Monday, October 3, 2016

So Quiet, It Wakes You Up

I remember in college when that first snowstorm would come. I could be sound asleep (the first one always seemed to come at night), and the SILENCE of the snow would wake me up as immediately as a loud noise would.

I loved that first say of puffy, white, clean quiet too.

It's amazing how perfect everything looks under a blanket of overly chilled water.

I wouldn't go back to a snowy climate for all the brisket in the world, but there was magic in it for sure. No other weather event silences the world like snow. And silence is hard to come by.

Since snow can't get me if it's on my cards, I was squealing like a maniac when I got my My Monthly Hero Kit this month. I have wanted a snowy die for my northern lights/galaxy backgrounds basically since I was BORN! Seriously - in the nursery when I was a baby, I totally used sign language to communicate to my parents that when I grew up, I was going to need a snow die. I might sleep with this die under my pillow. I might sleep with the whole kit under my pillow. It's so pretty and I don't want anyone to steal it!

The first card was exactly what I wanted, and I'm not gonna lie, I love it. I love it a lot.

I just used my wash brush to wet the piece of watercolor paper and then I added various colors of Schmincke watercolor. Then I went back with black watercolor in spots to give it the night sky feel. Oh, if only our night skies were turquoise and green and violet!

Then I cut that down to a 3" wide strip (so I have a sky leftover for another card) and ran it through the Big Shot with the Snow Drifts Fancy Die.

I cut a white circle for some snowy ground with my Layering Circles framelits and glued that to the watercolor piece.

Then I stamped and fussy cut the critters from the Winter Time Fun stamp set (that's an add-on to the kit). They do have matching dies as an add-on as well.

I colored them with Copics (listed below under the last card).

Seriously - I know it's my card, but is that not the cutest? I love it. It will be hard to let this go through the mail to a new home, not gonna lie!

THEN I had an ACCIDENT with another add-on - the Skylines Fancy Dies - two really pretty silhouettes - a city skyline and a suspension bridge.

I had this concept in my mind for an interactive card with the skyline die, and it didn't work the way I envisioned, so I was just staring despondently at the positive and negative pieces and trying to solve my problem, when I realized that the negative die cut looked just like....


wait for it...

MONUMENT VALLEY

So I ran back to the Big Shot and cut a negative from watercolor paper and watercolored it a gorgeous desert orange, and watercolored another sheet in all blue. I put them together and nearly fainted. It looks just like my beloved, beloved desert.
EEEEEK that makes my eyes happy! And I am always thinking of the desert, so there you go! PS - the sentiment here and below is from the Prayers set.

I know that they did not intend anything of the kind with this beautiful, holiday kit, but I love things that turn out to have multiple uses - especially stuff I can use all year. So many possibilities.

LIKE THIS. SERIOUSLY I'M YELLING.

links to supplies
The kit comes with a package of heavy duty acetate - (8) 5x6 sheets. (They also sell a package of 20, and a package of (20) 3 x 4.75" sheets if you like to make shakers) So I thought I'd try something with the actual skyline - again a negative, but right side up this time. So I ran it through the Big Shot and then dropped alcohol ink on the back in my three favorite colors. ZOWIE.

To adhere it, I used an old Whole Foods gift card and my gloss gel medium all over the inked side and then compressed it for a while to bond it. Love that look of minerals or gems. So pretty. I try really hard to use other colors of my alcohol inks but I gravitate to these. You know me and my primaries.



So they were nice enough to let me hop along with them today, and I can't wait to see what other people did with the kit! These are some talented ladies, and as usual, Hero is giving away a kit, so be sure to visit all of my friends for a chance to win!


The Hero Arts Blog
Alice Wertz
Amy Tsuruta
Clare Prezzia
Debby Hughes
Heather Ruwe
Jennifer McGuire
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Kathy Racoosin
Kimberly Crawford
Laura Bassen
Lydia Fiedler
Mariana Grigsby
May Park
Virginia Lu
Yana Smakula
Libby Hickson
Loveyameanitbye.

