Happy Hamiversary

Good Morning Hambo Fans!!  You may notice that I'm not posting on my usual Wednesday for Hambo!  That's because there's been a shift at the Hoedown and those of us who have been creating with their fantastic digital images are now shifting gears and creating with their equally amazing and very expansive rubber stamp line! 

My creation today features the CUTEST image called List Pig.  I inked the image with Momento and colored it with my Prismacolor pencils.  Not a medium I reach for often but one that I love to use.  I combined it with some fabulous Love Story papers from Fancy Pants.  I've been coveting it since last Valentine's Day and dole it out very slowly!  (hoard much ;) ?)  I paired it with a hilarious sentiment - also from Hambo and can be found here. 

I used my MFT Hearts-a-Plenty and Fishtail Flag STAX dies to compliment my design and added some stitching for extra texture.  As a finishing touch I added teeny, tiny metallic sticky back pearls to anchor my corners.

I hope you enjoy and come on over to play in the newest Hoedown Challenge!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

Just Clownin' Around!

Good morning Hambo Friends and Fans!!  Welcome to another fabulous challenge!!  This week we are challenging you to use polka dots on your creation!  Easy, right?  We can't wait to see what you create!!

This week we're using the digital image set called Clown Shoes.  I printed the image onto Copic Xpress blending paper and paper pieced his entire outfit.  I colored his gloves, face and hair with my Copics.  As you can see, I used Glossy Accents on his nose and mouth.  This is just so fun and silly!!

I mix and matched papers from my stash to create the stitched background.  I used a bit of navy blue, silk cording for my bow.

I do hope you come along over to the Hoedown and join us for this fun challenge!  Remember..you must use a Hambo image to play along!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

You Look Marvelous!!!

Greetings Hambo Fans!!  This week's challenge over at the Hoedown is to use punches!  I've used the super cute and trendy Sunglasses digital image.  I printed the image twice, once onto white cardstock and then again onto patterned paper.  I paper pieced my image and thickly glazed up the lenses of the glasses.

 I used a lot of layers of delicious Bazzill cardstock and Basic Grey paper.  I added some stitching, lots of mini brads and a deliciously preppie, twill striped flower.

I used one of the sentiments that come with the set and added a really sweet little butterfly punch by Martha Stewart.  I used adhesive back cork, layered three times to create my punched embellishment.

I hope you've enjoyed my creation today and will come play with us at the Hoedown!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to you!!  Happy Birthday to you!!  Happy BIRTHDAY DEAR JUDY!!!  (can you hear me yelling yet?!?!) HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYY TOOOOOOOOOO YOUUUUU!!!

Welcome all to today's AWESOME Hambo Hop in celebration of our darling Judy's Birthday!! 

But before the celebration begins, you should be arriving here from my friend Kris' blog.  I KNOW she had something darling to share with you!! 

Ok back to Judy's Birthday!!  Today I've made a fun card using one of my VERY favorite Hambo Digital Designs - Artist Pig.  I mean really...is there ANYTHING cuter!?!?!  LOVE! 

I printed my image onto Copic X-Press Blending paper and colored my Copics.  I paper pieced the artist's smock and the paint palette.  I did the entire coat first and then layered the palette over the entire coat/palette image to ensure the proper dimension. 

I used papers from Bazzill and American Crafts.  I just love how brads can anchor a panel!  I've used silver and bitty blue brads.  I trimmed my sentiment out using a set of Nesties and layered the bottom with solid turquoise cardstock and stitched to blend them together.

I used my very favorite MFT Heart Die-namic to add some extra love to this project made JUST for Judy!!

Ok off you scoot to my darling friend Carolina's blog to see what she's created for the birthday girl!!

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUDY!!  Wishing you all the very best, today and always!!

Here are just a few "administrative details":

1. Each blog stop will be giving away ONE free digi to a random commentor on that post.

2. ONE person who leaves a comment at every stop on the way, AND wishes Judy a happy birthday on the Hoedown blog will get a $15 Hambo shopping spree (for rubber OR digital images).

3. Comments must be left by midnight Monday, July 16.

4. ALL winners will be posted on the Talk to the Ham blog on Wednesday, July 18. 

 

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

 

A Tall Order...

Greetings Hambo Fans!  Today marks a new challenge at the Hambo Hoedown!  This week's challenge is to make a tall card!  My card today measures 6" x 3.5".  The image today is called 'Stilts'.  I've colored him with my Copics and matted him with bright yellow Bazzill cardstock.  I anchored the corners with teeny tiny, bright brads.

I used lots of random scraps from MME and Basic Grey to complete my design.  I've used one of the many funny sentiments that come with this set to complete the scene.

I used an MFT Die to create this panel.  I added some zig zag stitching to anchor the sentiment.

I also added a notebook edge punch from SU!, some fun and funky flourishes - a die also from MFT and my very favorite, Chevron Ribbon from May Arts to complete the look.

Come along and play with us at the Hoedown! I hope to see you there!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

A Pocket Full Of Love

Greetings Hambo friends and fans!!  Today is another fabulous challenge day over at the Hambo Hoedown Challenge blog!  This week's challenge is to incorporate a pocket somewhere into your creation.  Today I've created a simple interior pocket card perfect for giving a gift card, book mark, cash, picture, etc!

