CZ Design

No color critters (with a super fun colorful background!)

No color critters (with a super fun colorful background!)

If you ever struggle with choosing colors for adorable stamped critters, I have a fun idea for you today! The answer is so simple: don’t color them!

I love this look and I never think to do it! Until, of course, today! Leaving the critter black and white and adding a colorful panel behind it? So easy and so much simpler for me than coloring with markers. Plus, I love the look!

Here is the video showing you how I created the card:

Hope this inspires you to skip the detailed coloring, and whip out the stencils instead!

HOP DETAILS: Pretty Pink Posh is giving away three $25 gift certificates during this hop, one winner drawn from comments left on that day’s hop participants’ blogs! Here are todays makers:

Pretty Pink Posh blog
Caly Person
Ashley Ebben
Heather Hoffman
Cathy Zielske—you are here!
Yana Smakula
Alberto Gava
Laura Bassen

Leave a comment to be entered! Comments must be left by 11:59 PM PST on 6/20/2021. Winners will be announced on the PPP blog.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  12. Ann Ito says

    Love this idea because I am just not a good colorer. I like to color but my coloring skills are pretty limited to just staying in the lines! Thanks for the great tips on having colorful backgrounds and simple focal images!

  14. Lori Spitzer says

    Hi, CZ –
    I already commented on IG but will leave you a note here, too. I like coloring but know it’s not your fave. I think this is a genius solution — color the background by using the stencil and then, so as not to overwhelm the viewer or annoy the maker, leave the one design element b/w. Terrific! You get a gold star for today!
    Lori S in PA

  17. Anne Sturgeon says

    I am loving those stencils for the surfboards… he looks amazing un-colored! Fun release with loads of goodies for the summer season.

  18. Patricia Wilson says

    This card was so cute. You’re right in that you don’t always need color and you proved it. Loved that little lion.

  20. FRANNIE REID says

    I love that you left the critter black and white… and have the background so colorful… terrific idea!

  21. Amanda Wilcox says

    Such a cool idea and I’m absolutely swooning over your stenciling! I ordered that already and can’t wait to play with it!

  22. Sandra Smith says

    Love that card. The black and white lion over those cute colored surf boards is fantastic! And thanks so much for creating a video.

  23. Sheri Kempke says

    Very cute card, love the surfboard colorful background! Thanks for the inspiration!

  24. Cyndi Morris says

    What a fun card! Love that sweet critter and the stenciled background is wonderful.

  27. Tina says

    Another great card! Totally going to use the misti with stencils to keep my backgrounds in place.

  28. Elizabeth says

    Oh, Cathy! I think you’ve won me over to both layering stencils AND not feeling like I need to color ever critter. Your combo worked out perfectly.

  34. Lara Read says

    Cathy you rock it every time! Love this card and thank you for the videos they help so much!

  35. Mary Holshouser says

    Love the surfboards in the background.
    Cute critter. Fun card. thanks for
    sharing. txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

  36. Denise Bryant says

    Love that background and the cute lion! Such a fun look with all of those fab surfboards… great colors! Awesome card!

  46. Giselle D. says

    Not only am I not great at colouring but it takes so much time! Your card is a perfect example of getting a colourful card and not taking hours to complete it! I love the shine you created and look forward to my just ordered, embossing pens to arrive! So cute!

  48. MIchelle Hackett says

    Yes Cathy, this is a great look. Black and white can be elegant, or fun and playful like this card. Great design.

  49. Autumn Bell says

    I love, love, love this release. This is an awesome technique! I’ll definitely give it a go. And your color choices are just delish! Thanks for the inspiration.

  50. Pam R says

    What a great way to make a quick card. Never thought to leave the critter colorless, I’ll add it to my todo technique.

  51. Donna Griffin says

    So in love with that stencil with the surf boards! Will be such a great addition to my stash! And love how Cathy did the no color critter! I’m definitely coloring critter challenged!

  54. Jenifer says

    I have such a hard time leaving my stamps uncolored. This gives me so much inspiration!

  55. Gayle F says

    Love the colorful background over the simple stamped image. Thank you for the inspiration!

  58. Lindsey A Collins says

    Super cute and love the idea of no color since I’m not much for coloring.

  62. Lisa M Byers says

    I love the surfboards!! What a wonderful idea!! And that is the cutest little lion!!

  65. Lucy E. says

    This is such a fun card! I love all of the color behind the black and white lion-great contrast.

  70. Janice Hixon says

    I am in love with the surfboard stencils. Your background is awesome. I love all that color so much that I don’t even miss the little animal not being colored. What a neat trick for for all of us that are not Picassos.

  71. Jenna Chapman says

    Great idea! I like this card. I just bought a stencil and some foam discs. I’m really enjoying coloring like this. They work so well.

  74. Lauryne Cunningham says

    That is the cutest card! Great idea to have a colorful background and a black and white image!