If you caught my reveal video for The Ashgrave Archive, you already know what's inside this collection. Today, I'm sharing my very first project made with it — a mixed media Halloween card featuring that gorgeous Death's Head Hawk moth, layered over a heavily textured background.

But this post isn't just about the card. I also want to share something I use in almost every layered project I make, and honestly don't think I've ever talked about it in detail before: a simple trick for alternating dark and light as you build up your papers and pieces.

The Best Kept Card Layering Secret

When you're working with a collection this rich in imagery and pattern, it can be tempting to just start layering pieces down as you fall in love with them. But one thing that's helped me the most over the years is paying attention to value — alternating dark and light as I stack my layers, rather than letting several dark (or several light) pieces sit right next to each other. It's simple, but it's what creates the contrast that makes a layered project pop. 

The Rest of the Details

Now that you know the secret to layering, let's get into the details of creating this card. And remember to keep alternating light and dark in mind as you add each layer.

For the background, I cut a piece of cream patterned paper from The Ashgrave Archive collection to 4.25" x 5.5" and inked the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink.

Next, I cut a piece of green polka dot paper from The Ashgrave Archive collection to 4" x 5.25" and embossed it using the Tim Holtz Vault Cobweb embossing folder. I then used my finger to apply Sizzix Luster Wax in Charcoal to the raised areas of the embossed design.

I added Distress Grit Paste here and there and let that dry. Once the paste was dry, I added some Black Soot Distress Crayon here and there to add to the aged, spooky look, then inked the edges of the paper with Pumice Stone Distress Ink using a blending tool.

For the next step, I selected various pieces of ephemera from The Ashgrave Archive collection — a book page, a tag, a ticket, a blank label, a word strip, a stamp, a poison label, and a moth. I distressed the pieces by gently wrinkling and bending some of them, then lightly sanded them with fine grit sandpaper. I inked the edges and sanded areas with Pumice Stone Distress Ink to add to that aged, vintage effect.

Before adhering the small top layers, I also added a die cut wreath. I used the Tim Holtz Vault Fall Foliage die set to cut a piece of black kraftstock, then lightly sanded it to reveal some of the kraft core and add to the distressed effect.

Once all of the pieces were ready, I adhered them to the card, keeping that alternating light and dark in mind. I finished it off with a few black splatters.

And there you have it — a mixed media Halloween card created using my latest printable collection, The Ashgrave Archive.

Watch the Full Video

I made a full video walking through how I selected the papers and ephemera I used from The Ashgrave Archive, the mixed media techniques behind that textured background, and this layering secret in action. I'd love for you to watch it! 

 WATCH THE VIDEO 

Behind the Background

The background on this card started with an embossing folder and Sizzix Charcoal Luster Wax, then I built up texture with Distress Grit Paste, Distress Crayons, and Distress Ink, finishing it off with a few black splatters for good measure. That layered, weathered texture is such a great match for the Ashgrave Archive's moody palette and gothic specimen aesthetic.

The Collection

If you haven't picked up The Ashgrave Archive yet, you can find it here:

 FULL COLLECTION BUNDLE — $26 (SAVE $6!) 

 PRINTABLE PAPERS — $12 

 PRINTABLE EPHEMERA — $20 

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create this card. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Halloween has always had a special place in my heart. I know it's not everyone's favorite time of year, but there's something magical about it for me — and after finishing my first collection, Metamorphosis, I knew a Halloween collection had to be next! I'm so excited to finally share my newest digital papercrafting collection with you: The Ashgrave Archive.

For the Collectors, the Storytellers, the Keepers of Curious Things

You'll see a little connection to Metamorphosis here — that same vintage, Victorian-inspired sensibility — but this time I've traded butterflies for moths, and added in bats, human anatomy, and poison garden botanicals. It's pretty gothic, pretty grunge...my style of Halloween!

Deep within a forgotten Victorian archive, cataloged by candlelight, lies a cabinet of curiosities — the anatomy textbooks of bats, moths, and the human form, the poisonous plants that filled old apothecary shelves, and the specimen tags, field diagrams, and handwritten notes preserved by the archivists who gathered them. This collection is my version of Halloween — a touch of shadowy darkness, Victorian-inspired illustrations, and a moody color palette with pops of saturated color. Above all, it speaks to me and the things I love.

