Extraordinary Extras: October Ideas + Video

Welcome to our showcase of new Extraordinary Extras! Each month, part of our   Hero Studio   release includes an assortment of new products that complement the monthly theme and   Card Kit . We call these Extraordinary Extras. Unlike the Hero Studio subscription products, Extraordinary Extras are restocked in the shop if they sell out. This month we have three fun and festive offerings to get you ready for holiday crafting!

Shop for the October Extraordinary Extras here

Today we have Kelly Rasmussen  here to share some fabulous "beyond the kit" ideas for a few of the extras. Take it away, Kelly...

I was so excited when I saw another addition to the Peeking Dies collection and it doesn't get much cuter than this adorable gingerbread man ! It's a great size to fill a card front and pair with a holiday message for a simple card.

I diecut the candy canes from  Peony and Cherry cardstock and then just added the stripes with pink and red markers. And the same goes for the peppermint candies -- they are diecut from Kiwi cardstock and darker stripes added with a green marker.

I added a subtle background by ink blending the  Circular Grid Stencil  with  Cotton Candy Core Ink . And the perfect message from the Cozy Study stamp set finished off the card.

My next card uses the same Circular Grid Stencil , but as more of a focal point on the card. It's such a great pattern that can be used for any occasion!

I used the Blue + Shimmer and Green + Shimmer Tone-on-Tone Metallic Sprays to lightly mist over the stencil. To make sure the design stays crisp and the spray doesn't seep under the edges, spray parallel to the paper. You can also use a temporary adhesive, like Pixie Spray, so the stencil adheres flat to the cardstock.

Then I diecut a circle out of the middle, leaving the window for a message from the Joyful Christmas Messages stamp set. I love the way these sentiments can mix and match, creating dozens of combinations!

I used some snowflakes diecut from the Snowflake Patterned Cover Plate  and sprayed them with the same colors of Tone-on-Tone Spray. There are so many different sizes and styles of snowflakes, which make them great for layering to create lots of dimension!

For a full walkthrough of this month's extras, check out the video below. It's also available to   view on YouTube .

A reminder for all Hero Studio subscribers:  You have the opportunity to add more products, including but not limited to this month's  Extraordinary Extras , to your kit shipments with no additional shipping charges. Simply log in to your Hero Arts store account and place your order by 11:59am PT on Thursday, October 10 to take advantage of this offer.

We appreciate you stopping by today. Happy stamping!