Hi friends! Today is a very special day. My sweet friend, Rubeena, is celebrating her 4th crafty anniversary. She has invited many creatives to celebrate along side her and share their stories of friendship or perhaps what crafting means to them. Being a creative is a part of who I am. It keeps me sane and is truly a therapy of sorts for me. It has kept me connected to myself and to others while raising four children and navigating our way through this world.
If you’d like to hear more about my story, please join me in a cardmaking tutorial loaded with tips, but also a message from my heart about life, crafting, college bound kids and inspiring our youth. It’s 20 minutes you can never get back, but it is worth it. And hey, there is a giveaway attached! If you have difficulty watching the video embedded here, you may watch HERE in HD on YouTube.
Quick Links
My project today features Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp set and the new Hero Arts Glimmer Metallic Inks and Fancy Ornament Infinity dies. I had a change of plans along the way, but this is one of my favorite cards to date. This ink is amazing. It feels like a watercolor, but it is so delicious. If I could eat it, I would!
I began by stamping the image in Hero Arts Intense Black ink, then Versamark and clear embossing it. I then went on to paint the flowers with Hero Arts Glimmer Metallic inks in red, copper, gold and green; first in a rich, dark, fall color scheme and then lightened it up a bit. Turns out this stamp set was perfect for this technique in more ways than one!
The background was created by strategically placing Hero Arts Fancy Ornament dies in just the right layout to fit the height and width of the card. It was surprisingly simple given so many sizes of dies to choose from in the Infinity set. I encourage you to give the video a go to learn a bit more about me, the inks, the dies and the stamp set.
You can find a full list of project supplies HERE.
Blog Hop
Giveaway: In celebration of this anniversary, we have several amazing sponsors. Let’s thank them for their generosity! Winners will be randomly selected from comments left on all the blogs. The winners will be announced by Wednesday, September 5 on this page. Winners will have up to 2 weeks to contact Rubeena at ararerubycrafts@gmail.com to claim their prize before another winner is selected.
Separately: I am giving away two $25 Hero Arts gift certificates. One to a commenter from this blog post and one to a commenter from my corresponding YouTube tutorial. Just leave a comment by Sunday, September 2nd at 11:59pm pst. Winner will be announced on here on Monday, 9/3/2018. Feel free to enter both places to double your chances of winning!
*** UPDATE: GiVEAWAY CLOSED. Winner – Lisa B. I have replied to your comment and sent an email! Congratulations! ***
Thank you for joining Rubeena and all of us fanatical creatives on this fun celebration of her four years of crafting and friendship!
xo, Janette
Rubeena Ianigro
The Stamp Market Blog
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Nina-Marie Trapani
Neat & Tangled Blog
Cheiron Brandon
Tania Ahmed
Laurie Willison
Barb Engler
Janette Kausen <—- You Are Here
Carly Tee Minner
Nichol Spohr
Amy Tsuruta
Mayline Jung
Emily Midgett
Kelly Griglione
Caly Person
Stephanie Klauck
Tracy Freeman
Dana Joy
Erica A-B
Channin Pelletier
Kimberly Wiener
Marcie Sharp
Rowena Miniaci
Sharna Waksmulski
Laurel Beard
Miriam Prantner
Leanne West
Tracey McNeely
Marge Yoon
Ankita Gupta
Justine Hovey
Taheerah Atchia
Kimberly Crawford
Lisa Hetrick
Laura Jane
Michele Ferguson
Project Supplies
I’ll always do my best to link you to shops with products in stock. As you know, inventory levels are always fluctuating and therefore may not be available. Please use the retailer notification buttons to let them know you want more!
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These glimmer paints are cool. The card is wonderful! Love the video.
This card is absolutely gorgeous. The coloring is so beautiful. Those inks look amazing. Think I need to get some.
Ohh so cool. These glimmer paints are fabulous to work with. Loved watching your colouring process. 😍😍
Just so so beautiful! Thank you for sharing not only your creativity but your heart! I was a stay at home mom for yrs. so creativity was important to me also when I had the time. Now as an empty nester I value that “me” time all the more! Keep creating! You’re inspiring others! 💕🙋♀️
Your cards are always so beautiful
Awesome card! I love the soft colors of your flowers, thanks for the video! Congrats to Rubeena!
