There is no doubt that in the heat I am making more cards! The last release of Hero Arts monthly kit brought an adorable template (watermelon layering stencil SA250). Currently working on the detail Project Sheet for this fun card. Check out the video above for a sneak peak!
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Cooling off with Hero Arts
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Friday was a long hot day here in Arizona. We got over 110 degrees. How do you beat the heat in Arizona? Stay inside and craft! This fun Hero Arts card was inspired by the yummy part of Summer. Bright, happy colors, fresh fruits, and delicious berries. I kept this one simple because that is how summer should be. Simple. It is part of the reason why people love this time of year. While outside activities happen in the desert happen after the sun goes down; it doesn’t stop us from enjoying summer too!
In Arizona, grapefruit are abundant. At almost every social gathering, at least one person will bring several bags of freshly harvested grapefruit, oranges, or lemons. When I was making this card, I made a color choice that was let’s say not great. My lemon slice was too bright, (we are talking put on those shades bright)! When I tried toning it down it went too honey. I thought I will just make a new one. Then realized I can make it a grapefruit. Not a common fruit for most people but it worked great! It also added as a blending step between the orange and the raspberries.
The Hero Arts My Monthly Hero kit has really been a great experience for me. I have found that the images and kit are new and fresh. I don’t love every one of the kits, but they stretch me to try new things. They have really helped me grow as a creator. This card may find its way to a YouTube video and I will keep you updated! If you are interested in the kits from Hero Arts you can find the subscription information here. (MMH Subscribe). There are two options both are great. I used the March Kit 2023 for this card and as of the writing of this post, there are a few still available. I love that Hero Arts makes the kits for sale not just through subscription. They cost a little more without the subscription but it is nice to be able to purchase individual kits.
I am adding this card to the store and am happy to make multiples if you are wanting to send out some sweet summery birthday greetings. Just let me know in the message box how many and we can talk about the price.
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Crafter her entire life, Erika spends hours creating every day. She loves the crafting community and all the humans that are a part of expressing themselves in creative ways. She has been lucky enough to work in the industry as a concept designer and is a multiple-time published artist. Encouraging crafters to take part in education to better their craft is her life goal.
“Practice makes progress, perfection is unattainable.”
Hi ho everyone – I have been hard at work learning my new camera and some newer software to get my YouTube and other goodies at you. It just so happened I had a few hiccups. I actually think I may be getting closer and closer. I also got new software that allows me to add content for my blog and other social media on a better schedule. I am working on project sheets and hope to begin posting all this content soon. I want to be sure it’s perfect for you. I also just threw my iron in the fire for the Hero Arts Dream Team (well, they call it a design team.) As you know I am a hardcore Hero Arts lover! So many cute stamps. I want you to know all the work that content creators do is A LOT of work. I am shocked at how much I have had to learn. I am getting the camera out and the new video editing software I have is “professional” software and thus has some learning curve. However, never let it be said that I am not a curvy girl (haha). With all this fun news I am happy to now move on to the fun stuff….
Here are some of the recent cards from my Christmas Card Challenge… Don’t yo worry some of these will have project sheets. See one you want for sure, drop me a line I will make sure I get it moved up on the list. Here are a few. I will be working on getting the rest of the CCC 2023 photos done. Hope you enjoy. Let me know your favorite.
Crafter her entire life Erika spends hours creating every day. She loves the crafting community and all the humans that are a part of expressing themselves in creative ways. She has been lucky enough to work in the industry as a concept designer and is a multiple-time published artist. Encouraging crafters to take part in education to better their craft is her passion.
Practice Make PROGRESS! Never seek perfection
Erika Hayes
It’s been a hot minute! I am working on some fun ideas but realized it’s been a while since I’ve posted to my blog.
My best friend is a cardist too! Which is amazing! We get to go to classes together and create together and that is really the best thing having that one person that GETS IT. We often text back and forth our completed or what I call mayday (those that are crashing and burning and need someone to help) cards because it’s nice to share with the person that gets it. She also gets all the other BFF stuff too! She is really one of my biggest supporters and encourager! I love her!
Anyway, when Christmas or Birthdays come around, it’s tough. I make her so many cards. However, once complete, I then decide they are not “Golda” worthy. I have stacks of cute cards, but I want them to be perfect for her. I also want them to be a “surprise”. I am so accustomed to sending a text with pictures of my card projects to her it kills me to make the one, then I can’t send it to her! UGH. This one was perfect for her. Simple but colorful. It fits her to a “T”. Well I waited to actually hand deliver her Christmas card this year because well, I had more fun with wax sealing my hand-delivered cards and was very happy when she finally got to see this project.
It is my Christmas blessing to be able to share my love of card making with her and know not only does she like getting my cards, but she really GETS them!
Here is a peek at the wax sealing of my hand-delivered cards. I got my monogram seal here and here is a great starter kit for wax sealing
Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to you all.
e
It’s that time of year again. It always sneaks up on me. This year, I have grown so much as a color pencil artist and using my copics and my color pencils in unison. I have taken so many classes and practiced a LOT with different mediums and combining them for a better overall result. I am using this entry not only because it was so much fun, but it honor Birdie Brown for all the beautiful stamps in my collection! Truly a wonderful artist and a blessing to the stamp community.
This year, I have been working on my favorite category for this contest for three days. I decided that I would free-hand draw my background not just for the contest, but for me.
Some things I was proud of in this entry and if I win or not, make me happy. The pirate ship. I drew that ship free hand and the wood. I added the detail and shading to give it a rustic look. (Using Slate Blue is amazingly helpful while doing that.) I drew in the rope behind the sail and remembered to add the shading on the boat. I put stitching in the sail. While my original idea was to use the “port hole” die cut from MFT, it was too big but I did use it as a reference. I also added the sea foam on the ship before I added the dolphin tail to show the action. I learned a new way to make clouds and LOVE how they came out. I took a class also that taught how to do bird feathers so I made sure I used that on my parrot. I added little curls to the pirate’s hair along with silver on the edge of his sword. The island was made to appear to have water crashing on the waves and I detailed out the palm frons and the sand on the beach. Finally, as the instructor I took a class from in January said, “The devil is in the details.” I wanted the birds on there, but I didn’t just want them to be black “m” in the sky. I stamped them in a Eiffle Tower ink then toned that down to appear to have white sea gulls, I even added a spot of orange for the beaks.
This year, I have taken great pains to make it a well rounded entry. I decided that I would free-hand draw my background not just for the contest, but for me. Last year, my coloring entry (see below) was very detailed. I used the MFT background stamp (which I love) as my focus. That may have been my mistake. So this year, I have taken great pains to make it a well rounded entry.
Last year, my coloring entry (see photo below) was very detailed. (take a look at all those flowers in the window boxes!) I used the MFT background stamp, (which I love) as my focus. That may have been my mistake. I also didn’t design the card as much as it’s cute, It’s a little clunky. The road and the grass are a little after thought. The clouds were stenciled.
Honestly, I was sad I didn’t get even an honorable mention last year, until I saw the entries that won. I was a little humbled and realized I needed to up my game (hence the classes and hours of practice.) I truly hope that this year the best people win. I don’t know if I am going to be one of them, I am okay if I am not, because I have grown so much this year alone as an artist. I even began making my own drawings (like actual art pieces) with color pencils. I really love to mix the medium with Copics. In my opinion, which counts for very little I am sure, it is the best two mediums for me.
Just for fun, I am adding in the original “sketch” The blue are updates. You can see how the idea changed.
