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

Sometimes a card comes together not because it’s complicated—but because the design decisions are clear from the start. That was exactly the case with this floral card using the January 2026 release from The Rabbit Hole Designs . I wanted something that felt fresh and sassy, with enough visual interest to feel special, but simple enough that it could easily be recreated with supplies you already own. This project is a great example of how letting pre-designed elements  do som

I recently shared a full, start-to-finish tutorial over on the Miss Ink Stamps blog  where I walked through how to create these Magical House Personality cards  using collage stamping and dies. That post is very product- and process-focused, so today I wanted to take a step back and talk about the thinking  behind the designs instead—the creative decisions, what worked, and how you can adapt this idea using supplies you already own. These projects ended up being one of those

There are seasons when I crave all the layers and embellishments—and then there are seasons when I just want my cards to breathe . This little set of winter-themed cards came together during one of those moments when I wanted the coloring to shine, the images to tell the story, and the design to feel calm instead of crowded. Clean and simple doesn’t mean boring, and it definitely doesn’t mean plain. For me, it means being intentional with every choice. For this project, I cre

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.

Every once in a while, I like to challenge myself to keep the layout  simple while letting the surface  do more of the work. That was the mindset behind this Valentine card. I wanted something playful and fun, but still polished—and I also wanted to push a few techniques that many cardmakers tend to shy away from, especially when black cardstock is involved. Using Contrast to Create Visual Impact This card uses the Robo Buddies Stamp Set from the Simon Says Stamp Heart to H

If you’ve ever wanted to try a shaped card but felt a little unsure where to start, today’s project is a great place to begin. Shaped cards are a fun way to move beyond standard rectangle card bases, and with the right dies and coordinated products, they’re much more approachable than they might seem at first glance. For this card, I used the Abbey Mini Album/Card Die Set from Scrappy Boy Stamps  to create a shaped card base that feels elegant and unique while still being ea

There’s just something extra special about a clean and layered Valentine card, especially when it has a little touch of magic mixed in. For today’s card, I’m sharing a Valentine’s Day design created with Pixi Dust Designs , and it came together beautifully using the Magic World 6×6 Paper Pad  as the starting point. I adhered a piece of patterned paper to a top-folding A2 card base to instantly set the tone, then reached for the Vintage Scroll Die Set . Cutting the scroll piec

Fun fold cards are one of my favorite ways to add that wow  factor to a handmade card without making things complicated—and today’s Pop Up Block Fun Fold Valentine card  is a perfect example of that. This design looks interactive and impressive, but it’s built with simple folds, layered pattern paper, and a few well-chosen dies and stamps. If you enjoy creating cards that fold flat for mailing but pop open with a little surprise, this fun fold design is one you’ll want to kee

One of my favorite ways to remove the guesswork from coloring stamped images is to let my pattern paper do the heavy lifting —and today’s Warm Wishes clean & layered card is a perfect example of that approach. If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to decide which Copic markers to use, this technique is a total confidence booster, especially for beginner to intermediate cardmakers. For this card, I started with a holiday-themed pattern paper pack  and used it to create a non-holida

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

If you like to kick off the New Year with a little sass (and a lot of personality), this card is going to be right up your alley! For today’s project, I created a 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" square New Year card  featuring the Resolutions are Rubbish Pissy Kitty Stamp Set  from Unity Stamp Company , and honestly… this kitty says exactly what we’re all thinking. I started with a top-folding square card base using Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock , then stamped the image onto Neenah Classic Cr

There’s something so special about creating a clean & simple baby’s first Christmas card , and this project felt especially fitting for my Gingerbread Greetings Video Series  for December 2025. For today’s card, I used the Baby’s 1st Christmas Stamp Set  from The Rabbit Hole Designs  to stamp the presents, toy train, and box car images onto Hammermill Smooth 100 lb Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink . I kept the look soft and sweet by coloring everything with my Copic m

Clean and layered cards are one of my favorite go-to styles, especially when I want something quick but still full of personality. For today’s Valentine card, I kept the layout simple while letting the whimsical details shine using products from Pixi Dust Designs. I started with a top-folding A2 card base and added a strip of patterned paper from the Magic World 6x6 Paper Pad along the bottom. That one little layer instantly adds interest without overpowering the design, mak

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

If you love clean & simple Christmas cards  but want to step outside the usual red and green, this project is such a fun way to do it. I used the I Believe Stamp Set from Miss Ink Stamps  and stamped the bold sentiment in pink ink right in the center of the card front, then built the design by stamping the playful underwear images around it in a dark brown ink. All of the images were colored with my Ohuhu Brush Markers , using a nontraditional yet seasonal color palette  pul

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 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

I had so much fun putting together this elegant birthday card featuring the The Queen Stamp Set  from Scrappy Boy Stamps! I started by stamping one of the fabulous Queen images onto Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink , then brought her to life with my Ohuhu Brush Markers . I matched her colors to the gorgeous patterns in The Author and The Queen 6x6 Paper Pack , which added that perfect royal flair. After cutting her out with the coordinating The Quee