Hi everyone! Happy Blog Hop Day! Wowza, are you in for a treat today - this is a huge blog hop with many fabulous designers. I'm very excited to be part of the fun and merriment. Welcome to the launch of the Winter 2016 Hero Arts Catalog! I have to admit I've been keeping these awesome products under wraps at my house for months already! Dang! Finally so happy to share projects with you. Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of my post (I am sharing loads of cards today) to find the Blog Hop Link List, information about prizes, and Product Links. I can't wait to see everyone else's cards today. To start at the beginning of the hop, CLICK HERE to go to the Hero Arts Blog!
Before I start sharing cards, I really want to say something from my heart about being part of this fun Hero Arts Catalog launch. I hope you'll indulge me for just a little bit. I started stamping in 1994! My best friend and I thought it would be fun and cost effective (LOL) to make our own Christmas present tags! I lived in the Bay Area back then and we had many awesome local stamp stores. Most of the very first stamps I owned were from Hero Arts. I clearly remember stalking the stamp stores to find out when when when would all the new stamps be arriving?? We literally could not wait for new products and also the new Hero Arts catalogs! I used to obsess over the card photos in the catalogs and try to figure out how the designers made everything. I would tab my catalog, put x's next to the stamps I already had and refer back to it over and over. I have such wonderful memories of being a beginner stamper when it was all new and so exciting! No blogs back then and no Pinterest!! We were old school! So, fast forward 22 years...and this year I was asked to contribute cards to the Hero Arts Winter 2016 Catalog! Things came full circle for me in that instant and I had a bit of a tug on my heart strings about it. HOW cool and amazing that now I get to be part of this all these years later? BLESSED!! It is never lost on me how blessed I am to be a member of our stamping community. Dreams do come true. In this new catalog, you'll see these cards I'm sharing today...and a couple are even on the cover! I feel like I need to buy a bunch of copies! Creating in the company of other designers that I admire is awesome. Thanks very much to the Hero Arts family for the opportunity!
Now, on to some card ideas! I made several cards, in several different styles. I'll just write a little bit before each card. If you need or want more information, please email me and I'll be happy to talk to you! Click on the email button to the left here.
First up is a watercolor card made using the gorgeous new Holiday Floral Background stamp. I used Distress Markers and colored directly onto the large stamp. Then I misted the stamp with water and stamped it on watercolor paper for a nice flowy effect. I used the same technique for the sentiment stamp. Both of these stamps are wood mounted and they give such a nice impression. I trimmed the card down and gently distressed around the edges. A twine bow completed the card.
Next up is a bright and cheerful red and green traditional card made using the Christmas Tree Trimmings stamp set. I stamped all the images in shades or red, green and pink and then trimmed my panel. I cut the corners with a corner rounder and added a few pearls.
So I love coffee and I love Christmas! This coffee cup stamp set is entirely too fun! I stamped and cut out my focal images. Then I stamped some snowflakes for the background paper. Some sparkly glitter finished off the whole look!
This next card is very classic Christmas and vintage too. Pretty shades of red and green and kraft. I used the Vintage Post stamp set and layered stamps onto the different panels and card base. My main layer is cream cardstock instead of white for a softer look. This is a beautiful stamp set.
These guys are toooo cool and hip! I think they are hipster animals! This trio is the Winter Fox, Winter Bear and Winter Bunny stamps. I made my own background paper using clear stamps - the trees and snowflakes. Then I layered some die cut circles. I colored the animals with Copic Markers.
Oh, Layering Cardinal, how I love thee.... I inked and stamped this lovely bird onto a square card for a classic look. Just a few enamel dots and a twine bow to finish it off.
Lastly is this cute and fun Holiday Mittens card. I kept a clean card layout and stamped in vivid red, green and aqua for a fresh look. The snowflakes on the kraft paper were stamped in Versamark Ink for a watermark effect. This would be a great Christmas card to mass produce for your mailing list. (I need to get started on that)...
Thank you for stopping by! Hope you have a great time hopping and shopping today! See you soon!
PRIZES!!! Hero Arts will be giving away three $25 shopping sprees, drawn from comments left across all blogs in the hop. Please comment by August 28, 2016 at 11:59pm PT and they will announce the winners the following week!
Here is your FABULOUS link list for today's Hop!
SUPPLIES FOR TODAY'S CARDS!
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Am loving all the new Hero Arts sets!! Love all of your cards, beautiful.Milo
Posted by: Jo Ann Flatt | 08/30/2016 at 10:33 AM
Wow love all of your cards! That cardinal card that is the outline only of the cardinal with the post card stamps is my favorite. Love it.
