Tag: Cling Stamp

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. ❤️

2 reading theme handmade cards created with Hero Arts November 2025 Card Kits. One More Chapter! Hero Arts November 2025 Release + Blog Hop
Cardmaking Kit · Give Away · papercrafting

One More Chapter! Hero Arts November 2025 Release + Blog Hop

Karen Brown16 Comments
Book theme cards created with the November 2025 Hero Arts Hero Studio Card Kits.

Hello, Karen Brown here — and I am curling up with a good card kit! The November Hero Studio Release is a dream come true for book lovers. This month’s theme, “One More Chapter,” celebrates cozy reading nooks, favorite stories, and the joy of escaping into a good book.

Even better, there’s a Hero Arts Blog Hop to celebrate — and prizes! So grab a cup of tea (or coffee), and come along for some page-turning inspiration.

Die-cut handmade scene card featuring a girl reading a book framed with a postage stamp border and scripty hello sentiment

📖 Card 1: My Happy Place

For my first project, I used the “Happy Place” die set from the November Card Kit of the Month to create a cozy die-cut scene.

Picture this: a girl tucked in with her favorite book, surrounded by soft periwinkle blue and warm orange tones. The card has a charming, feminine feel — like a Saturday morning spent lost in a good story.

I framed the scene with the Nesting Postage Stamp Dies to give it that “happy mail” vibe and added a sweet scripty Hello from the Fancy Die Book Bag set.

This one’s heading to a book club friend who, like me, can never resist reading just one more chapter!

Handmade book theme scene card created with Hero Arts November 2025 Card Kit. Colors are periwinkle blue, orange and brown.

What’s Included in the Kit?


                       • To Be Read Pile 4×6 Clear Stamp Set and Coordinating Dies
                       • Happy Place Die Set
                       • Professional Bookworm 3×4 Stamp & Cut
                       • Gold Hero Wax, 1 oz.
                       • 10 Sheets of Cardstock- 1 of each color, 5.5″ x 8.5″

>>> Receive a FREE Do Not Disturb Stamp and Cut  when you purchase The Whole Studio!

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

Card 2: Escaping Reality One Page at a Time

Bold die cut and stamped typographic card spelling “JOY” with the O as a stamped oval reading “Escaping Reality One Page at a Time,” layered over a blue checkerboard background.

Next, I pulled out the Stamp & Cut of the Month: One Page at a Time. I love this set — it’s perfect for pairing bold typography with clever bookish sentiments.

I stamped the oval sentiment “Escaping Reality One Page at a Time” and used it as the O in my big JOY design. Then I die cut a bold J and Y from the Letter Fancy Die sets (J–N and W–Z) in bright orange, adding white shadows behind them to tie in the stamped oval.

The letters are large, 2 1/2″, creating a bold and dynamic visual card.

Stamped and die cut reading theme card created with Hero Arts November 2025 Stamp and Cut Kit called "One Page at a Time".

For the background, I created a tone-on-tone checkerboard using the November Cling of the Month — stamped Cornflower ink on Periwinkle cardstock for a crisp, graphic finish.

The result? A bold, cheerful, and clever card that feels fresh and literary — perfect for your favorite reader.

JOY sentiment card created using Hero Arts large alphabet Letter Fancy Dies with blue and orange color palette.

GIVEAWAY 

Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Wednesday, November 5th at 11:59pm PT, 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!
  

BLOG HOP ORDER


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

💡 Final Thoughts

I adore how all the November Hero Studio kits coordinate beautifully — from cozy die-cut scenes to playful sentiments and graphic backgrounds. Whether you love to stamp, die cut, or mix both, this release has something for every creative reader at heart.

And if you’re tempted by all the coordinating goodness, consider the Whole Studio Bundle — it’s a $240 value for just $130. That’s a deal worth bookmarking!

You might also want to take a peek at Past Club Kits that are still available.

Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Hit the Road with Hero Arts! July 2025 Club Kits Blog Hop

Karen Brown20 Comments
3 fun summery cards for Hero Studio July 2025 in aqua blue, orange and white color palettes.

Pack your crafty bags, because this month Hero Arts is taking us on a road trip! I’m thrilled to be part of the July 2025 Club Kit Blog Hop where we celebrate this month’s travel-inspired theme. The kits are full of scenic surprises, clever sentiments, and summery fun—and I’m here to show you four creative ways to use them.

>>>> Hero Arts Club Kits Overview <<<<

You might also be interested in my VIDEO using the July Layering Stencil Kit.

Card 1: Desert Dreams Heroscape

Road trip Heroscape card with a winding desert road, blue sky, and “just keep going” sentiment.

I started with the Card Kit of the Month, which features a stunning “On the Road” Heroscape. Imagine a desert road winding into the distance with low-slung mountains and a bright blue sky. These Heroscapes are layered stamps that create dimension and realism with every step.

