Tropical Birthday

I haven't played along in the Hero Arts Blog challenge in forever and a day!  But I just received one of their new layering stamps sets which allows you to stamp the different layers in different colors and decided to play along in their fun "Tic Tac Toe" challenge that is going on all month!

 I played around with the colors to try different shades and after a few different attempts I ended up with something very similar to the shades used on the packaging. :)  I went browsing at Lin's blog as she is always so inspiring with the flowers and came up with this design:

I decided to cut out the flowers and layer them onto an acetate card.  I went to the crafty store for some tape refills and came out with some fun bamboo washi tape which had me die cutting the letters from it and then I used the Hero Arts Chevron background stamp on the bottom of the cardstock with the same green used on my leaves.

 I followed the tic tac toe line of  "Background Stamps", "Die Cuts", and "Birthday".

The Hero Arts Challenge is all month long and they have 4 prizes up for grabs.

Products:  Hero Arts Color Layering Hibiscus,  Hero Arts Cling Chevron,  Simon Says Stamp - Birthday Die, Bamboo Washi Tape,  Ranger Distress Inks - Shabby Shutter, Peeled Paint, Barn, Mustard Seed, Rusty Hinge, Ranger Archival Ink - Black

Happy Sunday!

Suzz

Many Thanks

Another fall card for the Hero Arts Monthly Challenge...

The background is created with layers of glimmer mist. I then stamped the cling swirl background over the background using a brown ink.  I layered the stamped leaf over that and colored it with a frost paint. The edges were distressed with brown dye ink. Then colored around the edges of the leaves with a brown watercolor pencil to provide some shadowing. I finished it off with a few more leaves stamped, cut out, and sponged and added the thanks onto the leaves. Then the leaves were dangled using some twine.

Have a wonderful day!

Suzz

CR84FN39 - Fall Anyone?

Time for some beautiful fall colors with  CR84FN39 colors.

I also created this project for the Hero Arts Monthly Contest  which is Autumn, Window Cards or a color challenge.  I liked the effect of the tree stamped on the window and in the background. It gives it a little spooky effect.

The front of the card is glimmer misted, sponged and a torn layer of a piece of text from a book. I think it looks like an old front of a house in Tuscany perhaps?

The frame is from Hero Arts and I was inspired to purchase it because of my friend Jacqueline who uses this frame so beautifully.

The stamps are all Hero Arts except the sentiment which is Memory Box.


The inspiration photos for CR84FN39:

For all the details on the challenge this week go to the CR84FN blog. 

The fabulous CR84FN Design Team:

Deborah Frings * Sue Lelli  * Andrea Matthews *  Stephanie Kraft * Suzanne Czosek (me)  *  Heather Jensen * Mona Pendleton  * Lisa Somerville *  Marie Oberg (Guest Designer)

Thanks for stopping by! 

Suzz

Yee Haw!

I love the fun colors for the ColourQ #98  and the City Crafter's Challenge Blog is to use scraps. I mixed those two challenges with the Wee Memories Masculine challenge and came up with this:

 

I pulled out some of my Hero Arts stamps to stamp the backgrounds and the fun Wild West set from Stampers Anonymous for my main image.  

The colors: 

Hope your week is going well!

Suzz

You Make Me Smile

This card is for my youngest as she does make me smile and the image reminds me of her.  She will be so happy as she usually looks at my cards and says pretty or cute but too vintage. LOL!  So this is a cute card more her style.  I used the fun colors from the ColourQ challenge #97 and the Hero Arts Monthly Challenge which is cards for kids.  I added a little doodling for the City Crafter Challenge Do Ya Doodle. (Very difficult to do!)

The stamps are all Hero Arts and the background uses a paint splattering which Sally shared on the HA blog.  The image is colored with watercolor pencils.  My doodling is the grass and the flowers. :)

The inspiration colors from ColourQ Challenge #97

 

Hope your week is going well... Thanks for stopping by! 

Suzz

Sunshine

The City Crafter Blog Challenge is Let the Sunshine In and the Hero Arts Monthly Challenge is Summertime.  This little card is inspired by those two challenges.