197 comments:

  1. Wow total feast for the eyes today! Monument Valley for sure! And I agree with you about the wonderful silence of a snowstorm......but then we disagree.....I can't wait for the first one to arrive this winter! 😄

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  2. Oh WOW you have totally rocked this kit, I love the Monument Valley scene so much. :) ( I never would have thought of that)

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  3. Snow..pretty for maybe 10 minutes then I'm done, had enough. So glad I've not seen or been in it for near 30 yrs now. Ok, cards....wow, love that night sky! And be still my heart! I miss seeing the desert and your monument valley card is drop dead gorgeous!! And a city skyline in all white, different but I like it. Hugs

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  4. I saw a preview of this set and NEED IT!!!!! I agree about the silence! I try n work grave shift during winter because IF we get snow it's like the apocalypse has hit and I'm all alone in a beautiful snowy world!

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  5. Such a unique way of using the background die and the night time sky colors , looks like the northern lights 😆

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  6. Love this kit. What fun surprises to send out to family and friends.

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  7. WOW - beautiful cards. Love the desert one - so creative!

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  8. Love your pretty cards--the backgrounds are amazing and love monument valley!

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  9. Amazing cards and all the emotions and spirit they bring .. just wonderful! :)

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  10. Oh, so colorful- like northern lights!

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  11. I love to read your posts, they tell such wonderful stories of how you see the world. And at the end you have these beautiful cards they show us how you see the world. Truly wonderful, thanks for sharing!

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  12. WOW!! Mesmerizing and hypnotic. Your use of colors is truly inspirational!

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  13. Oh my goodness I love everything about your post!!! I totally agree and miss that first silent snowfall, I loved those days when I lived in the frozen north. And MONUMENT VALLEY!!! Wow, you are such a clever lady. LOVE how the alcohol inks look on acetate, too. WOW!!

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  14. I love your cards, and I can't wait to get my hands on the October kit. So fun!

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  15. Now, THAT a very good use of color! I'm LOVIN' it!!!

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  16. Very dramatic cards! I love them! The background snow card is amazing but the two skylines are awesome!! Love this kit!!

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  17. Totally freaking awesome! I love your card but I AM IN LOVE with the negative die cuts. They are brilliant!

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  18. Oh. My. Word. Your cards are STUNNING!!! You are so blessed to have such a creative mind!

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  19. What an amazing use of negative space! So creative.

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  20. Just love all your cards, Lydia, and hey - making what inspires you certainly inspired me! That Monument Valley card looks amazing!!

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  21. Wow I would never have thought to use the negative die cut to create you gorgeous card, love all of them.

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  22. Don't you just love happy accidents. All of your cards are really cool.

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  23. OMG!!! Your Monument Valley card is out of this world A M A Z I N G ! ! What a GENIUS idea! I love the first one too but the out of the box thinking of the second one is truly amazing! TFS!

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  24. Lydia, you are so brilliant, you burned my retinas all the way here in Tennessee! Jaw-dropping lay gorgeous Monument Valley. And I don't even LKE the desert!

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  25. How cute!!! Love the idea. Thanks for sharing

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  26. Great projects. Love the scene in the snow globe. I LOVE the snow. I couldn't live anywhere where it didn't snow. You're right, the silence of a snowfall is like no other.

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  27. Beautiful cards! Love the Northern Lights! You are so artistic and really think out of the box. I'm new to your blog and really enjoyed all that I was reading! Enjoying watching your 'crafty chats' as well. What an awesome kit this is. Thank you for taking the time to share with all of us.

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  28. Love the very vivid colors in the projects.

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  29. Your snowstorm reminds me of Home in Alaska. Really love all that snow.

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  30. So creative! Way to think outside the box with this kit!

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  31. Bob Ross always said there were no mistakes, only happy accidents.
    Looks like you had a happy accident that got you a picture of
    your dessert.
    Wonderful cards.
    thanks for sharing.

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  32. Wow amazing! I love the desert card! So unique!

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  33. Wow! Your use of colors is amazing. It awakens my senses!

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  34. Love it when people come up with completely different ways to use their supplies. Monument valley is amazing.

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  35. I love your story - such passion! And, how you saw the desert in that die is a testament to your amazing creativity. Gorgeous cards!

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  36. Amazing cards. I really love it when there is an alternative way to use stamps and dies. Thanks for the desert!

