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Casing a Watercolor Birthday Card (and Making It Your Own)

Sometimes inspiration arrives in the mail.

I received a birthday card from my aunt this year that immediately caught my eye. It featured a joyful watercolor background filled with playful brushstrokes in mustard, teal, navy, and red. The color story felt energetic but cohesive, and I knew I wanted to explore that palette in my own way.

Rather than copying the card directly, I treated it as a starting point and asked: What do I love most about this? The answer was clear — the bold, painterly shapes and the modern color combination.

Building the Background

To recreate that abstract watercolor feel, I pulled out:

  • Papertrey Ink – Watercolor Wonder
  • Concord & 9th – Playful Patterns

I combined larger brushstroke images with smaller dots and organic shapes, working in layers. The key was keeping the color palette tight: mustard yellow, deep teal, navy, and a warm red/coral.

Instead of trying to “balance” every mark, I let the shapes overlap naturally. The background is busy, but the white space allows it to breathe.

Choosing the Sentiment

With a bold background, the sentiment needed to be strong enough to stand up to it.

I used the Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits Bold Text (665847) die set and cut “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU” directly from the finished panel. Rather than layering a sentiment on top, I wanted the words to become part of the design.

Behind the cut panel, I added a layer of matte gold cardstock to carry the cold foil from the original card. Originally, I tested mirror gold. It was fun and flashy, but it overpowered the painterly background. The matte gold, however, softened the look and felt more integrated. It added richness without competing with the watercolor texture.

Inlaying the small inner letter pieces kept the design sleek and flush, which helps maintain a clean, modern feel.

Casing a card doesn’t mean recreating it exactly. It means identifying what speaks to you and translating that element through your own supplies and style.

This project reminded me how powerful a strong color palette can be — and how a small material choice, like switching from mirror to matte gold, can completely change the final look.

I had so much fun, I kept going!

Being Inspired!

I sat down at my craft desk this Saturday morning feeling a little… untethered. You know that feeling — you want to make something, but nothing in particular is calling your name. The desk is cluttered, and every option feels both possible and overwhelming.

So I opened Stash Summit and watched Terese Calvin’s session.

Almost immediately, I felt that familiar spark of inspiration. Watching her work through a simple stenciling technique was exactly what I needed. It gave me a starting point instead of a blank slate.

I pulled out my previously unused Pinkfresh Studio Dainty Plaid stencils and decided to follow her general approach — soft layers, a light hand, and letting the background do the work. From there, I reached for a small set of oldies-but-goodies Memory Box floral dies I had just picked up on sale — one of those little happy purchases waiting for the right moment.

This process genuinely brightened my day. Huge thanks to the Stash Summit team, and to Terese in particular, for the inspiration and the gentle reminder that sometimes all it takes is a place to begin.

Supplies Used
Pinkfresh Studio – Dainty Plaid Stencils
Distress Oxide Inks (soft spring tones)
Memory Box Floral Dies
Concord & 9th Enamel Dots
Simon Says Stamp – Tiny Words Birthday (sentiments)

Nine Daisies

We all have design ideas we return to again and again. For me, the grid is one of them.

I love how a grid works on a card. It’s orderly without being rigid, calm without being boring, and it gives every element a moment to shine. When I’m unsure where to start, a grid almost always gets me there.

This card was inspired by a The Stamp Market floral grid I saw on Instagram. I loved the simplicity of the repeated flowers and the way the design felt both sweet and modern. Using that as a jumping-off point, I put my own spin on it with products I already had in my stash from The Stamp Market.

One of the things I’m trying to be more mindful of is using what I already own. The flowers on this card come from The Stamp Market Easter Egg Shaker Die, which I originally bought specifically for this daisy. It wasn’t sitting out on my desk, but it was there waiting in my stash, and this felt like the perfect moment to bring it back out.

