Hero Arts Artists Proofs Catalog

Has anyone seen one of the latest catalogs from Hero Arts? It's called Artist Proofs. I've taken a liking to it. I like the 'artsy' feel of the stamps. They remind me of some of Tim Holtz's stuff.

Hero Arts Artist Proofs

Thanks :: 2 Sketches 4 You

Okay, so I've been away from 2 Sketches 4 You for a few weeks. I hope to participate more frequently. If all else fails, I am keeping up w/the activity over there. Like there is a new design team. Congrats to all especially my friend Savitri. Love her work.

Here's the back story on today's creation: recently moved. Most of what I own is in storage. Packed two bags and a box of craft items to take w/me. Can't find the box. Don't remember what I did w/the Cuttlebug (CB) (see previous post). Used a 40% coupon and bought a new CB @ Michaels today. Happier.

As card making goes, this one was simple. Love that.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K & Co.
ink: Tim Holtz
stamp: Stampabilities
ribbon: Offray
dry embossing: Cuttlebug

Happy Everything :: Color Inspiration and 2 Sketches 4 You

Wow, the week almost went by w/o me doing much card making. Just taking it slow is all. I did get the Cuttlebug Challenge done (see yesterday's post).

I do like the inspiration for the Color Inspiration - skeins of yarn. I love when I see the DMC floss all lined up and color coordinated. The 2 Sketches 4 You sketch is a no-frills sketch. Love that.

I don't have much more to say about this card. It's just simple and fresh. I started to distress the edges and do some sewing, but sometimes less is more.

Thanks for looking .... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: ??
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: Michaels
flower die: Sizzix
felt: craft supply

Holiday Wishes :: A Card for Multiple Challenges

This card fits the bill for three (3) challenges. You might be like "wow". But my lesson is learned here. From here on out, I will primarily do just one (1) or two (2) challenges at a time. Three sort of seems like a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I think my card just looks so-so and that if I would have focus on two challenges I would have had a better result. And I actually wanted to add a fourth element: using the 'spotlight' stamp technique for 2Peas' final week of Stamp Camp.

The three (3) challenges being attempted:

1. Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #33
   
2. Card Positioning Systems (CPS) card sketch #93
   
3. Hero Arts Make-It-In-Minutes Card Challenge

The biggest challenge was using the Color Inspiration colors: chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, taken w/teal, certainly celery and whisper white. The colors look good in the image, but not so easy to duplicate on a small canvas like a card.

I do like this week's CPS card sketch. Nice that I had the small embossing folders from Cuttlebug to add the snowflake. I do like the rhinestone at the snowflakes center. Nice touch. I like using sketches ... just one less thing to think about while card making.

And finally for the Hero Arts Challenge ... make a quick card. This was sort of quick in that I had a sketch and the colors and just had to coordinate, hence, the challenge.

I like the dry embossing on the horizontal strip. It's from the Cuttlebug heart die and embossing folders set. I just embossed half of the strip and then embossed the other half.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Archivers, Bazzill and craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
rhinestone and felt: unknown
other: sewing

Hi :: 2 Sketches 4 You and 2Peas Stamp Camp

Wow, another week and back to the wonderful world of cardmaking.

Starting off the week w/this week's 2 Sketches 4 You card sketch. This one courtesy of Laura. I love these sketches. It did not take me to coordinate this one. Just used some of the basics. I did grab some stamps that I rarely use from See-D's. And I used a border punch from Martha Stewart. I do like that punch. It is so easy to line up and use as opposed to the Fiskars punches which take a bit more of an effort to punch through.

Also, over @ Two Peas in a Bucket, Stamp Camp continues. Last week it was a "Kissing" technique. I've been following the camp, but I've yet to post a project. So here it is. The kissing is faint on the letters, but you can see the little swirls. Well that is from another stamp. I am not one to go into detail about this technique - that is why there is Stamp Camp. Go and check out the kissing technique video tutorial by Kristina Werner.

