Hi everyone! A couple of quick announcements before we dive into today’s cards:

• If you haven’t had a chance to check out Friday’s 2013 Catalog Blog Hop, you still have time! You have until midnight PST tonight (December 17th) to leave your comments and be entered to win fabulous prizes!
• And don’t forget about our Catalog Debut Photo Contest, where you can share your photos and win even more prizes! You can find all the information HERE. This contest runs through January 2nd. We can’t wait to see your photos!
• The digital version of the new 2013 Catalog will be revealed later today!

Now onto today’s projects…

So you think December is only for winter holidays?? Guess again!! It’s our own Lisa’s birthday today, and I made her a card using lots of new Hero Arts stamps and things she loves!! Hint… typewriters!!

First I stamped the fun new background Keep Calm (CG512) as a “typed” background on an Eggshell card. Preprinted word paper like ours works great too! Then I stamped and paper pieced the Big Typewriter (CG511). Next was the fun part… our luscious new Alphabet Uppercase (DI061) Fancy Frames die! Put it through a die machine on many colored papers and spell out your message. Fun!

Find out how to make this card — click for complete supplies and instructions.

And, knowing me like you do, I get my kicks out of maxing out any stamp. Hence, a Christmas idea using the same Big Typewriter.

So dear Lisa, I hope you have the right “type” of birthday today!! Let’s see how many wishes we can send you!!!

Hugs,

Hello, hello! You’ve made it to the final destination of the 2013 Catalog Blog Hop! We hope you enjoyed the journey and found plenty of inspiration in both the new stamps previewed and in the creative projects shared by all of the designers. We’d like to extend a big “thank you” to each of them. Bravo!

Though the hoppin’ may be stoppin’, we’re not done with the fun! How about a look at the cover of the 2013 Catalog? Ta-da…!

At left: Special Cardmaking Gallery that’s chock full of additional card ideas; Center: The new 2013 Hero Arts Catalog!; Right: Six Petal Flower (F5728) which also happens to grace the cover of the Catalog.

Here are some important dates and details surrounding the 2013 Catalog launch:

• You’ll be able to view a digital version of the new Catalog on Monday, December 17th.
• The new stamps you’ve seen used during the blog hop will first be available for purchase at participating Hero Arts Catalog Debut stores — click here to find one near you! Stamps are arriving at stores now!
• Stamps will be available for purchase in the Hero Arts Online Store starting January 3rd, with orders fulfilled by local stores.

Thanks so much for joining us for the blog hop and sharing your comments with the designers! The fun is really just beginning, as many 2013 Catalog Preview Parties kick off today and continue through January. During this often hectic season, it’s relaxing to take some time out to enjoy these in-store events. Remember, you can check HERE to see if there’s a party near you!

So, did you fall in love with a stamp or two (or several…) showcased in the blog hop? We’d love to hear about any favorites in the comments below! (Your comment gives you another chance at the 15 blog hop giveaways too!)

We look forward to sharing more ideas featuring the new 2013 stamps here on the blog throughout December and right into the New Year. Let the fun begin!!

Happy holidays and happy stamping,

Hello stampers! Welcome to the 2013 Hero Arts Catalog Blog Hop!

We’re beyond excited that today’s the day our new 2013 Catalog debuts at participating stores around the country and the world! And as tradition holds, we’re having a blog hop to celebrate! We have 22 amazing designers joining us for the occasion. Each designer has been sent a variety of new stamps from the 2013 Catalog, and now it’s time to see the inspiring ways they’ve used them.

Our own Sally Traidman is here to kick things off. Here she is…!

Hey Everyone! I am delighted to start off the new catalog blog hop today! I decided to show you one of my very favorite new stamps - Big Post Card (S5665). I stamped it out several times and actually MAILED IT, with ribbons and all, from here in sunny Palm Springs all the way up to Hero headquarters, via the trusty USPS! I didn’t know if the odd shape or ribbons would make it but they DID!! A heavy card stock helps durability, and you can even glue two cards together for more stability. It’s a whole new area to explore, and cheaper to mail, too.

I had so much fun making the postcard tags for the catalog, I just had to do some for Christmas, too! Fa la la!!!

Thanks, Sally! Love those big tags!

Before you hop off to see the rest of the blogs, let’s talk about PRIZES!!

• We will be giving away (5) $100 Hero Arts Shopping Sprees so that you can pick out whatever your stampy heart desires from the Hero Arts Online Store, including the newest 2013 Catalog stamps once they’re added to the store.
• We will also be giving away (10) copies of the 2013 Catalog.
• How can you win? Simply comment on the blog hop stops (starting with this one!) The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win. *Limit one comment per blog, please.* ALL comments posted by midnight PST on Monday, December 17^th will be included in the random prize drawing, so enjoy the hop at your leisure! The 15 winners will be announced on the Hero Arts blog no later than Friday, December 21st.
  

