Creative Tip of the Day: Mixing Media with Coloring Pages

Last month, we started a new series of Creative Tip of the Day posts on Instagram featuring classic projects by our amazing STAMPgirls In that series, we break down a beautiful project into simple, actionable steps, providing that quick spark of inspiration you need to get creating! Starting today, we're bringing these tips to the blog so they have a permanent home for you to reference whenever you’re at your craft desk.

Today, we are diving into a vibrant, multi-layered masterpiece by STAMPgirl Maria Fischer. Maria shows us how to elevate a coloring book page by treating it as a piece of artistic patterned paper rather than just a canvas to be filled.

The Technique: Strategic Paper Piecing & Stamping

Ever feel stuck with a beautiful coloring page but don't want to color the whole thing? This technique is a game-changer! By layering stamped elements, die cuts, and washi tape over a background of collage-style prints, you create a rich, tactile design that looks complex but is incredibly simple to assemble.

How to Get the Look

1️⃣ Base Layer: Use a page from the Color Blooms coloring book. Instead of coloring the whole sheet, leave parts of it black and white for a "pops of color" effect. 🌸 

 

2️⃣ Geometric Blocking: Cut a sharp diagonal piece of cardstock (like a vibrant turquoise) and stamp it with a large focal image, such as the butterflies from Fluttery, using a tone-on-tone ink. 🦋 

 

3️⃣ Add Texture: Layer on Mixed Media Elements (retired) like washi tape or stamped grunge lines to bridge the gap between the coloring page and the solid cardstock. 📏 

 

4️⃣ Clean Die Cuts: Use dies to create crisp, white silhouettes. These act as a visual "cleanser" against the busy patterns behind them. ✂️ 

 

5️⃣ Sentiment Pop: Finish with a heat-embossed sentiment on a dark die-cut tag to make your message stand out against the floral background. 🏷️

Why We Love It

✨ Instant Interest: Mixing hand-drawn coloring pages with crisp stamps creates a beautiful, artistic contrast.

✨ Saves Time: You only need to color small sections to make a big impact.

✨ Custom Layouts: The diagonal "blocking" technique helps organize different patterns so the final card doesn't look cluttered.

Shop the Project

Inspired to mix your media? You can find the products used in Maria's project right here:

Color Blooms Coloring Book

Fluttery clear stamps and coordinating dies 

Mixed Media Elements (retired) but Art Marks 3 is a great alternative