Hanglar & Stanglar - Shabby ChicK

I love Hanglar and Stanglar but they are not for sell here in the US (more's the pity).

BUT I do have a Norwegian connection and some times she'll send me a few. I'm not entirely sure of the Swedish/English translation (it doesn't read like Norwegian) but I think the title of this stamp is 'GIRL WITH A HEN'.

There's a new Hanglar & Stanglar challenge blog and round #2 was for a SHABBY CHIC card.

So I got out some of my hew Tim Holtz stuff (paper, die cut edge, stick pin, ticket) and did a "grungy" card. The image was watercolored with Distress Ink and my aqua pen. The sunflowers were cream and heavily sprayed with SUNFLOWER Glimmer Mist (I *LOVE* that color). I' m not sure you can see the brown swirl under all the flowers and stuff - but I cut that with my Slice. (I'm trying to learn to love my Slice...). And for some extra "glitter" I used the clear dots. I don't think they make them any more (too bad) but they're flatter than the Dew Drops and add some sparkle. As I was editing the picture I thought I should have inked the edges of the background paper for more distressing - guess she's a "clean" shabby chic!

Stamps: Hanglar & Stanglar & Hero Arts FRIENDS DEFINITION
Paper: Tim Holtz
Ink: Distress Ink
Accessories: Tim Holtz edge die, prima flowers, Glimmer Mist, buttons, Scrapper's Floss, Slice, stick pin, glitter pen, aqua painter, ticket, scalloped Nestie.

Did you catch the "K" I added to Chic in the title? (grin).

A Buzzzzy Day

I have another cute card to share. I bought this paper a while ago but it's an odd shade of aqua. So it has sat here for a while waiting for me to be inspired! I used Tuesday Morning Sketch's challenge #39 for the layout.

This little Hanglar image was part of the set I got at Christmas from my Norwegian friend, Anne Lise. I created little scene here with a cloud template (you sponge blue above it for the cloud shapes) and my Martha Stewart Tulip punch. The flower row was the same yellow as the card and then colored green with my Copic marker. I may go back and add a sentiment a little later if I can find one I like. I'm not sure you can tell in the picture but the bee's antenna is made from copper wire.

Stamps: Hanglar & Stangler
Paper: YoYo Yellow, Chocolate chip, bee designer
Ink: Memento, Broken China
Accessories: Giltter, Martha Stewart tulip punch, Copics, wire.

Happy Spring! Happy Easter!

Random Acts of CHRISTMAS Kindness

I don't pick-up my mail everyday. When I work from home, I don't generally go to the mailbox at the end of the street. Yesterday, I picked up several days of mail. I've been getting some really beautiful cards from stamping friends, but yesterday I got a gift that literally made my mouth drop open!

Tammi (she has a fabulous blog called TROPICAL DREAMS) and I have traded Hanglar & Stanglar images through the SCS Wish RAK group for a while now. Hanglar and Stanglar is a Swedish company that doesn't sell out side of Sweden or Norway, so the stamps are VERY HARD to come by on this side of the "pond". I have a Norwegian source, who will help me get these cuties. I'm not sure of Tammi's source. But we generally seem to have different stamps.

Tammi has posted this darling card on her blog a few days ago. This picture just doesn't do justice to the card. The coloring is just INCREDIBLE. I think she does watercolor pencils and Gamsol (mineral spirits). The Gamsol makes the colors very soft and subtle. And the vintage-y colors really are yummy.

In addition to the fabulous card was this mini accordion folder. Tammi had posted a similar one to her blog but again...this is just so detailed! The little Santa hat was an addition over the H&S image. And the whole card just sparkles with glitter! (Glitter is ALWAYS good!)

And if that wasn't enough, inside the folder were tucked stamped images of more Hanglar & Stanglar images for me to color. I'm in H&S heaven!

Tammi! Thank you so much - you really, really made my day!

VSN October Mini #1 - Masquerading Holiday Card

I hope you'll play along with the Splitcoast Mini VSN (Virtural Stamp Night) tonight! For the next 5 hours there will be a new challenge and I'll be posting my card for the challenge here, as well as in the SCS galleries. Can't play tonight? That's ok - you have until Sunday evening to post your challenge cards at SCS.

