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Monday, January 4, 2016

Cherry Blossom Inspiration

I've never lived in a place with cherry trees, so I've only seen cherry blossoms when I travel, but I really love them. I especially love the illusion that they are all just a uniform pink from a distance, but when you get close, you can see that they are really magenta, white, pink, even yellow.

I remember in that crazy opening scene of Star Trek - Into Darkness - I thought that the Nibiru planet and its people looked like a living cherry blossom. That was such a cool scene. It is a real work of art from start to finish - someone on that film has some great art chops.


So I think the cherry blossom is why I love pink and yellows together, and I really love it with watercolor. I love roses that are pink with a little hint of yellow too - it's just a soothing combo.

My sweet friend Libby shared the new My Monthly Hero Kit with me for January, and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to do some cherry blossom watercolor with it.

There were actually a lot of steps to this first card - it was super fun to make. First I watercolored a background panel with Koi Watercolor - magenta and yellow, just in sort of loose stripes. I attached that to a white card base. There's a SUPER sweet stack of vellum in the kit - if you look at sort of the tiny, bokeh dots in the background, they are actually teeny, iridescent hexagons on the vellum. It's very luminous and pretty. I attached that to the card next.

Then I used one of the six different heart dies in the kit to die cut some watercolor paper, and I did more intense washes of magenta and yellow on that and stamped  the little hearts in white pigment ink to echo that bokeh on the vellum.

Next I took some of the shaker goodies included - just different sizes of iridescent hearts, and glued them to the vellum in random places and then added the die cut valentine sentiment on top of all that. Does anyone else have trouble with "random" placement of things like this on cards? I'm mostly really terrible at it. :).


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There are also pre-cut cards and envelopes in there, so I took one of the other dies, which is REALLY fun, and used it on one of the card bases. There are teeny heart dies too, so I cut three hearts from that same vellum with those and added that and sequins to three of the hearts to make them stand out. Hard to see in this photo, but the teeny twine has a gold thread through it, so I cut the sentiment from gold foil paper.
 I decided to try that same die with watercolor paper too and it was super fun - I just watercolored each heart (again with Koi), and then gently popped them up by folding the edges of the hearts together. I used the MISTI to stamp the sentiment twice so that it was perfectly inked. This is just an all-occasion card, but I do like this non-traditional, citrusy color combo for a Valentine card too - you know how I like to break allllll the color rules.
 And, because I have been dying to try out these BARC Wood envelopes by Arc Crafts, I decided to see if emboss resist would work on them with the little hearts - and it did.



I think I'll send Libby a little card in this pretty envelope and we'll report back on how they hold up in the mail. They are are cute - these are a 4 Bar card size, but they also make other sizes, including A2, and are 100% made in the USA - yay!

http://amzn.to/1YJvuv0

If you want to get your paws on that kit, it's available while supplies last from my sweet friends at Hero Arts.

Now check out what a few of my friends have done with it!

Hero Arts
Jennifer McGuire
Yana Smakula
Lucy Abrams
Lydia Fiedler (You are here)
Mariana Grigsby
Libby Hickson

Thanks for coming here today.

Loveyameanitbye.



194 comments:

  1. OH MY WORD!! I love every single thing in this blog post. EVERY SINGLE THING!!! Especially the part about mailing *me* something - wheeeeeee! :-) Thank you for using your amazing talent to help bring this kit to life!

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  2. You're not allowed to hang your head because all these cards and the envelope ROCK. I do recall that Star Trek episode and, I too, was struck by the color. Not being a pink person, when one adds yellow, I become happy so your first card made me tingle a bit. The second card just made me smile because I'm lovin' that die. You had my heart by the 3rd card...yellow, again. Then up pops this inventive envelope. Love the blue against the wood and those charming hearts. Look forward to your report on what the post office does to it.

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  3. I was so sitting on the fence about this kit, but after seeing your awesome cards, ordering!

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  4. You are a creative master and this Hero Arts kit gives so many cool items to have fun with!

