Category: Hero Arts

Another Garden Critter

I got the opportunity over the weekend to continue playing with the watercolor pencils and the Penny Black Garden Critters stamp set.

Penny Black Garden Critters

I watched Jill Foster’s PB & J video several more times, and learned a bit more about how to use the pencils. I also switched watercolor papers to a heavier paper that is preferred by Jennifer McGuire. Additionally, I used my water brush pen as a brush dipping it into the water. Filled with water, the brush was putting too much water on my image. I don’t have any Penny Black sentiments, yet, so I added one of my most used sentiments from the Hero Arts Essential Messages set to finish off the card.

Happy Monday!

A Rabbit “Hello”

I bought some Derwent Inktense watercolors pencils on Sunday (my Mother’s Day gift to me, ha ha) and spent most of Sunday afternoon and into the week coloring the critters from the Penny Black Garden Critters stamp set.

I’ve watched Jill Foster’s PB & J video several times, and I am in total awe of her skills! If you’re interested in trying out watercolor pencils, her video would be an excellent place to begin.

A Rabbit "Hello"

Garden Critter

Have you heard? Ellen Hutson is now carrying Penny Black stamp sets! I inked up a cute stamp from Garden Critters (my first ever Penny Black set). The set is part of the Margaret Sherry Collection; she is also the illustrator of the adorable Penny Black hedgehog.

Penny Black Garden Critter

I followed the same design of Kristina Werner’s that I used to make this card during the Online Card Classes Clean & Simple Card Making 2 course.

I colored the image with Copic markers, deciding, as I often do, that there are Copics I don’t own which would have been better color choices (I could own all of the E’s for example)! I spent a good deal of the weekend researching coloring techniques and combinations, as well as reading the blogs of talented artists including Kathy Racoosin, Elizabeth Allan and Jill Foster. I’m looking forward to trying out watercolor pencils as a next step!

Copics: N1, BG72 (shovel); YG03, YG17 (leaves); R12, R24 (boots); E000, E31, E35 (mouse); RV10, RV23 (flower, pink on mouse); YR31, Y11 (flower center); B21, B23 (butterfly)

His & Hers Day Four: Father’s Day

The focus of today’s  Online Card Classes “His & Hers” course was Father’s Day and Mother’s Day cards. This lesson couldn’t have come at a more opportune time as neither of our sons will be around on Father’s Day, and I need both to sign a card in the next several days.

My Father’s Day card follows a design shown by .

His & Hers Day Four: Father's Day

I took a couple of shortcuts. For example I used a Studio Calico/American Crafts alpha for the “DAD” whereas Kelly’s cards used letters die-cut and adhered to one another. I will definitely give this design another try. I learned quite a bit in its assembly! The woodgrain section is actually a flap that is held in place by the wood veneer arrow.

Supplies: Hero Arts Tweed Pattern Background Stamp;  Simon Says Stamp You Clear Stamps; Hero Arts Cup O’ Joe Shadow Ink Mid-Tone; Studio Calico Wood Veneer; Stampin’ Up cardstock; Avery Elle woodgrain cardstock

 

 

His & Hers: Day Three Sympathy Cards

The focus of today’s  Online Card Classes course “His & Hers” was sympathy cards. I know that I’ve been unimpressed with the store bought choices for sympathy cards, so I welcomed the opportunity to handcraft these cards.

I crafted my cards with the same design and colors, simply varying my stamp choices. For the “Hers” card, I paired the Hero Arts/Basic Grey Flower Dot Pattern background stamp with a sentiment from the Hero Arts “Remember” stamp set. I really like this sentiment set, and “Cry, Laugh, Remember” aptly expresses my feelings about the death of a loved one.

His & Hers: Day Three Sympathy Cards

For the “His” version I paired the Hero Arts/Basic Grey Tartan Background with a sentiment from Hero Arts “Say It All.” For both cards, I used Memory Box “Dove Gray” cardstock, Hero Arts Soft Granite ink, Hero Arts dye ink and ribbon from Ellen Hutson.

His & Hers: Day Three Sympathy Cards