Hero Arts – Page 2 – My Crafts are Like a Box of Chocolates

Lace and Roses Mini Pail

March 8, 2015 beccreates1

This is for the Shabby Tea Room Challenge this week.

I took a basic pail I got from either a dollar store of the Dollar Spot in Target and added some metallic rub-on to the outside. I quickly realized that, even with heat setting, it wasn’t going to set. Bummer. So I added some workable fixatif. Bad idea. It seemed to work but if rubbed to hard, it came off. Then I tried adding some red line tape to attach the lace. The first piece of tape wouldn’t stick at all and removed the rub on and fixativ from the area I was taping and a bit beyond. Seriously? I decided to embrace the uneven nature figuring it lent to the distressed look I was going for. At least the second piece of tape stuck.

Next I added a Spellbinders fancy label which I stamped and distressed with more rub-on. I used ribbon to attach the label and added some pearls. I didn’t have quite the right colour of roses so I added some Copic airbrushing to them. Perfect! These were adhered over top of some mini ivy die cuts. I used Copic markers on white paper to get just the right colour. Click on the photo to link to the challenge.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: SU! french script
Ink: Cup o joe-HA, melon berry-PTI
Paper: ivory-PTI
Accessories: vintage lace, raspberry rickrack-stash, roses-Really Reasonable Ribbon, pearls-Dollarama, pail-dollar store or dollar spot, ivy die-Memory Box, rub-on metallic paste-stash, Krylon workable fixatif, label die- Spellbinders

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Shabby Vespa Card

December 11, 2014 beccreates1

I have always loved this older paper pad , Neopolitan, from American Crafts. I go back to it every so often and fall in love again every time.

I’m afraid this picture doesn’t do this card justice. All the colours are muted and when I tried bumping up the saturation, it just looked weird. This was made for Tuesday Morning Sketches 279. I used the vertical center line of the Bingo card, ribbon, embossing and flowers. It was sure tricky making something with the Bingo card AND the sketch!

The Vespa is a sticker; to prevent it from sticking to the card base in between the foam dots, I used my powder tool to deactivate the adhesive. I usually, if I remember, add the foam dots BEFORE deactivating the adhesive or the powder can prevent the foam dots from sticking.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamp: Hero Arts Messages with Flourish
Ink: Versamark, Versacolour Cloud white, Archival potting soil
Paper: American crafts, card base-MFT (? colour name)
Accessories: gold ep, cord-SU!, lace-Fabricland, ribbon-stash, sequins-Sulyn Ind. stickers-American Crafts,

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For Baby Card

September 8, 2013 beccreates1

So, I had to give this 10 minute thing another shot. Let’s just say I failed miserably (but I did get quite a bit closer, more like 14 minutes). Even though I prepped the heart embellie in advance… that’s not cheating right? 🙂 I can’t do anything quickly apparently. Sponging even takes me a long time! I think there’s a reason why you don’t see shabby chic cards among the 10 minute craft dash team cards or in the linky creations!

This time I used this week’s deconstructed sketch 117. The basics of it anyway; I didn’t follow it to the letter. I now see I put the rounded edges at the top and I didn’t layer the two main panels the same way but I hope it’s close enough. When I set about to colouring the image, I realized I hadn’t used chocolate anywhere yet so the blanket ended up dark brown. And I added a chocolate button too. It’s a bit hard to see under the twine but it’s there.

I die cut the heart out of corrugated cardboard then added a soft yellow/ivory paint to the edges. While it was still wet I added some micro fine white glitter. Then I added glue to the very edges and gold opaque glitter. The button threaded with twine tied in a bow was the finishing touch.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Crafty Secrets: baby boy postcard set, background stamp-Hero Arts?
Ink: Memento Espresso Truffle, frayed burlap Distress
Paper: kraft, ivory-PTI, yellow stripe DP-MME lavender, blue DP-Simple Stories
Accessories: heart die, button, twine-PTI, paint-buttermilk Americana, warm white glitter-Glitter Ritz, gold glitter-Art Institute, ribbon-May Arts, foam dots-Jody Morrow, corner rounder-WRMK, lace-not sure, maybe WMS?

