Hero Arts Bird Ornments

Stamps: Hero Arts Design Block Flourish and Seasons Greetings sentiment

Here are some bird ornaments I made with a Hero Arts stamp I enlarged with a copier. I cut each bird from mat board and then colored with Distress Inks. I then used the Flourish stamp with Versamark on the body of each bird and then used gold embossing powder (white/silver embossing powder was used on the lower bird). For the wings, I used the Seasons Greetings sentiment from Hero Arts and stamped it all over each wing in gold ink (white for the lower bird). I then punch small holes in the mat board to thread the ribbon for hanging. Closer bird shots below. TFL!

Autumn pears

Stamps: sentiment and design on pears - PaperTrey Ink, pears - unknown

Here is another autumn card. I used this pear stamp though I have no idea who made the stamp since I bought it used. I stamped the pears on a gold patterned paper and then again on a green patterned piece. I cut each image out and then paper pieced the pears and leave together on a third patterned paper. I then added some distress ink to the leave and then more to the pears to add deeper color. I added an additional design to the pears with a design from Papertrey Ink. I adhere all of this to a medium brown card. Lastly, I stamped the sentiment in brown ink to the bottom of the card. TFL!

An enhanced autumn leaf

Stamps: Hero Arts - Design Block Flourish and Purple Onion - Seasons

I was out for a walk this morning and found this leaf. I thought that I would try and emboss it and it worked! I decided to used Judi Kins egyptian gold embossing powder because it has some additional sparkle to it. What I did notice is that the heat darkened the leaf a bit but not enough to worry about. Once it was complete, I used Glossy Accents to glue the leaf to the ivory card. Lastly I stamped the sentiment in dark brown ink. A very simple card where the leaf is the star. TFL!

Detail of embossed leaf

I won Magenta's heart!

Click on the Magenta image above for their post about my card.

Thanks so much Magenta!

Offset Scallop Gallop Challenge in the Moxie Fab World

I came across this post named Offset Scallop Gallop Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and thought it would be a great place for me to post this floral card I made with hundreds of overlapping circles. I cut each circle with a 1/8" circle punch from patterned paper that I enhanced with Distress Inks. I posted this project on my blog last month, after I originally finished it. It had a black vase since I just couldn't punch any more circles. After I saw this post today, I dug the card out and finished it off with a white vase that I dry embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. TFL!

Detail of the overlapping, tiny circles. *Please click on the image to see the detail.

Pointillism with paper

Supplies: Magenta laser-cut Garden Greetings card, Paper Trey Guide Lines stamp, Distress ink, 1/8" circle punch

I was given this plain white, laser cut, Magenta Garden Greetings card and the first thing that came to mind was to cover the whole thing in tiny dots of color. Crazy, I know (now, that is, after I've given myself a bad ebow from all the dot punching ;-) To start, I decided to use some scrap patterned papers and rub Distress inks over them to give some depth to the color. Then I got to punching the hundreds of dots with an 1/8" circle punch! I started gluing each tiny dot, beginning with the pink coneflowers and then moving around to the orange tulips and finally the green leaves. I couldn't do anymore. My elbow gave out so I decide to color the vase with black Distress ink (to help tie in the black coneflower centers) and then stamped a design on the vase with a Paper Trey stamp. I then added tiny dots of Glossy Accents to highlight the stamp detail. You can see the details of this on the photo below. Make sure to click on it to enlarge it too. TFL!

Detail of the dots - Definitely CLICK on the image above.

I apologize for these poor photo images. I just couldn't get the colors right no matter what I did. The colors are much prettier in person. Again, thanks for looking!

Color Cue {7} Challenge

Stamps: Hero Arts & Paper Trey

The Color Cue {7} Challenge uses aqua, gold, red and white/cream and here's my take on it. I used Distress Inks on white cardstock for the solid colors under each flower. I stamped the flowers in black ink on white cardstock and then used aqua, gold and red colored pencils. Each flower image was then matted on black cardstock and foam mounted to the colored rectangles for more interest. I adhered the flower images to white cardstock that was embossed with a Cuttlebug dot folder. It was then matted with black and then adhered to a white card. I added the sentiment at the bottom to finish it off. TFL!

