Okay, this sentiment is what made me buy this set. Honestly I was watching the Sunday Fun Day live at Scraps of Love when they showed this adorable set. They card they showed as an example had the dad joke “whale, whale, whale I heard it’s your birthday.” I laughed out loud. I knew I had to have this set for three reasons. 1. I love orcas most of all animals with the exception of Dash. 2. Dad joke. My kids are so funny they really love dad jokes–lucky for them, their dad has plenty. 3. Hero Arts has been my jam lately.
In Arizona, Christmas means 67 degrees and sunny. Sure, we want to dream of Christmas all year long, especially in July and August. This weekend, I started my Christmas Cards. Night scenes are some of my favorite to create because I like the think about where the light falls from a full moon. I was playing around with a bunch of my Christmas stamps from last year. Doodlebug and Simon Says stamps came together to make a kit last year that I just loved! It landed on my desk again and I pulled some Lawn Fawn and another Simon Says Stamp kit set and this baby was born.
Believe in the magic of Christmas
I did color the craters in the moon with prisma and polychromo pencils. I added a few lights in windows to keep the eye flowing through the image. Notice they are creating a natural triangle. it really also lights up because the brightness of the moon.
Have a fantastic week. Merry July and hopefully you enjoyed the card.
My blending combo for the sky in order moving out from the center of the moon: Old Paper, Iced Spruce, Evergreen Baughs, Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch and finally a little Black Soot on the edges to give the light some pop.
I recently undertook the daunting task of making refrence books for my inventory of independent dies. While doing so,I realized I have a lot of interactive dies I have NEVER used. (Those suckers aint cheap). I think because they don’t come with written instructions, so I kinda don’t use them.
After this process of die cutting ALL my independent dies — I didn’t do the coordinating becuase they are all housed in the sleeves with the stamps and I would never get that task done. I took to task that I need to learn to use them and make some interactive cards.
I started with the reveal wheel – I have it, but didn’t take time to use it. As the days have passed, I have used many of these wonderful dies and have really enjoyed the time making fun interactive cards.
Well, Hero Arts July 2021 monthly kit release combined two things I really like. 1. GNOMES (I loved them before they were cool) 2. Interactive dies. When I got my kit I knew just which interactive die I wanted to use because it would allow me to add EVEN more cute images to the card because it is the magic double slider surprise from Lawn Fawn. (YouTube Video, if you need it.)
I was right the results were fantastic. I just love how it finished up. I know you can’t see them, but the sky also has pretty little shiny stars. I would also point out that because this is an interactive card, the gnome poking out from the notch, is only adhered to the front of the flap. Be careful when adding him or you can get glue on the slider and well, don’t ask me how I know, but the slider will indeed fail to slide. (see in written instructions that would be a good WARNING)
I found out after posting online that this very month (July 2021) that Hero Arts had a challenge every month and this month it is interactive. (Totally a but happenchance thing). I do hope you enjoy this card and maybe are inspired to join me over on the Hero Arts blog to make an interactiec card this month (it doesn’t have to use the MMH kit – but HA products are probably the right way to go… I mean I know they are because well…. they are awesome stamps.) Let me know what you think in the comments!
Blessings
Erika
Hero Arts – July 2021 My Monthly Hero (images) -Open
SIDE NOTE FOR MAUNFACTURERS: UH manufacturers while many of us are visual and I totally appreciate the YouTube videos, we need the written instructions too! I do really well with written instructions and actually prefer them to YouTube. (I even volunteer to be the content writer of said dies if you provide the dies.)
Stencils one of the most versatile tools in your crafting stash! They are easy to use and also are relatively inexpensive! This is one reason I love them so very much.
One issue I have when using stencils is shifting, especially the edges. It can be really annoying when you have a beautiful start to the stenciling and then it shifts. Using a bit of removable adhesive on the back of your cardstock and press it into your work surface. I found especially on this card when using the embossing paste on the edges it was particularly helpful.
