Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 Happy St. Patrick's Day! Last night I learned that I do not own a single stamp set even remotely St. Patrick's Day related... so I pulled together some random bits and pieces to create this cute and festive card...

I started with the beautiful new rainbow stamp from Hero Arts. I used a wide range of green Copic markers to make a lovely green tinted rainbow... I even used colors I am certain that I have never ever touched before!

The darling frogs are from a Lawn Fawn set "Beary Rainy Day", and the clovers... the only clovers I own! They are from an oooolllllddddd Lawn Fawn set that I've probably owned for 10 years called Holiday Party Animal.

The background stamp has been on constant rotation for me: Rain Texture Cling Stamp inked with Key Lime Fizz. And that sentiment, I learned, is quite literally the ONLY sentiment I own in my entire stash that uses the word "lucky"! Thank you Ralph Tyndall for the Eight Ball stamp set that saved my card!

Happy St. Patrick's Day 🍀

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New Video - Unique ways to use matching cover plates

 Hello everyone! Happy Monday right after a time change switch! I hope you're feeling rested and ready to create some beautiful spring themed cards. Today I'm sharing a video that shows you a unique way to use the Gardening Tools and Flowers Cover Plate with matching stamp set from Hero Arts. I was determined to go beyond the standard concept of these products!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO DIRECTLY IN YOUTUBE! 

The main items used on these cards are the Gardening Tools and Flowers Stamp and Cover Plate Die. I also used the Butterfly Foliage Die, Wood Fence Die, and the Abstract Criss Cross Cling Stamp. With these larger sized dies, I highly recommend using the Spellbinders Platinum 8 Diecutting Machine. I love mine so very much!

The grass is cut from Pesto cardstock and ink blended with Green Apple ink. The fence is cut from Sand cardstock and inked on the edges with Root Beer ink. The background Criss Cross stamp is inked up with Arctic ink on top of an Arctic cardstock base. Each image was colored with Copic Markers.

Thank you for stopping by! Enjoy the video!

Some links are affiliates at no charge to you. I really appreciate your support of rwkrafts!

March Hero Studio Release Blog Hop!

 It's time for a very celebratory themed release from Hero Arts! Be sure to leave a comment (sign in or sign your name!) because Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Saturday, March 8 at 11:59pm PST, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week. Leave a comment on all stops for more chances to win!

Isn't this fun?! My first card uses elements from the March Card Kit of the Month: Bows and Beyond. This kit is packed with dies, stencils, stamps, shaker bits, new paper, etc!! There's so much packed into these kits - they are worth every penny!

My card uses some of the new Color Wheel Cardstock colors from Spellbinders, that versatile Thin Stripes Stencil, and the lovely Ribbons Cover Plate. I used these to create a fun birthday shaker card.

The stencil and the sentiment were inked up with Dusty Blue ink. To create the shaker I also die cut the Ribbon Cover Plate (from the kit) out of foam and glued the foam to the die cut cardstock. This added enough dimension to add my colorful shaker bits (please note - these shaker bits are from a past card kit but there are gorgeous ones included in the March kit).

My second card uses the gorgeous BONUS DIE! If you purchase the WHOLE STUDIO (includes ALL of our March subscription releases!) you receive this bow die for free. I had so much fun creating with this lovely die...

Isn't that card so sweet?! I made a mini slimline (measures 3.5"x5.5") and first used Gold Hero Wax on my thin line stencil over Dove White Cardstock.

Here's how I created the bows:

1) Cut the bow die from your favorite cardstock (I chose Ultra Pink and Kiwi) using your Spellbinders Platinum Die Cutting Machine.

2) Place the thin lines stencil over the bow die pieces and ink in a coordinating color (I used Azalea ink and Green Apple)

3) Flip your pieces over and ink up with the stencil again on the backside. Since the bow is 3D, both sides will show when assembled.

4) Use your Precision Glue to place a dab in the center. Start to fold in your bow pieces to meet the glue and add single glue dabs as needed.

5) Use your handy Hero Arts Reverse Tweezers to hold all pieces in place in the center. Use this tool until the glue dries! This is really helpful and highly recommended!

6) Once the center glue dries, add the hanging ribbon to the back with another glue dab.

7) TIP - I used a pencil to "curl" the bow edges so they were easier to manipulate toward the center.

They are very dimensional so this card will certainly be hand-delivered or included in a gift package.

Thank you so much for getting this far along the hop! Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a $50 Hero Arts gift card.

Please note that some links used are affiliates at no charge to you. I truly appreciate your support.

Keep hopping! Here's the list:

Hero Arts
Hero Arts Creative Team:
Anna Mahtani
Channin Pelletier
Charlene Madrid
Jeannie Lieu
Jennifer Kotas
Lisa Tilson
Michelle Lupton
Michelle Short
Mindy Eggen
Natasha Polite
Natasha Vacca
Rachel Kleinman *You are Here*
Rosie Lopez
Seeka
Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr
Rebecca Keppel

Smile - Insect Party!

