A Card-Free Weekend

Hello all...

This weekend was the 230th anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse here in Greensboro. The weather was beautuful and I needed to get out of the house and de-stress from work. I got out my camera and went with a friend to go watch the re-enactment. It was a lot of walking and standing, so my calves are barking at me today, but it was fun to do something totally different for a change!

I took a ton of photos (the joys of a digital camera!) with my new zoom lens and there were lots of cool pictures. Below are a few of the ones I took. There are about another dozen or so that were really good, but they will have to wait for another time.

There was a great turn-out, but it was hard to find a good place to take the pictures...lots of BIG trees in the way! We got there about 40 minutes before the event started and we had a tough time getting a place where people wouldn't be getting in front of the camera...

I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Happy St. Patty's Day AND Blog Hop Announcement!

Wow! I can't believe it is time for another Hambo Hoedown challenge already! This past week has flown by and it is time for challenge number 6.

This time we got to use this adorable Hambo Stamps St. Patty's Day Hamster in all of his Irish Finery! But, the fun didn't end there...we were asked to use a LOT of GOLD on our cards...

Well...I realized, I really didn't have much gold stuff in my stash, so I decided to do something a bit different this week. I wanted to decorate this adorable pail and fill it with gold foil-covered chocolate coins...I went to 5 different places trying to find them...to no avail. Since I couldn't find chocolate coins, I included these cute plastic coins I found at a store. However, it is not the same-I can't eat the plastic coins....*sigh*

So...my project didn't have much gold on it....but it is filled INSIDE with lots of gold!

I used a bunch of cute ribbon to decorate the handle of this pail...it makes it SO festive!

I hope you will play along this week at the Hambo Hoedown. If you didn't receive this cute digi image for playing along last week, you can purchase him and play along! OR...you can use another Hambo stamp...just use LOTS of GOLD!

AND...AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT... Check back on April Fool's Day for an AWESOME Blog Hop for Hambo Stamps! With all of the fun stamps they have...what better day than April Fool's Day for them to have a Blog Hop!



A view from the side showing all of the GOLD!


Other Challenges this was entered in:

Splitcoast Friday Challenge - Got a Lucky Penny?
Party Time Tuesdays
For Fun Challenges
Penny's Paper Crafty
Little Red Wagon
Simon Says Stamp
The Sisterhood of Crafters
Stampin Royalty


Copic Colors Used:
Hat/Shamrock: YG11, YG13, YG17, YG23
Hat Band/Tie/Gold: YR23, YR26, YR28
Shirt: C00, C0
Pot: C3, C5, C7, Black 100
Hamster: E70, E71, E74, E77

Birthday Wishes

This card was made for my sister-in-law's birthday at the end of February...Just now getting it posted! I decided to use this digi stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil. She LOVES the color red, so I decided to feature the laptop in red. I found this cute paper in a pad by K & Company. All the other doo-dads were from my stash. I think it turned out rather cute....

Copic Colors Used:
Housecoat: YG11, YG13
Shoes/Nighty: R81, R83, R85
Laptop/Mug: R22, R24, R27
Hair: Y23, YR23, E33, E34
Skin: E0000, E000, E00

My Mane Man

It's Hambo Hoedown time again! This week we had this cool dude (Lion) from Hambo Stamps to work with! In addition, we were asked to make a masculine themed card and use some striped paper somewhere. I found this paper from an older line by Basic Grey (I think). It was part of a pet collection. I loved the colors and with the paw prints...it was a must for this card. I decided to cut him out so he would stand out more!

If you want to play along this week and didn't get this dude from participating last week, you will be able to add him to your "den" by visiting Hambo's digi-land!

You will have to pop over to the Hoedown Challenge this week to see what the other Bacon Bits have created for you! There are some awesome inspirations!

Copic Colors Used:
Shirt: BG000, BG01, BG02, BG05
Can: R22, R24, R27
Lion: E31, E33, E35, E37
Mane: E31, E33, E35, E37; added YR23 and YR24
I used a white pencil to give him some coolio har!

Happy 'Bird-Day'

Isn't this just the cutest image???? It is a new digi stamp from Hambo Stamps and I couldn't wait to color it! I used some of my favorite paper by Cosmo Cricket and some scraps of ribbon by Stampin' Up. There are some staples..and of course, my trusty white gel pen. I just ordered a whole new box of them as I am on my last one...

