Video: Happy Thanksgiving Polychromos on Dark Cardstock

Nichol Spohr

Hello! One of my favorite looks for fall is gold embossing on dark cardstock and coloring in images with colored pencils or metallic watercolors. Today I'm sharing an Autumn Bounty with this background created by stamping and embossing images from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut Set on navy cardstock with Gold Embossing Powder and coloring in the images with Polychromos colored pencils. 

(If you are having problems viewing this video, please try watching it HERE on YouTube.)

Images from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut Set were stamped on navy cardstock with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Gold Embossing Powder. The images were colored in with Polychromos colored pencils, using the white pencil as the base for most of the images. I love the way the color pops off the dark background!

Sentiments from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut Set were stamped on navy cardstock with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Gold Embossing Powder and White Embossing Powder. A Nesting Oval Infinity Die was used to die cut the sentiments into an oval and matted on a white die cut oval before being popped up with foam adhesive and adhered to the background as shown.

The design was finished by adding three die cut images from the Autumn Bounty Stamp & Cut that had been stamped on navy cardstock, embossed with Gold Embossing Powder, and colored in with Polychromos Colored Pencils. The images frame up the bottom of the greeting oval.

I hope this has inspired you to try coloring in background images with colored pencils on dark cardstock! Happy Fall!


  • Doris Cote

    This is so pretty! Thanks for inspiring!

  • Hamutal

    Stunning! Beautiful coloring!

  • pam edwards

    I love the dark cardstock for the background. It really looks great. I have never been a fan of the gold embossing powder but your card looks beautiful.

  • Carol Jones

    Beautiful! Love your card design and coloring. I’m just starting with colored pencils and I love it. Thanks for the great tips and inspiration!

  • Debbie

    Very pretty card! I never heard of Polychromos colored pencils. I’ve always had a hard time coloring embossed images with colored pencils. I will have to try again. Great video! Thanks.

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