Gorgeous card…your coloring is wonderful.. Thanks for sharing the video.
Such a beautiful card and your story is totally inspiring. Thank you for sharing not only your creativity but your heart as well.
Sooo beautiful, I have this stamp set. I am going to try this, thanks for the inspiration.
Beautiful card!
Gorgeous card….beautiful coloring. I think I will have to get some of the new hero arts metallic. Thanks for sharing !
Wow, so pretty! Great video, too!
Love these glimmer paints, soooo pretty on your beautiful floral bouquet card! I love your DIY background with the infinity dies, brilliant! Thanks for all your Card and coloring tips and tricks, as well as your support and encouragement about your crafting journey.
Love the card, and can’t start if you don’t (love the comment in the video)!!
What a beautiful card. Thanks for the video.
The coloring is just perfect! Amazing card!
It’s great to know that there are others out there who have to create and that it can be done in a community where kindness abounds. Your card is beautiful and inspiring to all!
How beautiful! Love the added texture in the background using the diecuts! Of course, the coloring is wonderful! Thanks for sharing and for being a part of this blog hop!
Love the card. The background is amazing and the flowers look so pretty against it.
Gorgeous colors! I love that stamp set and the muted colors you used look amazing.
The flowers are beautiful. The shading is
wonderful. Love the background. The
dies add elegance to the card.
thanks for sharing
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
This was a beautiful stamp and die set. You did a wonderful job with it. I thoroughly liked the paints. Thank you for the tutorial.
Absolutely stunning!! I loved both versions of the one flower and I would never have had the heart to cover up the darker one. lol And the BG is gorgeous; elegant.
(Thanks for all the tips on the video!).
A wonderful video and a beautiful card! I love how you used the ornament die for a background, so cool.
I really like your pretty card!
This is really pretty! 🙂 I love how you colored the flowers, and the layering on this card is really neat!
Simply stunning….such a beautiful card.
Janette, your card is really stunning and I enjoyed hear your story. My children are grown and married now and we have 2 grandsons but when our daughter went away to University (I was worried about her at first) however, we had done our job well and she was just fine. The creative Anniversary.when our son moved out on his own. It is comforting to know they are spreading their wings and landing on their feet.
Thanks to all of the generous sponsors (including you) on Ruby’s creative Anniversary.
So beautiful. I love the style and the glimmer metallic water color is gorgeous.
Such a pretty card!!! Your email today ( and Ruby’s) helped remind me of the day two blog hop…. so much inspiration!!!
Your card is gorgeous. Although I thought your first coloring of the center rose was beautiful, I do like your choice to change it to a softer version. I loved watching your video and listening to your story. As a mother of 2 daughters and Nana to 2 granddaughters I can relate to your creative experience. Thanks for sharing your inspiration and talent.
So very beautiful!!
oh man. that is a phenomenal card. now here i am on day two and i haven’t finished day one!! lol. i am gonna be spending all my time on blogs!!!
Love this pretty card! the inks are so yummy!
Awesome card and accompanying video tutorial! I really appreciate your backstory and could identify with the ‘therapy’ part. I also love how you include young crafters in your world. Your card is magnificent, even though I thought the first large center flower was the best. :~)
Such a beautiful card! Love this hop! Filled with inspiration!
Gorgeous card, love those colors.
Oh, what don’t I love about this card? Stunning watercoloring, colors and shine. Gorgeous image and placement, love how you tucked the sentiment into the floral spray. Fantastic background, subtle yet packs a punch. Great tip to “fix” colors you didn’t care for. Gorgeous!!!
This is just STUNNING! WOW!!!! I love the background, I love the florals!
This is one of the prettiest cards I’ve ever seen! And it’s extra special because you created it to honor a fellow crafter.