Here is the closed version of the card and the opened version looks like this:

The sentiment is Verses Rubber Stamps QQ1204-E and the template for the card is also from Verses Triptych Kit #3892. Love having this shape and can see using this again soon. :)

The background is the Hero Arts Music background and the layered flowers are Hero Arts stamps as well. The inks are Ranger Distress inks - Mustard Yellow, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo, Crushed Olive. 

Hope your Saturday is off to a good start!

Suzz

Hope

I bundled up a few challenges all in one.... I used the Simon Says Stamp and Show your Flourish, City Crafter's Challenge - Birds of a Feather, Hero Arts and Wee Memories are both Summertime challenges. Oops I forgot the colors were from the ColourQ challenge this week.

So how does that all come together in one card:

 

I started with a master board which was very relaxing because I pulled out the glimmer mists and chalkboard to mix up the colors from the ColourQ challenge this week. I added a layer of flourishes along with the music background. Then the edges are sponged in Vintage photo. 

The sentiment is Verses Rubber Stamps  Hope Feathers QQ1007-D stamped on tracing paper. (I decided the vellum I was finding was too thick so I went into the tracing paper section and picked up a pack)

Products: Hero Arts - Tall Birdhouse, Fabulous Flourish, Music Background, Two Birds, Big Clock, Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist - Tuscany Sun, Chalkboard Mists, Ranger Distress Inks - Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo, Olive

The lovely ColourQ colours: 

Hope you have a wonderful day! 

Suzz

Hero Arts Monthly Challenge and Gallery Idol

Hero Arts Monthly Challenge for June includes weddings and  congratulations which fits perfectly with the PaperCraft Gallery Idol contest.  I created this card for both challenges.

Recipe:

1. Cut circle from white cardstock. Spray with chalkboard glimmer mist. (Tattered Angels - Peacock) 
2. Stamp background image over glimmer mist background using acrylic paint. (Hero Arts - G2444 Large Fabric Design)
3. Paint chipboard bird with white acrylic paint. 
4. Stamp bird using music background and blue ink. (Hero Arts - CG222 Music Background). Sponge edges with light brown dye ink.
5. Stamp sentiment on circle using black ink. (Verses - Grow Old with Me - QQ0806C)
6. Frame circle with Websters Pages Trim and gems.
7. Glimmer mist edges of Prima flowers and add touch of glitter. Attach with more trim. 
8. Add doily and bird to front of card. 

The only issue is I don't know if I will use this as a card, tag or front to a bag. It turned out larger than I had imagined when I started. :)

Hope your day is beautiful wherever you are!

Suzz

Embellish - Text Color Trends Challenge

The Embellish Challenge is to use shades of black/grey and text.  The sponsor for this challenge is Hero Arts. (Yeah!)

I had fun playing this morning with the colors and stamps.

I sorted through all my Hero Arts stamps to pick out which ones I wanted to use. I decided to stamp the lovely flowers in a soft grey mixed with a slate blue/gray onto the envelope pattern background.  I added a touch of black to the petals with a watercolor pencil.

The text was added last. I inked up the definition cling stamp only along the bottom half of the stamp with a black dye ink. Wipe away with a wet wipe along the top edge of the ink to give it  blurred edges. Stamp over the envelope pattern background.  Wipe clean the stamp and repeat for the top half of the main image.

This works really well as the envelope pattern and friends definition are the same size stamp so positioning it was not a problem.
The butterflies were punched from glimmer misted crepe paper and stamped with the friends definition.
Products: Hero Arts - Envelope Pattern, Friends Definition, Sweet Threads - Thank You, Essential Messages

Hope everyone is having a lovely long weekend.  I am looking forward to using our pool as we are expected to get up in the 80's on Monday.
Suzz

Hero Arts Monthly Challenge

The challenge this month for Hero Arts - Flowers, ATCS or Watercolor Pencils includes some of my favorite things.  I love my Hero Arts flowers, ATCs  are so much easier for me as it is all about the artwork and not so much about the design, and watercolor pencils which are my favorite coloring medium....

I worked on two ATC's this morning for the challenge. 

First the fabulous peacock stamp:

 I love this striking image and it allows you to use sponging of colors over the image. The background is the music design block stamped in soft sand shadow ink from Hero Arts.

