"Bee Blessed" - High Hopes Ch#27 and New Release Day!!

The High Hopes Challenge this week is brought to us by the Wonderful Kimmie and she would like to see distressing on your card...Easy and Fun!!....Go to the HHBlog to check out the Fabulous cards made by all the Divas. Join in to have a chance to win a few really Cute HH stamps!

The stamps I've used on this card are from the Fabulous High Hopes New Release. Which is out today!! You can check out all the new stamps right here High Hopes Stamps just type HOTP into the search box to see them all!!

I also made this card casing Inge....who is was the Featured Stamper this last week at Splitcoast Stampers......Inge has always been one of my favorite stampers.....and I had a great time casing this fabulous card. Check out Inge's ..... "gallery" and "blog" to see her Amazing and Beautiful work!

Onto the card....All the stamps are High Hopes ..I've used the Big Flower, Sitting Bee and Honey pot. The sentiment "Bee Blessed!" is an older stamp.

I've used copics, prismacolors and h20's for the coloring. Acrylic white paint for the details.

The flower and Bee are raised up on foam pop ups. The front wing of the Bee has been stamped separately and glued on so I could raise the back of the it.

There is glitter on the Bees wings....top of the honey pot and center of the flower.

Paper: GP white, treasures, mme, k&company

Ink: memento, bashful blue, creamy caramel

Accessories: ribbon, lace, glitter, baubles, black marker, stitching

Mop Brushes

......I've had someone ask me in the comment section what Mop brushes are......I didn't have their personal email to answer so I hope she sees it here.

Mop brushes are soft art brushes that actually look like a mop. A soft stencil brush would work as well. I use the Mop brushes as a dry brush for my backgrounds.....check my tutorial here.

Mop brushes are available at Artist Club............ http://www.artistsclub.com/brushes/brushes_Display.aspx?dgroup=MaxineThomas

I also use Lang nickel bringle blenders.....at 1/2 inch in size or more...

http://www.royalbrush.com/main/dcat/cat.php?k=5136

Have a Great Day everyone!! ...and Thank you for all your Wonderful comments!!

High Hopes Hullabaloo!! - "I like your style!"

High has a New Release coming up this Sunday April 19th!! ...Crissy the Wonderful Artist for High Hopes has been busy again creating new Fabulous designs! Check out these Divas to see Gorgeous creations made with this New Release......

Crissy - Kimmie - Nikki - Jeanne - Karen - Niki - Tab

This Cute little dress up girl and the sentiment are both part of the HH New Release.

The High Hopes Challenge #26 this week is set for us by the Fabulous Crissy and is to have piercing on your card. I've including piercing on the black panel around the image...and in the scalloped border. Check out the Gorgeous cards displayed on the HH Blog....Join in and you could win some Cute HH stamps!

The layout on this card is the SC224 sketch..which was perfect for this image!

I've used copic markers, prismacolor pencils...and a little twinkling h20's to color this image. Acrylic white paint for the detail dots.

The dress up girl and the black pierced panel behind her is popped up with foam dimensionals. I've added glitter, stickles and glaze to her shoes...some you can see and some simply doesn't show up in the photo..lol. I strung the little beads....randomly and hung them behind the little black ribbon and brad.

Paper - GP white, Treasures cs, Crate

Ink - memento, creamy caramel

Accessories - brads, stitching, ribbon, beads, metal flower

Thanks for looking Everyone!!....and Thank you for all your Wonderful comments!!

"You're one in a Melon" - High Hopes Ch#25

This weeks High Hopes Challenge is brought to us by the Wonderful Jeanne...and she has created a Fabulous and Fun Sketch for us all to use. Be sure to check out the High Hopes Challenge Blog to see Gorgeous cards the Divas have made. Join in the challenge and you could win some really cute HH stamps!

The name of the High Hopes stamp I've used on this card is called "Summer Sweetness". Could this name be any more perfect? The sentiment on this card is created on the computer...but High Hopes has a sentiment perfect for this image..."You're one in a Melon".

