Spellbinders

Somethings Never Go out of Style

Erika L Hayes2 Comments
Spellbinders Seahorse Garden SDS-182

Summer has HIT Arizona. It is H-O-T! We are over 110 today and I find myself dreaming about the ocean and the cool breeze that comes along with it!

I have had some fancy washi tape I purchased about two years ago at a convention sitting around taunting me. I felt like the washi tape has been saying, “I’m too pretty to use.” When I pulled out my Spellbinders Seahorse Garden my brain said, “Use that washi.” I knew it would be a perfect coupling.

I added it to my card, and it was not showing up very well, so I added a white strip of cardstock behind the washi. It was a great way to add some pop to the washi and finally get it off my “to use” list.

Enjoy your weekend friends, I will be busy working hard to try and get a video out.

Let me know what you are up to this summer. Creating? Traveling? Just relaxing.

Erika Hayes

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 makes progress, perfection is unattainable.”

Working hard

Erika L Hayes3 Comments

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….

Catching Up

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.

  • MFT
  • Concord& 9th
  • Hero Arts – Tri Level
  • Hero Arts Tri Level
  • Hero Arts Tri Level
  • Spellbinders
  • Hero Arts
  • Sunny Studio
  • MFT/Simon Says
  • MFT Interactive
  • MFT Interactive
  • Sunny Studio
  • MFT
  • Simon Says
  • Lawn Fawn
  • Simon Says
  • Simon Says
  • Simon Says
  • Stampin Up!
  • Simon Says
  • MFT with Pink & Main
  • Stampingbella
  • Ai

Erika Hayes

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

When your BFF is a cardist too!

Erika L Hayes1 Comment

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

Image gallery image

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to you all.

e

Online Card Classes – Holiday Card Workshop 2022

Erika L Hayes1 Comment

Oh, HO HO HO!

Yep, it’s another holiday card class for this girl. I really love that K Werner and J McGuire take so much time and work to prepare such high-quality classes for crafters. I have taken many! This year I really did have a blast. (I have one more project to complete but, I finished the others. The final is on my desk.) It may take me a few days to finish the final assignment as I a preparing to teach a fun craft class at my church.

There were several assignments and here are my attempts. I have a few that I really like and some not as much. I did, however, try each technique taught and the ones that I don’t like, I am sure I can play with the technique a bit more and land on something I like. Without further delay, here they are.

I know you can still sign up for the class so I don’t want to reveal the content so I will just add the Class Title and the Project I completed.

Day One: Die Cutting. At first, I wanted to try the techniques with something, but it turned out to be not so Christmasy. Which is fine, it just shows that you can use the techniques all year round!

Day Two: Plaid. THIS class was so much fun. I really love the final card. I added a twist to mine, I used Easter colors on a holiday card, and loved it.

Day Three: Fast Backgrounds

This was an exciting one. I used a product that I really wanted to use. It was a struggle though. It’s proof that you must use the supplies to master them. I am pleased with the result and so happy I busted out a product I don’t use nearly enough.

Day Four: Ink Blend

Well, when my Simon Says Stamp Kit (First Night) came in, it was perfect timing. I was also trying to play with some color combos from my Color Cube and this fun happened.

Day Five: Using Scraps!

Yeah, we all have them. We all need ways to use them. Leave it to Jennifer McGuire to step up our scraps!

BONUS Day!! Using Leftovers!

Well, that worked out! I had this sitting in my garbage can, can you believe it? Yeah, this class saved this card’s life! Whew!

DAY SIX: Tiny Stamps… I have a lot of these. When the topic popped up in my inbox, I was very happy to watch the class AND use some of the techniques to create a fun little card.

DAY SEVEN: Embossing Folders – This is one that I will use again. Not my favorite final project from the class, but it is fun and I am excited to make more with the techniques taught.

DAY EIGHT: Foiling. It’s such a cool looking hot trend! (See what I did there haha) ANYWAY, this class kicked butt! Oh, with so so so many ideas and tips. The cost of this class is covered right here in this one day!

DAY NINE: Snowflakes – Well, here is the card that made me so happy I teared up a little. To say I had a rough day (few days) would be an understatement! Then I watched this class and had a moment of clarity. We need cardmaking. It is truly therapeutic. Card making (and this class) saves not only card lives (see Bonus day) but it saves our mental health. Also one of my favorite cardist (card making artist) taught this day.

DAY TEN: Interactive This is the final day of class. I have my project on my desk in progress. I just am so excited to get this done!!! I will post the final, but I wanted to be sure to get this post done before the class expires — the live version. It does continue live until the 18th. You can get in and join the fun and be in the running for the giveaways. After the 18th it will still be available, but the forum is closed. If you have a chance, DO sign up you can get 10 no 11 card ideas and techniques for 2022.

Top Five Reasons to….

Erika L HayesLeave a comment
Year-round Christmas cards. Yes! I try to make 5-10 Christmas cards a month. Why? Well, as most of you know the season for Christmas Stamps and Dies starts sometime in September. There are so many choices! I sometimes “over buy” for a year. I rarely send out cards that are identical. Additionally, I often found in the past that I would buy many Christmas theme sets and only pull them out once a year, if at all.

After a few years, some of the products I purchased didn’t even see the light of day. I only would use my Christmas goodies a few months a year. What a total shame.

When I was talking to my BFF (Golda)about this, she mentioned that she had some of the same frustrations. She told me she would make Christmas cards throughout the year. I can’t remember if she set a number, but I decided if I made 10 a month that’s 120 Christmas cards, or even at 5 that is 60 over the year. This struck me as a good plan mostly because I wouldn’t need to stress the already stressful season. I usually have some to spare and pass on to charity which is another bonus. I found also that I really enjoy the longer time spent as I can think about the people I am sending cards too. It makes for a much better year.

Maybe this is something you can start doing! Think of all the fun you will have. Also, the guilt doesn’t hit as hard on buying the latest and greatest when you have already been using your stamps from previous years! You know that over the upcoming year you will use them!

TOP FIVE REASONS TO MAKE CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY-THEMED CARDS YEAR ROUND

  1. I am not stressed about getting cards out
  2. I get to address 5-10 envelopes a month for Christmas cards (if they move a quick label fixes it) and have no need to have a marathon addressing session (Bonus: I also sometimes have time to add cuteness to the envelope that will be going out.)
  3. I get to use my product all year long
  4. I get exposed to the other things in my Christmas themes to use on everyday projects. I find that a lot of my Christmas theme stamps and papers can go with everyday goodies to make a fantastic pairing.
  5. It usually helps keep me in a holly jolly mood all year round