Detail of flowers

EDIT * Winner of Embellish Magazine Challenge with Birds

Gift tags (as always, click for larger images)

*Edit* I won this challenge and I'm thrilled. I was blown away when I went to their web site and saw my tags with the little winner badge on them. So fun to make. Since I had a few things leftover from making the birdhouse for this Embellish Magazine challenge, I thought I would make some gift tags, using the same criteria for the challenge, and submit these also. I couldn't get all the detail photos to upload on this post so there is another post below for all the details and close up photos.

Supplies: Background stamp - Stampendous, Bird - Savvy Stamps, Sentiment - Hero Arts

More details of the gift tags

Supplies: SpellBinders die, Hero Arts tree stamp and sentiment, Tiny birds by Memory Box


Supplies: Bird stamp - Savvy Stamps, Sentiment - Hero Arts, SpellBinders die, punches

Supplies: SpellBinders die, Sentiment; Memory Box, Background stamp; Stampendous, Bird; Invoke Arts, punch, Distress Ink

Supplies: Bird stamp - Stampsmith, Background leaves - PaperTrey Ink, Distress Ink, punch

Supplies: SpellBinders die, Sentiment - PaperTrey Ink, punches

Birthday Wishes

Supplies: Stamps; flowers - Hero Arts, sentiment - PaperTrey Ink

My girlfriend's birthday is next week so I thought I would make her card in the challenge colors for Embellish Magazine that I had leftover on my desk but without the bird this time. I colored the magenta cardstock with Distress Ink and then stamped two sizes of flowers and cut them out. The leaves were cut from a green patterned paper. The tiny white flowers in the center are from a punch. The main card is cut from brown cardstock using a SpellBinders die. The sentiment was white embossed. I finished her card off with tiny white dots around the outer edge and a gold gel pen for the flower centers. TFL!

Embellish Birds Color Challenge - Birdhouse

Supplies: All stamps - PaperTrey Ink, Punch; Martha Stewart, Distress Ink

Now that I'm back from vacation, I thought I would try the Embellish Magazine challenge. The challenge is to use brown, green, and magenta along with a bird. For this entry I decided to make the card from a birdhouse shape. I cut piece of white cardstock and started to color it brown with Distress Ink. To make the clapboard on the house, I cut a thin piece of cardstock and used it as a mask and moved it a half inch all the way down the piece of cardstock, each time applying the ink over it. This gave the shading I was looking for to mimic the clapboard. I used a lime chalk ink for the all the leaves which I cut out and applied to the house. The bird was cut from magenta cardstock that I first clear embossed with polka dots and a square design was used on the wing. I cut a very dark brown circle for the birdhouse opening. I used white cardstock and a punch for the roof's gable. To finish it off, I added the bird's eye and the sentiment. TFL!

2S4Y Challenge

Above is the sketch challenge from 2 Sketches 4 You. Below is my take on it.


Stamps: Butterflies - Hero Arts, Background - Impression Obsession, Sentiment - Stampendous

I stamped the background stamp on white cardstock with black ink. For the butterflies, I stamped them with Versamark and then used black embossing powder. These butterflies were colored with my boys watercolor paints in blues and greens (I'm still away on vacation and only have some basic tools with me so I'm using the kids' stuff).

I decided to cut the background image in between the flowers for the scallop portion of the sketch. I cut a small piece of patterned paper I had in my scrap container and then stamped 'hello' in black ink. I raised up the butterflies with foam tape and placed them in the same spots on the sketch. I matted the whole thing on black cardstock and then on a white card. TFL!

A Warm Hello

Stamps: Hero Arts, Poppies - CL449, Sentiment - LL154

I started this card by adding barn door distress ink to an orange piece of cardstock to make a poppy red color. For the floral panel, I started by using peeled paint distress ink over white cardstock. I then went around the edges of the panel with walnut stain distress ink. I stamped the poppies in brown ink on the green panel. I also stamped the poppies on a piece of white cardstock that i colored a poppy color with multiple distress inks. I cut each of the poppies out and glued them to the green panel. To finish it off, I stamped 'a warm hello' to the lower right of the card. TFL!

