simple dreams

"BOO" Your Neighbor --- It's a Good Thing!

This activity has been one my family has REALLY enjoyed, especially when my girls were a little younger than they are now ;-D It is always so much fun to hear the laughter as they tell their get away stories and it just feels good to bring this little "tradition" to other families.

Here at work I started asking the others if they had ever "Boo'ed" their neighbors. They gave me the funniest look when I asked this question. I then realized that everyone but Cathy had no clue what I was talking about! Thank you for sharing your poem with us Cathy (I couldn't find mine - insert pink cheeks here).

BOO!

The Phantom Ghost has come to call, and left some goodies for one and all.

The Treats that came with this special note, are yours to keep, enjoy them both.

The fun comes when friends like you, will copy this and make it two.

Then others here among our friends, will give warm puzzles that will not end.

We'll have smiles upon our face, no one will know who boo'ed whose place.

Just one short day to work your fun, or a big zap will strike, so run!

And don't forget a nifty treat, like something cute or something sweet.

Please join the fun, let's really bear it, and spread some boos and a kind spirit.

So here is what you do:

1. Make two fun "ghostly" tags,
2. Make two copies of the attached BOO! poem and stamp some fun images around the corners: Download Boo Poem
3. Fill two bags with a couple of treats,
   
4. Place a copy of the BOO! poem in each bag,
5. Secretly deliver to two neighbors or friends,
6. Watch the excitement grow :-D

Above are just a couple of close-ups to help you replicate this design if you choose. I had so much fun masking, aging, texturizing... I hope to share the how-to's for all these fabulous techniques soon :-D

stamps: Stampers Anonymous Winter Sketchbook, Hero Arts ClearDesign Frightful

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Ink - Vintage Photo and Tea Dye; Copic Markers

paper: Manila Tags, #10 (X-Large), Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante 8x8

accessories: Sizzix DIes - Rickety House and On the Fence; Texture Fades - Bricked and Wooden; Martha Stewart Witch and Cauldron, Frisket Film, Adirondack Dabbers - Snow Cap and Espresso, Tim Holtz TImepieces, Game Spinner, Film Strip Ribbon, Memo Pin and Tiny Attacher, 7 Gypsies Antique Brass Reinforcers, White Prismacolor Pencil,  Gold Silk Ribbon

Crafting With Kids: Make It Sticky

Let's make it sticky - kids like sticky (and perhaps a few of the grown-up variety of kids do too :-D)

 

The deep edger Happy Birthday punch makes the cutest tags! I love how it leaves a top border on the image - it makes for the perfect tag to hang on to the side of a gift bag.

 

Color the sweet cupcake image from Hero Arts.

This is the same picture I showed in an earlier post - I used these colors throughout this crafting with kids series to try and keep it simple.

 

To turn your image into a sticker simply back it with Be Creative tape and cut it out. Then place the image face down on yet another piece of tape. I prefer to then use a fingertip knife to cut around the outside of the image and roll the excess tape off with my finger. You could also use a pair of teflon coated scissors to cut out the image. You can see both of these options on the image above.

 

Remove the tape backing and pour micro beads over the surface, pressing them into place. You could also use our transparent glitter to add that little extra pizazz to the image.

It is these little extra steps that make crafting extra special for kids. So try making it sticky the next time you craft!

stamps: Hero Arts Kiss the Cook

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

paper: Memory Box Bayou, Basic Grey 6x6 Olivia Paper Pad

accessories: Happy Birthday Punch, MicroBeads, Be Creative Tape, Mauve Silk Ribbon 

Crafting With Kids: Color It In

Coloring - it is so soothing! Coloring in this sweet little girl was so much fun! It had been so long since I had colored a face that I needed to start over as I couldn't remember what colors I prefered to use on people - I had made her peach, very peach - LOL!

Today I would like to share a very simple idea with you. It seems like every time we turn around there is another birthday party on the horizon and we don't have a card ready. I would like to suggest that together with your kids decide what images they would like to use on birthday cards.

Stamp them off on little squares of Neenah cardstock and take them with you in the car, together with a set of markers or colored pencils. Your kids can color them when waiting for a sibling at swimming lessons or whenever they need to sit and wait. Hopefully it will help reduce those "can we go yet?" moments.

This idea can also work REALLY well for all ages of crafters - keep your favorite Copic markers in a wallet and then you can just walk out the door with your tools at a moments notice!

I used Neenah cardstock and Memento ink so that these could be colored in using Copic markers. If your kids will be using Crayola markers (which are water based) I would like to recommend using Ranger Archival or Palette Noir ink to stamp your images.

This is the selection of Copics that I used to color in the images for this Crafting with Kids series. For the skin tone I used E0000, E000, E11 and R11 for the cheeks and mouth. For the hair I used E31, E34 and E37.

Due to this being such a simple idea I wanted to share a fun way that you can gift these images to someone special. They can then use this little envelope to take their work with them on the road.

I love the "flourish" envelope closure of the Hero Arts envies. Using their liner template I simply cut out two decorative pieces of Olivia paper. I prefer to use my fingertip knife to quickly cut these designs out following along the edge of the liner.

Insert one into the interior of the envelope and affix as shown above.

The other will be used on the outside of the envelope to add some pizzaz.