Posted by: Karen L K | 08/28/2016 at 09:02 PM
Spectacular cards - they are all beautiful! Thanks for sharing !
Posted by: karenajo | 08/28/2016 at 08:30 PM
Love all of HA products, but really like that cardinal so much! Love their layered stamp sets! Thanks for the chance to win!!
Posted by: John K. | 08/28/2016 at 08:04 PM
Hi Wanda, you were a busy bee! Sigh, I love them all. Yay for you having your projects in the catalog, you so deserve it. Thanks for sharing and always inspiring.
Posted by: Lisaerica | 08/28/2016 at 02:26 PM
Sending You A Cup of Cheer is my favorite because it's so different than the usual, but all of your cards are beautiful, Wanda.
Posted by: Kathy Mc | 08/27/2016 at 09:39 PM
So many great examples, I can't pick a favorite! All I know is that I'm going to have a hard time limiting my craft budget this month!!!
Posted by: Karen Page | 08/27/2016 at 09:18 PM
So many wonderful cards. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Summer Braxton | 08/27/2016 at 06:59 PM
The mittens set has me smiling and hoping for snow. I'm a big fan of kraft, so was happy to see it used so effectively. There's not a loser in the bunch. Nicely done!
Posted by: Lucy Schmidt | 08/27/2016 at 05:12 PM
Love the Christmas florals on the first two cards and those coffee cups are really really sweet.
Posted by: Mary-Anne V. | 08/27/2016 at 12:29 PM
Wow! This blog was inspiring. I especially loved the card using the vintage stamp set (the one with the cardinal and writing in the background). I'll be purchasing that one!
Posted by: Karen O'Keefe | 08/27/2016 at 06:59 AM
You've been busy. Great Christmas cards made with this release. Love the coffee cups set.
Posted by: Flo | 08/27/2016 at 06:21 AM
Love all your cards! My favorites are the one using the vintage Christmas stamps and the one with the mittens. Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: Michele W | 08/26/2016 at 10:37 PM
Love your cards!
Posted by: Karen Viskup | 08/26/2016 at 09:23 PM
I love the little critters, they are so cute.
Posted by: Monti Gale | 08/26/2016 at 08:28 PM
I love all of your cards! They are so Christmassy and colorful. You even managed to make a cup of coffee look like Christmas1 How cool is that? My favorite is that bird! Everyone that has used it makes it looks so real and I know it's the stamp. I have more wood mounted stamps then clear because clear is a recent thing. I've been stamping since the 70's but really got into it in the 80's and clear stamps weren't invented yet. I used to love a stamp company that has since gone out of business called PSX. No matter which wooden stamps you bought, the images always came out clear and crisp when you inked them up. To me that is a great stamp company and that's how the bird looks. Great job!
Posted by: Gail Plaskiewicz | 08/26/2016 at 07:45 PM
This is my first taste of Xmas cards. I love the whole bunch, but my favorite is from the
Hero Arts coffee set. Such a fun red color for
Xmas.
Posted by: Beth Buss | 08/26/2016 at 07:14 PM
How beautiful! Love the BRIGHT colors used that still represent the season - I love all the samples!
Posted by: Brenda Regan | 08/26/2016 at 05:15 PM
Oh my you have created such beautiful cards! Amazing stamps and die sets for this 2016 Holiday Season, I do love my Hero Arts Collection and I love adding to it every year. We still send out about 100 handmade seasonal cards.
Posted by: Debbie English | 08/26/2016 at 04:54 PM
Beautiful ideas for beautiful cards etc. I can see I'll be spending some money!
Posted by: Sharon Clabaugh | 08/26/2016 at 12:24 PM
I love your layouts, especially your use of panels on top of the kraft cardstock. I'm looking forward to getting the coffee cups set.
Posted by: Lisa Roettger | 08/26/2016 at 11:50 AM
I love your card using that amazing background stamp!
Posted by: Jane M | 08/26/2016 at 10:01 AM
I love the Christmas vintage card with the Kraft paper. The use of the Kraft really sends a different feel than if you used red or green!
Repeating the script stamp on the background and on the front layer really ties the card together. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Kathy Carol | 08/26/2016 at 08:23 AM
Love all your cards using the new release. Such fun!
