paper crafts – Try It – Like It

Hello There Tag

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how coordinating colors and gel stick techniques come together to create a beautifully textured, welcoming tag.

This week’s tag features Gel Sticks from KingArt used in two fun and creative ways: blending and stenciling. By first smoothing the gel color into a soft blended base and then layering additional pigment through a stencil, you can build a vibrant, multi-dimensional background with very little effort. These techniques work beautifully together to create a rich, colorful foundation for any tag or mixed-media project.

All of these elements work in harmony to create a warm, inviting tag. The sentiment piece set the tone, and I pulled coordinating colors to build a visually textured background that complements the design.

Video Tutorial:

In the close up image above you can see the depth added with the foam tape as well as a better look at the background colors blending together.

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

American Crafts Shop at: O	Cricut Portable Trimmer Shop at: AZ \| C	Dollar Tree Shop at: O	Foam Tape Shop at: AZ
Glassboard Shop at: AZ \| O	Kingart Gel Sticks Shop at: AZ	Non-Stick Scissors Shop at: AZ

Top 10 Trending Crafts

Check out the top 10 trending crafts of 2025.

Wood Burning (Pyrography)
Personalized wood-burned items like cutting boards and ornaments are gaining popularity for their rustic charm and customization options.
Tutorials & Supplies: Craftsy offers comprehensive classes and materials.
Community & Inspiration: Reddit’s r/woodburning is a great place to connect with fellow enthusiasts.
Embroidery & Visible Mending
Traditional embroidery techniques, including visible mending, are making a comeback as sustainable fashion choices and creative expressions.
Patterns & Guides: DMC provides free patterns and stitching guides.
Sustainable Fashion: Visible Mending focuses on eco-friendly repair techniques.
Air-Dry Clay Projects
Crafting with air-dry clay is trending, especially for creating home décor items like vases and candle holders, offering a hands-on artistic outlet.
Project Ideas: Pinterest has a plethora of air-dry clay project inspirations.
Supplies: Michaels stocks various air-dry clay brands and tools.
Candle Making
DIY candle kits are popular, allowing crafters to create customized scents and designs for personal use or gifting.
Starter Kits: CandleScience offers beginner-friendly kits and tutorials.
Advanced Techniques: The Flaming Candle provides resources for more intricate designs.
Crochet & Knitting
Yarn crafts, particularly crochet and knitting, are seeing a resurgence, with projects ranging from clothing to home accessories.
Patterns & Community: Ravelry is a hub for patterns and connecting with other crafters.
Tutorials: YouTube channels like Bella Coco offer step-by-step guides.
Block Printing
Handmade block printing is trending for its unique aesthetic, used in creating custom textiles and stationery.
Techniques & Supplies: Speedball provides tools and tutorials for beginners.
Workshops: Skillshare hosts classes on block printing techniques.
Resin Art
Resin crafting is popular for making jewelry, coasters, and decorative items, appreciated for its glossy finish and versatility.
Safety & Techniques: ArtResin offers safety guidelines and project ideas.
Community Projects: Instagram hashtags like #resinart showcase diverse creations.
Paper Crafts & Card Making
Paper crafting, including card making and scrapbooking, remains a favorite for its accessibility and creative potential.
Templates & Ideas: Craftsy provides downloadable templates and tutorials.
Supplies: Scrapbook.com offers a wide range of paper crafting materials.
Macramé
Macramé projects like wall hangings and plant holders are in demand, offering a boho-chic touch to home décor.
Patterns & Tutorials: Macramé for Beginners offers free patterns and guides.
Community Inspiration: Etsy features various macramé artists and their work.
Knot Resource: YouTube
Jewelry Making
DIY jewelry, especially using beads and wire, continues to be a sought-after craft for personalized accessories.
Beading & Design: Fire Mountain Gems provides tutorials and supplies.
Wire Wrapping Techniques: Wire Jewelry offers instructional videos and materials.

Alcohol Ink Card Printable

Alcohol Ink Cards will add vibrant color to all your paper crafting.

freebie Friday

These alcohol ink cards are bursting with color and will bring vibrant energy to all your paper crafting projects. Download the free PDF file and let the creativity begin!