I kept the palette natural and sun-drenched, and chose the sentiment “just keep going” — a perfect message for road trips and life journeys alike. Heroscapes are always crowd-pleasers and this one is no exception!

Layer stamp Heroscape of a winding road through the desert mountains from the July 2025 Hero Studio Card Kit of the Month.

What’s Inside the July 2025 Hero Studio Card Kit?

  • On the Road HeroScape Coordinating Dies
  • On the Road HeroScape 6×8 Stamp Set
  • Let’s Go Die Set
  • Pine Core Ink Cube
  • 10 Sheets of Cardstock (1 of each color), 5.5″ x 8.5″ (Sicily, Coral, Bellini, Waterfall, Teal Topaz, Blue Spruce, Peridot, Beeswax, Saffron, Carrot) These are some of my absolute favorite cardstock colors and I used Carrot and Teal Topaz on two cards below.
  • Mirror Paper, 1 sheet – 5.5″ x 8.5″

The Whole Studio  includes ALL 5 of the monthly subscriptions in one discounted bundle. Cling of the Month, Stamp & Cut of the Month (new name for the subscription!), Layering Stencil of the Month, Fancy Dies of the Month, and the Card Kit of the Month.

Receive a FREE Everything’s Pine stamp & die set when you purchase The Whole Studio!

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

Cards 2 & 3: Cobblestone Courtyard Two-Fer

2-Fer cards using Hero Arts Cobblestone Courtyard Cling Background Stamp in aqua blue with white heat embossing, die cut hearts and scripty hello sentiment.

Next up is what may be my favorite Cling of the Month EVER: Cobblestone Courtyard. This rubber background stamp is a pattern of concentric circles that looks like a cozy plaza or mosaic.

Aqua blue and white heat embossed and ink-blended Cobblestone Courtyard background card with die cut heart window and a scripty orange “hello” sentiment..

For my first card, I stamped it in Unicorn White Pigment Ink and heat embossed with White Embossing Powder on Bristol Smooth cardstock. Then I ink blended over the top using Blue Raspberry ink to create a vibrant turquoise and white background. I polished the embossing with a microfiber cloth, and the crisp, clean results had me swooning.

I couldn’t resist making a “two-fer”: I die cut a heart (from the Heart Infinity Die set) from the center of the panel and inset a scripty “hello” from the Fancy Die Kit: Mix Tape using Carrot cardstock.

Bright summery hello card with layered die cut hearts, scripty hello sentiment, and turquoise, white and orange color palette.

For the second card, I used the leftover heart die cut and layered it over a Teal Topaz heart, then a smaller white heart, and finally topped it with the turquoise Cobblestone heart. Another “hello” sentiment (this time in Woodland cardstock) finishes the look. The swooping tails of the sentiment are so charming! Two cards with a fresh, summery vibe!

📼 Card 4: Mix Tape Magic

Summery aqua ink smoosh card background with a die cut retro cassette tape and scripty hello background.

For my final card, I had fun with the Fancy Die of the Month: Mix Tape. This playful set includes a cassette tape die with the word “hello” cleverly shaped from the tape itself. I used this hello sentiment on three of my cards today.

I placed the cassette on a handmade ink-smooshed background using Blue Raspberry, Splash, and Pool Party inks. I wanted my background to look like a shimmery swimming pool. Want to try ink smooshing? Here’s how:

Ink Smooshing Quick Steps Tutorial:

  • I liberally inked a 6×6″ acrylic block with Blue Raspberry, Pool Party and Splash inks. This is the panel I used for my background.
  • I spritzed the ink with water and “smooshed” the block onto a piece of watercolor paper
  • I weighted the inked block with a book for 5 minutes
  • I uncovered my panel.  If the ink pooled, I dabbed with a paper towel.
  • I made a “second generation” panel for a future project by taking a piece of Bristol Cardstock and soaking up the excess ink on my work space. So this is another Two-Fer!
Retro cassette tape card with ink-smooshed blue background and whimsical “hello” shaped like audio tape.

The retro vibe of the tape plus the dreamy summer colors made this card a total blast to create.

You might be interested in another popular Ink Smooshing post I wrote.

GIVEAWAY 

Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Saturday, July 5th at 11:59pm PT, 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!
  

BLOG HOP ORDER

Hero Arts
Hero Arts Creative Team:
Anna Mahtani
Channin Pelletier
Charlene Madrid
Jeannie Lieu
Jennifer Kotas
Karen Brown <<<You Are Here
Lisa Tilson
Michelle Lupton
Michelle Short
Mindy Eggen
Natasha Polite
Rachel Kleinman
Rosie Lopez
Seeka
Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr
Lea Lawson
Sheri Gilson

🚗 Final Thoughts

Whether you love to layer, emboss, smoosh or die cut, the July 2025 Hero Arts Club Kits have something inspiring for every type of cardmaker. Don’t forget to follow along the Blog Hop to see even more road trip-ready inspiration. Thanks for stopping by—and remember: Just keep going!