Hi friends! Welcome! It's the most wonderful time of the year! Time to officially launch the brand new Winter Catalog from Hero Arts! YESSSSS! And, time to start thinking about making holiday cards! Yikes! Next week is September already! (Didn't 2017 JUST start???) I love Fall and I'm getting anxious for the seasons to change. The new catalog is FULL of wonderful products for both Fall and Winter Holidays. I know you will find something you like (or many things!)
We are kicking off the new catalog today with an awesome blog hop! Fourteen designers who all love to share their creativity with Hero Arts products. I'm so happy to be part of the fun today. Did you arrive here from the fabulous blog of Cathy Z? I hope so. The full blog hop list is at the bottom of my post. If you get lost in the hop, CLICK HERE to start at the beginning at the Hero Arts Blog! All of us are using new products to help get your creativity started. I chose to combine a few different stamp sets, and created a vintage looking Christmas card. If you've been to visit my blog before you know I love vintage Christmas projects!! I may even use this design for my family cards this year because I love how it came out. So excited to share!
I started this card with the stamped layer. I wanted to see how the colors came out before choosing a card base color. The top panel is cream cardstock instead of bright white. It lends itself more to a vintage feeling. I used two shades of blue Distress Inks and an ink blending tool (supplies at the bottom of my post) to create a soft background for my stamping. The blue background inking is mostly at the top of the panel and then tapers off about 2/3 of the way down. I also splattered some blue ink over the top of it with a water brush and Distress Ink.
Next was the fun part! I got out every color of green ink pad I own! I used the holly leaves and pine leaves and stamped in layers around the top/middle of the card. I wasn't too careful with this part. I wanted it to look free form and not perfect. I added the red berries over the top of the greens. If you look closely you can see a few snowflakes stamped in Antique Linen Distress Ink too! I used a sponge and inked Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress Inks around the edges of the cream panel. I stamped the sentiment in brown ink. Isn't it beautiful? I love that font!
I stamped the ornament and bow onto cream cardstock and used the matching dies to cut it out. It's mounted to the card using foam tape. One pretty blue gem in the center for a bit of sparkle.
After my stamping was all completed, I tried a few different looks for the card base. I wanted red to make a nice contrast, but then felt it needed a layer in between so I used kraft. The cream and kraft paper are taped together and then that layer was affixed to the red layer with foam tape (you know I love foam tape).
This card has A LOT of layers of inking! In this photo I'm hoping to show you the final layer - shimmer spray!!! It's hard to photograph. It gives a beautiful snowy effect and some pretty shimmer (not like glitter) to the card. It's really pretty in person!!
Thank you so much for visiting my blog today as part of the fun hop! Next up on the hop is the always amazing Kathy Rac! Please read below for prize information and supplies!
PRIZE ALERT PRIZE ALERT PRIZE ALERT!!
Hero Arts will be giving away three $25 shopping sprees, drawn from visitor comments left across all blogs in the hop. Please leave your comments by Wednesday, 8/30 at 11:59pm PT and we'll announce the winner the following week on the Hero Arts Blog. Good Luck everyone!
CLICK THIS GRAPHIC TO SEE THE NEW CATALOG ITEMS!
SUPPLY LINKS!
TODAY'S FULL BLOG HOP LIST! HAVE FUN!
Very colorful, eyecatching card!!!!
Posted by: Sheila Bacon | 08/30/2017 at 09:52 PM
Thanks for the chance to win!
Posted by: Aash | 08/30/2017 at 11:19 AM
Such a beautiful card!
Posted by: Kim | 08/30/2017 at 07:08 AM
Love the colors on this card and the added dimension with the ornament! Gorgeous!!
Posted by: Amanda Dellamano | 08/29/2017 at 06:09 PM
This card looks like it would be a great card to Sen this Christmas. Simple and colorful.
Posted by: Dawn Jones | 08/29/2017 at 03:02 PM
What lovely layering with the leaves!! Thanks for the great inspiration! :)
Posted by: Annie | 08/29/2017 at 12:10 PM
That card reminds me of some curtain fabric we had from the 50s. Love it!
Posted by: Penelope | 08/29/2017 at 11:37 AM
Such a pretty card .. love the colors.
Posted by: Jean Marmo | 08/29/2017 at 09:25 AM
Gorgeous. You definitely achieved the vintage look!
Posted by: Marianne | 08/29/2017 at 04:59 AM
What a pretty card
Posted by: Jean Marmo | 08/28/2017 at 01:19 PM
This looks so cool! The touch of brown blending around the edges of the card really takes it to that next level of retro cool. I love the holly stamps too!
Posted by: eliza d | 08/28/2017 at 08:15 AM
Love the vintage feel of this card! Just beautiful!
Posted by: Christine Nixon | 08/28/2017 at 07:11 AM
So Christmas colors, like how you did the background.
