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.)
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.
Last week was Summer Camp for My Favorite things. They put up five different techniques and challenges and I happened to get them ALL DONE! True! Now I need to add them and share them.
The Challenges were:
Day 1 – Watercolor (Galaxy style – “You Mean the World to Me”
Day 2 – Resist (I used Tim Holtz resist spray – “High Tide or Low Tide”)
Day 3 – Slider Card – (MFT has the cutest slider stuff. It makes it fun and easy “Hugs”)
Day 4 – Shaker Card (Gnome with adorable clay mushrooms from HIA “You Gnome Me”)
Day 5 – Glitter (The video added a little glitter to the sequin and I loved that idea. I use a lot of glittery goodness, but to add just a touch is not always easy. “hello”
Okay, I have made thousands of cards. For over twenty years I have been making things with paper. I have taught classes all over the country and I can tell you this, I NEVER stop learning. That is what makes this craft so much fun! Some of the best teachers are beginners by the way.
Anyway, I love taking classes especially when they are classes taught by very talented people. I love Online Card Classes. Jennifer McGuire and many other artists. Yesterday, I was watching one of the videos and Jennifer McGuire showed a great technique it was so cute and I was playing with using my “need to use these someday” stamps and BAM! Using that technique popped in my head and I LOVE how it came out.
Here is the card, and let me encourage you to hop over to OCC (click here) and check out the Stamp Happy Class or for that matter any or all of the classes they have. ALL of them are great! Wonderful PDF class guides, lots of videos, fantastic projects, etc.
Get over there and check out the class and learn some fun techniques!
