Tag: Stamping

cardmaking · Stamping

Longtime Favorite Stamp: Capturing Venetian Charm + Copic Marker Magic & IG Reel

Karen BrownLeave a comment

In the world of cardmaking, some stamps hold a special place in our hearts, evoking memories of past projects and creative journeys. As Hero Arts celebrates their 50th Anniversary, I thought it would be fun to grab one of my oldest stamps and rediscover the magic of this long time favorite: Venetian Neighborhood.

Best Background Stamp for Coloring

I’ve owned and loved Hero Arts Venetian Neighborhood for five years. I bought this stamp in April 2019 when it was part of that month’s MMH release. It’s been such a fan favorite over the years, that it is still available in the shop.

The Best of Hero Arts

I created a quick Instagram Reel of my cardmaking process that you can find BELOW:

The Joy of Coloring

There’s a unique joy that comes with coloring a beautiful stamp like Venetian Neighborhood. The process is meditative, therapeutic even, as we lose ourselves in the rhythm of shading and blending, completely absorbed in the act of creation. And when we finally step back to admire our handiwork, there’s a sense of pride and satisfaction that comes from making it uniquely ours. In a world filled with hustle and bustle, coloring a beautiful stamp offers a moment of peace and serenity, a chance to reconnect with our inner artist and revel in the simple pleasure of creating something beautiful.

Copic Colors Used:

  • Tans: E50, E31, E33
  • Yellows: Y00, Y17, Y20, YR04
  • Greens: G00, YG03, YG06, YG25, YG63
  • Turquoise: BG11, BG23, BG45
  • Violets: V01, V15
  • Red: R22
  • Grays: W0, W3, W5

Products Used:

We’ve discovered in today’s blog post, there’s something truly special about revisiting old favorites like the “Venetian Neighborhood” background stamp. I enjoyed our trip down memory lane and am so pleased you stopped by today!

cardmaking · Stamping

Spellbinders | DIY House Mouse Card: Stay Cool with this Adorable Creation!

Karen Brown4 Comments
Whimsical House Mouse stamped card with a cute mouse chilling in front of a fan with a vintage look and Copic coloring.

Hey, crafty friends! Today, I have a super fun and enjoyable cardmaking project to share with you, featuring everyone’s favorite little critters – House Mouse – and the NEW Stay Cool stamp set. This time, we’re creating a whimsical card with the cute mouse chilling in front of a fan, perfect for sending a refreshing message to someone special. What makes this card extra special is its minimalist vintage look, achieved through a limited color palette of blues and tans. So, let’s dive in and get crafting!

House Mouse: Stay Cool (RSC-028)

Masculine House Mouse Stay Cool stamped critter card.

“Stay Cool” is also perfect for creating a good “Man Card” and I plan to give this creation to my husband. Wouldn’t this make the cutest postcard?

My Design Process:

  • Stamp House Mouse: I stamped my panel with the Stay Cool stamp and my Misti stamping tool.
  • Color Your Mouse: Now comes the fun part! I used Copic markers but you can also use your colored pencils or watercolors to bring your adorable mouse to life. I found this stamp easy to color because of all the shading detail.
  • Add the Sentiment: Stamp or adhere your chosen sentiment. I selected “You are the coolest”. This adds a sweet touch to your card and ties everything together. This stamp set also has two other fun sentiments: “take time to just chill” and “I am your biggest fan”.
  • Finishing Your Card:
    • I used a corner rounder on the edges of my background and kraft card base.
    • In keeping with the vintage vibe I was going for, I added some subtle ink blending around the edges with Antique Linen Distress Ink.
    • I added some Craft Foam and assembled my card.

Products Used on my House Mouse Card:

I really love the House Mouse series and I have past blog posts with a few other charming stamp sets. If you would like to see my House Mouse Valentine, click HERE. And I have three adorable House Mouse cards that you can see HERE.

This House Mouse card with its darling mouse enjoying a cool breeze is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. So, grab your crafting supplies and get ready to create something truly special!

Karen

cardmaking · papercrafting · Rainbow Colors

Hero Arts | Sparkle and Shine: Mastering Metallic Shimmer Sprays in Your Cardmaking

Karen Brown1 Comment
Metallic Shimmer Spray + stamping: A trio of handmade cards in rainbow colors.

Hey there, crafty friends! Karen here and today, we’re diving into the magical world of metallic shimmer sprays and how you can incorporate them into your cardmaking and papercrafting projects. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just starting out, these shimmer sprays are sure to add a touch of fun and sparkle to your creations.

Today I am sharing several colorful cards. It was a play day for me as I experimented with ink sprays and a fresh new background stamp called Abstract Feather Bold Print.

