Card making ·

Use Texture to Make Monochromatic Die-Cuts Shine!

by Irick Arbuso - 2 minute read

Last Updated: June 30, 2025

Hello, Altenew friends! Emily Midgett here with you today, and I have a few tricks to share to help make a monochromatic card that uses lots of textures to help the die-cut sentiment stand out from the background!

Creating Monochromatic Cards

Monochromatic cards are one of my favorite ways to use color; there is something so elegant about a simplistic color scheme with intentional embellishments added to help break up the monotony. I'm a busy mom of four, so when I find a simple technique that makes a lot of impact, I try to figure out how I can apply it to lots of different projects.

My card today uses the new Playful Blooms 3D embossing folder, ink blending, and metallic paint splatter to the background to make sure that the tone-on-tone sentiment die cut is still visible.

Let's get started with the details!

I began my project by running an A2 panel of dark teal cardstock with the new Playful Blooms 3D Embossing Folder through my die-cut machine. The detail in this embossing folder is absolutely stunning. To highlight the incredible details, I lightly swiped some white pigment ink over the large rose blooms, putting the pad directly to the paper. It's amazing what a difference those few swipes of white pigment ink can make on the embossed area!

To add some unique texture to the background without adding too much extraneous color, I lightly blended some Galactic Stream ink around the edges using a small blending tool, which helps make the contrast of the white-edged embossed area that much crisper. I also splattered some metallic white watercolor on the card front using the Metallic Watercolors. The combination of textures and small but striking embellishments really keep the monochromatic background from looking too simplistic.

For the greeting, I die cut the Tiny Sentiments: Hello Die from some more of the same dark teal cardstock, then heat embossed the greeting from the Tiny Sentiments: Hello stamp set on the attached sentiment strip using white embossing powder. I popped the die-cut up using Instant Dimension Foam Tape, adding some extra liquid adhesive to ensure maximum stickiness on the raised embossed image.

The final touch was to add a few iridescent white gems to tie all of the white elements together. The different textures, touches of white, and gradations of teal help to make the flat teal sentiment die-cut stand out!

Well, that's all for me today! I love color and unique color combinations, but sometimes simplistic is the way to go, and making some intentional and thoughtful embellishment additions can really take your card to the next level. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

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Irick Arbuso
Irick Arbuso

Irick balances her life between the pages of gripping mystery-thriller novels and the beats of her favorite tunes. Her obsession with true crime has her glued to documentaries and podcasts, often leading to late-night “whodunit” marathons. When she’s not crafting with Altenew goodies, you’ll catch her practicing yoga or re-watching her fave "Friends" episodes—because some classics never get old!

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