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Monday, September 21, 2020

The Monster Under the Bed + Giveaway

*Compensated affiliate links used where possible at zero cost to you. No posts are ever sponsored or paid.*

I was a child who believed in monsters. 

It's so funny to see all the memes about Gen X kids and the coronavirus. All of us who spent 18 hours a  day outside, drinking hot hose water and exploring dangerous territories unsupervised are amused at the renewed attention to our childhoods. We lived on our imaginations - no TV at my house, and none of my friends, like me, were allowed inside the house during the day. We thrive on our own, and seem to be built for this crisis. We are never happier than when left to our own devices, and because we grew up media-free - we developed passions (aka hobbies and interests) that we just want to focus on to the exclusion of everything else. It was the "rub some dirt on it" generation, and that's what we find ourselves doing now - rubbing some dirt on it. 

My friend David and I had pretty vivid imaginations, and probably because of those generational quirks and the terrors of the time - nuclear war, etc. - many of our stories we concocted revolved around supernatural threats of some kind, fueled by the only movie that was ever on TV - Jason and the Argonauts. 

There was a small patch of woods within walking distance with a pond. We spent a lot of time there, and I was 100% convinced a witch lived there. On our summer driving vacations, I would frequently scream out that there were bears all around us. We never saw a bear.

Our house was a two-story, and at the top of the stairs, there was a tiny, very hot linen closet with a stack of blankets in it that went nearly to the sloped ceiling. If it was raining, I would climb up to the top of the stack, close the door and read Nancy Drew books for hours, and hear our creaky stairs creak, and wonder what was coming up to get me. If you haven't read THIS story, you need to see why it wasn't just my imagination that made me believe in monsters! They were REAL. (This tiny closet by the way, is probably part of the reason I fall asleep in MRI tubes - they don't bother me at all.)

This all informs my love of all things monster. Some of my earliest blog posts were monster stamps - and I still own every monster stamp I've ever bought. I just love them.

So what an exciting day for kids and those of us who are still kids at heart - Hero Arts is launching a kit for kids today - and it's FULL of monsters!

Has there ever been a better time for an activity like this, I ask all you parents turned teachers? I think not! 

As a former teacher, what I love about this kit is it's an imagination exercise - not just something to do, like coloring. There are a big stack of coloring sheets in the kit, but the kiddies can then customize those sheet with the coordinating tub of stamps - this month - MONSTERS! So every child will have a completely difference scene for each sheet that they create. That is absolutely the best!

I had SO much fun creating my spooky bedroom scene, which you will see in my video below! I love these little creatures so, so much.


Here is the video, (click here to watch in HD on YouTube) and come back below for the full kit and a giveaway! 



HK100 Hero Kids Monster Kit
[ HA ]
LP438 Monster Ink 'n' Stamp - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
Monster Bedroom Bold Prints
[ HA ]
Bedroom Monsters Stamp Set
[ HA ]
LP438 Monster Ink 'n' Stamp - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
Party Monsters Stamp Set
[ HA ]
AF334 Strawberry Bold Ink - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
AF219 Orange Neon Ink Pad
[ HA ]
AF344 Green Apple Bold Ink
[ HA ]
AF341 Indigo Bold Ink - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
AF337 Orchid Bold Ink - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
Pre-Cut & Scored Cardstock
[ CTC ]
Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05...
[ SSS ]
Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473
[ SSS ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for...
[ BRG ]
Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC
[ ELH | SSS ]
Crafter's Companion GEMINI...
[ SSS ]
Scor-Pal MINI SCOR-BUDDY Scoring...
[ SSS ]
Essentials by Ellen Storage...
[ ELH ]
Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets...
[ CHC ]
XL Stamp Storage Pockets
[ ELH ]
Mermaid tidy towel case and glue...
[ ETS ]
Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045
[ SSS | CST ]
Airtable: Organize your stamps & dies
[ ART ]
Hero Arts Blog
[ HA ]


Here's what comes in the full kit - the ink & stamp tub of monsters (this can also be purchased separately here), the 12 coloring pages, googly eyes, super washable markers and ink cubes and ten of these sweet die cut monsters with the little eyes stamp! Like the adult kits, these are while supplies last and will sell out, so pre-order yours! 

