Hello everyone and thank you for stopping by! We are having a Launch Party Blog Hop for Hero Arts to help celebrate the launch of their new website and Holiday 2015 collection!
I have been in a holiday mood for that past couple of days or I should probably say weeks and I been dying to make a card using a new stamp set by Hero Arts called Merry Cactus To You.
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We always have Christmas trees, ornaments, reindeer, Santa but rarely or probably never have a cactus on a holiday card. So today I’m using a cactus stamp set to create 2 simple heat embossed watercolor background holiday cards.
I’ve shared a video recently where I used rather large images to stamp a background pattern on a full letter sheet and create 4 cards, today I’m going to follow the same concept and use large images, well not as large as I used in that video, but still slightly larger than the images I usually use to stamp a full background. I’m going to be working on a half of a letter sheet piece of paper, so its going to be enough to make 2 background for standard A2 cards.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
Please watch my video below or on my Youtube channel for more tips and tricks and a detailed tutorial. Thanks!
Like this video? Please give it a thumbs up and share with friends, thanks!
I’ve used Hero Arts new Platinum embossing powder for my heat embossing (had to change things up a bit from the usual gold). I mixed and matched solid and also outline images for my cards because I wanted to add a little bit of watercolor to these. I intentionally did not use just solid or just outline images.
If I were to use just outline images and would have water colored all of them I would have had a background that is a little bit too busy. And if I were to use just solid images I wouldn’t have had any room for water color.
HOP ALONG
- Jennifer McGuire
- Kelly Rasmussen
- Laura Bassen
- Debby Hughes
- Amy Tsuruta
- Kristina Werner
- Yana Smakula – you are here
- Suzanne Dahlberg – next stop on the hop
- Nichol Magouirk
- Clare Prezzia
- Lucy Abrams
- Mariana Grigsby
- Libby Hickson
GIVEAWAY (NOW CLOSED)
Hero Arts will be giving away one GRAND PRIZE $100 Hero Arts shopping spree. The winner will be randomly chosen from all of the blog hop comments received by 11:59pm PST on Tuesday, September 8th. Check the Hero Arts blog for the announcement of the winner.
SUPPLIES
 Hero Arts Red Royal Ink AF225 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts Blush Mixed Layering Papers PS620 Shop at: SSS |
 ScraPerfect Perfect Crafting Pouch Multi-Purpose Craft Tool Shop at: SSS |
 Versamark Watermark Emboss Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Spellbinders Artisan X-plorer Die Cutting Machine Shop at: SSS | SC |
 Simon Says Stamp Big Momma Foam Tape Roll Shop at: SSS |
 Strathmore WATERCOLOR PAPER 5.5×7 Ready Cut Sheets 140205 Shop at: SSS |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun PW200 Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Clear Stamps MERRY CACTUS TO YOU CL909 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts Frame Cuts Dies MERRY CACTUS DI146 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts Platinum Embossing Powder PW117 Shop at: SSS | HA |
This post was updated on July 5th 2016.
Love how you used the bright colors of Christmas in your cards. Very creative. Thanks for sharing!
Like it ! Being from Arizona, decorated cactus seems like a great idea for holiday cards.
I have to have this stamp set! So creative!
Georgeus card Yana..I just love evrything on your card! Thanks Hero Art for the amazing Christmas Cactus Stamps set…
Such a cute card! Thanks for sharing!
That is so cute, most out west would love that card, its what we would call home
really playful cards!!! love them
Cute, fun, ideal
I like your approach to the background. Your watercoloring is very nice. Thank you.
What a cute holiday card! Don’t apologize for singing – made your video even more fun!
Really cool cards! And thanks for the great video tut! I am sure this technique will work with many themes!
I love this great background stamping. Merry Cactus to you.
So cute! Such fun cards. Thanks for the ideas!
Such cute cards! Great ideas to use your stamps as a fun background. Thanks
Fantastic cards, thanks for sharing.
the Merry Cactus is stinkin’ cute; thanx for the inspiration and blog candy opp!
Beautiful! Thanks so much for the video.
FUN & FABULOUS cards Yana!!!
LOVE your SUMMERY Christmas cacti … PERFECT for our HOT HOT days Down Under 🙂
THANK YOU for sharing your CUTE & CLEVER INSPIRATION!!!
Such stunning creation Yana, love this beautiful background stamped images in colorful variations! Thanks for sharing the video!
Love the background!
These cards are so stinking cute. I love them. I just might give them a try this year, no might about it, I will. Thanks for the great idea.
Cheerful and nice!
You’re so creative! These are adorable!
Cute card!
Cute and fun Christmas card. I like the watercolor and the red makes it stand out.
I like how Christmas cards are now more and more different and how your creations change the way we look upon things such as a simple cactus 🙂
I am really enjoying the cactus set. They make fun non traditional Christmas cards.
I love the background stamping you did. I have a few southern friends that would love this card.
Such a clever saying!!
You bring a whole new dimension to our Christmas card and i must say i really really like them.
This is ADORABLE….love your choice of colors! So fun & Festive!
Love the ‘snow-less’ Christmas card!
cool new twist on a Christmas card
These cards made me smile out loud. Adorable. TFS
I really like that new platinum embossing prefer, it was perfect with your cactus scene.
Beautiful and bright.
Really cute cards, Yana. The cactus colors really work for Christmas.
Your backrounds are always stunning. I really like the colours for Christmas. Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic cards Yana. I love these wonderful and original stamps. Great embossing and watercolouring and your singing wasn’t that bad, lol
Love how you colored just a few of the cacti, they really pop. Good tip on making your own background paper.
Such a cute card! I like the embossing color you used, and the touches of watercolor.
Your design is always awesome. Ha! As I say here thinking about how I did not get the cactus theme, I finally got it, Christmas cactus is a variety of plant. Geez, slow today. OK, Hero Arts, I like this stamp set better now.
Beautifully designed background. Your watercolouring is perfect fir this card!
The Christmas cactuses are so fun!
Your cheery Christmas cards define jolly!!
great background
Not quite sure about this stamp set, guess it would be perfect for people living in dessert areas lol great card idea it works!
Love these fun and non-traditional Christmas cards Yana! The watercoloring is amazing!
Very nice
very nice! Creative!