Thursday 26 February 2015

Wacky Watercooler "Spring Fever" Blog Hop









Welcome to our Wacky Watercooler Spring Fever Blog Hop.  It doesn't feel much like Spring here right now since we've had yet another snowfall and all the dingy snow has turned sparkling white.  The temperatures have gotten much colder as well so my dreams of not having to wear boots or my heavy winter jacket have been shattered.  Yes, it's still February but I'm so very ready for Spring.  My projects, therefore, are helping me to have an illusion of Spring coming.  I suppose that's better than nothing at all.

Our Blog Hops run in a circular manner.  What that means is that no matter where you begin, as you go from one participant to the next, you will inevitably wind up at the point where you began.  I hope you'll find time to check out all our blogs.

If you've been moving forward in the blog hop, you'll have joined me after  visiting the very talented Penny Hanuszak's blog.  Isn't she creative?

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For my first project, I drew Penny Hanuszak's name.  What that meant is that I had to go back through her blog posts to find my favourite among her Spring or Easter posts.  It wasn't an easy choice and, after waffling back and forth a few times, I decided to CASE her March 7th, 2012 post.  I knew I would be able to make my version into a Spring themed card and I loved her layout.


For my card I turned to the beautiful Irresistibly Yours Designer Series Paper that is free during Sale-a-bration with a purchase of $60.  I love that paper simply because it is so very versatile.  Since it has the appearance of white heat-embossed cardstock, you can sponge it, brayer it, or, as I chose to do, spritz it using the handy Stampin' Spritzer filled with a mixture of Isopropyl Alcohol and a few drops of Rose Red re-inker.   I think it looks wonderful with the white, Smoky Slate, and Basic Grey of the card.  


My image is from the World of Dreams stamp set while my sentiment is from the A Dozen Thoughts stamp set.  I finished up with some small, clear rhinestones and a piece of the lovely, retired Two-Tone Ribbon that is a mixture of Pink Pirouette and Rose Red. 

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For my next project I decided to create what is called a "Joy" fold.  I hadn't done a card with this fold for over a year and had an idea for a square version.  What I had in mind would let me use some of the stamp sets from the Occasions Catalogue that I hadn't yet gotten around to introducing to ink.  

What I like about the Joy fold is that it is like two cards put together:  a large one and a small one.  Of course one has to have an embellishment on the front of the card to help keep the smaller card closed, but that's part of the fun.

My card uses the Ray of Sunshine stamp set from the Annual Catalogue and a number of sets from the Occasions Catalogue.  For the main image I used the Sheltering Tree stamp set and then, for the inside, I used the Painted Petals stamp set.  The beauty of the Painted Petals set is that it complimented the Painted Blooms Designer Paper which I had used for the larger card as well as the Spring Flowers embossing folder which I had used on the Pacific Point panel (to help the design show up I sponged the embossed panel with a bit of Craft Whisper White ink).


Of course I had to do some fussy-cutting.  That wouldn't surprise anyone that knows me.  So, for the front image, I stamped and cut out the tiny bicycle so that it could appear to be leaning against the tree.  I love the finished effect but those handle bars were wicked to cut.  I also cut out the sun which holds the smaller card shut, but that was an easy piece of cutting.


I really love the way these stamp sets worked together so beautifully.

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I thought it would be fun to make a 3-D project and so my little Easter basket was "born".  I had fun using the new Berry Basket Bigz Die to cut out my basket.  I decided to use Cajun Craze and then, for the handle and the top border, added some Gold Foil and Silver Foil.  They just "pop" against the rich colour, don't they?

I could have left it at that, filling it with some candy and Easter "grass".  But I love the Simply Pressed clay and  wanted to add a few eggs to the basket.  Making the eggs was very simple and I put them aside for a few days to let them air dry.  Then my darling daughter came over for coffee and suggested that it would be adorable to add some ears or a beak to the eggs and have them "dressed up" like chicks or a bunny.  Of course I loved the idea!

My little chick wound up being attached to the front of the basket.


My little bunny wound up inside the basket.  His nose?  A tiny pearl coloured with my Blendabilities.


And then I just added googly eyes to my other two eggs and made up nine blossoms using the Spiral Flowers Original die and some of the Typeset Specialty Designer Series paper.  I sponged a bit of Crushed Cantaloupe to the edges of the flowers and added some black "stamens" cut using my Fringe Scissors.  I also added a few Typeset flowers around the basket and a butterfly cut from the Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer paper using my Butterflies Thinlits.



The final touch is a little staked sign with Happy Easter heat embossed in White embossing powder.

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That's it for this month's Blog Hop projects.  I had such fun making everything and hope you enjoyed all my projects.  If you get a moment, please leave a comment.  I'd love to know what you thought of my projects.

