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Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

my monthly hero

April My Monthly Hero+Giveaway!

Hi there! Today is the first Monday of the month, so that means that the new My Monthly Hero kit is available for purchase! This month’s kit is just plain fun, featuring a unique Art Deco theme, and an absolutely gorgeous cover plate die included in the kit itself, along with lots of fun add-ons. You should have arrived from Caly Person’s blog and your next stop is Julee Tilman’s blog.

This month’s kit features a Mediterranean theme, with really beautiful intricate dies and a lovely English and Italian sentiment set, as well as some great basic supplies, including a sampler of some of the gorgeous new card stock that Hero Arts released in the latest catalog!

The add-ons this month are particularly great, too!! These kits frequently sell out, and once they’re gone, they’re gone… so don’t wait and miss out! You can also subscribe to make sure that you get first dibs every month. The kits will begin shipping from the warehouse on Friday, April 5th. I have a couple of projects to show you today, so let’s get started!

For my first project, I used one of the dies included in the main kit and combined it with a rectangular die cut frame to create a little village on the Mediterranean coast. You know the photos of those bright white villages where the buildings almost seem stacked on each other up the hillside? I was trying to create that same look by staggering the multiples of the same die cut within the frame. I die cut one of the dies included in the kit four times from white card stock, then used the Picket Fence Studios blending brushes to lightly blend Soft Vanilla ink along the top of each die cut to help age the white buildings a bit. I also die cut a frame using the Rectangular Infinity dies from some more white card stock.

Next, I masked off the edges of a white card base and blended some Soft Sky ink to create a sky background using the same blending brushes. I adhered the die cuts to the frame, staggering them to create a unique line for each row of buildings. I adhered the die cuts on the blended card base using foam tape. I also added a greeting on a white strip using foam tape.

For my next project, I wanted to use one of the beautiful add-ons to make a quick, colorful card. The Carnevale stamp set has a variety of gorgeously detailed images, and I gold embossed the traditional Carnevale mask and coordinating sentiment onto some Adriatic card stock (which is one of the colors included in the sampler in this month’s kit). I then used my Luminance pencils to add some quick color to the mask and its feather.

After I’d trimmed the edges of the dark teal panel, I splattered some Glimmer paint on the panel to add some sparkle and whimsy, also stamping some little stars from the Carnevale stamp set using gold sparkle ink. I used the Life Changing Blending Brushes to add some subtle tone-on-tone blending on two corners of the card front to help draw the eye down towards the mask and sentiment. I mounted the panel on some gold metallic card stock that I had left over from a previous My Monthly Hero kit for a gold frame on the edge.

Well, that’s all for my projects today! Now for some fun giveaway information!

Hero Arts is giving away one kit to a lucky commenter (and if you’ve already purchased one, they will reimburse you!). All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on each stop on the blog hop. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here’s the full lineup in case you got lost:

The Hero Arts Blog
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Janette Kausen
Ilina Crouse
Nichol Spohr
Michelle Short
Caly Person
Emily Midgett
Julee Tilman
Laurie Willison
Amy Kolling
Debi Adams
Lydia Fiedler

My Monthly Hero February 2019 Blog Hop+Giveaway!

Good morning! Today is the first Monday of the month, so that means that we have the first My Monthly Hero blog hop for the new year! This month’s kit is just plain fun, featuring a unique Art Deco theme, and an absolutely gorgeous cover plate die included in the kit itself, along with lots of fun add-ons. You should have arrived from Caly Person’s blog and your next stop is Ilina Crouse’s blog.

The main kit this month features a large 6×8 stamp set full of fabulous stylized images from the 1920’s, coordinating frame cuts, an absolutely stunning Art Deco cover plate die, and some fun embellishment options, including some utterly fabulous gold and silver foil papers!

The add-ons this month are particularly great, too, and I’ll have a post later this month with some fun things that you can do with them!! These kits frequently sell out, and once they’re gone, they’re gone… so don’t wait and miss out! You can also subscribe to make sure that you get first dibs every month. The kits will begin shipping from the warehouse on Friday, February 8th.

Today, I kept my project fairly easy, with some Copic coloring, some blending, and some heat embossing. Let’s get started with the details!

I began by stamping some of the fabulous images included in the main kit: the silhouette of the beautiful flapper and super fun sentiment, flanked on the top and bottom by the sunburst image to help add some interest and balance. I eyeballed it, but you could use a T-square if you were really wanting to be precise. 😉 I stamped them with Versafine and heat embossed with clear embossing powder to really make those black lines stand out. I then used Copic markers to color in the details using a coral and pistachio color scheme that screamed 1920’s to me.

Copic colors used: R20, R21, R22, E000, E00, E23, YG61, G46, G94, N1, N3, 0

After I had finished coloring the image from the February My Monthly Hero kit, I trimmed it down to a long rectangle, then mounted it on a very slightly larger panel of black card stock.

