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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.
Such a cute, festive card.
I love your card and your singing. it was so cute. i loved your card and your videos. you do such nice videos. your card is so delightful. i love the way you tied all of the cute images together by using the same paper and embossing powder. the darling red hat really put the cutest final touch. thanks so much for sharing.
I love, love your cactus card
Love your background, great card!
so fun! thanks for sharing! I love the cactus!
Your cards are so fun! I like these stamps! Thanks for the fun blog hop and for taking the time to make the video to share your process. Much appreciated!
Love that cute stamps background and the Santa hat on the sentiment was the perfect touch!
I adore these cactuses….cacti? I don’t know….but they are wonderful!!
Oh my goodness, you are so talented. Love your site, thanks for sharing with us.
We have family in New Mexico and this is the best idea to send for their Christmas cards. My mother-in-law is an artist and will lovingly appreciate the idea of hand-made cards especially the “Merry Cactus” play on words. Thanks for the take on card making with watercolor, playful and fun! Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh wow! Love the stamps and hoe you made the background. Wonderful coloring too!! LOVE!
Who would of thought about cactus for winter. Looks great.
I’ve never been a big fan of Gold, and the platinum looks so rich on this card.
Very cute card! I absolutely love watercolor, and I love how you colored these cacti (?) ! lol
LOVE IT!!!!!!! Yana this is such a fun, bright and happy card. Thank you for the inspiration 🙂
Well this is a cute stampset!
Great festive card…love the layout, the embossing & the crowing touch…Santa’s hat!
Super cute card!
I can never come up with the words to express to you how much I love ALL of your cards and your AMAZING talent. This card makes cactus look adorable (how is that possible)?
Amazing cards!!
This is a really beautiful card and love how the red and green are balanced by not painting all the cacti. Nice!
Your wtarecolor is lovely. Love the mix of embossed solids and watercolor!
A lot of work! But beautiful!
LOVE these little cactus cards!
See Yana, this is why your my favorite and my inspiration! I just love these cards and I will probably have to get these stamps now, thanks! 😉
LOL – dancing Christmas cards!
Very different card. Nice!!
Love your background. You always amaze me with your creations.
I really love this stamp set. I also love how you made your cards. Love the stamping and embossing all over then water coloring it. I also like that you sewed the side. Adorable all around t you.
Beautiful! Love these and the selective coloring is awesome! Great look ♥
Love you card. I love everything you did to it. I also love this stamp set. A must have.
Love your creation! So cute!!
Love the card. But having trouble posting my comments this is the third time. Hope it works.
thank you, Sandra! Your comments are posting, they might have been held for moderation at first.
thanks so much! glad you liked this card
Such great and unique Christmas cards!
Such gorgeous cards Yana! I always love your creativity and outside of the box thinking! Thank you for the great inspiration!
Your cards are very cute and festive. I am always in the Christmas mood.
Awesome card! so cute! thanks for sharing with us!
Wonderful cards! I really love the bright watercoloring and that you used the Platinum ep
This is just delightful. Love the mix of Kraft and the bright red and greens.
Super fun cards! Love the singing at the end, too funny! Your probably way better than myself!
Oh my goodness! Just lovely! Thanks for inspiring!
A very cheery card! I like the colors you used.
Darling cards. Love your background! Thanks.
I too like to stamp a full sheet to make 4 cards. Much easier if you can do it that way. Thanks for the inspiration!
Great cards for someone living in the south or west US. We can relate to cactus and warm Christmases.
Cute Christmas cactus!
Cactus? For Christmas? It works…
Lovely card. Want that stamp set
So cute!!!
Adorable card, love it!