Your next stop will be with the very talented Deborah Smart.  She always has such creative projects!




27 comments:

  1. Heidi, what DELIGHTFUL projects. The Ray of Sunshine card is warm and happy. The basket with eggs is creative and fun. thank you for the great ideas.

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    1. Thank you so much, Jackie. I really appreciate your comments.

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  2. Very fun projects! Your creativity is wonderful.

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  3. I love your creations! Beautiful!

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    1. Thanks so much, Marie. I hope you'll feel well enough to join the next hop.

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  4. I'm still giggling at the googly-eyed eggs! That bunny is just too cute :) Love your 'case' of Penny's card, and the Joy fold is fabulous!

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    1. Thanks, Deb. My daughter loves those googly eyes and I have to give her credit for the idea.

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  5. Heidi I love what you've done with the card CAS from my blog. Beautiful. Irresistibly Yours Designer Series Paper was a perfect choice. I really like your choice of the Joy Gatefold card. the colours are so vibrant, and the detail in that bike is something else. You're one talented fussy cutter. And finally your 3-D project made me smile. Your bunny and chicks are so sweet. Love the google eyes on them. What fun!

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    1. Thanks so much, Penny. I had quite a bit of trouble choosing one of your projects. There were three I had tagged and this one won out by a very small margin.

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  6. Wow, Miss Heidi. You knocked it out of the park (like you always do for a hop)!
    I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite as I want to CASE them all. That joy fold card is a masterpiece and hats off for the fussycutting. The basket is a gem all on it's own and the "eggs" are over the top fun. The eggs and their faces put the Wacky in Watercooler after all. I got a kick too out of seeing what words I could pick out in the Typeset paper. I saw Britain and another orange that seemed to be fun and somehow appropriate with you living in a Commonwealth country. I always associate oranges with Britain ever since my Dad brought me back a Moll Flanders doll with a basket of oranges from London when I was a kid. I still have it too!
    Thanks for a wonderful entry. Looking forward to seeing what else is in the hop. Hugs and love - J.

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    1. Thank you so much, Jean. My daughter had the idea for those "wacky" eggs and I ran with it. They make me smile.

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    2. Nice to have a wacky daughter. Fits the hope theme! :D

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  7. Oh my gosh, Heidi, that Easter Basket is adorable. The "wacky" eggs are now on my case list for decorations for my grandson's basket.
    The colors are stunning on the Sheltering Tree card. Blue has always been a favorite color of mine and maybe that is why I hoard it. I need to get it out and play with it.
    World of Dreams has not been on my list of "must haves", but after seeing your card, it now is. That card is a CASE for sure.

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    1. Thanks so much, Christine. I'm so glad my daughter made that suggestion. The wacky eggs make me smile. They're also as light as air. One of the best things about that Simply Pressed Clay. It's funny what we notice first and buy, isn't it? I finally bought that branch of blossoms after emailing you about it and love colouring it. I'm sure it was one of your first purchases. The World of Dreams was one of my first purchases. I love the silhouettes and could see so many possibilities. But that's why we share and become inspired through each other.

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  8. Heidi, your projects are awesome but I love your Easter basket eggs! They are so adorable! Nice job!

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  9. Wonderful projects, Heidi! They all made me feel warm! Love the basket and wacky eggs (perfect for this hop!), and the Rose Red/Smoky Slate combo on the World of Dreams card is my new favorite now. And the sunshiney bike card reminds me of happy summers when I was a kid.

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    1. Thank you, Buffy. Strangely enough I have never used that ribbon before. I received it at a party at my upline's house. I'm not much of a ribbon person, especially the broader ones. I do love the way this card turned out and a large part of that is the ribbon. Funny how life works.

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  10. I am in love with the googly eyed chicky Soooo cute! And the bunny's little face is adorable too. The display you set up for the picture is awesome...well done I bet people are oohing and ahhing over it! Can't believe you cut out that bike...ummm yikes! But the end result is worth it...looks awesome. What a happy and fun card. The pink one you did as a "copy" of the black and white one the other lady did is beautiful...love the pop that the pink in the background has. And the ribbon....it's all really very regal looking Look at you go! Nailed it once again *hugs* Your "darling daughter". :)

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    1. Hey, sweetie! Thanks so much for the glowing review and for the terrific idea for the "wacky" eggs. They were such a hit and such fun. You rock!

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  11. Oh man those critters are to die for! Great work!

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    1. Thanks so much, Stefanie. They were such fun to create!

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  12. Your "just because" card looks like a present. Everything is awesome Heidi as always!

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  13. Lovely projects, Heidi! Cute little clay figures.

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    1. Thank you, Marsha. I've liked playing with the Simply Pressed Clay from its introduction.

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