Astronaut Alligator Space Adventure Card

I created this space-themed card for my friend’s son using the Out of This World stamp and dies from LDRS Creatives along with the Full Moon stencil from Pajama Crafter Stamps. I wanted a playful galaxy scene full of color, movement, and character.

The background was ink blended with Distress Oxide inks using Shaded Lilac, Seedless Preserves, Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire, and Black Soot for depth, with Twisted Citron added around the moon for a glowing contrast. I finished the sky with splatter for texture and a starry effect.

The moon was created with the stencil and softly shaded for dimension, then enhanced with a green glow to tie into the overall color palette. All stamped images were colored with Copics, using bright green alligators with purple and orange outfits, a blue-purple-red spaceship, and a warm yellow-orange planet for contrast.

Once colored, I arranged the elements to create a diagonal flow across the card, with the moon anchoring the top-left and the characters and spaceship moving through the scene to create a sense of motion and storytelling.

This was such a fun mix of ink blending, stenciling, and coloring to bring a whimsical space adventure to life.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope my son’s friend enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it.

CHALLENGES:

SSS Monday Challenge - 4-Legged Friends

SSS Wednesday Challenge - AG

Die Cut Diva's - April  

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #2617 

Passion for Markers - Real Heroes

Allsorts - #848 Anything but Square

Stay Salty – Quokka Beach Scene | Kat Scrappiness

Just a quokka, his surfboard, and a whole lot of salty air!

For this card, I couldn’t resist creating a fun little beach scene featuring the adorable Summer Quokka Stamp from Kat Scrappiness. There’s just something about this little surfer that instantly makes me think of warm sunshine, ocean waves, and that carefree summer feeling we’re all waiting for!

At the moment, it’s the end of April… and somehow it still feels like winter outside so this card definitely became my little escape to warmer days! I had so much fun bringing this beachy scene to life and imagining this quokka soaking up the sun and catching waves along the shore.

To build the scene, I used soft blended tones for the background to create that open sky and ocean feel, then layered in the wave detail to anchor the design. The quokka was the perfect focal point—ready to hit the water with his surfboard and enjoy the salty air!

I finished the scene with a stamped sentiment and added playful speech bubbles to enhance the storytelling element and give the card a bit of extra personality.

You can Check out my reel on Instagram to see this card come together in action!

Kat Scrappiness Products Used:

• Summer Quokka Stamp 
• Pirate Sentiments
• A2 Wave Border Craft Dies
• Stitched Speech Bubbles Dies

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you’re catching a little sunshine wherever you are! 

CHALLENGES:

SSS Monday Challenge - 4-Legged Friends 

Allsorts - #848 Anything but Square

Die Cut Diva's - April

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #2417

Fair Day Fun – Slimline Scene Card

There’s just something about a day at the fair that feels full of joy - bright colors, sweet treats, and a little bit of magic in the air. So of course, I couldn’t resist turning that feeling into a card!

For this project, I created a slimline scene featuring the adorable Fairground Friends from Clearly Besotted, an oldie from my stash that’s still a favourite. I had so much fun building out this playful little world with the Ferris wheel, snack stands, and all those cute critters enjoying their day out—it really feels like a tiny snapshot of a perfect fair day!

To set the scene, I blended a soft blue sky at the top of the panel and a fresh green for the grass along the bottom. I also added a bit of green splatter to the grass for extra texture—it’s a small detail, but it really helps bring everything to life.

All of the images were colored with Copics, keeping the tones bright and cheerful to match the fun theme. I die cut the panel using the LDRS Slimline Scallop Die Set, then arranged and adhered the critters with foam tape to add dimension and movement across the scene.

I kept the sentiment simple and stamped it directly onto the panel so it wouldn’t take away from all the cute details. To finish, I mounted the completed panel onto a stitched layer using the Pinkfresh Studio Slim Stitched Scalloped Rectangles Die Set for a clean, polished frame.

This card was such a fun one to create—sometimes it’s nice to just play, build a scene, and let your imagination take over.

Products Used:

• Clearly Besotted – Fairground Friends
• LDRS – Slimline Scallop Die Set
• Pinkfresh Studio – Slim Stitched Scalloped Rectangles Die Set

Thanks so much for visiting—I hope this fun little fair scene inspired you to create something playful of your own!

