My Monthly Hero | Countdown to Creativity | February 2024

February 4, 2024January 31, 2024 Karen Brown32 Comments

Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Classic Kit - February 2024

Hello and welcome to the February 2024 My Monthly Countdown! I must say, this kit is full of wonderful products that I know you will love. The kit goes live tomorrow, Monday, February 5th, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy some inspiration, sneak peeks and giveaways.

WIN A KIT BEFORE YOU CAN BUY IT: Just leave a comment on this (and every) Countdown to Creativity post. Hero Arts will randomly draw one lucky winner from comments left across all countdown posts on the Hero Arts blog. The winner will be announced first thing Monday morning, February 5th, before the kit launches at 10am Pacific. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win!

Pattern Stamping

I really enjoy pattern stamping and the stamps in the Classic Kit are just perfect for this technique. There is something so therapeutic about coloring glass jars and vases.

Products Used:

MMH Classic Kit
Rounded Rectangle Infinity Dies
Charcoal Cardstock
Copic Markers (B00, B02, V000, V01, V15, YG01, YG03, YR31, YR35)

Be sure to stop by and visit the Hero Arts Blog for more inspiration and then I will be back on Monday with another post featuring the Classic Kit + some great Add-On Products.

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Altenew Academy Level 2: Beyond Basic Backgrounds

July 12, 2020 Karen Brown2 Comments

I was so pleased to learn that I passed my Level 1 Final Exam Project so I am able to start on Level 2. The first course I took in Level 2 is Beyond Basic Backgrounds. My two favorite lessons were Perfect Spacing and Water Bleaching. Lydia Evans had great projects and tips and I was inspired to create a pattern stamped background. These rainboots are a favorite stamp and I thought they would make a cheery get well card.

In Lesson 2, we learned how to use a grid to evenly space our images.

$Pattern stamping with the rain boots in Altenew\'s Garden Grow Stamp set.$

I made an \”X\” on my panel by using a clear ruler. I lined up the top edge in the upper left corner and the bottom of the ruler in the bottom right corner and then I drew a light pencil line. I repeated this from top right to bottom left.
I then stamped my boot in the center of the X so I could decide how to space the rest of the images.
I chose to space my lines 7/8\” apart, so I used my ruler to draw lines parallel to my first \”X\” 7/8\” apart.
Once my grid was complete, I started freehand stamping with an acrylic block by placing a boot in the middle of each intersection.
Once the ink was dry, I used a good eraser to erase my grid and then Copic colored in a variety of colors.
I finished by adding a black heat embossed sentiment strip and mounting on a fog A2 card base.

After studying my card, I wondered if the spacing was too close so I decided to make a second card adding an additional 1/8\” so that my grid lines were 1\” apart. I was surprised to see that 1/8\” really changed the layout of the card! On the second card I added a die cut sentiment that fit in between the boots.

Here is a side by side of the 7/8\” and 1\” spacing.

I wanted to include this process photo also as it has the gridlines still intact.

Supplies used:

Altenew Garden Grow stamp set

Altenew Jet Black Crisp Die Ink

Tim Holtz Clear Ruler

Pencil

Arch Foam Eraser

I am so pleased you stopped by. Let me know which spacing/card you like better.

Karen

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WWC228 – Marsha\’s Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

July 3, 2019 Karen Brown3 Comments

Welcome and hello! Today it\’s the popular Feminine Anything Goes Challenge at Watercooler Wednesday and Marsha is our hostess.

I love pattern stamping and wanted to make a bright summery feminine birthday card so I got all my favorite individual floral stamps out and black heat embossed a random background pattern. I love texture with heat embossing. Next, add bright colors, heat emboss a sentiment and use an A2 stitching die.

I am entering this card in:
SSS Make a Background Monday Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Image may contain: one or more people and text

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WWC227 – Michelle\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

June 26, 2019 Karen Brown3 Comments

Welcome and hello! It is all about occasions this week at Watercooler Wednesday and Michelle is our hostess.

It is summer so I wanted to make a fun bright tropical card.

$Pattern stamping using Sunny Studio\'s Tropical Paradise stamp set.$

I did a bit of pattern stamping with Sunny Studio\’s Tropical Paradise set. I think these images are so fun to color! I used Copic markers and put in some white gel pen accents. I also added tiny little jewels to the flower center.

I am entering this card in:
SSS Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge

I am so glad you stopped by!

Karen

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WWC223 – Anything Goes Challenge

May 29, 2019 Karen Brown1 Comment

Hello there! So glad you stopped by. Today is Watercooler Wednesday\’s Special Absolutely Anything Goes Challenge. Dawn is our hostess this week.

I needed some Thinking of You cards so I looked through my stamps to find floral images I thought would blend together. I used stamps from 6 stamp sets:

WPlus9 Doodle Buds
Photo Play Thinking of You
Create a Smile In Bloom
SSS Hello Friends
Ink Blot Shop This and That
Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments

I stamped a random pattern on Xpress It paper with Memento ink. I colored with Copic markers:

V01
YG25
YG17
Y21
Y17

I really like this color combination and will use it again. I added some Pretty Pink Posh Buttercream jewels.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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WWC214 – Marsha\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

March 27, 2019 Karen Brown9 Comments

Easter is getting closer so I thought is was time to make a card or two. This week\’s Watercooler Wednesday Challenge is \”All About Occasions\” so this was the perfect time to get started.

