Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Tips for Arranging Die Cut Scenes | Spellbinders October 2025 Club Kits

Handmade winter card with a girl in shades of pink pulling a sled stacked with three gifts. Periwinkle blue-gray sky with foiled white falling snow and snowy ground. Two decorated Christmas trees frame the scene, with rainbow foiled ribbon sentiment reading 'Christmas Greetings'

One of my favorite things about cardmaking is building little worlds with die cuts. The Spellbinders October 2025 Club Kits are perfect for creating playful, outdoor winter scenes full of joy, color, and personality. Today I’m sharing two companion cards I made using the Die of the Month Kit and the Large Die of the Month Kit—both with matching colors and snowy backdrops.

At the bottom, I’ll also walk you through a few of my favorite tips for planning and arranging die cut scenes.

Sled of Gifts (Large Die of the Month)

Spellbinders October 2025 Large Die of the Month winter snow scene of a child pulling a sled piled with gifts.

I started with the Large Die of the Month Kit, creating a cheerful winter scene of a little girl, pulling a sled piled high with gifts. To set the stage, I added two decorated Christmas trees with colorful ornaments.

The background is periwinkle blue-gray cardstock, foiled in white using the Hero Arts Celebration LetterPress Plate with the Spellbinders Glimmer system. The falling dots create a snowy sky, while snow on the ground grounds the scene.

For the sentiment, I used a ribbon hot foil design from the Merry & Bright Press Plate set, foiled in rainbow foil for a festive and eye-catching finish.

This card feels full of movement and energy—perfect for capturing the joy of the season.

Building a Snowman (Die of the Month)

Handmade winter card featuring a girl in pink and a boy in burgundy and yellow building a snowman in front of a snowy evergreen tree. Periwinkle blue-gray sky foiled with white falling snow. Sentiment reads 'for U' in hot pink cardstock

Since I loved the colors in my first card, I made a companion card using the Die of the Month Kit.

This time, the scene features two children building a snowman.

The background is the same as my first card—periwinkle sky with white foiled falling snow and a snowy ground. Hero Arts Celebration LetterPress Plate + white foil

For the sentiment, I combined a scripty “for” with a giant U (both from the October Caboodle Bonus Gift), both die cut in hot pink. Together, they form a bold, playful greeting.

This card has a storybook charm and pairs perfectly with the sled design.

Spellbinders October Die of the Month scene card showing 2 children building a snowman in front of a snowy sky and flocked tree.

📝 Tips for Arranging Die Cut Scenes

Here are five simple steps I use whenever I build a die cut scene:

  1. Plan Colors First: Choose your key colors. For these cards, I used blue gray, hot pink, and fern green as my anchors. White cardstock provided snowy contrast.
  2. Die Cut All Elements: Having all the pieces ready makes it easier to plan your layout.
  3. Assemble Each Element: I use Bearly Art glue and a Crystal Katana jewel picker to precisely assemble my elements. Once they are fully assembled, it is much easier to determine exactly where I want to place each component.
  4. Mock Up Layouts: I arrange several versions, take quick photos, and then choose the most balanced design.
  5. Construct Your Scene: I like to use glue, foam squares and craft foam to complete my card.

These tricks make arranging die cut winter wonderlands more fun and less stressful.

Helpful Links:

Cardmaking Kit

Adorable Animal Theme Cards | Hero Studio November Release and Blog Hop

Hero Studio November 2024 Animal Critter theme card kit handmade cards featuring a blond puppy, baby reindeer and adorable fox.

Adorable animals…..yes please! Stamping a cute puppy, reindeer or fox onto a “Holiday”, “Get Well Soon” or “Happy Birthday” card is a wonderful way to share encouragement and celebrate someone special. And it’s not just for the holidays, Hero Arts November Card Kit is going to be a year round favorite in my craft room as my family loves cute critter cards.

If you’d like to see the entire Hero Studio November Collection you can find it HERE.

And, there are LOTS of changes going on at Hero Arts. I’ve included some Hero Studio changes later in this post, so keep scrolling!

Hero Studio November 2024 Card Kit of the Month

A bright and adorable handmade Christmas card featuring a baby reindeer from Hero Arts November 2024 Card Kit.

I obviously LOVE this kit! Today I am sharing three cards made with the November Kit and I can’t decide which is my favorite. The kit includes loads of greatness and I used 3 of the 8 charming animal stamps and dies, the two stencils and Merry Christmas sentiment.

Creation Details:

What’s Inside the Kit?