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  37. Beautiful. I can understand sleeping with it under the pillow.

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  38. love these--and the last one is so cool!

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  39. What a great Kit..and the add-ons! Great cards!

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  40. Wow! So vivid, need to try out your ideas. Thank you!

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  41. Oh wow the northern lights card is magical!!!! Love how you manage to see beyond the original use of supplies!

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  42. lovely cards Lydia - another wonderful HA kit!!

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  43. Very creative and unique work! Great job! :)

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  44. Love reading your stories and observations! Your cards are all amazing and I love how clever and creative you were. Hero Arts created a great kit and you really put it to amazing use!

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  45. Love the Northern Lights feel to that first card. What an original variation on the background die. Thanks for sharing!

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  46. Loved all cards, but your first one reminded me of an aurora borealis with those hues, quite beautiful!

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  47. Love the backgroundsnow you created. Nice!

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  48. Love the background reminds me of the northern lights. Great job.

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  49. Your work is always amazing and love your stories too:)
    Awesome cards....you always rock colors!

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  50. Genius! I guess that's thinking upside down in the box.

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  51. Wow, what a fun line up of cards. All so different & an amazing use of the dies & stamps. Love your desert card. Thanks so much.

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  52. Great projects. I love this kit and will be making my Christmas cards with it this year.

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  53. I love love your background on your first card!! Oh heck I actually truly love them all!!! They are fabulous!!!

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  54. Wow... great cards...color and combinations... !!

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  55. fabulous set of cards... love the clever way you used the die on the second card!

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  56. Oh what gorgeous cards. Love the robust colors! Thanks so much.

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  57. I got to visit Monument Valley about 12 years ago and your card is amazing! I love your other cards too.

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  58. What fun reading your process, truly beautiful night sky, like aurora borealis. The desert card, stunning! I'm from NM so it reminded me of home. Love the colors in the third card as well. Waiting for another crafty chat!

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  59. Wonderful cards, nice bright colors. Love the coloring of the animals.

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  60. Wow you did something so cool with the Monument Valley card! Very creative! I also love your watercolory backgrounds/sky on all your cards.

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  61. Your cards are a wonderful inspiration!

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  62. OMG...your cards are all so unique and beautifully created! I must admit, when I first looked at the last card with all the colors, I couldn't figure out what it had to do with the new products, but when I looked closer and saw the city skyline, I had to laugh at myself for having missed it the first time....super cool!

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  63. Cute critter card and love how you got two different style cards with one die!

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  64. If you feel the need to part with that alcohol ink card I will gladly take it off your hands, it is fabulous!! I never buy kits but I am with you about this one, there are so many perfect things in it

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  65. all 3 cards are just beautiful but the third one. that one with the colors just did it for me. amazing card. I love the first snow fall the beauty of it on the trees and homes, but then I am done with all the snow we get.

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  66. Great color choices. I also love the desert landscape--who would have thought a city skyline would make a desert landscape? You definitely think outside the box. :->

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  67. Amazing cards. Thanks for sharing.

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  68. Wow! Love the monument valley!

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  69. Gorgeous use of colors!! Your Nature listens reminded me of the Northern lights!

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  70. Ha! Always love reading your blog!😊Your projects are so pretty and I can almost feel that peaceful and serene setting.

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  71. Your cards are really inspirational. Beautiful shading.

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  72. wow! gorgeous colors and super creative!

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  73. Happy, happy accident! But it takes a creative mind to see what you did.

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  74. I love how you showed non-holiday ways to use the kit!

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  75. Beautiful cards and that really does look like Monument Valley. Great job, thanks for sharing with us.

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  76. Monument Valley. You are genius! The first card is my favorite. So adorable!

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  77. Wow, such creativity, you blew this kit out of the water!!!! I can feel your excitement and I would be too with so much crafting mojo flowing like that :)

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  78. Super creative cards! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  79. Holy, shmoley! The Monument Valley card is spot on, what a genius revelation! The critter card is adorable! It looks like they are enjoying the aurora borealis. Your alcohol on acetate skyline has inspired me.

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  80. I love your nighttime skies...very cool and unique! Love this new kit!

