Clean & Simple Square Card with Miss Ink’s Best Sort and Talking Hat Dies

Sometimes clean and simple cards can be the trickiest to design, can’t they? You want something elegant and uncluttered—but not flat or boring. That was exactly the challenge I set out to solve with this project. I wanted to create a clean, square card design that still had plenty of interest and texture without relying on layers or busy backgrounds. The solution came in the form of some of my favorite products from Miss Ink Stamps: the Best Sort Stamp Set, Best Sort Outline Dies, and the Talking Hat Mini Die Set. These small-but-mighty supplies worked together beautifully to create a design that’s simple, textured, and full of personality.

Clean & Simple Square Card with Miss Ink’s Best Sort and Talking Hat Dies

Adding Texture with Small Dies

If you’ve ever struggled to give your clean and simple cards a little something extra, small dies are a fantastic tool to have in your arsenal. They can add quiet texture and detail without overpowering your focal image. For this card, I used the Talking Hat Mini Die Set to create a subtle tone-on-tone background.

Here’s how I like to approach this type of background: I cut out multiples of the same die—in this case, the tiny hats—and adhere them randomly across my panel. It’s amazing how this simple step adds depth and movement while still keeping everything clean and cohesive. Think of it as a background that whispers rather than shouts.

Pro Tip: Add an adhesive sheet to the back of your cardstock before die-cutting all those little shapes. It turns them into instant stickers, making the placement process so much faster and cleaner.

Choosing a Focal Point with Character

When I saw the “professor” image in the Best Sort Stamp Set, I knew she’d be the perfect focal point for this design. She brings just the right amount of color and whimsy to the card front. I stamped her with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored her using my Spectrum Noir Triblend Brush Markers. The rich green and deep red in her robes really pop against the crisp white textured background.

I’ve always loved using one colorful element on an otherwise neutral card—it draws the eye instantly to your main design and makes that image shine. The professor has this scholarly charm that fits so perfectly with the sentiment, “You’re just my sort.” It’s a card that would make anyone smile, especially a friend who appreciates a clever play on words.

Pro Tip: When you’re coloring a small focal image for a CAS card, keep your shading strong and deliberate. That contrast helps the image stand out even more against a clean background.

Sentiment Placement and Finishing Touches

I wanted to keep the sentiment placement grounded and simple, so I stamped “You’re just my sort” in Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink directly beneath the professor. The black sentiment ties in beautifully with the black pearls I used as embellishments—just five of them to balance the layout and create a visual triangle.

I also trimmed the textured panel slightly smaller (to 4" x 4") before mounting it on my 4¼" x 4¼" card base made from Hammermill Smooth 100 lb Cardstock. That little border of white-on-white framing helps the design feel finished without adding more layers. Finally, a few white highlights with my Uni POSCA White Extra Fine Metal Tip Paint Marker on the professor’s hat and scroll brought her to life.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about a card like this. It’s simple but polished, clean but detailed. It’s the kind of design that makes people wonder how you did it—and those are my favorite kinds of cards to send.

Why Small Dies Make a Big Impact

One of the things I love about this card is how it showcases the versatility of small die sets. The Talking Hat Mini Die Set was designed to complement the Best Sort Stamp Set, but it’s also a great standalone tool. You could easily recreate this textured background with other mini dies from your stash—stars, hearts, snowflakes, or even florals.

I often encourage cardmakers to look at their smaller die sets with fresh eyes. These dies might seem like accents, but with a little creativity, they can take center stage. Whether you use them to build a background, create borders, or layer for texture, they can completely transform a clean and simple card.

Pro Tip: Keep a small container of leftover die cuts near your workspace. You never know when they’ll come in handy for creating a quick background or adding just the right finishing touch.

Final Thoughts

This clean and simple square card with Miss Ink’s Best Sort Stamp Set, and Talking Hat Mini Die Set is a reminder that sometimes less truly is more. With the right balance of texture, color, and clever sentiment placement, a minimalist design can still feel full of personality.

If you’ve been hesitant to try CAS designs because you worry they’ll look too plain, I encourage you to pull out your small dies and experiment. You’ll be surprised by how much interest and dimension you can achieve with just a few thoughtful details.

Small Dies, Big Texture! Clean & Simple Card with Miss Ink Stamps Video Tutorial:

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(Wondering what I used in this video? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible). As always I appreciate your support of my videos!

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

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