Quick Sunshine // Hero Arts

Today I'm sharing some quick cards I made using this month's My Monthly Hero - these cards use an image from the main kit, but I found some substitute stamps you could use (continue reading for more info!) and also, the design is something pretty to easy to replicate with a number of different images anyways. ;)

For my first card, I stamped the umbrella image (from the main kit stamp set) in Pale Tomato, Rusty Blue, Passion Flower and Fresh Peach - not my usual color combo, but something I was inspired to use from browsing Pinterest.

For the sentiment, I heat embossed a message from the Color Layering Graphic Flowers stamp set. This stamp set is such a staple - images that work for various styles and occasions, with such well crafted sentiments.

For my second card, I stamped a whole rainbow of umbrellas, using Grape Juice, Orchid, Crimson, Soft Apricot, Fresh Lawn, Dandelion, Deep Ocean and Summer Sky. 

This card would take a little longer to create than the first, just because you'd have to clean off the image more in between using all the different colors.

Same sentiment idea, and for both cards, I adhered some little hearts I die cut using Sun Showers Cutting dies - I think this die has the most perfect little heart shapes ever!

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the umbrella stamp comes from a limited edition kit by Hero Arts that sold out, so I have some substitute suggestions.

• One of the add-ons from this month, Fun in the Rain, also has a larger line umbrella
• The bee from Busy As A could be so cute!
• The Japanese Wishing Garden has a couple really cute little images, 
• Butterfly Pair Stamp and Cut for a classically beautiful butterfly card
• French Treats could make a fun look if you wanted to also quickly add dabs of watercolor 
• Finally, Balloon Animal Birthday would make for some really fun and quick birthday cards.

I found these all real quick browsing through my Hero Arts 2017 catalog, so basically just check any simple line image sentiments you may already have and you have something fun in store!

MY MONTHLY HERO KIT

In case you haven't heard about My Monthly Hero, or you're just a little confused about it, THIS page has all the info!

The March kit will be coming in about two weeks, so keep a lookout! If you're worried about missing a kit - they often sell out extremely quickly - you can become a subscriber.

Hope that helps, and please feel free to ask me any questions! Have a great weekend and God bless!

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson Bristol (white), Bazzill (black)
Stamps: Hero Arts February 2017 My Monthly Hero (sold out - similar stamps listed above) and Color Layering Graphic Flowers
Ink: Pale Tomato, Rusty Blue, Passion Flower, Fresh Peach, Grape Juice, Orchid, Crimson, Soft Apricot, Fresh Lawn, Dandelion, Deep Ocean, Summer Sky and Versamark,
Other: Hero Arts Ocean, Blush, Blue, Green, Sunshine, and Purple sequins, White embossing powder

Other: heat gun, Cuttlebug, Hero Arts Sun Showers Cutting dies

Watercolor Clouds

Hello all! Today I'm participating in the February My Monthly Hero blog hop and sharing a fun Pinterest inspired card!

I used the add-on, Raining Cats and Dogs, to create a fun background, inspired by THIS pin...

I started off by stamping the clouds in Versamark, then heat embossing in white. I had to do a little masking here and there for the overlapping clouds, but nothing too intense. ;)

After I had heat embossed the clouds, I quickly colored them in using my ZIG pens. Because the color was a bit too intense with just the pen, I added some water to the clouds, then dabbed at it with a paper towel. The paper towel picked up some of the color, leaving a less intensely colored version of the clouds. 

Just be careful with the paper you use whenever you add water - watercolor paper works best, and if not, I find that thicker, uncoated cardstock works decently as long as you don't add too much water.

I adhered my grey panel to the card base, then white heat embossed a sentiment from You're So Lovely on black, and adhered the sentiment to the card base. To top everything off, I used some of the gorgeous new Hero Arts sequins - I think these sequins are my new favorite thing. ;) I used Ocean, Blue and Purple to match my clouds.

THE KIT

The kit contains:

• 1 4X6 clear stamp set
• 20 coordinating dies
• 1 coordinating stencil, with several cutouts included
• 1 Soft Sky ink cube
• 1 sponge for daubing 
• 2 thin rolls of glitter washi tape in blue and silver 
• 1 skein silver embroidery thread
• Vellum in blue and patterned white 

The kit value is $65, an amazing deal at $34.99.
There are also some amazing add-on stamps (such as the one I used today) and dies, so be sure to check out the Hero Arts blog for information on them.

BLOG HOP

For loads of inspiration and a chance to win one of these kits, follow this hop! The amazing Kathy Racoosin would be next on the hop, after me:

The Hero Arts Blog 

Jennifer McGuire 

Yana Smakula 

Wanda Guess 

Amy Tsuruta 

Clare Prezzia 

Kathy Racoosin 

Debby Hughes 

Kelly Latevola 

Lydia Fiedler 

May Park 

Jessica Frost-Ballas 

Libby Hickson 

Michelle Short

Hero Arts is giving away one kit as a prize to one blog reader - selected from the comments across all of the blogs in the hop.

The kit is available for a limited time only - once it's gone, it's gone. However, you can subscribe to receive the kit monthly and never have to worry about missing it! More details on the subscription HERE.

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Canson watercolor, Simon Says Stamp Fog cardstock
Stamps: Hero Arts Raining Cats and Dogs and You're So Lovely
Ink: Versamark, ZIG pens
Other: Hero Arts White embossing powder and Ocean, Blue and Purple sequins

Tools: Cuttlebug, heat gun