April My Monthly Hero Countdown: Idea #6 + Giveaway!
We're back with our final countdown post, leading up to the release of the April My Monthly Hero kit! Release day is Monday, April 2nd at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific. Please note, we will be taking a break from the countdown on Easter Sunday. Don’t forget to comment on each and every post as we’ll be giving away a kit on Monday morning, before the kit launches! Now let's join Clare as she shares a festive and fun card using the kit...
I'm gonna tell ya straight up - I'm a little bit obsessed with the cacti in this month's kit. For today's card, I kept it simple, by heat embossing a cacti in Gold on some black paper.
I wanted a nice fun background for the little guy, and since my mind was thinking desert/watercolor/AWESOMENESS, I eventually made my way to my friend Lisa Spangler's blog. She shared a super cool watercolor technique to achieve an amazing background - see her original post HERE.
For my background, I covered a small watercolor panel with water - LOTS of water, as it helps the ink bleed more. Then I put down some strips of Liquid Watercolor, straight from the bottle, down on the cardstock. As soon as I had all my ink down, and with the cardstock still wet, I used a small comb to create a funky pattern across the panel. The colors I used were Purple (new add-on coming Monday!), Strawberry and Dandelion.
Then, because you all know I have a thing for Sparkle embossing powder, I covered the panel with it, heat set it and then die cut the panel with the Rounded Rectangle Infinity Dies.
I topped the card off with a kit sentiment stamped in Grape Juice, the heat embossed cacti, some black gems and a strip of gold reflective paper.
Be sure to check in Monday for the full reveal and a super fun blog hop!
Win a kit before you can buy it! Just leave a comment on this (and every) Countdown to Creativity post! We'll randomly draw one lucky winner from all the comments left across all the countdown posts, and announce the winner first thing Monday morning, April 2nd, before the kit launches at 1pm Eastern. The more you comment, the more chances to win!
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100 Responses
Ophelia
Excited about this kit a card with Sarape background
Anne Furth Snelgrove
Such a cute idea. Really like the background as it makes me think of a South West sunrise. I’m a little obsessed with the cactus too.
Marylurdys Hernandez
This technique makes a great faux-fabrique aplique. Excellent!
Ginalou
Great background idea.
Sandra
Using a comb for cardmaking? You’re a creative genius! LOL Seriously, that is super kewl!! Thanks for sharing the link on how that was done. That is my next stop and thank you so much for sharing!! =)
Teresa R-O
Really excited about the April ’18 kit release…the theme is perfect for Cinco de Mayo and to make cards for our friends down south!
Linda Schade
I love that comb technique! How clever, and the use of unusual colors behind a cactus, so unique. thanks for the inspiration.
Marilee DeMars
Wow! That is an amazing technique — the colors, the sentiment, the kit!!
Krystal Showalter
Such a great card! I love the idea of using a comb to move the alcohol ink.
DSW
Great idea to emboss in hold on black paper. It’s something I definitely want to play with in my cards. Looking forward to the kit!
Rebecca Ballard
Never enough Mexican stamps. Your colors are beautiful. I love me cactus 🌵
Toni L
I can understand—I have a fascination with cacti too! Great kit content!
Tasha Jorgensen
Fantastic card! Love the colors behind the cactus!
Lisa A creations
Cute card!
Sharon Vincz 👻
Love the fiery colors! 🌵
Kris Reeves
I love your background!
Diane Brown
I love this card with the amazing background, The cactus is a fun theme to colour, great CAS card.
Rae Culak
I love learning new techniques for backgrounds, the use of a comb to create texture is a great idea
Christi Conley
Love the way you embossed cactus :)
Bonnie Darroch-Dean
What a creative background idea. Can’t wait to see the whole kit and start playing with it!
Dana M
Terrific card! Love the CAS layout and the water colored panel is amazing, perfect to ground the fantastic cactus.
Nelissa Winters
Great card, love the background.
karenajo
What a super card – the background is amazing ! Thanks for a great sneak peek!
Marie
What a cool technique ! And the striking cactus on black…Wow!
Ellen
I love how you created this amazing background. TFS.
Stacey
Sweet card.
Dayle Shimamura
Wow! Love your watercoloring! The black and gold saguaro REALLY stands out from your pretty colors!
Judy
This is fabulous! Love the effect…looks just like a blanket, cant wait to try this.
Cyndi
Wonderful card technique! Anxiously awaiting to see whole kit.
Tabitha Kelley
This is a wonderful design
Janet D.
LOVE the background and color combo!
Karen L K
Nice a nice card! That is a great background for the cacti! Super cool colors too!
Shannon
Lovely-the background reminds me of a woven blanket.
Barbara-Jean
Fun card. I !
FD91354
Wow.. such a creative card. Love the techniques you used. A comb.. cool. Thanks for the ideas
Karen Hale
Love your gold and black cactus against your colorful embossed background. Stunning! Can’t wait to see the new kit.