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  5. Beautiful cards and envelop! Love the heart card with the citrus colors.

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  6. Wow, you have been busy, busy with all these beauties...love them all and what awesome envelopes...Libby will love it! (I can see she already is excited...lol)!!

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  7. I love how the hearts pop off the card.
    The colors are great.
    thanks for sharing.

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  8. WOWsers fantastic and so artistic! Love everything! So loving the wood. I have to get mine out and play. :) tfs and inspiring! Hugs, Kristina

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  9. I love all of the different color combos you used here! But I really like those citrus colors. So bright and cheery when it's cloudy and gross outside right now!

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  10. fabulous cards, loooove the wood envelope!! :)

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  11. lOVE THEM ALL, BUT ESPECIALLY THE FIRST ONE!

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  12. Love these cards especially the one with the citrus colors!

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  13. I love your cards - every single one! Your quote in the heading is so cool - I'm a firstborn and I LOVE blue!! Your blog is so cool that I am signing on right now - don't want to miss anything! Happy New Year and so sorry about your loss of Leslie! XO

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  14. Beautiful! Loving the watercolor.

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  15. Amazing! Every card is gorgeous. I love your color choices, especially the citrus watercolor hearts!

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  16. Beautiful. Love all the watercolor goodness. Thanks for sharing these with us, they are just gorgeous.

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  17. Wow, beautiful! Love the watercoloring and all the cool techniques you did. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  18. Loved the Star Trek reference! And your cards are beautiful!!

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  19. Fabulous, simply fabulous. All the cards. I agree with you on the pink/yellow combo in water coloring. I really like the dark pink card with the hearts popping up and vellum hearts. Thanks for sharing. Love this kit.:)

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  20. LOVE your fluttering hearts cards!

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  21. LOL! Thanks for sharing your humor and your talent. I too am placement challenged when it comes to tiny embellishments. I really like the card with the water color fluttering hearts. Nicely done!

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  22. Those pop up hearts are so pretty and a great way to add dimension. Lovely!

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  23. I love your creation is wonderful!

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  24. These are all so lovely Lydia. Isn't this a great kit?

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  25. I can see you've been busy with your kit. I love seeing all the different styles and colors and techniques. Love the cards and I do have a favorite - the citrusy hearts. LOL

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  26. This kit lends itself to such a variety of cards! I love yours. Wonderful use of color.

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  27. So many beautiful cards! All lovely!

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  28. Awesome cards! I like the 3rd one best:-)

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  29. Lovely cards. I'm also intrigued by your emboss resist on the wood paper envelope.

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  30. Wow those are gorgeous! Love the envelope!

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  31. Hi Lydia - found your post through the HA card kit blog hop - wow! So glad I stopped - your cards look amazing, especially love the hand painted array of hearts on card 3. Thanks for the inspiration!!

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  32. Wow! This is absolutely the most unanticipated use of the Hero Arts Kit that I can imagine. Love it.

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  33. Wow, what gorgeousness, Lydia ... from the soft watercolour to the vibrant pink hearts, from the citrus flutteriness to the cool wood envelope ... yep ... delicious! Anita :)

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  34. Love your cards - thanks for sharing your ideas!

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  35. Awesome cards. I like what Jennifer did with the kit as well. Unfortunately their website is being flaky and I cannot order the kit.

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  36. Awesome watercoloured background.

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  37. Wow. Take my breathe away gorgeous cards and envelope. Great job. Love this ideas. Thanks for sharing.

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  38. Love the cards and the envelope is also gorgeous.Thanks for sharing!

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  39. Fabulous clean and simple card designs! I am totally loving the wood envelope and all its inky goodness!

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  40. Cherry Blossoms would be wonderful...today here it's cold and snowing! I adore all your wonderful new Kit creations and am dying to order my kit..now I just hope the site will allow me! Bummer it's crashing again!!

    Great work....

