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October My Monthly Hero Blog Hop + Giveaway

Hi friends! I am thrilled to once again be joining Hero Arts for their October My Monthly Hero Release Hop! You're in for such a treat as this amazingly talented list of designers share their products with this month's gorgeous main kit and all the FABULOUS add-ons.

The kit and add-ons this month are filled to the brim with winter splendor and possibility. And there's an awesome giveaway! You could win the October main kit by hopping along and giving a shout out in the comments to each of these amazing artists. The giveaway closes Sunday, October 7th at 11:59pm, and the winner will be announced the following week on the Hero Arts Blog.

If you're just popping in, the hop started over on the Hero Arts Blog. If you've been hopping along already, you should have arrived from the oh-so-fabulous Jessica Frost-Ballas' blog. Seriously, you don't want to miss her stunning snowflake cards!

Now, let's get on with my shares for today! Warning... you might want to grab a cuppa something de-lish, because this post is going to be another long one! I had so much fun stamping with this kit. 😊


As soon as I saw the kit, I knew some shabby chic creations would be happening with that stunning tree image. I couldn't wait to pull out the Prima Santa Baby paper collection and start in on this card. I stamped the tree in soft sand and embossed with clear embossing powder on cream cardstock. Next I colored with copic markers in pinks and tans, then cut with the fancy paper layering tree die and frame from the kit. To bring out a bit of sparkle, I added some white liquid pearls and some stardust stickles to the branches and then accented with an iridescent star from the kit. I sponged a little around the edges, then decided to stamp one of the birds from the kit and die cut it to accent on top.  I embellished with lace trim, some seam binding and a couple of paper roses.


I set this aside and layered my papers, sponging the edges with the soft pink and sand colors from the Kelly's Coffee and Donuts Ink Cube set. I added a few highlights to the flowers with the same colors of copics and a dusting of stardust stickles here and there.  The sentiment is embossed in white on a piece of designer paper I backed with chipboard and cut with the Tag Frames Infinity Dies.


While I was figuring out what to do for the senitment on that card, I first tried the winter wishes sentiment in the sand color on designer paper and then stamped the icicles image below it three times, fussy cut and added icicle stickles to it. I loved how it looked, but it didn't quite fit the space I had, so I set it aside for this sweet little ornament project. I used the adorable Tree Tags Fancy Dies add-on to cut the tree shape from designer paper, chipboard and felt. I then layered the three together with the felt on the back so it could be given as a tree ornament. I sponged the edges, then added the winter wishes/icicle piece I had made previously. The fawn is stamped and colored with copics, then die cut to add to the ornament.  I trimmed the tree with some star rhinestone strings and different sized pearls, then finished off with some gold cord.


For my next card, I stepped out of my usual comfort zone and tried something new to me... masking and ink blending. I had this picture in my head of exactly what I wanted to do with this beautiful little ice skater, and set to work with masks and inks in hand to make it happen! I started by stamping the skater girl onto smooth Bristol in intense black ink. I then stamped and cut a mask for her, the pond and an oval frame. I laid down the oval frame mask where I wanted it, positioned the ice skater mask, and then stamped the pond. To this I added the pond mask, and then started blending with the three blues in the Winter ink cube pack (soft pool, cornflower and navy). I then added a little unicorn ink splatters for some snow.  After I removed the pond mask, I watercolored with the navy and cornflower inks and added shimmer with a wink of stella glitter pen.  My skater girl is colored with Arteza real brush pens and accented with a white gel pen.


I wanted a bit more texture to the card, so I used the oval I had cut from sticker paper to make my oval frame mask as a mask over my blended background, then inked up the Graphic Snowflake Bold Print add-on with soft pool ink and embossed in clear embossing powder.  I added a bit of that fabulous silver shimmer paper below, then worked on the sentiment. I love the gorgeous script sentiments in the Peace.Love & Joy add-on set, so embossed the peace word on vellum in silver. Before I fussy cut it, I added a bit of double-sided adhesive to the back, so I could stick it down easily. Since the entire piece is coated with adhesive, there are no marks to show through. To finish off, I masked the May your Holidays be filled with sentiment into two lines, embossed on silver, then added a bit of midnight muse cardstock to make the sentiment pop.


For my next card, I wanted to play with that tree again, this time just using the fancy die, cut from designer paper and then highlighted with a crystal clear lacquer pen and white puff embossing powder. I "fluffed" the branches up a bit to give some dimension as well.


The boy and the fawn from the main kit  are stamped in black and colored with copic markers. I added a few white gel pen accents, and used pewter metallic glimmer inks for the boy’s ice skates. I wanted to build a little winter scene for them, so decided to watercolor a night sky. For the background, I used navy, cornflower and soft pool to paint the sky, then added a watered down layer of the pewter metallic ink for a snowy shine. A bit of unicorn ink splatters give the effect of snow, and I embossed the happy tidings sentiment from the main kit in white. The final touch was the Snowflake Edge Fancy Die from the holiday catalog cut from the silver shimmer paper in the October kit.


