It's Officially Official - The Landscapes of Summer

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

It should be no secret to you that summer is pretty much my favorite. I would happily live like a little lizard on a hot rock in the desert - never seeing another drop of rain or a cloud passing between me and the sun. So the solstice marks a transition into the most glorious days of the year for me. 

My own personal garden almanac last year led me to predict a cool, wet year this year, and that's what we got. So I'm hoping June, July and August are hot and dry so I get at least PART of a normal 2020. That's all I ask. 

When we went to Hawaii a billion years ago, we stayed not far from the beach where they filmed LOST. We stayed where the actors had stayed and it was such a beautiful spot on the North Shore of Oahu.

The first day we were there, we walked down to that little beach and I was shocked at the color of the water. Mind you - Texas beaches are for the most part, complete garbage compared to places like Florida and California. For most of my youth, I assumed all oceans were brown, and that you had to clean tar off your feet everywhere before returning to your car. Florida & California set me straight later on. 

But Hawaii has this ethereal water that's a magical color - a stunning green-blue that looked like colorful glass. When I saw it - I shrieked out OMG IT LOOKS LIKE  A COUGH DROP!

I cannot help the way my brain works, but those of you who are old enough will remember these hideous blue mint things that were a beautiful color, but tasted like the ACTUAL DEVIL. I don't know if they were supposed to be candy - it's too traumatic to do a deep dive into - but they had all the joy of a cough drop.

And that is what the water looks like there. An other-worldly bluish green that should never been seen in food, but is lovely in nature!

So I created my beachy scene with colors that are in my memory today. The way these layering beach stamps and their matching dies go together is amazing - it makes it look like there's so much motion! On kraft cardstock, it really looks like a beach. So pretty. The inks I used are: Pool Party, Aegean, Pumpkin Pie, Caramel. The sequins are these matching Ombres.

I have a few more cards below - all made with the super duper fun Hero Arts Summer Catalog! You might even see some of these cards in there :). You can see the catalog here or by clicking the catalog image. It's full of really fun stuff! The clean, bright cover makes me happy.

Sticking with kraft for the moment, I did a fun technique with this gorgeous Lavender stamp. I stamped each layer in Unicorn, dried it and then stamped it again on top Distress Oxides in Wilted Violet, Shaded Lilac and Peeled Paint. The layering is so fun and brightens up the colors on colored cardstock - the Unicorn serving as white cardstock would underneath any ink. The sentiment is from the same set. The matching dies are here.

The next one is sort of bittersweet for me, because it reminds me of my trip to Hero Arts and Sonoma. It was the first time I had been to California in a long time, and now it feels like I'll never get back there. This gorgeous Heroscape definitely brings Sonoma and Napa to mind, and again I used kraft cardstock to make the colors pop. The inks I used were Pool Party and Deep Ocean, with Thistle for the grapes. I did the rock 'n roll technique on the little barrel with Pumpkin Pie and Caramel ink. I added some Copic shadowing on the clouds I cut with the matching dies. 

Lastly, a variation on my previous ATC (you can see it here), turned into a card. This set has such joyful images! I used a credit card swiping panel with acrylic paint for the backdrop, and cut it with my circle infinity dies - both to create a sun-like opening and to shape the top of the colorful portion -  to make it more interesting and to leave room for the sentiment. I highlighted the pier with a white gel pen.

These are the products used today and all my current coupon codes are listed below - enjoy!

Vineyard Heroscape [ HA ] Vineyard Heroscape Frame Cuts [ HA ] CM447 Beach HeroScape - Hero Arts [ HA ] DI754 Beach HeroScape Frame Cuts (C)... [ HA ] CM410 Lavender Field HeroScape - Hero... [ HA ] DI736 Lavender Field HeroScape Frame... [ HA ] CM424 Color Layering Pier at the Lake... [ HA ] DI199 Nesting Circle Infinity Dies... [ HA ] CH300 Ombré Ocean Sequins - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF426 Pool Party Reactive Ink - Hero... [ HA ] AF387 Aegean Bold Ink - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF255 Pumpkin Pie Mid-Tone Shadow Ink... [ HA ] AF332 Caramel Bold Ink - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF249 Unicorn Pigment Ink Pad - Hero... [ HA ] Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink Pad... [ SSS | ELH ] Shaded Lilac, Ranger Distress Oxide... [ ELH | SSS ] Peeled Paint, Ranger Distress Oxide... [ ELH | SSS ] AF340 Deep Ocean Bold Ink - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF431 Thistle Reactive Ink - Hero Arts [ HA ] 2020 Summer Catalog - Hero Arts [ HA ] Pre-Cut & Scored Cardstock [ CTC ] Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05... [ SSS ] Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473 [ SSS ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White [ GNK ] 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 ]

Are YOU enjoying summer? I hope so - even though it's a weird one. The good news is, you can have a chance to win a $50 shopping spree just for leaving me a comment today! Enter by July 5th, and the winner will be announced HERE the following week.

Get ready for more inspiration!

Hero Arts
Channin Pelletier
Daniel West
Debi Adams
Emily Midgett
Ilina Crouse
Janette Kausen
Jennifer McGuire
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Libby Hickson
Lydia Fiedler
Michelle Short

 Loveyameanitbye.

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
10% off sitewide at Arteza here with code Understandblue6 through 7.31.2020
Phone stand for filming link below in the banner - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

Social Distancing - Aussie Style + Giveaway + Disaster Relief

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

Hey socially distanced friends!

So tell me the truth in the comments - when you are watching TV in the evenings, and you see people gathered together, do you freak out a little bit?

I do too. You're not alone.

Weird how something weird can become normal so quickly. And how something normal can become weird so quickly!