Summer Sunflower

Supplies: AccuCut Sunflower die, Cuttlebug Embossing folder, Ranger alcohol Inks,

Stampendous stamp, Martha Stewart punch

Since I'm still away for a few more weeks, I thought I would post an older card I have on my computer. This sunflower was cut from an AccuCut die using glossy white paper. I then used alcohol inks to color the flower and stem. For the center of the flower, I punched two flower shapes and layered them together. I then glued black beads to the very center. The black background paper was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and then stamped with the word smile in white ink. I then glued everything on a white notecard. TFL!

Wplus9 Color Cue challenge

Stamp: Impression Obsession, My Sentiments Exactly, Punch: Martha Stewart

The current Color Cue challenge at Wplus9 uses the four colors above, aqua, brown, orange, and green. I started by using Versamark and stamping the Impression Obsession image on brown cardstock. I then used the same stamp and clear embossed it on orange and aqua cardstock. I punched the flower shape from the orange and aqua cardstock. I punched nine green squares and glued them in a grid pattern to the brown cardstock. I glued eight orange flowers and one aqua flower to the squares. I trimmed the brown cardstock to an 1/8" from the bottom of the aqua card so there's a small reveal of aqua showing at the bottom of the card. I finished off the card by gluing orange and aqua beads to the centers of each flower. Lastly, I stamped 'be different' in white ink from the My Sentiments Exactly alphabet. TFL!

Embellish Magazine baby card challenge

Stamp is by Stampotique Originals

Card size: 5 1/2" x 4"

Embellish Magazine baby card challenge details are to use yellow, green, peach and cream as well as having a baby theme to the project and this is what I came up with. It totally not a scheme I use regularly so it was a bit of a challenge for me. In fact, I went out and bought a piece of peach paper for it ;-)

I stamped the image in brown ink on three patterned papers and then again on the cream colored card. I then cut out each piece from the different patterned papers and paper pieced the whole thing together. I then used all the patterned papers to build up the frame around the image. I added Glossy Accents to the center of the flower saying to emphasize it. I then glued everything to the cream card and added three cream, heart shaped buttons to the bottom. TFL!

Detail of paper piecing. As a side note, the colors in these photos seem a bit dull. No matter what I did, I couldn't quite get them to photograph correctly.

Dress challenge

Stamp: Stampington & Co. - Wrought Scroll, Punches: Martha Stewart
Card size: 6" x 4 1/4"

In the latest issue of Stampers' Sampler, there is a dress template up for challenge and here's my take on it. I decided to use white and cream. After cutting out the dress shape from white cardstock, I first added white origami paper to the bottom of the dress for a slip. I then cut out another dress shape from white cardstock and cut the bottom with a border punch. I used another piece of the origami paper and used it for the bodice of the dress. I then started gluing on the countless tiny punched cream flowers I made with the hydrangea punch (I used the smaller of the two flower sizes).

After adhering all the flowers, I overstamped them with the Wrought Iron stamp in white ink. I then used white embossing powder for a bit of shine. You can sort of see the design on the dress above.

I then added tiny white beads to the neckline and bottom of the dress. I also added a dark brown satin bow that I tied and then glued in place with Glossy Accents.

Here you can see the stamping over the flowers.

And a close-up of the flowers and the beads that follow the bottom detail of the dress. To make the whole thing a card, I cut a third dress shape from white cardstock and glued it to the back of the decorated dress, from the waist up, with more Glossy Accents. TFL!

More poppies

All stamps Hero Arts; poppies - CL449, background - S5264

I had some poppies left over from the previous card and decide to make another. To make the background, I used the Antique Flower stamp and inked it with a few different colors of distress inks. I then misted the stamp with plain water and stamped it on white cardstock. I cut out all the distress colored poppies and paper pieced them to the white background. I colored the stems with a marker. I then adhered the white panel to an orange piece of cardstock. I then glued the poppy panel to the poppy colored card. TFL!

California poppies

All stamps Hero Arts; gate CG180, poppies CL449

Since returning from sunny California, I thought it appropriate to stamp some poppies. I colored an orange piece of cardstock with barn door distress ink to make the poppy colored card. I then sprayed it with Perfect Pearls in water. For the floral image, I used peeled paint distress ink over white cardstock for the green color. I then stamped the poppies in brown ink on white cardstock that i colored this poppy color with multiple distress inks. I then cut each of the poppies out and set aside. I then made a mask of all the poppies and then stamped the gate with black ink over the mask. I then used black embossing powder on the gate. I then glued all the poppies on the card. I finished the edge with more distress ink. Once the green panel was on the card, I glued on three tiny black beads to the bottom of the card. TFL!

