One of the questions I hear most often from cardmakers is, “How do you know which Copic colors to use?”  Coloring stamped images can feel intimidating, especially when you’re staring at a big marker collection and don’t know where to start. For this card, my goal was to take that pressure off and show a more intuitive way to make color decisions—by letting the pattern paper do the work for you. I created this cute and whimsical handmade card as an example of how pattern paper

When I sit down to make a Valentine’s Day card, my goal is almost always the same: something cheerful and heartfelt that doesn’t require overthinking every single step. This project started with that exact intention—creating a handmade card that feels finished and polished, but still relaxed and approachable from start to finish. One of the biggest challenges I hear from cardmakers is alcohol marker coloring. Not the coloring itself, but the decisions  that come with it—what

Clean and simple cards are a little bit like good Southern cooking — they look easy on the surface, but there’s some intentional decision-making happening behind the scenes. This card started with a bold, sassy sentiment and a desire to let color do the heavy lifting without adding layers or bulk. Sometimes the best designs come from asking one simple question: How can I make this feel finished without making it complicated? That question guided every choice in this project,

When it comes to Valentine’s Day cards, I hear the same concern every year: “I want to make something cute and thoughtful, but I don’t want to overthink it.”  That’s exactly the problem I wanted to solve with these three handmade Valentine’s Day cards. The goal with this project was to show how die cutting and pattern paper mixing  can do the heavy lifting for you—no complicated coloring, no guessing if things coordinate, and no pressure to reinvent the wheel. I shared the fu

If you’ve ever pulled out a patterned paper pack, flipped through a few sheets, and then quietly put the whole thing away because it felt like too much —you’re not alone. Pattern paper can be one of the most intimidating supplies on a cardmaker’s desk, especially if you love clean, simple designs but still want a little extra interest. For today’s card, I leaned into a clean-and-layered approach that lets pattern paper support the design instead of taking it over. The goal wa

Sometimes I sit down to make a card and realize the real challenge isn’t how  to make it—it’s deciding where to start . Too many supplies, too many options, and suddenly the creative spark feels a little stuck. For this Coffee & Magic card, my goal was to simplify those decisions while still creating a card that feels polished, layered, and fun. I wanted a design that leaned heavily on die cutting and pattern paper, with no complicated coloring or fussy steps. The video walks

One of the things I hear most often from cardmakers is, “I love my dies… but I feel like I use them the same way every time.”  That’s exactly the problem I wanted to solve with this project. Instead of reaching for a standard card base, I challenged myself to design an off-the-edge card in a nontraditional size—one that lets the die shape take center stage and feel intentional, not awkward. This jacket-shaped card was inspired by fan art (with a little Grease flair), but the

Mixing pattern paper on handmade cards is one of those things that sounds  more complicated than it really is—especially when you’re also stamping and coloring an image. I hear from cardmakers all the time who love patterned paper but hesitate to use it because they’re worried the card will feel too busy or out of control. That’s exactly the problem I wanted to solve with this winter card. I created this project to show how stamping, alcohol marker coloring, ink blending, and

I recently shared a full turnabout stamping tutorial over on the Miss Ink Stamps blog , where I walked through how I created two Magic Personality Collection cards from one stamped panel using the Cunning Stamp Set (from the Personality Bundle) . That post focuses on the product and the step-by-step process, so today I wanted to take a step back and talk about the why  behind this design and how you can adapt the idea with whatever you already have in your craft room. This po

Pattern paper can be one of the most inspiring—and intimidating—supplies in a cardmaker’s stash. I hear it all the time: “I love it, but I never know how to mix it without making my card feel too busy.”  This Valentine’s Day card was my answer to that exact problem. I wanted to create a design that felt layered, warm, and nostalgic while still being approachable for beginner-to-intermediate cardmakers. The result is a handmade Valentine that lets pattern paper do some of the

When I sat down to make this card, I knew I wanted the finished piece to feel calm, reflective, and quietly encouraging. This image from Unity Stamps’ Once the Story Opens  set naturally invites you to slow down—it already tells a story. My goal wasn’t to decorate it heavily or show off a technique for technique’s sake, but to make intentional design choices that supported that feeling. This companion post is all about the why  behind those choices and how you can apply the

When I sit down to make a gift card holder, my goal is always the same: I want it to feel just as special as a traditional card, not like an afterthought. Gift cards are practical, but the presentation is what turns them into something memorable. For this project, I wanted a design that felt playful and polished, while still being approachable for everyday cardmaking. This mouse-themed gift card holder card does exactly that. The combination of die cutting and pattern paper m

Scene cards can feel intimidating. There are a lot of moving pieces, and it’s easy to get stuck wondering where to start  or how to make everything work together . For this project, my creative goal was to build a theatre-style scene card that feels detailed and story-driven, without turning into an overwhelming design puzzle. I shared the process on video so you can see how the card comes together visually, but I also wanted to take a moment here on the blog to talk about th

Some cards come together because you planned every detail… and some happen because you just needed a card for that one friend . You know the one—the friend who appreciates a little sass, a little humor, and a whole lot of heart. That’s exactly where this card started. I wanted something clean and simple, but not boring. Polished, but still playful. And most importantly, flexible enough that the design could work again and again with supplies I already love. This project is a

There’s something really satisfying about a clean and simple card that still feels finished and intentional. This card started as one of those “let’s keep it easy” projects and quickly turned into a great reminder of how powerful thoughtful tools and small design choices can be. When you let a few elements do the heavy lifting, you don’t need layers upon layers to make a card feel special. This project was created as part of an Instagram collaboration between My Sweet Petunia

Valentine’s Day cards don’t have to be complicated to feel special—and this project is a great reminder of that. I wanted to create something that felt interactive and fun, but still approachable enough that you could sit down, pull from your patterned paper stash, and actually enjoy the process instead of overthinking it. That’s where the Tuck & Reveal fun fold really shines. It looks impressive when finished, but the structure itself does a lot of the work for you. For this

I recently shared a full step-by-step split panel friendship card tutorial over on the Unity Stamp Company blog using their Just Pig-Cause Stamp Set and patterned paper from the North Pole Collection . That post walks through the process from start to finish and is perfect if you want a clear, product-focused guide. Here on my own blog, I wanted to take a step back and talk about why  this design works so well—and how you can confidently adapt the idea using supplies you alr

One of the questions I hear most often from cardmakers is how to make die cuts feel less flat—especially if coloring isn’t their favorite part of the process. That was the exact problem I wanted to solve with today’s card. This Valentine’s Day card for a friend focuses on simple layers, thoughtful design choices, and just a touch of ink blending to create depth without adding complexity. I walk through the process on video so you can see how everything comes together visually

I recently shared a Valentine’s Day card project over on the C. C. Designs blog , where I walked through the full process using the Swissie Love Stamp Set . That post focuses on the techniques and product use step by step, so today I wanted to do something a little different here on my own blog. This post is all about the thinking  behind the card — why the design works, the choices I made along the way, and how you can easily adapt the idea using what you already have in you

There’s something especially satisfying about a clean and simple card that still feels finished and intentional. This birthday card started as one of those “I just want to play with a few supplies” moments, and it quickly turned into a great reminder that simple layouts don’t have to feel flat or boring. With a little thoughtful layering and contrast, even the most minimal design can feel polished and special. For this card, I leaned into a clean white base and let the detail