Big Hugs Pastel Card

I needed a card for a friend who had been ill for several weeks and decided to create one with purple and butterflies on it because she loves purple and butterflies. I thought this cheerful card would brighten her day, and she called me the day it arrived to let me know how much she loved it. Cardmaking is such a great hobby because it allows me to send happy mail to so many people. 

To create the background, I added white pigment ink to an A2 panel and then ink blended some Catherine Pooler inks over the front. I then embossed the panel with Altenew's Crisscross Blooms 3D embossing folder. 

I die cut Altenew's Craft-A-Flower: African Daisies and Fresh Flowers die sets in pastel colors and assembled them. I used a few foliage pieces from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Butterfly Garden project kit with the flowers and used that set for the yellow and orange butterfly I added to the card. I finished the card the "big hugs" sentiment from the Craft-Your-Life: Flourishing Garden kit. I ink blended some orange ink onto the sentiment after I die cut it with the coordinating die in the set. 

I finished the card by adding splatters of Altenew's Titanium White gouache and Carbon Black gouache. 

If you're interested in doing some crafty shopping at Altenew, I'd be so grateful if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link.  Again, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many beautiful Build-A-Garden sets like the one I used here.  

Challenges I'm entering: 

613 Avenue Create: ATG with twist of April showers (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

Triple B: ATG with birds, blossoms, and/or butterflies (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Pearly Sparkles Challenge Blog: Something old, something new: The African Daisies and Fresh Flower dies are old while the Crisscross Blooms embossing folder is a new one to my stash (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (I used several kinds of papers and cut my foam tape with scissors) (3/5; ends at the end of the month)

Creative Moments: ATG or bunnies and blooms (3/3; ends 4/12/26)

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog: ATG (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited; 4/12/26)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (5/6; ends 4/12/26)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge; ends 4/15/26)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with option of die cuts (3/4; ends at the end of the month)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (3/4; ends 4/27/26)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Layer it up: my flowers are layered die cuts. I hope that counts (unlimited; ends at the end of the month)

Cardz 4 Galz: Spring Flowers (3/3; ends 4/15/26)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG 32/3; ends 4/10/26)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (3/4; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: Springtime or ATG (3/5; ends 4/10/26)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (ends 4/18/26)

As You Like It Challenge: Simple or Fussy and Why? I definitely am a fussy crafter! I struggle with clean and simple and love to add more die cuts, embellishments, splatters, and embossing! I just really enjoy adding all those extra details! (1/3; ends 4/22/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Garden Party: Anything in or from a garden (1/5; ends 5/11/26)

Ellibelle's Corner: I spy with my little eye: Spring Flowers or Showers (2/10; ends 5/17/26)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Easter/Spring (unlimited; ends 4/14/26)

A Cut Above: ATG with die cuts with option of using pastels (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of ombré (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

fourseasons: ATG spring (unlimited; ends at the end of the month) 

Daisy Chain Challenges: no design paper (1/3; ends 4/29/26)

Critter Crazy CHALLENGE BLOG: ATG with a critter of some sort (1/5; ends 4/29/26)

Crafty Animals: ATG with a critter (unlimited; ends at the end of the month) 

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: Watercolor and/or Spring + a sentiment (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

The Pick 3 Challenge: Text, die cuts, and wings (2/6; ends 4/17/26)

Inspiration Station: The season (spring) and pastels inspired my card (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: Diagonal from bottom left to top right: encouraging sentiment, free, and floral/foliage (1/3; ends 4/23/26)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 1: 3 of something from your stash (more than 3 different inks) 2 of anything from your stash (3 different die sets) 1 of everything else from your stash (1 sentiment stamp) (3/4; ends 4/12/26)

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26