Hero Arts Blog Hop!

Welcome to the  Hero Arts 2011 Hostesses Blog Hop!  The Hero Arts 2011 blog hop  is  all week long,  January 10th through Friday January 14th.   Along the way you will see wonderful  inspiration from the Hero Hostesses using the 2011 release! 

I was so thrilled with my new Hero Arts stamps I had a hard time deciding which card I should share as part of the blog hop. I finally decided on this card because I loved the flowers on the Large Flower Pattern!  

The Large Flower Pattern (S5471) background is so beautiful it reminded me of waterlilies floating in the water. 

Recipe:

1. Stamp Large Flower Pattern using Versafine Smokey Grey on white cardstock. 
2. Stamp Thinking of You (All Occasion Messages CL272) using grey pigment ink on white cardstock. 
3. Sponge sentiment using grey dye ink and pink dye ink. 
4. Color flowers using black and red watercolor pencils. 
5. Color stems and leaves using light green and black watercolor pencils. 
6. Soften watercolors using water brush to blend colors. 
7. Accent flowers and stems using white gel pen. 
8. Stamp dragonflies from Antique Engravings - CL383 using gray pigment ink. 
9. Color dragonflies using light green watercolor pencil. Highlight with glue pen and clear fine glitter. 
10. Accent dragonfly bodies with white pearls.

 My second project is a sweet pendant that could be used for an accent on a package, a necklace or even a pin to hang on your lapel.  The stamps used are from the  With Sympathy CL476 set and   Delicate Leaf Clusters CL477. Both of these sets were on my list as soon as I saw them.

1. Stamp the background   Thank You Definition - CG268  using Versafine Vintage Sepia.
2. Paint the flowers using chalks and a water brush and stamp on background. 
3. Stamp sentiment using Versafine Majestic Blue. 
4. Paint dragonflies using chalks and a water brush and stamp over background. 
5. Fill frame with Glossy Accents. 
6. Accent with flowers, gems, heart charm and ribbon. 

Onto the important details: 

If you arrived here from Lisa Carroll at My Little Ink Spot you are in the right place, I am the end of the blog hop for today.  Tomorrow there are more wonderful artists on the blog hop and all you need to do is head over to the  Hero Arts Blog  and start hopping again.  If you didn't come here from Lisa Carroll you should head over to the Hero Arts Blog today and start at the beginning of the hop!

Please leave a comment at every blog, because every comment left along the hop gives you a chance to win new Hero Arts 2011 stamps!

If you find a broken link, you can always go back to the Hero Arts blog  for the master list of blog links.  Also, please email tami@heroarts.com and provide the blog address that has the bad link so we can fix it. Thanks!

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

CR84FN10 - Dreams

 Look at the beautiful soft pastels for  the CR84FN10...

I started with the beautiful Hydrangea from Hero Arts and colored them in the soft lavender using water color pencils and a water brush.  The inside of the card is stamped using the beautiful quote from Flavia using the  Verses Rubber Stamps  Wings of the Dreams - QQ0841-E. The background is stamped using Tattered Angels Chalkboard Mists and spritzed with water on the Hero Arts cling fabric background. The bees are from Impression Obsession.  The crocheted flower was made and sent to me by Alice. (Thanks Alice!).  The doily center was cut out along with the front of the card to showcase the inside with the sentiment. 

Here is the gorgeous inspiration photo for CR84FN10 from Mona:

I hope the beautiful colors will inspire you to join us at CR84FN. For all the details hop on over to the CR84FN blog.

For 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

Our wonderful guest designer is Betty Wright. 


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 blessed Sunday!

Suzz

Winter White

Quick post today... My inspiration was from Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger and City Crafter's Challenge Winter White.  Love monochromatic cards using only white with a hint of color and the gorgeous cake in Cath's post is fabulous and would love to be able to re-create some of that in my card. :)

Here is my take on both challenges:

I clear embossed the Hero Arts stamp in the background and stamped the Verses Rubber Stamp Grow Old with Me over the same embossed background.

Here is the gorgeous cake from Martha Stewart Living posted on the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger.

Hope you are having a lovely day!

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

Poppies

This was created for a few challenges: Simons Says Show your New Stamp, Flourishes FTTC99 which is to use flowers, and for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge 172.

Here is the sketch:

My new stamp is actually a retired Hero Arts Stamp and I was so happy to win it recently from Hero Arts. The hare image is Hero Arts - H1835 Mountain Hare.  The flowers on the bunny reminded me of the Poppy Patch set  from Flourishes and I think  they look lovely together. The background is Hero Arts K5191 Kanji Poem.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Suzz

Some Happy News!

My happy news is that I was asked by the very talented Mona Pendleton to be part of the design team for the CR84FN color challenge. I love my color challenges and was very excited to be participating in a weekly color challenge again.

Here is my card for CR84FN9:

The peach is always such a difficult color to find in my collection of inks and supplies. I think I was able to add a little in my roses. :)

Mini recipe:
Background:  Stamp  lightly  Hero Arts - Old Letter Writing S4878  using Memento Rich Cocoa. Sponge edges using Ranger Distress Inks Antique Linen and Victorian Velvet.

Sponge doily edges with the same dye inks.  Fold the doily and tie with ribbon accent with stick pin and charm.

The roses (Hero Arts - Rose Background CG179) took a little time.   Stamp the rose background  stamp using Versafine black pigment ink multiple times. Color using three different watercolor pencils (pink, peach, yellow) and a water brush. Color leaves using light tan watercolor pencil.  Cut out the roses and leaves. Sponge around the edges with vintage photo dye ink. Accent with glitter. Arrange your bouquet of roses. :)

Stamp the lovely Verses Oh the Dances - RR0408 - C using Versafine Vintage Sepia and emboss using Zing Chestnut embossing powder.

The other stamps are Hero Arts - Rose Background CG179, Hero Arts - .

Here is the beautiful inspiration photos... Now you can see why I picked the roses to play with in my card.

The fabulous CR84FN design team includes:

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

Hope you find time to play along with us.  Read all the details here: CR84FN color challenge .   

Thank you all for stopping by. I really appreciate it!

Suzz

Happy New Year!

I was SO done making Christmas cards and projects. I was happy to put away my holiday sentiments... and then... Louise at Tag Tuesday Challenge this week is to use Christmas leftovers. That had me thinking about what I had saved from my Christmas leftovers and I thought of the candy bars in my kids stockings.  I loved this nutcracker on the chocolate bar that my children had stuffed in their stockings. He was the inspiration for my tag.  Of course encouraging one of my kids to eat their chocolate bar was not a problem. LOL!

I cut out the nutcracker, a piece of the silver inside, and the Hershey's name. The silver was embossed and distressed with a little black paint. The Nutcracker received a little stamping to his hat and shirt.  His hat received a little bling and red feathers.

This was a fun tag to piece together. I only had to pull out a few Christmas stamps to finish off my tag.

Now I am off to clean up my work room and do a little organization.  My DH is working on some new drawers for my desk top and a I received a few new cabinets. So I will be pulling everything out and cleaning it up and putting it back in place.


Wishing you all a wonderful new year to you!

Suzz