Rainbow Color Shimmer Cards

Rainbow watercolor look handmade card created with metallic shimmer sprays + stamping.

My Process:

As I stated above, I wanted to try a softer watercolor look for my “Smile” card and in person, this card seems to have the most shimmer and shine. After trimming my card, I lightly ink blended the edges with Amethyst Core Ink and added my sentiment, which was die cut from Amethyst cardstock. I added Translucent Pink Enamel Dots for a little added interest.

Bold rainbow card created with Hero Arts metallic shimmer ink sprays.

Card #2 was made the same way as Card 1, except I did NOT brush water on my stamp before painting my stamp. You can really see how the amount of water used can change your project.

I finished my card with a Nautical sentiment die cut with the Smile Friend Stamp and Cut XL set plus a few Clear Hues Enamel Dots.

Minimalist Mixed Media Thank You Card

Minimalist mixed media card created with Hero Arts metallic shimmer spray, Hero Gold Paste and Hero Transfer rub-ons.

I wanted to play a bit more with my final card. I added some rub-ons from Collage Backgrounds Part 2 Hero Transfers set and then, with my Palette Knife, I added Gold Hero Paste in spots through the Leaves and Abstract Shapes Stencil. You can see a stencil process photo below. Remember to soak or wash your stencil and palette knife before the Hero Paste sets.

I stamped and die cut a sentiment from the I Appreciate You Stamp and Die Bundle set. Finally, I added a few black Neutrals Hero Hues Enamel Dots.

PRO TIP: Protect your work surface with a piece of deli paper when working with messy media. It makes for a quick and easy cleanup.

What are Metallic Shimmer Sprays?

Metallic shimmer sprays are versatile crafting tools that contain finely milled metallic pigments suspended in a liquid base. They come in a variety of metallic shades and below, you can see the six I used on my cards today. When sprayed or brushed onto paper, these shimmer sprays impart a beautiful shine and metallic sheen, adding depth and dimension to your projects.

Don’t you just love this shimmery rainbow of metallic sprays? I can’t decide which is my favorite!

Final Thoughts

Stamping with metallic shimmer sprays is a fun and easy way to elevate your cardmaking projects and add a touch of shine to your designs. Whether you’re crafting for a special occasion or just because, these metallic sprays are sure to make your creations shine bright. So, grab your stamps and start sparkling!

I hope you found this tutorial helpful and inspiring. Happy crafting!

Cardmaking Kit

Hero Arts | My Monthly Hero | Countdown to Creativity | April 2024

Karen Brown28 Comments
My Monthly Hero April 2024 Premium Folk Art Kit handmade card

Hello and welcome to the April 2024 My Monthly Hero Countdown! I must say, this kit is full of wonderful products that I know you will love. The kit goes live on Monday, April 1st, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy some inspiration, sneak peeks and giveaways.

For today’s “peek”, I created a pink, white and aqua folk art scene card that I can’t wait to send!

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, April 1st, before the kit launches at 10am Pacific. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win!

Stop by the other designers blogs for more chances to win:

Products Used:

Folk Art stamped and die cut floral scene card with a soaring bird in pink, aqua and white.
cardmaking · Die cutting · Stamping

Altenew | Layered Stamping with the Bird of the Woods Set

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Creating with Altenew's Bird of the Woods Stamp and Die Bundle using blue and yellow inks.

Today, I’m thrilled to share with you some delightful inspiration featuring Altenew’s enchanting Bird of the Woods Layering Stamp set and coordinating dies. This bundle is so fun and versatile and the color possibilities are endless!

Altenew is hosting an Instagram Hop with loads of prizes and this is the card I made for the Hop. Click HERE if you’d like to join us! The hop ends April 1st.

Altenew’s StampWheel is just perfect for this project because you can easily stamp your outline and then do your layer stamping. The sticky mat holds everything perfectly in place. I put my layered stamps all around the top so that once I had everything positioned, I could set up an assembly line and rotate for multiple cards.

My background is another old favorite called Burlap Texture die.

Cardmaking with Altenew Bird of the Woods stamp and die bundle.

Products Used:

So grab your favorite cardstock, ink pads, and embellishments, and let’s get crafting! Join me as we explore the endless creative possibilities of Altenew’s Bird of the Woods stamp and die kit. Happy crafting!

Karen

Cardmaking Video · Rainbow Colors

Hero Arts Video | Coloring With Stencils 4 Ways

Karen Brown2 Comments
3 Bright Colorful cards using Hero Arts Mandala Flower Pattern Stamp and coordinating color layering stencils,

Welcome friends, Karen Brown here to share some bright fun cards using coloring stencils. Today, I used Hero Arts beautiful Mandala Flower Pattern stamp and the coordinating color layering stencils.

