PINK AND GRAY

"Anything Goes" is this month's theme at A Blog Named Hero and you still have until 29 April to get in your entry.

Played around with some gray inks today and my new MISTI creative corners - love how easy these make stamping off the side of the card.

My flower came from the Hero Arts May monthly kit from 2016 - one of their prettiest flowers ever.  The first flower was stamped in dark gray and clear embossed.  Then did the other two progressively lighter.  Used a Heidi Swapp stencil and sponged on some random light gray stripes.  Stamped the greeting in HA black and clear embossed.  After coloring the one flower with copics and shading with colored pencils, I die cut the piece with a MFT stitched frame, put it together on a white base, added a few Nuvo rosewater dots and done.

Hurry and get your entry in here - it's not too late and you'll be eligible for a lovely prize.

Thanks for visiting today and love to read your kind comments.

ELLEN HUTSON PINSIGHTS GUEST DESIGNER

I am so honored to be one of Ellen Hutson's Pinsights designer this month.  When Laurel sent me the challenge photo, I was so excited to start creating with these gorgeous colors.

The center flowers in the pinks and yellows were the inspiration for my card using Julie's mondo peony.  I used distress oxide inks in worn lipstick and fossilized amber to watercolor a background piece. Die cut with the stitched rectangles and kept them together with some washi tape on the back and stamped the peony on the bottom right - used my Misti and stamped it several times to get a nice black impression.  I also stamped the peony on a piece of vellum.  Then I adhered the watercolor piece with a bit of non-permanent adhesive to the center of the card base.  Placed the vellum over matching it all - then put the stamp over the piece of vellum for just the right placement in my Misti.   Removed the card and vellum and stamped the peony on the base.  Put some thin adhesive dots all around the frame and adhered that down and then put the center piece in - and voila!! it all matched up!!!  Added the clear drops, some Spectrum Noir to just the center and the Nuvo dots and done.  This will be one of those cards for my stash to add a sentiment when needed.

I hope you'll play along with the Pinsights Challenge this month  and fun with these gorgeous colors!  You must use Ellen Hutson products - and there's a random drawing for a $50 gift certificate.

All the info on how to enter are on The Classroom blog, so have a go!

Thanks for visiting today and love to read your comments.

 

PAINTED FLOWERS

The photo for this week's Inspired by All the Little Things really is so gorgeous, I just had to make a card.  In fact, every week they have such lovely inspiration photos - I just don't always get around to creating something.

Since Altenew is celebrating their 3rd anniversay, I decided to use the first flower stamp set I ever bought from them - it's still one of my favorites and it has been a bit neglected lately.  I used some of their striped paper from the Reflections kit to mimic the stripes in the model's cape.  Then just used colors and the vertical design from the photo - added little raindrops too.  There is Spectrum Noir on just the flowers for some shiny prettiness!

I don't know how I was chosen by Altenew to receive this darling stamp set, but it came in the mail quite by surprise a week or so ago.  Love it!! 

So will add this to Inspired by All...and also Altenew's anniversary celebration.

Thanks for visiting today and love to read your kind comments.

HIBISCUS BACKGROUND

It's "Anything Goes" for this month's theme at A Blog Named Hero!  And you know me and my flowers so...

Today's card is totally inspired by Yana Smakula's card - I have always been total rubbish when it comes to making a background - have never liked what I've made - somehow it always looks off kilter or I screw it all up when I'm almost finished!!!  So using the hibiscus stamps I carefully did a similar placement of stamps and I'm finally happy with the results.  Now that I have this background placement technique down pat, I just might be making more of this design in various colors!

I used only the first and second layers of the flowers and picked some pretty HA colors.  Since I wanted perfect coverage, used my Misti in case I needed to stamp several times.  Added some little dots to fill in the blank spaces. When I was finished I embossed around the flowers and leaves using the dies.  This is the sandwich I use on my Cuttlebug to emboss with a die - A plate, B plate, tan Spellbinders mat, paper, die (face down), B plate.  Cut down the size of the piece with one the larger infinity rectangles and put it on a soft grey base adding some fun foam underneath.  Embossed the little sentiment on some HA layering paper (sorry don't know which color it is) using HA white powder.  Finally a few Nuvo crystal dots in rosewater.

HA inks used - pale tomato, a pink from Lia, butter bar, pastel blue, sea glass, soft granite - the light grey is  london fog and the pale yellow is dandelion - both from Memento.

Have a go with any Hero Arts stamps in your stash, create a card and enter it this month's challenge!!  

Thanks for visiting today and love to read your kind comments.

 

DEER TRIO

The challenge at Merry Monday this week is to "create a scene" and it prompted me to make my first Christmas card of the year.  Also the challenge at CAS Mix-Up is "inlaid diecutting" and since I cut my scene apart and then inlaid the the center part back into the frame, I thought this might qualify.

I first smooshed some Tsukineko white frost ink onto a piece of white cs (5.5x4.25) using some cling wrap.  Then stenciled the trees with Altenew evergreen ink and where the white ink was it sort of looked like snow and gave a varigated color. Next I die cut the frame, made the shaker and put it all back together on a soft gray card base.  Added the IO deer trio on the top and done.  Sentiment stamped inside.

