I am actually sitting in front a fire while I write this post. I took a quick trip to Santa Fe for the Artisan Expo (which was amazing - more to come on that), and it was most definitely fall this week. So I built a fire every day, which was so great. I'll be heading back to the jungle temperatures about the time you'll be reading this, but right now - I'm in a wintery mood! And I hope you are too, because
the new Hero Arts Kit is AMAZING.
The
sweet little skaters in the kit reminded me of ballerinas, which makes me think of Degas, which makes me want to go all impressionist - so I did! I have a video on this first card at the end of this post, and on my YouTube channel, so stay tuned for that. But for now, just enjoy a little
Daniel Smith watercolor abstraction. The sentiment is from
the kit, and I used the
awesome shimmery ink in the kit under their skates. Hard to see here, but it's glorious in real life. Fun little scene. You can see the video at the end of this post.
| October 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit | All October Add-Ons Bundle | Fadeout No Line coloring Detail Ink | Hero Arts Intense Black Ink | Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors | Escoda Versatil Brushes, Travel Round... | Da Vinci Cosmotop Sable Mix F Brushes... | Fabriano Extra White Cold Press... | Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White | MISTI Stamping Tool | Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 | Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... | Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... | My Favorite Watercolor Sketchbook | Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth | Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... | Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 | Essentials by Ellen Storage... | Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC | Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... | Ink Off Cloth |
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Here's what
the full kit looks like - if you like it - shop now - it's only available while supplies last! Peek at my other cards featuring
the add-ons below and then get your kit!
NEXT - I have been WAITING for the PERFECT card to use this
Gel Press background on, and I finally found it with the
Ice Fishing stamp set &
matching dies. This background was actually a FAIL of something I was trying to do, but just because it didn't do what I wanted it to do doesn't mean it's not beautiful! I wanted a watery scene, and when I saw this adorable stamp set, I RAN to the UFO pile for this piece.
First, I stamped
the images in
Intense Black and colored them with
Copics. Then I cut them out with
the matching dies. I used
the ice hole die to cut through the background panel so that the
black card base could provide the depth illusion. The sentiment is from
this awesome sentiment add on. Love the fonts and the casual feel of these. They will be good all year.
| October 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit | All October Add-Ons Bundle | Ice Fishing | Ice Fishing Frame Cuts | Merry & Bright Messages | Hero Arts Intense Black Ink | Copic 12 Bold BASIC SKETCH MARKER SET... | Midnight Mixed Layering Papers (12) -... | Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White | MISTI Stamping Tool | Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 | Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... | Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... | My Favorite Watercolor Sketchbook | Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth | Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... | Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 | Essentials by Ellen Storage... | Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC | Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... | Ink Off Cloth |
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And while we are on the subject of ice - get a load of these awesome builder snowflakes from
this stamp set!!! These are fun and you have an endless number of combinations, and they are so pretty in a Scandinavian color scheme - I used
Tide Pool and
Red Royal ink. I also masked off a diagonal with
Post It tape, and used my
Life Changing Blender Brushes to brush on more
Tide Pool in the corner. Then I stamped the sentiment and tiny snowflake in
red. This would make a GREAT mass production card with the
MISTI. You could put all the blue layers on the
MISTI, stamp them, put the red layers on a second
MISTI - BOOM. Mass production.
| October 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit | All October Add-Ons Bundle | Stacking Snowflakes | "Life Changing" Blender Brush Set -... | Post-it 658 Labeling & Cover-Up Tape,... | AF223 Tide Pool Shadow Ink - Hero Arts | AF225 Red Royal Mid-Tone Shadow Ink -... | MISTI Stamping Tool | Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White | Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 | Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... | Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... | My Favorite Watercolor Sketchbook | Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth | Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... | Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 | Essentials by Ellen Storage... | Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC | Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... | Ink Off Cloth |
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Y'ALL. THERE IS A TRASH PANDA IN
THE KIT! I cracked up when I saw it! Remember those ornaments your grandmother had that had like a little inset diorama inset in them? I wanted to create that illusion with
this awesome ornament tag die in the add-ons. So I used the
Circle Infinity dies to cut a circle into the ornament die cut (from an old
Gel Press Print), and then used that die and the next smaller one to cut an inset from grey cardstock to create that illusion of the raccoon being in a little shadow box. Again, I used a sentiment from
this awesome stamp set. I stamped the trash panda in
Intense black and colored him with
Copics in like five seconds. Hey - trash pandas feel festive sometimes too, you know.