Posted by: Sharon L. | 08/27/2017 at 11:46 PM
Wow, what a gorgeous card!!! I love everything about it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Posted by: Carolyn Sharkas | 08/27/2017 at 06:27 PM
I love the vintage look of this card. Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Cindy Thick | 08/27/2017 at 03:41 PM
Your card is beautiful!! I love your use of color - so happy!
Posted by: Dianne Lorento | 08/27/2017 at 12:38 PM
This is beautiful and should delight recipients! I am awed by all of the fabulous creativity on display along this hop and hope to try my hand at some of the wonderful projects I've seen. Thank you so much for sharing your work.
Posted by: Kristi H. | 08/27/2017 at 09:30 AM
Beautiful card, makes hard to decide what to buy first from the release. Wish I could afford to get them all. Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: Janette Jepson | 08/27/2017 at 09:10 AM
How pretty! I love how the blue just pops on here!
Posted by: Lisascreativeniche | 08/26/2017 at 06:01 PM
What a gorgeous card! I really like anything that's retro Christmas :)
Posted by: renee milner | 08/26/2017 at 07:25 AM
Super card, love the traditional/vintage feel of it.
Posted by: Tanja Souter | 08/26/2017 at 01:38 AM
This card is lovely. Thanks for the idea!
Posted by: Kendra | 08/25/2017 at 01:42 PM
I am in love with this design. I first thought it was patterned paper. This is a fantastic card.
Posted by: Deepa Lakshman | 08/25/2017 at 12:25 PM
Your card is so pretty!!
Posted by: Brenda | 08/25/2017 at 12:24 PM
Gorgeous card--so pretty!
Posted by: Sheri K | 08/25/2017 at 09:54 AM
Your color layering is spectacular and the vintage feel is pretty classic.
Posted by: Melynn | 08/25/2017 at 09:42 AM
pretty card - bright & cheery!
Posted by: cheri | 08/25/2017 at 09:20 AM
Love the depth in the greenery.
The coloring is so pretty.
The popped ornament is great.
thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Mary Holshouser | 08/25/2017 at 08:55 AM
What an abosolutely lovely card! You work is always so beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration
Posted by: Francine | 08/25/2017 at 06:48 AM
I love the background you made!
Posted by: Beka L | 08/25/2017 at 06:47 AM
I really enjoyed all the colors you used!
Posted by: Maria Nadeau | 08/25/2017 at 06:19 AM
This is so fabulous! I love the vintage look!!!
Posted by: Birgit Norton | 08/25/2017 at 02:52 AM
I'm so old that everything I make looks vintage. Your card looks classic in a bright and fresh new way. Thank you.
Posted by: Kathy S | 08/25/2017 at 02:41 AM
I love the vintage look and feel to your ornament and foliage card. The simplicity of the blue ornament with the gem center is the perfect touch!
Posted by: Linda Anderson | 08/24/2017 at 09:05 PM
Beautiful Christmas card
Posted by: Janet Ingraham | 08/24/2017 at 08:04 PM
I love the layered stamping. It adds a lot of depth and interest.
Posted by: Nicole | 08/24/2017 at 07:12 PM
I love vintage Christmas cards & yours has truly nailed it! I love it!
Posted by: Patt H. | 08/24/2017 at 07:02 PM
Very pretty card! Thanks for sharing
Posted by: Becky schneider | 08/24/2017 at 06:59 PM
Fantastic retro card! Love the colors and the graphics. So many stamped layers in different colors. Very cool:)
Posted by: Martha Berry | 08/24/2017 at 06:07 PM
great retro feel to this--and great stamping!
Posted by: chark | 08/24/2017 at 04:52 PM
great presentation of the holly leaves
Posted by: ava gavloski | 08/24/2017 at 02:45 PM
Beautiful vintage look to your card! Everything about it reminds me of the 1940's or early 50's. Love it!
Posted by: Stef Perry | 08/24/2017 at 02:36 PM
Your card is wonderful.
Posted by: Diane Stricker | 08/24/2017 at 02:08 PM
I loved the layered stamped background
Posted by: Kara S | 08/24/2017 at 01:33 PM
Love it! So pretty with all the various greens & definitely has a vintage vibe. Thanks!
Posted by: Troy Louise | 08/24/2017 at 01:05 PM
This one is a keeper. Love the gentleness of it. I vote it for the family card! It is just a little scary to open Hero Arts catalog. I always find so much.....but open it I will. As always love your photos.
Posted by: Anne Sturgeon | 08/24/2017 at 12:55 PM
I love everything about your card! I like the soft vintage look it has, but still with Christmas colors. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Lisa A creations | 08/24/2017 at 12:09 PM
Love your card! Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Teresa Brock | 08/24/2017 at 11:53 AM
Merry Christmas from yesteryear! : )
Posted by: Lee | 08/24/2017 at 11:52 AM
What a fantastic card, love this entire release.
Posted by: Lindar C | 08/24/2017 at 10:44 AM