Hello everyone! Are you ready to start thinking about Valentine’s Day? I am! Truth be told I still need to decorate our apartment for Christmas and put up a Christmas tree (we don’t even have ornaments yet) but I am ready to switch gears a bit and shift from the red, white and green to pink, white and red. How about you?
Today we are celebrating Hero Arts 2017 Valentine’s Day Release – a collection of fun new products to play with and create (more about this below)!
Like this card? Pin it and save for later!
I made quite a few cards using new goodies and I’ll be sharing them here on my blog over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! Today I’d like to share to very simple watercolor cards made using Hero Arts London and Paris destination stamps.
I used Arches watercolor paper (there simply is no better watercolor paper in my book) and stamped my images using versamark ink, next I added white embossing powder and heat set it with my heat tool.
I wanted to create little watercolor prints of Paris and London, but I didn’t have a lot of time to work on these, so instead of carefully painting every single detail I did a simple ombre watercolor wash using Distress inks (I am listing the colors I used below in my supply list).
After my panel was was dry I did come in and accentuated some of the elements on my heat embossed panels to help them pop. I used same colors of inks, they were simply watered down less, so ended up looking a lot more vibrant.
To complete these cards I trimmed my panels to about 3 3/4 x 5″ and foam mounted them onto A2 top folding landscape cards made out of Simon’s Fog cardstock. I also wrapped some May Arts natural twine around the front panels and added a few Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.
Here’s a look at my watercolor London card – same idea, same layout, same technique, just a different stamp.
You could easily turn these into travel greeting cards by adding sentiments like “Bon Voyage”, “Happy Vacation”, “Greetings From” etc.
HERO ARTS VALENTINE’S DAY RELEASE
 Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Hugs Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Smitten Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Heart Pattern Bold Prints Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Romeo and Juliet Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts truly, madly, deeply Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Destination Paris Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Destination London Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Love Tattoos Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts Love Swirls Stencil Shop at: HA |
HOP ALONG
The Hero Arts Blog
Jennifer McGuire
Yana Smakula – you are here!
Mariana Grigsby
Amy Tsuruta
Clare Prezzia
Jana Millen
Ilina Crouse
Libby Hickson
GIVEAWAY
Hero Arts is giving away two $25 shopping sprees, drawn from comments left across all blogs in the hop. Please comment by Thursday, December 15 at 11:59pm PT and Hero Arts will announce the winner the following week.
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
Hero Arts Destination Paris H6194 Shop at: HA |
Hero Arts Destination London H6195 Shop at: HA |
 Hero Arts White Embossing Powder PW110 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun PW200 Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Versamark Watermark Emboss Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | HA | AZ |
 Arches Cold Press Watercolor Pad 9×12″ Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Simon Says Stamp Fog Gray Cardstock Shop at: SSS |
 White Fun Foam 12 Pack 9 x 12 Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Spun Sugar Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Picked Raspberry Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad Abandoned Coral Shop at: SSS |
 Ranger Studio Paint Artist Brushes Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 May Arts IVORY Twine String Burlap Shop at: SSS |
 EZ Runner Grand – Permanent Shop at: SC | AZ |
 EZ Runner Grand – Permanent – Refill Shop at: SC | AZ |
 EK Success Powder Tool Applicator Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear Sequins Mix Shop at: SSS |
 Sakura Quickie Glue Pen Shop at: SSS | AZ |
I like the delicate colors in this beautiful card. Thank you so much for showing us that sometimes a quiet card speaks loudly!!
I just love a watercolor background, but would not have thought of it with a stamp like this! Thank you.
Well Yana sweetie, Valentine’s Day is pushing it at this moment, but alas, your card and the fabulous others here —I’m hooked! Thanks
Thank you for sharing.
Such pretty and elegant cards! Thank you for sharing your talents!
Sweet card love the color
Lovely!
Your cards are so pretty!
Your card is so pretty! Love the soft colors.
Lovely card – just stunning.
Great card!
These are gorgeous and I love how you accentuated the colors to give more depth. White embossing and watercolors…love this combo and you do this so well! 🙂
OMG Yana – your cards are beautiful. Love the colored backgrounds.
Location Paris so pretty and makes me a little wishful to go there.
Lovely cards and it was nice to see Paris feature since it is a city associated with love. Thanks for sharing with all of us .
These are SO lovely! My niece is enthralled with anything Paris right now & she would love that Paris card! That stamp will be at the top of my list. (Hope I get lots of stamp money for Christmas!)
It’s such a soft decoration because of the colors having been applied very lightly. It adds a peaceful touch to the card in a very stressful and busy year. Thank you for sharing!
Beautiful card! I love the colors you used.
Love this and the colors you chose. So classy!
What a great and romantic way to use the skyline dies. BRAVO!
OOPS! I meant skyline stamps!
Love both city stamps so much! And your watercolour wash is just perfect.
Beautiful, love the stamps and your designs are breathtaking! I love Valentine colors, so it’s an easy transition for me 🙂
gorgeous cards. . . love the watercolor
I love your cards and your youtube channel. I’ve gotten so many great ideas. Thank you for sharing!
Love your gorgeous “ombre” watercoloring on these, Yana!
These cards make me wish I was going to Paris or London! I love Hero Arts stamps! I have so many,but there is always room for ust one more. LOL
That is one great card!
Aaahhhh such a SWEET card…”Paris…the city of LoVe” a perfect topic for Valentine’s Day!
Your cards are stunning….I especially love the colors and the embossed images…Bravo! And the
little touches at the end with the sequins and the twine!!!!!!
Liked the simplicity and lovely colors!
I like what you have done with this card!
Your card is so pretty and soft really like It! Thank you for sharing!
I love the ombrĂ© colouring. It’s so beautiful!
The cards are so romantic with the soft reds and pinks. Makes you long to stroll the avenues of these great cities with a loved one
Pretty cards,
Terrific watercolor cards, Yana! Love your color palette and the scenes for Paris and London. Great soft white embossing really helps the image pop!
What beautiful cards! Love that shade of pink. Soft but vibrant.
Love these soft and simple cards!!
I love your London and Paris cards!
Great card ideas, thank you so much for sharing.
Love he water coloring, very pretty card. Thanks
Thanks for the tip to go back in and accentuate part of the design with ink that is not so diluted. Will be trying this with my cards to make them pop a bit more but still maintain their watercolor softness.
Such a pretty soft card!
Pink is my fave and goes great with Paris!
Wow, what a unique card idea. Thank you for the giveaway!
Gorgeous card of Paris and London, such beautiful soft colours. Love the pink and white
Such an elegant card…love the London stamp!
Stunning card. Thank you for sharing your talents, and for the chance to win.
So pretty and romantic. Nice job
So gentle and poetic! Beautiful card.