A2Z Say it in Words

The challenge at A2Z Stampbooking this month is to make the SENTIMENT the FOCAL POINT.  I had an idea of using an embossing folder of clouds as a background.  I think it worked.  I even have a silver lining up in the clouds (upper right).

Close-up

Supplies:

Hero Arts Weather Cuts at A2Z Scrapbooking

Elizabeth Craft Designs Clouds (looks like it's not available)

Marvy's DecoColor (Silver)

Distress inks Broken China and Faded Jeans

Vagabond machine

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  If you need craft items that you don’t see in the store, don’t forget you can special order them here at the A2ZScrapbooking Store.  You can see the challenge post at A2Z Scrapbooking.

Free Shipping on Domestic Orders $50.00 or More.  Be sure to check out our sales/ retired section for 50%- and more off.

Make Your Own Digital So Special

Hero Arts made some special digital kits and I'm using the "Make Your Own".  I haven't used these Spellbinder's dies but a couple times and I thought they would be perfect for this old fashioned digital image.  No coloring, just some patterned panels and some gems.  I'll give this card to a close friend who is still not over a very bad cold.

Supplies:
Hero Arts Make Your Own at A2Z
Gem stickers
Spellbinders die cuts

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  If you need craft items that you don’t see in the store, don’t forget you can special order them here at the A2ZScrapbooking Store.

Free Shipping on Domestic Orders $50.00 or More.  Be sure to check out our sales/ retired section for 50%- and more off.  You can catch me at A2Z Scrapbooking.

The Bridge

In California, when we think of Fall, we think of the beginning of the rainy season.  Well, we used to, until the drought and now we hope for the rainy season.  But I'm not depending on the weather for this card, I'm taking my wet memories of stormy skies and the most prominent landmark in Northern California, the Golden Gate Bridge.  On a sunny day, it's absolutely glorious, but on those stormy days, it can be a bit ominous.    Here is my rendition of the Golden Gate Bridge under the assault of the Pacific Ocean and skies that don't seem to know whether we'll see the sun or dark rain clouds.

I gave this card to my boss for Boss's Day on Friday.  He grew up in San Francisco and he loved the card.  

Supplies:

a2z Scrapbooking Hero Arts Digital City Adventure

Hero Arts AC031 Travel (I don't think it's available anymore)

Distress Inks Broken China, Spiced Marmelade, Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters

Elizabeth Craft Designs die - Beach Edges

Visit here at a2z Scrapbooking for our challenge.

Hope you’ll join in our Octoberr\ Challenge and make a "Fall" card with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils. And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking.  You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and  Facebook.   Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

A Little A2Z Hello

I don't have a green thumb and I've actually had some plants live, mostly the ones you see on my cards.  I have three succulents out on the back patio that seem to be doing well... yes they've lived three months now.  Hardy little devils, eh. The plant on this card doesn't dry up, turn yellow, shrink, look sad or any of the things my real plants do. Without further ado, ta da - my first card.

I had to create another CAS card, just because this card was so much fun. I added a line at the bottom of this card because I wanted to ground it.  

Card One: Hero Arts Stamp your own Succulents (CL839 )and sentiment from Butterfly (CL750)

Card Two: Hero Arts Tea Flowers (CL858) and sentiment from Enjoy Today (CL759)

Since the challenge is clean and simple (CAS), I knew I had to do a CAS card.  I have to confide that I had an oops.at the bottom of the card with the succulents.  You see the hello rising from the bottom of the card?  That was the edge of an acrylic block.  My first thought was ""Save this card!!"  A quick stroke and voila.  I had already drawn the lines.  I just had to ADD the lines because of the angular lines of the container.  After I created my first card, I had to create another.  I had cut this flower out and it was perfect on this gray-blue-green background.  After you draw one line, you're braver to draw more.  A quick line across the bottom of the colored background grounds it.  A few lines and a spot of color are all you need sometimes.

Since the challenge is clean and simple (CAS), I knew I had to do a CAS card.  I have to confide that I had an oops.at the bottom of the card.  You see the hello rising from the bottom of the card?  That was the edge of an acrylic block.  My first thought was ""Save this card!!"  A quick stroke and voila.  I had already drawn the lines.  I just had to ADD the lines because of the angular lines of the container.   I do like this.  Hope you do too.  A few lines and a spot of color are all you need sometimes.  Visit me at a2z Scrapbooking.

If you are in need of any items from the a2z Scrapbooking store  you can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Land of Sunshine

I had just finished this card when I checked my emails and saw that a2z Scrapbooking was having a design team call.  YEAH!

Until fairly recently, I had no idea a2z Scrapbooking sold Hero Arts stamps.  When I visited a couple of Hero Arts enthusiasts' blogs, I wondered what this a2z Scrapbooking was all about.  I thought the name was catchy..  When I visited the website I was "in love" of course.

My oldest Hero Arts stamp is from 1995 and my latest is from last week.  Yes, I do indulge and encourage others to get personal and confidential with Hero Arts products.  A stamp or ink is not far away from my hand.

You can find me on Facebook and Pinterest as Arlene Pagent McClung and definitely part of the first group of people to hang out at the Flickr Hero Arts group as Clarian's Hawk * Arlene.  I do most of the communication with the Die Cut Divas' sponsors from initial contact to followups and re-bookings.  I am grateful for the Design team in helping with sponsors and keeping up to date on their postings.  What's even better is that I also get to create and have fun too.

I would definitely love to be an a2Z scrapbooking DT.  It would keep me more involved with creating and producing cards or projects made with some of my favorite stamps and products

I am giving this card to a friend at work who needs some sunshine in his life.  He commented to a fellow co-worker that he hoped his wife lived to see their granddaughter graduate high school in two years.  I think a little sunshine will help.

Close-up

Hero Arts clear stamp set "A Little" CL758
Hero Arts die cut that must not be in use anymore
Hero Arts inks Red Royal and Soft Cantaloupe
Impression Obsession dies "Birch Trees"
Vellum

Put more sunshine in your life and in someone else's life too.

Retirement - a new beginning

I made two cards this weekend to post today.  This post is all about one of the people I work with, who is retiring.  He's definitely looking forward to it.  He rides motorcycles, though not so much anymore, but he and his wife ride bicycles too.

Here's my card.

I've never used a bus before in a card, but this seemed an appropriate symbol.  AND it HUGE!  I usually make cards for large groups to sign by folding an 8 1/2" by 11" piece of cardstock in half.  I needed a large image.  I recently bought some Hero Arts digital ikits from A2Z Scrapbooking Supplies and thought I could do some entertaining things with it.  I'm happy with this card, blue for the sky, a piece of white for the road, yellow die cut sun and some white fluffy clouds to continue the good feeling.  The license plate has Ed... for his journey from work to retirement.  I touched the bus up with a Copic marker (Boooo) for some shading, rather than so much white.  I think I used Y19 on the big headlights and Y21 on the lower lamps.

This turned out to be a great masculine card.    

I'm entering the A2Z scrapbooking challenge of "Something New".  

Supplies

Hero Arts City Adventure digital (bus enlarged to fit across 8 1/4 inches on card)

Hero Arts Sentiments A Little (CL758 - Sunshine)

Hero Arts Sentiments July (CL054 - A Day to Celebrate) old clear set
Hero Arts Sentiments - Travel (AC031 - rest of stamped sentiments
Dies:
Little B Handwritten (celebrate & Congrats) die-cuts
Memory Box Marshmallow Clouds
Die-namics Pierced Circle STAX
Cameo cut bicycle