You make me happy

There is still time to do the CCEE challenge! This past week’s challenge was Stamp Etching. You can find a tutorial on how to use this technique over on Splitcoast Stampers. 

For my card I used Love is in the Air from a company no longer in business, Our Craft Lounge. I did the stamping etching on the balloons, at first I wasn’t to happy about it but the more I looked at the card, the more I did like how it turned out! I positioned each block to make it seem as if the hot air balloon was raising up in the sky. Colored them with copics and did a little masking with for the cloud.

Don't forget to check out the CCEE Stampers blog  to see the rest of the creations the CCEE Stampers created this week. You can also see more details of their creations on their individual blogs:

• Amber Hillman
• Anne Harmon
• Joanne Grzelak
• Liz Williams
• Lois Bak
• Lynn McAuley
• Maryann Einam
• Sabrina Friel
• Vicky Gould
  
  Thanks for stopping by!
          
           Amber

CCEE1427 Red, White and Blue

Time for another CCEE Stampers challenge! 

Since it is a brand new month so it is time to introduce a new challenge hostess to you. This month Shirley Quarry is hosting the challenge. Shirley is no longer on our Design Team, however as she created the challenges before she left us we are all looking forward to playing along with the challenges she has set us.

Since this is the 4th of July week in America, we surely need to make a red, white and blue card. Since everyone does not live in the U.S., it does not have to be a patriotic card.

I pulled out an Our Craft Lounge set that would work for the 4th of July. Of course I used the colors red, white and blue! Added some star eyelets and some star ribbon.

Want to see what the rest of the girls made? Then check them out below.

Amber Hillman  <----- That’s me!

Anne Harmon

Joanne Grzelak

Liz Williams

Lois Bak

Lynn McAuley

Maryann Einam

Sabrina Friel

Vicky Gould


         Thanks for stopping by!


                         Amber

Pin-spired Christmas cards

I have something a little different to show you today. My friend, Kendra is celebrating the month of December at her blog with a Pin-Spired Christmas Celebration and asked her friends to play along if they wished. So I am playing today with a few Christmas cards and a Christmas treat.

I really love how this card turned out and may have to mass produce it for half of my Christmas card list. (sure would be easier than what I’m doing now!) I used White Christmas and Merry Wishes by Our Craft Lounge. Stamped the snowflakes in brown, pink and sliver.



I was Pin-spired by this card (click photo for link)

I wanted to stay true to the card that inspired me but didn’t want white snowflakes so I went with silver. Once again using White Christmas and Merry Wishes by Our Craft Lounge.



I was Pin-spired by this card (the blog for this photo has been removed.)
 

For my next card I used the cuttlebug, some brads, little bit of stickles and some Sparkly Fluff. Colored the snowman with copics.

I was Pin-spired by this card (click photo for link)

It can’t be Christmas without a Christmas Crack, can it? (or Christmas Mix or Reindeer Food or what ever you want to call it.) I found it on Pinterest and made it for daughter’s choir practice and we are hooked. Chex cereal, melted white chocolate and crushed up candy canes… yup, sounds like Christmas Crack to me! You can find the recipe here.

Well I hope you enjoyed this little bit of Pin-spired Christmas. Make sure you check out what has inspired Kendra all month long.

         Thanks for stopping by!

                   Amber

Let it Snow

I made a card just because! Haven’t done that in ages. Well… it’s not really just because but a start on my Christmas cards. I had been seeing a sketch floating around on Pinterest and Facebook and loved the cards I was seeing so I had to go check it out. It was Mojo Monday sketch and I’m getting my card in just under the wire! (deadline for it is tonight!)

I colored Mrs.Frosty from Our Craft Lounge with copics. Added some Sparkly Fluff to her hand muff and to the snow under her.  Used one of the snowflakes from White Christmas (also from Our Craft Lounge) in versamark on the blue background. Added a snowflake brad to the sentiment.

One Christmas card down… 20 million to go! (well not 20 million but will feel like it by the time I am done.)

        Thanks for stopping by!

                    Amber

OCL Scary card

I almost forgot to upload my card for this past week’s Our Craft Lounge challenge over at The Lounge! See, I made it a few weeks ago as I needed a card just knowing I’d forget to post it this week! Anyways… here is the challenge:



I used Scaredy Cat for my card. Colored with copics, making the cat a light orange and the hat purple even though it looks gray. Embossed the side with the pumpkin cuttlebug folder, using paper that I was able to sand on just the embossed side.

So there is my cute scary card.  Now I think I’m going to go make something yummy to eat from Pinterest!

       Thanks for stopping by!

