February Thanks

Not only am I thanking Hero Arts for sponsoring the Die Cut Divas' challenge this month, but also the fantastic staff at my optometry office. 

This card is going to the staff for all their help.  I felt the glasses were perfect for an optometrist. 

Close-up below

I made this table by using an "I" from an alphabet die and an oval stitched die.  I thought the "I" might look very out of place as the bottom of a table, but it works.

Supplies:

Hero Arts "In the Study" Stamp set and die set

Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles

Die-namics Stitched Oval STAX

My Momenta alphabet die

Copic markers B21, E30, E33, E37, R11, R24, R27

Glossy Accents

Papers - Recollections Brown Plaid & scrap red card stock

Vagabond die cut machine

It's an A2Z In the Study Birthday Card

I am totally in love with the "In the Study" stamps and dies.  It gives me a chance to put together color combinations and deciding which stamps to use.  I had been watching the Olympics and die-cutting a bunch of stamped images so I could just pick out die-cut images and move them around just like on a stage.

I made a birthday card for my son and I am very pleased with it.  I love the background paper and made a side-table and a rug for under the chair.  I just had too much fun.

Close-up below

Please join us in this month’s "It's a Love Thing" challenge for your chance at a free digital stamp AND, if you used Hero Arts, a $20 gift card to our Hero Arts store. Our current monthly challenge can always be found in the menu bar, and runs from the 1st to last day of the month

Hope you’ll join in our monthly challenge so you can have a shot at the digital stamp of the month set. Remember you no longer have to use Hero Arts to participate in our monthly challenges, the winner is randomly drawn for the digi prize…and if you do use Hero Arts products on your project, you could win the digi set AND $20 to the store! The Design Team will also be choosing their top three favorite projects from the challenge each month and award them a cool TOP 3 blog badge.

The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more.

If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from with-in the shop.

• Hero Arts In the Study Stamp Set   and Die Set
• Elizabeth Craft Stitched Rectangles
• Die-namics Pierced Circle STAX and Stitched Oval STAX
• Copic markers
• Vagabond die cut machine
• Last year's Kaisercraft paper, Bohemian

2018 Calendar Finished Through December

Die Cut Divas is popping up with Hero Arts projects.  Please join us by entering the challenge at Die Cut Divas right HERE.

Look for the LOVE at the end of the photos of my calendar.


The last of my 2 year calendar that I started March 2017 is now revealed.  I wanted to also let you know that I AM USING it!.  That's always a good sign.  The color palettes are brown to yellow for the most part.  We begin with the middle of HOT summer and it's still WARM in September, only cooling off in October.  Since the pages are patterned on both sides, I tried to choose the best sheets I could, but September and October could have been better.

I have a surprise at the end of all the 2018 calendar pages.

Hero Arts Save Our National Parks

Hero Arts National Parks Poetic Prints

Hero Arts National Parks Poetic Prints

Hero Arts National Parks Poetic Prints

Hero Arts Color Layering Deer

Hero Arts Color Layering Snowy Tree 

SURPRISE is the beginning of my 2019 calendar.  I have plenty of time to work on this and have just started my calendar pages without knowing what months these pages will represent.  

This is a double-sided pape from Kaisercraft and in only its beginning stages.

Calendar Bold Prints & Kaisercraft paper                     Little B Handwritten & Sizzix Thinlits ABC 

Supplies:

• Hero Arts Calendar Bold Prints is the stamp used on every page in my calendar
• Various color inks
• Memory Box Uppercase Alphabet die cut letters for the months
• Vagabond die cut machine

Card Chain Challenge for February 2018

From the new Hero Arts release for the spring is this Flowering Magnolia and the more I stamp it, the more I like it.  I purchased the matching die and I love being able to just quickly cutting it.  I think if you wanted to fussy cut the flower, you could cut it first and then have less paper to handle while manually cutting it out. 

I took the background colors (this is card stock, not any sponging I did) and worked them into the flower.  I don't think any real magnolia comes in this color, but I'll plead artistic license.   I hope my partner is pleased with this.  I think this would be a good design using this flower for creating a set of cards for someone.

Supplies:
Hero Arts Flowering Magnolia wood stamp and the matching Hero Arts Die

You can special order the stamps and die from A2Z Scrapbooking too.

Copic markers (flower Y19, YR12 & 0),  (Leaves YG01),

Scrap card stock

Vagabond die cut machine

Kian and Aine from Morgan Fitzsimons

Join us at Morgans ArtWorld Challenge Blog to enter our challenges which last month long beginning on the 15th of each month.  Be sure to visit Morgans ArtWorld on Facebook Group and  Morgans Facebook Page.

I have so enjoyed using Kian and Aine. I hope you enter the challenge and view the Facebook pages.   I wish I could give you the marker colors I used, but I thought I had written them down here and threw the paper away.  I do know that I used Copic marker YG01 for the base color of the dress with YG 03 complementing the color.

Have fun. 

