Janette Kausen
Janette Kausen
I’m up over on the Hero Arts blog today sharing Loosely Watercolored Nasturtium. I even created a video tutorial, booyah! Feel free check out the post and video HERE, and learn about my obsession with bristol paper!
Happy crafting! See you soon!
xo, Janette
When I wait to craft cards until I need them I often come up against a creative block. I like to flip through my stamps and use whatever inspires me (which is often way too much!). Problem with that sometimes is the sentiment. I want to be able to use the cards eventually. I would like them to be useful and practical. So, generic sentiments is key. I like to use sentiments on the front of the card that can work for several scenarios and then personalize the interior of a card when I go to use it. “Love Always,” like I’ve used today, will work for birthdays, Mother’s Day, sympathy, or just because.
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I began with an A2 (4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″) panel of 110# Neenah Solar White paper. I masked across the long length of paper to create an image boundary and protect the bottom section of the card. Next, I stamped the Hero Arts woodblock Nasturtium image in the middle placing it just a 1/2″ or so below the top in Copic friendly Hero Arts Intense Black ink. I used the same top portion of the Nasturtium image for the flowers to the left, only tilted a smidge. The leafy portion to the right is the stamp flipped, bottoms up!
I got pretty clean lines with each freehanded stamp, but if going for broke worries you, a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig or a few Misti Creative Corners stacked up works pretty well too. Don’t be afraid of woodblock stamps! They really do provide the best stamped images.
We’ve got two choices when it comes to coloring this image with Copics…. we can leave the masking paper in place and use caution, or remove it and attempt to keep a straight-ish line. I removed it because I was afraid I would get marker on the masking and it would soak through.
Today, I colored dark to light (sorta). That isn’t always the case, but that’s what I was feelin’ at the moment. I used R37 at the outer edge and the center of each petal with a flicking motion. Then R24 followed by RV13, blending each shade a little closer to the highlight. The white highlight on each petal aims for that area to look as if it is closest to us. I added a touch of a darker shade of red, R56, to the deepest portions of the petal to push them away. I used the same technique for the leaves, omitting the 4th darkest shade, in G99, YG95 and YG13.
Hero Arts Tribal Stripes Bold Prints, a sentiment from the Support, Prayers, Love stamp set and a few sequins finish off the card.
Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today. I hope you have an enjoyable weekend. I’ll be sewing up some clothes on a new serger and coverstitch machine! Happy crafting to us all!
xo, Janette
I’ll always do my best to link you to shops with products in stock. As you know, inventory levels are always fluctuating and therefor may not be available. Please use the retailer notification buttons to let them know you want more!
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A few of my favorite things from the new April 2018 MY Favorite Things release! So many great products. I’m highlighting just a few for you here.
Florals are my weakness. I am such a sucker for them. Every. Single. Time. The Ton Stamps has a release my credit card sizzles, regardless of my spending status at the given moment. I need all the florals in my life. Badly. The Spring 2018 Release is no exception. There is even a Pop-Up Peony die! OMGosh, I have to have it!
Let the spending commence! All new release items are available now!
The Ton has 14 new stamps, coordinating dies and 5 standalone dies for their new Spring 2018 Release which includes up to two free gifts with purchases (GWP). For more information on The Ton’s incentive gifts, head over to The Ton’s blog. New release products can be purchased now and all new release orders will begin to ship on Monday, April 9.
To view the complete list of products, including companion dies, head to The Ton Stamps!
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I created just one card today, but because I need all the flowers, I chose one image with several. I have a tendency to lean toward the same, predictable, bright color palettes. With this design I went with a more peachy/apricot…. turned out almost fall feel. It is important to me to stretch myself beyond the colors I reach for so often in an effort to grow my abilities. Brights would have been beautiful too, but I am sure enjoying the softness of this color scheme.
I’ve ramped up the contrast in this image to emphasize how I blend. Each petal’s color is built with a light hand, layers and with 3-4 shades of color.
Full supply list linked below.
