Freshly Made Sketches #422

It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today's hostess is Linda. My FMS teamies made so many different kinds of designs, I think you are going to enjoy this sketch. Lots of possibilities!

I have been blessed to be on many design teams over the years. But my very first one will always hold a special place in my heart, and I still love their images. So for this week's sketch, I have chosen the MIME clear stamp set from Hambo Stamps. It's the perfect valentine for this theater girl. You can find the entire set HERE.

I stamped with Altenew's Black ink, and then colored with my Copics. Red is always scary for me, because it's hard to fix a mistake! Once I had finished, I overstamped with VersaFine Clair Nocturne for a sharper look. I added some white mini ric rac down the side.

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EST on Monday, February 17. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what lovely things my teammates have created on their blogs!

Challenges:

Just Us Girls (I used horizontal black arrow stripes!)

The Paper Players (My pink is under his mask!)

The Card Concept (Inspired by the colors and Be Mine sentiment
on my Clean and Layered card)

A Little Porcupine Love

I am hosting the Splitcoaststampers Technique Challenge this week, and our technique is called Pencil Monochrome. You can find the tutorial HERE.

While my little Porcupine (Hambo Stamps) looks gray in this photo, he really is Sepia IRL. The green DSP also matches the enamel dots! Dang florescent lights! I liked the texture the pencil gave to his "fur" so didn't burnish to blend. I used a Prismacolor Pencil and Memento Tuxedo Black ink on my little guy, and VersaFine Onyx Black (crisper result) for the sentiment.

I just adore Hambo Stamps. They are my favorite for whimsical images. Their digi store is full of super adorable images!

Stamps: Porcupine (Hambo Stamps)

Paper: Crumb Cake (SU!), Ivory (HL), Merry Merry DP (Pebbles)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Prismacolor Sepia

Accessories: enamel dots (MME), pierced frame dies (Stephanie Barnard)

Techniques: Pencil Monochrome  Challenges: Addicted to Stamps - Use more than one Stamp Colour Crazy Challenge - Anything Goes  CCEE Stampers - Masculine Cards  Hannah & Friends - Animals

Otter Love

I'm playing along in several challenges with this little guy. My otter is sending sunshine and love to cheer up a friend! I am working on flat and mailable for January, which is not my usual style, as I like lots of embellishments and layers!
I LOVE HAMBO STAMPS and yes, they are still in business! If you aren't familiar with their artwork, you need to go check it out. Cutest ever. I used Otter (4521) and It's An Otter (4509). It's super (almost eerily) foggy here today, so I am bringing some warmth to our skies with my little smiley guy.

I stamped him in Archival Black (SU!) and then used my Kuretake paints to color. I did a fast watercolor for my coloring. I die cut the edge using a new Pretty Posh stitched die, added some corrugated hearts and a little wood heart. Still pretty flat and mailable!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you have a sunny day!

 

Crafty Gals Corner - Add a heart  

Tuesday Throwdown - Your Favorite Medium 

Dream Valley Challenges - Something New

Bit More Time to Craft - Always Anything Goes

Love Pink & Purple?

Do you love pink and purple? I surely do! Definitely two colors that always make me happy! And even more so if it includes a giraffe! There is a fabulous challenge going on at the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog and it's all about pink and purple!

I love my Hambo Stamps' giraffes! Doesn't this one look cute all decked out in pink spots? The Bright Pink Ric Rac and little Ivory Burlap String bow are both from Really Reasonable Ribbon!

Come play along with us in the Challenge! Create a card, layout, multi media piece, tag, ATC, hair bow, you name it. Just be sure to follow the theme and use ribbon, lace or trim somewhere on your project.

You have until Wednesday, August 3rd at 11:59 PM Eastern time to enter your projects. The Top Three will be chosen and posted on August 5th! It's tons of fun!

Other Challenges: 
Crafting-With-Friends - Anything Goes 
Dragons Lair Designs - It's a ZOO out there 
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes 
Craft Rocket Challenges - Spots and/or Stripes 
Crafty Ribbons - #161 Pink & Girly 
Hannah & Friends - #253 Animals

It's HOGtoberfest!

WOW! October already!...and that means one amazing thing...it's HOGtoberfest time at Hambo Stamps!

