OCL Blog Hop!

It's finally Friday, and it's gonna be a hoppin' weekend!  Our Craft Lounge is revealing the final sets of the Winter 2011 release, and we're also giving away some free stamps!  Each of our designers is giving away one free set, so as you make your way through the hop, be sure to leave a comment that includes information on how we can contact you should your name be drawn to win!

My card features this sweet Spring/Easter set, Shower of Blossoms, illustrated by Marianne Walker.  I wanted to pair the darling oriental image with some oriental designer paper from the Lush collection by Kaiser Craft and to use this week's OCL sketch challenge for my layout.  I also submitted it for this week's SCS Free4All challenge...I helped my friend Wendy come up with this week's theme, "Aloha Friday!"

The image was stamped with Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, cut out with a Nestabilities petite oval and inked with distress ink while still in the die.  I love the contrast of the soft inking and ivory border against the darkness of the gray mat underneath.

The sentiment (from Oriental Garden) was stamped and inked in the same manner, using nestabilities classic circles...it is embellished with a small bow made from hand-dyed trimmings and a Petaloo flower, both tinted to match with Copic markers.  Peeking from under the Bow Easy bow and image is a pretty pearl studded scalloped border made with Nina's Spellbinders' Borders 2 die set.

Today's designers:

• Amber Hillman
• Bev Gerard
• Broni Holcombe
• Debbie Corbari
• Denise Marzec
• Heather McNally
• Jeanne Streiff
• Joy Stagg
• Kendra Wietstock
• Kisa Peters
• Latrice Murphy
• Melyssa Connolly
• Michelle Fowler
• Pam Hooten
• Stephanie Serrano
• Tammie Edgerton

Thanks for visiting this week, and for all your kind comments!  I hope you will come back often and soon!  Enjoy your weekend!