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Hello everyone and thanks so much for stopping by to help celebrate the launch of Hero Arts December My Monthly Hero Kit (more about the kit, blog hop and giveaway below). I have a lot of cards to share using the add-ons only, I didn’t use the monthly kit for any of these cards.That being said – today’s post is a super long one, so grab a cuppa!
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I mentioned this last time and I’ll say it again – every month Hero Arts has very unpredictable and super fun products and designs in their kits. This month kit is all about Valentine’s Day and there are many fun and quirky stamps and images that work well for any love themed cards. I got a bit distracted and made a card for nearly every add on stamp this month. Many of them are similar and use similar techniques, but all are easy and fun to make.
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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!
CARDS DETAILS
My favorite product this month is not a stamp set, but a set of pre cut heart shaped tags. These tags are fantastic – they are great for those who might not have a die cutting machine or don’t have a heart shaped die. The size of these is perfect to take center stage of an A2 card. There’s 20 in a pack – 10 white and 20 kraft, so you get plenty of shapes to play with. I used these for every card I’m sharing today, I messed a few up as I was stamping and I still have lots left.
These shapes can be used in variety of ways – like a regular heart shaped die cut, or they can be adhered together to house a secret message for your card. This is exactly what I did for this You Always Have My Heart card with a raccoon you see below.
I started working on this card by creating a background – I stamped raccoon holding flowers in gray ink repeatedly onto a white cardstock panel cut to 4 x 5 1/4″. Next, I foam mounted panel onto an A2 card base made out of Fog cardstock.
I stamped and cut out raccoon image, colored using Copic markers using C5, C3, C1 to color raccoon and Polychromos pencils to color the heart); stamped sentiment onto a heart-shaped tag, foam mounted racoon and sentiment bubble. Finally, I stamped secret sentiment on another tag, added a score line about 1/4″ from the edge on the left hand side, adhered top tag onto bottom one and foam mounted onto the card. I also embellished this card and many other cards I’m sharing today using Nuvo Drops.
I made a few additional cards following this color scheme and idea (minus the secret message). Here’s another card using You’re a Bandit stamp set with the raccoon. I love this image of a the critter peeking from the dumpster. Very clever and different from other traditional images.
The You Stole My Heart sentiment was heat embossed in white on black, I foam mounted it onto the heart tag and next trimmed it to follow the shape of the tag and also added pink enamel dots made using Nuvo Drops.
And here’s another card – this one was done using Stealing My Heart stamp set – I used exact same approach to create the focal point and the background. The sentiment here was stamped in black and I heat embossed it in Sparkle embossing powder.
INLAID HEAT EMBOSSING
I also used these pre cut heart shapes for something I call inlaid heat embossing – I seamlessly combined two different images into one using embossing powder on these heart shapes. I really loved doing this and I find it to be a neat trick. The key here is to not overheat the embossing powder as it will “bleed” in a way and might obliterate the image especially if that image is very detailed.
This technique best works if you have a negative sentiment – like this Happily Ever After, the text itself is made up of a negative space and it’s the banner that makes the positive space around the negative sentiment. And you’ll also need any other image that you can inlay this negative sentiment stamp into, I used Rose Heart. Watch my video tutorial above to see how I combined You’re So Lovely and also Sealed With A Kiss.
Start by heat embossing the sentiment. Once you heat set it let it cool for a few seconds and treat the paper with anti static powder again. Ink up the second image you want to use – and stamp it overlapping the sentiment. Add embossing powder once again and cover the entire image. The powder will sit on the sentiment banner so prior to heat setting the powder must be cleaned. You can do this by using a small dry paint brush – just carefully remove the powder from the area you don’t want it on. Since there is sticky embossing ink – the brush will pick up some of that ink and the powder will start sticking to the brush, so you have to clean it from time to time.
OTHER CARD IDEAS USING JANUARY ADD ONS
First up is this Happily Ever After using Color Layering Rose – I’ll be sharing an additional separate video with this Color Layering Rose stamp set soon as a part of my Color Layering with Yana series, so stay tuned.
To create this card I skipped using the bottom most solid layer of the rose and just stamped detailed layers creating beautiful delicate roses. I cut them out with my scissors and arranged into a cluster on a heart tag – the leaves were stamped directly onto the tag. I also added a scored background panel to this card – I added score lines at 1″ interwars, if you’d like to know how to make these score lines be sure to watch my video here.
