A Little bit of Magic and New *January* Hero Arts Kit Release

Happy Monday! Winter break is over today - it went way too fast as always but I think we were all ready to get back to a normal schedule.

I did get inky yesterday and created a couple of cards using the December My Monthly Hero kit, and it is still available if you're interested in it. Today is also the release of their January kit, along with some other gorgeous add on options.


But first I am showing you the cards I made yesterday with the December kit.

Hero Arts My Monthly Hero December Kit  // Xpress It Blending Card // Versafine Onyx Ink // Clear Embossing Powder // Copic Markers // Distress Oxide Tumbled Glass // Distress Oxide Blueprint Sketch // Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush 

Both are kept clean and simple:
These step by step instructions are for the fairy card:

• I  heat embossed the fairy from the Hero Arts kit using Versafine Onyx ink and Clear Embossing Powder.
• Stamped the fairy again on a post it note and fussy cut to use as a  mask.
• With the mask in place I stamped and heat embossed the flower over the fairy.
• I cut another mask for the flower so I coud ink up the background.
• Masked edges off with washi tape.
• Inked background with Distress Oxide ink.
• Removed all masks and colored images with Copic Markers.
• I brushed some clear glitter with a Wink Of Stella brush over the fairy and flower.
• Sentiment from the same kit was stamped with Versafine Onyx Ink.
• Mounted card donto white card front.

Not the best photos, it's been so cloudy and rainy this morning!

The sequins are included with the December kit.

On the second card I fussy cut the flower and mouse after coloring with Copic Markers. (Matching dies are included in the kit, but I really enjoy fussy cutting.) The inked square has also been trimmed and added to the card base (I didn't really plan on this, but when I removed the washi tape after inking it was so sticky that it tore some of the white border. (I hate when that happens!) For this card I decided to find a thin paper strip in my scrap box (this card proves that it's worth keeping even the thinnest of paper scraps :-) and I added another scrap to the right side of the card to bring the design together. Sentiment is also from the kit and Wink Of Stella glitter finishes off the card.

So which one do you like better? I thought about adding a flower stem to the fairy card as well, but then decided this fairy is dreaming about floating on a flower.

Sharing with these challenges:
STAMPlorations Challenge Blog -Stamps and Animals

Make My Monday - Words or Sentiments
Pile It On  - Land Animals (mouse card)
Stamping Sensations - Fabulously Feminine (fairy card)
Crafty Calendar - Make It Flowery

Crazy 4 Challenges - Make Your Favorite Card Type (cute and somewhat CAS)

Crafty Animals - Use Animall Stamps (mouse card)

The Fairy and The Unicorn - Anything Magical Goes (fairy card)

Art Impressions Stamp Challenge - Pretty Pastels  (fairy card)

Daisy Chain Challenges - Add some Sparkle

And then there are lots of Anything Goes Link Up: sharing here:

Artistic Stampers - Anything Goes

Create With TLC -  Anything Goes
As You Like It Challenge - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
Simply Create Too - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes 

Crafter's Castle- Anything Goes 

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes

Crafting With An Attitude - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft -  Anything Goes

A Perfect Time To Craft- Anything Goes




I am also really excited about the Hero Arts My Monthly Hero January kit, that was release today, and can't wait to receive mine in the mail. I am a subscriber, so mine will ship automatically. It is now also availabe to order.

Here is what the January kit looks like and what is all included:
Another photo with some gorgeous ideas:

Isn't it beautiful!! By the way, Hero Arts Orders of $50 or more do ship for free (within the US). Each kit is $34.99. Subscribers do get free shipping on each kit, it's what I am doing. If you are interrested in a subscription you can read all about that here, but just so you know, if you subscribe today, your subscription will start with the February kit, and you would not receive this one.

Thanks so much for visiting today! Stay warm!


Please note, affiliate links have been used. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through my links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support! 
Also, I do not design for Hero Arts, all products featured on my blog are purchased at full prize (unless noted otherwise) and all opinions are my own.

New Beginnings for Penny Black and More January Challenge

Today is the first Sunday of the new month and so it's time for a new theme at Penny Black and More challenge. Fitting for the first month of the New Year, we selected the theme of

New Beginnings. 