For this winter card, I was inspired by the beautiful twilight shimmer paper in the kit. So I grabbed my Arteza brush pens and headed off to color this sweet little skater girl while watching football with my boys. When I came back to die cut her and the sweet birdy, I realized that the purples I colored with didn’t match the paper! Eeek! So I started scrounging around for something to match and found some Authentique double sided paper to fill the job.


I wanted to build a winter wonderland scene, so stamped the pond in intense black and fussy cut from silver shimmer paper to give her a place to skate. Kind of like the Lake of Shining Waters, right?! Next I cut the Snowflake Fancy Edge Die from white cardstock and embossed it with white puff embossing powder for a little texture. To accent, I used some dew drops on the centers of the bigger snowflakes. The sentiment is from the Stacking Snowflakes add-on kit, and I added a teeny snowflake to the left of it and embossed in silver to complete this fun winter wonderland card.

I hope you've enjoyed my creations and gained a bit of inspiration for using your own kit! The add-ons this month are simply beautiful, as well, and I'll have more cards later this week sharing my projects with them. Hope to see you back here again soon!

If you're still reading, CONGRATULATIONS! You made it to the end of my super long post! 👊

Your next stop on the hop is the fabulous Kelly Latevola! Head on over and check out the incredible winter scene she's created. Reminds me of something you would see on a vintage Christmas tin.,

Be sure to check out all of the fabulous new products available from Hero Arts today. The main kit is only available while supplies last and tends to sell out quickly. The add-ons are here to stay and will continue to be stocked. If you're loving the kits you've seen so far, consider subscribing so you never miss out on one!

Here's a look at the whole release...
Hero Arts October MMH Kit - available while supplies last!
Hero Arts October Add-Ons
And last, but not least... for a chance to win the fabulous giveaway, be sure to leave a little comment love on each of the hop spots below!

Affiliate links are used on this blog. When you order, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you and you receive happy mail! Win, win! Thanks so much for clicking on my links to shop. 💙






















MH1018 My Monthly Hero Kit October 2018
[ HA ]
WB1030 Get Them All October Add-ons
[ HA ]
CM306 Color Layering Trimmings
[ HA ]
DI572 Color Layering Trimmings Frame...
[ HA ]
CM307 Ice Fishing
[ HA ]
DI573 Ice Fishing Frame Cuts (D)
[ HA ]
CM308 Stacking Snowflakes
[ HA ]
CM309 Peace, Love & Joy
[ HA ]
CM310 Merry and Bright Messages
[ HA ]
DI575 Ornament Tags Fancy Dies (C)
[ HA ]
DI574 Tree Tags Fancy Dies (C)
[ HA ]
DC258 Sledding Stamp & Cut
[ HA ]
CG752 Delicate Snowflake Bold Prints
[ HA ]
CG753 Graphic Snowflake Bold Prints
[ HA ]
PD125 White Liquid Watercolor
[ HA ]
Hero Arts - Kelly Purkey Collection -...
[ SBC | HA ]
AF296 Winter, 4-cube pack - Hero Arts
[ HA | SBC ]
AF345 Intense Black - Hero Arts
[ HA | SBC ]
GM100 Gold & Pewter Glimmer Metallic...
[ HA | SBC ]
PW101 Silver Embossing Powder - Hero...
[ HA | SBC ]
PW110 White Embossing Powder - Hero Arts
[ HA | SBC ]
PW104 Clear Embossing Powder - Hero Arts
[ HA | SBC ]
NK350 Crystal Clear Lacquer Pen -...
[ HA | SBC ]
PW121 White Puff - Hero Arts
[ HA | SBC ]
DI532 Snowflake Edge Fancy Die (C) -...
[ HA | SBC ]
DI445 Tag Frames Infinity Dies (H) -...
[ HA | SBC ]
6 Inch - Permanent - Double Sided -...
[ SBC ]
Ranger Ink - Stickles Glitter Glue -...
[ SBC ]
Ranger Ink - Liquid Pearls -...
[ SBC ]
Prima - Santa Baby Collection -...
[ SBC ]

92 comments

Kelly Parker said...

Love your cards! this are beaufiful, i really love the soft colors on the first two projects.

Pam Sparks said...

What a great kit and fabulous cards you designed! TFS!

Nikki said...

Beautiful cards, absolutely love the pink on the tree.

Rose Mary Smalley said...

Oh my goodness girl...you have so much talent....I loved all of them....the Tag took my heart though. So sweet...and I loved the way you took the time to stamp and cut the icicles three times.....because was perfect. Thank you so very much for sharing.

