Card Making Sketches for Card Making Beginners

I know that finding the right card layout can be hard - especially when you're just starting out with card making. You sit down at your desk with papers, stamps, and embellishments everywhere, but suddenly… your creative mind goes blank. It can feel frustrating to have all the tools but not know how to bring them together into a beautiful card. We've all been there! The good news is: you're not alone - and you're in the right place.

That’s exactly why I created these card making sketches bundle for you! They’re here to help you design your cards more easily and quickly, without the overwhelm. Each sketch gives you a basic layout idea to follow, like a helpful roadmap that takes away the stress of figuring out where to start.

To make things even more inspiring, I’ve also included photos of my own handmade cards created using these layouts. This way, you’ll be able to see how one sketch can lead to completely different card styles - just by switching out colors, paper patterns, sentiments, or embellishments. My examples will help you see how flexible a sketch can be and spark new ideas of your own.

Whether you’re working with stickers, stamped images, die cuts, or even just printed text - these layouts are meant to adapt to whatever supplies you have on hand. Over time, you’ll find yourself making creative decisions more confidently, and sketching your own ideas in no time.

Design Your Own Handmade Cards with Ease

Here are a few helpful steps for using the sketches effectively:

• Print them out and keep them in front of you while crafting. It’s much easier to glance at a paper sketch than constantly unlocking your phone or tablet.

• Start by gathering the basic elements from the sketch. That usually means your card base first, then things like decorative paper, a sentiment piece, focal image, or embellishments.

• Prepare the elements before assembly. This might include heat embossing a sentiment, stamping and coloring an image, or die-cutting shapes depending on what tools and materials you’re using.

• Lay everything out according to the sketch—but don’t glue anything yet. Take your time to play around with placement. You can always tweak the layout, leave something out, or add extra layers if it feels right.

• Once you're happy with the design, glue everything in place. And just like that - your card is finished!

Use Them Again and Again - Organize Your Inspiration!

One great way to get even more out of these card making sketches is to store them in a photo album or binder. You can print the sketches and my card examples, slip them into clear plastic sleeves, and flip through them whenever you need a little creative push. It’s so much easier to browse through a collection than scroll through a phone or dig through folders.

Even better - you can start adding your own card creations right next to the sketches! This turns your album into a personal inspiration book: a growing collection of your designs that you can come back to again and again. It’s a great way to track your progress and build your own reference library full of ideas.

I’ve included both horizontal and vertical card layout ideas, but feel free to get creative - any vertical sketch can be flipped and used horizontally, and vice versa. Sometimes just rotating a layout gives you a whole new design direction.

A Note to Beginners

If you’re completely new to card making and don’t have a die cutting machine, embossing folders, or clear stamps - don’t worry at all. You can still use these sketches with basic supplies like scissors, glue, and printed images or handmade decorations. In some of my earlier blog posts, I’ve shared beginner-friendly ways to create your own card making materials. 

👉How to Start Card Making - A Beginner's Guide

👉 Creative Alternatives to Traditional Card Making Materials

Get Card Making Sketches - Printable Card Making Layout Ideas

You can find my full set of card making sketches in my online shop here.

I truly hope they help make your card making experience easier, more fun, and full of creativity. And don’t forget to start building your own sketch-and-card collection - your future self will thank you when you need a quick burst of inspiration!