7.29.2016

Shrinkable Jar // Hero Arts

Happy Friday!
Today's card features some stamp stretching techniques, using the cute Hero Arts Mason Jar Bugs stamp set.

The jar was a little too big to my purposes, so I partially inked up the top of my stamp with Versamark and stamped the jar on my cardstock, added my white embossing powder, and heat embossed it.
Then, after cleaning my stamp, I patted my image with my anti-static powder tool to make sure that the stamp was completely dry. I then inked up the bottom half, lined it up with the partially embossed jar, and stamped. Once I added the embossing powder, I was able to gently brush off any embossing powder that tried sticking in the wrong place.


I stamped flowers from the You're So Lovely stamp set in Navy, Pool and Soft Pool, to create a nice bouquet coming out of the jar (I like to put flowers in jars ;)). I also die cut some of the leaves out of vellum to fill in the bouquet and add a nice soft color.
The sentiment is from the You're So Lovely stamp set as well, stamped on a die cut vellum label, made using the Kelly's Label Stamp and Cut stamp set.


Once I had adhere my different elements to a white panel with some sequins, I adhered it to a card base stamped with Woodgrain Bold Prints by Lia in Soft Granite.

Thanks so much for stopping in today and God bless!

SUPPLIES


Cardstock: Simon Says Stamp Fog
Stamps: Hero Arts You're So LovelyWoodgrain Bold Prints by Lia and Kelly's Label Stamp and Cut
Ink: Versamark, Hero Arts NavySoft PoolPool, and Soft Granite
Other: clear sequins (Simon Says Stamp), string and vellum (stash), Hero Arts white embossing powder

Tools: Cuttlebug, Hero Arts You're So Lovely dies and Kelly's Label Stamp and Cut die, embossing gun

7.28.2016

Mini Birthday Card Set // Hero Arts

I've been wanting to play with the cute little Party Time by Lia stamp set for awhile now, and when I had a little extra time last Saturday, I made a quick little set of birthday cards.


These were super simple and quick to make, and the best thing is, they work for boys and girls! I colored the dogs using a mix of four different brownish ZIG Clean Color Real Brush markers, and I created the teal/mintish color of the balloons by mixing an aqua and light or mid green marker. Love how I can create my own custom colors so easily with these markers!


I stamped the Confetti Bold Prints with Lime Green on each card, using cardstock from the Foliage paper layering pack.

Here's a close up of one of the cards...


These cards are actually smaller than the standard A2 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. I found some smaller, 4 bar envelopes lying around, so I cut my cards to fit that, at 3 1/2 x 4 7/8.

I pulled my sentiment from the Make a Wish Birthday stamp set - I love how this sentiment mixes with the images.

Thanks so much for stopping in today and God bless!

SUPPLIES


Cardstock: Hero Arts Foliage and Snow Layering papers
Stamps: Hero Arts Party Time by LiaConfetti Bold Prints and Make a Wish Birthday
Ink: Hero Arts Lime Green and Black
Other: ZIG Clean Color Real Brush markers

7.19.2016

Diagonal Ombre // Altenew

Hello! Just popping in to let you know I have a new post up over on the MarkerPOP blog, explaining this little number...


Pop on over to the blog for details!

7.12.2016

Peachy Congrats // Altenew

Hello! I'm over on the MarkerPOP blog today, sharing a lovely peachy card...


This card was a snap to make - I love how these Altenew stamps look fabulous no matter what you do, and how easy they layer, making any card look instantaneously elegant.

Pop on over to the blog for more details!

7.09.2016

Jelly Good Birthday II // Hero Arts

Hello all! I hope you're having a lovely weekend so far! I'm popping in today to share some more inspiration for the Hero Arts July My Monthly Hero kit - it's already sold out! You guys are awesome!

Anywho, my card is relatively simple, but involves a slightly tricky technique - embossing on acetate.


For the background, I first lightly watercolored it in blue ink in a gradient-ish pattern, with the blue fading as it got to the top of the card. I then stamped the kelp (algae? not sure lol) using the fabulous Mermaid Ombre ink on the bottom of the watercolored piece.


Before I could add the gorgeous sequins from Lucy Abrams, I stamped and heat embossed the jellyfish in white on a piece of acetate. I used acetate from the Avery Elle stamp pockets for this card, since the Simon Says Stamp cd pockets weren't quite large enough. I then added my sequins, and topped of the card with some droplets and a die cut frame.

