Category: cardmaking

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 Brown1 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."
Adorable die cut "Chihuahua in a Purse" scene card. My Favorite Stitching Kit Yet! | Spellbinders November 2025 Stitching Die of the Month
Cardmaking Kit · stitching

My Favorite Stitching Kit Yet! | Spellbinders November 2025 Stitching Die of the Month

Karen Brown2 Comments
Adorable handmade card with a Chihuahua dog peeking out of a die cut handstitched purse with colors in 4 shades of aqua.

If you love stitching dies and adorable pups, you’re in for a treat with the Spellbinders November 2025 Stitching Die of the Month. This kit is pure joy — it features the most darling Chihuahua peeking out of a stitched purse, complete with a tiny sweater and irresistible details. I think this might be my favorite stitching kit of the year!

✂️ A Stitch Above the Rest

For the purse, I followed the etched diamond stitching guide using DMC #964 aqua floss (two strands). I like to die cut each stitched panel twice and glue them together before I start stitching — it gives the piece a nice sturdy base and helps it hold its shape.

The stitching adds beautiful texture, and the aqua floss blends perfectly with the Teal Topaz ColorWheel cardstock.

🎨 My Color Recipe

Here’s the cardstock and stitching palette I used:

Fun dog theme hand stitched die cut card created with Spellbinders November Stitching Die of the Month Club Kit.

👜 The Perfect Sentiment & Finishing Touches

For the sentiment, I used the “Hello” Die from Hero Arts’ November Fancy Die Kit — it’s the perfect elegant touch without stealing focus from the little pup. The background features the Hero Arts Elegant Window Fancy Die, which frames the scene beautifully.

The main ColorWheel palette of aquas and neutrals (Teal Topaz, Blue Spruce, Waterfall and Fawn) keeps everything cohesive while letting that sweet Chihuahua shine. The stitched purse adds just the right amount of dimension, making this card one of those “pick up and look closer” moments.

This one’s going to my daughter’s mother-in-law, who happens to have two Chihuahuas — so I know it’ll be a hit!

I have an adorable Color Block Food Theme card coming on November 11th…come back and take a peek.

Helpful Links:

cardmaking · Cardmaking Video

Join Me LIVE with Hero Arts! | Craft Lounge LIVE #4

Karen BrownLeave a comment

I have exciting news to share — I’ll be joining Hero Arts for Craft Lounge LIVE #4! 🎉

This is my second time hanging out in the Craft Lounge, and I had such a great time last summer that I’m thrilled to be back again. If you love crafty inspiration, laughs, and a creative party atmosphere… mark your calendar!

Get all the details and RSVP HERE!

🗓️ Event Details

Craft Lounge LIVE #4
📅 Saturday, November 8, 2025
⏰ 12:00 PM PT
🎥 Streaming LIVE with The Hero Arts FaceBook Group: Hero Arts Collective

Who’s Crafting With Me?

I’ll be creating alongside some fabulous Hero Arts teammates:

  • Natasha
  • Michelle
  • Karen (that’s me!)
  • Channin

We’ll be crafting with The Best Gift Ever Collection, sharing projects, festive inspiration, and plenty of crafty cheer. This collection is so versatile and works year round!

Oh — and did I mention…
🎄 We’ll be wearing ugly sweaters! We hope you’ll wear your ugly sweater too! 🤣
So come ready for creative fun, holiday spirit, and at least one questionable sweater choice.

…..and there is a giveway too!

🎁 Join the Fun!

Bring your coffee, cocoa, or holiday mocktail, settle into your craft lounge, and come chat LIVE with us. I can’t wait to hang out and make some holiday magic together! ✨

👉 Hope to see you there — and be sure to say hi in the chat!

Red and White handmade funny and charming handmade Christmas card CASE Me A Christmas Card 2025
cardmaking · Give Away

CASE Me A Christmas Card 2025

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Adorable Christmas card using Hero Arts Elf Culture Stamp and Die Set, Nesting Postage Stamp dies and White Holiday Collage Hero Transfer background on red paper.

I’m so excited to be part of CASE Me A Christmas Card 2025! My talented crafty friend @michelle_lupton invited me to join this year’s creative lineup, and I was thrilled to say yes. This fun annual event features ten creative hops throughout October—two on YouTube and eight on Instagram—where cardmakers CASE (Copy And Selectively Edit) cards from one another.

✨ Key Instagram hashtag: #casemeachristmascard

✨ Link to Join Our Instagram Hop

To join the fun, create your own Christmas card inspired by one from the hop and upload it via Inlinkz on Michelle’s blog. You can also win prizes from amazing sponsors just by participating or leaving comments on the hop posts!

I’m part of Hop #9 and am CASEing the wonderful @expressivepaper – Kathy Pisupati. Kathy created an absolutely adorable Halloween card that I just had to reimagine as a Christmas design!