I hope you are all healthy and safe. If you need anything, even a card or an email, please let me know. I'll do my best.

My sweet friends at Hero Arts had Australia on their minds before all this madness descended on us.

The main kit is a collection of silhouettes of Australian scenery, including native animals, trees and Uluru (Ayers Rock). The images are gorgeous! There are also dies and a SUPER fun stencil included in the kit as well as some specialty papers and an ink cube. There's also an enamel pin included in the subscriber boxes.

I have a video for you with today's kit, but first, let's see some cards!

I took 7 of the kit images and set them up on a card front in my black Hero Arts MISTI - I love the way this thing looks. I stamped them in Intense black and cut them out with the matching dies. Then I used Life Changing Blender Brushes with Lemon Drop, Creamsicle and Fruit Punch Ink with the stencil to create the background. I used a white gel pen to add designs to the silhouette to mimic the dot style Aboriginal art I saw when I was in Australia. You'll see a piece of art I bought there in the video, and hear what that dot style art can mean - it's some of my favorite art. If you go too fast with your white gel pen, you might get gaps, so go slowly! But when I'm impatient, I touch up with this skinny white paint pen.

I couldn't fit all seven animals on the card and have them maintain social distancing, so you'll see the other two below. I thought that this was the perfect visual for what we are all thinking and feeling right now! I hope Aussie you soon!

Also on the video, the Hero Arts liquid watercolor technique I used to create the Gold Coast beach for my other two critters. I chose the ones that are back to back to match the sentiment. Colors used are Art Print Brown, Daffodil and Deep Ocean. To make the surf, you'll use the "wave machine" you see me use in the video.

And because I couldn't stop kangarooing, I did this GORGEOUS Color Layering Joey in Soft Vanilla, Caramel, and Cup 'O Joe ink, cut him out with the matching dies and put him on a background I created with Life Changing Blender Brushes and Grape Slush, Splash and Pool Party Inks.

I used the gorgeous border die to create a frame for my roo. I then decided I didn't want a sentiment - I just love the scene by itself.

There's a Patterned animals set this month that has that art style I use on the main kit that is SO cute, as well as a BANDICOOT set, a Heroscape beach and some gorgeous standalone beach dies. I'll have this beautiful flower set on my blog in the coming days.

Please remember, everyone is under a shutdown order, so please be patient with shipping! We need our crafty companies to stay alive, so please don't let that discourage you from ordering.

Ready for the video? Then stay tuned below for a visual of the kit, a giveaway and my current coupon codes!

So here's this ADORABLE kit - LOOK AT THE TASMANIAN DEVIL! THE KIWIS! THE NUMBAT! I have to go look up a quoll - I've never seen one. But did you know my grandfather had a pet flying squirrel? It's true - he used to swoop over to his shoulder for a snack! I love the way that pandanus palm looks too. These kits are while supplies last, so the best way to get one is to subscribe, or buy quickly! It contains everything shown - including a full sized ink pad!

As usual, Hero Arts will be giving away a $50 gift card to one lucky commenter, so be sure and leave me a comment by Sunday at 11:59 PM PT, and the winner will be announced on their blog the week after!

One last thing - Hero Arts will be donating 100% of the net profit from the sale of this pin to Covid-19 relief efforts! If you look closely - this imagery is from this stamp set!

Here are all the supplies I used today! Loveyameanitbye.

My Monthly Hero Kit April 2020 [ HA ] We are in this world together enamel pin [ HA ] Color Layering Joey [ HA ] Color Layering Joey Frame Cuts [ HA ] Nature Border Fancy Die with Frame [ HA ] Beach Heroscape [ HA ] Beach Heroscape Frame Cuts [ HA ] Eucalyptus Bold Prints [ HA ] Patterned Animals [ HA ] Patterned Animals Frame Cuts [ HA ] Bandicoot & Friends [ HA ] Bandicoot & Friends Frame Cuts [ HA ] Protea Flowers [ HA ] April Word Fancy Die [ HA ] Protea Flowers Frame Cuts [ HA ] Surf's Up Fancy Die Set [ HA ] Koala on Branch [ HA ] Hero Arts Liquid Watercolor - Art... [ HA ] PD110 Liquid Watercolors Dandelion -... [ HA ] PD113 Liquid Watercolors Deep Ocean -... [ HA ] AF345 Intense Black - Hero Arts [ HA ] Hero Arts Caramel Bold Ink [ HA ] AF275 Soft Vanilla Shadow Ink - Hero... [ HA ] AF214 Cup O' Joe Mid-Tone Shadow Ink... [ HA ] AF421 Fruit Punch Reactive Ink - Hero... [ HA ] AF423 Lemon Drop Reactive Ink - Hero... [ HA ] AF422 Creamsicle Reactive Ink - Hero... [ HA ] AF428 Splash Reactive Ink - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF426 Pool Party Reactive Ink - Hero... [ HA ] AF432 Grape Slush Reactive Ink - Hero... [ HA ] Life Changing Blender Brush: 2-Pack –... [ PFS ] White Porous Point Pen [ BLIC ] Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05... [ SSS ] Post-It Note Removable Labeling Tape... [ CRT | AMZUS ] MT300 MISTI Regular Hero Black - Hero... [ HA ] Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473 [ SSS ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White [ GNK ] 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 ]

Hero Arts
Michelle Short
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Channin Pelletier
Daniel West
Ilina Crouse
Debi Adams
Janette Kausen
Yana Smakula
Lydia Fiedler
Jennifer McGuire
Julee Tilman
Maria Willis
Seeka
Laurie Willison
Amy Kolling
Libby Hickson

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 Arkon stand link below!