My second ATC uses the beautiful cling rose stamp from Hero Arts:  

 

The inks include Ranger Archival Ink, Memento Rose Bud, Memento Bahama Blue, Memento Pear Tart  and  Versafine Smokey Gray. 

Hope your Saturday is wonderful! 

Suzz

Journey

The Moxie Fab World Challenge is In My Beautiful Balloon and it intrigued me to see if I could create a hot air balloon. I decided to pair it up with the Hero Arts Monthly challenge which includes creating a masculine card.The design is based on the Card Patterns sketch #109. 

This was a challenge for me in more than one way as I tried to limit my ribbons, lace, flowers or fancy embellishments and create a hot air balloon. :)

The balloon is a circle with the bottom cut off and a rectangle with rounded corners. Stamp balloon using Hero Arts Antique Map and Old French Writing in a brown pigment ink. Sponge balloon using gold, light orange and brown dye inks.  The basket is a rectangle with rounded corners. Stamp basket using Hero Arts Envelope Pattern and Old French Writing in a brown pigment ink.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

CR84FN20 - Happy Birthday!

Such beautiful spring colors for  CR84FN20 challenge this week. 

Here is what they inspired:

Stamp Hero Arts Peacock in Ranger Archival black ink. Color with water color pencils and aqua brush. Accent peacock and flowers with glue and glitter. The background was stamped using the Memento Plum dye ink and spritzed on the stamp with pearl misters. The background (Hero Arts) was inked up with Memento Soft Plum and spritzed with pearl mister (Pearl) before stamping on the cardstock.

Here are the gorgeous inspiration photos for this week:  The pictures are courtesy of Adam at Embrace Life Photo

For all the details on the challenge this week go to the CR84FN blog.

The fabulous CR84FN Design Team:

Deborah Frings * Sue Lelli * Meredith MacRitchie * Andrea Matthews *  Stephanie Kraft * Suzanne Czosek (me)  *  Heather Jensen * Mona Pendleton  * Lisa Somerville guest designer Deb Hickman

 Have a wonderful Sunday!

Suzz

Distressed Images

I was getting my car oil changed yesterday and went browsing with my youngest DD. We were looking through the paintings in a home decorating section.  There were so many different beautiful pictures. I should have taken some shots with my camera.  One jumped out at me. It was painted to look like a blue stained wood background with beautiful white flowers draped overlapping across the wood panels. The texture on the wood and flowers looked like a chalky streaky texture. I loved the whole painting and tried to capture that on my cards for today.

I used the color palette from the JUGS challenge #76 - Color Challenge this week, Hero Arts challenge this month includes celebrating birthdays and the Card Patterns Sketch #107 to give me the colors and design and images to create my cards.

I ended up with two versions of the card.  I was pleased with the distressed streaky appearance of each of the cards.

The first card:

 

The background  was created by: Sponging cool blue adirondack acrylic paint in streaks across white cardstock. Sponging snow cap (white) acrylic paint across the blue paint. Taking a medium blue watercolor pencil and drawing lines in various areas. Apply water to smear into the background. Stamp wood grain background using Versamark Watermark ink and clear embossing. Sponge Weathered wood over to add a layer of shading in the grain. 

The second variation of the first  card: 

 

The first set of flowers: On the first card the stamp was covered in blue acryclic paint using a sponge to apply. I then stamped the woodgrain onto the rubber stamp to add texture.  I stamped it onto white cardstock and clear embossed. Because the paint had dried it took very little of the wood grain and the embossing.  Outline the flowers with medium blue watercolor pencil. Apply pink water color pencil to flowers and use the water brush to soften. Accent center of flowers with yellow watercolor pencil. 

The second flower didn't get the wood grain treatment but I applied the paint with a much streakier approach to give it more of the distressed wood paint effect. I also applied less watercolor to the flowers to soften it even more. 

Supplies: Adirondack Acryclic Paint Daubers (Snow Cap, Cool Blue), Hero Arts Large Pattern Flower, Hero Arts ClearDesign Birthday Sayings,  Hero Arts Wood Grain, Versamark, Ranger Distress Inks, Weathered Wood, Watercolor Pencils Faber Castle, Water brush, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponges, Charms, May Arts Ribbon.

