Keep Swimming with Hero Arts

Mondays need a little encouragement so today's card is just about that!

I was going for an underwater bokeh effect.  I started the background with the Hero Arts Bubble Confetti Stencil inked up on Hero Arts Sea Layering Paper using Hero Arts Unicorn ink and Hero Arts Pool to Navy Ombre Ink.  

A stitched rectangle die was used to cut white cardstock and the stencil was used again with the same ombre ink.  I needed the rectangle piece to break up all the blue and really highlight my fish and seaweed.  The stamp set is Hero Arts Color Layering Fish with coordinating dies.  The fish was inked up in Hero Arts Bold ink in Dandelion and Tangerine.  For the cool looking seaweed I used Hero Arts Lime to Forever Green ombre ink on vellum and used clear embossing powder for shine.  The sentiment is using Hero Arts Intense Black ink.

I used some foam tape on the fish and Kool Tak Foam behind the vellum pieces for dimension.

Wishing you all a great week ahead and MAHALO for stopping by!

Combining Old and New Hero Arts Stamp Sets

(source)

Happy Monday friends!  Today I've got a couple of cards using the newest Hero Arts sentiment stamp set called Hello Gorgeous.  Love this set for it's fun and trendy sentiments.  I loved the sentiment "awesome sauce" and thought it would be fun to pair it with Brush Strokes (an older Hero Arts set from the Stamp Your Story line) and a wood mount stamp called Painted Circle.

I used the Hero Arts ombre ink in Light Ruby to Royal Red stamped on Hero Arts Mixed Layering Papers in Blush for the card.  I did a little snipping of the sentiment to get the spacing I wanted inked in Hero Arts India Ink Black.  I die cut the square piece using Simon Says Stamp Stitched Square and adhered with foam tape.

And here's another take...

I think these would be great for just about anyone needing a little encouragement...even those guys in our lives!

Mahalo for stopping by!

Two A-MAIZE-ING Companies

Aloha friends!

I'm over at A Blog Named Hero  today and would love

to have you hop on over!!

This month we are collaborating with thee awesome and amazing

I'm using this fun set

and have a really quick and cool way to make a wood pattern

on a die cut using the Hero Arts Sand to Chocolate Brown ombre ink pad!

Don't forget there's still time to enter my GIVEAWAY.

For details see HERE.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Lawnscaping Coffee Blog Hop

Aloha and welcome to 

I'm super ecstatic to be a part of this hop especially because

when you get LAWN FAWN and COFFEE together

you're bound to make some awesome things!

As a nurse I'm always needing encouragement cards

and little gifts for my patients and their families.

It's never easy being sick or taking care of someone that is,

so my hope is to bring just a tiny bit of sunshine and 

hopefully a smile or two.

Today's card...

I'm totally in love with Lawn Fawn's latest release

(I know I've said this before...but it's true!)

I used a bunch of Lawn Fawn sets and their matching dies:

Critters in the Jungle, Love You A Latte, Bake Me a Cake and Milo's ABCs.

I created the scene with the Stitched Oval Stackables die and

Puffy Cloud Borders to create the sky and ground.

The images were stamped, colored with copics and die cut.

Of course it wouldn't be a coffee themed card without a monkey carrying a mug

with a whipped topping (from the Bake Me A Cake set) and some 

coffee beans stamped in the background.

Sometimes I want to just give a little gift because occassionally 

words don't seem enough...

I thought of putting a simple coffee ice cream recipe inside.

The Lawn Fawn Milk Carton die is so fun to dress up and

the Treat Yourself stamp set I turned into coffee to match the theme.

I added the bow on top for some cuteness by punching two holes 

and threading the ribbon through to close the carton!

Here's the recipe I put inside in case you'd like to try it for yourself
It really is divine!

Easy Homemade Coffee Ice Cream
1 cup Cold Brewed Extra Strong Coffee
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Blend everything together using an electric mixer to get whipping cream nicely whipped.
Place in freezer safe storage container and freeze over night.
Super easy and simple.
I love my coffee ice cream strong and not too sweet
so it may need some tweeking depending on your taste.

OK so did I mention PRIZES?!?

We have a bunch of generous sponsors...

 Lawn Fawn, Ellen Hutson, The Ink Road, Crafters Companion, Spectrum Noir, The Alley Way Stamps, Newtons Nook, Faber Castell, and Right at Home! 

