ATC - little canvas of art

I've been working on Artist Trading Cards (ATC) lately and wanted to post a couple.  To the uninitiated, an ATC is a miniature piece of art created and traded or swapped, but never sold.   This card is 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches or 63 mm by 89 mm and can fit in standard card collector pockets, sleeves or sheets.  I pick up my sheet protectors at a Sports Memorabilia store.   You can find more information here.    

                                    

Even on a small canvas this size, you can still use die-cuts or dry embossing folders in your work.  I have traded the first one and working on more, so cannot really trade for a week or so.  Hope you enjoyed seeing these.   Be sure to catch up with the Die Cut Divas blog.  Big things are happening in February!

Sympathy card - In Memory of Leona

My very good friend's mother passed away last Friday and so I made this card for the office to sign and send to her.  I chose the Hero Arts Digital Design Kit "the Art of Style" because I love the ladies' faces so very much.  This image is a reminder of Leona to me, not the face, per se, but what the image portrays to me, an elegance that is a part of the person.

I will truly miss her.  This post is in memory of Leona.

Winner of My Blog Prize

Winner of my blog prize during the Hero Arts Stamp HOP is Mariette!   

 Mariëtte said...

Love the way you uses the Map background stamp!

January 16, 2013 at 9:55 AM

 

Please send me a FLICKR email as Clarian's Hawk * Arlene.  Here's my Flickr photostream.  I'll get it off by next weekend.

Thank you all for visiting!

Hostess Hop! Hostess Hop!

Welcome to the Hero Arts Hostess Hop, featuring fabulous stamps from the new 2013 release!

If you’ve been following along, you just arrived from Linda's blog, Scrappin', Stampin' & Singin'!

Hero Arts will be awarding prizes from randomly drawn comments. For a chance to win, simply comment on ANY of the stops along the hop on ANY day, including each day’s starting post at the Hero Club Blog. The more comments you leave, the better your chance of winning!

I am also drawing a random comment upon which to gift a Hero Arts Cling stamp (Large Flower Background - CG403). My personal drawing will be this weekend, probably Saturday.

If you find a broken link, you'll find a master list of the hop links at the Hero Club Blog. Also, please report broken links to Tami.

Your next stop on the Hero Arts Hostess Blog Hop is Barb Engler's Enjoying Life.

I had to send a "Thank You" to my son who hosted our holiday get-together, so I tried out my new Postcard stamp; just some Distress inks on the front and some decorating on the back as seen in the second photo with a short message I want to practice with this stamp and try a different type of background for the back next time.

Warning: The U.S. Post Office will charge regular mail fees instead of post card rates if the postcard has any attachments, ribbons, staples - you get it. You might get away with it once, but it will either come back to you or the recipient will have to pay the remainder of the postage due.

Recipe:

NEW Hero Arts Thanks Postcard (CG519) - photo 1

Hero Arts Four Hearts (CG426) in green bottom right corner

Hero Arts This is Big (CL570)

Hero Arts Watch Gears (CG421)

Glossy Cardstock

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Tim Holtz Distress Markers

Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Wild Honey, Frayed Burlap & Shabby Shutters)

Perfect Pearls mixed with water in a mini mister - red splatters are iridesent

This creamy lovely uses the "Thanks Postcard" image stamped on a cream file folder and cut to size (single layer card) with sentiments from "You and Me". I do like the way this turned out, very simple.

Recipe:

NEW Hero Arts Thanks Postcard (CG519)

Hero Arts You and Me(CL567)

Tim Holtz Distress Markers

Distress Ink Frayed Burlap on the panel & Wild Honey for the sentiments with Barn Door for the ampersand (&)

A little stickles on the heart & part of the postage stamp

The new Post Card stamp is fun to use. As you can see below, it doesn't have to remain a post card. You can be as frilly as you want.

Recipe:

NEW Big Post Card (S5665)

Hero Arts You and Me(CL567)

Hero Arts Envelope Pattern (S5507)

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Tim Holtz Distress Inks Frayed Burlap for the Envelope Pattern & Wild Honey for the sentiments

Lace

Sheer yellow ribbon

Clear Gems, small, medium & large

How about the Americas? I think I'm going to love this background stamp, very versatile. You might say "amazing" - hehehe Featuring South America in this card and saying hi to my friends down there.

Recipe::

NEW Hero Arts Map of America (CG527)

Hero Arts You and Me(CL567)

Cuttlebug

Spellbinders Labels 18 die-cuts

Tim Holtz Distress Inks Frayed Burlap used for stamping the Map background, Shabby Shutters,  Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose sponed on the South American continent

Tim Holtz Distress Markers - Shabby Shutters,  Broken China, Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Why not a tag on a card? Easy to make and I think you see what stamps are becoming my favorites.

Recipe:

NEW Hero Arts Map of America (CG527)

Hero Arts You and Me(CL567)

Cuttlebug

Hero Arts Long and Cute Tags (D1046)

Tim Holtz Distress Inks Broken China on background panel & Chipped Sapphire on tag

Grosgrain Ribbon

Clear gems

A tag all by itself. What is the world coming to? Wait, yes, the Map of America can be a Christmas stamp.

NEW Hero Arts Map of America (CG527)

Hero Arts You and Me(CL567)

Hero Arts (657781) Joy Snowman - tree

Cuttlebug

Hero Arts Long and Cute Tags (D1046)

Grosgrain Ribbon

Tim Holtz Distress Iink Barn Door

A little bit of glitter never hurt anything either.

AND last, but not least, here's an early "Happy Valentine's Day" to you all out there! Time to think about it. Map of America background stamp works with so much! I now have my mojo back, sigh. I know it's early for Valentine's Day, but I couldn't resist the heart.