Curious about this month’s kit? Let’s take a peek inside the November Card Kit:

KIT INCLUDES: • Peeking Animals Clear Stamp Set, 6” x 8” • 17 Coordinating Dies • 6 Fancy Dies • 2 Sheets Each of Pine & Cherry Cardstock, 5.5″ x 8.5″ • 2 Stencils in Argyle & Cable Knit Patterns, 4.75″ x 6″ • 28 White Die Cut Tags, 4 different styles • White Hero Pearls, 0.6 oz. • Berry Hero Wax, 1 oz.

Kit Cost:

  • $46 with Subscription + FREE SHIPPING!
  • $49.99 One Time Purchase (while supplies last)
5 Wonderful Kit Options:

For this blog post, I created with the November kit and two Extraordinary Extras, but there there are 5 kits plus 6 Extras available. You can also buy the Whole Studio, which includes all 5 kits at a wonderful savings.

A handmade Christmas card featuring a blond puppy with peppermint embellishments and a "paws-itively jolly" sentiment.  Made from Hero Arts November 2024 Card Kit.

I wanted to show you two more kit cards that I created. I used to have a sweet blond lab named Shelby, so I created this card with Shelby in mind. Isn’t she darling? My Shelby was with us for 12 1/2 wonderful years.

Creation Details:

Handmade card with an adorable fox and an aqua and turquoise stenciled plaid background.  Sentiment "furry and bright".

Creation Details:

A trio of critter animal theme cards made from Hero Arts November 2024 Card Kit of the Month.

Easy Stamping and Holiday Coloring Fun

Merry Everything stamped and Copic Colored handmade Christmas Card with fine paint splatters.

Sometimes I just like to color, and this Winter Foliage Pattern Stamp Set is perfect coloring fun! The stamps are already perfectly positioned on one large 4×6″ clear stamp, which makes stamping a breeze! I didn’t use it today, but there is also a coordinating Winter Foliage Pattern Cover Die.

Creation Details:

  • I stamped and Copic colored my foliage elements. Copic colors used: N1, R22, R24, R27, R39, YG03, YG25, YG17, BG11, BG23, Black.
  • Pro Tip: I added ink splatters by flicking the brush end of my Black Copic Marker along the inside of the cap towards the colored panel. This gives nice small ink splatters. Another easy way to add ink splatters is by putting some Licorice Reactive Ink on an Acrylic Block and then flicking the ink onto the panel with a fine brush or fan brush. Great results either way.
  • I trimmed my Copic panel and card base with Rounded Rectangle Infinity Dies.
  • The sentiment is from the Holiday Messages Stamp and Die Bundle and I added a Vellum shadow.
Easy handmade stamped and colored Christmas card perfect for adults that like to color.

Big Changes at Hero Arts:

Faster Orders: New subscribers will no longer have to wait until the following month to receive their first kit. Now receive the the same monthly design when you subscribe! The sign-up window will be open the 1st – 27th each month. Also, starting in December the Monthly Add-Ons will be available for purchase on the 1st of each month as well.

• Charge Edit Window: Subscription charge day is moving to the 3rd of each month. Beginning in December, we will revealing kits on the 1st, which means you can make subscription changes prior to the charge date following the reveal.

• Subscribers Come First: Non-subscribers will no longer be able to purchase the a la carte products that are live within the Hero Studio month. Those designs will ONLY be available to active subscribers the first month. If there are any leftovers, they will be available for a la carte purchase to non-subscribers the following month.

• Fulfillment Changes: We are also making some fulfillment changes to help us get the orders out quicker and more efficiently. One of the main changes will be the Hero Studio Add-Ons will ship separately from the recurring Hero Studio orders. Subscribers will still receive free shipping on the add-ons for the first week.

Want to learn more about all the changes coming to Hero Studio? Check out the FAQ section of the website.

BLOG HOP:

Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, November 10 at 11:59pm Pacific, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

Hero Arts

Hero Arts Creative Team:
Channin Pelletier
Charlene Madrid
Ilina Crouse
Jeannie Lieu
Jennifer Kotas
Kailash Naidoo
Karen Brown
Lydia Fiedler
Michelle Short
Natasha Polite
Natasha Vacca
Pocono Pam
Rachel Kleinman
Rosie Lopez
Seeka

Special Guests:
Mindy Eggen
Kelly Taylor

Happy crafting, and enjoy spreading joy with these adorable animal-themed cards!