Copic Colors Used:
Bird Bodies: Y32, Y35
Reds: R32, R35, R37, R45
Pinks: R81, R83, R85
Greens: YG91, YG93, YG95
Blue-Greens: BG72, BG75 and BG000
Oranges: YR12, YR14
Bamboo Pole: E51, E53, E55, E44
Banner: B0000, B000, Boo

Knight in Shining Armor

I am always looking for stamps that work well for that elusive "guy" card... (at least they are elusive to me) This new digi stamp from Hambo Stamps is the perfect stamp for that special fella...maybe it is a bit nerdy, but if you have a smart one...this should work...right????

I used some DP from My Mind's Eye.. (I think). It is my last scrap and the company info is gone. I printed out two of the images and then cut out the knight and popped it up on the card to accent it more. The brad is from my stash. I computer generated the sentiment.

Copic Colors Used:
Chess Pieces (minus the knight): B91, B93, B95, B97
Knight: Woo, W0, W1, W3, W5

You're My Hero

I can't believe another week has passed and it is time for the Hambo Hoedown Challenge again!!! Time flies when you are having fun! This week's digi image "Bird Hero" from Hambo Stamps is adorable...don'tcha think???

If you played along this past week, you should have this birdy fella yourself. If not, you can purchase him over at Hambo Stamps so you can join in on the fun. You can also use any other Hambo image to play along this week.

Last week was a color challenge...this week it is a sketch challenge. Take your favorite Hambo image and create a card using the layout over at the Hoedown. The other Bacon Bits created FAB cards to inspire you and get those creative juices flowing!

I look forward to seeing what YOU can create!

For my card, I used some GREAT paper from Basic Grey...I just love those wacky birds, so I thought it would be perfect for this image. Lots of bling and gel ink action on this one!

Challenges I entered this card in:
Something Funky
Party Time Tuesday's
Little Red Wagon
Copic Colors Used:
Bird: BG01, BG02, BG05
Beak/Feet: YR12, YR14, YR15, YR18
Tail: YG11, YG13, YG17
Medal: Y21, Y23, Y26, Y28

Eskimo Kisses

This is a Birthday card I made for one of my best friends. I love this stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil and have been wanting to color it up for some time now. The designer paper is from Basic Grey from a season or two ago. The bling is from my stash. I kept it simple as I wanted the image to be the star.

Copic Colors Used:
Pink Hat/Coat/Trimming: R81, R83, R85
Shoes/Pants/Coat: E51, E53, E55, E57
Fur: W00, W0
Skin: E0000, E000, E00

Spring is just around the corner

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this cute digi stamp called Snowman Bird from Hambo Stamps! I just thought he was adorable. My friends collaborated with me to come up with the saying...I think it is FUNNY! The paper is from Memory Box...I wanted something that was spring-ish to go along with the saying.

Copic Colors Used:
Scarf/Hat: R22, R24, R27
Nest: E53, E55, E57
Snowbird Scarf/Hat: YG00, YG01, YG03, YG05
Arm Branches:E70, E71, E74, E77
Noses: E93, E95, E97
Snowman: BG0000

Pet Sympathy

One of the ladies in our building recently loss their dog and I made this sympathy card for our office to give her. I wanted something really sweet, so I used this digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil. I kept the coloring super simple and soft. The paper is by Wild Asparagus (from my stash). I hope that this somehow helped her out during a difficult time.

Copic Colors Used:
Dress: B0000, B000
Hair: Y23, YR23, E31, E35
Skin: E0000, E000, E00
Puppy: E13, E15, E17
Wings: C00, Co

It's Challenge Number 3 at the Hoedown!

It is week number 3 at the Hambo Hoedown Challenge! This week is a color challenge. You must have a beach-themed card using the shades of blue, brown and tan....PERFECT for this new Pelican digi from Hambo Stamps! If you didn't play along this past week, you will be able to get this fella over at Hambo Stamps...or you can use any other Hambo Stamp (rubber or digi) and follow along with the beachy color scheme.

The paper is some from my stash. I think it is older paper from Wild Asparagus. Love their double-sided papers. Not sure if they are still around. If not, too bad!