Greta said...

Your projects are gorgeous, Julee! So fun seeing you on DTs now that you got your life back--haha!

Debbie Rumpza said...

Wow. I definitely love your shabby chic style! That first card... wooooo!

Dee Earnshaw said...

love your style - the texture you have added to your projects is very creative:)

Becca Yahrling said...

Oh Julee, all of your cards are just so pretty! Love your shabby chic card and tag. That's such a feminine look that I adore. I am so happy to see so many awesome makes from you ALL the time now (tho I still miss Verve). hugs, Becca

Unknown said...

so cute

MiamiKel said...

Wow! Shabby chic looks good on winter! What a marriage! Lovely cards Julee!

mamabaer03 said...

So many beautiful pieces of art. Thank you for sharing.

Cheryl Robertson said...

I was so excited by your first card! Love, love, love. I’m excited because you used the Prima Santa Baby collection which I’m using for my cards this year. Love it so much. And I love your vintage style on the first card. Yay, a new card designer to follow. It’s one of the things I love about blog hops. Finding new designers.

Karen H said...

I adore shabby chic and your first card is stunning. I love all your projects in their non-traditional colors. Very creative, thanks for sharing.

MaryG said...

LOVE your cards; the first one took my breathe away. Might be the colors, because they are not traditional, but I absolutely thought it was fabulous!

Sherry W. said...

I love the Victorian look. Wow.

Peggy M said...

Beautiful cards! Thank you for sharing!

Rachelle A. said...

Wow those are very sophisticated and stunning cards!
Rachelle A.

Rebecca In MI said...

Your cards are amazing! It's so fun to see each artists different takes on the kit! This kit would be so fun to win for my granddaughter and I!

LIZARD said...

Wow! That word does not do justice your first card at all but I am almost speechless! That shabby chic tree you created took me back to the Victorian Inn that my parents used to own, and specifically reminded me when the local historical society helped to decorate the home for a re-creation of a 1918 Christmas season. That card would have totally rocked the event! It is beautiful and yet you went on and created so many more wonderful cards! I have a new blog to follow! Thanks for participating and bringing back such wonderful memories. :)

Cindy C. said...

Wonderful projects!! I love that pink tree!!!

Sam B said...

Wow - love all the beautiful non-traditional colors you used on your trees! That shabby chic card is stunning! TFS!

cincinnattigirl said...

Goodness gracious you get the prize for giving the most time to share your talent. What a heap of cards. Stunning. Especially loved the shabby chic look. So out of the box.

MadeByMeghanK said...

I LOVE the vintage one! And the purple ice skater card is beautiful!

Lucy E. said...

Julee, your cards are all just lovely!
This kit looks fabulous!
I love the Snowflake Edge die :-)

JoAnn said...

What a wonderful group of csrds and tag. They all are so pretty but my favorite is the first one. Love your shabby chic style.

Karthikha said...

Wow! Fabulous projects!! The shabby chic creation is just awesome!! <3

MargeE said...

Thank you for sharing your beautiful projects. The soft colors on your first two are stunning. This kit is awesome.

Karen in Florida said...

I love your out-of-the-box use of pinks & purples! Your cards are all lovely!! I think you knocked it outta the park with the skater in the oval frame! Beautiful!!

Gail Sillers said...

Unexpected color choices and beautiful antiquey look.

sherri said...

I love the shabby chic card. Totally unique. Very cute!

BD said...

I love the shabby chic look to your cards. Very creative. Beautiful cards!

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

Great inspiration for using your this new kit!

Psychomak said...

All of your coloring is soft and calm. Beautiful cards.

Beth said...

Very pretty cards! Great color choices!

judy said...

Beautiful cards--I love the different looks and styles of your cards, it really shows the versatility of this kit!

pamboe said...

Thank you Thank you Thank you. I have a friend who gives the best holiday parties. She loves Shabby Chic. This will be her card this year!

Jeanette Butler said...

Oh my, Julie! What a different twist you've put on this kit. I loooovvveee your style. Thank you

Arianna Barbara said...

Awesome Xmas tag and cards!!! It's really a magical kit!!!

Shanna said...

I love this new set so much! So many good ideas!

Unknown said...

So many great examples. I can't wait for my kit to arrive.

Twylia said...

I just love the non-traditional Christmas colors on your first card! Beautiful! I can't wait to get my kit and try some of the ideas you have given me!

Purple Princess said...

Gorgeous cards! I love the skater!

Moira said...

Great cards. The colors are perfect for the season

Phi said...

Wow you really went to town with this kit. And all your cards are BEAUTIFUL! Oh goodness, I cant get over your pink tree....gorgeous!

Michele K. Henderson said...