The Happily Ever After banner was stamped in black ink and heat embossed in Sparkle embossing powder so it has a bit of shimmer to it.
This next card was done using Bouquet stamp – I stamped it in black ink and heat embossed in clear embossing powder – I sometimes like to do this to help me stay within the lines when I color.
I colored it with Copic markers (Y19, Y15, Y11, RV13, RV11, RV10, BV08, BV04, BV02, V17, V15, V12, YG67, YG63, YG03, YG99, YG95, YG93), I also added gray stamped images around the main image and finally added Happily Ever After as my sentiment. Here I trimmed it into a strip rather than the banner – just wanted to change things up and show you how you can use solid negative stamps like this differently.
Here are step by step photos of the coloring. Click to view larger:
My last card for today card uses the Love Birds stamp and cut set – I stamped a little scene onto a heart tag and colored it using Copics (BG18, BG15, BG32, YG03, C5, C3), I coated everything with Tonic Aqua Shimmer pen to add shimmer to my images.
I foam mounted the tag onto a gold glitter background panel made using a stencil from Hero Arts and gold glitter paste from Tonic.
MY MONTHLY HERO JANUARY 2017 KIT
The kit is available for a limited time only – once it’s gone, it’s gone. If you love it – better grab it now!
You can now subscribe to receive the kit monthly and never miss one!
KIT & KIT ADD-ONS
There are several optional add-on items:
 Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Kit January 2018 Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts DIY Calendar Kit Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Stamp You are So Lovely Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stamp Rose Heart Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stamp Happily Ever After Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stamp Bouquet Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stamps Love Bandit Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stamps Stealing My Heart Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stamps Color Layering Rose Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Color Layering Rose Frame Cuts Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Love Birds Stamp Cut Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Love Bandit Frame Cuts Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stealing My Heart Frame Cuts Shop at: SSS | HA |
HOP ALONG WITH US!
The Hero Arts Blog
Jennifer McGuire
Yana Smakula – you are here
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Wanda Guess
Lydia Fiedler
Amy Tsuruta
Laurie Willison
May Park
Janette Kausen
Michelle Short
Libby Hickson
Ilina Crouse
Clare Prezzia
Emily Midgett
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 so be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win! Giveaway closes Sunday, January 14th at 11:59pm, and the winner will be announced 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 Stamp You are So Lovely Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Stamp Rose Heart Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Stamp Happily Ever After Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Stamp Bouquet Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Stamps Love Bandit Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Stamps Stealing My Heart Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Stamps Color Layering Rose Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Color Layering Rose Frame Cuts Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Love Birds Stamp Cut Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Love Bandit Frame Cuts Shop at: SSS | HA |
Hero Arts Stealing My Heart Frame Cuts Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Heart Tags Ps770 Shop at: SSS | HA |
 Hero Arts Stencil Abstract Waves Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Sealed With a Kiss Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Snow Layering Papers Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Forever Green Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Field Greens Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Crimson Hybrid Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Ultra Pink Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts White Embossing Powder PW110 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Brass Embossing Powder Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun PW200 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
Hero Arts Sparkle Embossing Powder PW105 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils Individual Shop at: RC |
 Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils Shop at: SSS |
 Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils 12 Piece Set Shop at: SSS | RC |
 Spellbinders Platinum Die Cutting Machine Shop at: SSS | SC | SPEL | AZ |
 Tsukineko VersaFine Onyx Black Ink Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Versamark Watermark Emboss Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | HA | AZ |
 Simon Says Stamp Black Cardstock Shop at: SSS |
 Scor-Pal Mini Scor-Buddy Scoring Board Shop at: SSS |
 Martha Stewart Mini Scoring Board Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Simon Says Stamp Fog Dye Ink Pad Shop at: SSS |
 Simon Says Stamp Fog Gray Cardstock Shop at: SSS |
 ScraPerfect Crafting Pouch Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Tonic Golden Crystal Nuvo Glimmer Paste Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tonic Carnation Pink Gloss Nuvo Crystal Drops Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Scor-tape 2 1/2 Inch Crafting Tape Shop at: SSS |
 White Fun Foam 12 Pack 9 x 12 Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Scrapbook Adhesives White Foam Squares Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tonic Aqua Shimmer Pen Nuvo 2 Pack 888n Shop at: SSS | SC |
Gorgeous! I love the inlaid technique!
You found so many ways to make gorgeous cards with this months goodies! I am seriously in awe of your talent. Just breathtaking!
Wow! Your cards are so beautiful. Love all the layering and the extras and accents you add. Wow again!
