Introducing our New Creative Team!

Months ago we put out a Design Team call and we were blown away by the response. Thanks to all of you who applied! We loved hearing stories about your love of this industry and Hero Arts. The decision was not easy, but we are so excited to finally announce our new Creative Team!

You may notice some familiar faces, as we are thrilled to have eight returning members. Welcome back Channin, Dana, Ilina, Lydia, Michelle, Mindy, Pam, and Seeka!

And we have 10 new members, so let's learn a little more about them.

Hey friends! I'm Charlene, originally from the beautiful city of Denver, Colorado, but now happily crafting away in rainy (yet charming) Seattle, Washington. Right before the pandemic hit, my family and I made the move to the Pacific Northwest. Little did I know, this change of scenery would spark a new passion in my life – cardmaking! During those days of uncertainty, I found solace in crafting, and now, I can't seem to put my scissors down. I love everything from clean and simple designs to mixed media. And let's be real – there's no color of ink that I can resist! Beyond the crafting desk, I'm a proud mom to three amazing boys and the chaotic but lovable manager of two sweet pups. Joining Hero Arts feels like the perfect next chapter, and I can't wait to share my love for cards with this incredible community. I am sincerely grateful to be here, and I'm eagerly anticipating meeting lots of new faces. Let the creative journey begin!

Hello, crafty friends. My name is Heather Ruwe. I’m a crafty gal just trying to spread a little sunshine with my happy mail. I’m a card maker living in Ohio and I’ve been in the craft business for over ten years and couldn’t love it more. I’ve enjoyed paper crafts for as long as I can remember and I’m so excited for this journey with Hero Arts. I can’t wait to share my creativity with you.

My name is Jeannie, born and raised in San Francisco. Funny enough, I started making cards because my full time job was really slow and I started watching YouTube videos on coloring/making cards. Soon enough, I was coloring in my office during work hours...and the rest is history! Nowadays, I craft after work-hours while watching tv/movies, especially baseball during the season. I started out loving interactive cards but now I dabble in a variety of different types of projects, including planner layouts, vinyl projects and cardmaking. Whenever I'm in a slump, I will just stamp out a project to color -- coloring is my favorite! You can find me on my blog, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and even TikTok!

Hello everyone! I’m Jen Kotas, a New Yorker living in Broomfield, Colorado with my husband, two kids and two labradors. I’ve always been creative, making gifts and any number of projects from as far back as I can remember. I got into paper crafting about 25 years ago through scrapbooking and some cardmaking. That’s also when I first started collecting Hero Arts stamps. When I moved away from my family in NY, I started making handmade cards to send them and now I’ve made more than I’ll ever need! I love coloring with alcohol markers, die cutting and adding a rainbow of color to everything. From the twenty-something girl searching AC Moore for new Hero Arts stamps to the much older woman still in love with Hero Arts, I’m so excited to join the Hero Arts Creative Team!

Hi, I’m Kailash, originally from South Africa but now live in the suburbs outside of Chicago. I’ve been married for 34 years and have one son. I have always enjoyed being creative, however I became passionate about cardmaking after buying my very first stamp 13 years ago. I feel so blessed that card making has afforded me the opportunity to make friends around the world and am so grateful for being part of this amazing community who are willing to share, support and inspire each other!

Hello there, I’m Karen Brown, a passionate cardmaker and paper crafter proud to call Texas home. I enjoy creating with paper and color of every medium and I love the magic that texture and layers add to a project. I find creating both rewarding and relaxing and I always look forward to starting my next design. Sometimes I even dream about cardmaking ideas!

Hi, I am Natasha, a wife and mom that loves all things crafty! I have always been creative, but post-college I found myself drawn to cardmaking to destress from work. I became more serious about my creations after having my daughter and now here we are! If I am not playing with paper or thread, as I sew and embroider too, you can find me crafting with the kiddos. My goal is to inspire through my creations and simply make pretty things that spark joy.

My name is Natasha Vacca and I am from Rochester, NY. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have 2 beautiful children! During the day I am a special education teacher. I have been a paper crafter for over 25 years and truly love cardmaking! I love color, texture, and adding layers to my cards! I am so excited to join the Hero Arts family and share inspiration with you!

My name is Rachel Kleinman and I am a paper crafter, card maker, and mixed media artist living in the Bay Area of California. My love for creating with stamps and paper began in high school and has only grown stronger over the decades! I love to create cards of all styles, especially those that are fun, bright, and colorful. I also enjoy making mixed media pieces that range from dimensional objects to tags to art journal pages. My work has been published numerous times in magazines and on manufacturers’ websites. I have worked with several design teams and creative product companies over the past several years. I am thrilled, honored, and humbled to bring my creativity to the Hero Arts Creative Team!

Hi! I’m Rosie Lopez. I started cardmaking in 2014 when I was gifted a basket with stamps, inks and blank cards. In March 2017, I subscribed to the Hero Arts My Monthly Hero kit. It was then that I connected with some really wonderful cardmakers who inspired and encouraged me. In 2021, I was part of A Blog Named Hero design team. Since then I’ve been working on my craft and building my crafty stash. I live in the Bay Area with my husband and dog, Salem. We have three young adult children together. During the day, I am the Early Childhood Education coordinator for an arts based, enrichment program. When I’m not working or crafting, I am usually enjoying a SF Giants baseball game.

Make sure to follow our team's blogs and Instagram accounts!

In addition to this main Creative Team who creates content for our blog and social media as well as the cards for our printed catalogs, we also work with the amazing artists on our Global Team and the Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero Team. We are blessed with some of the best who never cease to amaze us with their creations!

We also want want to recognize a few of our outgoing team members. Big thanks to Emily Midgett, Jayne Nelson, Jessica Frost-Ballas, Kelly Taylor, and Sally Traidman. You will always be a part of the Hero family and we are thankful for your support and creativity over the years. While not officially on the Creative Team, we look forward to still seeing some of you join in on our launches and hops.

Be sure to leave our artists some love!