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Thursday, May 20, 2021

MIA: Summer 2021 + Giveaway

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

We are having the strangest spring - just like we had the strangest weather. It's been cooler longer than I remember in the last 31 years! I'm not complaining about cool weather in a Texas spring in the least - don't get me wrong. It's just odd. Even odder, despite how cool it is - THE MOSQUITOS ARE THRIVING. 

Seriously - it's like a malaria horror movie down here. So even though it's cool out, it's not a great time to be outside. But my plant loss total went down by one last week, as a "dead" shrimp plant that I had transplanted with some seedum that was too close to it to separate from the dead stick and roots sprang to life! So now I'm down to just one ginger plant, two blue plumbagos, and my orange tree. My selloum is unfurling itself and looking amazing. 

To cheer myself during the depressing aftermath of the storm, I got some new plants that are also doing well - new plumbagos, a new orange tree from my sister who also dug up a HUGE shrimp plant and some arugula out of her yard for me. Immediately after planting those we had a week of rain, so they really bucked up and settled in. Then two chile pequins (our large bush died mysteriously and suddenly a few years ago), and some bulbs that I haven't seen hide nor hair of yet.

I'm ready for summer and some distance between me and that storm. 

Today's cards, not by coincidence - are all from the new Hero Arts Summer Catalog - these are some of  the cards you will see in the catalog - that is always so exciting for me to see them in print. I happen to be growing strawberries right now in my Click & Grow in my craft annex, along with my lettuces, dill and a few other things that don't do well outdoors here but that I eat all the time. Strawberries are a point of Texas pride, as the Poteet Strawberry Festival is a required bit of knowledge in all Texas history classes in public school. So this new color layering strawberry set is on point!

I used the neons to build my berries. Neon Yellow, Red and Green for the base layers - and then Forever Green and Red Royal for the shading layers. It's so bright and happy. I love how the way the stamp is designed, it just leaves white space for the blossoms. Cute. The background was created with the new checkerboard bold print - doesn't it remind you of a racing flag?? - and circle infinity dies.


When I showed you the new Looking Glass dies earlier in the month, I was sitting on my hands about the ones in the catalog - because I had worked on this catalog in the early spring and couldn't wait to show these. I used them with the mini peekabo doors die to create a layered, dimensional vignette on my card rather than a window opening. At that time the alignment stencil wasn't out yet, so the Peekaboo dies were perfect for alignment! This Canyonlands scene reminds me so much of Santa Fe, and I love this scene. I want to do it again the warm reds and oranges of the southwest.



For the tulip looking glass die, I felt super compelled to watercolor it. I painted the background with Daniel Smith watercolor and lifted the clouds, and then painted each layer. Such a sweet little shadowbox type feel, these have. 



Yesterday on my live we were talking about sea creatures, and how scary Jaws was when it first came out. I remember the hype around sharks and killer whales, and I love them both for that reason. But who says they have to be realistic colors? I chose Neon Pink for my killer whale! The background is the one from above, just tilted and cut with infinity dies


You know what I'm REALLY ready for? BRISKET. It's literally been a year since we smoked one - we like to do a whole one and freeze it - it's a 15 hour process, so you want to be able to eat it for a while - so it will last nearly a year, but there's nothing like eating it the day it's smoked. That is on the agenda soon! The lifestyle dies - think paper dolls - are adorable, and this little BBQ one was made for Texans, even though we don't typically BBQ - we smoke things. But it's the thought that counts. And for you Aussies - I PUT SHRIMP ON THE BARBIE :). I colored the shrimp & veggies with graphit markers to get the veins on the shrimp with the super fine point - super simple and quick card.



Now I have some super duper exciting news for you today! My dear friends have added to my cardstock bundles. Now you can order pre-cut and scored slimline and mini slimline cards - WHEE! And stay tuned for something super fun in the mini slimline department - I'll have a video for you soon.