                      Amber

Scary treats anyone

So this week over at The Lounge the challenge is to make a Spooky & Sweet treat.



Not a problem when you have a baby shower cake order and happen to have made cupcakes with the extra batter!

Of course it drove the family crazy that they had to wait a whole day before they got to eat the cupcakes since I had to make the baby cake first and then get the décor ready for the cupcakes!  Here is the baby shower cake… pink and purple polka dotted cake!

I used Mummy X-ing and Little Boogas on my project. Made my own cupcake wrappers out of black cardstock, colored the images with copics, cut them out completely, added stickles to the pumpkin faces and attached the Happy Halloween with pop up glue dots. The Little Boogas were cut out and attached to sucker sticks. (my icing is really a deep purple but purple is so hard to get true in pictures!)




Play along with us this week and be entered to WIN a $20 gift certificate from  Our Craft Lounge. You have until 11:59pm Thursday, October 18th to enter.   Participate as many times as you like!   Here are the rules: use any stamps that you wish – get BONUS POINTS when you use OCL stamps!  Link to your card/project at The Lounge.  Use the challenge as your basis – do whatever inspires you, but please base it on the challenge. If you upload to SCS, please use the Keyword OCL138.  We can’t wait to see what you CREATE!

Wanted to show another idea for a treat but these aren’t scare (well unless you are allergic to bees!). Last weekend was our Oktoberfest and a friend ordered cookies to be made with honey (that they sell) to be sold at their booth. She lent me the cookie cutters and I went to work with my magic. This is what I came up with. Made the tag using Bees Knees.

         Thanks for stopping by!

                   Amber

OCL 134–Twine Fun

So the challenge over at The Lounge this week is to use Twine on your project. Well I’m in a Fall mood so I decided to take the stamp set, Molla-Cutie and see what I could do to make her more Fallish looking than Valentines.

I used Fall looking design paper for the side border, fall color cardstock, brown twine and even colored Molla in matching Fall colors. Paper pieced her jacket with coordinating design paper. I think Molla is ready for some Fall love!

So come play with us over at The Lounge. Would love to see what you would do with twine!

        Thanks for stopping by!

                   Amber

OCL Freebie

Our Craft Lounge has a FREE digital image on the OCL blog!  The name of the image is Love Floats and it matches two of their other sets ~ Love in the Air and Spilling Over.  So run over there and grab it and join in this weeks challenge of making a project with an OCL image.

Would you like to see the image you can grab from The Lounge? Then check out my card. I colored my hot air balloon with copics and added stickles to the hearts. The entire image is actually layered on the image for some dimension. Found some misc. paper, did some layering and added some brads and May Arts ribbon.

Can’t wait to see what you do with this digi!

 

************** SALE *************** SALE ****************** SALE ****************

www.ourcraftlounge.com
SALE EXTENDED!!!
Here are the details: 

On orders $25 or more (before tax & shipping) you’ll get 25% off.

Sale ends Wednesday, September 12, 2012

No coupon code required ~ it should calculate it automatically at checkout.

Not applicable to wholesale orders or items that are out of stock.


        Thanks for stopping by!

                     Amber

OCL challenge - Happy Birthday

There is still time to play in this past week’s Our Craft Lounge challenge over at The Lounge. The challenge is What Floats your Boat and ends tonight at 11:59 tonight.

I decided to go with something that floats in the air and used Love is in the Air. I tried something a little different on my hot air balloon, covering some areas with crystal effects, letting it dry and then sponging on color. The areas I had added the crystal effects to resisted the color and kept the color of the cardstock which was white. I then cut out the hot air balloon completely and attached it using zapdots. The clouds were stamped on some fuzzy paper and cut out. Used some May Arts ribbon to finish off the card.

Play along with us this week and be entered to WIN a $20 gift certificate from  Our Craft Lounge. You have until 11:59pm Thursday, August 23rd to enter.   Participate as many times as you like!   A random winner will be selected and posted on the OCL blog at the beginning of next month.

Here are the rules: use any stamps that you wish – get BONUS POINTS when you use OCL stamps!  Link to your card/project at the bottom of the post at The Lounge using the link tool provided – **be sure to link DIRECTLY to your challenge card – not a general blog or gallery link & add the appropriate photo.  Use the challenge as your basis – do whatever inspires you, but please base it on the challenge. If you upload to SCS, please use the Keyword OCL130.

Can’t wait to see what you created and as always

         Thanks for stopping by!

                     Amber

OCL/May Arts Back to school survival kit

Today is our last day of the Our Craft Lounge and May Arts week. It is also challenge time over at The Lounge and of course the challenge is ribbon!

