April MMH Release

4/1/2024

Celebrate the whimsical charm and timeless tradition of folk art with our April My Monthly Hero kit.

Classic Kit Contents & Description $74 Value for $36.99

• 3 Color Layering Floral Butterfly Stencils, 5.25”x 6.5“
• Coordinating Cover Plate Die
• 16 Coordinating Frame Cuts
• Clear Stamp Message Set, 4”x 6”
• 3 Reactive Ink Cubes (Blue Hawaii, Splash, and Taffy)

Premium Kit Contents & Description(Premium Elements in Bold)$109 Value for $49.99

• 3 Color Layering Floral Butterfly Stencils, 5.25”x 6.5“
• Birds & Flowers Clear Stamp Set, 4”x 6”
• Coordinating Cover Plate Die
• 16 Coordinating Frame Cuts
• 13 Coordinating Dies
• Clear Stamp Message Set, 4”x 6”
• 3 Reactive Ink Cubes (Blue Hawaii, Splash, and Taffy)
• 16 Washi Stickers

I used the Classic kit to create this delicate and shimmery card. I used the stencils and reactive inks in Taffy, Lemon Drop, Creamsicle, Berry Smoothie, and Key Lime. I used blending brushes and a VERY light hand to create this light and delicate blend. I sprayed a light layer of Iridescent white shimmer spray over the entire panel.

The sentiment is from the kit and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.

I used the Folk Art add-on to create this second card. It is mostly a one-layer card except for the mat and sentiment. It is very flat and would be easy to mail. My inspiration for this card was the brightly colored embroidered shirts and dresses from Mexico.

I lined up the stamp at the center of a white card panel and placed it in the Misti. The stamp positioner is key for this card! I used ink cubes to stamp color block and stamp portions of the image. The leaves and stems were done with Key Lime and Green Apple reactive ink. The flowers were stamped with Taffy, Lemon Drop, Fruit Punch and Berry Smoothie. The birds were stamped with Splash. After all the colored ink was stamped I cleaned my stamp and used Embossing & Watermark ink with clear embossing powder. I used coordinating Tombow dual brush markers to color the image.

I stamped the sentiment with black ink and heat embossed like I did with the main image. I trimmed that down to a small strip and added it to the panel. Then, I matted the entire panel on Azalea cardstock. Thanks for hopping along!

Kits will begin shipping will begin Friday, April 5th and will continue the following week. We will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, April 7th at 11:59pm Pacific, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

Hero Arts
Hero Arts Creative Team:
Channin Pelletier
Heather Ruwe
Ilina Crouse
Jennifer Kotas
Karen Brown
Mindy Eggen
Pocono Pam
Rosie Lopez
Seeka <——-NEXT STOP
Special Guests:
Jennifer McGuire
Nichol Spohr
Emily Midgett
Essie

April 2024 MMH Countdown

3.30.2024

You are going to LOVE this month’s My Monthly Hero kit! There are so many ways to use it.

I went a little rogue with my Classic Kit countdown card. I used the stencils to blend Lemon drop, Creamsicle and Key lime inks. I barely used any ink, mostly ink that was already on the blending brushes with a very light hand. On the last stencil I used White Pearl Hero Paste. After it dried completely I die cut with the cover plate die and snipped out the butterflies and flowers from the panel.

I used the cover plate die to emboss a Deluxe White card panel and adhered to a card panel. I heat embossed the sentiment from the classic kit on Vellum with Gold embossing powder. I adhered the large butterfly and tucked the sentiment under. Then I tucked in a couple butterflies, few leaves and tiny flowers.

Don’t forget to comment on all the blogs during the countdown for a chance to win a gift card from Hero Arts! The April kit will be released on Monday, April 1 at 10 AM PT! Set your alarm, this one will go fast!

Cherry Blossom Shaker

3/25/2024

A few weeks ago I traveled to central California and drove through miles of cherry blossom orchards. It was a windy day and the blossoms were being blown from the branches making it look like snow. It was so beautiful and that was my inspiration for this card.