CHALLENGES:

SSS Monday Challenge - 4-Legged Friends

Die Cut Diva's - April

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #2417

As you Like It Challenge - I prefer Pastels as I love the softness

Allsorts - #848 Anything but Square

Encouragement Card - Layered Lighthouse Scene | CutCardStock

Encouragement cards are a wonderful way to brighten someone’s day, and this layered lighthouse scene is full of sunshine, dimension, and cheerful details! With shading, layering, and thoughtful placement, cardstock alone can create a bold and uplifting design.

Hi Carrianne here! I’m excited to walk you through each step so you can recreate this card and send a little light to someone special.

Supplies & Materials

CutCardStock Cardstock Used:

Dolphin Gray

Crest Solar White

Red Hot

Surf Cardstock

Yellow Jacket

Gumdrop Green

Other Supplies:

La-La Land Crafts (Dies): June 2025 Kit of the Month, Cloud and Grass Border and Snowbanks (water) Dies

Distress inks: Tumbled Glass (sky), shading die elements

Copic Markers: (C0) for clouds and lighthouse highlights

Adhesives: glue, foam tape for dimension

Altenew for sentiment 

Step 1: Die Cut All Elements

Before we start assembling the card, it’s helpful to cut all the pieces from CutCardStock first. Laying them out lets you see the colors and plan where everything will go.

All die cuts on colored cardstock, ready for shading and assembly.

Step 2: Add Shading to Grass and Sun

Next, we add shading to the grass and sun. This step brings dimension to flat cardstock and gives your card a more realistic and lively appearance.

Shading adds depth and dimension to the grass and sun, enhancing the overall scene.

Step 3: Shade the Lighthouse

Now it’s time to add shading to the lighthouse. Red highlights help define the structure and make it the focal point of the card.

Red shading enhances the lighthouse, making it stand out on the panel.

Step 4: Clouds and Lighthouse Highlights

Once the lighthouse is shaded, we move to the clouds and small details. Light shading on clouds and marker highlights on the lighthouse add subtle depth without overpowering the scene.

Clouds are lightly shaded and the lighthouse details are enhanced with a marker for extra dimension.

Step 5: Blend the Sky Panel

WiWith the pieces prepared, we create the sky. Using Tumbled Glass distress ink, blend from the top down to leave a soft, daytime sky that will serve as the perfect backdrop.

Tumbled Glass ink blended on the panel creates a soft, bright sky for the scene.

Step 6: Add Water and Adjust Sun

At this point, I decided to make a small design change. Originally, I planned to use two layers of grass, but as the scene came together, it felt a bit heavy at the bottom. Instead, I removed one grass layer and added DCS Surf cardstock using a snowbanks die to represent water. This simple change lightened the design and felt more natural for a lighthouse scene. I also swapped the large sun for a smaller one, cutting it from DCS Yellow Jacket again, to give the sky more breathing room.

After reassessing the design, I removed one grass layer and added a blue water layer instead. I also replaced the large sun with a smaller one to keep the scene balanced.

Step 7: Test the Layout Before Adhering 

Before adhering any of the main elements, I used tweezers to temporarily place the lighthouse on the panel. This allowed me to arrange the clouds and sun around it and make sure the sky felt open and balanced before committing with adhesive.

Using tweezers to test the placement of the lighthouse while arranging the clouds and sun.

Step 8: Adhere the Scene

Once the layout was finalized, all of the elements were adhered to the panel. The small cloud was glued directly to the background, while the larger cloud was popped up with foam tape so the sun could peek out from behind it. The lighthouse was secured with a small piece of foam tape near the top for subtle dimension, and a tiny seagull was added as a finishing touch.

To complete the card, I stamped the sentiment directly onto the panel in the open space to the right of the lighthouse. The finished panel was then adhered to a DCS Dolphin Gray card base, which frames the scene and helps the colors stand out.

At this point, the scene is fully assembled, so I snapped an angled photo to show the dimension and layering.

Taking a closer look really shows how all the pieces come together and the subtle details that make the card special.

Close-up view of the finished card, showcasing the shading, texture, and subtle dimension.

Thanks so much for following along! I hope this lighthouse card inspires you to create your own layered encouragement designs. If you give this card a try, I’d love to hear about it — leave a comment and share your thoughts or tips!

CHALLENGES:

Woodland Critters Card | Kat Scrappiness

A little woodland sunshine and a whole lot of cozy critter vibes! These adorable little friends look like they’ve found the perfect spot to relax, soak up the sunshine, and just enjoy the day.