Kathy’s Halloween Card:

@expresspaper card for CASE my Christmas Card 2025

My Card Details

I was inspired by Kathy’s use of postage stamp dies (always a favorite of mine) and her clever background. Instead of stenciling, I used one of my other go-to products—Hero Transfers—to create my own twist.

I stamped an adorable raccoon reaching for a hug, paired with the perfect sentiment: “Does Somebody Need a Hug?” My color palette is limited to Christmas red, white, and small dabs of aqua and tan, which gives the card a striking and dramatic look while keeping it silly, fun, and a little bit heartwarming. I also think it’s a great option for masculine cards this holiday season!

Key Products Used On My Card:

Adorable Christmas card with a raccoon reaching for a hug and the sentiment "Does Anybody Need a Hug?". Bright red and white Hero Transfer rub-on background with three stamped and postage stamp die cut focal elements.

Enjoy the hop!

Two handmade cards featuring stenciled and foiled gifts. Rainbow Ink Stenciled Cards with Foil Accents | Year-Round Inspiration
cardmaking · Hot Foiling · stitching

Rainbow Ink Stenciled Cards with Foil Accents | Year-Round Inspiration

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Two cards in soft pinks and other pastel colors that are stenciled, hot foiled and die cut. The theme is gift wrapped packages and the elements can be used for Christmas, thank you cards, birthdays, showers and graduations.

The new Hero Arts October 2025 Best Gift Ever Collection is here, and I couldn’t resist creating with the Best Gift Ever Boxes Bundle. These products are incredibly versatile—you can use them for birthdays, Christmas, graduations, showers, or anytime you need a festive card. I went with pastel rainbow colors and magenta foil for two cheerful and celebratory designs.

Handmade pastel rainbow card with hot foiled, stenciled and die cut gift packages with magenta foil perfect for a birthday or shower.

✨ Card Process

  1. I began by hot foiling the ribbon and bow details from the Wrap It Up LetterPress + Foil Plates in Magenta Foil on Deluxe Smooth Cardstock. This cardstock gives crisp foiling and smooth ink blending results.
  2. Next, I pulled out the Gorgeous Gifts Layering Stencils to add sherbet-like rainbow colors to my packages.
  3. Once stenciled, I die cut the gifts with the Gift Boxes Die Set. I repeated steps 1-3 twice to create enough pieces for two cards.
  4. For the sentiments, I again hot foiled in magenta foil:
  5. I arranged the die-cut gifts and sentiments into a loose square composition, mounting them with foam squares onto a white scalloped square panel (from the Square Scallop Infinity Dies). Finally, I adhered them to a pale pink card base.

The result? Two pastel, rainbow-inspired cards with a touch of elegant foil shine. These gifts are perfect for any season or occasion—and I love how the foil details elevate the look for something extra special.

💡 Foiling Note: I own two foiling machines, but I consistently get my best results with the Spellbinders Glimmer System. In fact, I haven’t reached for my other machine since 2023! This is, of course, just my personal experience, but I thought it might be helpful to share if you’re curious about foiling systems.

Handmade thank you card in rainbow pastel colors using Hero Arts Best Gift Ever Collection. Hot Foiling, Layered Stenciling and die cutting techniques used.

I am also participating in an Instagram Hop for this release, and we’d love for you to pop by! You can find all the details HERE.

Interested in another post on foiling? Click HERE.

Die cut and hand stitched "Joy" Chirstmas Card. Spellbinders October 2025 Stitching Die of the Month | Peppermint Prancer
Cardmaking Kit · stitching

Spellbinders October 2025 Stitching Die of the Month | Peppermint Prancer

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Spellbinders October 2025 Stitching Die of the Month handmade Christmas card with a stitched red and white peppermint candy used as the O in JOY, with a playful Rudolph reindeer sprawled across it on a Cascade blue background

The October 2025 Stitching Die of the Month is called Peppermint Prancer, and it’s as festive as it sounds! This month’s design combines the sweetness of peppermint candy with the whimsy of a playful reindeer—perfect for cheerful holiday cards.

🍬 The Peppermint

I started with a Cascade blue background to give my card a crisp winter feel. The stitched peppermint takes center stage: alternating red and white cardstock wedges stitched with contrasting thread—red stitches on the white wedges and white stitches on the red wedges. The result is a bold, candy-like design that feels dimensional and playful.

Die cut JOY sentiment with large stitched peppermint as the O, with Rudolph the reindeer holding on playfully. Card created with Spellbinders October 2025 Stitching Die of the Month Club Kit.

🦌 The Reindeer

Of course, no holiday peppermint is complete without a reindeer! I gave my prancer a bright red die cut nose to turn him into Rudolph, and I positioned him sprawled out across the peppermint as if he’s hanging on for dear life. It makes the whole card feel lighthearted and full of energy.

