Good morning! Today is an exciting event in the Hero Arts family… we are officially debuting the new 2018 Summer Catalog with a fantastic Blog Hop featuring the Creative Team and some utterly fantastical guests! You should have arrived here from Clare’s blog and your next stop is Ilina’s blog. You can find the full hop list here. We have some amazing inspiration for you today using new products that can be found in this beautiful catalog (which you can peruse here in PDF form), as well as two $50 Hero Arts shopping sprees up for grabs!
For my first project, I wanted to use the darling new Cowboy Life stamp and frame cuts set. When I first met my husband, he fancied himself a cowboy…. boots, belt buckle, tight cowboy jeans, multiple hats, weird caped duster thing… (Did I mention we live in Illinois? Not exactly cowboy territory. Anyway.) The new Cowboy Life and Cowboy Adventure sets called to me, which I found interesting since these sets are not my usual style! I’m blaming my 19 year old self, the one who fell in love with a cowboy. 😉 I particularly liked the Cowboy Life set, because it includes some sweet little floral bouquets…. Flowers=instant Emily magnet.
I started by black heat embossing the cow skull and some flowers onto Arches watercolor paper using black embossing powder, then used the Hero Arts Liquid Watercolors to do some soft watercoloring. (Can you believe how soft and subtle you can make those super pigmented colors?? Amazing.) I die cut all of the pieces using the coordinating Frame Cuts and black embossed a greeting from the Cowboy Life stamp set onto a flagged strip of card stock. For the card base, I did some soft tone-on-tone blending using the new Scrollwork Stencil and Soft Purple ink onto some Floral Mix Layering Papers. I popped up all of the components with dimensional adhesive.
For my second project today, you knew I wouldn’t be able to resist the absolutely stunning new Peonies stamp set. It’s unbelievably beautiful… and so big. Gah. I love it. One of my favorite things about watercoloring flowers is that you can get so many different looks with them, depending on which mediums and colors you decide to use. Here, I’ve paired white heat embossing with mauve watercoloring, but I created another project (which I’ll share soon! ;)) using no line pencil coloring and it looks totally different.
I started by white heat embossing one of the new Peonies stamps in the corner of an A2 panel of Arches card stock. I then taped it down to a cutting board, because I knew that I wanted to do a heavy watercolor wash around my peony, and I wanted the panel to stay nice and flat. I watercolored the peony using a combination of Purple, Moss, Black, Dandelion, and Strawberry Liquid Watercolors. I began by watercoloring the peony using only the Strawberry shade, then adding layers of Purple and a Strawberry/Purple/Black mixture to get lots of depth and dimension. I love that you can see undertones of the bright Strawberry but still have the cool, mauve-y overall look from the additions of the Purple and Black watercolors.
After I’d finished coloring the peony, I added some more washi tape to the top so that I could add my black watercolor wash around the edges. I did a “wet-on-wet” technique, first wetting the card stock, then dropped the color in and letting it bloom organically. I did go back in and manipulate the color a bit to cover bare spots, as well as dissipate out into a nice fade. The final step was to add the greeting from the Love Stamp and Cut.
Well, that’s all for my projects today! We have a stellar lineup of inspiration for you today. Here’s the full hop list:
The Hero Arts Blog
Amy Tsuruta
Clare Prezzia
Emily Midgett
Ilina Crouse
Janette Kausen
Jessica Frost-Ballas
May Sukyong Park
Michelle Short
Yana Smakula
Kathy Racoosin
Kelly Latevola
Lydia Fiedler
Wanda Guess
Cynde Whitlow
Ericka Strange
Jeanne Jachna
Juhi Khanna
Karen Bull
Kim Hamilton
Lisa Stein
Meghan Peterson
Michelle Yuen
Libby Hickson
Jennifer McGuire
Now, for the GIVEAWAY. Hero Arts is giving away two $50 shopping sprees to the Hero Arts Store! All you have to do to be entered win is leave comments on the blog hop stops. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! You have until 11:59 P.M. PST on Sunday, May 20 to leave your comments. The winners will be chosen the following day! Thanks for dropping by, and have a marvelous day!
Love them both Emily, especially the peonies.
I love all of the new ideas!
Gorgeous cards! I love the background on the first one!
fabulous cards, the peony one is absolutely fantastic!
