Using stamps to decorate your special dinner!

Hello High Hopes Fans!!

Click here for our current challenge.

Scroll down to see the winners of the Christmas Release Blog Hop.

It is Tutorial Tuesday Time!!

However, this week we don't have a typical tutorial. We have a "showcase" instead.

High Hopes carries a wide variety of stamps for any 'themed' party...

even a Holiday Dinner Party!

So two of our fabulous Divas have created a Holiday Themed Table Setting.

Karen has created a lovely Thanksgiving Dinner Table...

While Tanya has created a Winter Wonderland Christmas Dinner Table...

We will start with Thanksgiving...

Included in this collection, Karen has created a

Dinner Menu, Napkin Ring, Party Favor,

and a wonderful centerpiece!

She chose "Fall" colors for a bright and cheery table!

For the Menu, Bountiful Harvest is the perfect stamp!

The menu is a simple "gate fold" card.

The menu was printed on the computer and added to the inside of the menu.

Cubby Pumpkins decorates a simple napkin ring.

These are easy to create. Just wrap some cardstock or patterned paper around a napkin, secure with strong adhesive, then add a decorative image to the front.

Isn't this the most adorable centerpiece?!

Karen decorated the outside of this potted plant using: Single Potted Sunflower, Angel Bear Scarecrow, and Corn Stalk (with some crows from the Scarecrow added).

On the inside of the Plant, Karen added a little "Stick" decoration using We're All Ears and Happy Thanksgiving sentiment.

For a special treat for your guests, you can create a simple "pizza box" decorated to match your theme. Here Karen used Sm Turkey.

If you need a larger image, High Hopes also carries Lg Turkey as well.

On the inside, Karen used Gobble Gobble Sentiment.

(I bet she gobbled up those chocolates after she took that picture!! LOL)

Mmm, I can smell the Turkey roasting now!!

For a different look, Tanya created a more subtle or "elegant" place setting using a crisp blue and brown color combo and some of the new release images...

I think this set is perfect for her simple, yet elegant dinnerware!

In this set, Tanya created a

name plate, menu, party favor, and napkin holder.

Again, the menu is a simple "Gate Fold Card" decorated with one of the new release stamps called Homespun Snowy.

Tanya left her menu blank on the inside, but it is simple to create a menu and print it out on the computer. To add a little elegance, Tanya stamped-off Hope for Peace Snowy in a light blue for a "watermarked" look. You get this look by stamping your image onto scrap paper first, then stamping it a second time onto your project.

At the top of her menu, she created a title using the new Cute Scarf Border.

Tanya used Hope for Peace Snowy again on the napkin ring tying in the Snowman theme.

A few mittens from Cute Mitten Border were cut out and added to a "sour cream" treat container.

Again, tying in the them, Tanya "stamped-off" the Cute Mitten Border a few times to create a subtle background for the name plate.

But you don't have to just stop at the dinner table!

During our release last week, a few of the Divas used the stamps in creative ways to decorate a home for the Holidays...

Decorate your tree...

Spruce up your Kitchen with this adorable recipe holder while doing your Holiday baking...

Have small gifts on hand for a special treat for family, friends, or teachers...

Make sure you have extra tags on hand for a last minute gift...

How about a little candle-light?!...

Decorate your mantle or coffee tables with a framed picture...

And don't forget your front door!!...

So, are you in the Holiday mood yet?!

I know I am!!

We will be back next week with a new challenge!!

In the mean time, Happy Stamping!!

Christmas Blog Hop Winners!!

Hello High Hopes Fans!

I am back today with the long awaited winners of the Christmas Blog Hop!

The "Spread the Word" Candy prize is: The whole release!!

And the winner is...

Janine B

Congratulations!! Please email me at stampandcreate@bellsouth.net with your mailing address.

There are also two random blog hop participant winners who will receive:

5 new release stamps of your choice.

The winner from Sarah's Blog is: Riina

and the winner from Heidi's Blog is: Catherine

Congratulations, ladies! Please email me at stampandcreate@bellsouth.net with your mailing address and choice of free stamps

Christmas Blog Hop and Release!!

Hello High Hopes Fans!!

edit: The winners of the Blog Hop are here.

Click here for our current challenge.

It is time!!

Today is the Christmas Release Blog Hop!!

The wonderful Design Divas have created some awesome samples

to showcase the new release stamps.

As you hop along the blogs to check out the designs,

make sure to leave a comment at each stop.

There is blog candy along the way - but you won't know where!

To enter the candy, you must leave a comment on the correct blog!