Watch the Full Story

I made a full video sharing more about The Ashgrave Archive — the story behind it, and a complete walkthrough of everything included in the collection. I'd love for you to watch the reveal video! 

 WATCH THE REVEAL VIDEO 

What's Inside

The Ashgrave Archive is a printable papercrafting collection inspired by antique specimen books, poison garden botanicals, and Victorian cabinets of curiosities. It features:

• 24 original designs, delivered across 30 printable pages
  • 24 pages in Letter size (8.5" x 11") — one design per page, full size
  • 6 additional pages with those same 24 designs resized to A2 Card size (4.25" x 5.5"), 4 designs per page for easy printing and cutting
• A moody palette of black, plum, olive, and burnt orange, layered with genuine aged paper textures
• Victorian-inspired damask and floral patterns, spiderweb and moth motifs, skeletal and botanical collages, and hand-crafted textures that bring depth and story to every project
• 300+ ephemera pieces across 18 sheets, including illustrated moths and bats, anatomical studies, poison garden botanicals, specimen and apothecary labels, tags, tickets, stamps, sentiment strips, and portraits of the archive's own collectors
• High-resolution 300 dpi JPG and PNG files, delivered as a ZIP via Podia, ready to print at home or through a commercial printer (or even your local library)

This collection is designed with junk journaling, scrapbooking, card making, mixed media art, and collage all in mind. Every piece leaves room for you to layer in your own embellishments, stamping, stenciling, or handwriting and truly make it your own.

A Note on Printing

Since this is a digital collection, you'll need to print it yourself — either at home, through a local print shop, or even your local library. Simply download the files onto your computer and print them or save them onto a thumb drive and take them to an office supply/print shop or your local library.

Once it's printed, you can use it in all the same ways you always have. If printing digital files at home is new to you, there's lots of great information out there already on printing at home versus through a print shop. If you do have questions about printing or digital papercrafting, do not hesitate to reach out to me with your questions and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Where to Get It

The Ashgrave Archive is available now in my online shop: 

 FULL COLLECTION BUNDLE — $26 (SAVE $6!) 

 PRINTABLE PAPERS — $12 

 PRINTABLE EPHEMERA — $20 

What's Next

I have some new project videos coming soon using The Ashgrave Archive, so keep an eye out for those.

Thank you so much for being here for this one. Whether you're a fellow Halloween lover or just curious to see what I've been working on, I hope you find something in this archive that speaks to you too.

I have a confession to maker. The background on this card came from using the "wrong" side of my embossing folder — and I did it on purpose!

The Wrong Side Turned Out to Be the Best Side

Like most people I tend to grab my embossing folder, place the paper inside and emboss it without thinking about it too much. This time however I accidentally flipped the paper over after embossing it with the Vault Batground embossing folder and found that I really liked the reverse side better than the front side. I knew then and there that I had to use that side for my card. It's proof that sometimes the tools we already own have more to offer than we realize — you just have to flip your perspective (literally, in this case).

This wickedly fun Halloween card features some of the brand new dies and embossing folders from the Tim Holtz Sizzix Halloween 2026 release including the Vault Batground Embossing Folder, Vault Moonlight Scare Die Set, Vault Foliage Wreath Die Set, Handwritten Halloween Die Set and the Sidekick Laboratory Die and Embossing Folder Set.

The background has this moody, textured purple and black look that sets the perfect stage for a spooky little scene — think a bat-filled sky, a mysterious skull, bubbling potion bottles, and a "wicked" sentiment tucked into a wreath of foliage. It's got just the right mix of eerie and elegant.

Watch the Full Tutorial

Ready to see exactly how flipping the embossing folder created this background, plus which dies and Distress Ink colors I used to color each piece? You can watch the complete tutorial in the video below, or head over to my YouTube channel to check it out.

Have you ever tried using the backside of an embossing folder before? I'd love to hear about it in the comments, or if you give this technique a try yourself, be sure to share your version with me — I always love seeing what you create!

This card was such a fun reminder that a little experimentation can lead to my favorite projects — I hope it inspires you to flip a folder or two of your own this Halloween season!