Here are the challenge photos: 

I will be back later with CR84FN. Beautiful colors and I can't wait to share them! 

Suzz

New Blog Header

I created my new blog header as I really wanted to put something in anticipation of the spring flowers that we will be seeing in the next few months. The piece I created was inspired by the Stampington Publication Artist's Cafe. There were some beautiful mixed media art in there along with my  inspiration from the other day. This is also for the challenge from Embellish Magazine this month (Music and Colors) and the Hero Arts Monthly Challenge technique of layering.

The process started with a piece of white cardstock. Stamped partially the Antique Brocade Background from Hero Arts using brown pigment ink over entire surface. Paint the surface with a mix of Snow Cap and Cool Peri acrylic paint daubers from Ranger.   Tear vintage sheet music and tape down to surface. Sponge some of the same paint mixture over the surface. Sponge edges of everything with a brown dye ink.

Stamp hydrangea (Hero Arts)  and sentiment (Verses Rubber Stamps - QQ0846-F Mother Teresa Quote)  using Ranger Archival ink. Color Hydrangea using your favorite medium. (Mine is always the watercolor pencils) Sponge a little of the white paint onto the hydrangea to soften the edges.

The butterfly was left over from my cards the other day. All I had to do was change out the button.

Well I hope you enjoyed the new header. I am really happy with it.  Now I am trying to figure out how to re-purpose into a wall hanging. :)

Have a wonderful day!

Suzz

The Beauty in Neutrals

The Flourish challenge for Bring Back Beautiful is Neutral Beauty. I love working in neutrals because the shading and highlights are the focal points.  I had sitting in my scrap pile a stamped map background (Cornish Heritage Farms) in a lovely soft gray. As soon as I saw the challenge I pulled it out.

 

I decided to pull out my flowers from Hero Arts to layer them over the map background. This also applies for the Hero Arts Challenge this month which includes layering of stamped images. 

I stamped the flowers first using the Ranger Archival black ink.  I then colored them using a variety of watercolor pencils (black, brown, gray, and sepia). I highlighted with the white gel pen at the end to bring back touches of white. 

After I finished the flowers I really wanted to make the center pop, I decided to draw a box around the image using the same shades of watercolor pencils and add a touch of the aqua brush to soften the effect. I finished off with the bees (Cornish Heritage Farms) and the sentiment from Stampscapes. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Hydrangeas and Dogwoods

Today's post is a combination of two challenges, inspiration from Jacqueline, and some scraps that have been in my inked backgrounds.  Jacqueline and her beautiful creations is the inspiration for my cards today.   Embellish Magazine Color Trends Challenge is to use music and a set of colors and Hero Arts monthly challenge includes using layering of your stamps.

 

Here is the inspiration photo from Embellish Magazine with the colors: 

The stamps are from Hero Arts and Inkadinkado. The backgrounds were pieces I had created awhile ago for other projects and leftover. They are inked from dye inks and water. 

I will be back tonight to post up my CR84FN card later! Have a wonderful day! 

Suzz

Dreaming of an Iguana

I am mixing my post between two very different cards today. Hence the funny title! 

Earlier this week, I pulled out my Hero Arts stamps to play with the technique of Kissing as this month's Hero Arts Challenge is about love and friendship with kissing as the technique.

The Hero Arts large flower pattern stamp has lots of background rubber to capture the impression of another stamp. Ink up the flower pattern with brown ink lay the Hero Arts Antique brocade flower stamp over and take off a little of the ink. Clear emboss.

 

Because I love the flowers I kept any additional touches to a minimum. The flowers are colored using the watercolor pencils with a touch of white gel pen.

I also had to create a birthday card for my brother Danny. I usually make him a Valentine's birthday card as his birthday is on Valentine's day. My mojo wasn't going there so I opted for another route. I have this fun set of Inkadinkado stamps that have little quips and cute images and I thought it would be fun to create a card using the iguana and my Hero Arts number stamps. 

Just a fun little card that I think he will get a chuckle from. 

Hope your day is filled with laughter. 

Suzz

CR84FN13

The  CR84FN13 challenge this week is some very fun bright colors:  Red, Turquoise and Brown.

