Create Stunning One Layer Cards: With Miss Ink Stamps No Bulk, All WOW!| Video Tutorial

If you're anything like me, you probably love a beautifully layered card—but when it comes time to pop it in the mail, that extra bulk can be a bit of a hassle. I can’t count the number of times I’ve added extra postage or tried to gently press a bulky card into an envelope, hoping it would arrive in one piece. That’s exactly what inspired today’s post.

I wanted to challenge myself to create cards that are completely flat but still feel special. These designs feature no foam tape, no die-cut layers, and no embellishments that stick up too far—but they absolutely do not skimp on the wow factor. And the best part? You only need a few supplies to pull it off.

In today’s post (and video), I’m sharing a trio of one layer cards using the Storybook Alice Stamp Set and the Circular Harlequin Stencil—both from Miss Ink Stamps. If you haven’t played with this combo yet, it’s a total dream for creating whimsical focal points with plenty of depth and texture, no layering required.

Create Stunning One Layer Cards:

The Magic of a Single Focal Point

The secret to making one layer cards that don’t look flat lies in how you direct the eye. Each card starts with a focal image stamped right in the center of a top-folding A2 card base. I used Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock, which holds up beautifully to ink blending and marker coloring without warping or bleeding through. (Pro tip: when you know you’ll be coloring directly on your card base, a heavyweight cardstock is non-negotiable.)

For these three designs, I picked one character from the Storybook Alice Stamp Set per card—Alice, the King of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter—and stamped them in Memento Toffee Crunch Ink. It’s a soft ink that works well with alcohol markers, but still light enough to give that dreamy, illustrated storybook look.

Here’s where the color comes in. I wanted to keep things simple and cohesive, so I stuck to one Distress Ink shade per card. I used Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar, and Shabby Shutters, softly blended over each image with a blending brush. Once that layer was down, I grabbed the Circular Harlequin Stencil and gently added the same ink color just around the outer edge of the stencil—keeping the center lighter for a glowing effect.

This trick—blending the stencil only around the outer edge—creates a natural spotlight that draws your eye right to the center. It’s such an easy way to make your card look layered and dimensional, without actually adding any layers at all.

Why Monochromatic Coloring Works So Well Here

After inking, I reached for my OLO Markers and added some simple, monochromatic coloring to each image. Keeping everything in the same tone really ties the design together and keeps the background ink and the stamped image from competing. It also makes the coloring process go faster, which I definitely appreciate when I’m batch-making cards.

I followed that up with a little extra shading using colored pencils to deepen shadows and add definition—especially under the characters to ground them. You’d be surprised how much of a difference a little pencil work makes, especially when your design is limited to one layer. It’s a technique I picked up when I was first learning to color, and it’s still one of my favorite finishing touches.

To bring in a little more dimension and shine, I used a white gel pen to add highlights to the hair, clothing, and accessories. This helps “lift” the image off the page visually, even though everything is perfectly flat.

Keeping the Sentiments Simple and Sharp

Because the rest of the design was soft and dreamy, I wanted the sentiments to pop—so I used Versafine Onyx Black Ink for a clean, crisp impression. This contrast helps anchor the design, especially when working in pastel tones. A few clear drop embellishments added a bit of sparkle around the sentiments, without adding bulk. It’s just enough to catch the light, and they stay flat enough to mail easily.

A Few Things I’ve Learned From Making One Layer Cards

One layer cards can be surprisingly satisfying to create—especially when you're working with stamps and stencils that do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Over time, I’ve picked up a few tips that really make a difference:

• Use heavyweight cardstock. You’ll want something sturdy enough to hold up to ink, blending, and marker coloring all in one layer.

• Choose soft stamping inks. A lighter ink like Toffee Crunch blends into the final design more naturally, especially for no-line or light-line coloring styles.

• Keep your color palette tight. One ink, one color family, one image. This simplifies the design and makes it feel intentional.

• Stencil strategically. Adding ink only around the edge of your stencil creates an effortless vignette effect.

• Add depth with colored pencils and highlights. These small touches make all the difference in helping flat images feel full of dimension.

Wrap Up + Watch the Video

If you’ve been wanting to try one layer cards but weren’t sure how to make them pop, I hope this gives you a fun place to start. These three cards are flat, functional, and full of charm—and you can see the full process in my video tutorial, where I walk you through each step and share some extra behind-the-scenes thoughts.

Create Stunning One Layer Cards Video Tutorial:

If you have problems watching the video here on my blog you can always watch it on my YouTube Channel by Clicking here!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Let me know in the comments which card is your favorite—or if you’ve ever tried the stencil spotlight trick before. I’d love to hear what techniques you use when you want a one layer card that doesn’t fall flat!

(Wondering what I used in this video? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible). As always I appreciate your support of my videos!

Materials Used:

Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.

Happy Stampin'

Rick Adkins

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