Garden Thoughts + New Technique Class

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We got a HUGE surprise, very localized heavy rainstorm last night. Like so localized it was basically our block - we got 2.5" of rain - and the largest nearby streets got none - it was crazy. So my plants are going to be VERY happy this week, which is good because my GIANT shrimp plant - it's about 3' wide and 3' tall - is about to bust out all over with little shrimps! My smaller shrimp plants planted in the ground have already been blooming for about a month. 

Everything I've planted this year is pretty well established and will make it through the summer - except a few of my creeping Jenny's - I'm worried about a few of those. And after I saw my postman just stomp through my flowerbed last week I had to build cages around my young plants - who does that?

I weeded HARD this weekend - cutting down all the oak shoots in my front beds, digging out nut grass and removing only three dandelions. I am happy to say that I appear to be winning the dewberry battle for the first time in 20 years! It takes DAILY chopping of any little shoots you see to get some of the roots to give up. It's just the worst. I will say it has gotten me into the habit of always wearing gloves to garden after shredding my hands on the vines. But I'm here to say you can win!

Speaking of summer - are you ready? I have some summery cards for you today with a watery theme, and a new technique class for getting an underwater look with your own water themed stamps.

First up - the new kit card! This kit is wild because it basically has all the Hero specialties - a fancy frame die coverplate, a layering Heroscape style ocean and sky and a layering stencil that I sneak peeked from the Premium kit. 

I ALWAYS gravitate to black for these window dies - it's just so dramatic and it lets me do REALLY bright colors on whatever is in the frame. And I went REALLY bright today - using Neon Yellow, Neon Orange and Neon Pink. 

Here's what the kit looks like. 

So now you know how I did the shell background! I used the same neon inks, and I snipped out that palm tree! If you look at the die this way - look at the other plants you can clip out - lots of ways to use it other than a frame.

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The MOST fun I had was creating this underwater illusion with these gorgeous fishy dies - they are an add-on so they will stick around. I have a new step by step class for this card here.

Here are the add-ons this month, including that beautiful background stamp and the Fishy stamp set with the sentiment on the class card.

Here's everything I used today - thank you for shopping with my links!

June Kit [ HA ] Koi Dies [ HA ] Water Background Stamp [ HA ] Hello Fishes [ HA ] Summer 2023 Mixed Media Stamp-Along |... [ HA ] My Monthly Hero | Hero Arts [ HA ] Hero Arts Blog [ HA ] Fabriano Artistico Enhanced... [ BLIC ] Summer Sky Bold Ink - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF428 Splash Reactive Ink | Hero Arts [ HA ] AF682 Paradise Core Ink | Hero Arts [ HA ] Tools and Supplies - Misti Stamping... [ PRC ] Canson XL Bristol - Pad, 9" x 12",... [ BLIC ] Graphit — Marker Universe [ MRK ] GW101 Precision Glue | Hero Arts [ HA ] AF220 Yellow Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF218 Pink Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF259 Red Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts [ HA ] June Add-Ons [ HA ]

They are doing a giveaway this month so be sure and leave me a comment to be entered!

You can see more inspiration with this month's kit on the Hero blog HERE.

Loveyameanitbye.