Author: Karen Brown

Darling owl theme valentine. Spellbinders December 2025 Die of the Month | Gel Press Print Card Ideas
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting · Mixed Media

Spellbinders December 2025 Die of the Month | Gel Press Print Card Ideas

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Die cut owl with a flower crown sitting on a branch, framed inside a white Polaroid-style border with a rub-on ‘love’ sentiment. Background and card base are made from textured green, red, tan, and white Gel Press prints

If you love mixed media, adorable woodland critters, and any excuse to use your Gel Press prints, the December 2025 Spellbinders Small Die of the Month – Better Together is going to make your crafty heart flutter. This month’s kit includes two owls and two otters, but for today’s project, I kept things simple with a single sweet owl—perfect for a Valentine’s Day card for my daughter.

How to Use Gel Press Prints in Cardmaking

I reached into my stash of Gel Press prints (one of my favorite studio habits!) and created a simple but visually rich design. The card base is a greenish-yellow pulled print, while the Polaroid-style frame background uses a print with layers of tan, brick red, green, and white. The organic textures and imperfect blends from the prints give this card a soft art journal meets Valentine vibe.

For the focal point, I die cut the owl and assembled her with a tiny flower crown, then perched her on the included die cut branch. She’s framed inside a Polaroid-style photo using the Hero Arts Nesting Journaling Photo Frames, which provide the perfect amount of white space.

A single rub-on sentiment—“love” from the Hero Arts Ornate Frames Transfer Sheet (RT127)—sits on the bottom right of the Polaroid border for an easy, minimal look. Because the background is so full of visual interest thanks to the Gel Press print, the clean sentiment balances everything beautifully.

Handmade Owl Valentine Card using Spellbinders December 2025 Die of the Month Kit + Gel Press Prints.

Key Products Used


✨ Spellbinder Small Die of the Month
✨ Hero Arts Nesting Journaling Photo Frames
✨ Hero Arts RT127 Ornate Frames Rub-On Transfers
✨ Gel Press Prints (my favorite kind of stash!)

Why I Love This Project

This card is:

  • beginner-friendly
  • fabulous for using your stash of Gel Press backgrounds
  • perfect for mixed media fans and Valentine’s Day
  • totally customizable (the kit includes two owls and two otters!)

I also included a process photo showing stacks of my finished Gel Press prints. The print used for the Polaroid background is the top middle print in that photo. I love Gel Press play days, and it feels great putting those prints to use in my cardmaking.

Stacks of completed Gel Press prints in various colors. The top middle print is tan, brick red, green, and white—the print used for the card’s Polaroid background

This simple mixed media Valentine is going to my daughter—and I think she’ll love the sweet little owl with the tiny flower crown.

Thanks a latte thank you card featuring House Mouse. Cute Coffee Theme Thank You Card Featuring House Mouse
cardmaking · Stamping

Cute Coffee Theme Thank You Card Featuring House Mouse

Karen BrownLeave a comment

Today I’m sharing a cute square coffee-themed thank you card featuring the House Mouse Brew-tiful Day rubber stamp from Spellbinders. I can never resist a coffee pun, so I went with “Thanks a latte” for my sentiment—one of my all-time favorites!

Key Products Used:

Cute square "thanks a latte" thank you card featuring the House Mouse Brew-tiful stamp.

I stamped the adorable image and colored it with Copic markers:

Copic Colors Used:

  • Cup & Spoon: YG01, YG03, YG05
  • Coffee: E55, E25
  • Glass: BG00, B00
  • Mouse: E40, E21, R20
  • Shadows: N0, N1

Before stamping, I simply trimmed the included sentiment using my Spellbinders Shears so only “Thanks a latte” remained—super easy! The little scene includes our sweet mouse taking a sip from a giant (to him!) latte cup, with a coffee bean canister behind him. Such a cute little tableau!

I die-cut the panel with the Hero Arts Rounded Jewel Infinity Dies—I think this soft shape fits the cozy vibe perfectly. Then I added craft foam behind the panel and mounted it onto a ColorWheel Rainforest green A2 card base.

Stamped House Mouse scene card featuring a mouse sipping coffee from a giant latte cup.

This card comes together very quickly and is so fun to color. House Mouse is always popular with card recipients—every little mouse scene just makes you smile!

