One for the little kids

Here is this week's OWH Sketch, #153:

Here's my card, which uses one of the cute die cuts Rachel sent me a while ago and Authentique Delightful DP. I managed to get a little mark on the lion's head so I added a little star bling; I think it's one of those happy accidents!

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to hop back over on New Year's Day to see my personal Top Ten faves from 2012. Can't wait to see everyone else's, too!

A Bailey Christmas tag for next year!

The challenge at the Hambo Hoedown this week is Anything Goes. I decided to use Hambo's new "Bailey Christmas" digi and make a gift tag for next year! That's definitely the earliest I've ever started getting ready for next Christmas, lol. Maybe I can keep it up!

Thanks, Hambo, for all the great digis and fun challenges during 2012! Stop by blog on New Year's Day if you can. OWH invited bloggers to post our Top Ten favorite cards from 2012. See you then!

OWH Midweek Throwdown: Missing You

Here's another card using the die cuts in my stash that a generous OWH friend sent me! I think this would be great for a hero parent to send to a younger member of the family:

The clouds are a My Favorite Things Die-namics die. The sentiment is a SRM sticker which I trimmed. See you soon.

Sketch 152

Hi! Hope your Christmas was merry! I was having some trouble getting the old mojo going so I went through my stash and found cute die cuts an OWH friend had sent me. She also sent me the layered circle. The circle's a bit big and I didn't add a scalloped edge, but I followed the basic design of the sketch:

Here's my card, which also falls into the current OWH cards for kids project! I like this little Scotty dog! I made the sentiment on my computer:

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Hambo Holidays!

The Hoedown Challenge at Hambo (it's a two-week challenge this time) is to use one of their images and create an easel card. I used the fun "Pigtangle" digi, free to those who danced in the weekly Hambo Hoedown.

I see a tiny scrap of paper fell onto my card when I snapped it. Oops. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks, Hambo, for the weekly digis and fun challenges! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Red, White & Blue color challenge

This card is for the Red, White & Blue color challenge at OWH; it;s styled after this week's OWH Sketch #151:

Here's my card:

As you can see, I turned the sketch horizontally; my circles are a little bit bigger than the sketch. After I lined up those little Hero Arts eagles, I thought the "Atten-shun" sentiment would be cute. I put another sentiment from the set on the inside. This will be an AnyHero card. Thanks for stopping by! It's nice to be almost ready for Christmas so I can get back to cardmaking! If I don't see you before then have a very Merry Christmas!

OWH Sketch #150

Here is OWH Sketch #150:

This is the card I made, using the Stampers' Best Vintage Postal set.

Thanks for stopping by!

OWH Midweek Throwdown: Sending Love

I have been wanting to base a card on a sketch that Paula S. posted:

I had recently bought this fun Inkadinkado inchie set and really wanted to try it out! So I made this winter-themed love card:

Thanks for stopping by!

Hambo Hoedown challenge: Masculine cards

I really like the new Southwest digi from Hambo Stamps this week, free to all who joined in the Hoedown challenge last week. I combined Southwest digi with another Hambo digi, Camera Guy! This week's Hoedown challenge is to make masculine cards:

I was eager to color Southwest digi because a couple of years ago we went to the Southwest for the first time and it was spectacular! I printed the Southwest digi on kraft paper because I love trying out Copic colors on Kraft and seeing what kind of colors and effects you get once the ink dries. I used Vermilion, Cadmium Orange, Dark Brown, Maize, Walnut brown and even a bit of red on the mountains. I cut out the mountains and attached it to the background which I had colored with Pale Blue, Maize, and touches of orange and Soft Violet. I had just bought a sheet of the Arizona stamps at the Post Office, so I referred to it for ideas on how to color the rocks/mountains in the digi! I used part of Camera Guy digi, coloring him with Copics and silver gel pen. I punched him with a postage stamp punch, which I thought would be fun with the travel theme. The sentiment is also from the Camera Guy set. The DP is Bazzill's Wayfarer 6x6 pad. This was a lot of fun, as the Hambo challenges always are!! Thanks for stopping by!

