Oh Shoot, You're Cute!

Our Colorful Options Challenge is back, and this month we’re celebrating all shades of green! From soft mint to deep forest, there’s so much room to explore and let your creativity grow with nature-inspired hues. Of course, the rainbow option is always open too if you want to mix in any colors that make you happy. 

This will also be my last month contributing to the team — it’s a little bittersweet to step away, as it’s been such a joy to create alongside this talented and inspiring group. I’ll be cheering the team and participants on as they share their amazing green-inspired projects this month.

For my card, I started by inking up the Botanical Split Background stamp from Simon Says Stamp with Hero Arts Lime Green ink and stamping it onto a white card panel. The bold botanical design fills the background beautifully, giving the card instant energy and movement without needing extra layers.

Next, I stamped the Bear Hugs image from Colorado Craft Company and colored the panda using Altenew Woodless Watercolor Pencils. To add dimension, I penciled blue indigo lightly around the edges of the panda and then used a water brush to pull the color inward, creating soft, blended shading. I added touches of black pencil for deeper shadows, repeating the process until the panda had a nice, dimensional depth. After coloring, I fussy cut the panda and popped it up with foam tape in the center of the botanical panel, which helps it stand out against the bold green background.

To frame the design, I added a thin black mat behind the panel, which ties in beautifully with the panda’s shading and the black sentiment strip. The panel was then adhered to a white A2 card base, giving the card a polished, clean finish. For the sentiment, I heat embossed it in white on black cardstock and placed it just beneath the panda. The black strip grounds the design and makes the sentiment pop, balancing the bright green and keeping the focus on the panda.

This card combines bold botanicals with soft watercolor shading for a cheerful, dimensional look. The bright lime green background makes the panda stand out. It’s perfect for sending a little “bear hug” to someone special!