Hero Arts | Christmas Cactus Cards. Video + Giveaway (now closed)!

Hello everyone and thank you for stopping by! We are having a Launch Party Blog Hop for Hero Arts to help celebrate the launch of their new website and Holiday 2015 collection!

Hero Arts Lauch Party Blog Hop

I have been in a holiday mood for that past couple of days or I should probably say weeks and I been dying to make a card using a new stamp set by Hero Arts called Merry Cactus To You.

Yana Smakula | Hero Arts Merry Cactus to You Watercolor Holiday Cactus Card. Video

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We always have Christmas trees, ornaments, reindeer, Santa but rarely or probably never have a cactus on a holiday card. So today I’m using a cactus stamp set to create 2 simple heat embossed watercolor background holiday cards.

Yana Smakula | Hero Arts Merry Cactus to You Watercolor Holiday Cactus Card. Video

I’ve shared a video recently where I used rather large images to stamp a background pattern on a full letter sheet and create 4 cards, today I’m going to follow the same concept and use large images, well not as large as I used in that video, but still slightly larger than the images I usually use to stamp a full background. I’m going to be working on a half of a letter sheet piece of paper, so its going to be enough to make 2 background for standard A2 cards.

Yana Smakula | Hero Arts Merry Cactus to You Watercolor Holiday Cactus Card. Video

VIDEO TUTORIAL

Please watch my video below or on my Youtube channel for more tips and tricks and a detailed tutorial. Thanks!

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I’ve used Hero Arts new Platinum embossing powder for my heat embossing (had to change things up a bit from the usual gold). I mixed and matched solid and also outline images for my cards because I wanted to add a little bit of watercolor to these. I intentionally did not use just solid or just outline images.

If I were to use just outline images and would have water colored all of them I would have had a background that is a little bit too busy. And if I were to use just solid images I wouldn’t have had any room for water color.

Yana Smakula | Hero Arts Merry Cactus to You Watercolor Holiday Cactus Card. Video

HOP ALONG

GIVEAWAY (NOW CLOSED)

Hero Arts will be giving away one GRAND PRIZE $100 Hero Arts shopping spree. The winner will be randomly chosen from all of the blog hop comments received by 11:59pm PST on Tuesday, September 8th. Check the Hero Arts blog for the announcement of the winner.

SUPPLIES

Hero Arts Red Royal Ink AF225
Hero Arts Red Royal Ink AF225
Shop at:
SSS | SC | HA
Hero Arts Blush Mixed Layering Papers PS620
Hero Arts Blush Mixed Layering Papers PS620
Shop at:
SSS
ScraPerfect Perfect Crafting Pouch Multi-Purpose Craft Tool
ScraPerfect Perfect Crafting Pouch Multi-Purpose Craft Tool
Shop at:
SSS
Versamark Watermark Emboss Ink Pad
Versamark Watermark Emboss Ink Pad
Shop at:
SSS | HA
Spellbinders Artisan X-plorer Die Cutting Machine
Spellbinders Artisan X-plorer Die Cutting Machine
Shop at:
SSS | SC
Simon Says Stamp Big Momma Foam Tape Roll
Simon Says Stamp Big Momma Foam Tape Roll
Shop at:
SSS
Strathmore WATERCOLOR PAPER 5.5x7 Ready Cut Sheets 140205
Strathmore WATERCOLOR PAPER 5.5×7 Ready Cut Sheets 140205
Shop at:
SSS
Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun PW200
Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun PW200
Shop at:
SSS | HA
Hero Arts Clear Stamps MERRY CACTUS TO YOU CL909
Hero Arts Clear Stamps MERRY CACTUS TO YOU CL909
Shop at:
SSS | SC | HA
Hero Arts Frame Cuts Dies MERRY CACTUS DI146
Hero Arts Frame Cuts Dies MERRY CACTUS DI146
Shop at:
SSS | SC | HA
Hero Arts Platinum Embossing Powder PW117
Hero Arts Platinum Embossing Powder PW117
Shop at:
SSS | HA

This post was updated on July 5th 2016.

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546 Comments

    1. I must say I am not a big cactus fan, but you rocked these Christmas cards! Thanks for sharing a new idea!

    1. Fun! Fun! How much fun can one person have with stamps like cactus’s! Surely me!

    1. Love these fun cards on the hop ! All cards have been a delight to see!

    1. Wow…what fun and cheerful cards. Thanks for sharing them and also thanks for a chance to win!

    1. How creative! Just love this unique stamp set! I’m moving to Texas soon, so may have to have it for Christmas cards! Thanks for sharing this inspiration! ~Annie

    1. love the addition of the water coloring to these stamps. adds much more interest having half full embossing and the other half embossing plus color.

    1. I’ve been a huge fan of embossing powder backgrounds for many many years so I was all over this one. If they could just back a dump truck full of this stuff up to my studio I would be the happiest girl . What a cute card! Thx

    1. Love your cactus background embossed and watercolored. I can see I “need” some platinum embossing powder. TFS, Yana!

    1. Being from Pennsylvania, i kind of love how untraditionally Christmas this is!

    1. Your marry cactus cards are inspiring. This set is perfect for someone who wants to send something different this year.

    1. I just love the bright & cheerful colors of your adorable cactus cards.

    1. Love the cactus stamps and your choice to use water colors to decorate them. It looks so fresh.thank you for the tutorial.

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