Just in case you encounter any broken links throughout your journey, here’s a complete list of the participating designers. You can always return to this post and click on the next blog to get back on track:

Kelly Rasmussen
Ali Edwards
Jennifer McGuire
Cristina Kowalczyk
Kristina Werner
Amber Kemp-Gerstel
Shari Carroll
BasicGrey Blog
Tami Hartley
Nichol Magouirk
Lisa Spangler
JJ Bolton
Julie Ebersole
Joy Taylor
Maile Belles
Lucy Abrams
Sandy Allnock
Debby Hughes
Stephanie Howell
Kelly Goree
Mariana Grigsby
Finale

Are you ready to start hopping? Find a comfy spot, kick back, and begin by clicking over to Kelly Rasmussen’s blog. We wish you happy hopping and a wonderful weekend!

The 2013 Catalog Preview Parties have begun and we’re doing some celebrating of our own with a contest — a chance for you to win some awesome prizes!

Are you planning to attend a Catalog Preview Party this weekend, or perhaps in the coming weeks? Many stores around the country, and around the world, are participating. First, check our Preview Party page to find one near you, then call the store for more details on dates and times! Stores will be celebrating with all sorts of fun including giveaways, make and takes, treats and more. We’d love to see any photos relating to the 2013 Catalog debut festivities — parties, store displays, make and takes, classes, newly purchased stamps, anything!

There are many ways you can share your 2013 Catalog debut photos via social media:

1. Post on your own Facebook wall
2. Share on the Hero Arts Facebook wall
3. Upload your photo to the Hero Arts Flickr Group and include the tag 2013Debut
   
4. Tweet a photo @myheroarts
5. Share on Instagram
6. Blog about it

*Important* Just be sure to come back here and provide a link to your photo(s) in the comment section of THIS blog post, because that’s the pool from which we’ll draw the winners. Stores are welcome to share and enter the contest as well!

Now for the juicy details on those PRIZES we talked about…

• First, we will be giving away (3) $100 shopping sprees to the Hero Arts Online Store!
• And…one Grand Prize winner will receive ALL of the NEW Hero Arts Frame Cuts and Fancy Frames dies when they’re released! The Fancy Frames line is an exciting new introduction for 2013. These dies produce intricate, elegant designs. We can’t wait to show them to you when they’re ready!

The contest begins on Friday, December 14, 2012 (when the parties begin!) and continues through Wednesday, January 2, 2013. The four winners will be selected randomly and announced on the blog in early January.

We look forward to seeing what’s happening out there at parties worldwide and most of all, we hope you have fun!

Hello, and welcome to Social Club. Christmas is only days away now, and as you begin the task of wrapping your gifts, you are probably wondering how to label them: do you use store bought gift tags (shock horror!), or do you make your own? Well, we thought we’d offer you some inspiration to make your own, so have chosen a selection of beautiful gift tags from Hero Arts Flickr Group members to share with you today. Each of these mini works of art is a gift in itself!

First up, limedoodle, with this fun and happy tag that would look especially cute on a gift for a child. Our little snowman looks as happy as can be with his cool spotty scarf.

Next, a truly unique tag by stripey fish (Jean M). We love seeing non holiday products used for Christmas creations, and her use of the sweet bird from our Life is Fun set is simply fabulous, as is her super bright non-traditional color scheme. What a mini masterpiece. (And too good to give away!)

And finally, Pia Overgaard, with her slightly more traditional Christmas tag. Doesn’t the Life of the Party Dots stamp make a great snowy background! How clever.

Ladies - you are so talented.  Thank you for sharing your creations with us. Your prize is our new (and very pretty) Artistic Circles Digikit. We hope you enjoy it. Just drop us an email using the address on our sidebar and we’ll send you your prize.

And before we go, how about some more new catalog news?

You’ve been commenting on our sneak peeks over the past couple of weeks for a chance to win one of the new Hero Arts 2013 Catalogs, and today we’re happy to announce the six winners:

• Lori Fodor “Oh I can’t wait for the catalog. I like what I see in this sneak peek. I want to win a catalog. I keep ALL the past catalogs for inspiration. Love my HA stamps!!”
• Jeanie Puckett “I CANNOT WAIT to see the new catalog! It would be soooo great to win a copy. Thanks for the opportunity.”
• margaretart “Fun to see the teasing little bits! Looks like borders and washi tape stamps—what will you think of next! It will be fun to see the whole catalog.”
• Peggy “Can’t wait!!! I love Hero Arts stamps and of course your catalogs have so much information and inspiration”
• Elizabeth Traylor “Love the cards, cant wait to see the new catalog.”
• Suzanne MB “I like what you’ve shown so far and would love to see more.”

Winners, please send us an email to the winner address on the sidebar and we’ll get your catalogs out to you!

The Hero Arts 2013 Catalog preview parties are starting tomorrow, December 14. Click here to find a participating store near you! Then help us spread the word so more stampers can join in the fun by grabbing our blinkie code over there on the sidebar!

And finally, we’re getting soooo excited for the blog hop tomorrow! Tune in right here on the blog at 10am EST when we get underway. We’ve gathered together several of our fabulous stamping friends, who will be joining us with peeks at the new stamps - you won’t want to miss it!