 

 

Inlaid die-cut, stencil

Thanks for visiting today and love to read your kind comments.

CAS WATERCOLOUR

I have had this piece stamped with antique linen distress ink on my desk for several weeks - wanting to do some no-line watercolouring - but kind of reluctant to even try it.  So when I saw the challenge today on CAS Watercolour, decided it was time to take the plunge.

The image is from a Concord & 9th set - Happy Words.  Colored the flower with distress worn lipstick, the center with scattered straw and the leaves with peeled paint and water.  I used some watercolor pencils to add a little definition.  Finally used a light gray Zig and water to do the shadow around the flower.   Die cut it with a stitched rectangle and put on a soft gray base popping it up with some fun foam.  Couldn't decide where to put a sentiment, so just left it as is.

Thanks for stopping by and love to read your kind comments.

 

 

 

WINNER AND THE MISSING MISTI MAGNET MYSTERY

First of all I would like to announce that Sue LD is the winner of my sequins from the A Blog Named Hero hop celebrating their 5th anniversary.  I am amazed at the number of comments I received and am grateful to every one of you who took the time to comment on my card and celebrate with us.  

 

No card in this post - just a funny little story.  This past week one of my Misti magnets was missing for several days and even tho I looked all around my craft room, it was nowhere to be found.  Wasn't too concerned 'cause I still had two more.  Then this morning when I went into my freezer part of my side by side frig, there it was just inside the door.  How crazy is that!!!! - and at first I couldn't figure out how it got there.

Here's the only solution I can think of.  I wear an IWatch with a stainless steel band and also the watch has a magnetic back that is used for recharging.  It must have somehow attached to the watchband and then hopped onto the frig door and I just didn't notice it for several days.  Gonna have to be careful with that watch from now on!!

Thanks for stopping by today - have a great rest of the week.

 

MARCH 12 KITS OF OCCASIONS

In February I was lucky enough to win one of the March 12 Kits of Occasions.  This month the theme was "out of this world"  and the kit was put together by Jeanne Jachna.  I received a box full of papers, stamped images and sentiments, twine, die cuts, embellishments - honestly I was overwhelmed by all she included.  It must have taken her ages to put this all together for all the participants!!  The other part that was a bit daunting is that I really don't ever use little astronauts, spacehips, etc. - so huge challenge right there.  But after having a think about it all, once I got going I made four cards.

I'm not going into detail about each card.  On the first card the background was done with Brushos and the astronaut was colored with Zigs.  The background on the second card is a piece of patterned paper.  Smooshed some distress inks for the background of the third card and embossed the stars and sentiment with liquid platinum.  Made the background on the fourth card by blending distress oxide inks on black cs and spritzing with water.  

Every month these gals give away kits to someone who leaves a comment.  I have been following them for ages - I think they started out with kits about Christmas and since then has changed to holidays and now occasions.  So check out their blog and enter.

I've already mailed off my "congratulations" card to my DIL who was just made head teacher (the principal in USA language) of St. Joseph's Primary School in Kingston on Thames, London - I'm so pleased for her and so proud - lucky staff and really lucky kids to have her!!

Thanks so much Jeanne for this wonderful kit that made me go way out of my box - or maybe I should say way out of space!!!

TIME TO CELEBRATE

A BLOG NAMED HERO IS 5 YEARS OLD!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 

To CELEBRATE, present and former DT members are all taking part in a huge blog hop - and today is the second day.  I am currently a member of their Facebook team and am also a past DT member.  

Jess and Lisa asked us to celebrate with our favorite Hero Arts products.  I had a hard time deciding, but finally went with the original hydrangea as it has been my favorite "go to" stamp for years. 

Since this is such a long post, I'm just going to list the main supplies as it is pretty straightforward - used just a damp brush with the Zigs to do the shading on the flower.  The main flower was stamped in black and clear embossed, colored and then fussy cut.

HA Infinity Rectangles

HA Black Dye Ink

HA Clear Embossing Powder

HA White Embossing Powder

Zigs - tea rose, light carmine, mid-green

Misti - to get a good crisp black

Even though the hydrangea stamp I used is discontinued, Hero Arts has some new ones complete with matching dies (yay!! no more fussy cutting!!)  Be sure to check them out here, here and here.

A Blog Named Hero is so thankful for our wonderful sponsors and collaborating companies!  Several companies decided to help us celebrate our fifth anniversary with giveaways and they were so generous that we decided to spread the love over both hop days with different prizes to be won each day!  Giveaway prizes total more than $500!  To win, leave a comment on each hop stop.  We will select winners randomly from different blogs so the more blogs you visit each day, the greater your chances of winning!  And be sure to visit the Saturday post from A Blog Named Hero for the list of Saturday hoppers and prizes!  Comments must be left before 11:59 PM EDT on Tuesday, March 28th and winners will be announced on March 30th.