I love adding texture visually with stencils and ink. Adding to the fun can be using texture pastes and glazes. I used the Altenew Embossing Paste and let me tell you, it was the best embossing paste this girl has ever used. Using texture paste can be a very messy process. When using the Altenew paste I found clean up to be very easy and it takes ink like a breeze. I will link to it here because once you use it, you can never use another!! Click here.
A few other things you can try with embossing paste is adding color to it with ink. On this card I used Altenew Half Tone stencil and simply used my ink cube (Ruby Red) added a dollop of paste and mixed it on my worksurface. The paste will soften the color a bit because in color theory if you add white to a color it will lighten the color. I would suggest if you want a brighter color that you increase the amount of ink and go brighter than you think you need.
If you find that you made a little too much? That a great thing you can do a few things, you can put it in a plastic baggie and save it. Another fun thing if you put it in a baggie is to use it like a piping bag on another project or you can grab another piece of cardstock and a stencil and make a background for future use!
One more thing I found to be helpful is to swatch your stencils. I know another swatching project. (You’re welcome) I discovered using black and grey ink to swatch my stencils was the best as it kept the stencil images the focus. I keep my swatches with my inks swatches to encourage me to use them more often.
A flip through my stencil swatches
Thanks for taking a look! Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or if you want to contact me directly, please go to the contact page!
You may not know this but one of my favorite stamp companies, MFT stamps, is updating and adding new colors to thier line up.
The new colors are fantastic! Fire Coral, Butterscotch, Candied Yam, Caribbean Blue and Riffle Tower. I have been enjoying them as well as the revamp of some of my favorite classics Sour Apple, Field Day, Limelight, Field Day and Milk Chocolate.
This week’s color challenge included most of the new colors. The 161st challenge was to use Fire Coral, Butterscotch, Caribbean Blue, and Eiffle Tower.
I had a great time playing with the new and came up with this. Fun colors and this super cute image from Fast Track Friends came together and made this card.
Stamps – Hero Arts -Lotus Flower, Koi Fish – Altenew Inks – Hero Arts ,Catherine Pooler, Tim Holtz, Copic Markers and Polychoromos colored pencils; Stencil – My Favorite Things
Have you ever had a moment when you get a new stamp set that you say, “Oh, Boy, I know what I want to do with that!” I love how this card did that!
I had two stamp sets show up on the same day and I had one of those moments. I opened my happy mail and set them out on my desk so I could put them in the storage sleeves and these two stamp sets, from Hero Arts and Altenew, popped an idea into my mind and Koi, oh Koi did I love it.
I did ink over the image of the koi to give it a look of being underwater. I thought it came out great when I used the “Pool” stencil from MFT to give the water a look of motion. Simply using an ink that is slightly lighter (TH Tumbled Glass) over the new Catherine Pooler Cummerbund ink that I used with the stencil. I did put the ink over the image of the koi. (Which made me nervous– but hey, it’s only paper right.)
It’s sometimes hard to imagine mixing stamp sets and stamp sets from different companies even more so when it comes to images. I try to stretch my stamps by mixing them with not only images from within a company line but look outside the company as well. In this example, it worked great.
I encourage you to make something and combine many companies images. It is fun and a great challenge.
Beautiful new release this month with NEW colors of ink and cardstock. Most of us have heard the Pantone colors being yellow and grey and of course I love that color combination. I decorated my house with these colors a few years ago.
Sketch Challenge this week was really cute and I love how quickly this card came together in my mind. I did spend time assembling this card once I had the idea and a few things changed from my original thoughts. That is something I love about sketch challenges. Well, all challenges really. I love that they are a “launching pad” for a creative session.
This was the sketch this week:
Every week there is a sketch challenge at My Favorite Things. Click here for more information.
Remember, you can always go back and use the previous sketches or other challenges to get your mojo flowing.
