that side sometimes.  lol) and then it's off to play at my stamp table.

But first, that wonderful, warm, first cup of coffee for the day.

This is a digi image that I got so long ago that I can't remember from what company, but I love it.  I love that I can make it as big, or as small as I need for the project I'm working on.  The center strip on the cup is paper pieced and the rest colored with Copic markers.  A chipboard button with hand-cut leaves and some yellow pearls on the sentiment tag and it's ready to go.

edited to add - I found the designer of the digi stamp.  The Alley Way Stamps.  It was the November freebie.

I'm off to see if I can bubble up some mojo!
HB

Spring

It actually made it over 32 degrees this weekend in MN, so it must be time to start thinking about Spring!

I love this little egg die from Impression Obsession.  I pulled some scraps from last years spring projects and whipped this up.  (I used yellow cardstock for the background in the pic because of so much white on the card.  Kind of a funky look.  lol)

 

 

Here is this year's Easter treat basket for my team at work.  I love making them a little someth'n someth'n.  I used the new MFT flower box and trapezoid box dies with October Afternoon paper.

 

The hilarious bunny is from Paper Smooches.  Love that guy.  The flag is hand cut and attached to a little stick.  Sentiment is a Stampendous stamp that I've had forever.

Filled with assorted chocolate eggs, this should give the team a big smile! 

Ok... I'm off to get this Monday started.  Happy Spring everyone!
HB

Hello!  I've been on a little trip to crazyville and stamping took a bit of a backseat.   But, yesterday was one of my favorite days... a Saturday with absolutely no reason to leave the house!  Yeah Me!

I had some new papers to play with and pulled out a favorite Whipper Snapper stamp to go with it.



The papers are Park Bench (Fancy Pants) and the stamp is Picked Texas Wildflower.  Such a fun image to color with Copics!  The button is a PTI button stamp, punched out with a 1 1/8 inch circle punch.

I made a few cards and hope to get them posted in the coming days.

Well... the sun is shining and I need to go soak some up!  See you soon.
HB

Relaxing Saturday

Hello!  I had a wonderful day at the stamp table.  I didn't have any particular projects to work on, just good 'ol stamping whatever I felt like. 

I pulled out some stamps that haven't had any love for a while, along with some new papers.

I did some coloring...


(Whipper Snapper stamp and Echo Park papers)


And, a little clean & simple...


(PTI stamp and dies, MFT banner die, MME papers)

Thanks for stopping by!
HB

Happy Heart Day!

A quick note to wish you all lots of love on this day that's all about hearts!

This is a digi image I bought quite a while ago.  Who doesn't love a cute qwerty?

Sending Love!
HB

PTI Sketches

 

Hello~



Today was what I consider a perfect day.  All errands were run yesterday and we went to church last night, so today was just meant for relaxing.  Plus, we have had a beautiful snow falling all afternoon!

 

So... what's a girl to do with a day like this?  Stamp!  duh.  LOL  I love to sit here with snow falling outside my window - it is just so peaceful.

 

PTI is celebrating their anniversary and Nichole created some awesome sketches for a challenge.   Since sketches are my favorite type of challenge, I played along.  I used all PTI stamps, dies and cardstock.  The pattern paper is Pebbles, Inc.

 

 

Now, I better clean up this HUGE mess on my table.  It's totally messin' with my peaceful day.  LOL

 

HB



Comfy chairs

 

Happy Saturday! 

 

I love Saturdays.  I get up really early all week and that doesn't seem to change come Saturday, BUT, there is no rush to get going.  I can ride my bike, sit in my favorite comfy chair and surf the net for inspiration, stamp, cook, whatever I want.  LOVE it.

 

Speaking of comfy chairs.....



 

 

I love this image almost as much as my favorite comfy chair.  It's the new Pure Innocence set, Read All About It from MFT.  The chair and footstool are paper-pieced and the girl is colored with Copics.

 

I'm off to enjoy my day... I hope you are too!

HB



Technique

Happy Monday Morning! 

Now, usually I'm not so chipper on a Monday, but it's a bank holiday (Martin Luther King Day), so I'm in no hurry to race my butt out the door into the cold to get to work.  Happy Day!

 

I was playing around with some new stamps, dies and papers yesterday and decided it was finally time to try and see how it works to use a die to dry emboss.  I think it is such a cool technique when I see others do it, but have never taken the time to figure it out.  WOW!  What an effect!



 

 

 

I used the PTI hexagon cover plate for my background.  By putting the cardstock between the die and the tan embossing mat, it doesn't cut all the way through.  waaay cool.

 

For the tag, I used PTI Tag Sale #5 die.  I cut a strip of pattern paper smaller than the width of the die, adhered it to white cardstock, then ran it through the die cutting machine.  By adhering the paper and cardstock together first, I get a finished edge on the whole tag.  The sentiment is PTI and the twine is October Afternoon.

 

The flower is made using MFT Upsy-Daisy die set and here is the funny thing...  I chose the golden paper from the pack (MME Oliver 6x6 pad) and cut the flowers.  As I put the flower together I realized the pattern on the paper was hexagon - which matches the base - score!  LOL    The beautiful leaves behind the flower is a new Memory Box die - Fresh Foliage. 

