Hero Arts 45th Anniversary Blog Hop - Day 3

Hello friends! Welcome back to our anniversary party! We are so glad to have you celebrating with us. If you missed Day 1 or Day 2, please click those links and take a look. We are celebrating 45 years of bringing you the products you love with our 2019 Summer Catalog - which is in itself a look back through our history!

Today is another very special day here on the blog. Our hop list includes many of our friends, some who also happen to be our competitors. We firmly believe that working together and supporting each other creates a strong, healthy craft community. When we collaborate, good things happen - a prime example of that is the Mail Delivery by The Stamping Village set, which raises money for charity. Before we dive into the hop, we'd like to share a video with you. Listen to our CEO Aaron Leventhal explain just what this community means to Hero Arts.

(If you are having trouble viewing this video, please try watching it HERE on YouTube.)

If you've been wondering why we have so many other companies as sponsors for this hop - you should wonder no more. They are our people, and we love and support them, along with countless other companies who are not listed. And we appreciate the support they give right back!

• Hero Arts: 3 $145 Gift Certificates, 3 $45 Gift Certificates
• Altenew: $50 Gift Certificate
• Art Impressions: $25 Gift Certificate
• Ellen Hutson LLC: $50 Gift Certificate
• Gina K: $100 Gift Certificate
• Jennifer McGuire Ink: $100 Hero Arts Gift Certificate, 5 Share Handmade Kindness goodie bags
• Laurie Willison: 2 Card Hanger Dies
• Lawn Fawn: $50 Gift Certificate
• My Sweet Petunia: 1 Prize Bundle (Original MISTI, a set of Creative Corners, a Cut-Align, and a bar magnet)
• Online Card Classes: 5 spots in the Stamp Happy In Good Company: Hero Arts class
• Pink Fresh Studio: $45 Gift Certificate
• Scrapbook & Cards Today: 3 copies of Scrapbook & Cards Today Summer 2019 Issue
• Scrapbook.com: $50 Gift Certificate
• Simon Says Stamp: $50 Gift Certificate

Keep reading below for today's hop list. But before we get to that, we have more card inspiration using products we've brought back "From the Vault". We are thrilled to have Jayne Nelson joining us for today's post. Jayne was a recent member of our Creative Team, and we always adore her beautiful creations. It's so nice having her make an encore appearance on our blog! Take it away, Jayne!

Hi, everyone! I am so excited to be back on the blog today, celebrating the 45th anniversary of Hero Arts and the release of the new 2019 Summer Catalog. I've had tons of fun playing with these "new again" stamp sets and the amazing, must-have Reactive Inks.

To create a small card set, I started by covering two, side-folded cards and two, top-folded cards with jewel tone cardstock sheets from the Sampler Pack. Then, I trimmed pastel cardstock sheets, also from the Sampler Pack, and secured them to each card front. Before setting aside, I wrapped each layered card with black cording.

For my first card, I trimmed a small panel of Dove White cardstock and using the butterfly die in the From the Vault Bugs Frame Cuts set, I cut a mask that I positioned multiple times across the panel, inking with Fog, Fruit Punch, and Creamsicle Reactive Inks. For extra interest, I splattered water on the inked background to create spots. I also inked and cut a butterfly that I positioned along the panel's edge. After securing the panel to the card with foam tape, I stamped a butterfly from the From the Vault Bugs set with black ink and colored it with a yellow pencil. I added an embossed sentiment from the From the Vault Celestial set and finished the card with some Ombre Green Sequins.

For my second card, I created masks with the Nesting Circles Infinity Dies that I used to inks circles, with Berry Smoothie, Fruit Punch, and Taffy Reactive Inks across a white panel. Next, I stamped and colored lilies from the From the Vault Flowers set, using the matching die to inlay the image into the inked background. I stamped a sentiment from the From the Vault Cute Animals set and added a few Ombre Purple Sequins.

For my next card, I used the Nesting Clouds Infinity Dies to create cloud shaped masks. To create the flat edges, I covered the lower halves of the cloud masks with removable tape. Then, I easily inked the clouds with Grape, Berry Smoothie, Blue Hawaii, and Splash Reactive Inks. For the focal image, I stamped and colored a balloon from the From the Vault Travel set and cut it with the matching dies. I added several Ombre Blue Sequins and a different sentiment from the From the Vault Cute Animals set.

For my final card, I created heart masks with the Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies that I inked with Thistle, Blue Hawaii, Splash, Pool Party and Blue Raspberry Reactive Inks. These new Hero Hues Reactive Inks blend so beautifully that creating masked backgrounds similar to the ones on these cards is fun and effortless. For this card, I added a birthday panda and an embossed sentiment from the From the Vault Birthday set and then added a few scattered Ombre Ocean Sequins to finish the card.

Enjoy today's hop and have a wonderful, crafty weekend!

Thank you Jayne! Now let's hop! Visit all of these blogs, along with the posts from Day 1 and Day 2, and leave a little comment love for everyone! All comments enter the drawing for the prizes listed above! Comment by Sunday, June 2 at 11:59pm Pacific, and we will announce the winners on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

Hero Arts - you are here
Amy Tsuruta
Art Impressions
Cathy Zielske
Debby Hughes
Gina K Designs
Jenn Shurkus
Jennifer McGuire
Kristina Werner
Lawn Fawn
Lisa Stein
Megan Hoeppner
Sandy Allnock
Simon Says Stamp
Tasnim Ahmed
Wanda Guess

Thanks so much for celebrating our anniversary with us. Truth be told, YOU are the very best part of our business, and we couldn't be more thankful for the support you've given us all these years. We couldn't do it without YOU!