All of your cards are gorgeous, but I am bananas over the very first one, with the beautiful pinks and golds on that tree! Gorgeous! I really love this!

Evelyn said...

Wow, what a fun way to display the best of this set! A pink tree! What a beautiful way to go. Loved the oval cut out to spotlight the skater - just beautiful.

Linda S. said...

I'm blown away by your creations. They're gorgeous and just a little different.

Cynthia Cole said...

So many lovely holiday projects!

Lisa A creations said...

Cute projects! I like that you used non-traditional colors.

lindagrady said...

WOW; jaw dropping and gorgeous!! Love all your cards and color combos are awesome.

Jeanne Beam said...

Such fantastic cards. Great creativity.
Thanks for sharing...

Joy Meadows said...

LOVE the first card with the pink and gold tree! So beautiful!

Isabelle said...

Your cards, and tag, are beautiful and very inspiring ! Thank you for sharing.

Carol said...

My jaw dropped when I saw your first card - the beautiful vanillas and soft pinks! I hope I can do this, someday!

Bri Kay said...

nice

goksmurf said...

So beautiful!

Nicki said...

I love the use of non traditional colors. Great cards, great kit.

CyLee said...

That first card was, well, over the top STUNNING. Ridiculously perfect and quite similar to what I was hoping to do, but I’m certain you’ve outdone why I had planned. Thanks for inspiring me step up my game and thanks for Hero Arts Kit for also providing me the tools in which to do so!

Nana Griffin said...

You did a lovely job on all of these.

Sandy M said...

Your first card is beautiful. All of the cards are gorgeous.

Josmary flores said...

Your cards are so original. The pink card is gorgeous.

Swati said...

You have taken the tree to a different height!! It’s absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing

Show Us The World said...

Your cards are over the top fabulous! I have so many ideas running through my head on how to use this kit in different ways now. Thank you so much for sharing!

Robin said...

I love the non-traditional look of your cards. I especially love the purple card. Thanks so much for sharing your talents!

Capro said...

I love the Victorian look you brought to this card. All your examples have a touch of class to them. Thanks for thinking out the box and sharing these with us.

Brenda in IN said...

Wow, your cards are just great. I love how you made so many different scenes with these images. Great kit!

Sandy Kay said...

Love everything you made with this kit, especially the vintage card and tag! WOW!

Gloria G said...

1st prize for all your creations. Beautiful.

Tindaloo said...

Beautifully colored, gorgeous cards and such sweet pink christmas tree! ♥

Janice Bryant said...

Wow--such a great treasure trove of inspiration! Your shabby chic card really caught my eye as something totally different. Thanks for sharing your talent!

Sue D said...

wow--gorgeous, cute and pretty projects.

Erika said...

I love the card. I would not have thought to use the kit for anything but holiday cards. Thank you for sharing

Beckiejo said...

The shabby chic tree card is stunning! I wouldn't have thought to use that color scheme, but it really works!

Connie said...

Love your soft cream and pink color scheme on the tree!so unique!

JEWELZB said...

Absolutely STUNNING Julee!! Love the color pallet & that tree....OMG! I much prefer Trés chic!

Cynthia Clark said...

Fantastic cards. Really love the winter greetings card.

Anonymous said...

I was not expecting pink on opening the post for this kit! Love what you created - so much inspiration!

Rosemary said...

wow...just wow!! your cards are absolutely amazing!!

Mary Holshouser said...

the muted colors on the first card
are gorgeous. The tree tag looks
like a decorated cookie. Great
projects. thanks for sharing
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

Susan Y said...

Hi, love your color choices, soft pastels and purple winter! Thanks for sharing!

Teresa Medeiros said...

Your cards are so darling! Love the colors you chose!

Kelsey Thomas said...

These are really pretty! :)

FD91354 said...

Love your projects using the kit so much!

Breina Burgin said...

Wow! I hadn’t even thought of a tree being any other color but green. I love the vintage rose feel!!!!

K. Eley said...

All around BEAUTIFUL!!

Robin P said...

Very pretty cards and tag. My favorite is the skater/Peace card, that one is stunning. Thanks for sharing.

Leanne in Cali said...

Beautiful cards and those vintage ones are stunning! Thanks for sharing with us on this fun blog hop!!

Lee said...

Great projects - I especially love the tree tag!

Dana M said...

Gorgeous cards and tag! I always admire your shabby chic projects, you are a master!

Joan said...

Such awesome cards. You are so talented. Thank you for sharing.

Marjorie DUMONTIER said...

Oh My !! You’ve made such an incredible set of cards !! They’re all absolutely wonderful !! Thanks for sharing your work. Love, Marjorie
[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]

gmongenel said...

Love your pink and tan Christmas tree card and tag! Very pretty!