Rather than filling the panel completely, I chose nine daisies arranged in a 3×3 grid. That small decision made the card feel more intentional and a little more grown-up, which felt right for the scale of the flowers. I did cut a quarter inch off the bottom of the card to keep the spacing. I also added just a few leaves to gently break the repetition. I was briefly stuck on the top row until I shared a photo to Chat GPT and got the suggestion to use only one leaf there. Sometimes the smallest change makes all the difference.

The flowers are popped up slightly for dimension, but that’s where I stopped. No bling. No front sentiment. I wanted the flowers to do all the talking. This is one of those cards that came together quietly and confidently, and it’s honestly one of the sweetest cards I’ve ever made.

Thanks to the original Instagram post for the inspiration. I love how seeing someone else’s work can spark something new, especially when it encourages me to look back through my own supplies and see them with fresh eyes.

Supplies Used

  • Cardstock: Neenah Solar White 110 lb
  • Ink:
    • Papertrey Ink Fresh Peony
    • The Stamp Market Golden (flower centers)
    • The Stamp Market green paper (I believe it’s Cactus)
  • Dies:
    • The Stamp Market Easter Egg Shaker Die (flower and leaf pieces)

Some supplies were pulled from my stash. Exact ink and paper shades may vary.

Closet Surgery (Minor but Satisfying)

Another quiet win for the rotary cutter.

Lately I’ve been on an alteration kick. The kind where you start looking at every piece of clothing and think, How can I make this better for me? This black FLAX tee had been hanging in my closet for two years, never worn. Too long, sleeves too awkward. Every time I tried it on, I’d sigh and hang it back up.

But this week, armed with my rotary cutter and a bit of growing confidence, I hemmed it and shortened the sleeves. Five shirts in, I think it’s safe to say I’m obsessed. Each one feels like a small victory. I already buy my clothes secondhand (mostly), and I just didn’t know I could then make them mine.

Now the tee feels simple and wearable. Not a new piece, clearly, but a reclaimed one. Proof that a little fine-tuning (and a lot of enthusiasm) goes a long way.

Look out, closet — here I come.

(before and after photos here)

Before
After

A Shirt Reimagined

Last weekend, I put on my big girl pants and faced down my sewing machine. I’d had this FLAX shirt for two years that I had bought from Ebay — soft, natural linen that I adored — but it was just too much shirt. Too long, too loose, sleeves halfway to my fingertips. One might even say I got a little obsessed with the idea of making it mine.

But something in me has shifted this year. I’m dressing for myself now — not for what’s expected, not for what feels “right” on paper, but for how I actually move through my day. And I want the clothes that I’ve chosen, especially those made with care and ethics like FLAX, to work with my body, not against it (a brand in upstate NY I love for its simple shapes and long life—more on that another time).

The Alteration

So, I decided to be brave and alter it.
With a little help from my creative muse — May Calico (that’s what I call ChatGPT when we’re in the sewing room together) — I learned how to shorten the hem and sleeves. One of May’s best tips was to use tissue paper under the linen, between the fabric and the feed dogs of the sewing machine. It made all the difference: the fabric glided smoothly, no puckering, no stretching.

Now it’s my shirt.
Same linen, same soul — but shaped for me.

This small act — taking scissors and thread to something I’d been afraid to “mess up” — reminded me that making things isn’t just about creativity or sustainability. It’s about courage. About honoring my body for what it is today and reshaping what doesn’t serve me — in linen, and in life. I don’t need to fit the clothes. The clothes can fit me.

Before

After

A Record of Making

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to see that what feeds me most is creativity. Making things — with paper, cloth, or food — brings me joy and I love to share what I make.

I’ve also learned that using what I already have — and making do — often sparks more creativity than buying something new ever could.

Working within limits asks for imagination, patience, and resourcefulness. It slows me down just enough to see what’s possible.

There’s kindness in something handmade — a card, a meal, a mended seam. These small gestures remind me that making is not only about the object; it’s about attention, care, and connection.

This blog is where I’ll gather those moments — the everyday creativity that keeps me steady and curious. It’s less about perfection and more about practice.