Framed Florals & Gentle Words

 

There is something so satisfying about finally gluing all the little elements down after a creative session like this. The desk looks like a paper tornado swept through it, tiny flowers are stuck to your sleeves, and somewhere under a pile of scraps is the glue lid you just had a second ago. Crafting chaos at its finest.

For this ATC set I combined elements from Die Cutting Essentials Issue 79 and Simply Cards & Papercraft Issue 219, mixing soft layered backgrounds with bold black geometric frames for contrast. I really enjoyed the balance between the delicate florals and the sharper modern frame shapes. It gives the cards a slightly contemporary feel while still keeping that warm mixed media softness I love.

The backgrounds were created using Distress Inks blended onto smooth cardstock before adding texture with a black script stamp. I kept the stamping fairly loose and imperfect because I wanted the backgrounds to feel aged and artistic rather than overly polished. The soft peachy tones mixed with the darker script create that lovely worn-paper look that almost reminds me of old journal pages found in an attic somewhere beneath a pile of forgotten letters and dried flowers.

The black frames were die cut from plain black cardstock and layered over white decorative die cut pieces to help everything stand out more clearly. I love how the black frames anchor the design and stop the softer colours from floating away visually. They almost work like little windows into each tiny floral scene.

The flowers and leaves were stamped from the included free stamp sets and coloured before being carefully fussy cut by hand. The bright oranges and pinks against the muted background make the florals feel alive and cheerful without becoming overpowering. Tiny pops of green foliage help pull everything together and add movement across the cards.

For the sentiments, I used a sentiment strip pack from AliExpress. I will add the link below for anyone interested because these little phrase strips are incredibly useful for ATCs, journaling, tags, and collage projects. I especially liked the gentle uplifting feel of the sentiments in this set:

• collect beautiful moments
• choose to see the good
• remember to play

Small reminders tucked into tiny artworks. Like paper fortune cookies for the soul.

 Supplies Used

• Die Cutting Essentials #79
• Simply Cards & Papercraft #219
• Distress Inks
• Black script stamp
• Black cardstock for frames
• White decorative die cuts
• Free floral stamp sets
• Alcohol markers for colouring (Spectrum Noir)
• Sentiment strips from AliExpress (406pcs Phrase Word Stickers from Aliexpress)
• Detail scissors for fussy cutting
• Glue adhesive of choice (B6000 Super Glue from AliExpress)

This set felt very relaxed and therapeutic to make. No pressure for perfection, just layering pieces until the composition felt balanced and pleasing to the eye. Sometimes those are the most enjoyable projects of all. Tiny pockets of creativity stitched together with ink, glue, and a little patience. ✂️🖤

Disclaimer:
All products featured on this blog are purchased by me unless otherwise stated. I am not sponsored by any company, brand, or seller mentioned in my posts, and I do not receive commission, rewards, or any financial benefit if you choose to purchase through the links I share.

I simply enjoy sharing the products, tools, and crafty finds that I personally use and love in my own projects.

Playtime ATCs

Tiny Adventures in Mixed Media 

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about this little set.
The kind of nostalgia that smells faintly of grass stains, scraped knees, warm afternoons, and “home before the streetlights come on.”

For these ATCs I pulled out the very last of my retired Woodware stamp sets designed by the incredibly whimsical Francoise Read called Playtime. I had almost forgotten I still owned it until my recent shed clear-out, and finding it again felt a bit like opening an old toybox from another version of myself.

This set became a celebration of playful chaos, layered texture, and childhood freedom.

 

The Backgrounds

The backgrounds were created using my usual mixed media stash and layering process, building colour slowly until the cards felt textured and lived-in rather than overly polished.

I worked mainly with:

• mustard yellows
• teal greens
• touches of turquoise
• distressed earthy browns

The combination gives the cards a slightly grungy playground feel while still keeping them bright and cheerful.

For texture I used:

• gold embossing powder
• black texture stamping
• layered paint and ink splatters

The gold embossing catches the light beautifully in real life and adds that slightly messy, magical sparkle I always seem to gravitate towards lately.

The Images

The little characters were coloured using my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers again. I kept the colouring intentionally simple and graphic because the backgrounds already contain a lot of movement and texture.

Sometimes detailed colouring competes with busy mixed media backgrounds.
This time I wanted the images to stay bold, clean, and playful.

The black outlines help anchor everything against the layered backgrounds, while the pops of orange and blue keep the eye moving across the set.

I also added:

• minimal white splatter
• tiny shadowing around some elements
• soft dimensional layering

Just enough to create interest without overwhelming the cards.

My Favourite Details

A few things I especially love in this set:

✨ The tiny scooter and backpack
✨ The oversized bicycle wheels
✨ The little dog chasing the football
✨ The gold texture peeking through the layers
✨ The feeling that each ATC captures a tiny frozen moment

Together they feel like pages from a child’s summer diary.

Creative Reflections

Looking back at older work while starting to create again has been emotional in ways I did not expect.

I stopped crafting for quite a while because my mental health simply was not in a good place. Creativity becomes very difficult when your mind feels heavy all the time. But lately, sitting quietly with ink, stamps, texture paste, and messy backgrounds has started to feel calming again instead of exhausting.

Not perfect.
Not pressured.
Just… enjoyable.

And honestly? That matters more to me right now than making “perfect” art.

This little set feels like a reminder that creativity does not always need to be deep or dramatic. Sometimes it can simply be playful.

