Simple Handmade Camping Card | Catherine Pooler Designs April 2026 Trial Mix Release
- Rick Adkins
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
There’s something about themed cards that can feel a little intimidating—especially when you start thinking you need to build a full scene to make it work. I wanted to challenge that idea with this card and show how you can create a clean and simple camping card that still feels complete, polished, and full of personality.
For this project, my goal was to keep things easy and approachable while still using a mix of stamping, pattern paper, and die cutting. I walk through the full process in the video below, but I also wanted to take a moment here to share the why behind the design choices—because that’s what really helps you take an idea and make it your own.
Keeping Scene Cards Simple (and Stress-Free)
One of the biggest struggles I hear from cardmakers is that scene cards feel overwhelming. There’s often pressure to fill the entire space or add lots of detail—but that’s not always necessary.
With this card, I focused on creating a suggestion of a scene rather than building everything from scratch. The patterned paper (from the Trial Mix Pattern Paper) does a lot of the heavy lifting here. By choosing a design that already has visual interest (like the fireflies and subtle background detail), I didn’t need to stamp or color a full background.
That means less decision-making and a much faster path to a finished card.
Letting Your Focal Point Do the Work
Instead of adding multiple stamped images, I kept the focal point simple—a single tent paired with a few small accessory images. This helps keep the design clean while still telling a story.
The tent (from the Gone Camping Stamp Set) becomes the star of the card, and everything else supports it.
This is a helpful approach anytime your cards start to feel “busy” or cluttered. If you’re not sure what to include, try pulling back and focusing on just one main image and a couple of supporting elements. It creates a much more polished look without extra effort.
Mixing New and Old Supplies
One of my favorite parts of this card is combining newer products with something I’ve had in my stash for a while. The banner die adds structure and gives the scene a defined space without needing layers upon layers.
This is a great reminder that you don’t need all new supplies to create something fresh. Sometimes, pairing a new stamp set with a go-to die or layout is exactly what makes the design come together easily.
A Simple Way to Add Interest Without Overthinking It
The background stamping is soft and subtle (using the new Getaway Ink Pad), but it makes a big difference. It fills in the white space just enough to keep the card from feeling empty—without competing with the focal point.
This is a great trick to keep in mind:
If your card feels too plain, add a light stamped background
If it feels too busy, simplify your focal point
That balance is what helps a clean and simple design feel finished.
Give Yourself Permission to Keep It Simple
Not every card needs to be detailed or time-consuming to be meaningful. Sometimes the simplest designs are the ones that come together the easiest—and get used the most.
If you’ve been feeling stuck or overwhelmed, try scaling things back and focusing on one strong focal point and a simple layout like this. It can make a big difference in how enjoyable the process feels.
Watch the Process
If you’re a visual learner or want to see how this all comes together, you can watch the process here:
If you have problems watching the video here on my blog you can always watch it on my YouTube Channel by Clicking Here!
(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!
A Little Extra Note
If you’re interested in the Gone Camping Stamp Set, it’s currently being offered free with a qualifying purchase using the code CAMPING (while supplies last). It’s a fun set for building quick themed cards like this without needing a lot of extras.
I’d love to hear how you would use this layout or theme—feel free to share in the comments. And if you haven’t watched the video yet, it’s a great companion to this post to see these ideas in action.
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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