TIP: To help determine the best fit of a decorative punch edge to the piece you are enhancing create a decorative strip out of plain paper that is longer than your decorative paper or card front. Place the piece that you want to edge along your guide to determine best placement. This will help you from having those odd uneven ends.

Punch a hole in the envelope flap using the large hole size on the Crop-a-dile. This will give you a spot to thread your ribbon through and tie the envelope shut.

The Hero Arts Cloud background is incredibly versatile! I love this background stamp! Today I only wanted a couple of clouds. Stamp the image and then using little snips cut out the individual clouds you would like to use, leaving a border around each cloud. Use a 2-way glue pen and some glitter to brighten up the clouds.

Add a Faded texture label and a cute "hippo and friend" and now you have a very special coloring "book" to share with your child.

 
stamps: Hero Arts Sending Smiles, Hippo Friends, Clouds, Kiss the Cook, Let's Chill

paper: Neenah Solar White, Basic Grey Olivia 6x6 Paper Pad, Memory Box Parsley, Hero Hues Punch Envelope

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Aqua and Pool

accessories: Microfine Glitter Ice Blue and Grasshopper, Seafoam Faux Linen Ribbon, Deco Scallop Edger Punch, Black Silk Ribbon, Crop-a-dile, Dot Matrix Fades Embossing Folder, Hero Arts Envie Liner, Fingertip Knife

Puttin' on the Ritz - Creating Glittered Designer Paper

Thank you for joining me over the last few days as I share one of my newest intrigues! Today I will be sharing the most complex of the three projects I worked on last week Friday. Let me tell you that last Friday afternoon was "WAY fun" as I found my sparkle again :-D

CLUE #6

Inch on in and go back in time, to a magnetic post in January 2009.

ETA: Direct link to Clue #7.

As you can see I selected Delovely as the basis for my color theme and ran it throughout this collection. Using the chart I am creating made it easy to select the perfect colors of glitter. As soon as I have that information complete I will link you to it in hopes that it makes your selection process easier as well.

I am SO diggin' the new Hero Arts release. I cannot believe the beautiful impressions I am able to create with the clear stamp line. I can't be as "techniquey" with these stamps, but for stamping and coloring they are fabulous! Thank you Hero Arts and Jennifer McGuire for getting me hooked! LOL!

Once again you can see the Copic colors from which I selected above. Just pretend that the BG's aren't in the mug and you will have the complete grouping for coloring in these darling drink glasses. I do want to point out that I used a Copic multiliner .03 to extend the lines of the straw down into the drink glass - it was just bugging me that I was making the glass clear and couldn't see the straw - LOL! I should have drawn in the fruit as well, but... I'm such a goof!

So here we go - I want to share with you how to make your own designer glitter paper! NEVER throw away the backing that comes with your tape. Yep, you heard me - hoard it as if it were gold :-D This backing is what you will use to create magic with the microfine glitter!

Take your favorite punch shapes and punch to your hearts content. Punch edges, punch flowers, punch butterflies, punch, punch, punch - yep - I think you get the picture! Then save these. I am developing a storage system using little ziplock baggies (I'll share these at another time.) So save those little baggies we send your thank you notes and ribbon in and put them to good use.

Next label them with what is in the bag - flowers, butterflies, yep - whatever it is that you love. Now punch a hole and put it on a ring.

Below you can see the collection of punch shapes that I used for my designer paper. To begin I drew the basic shape of the label I was planning on using on a piece of scrap paper. I should have selected something that was not so distracting. For this I apologize, but I wasn't thinking about that - only about my finished project - LOL!

Arrange your punched backing shapes until you are satisfied. It is much easier to rearrange the shapes here than on your sticky project :-)

For this project I used shapes punched from the following punches:

• English Ivy Edger Punch
• Flowers and Leaves Large Punch
• Star Confetti Punch
• 2-Piece Flower and Retro Flower Punch

I applied my Be Creative Tape to a piece of Solar White cardstock and using my Label die I cut it out. For some odd reason my die did not cut all the way through this time and so I did need to use my Tim Holtz teflon coated scissors to cut through some of the remaining spots. Every other time I have tried this my die cut all the way through, so I'm not certain what was up with it this time. 

Next I removed my "worded" backing. Yes, I saved that piece for future punched shapes :-D

Now using our very fine-tipped teflon coated tweezers (or any other fine-tipped tweezers - I like the teflon coated because if they happen to stick to the adhesive it will have less of a tendency to damage it) place your shapes in the same position as you did on your planned layout. 

Always position your punched shapes with the wording face up!

To create the center in my flower I needed to first place the "abstract" star shape and then position my flower piece over top as shown on the right hand side of the picture. The little star shape is already under neath of this flower.

Finish positioning each piece.

Using an extra piece of backing paper smooth down over your entire project, making certain that each shape is firmly attached.

Cover with glitter.

Remove excess and using your soft make-up style brush (I use my Perfect Pearls brush) brush off the excess glitter.

Now burnish! Remember burnishing simply means to rub over the entire glitter surface with your finger tips. This will keep your glitter in place and ensure that future glitter colors do not become embedded into the current color family.

 

Next I removed the flower shaped backing and applied my Rose glitter.