For this card, I also used some twill ribbon and several pieces of waxed thread I had around. I found this neat gold starfish in with my other goodies, so I decided to add it to the mix. I took three pieces of the dark brown thread and channeled my old macrame skills from high school and created the knotted piece that holds the starfish. With the cute pelican digi I decided to cut out an extra fish and cap and popped them up for some dimension. I added some glitter glue to the fishie to make him extra special.

Now if the pelican would just clean, filet, and cook the fish....it would be awesome!

You will have to join the Bacon Bits over at the Hambo Hoedown Challenge this week and play along with us!

Copic Colors Used:
Pelican: W00, W0, W1, W3
Bill/Feet: YR20, YR21, YR23
Cap: B91, B93; E53, E55
Fish: W0, W1, W3
Shadow: B0000

Some Valentine's Treats a la Hambo Style

I made some cute little matchbook sized treat boxes for my co-workers. I decided to use some of the cute digital images from Hambo Stamps. I took the images and made them tiny to fit the little boxes. It seemed like a great idea at the time....then I tried to color them with my Copic Markers...Not so simple anymore! It was really tough getting much shading and I had to adjust my techniqe a bit. Not to mention...a few Coke Zero's got me a bit jittery and it was a challenge trying to stay in the lines!

I filled them with the candy conversation hearts and they have a little velcro fastener to keep them shut. I saw a link to a template through Splitcoast. The designer papers are from the Basic Grey Collection a year or two ago.

Don't forget to get your Hambo Hoedown Cards in tonight! AND check back tomorrow to see the fun the Bacon Bits have in store for you with challenge-Week 3!

Cute new digis

While I was surfing blogs, I found a new digi stamp store that has some cute stamps. AND...if you act fast, you can download one of them for free if you go to her blog and follow the instructions! I think you only have until tomorrow sometime (Wednesday), but she is a cute one, and I am sure you will want to grab it!

Birthday Girl

I apologize for the poor picture quality of this one... This was for my niece's birthday earlier this month and I was trying to get it in the mail to her so it would make it by her birthday. I was getting it ready to mail and realized I hadn't photographed it yet. It was late...dark...I was tired... Anyway, I think you can get the gist of it! I have been meaning to get this posted for about a week now, but it kept getting pushed to the back burner! I know you can relate!!!

This is a digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil that I thought was too cute. My niece turned 16!! I was hoping that if I sent her a card as a little girl, she would stay little! She is a super sweet young lady and I am proud to know her!

The patterned paper is by Kaleidoscope (My Mind's Eye). I have had it for a long time...and recently unearthed it in my stash! She loves purple and lime green, so I went for it!

Copic colors used:
Dress: B60, B63, B66
Smock: C00
Hair: Y23, YR23, E33, E35
Shoes: E70, E71, E74
Leaves/Stems: YG11, YG13, YG17
Purple Flowers: BV00, BV02, BV11
Yellow Flowers: YR20, YR21, YR23
Blue Flowers: B000, B01, B02
Forgot to write down ribbon colors...I think I used the same colors as the dress...

I've Got My Eyes on You

Isn't this just the cutest monster you have ever seen???? There is something about his eyes that is just mesmerizing...I bet he would be a great hypnotist!

This is the latest digi stamp from Hambo Stamps being used on the Hambo Hoedown Challenge Blog. The first week of this new challenge was an amazing success! Thanks to everyone who participated!!! If you participated in the Football Girl challenge, you received this cutie pie free! If you missed out on the first challenge, you can purchase this stamp here and play along with the fun this week! Remember...the more you play...the more free digis you will get!

This week, the challenge is to use a heart somewhere on a card featuring this image or another Hambo Stamps image (digital or rubber). Since Valentine's Day is next week, this gives you the perfect excuse to create a card for that special someone in your life! My heart was lovingly cut out by hand...reminded me of the grade school years when I learned how to create a symmetrical heart by folding the paper in half...

This card features patterned paper by Bo Bunny, some glitter and of course the Googlie Eyes!!

Copic Colors Used:
Monster: YG11, YG13, YG23
Spots/Warts: YR12, YR14, YR15
Heart: R22, R24, R27, R29
Glitter Glue for the Heart
White Gel Pen for faux stitching

Other challenges I participated in using this card:
Digital Tuesday
A Spoonful of Sugar
Copic Creations
Splitcoast Stampers

Hambo Stamps - Super Bowl Sale

The folks over at Hambo Stamps are pulling out all of the stops again this year with their Super Bowl Sale!