That's enough info for now, right?

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
alphabet stamps: See-D's
swirl stamp: $1 Michaels
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Textile Texture
flower: Prima
twine: Darice
button: Foof a al
other: sewing

Have a Special Day :: Color Inspiration #32 and 2 Sketches 4 You

So far it's been a nice Thanksgiving Week. Hanging w/the fam in my hometown. We had crazy snow on Tuesday, but it has calmed down since then.

And today after an early morning, two-hour workout, then a nap and then some good eats, I managed to kick out this little card. I'm excited about it since when I packed my craft bag I forgot my adhesive tape, my craft scissors, some ribbon, ink for stamping and my paper cutter. Those are some of the essentials.

Thank goodness my mom was in the mood to share some of her goodies thus enabling me to make this card for two of my fav weekly challenges: Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration and Laura and Kazan's 2 Sketches 4 You.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:

cardstock: Archiver's

patterned paper: Basic Grey

circle punches: EK Success

stamp: Hero Arts

ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger

dry embossing: Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls

scalloped edge: made using EK Success corner rounder

November Blog Hop

It's that time again. Time for Papertrey Ink's monthly Blog Hop. This month's challenge is to create a floral embellishment.

I was really looking forward to this one. Mostly due to my recent fascination w/fabric and fabric brads in particular. And boy do fabric brads look nice w/felt and fabric flowers.

I like the flower for this one. It was really easy to make. The fabric used to make the first layer is from Joann. It's actually just a swatch from the upholstery department. I matched up the fabric w/the fabric brad. The fabric brad is from K&Co. Love those. I think they have 9 for $3.99 - not too bad.

If you want to see more of my fabric flowers check out some of my previous posts:

• So Thoughtful Card
• Thank You Card
  

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Archivers and Bazzill
patterned paper and fabric brad: K&Co.
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaColor
ribbon: Michaels
fabric: Joann
felt: unknown
flower die: Sizzix

Friendship :: 2 Sketches 4 You

Okay, so I am back to producing cards for single challenges, at least this week. The other day I managed to create one card using three different challenges.

For today's post, I'm focused on this week's 2 Sketches 4 You card sketch. It was nicely produced by Kazan. I like it, but I decided to go simple for this one. And that means so sewing, no torn or distressed edges, etc.

I did manage to use some plastic. Plastic from a milk jug. I used that to make the flower. Then I ran it through the Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots folder. And finally, I added some patterned paper to the back of it. But I think it's that fat button that really sets it off.

My bow making is still a work in progress. I keep trying. I am tying like I tie my shoes and I do believe that is the problem. This bow looks okay. I'm just afraid that I will unravel. Oh, and I do like the look of the off-white heat embossing on the patterned paper.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company
ribbon: Morex
stamp: Stampin Up!
ink: VersaMagic
embossing powder: Ranger
button: Bazzill
floss: DMC
flower die: Sizzix
border punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 6

I'm hoping to get some of my other projects posted, but without my laptop, I'm relegated to the library with limited time. Love the library, just working this thing out.

So this week's Cuttlebug Challenge is to use a sketch from ScrapFreak.com. I did like the sketch and the resulting card too.

I decided to try out Tim Holtz's alcohol inks. I thought that the color would match up better and not be so yellow-y. But I will work that out next time. I used a plastic milk jug for the flower. I used the alcohol ink on the plastic first, then I cut it out using the Sizzix die cut, then I ran it though the Swiss Dots embossing folder. Warning though: let ink on that baby dry for a bit. It left a faint trace of ink on the embossing folder. Not a big deal, but if it dries, it more than likely will not come off. I am so anal about my embossing folders, but I've seen some folks do crazy things w/them.

