Trying layering Again

Trying layering Again, a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

Here is another card that I made using the layering technique from the Hero Arts video produced by Shari. I keep trying! I am liking this one better some of my previous attempts.

For this card I have used Hero Arts stamps H2141, S5507 and K5314 and a flower, ribbon, and brad from my extensive stash.

Speaking of videos, Shari is on-camera again sharing her talents - check it out on the Hero Arts blog, here. You will also see that I am the lucky Wednesday Winner of the random blog drawing for some wonderful Hero Arts products! Yeah! Hero Arts is so generous with prizes, inspiration and all kinds of fun. Thanks, Hero Arts! 

Have a great weekend!

Another Tile Card

Another Tile , a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

I couldn't get enough of this Delft Tile technique that I shared with you last week. I again used my Hero Arts Classic Fabric Design stamp and Ranger Distress Inks, but his time I made it smaller. I added a cute Hero Arts peacock. Love this little guy - he (isn't it unfair that is the male of this species that is so glorious?) is such fun to color with Copics and Stickles. I added a white embossed sentiment and some special bling - okay, that I have been hoarding - to finish it off.

I love these colors, so I decided to make a coordinated envelope. Hero Arts stamps used are CL231, CL148, CG245, CL284. Thanks for looking! Have a great day.

Home-made

Home-made, a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

Here is a little card I made for someone who loves to remodel houses. These are not colors I normally use, but I was inspired by this American Crafts paper which I used along the bottom. The stamps are Hero Arts F5295 and CL139. It is difficult to see in the photo, but I used dimensionals to pop up the roof and I added some fine glitter to the windows.

A simple card for a complex guy who we love very much!

Peddle Power

Peddle Power, a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

As you may know, I have been struggling with the layering technique which Shari explained so well in her Hero Arts video. This is one of my failures, but I was able to salvage it and make a cute card for our nephew, who had a bike just like this one. There are no mistakes in crafting!

This card uses Hero Arts stamps S5502, CL139, S5507 and CL481.

By the way, there’s a new challenge blog in town with articles, swaps, interviews, videos, challenges, great prizes and MORE! Check out Lily Pad Cards! I have a blinkie on the sidebar and you should check it out.

Thanks for looking and Happy Birthday, Buck. Have a great week!

Mermaid Thanks

Mermaid Thanks, a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

I always feel like a traitor when I use a stamp other than Hero Arts! But, I am a mermaid gal and I don't believe that Hero has mermaid stamps. I wanted to make a special mermaid stamp for a friend who gave me the most amazing mermaid book - she is a genius at book-hunting and was kind enough to think of me. Thanks, Kathleen!

This stamp is by American Crafts; colored with Copics, glitter pens and Stickles. The sentiment is Hero Arts CG132 - I love that big, bold set. I added some big rick-rack from my stash to represent some waves.

My Type

We have a dear friend (80+ yrs. old) who still types us letters. This birthday card is for her. This card features a new Hero Arts set called "My Type" (CG280). Don't you just love this vintage typewriter? I need to ink it up more often.

I cut a slit in the typewriter and slipped the paper into it to add some realistic dimension. Fun!

I added dots with a glaze pen for the keys and some red bling on the ribbon holders. Some black tulle was attached with a circular black paper clip. The great vintage-looking paper is by Graphic 45 - lots of layers.

Have a great day!

Delft Tile Technique

I saw a video over at Splitcoast Stampers on doing a Delft Tile design and I knew I had to try it with Hero Arts' Classic Fabric Design stamp.

Here is the link for the tutorial. Check it out and give it a try. I'd love to see what you do, so leave me a comment with a link to your card.

For this card I used Ranger Distress inks in Broken China and Faded Jeans. All stamps are Hero Arts (CL158, CL448, CG245) and I added some Stickles to the cupcake.

I am submitted this card to the ABC Design Team Challenge, which is for birthday cards. Check out the details here and give it a shot. Fun!

Enjoy! 

Lace Flower Card

lace flower as per Anita a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

For this card I made a cute little lace flower! I followed the instructions on this video which was expertly made by Anita who is a lovely hostess over at the Hero Arts flickr group. I can't wait to try this with ribbon.

Check it out and try it for your self.

The butterfly (colored with Copic pens) and sentiment are Hero Arts.

Have a great week!

Top of the Mornin'

Top of the Mornin' a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

Sorry this is a bit late, but I had to get it up today. This cutie is paper pieced and colored with Copic markers. The stamp is from Stampendous. Have a great weekend!