Because Hambo Stamps has a special fondness for PIGskin, they are celebrating Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 6) by offering 30% off ALL in-stock regular-priced stamps (rubber & digital), ribbon and cling cushion! (The discount will not apply to stamps on their "Retiring" or "Seconds" pages which are already discounted a minimum of 50%) Because of the limited quantities of some designs, all orders will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

PLUS - They are offering a chance to win your entire order FREE (up to $100)! When you place your order, give us your best guess as to the FINAL point total of the game -- that is, the total of points that both teams have scored, added together. If more than one person correctly guesses the exact final point total, a random draw will determine the winner of those with the correct guess. If no one correctly guesses the final point total, it will go to the CLOSEST guess -- again with a random drawing if there's more than one. Please note that while the 30% off sale runs for three entire days, only orders received prior to kick-off will be in the running for the free stamps.

For further details, visit their sale page.

This is one sale you DO NOT WANT TO MISS!

Hambo Hoedown Spectacular!

Let us commence doing the Hambo Hoedown! Yee Haw!

Starting today, on the Hambo challenge blog (Hambo Hoedown) you will find a new challenge every Wednesday. What better way to get you over the hump and closer to the weekend!

Every week, there will be a new challenge. Some will require you to use a particular image, others will be color challenges or layout challenges. The possibilities are endless and you will have a great time! The "kick-off" challenge features a Football Girl digi that is perfect for those who are getting geared up for this weekend! You will have to check out the details on the blog. The best part??? The more you play, the more FREE digis you can collect...YES...FREE!!!!

The images from Hambo Stamps are so much fun to work with, so... DO-SI-DO on over to Hambo Hoedown and get in on the fun!

Below is the card I created for this announcement. It uses a new Hambo digi stamp called Football Girl. With the Super Bowl so close at hand, this is THE PERFECT image to start off this challenge! All of my DT piggy friends (The Bacon Bits) have created fun cards using the same image, so you will have to go see their awesome work as well! Such wonderful inspiration!



When I got the digi stamp (it is an image of the girl with one teddy sitting next to her), I immediately thought of her going up against a whole team of teddy bears! (Too bad 'da Bears didn't make it to the Super Bowl.) So I decided to do multiple bears and then painstakingly cut them all out to assemble the girl vs. the bears card. I typeset the words on the computer and did some distressing of the edges to finish it out. I think it turned out awesome!
Copic Colors Used:
Helmets: R000, R00, R02
Jerseys: BG10, BG11
Hair: E55, E57, E59
Skirt: YR00, YR01, YR12, YR14; R000, R00, R02
Football/Bears: E30, E31, E34
Face: E0000, E000, E00
Cleats: C00; BG10, BG11

Introducing the NEW Hambo Stamps Design Team

You will have to visit the Hambo Stamps Blog today...They have introduced the "Bacon Bits." That is the name of the new Design Team members! What a fun name. They have three who will focus on the rubber stamps and three that will focus on the digital stamps. I am on the digital stamp team! We took some fun photos....you will have to go see for yourself!

Free Digi Stamps at Hambo!

Now that I have your attention....

You must go now...don't hesitate...visit the new Hambo Stamps Challenge Blog (aka Hambo Hoedown) for details on how YOU can get your own FREE digi stamps from Hambo! The more you play...the more you get! Now that is a challenge that you cannot pass up!

Why are you still here??? GO!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I know it is a bit early for this one, but since my work schedule is going to get crazy busy in the next few weeks, I needed to get this one made before the holiday passes! I am notorious for not getting cards in the mail, so perhaps this time I can make it!

The stamp and sentiment is from Hambo Stamps. I love the play on words and the cute frog image. I decided to use paper piecing on the shamrock and the hat since I was having trouble getting two different copic colors of green to work.

Copic Colors Used:
Frog: YG11, YG13, YG17
Buckle: C2, C5
Hat Band: BG000, BG01
Beard: C00, C0

How's it Growin?

Sometimes you need a simple card for any occasion. I thought this image and sentiment from Hambo Stamps would be perfect! I decided to have a little fun with the watering cans and dress some of them up! You can't really tell from this picture, but the small can is popped up. I decided to do a little faux stitching around the sentiment...it just needed something...