See you tomorrow!

Hi everyone! Shari here, and today I’m joining forces with my friend Jennifer to show you one fabulous new stamp, Number Pattern (CG516), on two different cards! Watch the video closely - you’ll catch a glimpse of several new stamps, as well as an exciting new ink product coming in the Hero Arts 2013 Catalog!

As you saw in the video, after embossing the Number Pattern background in white I added shapes of color all over my card with another wonderful new stamp set, Hexagons (CL667)! I just love this set, it’s so much fun & completely on trend!

Jennifer also embossed the Number Pattern background, but she used a fun masking technique to added circles of color to her card. Her message is a peek at yet another new set - a fabulous collection of messages and borders called All Good Things (CL669).

Find out how to make these cards — click for complete supplies and instructions.

We hope you enjoyed our combined peek at Number Pattern!

Thanks for stopping by today,

Why hello there, what’s this?

Why, it’s TWO new stamps: a great new background called Conversation Background (S5666) and the awesome Hello Bubble (D5732). Love these stamps so much, especially how they can be used separately or together. I can’t wait to try them with some cute critters!

Find out how to make this card — click for complete supplies and instructions.

And I *really* can’t wait until the matching Frame Cuts come out sometime early next year! I can just imagine using the Frame Cut to make a window on the card front and then stamping “hello” on the inside. Oh and! There are more conversation type stamps in the catalog too, woo!

Now, sharp-eyed stampers might notice two more sneak peeks this photo — any guesses as to what it could be? Here’s a little hint: it’s not a stamp! I’ll be back later today to update the post and see what you think! Wink!

Update at 2:12 PM PST: I’m back with an update to the post to share the two additional peeks. Are you ready? Here you go!

Those of you who guessed new Navy ink are right on! LOVE this color, I’ve wanted navy forever — and ever! It’s a timeless classic color that is really on trend right now. The other color that some of you spied is called Pale Tomato. It’s kind of a reddish-orange-pinky color. Like a tomato that’s not quite ripe yet, but you just know it will turn into something juicy.

Both of these are Mid-tone inks, which are perfect for using on solid stamps like the Hello Bubble (D5732) since they smooth out and seep in to the paper for solid coverage. I think they go great with the existing ink palette of colors! And, just wait until you see what other colors Shari has up her sleeve…!

There are more sneak peeks to come so stay tuned! Can’t wait for the catalog to debut on Friday, can you? Annnnnd the blog hop too!

That’s it for me today! I really enjoyed reading all of your comments, hee hee!

We’re back with the full reveal of Hero Arts 2013 Catalog sneak peek #5 - and we told you it would be sweet!

Birthday cards are some of the most common and useful to make, and the combination of images and messages in this new set called Fantastic Birthday will help you make lots of happy, yummy cards for sharing your birthday wishes! The set includes a birthday cake, cupcake, ice cream cone and popsicle, as well as three adorable corresponding messages. And the popsicle image will have a matching Frame Cuts die, yay! As you can see above, the “happy happy birthday” message also works nicely with the Polka Dot Cards with Messages preprinted card set. Have a look at the complete set:

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Hero Arts 2013 Catalog sneak peeks! The creative team will continue to share cards featuring new stamps this month. Stay tuned to the blog for more announcements, giveaways, and our 2013 Catalog Blog Hop which starts right here on Friday, December 14th!

Speaking of giveaways, we’ll be announcing the winners from the sneak peek posts (HERE, HERE and HERE) on Thursday. Leave a comment on one of those posts today if you haven’t already and you could win a copy of the new catalog!

Thanks for stopping by,

Happy Monday everyone! It’s Jennifer here with a card full of products using my favorite color — pool! I just love how quick a card can come together using the Hero Arts coordinating papers, inks and mixed accents.

I used an awesome new clear stamp set called My Favorite — you can check out the full set here! The sentiments in this set are perfect for those super special people in your life.

The word “you” fit perfectly on the heart die cut from the Cupcake Frame set and really makes the sentiment pop!

Find out how to make this card — click for complete supplies and instructions.

Today we’re also sharing another sneak peek from the Hero Arts 2013 Catalog!

Mmm, yummy birthday cake! What else do you think might be included in this set? Share some of your thoughts with us in the comments, and you’ll be entered into the drawing for a Hero Arts 2013 Catalog of your very own! Catalog winners will be announced on Thursday. And we’ll be back later today for the full reveal of this sweet sneak peek!

Thanks for stopping by,

And we’re back- with the full reveal of 2013 Catalog Sneak Peek #4!

That’s right, you guessed it - a clear set that’s full of fun faux washi tape stamps! The set is called Tape Your Message. You’ll be able to stamp your washi in whatever color of ink you’d like! Woohoo! There’s a few other useful elements added in as well. Here’s a glimpse of the full stamp set:

And this is the set we featured last Friday, which contains a bit of washi along with an assortment of gratitude messages - My Favorite.

We’re getting so excited about the release of the new Hero Arts 2013 Catalog and all of the preview parties - we hope you are too!

Have a wonderful weekend,