Great color choices, I especially love the peony card!
Gorgeous coloring on that flower! 🙂
Gorgeous peony and decorated cattle Skull!
Both of your cards are so awesome today… but that peony card! Oh my. I really love the black watercolor background paired with the pink petals. So pretty.
You amaze me.
Gorgeous cards! Both so wonderfully feminine. Beautifully water colored peony.
I especially like the deep colors in the flower.
Love your gorgeous coloring on both awesome cards.
The cowgirl card is my fave. I think the background is perfect
for the skeleton/flower image.
Oh wow! That flower card is so beautiful. The colors! 😍
Love the flower card with the gray background. It really makes the flower pop off the page.
I really love the focal point of the skull (who thought I would type that?!) and the floral card is amazing! Thank you for sharing these with us!
Two great looking cards…love what you did on the flower card…well done and tfa
this is stunning!!! love creative use of black watercolor
These cards are gorgeous. The colors are perfect!
Beautiful cards! Love the background you created for the skull and the peony is gorgeous especially with the black. Beautiful job!
Both so striking!
Pretty cards, love the links and purples you used.
Love the cow skull with the flowers. What a fun card.
I LOVE how you did the flower, but wow, you totally made me do a double take at those cowboy stamp sets!! SO cool! Love the background stenciling!
The Peonies are just delish!!!!! The black background really was a special additions!
I love both of your cards Emily – thanks for the opportunity to win!:-)
All You Need is Love is a stunning card!
OMG! Beautiful cards. Love the design and the colors.
Very pretty cards!
Simply Wow…loved it!!
I love your take on the skull with flowers and that background is marvelous. I love the white embossed outline of the flower and that black watercolor background is perfect. Wonderful cards.
WOW! That peony is gorgeous!
Lovely cards, very nice choice of colours ! The second one is simply gorgeaous !!
Very beautiful cards. Love the dramatic color combos.
That peony is to die for!
Love the depth of color on your floral card especially!! So gorgeous!
Laughed at your cowboy story. I grew up in East Texas, so saw lots of faux cowboys! Cowboy boots and a Dooley truck with a gun rack does not a cowboy make! My grandpa was a real one (but wouldn’t have claimed to be) so I knew the difference! Oh, did he look handsome in a Stetson!
But I digress. Love the high drama of the flower card!
Gorgeous water coloring on the peony! I want to experiment coloring with my Copics since the stamp is so large
The Cowboy Life stamp set is a “must” for me — I live in Montana! You did a fantastic job on both cards.
Wonderful cards. I like the dramatic colors.
I found your blog through the blog hop and wow – what wonderful cards! I’m loving this entire new release line from Hero Arts.
Omg your flower card has so much drama in an image sooooo pretty.
That flower is STUNNING!
Your flower is lovely, and I love the Cowboy Life set and the card you made with it.
Love your cards. Absolutely gorgeous coloring!
So stunning. I especially love your backgrounds. Thank you
Beautiful cards… love that color combination! Your peony card is awesomely bold and dramatic. Beautifully done.
your cards re stunning:)
I love the peony set, and your card is gorgeous.
Wonderfully and amazingly dramatic! WOW the color combination is fantastic. Love it, —feel a definite card-lift feeling coming on!!!
It’s hard to beat that pink peony and the charcoal haze!
Emily, this is one striking card. Job well done!
Like the background behind the skull
…must give it a try.
Emily this floral card is stunning!! The Peonies stamp is already on my wish list, after seeing your card I want it even more!! 🙂
Love these cards! The peonies are just so gorgeous!!
I love the colors you used on both cards. The Cowgirl skull is so cool with the stenciling behind it!
I love the black watercolor background. Wow that peony really pops
Wow that black background is just striking!
The black with the peony is so pretty. Not sure I am brave enough to try it myself, but yours is gorgeous!
Love the depth u achieved on the
Peony!
So beautiful! Now the skull was never something I thought would be in my collection lol having said that I love your card! It is really unique and can go
Both ways either male or female!
Gorgeous cards! The floral watercolor card is just stunning!
Lovely coloring….
I never thought I would like a card with a cow skull, but you have just proven me wrong! Love it! Wow, that dark wash on the peony really gives it dimension. Thanks for the inspiration.
