Hello, everyone! As it is February 1st, we wanted to celebrate the start of Black History Month and share a special collection and guest with you today!

Click HERE to find the CommUNITY blog series at Hero Arts!

We have highlighted the amazing Unity collection from our friends at Hero Arts here on the blog, but we also loved reading and seeing the inspiration in the CommUNITY blog series at Hero, too! This month, we have invited the collaborators of the Unity collection, Dana Joy and Pocono Pam, to share inspiration from this inclusive line of products and remind you to celebrate diversity in papercrafting, not only this month, but year-round! Let’s welcome Dana to the blog today!

Hello everyone! My name is Dana Joy and I’m the creative person beyond Got Joy Creations. I’m thrilled to be on the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog sharing some of the products from the Hero Arts Unity collection.

This collection began with a warm and genuine open conversation with Aaron, the owner of Hero Arts regarding people of color not being valued or celebrated within the crafting community. Representation is so important, and crafters and cardmakers of color need to feel support, appreciation and respect when expressing their values, experiences and skin tone in their work. We are celebrating this spirit through unity, and this collaboration is a pathway for everyone to see themselves in their art.

We have expanded our reach with the monthly CommUNITY blog series. This feature is about embracing and honoring the creativity of individuals who are often underrepresented. By sharing art from a diverse group of creators, we hope to not only bring inspiration to this papercrafting community that we all love so much, but also support and empower individuals to be their authentic selves as they create and share. Speaking of sharing—let’s get into the cards I have for you today!

Supplies: Hero Arts: Better Together stamp set, Love Is Love Bold Prints, Hero Arts Cherry Core Ink, Hero Arts Intens-ified Black Ink, Hero Arts Hero Hues Dove White premium cardstock, Hero Arts Cherry premium cardstock, Hero Arts Paradise premium cardstock, Hero Arts Mustard premium cardstock

love a colorful card, especially if I can pull it off with my blog colors. This card was created using the Hero Arts Better Together stamp set and the Love Is Love Bold Print background stamp. By stamping the Better Together image first and masking it off, I could stamp the “love” sentiment over the image and still maintain the image below to color with Copic markers. 

A little tip for making beautiful cards: Pick your color palette first. This will eliminate any second guessing if colors are going to go together or if your pattern paper will match cardstock and ink you have in your craft supplies.

As you can see from the card, my color palette runs through the card, from the Copic markers colors to the cardstock, creating a cohesive feel.

Supplies: Hero Arts: Rainbow HeroScape, Rainbow Infinity Dies, Empowerment Stamp Set, Hero Arts Intens-ified Black Ink, Hero Arts Hero Hues Dove White premium cardstock, Hero Arts Cherry premium cardstock, Hero Arts Paradise premium cardstock, Hero Arts Mustard premium cardstock, Hero Arts Glitter Paper Basics

For my second card, I decided to use the same color palette. That’s my second tip: If you have a color palette that looks great together, switch up the design of your next card and keep the same colors. I would highly recommend this if you are doing a gift set for someone. Since this card has a lot more white space, the colors feel softer. By keeping the elements amd design very minimal, the card has a less-cluttered feel to it.

The styles between both cards are rather simple. A pretty color palette, simple design and clean images make these cards a win-win for sure.  Remember, card making doesn’t have to be stressful. Start with a design, pick your color palette, and stamping or die cutting supplies. If you aren’t sure about embellishments, leave them off. You can always come back later and add them if you wish.

Now it’s your turn to give these simple tricks and tips a try! Pick out that stunning color palette and start designing your next set of cards. You got this! Believe in yourself and show the world what you create!

Hi, I’m Dana. I’m the creator behind Got Joy Creations. Crafting is my happy place where I share my take on card making and card design. Creating has been a personal passion that I loved for almost my entire life. Having the opportunity to work with amazing craft companies, creative teams and recently having a collaboration line with Hero Arts called the Unity Collection has been a dream come true. I’m married to my high school sweetheart and we have two grown children and one adorable Schnoodle puppy. We live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. When I’m not crafting, you’ll find me with a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee in one hand and a sprinkle donut in the other. I also enjoy wine and craft beer tastings, decorating my home, hanging with my friends and spending quality time with my hubby!

Find more of Dana’s work here: Blog | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | Pinterest

Be sure to check out the Unity collection at Hero Arts today, and join us on February 13th when we are treated with more Unity inspiration from Pocono Pam! Until then, celebrate and encourage diversity in your craft!