Cardmaking Kit · Give Away · Special Offer

Crafting Holiday Cheer: 3 Handmade Christmas Cards You’ll Love! | Hero Studio

Handmade traditional Christmas cards created using Hero Arts October Card Kit 2024.

The holiday season is upon us, and that means one thing: it’s time to spread some festive cheer! What better way to do that than by creating your own holiday cards with the NEW Hero Studio October Release.

Plus a Special Promotion!

For just a couple of days, Hero Arts is offering a special 20% off Promo code on past kits: June – September. This includes the 5 kits and the extras that were released during those months.

Helpful Links (Be sure to use the Promo Code: CATCHUP20):

Introducing the Hero Studio October Card Kit

Adorable handmade stamped and die cut Christmas Card featuring gingerbread men and house, wreath and greenery.

I’ve created two cards with the October Card Kit and I have to say the process released my inner Elf! And those fun Peppermint Candies are included in the kit too! I love all the winter themed stamps and there are also TONS of great sentiment stamps. This is a stand alone kit that contains just about everything you need to craft LOADS of cards!

I stamped, colored with alcohol markers and die cut my elements. For the Christmas Tree card, there is an additional outline die you can use so your tree has loads of dimension. With scissors, I cut three triangles that I stacked and glued behind my die cut tree. Once my card was assembled, I added peppermint candy embellishments, which really “frosted” my card.

Stamped, colored and die cut handmade card featuring a Christmas card with pepperment candy embellishments.

Hero Arts new October Cardmaking Kit is a total game changer. Here’s what’s included:

KIT INCLUDES:
• Clear Stamp Set, 6″ x 8″
• 16 Coordinating Dies
• Hole Punch Die
• Tree Window Die
• Holiday Treats Words Cling Stamp, 6″ x 6″
• Washi Sticker Pack, 22 pieces
• Embossing & Watermark Ink Cube
• 5 Sheets Each of Kraft, White & Red Cardstock, 5.5″ x 8.5″
• Gold Embossing Powder, 0.5 oz
• White Embossing Powder, 0.5 oz
• Peppermint Clay Embellishments
(love these so much!)

Kit Cost:

  • $46 with Subscription + FREE SHIPPING!
  • $49.99 One Time Purchase (while supplies last)

The Whole Studio:

And, I’d also like to recommend THE WHOLE STUDIO, which includes ALL 5 Kits at a wonderful savings. The Whole Studio is $120 with subscription (or $138.95 One Time Purchase). That is $72 off!

Hero Arts has lots of Subscription Options so be sure to check them all out!

Let’s Get Crafty with The Holiday Assortment Stencil!

Rainbow stenciled Christmas card featuring Hero Studio's  Holiday Assortment Stencil and Holiday Messages sentiment.

I really enjoy stenciling, so I wanted to share this “Merry and Bright” card that I created using the Holiday Assortment Stencil and October Clear Stamp and Die Set (Holiday Messages Sentiments).

I chose 6 vibrant inks and starting with Lemon Drop, I worked my way around the stencil using my XL Blending Brush. I blended a bit at each color change.

The Inks that I used were: Lemon Drop, Creamsicle, Cherry, Purple Galaxy, Splash and Green Apple.

My sentiment is from the October Clear Stamp and Die Set called Holiday Messages. I backed my sentiment with a Vellum circle (die cut using the Circle Infinity Dies), which I think really adds a little something extra to the card.

Join the Blog Hop!

I hope you will join us for the Blog Hop! Each blog will feature a Holiday Theme Project (or two or three!). Be sure to leave a comment so that you are in contention for a $50 gift card.

Hero Arts

Hero Arts Creative Team:

Seeka

Rosie Lopez

Rachel Kleinman

Pocono Pam

Natasha Vacca

Natasha Polite

Michelle Short

Lydia Fiedler

Karen Brown You Are Here!

Kailash Naidoo

Jennifer Kotas

Jeannie Lieu

Ilina Crouse

Heather Ruwe

Charlene Madrid


Channin Pelletier

Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr


Kelly Taylor

Mindy Eggen

Final Thoughts

Creating your own holiday Christmas cards is a joyful and rewarding experience that brings a sprinkle of magic to the season.

cardmaking

Adding a Personal Touch to Your Holiday Greetings | Hero Arts Holiday Catalog

Adorable Hero Arts "Peeking Bear" "Confetti Swirls" Holiday Card.

Who is ready to start creating for the holidays? Hero Arts Holiday Catalog is just full of wonderfulness and I am so excited to share cards I created with these new products.