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Baby Boy Bundle of Joy Card

September 8, 2013 beccreates1

I am NOT a quick card maker. I could be but I just don’t like to be. I always want to add one more thing or colour something instead of just solid stamp. So when I tried to make it under 10 minutes for the latest Craft Dash challenge… well, they don’t call it a challenge for nothing!

I used the latest Mojo Monday sketch for the basic bones of the card. And I rushed, or tried to. I’d never used this solid stamp before and did I remember to try it out first or condition it? Of course not. So when the Memento ink I’d set out didn’t seem to give good coverage, I pulled out my brown Archival ink and inked up the stamp, d’uh, I wiped it off because I planned to Copic colour it. More wasted time.

So I finally chose my new, never tried but much touted (by Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner) Hero Arts Shadow ink in Cup o Joe. It still didn’t stamp cleanly! Ugh! I will give the ink another chance with a better conditioned stamp. I wasted like 4 minutes on that fiasco though and fixing the bad stamping with a marker. Overall, took me at least 25 minutes to make this card. I’ll still link it up because the rules say you can anyways and I loved the colour combo. You’ll see in my next post, I tried again and got closer but still didn’t make it. UGH!

My other challenge was the placement of the little mobile hanging things. I thought the stamp was designed so that you could stamp them in one shot. But when I went to stamp them, they just didn’t look right. So I test stamped them. This was well after the I shut the timer off in frustration. I realized I’d have to cut them apart to stamp them and match the hanging strings exactly. Sure look cute though don’t they? 🙂

Click on either photo to visit the challenges.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Taylored Expressions: crib, sentiment-PTI
Ink: cup o joe (crib)-HA, blueberry sky-PTI
Paper: saffron, natural white CS-SU!, simple stories DP
Accessories: baby outfit button-Jesse James buttons, ribbon-May Arts, foam dots-Jody Morrow, labels 1 Nesties, Copics

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Hero Arts Thinking of You Card

January 24, 2012 beccreates1

I bought one of the new Hero Arts sets that includes stamps and matching dies. The dies are unique in that they cut right at the very inner edge so no guessing where it is going to cut like dies with the cutting edge in the middle. Of course, then there is no way to stencil or emboss so it’s a trade off.

I sincerely apologize for the icky colour cast. I have come to realize that photographing my cards in the daytime in my light box is never going to work. The lights I use have a very yellow cast and the light in my room is daylight so quite blue. The mix seems to confuse my camera sensor in a very nasty way. I don’t have software that will auto correct and the manual adjustments I made didn’t help much. I’d take another photo but I already gave the card away. Sigh… I hope you can use your imagination to get rid of the bluishness.

The authentic colours are celery, banana and apricot in the background, pretty in pink and regal rose for the flower and celery and olive for the leaves, all from SU! I used markers to colour the flower and then spritzed the stamp lightly with pearlized water I made from Perfect Pearls. Next time, I’ll use a bit more water as I wish it had blended a bit better. I was inspired by a card I found by Melissa Bickford posted Jan 14th on Just Dandy. Thanks Melissa!

This card says Thinking of You but I used it as a sympathy card. I stamped a sentiment from JustRite stamps inside. A dear friend lost a brother and sister within the space of a month. Sadly, I didn’t know about the brother so the card only says sister inside but they get the idea.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Hero Arts-Floral set and dot stamp from some other HA set
Ink: celery, rose, banana, apricot, olive, pink-SU!
Paper: doily-Wilton, white, banana, celery CS-SU!
Accessories: Ribbon-May Arts, dies-HA

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Gift Set for a Friend

January 18, 2012 beccreates1

I’ve mentioned before that I have a friend who is battling cancer. I made her a gift basket a while back and I posted the card I made for her. I didn’t have time to make everything I had intended to add to the basket so I finally finished it this week. I am entering this in the Moxie Fab Around the House Challenge to use something from around the house. I used coffee filters.

I made her a notepad, a sticky note pad, a bookmark…

… a decorated composition notebook, a decorated pencil, a clip and a pencil holder. I made the flowers with dyed crinoline, tulle and coffee filter layers. They were cut with a 5 petal flower dies by Heartfelt Creations. They are just like Spellbinders dies and come in a set of 7! I dyed and scrunched the layers before they dried. The crinoline in particular scrunches really small so I had to flatten the layers a bit before using them. I stamped and dyed the book binding tape. I was surprised how well the adhesive held, I highly recommend this product!