 

Boy, that was a wordy post for someone who doesn't post much lately.  LOL!  I guess I was pretty excited over having a day to play.   I hope to post more (and talk less!) this year.

 

HB

Challenge



Hello!  Happy 2013!

 

My friend Lisa and I decided to stamp today (it's kinda cold/windy/wet out) and figured a challenge would kick-start the mojo.  Birdie Brown has this A-DORABLE image free (score!) and a challenge to go along with it.

 

For me, the biggest challenge was how NOT to make this a Valentine's card.  LOL





 

 

Isn't that just the cutest bear?  I love him.  I glittered up the balloons and added a bit of twine.  The sentiment is Hero Arts and the papers are My Minds Eye.

 

I'm hoping my stamping mojo stays a little closer to the surface now that the holidays are over.  LOL

 

See you soon!

HB

 

 

OA Challenge!

Hello friends!  Long time, no see!  Long time NO STAMP!  This weekend changed all that.  I've got lots to show you.  Ü

 

Last month was the October Afternoon Warehouse Sale and man O'MAN was it a sale!  I was there 3 times!  While standing in line to get in, I saw my cyber friend, Beth.  We got to talking and decided to do a challenge using our new OA papers.  How fun!

 

So, we are both posting creations today using Cakewalk.  Once I got started, I couldn't stop.  LOL

 

This is for our son's birthday next week.  The star wreath is a Memory Box die.  I love how it goes with the star paper in this line.  I covered a chipboard star with paper and glittered up a few of the stars on the wreath.  Hey, even guys can appreciate glitter ya know.

 

This one started out as a CAS, but as always, I can't help but keep adding until I'm happy.  LOL

The flower is built using PTI flower dies and the leaves are MFT.

 

Lastly, I mixed a little Cakewalk with the red snowflake paper from Holiday Style.  I didn't have any cardstock that would match the green in the plaid, so I sprayed some cream with Sprinklers and Mr Huey white (it matches better in real life) and die cut the tag (PTI).  The image is Whipper Snapper.

This was such a great way to get my mojo going and I can't wait to see what Beth created!  You can find her at Never Too Old to Color.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

HB

 

Happy Saturday!  My daughter & her husband are coming for the weekend and it's going to be a girls shopping day!  yippeeee!    The day ahead is like card.  It was a long week, kinda rainy and now today will be the rainbow!  (cheesy, I know.  LOL)

 

 

I used the die-namics rainbow die from MFT to die cut white cardstock, colored each line with Copics and then using a glue pen, poured on the glitter.  The clouds are PTI dies using PTI felt and the sun is Studio Calico.  Papers are October Afternoon.

I hope your day is filled with rainbows!  :)
HB

Happy Day!

Hello Hello!  It's been a wild & crazy summer and while I've gotten some stamping in, I haven't taken the time to share here.  Bad HB.

So... I figure a little Happy Day wish for you all was appropriate.  Ü

This Memory Box bike die is one of my new favs.  I bought a recumbent exercise bike last January and ride that baby faithfully each morning. This is my "get healthy" year, and that bike has helped me loose over 60 lbs so far. 

I hope you've found something this year that makes you happy!  If not... well, the year isn't over yet. 

Good to *see* you again!
HB

Birthday Tags

Hello!  I've been busy lately working on a project for my daughter-in-law.  My two little granddaughters seem to be going to birthday parties on a weekly basis and so I made a collection of birthday tags for Katherine to have in a cute box, ready to tie to any gift.

Here's the group - 30 of them!

I am adding a collection of colored twine in the box to tie the tags to the gift.  

Here are the individual tags.  I used manila tags covered with various papers. The tags are big enough that the little girls can write a birthday message on the back. The images are all digi stamps and are perfect for a project like this because I could make the images the perfect size for the tag!

  

I hope you are having a fabulous summer!
HB

In Sympathy

Yesterday was so hot, the only thing really to do was stay in and stamp.  I'm a very logical girl.  LOL

I looked at my box of cards and found that I don't have any sympathy cards and although it was the 4th, a day of celebration, I took to the task.

As always, beautiful papers make it easy....

The first card background was from Plumeria (Basic Grey).  I stamped the sentiment (My Sentiments Exactly) right on the paper and then added the little pearls and the butterfly (Taylored Expressions).
The wings of the butterfly are glitterfied with Antique Linen Distress Stickles.

The second card uses the same paper line for the frame.  The image, Botanical Silhouettes (Papertrey Ink) was an anniversary set. 

I hope I don't have to use these for a long long time, but it's good to have them on hand.

Have a great day!  Stay cool!
HB

God Bless America

Happy 4th of July

I hope you have a fire-crackin great day!

HB

Hi all!  It's another gorgeous day here in MN!  After all the rain last week, this is so wonderful.

Each year, I use my "Volunteer Day" (a benefit where I work - each and every employee, 60,000+, gets one paid 8 hour day to give to to their community as a volunteer) to make birthday cards for the local Meals on Wheels program.  This is my 3rd year and each year I try to make more than the last.  2010 was 31, 2011 was 50 and this year... 55!



I try to keep the cards flat so they don't have to add postage for mailing, which is the hardest thing for me!  I like my embellishments!  LOL 

So there ya go... a very productive couple days.  But YIKES, you should see my table!

See you soon!
HB