Hand Stamped By Lacey

High Hopes Challenge #38 - Lots and Lots of Polka Dots

Sunday means it's time to go to church...that AND it's time for another High Hopes Challenge!! This week is hosted by the UBBER talented super Diva Crissy Armstrong (the artist behind the High Hopes images)!!! Crissy's challenge is called "Lots and Lots of Polka Dots". And we have a MASSIVE amount of polka dots on our cards! Make sure to check out the rest of the DT cards for awesome inspiration (links are in my sidebar).

We also have to say goodbye to our past 2 Guests Tab and Karen; you guys are soooo talented and we will miss you. But we get to welcome our 2 new Guests who will be with us for the next 3 months...

Sirpah Hukka aka Sirpaliina

Danielle Kennedy aka Wild Dragonfly Designs

Make sure to give them a warm welcome!!! Now onto my challenge card...

I used Ladybug Stroll from the last release embossed in black and watercolored with Twinkling H2Os and cut out with Nestabilities.

The card base is 5 1/2" square SU Basic Black. The Designer Papers are SU Sweet Slumber and Parisian Breeze (retired). I used some PTI Black Polka Dot Ribbon, a EZ Success Large Retro Flower Punch, some primas, a SU Crystal Brad, and a Daisy Charm from Hobby House.

I carried the layout on the inside...

On the inside of the cover, I added some punched circles...

Now it's your turn. If you would like to be entered into the chance to win the stamps on Crissy's card, make a card using a High Hopes image, add lots of polka dots, and link it in the comment section of the challenge post!

If you upload your card to SCS, use keyword HHC38.

By the time this posts, we should be waking up in our hotel room in Daytona Beach after a night of watching fireworks and the Coke Zero 400 race!! We are heading home today so I hope to be able to post some pictures of our trip! I am also hoping to finish the post for the Tutorial on how to make "The Perfect Gift Bag/Box" originally posted here and here.

Oh, make sure to check the High Hopes Diva's Blogs later this week...there is a rumor that we may have something "new" to share *wink, wink* ;-)

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

Popcorn the Bear - Bunny Zoe's Crafts

Second post today...scroll down to see "The Perfect Gift Box"...

My friend and fellow High Hopes Diva Nikki Fairbairn has opened her own on-line store. You may have already seen her banner on my sidebar. I have placed a few orders and wanted to create a card using some of my new stuff!

Click on the pictures for a larger view.

This is Popcorn the Bear...isn't he so adorable? The set is called Party Time. He's actually much larger than I expected...the image is around 5" tall! So, I made this card 7 1/2" high x 5 1/2" wide. The sketch I used is from Friday Sketchers last week.

I embossed Popcorn in black, watercolored him with Twinkling H2Os, cut him out, and matted him onto a large SU So Saffron Oval (cut with the Oval Curvy Cutter).

The card base is SU Chocolate Chip. The DP is DCWV Pets Stack and I added some of her Jute Ribbon. The spacers on the flowers are also from Bunny Zoe's Crafts. I also own some buttons, but that would have overwhelmed the already-busy design.

I also can not wait to get my new personalized stamp...that is custom made so I haven't received it yet.

Did you know that Nikki is hosting a DT Call right now? The deadline is Monday, July 6th. Go check out her blog for details.

Also, did you know that Nikki's daughter Zoe co-hosts a challenge blog for the young stampers out there (16 years and under) called Crafty Monkeys. Each week they host a new challenge with drawings for prizes. This week they are celebrating their 1st Blogaversary!! The challenge theme is "Celebration" and the winner will win a "Mystery Prize". My daughter Ansley will be entering the challenge.

Make sure to check out Bunny Zoe's Crafts...she is adding new items almost every day!! Soon to be available will be the awesome High Hopes Stamps! Their customer service is awesome and the shipping time is awesome!! The last order I placed only a 1 week to arrive in Florida, USA all the way from the UK!! And that is 1 week from the day I placed the order!!

