A Blog Named Hero

The official Hero Arts challenge blog!

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

Hi there friends!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It’s Linda here, and we’re so excited to be starting a new year with A Blog Named Hero!

We have a brand new design team, and a we’ll be making a few exciting changes to how we do things each month!

First of all, we’ll be hosting collaborations with several different companies over the year, from the 1st to the 7th of each month, every month!  We are shifting our challenges so that they run from the 10th-19th, and the 20th-29th of every month.

We are so very excited that the wonderful Simon Says Stamp are continuing as our sponsors!

http://www.simonsaysstamp.com/

Now onto the fun of this week!

For the next 7 days, we’ll be introducing our new Design Team Members–all of whom are incredible designers that we’re SO SO excited to have on board!

Today, it’s the three of us that are staying with the team!

 —ooooOOOoooo—

Hi, it’s Michelle Lupton back again for A Blog Named Hero!

http://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com.au/

I’m so excited to have been invited back again, so I made this card to express how I feel about being on this most fabulous of all fabulous design teams – a combination of excitement and a feeling of being on cloud nine! 

(something that is definitely wrong with this card – there are no exclamation marks!)


Michelle is going to be running our Facebook Page, and the team of designers we’ll have over there, sharing fun and fabulous projects to keep the inspiration coming all year long!

Lisa here. And I am so excited to be back with A Blog Named Hero, not only as part of our incredible design team, but as co-owner with Linda. Exciting stuff happening around these parts. 🙂

Here’s my card to celebrate this occasion. The neat thing about this card is that I’m in the middle of an extended trip, and didn’t plan my supplies properly. I only had Christmas goodies with me. So I “made it work” with a bottle brush tree from Hero Arts! And I absolutely love the result. I’m all about the Kraft, which is the only card stock I have with me. Ha!
 And to wrap things up, my card!

Be sure to come back tomorrow to see more inspiration!!

Linda’s Supplies:

Michelle’s Supplies:

Lisa’s Supplies:

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Hello crafters!
I’m so excited to be here today, I have a couple of big announcements to make!!
First of all, our beloved Mary Dawn is stepping down from her role as co-owner/coordinator of A Blog Named Hero but will be remaining on the Design Team. The lovely Lisa Stein has taken over her role, and is a welcome addition to the “management” team. She has been an invaluable help in getting the amazing Christmas event we just shared with you, up and running! Thank you Mary Dawn for all you’ve done, we’re so glad you’re staying in the family. Lisa–I can’t wait to see where we go from here!
The second announcement is:

Below are the requirements and all the information you’ll need.
Please be sure to read it carefully before submitting your application.
What we’ll be asking of you:
  • To submit one project per month (to be used in ONE challenge per month)
  • To submit one other project per month, to be shown on A Blog Named Hero as a Solo Post. (this may include a video or photo tutorial, technique, new ideas, craft project, product comparisons etc)
  • Every other month you will participate in a collaboration with another company, and are will be required to submit a project incorporating both Hero Arts and the collaborating company’s products.
  • To comment on a set number of challenge entries each time a challenge is posted.
  • To post their project (or a sneak peek) on their own blog (if they have one) on the day their project appears on A Blog Named Hero.
  • To be ‘involved’  in promoting A Blog Named Hero affiliated sites/pages (e.g. Facebook page, flickr page, twitter etc)
  • Any further duties may be added or altered at a later date, but will be discussed in advance
The term of the DT position will commence January 1st 2015 and will be for six months to begin with, at which stage we may offer to extend the term further, or not. (this will depend on several factors!)

You do not have to be a card-maker to apply. Scrapbookers, mini-album makers, mixed media artists, alternate crafts etc are welcome and invited!!

Important:
  • People who do not have a blog are still most welcome to apply.
  • People who are on design teams for other sites are also welcome to apply–however, for those who are on design teams, we suggest you confirm that it’s OK with your current DT ‘leader’ if you are on our DT too. (Some might consider it a conflict of interest/may not be happy with it).
  • PLEASE do not apply if you are unable to fulfill the position as described above (and with consideration of any other foreseeable requirements)
  • A basic knowledge of blogger/blogging language, protocol etc and how-to is essential.
  • This blog is (as I’m sure you’re all aware) about our love for HERO ARTS products. If you have none (or an extremely limited supply) this may not be the best fit. While crafters are more than welcome to enter our challenges using non-Hero Arts supplies, as a DT member for this blog, you will be expected to incorporate Hero Arts supplies into your projects (preferably as the major element etc)
  • For those of you who think “I’m not good enough to be on a DT”–STOP THINKING THAT! We would love to see crafters of all styles, skill level etc apply. We are hoping to fill the design team with people from varying styles.
  • At this stage, we are looking for 6 Design Team members
  • This call is open to international applicants, as long as you have a good understanding/use of English for the blog (as that’s our main language!)
  • Previous Design Team members are most welcome to apply!