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  81. Love both these awesome cards! The cute critters looking up at the snow is so adorable & the desert look has the most amazing colors! I am not ready for snow yet either as I LOVE fall! Right now there is a huge thunderstorm here so maybe snow would be better! :)

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  82. You were on a roll having fun with this kit!

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  83. Amazing colors and details! Great use of this lovely kit!

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  84. Great thinking outside the box. Perfect desert.

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  85. Love the intensity of the watercolor. Fabulous!

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  86. Very unique cards, and beautiful. thanks for sharing

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  87. I simply adore your cards the first one with the animals is to die for!!!! Your backgrounds are AWESOME!!! and I love reading the silly way you write , too cute and funny an I just wanted to answer you back!!!

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  88. Your hysterical! I love what you did with the desert scene and them using it upside down! Great inspiration, thanks.

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  89. Such pretty projects! The Monument Valley one is so clever!

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  90. You made me "ooh!" out loud with that background because it made me think of aurora borealis! It's so pretty with the critters looking!! And I'm glad to see you found a use for year round; great idea!

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  91. I like the top card and how the colors turned out on the back ground.

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  92. Really great cards Lydia. Im having a hard time picking a favorite. I love them Tfs

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  93. Awesome cards, love your watercolor technique

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  94. WOW. Just really - totally wowed here
    These cards are amazing and so original! I LOVE your "accident" - just to prove that imagination can solve anything ;)

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  95. Love your cards and ideas on how to use this kit. I cannot wait for it to arrive.

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  96. Your cards are great. The backgrounds are stunning.

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  97. Oh my goodness - what a beautiful trio of cards! Love the contrast between the snowy night sky and the blue blue of the desert sky! And the abstract painty upside-down skyline is genius!

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  98. Oh wow!!! Your cards are really gorgeous!!!

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  99. I am like you, like snow from a very far distance...on cards especially, lol...wonderfully done!

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  100. What joyously colorful cards! Love how you took something that didn't match your vision and turned it into something just as fantastic!

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  101. OMG your cards rock - Monument Valley? seriously this is too awesome for words LOL:)

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  102. WOW, such great cards Lydia, very creative use of your die!

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  103. Wow these projects are so inspiring, you really rocked using this kit!!!!

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  104. All of these are awesome - but I totally relate to the first snowfall and love your card. Back when my dog was alive, I was so excited by the first snow and would be up and out walking at 6 am. The stillness, the softness, the quiet and a cute little Lhasa Apso rolling in the snow made a great beginning to any day.

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  105. Such a creative use of the die cut. Your cards are lovely.

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  106. Love your cards, thanks for the inspiration.

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  107. What gorgeous cards! You have really shown the versatility of this kit. Your cards are beautiful.

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  108. Beautiful, beautiful cards! Thanks for sharing and stay blessed!

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  109. Beautiful cards! I love the versatility of this set!

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  110. I just LOVE being able to use my negatives as something else. Sometimes it comes out better! lol Awesome cards! The last one ... stunning BG colors.

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  111. Wow! What creative ideas for using these products! You definitely showed their versatility! Absolutely awesome! Thanks for sharing!

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  112. Your fun blog made me smile and I do love all of your cards.The Hero Arts kit and you make a good team! :)

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  113. I love the fluffy snowflakes :)
    And the colors you used on your cards are gorgeous !
    Thank you for sharing your wonderful talents :)

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  114. Very unique and pretty! Thank you for sharing these with us!

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  115. Gotta love happy accidents especially when they turn out as pretty as your cards did.

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  116. Wowzers! Those are just stunning!

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  117. Just goes to show that we need to look at our dies from every angle to see what they have to offer. Thanks for sharing!

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  118. Oh my! Just love your beautiful cards.

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  119. I love snow, especially when it's so much that you have to stay home, and especially when all my kids are safe and sound at their homes too!! :-) I love these cards, and what you did with these dies!!

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  120. Oh wow! I am truly shocked at this amazing "Northern Lights" sky you have created in your first card using the Hero Arts newly released monthly kit. These little critters looking at this fabulous sky is so darned cute too! And your desert card - wow! I am almost speechless (and that rarely happens). I love the inspiration you have shared in showing just how versatile this wonderful kit is! Thank you! ~Karen M.