Thanks for stopping by today! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

The Perfect Gift Box

I was hoping to share the tutorial on the Gift Bag that I created here...which I have named "The Perfect Gift Bag/Box" since I think it's perfect for holding a ton of cards and many other gift options. I have taken the step by step pictures, but I don't have to time to edit and write the post...we are leaving for Daytona Beach to celebrate the 4th of July weekend! Scott has to work some events surrounding the Coke Zero 400 race so the kids and I get to spend a few days on the beach :-)

Anyway, here is a "box" version of "The Perfect Gift Box"....

Click on the pictures for a larger view.

A friend of mine asked me to make her a set of cards to give to a friend. I originally posted the pink version of the card here (the set includes 5 pink cards and 5 green cards).

This box easily holds 10 cards (with "puffy" embellishments...the monogram and flower come out at least 1/4" on the card) and 11 matching envelopes (I always include an extra envelope in my card sets...just in case).

You can see in the picture above that there is plenty of room in the box still. The box actually measures 7" tall, 5" wide, and 3" deep. It requires 2 pieces of 8 1/2" x 11" card stock for the box base and a little less than 12"x12" of Designer Paper to cover (you can also stamp on the box instead of adding DP).

We will be gone until Sunday night. So I will have to finish writing the post when we get home and upload it to my blog on Monday. In the mean time, I have a few projects scheduled to post while I am gone including the next High Hopes Challenge on Sunday.

Thanks for Stopping by! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

Whiff of Joy July Project of the Month

The first of the Month means that it's time for another Whiff of Joy Project of the month! This month's project is "Teacher's Gift"....create a gift for a teacher using the wonderful Whiff of Joy Stamps!

I hate to say that I didn't have much time to make my project. I was supposed to go down to Coral Springs to close on our new house on Friday. But after some errors on the bank's part, we had to move the closing to monday AND we almost didn't get it done on Monday!! I am just so glad that we finally got it done...we now have 2 houses!! Yikes....technically my husband's company owns our "old" home and we plan to move into the new house in the next few weeks.

Anyway, that was just to explain that I didn't get home from our trip until 3pm today...which only left me a few hours to get my project done! Good thing I had 5 hours to plan it out in my head on the drive home! :-)

So here it is...

Click on the pictures for a larger view.

One of the popular things that our teachers like are Bath and Body Works lotions and shower gels. For my gift, I included one of the new White Citrus (very light lemon scent...I LOVE it) lotion and shower gel set in this handmade gift bag.

The bag measures 7" tall, 5" wide, and 3" deep.

Would you like to learn how to make it? I will try to make up a tutorial to share really soon!

In the mean time, I used a fiscars punch for the top border, heart charm, pearl brads and spacer from Hobby House in the UK. The image is Willow in the Summer Breeze from the recently released Summer Kit. I embossed Willow in black, then watercolored her with Twinkling H2Os. The sentiment is also from the Summer Kit.

Here's a close up of the front...

I will make up a tutorial with both a lid (to make it a box) or use the handles (as shown in this project).

Have you seen the wonderful news on Katharina's blog? She is hosting a Call for 15 Guest Designers to participate with their 1st Anniversary Blog Hop which will take place on July 25th. In order to enter the GDT call, you need to create a card using the sketch on her post and upload it by Wednesday, July 8th (her time). Check her blog for more information.

I hope you will participate with the GDT call!! If not, make sure to mark your calenders for the July 25th Anniversary Blog Hop which will end with a release party over at Paper Craft Planet!!

Well, I have a ton of things to do to unpack from our trip this weekend and REPACK for our trip to Daytona Beach this weekend?! Hopefully, I will be able to post some pictures of my new home :-)

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

High Hopes Challenge #37 - Stars or Stripes

It's time for another High Hopes Challenge. This week it is MY turn to host the challenge!! My challenge (in honor of the 4th of July American Holiday aka Independence Day), my challenge is to use STARS or STRIPES on your card. It doesn't have to be a patriotic theme. In fact, my card is not a patriotic card.

I went through my stash of High Hopes Rubber stamps and looked for an image that either had a star or would work with stars or stripes. I found a few good ones. But this one called Little Sand Architect hadn't been inked yet!!