So school starts next week for us and I made a special gift for a very special friend but don’t want her to know what it is so, Kyla, if you are reading this.. stop right now. Everyone else continue on as I am loving what I created. (which is always a good thing if you can love your project so much when you are finished that you don’t want to give it away.)

Anyways, Kyla’s baby starts Kindergarten this year. I know she is dreading it but yet happy for him. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few tears shed so I made her a Kindergarten Mom’s Survival Kit.

I saw this basket on Pinterest and couldn’t wait to make one. For directions on the basket, visit Rachel Ricks’ blog the little blue room. I used core’dinations The Chocolate Box for my basket. Sanded the the brown side to get some blue to show through, distressed the blue pieces with distress ink. Attached tag with May Arts twine which I also used on a note that I stuck in the basket.


A peek inside the basket and we see tissues, kisses and a note. Also a close up of the tag using The Art of Nature set.


A close up of the May Arts trim that I adhered to the inside of the basket.


Another shot of the inside of the basket to see what the trim looks like from the inside. Isn’t that trim cute?!


So what makes this basket a Kindergarten Mom’s Survival Kit? This note (that I also found via Pinterest) that is included in the basket is what makes this entire kit special. I typed up the note in Photoshop, adjusting font size etc. and then printed it on printer paper and stamped The Art of Nature on it which I colored in with Prismacolor pencils and blended with odorless mineral spirits.

*This note does not have to be just for a kindergarten mom but for any mom with a child heading back to school. Just change the title to fit the grade you need.

I hope this basket brings Kyla some comfort on that first day her baby heads off to school.

Don’t forget to comment on all my OCL posts this week (I was able to get one up yesterday) to be entered for the prizes!

At the end of the week, OCL will pick 5 winners for some awesome May Arts/OCL prizes!  But you can’t WIN if you don’t PLAY!

Same as last week, to win you have to COMMENT!  So leave a comment here, at the OCL Blog, the OCL Facebook page and the blogs listed below all week for a chance to win the CANDY!  The 5 winners will be picked from all of the comments this week.  The deadline is Friday, August 10 at 3AM (EST)/midnight (PT).  The winner will be announced on Monday, August 13th on the OCL Blog!  Be sure to check out The Lounge for the first two days of this party as I didn’t have a chance to play but I am playing again on Friday!

Amber Hillman ---- That’s me!

Debbie Fisher

Kendra Wietstock

Deb Felts

Lori Barnett

Tammie Edgerton

Michelle Pearson

          
         Thanks for stopping by!

                       Amber

OCL/May Arts Christmas Tag

I had a day off yesterday so I got to create all day long for today! Of course the biggest project I worked on, you will just have to come back tomorrow for my last blog post for May Arts/ Our Craft Lounge blog week. I’m so excited to show you!

But for today I have not one but two projects to show you! I needed a quick card to send out in the mail just because so I used the fun pom pom ribbons from May Arts in three different colors and stamped a sentiment from The Pond in white. Cute, simple, quick and just in time to get it in the mail!



For my second project, I was in the mood to make something Christmassy. The green and red ribbons were just screaming to me: Christmas! So of course I listened and made a tag using Merry Wishes. I used the ribbons to look like a gift on the tag. Is it bad to have a gift on a gift? lol Green hemp also from May Arts was used to hang the tag.
 

 

At the end of the week, OCL will pick 5 winners for some awesome May Arts/OCL prizes!  But you can’t WIN if you don’t PLAY!

Same as last week, to win you have to COMMENT!  So leave a comment here, at the OCL Blog, the OCL Facebook page and the blogs listed below all week for a chance to win the CANDY!  The 5 winners will be picked from all of the comments this week.  The deadline is Friday, August 10 at 3AM (EST)/midnight (PT).  The winner will be announced on Monday, August 13th on the OCL Blog!  Be sure to check out The Lounge for the first two days of this party as I didn’t have a chance to play but I am playing again on Friday!

Amber Hillman ---- That’s me!

Broni Holcombe

Debbie Fisher

Kendra Wietstock

Lori Barnett

Melissa Cash

Tammie Edgerton

Stephanie Serrano

Michelle Pearson

Debbie Corbari


         Thanks for stopping by!

                       Amber

May Arts/OCL Happy Birthday

May Arts has joined OCL again this week for some fun filled projects. There is also some May Arts ribbon to giveaway this week too!

I used the newly released set, Everyday Sentiments and cut it out with Spellbinder’s Fancy Tags Three. I used two different kinds of ribbon from May Arts on my card, .421 1/2”x15y Crochet in cream and 360 3/8”x30y Scalloped Trim in purple, layering them together. Added some prima flowers and black brads.