I’ll link to several other House Mouse posts I’ve created, because I just can’t resist these sweet little critters. You can see House Mouse is a definite favorite!

Thanks a latte for stopping by today! ☕🐭

Copic colored House Mouse sipping a big coffee in a cute thank you card with “Thanks a Latte” sentiment on a green card base.
Easy to make Get Well card featuring a cup of noodles. Best Quick & Easy Get Well Card
cardmaking · Die cutting · Stamping

Best Quick & Easy Get Well Card

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Clean and modern handmade get well card featuring a stamped soup cup, blue chopsticks, black enamel dots, and a yellow die-cut circle window.

The December 2025 Hero Arts Stamp & Die Kit of the Month is called Cup of Love, and it’s perfect for creating quick, modern, and heartfelt get well cards. I always need get well cards on hand, so I love having clean and simple designs that I can mass produce—and this one definitely delivers.

This month’s kit features a charming soup cup, chopsticks, labels, and warm “feel better” sentiments that make it easy to whip up comforting cards for friends and family who need a little cheer.

Clean + Modern Design With Easy Stamping

A simple and easy handmade get well card with a die cut yellow recessed circle that showcases and cup of noodle soup, crossed chopsticks and 5 black enamel dots.

For today’s card, I leaned into a fresh white and yellow color palette with pops of crisp black stamping and a hint of blue. The combination feels clean, modern, and cheerful—just the mood you want in a get well card.

Key Products Used:

How I Made the Card

  • I stamped the “cup of noodle soup” image in black ink for sharp contrast.
  • Next, I stamped the round yellow label with Lemon Drop Ink. I waited a minute for the ink to dry, stamped the sentiment “feel better soon” and die cut the image.
  • I stamped and colored the blue chopsticks, die cut them, and crossed them for a playful finishing touch.
  • For the background, I die cut a circle from the center of a white A2 cardstock panel using my Hero Arts Nesting Circle Dies.
  • I layered this white panel over a yellow A2 card base, popping it up with craft foam for dimension.
  • In the recessed yellow circle, I glued the soup cup and chopsticks.
  • Finally, I added five black enamel dots. These tiny accents brought so much contrast and visual interest to the finished design.

The result? A clean and cheerful get well card with modern charm and just enough shading and dimension to feel special—without slowing you down.

Interested in two other recent Get Well Cards I created? Click HERE.

Tip for Mass Production

If you want to make a full batch of these cards (and I definitely recommend it!), simply die cut a yellow circle and adhere it directly to a white card base. Or alternatively, you could ink blend a yellow circle. You can skip the popped-up window panel and still get the same bold pop of color.

Thanks for stopping by!

Girly Spa Day handmade card with Enjoy Today sentiment. Girly Spa-Themed Die Cut Card | Wrapped in Care – December 2025 Club Kit
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Girly Spa-Themed Die Cut Card | Wrapped in Care – December 2025 Club Kit

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Feminine die cut card idea: delightful spa day theme card of a girl in a spa towel turban enjoying a day of beauty.

The Spellbinders December 2025 Large Die of the Month, Wrapped in Care, is an absolute delight—especially if you love creating feminine cards with personality. This adorable die set builds the sweetest girl wrapped in a fluffy spa towel turban, fully embracing her day of beauty. It’s charming, whimsical, and so customizable, which made it perfect for creating a card for my daughter. Naturally, I personalized her hair and skin tone to match!

To build the scene, I embossed my background using a past Embossing Folder of the Month, which gave the card a serene, peaceful spa vibe. The textures really elevate the focal girl and tie the whole design together. For colors, I reached for my ColorWheel cardstock, one of my favorite studio essentials. The shades are Chiffon, Cascade, and Celestial, with additional details cut from scraps.

This blog post also highlights my trusty Swatching Dies and Stamps, which are invaluable when choosing harmonious colors.

Die cutting process photo showing the assembly of my December 2025 Large Die of the Month card.

I included a process photo that shows my Spellbinders Shears, my Craft Stax Tray Set (perfect for corralling all the tiny die cut bits), and of course, I used my trusty Platinum 6 die cutting machine—the real MVP.

A simple chipboard sentiment—“enjoy today”—finishes the card with the perfect message for a little self-care moment.