I've started by printing the sweet Kangaroo onto Copic X-press Blending paper.  I used my new favorite pixelation coloring to color both the Mom and Baby.   I then trimmed them out and set to working on my background which was inspired by this weeks' SCS sketch challenge.  I used my Fishtail Flag STAX dies from MFT and sponged it a bit with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I added some stitching and a tiny Tim Holtz paper clip as an added touch.

My papers are from Webster's Pages and Bazzill.

 My interior houses one of the fabulous sentiments that comes with the set trimmed out using my Oval STAX dies from MFT. 

I can't wait to see your pocket creation!  Come on and play with us at the Hoedown right here!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Craftiness

Greetings Hambo Friends!!

Welcome to another awesome challenge week over at the Hambo Challenge Blog!  This week we are challenging you to be inspired by the amazing talent that is available over at SCS in the resources forum.  We want you to pick a technique and give it a try!  I've always scene these amazing corner bookmarks and have really wanted to try one for myself!  So here it is using the amazingly adorable Hambo Digital Stamp - Bailey Liberty.

I have colored Bailey using my Copics and I took a different approach to my coloring and shading using a fast new favorite coloring technique what I call "pixelation shading".  Instead of coloring traditionally, I used a series of dots to color the entire image.  Did it take me more time?  Yes.  Do I love how it came out?  YES!  I then trimmed the image out and added it to a crisp red Bazzill textured cardstock oval followed by a stick-back cork oval.  Both were cut using MFT's Oval STAX.  I then followed the tutorial using all Bazzill paper. 

The tutorial was superbly written and so easy to follow.  I added some Tim Holtz Washi tape along with a few sticky back metallic pearls for a bit of shine. 

I do hope you join us for this super fun challenge right here! 

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

You're A Saint!!!

Greetings Hambo Friends and Fans!!  Thanks for coming by today!!  There's a brandy new challenge over at the Hambo Hoedown Challenge blog and this week we are challenging you to use only Black and White on your projects!!  This week's image is an absolutely fabulous one.  It is called Nun.  It comes with a few very funny and slightly snarky sentiments. 

I have colored the Nun in with my Copics and Prismacolor Markers.  I used my Copic Xpress Blending paper and blended and colored and blended and colored and blended and colored some more to make the shading just how I wanted it. 

I used some fabulous new papers from Bazzill and Amy Tangerine to pull together an eclectic mix of patterns and shades.  I used some of my extra Amy Tangerine paper, a sheet of music and some white plastic mesh to create the hand rolled flower grouping in the upper left corner.  I added some black and white pearls to the center of my flowers and adhered them with hot glue.

I punched out my sentiment using an old SU! word punch.  I then coated the sentiment with Versamark ink and clear embossing powder and heat set it to give my sentiment panel a nice shine.  I did this process three times making sure it was nice and shiny. 

Apparently there was some stray glitter either on my Versamark pad or in my embossing powder because they got suspended in the shine of the sentiment panel which ended up looking very cool!

I do so hope you come join us over at the Hoedown!!  Can't wait to see your black and white creations!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

Dive In With Us!!

Greetings Hambo fans!!  I'm SOOOOOO super excited to be here with you today bringing you my first ever Hambo creation!  You are going to be in awe of the wonderful creations that are going on today at the Hambo Hoedown Challenge Blog!

Today we are challenging you to add sparkle into your project!  Glitter, Stickles, gems, flourishes, sparkle spritzes, you name it!  We can't wait to see what you come up with!!  And you'll get bonus "Oinks" for any creations using one of the Father's Day sentiments! 

My creation today is using the fabulous Snorkel Boy - Digital Image by Hambo Stamps.  It comes with two awesome fishy sidekicks and  four awesome sentiments!  

 I created a fun, scrappy and bright masculine card for my sample today.  I started by printing Snorkel Boy onto Xpress Blending paper by Copic and coloring with my Copic markers.  After coloring and shading, I used Glossy Accents to heavily glaze up his diving mask and the air bubbles floating above him.  I then used a glitter pen to brighten up his handsome fishy companion!

I distressed the edges with Hero Hues Latte Chalk Ink and backed it with Bazzill paper.  I did a bit of stitching on the edge for some added visual interest.

Here are the markers used in my coloring:

The round markers with no writing are from Prismacolor. 

I used one of the Father's Day sentiments that came with the set cut out with MFT Fishtail Flag STAX Dies.  I also lightly sponged the edges to make them pop a bit more.  I added a fluffy Grosgrain bow tied with a bit of rustic twine to make it more manly!  ;)  I did add a tiny bit of a blingy flourish interpretively to represent the water he's swimming in.

I used a Martha Stewart punch for the double loops on the bottom and created these rolled flowers by punching three circles measuring 2.5".  I then cut them into swirls and rolled them inward upon themselves sealing them tight with hot glue.

Oh this project was SO fun to create!!  Please come join us right at the Hambo Hoedown Challenge Blog!!
Looking forward to seeing your sparkly creations over there!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

Psst...Some Exciting News!

Click to come check it out!!!