Giving Credit where Credit is Due!

Greetings Earthlings-

I've had this Mo Manning image for a while now. I've used it for 'birthday wishes' many times. She's so fun to color - different pallets can change the feeling so much!

When Mo's challenge this week asked for Elves, Fairies, Santa or Snowmen, I knew I would be giving her a Christmas makeover. Here she is from Mo's website:

I went a little overboard with the stickles..Oh well. Who is to say how sparkly a fairy's wand is?!  I used a Spellbinder to cut her out - but when I did that I lost the copyright insignia! Artists should get credit for their hard work! So I wrote it in again near the image.

I used Copics and Spicas to color the image.

Here she is in all her glory:

There are a lot of great new Christmas and Holiday images over at Mo's website. I am having a hard time deciding which to buy.. OK, which NOT to buy LOL.

Party on, Wayne

Department of Redundancy Department

Greetings Earthlings-

"I puzzled and puzzed until my puzzler was sore.."*

 The challenge this week at the Hambo Hoedown was to use their digi computer image and add something soft.

We got the image free for participating in last week's challenge.

I wanted to put something clever on the 'monitor'.. After puzzling long and hard, it occurred to me that a digi image on the monitor of a digi image could be fun.

Here is the 'video feedback' that I created..

It doesn't show up all that well in the photo but it's great in person..

The 'soft' that I added was a very flowery DP and some pleated ribbon. I used a  silver doily to mat the image. Then I added a few pearls and charms. I didn't have any pink string so I used some of my big ball of white crochet thread and colored it with a Copic.  I think it turned out pretty cute!

Here are the Copics I used:

I can't wait to see what the folks at the Hoedown have up their sleeves for the next challenge - why don't you join us for the fun?

Party on, Wayne

*swiped from Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

A quickie

Greetings Earthlings!

Today is a short entry, I've got shoveling to do..

This week's Hambo Hoedown challenge is to use a tag.I didn't get to use this week's free image because I didn't participate in last week's challenge so I didn't get one.. sad face.

I found a Hambo image from long ago.. so long ago that I can't find it on the Hambo stamp site- it's a digi called Shellphone Pig. The closest I came was a rubber stamp called Beach Pig.

I especially like the buttons on this... to me they look like little pig snouts..

I used two Cuttlebug embossing folders and some string and raffia to spice things up. As usual, Copics to color the image.

Part on, Wayne

Santa Baby

Greetings Earthlings!

Today's card reminds me of the Christmas song, Santa Baby.. I made it for the challenge over at Mo's Challenge Blog. This week they asked us to make something that had the theme of 'Winter'. I've used this image many times in lotsa ways that I never dreamed of when I bought it. It's called Checking FB.

I love Mo Manning images! As soon as I saw the challenge I envisioned this image with her in a bathrobe with Santa Colors, and she's emailing her Christmas list to Santa..

I used some Memory Box dies to add some zing and of course a few rhinestones! The sentiment I made on PSE. If you want it, feel free to take it - no strings.. It's a png so the background is clear.

 I would love to see what you make with it..

Here are the Copics that I used to color the image:

Party on, Wayne..

3 for 1

Greetings Earthlings!

My first card today is for Mo's Digital Challenge. The theme is 'Give Thanks'.

I used the image called Girl and dog. The dog's name is Bronte.

I made the sentiment using PSE. Copics were used to add color. I cut the circles with my Nestibilities. Crochet lace and Liquid Pearls were added.

Here are the Copics I used:

And..the..card: 

Oh- here's the sentiment in case you want it for yourself - be sure to 'left click' on it to get the full size image:

I've made quite a few cards since I last posted.. I've been too busy to post them as I made them. If you want details just email me..This is a birthday card I made for my brother-in-law:

Next up is fun combo of digi images - Fall Fence from Shelly's Images and Trick Or Treat from Mo's Digital Pencil:

Yup, that's Bronte again. Meow!

I also added some black bling to the corners of this card - it doesn't show up well in the photos though.

I also made a spectacular birthday card for my niece's 3rd birthday. She's all about princesses and fairies just now.. BUT, I'll have to post that later - I'm outta time for today.

Party on, Wayne



Hambo Hoedown Challenge 38

Greetings Earthlings!

YAY!! This week I sent in my 'fall' box to Operation Write Home.

That's about 145 cards, mostly generic but I beat the Oct.31st deadline for getting Christmas cards in! I always 'tuck & stamp' my cards so the shippers don't have to do those steps. Since I live in the midwest, my cards get sent to Kris in Kansas. She does all the hard work of sorting all the cards and then packs them into boxes for the different military units that have requested our cards. She also has to fill out custom forms for each box and then she takes all these boxes to the post office and ships them overseas! Here is a quick video that tells you all about that process.

Alrighty then, onto this week's Hambo Hoedown challenge #38. This week it was another sketch challenge.

I have a hard time with sketches.. I definitely do NOT plan in advance what my layout is going to be. Sketches force me to 'follow the rules.' Yikes!

O.K. Fine. I'm not going to think about that now.. (Scarlett wasn't stupid) I'm just going to focus on the free image that Hambo sent me this week. It's called Zombie Bunny. I got it free because I entered their challenge last week and emailed them my finished card. Here's the image:

How do you make a cute, cuddly bunny look like a zombie?

It was tough. I still don't think he looks zombie-ish enough.

I used my Copics and Spica markers.

I added red Spica markers to make his eyes look blood-shot. Then more red on his mouth and paws to look like they're bloody..

There is no getting around it now, I have to check out that sketch and conform! Ugh!