I embossed him in black, then watercolored him using Twinkling H2Os. Now, it took me a little bit to get a "tan" on him!! I didn't want him to blend in too much with the sand. So I just had to try a few different colors. Then I added a little pink to his back...I think he needed a little more sun screen!!  I added a little starfish to help with the "star" theme.

The DP is an OLD retired SU pack and the card base is an OLD SU in-color Blue Bayou. I love the soft stars in the red layer and thought the stripped layer was appropriate for a "red, white, and blue" background without screaming USA!! I do LOVE my international visitors and don't want to offend ;-) LOL

The large star is vellum CS which was first run through a crimper, then diecut with the Sizzix Star die (a scrap left over from this project). The yellow star is also a scrap left over from this project. I added a button from my stash...don't remember where I got it. The sentiment is also from High Hopes.

I carried the layout through to the inside....

I had to reverse the DP though because I only had scraps left of the striped paper. I added some more stars on the inside of the card front.

So...now it is YOUR turn!! Would you like to win the stamp and sentiment that I used on my card? Make a card using a High Hopes image, add some stars or stripes (you don't have to use both), and upload your card to the challenge post on the High Hopes Blog. Kimmie will pick a random winner next Sunday who will receive these stamps for free!! Gotta love free stamps, right? This is a simple challenge...most stamps can be paired with stripes!!!

Oh, and if you upload your card to SCS, use keyword HHC37!

On a personal note, our closing of the new house was postponed until Monday. So we are "stuck" in South Florida for the weekend. Usually not a bad deal, but I have a head and chest cold so I would much rather be home. Not to mention that there is NO stamping here!! Yikes!! I am going to go through withdrawals!! Hopefully we will be home Monday night. We are supposed to leave again on thursday for the 4th of July weekend in Daytona Beach! And I have some DT stuff that needs to be done before I leave. Oh well! At least the kids are having fun with their cousin.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you can play along!! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

Damask Gift Set

My girlfriend called me with a request to make a gift set for her friend. She wanted a monogram set and she really liked the black and white set that I made her awhile ago. So, I set to work...actually re-working a design I made a few weeks ago....

I wanted a pop of color to the Black and White design. So I went through my stash of primas and found enough large flowers in 2 colors that work well together in a set! Therefore, I can enter this card in the Creatively Cute Blogger Challenge #8...Pink which is hosted by the wonderful Anjou!

The mat on this card is the new SU in-color Melon Mambo...this is fast becoming my favorite color...even though it hasn't even been released yet!! It will be available on July 1st...so get your wallets ready!!

The card base was cut with the sizzix scalloped card die out of SU Basic Black CS. I inked up the edges with PTI Fresh Snow ink. The damask stamp is actually from the $1 section at Michaels!! The black ribbon is from PTI.

The monogram is SU Lovely Letters which is punched out with the 1" circle punch.

I will be making a box for it, so I will have to post the finished project later.

Now, if you would like to participate with the Creatively Cute Blogger Challenge...it is open to all!! So grab something pink, make a card, and upload it to SCS using keyword CCB08. Anjou has been collecting a ton of stuff for the winner...and the more who join, the more will be added to the prize!! So, hurry up and get those cards done!! The deadline is Monday, June 29th. The winner will be chosen on June 30th.

Make sure to come back here on Sunday for the High Hopes Challenge. This week it was MY turn to host!!! Such fun!

Thanks for stopping by today! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

Whassup?

I am scheduling the next few posts because we are heading down to South Florida on Thursday to close on our new house!! My husband is a little busy at work right now, so he can't actually take time off from work to move! So, we have a little time before we have to leave our North Florida home. Plus we also want to install wood floors in the new home since the carpets need to be replaced upstairs...the tile downstairs is in good condition so we are only doing upstairs. Therefore, we are going down to close on the house, but we won't be moving in for a few more weeks.

Anyway, I made this set of cards for my neighborhood Bunco group (it's a dice game that we play each month...lots of fun). Each month we bring an item to put in the themed basket. The last person who gets "Bunco" wins the basket. This past month, the theme was "Beach"...actually "Jimmy Buffet", but any beach item would work.

I took this picture right before leaving for Bunco so I didn't have time to take them out and get a better photo. There were 8 cards in the set...all with the same design.