Once again lift your piece and allow the excess glitter to fall onto your work paper. Use your soft brush to remove any excess. The top right portion is one that was brushed - the lower left is how it will appear when not brushed.

BURNISH with your finger tips!

As you can see I use my tweezers to get in and remove the little shapes that are firmly attached to my backing. If the shape is delicate you will need to work from several different places on your shape so as not to tear it. These little shapes can be reused until they start pulling apart and tearing. Once removed simply store them back into your little bags for future use. 

As you can see in this picture I have removed all of the shapes for my next color application. I wanted yellow to be in the flower centers, as well as on each individual small shaped flower.

Cover with glitter, remove excess glitter by brushing softly and burnish.

Remove small leaves and repeat with Grasshopper colored glitter.

I completed my project by adding yellow gemstones to the centers of three flowers, some Cool Transparent glitter to my fruit pieces, and applying Glossy Accents to my glasses.

So why do I love this product so much - it allows me to be creative! I am only limited by my own imagination. I have other projects to share with you in which I hand cut my shapes to be used on my glitter paper. The possibilities are so incredible!

Now it's time for us to "just chill" :-D Cheers to a marvelous and hopefully sunny weekend ahead - we NEED sunshine here in the Pacific Northwest!!!

stamps: Hero Arts Let's Chill

paper: Cosmo Cricket Delovely, Memory Box Granny Smith, Neenah Solar White

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

accessories: Be Creative 4 1/2" Tape or Sheets, Glitter Ritz Microfine Glitter - Ice Blue, Grasshopper, Rose, Dark Gold, and Cool Microfine; Curved Mega Rectangle Nestability, Summer Mixed Gemstones, Yellow Twill, Glossy Accents, see links above for punch shapes, Tweezer Bees

Puttin' on the Ritz! Creating Glitter Borders

The last few days have been SO busy. School ended today and all the last minute flurry of activity has me "sleepless in Seattle." I could literally fall asleep here at the computer this afternoon, but as I wasn't able to complete this post last night I am filled with renewed determination to get it done this afternoon. I am SO very excited to be sharing these glitter techniques with you because as I stated in my previous post there is something incredibly different about this glitter.

 
We hope to share little glitter samples as shown below in a variety of colors with the orders that are coming in over the next few weeks so that you can see for yourself how gorgeous and different this glitter is. It just is impossible to translate the beauty through the computer screen.

First we have two transparent colors as shown below.

 

This is the cool tone glitter that was applied to the Delovely paper in the previous post. It is difficult to actually take a picture and have the colors be true, but you can see how this glitter is shown on white paper on the left and black paper on the right. It has such an elegant and luxurious look and feel to it.

There are so many scrumptious colors to select from.

 

I am currently working on an Excel spreadsheet that will show the glitter color that corresponds with the Memory Box and Hero Arts cardstock we carry. They coordinate AMAZINGLY!

 

As you can see I have been busy :-D I am working hard to try and make this easier for you because I know that you will love these just as much as I do! Now on with the project.

 

This gorgeous Hero Arts image is so fun to color. Above are the Copic colors I used to color the image. I apologize that we have already run out of this set - I should have know that when it was shown colored it would be gone instantaneously - more are on their way and we hope will be here shortly.

I am not going to go in to the coloring of this image because that would make this post insanely long, so on with the glitter directions.

I applied a piece of Be Creative tape to my Neenah cardstock.

I prefer to cut my tape slightly larger than my project and then using my Fiskars fingertip knife I cut through the adhesive only (it's much easier than it sounds as you use the edge of the cardstock to guide you) and roll the exposed adhesive away and discard it. This gives me little "tabs" to work with when I am applying the glitter. 

Next I used my Scalloped On the Edge die to cut through the layers of tape and paper and then snipped the end tabs free.

If you haven't created little swatches when you receive your glitter you will find that it is easy to select your color by simply turning your bottle over and hold it next to your project as shown above.

Remove the wording from your tape and pour your glitter over the adhesive. Shake off the excess and using a soft brush such as a make-up brush remove the remaining glitter. The next step is always critical - BURNISH the glitter into the adhesive on the tape using your fingertips. It is incredible how it brings the glitter to life and makes it permanent. You might get glitter on you as you are working, BUT it will not come off your project and be all over the recipient of your gift after you burnish it in. :-D

 

There are so many ways to add additional colors and with this post I wanted to keep it easy. After completing the process above I simply added a thin strip of tape overtop my glittered project as shown above.

Again remove the liner with the words on it and pour your glitter over your adhesive. If you forgot to burnish your project you will end up having the two colors mixed together, but if you burnish you will be amazed at how clean and precise each color of glitter remains.

There are so many options available to you depending on the final look you would like for your project!

Remove the excess glitter, use your soft make-up style brush to remove even more glitter flakes and then burnish again.

Not only can you use the tape with the glitter but I find that the Designer Dries Clear Adhesive is magical as well. I dotted little droplets of glue on the stamens in the flowers and applied glitter to these. The gorgeous subtle gleam and texture were the perfect compliment. 

Tomorrow brings my most complex project. I hope that you have been enjoying learning about the creative options that you will be able to achieve with this product! We ran out of some colors quickly, but hope to have more the beginning of next week. So keep checking back to our store or join our Face Book Fan Club to be updated when the glitter arrives back at our warehouse.

