Welcome to the Pennywise Arts 2011 Spring Blog Hop!  Hasn't the Hop been amazing so far?  What about that project at Chriss' blog, Got a Sunset in My Veins? O'so awesome, as well as all the projects being showcased this weekend.  The Hop actually starts at midnight, so you may want to check back then, if you are happening across this article early!

Stamper's Quest is once again participating in Pennywise Arts' (PWA) Spring Blog Hop where we are focusing on creating with fabulous microbeads! We had so much fun last year that we couldn't resist playing along again this year!

If you are visiting today and didn't know about the blog hop, you'll want to start at the beginning at the Pennywise Arts blog and read Suzanne's welcome. From there you can follow the links to each Blog participating in this year's Hop.  What cool and inspiring projects you will find along the trail!  Everything you find is created with microbeads in mind.  Microbeads can add that missing piece to a work of art, whether it be a greeting card, a scrapbook page, a framed art piece, wallhanging or other home decor. 

Be sure to check out the Pennywise Arts store, too. Don't forget that Suzanne is offering a piece of FREE blog candy created by one of her design team members with every order placed on April 16th and 17th!

The Hop will run from today through Sunday, April 17th. There are tons of opportunities to get blog candy and a grand prize for a $25 shopping spree on PWA! To enter, just leave a comment (with your email address) in any of the Hop's blogs. Be sure to periodically check the PWA Blog for winners!

Stamper's Quest is doing the hop a little bit differently this year. Instead of an article grouping the projects together, we are showcasing each of Artistic Guide's projects showing off their amazingly creative talents.  Most of our Guides are offering  blog candy, so be sure to leave comments for your chance to win that as well as Suzanne's shopping spree!

You may also want to check out and join the Pennywise Arts Yahoo Group.  What an inspiring group of artists reside there!  Great swaps, great comraderie, beadie parties, shoebox parties, and yes, even pity parties occur there!  Not only do you get all of that, but you get great creative inspiration and lots of past projects and instructions on how to make them!  Check it out!!!

Stamper's Quest is the last in the Hop, so the very last project will link you back to the PWA Blog. (no link here...find it on the last project!)

We have projects from Marion, Cathy, Linda, Nancy, Regena, Stephanie and Bea (me).  To kick off our portion of the Hop, click on the link below to start you off on the Microbead Trail.  Each project will have a link to the next project.  Have fun exploring! 

And, we have a beautiful project for you to kick off the Hop by our Artistic Guide, Cathy Pepper. Enjoy, and please leave her a comment (including email address pelase) for your chance to win her card!

By Cathy Peper, Artistic Guide

Thinking of You Card

Supplies:
Stamps:
Sunburst Flower (Heartfelt Creations)
Sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:
White card stock (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper (unknown)
Ink:
Calypso Kaleidacolor ink pad (Tsukineko)
Tuxedo Black Memento ink pad  (Tsukineko)
Other:
Clear Micro beads (Pennywise Arts)
O’So Sticky Tape Sheets (Pennywise Arts)
Black Ribbon (Papertrey Ink)
Die cut machine
Dahlia die (Spellbinders)
Silver Leafing Pen (Krylon)
Photo label punch (EK Success)
Miracle Tape (Viva Las Vegastamps)
Dimensional Adhesive (Starving Artistamps)
Double sided adhesive (Scotch #3 M)
Bow Easy (Posi-Bendr)
Zots (Therm O Web)

 Directions:

1. Make card base out of white cardstock. Layer with patterned paper.
2. Attach black ribbon to bottom of card with miracle tape.
3. Stamp flower with rainbow ink onto o’so sticky paper. Remove backing and adhere to white card stock square. Die cut with dahlia die.
4. Remove red liner and apply micro beads. Press to adhere.
5. Apply silver leafing to edges of square and attach to card with dimensional tape.
6. Stamp “thinking of you” on white cardstock and punch out with photo label punch.
7. Attach to upper left hand side of card.

Enjoy the Hop this weekend. And remember to leave comments for chances to win prizes!

Click here to enter the Microbead Trail Head.