Love them both! The peonies are my fave, but I am a floral kinda gal 🙂
Skull card is sooo unique!! Love it paired with the background. But the peony is just gorgeous!!! Love the color choices!!!
You had me at the title cowboy life but then blew my socks off with your coloring of the peony. Wow, just WOW!
Both cards are beautiful!
Great cards!
Beautiful cards! I really love the peony 🙂
Love them both, but the peony card is stunning!
It’s kinda like Christmas when Hero comes out with new designs. Love your cards, especially the peony one, ’cause I love the peony stamp so much! 🙂
That flower card is stunning!
Wow cards, both of them! Hero Arts has done it again!
Fabulous cards! Your peony is stunning!
I love blog hops because they inspire me to create! Thank you.
Love your cards! Especially the Peony flower one! The colors are so AMAZING together!
Such a sweet story about meeting your DH! Love this sweet card, too! Especially the watercoloring—-I must try these new Hero Arts paints! Thanks for the inspiration!
I love both cards, but the Peony is a real winner! Thanks for sharing your wonderful talent.
Two great cards. Love the colors.
great cards!
Your cow skull card is somehow, really pretty (considering we’re talking skull!). I love that background! The peony card is stunning-fabulous
water coloring!
Wonderful cards. Love the peony on the dark background.
Thanks for sharing…
Great cards, love the subtle coloring on the first one.
Love these! Especially the first one, I just find it so original and looooove the colors! Thanks for sharing!
The first card is cowboy cool! The peonies are my favorite with all that super blending and shading! Thank you!!!
love, love, love that peony card!
Your cards are lovely, i like the peony card the best its beautiful
I love the dark background. So beautiful.
What lovely and soft and pretty cards combo these are!!
Love the peony card, great use of colour!
Stunning watercoloring on the peony! Love the depth of contrast you were able to achieve.
Wow! Both your cards and colors are simply gorgeous!!!
the mauve peony card is beautiful.
WOW great cards
Oh my goodness; I love these cards! I definitely need the cowboy life set for card making for my Texas relatives, and I can’t get enough of the peonies. Thanks for sharing.
Wow – such a different take, very edgy and I LOVE them!!! Superbly creative! TFS ♥
Beautiful cards! Thank you for sharing!
The peony is just beautiful. By the way, there are sooo many people in this blog hop!
A beautiful flower and on the other I love the use of the stencil.
Just lovely! The scrollwork stencil was the perfect background for your cowgirl card. And I love what you did with the peony. You got amazing depth from the watercolors. Thank you so much for sharing!
Awesome coloring! Thanks for the chance to win .
Oh that peonie! Love it!
Oh Emily! Both cards are lovely…. But that Peony with the black background. Oh my! Just gorgeous!
Wow! Your cow girl card is really cool! I love that stencil! And your peony card is stunning.. you color beautifully!
I never thought to do a black watercolor wash. I’ll have to try it when I get that peony stamp set.
Both of your cards have very nice color schemes. Thanks for sharing!
That peony is just gorgeous.
WOW! That peony card is gorgeous.
Such a unique image on the first card, love how you made it is both feminine and masculine at the same time and I cannot get enough of those flowers!
especially like the peonies! it is a beautiful card.
So lovely! Thanks for sharing!
Peony stamp on my wish list. Very beautiful!
Oh my goodness !! These are two fantastic cards ! But, the floral one is even more !! It’s fabulous, magnificent, breathtaking !!!
[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]
Wonderful cards! The floral one is just gorgeous!!
The watercolor peony is gorgeous, and I love the small touch of the second white border, creating a “bleed” effect for the flower.
Beautiful cards!
Great cards. Your floral card is stunning!
Love your color choices…especially with the floral design. tfs
Your peonies are simply stunning. I’m like you, I love flowers.
Wow! I never knew I loved purple so much until I saw your use of it in these two cards. I am really drawn to the peonie card. It’s delicate and bold at the same time. Thank you.
Great new release and your creations are wonderful !
Wow! Gorgeous cards! That purple background is stunning – I need that stencil! The watercoloring on the peony is beautiful. I love the colors you used!
Great cards! The flower is absolutely stunning.
Stunning! I would never have thought to use black as a background but it really makes your image pop! Thanks for sharing this!
What fun the first card is and the 2nd card is absolutely gorgeous.