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 |
How beautiful. I love the night skyyyyyyy
Absolutely love the night sky! It is beautiful and thanks so much for sharing your inspiration!
Outstanding Night sky! that is truly something special!
Absolutely amazing card and love the color combo!!! That red pops up beautifully too. Fabulous stamp and very versatile. Love!
Just stunning! I can’t wait to go home and create my version of your card. Thanks, Yana for inspiring me.
I wasn’t sure what I thought about this stamp until I saw what you did with it, Yana! I am blown away. Looking at this card brings such peace to my mind. I can almost hear the whisper of the snow lightly falling through the pines.
So, so beautiful Yana. The colors are blended so well and it truly looks like one is looking up thru the trees into an awesome night sky. Great work, as always. ; )
Yana, your card is stunning! I’ve been obsessed with night skies. I can’t wait to try your process. The Hero Arts Cathedral of trees is so striking. I need that for my stash. Thanks for the inspiration.
So gorgeous, love everything about it!
Just so gorgeous!!
This card really reminds me of peaceful Christmas…. I am inspired to create!
Wow, such lovely color dimension!
Love the night sky! Awesome card!
Love the night sky! Thank you for sharing!
Love the dark trees
Living and camping on the West Coast I’ve enjoyed many night skys through the towering trees and have been amazed by the beauty. I’m equally amazed both by the Catherdral stamp from Hero Arts and with your blended techniques to achieve such a beautiful card. Thank you so much Yana for always inspiring and showing us different techniques. You are truly a master.
That card is simply stunning! Always learn lots. Thanks so much for sharing.
this set is so beautiful -in its simplicity , so many night skies so many stars just lovely
A very stunning card.
amazing!
really nice take on this one!
I love your beautiful card <3 I hope I will win so I can get some of these goodies
awesome card
Beautiful card, thank you for sharing the technique on youtube.
Just beautiful and inspired.
I love this card. The colors of the night sky are lovely.
your video tells it all and I love it. I must get this stamp.
Your video tells it all and I love your card. I must get this stamp.
That tree stamp is stunning! Great night sky — and I will try my best to follow your directions!
Gorgeous!
The sky is beautiful!
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! I love this background! JUST WOW
Your Christmas card is beautiful! You are so creative!
Beautiful! Your night sky is perfection.
What a beautiful card.
Saw this early and am still awed. What a gorgeous stamp and fabulous execution. Nice job Hero Arts and Yana.
What a great project.
Absolutely gorgeous Yana! I love that trees background stamp and your pop of red for the sentiment and berries is awesome!
Gorgeous Card! I wish I could ink blend like you do!
Such a gorgeous night sky and I loved learning how you stamped the trees to give a variation from just a flat black embossed look! Loventhis!
Your card is fabulous, as ALWAYS!
So visually stunning!! And I love your idea of starting with the blue cardstock rather than white. That’s brilliant!!
Your lovely night sky holiday card.is so inspiring and I really enjoyed your video. Thanks for sharing
Beautiful background. Love the final card.
Love the galaxy/night sky! The trees are pretty cool too.. the iridescent shimmer spray is stunning!
Yana, no one makes galaxy skies as well as you do! That card is a showstopper! Thanks so much for showing us how – beginning with colored cardstock is brilliant!
What can I say…Your card is absolutely gorgeous. I love the look of your starry night looking up through the trees. Makes me wish I were camping in the forest.
Bonjour Yana
I enjoy watching the night sky Galaxy tutorial.You are right it looks complicated but it is not. You have transfer to the paper your imagination. I can see myself laying down on the ground and looking at this beautiful sky.
Merci
Love this night sky card! Beautiful
I love this night sky card with the shadowy trees. I think this would make lovely Christmas cards.
Love that night sky card using Hero Arts Cathedral of trees stamp. The colors and stars are fantastic.