I stamped the surf board from SU Just Surfing stamp set 1 time in Bermuda Bay, then I masked it off, and stamped it a second time in Melon Mambo (both new in-colors from SU available July 1st). I tore some Creamy Caramel CS to create sand dunes, inked up the edges wtih Chocolate Chip, and layered them onto the cards. I sewed around the edges, inked up the background with Baja Breeze to create a "sky", then attached everything to a Crushed Curry card base (another new in-color).

I was so glad to be able to use this stamp set! I bought it back in May to use for Scott's surprise "Luau 40th Birthday party", but I got so busy I ended up just sending an email invite!! Gasp!! How embarrasing for a "card maker" to send an email invitation!! Oh well. However, I believe these would make awesome beach party or pool party invitations.

The sentiment is from Stamping Bella but I though it fit this design perfectly. I wanted these cards to be used for any occassion.

Here's a side view of the box...

The box is from  PTI and it easily holds 8 cards and envelopes (without many embellishments). I love these boxes, they are great for an easy gift. After I took the picture, I wrapped it in some Bermuda Bay polka dot ribbon with a bow on the front. I think they were a huge hit.

This set only took me about an hour to make all of them...including the sewing.

By the time this posts, I should be on my way to South Florida. However, I have the start of a headcold with a sore throat and a runny nose. My breaks are squeeking, so I had to get those checked out in the morning. So I may end up having to rent a car since I don't have time to wait around all day for my car to be worked on! I am so excited (*insert sarcasm*) that I get to pack, get my car looked at, and drive to South Florida with 2 kids by MYSELF!! Scott is already down there! Oh well...ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right?!

I do have a favor to ask, though. Scott's brother is in the hospital in South Carolina with Multiple Pulmonary Embolisms (blood clots in the lungs) and he has a deep vein blood clot in his leg that they are worried about. He is on blood thinners and is being closly monitored, but they expect him to be in the hospital for at least a week. Please keep him and is family in your prayers. They are in the process of moving from Texas and have been separated as a family (because of the move) since Christmas! This is a very stressful time for him and his family.

Thank you so much for your prayers!! And thanks for stopping by! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

Picnic Time!!!

I am sooo excited about my project today!! I've had this image from the last High Hopes Release that I haven't inked up yet. I wasn't sure what I was going to use it for, honestly. I thought I would have to have a picnic with my family so I could use it on a picnic scrapbook page! Of course, that would be fun, but it's been too hot for a picnic lately! It would also work for a cookout invitation.  But when I saw the latest My Timeless Template that Lauren created for PTI, I knew exactly what I wanted to make!!!

Click on the pictures for a larger view.

Isn't this just the cutest thing in the world? Lauren hosts a challenge on her blog each month using her templates. This month's "My Time to Create Template Challenge" theme is "Create your own designer paper". I was a little torn because I REALLY wanted to use this picnic blanket looking DP (from DCWV). So I decided to alter the DP by stamping some strawberries (Whiff of Joy), and pieces of pie and hot dogs (SU Voila to go)randomly on the DP. I'm not sure if this still qualifies for the challenge, but it's not about winning the challenge for me....I just HAD to pair these two together!!!

Here's a side view that you can see the images on the DP a little better (maybe).

For the image, I used Ant's Picnic from High Hopes. Aren't those ants so adorable?! I embossed the image in black and watercolored it using Twinkling H2Os. Here is a closer view...

So cute!!!

Anyway, I decided to fill the basket with cookies! What a neat way to bring something to a cookout or BBQ?!

Can you see my chocolate finger print at the top of the basket?! Ugg...the cookies were still a little warm when I put them in the basket. I got a little chocolate on my finger and accidentally hit the basket!! Oh well!

Anyway, I was able to fit a dozen cookies in the basket. I am sure I could have fit some more in there as well...it's much larger than it looks in the pictures.

Ansley fell in love with this basket, so I gave it to her. She says I don't give her enough cards...whatever! It is now on her dresser holding some of her Petshop pets!

