Halloween cardmaking is one of those times when I’m perfectly happy to let the patterned paper do some of the heavy lifting. Those spooky prints, colorful pumpkins, little ghosts, bats, skulls, and Halloween motifs already bring so much personality to a card. The trick is learning how to use all that visual information without letting the card feel too busy.

I have to admit, I have a soft spot for paper embellishments that can take a simple project and give it an entirely different personality. These Halloween paper bows from Scrappy Boy Stamps definitely fall into that category. Instead of thinking of a bow as something reserved for birthdays, Christmas, or gift packaging, I wanted to see what would happen when the basic bow concept got a spooky Halloween makeover.

Have you ever found a card sketch you love, pulled out the supplies you have on hand, and then realized your finished card looks almost exactly like the sketch? There’s nothing wrong with using card sketches—in fact, they can be incredibly helpful when you’re stuck or simply need a starting point.

When I first started applying for design teams, I remember wondering: What are they really looking for? I’d spend hours second-guessing...

When I joined my very first design team, I thought it would just be about making pretty cards with fun new supplies. What I didn’t...

I still remember the first time I applied for a design team that I really wanted to be on. I poured hours into that application,...

I still remember my very first week on a design team. I was giddy with excitement when the acceptance email hit my inbox, and I may have...

I still remember the first time I stumbled across a design team call. I was sipping coffee, scrolling through Instagram, when a post from...

When I got the email saying I’d been invited to join The Rabbit Hole Designs design team, I felt two things at the exact same time: pure...