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  41. Your cards are amazing. I really love your heart flutter card idea, the colors are great.
    Teresa P

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  42. Gorgeous cards, Lydia! I also love the effect of emboss resist on your wooden envie...very cool!

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  43. I love this new Valentine kit and your beautiful cards!

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  44. Amazing projects, the colors and flowing designs are so beautiful

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  45. Beautiful color combos on these, especially that blue wash on the little wood envelope. All three cards are awesome!!!

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  46. Absolutely love your cards and the water coloring is making me swoon.

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  47. Awesome kit! May have to try this!!!
    ;0)

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  48. you make me happy, thank you for that!! Beautiful talent, well done!! I love it all.

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  49. The only word to describe your projects is EXQUISITE! What inspiration...you certainly are very talented!

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  50. Wonderful heart cards. Wonderful water coloring. Like the kit. Like all things heart-shaped.
    Melissa
    "Sunshine HoneyBee"

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  51. I love the watercolor! And the gold valentine

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  52. Gorgeous cards, love the watercolor background and the "tropical" inspired colors. This looks like a fun kit!

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  53. Your cards are beautiful. Full of inspiration. Thank you.

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  54. Beautiful, Lydia! Love that wood envelope and how you jazzed it up! Curious to know how they make it through the mail.

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  55. Your cards are gorgeous. I have to get this kit!!!!!!!

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  56. I've never been to your blog, so I'm glad I found it on this hop. Wow- I love watercolors and just got some Koi for the holidays. I've been playing around and I think these heartfelt cards are such a great excuse to do so. Thanks for the inspiration and I'm looking forward to visiting your blog more often now!

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  57. You have truly outdone yourself with these gorgeous cards. They are absolutely stunning!

    Hugs,
    Snoopy :D

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  58. Gorgeous cards, love the citrus colors on one and all the watercoloring is fabulous!

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  59. Fun and beautiful! And that envelope....LOVE! ♥

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  60. Beautiful. beautiful cards. Thanks for sharing Lydia!

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  61. Gorgeous cards and envelope. You have done wonders with this kit. You would absolutely love DC during the cherry blossom festival. Thank you for sharing.

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  62. I can't find a thing that I don't love. I have so many plans for this kit. Thank you for all the inspiration!

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  63. Whoa! Who would ever think you could use hearts in so many unique ways? Lovely and imaginative cards ,as always!

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  64. like....correction love the card ideas.

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  65. Wow, you for sure have out-done yourself in making all of those wonderful cards...each one is unique and turned out awesome...tfs
    well done

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  66. Your cards are beautiful!! Love them and this new kit:)

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  67. All your cards are pretty, but the first one with the iridescent heart and gorgeous water color wash is my favorite!

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  68. Love your creations! I need to jump into the watercoloring world...you truly inspire me.

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  69. I just want to reach through and let those hearts within the heart on two of this cards. The texture is just beautiful. Your water coloring is amazing as always. Thanks so much for your ideas!

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  70. Wow, just wow! The use of the hearts for a non Valentines card is just awesome.

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  71. Love your cards, especially the one with the watercolored little hearts. Sooo pretty!

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  72. Such beautiful cards. I so love the backgrounds. Lovely work and a beautiful kit!

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  73. Love your cards! The water-coloring on the first is just awesome! I love the heart dies in this kit! Awesome!!

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  74. Great cards, thanks for sharing Lydia.

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  75. Your watercoloring is wonderful. Love the inspiration.

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  76. So pretty! Love the
    pop up pieces of the
    dies.
    Carla from Utah

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  77. i've got a few pieces of wood veneer left over from a project... this gives me a great idea!

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  78. Wow Lydia, your cards are absolutely stunning!! Thanks for sharing and the inspiration.

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  79. Those are some neat cards. This kit is awesome.

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  80. Love love love!!! Gorgeous cards. My fave is the first one with the dreamy pink!!!
    <3 J

    jwoolbright at gmail dot com
    HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

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  81. Wow! I love all cards but the envelope is my favorite, Awesome job! TFS

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  82. The dies in this kit are so cool - perfect for making V-Day cards. Love it!