From October 1 - 15, enjoy a 30% discount on ALL regular-priced stamps in the store, with an additional 30% discount given on "Sale" stamps. Simply mention "HOGtoberfest14" when you order for the discount to be applied. Please note that the discount only applies to stamps, and not to cling cushion or any other available supplies. The "HOGtoberfest14" code can also be used in the Digi Store.  

It's perfect timing too for a brand new monthly challenge, which this month is all about the PIGS!! Obviously Hambo Stamp pigs are the best, so get your piggin' creative juices flowing and come join the Bacon Bits in this month's challenge! 

My card is made using List Pig - 1906 and Just Pigcause - 4112. I stamped my pig with VersaFine Onyx Black, embossed with Clear embossing powder and then colored in with Copics. 

Come join us!

Hugs Sand Kisses

There is a fun and easy challenge just starting today at the Hambo Hoedown. It's all about KIDS and you are invited to play along!

I used Hambo's Sand Box Dino and Hugs Sand Kisses for my images. Both are stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black ink. The Dino is colored with Copic markers. My dotty paper is from Doodlebug's Take Note 6x6 pad.

Come play along!

A Little Hambo Humor

More than halfway through August already? Where did summer go? Over on the Hambo Hoedown blog, there is a fun challenge all about humor! You still have PLENTY of time to jump in. Just create your card by September 3rd at midnight with the theme HUMOR US!! You can use any company's image for this challenge but if you use a Hambo image, you can enter this challenge as many times as you would like. All others can enter once. There will be two winners of the challenge; each will receive a free digi of their choice from the Hambo digi store. 

I used some of my favorite Hambo images for my card:
Chickens - 0908 and Chicken On You - 1321:

I stamped my chickens with VersaFine Onyx Black, and then colored in with Copic markers. My sentiment is stamped with Stephanie's Premium Dye Ink in Tangerine. The chicken feet are from a retired Hambo stamp (I know -- it needs to come back!).

In other news, my sweet black lab Lucy, who turned 10 in May, became very sick one Saturday night, and by Tuesday, we had to let her go. We ran all sorts of tests to see if it was something that could be diagnosed and fixed, but to no avail. She was so sick and suffering so much, and we knew it was the right thing to do. I miss her sweet face every day, as does my white lab, Fiona.  Give your pets a special hug from me~!

What Do You Think He Is?

My images are from a new digi set by Hambo Stamps called Animal Heart. At Hambo, we think he is related to the Ice Age Sloth. What animal do you think he is?

Other challenges for this card:
The Pink Elephant - LOVE

Stamps: Animal Heart digital image by Hambo Stamps
Paper: Kraft, Barely Banana, K & Co. Sleepy Tree DP

Ink: Spectrum Noir markers
Accessories: banner die (TE), button, mini ric rac (RRR)

Just a Little Thumb Thing.....Filled With Love!

Today at the Hambo Hoedown we are sharing some fun ideas for Valentine's Day with our theme of LOVE. This is the second week of the challenge, so be sure to stop by the Hoedown and play along!

My card is made with one of the most versatile Hambo stamps there is: Fingerprint (0709). The sentiment is Little Thumb Thing (1510). I have made several things using this cute little stamp and I just love how it looks as a heart:

Pretty fun, huh? It is a cute little 4.25" square card that will be perfect to contain a gift card for a dinner out. Show us your ideas to share the love and come play along!

Happy Birthday Tim!

Today at the Hambo Hoedown, the Bacon Bits Design Team girls are celebrating Tim Hunter's birthday! Tim is the pen (pencil?) behind all the Hambo Stamps images (well, maybe not QUITE all, but almost - Monica is responsible for a few!) and we wanted to wish him a happy day. His birthday is actually later this week, but today is a NEW CHALLENGE at the Hoedown, so we are celebrating a day early.

Our challenge is to make a CAS (Clean and Simple) design! Easy! You don't even have to make it a birthday greeting. We all did for Tim, but the challenge is open to any kind of greeting or occasion. You can play along with us here.

For my birthday greeting I chose Caveman (4221) and Back Then (4206). 

I stamped my Caveman on Whisper White cardstock (SU!) and then colored in using Copic markers. I embossed the background with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and then cut a blurb out of Kraft using an Avery Elle die (Oh Yeah). I stamped my sentiment on the Kraft with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM!!