OWH Sketch 149

Here is this week's sketch at the Stars and Stamps Blog:

I used "His Little Ones: Girl Studying" clear stamp from Inspired Stamps again:

See you soon!

Thinking of you

I made this card for a friend who suffered a recent loss. I had the litttle flower sticker in my stash and I loved the way it looks tucked into the ribbon. The stamp is from Inspired Stamps:

I'm going to post this at the Our Daily Bread Challenge at OWH which is to use flowers.

Hambo: CASEing challenge!

Hello! The fun challenge at the Hambo Hoedown this week is to CASE a card on Hambo's Pinterest boards. We can use the new Basketball digi provided to last week's Hoedown participants, or any Hambo Stamps image. I chose to CASE this great card by Hannah Clark. Her tumbling tower of circles seemed perfect for basketballs! Here's Hannah's original card:

And here's what I came up with:

DP: Doodlebug Design Inc. 6x6 "Boys Only" paper pad; Copics; Spellbinder ovals, silver gel pen; Ranger Broken China distress ink. Thanks for the free digi and this week's challenge, Hambo; and thanks to Hannah for her inspiration!

OWH Midwk Throwdown: Winter Fun!

Welcome! I've been wanting to CASE a card Sandy A. recently posted on her blog; it was so cute! For my winter-themed card, I used one of Inspired Stamps "His Little Ones" single character stamps. This one's called "Winter Boy." I added pigtails to make her a girl (that's just how the mood struck me; it's a darling stamp as is). The owner of Inspired Stamps has told me she doesn't mind if we add little touches like longer hair when we want to depict a girl. That's very nice of her!

The DP is My Mind's Eye "Sweater Weather" 6x6 as well as one other 6x6 in my stash. The snowflakes are a Martha Stewart punch; and I found yummy new hemp colors in the jewelry section of A.C. Moore! Pearl Pen snow dots. Thanks for stopping by!

OWH Sketch #148: fun with tags

I love using shipping tags so was very happy to see this week's sketch at Operation Write Home (#148):

So I made two cards, the first with a Michelle Perkett digi and a manila shipping tag. The second card is made with a My Favorite Things Pure Innocence clear stamp and a tag from a little booklet of K&Co. Americana tags I found somewhere. I glued it to CS to make it stronger.

Thanks for stopping by!

Vintage Christmas

Hello! The current challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow is Vintage Christmas. I couldn't wait to go to my happy vintage world and make a card!

The image is from Vintage Feedsacks. The DP is Authentique 6x6 Bundle Collection: Festive. The tiny calendar came from one of the DP sheets. I used the Tim Holtz distress tool and his Distress Inks in Worn Lipstick and Wild Honey. Thanks for stopping by. Have a good week!

Two little pups for Valentine's Day

I love this little digi from Sliekje and thought it would make a cute Valentine for one of our heroes to send home from the front lines:

I think the Authentique plaid DP (from the 6x6 Festive Collection) is so cute for the scarf! Image colored with Copics. Those are Candi "legless" brads. The tiny hearts embossing folder is from Darice. Hope the rest of your weekend goes well! Stay warm!

OWH Midweek Color Challenge

The Midweek Throwdown is to use silver and turquoise. I searched through all my paper and was about to give up when I found a scrap of silver paper, yay! I printed this fun, retro Hambo toaster digi on the silver:

I cut out the toaster, cutting out around the piece of toast. I added black Copic marker to the toaster trim and a bit of vermilion Copic to the inside of the toaster. I popped the little silver heart onto the toaster. I thought the screw brads added to the retro feel. The DP is from My Mind's Eyhe Lost & Found "Breeze" 6x6 pad. One more for the love and Valentine cards for the troops to write home on! Thanks for stopping by!