Hero Arts Words of Love for Valentine's Day

The new release is in the shop, so please visit The a2z scrapbooking store

Happy Day before Valentine's Day from me to you!

I have a very simple card today, but I really like the way it turned out. It's quite endearing.

Close-up

Are you on social media? We are! Please join us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook? so you don't miss any fun promotions or new challenge announcements!

Please join us in this month’s "It's a Love Thing" challenge for your chance at a free digital stamp AND, if you used Hero Arts, a $20 gift card to our Hero Arts store. Our current monthly challenge can always be found in the menu bar, and runs from the 1st to last day of the month

Hope you’ll join in our monthly challenge so you can have a shot at the digital stamp of the month set. Remember you no longer have to use Hero Arts to participate in our monthly challenges, the winner is randomly drawn for the digi prize…and if you do use Hero Arts products on your project, you could win the digi set AND $20 to the store! The Design Team will also be choosing their top three favorite projects from the challenge each month and award them a cool TOP 3 blog badge.




The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from with-in the shop.

• Hero Arts digital kit "Words of Love" at A2Z Scrapbooking
• Copic marker R83
• Spellbinders Rectangles - I have them up on my wall, so I have no idea what size these are
• Nuvo Crystal Drops Ebony Black - remember that A2Z can custom order for you
• Vagabond die cut machine

Hero Arts In the Study at A2Z Scrapbooking

I couldn't wait to try out "In the Study" and make a card.  I had so much fun with all the stamps and dies.  I'm a book person and I couldn't resist the clear stamp set.  I hope you like the set as I think it's adorable.  I thought the patterned paper looked like wallpaper in a study, so I chose this from my stash.    I took the table lamp and put it behind the chair so it could be an overhead lamp.  I didn't even mind the white trim showing from the die cuts.

Close-up 

Be sure to join the challenge at A2Z Scrapbooking.

Are you on social media? We are! Please join us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook? so you don't miss any fun promotions or new challenge announcements!

Please join us in this month’s "It's a Love Thing" challenge for your chance at a free digital stamp AND, if you used Hero Arts, a $20 gift card to our Hero Arts store. Our current monthly challenge can always be found in the menu bar, and runs from the 1st to last day of the month

Hope you’ll join in our monthly challenge so you can have a shot at the digital stamp of the month set. Remember you no longer have to use Hero Arts to participate in our monthly challenges, the winner is randomly drawn for the digi prize…and if you do use Hero Arts products on your project, you could win the digi set AND $20 to the store! The Design Team will also be choosing their top three favorite projects from the challenge each month and award them a cool TOP 3 blog badge.




The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from with-in the shop.

• Hero Arts "In the Study" stamp set and die cuts
• Sizzix Friend (moments)
• Copic markers (chair - E30, E31 & E33), (glasses - E30 & BG0000), (lamp - C1, C2 & C6), (ink bottle - C1, C4 & G000), (feather - E30 & Y19), top book in Y02, E30 & bottom books in C1, R20, R27).
• Vagabond die cut machine

Hero Arts Words of Love DUEL

Are we dueling with Love in our hearts?  YES.

I don't know why I'd never used this sweet digital kit, but this is a new year and time to open up to new ideas and digital kits.

I think my postage colors lend themselves to welcoming a baby with hugs and kisses.  I made a background in black and white of the hugs and kisses hearts, die-cut them with postage dies and matted to create a fun card.  I cut the individual hearts, colored in Copic markers and adheared them on top of the heart pattern.  The large hearts are adhered with glue dots so they lift from the surface.

Close-up below

Are you on social media? We are! Please join us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook? so you don't miss any fun promotions or new challenge announcements!

Hope you’ll join in our monthly challenge so you can have a shot at the digital stamp of the month set. Remember you no longer have to use Hero Arts to participate in our monthly challenges, the winner is randomly drawn for the digi prize…and if you do use Hero Arts products on your project, you could win the digi set AND $20 to the store! The Design Team will also be choosing their top three favorite projects from the challenge each month and award them a cool TOP 3 blog badge.




The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from with-in the shop.

• Hero Arts digital kit "Words of Love" at A2Z Scrapbooking
• Copic markers RV09, RV11, B21 and B95
• Elizabeth Craft Designs Postage Stamp Squares
• Assorted scrap papers
• Scoring board for making the back folding panel to connect the postage die-cuts together
• Vagabond die cut machine

Hero Arts Love Potion # 9

Die Cut Divas'  sponsor for February is Hero Arts and who doesn't like Hero Arts.  Be sure to enter the challenge at Die Cut Divas.



You won't believe how I came up with this idea.  I wanted to create a project using the "Enjoy the Journey".  I went to bed and woke up in the morning with the idea that the bottle looked like a flask, rather than the normal bottle.  Suddenly, Love Potion # 9 came to me.  Since it's about love and it's February, the month of love, I had to use red for the "flask".  You never know how you will come up with an idea.

