I recently shared a full tutorial for this card over on the Unity Stamp Company blog, where you'll find the complete walkthrough featuring the Daisy Defined (July 2026 Background of the Month) Stamp Set. Rather than repeat that tutorial here, I wanted to spend some time talking about the design choices behind this card, why I made them, and how you can use the same ideas with the supplies you already have. Sometimes understanding the "why" behind a design is just as valuable

One of my favorite things about making birthday cards is finding creative ways to make the design feel just as special as the person receiving it. Sometimes that means reaching for bright colors, and other times it's about choosing a focal point that instantly tells a story. When I saw the Mailbox Shaker with Mouse Ears Die Set from Scrappy Boy Stamps, I knew it would be the perfect starting point for a cheerful birthday card that looks like happy mail arriving on someone's s

There are some cards that come together because of a single focal point, and then there are cards where the magic happens by layering several simple techniques together. This birthday card is definitely the second kind. By combining soft ink blending, a subtle stenciled background, and colorful die-cut accents, I was able to create a design that feels playful and polished without becoming overwhelming.

There is something timeless about combining florals with patriotic colors. While stars and stripes are classic symbols of Independence Day, adding flowers creates a softer, more elegant look that works well beyond a single holiday. It's a style that feels appropriate for celebrating service members, honoring loved ones, or simply expressing appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy.

Sometimes the most interesting part of making a card isn't the technique itself—it's deciding how to let that technique shine. This project reminded me that when a background is this striking, the best design choice is often knowing when to stop adding more.

I recently shared a full tutorial on the Unity Stamp Company blog featuring the Cool Goose Summer Stamp Set, part of the July 2026 Whit-Kit Card Kit. In that post, I focused on the featured products and the overall project. Here on my blog, I wanted to take a different approach by sharing some of the design decisions behind the card, why I kept the layout so simple, and a few ideas for making this style work with supplies you may already have in your craft room.

Christmas cards don't always have to be filled with traditional reds, greens, and bold holiday prints. Sometimes, choosing a softer color palette is enough to make a card stand out while still feeling festive. That's exactly what inspired today's project. I wanted to create a Christmas card with a light, cheerful feel that shows how pastel colors can work beautifully for the holiday season.

Graduation season is one of those times of year when I always seem to need a few special cards on hand. Whether you're celebrating a high school graduate, a college graduate, or someone earning a professional certification, a handmade card adds a personal touch that makes the occasion even more meaningful. I also love creating graduation cards because they're easy to customize with school colors, graduation years, and personal embellishments that make each card feel unique.

There is something magical about creating a card for an engagement. It's more than celebrating a milestone—it's about capturing the excitement of a couple beginning their own happily ever after. Whenever I sit down to design an engagement card, I like to create something that feels timeless and elegant while still reflecting the personality of the couple receiving it.

One of my favorite things about Christmas cardmaking is finding unexpected ways to create a festive design. While traditional reds, greens, and snowy scenes will always have a place on my craft table, sometimes it's fun to step outside those familiar colors and try something completely different. That's exactly what inspired this card featuring the new Santa Says Stamps and Die Bundle and Galaxy 6x6 Pattern Paper Pack from The Rabbit Hole Designs.

There is something timeless about a red, white, and blue color palette. Every year when patriotic holidays roll around, I find myself reaching for classic stars, bold cardstock colors, and simple layouts that let the design speak for itself. While creating this 4th of July card, I challenged myself to keep the design clean and simple while still making it feel festive and eye-catching.

Have you ever looked at a beautiful piece of pattern paper and wondered how to use it without covering up all the details? I find that balancing patterned paper with a detailed stamped image can sometimes feel tricky. Too much pattern can compete with the focal point, while too little can leave a card feeling unfinished.

There’s something special about creating handmade cards that honor the people who serve our country, but I know patriotic and military-themed cards can sometimes feel a little intimidating to design. It’s easy to overthink the layout, struggle with bold patterned papers, or feel unsure about how to make everything work together without the card becoming too busy. For this project, I wanted to create a Memorial Day card that felt meaningful and layered while still being simple

There’s something about die cut cards that can feel a little… flat. You start with a great idea, cut all the pieces, put it together—and it’s nice, but it doesn’t quite have that finished, polished look you were hoping for. I’ve been there more times than I can count. I walk through all 16 tips in the video so you can see exactly how everything comes together, but here I want to share the design thinking behind those choices so you can start applying them to your own cards ri

Sometimes the best cardmaking ideas come from looking at your supplies a little differently. That was exactly my goal with this project—I wanted to see how far I could stretch a few die sets and turn them into something completely new. Instead of using each set as intended, I mixed elements together to create a shaped shaker card… and this adorable little pig backpack design came to life.

I’ve been in one of those “use what I already have” moods lately… you know the kind where you start digging through your cardstock scraps and suddenly feel like you’ve discovered a hidden treasure. That’s exactly where this card began. I had a pile of colorful scraps on my desk and wanted to turn them into something cheerful, playful, and a little unexpected—and these adorable Juju characters from The Rabbit Hole Designs were the perfect fit.

I recently shared a full tutorial over on the Unity Stamps blog featuring this sweet romantic card, and today I wanted to sit down and chat a little more about the why behind the design. If you’ve ever finished a card and thought, “Okay… but what actually made this work?”—this is that kind of post. We’re diving into the design choices, a few lessons learned along the way, and how you can take this same idea and make it your own. Design Decisions & Creative Thinking This card

I always love a project that lets me stretch my supplies a little further—and these cards were exactly that. I sat down with a handful of products from Paper Rose Studio and challenged myself to create four clean and simple Easter cards using the same core supplies. What surprised me most was how different each card felt with just a few small changes in layout and layering. If you’ve ever felt like your cards start to look the same, this is such a fun way to break out of that

I recently shared a full step-by-step tutorial over on the Unity Stamps blog featuring this soft, one layer floral encouragement card using the Slow Bloom Society Stamp Set . In that post, I walk through the entire process from start to finish. But here, I wanted to slow things down a bit and talk through the why behind the design—those little creative decisions that really make a card come together. If you’ve ever finished a card and thought, “Okay… but why does this actual

Every once in a while I like to look at a die set and ask myself, “What else could this do?” Not just what it was designed for, but how it might be used in a slightly different way. That curiosity is exactly what inspired today’s project—a handmade shaped card created with dies instead of a traditional rectangle card base. For this project, I used the Shabubu Head Mini Album Die Set from Scrappy Boy Stamps to build a playful character-shaped card. The die set is designed f