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Hello, friends! Can’t believe I missed 2 Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Releases! I LOVE Hero’s Kits and it’s awesome to be back to creating with their fabulous products. Even though I didn’t actually have a kit to create with this month, only the add on products, I’m excited to share my projects with you. Grab a cuppa and enjoy!
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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.
Like this video? Please give it a big thumbs up (you can do this on Youtube video page right under the video) and share with a crafty friend! Leave me a comment too, I love hearing from you!
CRAFTY FRIENDS CARD DETAILS
The theme for this month is crafty friends! We can all relate to this as we all have crafty friends either online or if we are lucky enough, we have a crafty friend living nearby and we can get together with and craft.
I don’t have any of my crafty friends living close by, I typically get to see them once a year either at a craft trade show or crafty retreat and some I haven’t even met in real life yet, we are crafty online friends.
What I’m trying to say, I guess, is that this month kit from Hero Arts is simply awesome for making and sending handmade cards to our crafty friends. The main kit along with the add on products features a lot of cute images of the craft items we use to create with and also many fabulous sentiments that are tailored for the crafty people in our lives specifically.
For my cards today I thought I’d do some colored cardstock play. I love to add color to my cards with the help of either coloring mediums, colorful inks or colored cardstock. My idea was to have bright colorful backgrounds and a Crafting Tools Background stamp heat embossed in white. Using colored cardstock is probably the easiest way to create a colorful background for cards. So I white heat embossed this background on 5 different colors of cardstock from Hero Arts: Peony, Azalea, Pesto, Adriatic and also bright yellow cardstock from my stash.
Next, I used my paper trimmer and cut each of the backgrounds into 1 1/4” strips. Once I had cut all the pieces I laid them out on my desk, in order, and started putting backgrounds together. For example, I used 1st cut up strip from the hot pink panel, 2nd cut up strip from the light pink panel, 3rd cut up strip from the yellow panel, 4th strip from the green panel and 5th half strip from the teal panel.
Each background I built in the same way but started with a different color. Once I had that done I moved onto stamping sentiments and for that, I used another add on stamp set this month called Crafty Messages. I stamped several in black ink on white paper and next I cut them up into strips and cut one out using a circle die. I love how playful these messages are and that they already come with some sort of supportive image next to the message. That really adds some character.
Now the messages felt a bit blank to me if you will, I wanted to add some color to them, so I pulled out a new toy in my crafty corner – a set of Chameleon Dual Ended Colored Pencils and colored these. Each pencil has 2 color or 2 ends to it, a lithe shade and a dark shade and that has been specifically designed to help us crafters color better. These pencils are made in Austria and I’ve found them to be very high quality, they also sharpen beautifully and the led doesn’t seem to break, this is something I always look for in colored pencils as I want them to last me a long time and having the led break when I sharpen them is just not something I or anyone likes.
These pencils are not as expensive as the Polychromos by Faber Castel, this is another brand I love to use, but they are only currently sold in a pack, there aren’t any individual pencils available. So for instance, if you like to color with pink a lot you’ll run out of it faster and won’t be able to replace just that one pencil. But if you like to color a little bit here and a little bit there – these will last you a long time. I’m not personally concerned that I’ll have no replacement for some of the colors as it’s going to take me a very long t use the entire pencil up.
Here’s a look at the finished cards I made for my crafty friends! Now I just need to make sure I actually go ahead and mail them as I’ve honestly been rather terrible at that.
HERO ARTS MY MONTHLY HERO KIT & ADD-ONS
This month’s kit is all about getting our craft on!
The main kit is available for a limited time only – once it’s gone, it’s gone. Kits begin shipping from Hero Arts on Friday, May 10th. You can subscribe to receive the kit monthly and never miss one! Add-ons may temporarily become unavailable, but they will be restocked.
 Hero Arts Get Them All May Add-ons Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts CG776 Knitting Pattern Bold Prints Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts CG777 Crafting Tools Bold Prints Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts CM362 Crafty Messages Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts CM363 Cross Stitch Patterns Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts CM364 Knitting Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts CM365 Cross Stitch Alpha Set 3×4 Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts CM366 Handmade Happiness Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts DC263 Stick Together Stamp & Cut Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts DC264 One of a Kind Stamp & Cut Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts DI643 Wood Frame Infinity Dies (H) Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts DI644 Handmade Happiness Frame Cuts (B) Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts DI645 Crafting Border Fancy Die with Frame (F) Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts DI646 Knitting Frame Cuts (D) Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts DI647 Needle and Thread Confetti Die (F) Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts K6357 Tin of Brushes Shop at: SSS | HA |
BLOG HOP
The Hero Arts Blog
Michelle Short
Caly Person
Emily Midgett
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Janette Kausen
Ilina Crouse
Yana Smakula – you are here!