At the end of the week, OCL will pick 5 winners for some awesome May Arts/OCL prizes!  But you can’t WIN if you don’t PLAY!
Same as last week, to win you have to COMMENT!  So leave a comment here, at the OCL Blog, the OCL Facebook page and the blogs listed below all week for a chance to win the CANDY!  The 5 winners will be picked from all of the comments this week.  The deadline is Friday, August 10 at 3AM (EST)/midnight (PT).  The winner will be announced on Monday, August 13th on the OCL Blog!  Be sure to check out The Lounge for the first two days of this party as I didn’t have a chance to play but I am playing again on Friday!
Amber Hillman ---- That’s me!
Broni Holcombe
Debbie Fisher
Kendra Wietstock
Lori Barnett
Melissa Cash
Tammie Edgerton


       Thanks for stopping by!

                    Amber

Our Craft Lounge blog hop with a RELEASE

Our Craft Lounge is proud to present some new stamps! Welcome to our blog hop where we are sharing cards made with the new sets!
OCL is taking orders for these sets now and will begin shipping soon!

First off I have a card using Miles to Go that I want to share with you. Distressed image while still in the Spellbinders. Used DCWV Travel Stack for the rest of the card.



Next I have Everyday Sentiments which is my favorite set being released this release as one can never have enough sentiments. Once again I distressed with ink before removing Spellbinders. Stamped the butterfly and flower from Butterfly Kisses.



To see the full sets, make sure you check out The Lounge (OCL Blog).

Also make sure you check out the rest of the DT girls to see the beauties they have made and don’t forget to comment. (see below about commenting and winning).

Amber Hillman <----  You are here!
Broni Holcombe
Deb Felts
Debbie Corbari
Debbie Fisher
Joy Stagg
Kendra Wietstock
Lori Barnett
Melissa Cash
Michelle Pearson
Stephanie Serrano
Tammie Edgerton

Any comments left from Tuesday through Friday on my and the rest of the DT girls’ OCL blog posts, the OCL Blog posts and the OCL Facebook page will be entered into a drawing for prizes.  Our Craft Lounge will give away one of each set ~ 3 prizes.  Comments end Friday, August 3rd at 3:00 am Eastern/midnight pacific time.


Thanks for stopping by!!

            
                   Amber

Wishing you Happiness

(this is my second post for today, if you are looking for my Paper Pretties post, please scroll down.)

I finally had a chance to play in the OCL Challenge this week. It happened to be a Supply challenge of using any Die Cut shape on your project.

I used Say It Big on my card and used Spellbinders flower die cut. I used all the flowers and layered them to create one big flower. Sponged just the edges to give it some color and added a sparkly brad to the center.

You still have time to play along so come join us over at The Lounge where you can find all the info on the challenge.

            Thanks for stopping by!

                           Amber

Swingin’ By

I made a card for The Lounge challenge; “Summer Fun”. Just so happened to fit in the TLC over at SCS of using half an image.

I stamped the tree from Swingin’ By by Our Craft Lounge and colored it with prismacolor pencils. Stamped the tire swing and stamped it again to cut out and pop up. Added green Sparkly Fluff for grass.

Come join us over at The Lounge to play in this fun challenge. You could have a chance to win some goodies!

         Thanks for stopping by!

                     Amber

Last day of school and a mini field trip

Today marks the last day of school for my kids. So of course I had to whip up some last minute teacher gifts. I just wasn’t feeling it this year as I have given them things throughout the year and volunteer in their classrooms every week. But I knew I had to give them something or I would feel bad!

So I went with the reliable covered legal pads. Used School Notes from Our Craft Lounge, cutting the images out and paper piecing the backpack. Made my own lined paper using the lined stamp from the set.

So my kids may be getting out today but Preschool got out last week so I have been babysitting all week long. My oldest only had one exam today so instead of running to school, dropping her off, running home and turning around in an hour to pick her up, I decided to go to my mom’s. So the twins and I had a mini field trip.

I was taking them to see the llamas but the first thing out of the little boy’s mouth was “look, kangaroos!” “ummm no, those are llamas.”  “llamas” “yes” “horsies!” “no, llamas!”  Then one llama made a funny noise and the little boy shouts “rhinoceros!”  “no! Llamas!!” And last he called them camels!  I give up!

Here are some pictures from our little outing:

Then we ran to a friend’s house who has horses so they got to see horses too.

Now school is over, kids are home.. let summer begin! And what a summer it will be as we are having friends from South Africa coming over in 3 weeks to spend 3 weeks with us. We have lots of fun things planned so I’m sure I’ll have tons of fun pictures to share!

         Thanks for stopping by!

                     Amber