This adorable octopus from the Scrapbook.com Coastal Charm die set became my star, but here's the thing: I didn't want it to feel overly precious or childish. The challenge was balancing that cute factor with vintage sophistication. The solution? Pull from three different paper pads to create a cohesive palette of teals, blues, and browns. Add distressed ephemera. Let a fish dictionary page tell a story that connects to the octopus. Suddenly, cute becomes charming and thoughtful.

The result is a card with serious dimension (multiple layers building depth) and natural movement (those tentacles guide your eye around the design in the most delightful way).

Dimension & Movement: Making It Work

Before I dive into the how, let me share what makes this card successful.

Dimension is the physical and visual depth you create through layering, foam adhesive, and strategic placement. Movement is the path your eye takes as it travels around the design—it should feel effortless and natural.

For this card, the octopus creates both. Those curved tentacles holding hearts? They create organic flow and visual rhythm. The multiple layers beneath—nested labels, patterned papers, ephemera—build depth that makes the whole composition feel rich and collected. When dimension and movement work together, your card feels alive and engaging instead of flat and static.

Here's how to apply these techniques:

Creating Physical Dimension:

• Use multi-layer die cuts (like the 2-layer octopus) for instant depth
• Layer background papers and ephemera to build richness
• Add foam adhesive to key elements to create actual height
• Nest shapes within shapes (labels, borders) for visual depth

Creating Movement:

• Choose focal images with curves and organic shapes (tentacles!)
• Position elements to guide the eye on a journey around the card
• Use placement strategically—hearts at tentacle ends draw the eye outward
• Avoid rigid symmetry when you want flow and energy

Balancing Cute with Sophistication:

• Use muted, vintage color palettes instead of bright primaries
• Add distressed ephemera and dictionary pages for storytelling
• Sand edges for worn, collected character
• Pull colors from multiple sources for a curated, intentional feel

In my mixed media work, I'd build this depth with texture paste and modeling paste, and create movement through paint drips or gestural marks. Here, dimension comes from thoughtful paper layering and die cut construction, while movement flows from the shapes I chose and how I positioned them. Different tools, same principles.

Building the Card

Step 1: Create Your Star with Built-In Dimension

I started with the adorable octopus from the Coastal Charm die set. The die has 2 layers, which makes it perfect for adding depth and interest right from the start. I cut the base layer from a darker shade and the top layer from a lighter shade of the same color using solid cardstock from the Festive Duo Paper Pad. This creates instant dimension and visual interest.

Step 2: Add Playful Movement

The set comes with two hearts, and I immediately thought it would be cute for the octopus to hold them—one in each tentacle. I cut them from patterned paper from the Vintage Paper Pad. This positioning isn't just adorable; it creates movement. Your eye follows those tentacles out to discover the hearts.

Step 3: Ground Your Focal Point

To anchor the octopus, I die cut 2 of the Nested Vintage Label dies from paper in the Yuletide Paper Pad. I sanded the edges of these to give them a distressed vintage feel. This creates a foundation that grounds the playful octopus while adding to that collected, vintage aesthetic.

Step 4: Build Background Layers for Depth

The background layers are where dimension really builds. I included an ephemera ticket, a border cut from blue cardstock using the Coastal Borders die set, and several pieces of patterned paper from the Vintage Paper Pad layered together. When I saw the paper with the fish dictionary piece on it, I knew it was perfect—it tells a story that connects to the octopus and adds that thoughtful detail that elevates the design.

Step 5: Create Color Harmony

Here's something important: I used 3 different paper pads for this card to get the combination of colors I wanted. Teals, blues, and browns give an otherwise cute image a touch of vintage sophistication. Don't be afraid to pull from multiple collections to create the exact palette you're after. Cohesion comes from thoughtful color selection, not from using a single product line.

Step 6: Finishing Touches

I added a couple of Tim Holtz Postmarked stickers to enhance the vintage, collected feel. The sentiment—"love you the most" from the Scrapbook.com Wordfetti Best Day Ever stamp set—finishes off the theme perfectly.

Coming Up in This Series

This is the third of four cards I'm sharing using Scrapbook.com Exclusives—each exploring paper-only cardmaking from a different angle:

• Card 1: Halloween card — Character & Whimsy
• Card 2: Christmas card — Foundation & Focal Points
• Next: Thinking of You — Vintage Vibes (coming Thursday!)

Each card taught me something different about design principles that work across any style, mixed media or not.

Let's Connect!

Ready to create your own? Grab these Scrapbook.com exclusives using the supply list below.

I'd love to hear from you: What draws you more—cute and playful designs or sophisticated vintage aesthetics? Or do you love mixing them like I do? Drop a comment!

If you make this card, please tag me—I absolutely love seeing your versions!

Don't miss the final card in this series! Subscribe to my email newsletter so you never miss a new project, post, or video.