If you love spa themes, feminine cards, or die cutting with loads of personality, the Wrapped in Care kit is going to be a favorite.

Helpful Links:

Spellbinders December 2025 Die of the Month: Wrapped in Care die cut handmade girlfriend card.
2 warm and cozy gelt well cards. How to Create Clean & Mixed Media Backgrounds | Hero Arts December 2025 Release & Blog Hop
Die cutting · Stamping

How to Create Clean & Mixed Media Backgrounds | Hero Arts December 2025 Release & Blog Hop

Karen Brown14 Comments
Two cozy stamped and die cut Get Well Cards; one is clean and fresh the other is an easy mixed media card.

Hello friends! Karen Brown here, and today I’m sharing two cards for the Hero Arts December 2025 Release + Blog Hop. This month’s theme—Soup There It Is—is warm, clever, and absolutely perfect for building a stash of Get Well cards. I don’t know about you, but I always seem to need get well cards, and this release is packed with comforting imagery and punny sentiments that make them so fun to create.

Hero Arts just announced a fantastic price drop on their subscription programs, making this the perfect time to sign up if you’ve been on the fence. The Monthly Card Kit is now $45 instead of $60, and the Whole Studio Subscription dropped from $75 to $55. That’s a big monthly savings and an incredible value considering how many products, techniques, and creative opportunities you get in each box. If you love building your stash, trying new tools, and being inspired each month, this is truly the best time to jump in.

My two cards today both feature the December Cling Stamp of the Month: Dotty—a fantastic, versatile background stamp that deserves a spot in every crafter’s studio. To help you get the most out of this staple, I’m showing two completely different background styles:
✨ Clean, fresh, and modern
🎨 Easy, layered mixed media

Let’s jump in!

Card 1 – A Clean & Modern Background Using Pigment Ink

Cozy Alphabet Soup "Get Well Soon" card with a charming blue and white stamped polka dot background.

For my first card, I created a crisp and contemporary background using the Rubber Cling Dotty stamped in Unicorn White Pigment Ink on Breeze Cardstock. This combination creates a soft, airy polka dot look that works for any occasion, but feels especially soothing for a get well theme.

Background Tips:

  • Pigment ink gives gorgeous coverage, but it dries slowly.
  • Speed things along with a quick blast from your heat tool.
  • Try this technique on any mid-tone cardstock—it’s a great way to stretch your ink stash.

For the focal point, I used the December Die of the Month: Alphabet Soup to create an adorable soup bowl, complete with:
🥣 a spoon
🍘 cracker-style accents
🌿 sprigs of parsley
…and swirling alphabetical noodles!

The spoon cleverly spells out “Get Well Soon”—such a comforting detail. This card feels clean, uplifting, and perfect for sending warm wishes to someone who needs a little TLC.

Stamped polka dot background on a cozy die cut Get Well card. White pigment ink on light blue cardstock.

>>> Receive a FREE Bread Bowl Stamp and Cut (see card #2)  when you purchase The Whole Studio!

Hero Arts has many different Monthly Kits that you can subscribe to including:

Card 2 – Easy Mixed Media Using Dotty + Gel Press Print

Mixed media card featuring Gel Press print stamped with white Dotty pattern background stamp, distressed and ink-blended edges, brown speckles, and die-cut bread bowl with “Feel Better” sentiment.

For my second card, I wanted to show the versatility of the Rubber Cling Dotty stamp by pairing it with a mixed media background.

I pulled a Gel Press print from my stash—a great way to use your pre-made backgrounds—and stamped Dotty over the top with Unicorn White Pigment Ink. After drying with my heat tool, I:

  • Distressed the edges using a distressing tool
  • Ink blended around the outer edges for depth and warmth
  • Added Brown Acrylic Speckle (from the December Card Kit) for texture and personality. I like to use a fan brush and rotate my background for even distribution.

My focal point is the die cut from the December Whole Studio Bonus Gift: Bread Bowl, shaded with inks to mimic the look of warm crusty bread. The “Feel Better” sentiment ties the whole card together in the coziest way.

This mixed media-style card is earthy, rich, and full of character—but still incredibly easy to make.

