
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:
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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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Estelle Wujcik says
Your cards are always inspirational. Love the surfboards!
Melissa Teeling says
Love this idea, thank you!
Meghan Kennihan says
I love the surf stencil and the lion! HOW CUTE!
Deepa says
That is a really nice idea to emphasize your background!
Lisa B Harvey-Reber says
So cute Cathy. It would never occur to me to leave my critter naked…not sure my OCD will allow but I’ll give it a try!
Sheri D says
How stinkin cute is this! Thank you for such wonderful inspiration!
Anny Hale says
Cathy this is a great idea! Now I neeeeed that stencil!
Bernadette says
Those critters are so fun and I love that background!
Isabel Z says
What a great idea and the finished look is fantastic!
Susan Young says
Love how this turned out even without color! Looks awesome!
Anneleise Hampson says
What a great card! Amazing.
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!
Melissa Leftrick says
This is awesome!! This background is so cool!!
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
Kelly B says
Adorable! LOVE those colors!
Alma Dirpaul says
Cute card. Thanks for sharing, Cathy.
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.
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.
roxanne tellini says
He is one cool cat!
FRANNIE REID says
I love that you left the critter black and white… and have the background so colorful… terrific idea!
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!
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.
Sheri Kempke says
Very cute card, love the surfboard colorful background! Thanks for the inspiration!
Cyndi Morris says
What a fun card! Love that sweet critter and the stenciled background is wonderful.
BECCA YAHRLING says
What a cool card this is! Fun, fun, fun!
Cheryl says
So sweet!
Tina says
Another great card! Totally going to use the misti with stencils to keep my backgrounds in place.
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.
Nandini Karmarkar says
This card is really fun! The background looks amazing!
Patricia says
Love your card. Have added the stamps and dies and stencils to my wish list.
Terrie D. (StarSpry) says
Your card is great! I love this surfboard stencil. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this idea to avoid coloring critters; I’m going to give it a try!
Judy Russell says
Such a cute card and lovely colors!
jean marmo says
A wonderful release and gorgeous card!
Lara Read says
Cathy you rock it every time! Love this card and thank you for the videos they help so much!
Mary Holshouser says
Love the surfboards in the background.
Cute critter. Fun card. thanks for
sharing. txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Denise Bryant says
Love that background and the cute lion! Such a fun look with all of those fab surfboards… great colors! Awesome card!
Patricia Coleman says
Super adorable card!! Thank you for sharing your creativity!
Jeanne Beam says
Adorable card! Love the summer release…
Thanks for sharing.
Jeanne Beam says
Adorable card! Love the background.
Thanks for sharing.
Jeanne Beam says
Adorable card! Love the background and the critter.
Thanks for sharing.
Janet D. says
He is one cool dude on a great background!
Jeanne Beam says
Adorable card! Love the background and critter.
Thanks for sharing.
Lisascreativeniche says
This rainbow background is awesome!
Marisela Delgado says
Such a cute cards!
Sharon Gullikson says
The surfboards are so cute. I LOVE THEM
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!
Jane says
Adorable card!
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.
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.
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.
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!
Donna Griffin says
Loving that surfboard stencil!!
Sue D says
Cute lion and I like the colorful background.
Jenifer says
I have such a hard time leaving my stamps uncolored. This gives me so much inspiration!
Gayle F says
Love the colorful background over the simple stamped image. Thank you for the inspiration!
Joyce says
OH, my. That lion is the best and the coolest.
Megan N says
That is one super cool lion! 🙂
Lindsey A Collins says
Super cute and love the idea of no color since I’m not much for coloring.
Donna Walls says
Love the card and the process video. Great idea too, thanks for the inspiration.
SueB says
Super cute card.
Carol Kawakami says
Saw your video and loved your card! I had to get the stencils!
Lisa M Byers says
I love the surfboards!! What a wonderful idea!! And that is the cutest little lion!!
Jennifer Reece says
Very cute–and I love the alternative to coloring!!
Margaret Mckernan says
Great technique for a quick and fun card!
Lucy E. says
This is such a fun card! I love all of the color behind the black and white lion-great contrast.
Natalie Godfrey says
Cute card Love the colors used!
Ruth says
Great card!
Kelsey Thomas says
Such an adorable card!
Joanne Travis says
Love the surfboard background! Super cute card.
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.
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.
Jenna Chapman says
Love using stencils now!!! So fun! Super cute card!
kathleen dumpert says
I like your stencil background on your card, screams summer!
Lauryne Cunningham says
That is the cutest card! Great idea to have a colorful background and a black and white image!
Heather Mills says
How cute!! The patterns on the surfboards are so fun!