Simple elegance - it's my favorite look :-D

 
stamps: Hero Arts Delicate Blossoms

paper: Neenah Solar White, Memory Box Sunflower

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers (see mug in picture above for colors)

accessories: Be Creative 5mm and 40mm (1 1/2") , Glitter Ritz Microfine Glitter -  Ice Blue, Dark Gold, and Apricot, Designer Dries Clear Adhesive, On the Edge Scalloped Die,   

   

Puttin' on the Ritz - Glitter Ritz that is! Going Transparent

One of my all time favorite things to do is discover new products and then learn how to use them. Lis told me about the "glitter ladies" and how she thought I would be intrigued with this microfine glitter. She didn't warn me though that I would be hooked!!! LOL!

I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with Lisa and she took me to have a play date with Deanna and Haroldine. Haroldine is the tape lady and Deanna is the glitter lady and together they regaled me with fabulous stories. But even better they showed me the magic behind the tape and the glitter. We laughed and glittered until one in the morning and now I am one sparkly girl :-D

I wish that I could pass this card through the screen to you. It is not only the beauty of the sparkles that intrigues me, but it is the finished hand of the product that makes me giddy. The technique that Deanna and Haroldine invented is called Burnished Velvet. The final product feels like a very beautiful velvet, or perhaps satin. I was joking with one of our customers who stopped by today that perhaps this could be my grown-up version of a silky blankie. I could carry a piece around in my pocket and when I was stressed I could just pull out my Burnished Velvet sample and rub it between my fingers like a baby does a silky blankie. LOL! OK - I know I'm goofy, but I thought it might be the cheapest and easiest form of stress relief :-D

OK, I'll get to the point - enough with my being silly. The first post I would like to share is the difference between the two types of Microfine glitter we have in the store. The first is transparent. It is available in two different formats. I used the cool version for the project today. The cool tones of this glitter bring a beautiful silvery, blue cast to the project you add it to. The warm tone glitter has a warm golden effect when added to a project. I will try and get to snapping a picture of the difference and putting it on our website shortly. It is so very difficult to bring these to life in pictures but I can guarantee you that the effect is magical.

The second type of Microfine glitter is the opaque versions. Below I stamped the measuring tape in a tone-on-tone ink to bring texture to the background. I then wanted to add additional tone-on-tone glamour to my card base and so I selected the cool transparent glitter and an opaque Ice Blue glitter so that you could see the difference between these two products.

We have elected to carry numerous widths of the tape in our store to allow you to create fun effects more easily. Above I have used the 3mm and 5mm widths. I will be sharing some special tips tomorrow to show you how easy it is to use the tape and glitter together. Today's post is designed only to show you the difference between the transparent and opaque versions of the glitter.

 

In the bottle you can't tell a difference. The transparent appears to be white in the jar, but when you use it on a project - THEN you see the difference.

First I applied a piece of tape over my Cosmo Cricket designer paper. I applied my colored image to the center and then covered the remaining exposed tape with the transparent glitter. After removing the excess (tips to come tomorrow) and placing it back in my jar it is essential to then "burnish" or rub over the surface of your project with your fingers. I don't know if it is the natural oils in your fingertips, or the pressure that is applied, but after you burnish the glitter into the tape with your fingertips your project will absolutely glow!

I hope that you can see the difference between the paper that is "glitterfied" and the piece that was left plain.

Just a few simple embellishments and I have a project that is "Sew cute!" So now I will leave you with my bad humor and let you anticipate my return tomorrow - perhaps tomorrows post won't be filled with bad humor - LOL! I have two more posts prepared in which I get more "techy" on you. I can hardly wait to share more information with you! Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more.

 

stamps: Hero Arts Clear Design Sew Artsy and Sew Stylish

paper: Cosmo Cricket Delovely, Memory Box Bayou

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

accessories: Be Creative Tape 3mm, 5mm and 4 1/2" widths, Glitter Ritz Microfine Transparent Cool Highlights and Ice Blue  and Hero Arts Clear Crystal Gemstones, Jenni Bowlin Vintage Red Button

  

Maya Road Chipboard Onesie Gift Card Holder

It is so fun to have an excuse to create and babies are the ideal one! It was GREAT fun to create this special little gift card holder. When Maya Road first showed these chipboard pieces I was completely enamored! I know that my own children are well past the board book stage and so to create one was not really something that made sense. BUT a gift card holder - now we're talkin' :-D

I wanted to share a picture of the completed back before you begin a project that is similar. Before beginning it is extremely important to do your math --- when our kids suggest that the things they are learning in school are never used again, you can prove them wrong ;-)

Make certain that the chipboard coaster you are using is large enough to create a pocket to fit your gift card!

This next idea is not my own - it was something I saw on the Maya Road design team blog that got my brain a tickin' - you can see their post here! You really do need to visit their blog for some AMAZING inspiration - you will then see why I am SO very in love with their product line. What the designers do with it is exquisite!!!

I used a pencil to outline my image. I just didn't have the confidence to start with a marker - LOL! I then used my Copic Multiliner to draw over my pencil lines and darken them. Next I scanned the image.

 

Using Photoshop I cleaned up my scanned image. For those who don't have this knowledge base I do think that you will receive good results doing it the way that the designer on the Maya Road blog did (see link above) but being that I was shooting for precision I just can't leave well enough alone. 

