Hello, crafty friends! Today, I’m excited to share a fun Halloween card that’s perfect for those who love a clean and layered look, but with just enough details to make it pop. This card features the Jack of All Faces Stamp Set and the Aim for the Stars Stencil from The Rabbit Hole Designs, and it came together so easily—it might just be my go-to design for this spooky season!
Whenever I think of Halloween, I think of playful yet slightly spooky designs, and that’s exactly what I wanted to capture with this card. I’ve always loved pairing fun, whimsical images with a bold background, and that’s what makes this card stand out. Let’s dive in!
Happy Halloween Clean & Layered Card:
Creating the Perfect Focal Point
One of my favorite things about Halloween cards is getting to play with character stamps that add a touch of whimsy. For this card, I used the Jack of All Faces Stamp Set, which has the cutest little jack-o-lantern with a witch’s hat. I stamped the image onto Neenah Solar White 80 lbs Cardstock using Intense Black Ink—it’s my go-to ink for crisp, solid images. I colored the image using my Ohuhu Honolulu Brush Markers. I’ve been reaching for these markers more and more because of how smoothly they blend, especially for Halloween colors like bright oranges and deep purples.
Pro Tip:When coloring a focal image that’s going to be popped up on foam tape, like my jack-o-lantern witch, consider adding shading in key areas (like under the hat or around the eyes) to really make it look dimensional. It adds a bit of extra depth without a lot of extra effort.
After coloring, I grabbed my trusty Cutter-bee scissors and carefully fussy cut the image. These scissors are sharp enough to give you a clean edge, making the whole process much quicker. Plus, fussy cutting is oddly relaxing for me—it’s one of those steps where you can just get into the zone and let your hands do the work.
Adding a Starry Background
Now, let’s talk about backgrounds. Sometimes, I like to keep things subtle, but for this card, I wanted something bright and fun to contrast the darker tones of the jack-o-lantern witch. I started with another piece of Neenah Solar White Cardstock cut to 3 3/4" x 5". The Aim for the Stars Stencil from The Rabbit Hole Designs was perfect for this—who doesn’t love a swirl of stars for Halloween?
I used Warm Sunshine Ink from my stash (an awesome vibrant yellow!) and blended the star swirl twice onto the card front using my CottonTail Blending Brushes. These brushes are soft and make ink blending such a smooth process. I love how the yellow stars give a magical glow, adding a warm, happy contrast to the spooky jack-o-lantern.
Bringing it All Together with Dimension
Once the background was done, it was time to add the focal point. Using foam squares, I adhered the cut-out jack-o-lantern witch right in the center of the card front. Popping up your focal image is such an easy way to add dimension and interest to a card. It instantly makes your card feel more polished and professional, like something you’d find in a store.
Here’s a little tip I’ve learned along the way: after popping up your image, add a shadow underneath it using a cool gray marker (I used a couple cool gray marker for this one). It anchors your image to the background and keeps it from looking like it’s floating in mid-air, which gives the whole design more depth.
The Finishing Touches
For the sentiment, I reached for Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink. This is my go-to black ink for sentiments because it gives such a rich, crisp result, especially on smooth cardstock like Neenah Solar White. I stamped the sentiment right below my witchy pumpkin to keep the design clean and uncluttered.
To frame everything, I mounted the white panel onto a piece of Pitch Black Cardstock cut to 4" x 5 1/4". I love how this thin black border makes the colors of the image and stars stand out even more. Finally, I adhered the whole thing onto a top-folding A2 card base. Keeping the card base simple allows all the work we did on the front to really shine.
And, of course, no card is complete without a few finishing touches! I used my Bold White Sakura Gelly Roll Pen to add some white highlights to the jack-o-lantern witch, giving it that little extra shine. Then, I sprinkled a few Clear Sparkle Enamel Dots across the card front to add just the right amount of sparkle. These dots catch the light beautifully and tie everything together.
Final Thoughts
This clean and layered Halloween card was such a joy to make, and I love how it balances simplicity with those special little details. It’s a design you could easily recreate with your own Halloween stamps and stencils. Don’t be afraid to mix and match what you have in your stash—the magic really happens when you play around with your supplies and make them work for you!
Whether you’re a fan of bold backgrounds, cute characters, or a little bit of dimension, I hope this card inspires you to get creative this Halloween season. The best part? You can make it your own by switching up the colors or adding different elements from your stash.
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.
Happy crafting, and have a spooky, sweet Halloween!
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 Stampin'
Rick Adkins
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