OWH Sketch 147 & a recipe for you

Here is this week's Sketch 147 at the OWH Stars & Stamps Blog:

Here's my Valentine:

I used a digi by Paula S. and I can see that I should have tilted the digi a bit so the checkboard pattern is straight up & down, ah well... I always get tripped up by sketches with little strips, but I think this turned out to be an OK valentine for a guy. Thanks for stopping by; hope your Thanksgiving preparations are going well! I have about 11 large sweet potatoes baking in the oven! I'm making sweet potato souffle. Here's the recipe from a 1958 cookbook "Recipes from Old Virginia" (The Dietz Press, Richmond, VA): "SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE 1 cup milk/ 1/2 c. sugar/ 1 tsp. salt/ 3 tbsp. butter / 1 tsp. nutmeg/ 2 c. mashed sweet potatoes/ 2 eggs, separated/ 1/2 c. chopped walnuts/ 1/2 c. raisins/ marshmallows. Scald milk and add sugar, salt, butter, nutmeg and potatoes; beat until fluffy. Beat egg yolks & add to potatoes. Add raisins & walnuts (I don't use raisins). Beat egg whites stiff; fold into potatoes and pour into greased baking dish. Bake in moderate over (350 deg. F) 50-60 min. or until firm. top with marshmallows. Serves eight." This dish is already so rich that I don't put marshmallows on top; I just sprinkle some walnuts. Everybody loves it. My older sister, Rita (16 when I was born) married the son of a farmer from outside Richmond. She had this cookbook and she was a great cook. When she passed away (about 20 years ago) I said I'd like to have her cookbook. I always think of my big sister when I use it. Most people already have a favorite sweet potato recipe, but if you try this, I hope you like it!

Valentine/love you card for a guy

I really love how this heart stamp from the Hero Arts Year-Round Sentiments set looks stamped in this pretty Ocean color ink! The DP is My Mind's Eye Stella Rose Hattie Papers 6x6 pad. I based this card on an OWH sketch; need to go look up the # again. I think the tiny pinstripes and the argyle print make it a nice masculine Valentine or love card; hope you like it:

Three cards in one night; that's a lot for me. Time for a little TV watching! Thanks for stopping by.

Faux fresco technique from Online Card Classes Holiday Workshop

This was a technique demonstrated by Julie Ebersole on Day 3 of the Holiday workshop; it involves dry embossing (I used a Cuttlebug script folder), ink and a coating of gesso. I based my card on OWH Sketch 14 from the archive. The sentiment is from Serendipity Stamps; the DP is My Mind's Eye Paris & Co. 6x6 pad. A nice OWH friend sent me that ribbon and I think it's perfect. Martha Stewart Mariposa butterfly punch and Pearl Pen:

Thanks for stopping by! See you soon.

Thanksgiving Cornucopia by Hambo

Welcome! Tim at Hambo Stamps has created a beautiful Cornucopia digi. It was free to all who played in the Hambo Hoedown challenge last week, so you might want to get on the hay wagon for future freebies! The Hoedown challenge this week is to use burlap on our card. I had this burlap ribbon in my stash. I colored the image with Copics; inked edges with Ranger Distress ink; the DP is from BoBunny's Timepiece Collection 6x6 pad:

As you can see, I put the sentiment on the inside of the card. If I don't see you again before the holiday, have a very Happy Thanksgiving! Sherry

Thank you card for a guy- vintage style

This card does triple duty: the OWH Midweek Throwdown is thank you cards; I used Sunday's Sketch 146; and the challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow is masculine cards!

Card ingredients: DP - BoBunny Timepiece Collection 6x6 plus a few misc. scraps/Primitive Star Brad by BoBunny/Tonic corner punch/Ranger Tea Dye Distress Ink/key is a woodmounted stamp with no mfr name on it either from Michael's or A.C. Moore. Thanks for stopping by!

A card for the new baby on the block!

Our new neighbors just had their first baby, a girl, last week, so I made this card for them using paper piecing and Copic markers. The image is from Free Vintage Digital Images. So nice to have a little family in the house across the street that was empty for several years! Sorry this photo is a little out of focus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Fussycut Cocoa stamp

OWH had a tutorial this week on fussycutting, offering good tips and a video. I fussycut this stamp from the Patriotic Cocoa clear stamp set by Sweet 'n Sassy. The sentiment is from the same set. Image colored with Copics. I didn't want to risk cutting off Cocoa's tail so I colored in that last little curl with a color similar to the background. Word Window & Modern Label punches by Stampin' Up.