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  83. love them all just took a watercolor class Saturday and I'll have to try some on cards like these

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  84. I love the different looks that you achieved using this kit and especially love the emboss resist on the wood!

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  85. Great cards...love all the water coloring you did... I need to do more water color...fabulous heart dies in this set...

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  86. All those itty bitty hearts...what fun! Great cards...thanks for sharing!

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  87. Wow! Amazing cards - I'm speechless.

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  88. Beautiful cards. The first one is just so dreamy!! Thanks for sharing :-)

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  89. Love those dies especially with the watercoloring and embellishments.

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  90. These are nice cards

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  91. I smiled when I read your comment about the random placement of embellishments because I don't feel that I have ever really gotten the hang of it either but I have to say that you rocked it on your first card! I love all your creations!

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  92. I love your color scheme too! Depending on what I am doing I have been known to stray from what color I should do for a card like you did. Christmas doesn't always have to be red and green and Valentine's Day doesn't have to have pink and red hearts either. I love how you did those hearts that were done from a die and the way you popped them up. I wonder if I could do that without the die because I don't have a machine? I might have to try that by doing it by hand. I'm going to save your page and try it. I can do multi colored hearts! How cool would that be? I have some amazing water colors and I got more for Christmas so I will use them on my cards. Thanks for all the inspiration!

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  93. The partial cut little hears are so cute especially the way you coloured them!

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  94. I LOVE all of your cards and the envelope. Hope it holds up in the mail. My favorite though is the first watercolored one. Oh my gosh is is so pretty with the watercolor wash and vellum and the little iridescent sequins, just lovely.

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  95. Love all the cards, especially the watercolored. I love color washing. I have never seen wood envelopes, will have to check that out.

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  96. Wow! I love your cards!!! I love the watercolor! So beautiful! The heart with the little hearts is so cute! thanks for the inspiration!

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  97. What fabulous cards Lydia - love the top one, and the citrus coloured one is really pretty.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  98. Great cards. thanks for sharing.

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    1. What a beautiful collection of cards you made for us. They are all gorgeous. I enjoyed your info on the cherry trees too. Don't you just love the partial cut dies?

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  99. you were busy! so many great projects from one kit!

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  100. Thanks for the card inspiration!

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  101. You are a very talented card maker and designer. Beautiful work.

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  102. Just love that die and your cards are great!!!

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  103. I love, love, love your inspiration! Yes that was a very colorful planet. I need to go back and watch that again!

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  104. Amazing work... love the citrusy hearts the best :D

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  105. Great cards, especially the first one! Thanks!

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  106. Cute Card! Thanks for sharing.

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  107. Love the pop up die and how u used them by coloring the little hearts

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  108. Beautiful cards! The background on that first one is just so pretty and I love how you painted the envelope!

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  109. What a varity of techniques and colors! Thank you for sharing.

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  110. I love the popped up dies cards... gives me ideas for some I have!

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  111. All your cards are so fabulous! The kit looks like a fun one too!

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  112. They are fabulous cards, Lydia! Love your colors and designs.

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  113. All your cards are gorgeous. The January card kit looks amazing. Thanks for all the great inspiration.

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  114. Gorgeous cards! Love those dies and your beautiful watercoloring! Great color combos!

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  115. Like your cards but especially like what you did with the wood envelope. Looks great!!

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  116. Your cards are all beautiful, I especially like the first one and that yummy watercolored background. The one with non traditional valentine colors and the envelope are special. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  117. Cute cards! Love that Barc envelope; will be interested to see how it dies in the mail.

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  118. Awesome creations & a great way to show the versatility of this kit!!

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  119. Wow! Your talents really made this kit come alive. Way to go!

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  120. Not often does one find a Trek fan in the papercrafters... thanks for the smile! I especially like the watercolored hearts and that fab envelope!

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  121. such beautiful cards. love the washes you did.