For a Step-By-Step Visual Tutorial, you can watch my video below:

If you are having trouble viewing this video, please click HERE to watch on YouTube.

I was so inspired by this mandala that I created 4 different cards. I love the versatility and endless possibilities!

Monochromatic Coloring

Monochromatic stamped and ink blended Mandala in blues, greens and aquas.

With a small blending brush, I started by coloring a monochromatic panel in blues, greens and aquas. I used Splash, Blue Raspberry, Blue Hawaii and Aegean inks for this card. I then die cut my panel and a Peacock mat using Pointed Arches Infinity Dies. I added a rub-on sentiment from the Birthday Party Hero Transfer set. I really LOVE Hero Transfers!

I used a StampWheel for both my stamping and stenciling.

Stenciling with Rainbow Colors

Next, I decided to add rainbow colors to my mandala. I did this two ways….first using the outline stamp and the second using only the stencil. I love both cards but I think the “stencil only” card is a bit more casual.

Hero Arts Color Pattern Flower Mandala: 2 Ways. With and without the outline stamp.

For both cards, I used Splash, Taffy, Pool Party and Creamsicle inks. For the card on the left, I used one of my favorite die-cut sentiments: Smile Friend Stamp and Cut XL.

For the “stencil only” card I also trimmed my Mandala with a Rounded Rectangle Infinity Die and used a sentiment included with the stamp set.

Stenciling with Glitter Paste

For my 4th card, I stenciled a layer of Hero Glitter Paste on my mandala and I love the result.

I recently purchased a GlassBoard Studio craft mat that was the worksurface in my video. I am very pleased with it and I have a 20% coupon code – KENNY20 – for anyone interested in upgrading their craft mat.

Hero Arts Flower Pattern Mandala Stamp and Coloring Stencils 4 Ways.

Thanks for stopping by….it was so nice to see you!

cardmaking · Mixed Media · Stamping

Hero Arts | Man Card Monday | Ramen Birthday Card

Karen Brown1 Comment
Man Card Monday masculine birthday card for the Foodie

Ramen Card for the Foodie in Your Life

Masculine cards can be tricky, but when I saw Hero Arts Ramen Stamp and Die Bundle, I knew it would be the perfect set for my son-in-law’s birthday. He is a real foodie and I love the fun sentiment included!

How to Make an Ink Smoosh Background

I started by making my “Ink Smoosh” background. I dabbed Fawn, Papaya, Fog, Paradise and Pool Party inks in separate pools on my craft mat and spritzed with water. I then dipped a piece of watercolor paper in the puddle and let it dry. I did this four times.

Next, I stamped my images and then colored in with Artist Alcohol Markers. Die cutting was next. I also used my Rounded Rectangles Infinity dies to trim my background, mat and card base. The final step was to assemble my card.

Graphic Mixed Media birthday card for the masculine Foodie in your life.
Products Used:
cardmaking · Cardmaking Kit · Give Away

Hero Arts | My Monthly Hero March 2024 Blog Hop and Giveaway

Karen Brown45 Comments
Three colorful cards from Hero Arts March 2024 Release.

Boy do I love this March 2024 My Monthly Hero kit! I am sharing three cards today and they were all so fun to create. I think the Classic Kit is going to be wonderful for mixed media projects.

Classic Kit

Luscious orange mixed media card using Hero Arts March 2024 My Monthly Hero Classic Kit.

For today’s post, I created two cards using the Classic Kit. I recently discovered the wonderfulness of liquid watercolors and WOW, WOW WOW! What took me so long? So, Card #1 has a background created with the Classic Kit + three liquid watercolor colors.

My Process:

  • I added a small amount of Dandelion, Orange and Bright Pink liquid watercolor to my paint palette. With a wet brush, I painted bold strokes on my Luxe watercolor paper. I also added some drips to the panel. I dried and repeated the process one more time. I also put a large acrylic block on top for a bit so my panel would be nice and flat.
  • The Classic Kit contains two sheets of Rub-On transfers and I added portions of the transfers randomly to my background. Remember to leave a space for your sentiment.
  • I added a minimal amount of watercolor paint spatters.
  • Using Taffy and Fruit Punch inks, I stamped my sentiment and some images (crane, scribbles, bamboo leaf, character and reeds) from the included stamp set.
  • Next, I separated the circle inset from the rectangular plate with my snippers
  • Using just the rectangular plate (without the circle) I embossed my background and I love the subtle embossing and texture that it adds.
  • I painted a second piece of watercolor paper with just orange liquid watercolor. In some places I diluted the watercolor more and in others I added very saturated color so there was variation in my orange color. I dried and then weighted with an acrylic block.
  • I die cut my orange circle with the cover plate inset + a Circle Infinity Die for a medallion look. I liked this medallion so much that I created a few extras to have on hand for future mixed media projects. You can see one of them in the next photo.
  • I glued my medallion to my background and then trimmed the background with a Rounded Rectangle Infinity Die.
  • My final step was to lightly ink the edges with Tangerine Core Ink.