🎄 The Sentiment

Here’s where the fun twist comes in: the stitched peppermint doubles as the “O” in the word JOY. I die cut a bold J and Y (included in the kit) from the same red cardstock as the peppermint so the word stretches across the entire card front. The peppermint pulls double duty as both candy and sentiment—an easy way to make your design more impactful.

Close-up of stitched peppermint candy with contrasting thread: red thread on white wedges, white thread on red wedges on a Rudolph handmade card.

✂️ Stitching Details & Supplies

I stitched with two strands of embroidery floss and recommend keeping thread taut but not tight for smooth stitches. For those new to stitching dies, I’ll be linking to my favorite stitching accessories and tools so you can jump right in.

Helpful Links:

And if you’d like to see more from the October Club Kits, I’ll also link my other projects using this month’s dies.

layering stencil handmade Christmas card fo a Christmas Tree with ornaments. Ink Blending with Hero Arts The Tree Layering Stencil | October 2025 Release
cardmaking · Stenciling

Ink Blending with Hero Arts The Tree Layering Stencil | October 2025 Release

Karen Brown1 Comment
Handmade Christmas card created with Hero Arts “The Tree” Layering Stencil in greens, aquas, and blues. A circular Indigo sentiment reading “So Very Very Merry” is layered over the partial tree design.

I couldn’t resist creating one more card with the October 2025 Release—this time featuring the Layering Stencil: The Tree. This gorgeous four-layer stencil creates a close-up view of a Christmas tree filled with ornaments, and it was such a joy to blend.

You can see my other October Club Kits Cards HERE.

Hero Arts October 2025 Release: The Tree Layering Stencil. This card features gorgeous ink blending in analogous shades of green, aqua, and blue, topped with a circular “So Very Very Merry” sentiment. A simple and beautiful stencil design that’s perfect for holiday cardmaking inspiration.

I chose analogous colors (neighbors on the color wheel) for a soft, harmonious look in shades of greens, aquas, and blues:

Using Deluxe Smooth White Cardstock made the ink blending go on like butter, and as always with Hero Arts stencils, the layers lined up perfectly.

For the sentiment, I used the “So Very Very Merry” circular stamp and coordinating die from the October Card Kit, stamped in Indigo ink. The deep blue ties the whole design together beautifully.

This card has already gone into my holiday stash, ready to be mailed in December!

Video: Make This Playful Elf Christmas Card
cardmaking · Hot Foiling · Video

Video: Make This Playful Elf Christmas Card

Karen Brown1 Comment

Today I’m sharing a playful Christmas elf card that combines bold colors, a cheeky sentiment, and a versatile foiled background. Even better—I filmed the entire process so you can craft along step by step.

I have a list of key supplies used below the video.

👉 Or Watch the full video tutorial here!

Interesed in more of my videos? Click HERE to go to my YouTube Channel.

Key Products Used:

Adorable die-cut Christmas elf card on a hot-foiled background that simulates falling snow.

The Background – Snow or Confetti, You Choose!

I started with the Hero Arts Celebration Press Plate (part of the Yule Fuel Collection). I love how versatile this plate is—it looks like snowflakes when foiled in white but could also become a confetti background in bright colors. For this project, I went snowy, since my elf needed a winter wonderland to stand in.

Close-up of foiled snowy background created with the Celebration Press Plate. White foil dots on blue cardstock, resembling falling snow for a handmade Christmas card.

The Sassy Elf

Next came my focal point: a die cut elf from the Yule Fuel Collection. He’s cheeky, a little silly, and absolutely festive. To give him personality, I used ColorWheel Cardstock in:

  • Cascade (blue)
  • Dahlia (pink)
  • Fern (green)

The mix of colors makes him bold and fun—perfect for standing out against the snowy background.

Title: Fun & Festive Christmas Elf Card | Yule Fuel Collection Description: Create a quirky, colorful handmade Christmas card featuring a sassy die cut elf, snowy foiled background, and the playful sentiment “OMG! Santa!”. Step-by-step video tutorial included—perfect DIY holiday card idea!

The Cheeky Sentiment

Every good elf needs a punchline, and this one couldn’t be better:
“OMG! Santa!”

The die cut letters are crisp, bright, and perfectly straight across the card front (in the video, I share my favorite tip for gluing letters evenly every time).

Watch the Video Tutorial

And in my video, I show you:

  • Exactly how I foiled the Celebration Press Plate
  • How to glue tricky die cut letters so they’re straight and evenly spaced
  • My step-by-step process for putting the whole card together

 Or Watch the full video tutorial here!

Handmade Christmas card featuring a die cut elf in pink, blue, and green standing on a snowy foiled background with bold die cut sentiment reading ‘OMG! Santa!’ from the Yule Fuel Collection

Trust me—you’ll be smiling the whole time you make this card.