G’Day Mate | April Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Blog Hop + Giveaway

Hi there, I hope your weekend went well and that you were able to find some time to set aside any fears and worries you’ve been carrying, if only for a short while.  One of the ways I take my mind off things is to play with ink and paper, and playing the new April My Monthly Hero Card Kit from Hero Arts was the perfect way for me to de-stress.

Today we’re celebrating the entire April release with a blog hop and a giveaway.  If you arrived from Maria Willis’ blog, you’re right on track!

In addition to this month’s release, Hero Arts is selling We Are In This Together World Enamel Pin.  In true Hero Arts fashion, 100% of the net profiles from the sale of the pin will be donated to support COVID-19 disaster relief.  The pin is a reminder that, during these difficult times, we are one world, in this together, and we are stronger when we support one another with friendship and kindness.

This month’s card kit celebrates amazing Australia which has suffered unimaginable fires over the past year.  I have two cards to share today, of very different themes which reflect the diversity of Australia.

For my first card, I used the gorgeously detailed stencil that’s included with the kit.  I began by briefly placing the stencil over an A2-sized piece of Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock and using a pencil to lightly track a few arcs of the sun.  I removed the stencil and used a foam blending tool to blend Wild Honey Distress Oxide ink inside the pencil marks.  Then I erased the marks and continued blending in a circle, beyond where the marks had been.

Next, I repositioned the stencil over my panel and used a light-tack tape on the reverse side to tape the panel to the stencil, to hold the two together.  Using more foam blending tools, I blended Carved Pumpkin, outwards from the sun, and down towards the bottom of the panel, to create the effect of the sun shining on water.

Using four blue Distress Oxide inks (Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch, and Chipped Sapphire), I ink blended the water and the sky, through the stencil.

After I removed the stencil, I tamped Wild Honey over the sun-streaked water to lightly cover the wavy white lines that had been protected by the stencil.  I did the same with Tumbled Glass over the blue areas of the water.  This helped create more variation between the sky and the water, since I left the clouds stark white.

While the panel dried, I die cut three dolphins out of Bristol Smooth and then inked them up with Chipped Sapphire, with a touch of Tumbled Glass along their backs.

I used black ink to stamp the sentiment and then assembled the card by adhering two dolphins with glue dots, and a third dolphin with foam tape.  Finally, I adhered the card front to an A2-sized card base.

For my second card, I created a desert scene with a gorgeous tree and a few kangaroos.

I began by masking off the bottom portion of an A2-sized piece of Bristol Smooth cardstock and then using foam blending tools to create a sunset with more Distress Oxide inks.  This color combination is Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries, Seedless Preserves, and Chipped Sapphire.  Then I reversed the mask to reveal the bottom part of the panel and used Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso and Black Soot to create the ground.

After letting the panel dry for several minutes, I dusted it with an  anti-static powder tool and then heat embossed the sentiment in gold embossing powder.  Finally, I stamped the tree and the three kangaroos in black pigment ink before adhering the card front to an A2-sized card base.

Thank you so much for coming by!  Before you head on to visit the wonderful Laurie Willison, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full blog hop list, information on how to enter for a chance to win a gift certificate to Hero Arts, and information about shipping

Giveaway

Hero Arts will give away one $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the blog hop. Enter by Sunday, April 12th at 11:59pm Pacific Time, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

Kit Shipping

Please note that this month shipping will be delayed. Currently Hero Arts estimates that shipping will begin April 20. They know you’re excited to get your kit and appreciate your patience as they work through delays during this time of COVID-19. We are all  sending love and support, as well as healing thoughts to those who know people who have fallen sick or are sick themselves.

Blog Hop List

Hero Arts
Michelle Short
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Channin Pelletier
Daniel West
Ilina Crouse
Debi Adams
Janette Kausen
Yana Smakula
Lydia Fiedler
Jennifer McGuire
Julee Tilman
Maria Willis
Seeka <– You are here
Laurie Willison
Amy Kolling
Libby Hickson