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support

Fabric has never been my go-to when I'm crafting. I'm a paper girl through and through, so when Seth Apter asked if I'd like to play with his newest fabric collection, One Layer Away, my first thought was: can you even use fabric like patterned paper on a card? Turns out, you absolutely can.

Instead of sewing with it, I decided to treat the gorgeous patterns exactly like patterned paper and work them into the layers of three handmade cards. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the fabrics coordinated with my Metamorphosis collection, which made this whole process sew much fun.

Three Ways to Use Fabric on Your Cards

On the first card, I cut it into a strip to add a pop of texture without overwhelming the design. I die cut a piece of purple patterned paper from my Metamorphosis collection using the Tracks Die Set by Seth Apter and a piece of black kraftstock using the Stretchers Die Set by Seth Apter. I combined them with fussy cut Metamorphosis ephemera pieces and some of the A2 sized Metamorphosis patterned papers.

On the second, I used the fabric as a full background layer, letting the pattern set the tone for the whole piece. I then layered on some fussy cut Metamorphosis ephemera and papers along with some more die cut pieces - Stretchers Die Set by Seth Apter and Scrapbook.com Nested Labels Die Set.

On the third, I pleated the fabric before adhering it, which gave the card a whole extra layer of dimension and visual interest. To do this, I simply folded the material over onto itself several times. I then repeated the same process of layering in some of the Metamorphosis papers and ephemera. The die set I used here is the Twisters Die Set by Seth Apter.

Attaching Fabric To Paper

One question you may be asking is how I attached the fabric. I actually used Bearly Art Glue to adhere the fabric to the paper and it worked wonderfully. And you really don't need much adhesive to adhere it, so you can use a light hand when applying it.

Finishing Details

On each card, I tore the edges of the fabric to give it that distressed, well-loved feel that fits right in with my mixed media style. I also saved the leftover threads from the torn edges and layered them into the design alongside my butterflies and a set of vintage pen nibs, tying the whole "in the middle of becoming" theme together.

Along with the fabric, papers, and ephemera, I also used some of Seth's Sizzix die sets to add another layer of interest to each design. Unfortunately the dies I used on the first two cards are no longer available but here is a list of the ones I used:

• Twisters
• Tracks
• Borderlines

Bringing In the Butterflies

The butterflies, ephemera and patterned papers on these cards are part of my Metamorphosis collection, my vintage naturalist-themed digital paper collection built around the idea of embracing the journey of becoming. Pairing them with Seth's fabric patterns turned out to be an easy, natural fit, and it's a great example of how mixing in supplies you wouldn't normally reach for can push a project in a new direction.

Give It a Try

If fabric isn't usually part of your crafting stash either, I'd encourage you to give this a shot. Treating it like patterned paper is such a simple way to bring in new texture without needing to touch a sewing machine.

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

I'm sharing a flip through today of a junk journal I made using my Metamorphosis digital paper collection. This one has a single signature, a hard cover, and a fabric spine, and I built it using a method I learned from Natasha over at Treasure Books. Her video, "Easiest Junk Journal Ever," walks through the full build with a lot more detail and tips than I'm covering here, so if you'd like to make one yourself, I highly recommend starting with her tutorial.

You can watch Natasha's video here: Easiest Junk Journal Ever, or check out her channel at Treasure Books.

The Cover

I used papers and ephemera from Metamorphosis to build the cover, centered around a butterfly bush illustration and a vintage-style specimen tag. A simple burlap ribbon ties the whole thing together.

Inside the Journal

Once the structure was done, I filled the pages with more Metamorphosis papers and ephemera, layering in specimen tags, botanical illustrations, and a few vintage-style photographs to give it that naturalist journal feel throughout.

Watch the Flip Through

I walk through every page of this journal in the video below, talking through how each spread came together.

If you'd like to grab the papers and ephemera I used, you can find the full Metamorphosis collection in my Podia shop.

Thanks so much for flipping through this journal with me. I hope it gave you some ideas for your own projects, whether you're using Metamorphosis or just love this vintage butterfly and botanical style.

Until next time, stay crafty my friend!
Juliana

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!