Pretend it's tomorrow and enjoy some green!

This is tomorrow's post because I need to leave the house very early in the morning (and NOT to start celebrating St. Patrick's Day, btw). I actually forgot to take a picture of my cute Leprechaun card, so this is as Irish-looking as I could come up with tonight; sorry! Anyway, only my name is Irish - I am not.

This is one of the cards I did using Hero Arts "Layering Technique". Shari makes it look so easy on her video, but I have struggled with it.

By the way, one of my pals didn't understand that when a word in my blog is dark (like the "her video" in the above paragraph), it means that it links you directly to the site that I am referencing. The link is embedded in the sentence, rather than written out as a http address. So, just click on it and you will get there. Easy (for you, not so much for me)! Got it, Jill?

The first layer is Hero Arts birthday definition from the Dictionary Greet set (CL479), which is heat embossed on water color paper. There is a layer done with just an acrylic block and distress inks. Then a layer stamped with the Italian Poetry background stamp (S1832) and finally finished with the fern (K5314).

I must say that as good as the Hero Arts video is, I had some trouble with this technique - I had lots of rejects. But, I am getting the hang of it and will share some other samples with you. In the meantime, watch the video and give it a shot.

Enjoy today - stay out of trouble and don't drink too much green beer! Thanks for looking!

Who loves glitter?

Who loves glitter? a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

I made this glitter background paper with sticky tape, a punch and super-fine glitter using the "burnished velvet" technique. It really sparkles!

For those who have asked me, here is a link.

My favorite wise guy with googly eyes! have a great day!

Kissing Background

I made this card several weeks ago for my dear friend using the "kissing technique". Here is a Hero Arts video on this technique. I inked my Hero Arts Fabric Design stamp with Tea Distress Ink and "kissed it" with the Envelope Pattern stamp which was inked with Walnut Stain. Very subtle, but rich, don't ya think?

The butterflies have a top layer of vellum and are colored with Copic pens. This dear friend shared some of these great stamps with me several years ago - I've been saving them for very special cards! Thanks, Antoinette. The tea-dyed twill, buttons, twine are from my stash.

I love the vintage look of this card. The Hero Arts Stamps used are CG245, S5507, CL479, CL140

Monkey Around Monday

Monkey Around with the Hostesses! a photo by mkmermaid (Maureen) on Flickr.

Here is a crazy little card that I made several weeks ago in honor of the amazing Hero Arts hostesses over at the Hero Arts flickr group.They are the most wonderful gals. The colors on the card reflect the colors of the hostess aprons.

Just a little chuckle to start our week. Hero Arts stamps used are CL155 and CL350.

Have a great week!

Hap-Bee Day!

Here is another one of what I call my "surprise inside" cards - remember the hippo? I made this for someone very special.

This type of card requires some pre-planning because you usually want the peeking hole to be in the middle of the card front and you need the main image to be in the correct location to peek through without giving away the "surprise".

I first cut the hole (with Nestibilities die in the Cuttlebug) and lightly outline the hole with pencil onto the inside of the card to help with the image placement. The pencil can be erased after stamping.

Sometimes it takes some adjustment of the images, so you may want to stamp on scrap paper first. I did some masking to get the Bee in the correct location on the big cupcake, which is a perfect "stage" for this technique.

All stamps except for the Queenie (Stampendous) are Hero Arts. I used individual letter samps to create the unique wording for this card.

The label is cut in the Cuttlebug with Spellbinders Shapeabilities and the images are colored with Copic pens. The cupcake paper is paper pieced (from yesterday's blog) and I added some Stickles and gems to the Bee; after all, she is the Queen!

Hope this brought a smile, not a sting! Have a Bee-utiful weekend!

Give Piece a Chance - Moxie Fab

My friend Antoinette has shown me that there is a little Zen to cutting, so I am now willing to get out my scissors and use the paper piecing technique once in awhile. Paper piecing is where you stamp your image onto your card and onto another piece of paper (patterned paper, a different colored paper, or paper that you have stamped with a background stamp). You cut the second image (or portion of the image) out and glue it to the first image. This allows your images to pop with lots of print, colors and textures.

For this card, after stamping the background pattern (Hero Arts CG267), I stamped the cake (Hero Arts K5315). Then I stamped portions of the cake onto four different patterns, cut out each piece and applied it to the original image. I (of course!) added some sparkle, a button and some twine.