I began by stamping Dahlia Bouquet in The Ton’s Caviar Hybrid ink with my Misti on Canson Mi-Teintes white paper. I left the stamp mounted in the Misti. I went on to color with Prismacolor Pencils using the darkest shades in the shadowed areas and blending out to lighter and whiter shades. Once finished, I restamped the image in the Misti to crisp up the black lines adding definition. I then Copic colored around the image with BG0000, a very light ink. Mi-Teintes is not the best for blending with Copics so I dribbled drops of Colorless Blender in the open spaces to add texture and blend further. I matted the image on Faded Brick cardstock and Rose Gold heat embossed a sentiment. Lastly, I tossed on a few Glass Slipper sequins for the requisite sparkle.
Giveaway: Three new release stamps will be given away to random commenters from the hop participant blogs. To qualify, you must leave a comment on The Ton Blog Hop post. The comment period will close on Friday, April 6 at 5pm. Winners will be announced thereafter on The Ton’s blog.
Thank you so much for hopping along today. Carry on!
xo, Janette
23. Janette Kausen <— You Are Here!
I’ll always do my best to link you to shops with products in stock. As you know, inventory levels are always fluctuating and therefor may not be available. Please use the retailer notification buttons to let them know you want more!
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A*rrrr*iba! Ay-yai-yai-ha-ha! It’s the first Monday of the month and that brings another fabulous Hero Arts My Monthly Hero hop. This month’s kit is celebrating all things fiesta inspired. If this card kit doesn’t bring a smile to your face with summer party fantasies I don’t know what will! I cannot get over the taco dog from the It’s Fiesta Time add-on. Bow-Chicka-Huahua!
Kit availability and shipping: The kit is available for a limited time only – once it’s gone, it’s gone. Kits begin shipping from Hero Arts on Friday, April 6th. Subscribe to receive the kit monthly and never miss one!
Kit contents:
6″ x 8″ Clear Stamp Set
20 Coordinating Frame Cuts Dies
1 Ornate Floral Border Die
3 Reactive Ink Cubes (Fiesta Red, Fiesta Teal, Fiesta Yellow)
3 6″ x 18″ Sheets Unryu Paper (Assorted Colors)
The value of the kit is $74, but it is sold at $34.99.
If you’d like to find out more about subscribing to the My Monthly Hero kit, where you are sure to never miss out, click here.
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Creating my own floral swags and borders kind of feels like placing that last piece of a puzzle, so satisfying. I created this corner arrangement by stamping the banner (kit) on Neenah 80# cardstock with Intense Black ink. I then masked the banner and began stamping flowers (kit). Now, there is precise masking and then there is what I did…. I just tore my Full Stick Post It in pieces and covered the areas that I needed to. I was not about to fussy cut all those flowers. Crafting can be time consuming, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. I finished off the swag with Copic markers and Clear Ultra Fine embossed the Blanket Pattern Bold Prints (add-on) on Blush Mix Layering paper.
Señor and Señorita mouse (kit) haven’t quite found a home yet, but I wanted to show them to you anyhow. I can’t decide if I want to adhere them near the interior sentiment or if they deserve a card all their own. Or better yet, both!
Find a full list of project supplies HERE.
Okay, so this is my favorite add-on of the release! I am obsessed with this chihuahua. I combined a few elements from both It’s Fiesta Time (add-on) and Cinco de Meow (add-on) to come up with this boozy inspired card. Hot sauce bottles can be beer too, right?
I captured the texture of a tortilla shell by coloring with Copic markers, dampening a terrycloth towel with isopropyl alcohol and pressing it to the shell. Just press and lift for the amount of time it takes for you to say each step – press it and then lift it. It’s that easy. After adding the texture I colored the remaining image. Taco ’bout awesome!
You can find a full list of project supplies HERE.
I’m loving the pink and black color scheme as of late. This card was created with the cake and sentiments from the kit. The black and white strip between the sentiments is the Blanket Pattern Bold Prints and the background cover plate die is the Paper Picado Confetti die.
