Hero Arts Blog

Good day to you! Janette here sharing with you one of my favorite types of cards to give during the holiday season, a thank you. I prefer to keep mine on the simpler side so that I can make several. Each year I create a bundle of them for post carriers and delivery drivers, to the house/yard keeper, to gate attendants for our neighborhood, to teachers...

Hi, friends! Caly here today sharing a card using the Peonies Stamp and Die Combo that I watercolored using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. I started by stamping my images using Intense Black ink over Bristol Vellum cardstock. Bristol Smooth works well also for watercoloring with watercolor markers - I accidentally purchased the wrong pad but it still absorbs ink and water just as well....

Hi everyone! Ilina here today with a video showing you how to make this cute card using the Window on Love Confetti Fancy Die along with the Love Bandit stamp set and coordinating dies. Watch the video below for step-by-step instructions for how I created this card: (If you are having problems viewing this video, please try watching it HERE on YouTube.) To make the card start by...

Oh dear me… I was assigned to work with heart stamps… my true LOVE. Of course ideas flooded my mind so I created three quick cards today! I was inspired by a recent trip to Japan, where design is minimal and simple. No wonder I loved every single minute! I'll start with the letter of love card. I stamped a piece of paper in Red...

Hello there! Nichol here today with a Lucky Star love-themed card to share with you. By using some pinks and reds for both my coloring and the background, this design works perfectly for a Valentine's or love-themed occasion. The Star Light Star Bright Bold Prints background was inked with Cotton Candy, Bubble Gum, and Rose Madder inks and stamped on smooth white cardstock. I stamped...

Hello there, Michelle here and today I have a card to share using the new Dandelion & Leaves Fancy Die which was released as an add-on for the December 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit. This is such a pretty die and I think it can be used for lots of different occasions. Today I went with a birthday card.  I started off by creating my background....

Have you started wrapping Christmas presents yet? I haven't, but when I do I'll have these adorable tags ready to tie on the packages! It's a simple design that is easy to mass produce. First, I die cut a variety of shapes using various Infinity Dies. I used the Circles, Tag Frames and Houses on my tags, but you could choose any shape. I cut each shape...

Hello and happy Friday! Today we welcome Grace Wilson back to the blog with some fabulous and festive felt projects. Handmade ornaments are a wonderful way to add a personal touch to your holiday decor, or even give as gifts, and these are so much fun to make! Now here's Grace to share more... If you are like me, you spent many a Christmas season crafting with various...

Good morning! Emily Midgett here with you today sharing some inspiration using one of the new add-ons from this month's My Monthly Hero release: Wish I May Stamp & Cut. (Psst, there are a few kits left at this time, so if you're on the fence, hurry and get one before they sell out forever!) I chose to create a sweet little scene combining the new Wish...

Hello and welcome to the Hero Arts blog! Janette here with you today to share a project I created featuring the new December add-on Fairy Window, Star Light Bold Prints and previously released Glimmer Metallic Inks.  I began by applying three horizontal strips of color onto my craft mat, white watercolor, Blue Glimmer Metallic and then Purple Glimmer Metallic. I picked up two colors at...

Hello stampers! Today we are shifting gears from cardmaking to DIY projects, as Debi Adams is here to share some cheerful ideas for holiday gift-giving. Hi everyone! Today I have a fun little treat bag for you to make using the Holiday Greenery Edge Fancy Die. It’s simple to create and goes together quickly. The border finishes off the bag perfectly and the die is so versatile...

Hello there, Michelle here and today I have a card to share using the Color Layering Fa La Llama stamp set and coordinating Frame Cuts. It is such a fun set and I thought it would make a great winter/holiday card.  I started off by stamping the outline of the llama on to white cardstock with Intense Black Ink. I then coloured the image with...

Good morning! Emily Midgett here with you today with a video showing how I used the new DIY Ornament Kit to create a simple, but very effective, holiday garland that would be perfect to bedeck your fireplace mantel, window, or even your Christmas tree. You can watch it below: If you are having trouble viewing the video, please try watching it here over on YouTube.  In case...

Good morning! Lisa here to entice you to join our challenge this month at A Blog Named Hero. Our challenge theme is "Grateful" which is very appropriate for this time of year. I've made a simple "Thanks" card because I was in need of one, and thought it was a smarter sentiment for someone that I've just met. I used the Peonies Die Combo stamp and die set...

Hello and welcome to the Hero Arts blog! Janette here sharing with you how I create added dimension with Paper Layering Dies. Today's post features the charming Paper Layering Neighborhood. The Paper Layering Dies are fantastic. With one pass through a die cutting machine the die scores and cuts intricate details that then you can decide whether to highlight or simplify. To highlight, add color...

Hi stampers! Nichol here today with a frosty fun card featuring the adorable new Warm Friends stamp set and coordinating Frame Cuts dies. I paired these cuties with the Snowflake Edge Fancy Die, Holidays Word Fancy Die, and Stacking Snowflakes stamp set. The snowflake border provides a great place to "ground" the sentiment and tuck the Warm Friends behind. The stamped Stacking Snowflakes provide continuity in the upper...

Good morning! Emily Midgett here with you today sharing some inspiration using the new Snow and Froth Technique Kit!  In this kit, you receive both the Crystal Lacquer and the White Puff embossing powder, which, when combined, create a super unique and fun effect for your cards! Let's get started with the details of my project.  To begin, I die cut the Paper Layering Neighborhood...

I have been hoping for years that Hero Arts would come out with an advent set, and my wish was finally granted! Oh what fun it was to create some advent-style cards with the November My Monthly Hero kit! The kit has already sold out, but I still wanted to share some fun ideas for using it. If you missed out on it, you might...