I used copics and prismacolor pencils to color this card. I also used H20's to deepen the shade. The little detail dots are made with a stylus using acrylic white paint.

Nesties were used for the circles (how did I ever do anything without them?...lol).

The lace flower was created by gathering a small amount of lace and tying it off to form a circle. I borrowed this idea from the very talented Bev.....here is her card and instructions. Be sure to check out her blog..."All things I love"...her creations are Amazing!!

Ink - versafine black, bashful blue, mellow moss

Paper - GP white, MME, always artichoke, treasures CS

Accessories - brads, buttons, flowers, lace, ribbon, glitter, stitching, SU punch, nesties, computer, shimmerz, ghost flower, embroidery floss

I hope everyone is enjoying some lovely spring weather. Although it hasn't been really warm here....it is fairly nice. I had hoped the snow would be gone by Easter...but we still have quite a bit...especially in our backyard.

It's going to be a great Easter for us.....all our kids are coming home!! Trina is on holidays and will be down on Wednesday ....Yay!! It's going to be so good to see her. We're hoping to get a little time for stamping....and do a ton of visiting.....I even have the swing all cleaned up in the backyard ready for our morning coffee and tea breaks.

Thank you Everyone for your Wonderful comments!!... My birthday is in a month....so there is going to be blog candy again in the very near future!!

Just in case I don't post again till after Sunday.....I wish you all a Very Happy and Blessed Easter!!

High Hopes "April Project of the Month"

This card features the stamps for the April POTM....included are: "Bobby Lee" - "Ally Rose" - "Bail O' Hay" - "Take A Break" - "Sit A Spell". For the month of April you can get the set of these stamps 25% off the regular price which would be...... $32.55CDN wood mounted or $16.25CDN unmounted!!

**Until this special is up on the High Hopes website, you can order it by emailing Tina and Bethany directly at highhopesstamps@sympatico.ca **

For coloring I used prismacolor pencils (oms) and twinkling h20's to deepen the shade.

Ally Rose and Bobby Lee are popped up on foam dots as is the whole Kraft panel under the image.

I bought the pitchfork charm about a year ago .....a Michaels clearance item for a price I couldn't resist. The blue flower is made of burlap .....another clearance item , bought last year from House of Stationary in Estevan. Whenever I visit my daughter Trina....we make a happy trip to that Fabulous little store!

Paper - GP white, MME, paper studio, SU kraft cs

Ink - versafine black, bashful blue, mellow moss

Accessories - flowers, brads, charm, jute, MS border punch, stitching.

It is finally warming up here.....although there is still lots of snow in our yards.....the main areas of the streets are almost clear. It is so nice to be able to go for a walk.....on pavement!!..Yay!!

Have a Great Day Everyone!!...and Thank you so much for your Wonderful comments!!

"Cow ya doing?" - High Hopes Ch#24

It's time for another High Hopes Challenge....and this week it's called Creative Borders and is brought to you by Yours Truly.....lol. I would like to see any kind of border on your card, punched, buttons, lace, brads, fabric.....be sure to go to the High Hopes blog for some fabulous ideas and inspiration. Join in...and you will have a chance to win the stamps I've used in the above card........"Maribelle Cow" and the sentiment, "Cow ya doing?.

I think Maribelle has got to be Absolutely the Cutest Cow...and she is super fast to color.....I used prismacolor pencils (oms) and a bit of twinkling h20's to deepen the shade a bit. Acrylic white paint is what I use for the white dots.I have added an extra bell and tuff of hair to Mariebelle....only raising them both up partially for dimension. Maribelle and the sentiment and the whole panel are raised with pop dots. I added gold stickles to the bell.