I remembered I had these blossom shaker bits from a previous My Monthly Hero kit in my stash and thought it went perfectly with this Cherry Blossom cover plate die. I started by die cutting the cover plate from Bristol Smooth cardstock and then colored it with my Tombow markers. I gave a light spritz of Shimmer Mist to an Arctic card panel and then heat embossed the sentiment from the Premium MMH kit.

I attached the cover plate panel to an acetate sheet and then built up some walls for the shaker bits. I adhered a few shaker bits to the back panel so the loose bits will plunko down (anyone remember that game from The Price Is Right?) when tilted.

I filled the shaker well with a good bit of shaker bits and some iridescent confetti from my stash and carefully adhered it to the back panel. I did not move it for 24 hours just to give everything enough time to dry. Then I tested it out with a shake, shake, shake!

There are few days left of this special discount code on MMH subscriptions. You can use my link and code to get 15% off! This is the first time Hero Arts has offered subscriptions at a discount. When I tell you my craft room was built on MMH kits , it’s true. This card is a perfect example of how something from an old kit can come in handy later on.

March 2024 MMH Release

3/4/2024

Hi! Welcome to the March MMH blog hop! What a great release at the perfect time. All the cherry blossoms trees in my area are blossoming. It is wonderful inspiration to create cards.

Experience the breathtaking beauty of misty mountains and tranquil waters with our March My
Monthly Hero kit. Featuring a 6″ x 8″ clear stamp, a generous number of coordinating dies, and
a stunning patterned gate window die, this kit offers a glimpse into the wonders of nature and
beyond. The Rub-on Transfers and 3 ink cubes, complete this serene and elegant Classic kit.

Classic Kit Contents:

Clear Stamp Set, 6”x 8”
17 Coordinating Frame Cuts
Cover Plate Window Die
2 Rub-On Transfer Sheets
3 Ink Cubes (Cherry, Periwinkle, Deep Ocean)

The Premium Kit includes additional elements to extend the potential for more cards and
techniques – even more Creativity In The Box! In addition to all the Classic Kit components, the
highlight of our expanded kit is a beautiful floral stamp set filled with everyday messages that
you will repeatedly use, 10 coordinating dies, and our new Translucent Pinks Hero Hues
Enamel Dots.

Premium Kit Contents:

Clear Stamp Set, 4”x 6”
10 Coordinating Frame Cuts
Translucent Pinks Hero Hues Enamel Dots

I used the Premium kit to create this project. I stamped the image on Bristol smooth paper using Contour Ink. I colored the cherry blossoms with my Tombow Dual brush pens and a Waterbrush. I am still new to the no-line watercolor technique but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. For the background I die cut the cover plate die with Pine Cardstock. I also die cut a circle slightly larger than the circular opening from Peony Cardstock. I ink blended the edges with Azalea ink and adhered it to the Pine panel. I die cut the blossoms using the coordinating die and heat embossed the sentiment. For a finishing touch I used the Translucent Pinks Hero Hues Enamel Dots that came in the kit.

For my Add-On card I used the Bonsai Fancy die. I die cut with Pesto, Peony, Cup o Joe, and Charcoal cardstock and then added a little ink blending in coordinating colors to highlight the intricate die. For the background I used the cover plate die (with the center removed) from the Classic kit. I did some more ink blending with Peony and Cotton Candy inks around the edges of the panel. The sentiment is from Friendly Messages bundle.

When I saw this kit it reminded me of a Japanese Brush Painting class at the art center where I work. The students create these beautiful and elegant monochromatic pieces. I wanted to represent that inspiration with stamps on a card.

The inks I used were Contour Ink for the water, Granite ink for the mountain, an old MMH kit ink (dark grey/blue) for the shadows on the mountain, Charcoal for the moon and reflection. I used Intensified Black for the crane, pagoda sentiment. I wish I had heat set in between each color because there was some bleeding. For the background used the cover plate die on Charcoal cardstock and then used the Hero Transfers from the kit in just a few areas.