Hi everyone, Ilina here today. Have you started working on your Christmas cards yet? If you are like me, you probably wait until the last moment. And if you don't have an idea yet, here is a fun and simple card using the new Winter Wreath stamp set that is a My Monthly Hero add-on this month. To make the card start with a panel of Snow...

We are back for another countdown post, leading up to the release of the November My Monthly Hero kit! Release day is Monday, November 5th at 1pm Eastern/10 am Pacific. We'll be sharing ideas for using both the main kit, as well as new optional add-on products that will be available on Monday. And don't forget to leave a comment on this and every post as we will...

Today I'm bringing the popular dip dye trend to cardmaking! It's always fun to take trends you see in other areas like fashion, hair and home decor and find ways to adapt them to work on cards using basic crafting supplies. To create the dip dye background I started with an A2-sized light grey piece of cardstock and used painter's tape to create a 1/4" border all the...

Good morning! Emily Midgett here with you today sharing some inspiration using the new Fancy Ornaments Infinity Dies and some of the beautiful backgrounds to create lots of texture and interest on these solid die cuts. Let's get started with the details!  I began by die cutting several sizes of the  Fancy Ornaments Infinity Dies from various shades of aqua and gray card stock, as well as some...

Can it be time to think about Christmas already? YES!! I decided to try out my giant Christmas Word Fancy Die with a few other Hero products, for a quick and easy idea for my holiday cards. First I used a Kraft notecard as my base. Then I inked up Sugar and Spice Bold Prints in Fresh Lawn ink and stamped it onto a Snow...

Hello there, Michelle here and today I have a card and video to share using the Holiday Foliage Bold Prints. Instead of using it as a background, I thought it would be nice to incorporate it into the focal point.  You can watch the video tutorial below to see how I made the card: If you are having trouble viewing the video, please try watching...

Good morning! Jess here with a clean and simple card featuring the adorable Sledding Stamp & Cut set! Some may argue that this is not a clean and simple card but my thought has always been that a clean and simple card requires a lot of white space. This card has a lot going on but I think the big swath of white really helps keep your...

Hello! Today I created an elegant background with Gold Embossing Powder and the Graphic Snowflake Bold Print Background to showcase the beautiful Color Layering Trimmings images. I stamped the Graphic Snowflake Bold Print background on a black Midnight Mixed Layering Paper with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Gold Embossing Powder. The center of the snowflakes were adorned with Nuvo Crystal Drops in Gloss White....

For my holiday cards, I usually send out a photo card rather than a handmade card. It's just too overwhelming for me to get them done at such a busy time of the year. But, I still do give out quite a few handmade cards along with gifts for teachers, friends and neighbors. So I'm starting this season's stash with this snowflake window card. I die...

Hi everyone, Ilina here today with a clean and simple card using the new Color Layering Pomegranate set along with the coordinating Frame Cuts. Pomegranates remind me of home (Macedonia) where we have them in abundance and my uncle (an artist) always painted them. In my condo I always had paintings of pomegranates hanging on the walls. So, you may see the reason why I...

Hello and welcome back to the countdown to the release of the October My Monthly Hero Kit! Release day is Monday, October 1st at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific. We will be here through tomorrow, sharing ideas for using both the main kit, as well as the new optional add-on products that will also be available on Monday. Stay tuned for more inspiration for the remainder of the weekend! Now let's...

Fall has arrived, and we're thrilled to welcome a very talented guest artist to the blog to share a pair of cards inspired by the season. Please join us in welcoming Debi Adams! Here's Debi to share both modern and classic takes on Thanksgiving cards with die cutting...  No better way to bring the fall season inside than with the Autumn Icons Fancy Dies by Hero...

Hi everyone, Ilina here today with a video tutorial on how you can create your own custom shimmer sprays using the new Hero Arts Glimmer Metallic Inks. For my cards today I am using three of the inks: Pewter, Gold, and Copper, but you can use any of the 8 colors you like. You can even mix two or more colors together to create new colors...

The Season of Wonder Catalog is filled with so many great stamps that are perfect for your holiday cards. But if you look closely, you will find quite a few stamps that can be used year round for any occasion, like the Sugar and Spice Bold Prints that I use on my card today. The first thing I did was ink up the background stamp using Pale Tomato, Orange Soda and Soft Cantaloupe inks and...

Hello! One of my favorite looks for fall is gold embossing on dark cardstock and coloring in images with colored pencils or metallic watercolors. Today I'm sharing an Autumn Bounty with this background created by stamping and embossing images from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut Set on navy cardstock with Gold Embossing Powder and coloring in the images with Polychromos colored pencils.  (If you...

Hello and welcome to the Hero Arts blog! Janette here with you today to share about the ease of Glimmer Inks on dark cardstock. Hero Arts Glimmer Metallic Inks are fast drying, loaded with pigment, easily diluted with water and super fun to work with. They are sold in packs of 2 coordinating colors. At this time there are four sets available, Green & Red,...

My favorite season, Fall, is soon approaching and the leaves on the trees are beginning to change into gorgeous shades of orange, yellow and red. Today's card is inspired by this beautiful season that goes by way too fast in my opinion. I decided to build my card on a white tag that I die cut from the Tag Infinity Dies. I added some texture to the tag...

Good morning! Emily Midgett here with you today. The brand new Ornate Floral Stencil that was released as an add-on to the September My Monthly Hero kit is absolutely stunning... I wanted to ink it up as soon as I got my hands on it! The pattern reminds me of a beautiful tablecloth, so I paired it with the Spill the Tea stamp set to create...