Art Impressions - Right as Rain

Easter Bunnies Matchbook Card

Hello! There’s something so delightful about creating miniature scenes, and this Easter matchbook card is no exception! I used products in the Art Impressions Matchbook series to craft a tiny world where bunnies are busy painting eggs in a scene that includes hutches, pottery, and paintbrushes. Capture the joy of the season with a playful, pocket-sized creation!

The Art Impressions Matchbook series has many different options. You can see an intro video here.

- Stamp Easter Bunnies images in VersaFine ink on Arches Cold Press watercolor paper; heat set.
- Watercolor the images with watercolor markers. I used Tombow markers. You can read more about watercoloring stamped images here.
- Once dry, cut the images with the coordinating dies included with the Easter Bunnies set.
- Cut matchbook from patterned paper with the MB Template. Add watercolored Easter Bunnies elements.
- Stamp Easter Bunnies sentiment on white cardstock, trim, and add to scene.

Stuck on You: Watercolored Hedgehog Card

Hello! I usually reach for dies when making cards, but sometimes it’s fun to switch things up with a bit of watercoloring. This adorable hedgehog from Art Impressions was the perfect chance to do just that! Since the stamp set does not have a coordinating die for the images, after watercoloring the stamped image, I masked the hedgehog and cactus to add the sky and ground.

- Create an A2-size card base from off-white cardstock. With the Burlap folder, dry-emboss a Chocolate Bar cardstock panel measuring 4″ x 5 1/4″. Add panel to card base.
- Stamp the hedgehog in VersaFine ink on Arches Cold Press watercolor paper; heat set.
- Watercolor the image with watercolor markers. I used Tombow markers and Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils. You can read more about watercoloring stamped images here. Tombow markers: Brown 879, Burnt Sienna 947, Rhodamine Red 725, Dusty Rose 772, Navy Blue 528, Dark Jade 177.
- Once dry, mask image and add Distress Inks for sky and ground. Cut image with one of the Hexagon Double Stitched Dies. With the next larger die in the set, cut a larger hexagon from Blue Jay cardstock. Add stamped hexagon to mat.
- Stamp sentiment in Potting Soil ink on off-white cardstock and cut with a 1 1/4″ circle die.
- Add elements to prepared base.

Masking might sound intimidating, but it’s actually a simple technique that makes a big impact. All you need is a bit of masking paper or a sticky note to cover your stamped image while adding the sky and ground. As for the watercoloring, don’t worry about being perfect — the beauty of watercolor is in its softness and unpredictability. A little practice goes a long way, and the results are so rewarding!

Watercolored Chickens for Spring

Hello! Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than with a fun, interactive card? I used products in the Art Impressions Matchbook series to create a miniature scene featuring watercolored chickens and their coop. With the playful sentiment Spring Chicken, it’s perfect for sending a little joy!

The Art Impressions Matchbook series has many different options. You can see an intro video here.

- Stamp Chicken images in VersaFine ink on Arches Cold Press watercolor paper; heat set.
- Watercolor the images with watercolor markers. I used a combination of Tombow markers, Zig markers, and a Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencil. You can read more about watercoloring stamped images here. In addition to the markers linked below, I used two new Zig marker colors —Mid Yellow 501 and Yellow Ochre 505—purchased from Paper and Ink Arts (a small business dedicated to the calligraphy industry).
- Once dry, cut the images with the coordinating dies included with the Chicken set.
- Cut matchbook from patterned paper with the MB Template. Add watercolored Chicken elements.
- Stamp Chicken sentiment on white cardstock, trim, and add to scene.

While I primarily create die-cut cards, watercoloring offers a refreshing change of pace. This relaxing, low-tech approach engages the brain differently, often activating the right hemisphere, which is associated with creativity, intuition, and fluid thinking. Since watercolor flows and blends in organic ways, it encourages spontaneity and adaptability, making it a fun and freeing way to add a hand-painted touch to my cardmaking!

Charming House-Themed Cards

Hello! Depictions of houses on cards evoke a sense of comfort, nostalgia, and storytelling, inviting the viewer into a miniature world of charm and personality. My fascination with houses began in childhood, sparked by the illustration of the “Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe” in Mother Goose. In this post, I’m sharing a roundup of cards from my blog archive where houses take center stage. Click on the card image to be taken to the original post for additional details.

Of all the dies in my collection, I’ve used the Lawn Fawn Build-a-House die set and its add-ons more than any other. It’s perfect for crafting scenes that suit a variety of seasons and occasions, from Halloween haunts to cozy Christmas cottages.

Mushroom houses bring a touch of whimsy to handmade cards. Here are two cards that showcase these charming homes: one with a stamped and watercolored design and another with a die-cut mushroom house. Both cards include playful gnomes adding to the magical and storybook-like feel of these creations.

The cards below feature beach huts (day-use structures perfect for seaside relaxation). These designs are perfect for sending warm and sunny wishes, no matter the season.

Smaller customizable house die sets offer possibilities for creating charming scenes. The card below shows two homes crafted from the same set, complete with trees and a picket fence for a picture-perfect neighborhood feel.

While I do have cards featuring birdhouses, lighthouses, dog houses, garden sheds, and garages, this roundup focuses on traditional and whimsical homes leaving the others for another time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this roundup of house-themed cards! Revisiting these designs has inspired me to pull out my house-themed products and start creating more scenes! Do you use the house motif in your own cardmaking? What stamps and/or dies do you own that feature houses? Do you have any on your wishlist?

Art Impressions Whimsical Friendship Card

Hello! Today I am stepping into a world where imagination takes flight with a friendship card showcasing the Art Impressions Mushroom Cubbies stamp and die set. It has been awhile since I had the time to watercolor stamped images, and I found myself immediately absorbed in the activity! I have written about my journey with watercolor stamped images HERE.

- Create the background with the Lawn Fawn Stitched Cloud Backdrop from Sea Glass cardstock. Add to an A2-size card base.
- Heat-emboss the Mushroom Cubbies “Lots of Bugs and Kisses” sentiment on Noble Fir cardstock. Cut with the grass die included in the Sunny Studio Stamps Picket Fence Border die set. Add to card base.
- Stamp the images in the Mushroom Cubbies set with Versafine on Arches Cold Press watercolor paper and heat set. Color the images with watercoloring mediums of choice (I used Tombow + Zig markers). Correct any mistakes with Copic Opaque White, which I used on the mushroom cap white spaces. Tombow Markers: Poppy Red (856), Dark Jade (177), Light Green (195), Saddle Brown (977), Redwood (899), Process Blue (452), Navy Blue (528), N95 (Cool Gray 1), N65 (Cool Gray 5), Light Apricot (850), Tan (942), Sand (992), N15 (Lamp Black), N25 (Black); Zig Markers: Yellow (50), Bright Yellow (52).
- Once dry, cut the images with the dies included in the set. The die for the mushroom house cuts the windows and door. I backed those with yellow cardstock. Add images to card front with dot and foam adhesive.