The pencil holder is a simple folded ribbon. I folded the ribbon and sewed it to make a pocket; the top front edge folded over so it was sewn in to finish it. The upper area is also folded over and the end tucked in when I sewed the rest which leaves a large loop at the top. It looks decorated but what you see is the top of the pencil with a large flower on it. The pencil also has pink ribbon wrapped around the top half. I wrapped the clip in patterned paper and decorated it with a matching chipboard bird and a coffee filter flower. I kept the sticky note holder very simple and flat in case she wants to put it in the book.

The notebook uses a doily cut with a PTI doily die layered with more handmade flowers, buttons, pearls and a silk ribbon bow. The leaves are also made from coffee filter. To get the variegation on the leaves, I pressed celery and olive ink pads on my non-stick craft mat. I spritzed with pearlized water and pressed the leaves into the celery ink. Then I dragged the edges in the olive ink. The lace was made on my mom’s sewing machine with her embroidery hoop. It was made using wash out stabilizer so really all it is is thread in the end. Pretty nice huh? For some reason she didn’t use it so passed it on to me! Yeah!

Next is the notebook. The colours aren’t very accurate in this photo. The green cardstock cover isn’t quite as yellowish and neither is the flower; it looks way too peachy. IRL it is slightly corally but definitely pink. Sigh…

There is more lace peeking out from under the flower and I stamped the ‘note to self’ stamp all over the blush coloured paper at the top in different directions making it look like patterned paper. I CASEd a notebook design by Mish Wooderson of Mish Mash; credit where credit is due. I LOVE her notepad layouts.

This bookmark is so simple that I don’t think it needs much explaining. I have no idea what colour the mist is as I made it ages ago and since I didn’t use it up, I just saved it. Maybe regal rose with a bit of burgundy thrown in seems to ring a bell?? I was happy with the collagey feel I ended up with as I really try hard for this style often and don’t usually manage to get something I like. The butterfly was coloured with Copics.

This last photo shows a box I made ages ago along with some of the new things I’ve made. I was going to add the box to the gift basket I made but it wouldn’t fit. So when I designed this gift set, I decided to use the same DP pack, Botanique by American Crafts, to make everything.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: script-Hero Arts, all from bookmark except tiny flourish and script-American Crafts, all from
notepad plus tiny flourish-Take Note-PTI,
Ink: memento brown, Chocolate, blush, celery, apricot, olive-SU!, soft rose-Hero Arts, Stazon brown
Paper: Spring moss CS-PTI, DP-American Crafts, bookmark base-Hero Arts, doily-Wilton, bird die cuts and chipboard-American Crafts,
Accessories: Metal edged tag, hardware, brads-SU!, crinoline-Etsy, coffee filter, buttons, doily die, notepad, button die-PTI, silk ribbon-May Arts, Perfect Pearls, flourish die-Marianne, Divine Twine, ribbons (sticky note pad and pencil holder) unknown, ribbon on book-American Crafts, foam dots-Jody Morrow, binder clip, Composition notebook-Dollarama, EK Success mini scallop punch, Copic markers-R11, 32, 24, Copic refill R20 (dyeing flowers), Labels 14 (I think) die, leaf dies-Spellbinders, book binding tape-Prima

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Last Week’s Mojo Cards

November 9, 2011 beccreates1

So I finally get around to making some cards using a sketch and even within the actual week it was published. I often use sketches long after they are published if they fit the stamps or stickers or image I want to use. But did I remember to blog them and enter them? Of course not! Pregnancy brain is my only excuse!

This card was for friends of ours, a lovely couple who had an early anniversary party for us. We are celebrating 14 years on the 25th! Considering we only knew each other and dated for less than 6 months, I think we’ve probably beat some pretty amazingly high odds together. My husband is actually the only guy I’ve ever even kissed. Isn’t that sweet?!!