The blog hop will end on Saturday at Midnight EST.

After then, you will not be entered into the candy.

Oh, by the way, the stamps are NOW AVAILABLE!!

(Check out here for a list of retailers who may have the new stamps in stock)

So, now...let's hop...

Jeanne

Sirpa

Tanya

Karen

Andrea

Anna

Kristine

Sarah

Alex.

Heidi

Lacey

Happy stamping!!

Christmas Release Sneak Peek Day 2

Hello High Hopes Fans!!

Click here for our current challenge.

So what did you think of the awesome sneak peeks yesterday?

Well, we are back today with more!!

But first, there is still time to enter the "Spread the Word" Candy here!

If you haven't already, help us advertise the Blog Hop and Release by posting the Release Banner on your blog. You can find details here.

The Blog Hop begins at 12:01am EST/5:01am GMT early tomorrow morning!

And the stamps will be available tomorrow!!!

And now, go check out what the Diva's have created for you today!!!

Andrea

Heidi

Anna

Kristine

Alex.

Sarah

Lacey

Sirpa

Karen

Tanya

Challenge 118: Home for the Holidays/Christmas Release Sneak Peek Day 1

Hello High Hopes Fans!!

We hope that you have enjoyed the sneak peeks of the stamps being released on Thursday!

Today is the first day of the full projects being showcased by the wonderful Design Divas.

There is still time to enter the "Spread the Word" Candy here!

If you haven't already, help us advertise the Blog Hop and Release by posting the Release Banner on your blog. You can find details here.

Before we get to the DT projects, we have the winner from the Back to School Challenge...

Congratulations, Cheri!

Please email me at stampandcreate@bellsouth.net with your mailing address and choice of 3 free High Hopes Stamps.

The Divas are using the new stamps on their Challenge projects today!!

We will have another sneak peek day tomorrow.

Then, at 12:01am EST/5:01am GMT on Thursday, we will have a blog hop and release!!

The new challenge is: Home For the Holidays!!

Basically, let's see a Christmas card or project.

Remember you MUST use a High Hopes Stamp to be entered into the Challenge.

One random participant will win 3 free High Hopes Stamps.

If you are in need of some High Hopes stamps, why not check out the Diva's Stores:

Lacey Stephens - Stamp and Create based out of the US

Nikki Fairbairn - Bunny Zoe's Crafts based out of the UK/Europe

Amy Wegener - Stampin' Stuff based out of Australia

High Hopes Website

And now, here are the Diva's Holiday projects...

Tanya

Karen

Sirpa
Lacey

Sarah
Alex.

Kristine

Anna

Heidi
Andrea

Jeanne

All of these designs will be available for purchase on Thursday.

The challenge will remain open through October 3rd.

New release September 22nd!!

Hello stamping friends!!

Edit: The Spread the Word Candy is posted here.

Guess what?...

Yep, that's right...we are having a new release next week!

We have some fun Winter and Christmas designs to help you beat the heat left over from Summer!

The sneak peeks with full design projects will begin next Tuesday September 20th with our next challenge.

There will be more peeks on Wednesday, Sept 21st.

Followed by a Blog Hop and release on Thursday, Sept 22nd.

However, beginning tomorrow, you can have a tiny peek at one of the designs :-)

These peeks will continue though Monday.

Do you want some of the new stamps?

Then we would love you to help us spread the news about our blog hop and release.

To be entered into the draw:

1. Grab our blinkie from this post or the sidebar and place on your blog.

2. Tell your friends about the news, blog hop and release on September 22nd.

3. Become a follower of this blog or our Facebook Page if you aren't already ;-) You don't want to miss out on the fun and there will be tons of prizes along the blog hop!!!

4. Leave a comment on this post with a link to your blog post sharing our news.

The contest ends 8pm EST (Midnight GMT - London) on Saturday, September 24th!!

Tiny Peek Day 4

Hello Stamping Friends!!

If you are looking for the current challenge, click here.

We are back today with another tiny peek of one of the images that will be released on Thursday, Oct 24th.

What do you think about this one?!

As a reminder, if you help us spread the word about the release, you will be entered into a candy drawing! You can see details here.

We will be back tomorrow with the beginning of the full projects and our new challenge.

The release and blog hop is on Thursday, Oct 24th.

Tiny Peek Day 3

Hello Stamping Friends!!

If you are looking for the current challenge, click here.

We are back today with another tiny peek of one of the images that will be released on Thursday, Oct 24th.

What do you think about this one?!

As a reminder, if you help us spread the word about the release, you will be entered into a candy drawing! You can see details here.