We will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by
Sunday, March 10th at 11:59pm PT, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog
the following week. Thanks for stopping by!

Hero Arts

Hero Arts Creative Team:

Heather Ruwe —–Next Stop

Special Guests:

February 2024 MMH

2.5.2024

Welcome to the February My Monthly Hero kit blog hop! This kit is all about sending peace, love and healing. Like I said in l my countdown post, I love the mix of fonts in this kit. The script words with coordinating dies is perfection. I think this kit lends itself nicely to clean and simple cards that have impactful messages and sentiments.

Classic Kit: $73 Value for $36.99

Clear Stamp Set, 6″ x 8″
17 Coordinating Dies
4 Tag Fancy Dies
6 Sheets Premium White Cardstock, 5.5″ x 8.5″
Unicorn Pigment Ink Cube
Rustic Twine, 3 yards

Premium Kit: $113 Value for $49.99

Clear Stamp Set, 6″ x 8″
Clear Stamp Set, 3″ x 4″
17 Coordinating Dies
4 Tag Fancy Dies
Imagine & Peace Fancy Dies
Sun Stencil, 6″ x 6″
6 Sheets Premium White Cardstock, 5.5″ x 8.5″
Unicorn Pigment Ink Cube
Rustic Twine, 3 yards
Ephemera Pack, 48 pieces
White Embossing Powder, 0.5 oz.

I used the Classic kit for my project today. I started by selectively stamping the lavender stalks 3 times with Grape Juice and Moss core ink. I didn’t bother masking off the stamp, I just used the edge of the ink pad and my Misti stamping tool. I used Periwinkle core ink and stamped the vase three times on Vellum. Then I used Embossing and Watermark ink and Clear embossing powder to heat emboss the vase. I die cut everything using my Compact Cutter. This little machine is so handy for small die cutting.

I cut three strips of Passion Flower cardstock to 1 in by 3.25 in. On each strip of paper I stamped one of the word stamps from the Classic Kit. I adhered the vases with tape runner and the lavender stalks with Precision Glue.

For the card base I ink blended Passion Flower and Orchid core ink from the bottom up using my Blending brush. The I gave it a spritz of White Shimmer spray focusing my spray from the bottom. This gave me a heavier shimmer where there ink blending was and less shimmer towards the top.

I stamped ‘Believe in’ with Intensified Black ink and die with the coordinating die. I did stack up that sentiment and the purple strips twice for some dimension.

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I was really connected with the Passion Flower cardstock this month because my add-on card also focused on the pastel purple color. I used the Words of Peace Bold Print Passion Flower core ink to create this background. I very lightly and inked up the bold print and brushed off some of the ink. I lightly stamped the bold print and really wanted an uneven and almost shadow look. Then I used the blending brush to ink blend with the same ink around the edges of the panel.

The sentiment is the main focus of this card. I used the Sending Peace stamp set along with the ampersand from Letter S-V Fancy Dies to create this centerpiece. I die cut the ampersand from Passion Flower cardstock (I told you I was feeling the purple this month) and used what ink was left on my blending brush to ink the the edges. I stacked that up a few times for dimension and then stamped Peace and Love on the same piece of cardstock and trimmed tightly around each word.

I attached the words Peace and Love to the ampersand and stacked some cardstock behind so it lie flat. I placed that background panel in my Misti and placed the stacked dies where I planned on attaching them. Before I attached them with Precision Glue, I stamped Sending directly on the background panel.

I hope you get lots of inspiration on the blog hop today! I can’t wait to see what you create. You arrived from the talented Channin Pelletier blog. Up next is the cheerful Dana Joy. Thanks for hopping by, don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

GIVEAWAY
We will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by
Sunday, February 11th at 11:59pm PT, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog
the following week.