Here are all the summery goodies I used today. I'll have details on a giveaway for you below.

https://heroarts.com/collections/summ...
[ HA ]
Color Layering Strawberry Combo
[ HA ]
Slanted Checkerboard Bold Prints
[ HA ]
DI199 Nesting Circle Infinity Dies...
[ HA ]
Looking Glass Canyon Lands
[ HA ]
HT206 Alignment Tool A2 & A6 Stencil...
[ HA ]
DI764 Square Peek-A-Boo Doors Mini...
[ HA ]
Looking Glass Windmill Tulips
[ HA ]
Sun Ray Bold Prints
[ HA ]
Hero Lifestyle BBQ
[ HA ]
Color Layering Orca Combo
[ HA ]
Graphit — Marker Universe
[ MRK ]
AF225 Red Royal Mid-Tone Shadow Ink -...
[ HA ]
AF229 Forever Green Mid-Tone Shadow...
[ HA ]
AF221 Green Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
AF220 Yellow Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
AF259 Red Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
AF218 Pink Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
Understand Blue MINI Slimline Folded...
[ CTC ]
Understand Blue Slimline Folded...
[ CTC ]
Understand Blue Card Making Bundle #3...
[ CTC ]
Understand Blue Card Making Bundle #1...
[ CTC ]
Understand Blue Card Making Bundle #2...
[ CTC ]
Pre-Cut & Scored Cardstock
[ CTC ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC
[ ELH | SSS ]
Crafter's Companion GEMINI...
[ SSS ]
Storage Envelopes, Medium 25pk,...
[ ELH ]
CheckOutStore Stamp & Die Clear...
[ CHC ]
Extra Large -50 pk, Avery Elle Stamp...
[ ELH ]
Airtable: Organize your stamps & dies
[ ART ]
Summer Catalog Blog Hop
[ HA ]




I'm part of a catalog blog hop today - so be sure and see the rest of the inspiration! We will give away THREE $50 gift cards, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, May 30th at 11:59pm pacific, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.


Loveyahappysummermeanitbye.

CURRENT COUPON CODES
15% off anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15.
10% off at Sweet Sentiment with code UNDERSTANDBLUE
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

85 comments:

  1. I love these cards but that strawberry one....chef’s kiss. Glad your plants are doing better! We bought a smoker and there’s nothing like fresh smoked brisket on a bun with mustard

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  2. Your cards are beautiful as always!

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  3. Wonderful creations. Favs are the strawberries. Like scenic look of Canyon. Fond of Whales/Orcas. BBQ season is com8ng up.
    Melissa "Sunshine HoneyBee"

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  4. Loving the buildable die sets-so many different options! Can't wait to get them all!

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  5. Loving all the buildable die sets-so many different options!!

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  6. Great cards and amazing color combos!

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  7. I love the stories behind each card. Hope the weather gets better soon; and inspire you to make more beautiful cards! ;)

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  8. Mmmmmm those strawberries look good enough to eat.

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  9. Wonderful designs and I'm loving the looking glass die...and yummmm...Brisket!

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  10. What a realistic strawberry!! great cards!

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  11. Your Canyonlands scene is really gorgeous. We really need to go there.

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  12. These are fun cards. I really like how you stamped the "I miss you" scattered on the second one. It's a great look that makes the sentiment stand out more. The colors on that are gorgeous the way you used them, as well.

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  13. Your cards are so cool! Love them!!

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  14. Love all the new products, especially the dies and stencils. Ang

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  15. Beautiful!
    Donna de Gale-Kalloo
    degalekalloo@gmail.com

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  16. Wonderful assortment of cards showing the new products!

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  17. Lovely cards...the tulips are especially nice!

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  18. Love the black and white design on the strawberry card. The berries really "pop." And the tulip looking glass card is stunning.

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  19. I love your strawberry card. The fruit looks almost real!

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  20. The strawberries are my favorite! Gorgeous cards!Love the pink whale!

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  21. Aren't those Looking Glass sets amazing!? I love them all! I always look forward to seeing what you have made. I love that BBQ, even though I'm not a fan of shrimp, I'll take the veggies!

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  22. These are great!! I am loving the hot pink whale!

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  23. Your strawberries look so real it's amazing!

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  24. Love all of your cards! The Looking Glass dies are awesome! You did an amazing job! Thanks for sharing❤️

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  25. Love the cards and hope to see more of yours in the catty. Love the window dies best - amazing to see all the creativity in the hop!

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  26. That bright pink Orca card is amazing!! Love it!

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  27. Beautiful cards and I really like how you put the Looking Glass die set off to the left instead of centered. Very effective.

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  28. Lovely! I really like your modern take on this new release as it gives the cards a fresh look.

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  29. Oooh, the neon inks that you used for the layered strawberries really makes them pop!