| October 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit | All October Add-Ons Bundle | Merry & Bright Messages | Ornament Tags Fancy Dies | Circle Infinity Dies (H) | Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White | Copic 12 Bold BASIC SKETCH MARKER SET... | MISTI Stamping Tool | Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 | Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... | Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... | My Favorite Watercolor Sketchbook | Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth | Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... | Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 | Essentials by Ellen Storage... | Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC | Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... | Ink Off Cloth |
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While we are talking about cutting out ornaments from
Gel Press prints, let's have one more. I did a quick
Daniel Smith wash in the background, and then die cut another ornament with
this die from a piece of copy paper that I cleaned my brayer on at my retreat. Sometimes the brayer cleaning papers are prettier than my prints! I added
a little star embellishment, and stamped the branches from
this set and
the sentiment from the kit in
Intense black. Another super quick and reproducible Christmas card!
| October 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit | All October Add-Ons Bundle | Color Layering Trimmings | Color Layering Trimmings Frame Cuts | Ornament Tags Fancy Dies | Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors | Studio Katia IRIDESCENT STARS... | Escoda Versatil Brushes, Travel Round... | Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White | Fabriano Extra White Cold Press... | MISTI Stamping Tool | Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 | Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... | Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... | My Favorite Watercolor Sketchbook | Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth | Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... | Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 | Essentials by Ellen Storage... | Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC | Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... | Ink Off Cloth |
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Have fun shopping!
I wanted to announce my
Impression Obsession winner from
this post - Denise Bryant! Use the Contact Me Form on the sidebar to get your prize redemption instructions.
If you want to see
more inspiration from this kit - check out my friend
Michelle's blog post today.
Love your cards but the red and green snowflakes are my favorite! thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLydia... you are a master. This watercolor abstraction is beautiful. This kit is amazing.
ReplyDeleteGreat cards! I loved watching the video and your loose technique... very whimsical!
ReplyDeleteLove this technique. Great cards! Can’t wait for my monthly kit to arrive!
ReplyDeleteLovely cards, love the color combo on the snowflakes, the watercolor skaters are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOMG love your cards today - so many different looks and designs :)
ReplyDeleteOh Lydia.....you made me laugh out loud when I watched your awesome video!! The bit about the abstracting the hair into a hat....LOL...now down to business.....YOUR card was just stellar!!!! I just loved it...and it did look like a painting that I would put on my wall at Christmas time. So sweet.....and Now....this Kit is the bomb! And so are those add ons....geez louise....this is gonna cost me. LOL...thanks so very much for sharing your talent.
ReplyDeleteso adorable I love the raccoon he is my favorite
ReplyDeleteFantastic cards! I never thought about changing a detailed stamp like that, it's gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteEvery single one of your cards is fabulous! I LOVE the abstract watercolor skaters and the video!!
ReplyDeleteOh Lydia - welcome home! Being in Miami I simply can’t even fathom the word fireplace LOL but your cards are absolutely breathtaking ! As an undergraduate college art minor I absolutely appreciate your Degas inspired card! TFS!
ReplyDeleteWow, lots of pretty cards! Love your gel press prints.
ReplyDeleteAlso love the tide pool & red royal colors - they have become
my favorite new Christmas color combo. Such a beautiful kit
full of so many darling images.
I sure do wish I could paint like you. Amazing piece. When I am not in a rush to get my cards finished, I will take some time and try this. Thank you for shairng
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to tell you, I thought of ballerinas also when I first saw the ice skaters.
ReplyDeleteWow. Impressive! Loved watching you create the skaters. Gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteLydia, love watching your creativity go to work in your videos. Gorgeous projects and love the abstract watercolor. And you're right, awesome HA holiday kit.
