Hello, crafters! In this video, I’ll show you how to create a stunning night sky background for a handmade card with the help of Hero Arts stamps and inks. This technique, while looks complicated, is easy to replicate and is sure to give you great results.
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VIDEO TUTORIAL
As always, I filmed a video tutorial showing how to create this project from start to finish. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it. Watch it below or on my Youtube channel:
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CARDS DETAILS
I am using a new background stamp from Hero Arts called Cathedral of Trees, it is from Hero’s new Oh What Hun Holiday 2019 catalog that was just released. It’s a 6×6 cling background stamp that can be used for both portrait and landscape cards. I’ve been on a lookout for a stamp like this for a long time as this look is very on-trend these days and I don’t have anything similar in my stash.
The idea is to stamp this image in black ink, heat emboss it to protect that black color from any ink that will be applied over it and ink blend the background.
To begin, I used a MISTI stamping tool and first stamped the image in clear embossing ink. I did not use white cardstock but went with Hero Arts Arctic cardstock instead. You can, by all means, start with a white panel, but it is easier to start with a light blue one instead. This will require a lot less ink blending down the road.
Next, I stamped the same image in black ink, covered the image with Sparkle embossing powder and heat set it. Several colors of ink are needed to achieve this look. I like to use a few blue and purple pads for this, including Hero Arts Reactive inks as they will give us that beautiful sky look.
I used Navy, Grape Juice, Blue Hawaii, Grape Slush, Splash and Sea Salt. The latter was applied direct to paper and blended out on the panel. Next, I sprayed the background with Iridescent White Shimmer Spray and let it sit for about 30 minutes for the moisture to absorb into the paper and dry. To add more stars to the sky I used a white pen and added a bunch of white dots in various sizes.
I made a very simple card using my background – I trimmed the background down a bit and added to a white card base, I white heat embossed a sentiment that reads “May Peace, Love and Prosperity Follow you Always”, this sentiment comes from a new Holiday Messages and Icons set. I heat embossed it on Hero Hues Cranberry cardstock and embellished the card with red enamel dots from the Sunset set also from Hero Arts, it’s another new product from Hero this year.
Have fun stamping!
BLOG HOP
Hero Arts
Caly Person
Debby Hughes
Debi Adams
Emily Midgett
Ilina Crouse
Janette Kausen
Jenn Shurkus
Jennifer McGuire
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Julee Tilman
Laura Bassen
Libby Hickson
Lydia Fiedler
Mariana Grigsby
Nichol Spohr
Wanda Guess
Yana Smakula – you are here!
GIVEAWAY
We will give away $50 gift cards to the Hero Arts shop to two lucky winners drawn from all comments left across the hop. Comment by August 31 at 11:59 PST. Winners will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 Hero Arts CG787 Cathedral of Trees Bold Prints Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts CM375 Holiday Messages and Icons Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts CH328 Sunset Hero Hues Enamel Dots Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts Ink Pad Intense Black Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts AF428 Splash Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts AF429 Blue Hawaii Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts AF432 Grape Slush Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts AF434 Sea Salt Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Navy Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Grape Juice Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts White Iridescent Shimmer Spray Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Hues Premium Cardstock Arctic Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Hero Hues Cardstock Dove White Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Hues Premium Cardstock Cranberry Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Misti Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | PPP | AZ |
 Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Clear Embossing & Watermark Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Silver Sparkle Embossing Powder Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Ranger Mini Round Ink Blending Tools Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Spellbinders Circle Replacement Foam Shop at: SSS | SC | SB | AZ |
 FSJ Dauber Dowel Small (2 cm) Shop at: SB |
 Sakura Classic White Gelly Roll Pens Set of 3 Shop at: SSS | AZ |
Love your card, but I always love your cards!
That night sky looks like home here in the winter in Alaska!
Love the night sky!
Wow! I love your galaxy technique! I can’t wait to try it!
Such a beautiful card. Thank you for sharing your creativity!
love the colors you used on your card!!
Love a night scene!
Enjoyed watching your tutorial, you are very creative. This would be a stunning Christmas card.
INCREDIBLE! That stamp is now on my wish list!
Super beautiful card!!!!!! Just turned out to be so striking. Thank you so much for sharing it today. Great Blog Hop!!!
Your card is lovely. That night sky … oh my!
Stunning card!
WOW the night sky is beautiful, a stunning card. Thanks for sharing.
WOW, that night sky is very stunning. Love it. I love watching your videos…. I watch either one or two every night.
Hi Yana, Another fabulous card! I just love how you have created the scene and the viewer’s eye is just drawn to the centre of the card. Thank you for the constant source of inspiration.
Stunning background!
Wow! Your night sky is stunning! Love the red accents!
Beautiful card! Love the idea of starting with a colored cardstock for ink blending. Thanks for sharing.
Love the colours used for this card. Thanks for sharing
Enjoyed watching you tutorial, your card is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
beautiful depth in your card- lovely
Beautiful!
I love the background galaxy!!
I love your cards Yana!!
A striking card to celebrate the holiday season and so many new techniques for me to try. Thank you for the inspiration.
great card
I will be watching the video and trying this technique on my own. I love to learn. This card is beautiful!
Nice card, interesting background. Great inspiration as always.
I just love the night sky background you created! What a great card. 🙂
You never ever cease to amaze me!! Beautiful!
Absolutely gorgeous card…as usual! Thanks for sharing!
Oh MY! Absolutely gorgeous Yana!!!!!!!
Simply stunning card Yana! Absolutely gorgeous, I love it!
I simply love this card: the colors you have chosen, the stamp.