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Lisa Stein

paper crafter, crochet addict, book reader, golden retriever lover, vegan

You Brighten My Day

Good morning! We have our first challenge of the year up at A Blog Named Hero today, and it’s to use your favorite Hero Arts product(s). That’s an easy one, right?! 

Here’s the card that I made, using the new and much loved Rounded Rectangle Infinity dies. These dies are just going to have a permanent home on my craft desk. I know I will use them to cut card panels, but today, I used them to cut smaller shapes to “make” my card front.

To start, I chose some colors of Hero Arts layering papers from the foliage and pool packages. I cut out three pieces of each and then adhered them to the card base using foam adhesive. I trimmed off the excess with my paper trimmer.

I used a sentiment from the Hello Stamp & Cut set to make my banner strip. I adhered that with my adhesive runner on to the front of the card. I wanted to keep this simple and graphic, so no embellishing. This time.

Please make sure to check out all of the challenge details at A Blog Named Hero. We are now offering two winners and prizes each month, thanks to the generosity of Hero Arts. You’ll definitely want to play along.

 

 

 

Supplies:

Rounded Rectangles
Rounded RectanglesEH | SSS | HA		 Hello Stamp & Cut
Hello Stamp & CutEH | SSS | HA		 Foliage Layering Papers
Foliage Layering PapersHA		 Pool Layering Papers
Pool Layering PapersHA
VersaMark Pad
VersaMark PadEH | SSS		 Hero Arts White
Hero Arts WhiteEH | SSS | HA		 Neenah 110 lb
Neenah 110 lbEH | SSS		 Black Card Stock
Black Card StockSSS
ATG Adhesive
ATG AdhesiveEH | SSS | AZ		 Foam Tape
Foam TapeEH | SSS | AZ		 Embossing Gun
Embossing GunEH | SSS		 Scissors
ScissorsSSS | AZ
Stamp Shammy
Stamp ShammyEH | SSS		 Powder Tool
Powder ToolEH | SSS		 Tweezers
TweezersEH | SSS		 Paper Trimmer
Paper TrimmerEH | SSS

Hooray

Today is the 9th of the month, which means two awesome things. New challenge time at Where Creativity Meets C9 and new release at Concord & 9th. Have you seen the sneaks from them? Some very fun stuff. Can’t wait to get my hands on a few sets.

Our challenge this month is a sketch challenge! I think I’ve used a sketch once before, and I was excited to use it this month. I am a very literal person, yet I also like to do things my own way. It was challenging for me to find a balance here, ha! So, here’s what I made, and I got to use a couple of items from Concord & 9th that have been in my stash for a bit, but had gone unused. To quote Julie Ebersole, fist pump!

Now, get out your sunglasses, this card is not muted. 🙂

I used one of the wood plank stamps from Petals and Pallets and Twisted Citron Distress Oxide ink to make the stripes, then set that aside to dry. Once that was dry I used a frame die to cut that into a card front.

I used the inner stamp from the Mosaic Turnabout and some Hero Arts inks to stamp a pattern on some white cardstock. Once I had that stamped I used the smaller balloon die from Happy Balloons to cut out a balloon. I love the way that looks, with just a portion of the pattern showing. (Oh! Now that I’m writing this up, I’m thinking that would look amazing on vellum. Will have to try that next time.)

I used the Distress Oxide Picked Raspberry ink and swiped that across some white cardstock so that I could cut out that Hooray die. I also cut out two more Hoorays from white cardstock. I stacked those on top of each other and then smooshed versamark on top of that so that I could emboss with clear embossing powder. I did the same to the balloon. I wanted them to have both dimension and shine.

You can see the shine in this picture. I love this effect, it just makes my heart go pitter patter. You can also see how I used some twine to attach the balloon to the sentiment. I like how they anchor each other.

I can’t wait to see all of the submissions for this challenge. I know that people love to use a sketch for inspiration and I enjoy seeing all of the interpretations. Make sure to join us, there is a $25 gift certificate to Concord & 9th for one winner, and another winner gets to Guest Design for Where Creativity Meets C9.