There are three add-ons this month (add-ons will stay in the store) - the coordinating cling background that I show in my video:

Then these two clear sets - I LOVE THE WILD RUMPUS SENTIMENT in this one.
And then this little bedroom monster set.

What a sweet little style these have. 

Giveaway: We will give away one $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, September 27th at 11:59pm pacific, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

Hero Arts & team:
Loveyameanitdontforgettocheckunderthebedbye.

CURRENT COUPON CODES
15% off anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15.
10% off the whole store at A Colorful Life Designs - LydiaFan10
5% off at LBC here with code LYDIA5
Phone stand for filming link below in the banner - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

32 comments:

  1. Lydia, I'm smiling :) I read your blog post - twice! Mainly because your story is my own - growing up in times that were carefree and innocent - riding our bikes and playing outdoors all day from sunup to sundown ... the rule was stick with your brother and be home before dark! Now, I wouldn't DARE with my 4 kids! YOUR CARD ,,,,,, you are a master with color! I love the nod to blue (smile!) and the adorable pops of color. Just delightful!

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  2. Oh how adorable is this!!! My 6 year old would LOVE this soooo much!!! I love your scene also!!! Came together super quick!!! Thanks for sharing!! Big Hugs!!

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  3. Oh my gosh! Way too cute for words!

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  4. I love your monsters highlighted in the dark!

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  5. OMG Lydia—you lived my life! My daddy had to walk my elementary school friend home (about five houses) because we were afraid little green men from Mars would get her! I could never sleep with a closet door opened because monsters lived in there! I played outside from dawn to dusk (without my shoes that I hid in a hollow in a tree). On cold rainy days, I read Nancy Drew or worked on my crafts. Thank you SO for reliving my childhood with me.BTW—that kit is adorable. I would have loved it as a child!
    Sandye

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  6. I was right there with you walking down memory lane. Your words evoked many memories of childhood days. I love this monster kit too and your creation. At night can be scary and you portrayed it so well.

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  7. I love your take on this card kit! Very cute what you did with the blue & pops of color! I love this kit, it’s perfect for my little niece! She called me from a video app just so I could “teach” her how to make cards & envelops, after I sent her one of my handmade cards. Since living hours apart she & I have been having so much fun sending each other happy mail! I will have to order this & have it sent to her!💜

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  8. I love what you did with the kit!! So super cute! Might need to get this kit to play with next time I see my nephew he loves monsters!

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  9. This is such a cute idea, love the monster under the bed!

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  10. Great card! And I always love your stories! We didn't have TV until I was 12, so I grew up spending days outside and reading books at night with a flashlight. Stephen King was one of my favorites!

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  11. I enjoyed reading your story. Your card is just amazing, love the spooky scene.

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  12. It definitively was a better time growing up as a kid when I was younger - life was not so complicated - we developed our own imagination by being sparked by reading books - such as Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and oh the outdoor fun- bikes, trikes, neighbor outside activities, climbing trees, making forts, I could go on and on---- this is a fun monster kid for kids of all ages - going to make-believe land and enjoying the ride with coloring and google eyes - glow in the dark ink - TFS your story and art! Have a blessed day!

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  13. If monsters can be lovely, then your scene truly is! Love that blue. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  14. AHHHH how cool! LOVE THE GLOW EFFECT!

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  15. I love how you made the monsters glow in the dark.

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  16. I love how you made the monsters glow in the dark.

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  17. Awesome creation, just a little spooky. Great kit!

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  18. You are so inventive and creative. GREAT idea to make the monsters GLOW

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  19. Your glee about monsters and spooky things worries me maybe just a little ;) Fun project!

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  20. A great set with so many uses! I just love the wonderful glow your room scene has!! So cool! Thanks for the great inspiration! Take care! :)

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  21. Fun post and I love your blue monster bedroom. So cool from one lover of blue to another. Hugz

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  22. Hey lil red dude! Cute cute glowing cute! Still smiling. Thanks. I love the add ons do much. Fun! 🦀🦖🐛🐦

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  23. Thanks for showing the whole kit on your video- it’s so cute! I love the glow on your monsters!

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  24. Kudos to hero Arts for coming up
    with a kit for the kids. Stuck
    away from friends, this will be
    a fun way to while away the hours.
    Love your card. thanks for
    sharing. txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  25. Fun scene. this kit is great for the imagination.

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