ReplyDeleteWow thanks for sharing this stunning technique. Beautiful cards!
ReplyDeleteRachelle A.
Trash Panda! Oh that is too funny! Next time I see one in real life I will have to tell my husband oh look, a trash panda! Your cards are wonderful and yes yes, I must check out your utube channel! thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe first card you made wit the skaters; oohhh I am so excited to go to the gym and watch your video later! How awesome is that card! Pretty darn awesome I must say. I like all of them, but the first and your last ones are my favs. I love purple and this ornament card is so great! I need to get a new word for great, but it really is. Love the branch silhouette in it and the glimmer! TFS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuper cool projects!! Thanks for sharing Lydia!
ReplyDeleteLove your videos - the first skater card is just gorgeous, and I'm in love with those stacking snowflakes too! TFS!
ReplyDeleteCant wait to try the watercolour look. Thanks for the video as I find watercolours are harder than they seem.
ReplyDeleteJUST WOW! You are amazing! They are all sooooo gorgeous! really like the snowflakes!
ReplyDeleteLovely card & awesome technique! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFantastic set of cards!! Awesome work! :)
ReplyDeleteYour cards are amazing. I loved the watercolor ice skaters and the boy ice fishing. The background is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing and talking us thru the watercoloring. Can't wait to get my ice fishing set! My husband loves to ice fish and I've never seen a stamp like that before!
ReplyDeleteWell, I fainted from the beauty but I'm back now. I don't have the words but remember the crunching sound when walking in snow? Crunch crunch crunch crunch. Remember how the insides of your nose would literally dry up instantly? Like if you don't inhale with your mouth open, your nostrils will just close up like a life preserving reflex? Since having a permanent hot flash for 20 yrs now and living in Hawai'i, I dream of laying down in the snow. I could melt upstate NY with my body heat alone. The ice skaters have found their ways into my heart here. Because they look like me, as I skated as a child, dreaming I could be Peggy Flemming. :*
ReplyDeleteYou are a very creative artist! I wish I could do abstract stamping. Your cards are lovely!!
ReplyDeleteLove this! Can’t wait to try it out
ReplyDeleteAll your cards are beautiful, but I especially love the snowflake card. The colors are striking and one of my favorite combinations.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the video. I love the watercolor skaters! Beautiful cards and inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI love your creations!!! Outstanding!!! Thank you for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteThis kit has been amazing but I was particularly glad to see the ice fishing. My son and grandsons love to fish and this would be perfect for them.
ReplyDeleteThis was the best blog posts of the whole blog hop!
ReplyDeleteI really want to use that raccoon! Putting him on an ornament is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of inspiration. Great use of Gelli prints too as backgrounds and die cuts. Love your impressionist skaters. Thanks for shsring
ReplyDeleteAwesome Xmas cards!!! It's really a magical kit!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this new set so much! So many good ideas!
ReplyDeleteWow! Great cards. Thanks for the video.
ReplyDeleteYou make that look so easy but I can't believe I could create what you did! I want to try it though and need to get some of that Fade Out Ink, but until I do I may try it with some light gray. Thanks for sharing your talent!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are gorgeous, all beautiful and all different. Love your watercolor one.
ReplyDeleteWow, Lydia! Your cards are all so amazing, and you have a beautiful collection too! Each one is stunning! My favorite is the watercolor skaters! What a pretty idea! Love them all!
ReplyDeleteSo many great designs in this release and you've chosen some of the best!
ReplyDeleteWow. I really enjoyed seeing your creations using this kit and some of the add-ons. Thanks for the video.
ReplyDeleteLovely holiday projects!
ReplyDeleteCool impressionist card. Cute new card kit.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work, Lydia! Love each one of your cards and the video was so much fun to watch!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. This is such a great card kit for the holidays.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...
I bow to your watercolor mastery -- oh, if I could just do this, too! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteVery talented
ReplyDeletelove your little Degas skating ballerina's! Know exactly what you mean about remembering about snow....not fondly!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are awesome ! Your work with colors is really amazing.