Please do come join us for a chance to win one of the wonderful prizes we are giving away this month. Remember - you may use any company you like, just no digi stamps and we do ask that stamping is the focal point of the creation, the only exception to this are Penny Black stickeroos.

Penny Black Awaken // Penny Black Happy Wishes // Distress Oxide Ink Wilted Violet // Versamark Ink // Gold Embossing Powder // Bristol Vellum Paper // Wink of Stella Glitter Brush // Tonic Stamp Platform // Washi Tape for Masking // SU Background Stamp Frensh Script - Retired

I treated myself to this newer Penny Black stamp Awaken in December and thought it was the perfect stamp to use for this month's "New Beginnings" challenge.

How I made the card:

1. I Heat embossed the image using Versamark Ink and  Gold Embossing Powder.

2. Stamped image again on post it note and fussy cut to place over embossed image as a mask.

3. Using Washi Tape, I masked off edges of card front. This can be done with painter's tape but I like the width of the Washi tape. 

4. Using Wilted Violet  Distress Oxide ink and an ink applicator tool, I applied ink to the card front.

5. Stamped script background over card front using Wilted Violet ink again.

6. Removed washi tape and flower mask.

7. Added card front to white card base.

8. Applied Wink of Stella glitter over blooms to give the card some sparkle.

9. I heat embossed the sentiment from the set Happy Wishes with Gold Embossing Powder. I always use an anti -static pouch like this one to ensure the embossing powder only sticks to the image/sentiment I am trying to emboss and not the rest of the card.

I am also sharing my card here:

Little Red Wagon  - Something New (New Stamps and Ink)

Simon Says Wednesday  - Something New (New Stamps and Ink)

Cardz 4 Galz - New Stash

Cute Card Thursday  - Anything Goes

Simply Create Too  - Anything Goes

Challenge Up Your Life - New (New Stamps and Ink)

Crafty Calendar - Make it Flowery

My Time to Craft - Something New

Penny Black Saturday Challenge- Anything Goes with PB 

Catch The Bug  - Anything Goes

Crafter's Castle - January - Anything Goes with option: Fun Techniques

Crafts Galore Encore - Always Anything Goes

Daisy Chain Challenges - Add some Sparkle

Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenges - Anything Goes with sparkle, glitter or flocking

Thank you so much for visiting, and hope to see you at the challenge blog! This month we have prizes from Penny Black and Swedish House Crafts.

PS: If you have done a "Year in Review 2018" (or similar) post, I'd love for you to link up there  so I can come take a look at yours! The linky tool will be available until January. You can find my Year in Review 2018 post with the linky tool HERE. 

This post contains some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Allsorts 501: Hearts and Flowers

It's Saturday already, meaning a new challenge has started at Allsorts. We are back to our weekly themes now that the holidays are over. It's Wendy's turn to host this week and she would like to see 

"Hearts and Flowers".

I don't really try making new year's resolutions, but after trying to de-clutter and re-organizing my craft area upstairs, I decided this year I am either getting some of my designer papers used up or throw away my stash of scraps. I have sooooo many scraps and have the hardest time throwing out even the smalles pieces .... I'm such a hoarder (but don't have the space for it!!)

Of course then for my first card I just HAD TO cut into a brand new 12x12 piece of designer paper, it was just perfect for what I had in mind, and so added more to my scraps :-) Isn't that the way it always goes??!!

Penny Black All Abloom // Memento Tuxedo Ink // Xpress It Blending Card // Copic Markers // Antique Linen Distress Ink // Tonic Stamp Platform // Tonic Paper Distresser // May Arts Silk Ribbon // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush // Stampin Up Designer Paper - Retired //

I stamped the image from the older Penny Black set All Abloom using black Memento ink on Xpress It card and colored with Copic markers - another of my supplies I hope to use more of this year (we will see how this goes as I love watercoloring with my Zig Clean Color markers.) I decided to soften the edges a little bit by sponging Antique Linen  distress ink along the edges of the white image panel. Sentiment is from the same Penny Black set, also stamped with Memento ink. All edges were distressed using a distressing tool and I embellished with glitter from a Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush and May Arts silk ribbon, which is hard to see in the photo, it is above the strip of soft sky card stock. 

A close up above, you can see the pretty sparkles on the flowers and birds. 

The designer paper I used is by Stampin Up but no longer available. Prima Marketing have similar pattern paper stacks with a romantic feel. 

