Penny Black - Right as Rain

Playing with Penny Black Products

Hello! Lately, I’ve been easing my way back into the craft room. For the past several years, much of my creative time was shaped by design commitments, and now that those have come to an end, I have the opportunity to slow down and play.

As I’ve been watching Jill Foster’s Penny Black videos, one idea has especially stayed with me: limit your choices so you can enjoy the creative process instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities. That simple shift in mindset has been exactly what I needed. Rather than trying to use every technique or create the “perfect” card, I’m choosing a handful of products and seeing where they lead.

This card combines a Penny Black cling stamp, an embossing folder, stamped images with coordinating dies, and a frame die. The watering can and hydrangea images also gave me another opportunity to practice watercoloring. I wouldn’t say I’ve completely found my creative rhythm again, but I can feel it returning.

- Dry-emboss a tan A2-size card panel with the Penny Black Texture folder. Add to a card base.
- Stamp Hydrangeas image onto watercolor paper and color it with your favorite medium. Stamp the watering can image onto watercolor paper and color it with your favorite medium. Once dry, cut the items with the coordinating dies Hydrangeas cut out and watering can cut out.
- Stamp the Happy Snippets sentiment and cut with a tag die (I used one from My Favorite Things). Add a small jewel/gem to the tag.
- Use the largest Classy Frames die to cut a frame.
- Stamp Script (similar cling stamp) onto purple paper with purple ink for a tone-on-tone background. Trim to fit inside the frame.
- Attach the purple panel to the back of the frame and add the assembly to the card base. Add the watering can and floral to the card with foam adhesive. Add the tag to the can.

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Penny Black | Watercolored Hydrangea

Hello! Today, I’m sharing a handmade card featuring a watercolored hydrangea bloom in a vintage-style watering can—created with stamps from Penny Black. I stamped the sentiment on vellum and cut it with a circle die sot that the words would not get lost over the background. It’s a simple, yet heartfelt, design that feels timeless.

- Cover an A2-size card base with patterned paper.
- Stamp Hydrangeas and Sprinkles images on watercolor paper and color with media of choice. I used Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors. Once dry, cut the watercolored items with the coordinating die sets. I added white enamel accents to the floral centers.
- Stamp the Sprinkles sentiment on vellum and cut with a circle die. Adhere the circle and floral assembly to the prepared card base.

Purr-fect Handmade Cat Cards

Hello! Cats have a timeless charm that makes them the purr-fect subject for handmade cards. Whether playful or cozy, feline friends bring personality and warmth to your designs. These cards make wonderful choices for occasions like birthdays, Halloween, thank-yous, or just-because moments. Join me as I share a roundup of cat-themed creations from my blog archive. Click on the card image to be taken to the original post for additional details.

These two birthday cards feature stamped and watercolored cats, complemented by die-cut elements for a fun and whimsical celebration.

This larger birthday card showcases a die-cut cat wearing sunglasses with a “Happy Birthday” message, making it the perfect statement piece for any cat lover.

This “just because” card features a delightful small watercolored scene of cats, created with the Art Impressions Matchbox series.

These Halloween cards feature cats in their spooky best—one with die-cut elements to create a playful cat and pumpkin scene, and the other showcasing a watercolored cat ready for the season.

These two stamped and watercolored cat cards feature playful scenes, both created using Newton’s Nook stamps, known for their charming cat imagery. One captures a relaxed beach scene, while the other sets the stage in a cozy library.

There’s something irresistibly charming about cats on cards. They bring a playful and timeless appeal to any design! I hope this roundup has inspired you to use cats as a theme in your own creations. While putting this roundup together, I realized that many of my cat cards feature stamped images that I’ve colored. I own several silhouette cat dies and have used them on a number of cards (although none are included in this roundup). While silhouettes create a bold and classic design, most cats aren’t a solid color, so stamping and coloring allow for more variety and detail. Do you have favorite cat stamps or dies? Is there a cat-themed set on your wish list?

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?

Elegant Christmas Card with Bells

Hello! This elegant Christmas card features die-cut bells framed by a label die, creating a festive focal point. Embellished with holly sprigs and tied with a gold ribbon, the card is finished with a timeless seasonal greeting.

- Stamp Snowflake Pattern with Memento Toffee Crunch ink on kraft cardstock for a tone-on-tone effect. Trim to A2-size and add to a card base.
- Heat-emboss the sentiment (SU Tidings & Trimmings) in gold on a red cardstock panel. I have had this stamp set for many years and never used it.
- Cut a frame with the largest die in the Classy Frames set from soft-white cardstock. Trim the sentiment panel to fit within the frame and glue the frame to the sentiment panel. Add assembly to the card front.
- Cut gold cardstock with the Christmassy set to create two bells. Add Potting Soil ink to the bells to create depth. Archival ink is permanent. I tried used Distress Ink (non-permanent) and it did not stay on the gold cardstock.
- Cut greenery with dies in the Christmassy set and assemble.
- I tied the bells together with ribbon (Crinkle Ribbon by Tim Holtz Idea-ology), which I dyed with Tarnished Brass Distress Spray. It appears that this ribbon is no longer made. I have used the ribbon several times in the past.

This card combines both new and older products, showing how timeless designs can work together.