I then turned my black-line drawing into a transparent file. I know that I am losing some of you with this brief explanation, but I wanted to share this for the more advanced users and my continued explanation below.

It was then that I realized that I really didn't have a paper that I found 100% suitable - yes, it had to be baby blue with polka dots - it was what was in my mind and I couldn't let go of it. I then realized that I could really take this to the next level by heading over to my ScrapHD resources! So I did just that!

ScrapHD is designed for making easy and quick scrapbook pages, BUT it is also the most amazing resource for these types of projects. Being an intermediate level Photoshop user I can take the images from my ScrapHD files and incorporate them into my projects on Photoshop! I'm in love with this capability and I know that advanced Photoshop users will have the ability to create amazing projects that blow mine out of the water!

I found this wonderful blue polka dot in the My Mind's Eye collections by putting the words blue polka dot in the ScrapHD search engine - VOILA

With the Club Membership I am sent a file that I was then able to open in Photoshop and layer my little transparent onesie over the top to print a perfect little compliment to my chipboard element! WOOHOO - I was so very excited... aww, perfection - LOL!

I then printed this on Neenah cardstock.

I also printed out the plain polka dot file from ScrapHD onto Neenah cardstock. This was used to create the reverse side. I flipped my chipboard over and traced the onesie - this was my "back side." I traced a second one --- only the lower portion, to create my little "pocket." As you can see I cut just inside my pencil line - this allows for a very nice fit on the backside of the onesie.

I saved my "dimensional" onesie - the first one in the ring for a future project. I plan on painting it and playing with the wonderful embossed detail. Using the second piece on the chipboard ring I gave it a more finished look by edging it with a silver leaf Krylon pen. Be certain to allow the silver leaf to dry before continuing to work or you might have silvery goodness everywhere - LOL!

I stitched the back pocket along the top side and then stitched it to the coordinating piece, so that the gift card could slip between the layers. This little piece just makes me giggle. It is almost like those little drop-down/drawer style P.J.'s - oh so cute!

I selected a coordinating striped paper (My Mind's Eye - Little One) from ScrapHD and scaled it way down so that the pattern would be appropriate for this darling piece. It is yet another reason I am absolutely loving that I have digital files at my fingertips! Cutting and embossing the circle with my Nestability I then left the die in place as I once again used my Copic Multiliner to add my faux stitching.

Using the Hero Arts Precious Baby Boy set (it is the perfect scale for SO many projects and again TOTALLY cute!) I created the little accent pieces, coloring them with coordinating Copic markers.

A little ribbon and a couple of brads completed the look. Babies --- I can still smell my girl's hair even 10 years later! What a blessing to this world they are!

I hope that this spurs you to thinking about other uses for these adorable chipboard coasters! I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions as to what you would use them for. Have a fabulous evening and thank you for stopping by today.

 

digital elements: ScrapHD My Mind's Eye Little One Striped Paper and Be Merry Polka Dot

stamps: Hero Arts ClearDesign Precious Baby Boy

inks: Memento Tuxedo Black

paper: Neenah Solar White

accessories: Maya Road Baby Onesie Coaster, Mini Pins
   

Hero Hues Color Sampler

Driving in to work today I was pondering the comments I had the opportunity to read before heading out. It hit me on the drive that perhaps I should create a tool that might help all of us - a color sampler. So after the orders were packed Molly and Shirley went to work using the files I created and we now have a new item in our store --- the Hero Hues Color Sampler.

Trying to keep it simple and affordable was a key element - the price we are charging is $2.25 (paper and labor only - no mark-up). Each sample is 2 3/4" x 4 1/4", with all 19 Hero Hues colors included. The color name is printed on the back side --- so no more guessing when you need to restock your supplies. It will be shipped in a ziplock bag (similar to the one that we send our Thank You notes and ribbon. You are welcome to punch it, bind it with the Bind-it-All or whatever other clever method you can think of :-D

Hero Arts 80# cardstock is archival safe and acid-free, with color on the front and white on the back. It is compatible with both ink jet and laser printers!

Now if I can get Dave (Memory Box) to ship me the missing colors to his collection we will consider doing something similar to this --- would that be helpful?

We do appreciate your responses and we try to fulfill your needs. Thank you and if you are reading this post, be certain to go to the next post and leave your comment to be entered in our blog candy drawing. Good luck everyone!
 

Hero Hues Promotion and some Springtime Blog Candy

ETA: I am SO very sorry - I programmed the code wrong and instead of it taking off 15% it was only doing .15%. Please accept my apologies and use the new code - HeroHues15

Our product focus this week in the CLASSroom is Hero Arts. We have had so much fun with this "new to us" product line and today I would like to share a little insight into the "Hero Hues" portion of the line.

First though I would like to announce that for the next seven days we will be hosting a promotion in our store to offer you the opportunity to purchase the Hero Arts line at a savings of 15%. Please see the notes at the bottom of this post for further details. Simply place the items you would like to purchase in your cart and upon checkout enter the following code in the promo code window - HeroHues15

Be certain to read to the bottom of this post to also learn how you can participate in our blog candy drawing!