 

Supplies:

Mosaic Turnabout
Mosaic TurnaboutEH | SSS | C9		 Petals & Pallets
Petals & PalletsEH | SSS | C9		 Happy Balloons Dies
Happy Balloons DiesEH | SSS | C9		 Hooray
HoorayC9
Small Stitched Rectangles
Small Stitched RectanglesEH | SSS		 Hero Arts Bubble Gum
Hero Arts Bubble GumEH | SSS | HA		 Hero Arts Butter Bar
Hero Arts Butter BarEH | SSS | HA		 Hero Arts Pale Tomato
Hero Arts Pale TomatoEH | SSS
Hero Arts Cotton Candy
Hero Arts Cotton CandyEH | SSS | HA		 Picked Raspberry
Picked RaspberryEH | SSS		 Twisted Citron
Twisted CitronEH | SSS		 VersaMark Pad
VersaMark PadEH | SSS
Hero Arts Clear
Hero Arts ClearEH | SSS		 Neenah 110 lb
Neenah 110 lbEH | SSS		 Mini Glossy Accents
Mini Glossy AccentsEH | SSS		 Foam Tape
Foam TapeEH | SSS | AZ
Embossing Gun
Embossing GunEH | SSS		 Scissors
ScissorsSSS | AZ		 Stamp Shammy
Stamp ShammyEH | SSS		 Twine
TwineEH | SSS | AZ
Tweezers
TweezersEH | SSS		 Paper Trimmer
Paper TrimmerEH | SSS

Thank You Dragonfly

We are back on schedule at A Blog Named Hero and this is my Thank You card to all of our followers.

Supplies:

Dragonfly Fancy Die
Dragonfly Fancy DieEH | SSS | HA		 Layered Topiary
Layered TopiaryEH | SSS | HA		 Rounded Rectangles
Rounded RectanglesEH | SSS | HA		 Sea Aquas Ink Cubes
Sea Aquas Ink CubesEH | SSS | HA
Intense Black
Intense BlackEH | SSS | HA		 Frost Sequins
Frost SequinsSSS | HA		 VersaMark Pad
VersaMark PadEH | SSS		 Hero Arts White Satin Pearl
Hero Arts White Satin PearlEH | SSS | HA
Woodgrain Cardstock
Woodgrain CardstockEH | SSS | HA		 Neenah 110 lb
Neenah 110 lbEH | SSS		 Mini Glossy Accents
Mini Glossy AccentsEH | SSS		 Foam Tape
Foam TapeEH | SSS | AZ
Embossing Gun
Embossing GunEH | SSS		 Tweezers
TweezersEH | SSS		 Paper Trimmer
Paper TrimmerEH | SSS

Ranger Oxide Foam Storage Tip

A few months ago I saw this amazing idea from Lizzie Jones for storing blending foam. I was inspired by that to make my own system for Distress Oxide inks. And since I just got the most recent dozen that were released, I updated my system, and thought I’d share the pdf files here for anyone that might want to make use of the same format.

Here’s a peak of the instagram post that I shared earlier today, and since people seem interested, I’ve linked the files below.

A post shared by Lisa Stein (@lstein0) on

oxide foam storage pages one and two

oxide foam storage page three

You should be able to click on those links above and the pdf will open in a new window. You can either print from there or save to your computer. The first time I did this I printed on heavy Neenah cardstock. This time just copy paper. They’re not being used except to represent a color, so no need for the good stuff. 🙂

They are set up to print on US Letter paper. Just print, and then either cut in half for use in a half sheet size binder, like I use, or slide it in to a full sheet page protector for a letter size binder. But if you do that one, don’t tell me, I have orientation issues. 🙂

Let me know if you have any questions.

Oh! And these are the velcro dots I purchased for this. Seems like a lot, especially since I’m only using the “rough” dots, but maybe someone crafty will come up with a use for the other side!

Hero Arts 2018 Catalog Blog Hop + Giveaway

Good morning to you! I am thrilled to be joining the Hero Arts blog hop celebrating the new 2018 Catalog!

I used the new Bookcase background stamp and the In the Study clear stamp set to make this bookmark. That upholstered chair is definitely going to see a lot of ink in my craft room. It’s just so darling, and I must get the matching dies.

This bookmark was quite simple to make, here are the steps:

  • Die cut the tag using the Hero Arts Tag Infinity Dies. This is the largest die.
  • Ink up the background stamp with a waterproof black ink, and stamp onto the tag.
  • Loosely watercolor the background stamp. The Watercolor Dot Palette is perfect for this. After this was dry I blended a bit of distress ink over the entire background to dull the colors down a bit. I wanted the chair to “pop” and not compete with the books.
  • Stamp the chair onto some scrap paper. Color that chair using whatever medium you prefer. I used Copic markers here, and created a bit of a pattern with the Colorless Blender.
  • Adhere the chair with foam tape onto the background.
  • To break up the background a bit, I stamped my sentiment onto a strip of kraft cardstock and adhered this over one row of the books.
  • Make a pompom and attach that to the hole that the Tag die made for you in the top of the die cut.
  • Last step is to apply some glossy accents onto the chair legs. I wanted them to look like highly polished wood, while my chair itself shows some wear and tear.

Here’s a close up of that plaid upholstery and those shiny legs. I really do love this chair, I wish I could sit on it when I read.