Thanks for visiting!

Retro Toaster

I really like Hambo's new Toaster digi; it has such a cool retro look. The Hambo Hoedown challenge this week is to use gingham or checkerboard and/or burnt/sooty edges. I tried to do a bit of both with a bit of gingham paper and distressed/inked edges. My toaster got a tiny ding before the Glossy Accents fully dried, argh. I like the vintage wallpaper look of the Authentique Delights DP. Thanks, Hambo, for a great digi for OWH cards--both Valentines and "love you" cards!

Tim is the talented illustrator at Hambo Stamps and today is his birthday! Happy Birthday, Tim!

A birthday card for my dear DIL!

Happy Birthday to my lovely daughter-in-law, Lori! This is a LaLa Land stamp and it reminds me of Lori's beautiful curly hair! I paper pieced this card and colored w/ Copics:

Thanks for stopping by!

OWH Sketch #145

I used one of the Hop Arts Designs (retired) from Hambo Stamps and DP from Authentique's 6x6 Delightful pad. Here's Sketch 145:

Here's my card; I hope a hero will send it home to a little girl for her birthday!

Thanks for stopping by!

Hambo/ODBD challenges

The Hambo Hoedown challenge this week is to use neon colors. The ODBD challenge this month at OWH is to dust off a little-used technique. What I came up with to meet both challenges were my Sakura Souffle pens, which I've never used to color an image and they are the closest thing to neon I have! Hambo's new Cactus digi is really cute for a neon challenge. The sentiment also comes with the digi (as well as 2 others to choose from):

Wintry owl cards

These two cards are based on Day 1 of the Online Card Class Holiday Workshop, but I've made my cards A2 size for OWH and I did a bit of faux stitching on one since I don't have a machine. Both cards use My Favorite Things "Thinking of Hoo" clearstamp set. The first card is a little snowy owl sitting on a birch limb; I love birch trees in the winter. The DP is Lawn Fawn. The 2nd card is a little brown woodsy owl with some tartan and other DP scraps as background. Both cards are colored with Copics, with additions of puff pen and Pearl Pen. We can make wintry cards for OWH until the end of the year. I really enjoyed watching the Day 1 videos and can't wait for Day 2. Our power is blinking on and off in the hurricane; I'd better get these posted quick and hope our power doesn't go out!! Take care.

OWH Sketch 144 featuring Hop Art's Ballerina

I used Sketch 144 and one of the retiring Hop Arts digis over at Hambo Stamps for my card. I rotated the sketch, colored the digi with Prismacolor pencils and paper-pieced the skirt (Almanac 6x6 Collection). The Hop Arts digis (which benefit Operation Write Home!!) are retiring 10/31! You can check them out HERE.

On the inside I'm going to stamp "For My Sweetie" (a rubber stamp), thinking a hero Mom or Dad might like to send it to their 'tween or teen daughter! I'm also going to post this at Sugar Creek Hollow, where the challenge is Vintage Text. Thanks for stopping by; we're rather anxiously waiting for the hurricane to hit northern Virginia. Everyone be safe!

Best friends with hexagons

Hi! I combined the OWH Midweek Throwdown Challenge (Celebrate Friendship) with this week's Hambo Hoedown challenge to use hexagons! We can use any Hambo image so I purchased this cute Hop Arts digi from Hambo Stamps (the Hop Arts digis benefit OWH and they're being RETIRED on 10-31 so check them out ). The pretty hexagon DP is My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart "Be Happy" Honey Pink Paper (A.C. Moore). I colored the digi with Copics:

Thanks for stopping by; see you soon.

Fun with OWH Sketch 143

I like making cards on Redskins football Sundays. The DPs I used are from two 6x6 pads: Bo Bunny Timepiece Collection and the Almanac Collection (found at Amazon). The Redskins lost a nail-biter today, but it was a fun game and I had fun with Sketch 143!

I like that red one; sorry the photo is kind of blurry! Thanks for coming by and I'll see you soon! Have a good week.