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  121. Your colour combinations rock. Thank you for the inspiration and to Hero Arts for this amazing prize

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  122. Perfect!!! Don't you just love it when you "see" something. Nothing like that sweet surge of energy. O course you had to go paint it right away. I totally get that--it's why my house is a mess. Some days you can't stop. You really can't stop. And it's stunningly beautiful. I love the desert too. Never lived there, but I think it's amazing. And... not humid!!!

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  123. Unique and creative use of the supplies in this kit, very nice.

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  124. I absolutely love the last card you posted. That is what I call ART! I'd frame that.

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  125. All are great cards. Very creative use of the products.

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  126. Great cards! I love the waste images from die sets - they can be very useful! The colors in your alchohol inked card are lovely!

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  127. Love the boldness of these cards, what masterful backgrounds!!!

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  128. Very pretty cards. I love how you used the city die for mountains. So cool!!

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  129. Wow! No wonder those little baby animals are looking up -- the snow is really coming down! I also loved your creativity with the desert card! Both cards are fabulous! Thanks for sharing!

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  130. LOVE that you found other uses for your dies and colors! I really like how your night sky turned out!

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  131. I just love the way the first card reminds me of the northern lights!!

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  132. Awesome cards. So much cuteness on your first card.

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  133. Wow! Your cards are very creative and unique!

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  134. Lydia, you amazed me with your unique and creative use of supplies. You crack me up, too- I love your fun expressions. What a great kit to win! Thanks so much for sharing with us and for participating in this great hop and giveaway.

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  135. So beautiful-love the saying on the first card!!

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  136. AWESOME cards & I love your monument valley! I love these little critters! and the dies! I'm so bummed that I was too late to order the Kit!

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  137. love your cards, so unique. thanks for sharing

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  138. You're cards are gorgeous! I love what you do with colors!

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  139. WOW! Your cards are beautiful. You really used the kit and add-on. This Hero Arts kit and add-ons are a must have.

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  140. I really loved all your cards. My favorite was the snow sky.

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  141. Awesome projects and love how you used the product so differently. My favorite is the last one with the beautiful colors. Thanks for sharing.

    Linda D.

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  142. Such a beautiful card! Love those cute little animals, too! The colors are so gorgeous in all 3 cards!

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  143. You have some mad watercolor skills! Love ALL of these cards.

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  144. I too love how calm the world feels when it is snowing. Amazing project. Love the monument valley card. I would have never seen that. Thanks for the inspiration

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  145. Wowsers!!!! Love the monument cards, so much color!

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  146. All of these cards are amazing, but the desert 'oops' is Def my favorite. Great ideas!

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  147. All of your cards are gorgeous!!! I love the alcohol ink card, stunning!!!

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  148. These cards look great! Thanks for sharing them!

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  149. Oh that desert scene is superb! Well done!

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  150. I love all of your cards. Brilliant!

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  151. Such pretty cards - love this new kit.

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  152. Beautiful cards! Your technique is is really clever. tfs

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  153. Love your watercolors. Beautiful cards!! Thanks for sharing!

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  154. That is so cool how you changed something that wasn't going your way into a gorgeous new card!

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  155. Brilliant, beyond brilliant! I'm awestruck!

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  156. Love the colors you used...the skyline in orange/rust that looks like the southwest...clever!!

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  157. Wow Lydia! Holy gettin' outta da box on this one, Batgirl! Northern lights, the desert and an unbelievable techno color skyline card! You dun brung it this month! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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  158. I could use all these animals on my cards.

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  159. What creativity!! I absolutely love how you used the negative piece to recreate Monument Valley!

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  160. I love the background on your winter card! Oh my gosh, that is so cool! I know what you mean about that card being so cool that you hate to give it away. Maybe you should make another one to keep for yourself? Your cards are so pretty and I would love to win the stamp kit that made your card since I can't afford to buy it myself. You did a really nice job on everything!

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  161. Wow!!!!!! Love the cards!! Especially the desert one, great way to stretch the dies

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  162. I see as of today you have 198 comments on this post! Swoon, your desert made me swoon. There's nothing that speaks to me quite like the desert and this card captures the drama of the West.

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