Be sure to check out what my team mates 

have made to wish Tim a happy day:

  Deborah
Jane

Jenn  

Jeannie

Juliana

Kendra
Lyn

It's a Time Machine Blog Hop with Hambo Stamps!

Welcome to "Hambo's Time Machine" sponsored by Hambo Stamps! Today Hambo friends and the Bacon Bits Design Team are bringing you fun creations that depict something cool from the 1980's! It might be our favorite book, something in the news then, a fashion fad, a song, or something that really stuck out to us in looking back. If you arrived here from Kendra's blog you are in the right place! If not, you might want to start back at the beginning at the Hambo blog to make sure you are eligible for the hopper prize!

A prize will be awarded to one participant whose Time Machine creation tickles the Bacon Bits’ fancy in a hammin’ jammin’ way!  Another prize will be awarded randomly to a hopper who comments on all of the blogs along the way. The winners will be announced on the Hambo company blog, Talk to the Ham, on Wednesday, September 25, as well as at the Hambo Hoedown challenge blog. We love comments anytime, but the deadline for prize entry comments is Sunday, September 22 at 5 PM CST. Don't miss it!

I had a hard time choosing what I wanted to do. I mean, the 80's!? LOTS of fun things going on then. I finally decided on a movie and a song with a huge cult following that almost everyone knows. Can you guess what it is?

You can find Ghost Duo on the Hambo Halloween page. Lots of fun rubber images there for the upcoming holiday! I stamped both ghosties on textured white CS with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Hambo Stamps carries a large selection of Memento Ink colors, so be sure to check those out too!

Click on it. You know you want to.

You have reached the end of our hop today and we hope you had fun taking a trip back to the 80's with many things that will jog your memory -- or show you something you missed!

Be sure to join us at the Hambo Hoedown this week. Not only will we announce this hop's winners, but we have some big changes coming up and you won't want to miss them!

Complete hop order:
Talk to the Ham
Sherry  
Lyn 
Kecia  
Deborah  
Deanne

Jeannie

Bridget 

Jenn  
Hetty  
Jane

Lisa 

Kendra
Judy

It's A Surprise!

For today's Really Reasonable Ribbon hop, click here. 
For today's Timeless Tuesday post, click here.

It's a Surprise Birthday Hop for Monica Hunter! Monica is the owner of Hambo Stamps and today is her birthday. The Bacon Bits Design Team got together and decided to throw a little surprise party for her, and we would like you to join us! 

If you arrived here from Jeannie's blog, you are in the right place. Otherwise, start at the beginning with Deborah's blog so you don't miss out on any party fun. Every birthday has to have presents, and this one has one for you! One random hopper that completes the hop and comments on each blog will receive a Hambo Birthday surprise! The winner will be announced at the Hambo Hoedown on Wednesday, August 21. 

Here is the hop order in case you get lost:
Deborah
Jane
Jeannie

Judy
Kendra
Lyn

My card today is made with one of Hambo's new releases: Big Giraffe (5116) and Age Spots (5115). It's no secret that I love giraffes, and this one is just adorable! I made a CAS design today, because I know Monica loves clean and simple designs! I stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored in with Copic markers. The inside says "At least they're not stripes." My "spotty" designer paper banners are from American Crafts.

Happy happy birthday, Monica!! Now hop on over to Kendra's for more birthday fun!

On the Road Again?

Today at the Hambo Hoedown, our challenge is all about MAPS! Create a project using any kind of map AND a Hambo image and receive the next image released at the Hoedown free! Read about the challenge rules here.

Today I used two rubber images from Hambo, Armadillo (4516) and On the Road (4508). I added some designer paper from Basic Grey for my map. I stamped my images with Memento Tuxedo Black and then colored in with Copic markers. 

I loved this challenge because this summer I have been taking some road trips around my state. I have lived in Nebraska for over 20 years and there are so many towns I have never been to, and parts of the state that I haven't explored. So on my given travel days, I spin my little arrow on the map, and the direction it points is the way I go. No interstate travel - and I have to take a different way back than the one I took to get "there."

It's been pretty fun. Here is a picture of a typical scene close to my town. But I love what it represents: hard work by families farming.