Posted by: Mary | 08/26/2016 at 05:52 AM
So many gorgeous cards to enjoy. Thank you for the inspiration
Posted by: Dee Earnshaw | 08/26/2016 at 02:39 AM
Congrads on being in the Hero Arts catalog. Wonderful and versatile stamps for the new release. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: A Facebook User | 08/26/2016 at 02:36 AM
Love your work, thanks for sharing your lovely cards with us.
Posted by: Sandy Rizzo | 08/26/2016 at 12:47 AM
Who wouldn't want the coffee cup stamp set though!!! Ahhhhh love it.
Posted by: Adrienne Palmero-Griffin | 08/25/2016 at 11:28 PM
I really like all of your cards but the first one and the square one with the cardinal (stamped in 2 shades of red and black) are my favorites! I wouldn't have thought to do the top layer in black but that really made it stand out and look so realistic! Thanks for the inspiration (and now off to add lots of Hero Arts goodies to my wish list!)
Posted by: Brenda | 08/25/2016 at 09:49 PM
You sure have been busy with Christmas cards! They are all so colorful and festive!
Posted by: Cyndee Scholet | 08/25/2016 at 09:27 PM
Great ideas. My favorite is the vintage bird. Thanks for your inspiration.
Posted by: Joy Revery | 08/25/2016 at 07:44 PM
Especially LOVE the vintage card! Also the warmest holiday wishes. Guess I need to start planning my Christmas cards!
Posted by: Mona Tocz | 08/25/2016 at 07:13 PM
Beautiful cards...thank you so much for sharing...we wish you a merry Christmas is my favorite
Posted by: Lori Danieski-Bellotti | 08/25/2016 at 06:54 PM
Gorgeous cards Wanda!
Posted by: Deborah Rikard | 08/25/2016 at 06:31 PM
Wow your cards are beautiful. I like the colors you chose...makes for s happy card.
Posted by: FeM | 08/25/2016 at 03:37 PM
We are truly blessed by your blessings, Wanda! I LOVE your positive nature and that you have shared your journey. All of your cards put a smile on my face. I'm so happy for you...((((many crafty hugs for reaching for the stars and becoming one)))))
https://paulettesprettypapercrafts.wordpress.com
Posted by: Paulette Still | 08/25/2016 at 03:26 PM
I love all of your cards, but the cup of cheer is a great idea for a unique holiday card. Love it!
Posted by: Cindi | 08/25/2016 at 11:57 AM
Warm and festive holiday cards. I like your color selections. Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: Viveca | 08/25/2016 at 09:41 AM
I especially love the colors on your first card!!
Posted by: D.Ann C | 08/25/2016 at 08:18 AM
great release from Hero Arts, I love what you did, you gave us ideas that we can make, no matter what stamping level we may have. I have been stamping for a while and I still feel like a fist timer stamper.
Posted by: Evelyn Larson | 08/25/2016 at 08:09 AM
GREAT. All fantastic cards. Very well done. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Barbara Green | 08/25/2016 at 07:25 AM
Beautiful cards, but I love the first one most!
Posted by: Leni | 08/25/2016 at 06:28 AM
Congratulations on your catalog cover :) such a fun story! My favorites are the cardinal collage and the bold red one, too! The background colored with the Distress markers looks amazing!
Posted by: Kelly Schirmer | 08/25/2016 at 05:23 AM
Wow, you've been busy. So many beautiful cards - thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Becs Attwood | 08/25/2016 at 02:13 AM
Awesome cards, the first one is my favorite, such a merry card, love it!
Posted by: Oliev | 08/24/2016 at 11:29 PM
Beautiful cards! Especially love those cardinal cards.
Posted by: Charlene Mart | 08/24/2016 at 09:21 PM
Do I HAVE to choose a fave from these cards?!? Can't...even though I do hv a thing for cute mittens....lol! Love yor style-very cheerful and fresh! Thnx for sharing!
Posted by: Terry Y. | 08/24/2016 at 08:33 PM
All of your cards are beautiful Wanda, I can't even pick a favourite they all are amazing!!! I really enjoyed reading your story about how you started out stamping/card making to where you are now, I can imagine what an amazing feeling it must be to be part of something you have admired for so long, thats is just awesome, thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Jennifer K | 08/24/2016 at 08:03 PM
Wow! Another way to use that gorgeous cardinal which I have already ordered. I love your watercolor Christmas card and the postal one also. Thank you!
Posted by: Itzamitzi | 08/24/2016 at 07:10 PM
Absolutely wonderful. So many ideas. Thanks.
Posted by: Brithzi Sandy | 08/24/2016 at 06:39 PM