A Blog Named Hero

You Blow Me Away

April 24, 2019

ABNH-2019-04-Seeka-Solo-1

Hi there, it’s Seeka here with my solo post for the blog. I’m so excited to be a part of this talented team and to get to share some projects with you!

Today I’m using the cute I’m A Puffer For You stamp set which captured my heart at first sight. I used to have a puffer fish back when I had an aquarium and that cutie would swim to whatever part of the tank was closest to me, following me around as I moved around the room. He was like a little underwater puppy!

I’m also sticking with this month’s challenge theme: Clean and Simple. If you’re familiar with my grid over on Instagram, you know that clean and simple is my jam.

I started by stamping the puffer fish in Copic-friendly Hero Arts Intense Black ink onto Neenah Solar White 80# Classic Crest cardstock. Then I colored him up with Y000, Y11, Y15, and Y17. I started with a solid base of Y000, the lightest color, and then gradually added darker colors, blending as I went. Then I cut him out and set him aside to work on the background.

For the background I used an A2-sized piece of Neenah Solar White onto which I stamped the sentiment in the bottom right corner. I also stamped three bubbles from the stamp set, temporarily placing the puffer to get an idea of where to put the bubbles. Then I backed the puffer with foam tape and adhered him permanently to the panel.

On another A2-sized piece of Neenah Solar White, I stamped an older Hero Arts woodblock stamp that has a lovely pattern of dots. I don’t think that particular stamp is available any more, but Hero Arts does have some other backgrounds that are similar. I trimmed a half inch-wide strip to use for the card.

To assemble the card, I trimmed off half an inch from the left side of the panel with the fish and then adhered the panel to the right side an A2-sized card base. Then I adhered the patterned strip to the left side. The result is an almost seamless card front without the worry of trying to stamp a straight strip along one edge of the card!

Be sure to visit the challenge post for more inspiration for this month’s challenge and to join in on the chance to win one of two gift cards!

Thanks so much for visiting and I hope you have a lovely day ☀️💛

Seeka Signature

ABNH-2019-04-Seeka-Solo-2

A Clean and Simple Birthday!

April 21, 2019

A huge slice of birthday cake for Hero Arts 45th Anniversary! Hero Arts started making stamps in the 1970s and is still going strong today.

Did you know that all of Hero Arts stamps are made at their factory in California and that the company has put many green practices in place? All of that, as well as great stamps!

For my post today I wanted to wish them a Happy Birthday/Anniversary with this modification of the layering cake stamp set inspired by some of those amazing rainbow cakes we all see on Instagram. I used the Color Layering Birthday set and the Snarky Mix and Match Messages for the Sentiment. I really like the bold, and simple font and it has some funny second lines that go with it. To start the design, I stamped it out on scrap paper to see if I would be able to realistically layer all the rainbow colors.

Then I took an 8.5×11 piece of Dove white and Pebble Hero Arts Cardstock and cut off 4 inches so that when I folded it in half, it would be 3.5 inches wide by 8.5 tall, your scrap can be a card layer for another card.

I inked up the cake portion of the stamp two colors at a time with my mini-ink cubes from MMH kits, so red on the bottom part and orange on the top, then the next two colors and the next, stamping two by two all the way to the top. You can use any inks you have in ROYBGIV ( red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) order. I wanted 8 layers so have two purples.

I then used Versamark to add the white embossing powder to the frosting area, and heat set it till it was smooth. For the frosting between the lower layers I used my Versamark pen to draw in the rest of the frosting lines between the colors and on the side of the cake. Then fussy cut it out after stamping the candle on top.

I wanted a clean look with the cake really emphasizing the tall format of the card so used the Happy Birthday, and gold embossed that and the sparkles behind the candle directly on the card base. I gold heat embossed the candle too but afterward made it three dimensional with some liquid pearls in gold and orange. I added the cake with some foam behind it and added a soft Copic shadow underneath it.

I love that you can make all your favorite flavors of cake and frosting and don’t have to stop at just two layers with this set. If you have any questions just ask. Enjoy!

Watercolor Florals | Hero Arts You’re Beautiful

April 18, 2019

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here and I’m so excited to share my first solo post featuring You’re Beautiful. But first, our April Challenge is up and I hope you’ll join us! Click here for all the details!

I started by creating an A2 sized stitched rectangle on Bristol smooth card stock and stamped the flowers in a random pattern.

Next, I colored in the images with Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers and Sparkle Liquid ink in pink garnet. For the sentiment, I heat set white embossing powder on black card stock. To finish off the card, I added coordinating sequins, a teal ribbon and 3D foam tape for dimension.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

It’s April Challenge Time!

April 15, 2019

Hi there!

It’s crafting time! This months challenge is

ChallengeCleanSimple

and we can’t wait for you to see the inspiration the DT has come up with!

SO gorgeous, right?! I can’t wait to get inky all over again!

We hope you’ll join us this month for your chance to win a $50 or $25 voucher from our delightful sponsors Hero Arts!

Please enter via the linky tool below:

March challenge winners!

April 14, 2019

Hi there crafty friends,

I’m here to announce the winners of our April challenge!

We were so excited to see your beautiful creations and it was really hard to pick one!

We have two winners each month. Our chosen challenge winner will win a $50 gift certificate to Hero Arts and a randomly chosen winner will win a $25 gift certificate to Hero Arts! Winners, please send us an email at ablognamedhero@gmail.com and we’ll set you up with those prizes! And, of course, many thanks to Hero Arts for sponsoring our challenge!

Our winner chosen by random.org was Jennifer from Crafting with Aloha

You win a $25 Gift Voucher! We love your embossed rainbow!!

and our chosen winner was Helen F with her really striking card,

Seriously gorgeous colouring Helen! You win a $50 gift voucher to Hero Arts!

Please send us an email to the address above to claim your prize 🙂

Thank you all for joining us and I hope you’ll come back on the 15th for our next challenge!

See you then 🙂