I got to use the new Hero Arts stamps that come with matching dies, how cool is that! The dies are unique in that they have the cutting blade right at the inner edge so it is very easy to see through the center and line up accurately. You can see how close I got in the photo above! The flower is a bit off but pretty good for a first time.

This card is a sympathy card I started ages ago. A friend’s MIL died of cancer at a relatively young age 2 months ago, what a shame. I decided to go with a shabby chic design as I haven’t done much of it lately. I made the rose with a rolled flower die, cut the doily and tag, stamped the tag and that’s where I left it for way too long. I mean, it isn’t fun to make a sympathy card anyways and I started to get the favours and invites ready for a spa party I was having and this got set aside.

Incidentally, the tag die was too short for the sentiment so I carefully placed the die in my Cuttlebug plates so that only 2/3 of it cut. Then I moved the die across the paper so when I cut the other end, the die cut was longer than if I cut it all at once. I’ve done it before and it always works quite well! I may have to do a video on that at some point. Just be careful when you cut the second time that you don’t allow the plates to cut the first end or you will mess it up. Let me know if you are interested in a video!

In case you are wondering, the card is made of two unconnected cardstock circles; doily is glued to the back of the card front. Then the card back is scored about 3/4” from the top and adhered to the card front, above the score line only, with the doily sandwiched in between. I had to use some pretty strong adhesive but it worked really very well.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
HOSPITALITY CARD
Stamps: PTI-Homemade, flower-Hero Arts
Ink: vintage photo Distress, celery, rose red, regal rose-SU!
Paper: DP Restoration-Crate, yellow DP-stash, kraft, black CS-SU!
Accessories: embossing folder-Cuttlebug, gold edging pen-Pilot, punch-MS, foam dots-Jody Morrow, pearls-Kaisercraft and Dollarama, Matching Hero Arts dies

SHABBY CHIC SYMPATHY
Stamps: JustRite
Ink: antique linen, vintage photo Distress, Artichoke-SU!
Paper: Basic Grey Perhaps, pink pirouette, celery, white CS-SU!
Accessories: Spellbinders dies, doily-Wilton, silk ribbon-May Arts, pearls-Dollarama, scalloped edge punch-SU!, foam dots-Jody Morrow

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Snapdragon Bookmark for Doodle Pantry

May 19, 2010 beccreates1

Another combination project here. I used the fabulous snapdragon image from Doodle Pantry along with a swap for Swap-Bot to make an encouraging quote bookmark.

Yep, I know, there is no quote on it. I hope it was OK to put it on the back and darn it if I didn’t forget to take a photo of the back. It is a quote from Oprah, something about everyday having the opportunity to kick off your shoes and dance. I really like that one because way too many people take life way too seriously and forget to stop and have fun!

I hope my partner likes it! If you haven’t checked out Doodle Pantry, be sure to head on over there to check out the fabulous images Laurie has drawn. This one was really easy to colour and there are zillions of colours and colour combos available for snapdragons. Just Google snapdragons and then click on images at the top for photos only! This colour combo was easily my favourite.

TIP: When colouring pale flowers, be sure to add a wash of colour around them to help them stand out from the paper. Here I contrasted the peachy pink with a bluish green wash. Try using a colour that is opposite (or close) on the colour wheel. Green is the opposite of red (pink) on the colour wheel but I chose bluish green because I like how this colour looks as a wash. For purple, use yellow and vice versa. For blue, use peach, for green use pink… You get the idea. When using Copics, use a colour that ends on 0, 00 or 01. Go around the outline of the flowers and don’t forget to fill in any gaps between the flowers too. Then blend the edge out to white with the blender pen.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Image: Doodle Pantry, background-SU!
Ink: antique linen Distress (makes white CS look ivory), chocolate chip-SU!
Paper: white CS-Taylored Expressions, bookmark-Hero Arts, DP-Lily Kate-Basic Grey
Accessories: pearls-Dollarama, ribbon-May Arts, button,twine-PTI. Copics-Y21,YR61, R11,22, G21,85, C00, BG10 (background wash), Blender, Corner rounder-EK Success

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Coral Flower Sketch Challenge

March 14, 2010 beccreates1

This card is for Midnight Madness sketch challenge this week. I altered the sketch somewhat, the panel was supposed to be in the middle of the card but I just couldn’t bear to cover up the gorgeous glittery swirls on the DP. There is a close up of the glitter below.

