Jennifer McGuire, ink.

How-To Video: Watercolor Butterfly

Hello!

I finally am back to doing videos just for my blog.  Ahhhhh... it feels good. :)

This is just a card that I like to make often.  It uses two of my favorite stamps: the Bold Flourish and Heart-Winged Butterfly.  It also uses my favorite inks: Broken China, Tea Dye and Shabby Shutters Distress Ink.

The video shows a few things, including watercolor with ink, creating pearly stamped images and coloring wire.

Supplies: Hero Arts stamps (butterfly, flourish and greeting) and long notecard, Distress Inks, Ranger Mini Mister, Liquid Pearls White Opal, Wire and Adirondack markers

Do you all have a stamp or two that you can't seem to get enough of?  Share it in the comments - maybe we will all discover new stamps looking at each others answers. 

Off to play with the little dude.  He wants to do some stamping. :)

Stamping Class

Hey!

I forgot to mention that I am hosting the Stamp Camp this week at 2Peas!  I have a video, handout, tips and cards HERE.  And if you play along, you have a chance to win a gift certificate.  Click HERE to learn how. 

(For the cards and information, click HERE.)

And while you are over at 2Peas, check out the other classes they have going on.  Great stuff!  And it is free - can't beat that. :)  Just go HERE.

Oh, and great news - 2Peas has all the new Hero Arts goodies... click HERE.

Also, thank you for the many suggestions on bible study websites, etc.  There are some great ones - I still am going through them all.  For those interested, I recommend checking out all the comments HERE - maybe you will find something that works for you. I really like the idea of a feel-good faith-based message in my inbox each day.  I think we could all use that kind of daily lift these days, don't you?

Also, thanks for the comments about Surprise.  I will keep you posted on his journey.  And sharing the story reminded me that I have pictures to share of their kids receiving the cards from the drive I did.  I will share those soon.

Happy Wednesday...

What a sweet surprise...

I am going to do a non-stamping/cardmaking/scrapping post tonight.  I normally don't do this, but I really wanted to share this story.

Many of you know of Kristin (Ken's sister) and Keith (her husband who sings the songs in some of my videos) and their three kids (Taylor, Lauren and Samuel).  They are living in Africa running a dental clinic.

Well, we got this message from Kristin recently.  It is worth a read...

A tiny little Surprise. . .

His mother died in childbirth.  His father, with no means to buy formula, did his best with sugar water and coconut milk to keep him alive.  At about one month of age, his father, believing he would die, brought him to an orphanage in Buchanan.  The orphanage, also believing he would die, would not accept the child until a police report had been filed stating his condition.  Amazingly, the child did not die. And, for that reason, they named him Surprise.
 
Surprise is now about 9 months old.  He was discovered by a social worker investigating another case at the same orphanage.  He is malnourished and small for his age.  The orphanage cannot afford formula, so he eats what the other children (all of whom are much older) in the orphanage eat—rice. 
 
Last week we received a phone call asking if we would foster Surprise.  Surprise is not old enough to be received by Rafiki Village .  Rafiki is an international organization that has orphanages in many different African countries.  Their aim is "to take helpless children and turn them into godly contributors in their countries".  (www.rafiki-foundation.org) The Rafiki orphanage in Liberia is about 20 minutes from our house.  Rafiki has a wonderful educational and vocational training program and has an excellent reputation here in the country.  Unfortunately, they only take in children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years.  They were notified about Surprise, but he was too young to enter their facility.  So, they asked if we would be willing to foster Surprise until he is old enough to enter Rafiki.  This past weekend I went to Buchanan (about a 2 ½ hour drive from Monrovia ) and met Surprise.  He’s a cutie and really captured my heart.  We called Rafiki early in the week and told them we would foster Surprise.  Today I met with the Minister of Health, and after having three social workers visit our house tomorrow we should be ready to receive Surprise when he comes to Monrovia hopefully this weekend.
 
Here’s a photo that was taken during my visit to Buchanan.  I’m sure there will be many more soon to come!  

Isn't he sweet?  Please include him in your thoughts and prayers.  They were hoping to get him last week, but (as often happens there) there have been delays.  Surprise will get so much love in their home.

More cardmaking tomorrow. :) 

Happy news...

The new Hero Arts catalog is up over on their website HERE.  Come on... what is better than a bunch of new stamps?  :)

Thought I would share one I did with the new goodies.  For the background, I actually opened up a clear set of stamps... laid them down face-up... inked with black ink... laid a notecard down on the ink... and created a background of messages super fast.  :)

Supplies: All Hero Arts

Oh, and 2Peas has these stamps in their warehouse and will put them up for sale on tomorrow/Monday!

And for all your Christians out there - do you have a favorite website or email sign-up for daily devotions or bible verses, etc?  Would love to find a new good one.  Thanks.

Have a good night.  I am off to snuggle up with a cute dog.  Love that Roxie girl...

