You ever make a card… and then make it again… and then again again… until the universe finally says, “Okay fine, here’s your perfect blend”?
Welcome to Day 2 of my Getting My Sh*t Together Card Challenge, where I share the real, unfiltered creative journeys behind some of my favorite handmade pieces—including the ones that nearly broke me. (Looking at you, rainbow dogs.)
This card was a commission from my mother-in-law, who loves to gift my cards to others—and honestly? She’s basically my personal card dealer at this point.
“Make it pretty, make it magical,” she says, while I quietly sob into my Ohuhu markers.
Just kidding, she’s the best!
🐾 The Rainbow Dog Birthday Card That I Wouldn’t Quit
Let me set the scene:
I wanted to create a gorgeous blended rainbow background featuring contrasting rainbow dogs, so I got my Ohuhu alcohol markers out and:
- Attempted rainbow magic.
- Failed.
- Repeated.
- FAILED AGAIN.
- Repeated. Again.
- Success!
Round 1: Blending was roooooough, but the dogs were vibrant, so that was good!
Round 2: Better blending, but still… not card-worthy. It had ✨Pinterest Fail✨ energy.
Round 3: Even though I had learned a lot from my alcohol marker blending efforts, I really just wanted a buttery smooth gradient background for my vision of the perfect rainbow dog birthday card, so I pulled out my Distress Oxide Inks and inkblending the heck out of the background, then turned my newfound marker blending skills to the dogs, which I think ended up much better.
💡 Supplies Used:
- HoneyBee Stamps – Puppy Dog Tails stamp + die set
- Ohuhu alcohol markers
- Distress Oxide Inks (for that third-time’s-the-charm background)
- And always, foam tape, patience, and sheer stubbornness
✨ Why I Love This One
It’s not just the rainbow pups (though let’s be real—they’re adorable). It’s the process. The fact that I kept going until the card felt right. That little dopamine hit when the background faded just enough. And the look on my mother-in-law’s face when I proudly showed her this rainbow dog birthday card like it hadn’t consumed half my crafting soul.
From the third (and final!) draft dimension,
Breanna
PS Check out the first day of my card challenge: Kittea Birthday Pawty!
0 Comments