I am working my way through my classes and in the second layering class, I had an idea that I haven’t done in a long while. Breaking it down simply is I blend the inks on the stamp. I thought how fun it would be to layer the blending. The secret is that you need to find colors that are far enough apart on a color wheel, but usually on the same side. What I mean by that is you really need to try and keep warm colors together and cooler colors together.
I used red and yellow in this example to create a layer of orange that would blend the layers of inks. Notice there is space between red and yellow on this color wheel. (This s a super basic color wheel so imagine if we had more colors between yellow and red.)
Different kinds of yellows will respond with different reds in fun way. Take a moment to look at all the fun you can have with layering colors, using a more complete color wheel.
Now you can image, with all those colors of ink that Altenew offers. I love that the inks are so subtle in change, yet so varied. Think of these inks as paints you can blend!
Moving on, You will note my card is on a green base with some green baubles on it. The reason I chose to use a yellow green is, that it is opposite red, (the primary color of my card image) on the color wheel. I use this yellow green because yellow is a primary blending color on this card. The yellow in the green of the base card is supported because I used yellow with red to make that yellow-orange blend.
The idea of layering isn’t just putting down ink colors on top of each other, but there is an art to it. Choosing a color scheme that makes sense will make our layered ink cards so much more beautiful. For some artist this is absolutely a natural ability for others it’s not that easy. I have found that understanding why I chose a color can help others make the choice easier.
Be patient – the ink needs to settle on the paper to complete the blending.
How I blended the inks is simple:
Put the lighter colored ink (Yellow) on the center of stamp out almost to the edge.
Add the darker ink (Red) around the edges and moving inward a bit.
Using a wet baby wipe or wet paper towel, dab the hard edges made by ink pads
Stamp image (usually best if you use a stamping platform)
If you need to repeat, clean stamp between stamping image
The best part of using the Altenew stamps is the number of layers. I repeated the process on the next layer with inks that were slightly darker (creates great shadows).
The third layer, I used a darker red to be sure there was enough definition and to give the flower a defined overall color.
It is amazing the things that taking classes can bring back. I love the way this card came out. Let me know what you think below.
Blessings!
Erika
Yellow blended outward and created a smooth look on the parrot tulip.
I have great news, I am taking part in the Altenew Certified Educators Program. I am very excited to share this wonderful experience with you as I take this road of creativity!
I will be taking several classes from the program and sharing my “homework”. If you are not familiar with Altenew I really encourage you to take a look. There are so many wonderful ideas and they carry more than just card making supplies. Pop over when you have a moment. Click HERE for more information.
This is my project for my first class on layering. Did you know that in most of the packaging of the layering stamp sets by Altenew, they have a guide to ensure you get a perfect (or near perfect) image! Lining up images can be difficult even with a stamp position tool. In my class I was exposed to some amazing practices on how to ensure you will get a beautifully ink layered image. I encourage you to check out the Altenew classes on layering which you can find right HERE. (It’s a bundle and it’s FREE!)
Let me know what you think of my ink layering card.
When I see a stamp set that I click buy without even a thought of the price, I know I need to get it. That is just what happened with this Altenew set. I got an email and opened it, and when I saw this set, I was gaga. (Did you know they give away a gift certificate in every one of the emails they send and if you are signed up to get them you have a chance at winning? GO SIGN UP NOW! Click Here scroll all the way to the bottom).
I had to have it. I ordered it and when it showed up I thought oh my it is as beautiful in person as I had hoped. I ordered the Autumn Bounty and Warm Blessings sets and with them made this card. (If you are interested in Altenew stamps please use this link . I don’t get paid for anything but that is my referral link I get points which are helpful š Thanks! )
I first thought I would color with markers but something about this image cried out for colored pencils. I also used the Sizzix 3D leaves on the kraft paper.
Prisma & Polychromo pencils used to color this image.
Enjoy the Pumpkin Spice season my friends. Peppermint season will be here soon enough!