This card reminds me of summer and orange sherbet and I love how happy and bright it is.

Classic Kit Card Using the Included Ink Cubes

Colorful card using Hero Arts March 2024 My Monthly Hero Classic Kit with the included ink cubes.

For my second card, I followed the same process as Card #1, except I used the 3 ink cubes included in the Classic kit. I smooshed the ink on my craft mat and used a wet brush to paint my background. I also used the cover plate as it was designed and die cut the entire background panel, including the circular inset, at one time. I then backed the opening with a red panel that I created by going “direct to paper” in a circular motion with the Cherry ink cube.

Here is a photo of the contents in the March 2024 Classic Kit:

My Monthly Hero Classic Kit contents.

KIT VALUES
Classic Kit: $82 Value for $36.99
Premium Kit: $115 Value for $49.99

Subscription Options

Bonsai Die Cut Scene Card

Die Cut and ink blended Hero Arts Bonsai Tree showcased in the Journaling Photo Frame Infinity Die Set.

I LOVE die cutting so I really enjoyed making my third card featuring The Bonsai Fancy Die, which is March Add-On product. I die cut my components, ink blended a bit and popped onto a panel made using a favorite of mine, the Journaling Photo Frame Infinity Die Set. The sentiment is from the Ornate Frames Hero Transfer . If you’d like to see an additional card I made using the Photo Frame Set, click HERE.

March Get Them All Bundle

March Accessory Bundle

Lovely handmade die cut Bonsai Tree greeting card.

Supplies Used on My Bonsai Card:

Blog Hop and Giveaway:

We will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, March 10th at 11:59pm PT, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

Hero Arts

Hero Arts Creative Team:
Natasha Vacca
Dana Joy
Michelle Short
Jennifer Kotas
Rosie Lopez
Heather Ruwe
Mindy Eggen
Natasha Polite
Channin Pelletier
Rachel Kleinman
Jeannie Lieu
Seeka
Karen Brown
Charlene Madrid
Pocono Pam
Kailash Naidoo
Lydia Fiedler

Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr
Emily Midgett
Kelly Taylor      

Mixed Media · papercrafting · Tutorial

Colorful Cityscape Mixed Media Card | Hero Arts

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Cityscape Hero Arts Mixed Media Card

I recently attended Hero Arts Mixed Media Stamp Along and found it so informative! This card was inspired by @cheiron and her wonderful class. I used different products and colors so my card doesn’t look anything like Cheiron’s, but her class gave me the creative spark for my card. Sometimes it is fun to get inky and messy!

For this card, I was trying to simulate a Dove flying over a city at sunrise. I knew I wanted a bold background to contrast with the white Dove. 

My Process:

  • I put 5 sunrise colors of reactive ink (colors listed below) on my craft mat and spritzed with a bit of water and then painted bands of vertical color all over my watercolor cardstock panel. There is no right or wrong way just start painting! I dried and repeated two more times. During the process I also added drips of color.
  • I love Hero Rub-On Transfers and I added parts of the city map from Collage Backgrounds to three spots on my background.
  • Using Indigo and Splash Inks, I stamped the city grid from the Mixed Textures stamp set.
  • I added texture with the Cobblestone Stencil. In some places I used just Gold Hero Paste and on others I rubbed just a bit of Black Hero Wax on the Stencil and then added Gold Hero Paste. I really love the black wax and gold paste combined together.
  • Using a splatter box (for me a repurposed cardboard box) I added three layers of splatters and dried in between each color. White, Blue Shimmer and Orange Shimmer. I love the complexity the shimmer splatters add!
  • I trimmed my background using the Rounded Rectangles Infinity Die set and then lightly inked the edges with Indigo Core Ink.
  • I die cut my Dove and sentiment 3 times and then glued the components together.
Handmade Card with Dove and Olive Branch Die - DF192

Supplies Used:

This card has LOTS of layers, but it did not take as long to complete as I would have guessed….60-90 minutes.

What do you think?

cardmaking · Cardmaking Kit · Stamping

My Monthly Hero | Countdown to Creativity | February 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

Pattern Stamping + Copic Coloring

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:

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.