I was inspired by Cath over at Moxie Fab World who has created a paper piecing challenge for her "Stamp It! Techniques". Check it out and play along!

Fat Tuesday!

A wild day in so many places! Stay out of trouble, ya'll!

Today's card is a simple birthday card with a unique design that my friend Carina taught me. The stamps are all Hero Arts (CL493, CG269, CL494). The background is the birthday definition stamp, the sentiment is heat embossed in white and the cake is colored with Copic pens. Of course, some bling has been added.


What is unique is the way the card opens. The white panel for the personal message is under the cake panel. Cute, eh?

Well, my bloggin' buddies, laissez les bon temps rouler!

Monday Morning Hi!

Or, Hydrangea! This lovely flower was stamped on white paper for me by my friend and teacher Julie. She used a new stamp by Stampendous - it is a big one, this card is 5.25" x 7.25".

I colored it with Copic pens using the "scribble" technique. It is easy and fun. Just take three shades of one color - light, darker and darkest. Actually scribble the image with the lightest color. Then add highlights with the darker and darkest colors, thinking about where shading would be. Don't worry about being too careful - it will look great, I promise! Finally, scribble over the entire image again with the lightest shade of color and cut out the image. Amazing, eh?

I placed the flower onto some perfect designer paper, added a Hero Arts sentiment and a little bling and ended up with an eye-popping card that looks like it took hours to complete. Our little secret.

Blog happy!

Hi, all! I recently had the honor of being recognized by my new blogger and Hero Arts buddy, Heather. She is a lovely lady - so full of cheer and lots of crafty talent. It has been such a joy getting "to know her" through blogging and Hero Arts. She is a hostess over at the Hero Arts flickr group, where she does the most amazing job!

Dear Heather graced me with this blog award. Now, part of the deal is that I pass it on to five others and then share with you five things about myself.

My nominations are:

Britta Swiderski - She has made some of the most informative videos; in fact, she recently completed her 25th. I am shocked at her ability to balance so much in her life and that she can produce such amazing paper crafts and videos.

Ashley Newell - Another gal who makes amazing instructional videos. Check her site on Wednesdays - that is when new ones are usually posted. Most inspirational!

Mishelle Wooderson - Mish is a wonderful gal with lots of great crafty ideas. I love to check in at her blog for some country/vintage style tips. She is so generous with her great ideas and she has a fun Etsy shop where I have found lots of crafting goodies.

Julia Stainton - Julia has a glorious blog, full of great inspiration. She often uses Hero Arts stamps and wins all kinds of challenges and is often published. This gal has style!

Jana Millen - Talk about a glimpse of sunshine, this blog provides it. Lots of joy and color here - and a great Etsy shop full of great buys.

Thanks to all of you and so many others for all the effort and work you put into your blog just because you want to share your love of crafting!

Now, as required, here are 5 things about myself - no laughing, please!

• About 30 years ago I had an opportunity to go to the Big Island of Hawaii and swim with wild dolphins. They really spoke to me - it was an amazing, spiritual, life-changing experience!
• For the life of me, I could never memorize my multiplication tables but I can solve about any math problem.
• I wanted to study art in college, but my Dad told me "No; art can be your hobby, you need to prepare for a career". While I was angry at the time, it was good advice. I love my career and it has allowed me to do my art.
• I love all things French!
• My Mom is my hero.

This post is already too long, so no card today. Have a great weekend - thanks for visiting.

Ding-a-ling!

Today's card is for a challenge over at Moxie Fab World. Cath has challenged us to "get daring with decorative tape" - such a kick! Lots of companies make decorative tape and it comes in tons of sizes and designs. I have lots of it but haven't actually used any.

I love this new Hero Arts clear stamp set called "Just Saying Hi" (CL502). So, I inked it up and grabbed some cute vintage-looking tape by heidi swapp. Great combo, eh? I not only used it to accent the card, but I rolled some up to create a 3-D cord for the vintage phone.

I added a torn phone book page and some vintage buttons from my stash.

Thanks, Cath, for the call!

One more memory

Here is another card I fashioned with the business card from the market we frequented in Kauai. I love the paper stock, the image and colors of this card.

This time I coupled the card with a a cute Hawaiian stamp of a ukulele (I am taking ukulele lessons, you know) girl. I colored her with Copic pens and added some sparkle.

The woven element is a napkin ring that I got at a garage sale. I just cut it open and used red craft tape to adhere it. The button and twine are from my stash.

Mahalo for looking! Have a great day.