Today's prizes are:

$50 gift card to Simon Says Stamp
$50 gift card to Gina K Designs
$25 gift card to Winnie & Walter
$25 gift card to Lawn Fawn
$20 gift card to Avery Elle
prize pack from Mama Elephant
gift card from Studio Katia
one Online Card Class of your choice
one set of distress oxide inks from Jennifer McGuire Ink

In order to win prizes from today you need to comment on today's hop participants who have posted cards. 

Your next stop on the hop is Danielle Walls from Neat and Tangled.   You may find the complete hop list for Saturday and Sunday here.

I am also offering a little prize to one of my commenters - it's a small bag of each of the new Hero Arts ombre sequin colors - five varigated colors (ocean, blush, sunshine, purple and blue) in various sizes.  So fun to use in shakers or for just some bling!!

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Hopping!! 

POPPIES & BLING

This month the challenge at A Blog Named Hero is bling.  The inspiration for the design of my card was this post from Jennifer McGuire - she always has such unusual techniques and this one really caught my fancy!

Received my order of some new HA products last week and had to try out the new Color Layering Poppy.

I stamped the smaller poppy and stems directly onto the inside card and the larger poppy was stamped, die cut and popped up (just a little bit!).  Then stamped the sentiment in black and clear embossed on the vellum.  Added a few sequins and some clear Spectrum Noir on the poppies both on the inside and out.  These new Hero Arts poppies are so easy to layer and stamp - used pale tomato and a pink from the HA Lia inks.

You can see the clear glitter on the closeup a bit better.  Be sure to check out Jennifer's post for the complete technique - and be sure to enter the challenge here at A Blog Named Hero.

This weekend on Saturday and Sunday A Blog Named Hero is having a huge blog hop to celebrate their fifth birthday - big prizes and big names in it - like Hero Arts, Simon Says Stamp, Winnie and Walter, Jennifer McGuire, Yana Smakula. My post will be on Sunday so be sure to stop by.  Each day has special prizes so make sure to check everyone out and comment on each post!!  The pic below shows all the great companies who have sponsored us in the past and some have offered generous prizes.

 
Thanks for visiting today - love to read your kind comments.

PEONY IN PINK

The main theme this month for CAS Mix-Up challenge is smooshing and I had some fun smooshing my new distress oxide inks onto watercolor paper.  

Put some worn lipstick and fossilized amber inks on my craft sheet, added lots of water and played.  My paper was pretty warped by the time it dried and just ironed it between two sheets of copy paper and it was fine.  Stamped the peony quite a few times in black using my Misti - bumpy watercolor paper is so hard to get a nice crisp outline - then added clear embossing powder for darker black and die cut it. Did the same stamping and embossing for the leaves and the sentiment.  After I had put it all together and added the black dots, decided it needed something - so using my clarity brush added some of the worn lipstick around the flower.  In retrospect, I should have done that last step before stamping the leaves and sentiment - live and learn!!

Smooshing + stamping+embossing is my formula for the challenge.  

Thanks for visiting today and all your kind comments.

 

PEONY IN GREEN

The Ellen Hutson Pinsights this month contains wonderful images in greens for inspiration.  Since a friend asked me to make a wedding card for May (emerald is the gem for May), I combined the two.

I stamped the EH peony in black and clear embossed; colored with Zigs (pale green and light green) and a damp brush; covered with Spectrum Noir.  Popped up the flower with foam tape and added the sentiment - also stamped in black and clear embossed.  Added  some Nuvo crystal dots in silver, stamped "best wishes" inside and chomped the corner.

The photo in the center second from the bottom was my inspiration for colors and lots of white space - also the silver in the spoon and the scripty writing.

Thanks for stopping by today and always love to read your kind comments.

FUSION CHALLENGE

My card today is rather a happy accident.  I was looking through my patterned papers to find some on which I could do some stamping and found that wonderful alphabet piece - light bulb went on!!  Perfect for the Fusion challenge going on right now.

I cut a piece of the alphabet paper to fit the front of my card.  Had lots of scraps from which to choose for making the little banners - stamped the sentiment in black ink and clear embossed.  The flower is the new layering poppy from Hero Arts and the leaves were die cut from an old Sizzix die.  Put it all together and added some Spectrum Noir to the flower and leaves.  Never did get around to doing any stamping on pp today!

Thanks for visiting and also your kind comments.

COLORING ON PATTERNED PAPER

Therese Calvird's card last week inspired me to create my card.  I had never tried coloring on patterned paper before and she made it look so easy.  Then along came the Inspired by All the Little Things photo and Addicted to Stamping's "make your mark" challenges and hence my card.  I will also add this Kathy's coloring challenge and The Flower Challenge "anything goes".

I stamped Altenew's freesia on the patterned paper from their Refection kit with black ink and heat embossed.  Colored my flower with Prisma pencils in the blues and greens and softened the color with the light gray pencil.  Added the sentiment and a few clear drops and put it on a white card base.  And happy with the results.

Thanks for visiting today and always enjoy your comments.