Not much to tell, the ribbon had pale pink flowers, I coloured over the entire ribbon with a coral Copic marker so it would match. The flower was coloured with a chocolate Copic marker and then sprayed with gold Perfect Pearls in water for some shimmer.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: sentiment-Verve, flower Hero Arts, flourishes-Autumn Leaves
Ink: coral, chocolate-SU!
Paper: vanilla, coral, chocolate CS-SU!, My Mind’s Eye Organics Stack DP
Accessories: ribbon-stash, flower-Scrapbook Sally, gold Perfect Pearls, Copic markers, Kaisercraft pearl, sewing thread

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Oooh La La!! French Corset Card!

July 10, 2009 beccreates1

Boy I wish I looked this good in my underwear! And red too, Wooo Hooo! Can you tell how much fun I had making this card! I sat down to make cards and I really didn’t feel like crafting but DH took the kids out to play at the mall playground so I felt like I just HAD to take advantage of so much alone time! So I started with
the card you saw in the last post, easy peasy and then, browsing my blog list, I saw this card! It reminded me I needed to use a French Boutique set I’ve had for ages but barely used. After choosing the stamp I looked through a tin full of French labels I’ve had for ages which I save for cards where they will really shine. This one was just begging to be used on such a girlie card. I shabbied it up a bit with caramel and cocoa ink applied with Cut n Dry Foam. The background was inspired by recent videos on Jennifer McGuire. Trust me, I am not even going to link to a specific video because you HAVE to watch them ALL! Even if you aren’t a technique fan, these videos are AWESOME! I used one of her resist techniques to create my background. Start by stamping a background pattern on your cardstock, then stamp a semi-solid or solid image in Versamark and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. You can stop there but if you sponge a darker ink over, the clear embossed areas will resist the sponged ink and you get a background like mine! If you don’t love the shiny areas, put a couple layers of paper towel over the card/background and iron, the embossing powder will melt into the paper towel and your design will be much less shiny!

I used Copics on the corset itself, I had a lot of fun colouring this one, I am actually REALLY pleased with the results. Copics do take a lot of practice but they are so worth the effort!!!! I started with a medium pink, covered it with red, then shaded with deep red. Imagining this fabric is a bit shiny, I left a highlight where the fabric folds into the seams. I couldn’t decide what to do with the bottom of the dressform which had a wire ‘cage’ extending the bodice making it longer. The lines were too thin to cut out around and I didn’t like the white paper showing so I just cut them off. The skirt was fun to do, I had a roll of tulle left from my wedding! (1997!) so I cut off a piece, stitched a quick running stitch along the edge and inserted it into a slit I cut at the lower edge of the corset. I had cut almost all the way along the dropped waistline just leaving bits attached at each edge so the tulle fit in there perfectly. I attached the dressform with a double layer of extra tall foam dots so it is about 1/2” above the main card. The pearls are tiny beads meant to be strung so I placed them carefully so no holes where facing up. The ribbon is hand dyed and painted seam binding tape from Kim Hesson, her Etsy store is Miss Alayneeah (get it, miscellanea!), wasn’t it just perfect for this card??

This card screamed, “Add Bling!!” so I put rhinestones all over, so pretty! I added clear Spica pen to all of the flowers and leaves on the sticker, outlining them, then added more to the roses and the lilacs. I also glittered the oval around the sticker, the dots on the corset and the dressform stand to make it look more like metal. I even managed to get an angle that shows the sparkle and bling. WAY COOL!!! You might have to enlarge it to see it though.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Fashion Boutique-can’t remember! I thought I had transferred the company name to my newly organized CD cases but I guess not!, flower-Hero Arts, script-Hero Arts?
Ink: Memento brown, perfect plum, cocoa, caramel-SU!
Paper: pale plum CS-SU!, Taylored Expressions
Accessories: tiny pearls, tulle-stash, ribbon-see above, rhinestones-Zva, Clear Spica pen, foam dots-stash, clear EP-SU!, Copics, sticker-Cavallier Printing, Shimmer Mist-Luminarte
Technique: emboss resist