 With an atmospheric river downpour occurring outside, and my Magnolia tree blooming for the 3rd time this year (seriously, why?), I think it's time to start welcoming Spring! Sorry if you're one of those folks living in a snowy climate... I did that for a decade and feel for you :)

I'm very fortunate that our neighborhood also has daffodils out! This card just had to happen. I used the beautiful new Hero Arts February 2025 Fancy Dies to mainly build this card. Unfortunately, the Fancy Dies have already sold out. So let this be your sign to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss out on a future release!!!

For the background, I stamped a simple but versatile Rain Texture Bold Print in Dandelion Ink.

Are you as obsessed with those little insects as I am? I made 8 of each little buggie so you'll certainly see them in a card again. Those insect dies are a special bonus for those who subscribe to The Whole Studio! I wouldn't pass up the opportunity. By the way, that beautiful "smile" sentiment is part of the main February 2025 Card Kit.

The grass die is from a previous Spring release, called Butterfly Foliage Fancy Dies. It was a perfect match for all of the beautiful daffodil and hyacinth flowers (and insects, obviously).

My favorite adjustment I made to the winged insects is the vellum addition. So I cut the wings of the bee and the dragonfly in the colored cardstock I wanted, but then also cut them in vellum. The vellum was only glued on in the center so the wings to pop out. I then added Wink of Stella glitter to the wings for extra shimmer.... and Wink of Stella to the ladybug shells because, why not?

Thanks for stopping by! Some of the links used today are affiliates, at no charge to you. Thank you for supporting rwkrafts and Hero Arts!!

Hero Arts February Blog Hop

 Happy Hero Studio release day and happy February! This release will certainly get you in the mood for Spring, which I totally need right now as it is rainy and freezing outside. Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Saturday, February 8 at 11:59pm PST, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week. Leave a comment on all stops for more chances to win! Make sure you're logged in when you comment, or leave your name, so your comment isn't anonymous!

I loved the Card Kit of the Month so much that I have two kit cards to share today. My first card uses the Messages Clear Stamp Set that's included. I simply stamped and die cut three of balloons to be the centerpiece of this quick and easy birthday card (ink used: Soft Blossom, Butter Bar, and Pink Grapefruit). I heat embossed the sentiment in Brass powder (my favorite embossing powder - I have three jars of the stuff).

The background uses an older birthday themed stencil called Dancing Lines and, naturally, I used it with Glitter Paste. Once dried I die cut the panel from the Postage Stamp Infinity Dies. 

My second card kit card uses the beautiful Tulip Heroscape that's included.

Don't you just love a good HeroScape?! I inked my tulips in Soft Blossom and Azalea, and the grass is inked in Green Hills and Field Greens. The background uses yet another item from the kit - the Circling Cloud cling stamp.

To finish off this one I simply quick-colored those darling insects with Copics and added the 'hello' sentiment to the center. Perfect for any occasion!

My last card today features the February Clear Set + Dies called Lovely Flowers.

When the images are so beautiful, cards just make themselves! I stamped three of the flowers and one pot, colored them with Copics, and die cut. The sentiment is embossed with Brass powder.

The background panel is stamped from the beautiful Festive Pattern cling stamp, inked in Kiwi. I layered that with the Wood Frame Infinity Die cut from Nautical cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by and happy hopping! Some links used are affiliates at no charge to you - thank you for your support!

Make sure you're logged in when you comment, or leave your name, so your comment isn't anonymous!

Hero Arts
Hero Arts Creative Team:
Seeka
Rosie Lopez
Rachel Kleinman *you are here!*
Natasha Vacca
Natasha Polite
Mindy Eggen
Michelle Short
Michelle Lupton
Lisa Tilson
Karen Brown
Jennifer Kotas
Jeannie Lieu
Charlene Madrid
Channin Pelletier
Anna Mahtani
Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr
Rebecca Keppel
Kelly Taylor

Galentine's Day Card

 Don't forget about your friends on Valentine's Day! I created a quick quick card with a sentiment that is perfect for a bestie. Make some Galentine Cards, too!

All of the items used can be found from the January Hero Arts Studio release. In my most recent video, I shared how the January Layering Stencils can be used on their own. So I started with the red hearts (stencil layer 3 only) already stenciled on white cardstock. 

The rest of the card is put together with items from the packed Hero Studio Card Kit for January 2025. I used the heart shaped typewriter stamps to stamp around the panel in Taffy Ink. I then die cut two of the nesting hearts from Peony and Coral cardstock. The sentiments are also from the card kit, stamped with Charcoal ink.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some links are affiliates at no charge to you. Thank you for supporting rwkrafts!

Belated Happy New Year!

 You may know that over the New Year holiday I was in Phoenix taking care of my dad. This meant I didn't have my number dies (or countless other supplies!) to create a New Year's card. As I work through products that I haven't yet used, a New Year card was definitely NOT out of the question!

