Looking for fresh ways to add texture, colour, and dimension to your handmade cards? In my Facebook and YouTube Live on 10th July, I shared how to create beautiful thank you cards using Two-Tone Cardstock. This cardstock has a dark shade on one side, and a lighter shade of the same colour on the other.
What Is Two-Tone Cardstock?
Two-Tone Cardstock is a white-core paper printed with two tones of the same colour—one side is a darker shade, and the other a lighter version. While two-tone paper isn’t a new idea in general, it’s a fresh addition to the Stampin’ Up! range. I think you’ll really enjoy how many colours are available, how nicely it cuts (especially with dies or e-cutters), and how many different looks you can achieve with it.
Why Use Two-Tone Cardstock?
One of the things I love about Two-Tone Cardstock is its versatility. With two different shades of colour on one sheet, you can mix and match sides for a layered effect, or use the contrast to highlight torn edges, stamping, sanding, or embossing.
Here are a few easy techniques you can try with Two-Tone Cardstock:
- Tearing the cardstock to reveal the lighter side beneath
- Dry embossing, then lightly sanding to enhance texture
- Layering die cuts using both sides of the cardstock for subtle contrast
Card Designs from the Live
Here are a few card ideas I shared during the live session:
Embossed & Elegant:
This Darling Duckling card combines embossed florals with a coordinating Designer Series Paper strip, finished off with a simple “thanks” sentiment and ribbon detail. The light side of the Two-Tone Cardstock adds depth with its slight colour contrast to the Darling Duckling Designer Series Paper.
Die-Cut Flowers with Pretty Florals:
For these cards, I used the Pretty Florals bundle with either Strawberry Slush and Timid Tiger Two-Tone Cardstock. The flowers are die cut using both sides of the Two-Tone Cardstock to show off contrast and dimension. Each is layered onto a rectangle cut from the Textured Notes Dies, which is then adhered to a dry embossed background using the Mini Corrugated Embossing Folder.
Here is the card with the Strawberry Slush flowers on a Cloud Cover background and then on a Basic White cardstock base:
Here is the card with the Timid Tiger flowers on a Cloud Cover background then on a Secret Sea cardstock base:
Scrunched & Sanded Background:
This Strawberry Slush card brings in lots of texture. I scrunched the Two Tone Cardstock, then lightly sanded the surface to bring out some of the white core. After stamping the floral image, the ink naturally picked up the creases, adding even more depth. You could also stamp first and then scrunch it up after.
I know screwing or scrunching up paper is not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are happy to, why not give it a go!
Ripped Layers in Strawberry Slush:
The card below was created after the Live. You can see how it was made here in this reel. This background was created by tearing both the darker and lighter sides of Strawberry Slush cardstock. I stamped the largest flower from the Impressions Abloom stamp set and then layered the two Strawberry Slush tones over a piece of Cloud Cover. The torn edges show the white inner colour of the cardstock, creating some contrast and interest in the card.
Try a Variety Pack!
If you’re new to Two-Tone Cardstock or want to experiment with colour combinations, I highly recommend purchasing up a variety pack. You can see some of the ones that are current at the time of writing this blog post here. These usually include 4–6 different colours, making it easy to try out new ideas without needing to purchase full packs of each.
Here are two of the packs currently available – Celebrate Together on the left and Turtle-y Sweet Two-Tone Cardstock on the right.
You can explore the available colours in my online store, or contact me directly if you’d like help selecting a pack.
And if you missed the live, check out the video below for tips, techniques, and full card samples.
I hope today’s projects have inspired you to give Two-Tone Cardstock a try—especially those variety packs with multiple colours!