I decided to pull out the cute robots from Hero Arts and make a Valentine's card for my youngest daughter. I have to be super secretive as she is always wondering in and commenting on what I am working on..

The Hero Arts Challenge includes insides and out of cards. I created this little card with the heart window to have the robot peeking out to showcase the inside of the valentine.

The red is embossed using an embossing folder and sponged with Adirondack white acrylic paint.

The robot is stamped on watercolor paper and colored with watercolor markers and a water brush. The sentiment is computer generated. I had to sneak into my hubby's workroom and steal a few nuts.

Speaking of my hubby's workroom scroll down to see the pictures of my new work desk! .

Here is the graphic for the CR84FN13:

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Products:  Hero Arts Robot Trio, Embossing Folder,  Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dauber Snow Cap, Adirondack, Ranger Archival Ink, Watercolor Markers

For all the details on this weeks challenge  go to the CR84FN blog.

For more inspiration (Love all the different hues everyone used with the colors this week)  go visit the CR84FN Design Team:

Deborah Frings * Sue Lelli * Meredith MacRitchie * Andrea Matthews *  Stephanie Kraft * Suzanne Czosek (me)  *  Heather Jensen * Mona Pendleton  * Lisa Somerville

Onto sharing my wonderful new craft desk that my DH made for me.

This is the base:

 

Disclaimer: This was after I spent a day unloading my craft room and another day reloading my craft room with everything.

Here is a picture showing the desk on an angle: 

Here is the finished desk and some of the room.  What you don't see is my shelves off to the right jam packed full with my other goodies. :)  I was able to get my DH to put another shelf up and hang my ink holder that he created for me. 

My favorite part of this is that desktop is large enough to have someone sitting across form me so we can stamp at the same time! :) Including if my DD's want to join me with a project they can. 

Well... I had fun inking up on my new desk tonight. Love all the extra desktop! (I actually loaded up the side by the wall with my must have's when stamping. :)

Have a blessed Sunday! 

Suzz

CR84FN11 - Poppy Punctation

 I loved the color combination Mona selected for CR84FN11.  The red, kraft and brown are a beautiful color combination.

I dug through my stash of ephemera and found a great background piece which worked perfectly for the challenge.  I decided to add some Hero Arts Poppies and a sentiment and here is the end result:

Here is the beautiful inspiration photos for CR84FN11.

Products: Hero Arts - Long Stem Flowers, Stampscapes - Nature Sentiments, Marvy Uchida Butterfly Punch, Hero Arts Moments Definition, Zing Chestnut Embossing Powder, Versafine - Vintage Sepia, StazOn Timber Brown, Versamark, Watercolor pencils, Signo White Uni-Ball Gel Pen

For all the details on this weeks challenge  hop on over to the CR84FN blog.

For more wonderful inspiration go visit the CR84FN Design Team:

Deborah Frings * Sue Lelli * Meredith MacRitchie * Andrea Matthews *  Stephanie Kraft * Suzanne Czosek (me)  *  Heather Jensen * Mona Pendleton  * Lisa Somerville

This card also is for the Hero Arts Monthly Challenge to show off the inside of your card, masking or inspired by the 2011 catalogue.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Suzz

You Rock!

When I was selecting my new stamps from Hero Arts at my LSS my youngest was with me and she had her eye on this little girl stamp with an music player.  This card is inspired by my youngest using the fun stamp she wanted.  The Hero Arts Challenge this month is Inspired by the 2011 catalog and Inside of cards. I think this qualifies for both.

I was inspired to create a simulated iPod with the little girl peeking out.  The most fun was the birthday sentiments collection from Hero Arts actually had snippets from a few songs about birthdays which was perfect as a display on my faux screen.

The inside is set up to hold an iTunes gift card.  Tanya has already said she wants this card. :)  She gave me input the whole time I was making it!

The cardstock is Memory Box Soiree and is perfect as the shell of the iPod, as it is a shimmery pink like the coating on the pink iPod. :) 

Hope you enjoyed my fake iPod. Tanya will be getting this on her birthday (Not  until July, but now that she claimed the card I will have to put it away for her until then. :)

Have a wonderful day!

Suzz