I also thought it'd be fun to create this card with the January Simon Says Challenge theme in mind - white! 

I started with a Hero Arts stencil called "Poinsettia Stained Glass Pattern Stencil" with Pearl Paste. 

I also scraped some Pearl Paste on a wide strip of cardstock to die cut the 'happy' sentiment from. That die is from Happy Thanks Stamp and Cut XL set.

Lastly, I die cut the 2025 from the associated Large Number Dies. These dies are perfect for birthday and anniversary cards, too! I cut them from white glitter cardstock to help them stand out from all the other white products.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I wish you a very happy (belated) New Year!

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Valentine Ghost Friends

 I've got some Valentine ghosties to share with you today! I've got two cards that feature the new PPP Valentine Ghost Friends set.

This one is simpler and showcases one little ghost with a perfectly heart shaped balloon. The background uses the Layered Heart Sprinkles stencil, but I only used one layer (the hearts) first in blue and then I rotated the stencil and inked again in pink.

The ghost is layered on Eyelet Squares and another layer of Eyelet Ovals cut from vellum. The little ghost is colored with Polychromos Colored Pencils. His darling balloon comes from the new Heart Balloons set.

These ghosties are ready to party! I used a variety of ink colors for the rainbow background stenciled with the top layer of Layered Valentine Cake Pops (the circles and large hearts) and inked again with just one layer from Layered Heart Sprinkles Stencil.

These sweet ghosts are layered on a couple of hearts die cut from the Build a Heart die set. They were also colored with my Polychromos Colored Pencils.

Thanks for stopping by! Some links are affiliates at no charge to you. Thank you for supporting rwkrafts!

You Are Loved

  Happy Monday, everyone. I'm on a mission to use my stashed away stamps. You know the ones... you've owned them maybe just a couple months, maybe years, but for whatever reason you just never actually used them. Today I'm using a Concord and 9th bundle called Flower Medley. It was part of a swag bag from the Hero Arts 50th Anniversary party back in October.

Each of the images was stamped with a variety of Concord and 9th ink pads. The main ink pads used were Wildberry, Sunflower, Cranberry, Grapefruit, Pink Lemonade, Grasshopper, and Artichoke.

The bold ink colors look great on the bold Pitch Black background. I also texture embossed the black cardstock with a Spellbinders embossing folder.

Thanks for stopping by! Some links are affiliates at no charge to you. By shopping through my links you help support rwkrafts... thank you!

Pretty Pink Posh Instagram Hop

 Hello everyone! Today I'm participating in the Pretty Pink Posh Instagram hop to showcase the January release. Be sure to comment on my instagram for a chance to win a PPP gift certificate!

Aren't these cake pops so sweet?! They were created using the new Valentine Cake Pop Die. The set includes a ton of accessories and other dies to personalize each one. 

The background is from three different hearts found in the new Valentine Bucket Addition Dies. I arranged them on my cardstock panel like a grid and simply glued them down. I do love how this card turned out!

My second card is this fun shaker! First, I stenciled a white cardstock panel with the Circle Grid Stencil in Peony Ink. Then I shifted the stencil a bit and blended the Circle Grid Stencil again with Pale Tomato.

Using the new Love Word Shaker Die, I die cut that directly into my stenciled panel. I also die cut the solid die from yellow cardstock, then used the additional dies to cut out the center of the letters. This left a beautiful thin border that I glued directly back to the card. The inside of the shaker is filled with the Strawberry Valentine Clay Confetti.

Lastly, I added another 'love' sentiment in the middle, cut from the darling Love Script Die.

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Happy Birthday, Matty!

 Yesterday we celebrated Matt's birthday! I wanted to make him a special birthday card and I think I accomplished that! I mixed products from Concord and 9th and Pretty Pink Posh.

Also... I got the Color Cubes for Christmas! I truly love color study and color theory so I've been happy with my color combos in the past. However, I found that I was ALWAYS reaching for the same three colors and it was getting harder to fight that (teal, pink, and orange anyone?). So I'm happy to have handy inspiration. I randomly pulled out this color card with blues, oranges, and a tint of pink. I would've never put these together! 

Yes, I realize upon re-reading that my go-to combo of teal/pink/orange is very similar to this current color combo but I PROMISE YOU IT'S DIFFERENT! The shades mean everything.

So the 'wish' portion of this card is from a C9 exclusive that I received for attending the C9 Summer Camp. However, they have a very similar one called Burst of Cheer and the sentiment says 'hooray'. 

The background panel was embossed with a woodgrain embossing folder.

All of the cardstock used is from Concord and 9th. I also made sure to buy a pack of the rose gold metallic cardstock - isn't it gorgeous?! 

The light pink stars were die cut using the Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Stars Dies. Lastly, the sentiment is stamped in Cobblestone ink and the stamp is from the Bootcut stamp set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some links are affiliates at no charge to you. Thank you for support rwkrafts!