The PDF file is available here: [Alcohol Ink Cards PDF]

My go-to printer brand for years has been HP. I also use their ink supply service where I pay a monthly fee and they send me ink cartridges as needed. It comes out to be a lot less money this way. The HP Envy Inspire is a great-priced machine that will produce beautiful prints.

If you are looking for a great crafting-weight paper for printables, I have been using HP Project Paper. It is heavier than copier paper but not quite as heavy as cardstock. It is a great medium weight for layering, folding, and more!

Spring Flower Cut Apart

Celebrate spring with this free printable of cut apart flowers.

No matter what the weather is like, you can welcome spring with this free printable of cut-apart flowers! Perfect for all kinds of paper crafting, you can download and print as many copies as you’d like.

The PDF file is available here: [Flowers PDF]

Making Words with Washi

Use your washi tape to create colorful sentiments. #sentiment #words #washitape

As a crafty person, you probably already have a collection of colorful washi tapes in your stash. But have you ever thought of using them to create custom die-cuts? With just a few easy steps, you can create an image or pattern using washi tape and then use a die-cutting machine to cut it into a word or phrase of your choice. This DIY project is a fun and colorful way to add personalized touches to your paper crafts, such as cards, scrapbook pages, or even home decor.

Materials:

die-cutting machine
dies
washi tape
cardstock
Xyron machine (optional)

Video Tutorial:

Make a Wreath Card

Make a wreath card in a variety of different ways with this one free SVG file.

with CutCardStock

Cutcardstock’s featured theme this month is white and ivory. This month I created an SVG file that is more of a kit than one item. The file has a variety of different flora pieces that can be put together in a variety of different ways. You can use the card without any of the additional elements added. I chose to color the flower and leaves for the card I made.

The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links.
They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

The soft white color, matte vellum finish, and medium weight of this Basic White card stock cuts really well in electronic cutting machines.

I used a Cricut Maker with a 100lb card stock setting and a pressure setting of more. I wanted to make sure the small detailed pieces were cut thoroughly.

There are multiple pieces in the file. The card has a cut-away circle with a woven center. The flora pieces can be added in a variety of different arrangements, or not at all, making this file very flexible for crafting.

Here are the pieces I chose to work with from the file. Using Distress Oxide ink, I blended the ink onto the cut pieces with a brush.

This close-up shows the detail and the dimension of the card.
You also get a nice look at the yellow gem in the flower’s center.

Video Tutorial:

I really like how the light is showing through the woven circle. It would also look nice with a colored inset inside.

Please visit the store for the free SVG file: [Wreath Card]

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, C – Cricut, O – Other

Cricut Maker® Machine Shop at: AZ \| O \| C	Cricut Standard Grip Mat Shop at: AZ \| C	Cut Cardstock Shop at: O	Distress Ink Bundle Shop at: AZ	Glue Bottles Shop at: AZ
Reptile Glue Shop at: AZ	rhinestones Shop at: AZ	Craft Brushes Shop at: AZ

Floral 3D Decor

Make a 3D floral decor with this free SVG file and CutCardStock.

with CutCardStock

This month Pop-Tone is the featured cardstock at CutCardStock. I’ve created a decorative piece that is 3-dimensional but the layers can also be used individually. This would make a beautiful alternative to a bow on a gift. I have a cord attached to mine to hang in a doorway. I like it as is but a tassel might be a nice addition.

The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links.
They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

I used three colors from the Pop-Tone sample pack, Gumdrop Green, Blue Raspberry, and Grape Jelly. These are 100# card stock, a nice thickness for 3D creations. Each Pop-Tone sample pack comes with one sheet of all the colors in the 65 lb cover weight and has one sheet of each of the Pop-Tone 100 lb cover weight. This is a nice way to sample all the colors. Of course, you can purchase the colors separately.

Cutting the file on a Cricut Maker, I set it to 100# cardstock with a pressure setting of more.

I set my file to cut 1 of the centerpieces and then 2 of the other pieces so that the piece would be dimensional.