Copic Colors Used:
Silver Can: W00, W0, W1, W3
Pink/Brown/Silver Can: R81, R83, R85; W00, W0, W1; E25, E57, E59
Green Can: YG93, YG95
Flowers on Can: R81, R83, R85
Grass/Leaves on Can: YG00, YG01

I Love You Tu-Tu Much!

I adore this cute little hippo from Hambo Stamps! I decided to go with a Valentine's theme for this one. I used some older Basic Grey paper and even did a little paper piecing on her leotard! What hippo could pass up a polka-dotted leotard???? On the inside I added the sentiment "I love you tu-tu much." I know it is cheesy, but for Valentine's day anything goes...

Copic Colors Used:
Hippo: C00, C0, C1, C2, C3
Tu-Tu: R22, R27, R29

Christmas Card #2 for my Youngest Niece

Okay...now you have to understand the personality of my niece a bit to truly appreciate this card. She is very energetic and always in high gear! When I first saw this snowglobe image from Dustin Pike, I immediately fell in love with it! I have been waiting for the perfect occasion to use it and this was the time!

Copic Colors Used:
Frog: YG11, YG13, YG17
Tongue: R35, R37, R39
Base: E53, E55, E57
Hat: R22, R24, R27
Globe: BG0000, BG000

Christmas Card #2 for my Oldest Niece

Since my oldest niece will soon be turning 16 (GULP!), I thought it was time she got a more grown-up card. The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil. This card features several of her favorite colors, so I knew she would like it!

Copic Colors Used:
Hair: Y23, YR23, E33, E35
Skin: E0000, E000, E00
Coat/Tights: B60, B63
Yellow Package/Star: Y35, Y38
Red Package: R32, R35
Hat/Scarf: YG11, YG13
Boots/Skirt/Gloves: E55, E57
Bow/Bag: B0000, B000, B00

Christmas Card #1 for my Youngest Niece

This is the card I made my mom for my youngest niece. The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil and features a kitty who is "helping to decorate" a tree!

Copic Colors Used:
Tree: G12, G14
Trunk: E33, E35, E37
Star: Y32, Y35, Y38
Tree Skirt: R81, R83, R85, R89 AND YG11, YG13, YG17
Cat: W00, W0, W1, W3
Ornaments: BG02, BG05; YR15, YR18; R85, R89; YG11, YG13

Christmas Card #1 for my Oldest Niece

My mom asked me to make her two cards so she could use them to hold gift cards for my two nieces. This is the first one of the two. This is an image from Mo's Digital Pencil featuring the most adorable cat with eyes that would make you forgive the cat for ANYTHING they may have done!

Copic Colors Used:
Hat: R35, R37, R39
Cat: W00, W0, W1, W3, W5
Cord: YG95, YG97
Lights: R35, B04, Y38, YG09

Kitty Sympathy

This card was made some time ago for someone who lost her cat companion of many years. I forgot to post it. Over the next few days I will be posting some Christmas cards I made (to catch up with my posts) and then on to new and exciting things for 2011!! This is a stamp from Sarah Kay and is one of my favorites.

Copic Colors Used:
Pants: B91, B93, B95
Patches: YR12, YR14, YR18 AND YR21, YR23, YR24
Smock/Bow: YG93, YG95, YG97
Shirt: YR21, YR23, YR24 AND YR12, YR14, YR18
Hair: Y23, YR23, E33
Skin: E0000, E000, Eoo
Kitten: Y21, Y23, Y26

Hambo Stamps Design Team Call!

Hey there...
Sorry I have been remiss in posting to my blog lately. The holidays were busy and I just haven't had the time to create or post anything.

However...I do want to announce this amazing news about the Hambo Stamps Design Team Call!!! This is a great opportunity to work with the AWESOME folks at Hambo!

You can find out the details on the Hambo Blog. It was just announced today, so hop on over to their site to find out how YOU could be on their team!

Manger Scene

I think this stamp by Hambo Stamps is precious. It is a very nice image for Christmas but with a bit of the Hambo twist... The sentiment is also one of their new Christmas images. I thought this image would work nicely with this cool snowflake paper from SEI. I also used some ribbon with snowflakes from my stash which miraculously matched the color in the paper. That usually NEVER happens for me, so maybe there was a little divine intervention involved.....

