November My Monthly Hero Blog Hop + Giveaway

It's the first Monday of the month, and time once again for a fabulous My Monthly Hero release! The Hero Arts team is celebrating with a November My Monthly Hero Release Blog Hop and there's a chance to win the main kit! But winning aside, you're definitely in for a treat as this amazingly talented list of designers share their creations with the November release!

The kit and add-ons this month are filled to the brim with fun advent and holiday fun. And did I mention there's an awesome giveaway? You could win the November main kit by hopping along and giving a shout out in the comments to each of these amazing artists. The giveaway closes Sunday, November 11th 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. Her projects always make me stop and stare for a while!

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! These kits are like Christmas in a box and always get my creative juices flowing! 😀

My first project is a set of countdown tags using the Christmas icons set from the main kit. At our house, we have a tradition of the 12 books of Christmas, with the boys taking turns opening one wrapped book a night leading up to Christmas day. I usually wrap them in the same paper and can't always remember what they are. Sometimes there are ones I think we might want to read earlier in the season so this year I made numbered tags for each book.

The shape of the tags use the awesome Tag Frames Infinity Dies. I love these elegant shapes. I embossed a number and a Christmas icon in white embossing powder on each of the smallest tag shapes, then smooshed on some evergreen bough and faded denim distress oxides. These tags are layered on the next two sizes of infinity dies, cut with paper from the Hello Winter collection from Echo Park.  I punched a hole in each tag with a Cropadile and added a silver cord hanger, then accented with jingle bells and a silver corded bow.  So fun!

My second project pairs the stamps and dies in the main kit with the Snowflakes and Ornament Fancy Die from the winter catalog. I started by stamping the ornament background in Versamark and embossing in white on white cardstock. Next I did a bit of color magic by sprinkling some Lindy's Magical Shaker powders in Guten Tag Teal, Bavarian Blue, and Polka Purple on my embossed panel. I then sprayed some water on a piece of acetate and smooshed it around on the panel until I achieved the background effect I was looking for. I wanted some dimension on the card, so decided to cut the panel with the coordinating fancy die and then layer it onto an aqua card base.

For the focal piece, I began by cutting the Snowflakes and Ornament Fancy Die from aqua paper and white cardstock. I pulled a few snowflakes from the stamp set in the kit and stamped randomly inside the aqua ornament, then stamped the be merry sentiment and one of the cling stamps that can be popped out of the background stamp in navy on the ornament.  I accented the ball parts of the stamped ornament with the crystal lacquer pen from the Snow & Froth Technique Kit, then placed a few teeny rhinestones for accent.  I finished off by adding the snowflake ornament overlay and accenting with even more rhinestones and finishing off with a double bow of seam binding.

Next up, I paired a sentiment from the main kit with the DIY Onrament kit. I added some color to the iridescent vellum with distress oxides in evergreen bough, chipped sapphire and faded jeans, then splattered with a bit of water and cut with the 8 pointed star ornament die. I cut a second piece for the back panel, then folded the stars so the peaks pop up and glued together on the outer edges with faber-tac glue. I made a little rosette out of patterned paper by scoring a 1.25" wide strip of paper at 1/4" intervals and then accordian folding.  The outer rim of the rosette is lined with some stardust stickles for a bit of glimmer.

I used the make a wish sentiment from the kit for the sentiment circle, and then stamped the gift image from the In for the Holidays add-on set. I colored it with copic markers and then cut with the coordinating In for the Holidays Frame Cuts. I finished off with a few clear snowflake embellishments and some silver cord up top to hang the ornament.

Speaking of that In for the Holidays set, it's adorable. My next card had to be with the sweet little toasty cocoa cup from the set. I stamped it and colored with Copics, highlighting the marshmallows with a touch of crystal clear lacquer pen, then cut in a circle shape and matted with patterned paper.  The sentiment is built with three stamps from the set. Love how you can customize your sentiment.  The papers from the Echo Park Hello Winter collection seemed like a perfect pairing and I accented with banner triplits dies, a snowflake and some ribbon and jingle bells. This layout was inspired by the Mojo Monday 501 sketch. I got the dates mixed up in my head when I was creating, so this card is a day late for that challenge. The Mojo Monday 502 sketch posted earlier this morning. I'd love for you to play along with me!