One more point: Please only submit your application if you are a TEAM PLAYER. We want our Design team to be a group of Hero Arts loving crafters. We want our team to be a relaxed one, however, a hard-working one! We want this to be fun! (So far it is AMAZING fun :))



How to Apply:
Send an email to ablognamedhero@gmail.com, with DESIGN TEAM APPLICATION in the subject line.
Include:
  • 3-5 photos of your crafting projects that you feel best describe your style. (links to photos in flickr/blog posts in which the photos appear are also acceptable–NOT links to the main blog URL please).
  • your blog URL (if you have a blog)
  • A little bit about you (your crafting history/styles/how you started/why you love Hero Arts/DT history if you have one etc) so we can learn a bit about you with your application. Show us your personality in your email. We want to know who you are!
  • Tell us WHY you think you’d be good on our Design Team and why you’d like to join.
  • Your location –this will NOT be a factor in whether you are offered a DT position or not, we’re just curious to know where you are from!
  • Please notify us in the email if you have any major plans in the coming 3-6 months (e.g. you are going on a month-long holiday to Bora Bora in August– so that we can plan ahead with scheduling (plus we want to be sure we’re packed and ready to come with you :))
  • How you heard about this call! (Are you a subscriber to A Blog Named Hero? Did you see it on a DT call site? etc.)

That’s IT!
(seems like a lot we know, but it’s not really).
If you have any further questions, you can feel free to leave comments below, or email us on ablognamedhero@gmail.com (please write DT QUESTION in the subject line so we know to respond ASAP).
Submissions close December 11th MIDNIGHT US EST. Submissions submitted after then, will not be considered for this round.
We can’t wait to get your applications! We want to see who YOU are and what YOU make!

Speak to you soon!

Linda & Lisa

Poinsettias, Poinsettias, and some Embroidery

Happy Holidays Everyone! Welcome back to our Christmas Event. I am very happy to share my little card with you. Well, not so little, it’s actually a 5 1/2″ square. 
I took the outline poinsettia stamp from Hero Arts and stamped it on some embroidery cloth. Then read an embroidery tutorial, and came up with this. I really like it, I’m a fan of texture. I used the same stamp and embossed it in white on some kraft card stock. Then I took a patterned clothespin, pressed it into some Versamark and used the Gold Tinsel embossing powder from Ranger to transform the clothespin into this lovely gold “hanger”.
I popped the clothespin up on some foam tape, and that’s the only part that is adhered to the card front. This way the recipient can take the fabric piece off and do whatever they like with it. Like add a ribbon and hang it from a tree.
Don’t forget to leave a comment today, and on all of the posts this month, as both Hero Arts and Simon Says Stamp have gift certificates to give away. The random winners will be chosen from all comments left on A Blog Named Hero from now until December 4th. The more comments you leave the better your chances of winning! Winners will be chosen on December 5th and announced soon after.
Also, come back tomorrow to see what Tami has in store for us!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lawn Fawn + Recycling = LOVE

Today’s challenge is all about recycling. And with that in mind, I was able to make this card. Can you guess what’s been recycled? It’s pretty out the ordinary. 

I recently purchased some Copic markers from a private seller. They were not packaged well, and had to do some clean up with alcohol wipes. When I was finished cleaning, I noticed that the wipes were pretty cool looking. So I kept them. I knew I’d use them for something. Here’s a picture of them in all their glory. Too pretty to throw away, right? 
Since we are collaborating with Lawn Fawn this month, I used the Lawn Fawn So Thankful stamp set and matching dies to stamp this open leaf repeatedly on the wipes. Then an easy run through my cuttlebug, and I have a ton of leaves to sort through. 

This shows the awesome tree from Sweater Weather. I cut it out eight times from Hero Arts snow layering paper. Colored the top layer with some distress markers, and then also swiped some of the watered down distress marker onto the sides of the die cut, to cover up the white, and just to look cool. I adore how much dimension this card has, I really enjoy that aspect of making my own cards. Nothing flat here!
Finished the card by using some more distress markers on a piece of white paper to make my own grass colored paper. Then I used the Grassy Cuts die to make some grass. And finally used the Stitched Journaling Card to make the background for the tree and leaves. Once that was adhered, I used some foam tape to pop the panel up onto one of the new cranberry woodgrain notecards. Which are divine. I must have all of the Lawn Fawn notecards.
Now, get working on your submission to this challenge. Up for grabs is a $25 gift voucher to Simon Says Stamp. Where you can get all of these Lawn Fawn goodies for yourself!

Miss Your Smile

It’s time for another challenge, and this time it is all about patterned paper. Which is a great thing, because I love it, and seem to have quite the collection. Patterned paper and this fantastic stamp set from Winnie & Walter? Yes, please. 
All of the papers here are from Lawn Fawn, I used one of the new Spruce woodgrain notecards, and the Hello Sunshine 6×6 paper pad. Stamped the gorgeous flowers from the Winnie & Walter “The Big The Bold & The Extras” stamp set. So many great uses for this set, I know I’ll use it time and time again. 

To make my flowers, I stamped the solid flower image onto the patterned paper with versamark ink. Then clear embossed. Once that was cool, I used the outline flower image with versamark, and then white embossing powder. By the way, I use Hero Arts white and clear embossing powders. I just love them, they never disappoint. 
Stamping onto the already embossed image is a little slippery, but I embraced this effect. I thought it was more watercolor – like, and didn’t mind if my hand slipped. Also, you can see in this next picture that when you emboss the white atop the clear, it kind of melts into the clear, and becomes what I’m calling “painterly”. I absolutely love it. Happy accident. 
To make the leaves, I didn’t have any green paper. I didn’t let that stop me. I used Hero Arts Field Greens ink over some blue paper. Then I used the same stamp and versamark, so that I could clear emboss the leaves. Then the white, again, with the outline image. And you’ve got some pretty leaves. A little fussy cutting, some assembly, and all is done.  
I know you’ve got a bunch of patterned paper in your stash, so please make sure to join us on this challenge. You could win a $25 gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp. Have you been following their Stamptember goings on? So much fun. Hide your wallet. Hide MY wallet.