Hero Hues is a coordinated collection of papers, inks, mixed accents (pearls and gemstones) and printed paper flowers. They come in a wonderful spectrum of different Hero colors. Shown below are the different elements you can select from the Sunshine collection. (Sorry for the funky spacing and alignment - Typepad is giving me fits - LOL!)

• Poppy Chalk Ink Pad
• Sunshine Folded Card Set
• •  these are A2 size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" 
  • (4) four each of the following three colors are included in each set
  • •  Daffodil
    • Poppy
    • Mandarin
Daffodil Notecards - (10) ten A2 size cards are included in each package
• Poppy Notecards
• Mandarin Notecards
• Daffodil Envelopes - (10) ten A2 size cards are included in each package
• Poppy Envelopes
• Mandarin Envelopes
• Daffodil 8 1/2" x 11" Cardstock - (10) ten sheets
• Poppy 8 1/2" x 11" Cardstock
• Mandarin 8 1/2" x 11" Cardstock
• Sunshine Art Flowers - three different colors of flowers and numerous shapes and sizes are included in this packet
• Sunshine Mixed Accents - these packets include both Pearls and Gemstones. Select from three different colors of pearls and/or three different colors of gemstones in a variety of sizes. This is an amazing value, that offers so much versatility!

There are six color palettes to select from (see the photo of the Art Flowers below for a representation of the colors, click on THIS LINK to see a chart of all the colors):

• Floral - the purple color family composed of - Aubergine, Iris and Lilac
• Sunshine - the yellow/orange color family composed of - Mandarin, Poppy and Daffodil
• Foliage - the green color family composed of - Pine, Grass and Celadon
• Sea - the blue color family composed of Azure, Cerulean and Powder
• Blush - the red color family composed of Grenadine, Punch and Carnation
• Earth - a neutral color family composed of Eggshell, Latte and Mocha

 

Hero notecards and layering papers are what we refer to as "duplex cardstock." Duplex cardstock simply means that it is two colors. It is a white core paper - so there is no need to line your cards if you want to write in the interior. The result is a crisp, beautiful appearance!

As you can see from the color comparison above they coordinate beautifully with the Memory Box papers we already carry. The only significant difference is the subtle variance in the shape of the envelope flap. The biggest reason I am sharing this information is because each line has a unique color palette, and it is incredible to me how well they coordinate. Please read on if you would like to help me answer a question I have and win some blog candy by doing so!

You know me - I can't just talk about something without creating a project. I must admit that I feel TOTALLY rusty though. Returning from Ranger U I was sicker than I have been in years and it is just now that I am finally getting back up to speed. So today I am going to share a little of what I learned thanks to Claudine and Tim. I still hope to do a blog post on my experience --- it was absolutely marvelous and the women I met... AMAZING!

Now on to the creativity!

SNOWCAP DABBER PAINT RESIST - Shabby Chic Look

For this technique I used the Snowcap Dabber. Ranger has reformulated these and they now work like a dream. Using my Clear Design Hero Arts stamp I "inked" it with the dabber. My bottle was fresh from the factory and so to start it out I turned it upside down on my craft sheet and gave it a slight squeeze until I could see the ink peek out from the edge. I should have taken a picture of this --- sorry about that, hindsight is 20/20.

Stamp the image and repeat until the notecard front is covered. Be careful because it is a little "slick", but if you stamp gently you should not have any mishaps.

I wanted to "shabbify" the cardfront to coordinate with the Basic Grey Green at Heart paper I had selected prior to starting. Gently heat set the ink. Then using Tattered Rose and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink and the Ink Blending tool I sponged the ink overtop the stamped designed in a circular motion. Leaving some portions of the cardstock bare brought the look of the notecard in to accordance with the decorative paper.

STUDIO PAINT WATERMARK RESIST TECHNIQUE

Another new toy --- oops I mean tool --- I have been wanting to play with are the new Alterations dies. I realize that they take up more storage space than the Nesties but there is an advantages to this product that I love. The depth of the blade allows me to cut all sorts and manners of things that are thicker than the depth of the blade on the Nesties. Today I used it to cut the Sticky Back Canvas.

It is a good thing that I always like to try the tools that I am recommending. What I came to realize today is that my label didn't immediately pop out of the die. Using a long thin needle I was able to pull it out of the die after cutting, but realized that perhaps I was missing something. I contacted Tim and he immediately replied letting me know that a "fix" is in the works. He put me in contact directly with Ellison and I was able to get an immediate resolution to my little quandry.

If you have purchased one of the new Sizzix dies that have an "open" middle - as in the new dies that Tim has designed that have the magnetic component, and are having trouble with getting your piece back out after it has been cut, then please give Ellison a call at (877)355-4766. They will be shipping out a "center piece" to help solve our problems as quickly as possible. These have been ordered and they hope to have them available by the end of this month/beginning of next month.

The die cuts perfectly, and works perfectly as designed, but wouldn't you know it - there are people like me who want to use the die without the keyhole - LOL! Ellison was most gracious and accomodating and I trust that we will be well taken care of. So forge ahead ladies - this really is a marvelous little tool!

OK - now back to the technique at hand...

This is an absolutely lovely technique that Claudine taught us at Ranger U. If you ever have the opportunity of taking a class from her you must! She is witty, sweet, knowledgeable and passionate. I could just hear her words as I mixed up my paint mixture for this technique.