For my final card, I created a fun winter scene with the adorable bunny image from the Warm Animals add-on stamp set. She's colored with Copics, then masked to add the squirrel, and then more masking to blend the tufts of snow and background.  The sentiment is embossed in Navy and accented with a bit of washi tape.  The larger snowflake embellishment is a wood veneer piece that I coated with Versamark and then embossed with the white puff embossing powder from the from the Snow & Froth Technique Kit, I added a glittery smaller snowflake from my stash for a nice layered look.

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 Laurie Willison! Head on over and check out the fabulous eye candy she's sharing today!

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...  ETA: The main kit has sold out, but you can still order any of the add-ons, which get added to the Hero Arts inventory line. If you're already a kit subscriber, you can order any of the add-ons through November 8 with no additional shipping charges. Yay! If you missed out this month, there's still a chance to win a kit through commenting along the hop! Good luck!

My Monthly Hero Main Kit - November 2018

My Monthly Hero November 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!

The Hero Arts Blog

Amy Kolling

Debi Adams

Emily Midgett

Ilina Crouse

Janette Kausen

Jessica Frost-Ballas

Julee Tilman (That's ME!)

Laurie Willison

Lydia Fiedler

Michelle Short

Nichol Spohr

Yana Smakula

Affiliate links are used where possible. 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. 💙

My Monthly Hero Kit NOVEMBER 2018 [ HA ] SK102 DIY Ornament Kit [ HA ] CM312 Warm Animals [ HA ] DI577 Warm Animals Frame Cuts (D) [ HA ] CM313 In for the Holidays [ HA ] DI579 In For the Holidays Frame Cuts (D) [ HA ] CM311 Winter Wreath [ HA ] DI576 Winter Wreath Frame Cuts (D) [ HA ] CG754 Presents Background [ HA ] DI578 Peek-A-Boo Doors Fancy Die (F) [ HA ] SK103 Snow & Froth Technique Kit [ HA ] WB1031 Get Them All November Add-ons [ HA ] DI445 Tag Frames Infinity Dies (H) - Hero Arts [ HA | SBC ] DI528 Snowflakes and Ornament Fancy Die (D) - Hero Arts [ HA | SBC ] AF296 Winter, 4-cube pack - Hero Arts [ HA | SBC ] AF345 Intense Black - Hero Arts [ HA | SBC ] PW110 White Embossing Powder - Hero Arts [ HA | SBC ] PW104 Clear Embossing Powder - Hero Arts [ HA | SBC ] Echo Park Hello Winter 12 x 12 Collection Kit [ SBC ] Tsukineko - VersaMark Watermark Ink Stamp Pad - Large - Clear [ SBC ] Ranger Ink - Tim Holtz - Distress Oxides Ink Pads - Evergreen Bough [ SBC ] Ranger Ink - Tim Holtz - Distress Oxides Ink Pads - Faded Jeans [ SBC ] Ranger Ink - Tim Holtz - Distress Oxides Ink Pads - Chipped Sapphire [ SBC ] Ranger Ink - Stickles Glitter Glue - Stardust [ SBC ] We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile Eyelet and Snap Punch Tool [ SBC ] Guten Tag Teal Magical Shaker – Lindy's Gang Retail Store [ LND ] Bavarian Blue Magical Shaker – Lindy's Gang Retail Store [ LND ] Polka Purple Magical Shaker – Lindy's Gang Retail Store [ LND ] Sizzix Banner Triplits Die Set [ AMZUS ] Amazon.com: Beacon Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive, 4-Ounce (FT4D) [ AMZUS ]