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  122. That's a great set of cards! Thanks for the inspiration. for the best 'random' placement, try adding sequins in sets of two on diagonal from each other (but not a perfect 45 degrees) or sets of three in small uneven triangles. Aim for uneven numbers in total. And I usually try to use at least two different sizes or colours per 'set'.

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  123. Love how you made the pop up hearts inside the heart and the colors you picked for your card.
    Thank you for sharing your ideas with this fabulous kit from Hero arts.

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  124. lovely cards, the hearts are amazing

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  125. Your post adds an interesting layer of beauty to an odd scene. Had I not read your words I would have never thought of that Star Trek photo as an object of art or beauty. Thanks so much for the inspiration. It may just change the way I look at everything.

    I love what you have created with the January kit.

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    1. This might actually be my favorite blog comment I've ever gotten. If you click email me in my sidebar I'd love to send you this card. Thank you!

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  126. WONDERFUL CARDS! LOVE THE NEW KIT!

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  127. The work you've done with this kit is simply amazing. I am really loving the watercolor Yellow/Blue. I think I forgot to mention that in my previous post.

    My apologies... I did not intend to double comment but couldn't let it go by without telling you how amazing your work is.

    This is an awesome kit. This is one I for sure will be purchasing as soon as the store is back up and running.

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  128. coolness--love the wood envie!

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  129. Wonderful cards! Thanks for sharing them!

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  130. Wow! Each and every project is gorgeous!

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  131. Loving your beautiful Valentines! The resist one is so soft and different.
    But I have to say the first one is my very, very, very favourite. I love all the pink and the little sparkle with the hearts.
    Thanks for sharing and inspiring! :)

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  132. Great. Love this hop with so many ideas. Thanks for sharing.

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  133. Oh wow! I love this Kit!!!! And your cards are so cuteee!!!! And this envelope!!!! Wow!

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  134. Beautiful cards! Wonderful ideas for different uses of this months kit! This kit is so amazing! I'm keeping fingers crossed, as I madly redial their phone lines to get this kit! I've been trying since it came out!!

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  135. Wow what different cards you've made but they are so beautiful xxx

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  136. Fun cards. I love the dies that just cut partways.

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  137. Gorgeous cards! I am loving your style!!!

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  138. Not only are your cards fantastic (and I need to try the wood envelope NOW), I first read your post about AT&T and was howling. Literally. We don't have AT&T in Canada but we have all the equivalents, LOL (just wait until a Canadian on the other coast corrects me, maybe we do and I just live in a happy bubble). I have been through the same drill and probably everyone else, so it was hilarious and felt righteous and just plain great. Thank you for sharing.

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  139. Wow, how impressive is this kit. It is so versatile and leands itself to so many differnt styles of cards. Love it. T xx

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  140. Your inspiration makes me smile! Cherry blossoms are so beautiful and the cards you created are, too! Thank you so much for sharing them!

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  141. Beautiful cards! I'm curious to see how the wood envelopes do in the mail also! Glad to know they take color so well!

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  142. Beautiful ...I love the wood envelopes....I can't wait to try those out.

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  143. What beautiful cards, Lydia! I especially liked the one with the watercolored hearts; they looked like little butterflies ready to take off, very creative!!!

    Thank you for the opportunity to win, this kit looks terrific and it's already sold out!!

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  144. Gorgeous cards!:))

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  145. Your cards look fab! Thanks for the inspiration!!

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  146. Wonderful cards! This kit is awesome. I love the heart dies and those pretty sequins.

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  147. I love that those wood envelopes take on colour so well! It's certainly a new and unique medium for me so it's really cool!! :) Thank you for the lovely inspiration, Lydia!

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  148. Lovely cards! I love the watercolored look!

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  149. This new release looks awesome! I'm loving the gorgeous patterned papers and sequins!!

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  150. I love your sense of humor and design :) Great cards!

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  151. Beautiful cards. Thanks for sharing.

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  152. Wonderful cards. When I first saw the heart die, I had no idea how it worked. You made it pop. pun intended.

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