LOVE the design of your card – the coloring is perfect and great against the embossed background
Such a lovely card Janette! I enjoyed your video & learning a little more about you. I appreciated you kept your “I’m not happy with this” & showed how you made it more to suit what you had in mind.
Stunning card!! I thoroughly enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing your creative process along with some valuable tips.
Beautiful card! I liked the first flower just fine but the second is much better. We have things in common. I too would rather not have to cook supper and I would love to have a maid and a chef LOL!
I too liked the softer look of the second flower, although the first one was pretty darned gorgeous too! I am looking forward to getting and trying out the Hero Arts Glimmer Metallics – such pretty colors! AND to trying out your background technique using the nesting die cuts – love that, and never would have thought of it on my own! Thanks for the chance to win your bonus give-aways too! Really fun to watch how you did your coloring in the video! TFS!
What a awesome card Janette, the Hero Arts metallic inks are gorgeous and your colouring stunning. I have also ornament die sets and never know what to do with the smaller ones until now. This is a great idea and I love that the background is a little bit layered in this way. Thank you so much for the inspiration and great video and Rubeena congratulations with 4 years creativity, crafting and fun!
So beautiful! I really love your embossed background.
Beautiful card!!! Those glimmer watercolors, are delicious!!! I need to get me some of those!!! 😁😊😀 Love the colors, the texture on the background with the die cuts! Sometimes mistakes make the most amazing ideas, just like here with your card and the middle flower! Thank you so much for sharing!!! 💜
Love this stunning card. I MUST have these glimmer watercolors; they are so yummy.
Your card is amazing!
Oh My Gosh! Your card is stunning! Loved your video! The metallic inks are gorgeous!
What a gorgeous card!! Love the new inks.
Beautiful card! The combination of that swag with the tile like background is genius.
WOW!!!! Such a gorgeous card!!
I enjoyed hearing a little bit about you personally. I like these shimmery paints and your card looks beautiful with either flower.
Beautiful! I love this stamp! Thank you so much for sharing!
Fabulous coloring technique. Stunningly beautiful card.
<3 J
jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com
Beautiful flowers. I love how lively these flowers are. I can see how much effort you put doing this card especially on the flowers.
I love what you did with the metallic inks !! Your card is beautiful. So many new ideas to try on this hop! You ladies are amazing!
I love blog hops because they inspire me to create and all of you are so talented that I can’t help but be inspired. Thank you.
I LOVE this video! I was so mesmerized with the way you were painting with the metallic inks that I couldn’t stop watching even if I tried! I was so glad you used the opportunity to give a little background story. Believe it or not, I just moved my daughter from the west coast (of the U.S.) to the east coast so she can begin college. I was watching your video from her new apartment right after we moved her in. Your comment about being close to your daughter after moving was perfect timing for me! Thank you!
All the feels for you mama! I am glad my perspective hit home for you. It is scary to send our kids off, but this is what we raised them to do! Love my girls and that our connection and friendship grows stronger everyday. I wish the same for you. You and your girl got this! Good luck! <3
i love those dies and the way you’ve used them. the flowers and coloring is great too, and the dies are just clever. lol
Thank you sponsors for this super-hop. And thank you for the info and inspiration here! Hadn’t seen the metallic inks before…
Your card is absolutely beautiful! I love the colors! I’m going to have to get some of those glimmer inks. Thanks for the inspiration.
Wow Jeanette, this card is simply stunning! So beautifully colored and the layout is amazing!
Hi Janette,
I have always love your work! I just commented on you tube, in which I stated that I loved both choices. I have this gorgeous stamp but I am eager to try it with the metallic paints!
In the meantime I have pearlescent acrylic paints, do you think they will work?
Thanks for the inspiration and the chance to win!
Cariños,
María Alba
Hi Maria! Thank you for the kind words. I do think pearlescent acrylics would work as long as you water them down a bit. If they are too thick it will cover the embossed lines instead of settling in between. If that happens just rinse your brush and go over it with the clean damp brush. Let me know if you give it a go. I’d love to see! <3
Wow! Gorgeous blooms!! I love your fantastic work!!