Stampbord box

I took a class last weekend using Stampbord and I'm loving it! We were given a plain wood box and this is what I came up with. I inked the box, making sure to keep the center light and darker around the edges. I then overstamped this with the Hero Arts Manuscript stamp. The center medallion is an old stamp from Stamp It! that I borrowed. I wished I owned this stamp! ;-) I then got to scratching the image back. So fun! Added the Tim Holtz decorative feet and I was done.

Lined the box with some decorative patterned paper.

Here's a close-up of the scratched detail.

My girlfriend Michelle Ward is having a challenge on her blog here

which asks to challenge yourself with size. I choose to change my medium. I usually work with cards but I'm branching out ;-)

Here I thought I would show the small magnet I also made from a test piece. Nothing goes to waste. Hope you've enjoyed this post and TFL!

Father's Day card

All stamps are by Hero Arts; background-H2141, Shells-CL383, Letters-CL136

Here's my dad's Father's Day card. I used a light blue cardstock for the background paper and stamped it with the manuscript background stamp from Hero Arts. I then adhered it to dark brown paper and then to an off-white card. For the banner, I stamped the word dad on the same off-white paper and then adhered it to the dark brown. I stamped the shells with a dark brown ink on beige paper and cut them out. These where then adhered to more dark brown paper and cut out again and adhered to the card. Sorry about the washed out photo. TFL!

A masculine card

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous, Hero Arts, Clearly Wordsworth

Other supplies: distress ink & Stickles

Moriah is a friend of mine and she is on the design team of Stamp, Scrap and Doodle. She asked me to submit a masculine card for this week's challenge and here it is. TFL!

Another spring card

All stamps Hero Arts; flower CL374, sentiment CL141

Here is another spring card. I used a single flower image and stamped it mulitple times. I then colored them all with distress inks. I then cut each one out and piled them all on the card, some hanging off the edges like they were exploding off the card . I also used the stem from the same set , colored with distress inks, cut each one out, and glued them to the distressed colored background. I cut a banner shape and used distress inks to color. I then stamped the sentiment with black ink. I finished the card off with Stickles in the center of the flowers. Enjoy and TFL!

Still Spring?

Bunny stamp: Memory Box, Sentiment; Stampendous and assorted punches

I thought I would post a card I did for the stamp club last month. We were to make a spring themed card and here is mine. I ended up using this bunny stamp for the card because before it was a spring card, it was a birthday card. I was in the stamp store with one of my sons last month when he saw this stamp and didn't want to leave without it. He wanted me to use it to make his birthday card. And that's what I did and then made a second card for the stamp club. I stamped the bunny in dark brown ink on white paper and then colored it with distress ink. I then paper pieced the bunny with the watering can. I hand cut the grass and punched the flowers, leaves, and border. I hand cut the banner, colored with distress ink, and stamped with black ink. I finished off the flowers with some yellow Stickles. Happy Spring and TFL!

Twilight Sky Altered Can

Here is my attempt at altering a tin can. I painted the can with a few colors of deep blue acrylic paint to make this twilight sky. I then tore a leafy patterned paper for the bottom of the can for the ground. I added some distress ink to deepen the color of the paper. I then tore a black paper for the sky. I thought the berries in the paper lent themselves to the bird theme of the can. I hand cut the all the flowers and leaves from another patterned paper. The moon was cut from gold paper and the stars are tiny, flat-backed crystals.

For the bird, I used this stamp from B Line Designs and stamped it on red, gold, taupe, and black paper. I embossed the bird on the black paper only with black embossing powder. I then cut out each piece as needed and paper pieced the bird, which I attached with a foam square.

This photo just shows the inside of the can which I haven't touched yet. Looks like the outside used to ;-)

This is the back of the can. I cut a house shape out of brown polka dot paper. I used a Martha Stewart border punch for the gable roof. The egg stamp, from Invoke Arts, was stamped on a robin's egg blue paper and used as the hole for the birdhouse.

Sideview of the can. To finish off the can, I coated it with four coats of Mod Podge in a glossy finish. TFL!