I used the Spellbinders Lattice Rectangles to mat him. Some baker's twine and a few Sticko gel stickers with a bow and some candy-corn finish the card off.

I'd like to go back and add darker gray to his fur.. I'm afraid that will look stupid though. Oh well. I better leave him alone before I tinker too much and ruin it! (That NEVER happens..)

Party on, Wayne.

Another Hambo Challenge

Greetings Earthlings-

I really had fun with this week's image from Hambo Stamps. Because I followed all the rules when I entered their challenge last week, I got this free image this week:

The challenge was to use the colors  purple, orange, black and green . Not too tough for a Halloweenie card!

Copics were used to color the image. I used just a hint of V17 Amethyst on some of the wrappings..Then the shades of cool gray.

Spellbinders were used to trim the image down and mat it.

I decided to use one of the many paint sample strips I have.. I trimmed it down and used a large Peddler's Pack rubber stamp of a spider web. Even though I used Memento ink, it smeared a bit while I was working with it (remember it is stamped on paint, not paper.. ) so I used my heat gun to set the ink.  Next I combined some DP from my stash - all matted in black  & it all came together quickly for the card base.

Naturally, this card screamed out for googly eyes! I love an excuse to use those!

That's it for today - real life is rearing it's ugly head and I have to go to work.

Party on, Wayne!

Punch Idea!

Greetings Earthlings!

Today I made a card to enter into the challenge at Mo's Challenge Blog.

'Patchwork' was the theme this week. I immediately thought about when I tried my hand at quilting. DISASTER!!!!!! Evidently you have to have at least a rudimentary understanding of math to make the patterns work*.. A person can only make so many 'crazy'** quilts..So when I tried to make a quilt-ish background for this card, I had some trouble.. more on that later.

I used one of my favorite Mo digital images, 'Sprout'. I made several cards with her last April using springy pastel colors. This time out I decided to try a more autumnal feel.

I used paper piecing on the pot and her patches. (See the irony there?) I used a Fiskars Scalloped Square to punch out a bunch of co-ordinating DP squares.

Here are the Copics I used:

OK. remember earlier I said I had some trouble? Naturally the card doesn't measure out in nice 1" squares so I had to make some of them narrower. Once I had punched the squares, they were too small to put back into the punch to trim. There was nothing to hang on to. It occurred to me that I could make a 'handle' using temporary tape. (I keep regular and temp tape on ALL my work surfaces..I use it so often, I hate moving it around.)

Now then***, here are some pictures to explain what I did:

I doubled the tape back on it's self to make the 'handle' a little firmer. This worked like a charm. I wish this had occurred to me years ago. It's a pretty neat little trick!

Party on, Wayne-

* I have NO understanding of math.
**Yes, I am on medication.
***Channeling my Aunt Bernice, don't ya know..

Hambo Monster

Greetings Earthlings-

This week's challenge at Hambo Hoedown slowed me down a bit. Here is the cute image that I got free this week for entering the challenge last week (and I remembered to email it in too!) :

The new challenge said that you need to 'create a project that uses an item that starts with the first letter of your first name.'  Well my name starts with 'D'. I couldn't think of anything that starts with a 'D'.

I finally came up with the idea of DOTS. I like monsters with DOTS. I find they are a lot less scary than those without DOTS. Don't you?

I also ended up using a card base made by DCWV (Die Cuts With a View). So that is another D. :-) (yeah, double d...)

Here are the Copics I used:

I kept changing my mind about the colors of the monster.. So a few of the "E's" are actually layered over each other.. I also used some fabric with the  Various Colorless Blender to give him some texture. I also used a Colorless Blender marker to make his DOTS.

Party on, Wayne.

Oldies but Goodies!

Greetings Earthlings-

OK. I don't like it when people ask me how long I have been rubber stamping. It makes me feel really OLD!

I bought my first rubber stamps while I was in high school. Back then you could use black india ink or if you were lucky, you could find a blue ink pad.

I still have those stamps. They are still nice and rubber-y. Some stamps that I have bought since have become rocks and useless. Here's a pic of my first step on a long, long and expensive path..

These are all the same brand and I bought them at the same time. How old are they? How is that any different than asking me 'How long have you been stamping?' !!  OK, fine. Here is a shot of one on it's side..

Happy Now?!!

I decided to get these out when a challenge asked us to get something out that we haven't used in a while.. It's probably been 25 years since I last used these.. I think that qualifies.

So, a new place I have found to spend a lot of time is called Outlawz.  This is the challenge that made me dust these puppies off. It is a CAS challenge. Clean and Simple..Here's the challenge.

So, here is the card I created cleanly and simply:

I used some Spellbinders to cut out and emboss the image and the sentiment. I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink.As usual I used my Copics to color this image:

Do you have any stamps that are really, um, old? Tell me about them!

Party on, Wayne

Hambo Hoedown 35

Greetings Earthlings!

I got another free image from Hambo stamps this week. I love getting these in my email each week. Well, each week when I have entered the challenge the week before and emailed my entry to them too.

This week's image is called dragonfly.

The challenge was to copy a layout from their gallery. There were so many to choose from!!! I chose a card made by Taylor Van-Bruggen.

She made a nice clean layout - I liked that because using a lot of embellishments is just not me..

I followed the original pretty closely.

I used a Hambo image of Trees and manipulated and duplicated it to make the background. Here is what the Trees looked like originally:

I used these Copics:

Oh, it felt so good to be back to my lovely Copics! I missed them!

Party on, Wayne.