Easy cards with DSP are a great place to start when you want to make beautiful handmade cards without needing lots of supplies or complicated techniques. Sometimes the Designer Series Paper [DSP] already has so much colour and detail that it really can do most of the work for you.
In my Facebook and YouTube Live on 6th August, I went back to the basics and shared three simple ways to use Designer Series Paper as the main feature of your card. These ideas are particularly helpful if you are new to card making, but they are also perfect for experienced card makers when you need a few quick cards.
I used three very different paper collections — Moonlit Flora, Violet Dreams and Valley in Bloom — to show how the same basic card ideas can work with different colours and styles.
Easy Cards with DSP – Start with the Basics
For the first card in each set, I kept things very simple.
The Designer Series Paper covers most of the card front, with just a stamped sentiment added. There are no dies, punches, ribbon or embellishments needed.
If you are starting out with card making, you really don’t need a huge collection of supplies. For cards like these, the basics include:
- cardstock for your card base
- Designer Series Paper
- a paper trimmer
- adhesive
- a sentiment stamp
- an ink pad
A black ink pad is a particularly useful option when you are getting started because it will work with so many different colours and papers.
And even though these cards are simple, the beautiful patterned paper gives you plenty of colour and detail.
Step Up Your Simple DSP Cards
For the second card, I added just a few extra details.
Instead of stamping the sentiment onto a simple strip of cardstock, I punched it out with a circle punch. I also added either linen thread or ribbon and a few rhinestones.
These little additions make quite a difference without making the card difficult to create.
Linen thread is one of those useful supplies that works with lots of different papers and colour combinations. Rhinestones are another good basic embellishment because you can use them on so many styles of cards.
In the Live, we also talked about colouring rhinestones with Stampin’ Blends if you would like them to coordinate with your project.
Add a Layer for More Easy Cards with DSP
The third version was my favourite and is probably more like the style of card I naturally tend to make.
The Designer Series Paper is still very much the focus, but this time I added a coordinating cardstock layer behind it. I then added the punched sentiment, ribbon or linen thread and some embellishments.
That extra cardstock layer is such a simple change, but it gives the card a little more definition and brings another coordinating colour into the design.
You can see this progression in all three sets of cards I created with Moonlit Flora, Violet Dreams and Valley in Bloom.
The first card is very simple, the second adds a few extra details, and the third adds another layer. You can choose whichever version suits your supplies, your style and the amount of time you have available.
Three Easy Card Ideas with Different DSP
I created the same three card ideas using Moonlit Flora, Violet Dreams and Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper. Each set starts with a very simple card, then adds a few extra details before finishing with a stepped-up version with an additional cardstock layer.
Would you like to see how these easy cards with DSP came together? Watch the video below as I make the Violet Dreams cards and share tips for keeping your card making simple while still creating something you’ll be proud to give.
Here are the supplies I used:
🌿 Moonlit Flora Designer Series Paper Cards
💜 Violet Dreams Designer Series Paper Cards
🌸 Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper Cards
Let Your Designer Series Paper Do the Work
One of the things I really wanted to show in this Live is that card making doesn’t have to be complicated to create something lovely.
If you have Designer Series Paper sitting in your craft room because it seems too beautiful to cut, this is a great reason to start using it. Choose a design you love, find a coordinating cardstock colour and let the paper provide most of the colour and detail.
You could make several cards quite quickly using the same layout but changing the paper, sentiment or colour combination.
Watch the video below to see the three ideas come together and how I gradually stepped each card up. I also share some tips for choosing supplies when you are starting out and show how the same ideas look with three very different Designer Series Papers.
Ready to Try Some Easy Cards with DSP?
Why not give these ideas a go with some Designer Series Paper you already have in your craft room? Start with the simple version, then add a punch, some ribbon or linen thread, embellishments or an extra cardstock layer if you would like to step it up.
I’d love to see what you create, so please feel free to share a photo with me.
Of the three papers I used — Moonlit Flora, Violet Dreams and Valley in Bloom — which is your favourite? Or is there another Designer Series Paper you are enjoying using at the moment?
I hope these easy cards with DSP have given you some inspiration to cut into that beautiful paper and let it shine.