ReplyDeleteI say this to you, while I’m entering for a giveaway, YOU WIN! (Actually we all do because of you, but more on that momentarily.) If creativity outside the box is a competition, then you have none (at least as far as I’ve seen. Every single creation I’ve viewed has been striking in its own right but yours SCREAMS creativity and imagination. That impressionistic stamped image is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteNow back to us... we as viewers all win for we got to witness an amazing technique that, as you said, stretches us and our stamps! I suppose I shan't speak for others, but I truly feel so many of us could really grow by employing this watercoloring technique. I thank you for that idea and guidance.
Hero Art kits are the first kits I’ve subscribed to because I wasn’t sure I wanted to be “just like everyone else” but in the ways you and the others have created, I see there isn’t any chance of that. I’m living my kits and this one will prove to be my favorite so far. I know that already.
Your cards also took me back to another time and place where I adopted some of my kids, took them ice fishing and camping in winter, enjoyed the snow and humongous Christmas celebrations. Thanks for that, too!
Great ideas with the kit.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful and serene cards Lydia! Love all of these gorgeous images!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are amazing. Wish I could make the abstract like good like yours. I’ll keep trying. Thanks enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteWow. Your watercolor card is just amazing!! Wish I could be one percent of artist like you
ReplyDeleteGreat cards. Really diggin' the snowflakes.
ReplyDeleteHero Arts definitely hit the mark with this kit and the extras, it's all "must have" lol. I love the variety of styles and types of cards you came up with for this kit. I have a Gel Press I've never used and you inspired me to get that out and work on some backgrounds but you also gave me so many ideas to work with using this kit. Thank you for sharing and the inspiration! (mardy14@bellsouth.net)
ReplyDeleteI love learning new techniques. Thanks so much for sharing your talent!
ReplyDeleteYour ideas are always awesome and these cards show how talented you are. I love them all and my favorite is the ice fishing and that "trash panda" just cracked me up. Such a fun card!
ReplyDeleteSo festive- and that raccoon is darling!!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are gorgeous! With the Skater's card, you definitely achieved an abstract view of them with your watercolors. Great job!
ReplyDeletevery nice cards and beautiful backgrounds
ReplyDeleteLove all your cards, especially the Watercolor Abstraction! Such a fun variation :)
ReplyDeleteWow! A real variety of great cards! Love the ice fishing and the skaters in paint!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a wonderful collection of cards! Amazing inspiration using the new kit and add on items. I absolutely love your skaters, so lovely and ethereal!
ReplyDeleteLove the abstract look of that first card!
ReplyDeleteI like your creative card designs.
ReplyDeleteThese cards are beautiful
ReplyDeleteLove the little guy ice-fishing, it's so cute!
ReplyDeleteLove your watercolor skater!but that ice fishing boy is toooo cute! Now i need to order that!
ReplyDeleteall your cards are fabulous... really love the first one.. so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great card front! I am going to have too look at my stamps differently now. Thanks for sharing how to do this.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful projects. Love
ReplyDeletethe little boy ice fishing. My
husband and son are fishermen (don't
think they'd sit on the ice but
they do go out in cold weather).
this would be a great card for them.
thanks for sharing
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi, thanks for teaching the abstraction technique! Something different that looks great!
ReplyDeleteWow, these are lovely. Love the abstract watercolour card!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome kit... love all of your makes!
ReplyDeleteThese are cool cards. Love the ice fishing one. :)
ReplyDeleteLove your projects using the kit so much!
ReplyDeleteFabulous cards... I watched the video for the first card... wow
ReplyDeleteLove love love the water coloring of the skaters!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat kit, awesome creations, I especially love the little ice fisherman!
ReplyDeleteYour cards and ideas are amazing! This kit looks fabulous. Thanks for sharing with us on this fun blog hop!!
ReplyDeleteThe water coloring is so pretty on these!
ReplyDeleteLoved the video, great tips for both painters and Starbucks enthusiast. Thank you for sharing, Lydia.
ReplyDeleteAnd that’s one more incredible set of cards !! Thanks for sharing your talent. Love, Marjorie
ReplyDelete[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]