Hello, crafty friends! Today, I have a fun and whimsical card featuring the Sparkle Unicorn Stamp Set from C. C. Designs. There’s something about unicorns that always sparks a little creativity, and when you add in a dreamy color palette, a mix of patterned papers, and just the right amount of shimmer—well, that’s a cardmaking win.
If you’ve ever struggled with mixing patterned papers or layering elements without overwhelming your design, this card is a great example of how to balance it all. Let’s dive in!
Sparkle All The Way Card:
A Dreamy Unicorn Focal Point
I started by stamping the sweet little unicorn asleep on the half-moon from the Sparkle Unicorn Stamp Set onto Neenah Solar White 80lb Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink—my go-to for Copic coloring. One of my favorite things about coloring is that you can completely change the feel of an image just by switching up your color choices.
For this card, I pulled my colors directly from the patterned papers I planned to use, which is one of my favorite tricks for creating a cohesive design. If you ever find yourself unsure about color combinations, grab a patterned paper pad and let it do the work for you. The Our Little Princess 6 x 6 Pattern Paper Pad from Echo Park had the perfect mix of soft pastels and playful prints, making it an easy choice.
Once my image was colored, I used a circle die to cut it out. To add some extra dimension, I layered it onto two more circles—one cut from a lavender polka dot pattern and another from Lavender Cardstock. Stacking these together with liquid glue created a beautiful layered look without adding too much bulk.
Pro Tip: When layering die-cut shapes, use a slightly larger die for your next layer rather than jumping up multiple sizes. This creates a more gradual and polished effect.
Mixing Patterned Papers Without Overwhelming Your Design
Patterned paper can be intimidating, but it’s also one of the easiest ways to add interest to a card. The key is to mix different scales and designs while keeping a common color theme.
For this card, I chose a castle and dragon-themed paper for my main background panel, cut to 3 1/4” x 5 1/4”. To ground it, I layered it onto a lavender polka dot piece cut to a standard A2 size (4 1/4” x 5 1/2”). The soft tone-on-tone print helped balance out the busier pattern.
Next, I added a strip of darker pink floral paper along the left side, cut to 1” wide. To create a clean division between the two patterns, I added a thin 1/4” strip of yellow paper with tiny crown designs. This little detail helps separate the patterns while adding an extra pop of color.
Pro Tip: If you’re working with multiple patterns, make sure at least one of them is subtle—like a tone-on-tone design or a small print. This keeps your design from feeling too busy.
Once my layers were in place, I attached everything to a top-folding A2 card base made from Lavender Cardstock (Simon Says Stamp).
Adding the Perfect Finishing Touches
A sentiment can really pull a design together, and for this card, I wanted something that matched the theme. I stamped “Sparkle All The Way” from the stamp set onto a scrap of Lavender Cardstock using Versafine Onyx Black Ink, then matted it onto white cardstock to make it pop. A little foam adhesive gave it just the right lift.
Now, no unicorn card is complete without a little sparkle! I die-cut some tiny stars from gold foiled cardstock using the Sequins Mix Dies (Lawn Fawn). Scattering them around the focal point created the perfect magical touch.
For even more shimmer, I added Stardust Stickles to the unicorn’s horn, hair, and the stars in the image. A few white gel pen highlights brought everything to life.
Pro Tip: When adding gel pen highlights, follow the curves of your coloring rather than placing them randomly. This makes your images look more natural and gives them extra depth.
Final Thoughts
This card is a great example of how to mix patterns, use layering for dimension, and add shimmer without overwhelming the design. If you’ve ever hesitated to use patterned papers, I hope this inspires you to give them a try.
Do you enjoy working with patterned papers, or do you find them tricky to incorporate into your designs? Let’s chat in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Happy crafting!
Wondering what I used in this project? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails in the Materials Used section, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible.
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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