Stunning card. The flowers pop off so good! I have to wach your video! Thanks for sharing.
Wow, I love the colouring you did on this card, and the design is just fabulous! Thanks for sharing your inspiration! Hugs Heidi
Such a beautiful card!
Thanks so much for sharing…
Your card is absolutely breathtaking, it’s so so beautiful that I’m lost for words! 🙂 I am delighted to see your blog up and running again – your IG messages sounded terrifying!
Gorgeous card. I love the creative background made from dies. Love that idea!
Oh my!!! I’m totally in love for your stuninng card!!! Beautiful colouring!!!
The coloring on these flowers is amazing and thanks again for the tips. I really love how you “made lemonade” by restamping the solo flower and covering the heavy flower. I’m not sure I would have thought of that. TFS!
Janette, I enjoyed your video so much. Of course, I loved watching you make the card—it’s stunning by the way, and you were using one of my favorite stamps! But you mentioned a few good points, I worry too about the youth of today not enjoying and carrying on these precious crafts we enjoy. They are so into phones and Kim Kardashian, it’s pathetic. I grew up doing cross stitch and crocheting. I have since starting beading and just recently discovered Cardmaking. These crafts make me calm and free from life’s worries. I have two grown boys with families that at times still send me upstairs to my “safe” haven. Lol. Thanks for the video. It was great!!
Lisa, Lisa!!! Congratulations you are the winner of the $25 Hero Arts Gift Certificate! Please email me at contact(at)janettekausen(dot)com and I’ll get it to you! I will also email you now to the account linked for this comment. On another note – my youngest bumped into me with her hip/bum a while back and said “I Kim Kardashianed you.” I am not even sure how my 8 year old knows who the Kardashian’s are, and am embarrassed and sad that she even does. Somedays I wish social media wasn’t so prominent in all aspects of life. It’s so hard to get away from!
Thank you thank you thank you!! I’m so excited!!! Lol about your youngest!! You know, you want to shelter your kids from all of the outside trash but they go to school and to their friends’ house and learn it all about it. That’s what happened to my boys. We had such a close family unit but the outside element caused so many heartaches. Take care Janette, thank you again. I responded to your email this morning. God bless.
Lovely lovely card. And thank you for the chance to win the gift card. =D
Your card is beautiful! I enjoyed your video and thoughts on crafting, being a mom etc. One of my favorite things to do is craft with my kiddo’s. My technique and end outcome may not be fabulous but I am hoping the memories we are creating are. I also loved your comment to just keep going when the flower didn’t go as you had hoped (still beautiful though) it was great to see how you modified and worked through things. Thank you for sharing!
Loved your video! I need to get my kids into the room to craft with me more often! I really love that subtle and elegant tone on tone background and LOVE the flowers!
The metallic paints are very intriguing and you did an awesome job with them on this card. Thank you!!!
Congratulations to Rubeena! Love her work. And what an amazing group this crafting world is to sponsor such wonderful prizes. Love your card inspiration too! It is simply beautiful!
What a FABULOUS card!! Wow! So beautiful.
Your card is beautiful and very elegant !
Absolutely gorgeous card! I love the flowers and the background you created! Having fun being inspired by all the lovely creations on the hop to celebrate Rubeena’s crafting anniversary!
Wow so pretty! I’m loving the detail of the background!
Absolutely gorgeous!
A stunning card!
Love your beautiful card. Great background technique.
I love the shimmer and the flower images are gorgeous! Thanks for adding some crafting tips – they are really helpful. 🙂
Gorgeous card!!
Gorgeous and elegant card Janette!A perfect card for Rubeena ‘s celebration! Thanks for being part of this hop and thanks to all the sponsors too!
Beautiful card! Inspiration is everywhere- love how you did the background. I agree, we do need to keep crafting and teaching the younger generation, so important. Keep on crafting and sharing your wonderful inspirations!!
Beautiful results, and thanks so much for the Oops fix. Who can resist shimmer? Or a beautiful floral image to color? I am blessed to have grand-kids who love to craft with me and make cards. And I need a maid too!