Copic Colors Used:
Sheep: W00, W0, W1, W3
Manger: E31, E33, E35
Stable: E13, E17, E19
Hay: YR21, YR23
Tree: YG63, YG67
Face: E000, E00
Blanket: B93, B95, B97
Chicken: Y32, Y35, Y38
Cow: E51, E53, E55
Sky: B0000

Hippo Presents

This is another one of the Holiday Digi stamps from Hambo Stamps! Isn't he adorable???? The sentiment is also by Hambo Stamps (not a digi). I decided to part from the traditional color palette for this one. I was TOTALLY inspired by this paper from Bo Bunny and kept to the colors in the paper. I LOVE IT!

Copic Colors Used:
Coat: BV000, BV00, BV11
Hippo: W00, W1, W3
Presents: YG11, YG13; BG0000, BG000, BG01

Merry Christmas Sled

I think this digi sled stamp from Hambo Stamps is so nice! I kept this one super simple and thought the old fashioned paper from the Basic Grey holiday collection was perfect for this one.

It reminds me of when I was about 3 years old and we had a HUGE snow in Tennessee...now mind you that a HUGE snow in Tennessee is nothing like a HUGE snow somewhere up north...but it really was a big thing for us. I have some old slides with me during this big snow that I have been working on scanning so I can create a slide show to play on a DVD. At the bottom of this post is one of the pictures of me in all my winter glory! The toboggan and snow suit were hand knitted by my grandmother.

Copic Colors Used:

Wood: E13, E15, E17, E19

Metal: W00, W0, W1, W3

Rope: YG93, YG95, YG97

Happy Birthday Grandmother Helen!

My grandmother just celebrated her birthday on Sunday and this is the card I made especially for her! She refers to all of my handmade cards as "keepers," so I guess this is another one!

I just love this image from Penny Black. I let the image do all the talking, so no sentiment needed for the outside! The patterned paper is from Basic Grey.

Copic Colors Used:
Bear: E31, E33, E35, E37
Post: E25, E27, E29
Shirt: B21, B24, B26
Mailbox: R22, R24, R27, R29
Mice: C00, C1, C3
Hedgehog: E40, E41, E43
Grass/Leaves: YG11, YG13, YG17
Yellow Flowers: Y32, Y35, Y38
Purple Flowers: V12, V15, V17
Sky-Airbrushed B0000

Just Be-Caws...

Been a while since I have posted any cards. I have been sick, so not much crafting going on in my house lately. The next few posts probably wouldn't be here if I hadn't done some image coloring a few weeks ago!

This scary entry (LOL) is a fun set from Hambo Stamps that is perfect for any occasion! It would also serve as a humorous card for Thanksgiving...assuming your family is a bit "off-center" like mine!!!

Copic Colors Used:
Fence: E13, E15, E17, E19
Corn Stalks: YG91, YG93, YG95
Beaks/Claws: Y32, Y35, Y38
I also used the black 100 to fill in the crows nice and dark.

HUGE HAMBO STAMPS SALE!!!

Starting today (November 10) at 12:01am (EST) and running through tomorrow morning (November 11) at 12:01am (EST) Hambo Stamps is having a 50% off sale...yes...I said FIVE-ZERO PERCENT off sale!

For those of you who have visited my blog and seen all of the cute stamps they have, you need to go immediately to their sale page and get all of those goodies you have been drooling over!!! This great sale is in celebration of Timbo's 50th Birthday, so help him celebrate!!!!

Get 'em while they last!!!

Jack Frost....

Another new set of Christmas stamps from Hambo Stamps! I think this sentiment is one of my all-time favorites from Hambo! The other half of the sentiment says "By the way, you're out of eggnog." What a hoot! For this card I paired the cute new singing snowman trio, the music notes, and the sentiment. I thought it made a great card! The paper is from the holiday collection by My Mind's Eye.

Copic Colors Used:
Pinks: R81, R83, R85
Greens: YG00, YG01, YG02
Blues: BG000, BG01, BG02
Carrot Noses: YR12, YR14, YR18
Music Folders: E31, E33, E35
Snowmen: C00, C0

For the calorie watchers...

