Sorry for Roaring at You | Sweet Dragon Card with The Rabbit Hole Designs

Have you ever had one of those days where your temper flares before your coffee kicks in? I’ve definitely had a few, and I’ve learned that a sweet handmade card can smooth things over better than a thousand “I’m sorry” texts. That’s exactly where this little fire-breathing friend came in. I created this playful apology card using some of my favorite products from The Rabbit Hole Designs, and it turned into one of those feel-good cards that made me smile the whole time I was working on it. With a flying dragon, a dreamy sky, and a heartfelt sentiment, this card is the perfect way to say, “Sorry I roared… I didn’t mean it.”

Let’s dive into the details and chat about how a few clever techniques and standout products brought this whimsical scene to life.

Sorry for Roaring at You | Sweet Dragon Card with The Rabbit Hole Designs

Blending, Masking, and One Sweet Dragon

The star of this card is absolutely that adorable little dragon from the Dragon Fun Bundle. There’s just something about the expression on his face and the way he’s holding that flower—it feels like a hug in card form. I stamped him onto Hammermill Smooth Cardstock (my go-to when I want to do both ink blending and alcohol marker coloring) and used the mask included in the bundle to keep him protected while adding some soft ink blending over the top.

I started with a light layer of Dried Marigold Distress Ink over the dragon. It gave him this soft, golden glow, almost like he was lit from within. Then I came in with my OLO markers to add depth and shading, keeping things warm and cheerful rather than intense or fiery.

Pro Tip here: starting with an ink-blended base before coloring with alcohol markers can speed up your blending and give you a richer color payoff without using so much ink.

A Flower with Meaning (and Layers)

Once the dragon was colored and die-cut, I knew he needed something sweet to hold. Enter the Deco Flower Layering Stencil and Die Bundle. I absolutely love how versatile this stencil is, and in this case, it was the perfect way to build a dimensional floral element that felt both whimsical and heartfelt. I used a few of my favorite Distress Ink shades to layer the bloom—nothing too bold, just soft and thoughtful tones that wouldn’t overpower the dragon.

This flower is one of those little details that really changes the tone of the card. It turns a dragon from fierce to friendly, and helps tell the story of apology in such a tender way.

Soft Skies with a Bit of Structure

For the background, I wanted something light and airy to balance the detail of the stamped images. I reached for the Clouds in My Coffee Stencil—a longtime favorite—and used Salvaged Patina Distress Ink to blend in the clouds one row at a time. I used the smaller rectangle stencil from Penny Black’s Background Basics Stencils to isolate the center of the panel, which helped frame the whole scene beautifully.

I blended a row of clouds, shifted the stencil down a bit, and repeated the process. It’s a simple technique, but it gives the illusion of depth and movement. Plus, it leaves you with plenty of space around the edges to add other elements without making the card feel crowded.

A Touch of Fire (and a Lot of Heart)

To complete the scene, I added a few flame stamps from the Dragon Fun Bundle coming out of the dragon’s mouth. But instead of going super bold, I colored them with OLO markers in soft oranges, pinks, and yellows. I wanted them to be playful rather than intense—like this dragon is trying to apologize, not set anything on fire.

The sentiment, “Sorry for roaring at you,” is such a clever, cheeky line. I stamped it right beneath the clouded panel to ground everything and tie the theme together.

Then I popped up the dragon and flower with foam adhesive and added the entire panel onto a Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock base. To finish it all off, I traced around the panel with a Black Gelly Roll Pen for a faux layered look and added some white highlights and Stardust Stickles for a little sparkle. Because even apology cards deserve a touch of magic.

Why This Card Works

What makes this card special, to me, is that it balances fun with feeling. The dragon adds a bit of whimsy, but the flower and soft clouds make it heartfelt. It’s the kind of card you can send after a small misunderstanding or just as a reminder that you care—even if your inner dragon came out for a moment.

It also showcases how versatile your supplies can be. A layering stencil, a character stamp, and a sentiment set—when used thoughtfully—can tell a whole story. That’s what I love about cardmaking. It’s not just about techniques (though those are fun!); it’s about creating little windows into emotion and connection.

I hope this card idea inspires you to mix techniques and build scenes that tell a story. Whether you're crafting for joy, for healing, or just for fun, remember that even the smallest card can carry a big message.

Let me know in the comments how you like to say "I'm sorry" with your cards—or if you’ve got a favorite character stamp that brings your scenes to life. I’d love to hear from you.

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 Stampin'

Rick Adkins

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