Sketch Card

Happy Friday!

Man, I love those words.

I forgot to link you all up to the Got Sketch Blog.  Valerie asked me to play along for this week's sketch challenge.  Here is the sketch and what I came up with.  (For more info, visit her blog HERE - lots of great artists over there!)

Supplies: Sizzix flower diecut covered in fabric, Fiskars border punch, Grungeboard flourish covered in Shabby Shutters Distress Ink and Perfect Pearls and Distress Stickles Antique Linene, Hero Arts stamps and pearls

I am so thankful to have a lot of work behind me and be able to get my hands dirty planting hosta tomorrow.  I LOVE this weather.  I wish my house had a giant sunroof. :)

Have a good weekend...

Two Giveaways...

Just posting quickly to let you know about two giveaways.  I will be back later to share some ideas.

The first is at Creating Keepsakes Blog.  I was the guest blogger and you can enter for a chance to win a bunch of flowers I made.  Click HERE to play...

The next is over on Hero Arts' blog.  We are giving away five copies of the new book from the fabulous Kimber McGray.  Love this girl.  Click HERE to play...

More later!  Happy Friday...

THREE videos...

It feels so good to be doing videos again.  :)

Here are two that I shared over on the Hero Arts blog - be sure to click HERE for more details.  I am going to share some additional examples here.

The first - distress watercolor stamping.  I love the results of this technique.  Yummmmmm...

(c) Hero Arts Blog - click HERE for more details.

Here is a quick card I did using this watercolor stamping.  Easy peasy.

Supplies: Hero Arts swirly flower stamp, Peeled Paint Distress Ink, Broken China Distress Ink, Shabby Shutters Distress Ink, watermist bottle, dew drops, Hero Arts flowers, watercolor paper. 

The next video is using Distress Ink for embossed resist.  This is a twist on some great techniques I learned from Tim Holtz.  SO fun.  When I do this technique, I create many tags at once. 

(c) Hero Arts Blog - click HERE for more details.

Here is another card using the same technique...

Supplies: Same as the project HERE.

And, for all of my family who comes here and may want to see some of Colin in action, here is another video to check out.  Or, if you are in love with Tim Holtz, like many women out there... he is in it, too. :)

Hope everyone is having fun with the distress week over on Hero's blog.  This is only the beginning of the techniques I have to share.  Be sure to come back.

Hugs...

Happy Monday...

Hope you all had a good weekend.

I have been meaning to mention that I have a class coming up at Stamp Your Art Out.  It focuses on fun things to do with inks.  We will be doing unique looks and fun techniques, and making 6-7 cards.  Call 513.793.4558 to sign up.  I am really excited about this class - it is different than what I normally do.

I thought I would link ya to some cards I did on 2peas.  They use one of my absolute favorite techniques - using colored pencils on kraft notecards.  The key is to add highlighting with a white pencil.  It really makes the card come alive.  For all the details on the cards, click HERE.

(c) twopeasinabucket.com - click HERE for more info.

I am leading the Hero Arts Blog this week.  Be sure to stop by!

Have a good one...

Hello from Cornerstone...

Ah... there isn't much better than a weekend away with friends. 

Love it.

Jana posted a video of us over on her blog.  You can see it HERE.  Please forgive how bad we look and the mess we have.  :)

I have had such fun doing lots of creating for the Hero blog (my week starts Monday) and to share here.  Ranger U really helped to get my creative juices going again.

This is a card I did last week for fun.  This is totally created using stuff laying around on my desk when I was cleaning up.  Just randomly threw random stuff on there. :)

Supplies:  Hero Arts stamps and felt embellishments and pearls and flowers and on and on, fabrics, Sizzix die (to cut leave), jute, White Memories Ink

A tip for fabric: Never cut fabric.  Instead, just cut a little notch in the side and tear it.  It always tears straight and gives you a fun, frayed edge.

Off to create some more stuff.  :)  Hugs all around...

Happy Wednesday

Before I get started, I have something you gotta watch.  My dad told me about THIS video. You must go watch it.  It is a "feel good" - will make your heart smile.

Another thing for you all to watch: The video by Nancy over on Hero's blog today - HERE.  She starts off with great tips on watercoloring, but also shares many additional ideas.  Even a great tip on making your cards smell good.  Well worth watching.

This is a card I did for the Hero blog last week.  I stamped on some Memory Glass from Ranger and embossed in white.  The look in real life is so much better than the photo.  Click HERE for details and info.

(c) Hero Arts Blog

I am so excited - I am heading to my favorite stamping retreat with some of my favorite people tomorrow.  Will be sharing from there!

All of you who watch Real Housewives of New York - did you hear about the Countess?  She found out her husband had a girlfriend and they are getting divorced.  She is no longer a Countess.  And he book about "manners with a Countess" is coming out tomorrow.  Interesting...

Night!