Mixed media background card featuring Hero Arts "Dotty" red rubber cling background stamp on a distressed gel press print. The background features white circles on an aqua blue background with brown paint splatters.

Blog Hop and Giveaway: 

Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, December 7th at 11:59pm MT, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week. Leave a comment on all stops for more chances to win!  

Hero Arts
Seeka
Rosie Lopez
Rachel Kleinman
Nichol Spohr
Natasha Polite
Mindy Eggen
Michelle Short
Michelle Lupton
Lisa Tilson
Karen Brown
Jennifer Kotas
Jeannie Lieu
Charlene Madrid
Channin Pelletier
Anna Mahtani

Final Thoughts

Whether you prefer clean and modern or layered and artsy, the Dotty Cling Stamp opens up endless background possibilities. Paired with this month’s heartwarming soup-themed dies, you can build a versatile stash of Get Well cards to share comfort all year long.

Be sure to hop along with the rest of the designers—there are prizes to be won and loads of inspiration waiting for you!
Happy crafting, friends. ❤️

Die cut and stitched handmade coffee theme valentine. Spellbinders December 2025 Stitching Die of the Month – A Valentine
Cardmaking Kit · stitching

Spellbinders December 2025 Stitching Die of the Month – A Valentine

Karen BrownLeave a comment

Today I’m sharing a bold, modern Valentine created with the Spellbinders December 2025 Stitching Die of the Month – A Perfect Blend. This kit is absolutely brewtiful for coffee and tea lovers, and I leaned hard into the cozy-caffeine theme for this design!

Coffee | Tea Themed Handmade Card

I began by die cutting two Beeswax yellow coffee mugs, each with half of a stitched heart. Once stitched, the two halves come together to form one full Poppy red heart — such a sweet little metaphor! I used gold thread (two strands) for all the stitching to keep things warm, shiny, and modern.

Behind the mugs sits a crisp white die cut heart from the Hero Arts DI334 Nesting Hearts, which frames the design and lets the bold color palette really sing. The background is Oceanside cardstock, a deep blue-green that I will never stop loving. It brings a graphic, sophisticated feel that keeps the whole card clean and contemporary.

The sentiment is a large scripty “love you” die cut from Poppy red cardstock, paired with the included “a perfect blend” sentiment strip.

To give readers a peek behind the scenes, I included this process photo showing the card mid-way through: die cuts laid out, metal dies off to the side, and my needle threaded with gold floss. I love sharing these in-progress moments because they show just how simple the stitching is — and how quickly this design comes together.

Helpful Links:

I also relied on my Spellbinders Cardswatching Die & Stamps along with ColorWheel Cardstock, both of which continue to be staples in my craft room.

This bright and modern Valentine is for my husband — we share a latte together every afternoon, so a coffee-themed note felt absolutely perfect. ❤️☕

If you love bold color, cozy themes, and modern stitching, this kit is going to be so much fun. And if you want even more caffeine-themed inspiration, don’t miss my other favorite coffee card:
👉 What’s Brewing — graphic, bright, and equally caffeinated.

Purse theme handmade card. Spellbinders November 2025 Large Die of the Month – Charmed to Know You
cardmaking · Die cutting

Spellbinders November 2025 Large Die of the Month – Charmed to Know You

Karen BrownLeave a comment
2 handmade purse theme cards created with Spellbinders November 2025 Large Die of the Month Kit.

Today I’m sharing two darling purse-themed cards using the Spellbinders November 2025 Large Die of the Month Kit – Charmed to Know You. This set is pure cuteness with so many ways to personalize your bag design. Think mini luxury handbag boutique… but in cardstock form!

This die kit creates a fabulous purse with dangling charms, handles, layered details, and all the embellishments your fashionable heart could want. While it’s designed for 5” x 7” cards, I also made a 4” x 6” version because these purses are just too cute not to size-down and play.

💡 Crafter tip: I keep a clear pouch full of scrap cardstock and it was PERFECT for cutting the tiny charms. Little paper leftovers finally had their big couture moment!

💜 Card 1 – Cream & Lilac Glam

Feminine birthay card featuring a die cut handbag with three cute charms dangling from the handle.

For my first card, I created a Alabaster cream purse with brown leather straps and brushed gold hardware — classic and chic!