The first challenge is GET IN THE PARTY MOOD. Using a holiday stamp create a card for a different holiday.
Here I used my little Hanglar & Stanglar Devil. She's holding a trick or treat bag, but sitting her on a heart, my Halloween stamp is transformed into a Valentine! The heart is from Stampin Up!'s ALWAYS set, embossed in white and then sprayed with Glimmer Mist.

Stamps: Hanglar & Stangler Devil; SU! ALWAYS; High Hopes sentiment
Paper: SU! Real Red, white glitter paper, Neenah Solar White.
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Pixie Pink
Accessories: Copics (Y000, Y02, Y26, E000, E00, E02, R20, RV000, R24, R27, R29, R39); red glitter brads, Nestabilities DOUBLE ENDED TAG, white embossing powder, Glimmer Mist: Candy Apple Red, Starfish, Tattered Rose, glue pen, clear glitter, and scallop edge punch.

Happy October!!

Fall is definitely in the air in Colorado!! There's a nip in the air this morning. Driving home from work last night, through Ute Pass Canyon the color was amazing! We don't get the reds and oranges of the East but those aspen can bring on the GOLD!

These two cards are from the leftovers of a card kit I sent in for swap. The swap was for Magnolia images but Hanglar & Stanglar images are so close I don't think anybody will mind.

Hanglar & Stanglar is a Swedish company that doesn't sell outside of Sweden or Norway. Fortunately, I have a Norwegian connection. This image of the little girl with a chicken is one that I own, but I also have a SCS friend that keeps me supplied with H&S images. She just sent this one to me as well. Hen girl is colored with Copics and highlighted with several different glitter pens. I also used a white Souffle' pen to "polka dot" her dress. The paper was double-sided polka dots and both sides are visible here.

Stamps: Hanglar & Stanglar FLICKA med HONA och AGG (girl w/chicken & egg); PaperTrey Ink (sentiment)
Paper: unknown pattern; Neenah Solar White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Really Rust
Accessories: Copic markers, Prima flower, button, glitter pens, Souffle' pen, and Martha Stewart fence punch.

The second card used the ribbon in the kit and the other paper. I cut 3 ovals with my Nestabilities. The smallest oval was airbrushed in light blue/aqua. The rest of the details are the same.

Stamps: Hanglar & Stanglar FLICKA med HONA och AGG (girl w/chicken & egg); PaperTrey Ink (sentiment)
Paper: Unknown pattern; Neenah Solar White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Really Rust
Accessories: ribbon, Nestabilities, Copic markers and airbrush, Souffle' pen, and glitter pens.

Finally, I wanted to share the back of my H&S girl. I haven't taken a formal Copic certification class but I have the good fortune to have another friend who is a certified teacher. I've been following her tips for a while now and love how my Copic coloring is turning out. Her #1 tip to me was to be sure the ink was saturating the paper. You can see from the back that I'm getting it well saturated! (Thanks, Heather!) A well saturated paper allows the Copic inks to flow together and blend.

Eddie the Vampire

Here's today's SCS Sketch challenge.


As I posted earlier, I've been in quite a few card kit swaps in the last few months. This is the most recent - Magnolia Card Kits. This little vampire is *NOT* a Magnolia stamp. He's a Hanglar & Stanglar image. They're are almost impossible to get unless you have a friend/relative living in Sweden or Norway. Fortunately, I do!

I just love this little vampire with his garlic rope. I colored him with Copics. Out lining him with the very lightest blue/violet I have (BV000).

After I got him colored, I used one of my long, narrow Nestabilities rectangles to cut and emboss the edges.


All the Copics I used to color Eddie.



This is the inside of the card. I used some of the left over scraps to decorate the bottom edge of the card.

So! One card down for Halloween...many more to come!

Stamps: Hanglar & Stanglar: Dracula med vitlök (Dracula with garlic)
Paper: Paper Studio, Neenah Solar White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Ribbon, Nestabilities rectangles, bat brads, Copics