Close-up

Supplies:
Hero Arts Enjoy The Journey die cuts.
If you want the matching stamps, click HERE
Rinea Patriotic Variety Pack (Red Paper)
Rinea Crafter's Pack Glossy Gold Paper
Little B dies (love)
Sizzix Tim Joltz Alterations Thinlits ABC (potion # 9)
Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles
Vagabond die cut machine

Hero Arts Vintage Travel can be a Love Thing

Just wanted to let you know that A2Z Scrapbooking now has the new release from Hero Arts.  My products have already shipped and I can't wait to create.  Be sure to visit A2Z for your Hero Arts fix.  I provided a link right here so you can jump right into see the new stamps.

You don't have to use hearts to show you appreciate and love someone.  How about a vintage car?
You never know what will precipitate the making of a card.  I had a pink cloud, red oval die-cut and black sentiment die-cut "wonderful" on my desk.  Voilà,  here you have the result.

Close-up 

Even though I colored the car in reds, they are yellow reds and so stand out against the oval red paper.  The darker red, such as the door,is a mix of gray and yellow red. I fussy cut the car, one of my favorites in the Vintage Travel digital kit.

Please join the challenge at A2Z Scrapbooking.

Are you on social media? We are! Please join us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook? so you don't miss any fun promotions or new challenge announcements!

Hope you’ll join in our monthly challenge so you can have a shot at the digital stamp of the month set. Remember you no longer have to use Hero Arts to participate in our monthly challenges, the winner is randomly drawn for the digi prize…and if you do use Hero Arts products on your project, you could win the digi set AND $20 to the store! The Design Team will also be choosing their top three favorite projects from the challenge each month and award them a cool TOP 3 blog badge.

The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from with-in the shop.


 Hero Arts digital kit Vintage Travel
Little B (you) die
Sizzix thinlits Friend (wonderful)
Vagabond die cut machine

A2Z has a new challenge and Love is in the Air

Before I delve into the challenge for February, I want everyone to know that A2Z Scrapbooking has the new release.  Just click here to check out the Stamps, Cleaners, Blocks section of the site.  I wanted to buy so much with so little.  However, I did splurge and my products are on their way. 

The A2Z Scrapbooking challenge for February is "It's a Love Thing".  Please use primarily red and/or pink in your image to play with for the A2Z challenge.    This is an example for the February challenge.  I knew I wanted to use this favorite butterfly and this wonderful foiled paper.  The card built itself from scraps in my stash.

Close-up

I cut the patterned cardsstock, but didn't like the color against the orange card. I pulled this scrap of off-colored red die cut and found it offset the two colors and made it work.  I cut the top and bottom of the die-cut to affix it to the paper. I wanted to fill in the blank square and chose a Little B set of dies to work with.  I really like the way this turned out.

Please join us in this month’s "It's a Love Thing" challenge for your chance at a free digital stamp AND, if you used Hero Arts, a $20 gift card to our Hero Arts store. Our current monthly challenge can always be found in the menu bar, and runs from the 1st to last day of the month

Hope you’ll join in our monthly challenge so you can have a shot at the digital stamp of the month set. Remember you no longer have to use Hero Arts to participate in our monthly challenges, the winner is randomly drawn for the digi prize…and if you do use Hero Arts products on your project, you could win the digi set AND $20 to the store! The Design Team will also be choosing their top three favorite projects from the challenge each month and award them a cool TOP 3 blog badge.

The a2z scrapbooking store carries a wide variety of Hero Arts products! Get discounted new releases, sales, grab bags & more. Proceeds from our store benefit Celiac & Behcets disease foundations. Use my discount code Arlene15 to get 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. If you're looking for a Hero Arts product you don't see in store, use the Request Custom Order button from with-in the shop.

• Hero Arts  Butterfly Fancy Die at A2Z Scrapbooking
• Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles
• Elizabeth Craft Designs Garden Patch - 1 1/2 inch & MIni Roses
• Little B Handwritten (i love you)
• Rinea Double Sided Foiled Paper (Patriotic Variety Pack
• Vagabond Die Cut Machine

I Love Hero Arts Coffee Dies

I know February sets many hearts aflutter, so I made a card with lots of Love for the Die Cut Divas' challenge of Love, Marriage and Anniversaries, including Valentine's Day (day of love).  Please join us at Die Cut Divas.

I really like the Coffee cup Dies that came out in 2016, I think.  I always wanted Hero Arts to come out with something for all seasons too.  Imagine a spring or summer set of stamps to go with these dies.  Well, I could.

Close-up

I used the Light Ruby to Royal Red for the cups & the Butter ink for the butterish color on the Panel surrounding the patterned paper.  I used the technique of applying the ink pad directly to the top of cup lids, one Light Ruby and the other Royal Red.

Supplies:
Coffee Cup Dies (Combo of stamps and dies available here)
Hero Arts Spiral Stencil
Hero Arts Inks Ombre Light Ruby to Royal Red and Ombre Butter to Orange
Little B Handwritten
Elizabeth Arts Craft Rectangle Stitched Dies