Lydia Fiedler
Julee Tilman
Laurie Willison
Amy Kolling
Debi Adams
Jennifer McGuire
Nichol Spohr
Libby Hickson
GIVEAWAY
Hero Arts is giving away one kit as a prize to one blog reader – selected from the comments across all of the blogs in the hop. The giveaway closes Sunday, May 12th at 11:59 pm, and the winner will be announced the following week on the Hero Arts blog.
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 CG777 Crafting Tools Bold Prints Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts CM362 Crafty Messages Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Hero Hues Cardstock – Dove White Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts Hero Hues Premium Cardstock Peony Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Hero Hues Premium Cardstock Azalea Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Hero Hues Premium Cardstock Pesto Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Hero Hues Premium Cardstock Adriatic Shop at: HA |
 FSJ Summer Days 8.5 x 11 Cardstock Shop at: SB |
 Simon Says Stamp Embossing Ink Pad Shop at: SSS |
 Chameleon Dual Ended Colored Pencils Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Simon Says Stamp Big Momma Foam Tape Roll Shop at: SSS |
 Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Tsukineko VersaFine Onyx Black Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | TS |
 EK Success Powder Tool Applicator Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Mini Misti Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Misti Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tonic Studios 8.5 Inch Paper Trimmer Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | TS |
 Scor-tape 2 1/2 Inch Crafting Tape Shop at: SSS |
 FSJ Grid Paper Shop at: SB |
 Color Wheel Small Color Mixing Guide (3501) Shop at: AZ |
SAVE ME/PIN ME TO PINTEREST
Like this card idea? Be sure to save it to one of your Pinterest boards for future reference!
Great technique Yana. I always look forward to your designs. This a a great way to make several cards at once to share with your crafty friends.
Love how you got several cards out of your stamping.
Changing up the color layers made for unique cards
thanks for sharing txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Beautiful creations!
Gorgeous cards Yana, clever to stamp and emboss on coloured cardstock. I love this new kit and the add-ons, so great for us crafters. Thank you so much for showing your inspiration with these gorgeous products.
Yana, love your background techniques and this is no exception. Gorgeous as always. Love the bright, cheerful rainbow colors AND this new kit is awesome.
Something different on how you designed so many different colors on one card, appealing.
Beautiful cards Yana!
Love the colors. Great card
Fantastic cards! Great card kit!
Thanks for sharing…
Love your colorful cards and the technique of using the colored cardstock ! I also like that the sentiments have crafty images included. Always appreciate your input on different supplies you use. Thanks for sharing!
I love the bold stripes of colour you used for the background of your gorgeous cards!
How fun and
love how you
used cardstock
for the color layers.
Carla from Utah
Hi Yana.
You mentioned in your video that you use a colour chart to help you select the colours you are going to use on your cards. I would love it if you could show us your colour wheel that you use and the way you go about using it. Thanks. Janet
I absolutely love this release and did buy this add on. Your cards are so bright and cheerful and I just love this great idea!
Love all you cards and the rainbow of colors!
Love the color scheme. Wonderful job. Great use of the Hero Arts kit. Thanks for sharing your creativity!
Thanks for the inspiration. These are really cute and sometimes it’s fun to make several similar cards at one time! 🙂
Awesome cards and fun backgrounds Yana! loving this crafty new kit ♥
Love your cards – the backgrounds are fantastic
Love your bright and cheerful cards! I have family members that would enjoy receiving cards like these. Thanks for sharing!
What a simple but effective design. Something unexpected. Well done!
Beautiful cards and colors!!!
awesome card
Love the colorful backgrounds.
What a fun way to show off color blocking!
Your cards are wonderful! I love the colorful crafty backgrounds you created. 🙂
Very nice cards! Love how you used the background stamp.
You always come up with amazing cards. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Yana,
Just wanted to let you know that polychromos can be bought individually (at least in Germany). They are my favorite pencil. I started with a set and add whatever color I need.
Awesome Kit! Wonderful creations, I especially love how you created multiple cards with the different colored stamped strips!
Love the patchwork layers! Wonderful Kit!