I added these glittered gems to the center on each side and it really finished off the piece. It is amazing how such a small thing can add so much to a design.

Video Tutorial:

Please visit the store to download the free SVG file [Floral Decor]

Making a Window Card

Make a window card with this free SVG file. It’s versatile for many card giving opportunities.

with CutCardStock

I have another pretty card that could be used for a wedding, an anniversary, or just a special greeting. You can add your own sentiment or leave it as is. There are options for adding 3 dimensions to this card by lifting up some of the cutting. I have also added gems to finish the card off.

The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links.
They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

The paper I used was Basis White Card Stock for the card. Basis White is so versatile. I love it for the foundation of most of my card making. It cuts and scores beautifully.

At 80#, I choose to set my Cricut Maker at a card stock setting of 100# which works well even for small detailed cuts. Don’t forget to set the red line to score before sending the file to cut.

The addition of the gems to the centers isn’t necessary but a nice option. If you don’t want to use your personal cutter for the smaller square piece, I cut mine on a paper trimmer to 3″ x 3″. The finished card is 4″ x 6″.

Please visit the store to download the free SVG file for the card. Window Card SVG

This view shows the detail of the 3-D effect of the lifting on the front of the card. I like the dimension gained as well as the see-through element of the cut-away pieces.

Video Tutorial:

And here is a close-up view of the finished card with the lifting finished and the gems in place. I am wondering what coloring option and details you will use, please comment below.

DIY Your Own Cricut Cutaway Card

Learn how to make a DIY version of Cricut’s Cutaway Cards.

I was excited to see the Cutaway Card materials from Cricut. But, I have a few packs of insert cards. So I decided to do a DIY version of the cutaway card using the materials I had on hand. I actually used materials from two different card packs.

This is the insert card pack I started with and used a pink insert from a different pack. Recently I found the insert card pack at Hobby Lobby on clearance but you could use any cardstock materials.

I’ve missed using my Cricut Joy. It’s been a while. I used the Cricut Joy and its card mat to cut out the design. Using one of the new phrase designs from Cricut Design Space, I edited the image to change the words. See the video below to see how I edited the free file.

Edit Phrase Video:

To make this work, I used transfer tape to hold the pieces in place. Originally I tried to transfer everything directly from the mat but that didn’t work. So, I removed the card with the transfer tape in place and then moved the pieces I wanted to keep with the card over. You can see the entire process in the video below.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, C – Cricut, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, O – Other

Cricut Card Mat
Shop at:
AZ | C

Cricut Insert Cards
Shop at:
AZ | C

Cricut Joy
Shop at:
AZ | O | C

Scraperfect 32 Clog Writing Cap, Medium
Shop at:
AZ | SSS | O

Scraperfect Best Glue Ever
Shop at:
AZ | SSS | O

Making a Magical Greeting Card

Making a magical greeting card that sparkles and shines.

What a fun greeting card to make. It glitters and sparkles. The stencil-designed paper was the inspiration for making this card, along with the card base that has a metallic glitter to it. Adding different elements of glitter and sparkle helped to unify the pieces.

You can learn how to make the reversed stencil design at the following post: [reverse stencil]

Materials:

CutCardStock Crystal Stardream
CutCardStock Vellum
Zing silver embossing powder
heat gun
the Works Board
magical stamp
Versamark stamp pad
iZink dye spray
Best Glue Ever

The above image shows how the cardstock and the stenciled image both have similar glitz to them. The stenciled image was sprayed with iZink dye in silver to add sparkle.

Video Tutorial:

I like to add a hint of the outside to the inside of cards. For this one, I added a strip of the stenciled paper along the edge.

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

Cut Cardstock Shop at: O	Izink Dye Spray Shop at: AZ	Scraperfect 32 Clog Writing Cap, Medium Shop at: AZ \| SSS \| O	Scraperfect Best Glue Ever Shop at: AZ \| SSS \| O
Versamark Shop at: AZ \| SSS \| SB	We R Memory Keepers – All-In-One Tool – The Works Shop at: AZ \| SSS \| SB	Zing! Embossing Powder Shop at: AZ