You Make Life Colorful!

Hello, crafty friends! I’m so excited to share today’s bright and cheery card with you. This design was inspired by Leslie Turner’s fabulous card from back on May 30th—I loved it so much I had to CASE it for the C.C. Designs New Release Instagram Hop. I hope it brings a little burst of color and joy to your day, just like it did for me!

You Make Life Colorful:

A Colorful Twist on Traditional Supplies

When I sat down to create this card, I knew I wanted to showcase the new Colorful Friends Stamp Set and the Colorful Days Stamp Set from C.C. Designs. The sentiment, “You Make Life Colorful,” felt like the perfect starting point. I decided to highlight it in the most literal way—by coloring in those letters with my trusty Copic Markers to make them really pop!

Here’s a little secret: I love pulling out a scrap of white cardstock for my sentiment stamping because it gives me the freedom to play without worrying about messing up my main panel. For this card, I stamped the sentiment and Red Butler (that sweet little character!) from the Colorful Friends Stamp Set onto Brilliant White 110 lbs Smooth Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. If you’re ever unsure of your layout, working on scraps first is a great way to test out your ideas without fear!

Pro tip: When you’re coloring small images like sentiments, keep a steady hand and rotate your paper instead of your marker. It helps you get into those tight spaces and keeps your letters neat and tidy.

Layering Magic for Dimension and Drama

Now, let’s talk about that card base. I wanted this design to feel layered and polished, so I started with a 6” x 12” card base scored at 6” from the same sturdy Brilliant White cardstock. For a bit of contrast, I added a mat layer of Midnight Black 110 lbs Smooth Cardstock, followed by another white mat layer. These layers might seem simple, but they really make the bright colors of the focal panel stand out!

Here’s a little story I have to share: A while back, I realized I had way too many holiday paper pads collecting dust. So I decided to challenge myself to use them year-round. That’s how the Candy Cane Lane 6x6 Petite Paper Pad from Lawn Fawn made its way into today’s project. Who knew Christmas papers could make the perfect rainbow backdrop for a summer-inspired card?

Patterns, Diamonds, and Playing with Color

For the focal design, I wanted to feature the rainbow paper front and center, but with a little twist. I cut it into a 3” square and turned it into a diamond—sometimes just changing the orientation of a shape can give it a whole new look. Then, I layered it over some smaller squares cut from teal, green, red violet, and purple striped patterns, which I also matted with Midnight Black cardstock for extra drama.

To make the layout even more dynamic, I cut the red violet and purple squares in half on the diagonal and tucked them behind the rainbow diamond. It felt like a playful puzzle coming together! I always say, if you’re ever stuck, try cutting your shapes in half and see where the angles lead you. You’d be surprised how quickly a new idea can spark from a simple cut.

Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to use foam tape for depth. I love 1mm foam tape for this because it gives just enough lift to let your layers breathe without making the card too bulky.

Bringing It All Together with Finishing Touches

Once the card base was layered and ready, I popped Red Butler right in the center of that rainbow diamond with foam squares, along with the sentiment. I couldn’t resist adding some little white gel pen highlights to his outfit with my Bold White Gelly Roll pen—those small details really make the image come to life. And of course, a little shimmer from a Clear Overlay Shimmer Pen never hurt anyone!

As I was adding those final touches, I remembered how much I love this part of the process. It’s where the card truly transforms from a collection of pretty papers and stamps to something that feels finished, personal, and ready to brighten someone’s day.

Final Thoughts: Making Your Cards Stand Out

One of the things I always tell my card-making friends is to let yourself play with unexpected supplies. Using Christmas paper for a summer-themed rainbow? Yes, please! Adding a diamond shape to a square card? Go for it! Those little changes can make your cards feel fresh and totally you.

So next time you’re sitting at your craft table, I hope you’ll let yourself mix and match, cut and layer, and bring in those bright pops of color. Because at the end of the day, card making is all about having fun and letting your creativity shine.

Thanks for joining me today. I can’t wait to see how you make life colorful with your own creations! If you’re hopping along with us on Instagram, make sure to check out all the other beautiful cards in the hop—I know you’ll be inspired. And as always, if you’d like to support me, I’ve included my affiliate link in the supply list—thank you!

Happy crafting!

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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