Handmade card with adorable white polar bear in hat and scarf peeking around the edge with a die cut swirl background,

Adorable Peeking Winter Bear Die

I LOVE this adorable little peeking bear! I die cut him three times and then glued the layers together. I lightly ink blended the edges for some contrast and then added a Cranberry scarf and hat. I used Neutral Heros enamel dots for the nose and mouth. The background is die cut from Arctic cardstock with the new Confetti Swirls Die and then backed with a panel of Mist cardstock. The sentiment is from Cozy Study Stamps.

Supplies Used:

Celebrate Autumn

Handmade card with a fall foliage cover plate and liquid waterccolor leaves.

Autumn is a season of breathtaking beauty, with its vibrant foliage and crisp air. It’s the perfect time to channel that inspiration into crafting handmade cards. A die cut card featuring fall leaves is a wonderful way to capture the essence of the season and share it with your loved ones.

My Process for Creating This Autum Foliage Die Cut Card:

Hero Arts Fall Pattern leaf foliage cover plate die handmade card in yellows, greens, oranges and kraft.

Winter Mail Critters: The Definition of Cuteness!

I really love my third card! The Winter Mail Critter stamps are the cutest! I have a few pics + directions on how I created this card below, so keep scrolling…..

Handmade Holiday card with Hero Arts Winter Mail Critters, White Holiday Collage Hero Transfers, Wax Seals.

Key Products Used:

Handmade Christmas Card featuring a Hero Arts bear and fox each holding a letter with a Rub On Transfer background.

Hero Arts Christmas Card Tutorial:

I started by die cutting two frames and two “tapes” from the Journaling Photo Frame Infinity Dies Set. I then very lightly blended Paradise Core Ink along the edges of the photo background (using the sticky mat in my Stamp Wheel), stamped the bear and fox with my Stamping Tool and Copic colored the images (colors listed below). I also rubbed on a transfer Merry & Bright sentiment.

The background was so easy! I rubbed on the fun Twas the Night Before lettering from the White Holiday Collage Hero Transfers (RT121) with a bone folder and all the writing transfered to the paper perfectly on the first try. The card background is Paradise cardstock.

I wanted a pop of red, so I stamped and die cut a Merry Christmas Wax Seal using Crimson Core Ink. I also put a dab of Hero Wax Gold to add a little depth and shine to the “photo tape”

I assembled my card with foam tape and it is ready to send.

Copic Colors Used:

  • Browns: E27, E15, E13, E11, E5
  • Reds: R27, R39
  • Pink: RV11
  • Blue: B00
Cute holiday card with critters featured in  Hero Arts Journaling Photo Frame Infinity Dies DF125

Blog Hop Info:

Hero Arts will give away TWO $50 gift cards, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Wednesday, August 28th at 11:59pm PT. The winners will be announced on the Hero Arts blog.

Hero Arts Creative Team:

Channin Pelletier

Charlene Madrid

Heather Ruwe

Ilina Crouse

Jeannie Lieu

Jennifer Kotas

Kailash Naidoo

Karen Brown

Michelle Short

Natasha Polite

Natasha Vacca

Pocono Pam

Rachel Kleinman

Rosie Lopez

Seeka

Special Guests:

Cathy Zielske

Laura Bassen

Mindy Eggen

Final Thoughts

Today I used a bunch of lovely new products from Hero Arts 2024 Holiday Catalog but there are so many other great additions that I know you will love. Thanks for stopping by today and “hopping” with Hero Arts.

cardmaking · Hot Foiling

Spellbinders| Glimmer for the Holidays| Swirling Foliage Tree

Quick and easy Christmas cards are my favorite! Today I am sharing three bright colorful DIY cards that came together very quickly.

Glimmer for the Holidays Hot Foil Christmas Cards

Sometimes, it seems that it takes me several tries to get the hot foil result that I am looking for, but this Spellbinders Swirling Tree and Comfort and Joy sentiments came out perfectly everytime!

I did three versions, and I love them all. These glimmer plates would work so well for mass producing Christmas cards. And I love that I get 6 sentiments with every foil and die-cutting pass! I have tons leftover for future cards. Such a time-saver.

For the Rainbow tree I angled the rainbow foil and I really like the end result. I also used the rainbow foil for the sentiment on the blue and amythest cards.

Products Used:

Supplies Available at Amazon:

X-Press It Blending Cardstock For Great Foiling Results

Waffle Flower Foam Strips

6 Inch T Square Ruler