Oh and for the top portion of the card, I almost left it uncolored, but decided to run my brayer over the ink pad and ran the brayer over the card a few time. Cool.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Papertrey Ink
flower die cut: Sizzix
ink and alcohol ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
button: American Crafts
floss: DMC
stamp: Hero Arts
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Textile Texture and Swiss Dots
other: plastic milk jug and sewing

Thanks :: 2 Sketches 4 You

It's funny, most of my cards from the 2 Sketches 4 You sketches are Thanks and Thank You cards. That is so unintentional, yet interesting and funny to me.

What is also funny, how my card turned out based on the sketch. It does not totally match up, but these things are up for interpretation, right? I thought that the vertical pattern on the paper was complimentary to the vertical sections in the sketch. As for the two circles @ the bottom of the sketch, I wanted to add another flower, but the one is plenty.


Speaking of the flower, I used a Sizzix die and cut it from Fun Foam. Love that bling too. It's from Joann/CK. The sentiment is a $1 stamp from Micheals. I was going to stamp in like a pink, but that Tim Holtz Weathered Wood nearly matches the flourish underneath it; I love it when these things work out.

What almost did not work out was the sewing. I used some craft thread in the sewing machine, but I did not adjust the tension, so the first panel that I made got all ripped up. Note to self: do the sewing first and the stamping last when possible.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Making Memories
fun foam: unknown
flower die: Sizzix
bling: Joann/CK
stamp: Michaels $1
other: sewing

Thank You :: 2 Sketches 4 You

Finally got around to finishing this card for this week's 2 Sketches 4 You sketch. I got started on it yesterday morning.

Anyway, thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co.
chipboard heart: American Crafts
ribbon: Offray
die cut ovals: Nestabilities
stamp: PSX
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger and VersaMagic
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots and ???
other: sewing

Did Someone Say "Holiday Cards"?

Yeah, I know that it's a bit soon to even think about the holidays. But no one told that to the folks over @ 2Peas. And I'm okay w/that. They've been presenting some holiday card making classes. Lots of goodies and tons of ideas. All in the name of getting you prepared well in advance. That theory could work too - you nip away at the card making week by week and the next thing you know, you are all done, your cards are in the mail and you are actually enjoying the holiday season ... it is indeed a theory.

Here are some of the other cards that I made.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
felt tree: Hobby Lobby
stamp: Oogaloo/Michaels/$1
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
star: Darice

You're Fab :: Triple the Sketch

I've gone sketch crazy. You'd think I have a personal goal to do a sketch a day; not the case, but it easily could be, huh?

I picked up this paper pack from K&Co. w/40% off coupon from Michaels. Blue Awning is the name of the line and I love it. Reminds me on denim in a way.

So I grabbed the Triple the Sketch sketch and crafted these cards. I went a bit more simple than the sketch, just trying to tone it down a bitl. I guess it works.

I used a stamp from See-D's (sophisticated friends set) as well as some blue shimmery embossing powder from Joann.

I don't know which card I like the best; they're not really that different, right?

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co.
stamp: See-D's
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
ribbon: Michaels
oval and scalloped oval die cuts: Nestabilities
other: sewing

Thank You :: 2 Sketches 4 You Bonus Sketch

I've somehow managed to carve out plenty of crafting time this week. Possibly to make up for not crafting at all last week.

This week on the 2 Sketches 4 You blog, they have a bonus sketch. I like that circle; I'm just attracted to it. So I quickly jumped to make a card. That little tag is cute too. I put some bling on the flower on the tag, but I don't know if it will stay that way. I wanted something flat that would slide in and out.

I used Basic Grey's Periphery. It's a bit bland and dreary, but I'm really smitten w/it. I found it on sale at Pat Catan's for .25 cents a sheet. Nice get, so I got it, and lots of it.

Well, enough chatter ... thanks for looking, here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
ink: VersaMark, VersaMagic and Tim Holtz/Ranger
stamps: Hero Arts (many many thanks) and ??? (thank you)
ribbon: Michaels and Offray
tag die cut: Sizzix
heart die cut: Cuttlekids
flower punch: EK Success
bling: Darice
other: sewing