To begin paint the StickyBack Canvas with Painterly Pink paint. (Just a sidenote - this color is PERFECT with the Hero Arts Carnation color.) Allow the canvas to dry completely - yes, I cheated and carefully used my Heat It tool :-D

Now I hear Claudine's voice as she instructs us to have our thinned paint ready for the next portion. You want to have this paint watery, like the consistency of "skim milk" (yep, I can relate to skim milk :-D) I mixed Sky Blue and Dab of Yellow as shown in the wonderful chart she created and has shared with us here. Then using a mini mister I spritzed this mixture with water and stirred.

The green in this photo is the correct consistency, the pink is a mixture of Painterly Pink and Dash of Red (to coordinate with the Punch color) before the water is added. I use either the end of my paint brush to dab just a dot of paint onto my craft sheet and then wipe it with a paper towel before dipping into my second color to avoid mixing the colors in the pots.

Once you have your colors mixed you will then ink your stamp with a Watermark or Resist Ink. Immediately (do NOT allow the ink to dry) gently paint your wash over the canvas surface. You can see how the paint beads up and "resists" the area that is covered with the resist ink!!! SO COOL!

SANDING DUPLEX PAPER (Both Hero Arts and Memory Box are duplex, or white core)

Another element that I adore with whitecore or duplex cardstock is the ease of creating lovely texture with the embossing folders. We are thrilled to announce that we have brought in some beautiful textured folders from Sizzix. These are essentially the same as the Cuttlebug embossing folders, but perhaps just a little "crisper" in the appearance of the finished embossed design. Tim's folders are still not available, but we hope they will arrive soon! Today I used a beautiful new Damask style design.

Please note that when you emboss on duplex papers it is important to think about which side is "up." The picture above helps to demonstrate this. I put the color side of the paper facing the side that has the Sizzix logo on it. This ensures that the positive design will pop upwards on your paper. Sometimes it is desireable to have the reverse, but typically this is the most attractive appearance.

As you can see just by running it through the Big Shot the details begin to appear in white. By gently sanding the surface with a Lucky Squirrel sander, or a Tim Holtz sander the design is enhanced even further.

In trying to figure out how to utilize this element in my card I came up with the little tag above. Utilizing the one-sided embossed notecard above I was able to stamp the sentiment on the smooth portion and use the textured portion to add some flair to the little tag. Cutting it into a "flag" shape, sanding the edges to shabbify the tag and then putting a little curl and affixing with glue dots completed this portion of the project.

Last, but certainly not least was the addition of the Hero Hues Art Flowers. There is a huge assortment in each package. I decided to share how you can use these little one layer flowers to create a glorious blossom. If you would like me to show a step-by-step photo technique on how to create these please let me know. Essentially all you need to do is to begin with the largest size, then select the next size down, and finally select another blossom that is similar sized and cut out two of the five petals. Use these elements in the center of your flower. I used a Jenni Bowlin stick pin to hold it all together.

stamps: Hero Arts Stencil Art, Essential Messages, DesignBlock Silhouette

ink: Snowcap Dabber, Distress Ink Pads - Tattered Rose and Worn Lipstick, Studio Line Paints - Painterly Pink, Sky Blue, Dab of Yellow and Dash of Red, Watermark Resist Ink Pad

paper: Blush Hero Arts Folded Cards, Basic Grey Green at Heart

accessories: Blush Print Art Flowers, StickyBack Canvas, Jenni Bowlin Stick Pin, Sizzix Damask Embossing Folder, Tim Holtz Alterations Styled Labels, 1 1/4" Moss SIlk Ribbon

BLOG CANDY OPPORTUNITY
 

This selection of goodies could be yours - please leave your answer to the the following question in the comments section below. Comments will be eligible for this random drawing if left before Saturday, April 10th at midnight.

Would it be helpful to have a color comparison of the Hero Arts cardstock collection and the Memory Box collection? Also add if you have ever used either of these collections and if so, which one? Being one who does not mind doing the work if it is helpful to our customer base I would be happy to do so, but I do not want to spin my wheels if there is no need for this comparison. Please let me know your thoughts and ask any questions regarding this line below in the comments section to be entered in our random drawing.

 

Once again we would like to encourage you to try the Hero Arts line of products by offering you a 15% discount for the next week. The promotion code HeroHues15 will be valid on all orders placed between now and midnight April 14th. Please enter this code upon reaching the checkout page. Note that upon completion of your order the discounted price will be listed on the individual product line and not at the end of the invoice.

This promotion is valid on all in-stock Hero Arts products only and cannot be combined with any other coupon code (frequent shoppers please place two separate orders and notify us at [email protected] immediately upon completion of both orders so that we can combine your orders for shipping if you would like.) For the best selection be certain to shop early!

Punched Easter Egg Holders

I literally started to laugh out loud this morning as I took a peek at Kim's wonderful post! I have had these punched "border" pieces on my desk in my studio for days and have been overwhelmed with the tasks of running the business. If these didn't get done today, I knew they wouldn't get done and so I stamped a couple of items, pulled some supplies and brought them home with me tonight.