We will be back tomorrow with another tiny peek and the full projects begin on Tuesday with our new challenge. The release and blog hop is on Thursday, Oct 24th.

Tiny Peek Day 2

Hello Stamping Friends!!

If you are looking for the current challenge, click here.

We are back today with another tiny peek of one of the images that will be released on Thursday, Oct 24th.

What do you think about this one?!

As a reminder, if you help us spread the word about the release, you will be entered into a candy drawing! You can see details here.

We will be back tomorrow with another tiny peek and the full projects begin on Tuesday with our new challenge. The release and blog hop is on Thursday, Oct 24th.

Tiny Peek Day 1

Hello High Hopes Fans!

If you missed it, make sure to check out the Blog Hop and Release Post here.

We promised you a little peek of the release images...so here you go!

What do you think?

As a reminder, the full release projects begin on Tuesday with our next challenge.

The release and blog hop is scheduled for Thursday, September 22nd.

In the mean time, we will be back with another tiny peek tomorrow!

Meet the Divas: Guests Heidi and Sarah

Hello High Hopes Fans!

We are starting something new today!

Once a month we will showcase two of the Design Divas in a "Meet the Divas" Q &A.

We thought you might want to know more about the people who work for High Hopes and learn about how they got their start in the world of Handmade Cards!

This week it only makes sense to start the Meet the Divas with our two newest members -

our Guest Divas...

Heidi

1)How long have you been crafting? Did you start as a child? Did someone inspire your creativity?

I cannot remember a time when I was not involved with something crafty. I inherited my creativity from my mum! The ceramic ornaments we painted when I was young still hang on the Christmas tree every year. I was introduced to stamping by Sherri, my best friend from University through Stampin' Up.

2) When did you buy your first stamp? What were the circumstances surrounding that purchase?

My first Stamp was a Snowman that I purchased to make Christmas Cards. My first non-Stampin' Up Stamp was H.M.S. Noah's Ark!

3) What is your favorite stamping medium? Waterproof ink, Embossing Ink/powder? Glitter?

I love embossing with ink and powder and dry embossing.

4) When in your local stamp shoppe or online stamping store, what is your guilty pleasure that you end up buying although you know you already have tons of? Ribbons/Papers/Inks/Pens... etc.?

My guilty pleasure when it comes to stamping is designer paper. Though, I would buy it and never want to use it for fear of it running out! Now, I am actually using it on projects and cards!

5) What coloring medium do you prefer? Prisma's, Tombow's, or Copic's? Other?

I love to stamp a bunch of images with memento Tuxedo Black and colour them with Copic Markers while watching television in the evening!

6) Future goals of things you want to learn to use with your stamping... or try.. .be it a technique or submitting to a magazine, or teaching classes, starting your own shoppe...etc..

My future crafting goals are to try water colouring with Twinkling H2Os and to see if I can get published.

7) Other crafting you do? Job? Hobbies or interests?

Outside of my crafting world, I am originally from England and have lived many places in the U.S. I now live near San Francisco California. I graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in engineering. I got my MBA four years later from the University of North Carolina. I am a program manager for a transportation start up. I love riding my bicycle, listening to music, watching Formula One and American College Football (Go Hokies!), driving my convertible, snorkeling, cooking and baking. I love animals and I play servant to four cats!

8) Share with us your favorite project, and the techniques you used...

One of my favourite High Hopes projects was this Holiday Gift Tag that uses two of my favourite techniques, colouring with Copic markers and Dry Embossing.

Supplies Used:

High Hopes Stamp: Three Pane Christmas

Stamped with Black Memento Tuxedo Ink Coloured with Copics

Tag Shape: Tag and Bookplate Sizzix Die by Tim Holtz

Dry Embossing: Cuttlebug Snowflakes Folder

Silver embossed material: Shimmer Sheetz by Elizabeth Craft Designs

Large hole cut with Long Rectangle Nestabilites

Clear Acetate sheet used to cover the rectangle hole

Star Confetti from Michaels Arts and Craft

3M Foam Tape

¼ Inch White Grosgrain Ribbon for edges of the tag

Red Poppy Polka Dot Ribbon from Papertrey Ink

Silver Cord from Stampin' Up

Here are a few of Heidi's other High Hopes cards...

Sarah1)How long have you been crafting? Did you start as a child? Did someone inspire your creativity?