School is already out for the summer for us. But this little basket would make a really cute gift for a teacher. Although my friend Brandi says the worst thing you can give a teacher is cookies made by kids! I guess she has visions of kids licking their fingers, then "helping" make cookies!! LOL So, I obviously wouldn't make this for her!! I still love you Brandi...but I won't make you any cookies :-)

Thanks for stopping by today!! Happy Stamping!

High Hopes Challenge #36 - Use up those Scraps!

It's time for another High Hopes Challenge!! This week's challenge is brought to us by the VERY creative Jeanne. I love how Jeanne uses scraps on her cards...not always using designer paper, but stamped cardstock...making the image center focus on her cards. So, her challenge this week is so appropriate to her style..."Use up those scraps"!!

I still have a hard time not using DP, but I made sure that I didn't cut any paper unless it had already been cut down.

I grabbed some scraps and went to work making a birthday card for my "little" brother Paul who will be 30 tomorrow!!

  

I used Norman Goat for my image (embossed in black and watercolored with Twinkling H2Os). The image is considered a "scrap" since I embossed it weeks ago for another purpose and chose to use another image on that card...so it went into the "scrap" pile.

The DP is from SU Manchester. I had cut the background paper for another card, but chose to use different DP instead along with the Always Artichoke card base. The two horizontal strips were already cut, I just had to trim the top one to fit the sketch I used which is Friday Sketchers this week...

Instead of the flowers in the sketch, I used some scrap velvet ribbon and a SU Cordouroy brad for more of a masculine design.

The sentiment on the outside is a sneak peek of the new SU set called Teeny Tiny Wishes which was stamped on a scrap piece and punched with the SU Word Window punch. The cirlce was punched out of some scraps as well.

On the inside, I added some more DP with a High Hopes sentiment (embossed on scraps)...

I kept the rest simple since the DP is light enough to write on and I wanted a larger space to write a note to my brother.

On the inside of the card, I added some chipboard letters and punched some more scrap DP with the SU Photo Corners punch...

Here is a close up of Norman...

I wanted to say HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all of the dads out there (although, I doubt there are any "dads" checking my blog today)!!LOL 

We are hoping to spend some time together with Daddy today! We're not sure what we are going to do, but the kids are just excited to spend time with daddy!!

Now, if you want to play along with the challenge this week, make sure to link your card to the challenge post in order to be entered into the drawing for the free stamps!! And if you upload your card to SCS, make sure to use keyword HHC36. Don't forget to check out the rest of the Diva's cards...they will knock your sock off (links in my sidebar)!!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey

Anniversary 3-in-1 challenge!

My wedding anniversary is next tuesday so I wanted to get Scott's card done before he comes home tonight for the weekend. I browsed some of my favorite challenge blogs for some inspiration and ended up combining 3 challenges in 1 card. I love doing this...why? It's not that I want to cheat by combining the challenges (I don't really enter challenges to win...although that is always a plus if that happens), but I love the "challenge" part of it! How to combine 3 inspiration pieces into 1 card.

So, here are the challenges...

Cute Card Thursday: "Tag, your it" - Use some sort of tag on your card or make the card into a tag shape.

SCS sketch SC233 (I turned it to fit the vertical image)

Stampavie and More: "Numbers" - Use numbers on your card

Here is my card for Scott for our 8 year anniversary...

I used First Kiss by Sarah Kay for the image, embossed in black and watercolored with Twinkling H2Os. The DP is SU Parisian Breeze (which is retiring, but I managed to get another whole pack, so you will see this again).

Here's the sketch...

The tag was created on the computer and is the date of our wedding and was diecut with a sizzix scalloped tag die.

I added a brown button (I think it's Basic Grey), a few brown brads, and that was it. I kept the embellishments simple since it is more of a masculine card (eventhough the image isn't exactly masculine...it is a card for a guy)!

Here's a close up of the image...

Aren't they so cute!!

I followed the sketch through to the inside...

The sentiment is from High Hopes.

Tonight we are going to a "Goodbye Party" that a friend is hosting for me and another mom in the neighborhood. She is moving next week, we will be moving in about 4 weeks. It's going to be fun, but sad at the same time!! Since it's still a few weeks away, I'm trying not to get too sentimental about moving YET!! But I know I will loose it closer to moving time!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Stamping!

~Lacey