Hello SCT friends! We are so excited to welcome guest designer Daniel West to the SCT blog today! Daniel creates the most gorgeous cards—detailed and full of techniques that he can make look simple in his cardmaking videos! We are so excited to share his work with you today, and he’s using some fabulous products from Hero Arts that some of you may have in your Crop & Create Delivered Cardmaking stash! Let’s take a look at what Daniel is sharing with us today! 

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Hey there SCT friends! It’s Daniel West here, with a few project ideas featuring Hero Arts goodies— the Through the Woods Window Fancy Die and the Color Layering Hummingbird with coordinating Frame Cuts. You can watch the video I created for the SCT YouTube channel below for all the details on how I created these cards!

Supplies | Stamps: Hero Arts Color Layering Hummingbird Combo; Dies: Hero Arts Through the Woods Window Fancy Die; Cardstock: Hero Arts Peony, Arctic, and Dove White; Inks: Hero Arts Intens-ified Black, Deep Ocean, Forest Green, Emerald Green, Dandelion, Cotton Candy, Mint Julep, VersaMark; Embossing Powder: White; Adhesives: Scrapbook Adhesives Foam Squares, Precision Glue; Embellishments: Scrapbook Glitter Brush Marker, Trinity Stamps Boiled Sugar Mix Heart Jelly Drops

One of the challenges I face as a crafter involves leaving behind a literal interpretation of my supplies and going for a more whimsical approach. Take these window dies from Hero Arts, for instance. When thinking about what to do with them, my mind immediately runs to an outdoor scene with trees or a garden. I can quickly overdo a project by creating too many focal points. 

I want the window to just frame the most important part of my cards but still offer more than white space. The eyes should go straight to the hummingbirds and then meander around the composition as more and more details emerge.

To achieve this, instead of creating a fully detailed landscape in the window, I used a flowery background stamp, colored cardstock, and coordinating ink color. I did a horizon with green and blue inks for one card, but for the pink card, I just used the background stamp.

Now you can see the more important details on the hummingbirds and the flowers, both of which have color layering stamps in the set. 

Tip: The Hero Arts Color Layering Stamps are super forgiving. You do not have to align them exactly to achieve a great look. This takes the pressure off!

Tip:  Color layering should be done with the lightest color laid down first. This is the most solid of the layers. Then, after drying the ink, stamp the darker layer. For a more subtle look with less definition between colors, stamp the darker layer while the first layer is still damp.

Tip: If you don’t know how to stagger embellishments on your project, try using a flattened W shape. If you connect the dots on my Jelly Hearts, you’ll notice they create a squished W. Also, consider picking up some embellishments with different sized pieces, and add the smallest ones on the outside of your W, then go larger as you get closer to the middle. You can use this little formula and you don’t even have to say Daniel W told you about it!

Watch these whimsical window cards come together in this video:

I hope you will give these more whimsical background ideas a try. If you’re feeling inspired by these particular supplies, Hero Arts offers them on their website directly. I’d love to see YOUR version of a window card. Feel free to tag me on social media wherever you post. Let me know in the comments below if you have any great ideas on how to fill the backgrounds behind windows!

Hi, Daniel West, here. I started making cards in March 2018 when a friend of mine introduced me to the craft. Putting ink to paper with stamps and markers thrilled me. A few months later, I found out about Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Card Kits and subscribed in June. Besides stamping, I also enjoy stamping and stamping. My wife and I live in Providence, Rhode Island, with our three kids Helena, Jake, and Micah. Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube with handle – delandartie.

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What fantastic cards, right?! We hope you will give Daniel’s design a try during your next cardmaking session, and don’t forget to follow him at the links above for more card eye candy! Thanks so much for sharing your creativity with us, Daniel!