I love this cute set of stamps from Hambo Stamps! I was going to put the nutritional facts on the back of the card, but I thought it was too important to relegate it to that location! Now if only those cookies were as nutritious as the card! LOL

The patterned paper is from Imaginisce. They have a whole series using this non-traditional color palette and I love it! Sometimes I get tired of the usual red and green colors and like to mix it up a bit.

Copic Colors Used:
Glass: YG00, YG01, YG03
Hat: R35, R37, R39
Plate: BG000, BG01, BG02
Mouse: W00, W0, W1, W3; R20, R22
Cookies: E13, E15, E17; E27, E29
Note: C00, C0

Cat in a Wreath

This is one of the new Christmas stamps from Hambo Stamps. Being a cat lover, I had to have this one! I used some of my new paper from Crate Paper and thought it would be a nice whimsical option for this cute image. I also used some snowflake brads to add some dimension. They don't show up very well in the picture...

Copic Colors Used:
Wreath: YG93, YG95, YG97
Hat/Gloves: R22, R24, R27
Cat: YR20, YR21, YR23, YR24
Bow/Ribbon: RV91, RV93, RV95
Bead Garland: BG000, BG01, BG02

Where's the Rest of this Moose?

If you are old enough to remember the movie Arthur with the late Dudley Moore, this might ring a bell. When I was younger my brother and I were fans of this movie and one of our favorite scenes was when Arthur was in the study looking up at a stuffed moose head and says "where's the rest of this moose?" We loved that one. When I found this moose stamp (can't remember the company) that is all I could think of. Since my brother's birthday was coming up, I finally managed to get a card put together using this image. I decided to cut a window in the card and have the moose's face showing through and when you open it up, you see the whole moose.

One of the other favorite lines was: "He's taking the knife out of the cheese....you think he wants some cheese?" What a hoot. I will have to watch that one again sometime. One of my other favorite movies of his is an older obscure movie with Peter Cook called "The Hound of the Baskervilles." It is based on the novel, but only in the loosest terms! What a scream....I guess I am a sucker for that strange British style of humor.

The inside of the card is shown below.

Copic Colors Used:

Moose: E53, E55, E57, E59

Hooves: E44, E47, E49

On the back of the card as a signature, I used a funny stamp of a mouse sitting at a computer using a "human" instead of a mouse....I forgot to take a picture of it! Since my brother works with computers for a living, I just had to include that one as well. I will have to use it another time to make a card so I can share!

Blueberry Girl

This is the second card I made for my co-worker. This time it was for her daughter. Again, the photo is kind of dark, but it was late and those new energy saving light bulbs don't put out enough light to do photography late at night. I will have to take them earlier in the day or put in some brighter bulbs! The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil. The background paper is from a pad of paper I have had for some time...can't remember the company.

Copic Colors Used:

Top/Shoes: RV91, RV93, RV95, RV99

Jeans: B91, B93, B95, B97

Bluberries: B63, B66

Bucket: C00, C1, C3, C5, C7

Hair: Y23, YR23, E33

Lips: RV13

Skin: E0000, E000, E00

Never lose your sense of wonder

Sorry if this is a bit dark. It was late at night and I couldn't get the lighting right. I was asked by a co-worker for two birthday cards for her daughter and son. This is the first of the two. On the inside I created text that said "I Hope you never lose your sense of wonder." I thought it would be a nice sentiment for her son. The image is by Mo's Digital Pencil. Since it was a card for a guy, I kept the layout super simple and let the image speak for itself.

Copic Colors Used:
Pants: E31, E33, E35, E37
Shirt/Patch: BG000, BG01, BG02
Vest/Shoes/Bag: BG72, BG75
Stalk: E30, E31, E33
Leaves: YG11, YG13, YG17
Skin: E0000, E000, Eoo
Hair: Y23, YR23, E33
Shadow: BG0000

Milo Wants In

I needed a birthday card for my uncle. He has several cats and I thought this image from Mo's Digital Pencil would work perfectly! I paired it with some paper from Basic Grey that I thought would add to the whimsy.

