Some colour palettes don’t ask politely.
They pull you in.
After working with softer tones, I found myself drawn back to something deeper… richer… a little more emotional.
This set of ATCs leans into that space.
Not bright reds or obvious romance… but something quieter, more layered. The kind of feeling that sits underneath the surface.
The palette
Everything in this set was created using Distress inks on white 300gsm cardstock.
The colours:
- Tattered Rose
- Tea Dye
- Aged Mahogany
- Victorian Velvet
- Black Soot
Soft warmth first… then depth… and finally that touch of black to pull everything inward.
The backgrounds
I built each background slowly, layering colour and texture until it felt like it had a history of its own.
Subtle stamping using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne added detail without overpowering the surface. The florals, script and marks are not meant to stand alone… but to become part of the paper itself.
Once the layers were in place, I added Black Soot around the edges.
Not to darken everything… but to frame it.
To give the pieces a sense of containment.
The hearts
For the focal elements, I used heart-shaped dies from the Papercraft Society Box 29 by Christina Griffith at Card Making Magic.
Each heart was cut from the same white cardstock and then inked to match the palette, allowing them to sit naturally within the background rather than on top of it.
To lift them slightly, I added a soft shadow using a Spectrum Noir alcohol marker (BG2).
Just enough to give dimension… without breaking the mood.
The result
Each card carries its own feeling:
- One feels guarded… intricate, almost protective
- One feels open… centred and steady
- One feels fragmented… a little more expressive, a little less controlled
Together, they form a set that feels connected, but not identical.
What I’m noticing
I’m starting to trust when to stop.
Not every space needs filling.
Not every layer needs explaining.
Sometimes the most important part of a piece is what’s left unsaid.
This set feels different.
More intentional.
More restrained.
A little darker… but in a way that feels calm rather than heavy.
A reminder to myself:
Not all romance is light.
Some of it lives quietly in shadow. 🖤