Lovely card! Love the look of the flowers; the ink is indeed pretty! Thanks for sharing! 😀
Janette, love your video and awesome background technique!!! Also, great idea for lining up card front panels!! I never thought of that! Thanks for being a stop on Ruby’s hop!
I enjoyed your video both for the instructions of the card but also for your crafting story. You expressed yourself so well. The card is super pretty. I’m going to borrow your idea for the background. I agree with you about the central flower but your coloring on all the flowers is terrific. Thanks for supporting Rubeena with prizes and sisterhood too.
Such a beautiful card! Love those metallic inks…and those flowers are just so pretty. Going over to watch your video right now! Thanks for being a part of this wonderful hop!
WOW! What a gorgeous card! I love the metallic paints – they look yummy! I love hearing your story and do need that creativity in my life as well! Thanks for the great inspiration today!
Janette, what a gorgeous card! Your flowers are just beautiful. Love your color choices!
Wow- what a stunning card!! Love that floral stamp set and how you painted it! 🙂
What a stunning card!! So lovely! 🙂
Your card is gorgeous, Janette , & I love those metallic inks. Thanks for all the awesome inspiration I always seem to find on your blog!
Your design reminds me of the victorian age , its beautiful !
I love the color palette you’ve used for your gorgeous creation. The stamp set you used is pretty, and that background gives so much texture.
Beautiful subtle colors and I love the texture of the background. Thank you!
Gorgeous card! I liked the center flower both ways, but I can see why you went with the lighter one. The shimmery paints are so pretty. Love the white-on-white background you created! It’s subtle but adds a lot of interest. Thanks for the inspiration!
Awesome card, beautiful colors!
The softness of the colors you achieved on the beautiful flowers is stunning. Such a gorgeous card!
SO cool! Love how you created that background! And the flowers are gorgeous!
I love love loooove this card! Already went and purchased the stamp and die set 😁. Thank you for the inspiration!
Stunning! I wish my coloring looked like that!
Awesome card. I just discovered you. Lucky find. Thank you.
your card is so beautiful. love the gorgeous colour palette. xo
Absolutely GORGEOUS watercolring!!! Can’t wait to receive my metallic watercolors so I can play! TFS–have a blessed evening!
Gorgeous card! I love your background!
Beautiful card, enjoyed the video too!
Hey Janette darling! I am so excited to have you as part of my celebration AND you made a video! You are #goals. I loved hearing what you had to say and watching your creative process. I did love the first flower but that’s because I do a lot of bold coloring ha ha. It turned out beautifully though and I learned some tips from you, too!! Thank you for being you and for being my friend. I love that you had creative souls in your life…and I hope to pass on that love to my own child and her children. <3 Love you!
Love how you added those tone on tone circuits to your background. Such a pretty elegant card.
Die cuts not circuits
I can understand why it is one of your favorite cards as it is gorgeous! Love those painted flowers and how you created your background. Thank you for sharing! Also thanks to everyone for participating.
What a lovely background for those beautiful flowers!
Congrats to Ruby!
SQUEAL!! Just BEAUTIFUL!! THANKS for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEK!! =)
Wow! I am such a big fan and have been following you for awhile! Your card is amazing and such gorgeous coloring and a really pretty color palette! Thanks for sharing and for supporting Ruby’s anniversary!
You are one very talented lady! Your powerful metallic watercoloring is stunning!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and this beautiful card.
lol luv your comment that if you could eat your ink, you would! beautiful card.
Your card is so gorgeous! I love the look of these Hero Arts Glimmer Metallic Inks. I enjoyed learning more about you in this video…we have a lot of crafty hobbies in common 🙂
Jeanette, I totally love this card. You probably already gathered that from my IG comment on your post there. I am slow & missed your giveaway thank you for sponsoring one none the less. So glad your blog is back up an running.
This card is gorgeous! I can’t wait to try the Glimmer Metallic inks, I love the way you used them on this card, beautiful.
Love your coloring and the background.
Beautiful effect from these metallic paints. Thanks for sharing the fab inspiration and technique video.