Copic Colors Used:
Curtains: YR20, YR21, YR23, YR24
Fence: W00, W0, W1, W3
Leaves: YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97
Window Frame: E04, E08
Collar: R22, R24
Cat: YR20, YR21, YR23, YR24
Birds: BG000, BG02, BG05, BG07
Sky: BG0000
Ears: R81

Halloween Checklist

I have been on a stamping roll lately! I think it may be the fall weather (FINALLY!) and because I saw lots of "eye candy" at the stamp show in South Carolina last month. I was inspired to get busy and make up for lost time!

I wanted this "Halloween Checklist" stamp from Hambo last year, but it was out of stock. As soon as I saw they had it again, it was at the TOP of my list! I just think it is hilarious! I paired it with this adorable ghosty stamp and put it on some of the cool background paper I found at a stamp store (on the trip to SC). Several of my stamping buddies made a weekend out of the trip and stopped at several stores on the way down to the show. I found all kinds of new patterned papers to use!

Copic Colors Used:
Ghost: W00
Pumpkin: YR12, YR14, YR18; BV23, BV25
Tennies: YG11, YG13, YG17

The Tribe? has spoken

Here is another fun card I made with my own personal "take" on the tribe sentiment by Hambo Stamps! It was meant to go with Chief Hambooli, but I had to try something different!

I stamped and masked several of the surfer pig images to make my own "tribe." I don't know if 6 surfer pigs is really a tribe, but I think it is funny! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I kept the color palette simple to match the paper and I love the end result!

Copic Colors Used:
Pigs: R0000, R000, R01
Shorts/Boards: R20, R22; BG10, BG11; YR01, YR02

Warped Happy Birthday Card!

Okay...so I admit I am a little "off" when it comes to my sense of humor....and I am PROUD of it! lol

When I saw this fractured funny from Hambo Stamps, my crazy sense of humor kicked in. It is designed to go with a cute stamp of party pigs eating birthday cake (their mouths are full of cake). Well...that seems a bit normal to me. So, what I wanted to do was pair it with this fun beast who seems to have a smirk on his face...as if he has been up to something!

Copic Colors Used:
Beast: YG0000, YG00, YG01, YG03
Spikes/Spots: V01, V05, V06
Horns: RV13, RV14; W0 (to tone it down a bit!)

Owl's it Goin?

Can you tell that I love this cute owl stamp from Hambo Stamps? I found this great paper with owls on it (I think it is from My Mind's Eye) and just had to get him out again! The sentiment is also from Hambo.

This was a super simple card to make. I love it when you get coordinating patterns that go together so well. It makes it SO EASY!

Copic Colors Used:
Owl: E53, E55, E57, E59
Beak/Talons: Y32, Y35, Y38

Just Chicken on You

I used some paper from Bo Bunny that seemed to scream "farm" to me. I wanted to make a quickie card to send to someone I have not heard from in a while. I thought the "Just Chicken on You sentiment would be perfect! The chicken (and the sentiment) are from Hambo Stamps. The chicken is from a set of three, but I decided to just use one of them for this pint-sized card.

I had a hard time getting the colors right on the chicken, so she turned out a bit funny colored (the photo didn't help any). Oh well...maybe she rolled around in some red-clay mud or something!

Copic Colors Used:
Chicken: W00, W0; E40, E41 (not feeling this color combo AT ALL!)
Beak/talons: Y32, Y35, Y38

In Lieu of a Gift...

I just L•O•V•E this sentiment from Hambo Stamps! I was trying to decide what image to pair it with and thought this "Say Cheese" mouse stamp (also from Hambo) would go perfectly! Wouldn't it be great if we could "gift ourselves" this way frequently?

Not sure who made the patterened paper, it was from my scrap bin and it no longer had a label. It is probably an older Basic Grey paper (considering that is the majority of my collection!)

Copic Colors Used:
Cheese: Y32, Y35, Y38
Mouse: C00, C0, C1

Trick or TREAT

Definitely TREAT! This fun bag o' candy from Hambo Stamps is so much fun to color. I kept the design super simple to feature the stamp and the fun Halloween paper from Heidi Grace (I have had it in my stash since last year). I kept trying to put a sentiment or doo-dad on there, but it just looked better without! I tend to over-think things sometimes.

Copic Colors Used:
Bag: E51, E53, E55
Pumpkins: E93, E95, E97, E99
Stem: YG13, YG17
Candy: YR12, YR15; YG01, YG03; Y13, Y15; V05, V06; R32, R35
Shadow: C00 (doesn't show up much in picture)