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Clean and Simple Halloween Card | Vampy Family Stamp Set | C. C. Designs

  • Writer: Rick Adkins
    Rick Adkins
  • 2 days ago
  • 4 min read

Halloween cards usually bring to mind lots of layers, bold colors, and plenty of embellishments. And while I love that playful, over-the-top style sometimes, I also enjoy stepping back and letting one image carry the entire design. Today’s project is a clean and simple Halloween card featuring the sweet little vampire girl from the Vampy Family Stamp Set by C. C. Designs. She has so much personality that she really doesn’t need much else—perfect for a CAS design.


Cartoon girl on a Halloween card, wearing an orange dress, smiling. Text reads "A zing only happens once in your life." Background is festive.

Clean and Simple Halloween Card | Vampy Family Stamp Set | C. C. Designs


Spotlight on the Vampy Family


The Vampy Family Stamp Set is full of adorable characters, but I couldn’t resist the little vampire girl. She’s cute, mischievous, and just the right mix of spooky and sweet. When you’re working with images like this, keeping the design simple allows the character to shine. I’ve learned over the years that sometimes less really is more—especially when the stamp set already does the heavy lifting.


Greeting card with a cartoon character in orange, surrounded by autumn leaves. Text reads, "A zing only happens once in your life."

Coloring that Pops


I stamped the image in the center of a piece of Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. Neenah is always my go-to because it holds up beautifully to alcohol marker coloring without bleeding through. I pulled out my Copic Markers to bring her to life, giving her a bold orange dress for a pop of color and deepening her hair with warm browns.


Here’s a little pro tip: grounding your characters with a soft shadow makes all the difference. I used the lightest of my Warm Gray Copics and softened the edges with a Colorless Blender. Without this step, she would have looked like she was floating in mid-air. That tiny touch of shadow really makes her feel part of the scene.


Cartoon girl in orange dress on card with text "A zing only happens once in your life." Autumn leaves and purple branches in background.

A Simple but Striking Card Front


Once she was colored, I ran the panel through my die-cutting machine with the Stitched Rectangle Wafer Dies from Simon Says Stamp. This is one of my favorite tricks for adding subtle detail without distracting from the image. By popping the center panel up on thin foam tape, the card gained a little depth while still staying true to the clean and simple look.


For the sentiment, I reached for Versafine Onyx Black Ink—it’s always my choice when I need that deep, crisp impression. I loved pairing the phrase, “A Zing Only Happens Once in Your Life,” with her playful little smile. It felt like the perfect match.


Cartoon girl in an orange dress smiling, with hands behind her back. Text below says "A zing only happens once in your life."

Details that Elevate the Design


The card may be clean and simple, but that doesn’t mean it has to feel plain. A few thoughtful details really finish it off. I added a couple of white gel pen highlights to the image for extra brightness, and scattered some True Pearls from Honeybee Stamps across the card front. These small touches catch the light just enough to give the design polish without overwhelming the simplicity.


Here’s another pro tip: when working with clean and simple cards, think of embellishments like jewelry. A little sparkle goes a long way, but too much can take away from the elegance of the design.


Greeting card with a cartoon girl in an orange coat, standing happily. Text: "A zing only happens once in your life." Autumn decor in background.

Wrapping It Up


I love how this clean and simple Halloween card turned out—it’s festive, fun, and still manages to feel fresh without being busy. If you’ve ever found Halloween designs a bit too cluttered for your taste, try this approach. By letting one character and a thoughtful sentiment take center stage, you can create cards that are just as impactful as the more layered styles.


I can already picture the rest of the Vampy Family used the same way—each one highlighted on its own clean and simple card, ready to send a little Halloween cheer.


A smiling cartoon girl in an orange dress on a card with the text "A zing only happens once in your life." Rustic wood and autumn leaves.

Thanks for dropping by today I hope that you found a little spark of creative inspiration with my project today. Wondering what I used in this project? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails in the Materials Used section, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible.

Materials Used:

Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.

Happy Crafting,

Rick Adkins














Rick Adkins

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