I adhered the black confetti die cut over the top of a Smooth Bristol panel that I watercolored with Arteza markers. The cake is stamped in Intense Black and colored with Copics. I iced the cake with clear Wink of Stella and a Crystal Clear Lacquer Pen.
You can find a full list of project supplies HERE.
This card was created with the main kit. Yep, that floral frame die, it’s included! This card was featured a few days ago over on a Hero Arts Countdown to Creativity blog post. If you missed it, you can find all the details HERE.
This card would have been even more awesome had I used the new Reactive Fiesta Inks that are also included in the kit! I didn’t quite have my hands on them at the time, but oh boy, when I do… Ay, Chihuahua!
You can find a full list of project supplies HERE.
Giveaway: We are giving away one kit as a prize to one blog reader – selected from the comments across all of the blogs in the hop. (The winner will be reimbursed if they have already bought the kit) Giveaway closes Sunday, April 8th at 11:59pm, and the winner will be announced the following week.
Thank you so much for popping in for a visit today. I’m off to get crafting. I hope you can too! I’ll see you soon!
xo, Janette
I’ll always do my best to link you to shops with products in stock. As you know, inventory levels are always fluctuating and therefor may not be available. Please use the retailer notification buttons to let them know you want more!
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I have to admit how near and dear this card is to my heart. I made it for a little boy, but I’m thinking I might just have to hang on to it and send it to my pop. For what seemed like a billion years to this little girl, my dad work at a rock quarry driving heavy equipment like backhoes, loaders and excavators. By heavy equipment, I mean huge heavy equipment. I could easily stand inside the rim of a wheel and looked like a pebble in the bucket.
These earth movers tractor dies from Spellbinders brought so many memories flooding back. Of course they had to be yellow, because that is exactly how I remember them.
I created the die cut from Bristol Smooth paper that I Arteza watercolored. I could have used just CAT yellow cardstock, but because the card was going to be rather simple, I chose to use the Arteza to offer texture and movement within the color.
Spellbinders dies have a ton of detail. These Die D-Lites are no exception. I sent them in one pass though my Platinum 6 die cutting machine to cut the shapes. With this first pass the embossing begins to show. To really make the embossing pop, pass through the Platinum 6 a second time with the embossing mat set up.
I then stamped Hero Arts Birthday Balloons on Bristol Smooth paper and watercolored them red with the Arteza markers. These balloons were colored with 1 red marker, and that’s it. I began with the color in the darkest areas and then blended out with water to provide the shading. Sure you could purchase the 96 set, but the pack of 24 markers might do you just as well.
I layered the backhoe on black and wrapped black thread around the arm of the bucket. I splattered the background with watered down black acrylic paint and adhered the die cut in place. I heat embossed a sentiment and cut a mat of red and yellow on the diagonal, piecing them together. I filled the window with clear Wink of Stella and the Hero Arts Crystal Clear Lacquer pen for a glass effect.
With a house full of girls I don’t often need cards for little boys. So glad to have this set of dies in my stash! See you soon!
xo, Janette
I’ll always do my best to link you to shops with products in stock. As you know, inventory levels are always fluctuating and therefor may not be available. Please use the retailer notification buttons to let them know you want more!
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I got a little carried away with Making Waves by Close To My Heart. I’m not sorry about it one bit. This stamp and Thin Cuts set has the cutest sea critters and best sentiments. I used four of my favorites today, but I have to admit it was hard to choose the best. What started out as the intent for one card ended up with four because I. Could. Not. Stop!
During the month of March current and retired individual Thin Cut die sets are on sale at 25% off. Select bundled sets are 30% off!
Arteza markers are superb for creating these watery – dreamy backgrounds. In all truth, people seem to overcomplicate making backgrounds like these. Don’t be intimidated! It really is just scribbling color with the Arteza on Bristol paper and then dropping clean clear water over the top. Loosen the colors a touch with the brush if you like, or if you just leave it be the colors will move on their own. Allowing this to dry on its own provides the best results. Harsh edges are created by a significant amount of color near the edge of the puddle. For a soft blended out look, add clean clear water away from the color. Bring the water toward the color just kissing the two wet edges together. Once completely dry I sprinkled on a few more clean clear water droplets for added interest.