Recipe:

NEW Hero Arts Map of America (CG527)

Hero Arts You and Me(CL567)

Cuttlebug

Provo Craft 3 Hearts die-cut (used the middle heart here)

Hero Arts Tag die-cut Long & Cute Tags (D1046)

Distress inks Worn Lipstick for background & Fired Brick for the tag

Clear gems

Red Grosgrain Ribbon

Staple

Tim Holtz Stapler - Advantus Tiny Attacher

Sympathy - full of flowers

I had to make a Sympathy card tonight for a co-worker so everyone at the office can sign it.  A folded sheet of Navy Blue cardstock & my trusty Dot Flower Pattern just came to mind when I decided to make this card.  The background is stamped 2 and 1/4 times across the card surface and embossed with Psychedelic embossing powder.  It's sparkly and you can detect a pattern that sparkles blue and green and is a bit mesmerizing.  I went for large die-cuts and a butterfly and flowers.  I think it works.  Not too sad or too happy.  It really does fit the bill.  I taped a sheet of white paper inside for sentiments and signatures.

Recipe:

Hero Arts Dot Flower Pattern - CG335
Hero Arts Design Block Silhouette - S5033 
Hero Arts Antique Engravings - CL383  (butterfly)
Annette Allen Watkins stamp from 1994 - Sentiment
Copic markers on the butterfly
Glossy Accents on the butterfly
Cuttlebug
Spellbinders circles & Lacy Circles
Distress Ink sponging - Chipped Sapphire
Stamp-N-Stuff Psychedelic Transparent Embossing Powder - must be 15 years old or more

Tomorrow is a HAPPY DAY!   Come visit me during the BLOG HOP!!!

The Dot Flower Pattern again????

I am working on new cards, but this card is one of my favorites.  I am in love with the Hero Arts Dot Flower Pattern background stamp and the way it looks with Psychedelic embossing.  It really is psychedelic.  You can see all  the colors sparkle on the card.  This view doesn't do it justice.

Recipe:  Hero Arts Dot Flower Pattern background  (CG335)
Navy cardstock 
Light blue note card
Light Blue Grosgrain ribbon 
Scrap patterned cardstock
Cuttlebug
Spellbinders oval die-cut
Stamp-N Stuff transparent embossing powder - psychedelic - had it for over 15 years
VersaMark watermark stamp pad 

Remember to watch for the blog hop starting Monday.  I will also have a prize to some lucky person who will be randomly picked from the blog comments during the Hop.

  

Blog Hop Baby, Blog Hop.... Hop...

Look out for next week!  All the past Hero Arts Hostesses are back to give you more exciting peeks at the new stamps at Hero Arts!   And Prizes too... yes PRIZES!

So come back next week to visit.  When?  I'll let the suspense get to you!   Obviously, you have to start at Hero Arts to begin the adventure!  When again?  

Ok, check each day for the blog hop - the hop begins January 14th and goes through January 18th.  WOOHOO!

Something New, Something Double Sponged

I'm going to tell you right off that this card is not what I intended to make.  Let me guide you to a blog where a beautiful card appears and the technique is perfected.  The technique I was trying to use to create a special panel is called  Double Sponging and is similar to the emboss/resist technique. Two wrong tries later, I came up with the technique, but not really.  Clear as mud?

I'm going to let you see how these cards are supposed to turn out by directing you to Cecilia's Cards and then to Our Daily Bread Designs.  I think my Faded Jeans Distress ink was too dark as one of the first layers.   Nevertheless, I am not unhappy about the result and will try this technique again, hopefully to better effect.  The smaller panel, on which the butterfly sits is my attempt at the new technique.

The whole card seems to have a depth that pulls the eye to the panel.and I'm entering this card in the Oozak January 2013 Challenge (Anything Goes and Pink and Bling), the Hero Arts January 2013 challenge (going with the "Try Something New" part of the challenge), the Simon Says Stamp blog challenge (Something New) and A Blog Named Hero (try a new technique).

Recipe:
Hero Arts Dots and Flowers background stamp S5213
Hero Arts Cling Butterflies (3 images) CG130
Hero Arts Glow Girl (hello!) CL650
Distress markers
Distress inks Faded Jeans, Shabby Shutters & Dusky Concord.  
Bling - green square glass gems
Ranger Stickles Glitter Glue
Sheer aqua ribbon
Cuttlebug
Spellbinders oval
Navy blue panel has gold webbing sprayed on it.  (Don't attempt spraying webbing in the wind)

Die Cut Divas - January 2013 - Thank You!

I'm playing hostess on Die Cut Divas the month of January.and wondered what the challenge should be.  I know we're all looking at the NEW year and Starting FRESH in different areas, but then I thought we should say "Thank you" to all the people we need to thank and sometimes forget.  What about the present your sister gave you for Christmas or the friend who met you for breakfast?  "Thank you" for all you mean to me.  Thank you also to everyone of you who visits, posts, shares!

The January 2013 Theme for Die Cut Divas is "Thank You", so if you're using a die-cut machine, visit the Die Cut Divas.

I'm thanking my fellow moderators for everything they do month after month, coming up with fresh ideas ways to contribute to the group.

Here are two examples to get you thinking.   The new Hero Arts Dot Flower Pattern cling stamp is featured in both cards.

The car is a Hero Arts digital stamp and the Eiffel Tower is a die-cut.  Hero Arts ribbon & pearls colored with a Copic Marker

A butterfly embellishment from Michaels & some flowers under a bit of lace with green ribbon.  The"Thanks" is from the Hero Arts Glow Girl clear set.