I am sharing my card with these challenges:

TIME OUT Challenges

Cutie Pie Challenge -  Add a Little Sparkle

Double Trouble -  Anything Goes/ optional twist of Bird Things

As You Like It Challenge  - Anything Goes 

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes with PB 

Crafting With An Attitude - Always Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies  - Anything Goes with a Critter (birds)

Happy Craft Challenge - Glitter

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Classic Design Team Open Challenge- Always Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes with Patterned Paper

    

Our Allsorts prize package is above, hope you join us for a chance to win! Visit the challenge blog for all the details. 

Happy stamping!!

This post contains some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - January Challenge

Happy New Year! Wishing all my blog visitors and followers all the best for 2019! Here is to a Healthy, Happy and Peaceful Year!



It's the first Wednesday of the month (and year) and that means it's time for a new challenge here on my blog for Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday! This month I picked the theme of

Sparkle and Shine.

An easy theme I think, glitter, embossing powders, rhinestones ... anything that sparkles or shines. I can't wait to see what you come up with this time!

Penny Black Nose to Nose // Penny Black Love Always Die // Penny Black Snippets // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush // Bristol Vellum Paper // Versafine Onyx Ink // Clear Embossing Powder // Versamark Ink // White Embossing Powder // Distress Oxide Tumbled Glass // Zig Clean Color Markers 

For my "Sparkle and Shine" card I inked up a new Penny Black stamp Nose to Nose using Versafine Onyx Ink and heat embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. I lightly colored the image using light pink, light blue and light gray Zig Clean Color Markers. The sentiment I used here is part of the Nose to Nose stamp set, but I replaced the "fantastic Christmas" part of the set with "happy birthday from the Penny Black set Snippets. I did that by using washi tape to mask off the words I didn't want, and heat embossed the happy birthday with White Embossing Powder on black card stock. 

The heart stems were done with Penny Black's die  Love Always. Wink of Stella clear glitter was brushed over the hearts and scarves to make it sparkle. 

Sharing with these challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday - Weekly - Something New (new to me stamp and die)

Little Red Wagon - Weekly - Something New (new to me stamp and die)

Cutie Pie Challenge -  Add a Little Sparkle

Incy Wincy Designs - Celebrate (birthday)

My Time to Craft - Something New (new stamp set and die)

International Art & Soul  -Add Some Sparkle 

4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes with a twist of Sparkle & Shine

Cute Card Thursday -  Anything Goes

As You Like It Challenge - Anything Goes 

Crafting With An Attitude - Always Anything Goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdow - Winter Sparkle (Polar Bears on Ice)
Always Fun Challenges - Something New (New to me image and die)

I did forget to color the little bow and didn't notice until the photo was uploaded. The recipient didn't notice it either until I mentioned it :-)

This Month's Prize:

This month (January) I am giving away the stamp set below to one randomly selected winner.

Last Month's Winner and Top Picks

First up, the prize winner for last month, selected by Random.Org is.....

                                                                     No. 8 Paper Whims

Congratulations, you won a gift certificate for $6 to Mo's Digital Pencil. Please email me at ellibelle_blog at yahoo dot com by January 16th to claim your prize. Please note, this prize is sponsored by me, meaning I will purchase the gift cerfificate from Mo's shop once I receive your email address. 

Below are my Top Picks from the December entries - not easy to choose, but I did manage...

No. 9  Alice

No. 29 Janice 

No. 35 Becca

Well done ladies, below is your top pick logo, feel free to post it to your own blogs if you like to!

Unfortunately I am not able to post their creations here as I need to follow GDPR regulations, meaning I am not allowed to leave a link to their blogs, and whenever I post someone else's card, I believe it deserves the proper credit by linking back to them. (What complications GDPR has created for us blogger!)

But the linky tool is still there and anyone wanting to see the top pick's GORGEOUS creations can find them HERE with the linky tool.  

To join in this month simply leave a direct link to your blog post. As always you may combine this with any other challenges and use any brand of stamps you wish. I can't wait to see what you come up with for this month's theme of Sparkle and Shine!

Please remember: this is a public blog, meaning any papercraft you link up or any comments left on this blog will be visible and clickable by third parties. The blog owner is not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without permission. 

This post contains some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!