The whale in Close To My Heart Heather ink and the water spout in Hero Arts Deep Ocean. I only have 8 or so CTMH inks and clearly I need the rest of the set. They really are awesome. More on that in a few… Striped paper is MFT.
The background here was created in the same fashion, only more color, less water. I also added splatters of an Arteza marker that matched the CTMH octopus ink color. The sparkle is a mix of Pearl Ex Interference Blue micro pigment powder with water splattered and once dry misted with Blick Matte Fixative. Water isn’t enough to keep this powder in place, but a light mist of fixative does the trick (the matte does not take the shimmer away).
Eggplant CTMH ink along with a red sparkly At You Spica pen coated with a Hot Pink Gelly Roll pen. Stripe is Hero Arts Intense Black ink with The Ton Stamps Minor Stripes.
Again, same idea for the background. Notice though that the yellow and blue don’t really blend to make green, they just meet. To achieve this look scribble each color on the Bristol paper without touching. Wet the colors separately. Then just barely kiss the wet edges together being careful to not brush and blend. The colors will push into each other rather than blending to form green. If you look closely it appears that the yellow is stronger than the blue. The yellow has pushed into the blue areas, but not the reverse. The blue was more dilute than the yellow. The color with more pigment usually prevails.
Pomegranate CTMH ink for the Crab. The two tone sentiment was created with Tombow Dual Tip Brush Markers. I just colored Pinch with red and the rest of the text with black. I colored and stamped a few times with my Misti for a crisp image. Striped paper is by MFT.
The final card is the most simple of all. Just one Arteza color and one ink color. This one is Hero Arts Intense Black. And only because I don’t have black in Close To My Heart.
CTMH inks are pretty darn clever. The pads are slightly larger than the norm. The stamp crisp, clear and solid. The coolest thing ever though is their magnetic properties. The lid attaches to the base magnetically. It comes off and goes on so easily! No struggling with these. No inky fingers trying to get that lid off. No lids popping off accidentally. That same magnetic property also allows these inks to stack and stay in place. I don’t even keep them in an organizer unit. I keep them stacked on top of one because they stay so nice and neat. Not one is out of place or catywhompas in the least. Impressive!
I do not “need” any more inks. That won’t be stopping me from collecting the rest of these. I suffer from Full Set Syndrome, and sometimes I kinda like it. Half of the fun of crafting is collecting!
If you give a technique I’ve demoed a go, I’d love to see it. Please share with me by email or even better, on Instagram!
xo, Janette
I’ll always do my best to link you to shops with products in stock. As you know, inventory levels are always fluctuating and therefor may not be available. Please use the retailer notification buttons to let them know you want more!
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Oh, dear! Bunnies are for more than just Easter. They can certainly hop all through spring. A little brown guy would sure be cute for fall! Today I am sharing a spring bunny. The Hero Arts Color Layering Rabbit is so cute I just had to do something with him!
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Many special event and holiday themed stamps can last all year long. The design doesn’t necessarily dictate how you choose to use them. I say bring it on! Show me how you have turned a holiday set or object into something completely different!
See you soon!
xo, Janette
I’ll always do my best to link you to shops with products in stock. As you know, inventory levels are always fluctuating and therefor may not be available. Please use the retailer notification buttons to let them know you want more!
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Altenew is out with their latest monthly release and it is once again amazing, you guys! Of course Altenew is sharing more of their infamous florals as well as more stitching dies. That mandala die, GAH! I. MUST. HAVE. IT! You know they are all in my cart. I recently ordered the full line of Sue Spargo Razzle and Dazzle threads and this will be a perfect matchup! I cannot wait for Altenew shipment to arrive!
Altenew