I paired it with a lilac background (ColorWheel cardstock) and added a darling mini change purse, a pink scarf, and two charms:
✨ a sweet little bear with a matching pink neck kerchief
🍒 happy smiling cherries

The finishing touch? A gorgeous La Dolce Vita hot foil sentiment on lilac cardstock:

Make it a Day to Remember

And yes — this purse absolutely feels like it’s ready for brunch, shopping, and maybe a macaron or two.

🖤 Card 2 – Chic Neutrals & Lucky Charms

Fun girly birthday card featuring a gray and gold handbag with three charms hanging from the gold hardware: two dice and a pink pig.

My second purse fits a 4” x 6” card base and features granite and anchor gray cardstock with a brushed gold chain handle — sleek and modern!

I got playful with my charms:
🐷 I turned the Caboodle Bonus Gift pig into a charm
🎲 and added two dangling dice on each side

A sweet mini pink bow sits above all three — because even edgy handbags deserve a touch of sweetness.

The sentiment is a dainty Glimmer-foiled “Happy Birthday” — perfect for the girly-girl in your life who loves a little luxury and whimsy.

2 handmade die cut cards featuring cute charms and purses created from the November 2025 Spellbinders Large Die of the Month Kit.

🌟 Final Thoughts

This month’s Large Die of the Month is a handbag lover’s dream — charming (pun absolutely intended), customizable, and so much fun to style. Try different color palettes, charm combos, and sizes to create purses for every personality.

Interested in my other November Card Kit Creations?

Helpful Links:

Book reading theme handmade card. How to Use Analogous and Complementary Colors in Cardmaking | Tutorial
cardmaking · Stenciling

How to Use Analogous and Complementary Colors in Cardmaking | Tutorial

Karen BrownLeave a comment
A book/reading theme handmade card created with Hero Arts Hero Studio November 2025 Kits: On the Shelf Layering Stencils and Book Bag Die Kit.

Hello, Karen here, back with another card inspired by the November 2025 Hero Studio “One More Chapter” release! I’ve been absolutely loving this book and reading-themed collection — so much so that I couldn’t resist making one more card. (Here’s a link to my previous post where I shared two other projects from this release!)

This time, I reached for the “On the Shelf” 4-Layer Stencil Kit to build my own bold bookshelf background. I wanted a crisp, postage-themed layout, so I began by masking off a 3″ x 4⅜” rectangle on a piece of Deluxe Smooth White Cardstock — giving me a clean white frame around my stenciling.

🎨 Inky Layers

I chose four analogous ink colors (adjacent on the color wheel) that flow beautifully together for a cohesive look:

Once the inky layers were dry, I die cut the panel with the 2nd largest Nesting Postage Stamp Die to give my bookish scene a framed, mail-art feel.

Bright handmade card featuring a layered blue and green stenciled bookshelf background, orange bookworm, and scripty “Hello” sentiment framed in a white postage border

🧡 Complementary Pops of Color

For contrast, I reached for my ColorWheel Cardstock and added Carrot and Cosmic Sky accents. The playful bookworm with glasses and the scripty “Hello” sentiment (from the Book Bag Die Kit) are both cut from Carrot, with a Cosmic Sky shadow layer that really makes the greeting pop. Orange and blue are complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel), which makes the whole design lively and eye-catching.

Everything is layered with a bit of craft foam for dimension, then mounted onto a Cosmic Sky A2 card base.

Cute card featuring a stenciled book shelf background and a smiling book worm die cut accent.

The end result? A bright, cheeky, and happy card that would be perfect for a reader of any age — man, woman, or child.

Hero Arts has many different Monthly Kits that you can subscribe to including:

Foodie theme die cut brunch card. Bold Color Block Brunch Theme Card | Spellbinders November Kit
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting · papercrafting

Bold Color Block Brunch Theme Card | Spellbinders November Kit

Karen Brown1 Comment
Handmade brunch-themed card with bold color-block rectangles in pink, green, lilac, and blue, featuring die-cut egg, bacon, champagne glass, and waffle with stick arms and legs, plus a 'Thanks a Brunch' sentiment.