Veronica Griffin
Love that technique!! I’m going to have to try it.
Great card!!
Kati Caprara
Love the gold embossing and the “comb watercolor” effect! This looks like a great kit! Thanks for sharing!!
DUMONTIER Marjorie
Wow !! What a stunning background !!
Mercedes Rivera
I love what you did with the background
Mateja P
Awesome background :) Love it!
Denise Lagarda Vega
I can’t wait to see the whole kit. I’m loving it so far.
Barbara Howell
Your gold embossed Cacti on that super cool background is fantastic.
Marjorie
I liked the technique with the comb. Very nice background. Looking forward to seeing the new kit.
joyce willy
Really enjoy the background and the gold take on the cactus —very original.
Dena Byerley
I love this set
christy
beautiful! will try this technique, for sure!
Debby K Prutzman
Interesting background, love the color combination. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to see the entire kit.
Carolyn P
Great idea using the comb!
Tami
Fantastic water color technique!!
karen Chester
Love the colors you used on this card. It is really super.
Kirsten Freye Sykes
Love the simplicity
Shannon
I really like cactus stamps so I’m excited for this one!
Julie B
This is entire set is so fabulous! I will be online early to order!!!!!
Retta Lutte
Such a pretty background. Never would have thought to use a comb!
Jeanne Beam
Great card. Love the background colors. Thanks for sharing…
Carolyn Pokorney
Love how you use so many unique techniques and mediums to create such a beautiful card…can’t wait to see this kit!
Susan King
The liquid water colors and thank you for the comb idea. It is fantastic and really festive!
Lynda
Gold cactus is beautiful. It’s always such fun to see what Hero Arts designers come up with every month.
C4G
Neato!
Kathy McCartney
I would have never thought of purple with a Southwest motif – but I love it!
Janis Litynsky
This is a sweet Collection…
Betty
Very colorful, love the texture!
Becky Moore
Very cute! And that watercolor combing is so cool!
Kitty Tatman
I love the font for these sentiments! Great idea with the watercolor panel., I’ll have to give it a try!
Tani K
I love the watercolor technique. I will definitely try this one.
Dee Earnshaw
awesome card – love the background panel:)
Janie S.
Why do they call them succulents? This one is pretty with the water color background. Love the greeting in purple juice.
Vicki M.
Love the cacti—perfect for us Arizonans!
Beverly Robinson
Awesome background, and I love the embossing.
Heidi
So excited to see the entire kit! The teases have been fun.
Cheri
Creative card ……your background technique looks great & I love the cactus stamp!
Kari Mano
Oh, I love that background technique, so neat! I love that cactus also
Melissa SunshineHoneyBee
Like the cool vibrant coloring of the striped background with the gold embossed cactus.
Melissa
“Sunshine HoneyBee”
Linda
That is a very cool background!
Althea Robles
What a cute card! This kit looks amazing!
Susan Lang
I love the cactus! Great techniques, I will try it.
Lillian T
This watercolor technique is really cool! I’ll have to try it with the BFF on our next crafting date!
cyndi morris
Love that background. Thanks so much for sharing the “comb” technique. Very nice card — I, too, love the cactus.
Ann-Bsidecrafter
Love the cactus
Peege04
Great technique! Thank for sharing.
Diane Stricker
Fun and colorful card.
Anne Roberts
What a unique background, and love the embossing❤️
Nancy Dempsey
The background is perfect. Beautiful card!
Can’t wait to see the whole kit on Monday!
Ann
Nice effect withe combing technique. And the purple. . .OMG! Love purple.
Sue Manning
I love the colors! The black gems really set it off nicely. Great job.
Evelyn Larson
Wow who knew that you could use a comb for art. Nicely done. Beautiful card.
Danielle Dietz
I can see those gorgeous colors in a dessert sunset Clare! Perfect backdrop for the cactus.
Sue D
I like the gold embossing on black and the colorful background.
Beth B.
Love this card and technique. Love the cactus 🌵 elements in this release. Thanks for sharing and the opportunity to win.
Kiyomi
What a fun technique for the background. Looks like a tapestry! beautiful!
Amy Kleinschmit
Love the watercolor background…going to have to try that!!
Janet Axtman
Love that background. It really resembles the patterns on the mexican panchos of the past.
Rachel
I’m new to crafting. Thank you for teaching new ideas!
Naama E
Sunning!! Love the colors and the gold cactus is brilliant! thanks for sharing this beautiful inspiration! I can’t wait to play with this kit ^^
Beth Merrill
A brilliant, vivid card. I love the combing effect!
Glenn Zdziarski
Neat technique with the comb!
Dorothy Mutafopulos
Beautiful background so coloful and the Cactus is amazing too !!
Jade B
Love the background technique.
Linda S.
The purple in this card is fabulous. Looking forward to the kit reveal on Monday.
Clare Prezzia
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