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 |
Beautiful card, I love your style.
Beautiful
I love the night sky technique. So beautifully done!! Keep up the GREAT work!
Wow! Really like your night sky!
That sky is so peaceful you can almost hear the crickets and frogs. ♡♡
Stunning! Thank you so much for sharing
Beautiful night sky..just amazing! Thanks for the video!!
Wow!!! Really Beautiful card!!!!
Gorgeous Card! Love the technique! Thank you for sharing and the video!!!
Lovely card. I am going to go watch the video to see your ink blending technique.
Oh my!! Stunning!! What a fabulous background you have created! Super vibrant and I just love it! <3
Mezmerizing! Love the night sky!
Love it
WOW! Love how you did the sky! So beautiful. Thanks for the inspiration and chance to win. 😀
Such a beautifu l card. Galaxy cards aren’t just for space! Peaceful and elegant. Thank you for the perfect ending for this wonderful blog hop!
Stunning. Love your color choices.
Love the sky!!!
Stunning card!
Your backgrounds are amazing! Absolutely beautiful. Your tree card is suitable for framing!
Love this effect! I want to give this a try.
Wow, wow, wow!! This is absolutely stunning!!
Beautiful galaxy card background. I always look forward to your videos.
Great card and fabulous technique. I may give this a try just have to find the time. That’s always a problem. Thanks for another great video and card.
This is my favorite background stamp! And that gorgeous galaxy sky background coloring is stunning!
Gorgeous scene! Love this beautiful card with the Cathedral of Trees stamp! Fabulous colors and details!
I love this! Great job, great job, great job!!!!!!
Beautiful!
Awesome night sky!
Gorgeous winter woods card – the depth of colour is gorgeous and the details give it a magical winter night feel – stunning!
Your galaxy is awesome. Thanks for the wonderful video and all the details.
I absolutely LOVE the night sky! Definitely need to buy that stamp.
This is so beautiful! love your talent
This is a must have background stamp. It is so beautiful. Thank you for your video & the great tips I’d never heard before. I’m going to bookmark it in order to refer to it again, likely many times. Your card is absolutely glorious Yana!!! Happy Independence Day!
The background is gorgeous. It draws you
into the forest. thanks for sharing
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Gorgeous, elegant card. The background you created is amazing. I find the Cathedral of Trees stamp so peaceful — beautiful.
Yana, I always look forward to seeing what you will do with new products, and you never disappoint. This is absolutely gorgeous! I love that you used the sparkle embossing powder on the trees, and the pop of red just sets everything off for a festive look. Beautiful!
Wow! Awesome night sky! The trees draw you right in.
Great night sky…
Amazing card! Gorgeous night sky and beautiful design.
Wow! You really elevated the tree cathedral stamp to a new level with your night sky ink blending. It’s gorgeous.
Can’t wait to create with these amazing new sets! You have done such an amazing job creating with them.
Looks like some magic going on here in this card!
You used my favorite stamp from this release, the Cathedral of Trees. Showing your blending process is very helpful. As always thanks for the inspiration!
Oh, WOW! What a great wrap-up to the hop! I love it!!!
Wow. Thank you for the night sky tutorial. the card is awesome!
Reminds me of a peaceful, snowy Christmas Eve. And I love how the red pops against the dark background! Beautiful!
Love your card and the fact that you share a video of your creative process!!
Absolutely gorgeous card! Super video, as always — makes it so much easier to learn the techniques you use! TFS!
You’re ink blending looks great! I always enjoy a good ink blending tutorial. I really like this stamp. I can see me using it for masculine cards for different occasions. This is very pretty-especially with the extra sparkle from the spray.
SWOON!! Such a STUNNING Card!! I LOVE the Design!! THANKS for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEK!!
Stunning card , love the new release. Thank you for sharing x