Monday 5 July 2021

Playing with Layers - Simple Cards for Beginner Crafters

 Hi Everyone,


Today I am playing with layers of card stock and designer series papers to show how easy it is to make multiple cards from the same basic design and use up your scraps of designer series papers too.  I've picked out colours in the dsp for the card layers and card bases so the only limit is your imagination. Stampin' Up have over 50 different colours as well as black, white and vanilla and there is lots of designer series papers to choose from. I've used a simple sentiment too, no need for any elaborate stamping as the papers are doing all the work for us. 

I'm not going to give detailed instructions for these cards, just start with a card base - mine are always 5 7/8" x 8 1/4", scored and folded at 4 1/8". Then the layers that I use reduce in size by multiples of 1/8" on each side depending on how big a border I want but remember to take the same amount off both directions if you want the borders to be even. 

Decide which dsp you want to use and start by just laying the patterns on the card base to see which you like the best. 

Does it look ok straight on top of the base (Sweet Symmetry example) or does it need another colour behind it (In the Wild example).


How much of the dsp do you want to see around the second layer, does that need another colour behind it? Do you want a large central image or a smaller one, fixed in the centre or to one side? Play about with the pieces, move them around and then when you are happy, cut them out and add them to the card.


You could add more than one additional dsp layer if you wanted to, it's up to you.

What sentiment do you want? Is it for a birthday? Thank you? Just because? Pick your sentiment and an ink colour - same as the base? Pick a contrast? Black? Embossed?

Where to put the sentiment? In the middle, at the top/bottom/side? You choose which you like the best.

For the inside, I have added a basic white layer (3 7/8" x 5 5/8") and added two 1/4" strips of the dsp just to decorate it a little bit, but you could stamp on the inside if you prefer.



The opportunities are endless, just try laying different colours and dsps on top of each other in different positions.

I have listed below all the products that I have used making these two cards. Give it  a try and see what you come up with.

Happy crafting,


Karen X



Product List

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