For the background, I chose to heat emboss the new Deco Flourish Bold Prints using Silver Pearl embossing powder on some plain white card stock. I then used the Picket Fence Studios Life Changing Blending Brushes to blend some Fresh Peach ink around the edge to coordinate with the peach sash on her dramatic and gorgeous chapeau. Finally, I mounted the black-matted Copic panel with some foam adhesive to add some extra dimension!

Now, for some fun giveaway information! Hero Arts is giving away one kit to a lucky commenter (and if you’ve already purchased one, they will reimburse you!). All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on each stop on the blog hop. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here’s the full lineup in case you got lost:

The Hero Arts Blog Caly Person Emily Midgett Ilina Crouse Janette Kausen Jessica Frost-Ballas Michelle Short Nichol Spohr Yana Smakula Amy Kolling Debi Adams Jennifer McGuire Julee Tilman Laurie Willison Lydia Fiedler Libby Hickson

Thank you for stopping by, and have a marvelous Monday!

January 2019 My Monthly Hero Blog Hop+Giveaway!

Good morning! Today is the first Monday of the month, so that means that we have the first My Monthly Hero blog hop for the new year! We have a darling kit to to share with you today, with so many potential scenes to create! Your imagination is the limit! You should have arrived from Caly Person’s blog and your next stop is Ilina Crouse’s blog.

This month’s kit features a 6×8 stamp set, coordinating frame cuts, easel die, vellum envelopes, envelope seals, red and pink card stock, and pink glimmer lacquer.  These kits frequently sell out, and once they’re gone, they’re gone… so don’t wait and miss out! You can also subscribe to make sure that you get first dibs every month. The kits will begin shipping from the warehouse on Friday, January 11th.

For today’s project, I used the main storefront image from the kit to do some no-line watercoloring. The storefront is so lovely and can be used so many ways (I created a shaker card with it here during the countdown). I began by stamping it with some Ink on 3 Fadeout ink, then used Hero Arts Liquid watercolors to do some no-line watercoloring.

I stamped a few pails and flowers, as well as a potted plant and a watering can on some more watercolor paper, then did some more watercoloring with the Hero Arts Liquid Watercolors, die cut them, and popped them up on the card front in a little cluster using dimensional foam adhesive.

Finally, I added a greeting with some black embossing powder using sentiments from the kit. The stamp set in the kit contains several options for building your sentiments, with Valentine’s Day sentiments as well as everyday sentiments!

Well, that’s all for me today! Isn’t this such a fun and versatile kit? Could be used for Valentine’s Day, spring, birthday, just because… so many possibilities! And the add-ons!! Absolutely fabulous.

Now, for some fun giveaway information! Hero Arts is giving away one kit to a lucky commenter (and if you’ve already purchased one, they will reimburse you!). All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on each stop on the blog hop. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here’s the full lineup in case you got lost:

The Hero Arts Blog Caly Person Emily Midgett Ilina Crouse Janette Kausen Jessica Frost-Ballas Michelle Short Nichol Spohr Yana Smakula Amy Kolling Debi Adams Emily Loggan Julee Tilman Laurie Willison Lydia Fiedler Libby Hickson

December 2018 My Monthly Hero Blog Hop + Giveaway!

Happy Monday! It’s the first Monday of the new month (how in the world is it already December?! Gah!), so that means a new My Monthly Hero kit is now available for purchase, and the Creative Team and some special guests are celebrating with a blog hop! I know many people are still creating all things Christmas, but the folks at Hero Arts created an absolutely gorgeous fairy kit that is sure to get your mind off of the red and green for a bit! You should have arrived from Caly Person’s blog and your next stop is Ilina Crouse’s blog.

Here’s the main kit and all of the extras included:
The kit includes: A 6×8 stamp set and coordinating dies, 4-5.5×8.5″ sheets of beautiful shimmer card stock, Moonlight confetti, and sparkly gel pen. The value of this kit is $65, but you can purchase for the price of $34.99! These kits frequently sell out, and once they’re gone, they’re gone… so don’t wait and miss out! You can also subscribe to make sure that you get first dibs every month. The kits will begin shipping from the warehouse on Friday, December 7th.

I have two projects today, one using the main kit and one with a couple of the add-ons, so let’s get started with the details!

For my first project today, I chose to create a little meadow scene with that darling mouse from the main kit! (Isn’t he just the cutest?!) I began by stamping some mushrooms, dandelions, and the little mouse on some hot press watercolor card stock using Intense Black ink. I then used the Hero Arts Liquid Watercolors in shades of Dandelion, Orange, Moss, Strawberry, Black, and Cocoa to watercolor the images. I also watercolored a pale blue sky using very diluted Indigo watercolor.