This was a cute little \”freebie\” stamp I received from Stamps of Life (Somebunny). I thought these small images would be very cute stamped and flipped in a pattern stamp background. I stamped using a block and then colored with copics (RV00, RV23, YG00, YG01, B0000, B00, Y00, Y08 and W0 for the ears). I added a few gel pen accents and Pretty Pink Posh jewels in coordinating colors. I embossed the darling sentiment and adhered with some foam tape.

I am entering this card in Tuesday Throwdown\’s Pastel Color Challenge, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday \”Anything Goes\” Challenge, Sisterhood of Crafters Spring Challenge

Update: My card was selected as a Tuesday Throwdown \”Top Pick\”! Many thanks to this fun challenge.

Thanks for stopping by,

Karen

Image may contain: text

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WWC211 – Kath\’s Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

March 6, 2019 Karen Brown2 Comments

I always love our \”Feminine\” Challenge prompts! Please be sure to pop over to The Watercooler Website to see what the other Artists have created this week.

I have a fondness for pattern stamping, and when I received a new stamp set for Christmas, I thought this brightly colored layout would work well. I used my new Inkblot Shop This & That stamp set along with images from SSS Hello Friends and Photoplay Thinking of You.

I started by embossing the sentiment (Ranger Letter It Birthday) on Bristol paper. I then worked out from the sentiment and embossed the larger images first. Next I went in and filled in with the smaller details. I colored/watercolored with Tombow Dual Tip markers and I like how bold the black embossing combined with the bright watercolor markers turned out. I finished by adding a few black sequins to this otherwise one layer card.

I really liked this layout and wanted to try it using different coloring techniques to see which I liked best.

Today\’s card is embossed and water colored with Tombow markers
I did a Blog Post in January showing the same layout colored with Copic markers.
Inktense colored pencils
Kuretake Watercolors.

In the end, the Tombow markers and Copics were my favorite two.

If you look at both, leave me a comment and let me know whether you like the Copic or
Tombow version best.

I am entering this card in:

Simon Says Stamp \”Whatever the Weather\” Monday Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Bright Colorful Pattern Stamping

January 30, 2019 Karen Brown6 Comments

I have a fondness for pattern stamping, and when I received a new stamp set for Christmas, I thought this brightly colored layout would work well. I used my new Inkblot Shop This & That stamp set along with images from SSS Hello Friends and Photoplay Thinking of You.

I started by stamping the sentiment (Ranger Letter It Birthday) with Gina K Amalgam on XPress It paper. I then worked out from the sentiment and stamped the larger images first. Next I went in and filled in with the smaller details. I colored with Copic markers and added three black sequins.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps Anything Goes Challenge

The Twisted Challenge This is my first time to enter a Twisted Challenge challenge.

Something Old: my beloved Copic markers
Something New: my new sentiment stamp set from Ranger. I love the big flowing script!
Something Gifted: I received the cute Ink Blot Shop stamp set for Christmas last month.
Something Blue: Blue is my favorite color so I\’ve colored some flowers and blueberries blue.

Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge This is my first time to enter this interesting challenge.

Daring Cardmakers Lots of Color Challenge This is my first time to enter a Daring Cardmakers challenge, but I LOVE bold bright colors so I thought this prompt was perfect for me!.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Puffer Fish

August 19, 2018 Karen Brown2 Comments

Tri-color Puffer Fish birthday card. This is a versatile card that I think would be perfect for a beach loving girlfriend or child\’s birthday. I love the happy whimsical fish from The Hero Arts I Am Puffer For You Stamp set.

Handmade card featuring brightly colored puffer fish.

I mounted three fish on an acrylic block and hand stamped the pattern. I knew I wanted to use three colors so I next worked out which fish would be which color. I didn\’t want stripes of color so I went with the combination above. I then heat embossed the sentiments on gravel cardstock and loosely fussy-cut the words. I then mounted the base on a \”gravel\” colored card from Paper Source.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Paper Sweeties 6th Birthday Challenge

Pause Dream Enjoy #33

Sunny Day Animal Challenge

Always Happy Birthday \”Water\” Challenge

UPDATE: I am very pleased my card received \”Top Pick\” Honors at Pause Dream and Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Bright Summery Card for a Girlfriend

July 7, 2018 Karen Brown6 Comments

I have been mentally designing a card with linear pattern stamping using citrus fruits. I tried a couple different patterns and selected this one. I usually use my misti, but I stamped this card freehand using an acrylic block. To save time, I put all three stamps on the block and stamped across the card.

Create a Smile Fruit Salad Stamp Set

I colored the images with Copic markers using the YR02, Y06 and YG01 which are bright citrusy colors.There are a lot of images, but the coloring went surprisingly fast. I used Sakura Gel Pens for the rind on the lime and orange images. I debated whether to outline the fruit in gray but opted to keep the card fresh and bright instead. If I had made two cards, I would have tried one each way to see which I preferred.

I embossed two Happy Birthday sentiments and decided I liked the smaller font on this card. I added a few sequins and I was done!