Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween Banner

Happy Halloween from the High Hopes Divas!!

To celebrate today, I have a banner to share using some of the adorable

Happy Halloween!!!
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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Tutorial Tuesday- how to mount and store your High Hopes stamps

Hello High Hopes fans!!

Click here for our current challenge.

It's Tutorial Tuesday Time!!

The super sweet Andrea has created 2 Video Tutorials for you this week explaining how she mounts her bare-rubber stamps onto cling foam and how she stores her High Hopes stamps.

We hope these videos will help you and give you ideas on how to mount and store your High Hopes stamps!!...

Hi, Andrea here! I made some quick videos showing how I mount my plain red rubber stamps on ezmount and also how I store all the 'oodles and boodles' of unmounted stamps that I own. Sorry for the skinny video view- still learning how to use the new camera hee hee!



Thanks for watching!!
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Challenge 120: Ribbon, Lace, or Twine

Hello High Hopes Fans!!

We are back with a new challenge!!
But first, we loved your creative party favors last challenge! The winner of 3 free stamps is:
Congratulations, B Brassfield! Please email me at stampandcreate@bellsouth.net with your stamp choices and mailing address.

Here is her lovely Party Favor using a portion of Witchy Poo Stirring Brew...

So now it's time for a new challenge!!
The new challenge is:
Ribbon, Lace, or Twine

Just remember you MUST use a High Hopes stamp to enter the challenge.
The prize: 3 Free High Hopes Stamps of your choice!!

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

Let's check out the awesome Design Diva's samples for your inspiration...





Lacey (Cover) using Warm Wishes















Andrea using Christmas Joy Snowy


Now it's your turn!!



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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Paperclay Ornament by Morgan

Hello High Hopes Fans!!


It's Tutorial Tuesday Time (although it's a little late).

This week we're doing something different!
I was so impressed with one of our challenge participant's projects that I asked permission to post it here on the blog.
Therefore, we have a special Guest, so to speak, this week!

For the "Home for the Holiday's" Challenge, Morgan created this fun ornament using Gingerbread House Heart Framed...

Gingerbread Heart Ornament
Isn't that amazing?! Looks just like a gingerbread cookie - but it's made out of paperclay.

Here is what Morgan has to say...

Materials:
air drying paperclay
Gingerbread House Heart by High Hopes rubber stamp
acrylic paints
drying retarder (or stain of your choice)
ribbon, felt & adhesive

This was a very simple ornament to make. I often prefer working with paperclay because you can use it instantly, it doesn't require conditioning like polymer clay, and there's no baking, no need for separate equipment, no toxicity etc.

To make this ornament, roll out a piece of paperclay on a baking sheet or non stick craft mat with a rolling pin. Use a firm pressure to stamp your image directly onto the clay. I used a mounted red rubber stamp from High Hopes and got a nice, deep, clean impression. I haven't tried acrylic stamps, so I can't vouch for the success of those, they don't tend to be as deep so it may now give as good as an impression.

With a sharp knife or scalpel cut around the outside of the stamped image, depending on the stamp you used you could use a cookie cutter for this step. Set aside to dry over night.

Once thoroughly dry the paperclay can be painted. I gave mine a base coat of a brown biscuit colour and then when that was dry, I mixed a little burnt umber paint with some drying retarder so that I could use it as a stain (which is primarily what ready bought stains are, a colour medium with a drying retarder so you have time to work with it). Using a soft cloth I rubbed it over the entire 'cookie' making sure it sat heavily in the stamped image to create a contrast.

Once dry I finished with a few coats of spray varnish, adding a ribbon at the back to hang it on the tree and covering the back with brown felt for neatness.

Morgan has some information about paperclay on her original post here. Make sure to check it out because she has some important tips.

Thank you so much, Morgan, for entering our challenges, knocking our socks off with your wonderful ornament, and for allowing us to post it here!!
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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Challenge 119: Party Favor

Hello High Hopes Fans!!

We loved your Holiday cards last challenge!
The random winner of 3 stamps of your choice is...
Congratulations, Samantha!!
Please contact me at stampandcreate@bellsouth.net with your mailing address!!

Here is her fun her fun Woodland Santa card...

We are back with a new challenge!
This week's challenge is: Party Favor!!

The amazing Design Divas have mostly created Halloween treats, but you can create any type of party favor. Think Candy, Party, and lots of Treats!!

Just remember, you MUST use a High Hopes stamp on your project to be entered into the drawing for the prize: 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

And now here are the awesome DT samples for your inspiration...


(How cute it this?)










(make sure to check out her blog for closer pictures of her fun Party setting including, menu, placemat, place-setting, drink straw, and coaster)


(version of the treat back tutorial here)

Sarah

Tanya 1
Tanya 2

Andrea
Many of the stamps used in the designs above can be found here.
Now it's your turn!


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Saturday, October 1, 2011

October Special

Hello stamping friends!!

Click here for our current challenge.
And click here for our latest "Tutorial Tuesday".

It is the first of the month again!
That means it's time for another Monthly Special.

The first week of each month, High Hopes has a special sale on certain stamps.
This sale is only available directly through the High Hopes Website.


High Hopes Stamps is located in South Western Ontario, surrounded by farm land. This time of year we love that many of our local farmers put up roadside stands selling the best of their crops. Every year we stock up on fresh peaches and cream corn to freeze, Zucchini to make into loaves of bread to freeze, and Blueberries, Apples and Peaches to can. Canning the fruits, and making and canning homemade salsa is a fall tradition that our family has had for years. We also love to go to the Fairs to see what other folks are making, and baking!

Being in that "Farm Fresh" mood,
we thought we would bring back some of our old favorite farm images for this month's
20% off sale!
(unmounted rubber stamps)

To see the images on sale, just put in the code word "Octsale" in the search box on the catalog page at the High Hopes website, or click here.

Here is also a list of stamps that are on sale this week...

M-044 Three pane Farm Animals
T-065 Funny Farm
R-106 Farm Background
S-120 Maribelle Cow
S-119 Farmer Clem
H-189 Brewster
Q-060 Buddy the Goat
R-107 Miss Peggy
F-165 "Everywhere an Oink Oink"
R-110 Odie Dog
R-108 She-Baa Sheep
E-158 "Here a moo"
E-159 "Everywhere a Moo"
F-164 "Eee Aye Oh"

Here are some samples by the Divas using the stamps on sale...












Wishing you Blue Ribbon crafting, and a harvest of Blessings!
~ The High Hopes Family
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