After I’d watercolored everything, I die cut the images using their coordinating frame cuts (included in the kit). I also die cut a gold frame using some of the beautiful shimmer card stock included in the kit using the Infinity Rectangles Frame Cuts. I arranged my die cuts approximately where I wanted them, then used my Misti to get perfect placement for my sentiment and the little floating dandelion seeds on the blue sky background. I popped the frame up around the outer edge of the blue sky with foam tape, then added the rest of the die cuts with more foam tape to create a little scene with lots of dimension!

For my second project today, I absolutely couldn’t resist using the beautiful Fairy Window Fancy Die paired with the Star Light Star Bright Bold Print background stamp. I began by stamping the background using three different colors. To achieve this, I used my MISTI. I first stamped the Dark Indigo on the top third, blotting the edge of the inked area with a paper towel before closing the lid on my MISTI to soften the line of the ink and make a smoother fade. I added Indigo ink to the middle section, again dabbing the top and bottom with a paper towel to decrease the harsh lines and create a smoother blend, then finished it off with Orchid ink and a little more paper towel action. I spritzed it with some Iridescent White shimmer spray and set it aside to dry.

I die cut the Fairy Window Fancy Die from some black card stock and adhered it to the (now dried) starry panel using liquid adhesive. So much detail on this cover plate! I absolutely love it! I added a greeting from the main kit’s stamp set on a strip of white card stock and popped it up with some foam tape.

Well, that’s all for me today! Such a fun release, right? The kit, the add-ons… everything!

Now, for some fun giveaway information! Hero Arts is giving away one kit to a lucky commenter (and if you’ve already purchased one, they will reimburse you!). All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on each stop on the blog hop. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here’s the full lineup in case you got lost:

The Hero Arts Blog
Caly Person
Emily Midgett
Ilina Crouse
Janette Kausen
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Michelle Short
Nichol Spohr
Yana Smakula
Jennifer McGuire
Kathy Racoosin
Debi Adams
Lydia Fiedler
Julee Tilman
Emily Loggan
Libby Hickson

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous week!


November My Monthly Hero Blog Hop + Giveaway!

Good morning! Today is the day! The November My Monthly Hero kit is finally available for purchase, and we have a fantastic blog hop to help provide you with even more inspiration for this month’s kit! You should have arrived from Debi Adam’s blog, and your next stop is Ilina Crouse’s blog. This month’s kit is super unique and oh so much fun… the stamps and dies included in the kit help you create a miniature Advent calendar. Here’s what’s included:


4″ x 6″ Clear Stamp Set
4.25″ x 5.5″ Ornament Flap Fancy Die
4.25″ x 5.5″ Ornament Background Cling Stamp
Green-gold Embossing Powder 0.5 oz.
Gold Embossing Powder 0.5 oz.

This kit is valued at $60, but it’s available for purchase at only $34.99! Great value, right? And if you’ve been checking out the Hero Arts Blog, you’ve seen just how many different ways this kit can be used. These kits frequently sell out, and once they’re gone, they’re gone… so don’t wait and miss out! You can also subscribe to make sure that you get first dibs every month. The kits will begin shipping from the warehouse on Friday, November 9th. In case you missed it, this was my project for the Hero Arts Blog countdown:

I combined the main Advent calendar components with Clarice, our Elf on the Shelf to create a fun, interactive “scavenger hunt” for my kiddos! Fun for them to search for Clarice (and bonus, it helps them learn their numbers)! You can check out the full blog post here.

For my blog hop project today, I chose to use the lovely Ornament Background included in the main kit. I began by heat embossing it onto plain white card stock using silver embossing powder. I then used my foam blending tools to blend Indigo, Orchid, and Rose Madder Hybrid inks.

Once my colorful background was complete, I die cut a Christmas word die from plain white card stock. I also stamped the rest of the greeting from Christmas Trimmings on white strips of card stock using Indigo ink. I adhered them in the center of my blended panel using liquid adhesive (makes this the perfect, flat card for mailing!), then added some Crystal Lacquer to the Christmas die cut to add some textural interest to the card front.

The final step was to add some shiny, sparkly sequins from Pretty Pink Posh. I know this color combination isn’t really “traditional” for Christmas, but I think it looks so magical with the ornaments and the snowflakes and the silver… it’s just plain pretty!

Now, for some fun giveaway information! Hero Arts is giving away one kit to a lucky commenter (and if you’ve already purchased one, they will reimburse you!). All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on each stop on the blog hop. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here’s the full lineup in case you got lost:

The Hero Arts Blog
Amy Kolling
Debi Adams
Emily Midgett
Ilina Crouse
Janette Kausen
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Julee Tilman
Laurie Willison
Lydia Fiedler
Michelle Short
Nichol Spohr
Yana Smakula

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous week!