The borders on the outside are actually gingham fabric ...I cut them in strips and sewed them down to the front CS using the zig zag stitch....so easy.....I thought I might have a problem but it sewed through perfectly! I then glued on the corners.....which is just a little distressed square of red cs in which I have attached the flowers with a brad. I used a border punch for the layer in the back of the image.

Ink - versafine black, bashful blue, creamy caramel, close to cocoa

Paper - GP white, bazill, paper studio, k&company

Accessories - flowers, brads, fabric, cord, jute, shimmerz, stickles, stitching, border punch

Have a Great Day Everyone!!.... and Thank you so much for your Lovely Comments!!

Awards and Goodies I've recieved!

I've received more Fabulous Awards from these Lovely Talented ladies!! Thank you so much Gals!!...I'm passing these Awards on to all the Wonderful people that visit this blog! Grab yourself a cup of coffee or whatever your pleasure is and click on their names to visit their Fabulous blogs!!

Judy - Agnes - Alina

Josianne - Jo - Danielle

Goodies!!!

I've received some Wonderful goodies the last few month........This top one is Fabulous blog candy I won from Mel....Thank you Mel....I'm going to enjoy these goodies!

This next one is from my Dear friend Tina Bentley......she is so kind and Amazing!!...see those lovely pins?..she made them herself....they are just Beautiful!!..She also sends treats for Buddy...He just goes crazy sniffing the pkgs she sends...and won't leave me alone till I give him something..lol. Thanks again Tina...talk to you soon !!

This last one is a surprise for my lovely friend Maria Jesus......Thanks MJ....I'm already using these stickles!!

Again...Click on their names to visit their Amazing blogs!!

I'll be back again with the High Hopes challenge card on Sunday. Take Care and have a Fabulous weekend everyone!!!

Time for BlogCandy!!! ...Now Closed!!!

The Blog Candy Winners!!.... are.........

Here are your random numbers:8 Timestamp: 2009-03-24 22:49:25 UTC ...................Tammi

Tammi said... Wow, amazing blog candy Ila! Congrats on your hits, you have an awesome blog, I just love coming here and looking at your beautiful creations! Thanks for the chance to win! (In case I do, I'm leaving on vacation and won't be back online until the 29th).I have many Easter cravings, lol, but def. love the Reese's Eggs...and the Milky Way Bunnies! I think I'll go eat one now! ;) Yum!

and

Here are your random numbers:134 Timestamp: 2009-03-24 23:22:44 UTC ................ Kelly

Kelly Schelske said... Yay Ila! Your blog is outstanding no wonder the hit counter is going crazy!! My fav would definitely be Reese's PB eggs, so much better tahtn cups...not sure why, but I love 'em!!Linked to you on my sidebar as well:-)Have a super weeekend,Kelly

Thank you all so much for entering this candy....answering the question and your lovely comments!!....I've enjoyed reading about all the Easter goodies.......so much...that I had to stop at the store yesterday and pick up some peanut butter eggs, marshmallow chocolate coated eggs.....and malted candy coated Robins Eggs. ...Yum!...Now I am just waiting for some hot cross buns to hit our grocery store...lol.

Hugs,

Ila

__________________________________________________________________ I am amazed at how fast that counter keeps going up.....and very Thankful for your Comments and your visits!!.....To celebrate (with the generous help of High Hopes) I am offering two separate candies..... The top one includes......The High Hopes stamps shown - Autumn Leaves Fresh Paisley Adhesive Mat stack - Recollections bling brads - Sakura Quickie Glue Pen - Assorted pretty lace and 10 metal charms.

For the 2nd candy I will mail out these Fabulous High Hopes Bunnies - as shown in the above photo.

Everyone is welcome to enter. If you would like to spread the word that would be Wonderful but is not a requirement to enter. I do however have a question for you all......What is your favorite Easter craving??......be it candy or food.

I am only going to run this candy till Monday night....I will announce the winner on Tuesday March 24. Easter is on its way and I want to get these mailed out quickly thereafter.

Good Luck Everyone!! and Thanks again!!!