Quick Watercolor // Hero Arts

Just popping in quickly with a simple card, using two mini stamps.

I used the adorable little Just For You by Lia stamp set, along with the Thanks Stamp and Cut. I was totally inspired by THIS pin.
I colored the images in using Zig Clean Color brushes. When I wanted a lighter color of a certain shade, I simply added some dabs of color to the image and then drew it out with some water. I love using these brushes!

Thanks so much for stopping in today and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson
Stamps: Hero Arts Just For You by Lia and Thanks Stamp and Cut
Ink: Hero Arts Black
Other: Hero Arts Pool Mixed Accents, black foam, Zig Real Brush Clean Color

Tools: Cuttlebug, Hero Arts Thanks Stamp and Cut die, water brush

Quick Card Set // Hero Arts

Today I want to quickly share with you a quick card set, that can be customized to fit pretty much any occasion.

For the set, I focused on using the Antique Rose Stem stamp and the Kelly Rasmussen handwriting stamps.

I decided to use Soft Apricot because I felt like it was a color that worked well for so many different occasions, like the sentiments. You could use different colors, or even do a rainbow colored card set!

I topped off the cards with some matching gems and pearls, adhered them to the card base, and done! The stamps make this design so quick and easy to replicate and change up!

Thanks so much for stopping in today and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson Bristol
Stamps: Hero Arts Antique Rose Stem, Happy Stamp and Cut, Congrats Stamp and Cut, Thanks Stamp and Cut and Prayers Stamp and Cut
Ink: Hero Arts Navy and Soft Apricot
Other: Hero Arts Sunshine Mixed Accents

Tools: Cuttlebug, My Favorite Things Pierced Rectangle die

Color without Coloring + GIVEAWAY // Hero Arts

You know how sometimes you get visions of cards to make, but then sometimes you just have the darnedest time actually achieving that vision?
Today's card isn't one of those - it's actually quite like my vision. Thing is, I'm just not sure if I actually like the vision, now that it's real. ;)

Despite the my qualms, it was fun to stamp these pretty flowers. I'm coloring-challenged when it comes to detailed stamps like this, so I had fun using them in a colorful, but not colored, way. ;)

For another color-without-coloring card idea, check out my post on the Hero Arts blog HERE.

Also, as a thank you for everyone and anyone who stops in here, takes a peeksy, maybe leaves a comment - I'm giving away this extra stamp and ink pad I have. Just leave a comment to be entered! I'll draw a winner May 11th. U.S. only!

Thanks so much for stopping in and have a great day!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson
Stamps: Hero Arts Mum Stem, Mum Flower, Antique Rose Stem, Antique Rose and Thanks for Being You
Ink: Hero Arts Green Apple, Orchid, Ultra Pink, and Black
Other: Hero Arts gems

Retro Happy Birthday // Papertrey Ink

It's been awhile since I've had a free moment to play along in a contest or blog hop, so I'm so happy to share this card I made for this month's Papertrey Ink blog hop.

I've wanted to play with the Retro Style stamps for awhile now, so I finally caved a couple months ago and bought them. I have to admit, they're a little overwhelming at first because there's so many layers to the stamp set and SO many different ways to make a card with them, but they're gonna come in handy making masculine cards.

I have to say, the arrow and the sentiment are my favorite parts of this card. I really like the look of detailed sentiments like this, die cut and popped up on foam. The little gems I found on eBay, when I was looking for a cheap clear droplet substitute (I ended up caving on the droplets too, and buying them later haha)

Here's the inspiration photo for the April Papertrey Ink blog hop - I was a little worried at first, as I've never really used this color scheme before, but the challenge proved to be very fun!

Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson, stash
Patterned paper: Crate Paper Bloom, Bazzill Wayfarer
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Retro Style Birthday Sentiments
Ink: Versamark, Tim Holtz
Other: gems (eBay)

Tools: Cuttlebug, Papertrey Ink Retro Style dies, Mama Elephant star dies, circle dies

A New Adventure // Hero Arts

The Hero Arts 2016 Summer catalog is here! I have one last card to share with you, with a simple design and easily customized.

It's hard to tell in this photo, but this card has got lots of shimmer. The background is heat embossed with white satin pearl embossing powder, which gives a lovely iridescent look to the card. I watercolored some Fresh Peach to set off the gold heat embossed H6165 Adventure Banner.

Hop on over to the Hero Arts blog to see if you were a lucky winner to a Hero Arts shopping spree, and to check out all the new goodies!

Thanks for stopping in today and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson, Bazzill
Stamps: Hero Arts Confetti Bold Prints,
Ink: Hero Arts Fresh Peach, Versamark
Other: Hero Arts gold embossing powder and white satin pearl embossing powder, Lucy Abrams sequins

Tools: embossing gun

Hey Sunshine! // Hero Arts

Today is the last day of sneaks for the 2016 Hero Arts catalog! You'll be able to see the new catalog on the Hero Arts blog on Monday, April 18th! Stamps will arrive at your favorite brick and mortar (or online!) craft store soon after, and they will be available to purchase from Hero Arts directly on May 11th.

Now, on to the last card I have for ya this week, using CL959 Park Essentials - this set is SO cute!! It's got a teensy skunk, raccoon, bear - just total cuteness!

Look at that teeny camper! Agh! The Street Map Bold Prints goes so well with this set, and any of the mini Essentials line.

That finishes up my card - sweet and simple!
Head on over to the Hero Arts blog for the last sneaks before the final reveal!!

