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

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 about winter cardmaking that makes me slow down a bit. Maybe it’s the softer color palettes, the cozy themes, or the chance to let simple designs really shine. Lately, I’ve been reaching for clean and simple layouts more often, especially when I want my stamping, coloring, and ink blending to do the heavy lifting. This winter card came together during one of those creative sessions where I reminded myself that simple doesn’t mean boring—it means intentional.

Clean and simple cardmaking is one of those styles that looks effortless—but when done well, it feels thoughtful, polished, and full of intention. This encouragement card using The Rabbit Hole Designs Balloon Animal No. 1 Stamp Set  is a great example of how a few well-chosen techniques can create a soft, uplifting design without overwhelming the eye. From the airy cloud background to the no-line watercolor balloon animal, every element on this card was chosen to support the

For today’s card, I had so much fun playing with the Ommm…My Gosh Stamp Set from Unity Stamp Company and turning it into a cheerful mini slimline card with lots of personality. I started by stamping the adorable yoga lady onto Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80 lb Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink , then colored her in using my Triblend Markers . I chose marker colors to coordinate with the pattern papers I had pulled, which always makes the finished card feel extra

One of my favorite ways to keep cards clean yet interesting is by layering stencils to create something completely custom—and this card is a perfect example of how fun that can be. I started with the Torn Paper 4 x 8 Stencil  from The Rabbit Hole Designs , lightly tracing the shape onto white cardstock before adding color around the outside of the design. After lining the stencil back up and masking off the colored areas, I layered the Oh Duck 6 x 6 Stencil  right over the to

There’s something about a clean and simple Christmas card that really lets a fun focal image shine, and this Santa sock made me smile from start to finish. I cut all the parts for the Santa Sock from my scrap cardstock using the Snowman and Santa Sock Die Set  from Pixi Dust Designs , which is perfect for using up those leftover bits we all seem to collect. A little ink blending around the edges added just enough depth, and once everything was assembled with liquid adhesive,

There’s just something so magical about fairy images, and this Clean & Simple birthday card came together beautifully using the Twinkleheart Stamp Set  from Unity Stamps Company . I stamped the fairy image twice onto Kraft 110 lb smooth cardstock , which instantly adds warmth and softness to the design. The images were colored with my TriBlend markers , then enhanced with colored pencils to add a bit more depth and detail—especially in the hair and wings. Keeping the colorin

There’s something so magical about pairing soft winter colors with colored pencil coloring, and this Winter Hi Card  came together beautifully using the Let It Snow Stamp Set from C. C. Designs . I stamped Elisa onto Neenah Desert Storm Cardstock  with Memento Rich Cocoa Ink  and colored her with colored pencils, which really brings out the cozy, storybook feel of this sweet winter image. After fussy cutting her out, I created a softly shaped background using Chunky A2 Scall

There’s something so charming about turning a simple die set into a gift that feels extra-special, and this penguin mug gift card holder tag  came together so sweetly using the Penguin Mug Die Set , Tag Accessories Die Set , and Stitched Scallop Slimline Die Set  from Pixi Dust Designs . I started by cutting all the pieces for the penguin mug, then added soft ink blending to give the die cuts a little depth and warmth. To create the tag base, I used partial die cutting with t

There’s just something extra sweet about a clean and simple card that still feels magical, and today’s project brings all those cozy, whimsical vibes together. I started with the adorable fairy from the Twinkleheart Stamp Set  by Unity Stamp Company  and stamped her onto Kraft 110 lb Smooth Cardstock . Colored pencils were perfect for adding that soft, hand-drawn look, and a quick blend with a colorless blender marker kept everything smooth and dreamy. Her wings absolutely

If you love a clean and simple look with just a touch of playful charm, today’s card is such a fun one to try. I pulled out the Balloon Animals 1 Stamp Set  from The Rabbit Hole Designs  and stamped the sweet monkey-on-a-palm-tree image in Memento Toffee Crunch for a softer, no-line look. Using Distress Ink Reinkers as watercolors, I added light, airy color that keeps the design feeling fresh and effortless. Once everything dried, I placed one of the circle stencils from Pe

There’s something so fun about taking a classic birthday design and giving it a winter twist, and today’s project does exactly that! This trifold window fun fold comes together beautifully with the Bouncy Happy Birthday Die Se t from the Simon Says Stamp DieCember® 2025 Release . I paired it with a few tried-and-true favorites— Under Water Layering Stencils , Modern Teardrops Wafer Dies , and the Twinkle Snowflakes Embossing Folder —to build a cool, layered look that peeks

Today I’m sharing a set of simple one layer cards that completely stole my heart. These sweet little pups from the Puppy Paws Stamp Set  by Unity Stamps  look absolutely adorable on kraft cardstock, and I love how the warm tone makes the colored pencils pop. I started by creating top-folding A2 card bases from 110 lb Kraft Cardstock , then stamped each puppy in Memento Tuxedo Black . A little soft shading with colored pencils brought each image to life, giving them that cozy

There’s just something magical about mixing soft winter hues with a sweet little reindeer, and today’s square card brings all that cozy charm to life. I started by stamping the adorable Snugglebuck image onto Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and coloring him with my Triblend Markers —those warm browns and that bright red nose make him instantly irresistible. Once everything was dry, I used circle dies to cut out both the image and the “Stay Cozy My Dear” sentiment, giving e

Today I’m sharing a sweet and peaceful 5x7 nativity Christmas card created with the Holly Jolly Stamp Set , Holly Jolly Pixi Cuts , and the Oh Holy Night Sentiment Die from Pixi Dust Designs. I started by stamping the manger image onto Hammermill Smooth Cardstock and coloring everything with my Ohuhu Brush Markers to give the scene a soft, warm glow. Once everything was cut out with the coordinating Pixi Cuts, I moved on to the background—my favorite part. A fresh panel of

I had so much fun putting together this clean and layered winter card featuring the There’s Snow-one Like You  Stamp & Die Set from Pixi Dust Designs! I started by cutting all the sweet little pieces for my snow-girl—her cozy hat, gloves, and scarf—from two soft shades of pink cardstock, while her body was cut from crisp Hammermill Smooth Cardstock . A touch of ink blending with Tumbled Glass and Shaded Lilac Distress Oxides gave her a frosty glow, and the tiniest bits of

Today I’m sharing a sweet little project from my monthly Gingerbread Greetings Series, and this one is all about simple layers and warm kraft tones. I started by stamping the adorable Santa from the A Little Ho Ho Ho Stamp Set  onto kraft cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink , then die-cut him with the Nested Postage Labels & Tag Etched Dies  from Spellbinders. Coloring him with my Ohuhu Brush Markers gave him that soft, cozy look I love for holiday cards. Once he was r

Today I’m sharing a fun little “pick-me-up” card I created for Miss Ink Stamps, and I couldn’t resist reaching for the Slugs and Kisses Stamp Set , the Slugs and Kisses Outline Dies , and the Cobblestone Stencil  for this one. I started with a clean top-fold A2 card base made from Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock , then masked off a circle using one of the Background Basics Stencils  from Penny Black. Inside that masked area, I blended soft gray ink over the Cobblestone Stencil