I am looking forward to my trip this week. It will be a bit longer - my destination is 4 hours away, but I plan to enjoy being on the road again.

Check out what my Hambo teamies made for today's challenge:
* Jane * Jeannie * Kendra * Lyn *

 

Come play along with us at the Hoedown!

Other challenges for this card: 
Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes 
Card Mania - Kraft Paper 
Lady Anne's Challenge - The Great Outdoors 


Stamps: Armadillo (4516) and On the Road (4508)
Ink: Copic markers and Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Basic Grey Wander DP, SU! Crumb Cake, Poptone Sweet Tooth
Accessories and Tools: buttons (Buttons Galore), twine, Martha Stewart punch, paper piercer 

Stay Cool with a Sketch Challenge!

 

Do you love sketches? I do! 

It's Thursday and that means a new sketch from Jen 

at The Deconstructed Sketch!

Here is this week's sketch #105 -- designed by my teamie, Sheri!

I chose some adorable Hambo Stamps' images for my card today: Stay Cool (1516) and Say Cheese (3222). Although the Stay Cool sentiment was designed to be used with some cute penguins and winter stamps, it can be paired with other images too! I think this mousie's stance is pretty cool!

I like this color combo and wanted to show it's not just for Halloween. My designer paper is from American Crafts. I stamped on Poptone Sweet Tooth Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink (also available at Hambo Stamps) and colored in with Copic markers.

Hambo Stamps has just released some super funny and punny new images in both red rubber and clear stamps sets. Check out the new arrivals HERE. There is even one that was a surprise to me! Check them out and see if you can guess which it is!

The ribbon is from the June Ribbon Club Assortment at Really Reasonable Ribbon. Check out the RRR Hop today HERE for a chance to win this month's assortment!
  
The Deconstructed Sketch girls have some terrific samples to show, so be sure to have a visit at their blogs too!

• Amber Hight
• Arielle Gordon
• Cresta Woodruff
• Dawn Easton
• Donna Wardle (off this week)
• Jen Shults (off this week - Best Wishes on your move!)
• Joni Wilson
• Judy Rozema (me!)
• Kadie Ensley
• Lori Boyd
• Sandra MacLean (This is Sandra's last week- leave her some love!)
• Sheri Gilson
• Tobi Crawford (off this week)
• Tracey Pickersgill

To play along, link up here!

Other challenges for this card: 
Nutcrafters - Food/Drink 
Penny's Paper-Crafty - 1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellishments 
Scrappers' Delights - S is for... (Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Spellbinders Circle dies)

The Battle of the Bands with Hambo Stamps

Welcome to "The Battle of the Bands" sponsored by Hambo Stamps! Today Hambo friends and the Bacon Bits Design Team are bringing you fun creations that depict Band groups! It might be our favorite, or just one that was fun to design. If you arrived here from Kendra's beautiful blog you are in the right place! If not, you might want to start back at the beginning at the Hambo blog to make sure you are eligible for the hopper prize!

A prize will be awarded to one participant whose comic strip-themed creation tickles the Bacon Bits’ fancy in a hammin’ jammin’ way!  Another prize will be awarded randomly to a hopper who comments on all of the blogs along the way. The winners will be announced on the Hambo company blog, Talk to the Ham, on Wednesday, May 29, as well as at the Hambo Hoedown challenge blog. We love comments anytime, but the deadline for prize entry comments is Sunday, May 26 at 5 PM CST. Don't miss it!

The band I chose is a trio of girls. Can you figure it out?

It's the Dixie Chicks! And they are standing in "Wide Open Spaces" (see video!).

I used Chick (0624) and What's Up Chick? (2704) for my images. I stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black ink and colored in with Copic markers. My layout is Deconstructed Sketch 102.

Here is a little music to get your toes tappin':

 
You made it! You forged through the Battle of the Bands to the end! Be sure you have commented along the way to be eligible for a Hambo shopping trip!

Now I would like to invite you to head on over to the Hambo Hoedown and join in our weekly challenge! Fun stuff there~!

Thanks for joining us today! 