These are so beautiful. Love the cards with the Roses.
wow your cards are just gorgeous and so varied – thanks for sharing them with us today
Oh, my gosh. I can’t even say which of these cards is my favorite. You knocked it out of the park, Yana, as did Hero Arts with this January kit!
Such beautiful examples!! Adorable racoon too!
I love every card you made with these add-ons. Thanks for showcasing them so we would have some ideas for beyond the kit! You are so creative and your videos are great!
I just love the cute little raccoon coming out of the trash can!!! And the darling little parakeets! Thanks for the tip on inlaid heat embossing. I will have to try that! Just love the heart and rose card too !! Thanks for sharing!
Wow, Yana! You never disappoint with your techniques, and I love the embossing one! Beautiful cards!
Such very lovely cards. Soooo many wonderful ideas to use the kit and add one. Thanks for sharing your talents!
Absolutely love your ideas! The raccoon is sooooo cute and the double embossing is a new technique I need to try!
Wow—so many great ideas/techniques. I love the layering rose add-on stamp set.
What a gorgeous set of cards! So many good ideas that I don’t know where to begin! I think my favorite is the card with the gold heart and the gold embossed flowers over the roses! Some good ideas that I will try!
That Racoon!!! OMG such a fun card
Great cards! Can’t wait to get the kit and some add-ons!
Wow! I think the whimsical cards are adorable and gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe the embossed ones.
Oh my goodness – there is absolutely no way I could chose a favorite from among these beautiful cards!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Your cards are fantastic, with many different styles ! The raccoons are really cute.
Amazing cards!!
Good to see the beautiful uses for the add-ons. Each card is more interesting and exciting than the prior one. It would be difficult to select a favorite.
Love the way you incorporated all the extras. I am a new fan of Hero Arts and your work!
This kit is fabulous and so are your cards. I’ve fallen for that “Love Bandit” raccoon, he’s so adorable.
Lovely cards!
Love the birds but your raccoon stole my heart
absolutely gorgeous!!
Love love love the pink flowered background with the gold heart, the best! You always amaze me, Yana
Such a lovely release and these love birds are so cute….and I adore the racoons
Love the birds and raccoons. Great coloring and card ideas.
Love your coloring on the love birds!!
Just gorgeous Yana!!! I really love your cards and your creativity. If i had to pick one to be my fav, it would be the inlaid heat embossing card. Thanks so much Yana
Stunning Cards. Thanks for sharing.
These cards are all so cute!
The Love Bandit is so darn cute!! Love your techniques and tips – the embossing and using the precut heart tags! Great idea -thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness ! Your cards are just amazing and cute !
[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]
Such cute cards. I could see the inlaid embossing for a 50th Anniversary card.
Such beautiful cards and fun techniques. This kit has so much! Thank you for sharing
I just love it! I started my addiction to cardmaking with a pack of die-cuts and some colored cardstock. And I kept getting “one more” idea! Now I am completely hooked. Which is why card kits are so much fun. You get to try new products and a variety of products and let your creativity go! I have challenged myself to make cards out of things I didn’t even like, just for the challenge to be creative, and surprised myself by liking the finished product!!! Thanks for all the wonderful play.
What a fabulous group of cards!! They are all wonderful but that raccoon is my absolute favorite (and I usually am not a critter lover!).
Fabulous cards. Love the raccoons and the background for the love birds.
Hi. Happy New Year!! Beautiful cards!! I love how you used the heart tags on your cards and adhearing them together is such a great idea! Those heart tags are a must have. The score lines on your cards are brilliant!!! I never thought of trying that! The HA January Kit is beautiful! Thanks for all the inspiration
Such an abundance of beautiful cards, Yana! Love each one of them. The inlaid embossing is fabulous. And, I also love the scoring technique. Thanks for the video!
I found the inlaid technique to be quite interesting. Your cards are very nice.
Loved the layered rose and sentiment technique you showed. Also loved the racoon card,
Super cute cards❤️❤️❤️ I love that little raccoon!!!
Such great cards – I love the birds!!
All of your cards are amazing! I love the birds and the background stencil is awesome!
Love all the cards you made with this kit and addons, those raccoon cards are adorable!
WoW Yana!~ You have been a busy bee! So many beautiful projects! I love the way you colored those love birds! And the roses are gorgeous! Love this kit! Love what you did with it on every card!
The raccoons are my favorite in this release, we had one growing up so I have a fondness for them. Your cards are beautiful.