This post is especially for all those of you who have purchased Martha Stewart punches through us. They are marvelous and offer so much potential for fun projects. I apologize to those who would have like to purchase some of these punches for this year's Easter celebrations - but think in terms of using these little "wraps" around votive holders, flower vases and more. Fun, fun, fun!!!

Begin by punching strips of "grass" from Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety 6x6 paper. I selected two coordinating patterns to add that little extra zip. One strip of 6x6 easily fits around an egg :-D I actually cut the length of the paper down to 5 3/8", but this will depend on the size of your eggs.

I stamped the darling Hero Arts Bunny in Basket image using Tuxedo Black ink on Neenah cardstock. Quickly coloring this image with Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils.

A little of the satin ribbon (April's color is yellow :D) we include as a gift with our orders and a Kioshi Pop finish off this egg holder.

The point of these egg holders is to create something fun that is quick and easy! Think out of the box with the supplies you already own. For this one I decorated the egg with the wonderful new Kioshi Ribbon Doilies paper ribbon. This ribbon has an adhesive backing and it was SO easy to wrap and stick it to the surface of my egg. Talk about FANCY stickers - these are incredible!

This time I selected the Bunnies sitting in the Grass punch to coordinate with the grass punch. Adding some yellow crochet trim and another Kioshi Pop and yet another darling egg holder was complete.

The last egg holder is using the fabulous new Lockhart image, Spring Flower. I look forward to spring in such a big way and this image just exudes the beauty of springtime! Once again I colored with Copic Markers and Prismacolor pencils.

This time I used the Doily Lace Trim punch. This versatile punch makes an exquisite trim on cards, gifts and so much more. I think it might be one of my absolute favorites for the season.

 

QUICK TIP: Hide the seam behind your stamped image or a fun embellishment.

 

stamps: Hero Arts Bunny in a Basket, Lockhart Spring Flower

paper: Solar White Neenah Classic Crest, Cosmo Cricket 6x6 Garden Variety, Basic Grey 6x6 Kioshi

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

accessories: Martha Stewart Punches - Grass, Bunnies in the Grass, Doily Lace Trim; Basic Grey Kioshi Pops, Basic Grey Kioshi Ribbon Doilies, Maya Road Yellow Crochet Trim

Hoppy Birthday my Sweet Girl!

As evening approached and it was nearing time to leave the office today I was feeling sad. My life is moving at such a hectic pace that I just haven't had the time to create and tomorrow is my baby's 10th birthday! OK, so she's not a baby any longer; in fact we are moving out of the single digit birthday's in our home. In that split second I knew that I just needed to do it --- I needed to take that hour and create my sweet girl a special card.

Trina is an animal lover and when creating cards for her friends, one of her favorite images has been frogs, so... what image could be more appropriate than this darling Flower Frog by Hero Arts!

When conceiving Nestabilities one of my goals was to develop a product that could be used to create shaped cards. It was today, when a couple of customers came to pick up their orders that I realized many individuals have not been readers and customers for a long time. Many of you may have not seen a card created in a shape, so I would like to remind you how easy it is to create a card that is unique in shape, by using the larger sized Nesties.

The fold line in my Endive cardstock is located at the top of this photo. Note how I left a gap between the die and the fold line. I did not want to cut into the fold line. At this point my intent was to use the patterned paper as a "lilypad" and decided it would be easiest to cut this as one unit. I stacked my sandwich and ran it through my Big Shot.

I then selected Copic colors that coordinated with the papers I was using. I did not color carefully because I knew I would be cutting out this image and time was of the essence.

As well,l I wanted to add depth to the color in a quick and easy manner. Prismacolor pencils, together with Copic markers, create such beautiful depth in your images. It is so hard to capture in a photo, but I quickly added color pencil to my image using a crosshatching technique.

As I placed my image on top of the coordinating papers I realized that I needed to add some warm gray to the overall image, so that it would coordinate better.

Using W00 I simply colored over my image and voila - it coordinated beautifully. I'm not certain why the colors in my photos don't ring true, but in real life the blend is perfect.

OK, I'm a child at heart - LOL! When I saw the adorable images from Hero Arts I just couldn't resist bringing in googly eyes. I selected a package that will give you a ton of variety - a little goes a long way and every kid (including us big ones) will love giving this card a shake. I quickly snapped the picture above to help you "see" what this image would look like with two eyes of the same size. Being a little quirky is what I find so endearing about this image and so I settled on using two different size eyes.

As I was finalizing the layout of my design I realized that the balance was off with my lilypad in the bottom corner. Wouldn't you know it - I was out of the paper I had initially selected, but fortune smiled on me as I opened the remainder of my Sugar Rush pad. This paper just jumped right out of the book and I actually like it better than my first choice - LOL!

I knew that I would not be able to cut this image in the same manner as the first and so I simply laid out everything in my die to figure out the best location. I then removed everything, placing the circle in the same location and completed my cut.

One of the things that fascinates me about clear stamps is the ability to bend them into shapes. I wanted to do a play on the words Happy Birthday and so after stamping and embossing my sentiment I sewed a button over the "a" so that I could wish my sweet girl a very "hoppy birthday." 
  

I have slipped this card into her binder, so that when she opens it at school in the morning, birthday wishes and thoughts will greet her. Yep, I left the office smiling from ear to ear. I love my girl - Hoppy birthday sweetheart!!!