That’s it for me, I hope you liked my little bookmark. It reminds me a bit of those impulse buys at bookstores, you know, back when pom poms were first popular.

The next stop on the hop is Ilina Crouse. I’ve not seen her card yet, but I’m certain it will be amazing!

Giveaway

Hero Arts will be giving away three $50 shopping sprees, drawn from comments left across all blogs in the hop. Make sure to leave a comment by Thursday, February 22nd at 11:59pm PT. The winner will be announced the following week.

Here is a complete list of the blog hop participants.

The Hero Arts Blog
Jennifer McGuire
Kristina Werner
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Yana Smakula
Cathy Zielske
May Sukyong Park
Nichol Spohr
Michelle Short
Wanda Guess
Amy Tsuruta
Lydia Fiedler
Heather Ruwe
Laurie Willison
Clare Prezzia
Iliana Myska
Emily Midgett
Janette Kausen
Jenn Shurkus
Sean Fetterman
Simon Hurley
Joan Bardee
Megan Hoeppner
Lisa Stein – you are here 🙂
Ilina Crouse
Amy Kolling
Rubeena Ianigro
Kelly Latevola
Libby Hickson
Lucy Abrams

Supplies:

In the Study
In the StudySSS | HA		 Bookcase
BookcaseSSS | HA		 Tag Infinity Dies
Tag Infinity DiesEH | SSS | HA		 Intense Black
Intense BlackEH | SSS | HA
Antique Linen
Antique LinenEH | SSS		 Watercolor Dot Palette
Watercolor Dot PaletteSSS | HA		 Hero Arts Kraft Paper
Hero Arts Kraft PaperSSS | HA		 Neenah 110 lb
Neenah 110 lbEH | SSS
Copic Markers
Copic MarkersEH | SSS		 Tuxedo Black Marker
Tuxedo Black MarkerEH | SSS		 Be Creative Tape, 1/2
Be Creative Tape, 1/2″EH | SSS		 Mini Glossy Accents
Mini Glossy AccentsEH | SSS
Foam Tape
Foam TapeEH | SSS | AZ		 Scissors
ScissorsSSS | AZ		 Stamp Shammy
Stamp ShammyEH | SSS		 Mini MISTI
Mini MISTIEH | SSS
Water Brush
Water BrushEH | SSS | AZ		 Distress Sprayer
Distress SprayerEH | SSS		 Ink Blending Tool
Ink Blending ToolEH | SSS		 Tweezers
TweezersEH | SSS
Paper Trimmer
Paper TrimmerEH | SSS

Hello – Blooms Die


Good morning to you! Welcome to this month’s challenge at Where Creativity Meets C9, it’s a great one. All about the watercolor!

Now, I’m not a watercolor expert, and we certainly have some of those on our Design Team, so I did some “outside of the box” thinking.

I used the label die from the Blooms Fill In set to help make this fun background.

I took a piece of Bristol paper and watercolored on it with Daniel Smith watercolors. I should mention that I’ve recently moved, and not unpacked my craft room yet, so Bristol was the first “acceptable” paper that I came across, which is why I used it. And I also have only seven colors of Daniel Smith watercolor, so mixing was a must do. I have no green colors. NOT A ONE. Green is my favorite color, and I must fix this now, even though I was pretty happy with the mixes that I achieved. Still, all the greens, please.

After the watercolors had dried I used the die to cut out some pieces from the background. I then popped those up on some foam tape onto my card base. I would have used fun foam, but haven’t located it yet.

For the sentiment I cut the hello from Say Hello dies three times and adhered them to each other, then on top of the card. A few scattered sequins and this card is complete.

I love how bright those watercolors are, definitely going to have to add one or two tubes to each of my craft store orders over the next year or so.

Please make sure to join us in the challenge this month, I know you’ve got some watercolors that would love to come out and play. You could win a gift certificate to Concord & 9th or a Guest Designer gig at the blog.

Also, don’t forget that today is new release day over at Concord & 9th. I can not wait to get my hands on the tintable papers!

Supplies:

Say Hello Dies
Say Hello DiesEH | SSS | C9		 Blooms Fill In Dies
Blooms Fill In DiesEH | SSS | C9		 Neenah 110 lb
Neenah 110 lbEH | SSS		 Bristol Paper
Bristol PaperEH | SSS | AZ
Watercolors
WatercolorsEH | SSS | AZ		 Crystal Reflections
Crystal ReflectionsSSS		 Foam Tape
Foam TapeEH | SSS | AZ		 Water Brush
Water BrushEH | SSS | AZ
Tweezers
TweezersEH | SSS		 Paper Trimmer
Paper TrimmerEH | SSS

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