Hop Route:
Talk to the Ham  
Sherry  
Lyn  
Kecia
Deborah  
Deanne

Isha

  Paula

Lori 

Jenn

Jane

Sue

Kendra

Judy - << You are here

Stamps: Chick (0624) and What's Up Chick? (2704) (Hambo Stamps)
Paper: Poptone Sweet Tooth, American Crafts DP 
Ink: Copics, VersaFine Onyx Black
Accessories: Fiskars Grass Punch, White Mini Pom Poms (Really Reasonable Ribbon), chipboard flower (October Afternoon) 

"Name That Toon" with Hambo Stamps~!

Welcome to "Name That Toon!" sponsored by Hambo Stamps! 

Today Hambo friends and the Bacon Bits Design Team are bringing you a dozen fun creations that depict comic strips! It might be our favorite, or just one that was fun to design. If you arrived here from Paula's lovely blog you are in the right place! If not, you might want to start back at the beginning at the Hambo blog to make sure you are eligible for the hopper prize!

A prize will be awarded to one participant whose comic strip-themed creation tickles the Bacon Bits’ fancy in a hammin’ jammin’ way!  Another prize will be awarded randomly to a hopper who comments on all of the blogs along the way. The winners will be announced on the Hambo company blog, Talk to the Ham, on Wednesday, January 23, as well as at the Hambo Hoedown challenge blog. We love comments anytime, but the deadline for prize entry comments is Sunday, January 20 at 5 PM CST. Don't miss it!

My card is made with Caveman - HCL032 clear stamp set (Clear stamps are new at Hambo!). You can also get them in rubber: Caveman - 4221 and My World Evolves - 4214. I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored in using Copic markers. 

Can you guess my comic strip? It is my all-time favorite: B.C. by Johnny Hart. 

What a brilliant and funny man he was. I loved how he could poke fun at every subject imaginable, but many times had a poignant message for his readers as well. Some of the ones that made me giggle the most were the definitions. Here is one of my favorites:

Hart passed away in 2007, but his family carries on the B.C. legacy and the comic still appears in newspapers all over the world.
 
Well, you made it to the end! And we hope that you enjoyed "stripping" with us! (Just putting that in to see who is reading this LOL). Be sure to check out this week's Hambo Hoedown Challenge. There is one more day to apply for the Hambo Bacon Bits Design Team! CLEAR STAMPS are in stock, ready to be shipped to your own little door of the world. Lots of fun stuff at Hambo Stamps! 

Stamps: Caveman Clear Stamp Set HCL032 (Hambo Stamps)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics E00, E33, E35, E49, E57, YG63 YG67, C3
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip (SU!), White (GP), Archaic DP (Basic Grey)
Accents: Pewter pearls (Kaiser), jute string, ticket corner and slit punches (SU!)  

Snowy Trees and a New Featured Stamper Challenge

I love browsing other stampers' galleries and blogs and seeing what awesome things they make. I get so many ideas and am so inspired by others' work.  Today's Featured Stamper Challenge is just one of those times. Sharri Seffens is the FS this week and I chose her pretty Christmas design HERE to case (copy and share everything).

I kept a lot the same: her layout and theme, but changed papers, trees to a die cut, and moved the sentiment. I changed the main panel to a circle and used a different embossing folder for the background. My sentiment is Let It Snow - 1518 by Hambo Stamps.

My lace trim is 1.5" Ivory Crochet Lace by Really Reasonable Ribbon. I LOVE this lace so much and have used it on so many projects. I like how it adds a hint of lace, but is very open to see the design underneath. The glitter is on the tree branches is from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

I hope you will stop back tomorrow to read some fun news and see my next holiday creation!

Other challenges for this card:
Amusing Challenges - Die Cut 
Pile It On - Embellishments 
Sketchy Colors - Color Inspiration (Red, Green, White)
The Ribbon Girls - Christmas Projects
The Squirrel & the Fox - Summer or Winter
My Sheri Crafts  - Tis the Season 
Totally Gorjuss - Anything goes with Glitter
2 Sisters - Christmas Sparkle 
Challenge Up Your Life - 1st Snow  
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - To Die For
Crafts 4 Eternity - Christmas Chaos
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Christmas
Fussy and Fancy - I love Christmas
Lexi's Creations - Christmas
Tuesday Throwdown - lots of layers
Simon says Stamp - anything goes
Wags n Whiskers - Christmas
Partytime Tuesdays - anything goes