Review | Hero Arts-Sizzix Stamp & Emboss and Stamp & Die Sets

As I wrote about in the staff blog hop recently, I use Sizzix dies, because I know they are a great quality and long lasting. I also use a lot of Hero Arts rubber stamps as they also are high quality and long lasting, and have a great library of images too. So as a fan of both companies I knew I had to check out their new collaboration.

There are two types of product sets that Hero Arts and Sizzix are producing together:

The first is a stamp plus Framelits die set. These are sets of decorative images that you stamp onto paper, then die cut out. The second type of set consists of a background stamp plus an embossing folder. These combine to create a larger stamped image that is embossed to highlight the design.

To get an idea of how these products work, check out the video:

While the Framelits dies are limited to usage on paper or very thin material (chipboard and other heavy/thick materials will not work with them), they are easy to use and I see a lot of possibilities for them. The same goes for the embossing folders, and the classic Hero Arts stamps as well. I highly recommend these products if the designs appeal to you. They are simple to use, and I really like that I can independently use the stamp, or add to it by embossing or die cutting (depending on the type of set it is).

For example, on the card below, I stamped all over the edges with the flourish as well as die cutting the butterflies into the card front, and then later added a stamped butterfly on patterned paper (center), as well as stamping book paper that I mounted behind the front of the card.

Supplies | Stamps & Dies: Hero Arts-Sizzix Stamp & Die (Antique Flowers & Butterflies, Floral). Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Worn Lipstick, Victorian Velvet), Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass), Ranger Archival (Black). Paint: Ranger Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber (Pearl Metallic). Decorative Tape: Cath Kidston Masking Tape (Red Stars), Tim Holtz tissue tape (Sketchbook).

I have so many ideas to explore with these sets and how I might incorporate them into my crafting! Here is another card that I made, this time with an embossing folder and stamp set:

Supplies | Dies and Stamps: Hero Arts-Sizzix Stamp & Emboss (Artistic Fern), CatsLife Press (Good Luck & Seal of Approval), Tim Holtz Alterations for Sizzix (Tattered Banners). Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint, Brushed Corduroy), Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist (green patina). Paint: Ranger Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber (Metallic Gold).

While these projects are cards, the products would no doubt be wonderful on any paper crafting project from tags to layouts. I look foward to working with these products more, and I hope to see new designs added to this collaboration in the near future!

The Hero Arts-Sizzix Stamp & Emboss and Stamp & Die sets are available in stores now. The Stamp & Emboss sets retail for $19.99 U.S., and the Stamp & Die sets retail for $24.99. The full selection of 10 Stamp & Die sets and 8 Stamp & Emboss sets is carried online by Simon Says Stamp and TwoPeasInABucket.com. Scrapbook.com also has a selection of the Stamp & Emboss sets.