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  30. Your colors are so striking, as always! The strawberries are so lifelike , amazing! Sorry about your plants, it is saddening and exciting all together to watch the new growth or memories of the ones we lost.

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  31. The neon pink whale is fabulous, I love the sentiment with the checkerboard background which seems to add a hint of danger. The windmill scene is so sweet painted with watercolors, and the rays give the card the feeling of movement.

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  32. Fantastic cards! I just love the windmill!

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  33. Your Have a Killer Day card is spectacular. Ty for sharing.

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  34. It has been a strange spring all over the country.
    Yesterday was the first day I opened windows for
    a couple weeks - still had the furnace running.
    Love your cards. thanks for sharing
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  35. What fun cards! Spring has been cool in Southern California too; May gray to the max! This release is truly a bright spot!

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  36. You have created some great cards here. My favorite is the canyonland one that looks like the scenery in the southwest. Hope you are able to get new plants to grow after that awful storm.

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  37. What great cards! Love the designs.

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  38. Love the wide variety of cards you created to showcase this new release!
    Thanks for sharing.

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  39. Pink killer whale.....awesome!!!

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  40. lovely cards - the CAS designs are very inspiring

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  41. I love the canyon lands scene with the gorgeous sky.

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  42. Fantastic cards! Love your designs...
    Thanks for sharing

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  43. Sweet cards with these products. I'm partial to BBQ (eating not preparing) myself, I've heard of brisket but don't know what it is so I shall investigate. Those window dies make such tranquil scenes.

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  44. More great cards from this release, I'm really enjoying this blog hop. Thank you for sharing your cards.

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  45. Wow, Lydia! These cards are fabulous! I am seeing so much awesome inspiration I want the entire release. You Strawberries really make me drool the way they pop from the black and white BG.

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  46. Fab cards! Love that background with the strawberries!

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  47. SOOOOOO Creative! Love your take and use of colors! Thank you for inspiring us!!

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  48. Great cards! Love the windmill and pink orca--I'd love to come to your BBQ!

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  49. Great group of cards, Lydia! Love the pink orca! I'm sure your Hot Texas weather will return soon. :)

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  50. Those straberries look delish! I LOVE the whale card - so cool!!

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  51. I love the canyon lands looking glass die! Great cards! Thanks for sharing.

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  52. It is nice to see the products used in different ways. Great designs with your cards.

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  53. I love that strawberry card and that killer day card - all the others are great, too!

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  54. that electro-ink whale is fantastic

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  55. Such amazing inspirations.
    Love from India :)

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  56. I love thes beautiful cards. They are so striking with the wonderful use of colours. Black and white is so eye-catching!! Thanks so much for your super inspiration! Stay safe! :)

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  57. Great cards! I love the new looking glass dies!

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  58. I like all your cards, but I love the very beautiful windmill and tulips 🌷 card. Such pretty things!

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  59. Wonderful variety of summer cards. Love the strawberries.

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  60. Your cards are really imaginative. Who wouldn't love pink whales?? I love how your your strawberries look real!

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  61. Wonderful cards. Your coloring on the strawberries is awesome. The black and white makes an amazing background for any image.

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  62. All of your cards are great; love the colors/coloring of the tulips! Whales can be any color...so loved that one too.

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  63. Thank you for sharing your cards. Who doesn't love tulips and windmills?

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  64. Wow! Love all your card designs! Thanks for sharing lots of inspiration!

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  65. Very nice creative cards. Thank you for sharing.

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  66. Lidia, your cards are unique and wonderful. The killer Orca really got my attention.

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  67. Thank you for the inspiration! Very creative.

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  68. your cards are amazing. That strawberry card is one of my favorites.

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  69. Fantastic cards! I really love the miss you cards! The canyonlands is fabulous!

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  70. Here's to hoping u can stay away from the mosquitos! LOL

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  71. The windmill/tulip looking glass card is my favorite. Such a fun and happy card. I'm a complete sucker for the sun ray stamp.

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  72. Great cards using the new release. I love the strong colors and contrast with white space to make the images pop.

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  73. Great project shares. Nice ideas for the checkerboard.

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  74. Yum, give me strawberries any day!

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  75. All of them are such beautiful creations.. Bright and cheerful.. But for my love for traveling.. I choose windmill and the canyon.. Yes sooo much miss them ❤️❤️

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  76. Nice cards and as always some very interesting ones. Love your pink whale and the strawberries with the pattern.

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