Leave comments along the way for your chance to win!!
You'll have until the end of the day (11:59 Eastern Standard Time)
on June 28th to get your comments in.
 Winners will be announced on the Lawnscaping Blog that week

Below is the blog hop order starting from

Lawnscaping Challenges
that's me --->Niki G. 
Gray Whiskers Crafts
Melissa
Kristina B.
Lysa
Dianchik
Yolanda G. 
Jennie M. 
Julie C. 
Ellen 
Nina-Marie
Michele S. 
Anni
Michelle L.
Lydia
Oreet
Tammy H.
Shannon M. 
Kim
Kelly S. 
Trish K. 
Tanja
Amy
Kim H. 
Monica M. 
Beau Monde Designs
Valerie W. 
Maria
Wiebke
Maia Ink
http://melissabowden.com/
Vicki
Chitra
Tracy
Curl E. Cue's
Coralynn
Carisa
Dawn E.
Kate 
Kristina P. 

If you encounter any errors along the hop, please email Laurel directly at 

laurelbeard at me dot com. 

Please do not leave them in the comments.

Happy hopping!  Next up on the list is
Gray Whiskers Crafts

MAHALO for stopping by!

Oh Monday...

Monday...again...

Today's card was made for Amy Tsuruta's friend who 

was newly diagnosed with lung cancer.

I believe she is still collecting encouragement cards if you feel

inclined to make one and send it her way.

I am a strong believer in "support medicine"

as I've seen patients with strong support get through just about anything.

If you follow me on instagram you'll see a lot of my
"work in progress" pics of coloring and layouts, and may have seen
my practice coloring of these beautiful daffodils drawn by thee
talented Sandy Allnock.
She has a EduDigi series that has really improved my coloring!

I created my own window of sorts with a left over piece
from the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle die.
At the last minute I decided to use a stencil to create a background
so I taped/masked the edges and used a Hero Arts Medallion Stencil.
Lastly the sentiment was stamped from Hero Arts Bits and Pieces.

I saw a sweet mood board over at
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
of daffodils so I thought I'd link up.

MAHALO for stopping by!

Happy Aloha Friday

It's FRIDAY!!!

Today I'm joining 

The Kitty Bee Designs: Aloha Friday Challenge

with the theme: Sports/Encouragement

Check out my card...

I stamped, copic colored and fussy cut the Bun Clear Stamp Set III

and added some washi tape to create a fun

somewhat sporty look.  The background was created with a

Tim Holtz Arrows embossing folder and the

 sentiment is a Lawn Fawn one from Admit One.

I hope you'll join in on the fun and

MAHALO for stopping by!!

Feeling Creative

Well hello there friends!  So I saw this week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger and just about past it up.  I kept coming back to it because of the rainbow colors and knew I had to take on the challenge.  I tried vellum and acetate paper, but it just was not turning out the way I wanted.  The lines called to me and the lightbulb finally went on today...I had this great set from Fresh Squeezed Stamps that I had not inked up yet and felt it was the perfect effect!

Check out the trigger...

And my take on it...

Fresh Squeezed Stamps Background Check, FSS Words to Live By, Memento Inks in Tuxedo Black, Lady Bug, Tangelo, Dandelion, Bamboo Leaves, Bahama Blue and Danube Blue, Neenah CS and Kraft. Studio Calico wood birds

I loved that I was able to stamp out an array of colors...makes me happy!  Hope everyone is having a great week...the weekend is almost here... YAY!!!

More time to play!

I LOVE when holidays end up on a Monday!  The kids love when they can stay up late (try as they might they still fall asleep before 9pm) and I love that I can recover from the weekend of running errands.  I thought I'd enter the Curtain Call challenge with the theme of Back to School.  I've been meaning to make little notes for my kids' lunchboxes and found this to be the perfect inspiration to getting started.

Isn't that bee a cutie?!?  I'm so in love with her glasses.  Still practicing my copic marker skills...lol.  Here's the full card...

Kitty Bee Design stamp, Fresh Squeezed Stamp Words to Live By, Lawn Trimmings Hemp cord, copic markers, Distress Markers for sentiment, Stickles Star Dust, Glossy Accents, Sizzix Fancy Frame Die

 I thought I'd make a shaped card for a little fun and loosely followed this week's Seize the Sketch  , but quickly realized I missed the deadline...will have to try again next time!  Hope you all had a fabulous weekend and enjoy your extra day off.  MAHALO for stopping by!!!