For this card, I wanted to create a playful little scene that feels warm and inviting—like a tiny woodland moment frozen in time. By layering soft textures and building up the background, the critters really get to take center stage while still feeling like part of their environment. Everything comes together to create a cheerful, storybook-inspired design that’s full of personality.

Featured Products

• Woodland Critters Stamp
• Woodland Critter Sentiment
• Sunburst 6x6 Stencil
• Scene Builder Stencil
• A2 Cloud Border Craft Dies

Watch the Process

Want to see how it all came together? You can watch the full process in my Instagram reel here:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/p/DXWrfkoCf4H/ 

Shop the Supplies

If you’d like to recreate this cozy woodland scene, you can shop the products I used through my affiliate link: https://tidd.ly/4sCTUHu

Thanks for stopping by and spending a little time in this cozy woodland scene with me! 

CHALLENGES:

SSS Monday Challenge - Use More Than One Stencil

SSS Wednesday Challenge - Quite Quirky 

We Love Stamping - Spring 

Stamping Sensations - Inspired by Nature 

Die Cut Diva's - April 

 

Bright & Layered Floral Card for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and I wanted to make a card that feels bright, cheerful, and full of handmade charm. Floral designs are always a favorite, and layering the petals with soft shading gives them a dimensional, elegant look.

Carrianne here! I’m excited to share how I created this floral card using a few cardstock colors, some simple shading, and a layering technique that makes the blooms pop.

Supplies & Materials

CutCardStock Cardstock:

DCS Surf
Classic Crest Solar White
Pop Tone Raspberry Pink Ice
Pop Tone Jelly Bean Green
DCS Yellow Jacket

Other Products Used:

Altenew Prairie Roses Layering Die Set
Altenew Moroccan Lattice Cover Die
Altenew Inks: Rubellite, Pink Diamond, Forest Glades, Chamomile, Terracotta
Die-cutting machine
Gold-matted sequins

Step 1: Choose and Prepare Your Cardstock

To begin, I die-cut all of the floral elements, leaves, and details from their coordinating cardstock colors. Laying everything out on the cardstock helps visualize how the colors work together and makes the assembly process much smoother later on.

Die-cut elements arranged on their coordinating cardstock colors, ready for shading.

Step 2: Prepare the Leaves

Next, I cut the leaves from Jelly Bean cardstock and shaded them with Forest Glades ink. Shading the inner folds added depth, making them look more dimensional without introducing a second color.

Leaf die-cuts shaded to add dimension and depth.

Step 3: Assemble the Flowers

The flower petals were cut from Raspberry Pink Ice cardstock. I layered them carefully, using Rubellite for deeper shading and Pink Diamond for highlights. Building the flowers in layers gives a full, natural look. 

Shaded flower petals ready for assembly.

Step 4: Add the Centers

For the centers, I used Yellow Jacket cardstock and added a touch of Chamomile and Terracotta ink for warmth. This subtle shading made the centers look bright and cheerful against the pink petals.

Flower centers shaded for warmth and contrast.

Step 5: Assemble the Layered Flowers

Once all the petals are shaded, I assembled each flower and added the centers. This lets you see the completed blooms fully layered and ready to place on your card panel. It’s a satisfying step where all the flower pieces come together!

Fully assembled layered flowers ready to be placed on the card.

Step 6: Build the Background Panel

Next, I brought the background together by layering the Crest Solar White lattice panel over the Surf cardstock base. This combination adds subtle texture while keeping the design light and airy, allowing the florals to remain the focal point of the card.

 Crest Solar White lattice panel layered over Surf cardstock to create a clean, textured background.

After the background panel was ready, I adhered the layered flowers and leaves onto the panel, arranging them until the composition felt balanced and natural. I added a sentiment that complements the bright, cheerful florals and completes the overall design.

To finish the card, I added three gold-matted sequins for sparkle and helps guide the eye across the card, and give the arrangement a polished, finished look.

This card is now complete—cheerful, layered, and ready for Mother’s Day gifting! I hope this tutorial inspires you to create your own bright, handmade cards full of color and dimension using your favorite CutCardStock cardstock.

Close-up showing the layered flowers, soft shading, subtle texture, and gold-matted sequins that add sparkle and dimension to the card.

I’d love to hear from you - let me know in the comments if you’re making a Mother’s Day card (or any card at all!). 

Shop the CutCardStock cardstock I used HERE
Shop the Altenew products HERE

Happy crafting, and may your cards bring joy to everyone who receives them!

CHALLENGES:

Altenew March Inspiration Challenge