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!
Click HERE to sign up if you don't have an account.
Excited about this kit a card with Sarape background
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.
This technique makes a great faux-fabrique aplique. Excellent!
Great background idea.
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!! =)
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!
I love that comb technique! How clever, and the use of unusual colors behind a cactus, so unique. thanks for the inspiration.
Wow! That is an amazing technique — the colors, the sentiment, the kit!!
Such a great card! I love the idea of using a comb to move the alcohol ink.
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!
Never enough Mexican stamps. Your colors are beautiful. I love me cactus 🌵
I can understand—I have a fascination with cacti too! Great kit content!
Fantastic card! Love the colors behind the cactus!
Cute card!
Love the fiery colors! 🌵
I love your background!
I love this card with the amazing background, The cactus is a fun theme to colour, great CAS card.
I love learning new techniques for backgrounds, the use of a comb to create texture is a great idea
Love the way you embossed cactus :)
What a creative background idea. Can’t wait to see the whole kit and start playing with it!
Terrific card! Love the CAS layout and the water colored panel is amazing, perfect to ground the fantastic cactus.
Great card, love the background.
What a super card – the background is amazing ! Thanks for a great sneak peek!
What a cool technique ! And the striking cactus on black…Wow!
I love how you created this amazing background. TFS.
Sweet card.
Wow! Love your watercoloring! The black and gold saguaro REALLY stands out from your pretty colors!
This is fabulous! Love the effect…looks just like a blanket, cant wait to try this.
Wonderful card technique! Anxiously awaiting to see whole kit.
This is a wonderful design
LOVE the background and color combo!
Nice a nice card! That is a great background for the cacti! Super cool colors too!
Lovely-the background reminds me of a woven blanket.
Fun card. I !
Wow.. such a creative card. Love the techniques you used. A comb.. cool. Thanks for the ideas
Love your gold and black cactus against your colorful embossed background. Stunning! Can’t wait to see the new kit.
Love that technique!! I’m going to have to try it.
Great card!!
Love the gold embossing and the “comb watercolor” effect! This looks like a great kit! Thanks for sharing!!
Wow !! What a stunning background !!
I love what you did with the background
Awesome background :) Love it!
I can’t wait to see the whole kit. I’m loving it so far.
Your gold embossed Cacti on that super cool background is fantastic.
I liked the technique with the comb. Very nice background. Looking forward to seeing the new kit.
Really enjoy the background and the gold take on the cactus —very original.
I love this set
beautiful! will try this technique, for sure!
Interesting background, love the color combination. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to see the entire kit.
Great idea using the comb!
Fantastic water color technique!!
Love the colors you used on this card. It is really super.
Love the simplicity
I really like cactus stamps so I’m excited for this one!
This is entire set is so fabulous! I will be online early to order!!!!!
Such a pretty background. Never would have thought to use a comb!
Great card. Love the background colors. Thanks for sharing…
Love how you use so many unique techniques and mediums to create such a beautiful card…can’t wait to see this kit!
The liquid water colors and thank you for the comb idea. It is fantastic and really festive!
Gold cactus is beautiful. It’s always such fun to see what Hero Arts designers come up with every month.
Neato!
I would have never thought of purple with a Southwest motif – but I love it!
This is a sweet Collection…
Very colorful, love the texture!
Very cute! And that watercolor combing is so cool!
I love the font for these sentiments! Great idea with the watercolor panel., I’ll have to give it a try!
I love the watercolor technique. I will definitely try this one.
awesome card – love the background panel:)
Why do they call them succulents? This one is pretty with the water color background. Love the greeting in purple juice.
Love the cacti—perfect for us Arizonans!
Awesome background, and I love the embossing.
So excited to see the entire kit! The teases have been fun.
Creative card ……your background technique looks great & I love the cactus stamp!
Oh, I love that background technique, so neat! I love that cactus also
Like the cool vibrant coloring of the striped background with the gold embossed cactus.
Melissa
“Sunshine HoneyBee”
That is a very cool background!
What a cute card! This kit looks amazing!
I love the cactus! Great techniques, I will try it.
This watercolor technique is really cool! I’ll have to try it with the BFF on our next crafting date!
Love that background. Thanks so much for sharing the “comb” technique. Very nice card — I, too, love the cactus.
Love the cactus
Great technique! Thank for sharing.
Fun and colorful card.
What a unique background, and love the embossing❤️
The background is perfect. Beautiful card!
Can’t wait to see the whole kit on Monday!
Nice effect withe combing technique. And the purple. . .OMG! Love purple.
I love the colors! The black gems really set it off nicely. Great job.
Wow who knew that you could use a comb for art. Nicely done. Beautiful card.
I can see those gorgeous colors in a dessert sunset Clare! Perfect backdrop for the cactus.
I like the gold embossing on black and the colorful background.
Love this card and technique. Love the cactus 🌵 elements in this release. Thanks for sharing and the opportunity to win.
What a fun technique for the background. Looks like a tapestry! beautiful!
Love the watercolor background…going to have to try that!!
Love that background. It really resembles the patterns on the mexican panchos of the past.
I’m new to crafting. Thank you for teaching new ideas!
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 ^^
A brilliant, vivid card. I love the combing effect!
Neat technique with the comb!
Beautiful background so coloful and the Cactus is amazing too !!
Love the background technique.
The purple in this card is fabulous. Looking forward to the kit reveal on Monday.
Clare Prezzia
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