Supply List

Below you can find the supplies I used to create this card. When you shop through those links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more about what an affiliate link is, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

I love mixed media, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't intense sometimes. The layers, the drying time, the beautiful mess of it all. So when I went to work on some projects for Scrapbook.com using their Exclusive Products, I decided to give myself permission to play a little differently. Just papers, die cuts, and the freedom to explore without overthinking it.

This Halloween card surprised me with how much I enjoyed the process. I'm not typically drawn to cutesy designs, but whimsical? That's different. This witch has character—and working with her as my focal point let me build something playful while keeping my aesthetic: vintage ephemera, intentional layering, and a color palette that feels sophisticated even in a fun theme.

These are unusual Halloween colors (peach, coral, sage) instead of traditional orange and black, but the color palette was made super easy using the Scrapbook.com Oak Lane Patterned Paper Pad.

Why This Card Works

Before I dive into the how, let me share what makes this design successful:

• The illustrated witch is the star — everything else supports her rather than competing for attention
• Unexpected color palette — peach, coral, and sage instead of traditional Halloween orange and black (thank you, Oak Lane Paper Pad!)
• Busy vs. calm balance — the patterned background plays against that solid arched frame
• Vintage ephemera grounds the whimsy — keeps it from tipping into overly cute territory

The "Character & Whimsy" Principle

Here's what I learned: when working with illustrated die cuts or character stamps, your job is to build a stage, not compete for attention. This means:

• Choosing backgrounds that enhance without overwhelming
• Creating frames or spaces that spotlight your character
• Using repetition (notice those yellow flowers?) to tie elements together
• Keeping sentiments simple and supportive

Building the Card

Step 1: Build Your Star

The witch is the star of this show, so I began by die cutting her various pieces. Feel free to cut pieces from multiple patterns and colors and play around with combinations—I loved mixing patterns for her dress and hat. When it came time to adhere her, I used double-sided foam adhesive to add dimension.

Step 2: Choose Your Sentiment

Early on I came across "Let's Go Ghouls" from the Scrapbook.com Boo Time Stamp set, and it felt perfect—playful enough to support the witch without stealing her thunder.

Step 3: Create The Stage

Once I was happy with how she looked, I began laying out solid colors to go behind her. The Nested Notched Arches became my grounding layer—I knew patterned paper would compete too much here. Then I layered the striped paper behind the solid to create visual movement. Your eye travels up and down those stripes, which works perfectly with the vertical witch figure.

Step 4: Create The Background

At this point I began playing around with the background. I knew I wanted to use the diamond pattern as it had a vintage Halloween feel to the design, and it also wasn't overly busy so as to detract from the focal point. The spider web layer was created using the Scrapbook.com Spiderwebs A2 die. I trimmed off the border to give it a little more texture and openness to the design.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Next I began adding the florals, again using papers from the Oak Lane Paper Pad and die cutting the various pieces from multiple colors until I was pleased with their arrangement. I used double-sided foam adhesive to give them a little bit of dimension. I then finished it off by tucking in some vintage-style ephemera in the way of some Tim Holtz Tickets and Stamps.

Design Techniques Worth Noting

Creating Depth Without Mixed Media

One of my biggest takeaways from this project? You can create serious dimension with just paper:

• Layer various colors and patterns to build interest
• Use foam adhesive strategically—not everywhere, just on key elements that should pop
• Overlap elements intentionally to create shadows and depth

The Rule of Odd Numbers

Notice those three main yellow flowers? That's not an accident. Three creates visual interest, while odd-numbered groupings feel more organic than even ones. It's a design trick that works every time.

A Different Kind of Creative Energy

Normally, I would have built my own background using stamping, texture paste, stencils, and layers of ink. And honestly? I missed having my stamps and inks in hand—that's my comfort zone.

But this process taught me to trust good patterned paper and thoughtful layering. The Oak Lane Paper Pad did the heavy lifting on color and pattern coordination, which freed me up to focus purely on composition and storytelling. Different energy, but equally satisfying.

Coming Up in This Series

This is the first of four cards I'm sharing using Scrapbook.com Exclusives—each exploring paper-only cardmaking from a different angle:

• Next: Christmas card — Foundation & Focal Points
• Then: Love card — Dimension & Movement
• Finally: Thinking of You — Vintage Vibes

Each card taught me something different about design principles that work across any style, mixed media or not.

Let's Connect!

Ready to create your own? Grab these Scrapbook.com exclusives using the supply list below.

I'd love to hear from you: Do you prefer traditional Halloween colors (orange and black) or something unexpected like these peachy corals? Drop a comment!

If you make this card, please tag me—I absolutely love seeing your versions!

Don't miss the rest of this series! Subscribe to my email newsletter so you never miss a new project, post, or video.

Supply List

Below you can find the supplies I used to create this card. When you shop through those links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more about what an affiliate link is, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

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