Thanks for stopping in and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Hero Arts Blush Layering paper, Foliage Layering paper, and Brown Bag Kraft
Stamps: Hero Arts Park Essentials, Street Map Bold Prints and Many Everyday Messages
Ink: Hero Arts Pine, Lime Green, Dandelion, Kelly's Coffee and Donut's ink (brown)
Other: brown pearl (stash)

Tools: Cuttlebug, My Favorite Things Pierced Rectangles die

Classy Pipe // Hero Arts

Surprise! I'm back again with another sneak card from the 2016 Hero Arts Summer catalog - this card is probably my fave out of the ones I made for the release.
This card uses the new CL948 Dapper Dad (the sentiment) and CL957 Hipster at Heart (the pipe)

This pipe was SO fun! And since I have four brothers who smoke pipes (though they don't consider themselves "hipster" - just "classic"), this image will be perfect for  them!
The "smoke" actually isn't a stamp, but super easy to make. I drew a random, sliver like shape out of a full sticky Post-it note, then used it as a mask, to blend some grey ink. I used two different shades of ink, Charcoal and Soft Granite, but if you wanted, you could use just one shade, and apply different pressures while ink blending. This will give darker or lighter looks, depending on how much pressure and ink you apply.

I covered the pipe with some Glossy Accents to give is some shine, and finished the card off with the funkadelic Triangle Pattern stamped on the card base.
Check out the Hero Arts blog for more inspiration and peeks!

Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Hero Arts Blush Layering paper and Brown Bag Kraft
Stamps: Hero Arts Triangle Pattern Background, Dapper Dad and Hipster at Heart
Ink: Hero Arts Charcoal, Soft Granite, Black and Strawberry
Other: Glossy Accents

Destination Chicago // Hero Arts

I'm back with another sneak of the 2016 Hero Arts Summer catalog.
Today I'm showcasing H6161 Destination Chicago, with a little ombre action.

The card is simple and easy to make, but the Mint to Navy Ombre really makes the image pop.

Check out the Hero Arts blog to see more card samples and more cities!

Thanks for stopping in!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Hero Arts Brown Bag kraft
Stamp: Hero Arts Destination Chicago
Ink: Ombre Tide Pool to Navy

Tools: Fiskars border punch

What's the Scoop? // Hero Arts

Today is the day Hero Arts starts sneaking the new Summer 2016 catalog! There's so many new fun stamps, and today I'm sharing CL963 Color Layering Ice Cream set!

This set is so fun - pardon my washed out photo, but I was running out of time (and light!)...

I added some Glossy Accents to the chocolate drizzle here - there are so many toppings you can stamp, and then it's so fun to add little extra touches of texture. You could use enamel accents, or Wink of Stella, and Stickles - so many possibilities!

Pop on over to the Hero Arts blog for more sneaks and links to more cards using the new stamps, AND a giveaway!!

Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Hero Arts Floral Mix Layering papers
Stamps: Hero Arts Color Layering Ice Cream
Ink: Hero Arts Soft Vanilla, Orchid and Caramel
Other: sequins (Lucy Abrams), glitter tape (American Crafts)

April My Monthly Hero Blog Hop

Today I'm so exciting to be participating in Hero Arts April My Monthly Hero blog hop! Today is the release of the April kit, which is a doozy, let me tell you!

This is the main kit, which is available HERE for $29.99 - isn't that flower just gorgeous? And the Paper Layering die that goes with it is SO pretty!

I actually used the add-on stamp set for my cards today, along with the watercolors from the main kit.

Here are the two cards I made, using the stamps (which have coordinating dies available, as well)

I was inspired by THIS pin - I used Cobalt Blue, Quinacridone Fuchsia, and Lunar Black, the first two of which come in the kit. I didn't mask off the flowers, because I'm a lazy crafter...

While you should definitely be able to get at least 2-3 fully colored images from each small dab of paint (there's a lot packed into that one little dab, let me tell you!), I hardly made a dent in my ? dab, though I used it color most of the panel.
For the center of the blue and grey flowers, I added clear Stickles. When they had dried, I didn't quite like the look, so I went in with some black watercolor - a cool way to stretch the use of your clear Stickles!

Here are my two lazy-crafter watercoloring cards (the first one over on the Hero Arts blog HERE)...

One of the reasons I love this kit is because it used my favorite coloring technique - watercoloring! Why is it my favorite way to color? Because, as I mentioned, I'm lazy, and watercolor is the perfect coloring technique for lazy crafters. However, if you aren't a lazy crafter, and want to see some amazingly colored flowers, check out the rest of the blog hop! You won't be disappointed, promise. ;)

The Hero Arts Blog 

Yana Smakula 

Lucy Abrams 

Mariana Grimsby 

Amy Tsuruta 

Kelly Rasmussen 

Clare Prezzia <- here="" p="" re="" you="">

Wanda Guess 

Joan Bardee 

Sandy Allnock 

Lydia Fiedler 

Kathy Racoosin 

Libby Hickson

Check out the Hero Arts blog for more ideas and more details on the kit and add-ons! The kit is available for a limited time only - once it's gone, it's gone.

Hero Arts is giving away one kit as a prize to one blog reader - selected from the comments across all of the blogs in the hop.

Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson, Hero Arts Sea Layering papers

Stamps: Hero Arts April My Monthly Hero add-on

Ink: Hero Arts black, Danielle Smith watercolors, Versamark

Other: Hero Arts white embossing powder, clear Stickles

Tools: heat gun, water, paintbrush