I have always done some form of crafts – even as a child, although I wasn't necessarily very good at it! I think it skipped a generation, because my mom's mom paints and my dad's dad painted. I used to love pastels when I was really young, and did still life mostly as well as animals. My favourite childhood Christmas presents were my Prismacolor pencil crayons and my easel. My crafting got a little more "serious" when I got married and made my menus, place cards, etc. That's when I got into stamping and embossing and I discovered vellum (oooohh!).

2) When did you buy your first stamp? What were the circumstances surrounding that purchase?

My first rubber stamp that I can remember (apart from the childhood collection) was "Love" in script from Michaels that I used as a theme for my wedding, and I embossed it in silver on everything. I still have it. I got more into the stamping "world" when I discovered Stampin' Up while on maternity leave with Samuel. I went to one party and was instantly HOOKED. I loved being able to create a greeting card myself, start to finish, that actually looked decent and I could give to someone! I give a LOT of greeting cards and I keep a book with everyone's birthday, anniversary, etc (ok – not that I actually REMEMBER them all, despite the book – oops!). So I knew this was the hobby for me! Then, a few years ago, I discovered Scrappin' Great Deals and a new world was opened up to me! I could not believe the array of stamps and products that were out there, beyond Stampin' Up. I took a Copic class with Andrea Murdock and Kim Reid and fell instantly in love with Copics and with the "open" stamp images that I could colour.

3) What is your favorite stamping medium? Waterproof ink, Embossing Ink/powder? Glitter?

My favourite stamping medium is definitely the Tuxedo black Memento ink on Copic XPress It paper – that I colour with my Copics. I haven't embossed in a long time, but I do still like a nice black embossed outline.And I like to add 3D glaze and Stickles to almost everything!

4) When in your local stamp shop or online stamping store, what is your guilty pleasure that you end up buying although you know you already have tons of? Ribbons/Papers/Inks/Pens... etc.?

I buy (almost) everything at Scrappin' Great Deals. I'm on the design team and I teach Copic classes there. I do order some new things online though to try out and to see if I want to suggest them for the store. I've ordered some really beautiful things from My Favorite Things (I love their dies) and Magnolia-licious (new fave is Yoga Tilda). My guilty pleasure is tied between 6x6 paper stacks and stamps. I always think it's "investment" because I might teach with it or blog it, hee hee! But I do love all things "antiquey", "vintage", "French", "European", "old world". Can't resist. And I must admit that I do feel the need to keep adding to my Tim Holtz for Ranger distress ink collection. And Copics, of course, but I do think of these as "needs" because I teach with them! And I do use them every day.

5) What coloring medium do you prefer? Prisma's, Tombow's, or Copic's? Other?

I'm 100% a Copic girl. I do try other mediums, but always, always come back to my Copics. I do LOVE distress inks too though. I find they work really well together.

6) Future goals of things you want to learn to use with your stamping... or try.. .be it a technique or submitting to a magazine, or teaching classes, starting your own shoppe...etc..

My goal for the longest while has been to be on a design team, and now I've joined two in the past two months alone!So I'm REALLY excited about that!My other goal was to teach – and I'm starting on September 22, so I'm thrilled to be achieving that milestone!My next goal is to be published in a magazine, so that will be my project for the fall/ winter.I would like to master watercolouring, which is something I haven't succeeded with so far.We may be moving house next year and if we do my DEFINITE project will be to create a proper craft room with built in storage and lots of work surface!

7) Other crafting you do? Job? Hobbies or interests?

I work full-time in marketing, so that is VERY busy to say the least.I travel a lot for my job too, so it makes it tough to find time for hobbies when I'm out of town.I also have a 7 year old son, who is into karate and swimming, so that takes up a lot of time as well.And I'm taking a certificate course at UWO starting this week, so that will be consuming a lot of my time as well!I'd like to find more time for sleep actually, and to read.If I do get some down time, I love to read and I'm in two book clubs.

8) Share with us your favorite project, and the techniques you used...

This is my most recent, and favourite. I always find that my newest project is my favourite! Because it reflects what I'm into at the moment. Right now, you can see in this card, that I'm really into my distress inks.I use my Spellbinder dies all the time – and am in love with my Big Shot.I've used glimmer mist all over this card, which is a current favourite, as well as Smooch gold ink.Lots of die cutting here, distressing, Copic colouring, layering.I've doubled up my dimensionals to make my frame sit even higher.I've printed my own sentiment on cardstock rather than stamping it, which I've been doing a lot lately.I found a great book with lots of sentiments and card texts – I think it's awesome.I'm trying to make my cards more like "frameable art" and less like flat cards.

Here are a few more High Hopes Cards from Sarah...

Happy stamping!