Let’s Do Brunch! | Spellbinders November 2025 Small Die of the Month

If you love playful cardmaking and adorable food-themed dies, this month’s Spellbinders Die of the Month — Let’s Do Brunch — is going to spark so much joy! This clever die set is packed with cheeky breakfast and brunch icons, complete with arms, legs, and serious personality. Think cute eggs, dancing bacon, bubbly champagne… all ready to brunch and boogie.

And the sentiment?
“Thanks a Brunch.”

Brunch food theme die cut card created with Spellbinders November 2025 Die of the Month Kit.

My Bold + Graphic Brunch Card

For today’s project, I leaned into a bold, graphic color-block look to really spotlight each quirky character. I trimmed and pieced together four vibrant cardstock quadrants to create a modern grid background. The clean, high-contrast shapes make the little food friends shine!

✨ Card Details

  • Theme: Foodie / Brunch / Thank You
  • Style: Modern color-block + cute character die cuts
  • Colors:
  • Characters:
    ✅ Smiling sunny-side-up egg
    ✅ Dancing bacon strip
    ✅ Cheerful champagne glass (cut from vellum for fun transparency!)
    ✅ Sweet little waffle

Each food item gets tiny stick arms and legs — a charming little detail that gives them so much life.

📐 Measurements

To create the crisp color-blocked effect:

  • Cut four rectangles: 2 1/8″ x 2 ¾” each
  • Tape all four from the back
  • Adhere the full panel to an A2 card base to stabilize

Simple steps, big visual impact!

Close-up of smiling die-cut breakfast characters on a modern graphic card with vellum champagne glass and bright pastel cardstock blocks

Design Tips

  • Vellum = perfect for glasses, bottles, and any glass objects
  • Foam Squares behind your food characters adds dimension and personality
  • Mixing playful images with clean graphic lines = fresh modern design

Don’t Miss This Kit!

If you’ve been looking for a unique, fun die set that works for birthdays, thank-yous, brunch invites, foodie friends, or just-because cards — this one’s a winner.

Be sure to check out my post for the November Stitching Die of the Month too — my favorite stitching kit of the year!

Thanks a brunch for stopping by today — and tell me, which cute brunch buddy is your favorite?

Helpful Links:

Pink handmade card for a Baby Shower. Craft Lounge Live #4 Video Recap | Great Sentiment Stamps
cardmaking · Video

Craft Lounge Live #4 Video Recap | Great Sentiment Stamps

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Pink baby card with die-cut tags, bows, and flowers made using Hero Arts Just Because Stamp & Cut set.

Hello crafty friends! Karen Brown here with a fun recap from Craft Lounge LIVE #4! If you missed our live session, no worries — you can still catch the replay right here 👉 Watch the rerun on Facebook.

The Hero Arts Collective Facebook group is the place to stay connected, share inspiration, and see what’s new in the Hero Arts world.

Channin, Natasha, Michelle, and I had such a great time chatting and crafting together! We all worked with products from the Best Ever Collection, and even though we started with the same collection, our projects turned out completely different:

  • 🎁 Channin created a beautiful stack of gift boxes.
  • 🎨 Natasha made a stunning mixed media background.
  • 🧝‍♀️ Michelle designed an adorable “peeking elf” card.
  • 👶 And I crafted a sweet pink baby card!

My design features two stamped and die-cut tags and bows, embellished with three dainty die-cut flowers. The sentiment — “Just a little something for baby” — comes from one of my favorite sets this season, DC329 Just Because Stamp & Cut. I die cut the tags and a soft pink frame from Tutu ColorWheel Cardstock, then stamped in crisp black ink for a clean, cheerful look.

Screen shot of 4 Hero Arts Creative Team members participating in Craft Lounge LIVE #4,
Screenshot

I’ll be taking this card to a baby shower later this month, and I know I’ll be reaching for these sentiments again and again. The “birthday,” “thank you,” and “just because” options in this set are so versatile — perfect for every occasion!

Screenshot collage of Channin, Natasha, Michelle, and Karen (Kenny's Cards) from Craft Lounge LIVE #4.
Screenshot

Thanks to everyone who joined us live — and if you couldn’t make it, grab your favorite drink, tune in to the replay, and enjoy an hour of crafty conversation and inspiration. 💕

Link to: Craft Lounge LIVE #4

Photo of handmade Baby card with stamped tags with black sentiment reading “Just a little something for baby."