Supplies Used

Stamp Set:
Woodware “Playtime” by Francoise Read (retired)

Colouring Medium:
Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers

Texture & Background Elements:

• Gold embossing powder
• Tiny texture stamps
• White splatter
• Mixed media layered backgrounds

Three tiny cards.

One playful little story.

And perhaps a small step back toward myself again. 🎨✨

Garden Babies ATCs

Mixed Media Artist Trading Cards using retired Woodware stamps by Jaqueline Ross

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about revisiting retired stamp sets. They carry a certain kind of magic, like favourite books with softened corners or a song you forgot you loved until the first note starts playing again.

For this set, I pulled out the adorable Garden Babies stamps by Jacqueline Ross for Woodware and built a dreamy mixed media background around them using gel printing, acrylic paint, embossing paste, and layered stamping.

The finished cards feel soft and whimsical, almost like tiny snapshots from a hidden fairy garden.

 

Creating the Backgrounds

The backgrounds started with gel printing and acrylic paints, layered in soft pastel shades of aqua, lavender, blush pink, and hints of white. I wanted the colours to feel airy and playful while still having enough contrast for the focal images to stand out.

Once the paint layers were dry, I added extra texture using:

• Embossing paste
• A stencil for raised dimensional detail
• Script stamping for added definition and movement

For the script detail, I used Versafine Clair Onyx Black, stamping lightly in random areas to create visual texture without overwhelming the softer colour palette.

The combination of printed layers, embossed circles, script fragments, and splattered detail created that perfectly imperfect mixed media look that I love so much.

 

Embossed Circle Details

The textured circles behind the focal images were created separately to help frame the little Garden Babies and add extra dimension.

I stamped the circles using:

• Versafine embossing ink
• WOW Detailed White Embossing Powder

After heat embossing, each circle was carefully cut out by hand using 7.6mm detail scissors from Amazon. 

The crisp white embossing against the soft backgrounds adds a beautiful contrast and almost gives the impression of bubbles, moonlight, or floating garden spores drifting through the scene.

Colouring the Images

The Garden Babies images were stamped using:

• Memento Dye Ink – Tuxedo Black

I specifically chose Memento because it works beautifully with alcohol markers and does not smudge during colouring.

The images were coloured using:

• Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers

I kept the colouring bright and cheerful with fresh greens, buttery yellows, and soft skin tones to preserve the playful personality of the stamps.

The black outlines from the Memento ink stay wonderfully crisp, even with layered blending.

Assembly & Adhesive

For assembly, I used:

• B6000 Super Glue from AliExpress

This glue has honestly become one of my favourite crafting discoveries.

It has:

• A fine precision tip
• Strong holding power
• Minimal visibility behind vellum
• Excellent versatility for mixed media projects

I especially love it for adhering:

• Vellum
• Gems
• Paper embellishments
• Glass
• Wood
• Plastic elements

And because a little goes a long way, it’s also incredibly budget friendly and come in various sizes.  

Buy the 15ml for just £1.48 and try it for yourself.

Final Thoughts

I think this set perfectly captures why I still adore mixed media ATCs so much.

They are small enough to experiment freely, but detailed enough to tell tiny visual stories.

Each card in this collection feels like a different little garden moment:

• sitting quietly in a flower,
• peeking through leaves,
• or drifting peacefully on the breeze.

Soft layers, raised textures, embossed details, and cheerful little characters all working together to create something playful and comforting.

Exactly the kind of crafting that makes me forget the world for a while. 🌸🫧

 

Sunflower Series – Holding on to Light 🌻

 

Some days call for drama and depth…
and some days quietly ask for warmth, softness, and a little hope.

Today was the latter.

After the intensity of my recent dark romance pieces, I felt drawn to something lighter—something that still tells a story, but with sunlight instead of shadow. And so this little sunflower trio was born.

🌿 The Process

As always, I started with 300gsm white cardstock, cut down to ATC size—my favourite little canvas.

The images were stamped onto white card using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, giving me those crisp, rich outlines I love working with using using stamps from the Papercraft Society Box 22 by Ruth Mackie-McCartan.  From there, I coloured everything using my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers:

• BG2 & BG7
• AG4 & LG4
• CT2 & CT4
• IB1

I kept the colouring fairly natural and soft, letting the yellows stay bright but not overpowering, and adding gentle depth into the greens so the leaves didn’t get lost.

🌾 Backgrounds

For the backgrounds, I stayed deliberately muted and warm:

• Antique Linen
• Tea Dye
• Old Paper

Blended softly to create that slightly vintage, sun-washed feel.

I wanted the backgrounds to feel like late afternoon light—textured, warm, but never competing with the focal images. A few stamped details were added to give interest, but always with a light hand so the sunflowers could remain the stars.

🐝 The Story in Three Cards

Each ATC carries its own little message:

• “Keep a little sunshine”
  A soft, almost nostalgic piece with bees captured inside a jar—like holding onto small moments of light.
• “In a world of roses, be a sunflower”
  The bold centrepiece. A reminder to stand out, turn towards the light, and be unapologetically yourself.
• “Still reaching for the sun”
  A quieter ending. Gentle strength. Growth, even when it’s not loud or perfect.

Together, they form a simple story:

hold onto the light, choose your own path, and keep growing.

🌻 Final Thoughts

What I loved most about this set was the balance.

Not too busy.
Not too bold.
Just enough detail to support the feeling without overwhelming it.

After working with darker tones and heavier emotion, this felt like a breath of fresh air—proof that crafting doesn’t always have to shout to be meaningful.

Sometimes… it just needs to glow quietly.

More to come soon…
Bon 🖤