Here's a video (from the release blog hop) with some tips for heat embossing on acetate...


Thanks so much for stopping in and I hope your weekend finishes off fabulously!

SUPPLIES


Cardstock: Canson watercolor
Stamps: Hero Arts July My Monthly Hero
Ink: Hero Arts Mermaid Ombre and Versamark
Other: Hero Arts white embossing powder, Avery Elle storage pockets, Lucy Abrams sequins

Tools: heat gun, rectangle dies, anti-static powder pouch, water, paintbrush

7.05.2016

Just Keep Swimming // Hero Arts

Hello everyone! Today I'm participating in a blog celebrating the release of the July My Monthly Hero kit!

This is what the main kit looks like...


Isn't it a beaut? I had so much fun making shaker card with this kit! This kit is jammed pack - with the large stamp set (equivalent to two 4x6 clear sets), dies and an ombre ink pad, the kit value is nearly $60, but is selling for $34.99! The kit is available for a limited time only - once it's gone, it's gone.

For my card today, I used the turtles from the main kit and the beautiful ombre ink pad...


I inked my turtles first using Versamark, then the Mermaid Ombre, so that I could add a little clear embossing powder for shine. If you wanted, you could stamp first in the colored ink, and then stamp over it with Versamark for a crisper embossed image, but I'm lazy...and I don't have a MISTI to do all the work for me. ;)
I then did some partial die cutting to create the window for the shaker card...


I used the sentiment from the Color Layering Goldfish stamp set, because combined with the turtles, it remained me of Finding Nemo. ;)
Heat embossing acetate can be a little tricky, but it really is fun and easy. To start with;
  • make sure you use a thicker acetate. I cut a piece from the Simon Says Stamp cd storage packets and used that. Then, completely coat your acetate on both sides with anti-static embossing powder (or cornstarch, if you don't have the "fancy" stuff ;)).
  • When stamping your sentiment/image, stamp as straight down as possible, and be firm. Don't crush the acetate, as that will likely make your stamp slip on the acetate, but if you stamp too lightly, you won't get a crisp impression. This might sound like a hard medium to achieve, but with a little bit of practice, it's quite easy!
  • Then, add your embossing powder, shake of the excess, and prepare to heat emboss! Now, an additional reason acetate is hard to heat emboss is because acetate is plastic and tends to, well, you know, melt under a lot of heat. ;) So, make sure your embossing gun is nice and hot, don't get too close to the acetate, and move the gun around a bit while heating it, making sure not to apply direct heat to one spot.

I just want to quickly point out the difference the slight clear heat embossing makes - it adds a little extra shine and texture (hard to tell in this pic), and also makes the final impress look a little darker. The card on the right had no embossing on it, just straight ink.

Once I finished off my shaker panel, I heat embossed the beautifully detailed Wave Pattern background in clear on a navy card base, adhered the panel, and oila! For more details on the making of the card and some more tips, here's a video on the process...


One more amazing note on this kit: Hero Arts is going to donate 10% of profits for our July 2016 MMH Kit to ocean preservation through the World Wildlife Foundation.

For more inspiration, and a chance to win one of these beautiful kits, follow this amazing blog hop...


Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

SUPPLIES


Cardstock: Bazzill shimmer navy cardstock, Michaels white cardstock
Stamps: Hero Arts July My Monthly Hero, Wave Pattern background and Color Layering Goldfish
Ink: Hero Arts Mermaid Ombre and Versamark
Other: Hero Arts White Satin Pearl, White and Clear embossing powder, Lucy's Little Things Tequila Sunrise Sequins and Hero Arts Neutral Mixed Accents

Tools: Hero Arts heat gun, Cuttlebug, WRMemory Keepers circle dies, My Favorite Things Pierced Rectangles die

Unicorns and Rainbows // Mama Elephant

Hello everyone! I'm sharing my first card as a design team member for MarkerPOP over on the blog today! Here's a sneak peak....


Check out the blog for the entire post, and also a chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate to the MarkerPop Store.
Thanks so much for stopping in and God bless!

7.04.2016

Jelly Good Birthday // Hero Arts

Hey all, just wanted to let you know that I have some cards on the Hero Arts blog, showing some sneaks of the new MMH July kit (full reveal coming tomorrow!).
Here's the first sneak...


And the second...


Check out the blog for the full posts, and for a chance to win a kit! I'll be back tomorrow with a fun hop!