top of page

Cut Above the Rest: My Top 10 Paper Projects of 2025

  • Dec 29, 2025
  • 11 min read

(Plus the Behind-the-Scenes Stories That Made Them Special!)


Every year, I dive into countless papercraft ideas, cutting, folding, and assembling to bring paper to life. This year was no different, but some projects stood out more than others. Today, I’m sharing my top 10 paper projects of 2025 that I felt were a cut above the rest, along with the reasons they captured my heart and a few behind-the-scenes stories that made their creation memorable. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just love paper art, I hope you enjoy counting down with me to my favorite project of the year! If any of these projects inspire you, please don't hesitate to create your own version and tag me on Instagram (@artemismade1)!


Before we jump into the countdown, let's first start with some honorable mentions in no particular order. There were so many projects I loved this year (and not gonna lie, quite a few I, um, didn't... 😂), but my ultimate choices for the list resulted from how much I grew as a crafter with each one. That said, these few do deserve a shoutout for their own influence on my development!



Please note--This post contains some (but not all) affiliate links that can be used at no extra cost to you. Why should you use them? Sure, getting a teeny kickback for a cup of coffee once in a while is nice, and I so appreciate the support, but that's truly not what it's about for me. It's about letting these companies know that the marketing dollars they spent on me were not wasted! They track affiliate sales so they know where their sales are generated and that I not only use--but LOVE--their products, and considering what a tough industry this is for these incredible companies, any positive feedback they get is a great thing! And...full disclosure...it also makes me feel all warm & fuzzy to know you like my projects. insert cheesy grin here 😉


Ok, and now on to the main event! Let's count down the Top 10 2025 superstars (at least in my opinion! 😁):


10. The One That Made Me LOL

A card with a can design labeled Whoop and a donkey icon. Text says DON'T MAKE ME OPEN IT. Background has white bricks and pom-poms.
This saucy card is on the list because, frankly, it makes me laugh every time I see it!

As many of you know, I love a good pun and an even better laugh! Sometimes that means getting extra creative and making my own sentiments to bring my goofy ideas to life.


For this seriously silly card, I fired up my Cricut to cut a bold “Whoop” with a shadow layer and a cheeky donkey medallion in red and black. Then I grabbed my label maker for the perfect sub-sentiment. Personalizing cards like this gives me total creative freedom—no limits, just whatever pops into my head!


Is this the best card I’ve ever made? Probably not. But is it peak Irene—quirky, fun, and unapologetically me? 100% yes!


Products Used:

9. The One I Made Live



Pink card with a concentric heart design, featuring "You matter to me" text. Surrounded by white beads on a gray surface. Designed by Irene Smith.
For me, positivity is the best gift I can give someone and doing it in handmade card form is extra special.

Card Chaos: Quarter-Hour Cards—my weekly live card challenge—has been one of the most unexpected (and exciting!) twists in my cardmaking journey. The craft community’s response? Overwhelmingly positive. The enthusiasm, the guests, the folks playing along—it blows my mind and makes me feel so grateful to be part of such a creative, supportive group!


Now, real talk: not every one of my 15-minute cards is a masterpiece (LOL, I own that!). They’re all special, but some…well, let’s just say they’re more “character-building” than “gallery-worthy.”


This one, though? Oh my word. Everything clicked—the colors, the layered “you,” the uplifting messages, even the perfectly open space. I loved this card so much it practically begged for a spot on this list! (Watch me make it live HERE!)


Products Used:

8. The One I Wish I Didn't Need

Sympathy card with a white leaf design on turquoise and brown. Text: "With Sympathy." Bottom text: "Designed by Irene Smith." Gentle mood.
A heartfelt card adds action to sincere words of sympathy.

Sympathy cards are never easy to make—especially when the need is real. I truly wished this card didn’t have to exist, but I’m grateful its simplicity and elegance reflected what I felt: sorrow for a painful loss, yet gratitude for a life well-lived and a man deeply loved.


On the creative side, I took a chance blending just two colors—and was pleasantly surprised by the soft, seamless result. That gentle gradient felt perfect, especially knowing the family’s close connection to the beach. Sometimes, the smallest details carry the most meaning.


Products Used:

7. The One That Defined My Coloring Style

Three colorful cards with flamingos, palm trees, and happy birthday sentiments. Vibrant, playful designs on a soft background with a wonky stitched border.
I know a trio isn't exactly one card (lol), but it's the whole vibe that I'm digging here!

I’ve never thought of myself as an “artist.” I can’t just pull an image from my head and put it perfectly on paper. For me, it takes planning—color theory, composition, all the little details. And for the world of cardmaking, coloring is a big part of that. Sure, I can stay inside the lines (mostly), but creating depth with shadows, highlights, and contrast? That’s been a real challenge.


The good news? I’ve improved (see #3 below!) and discovered my own style, something I call high-contrast coloring. I use three colors for each area—base, shadow, and highlight—for quick but striking results. This trio of flamingo cards was the first time my coloring truly came to life. Their light pink base, bold one-color shadows, and crisp white highlights perfectly showcase the look I’ve been developing. And the best part? Others seem to love this simple yet impactful style too! (P.S. I know there are 3 cards here and not just 1, so it may look like I'm cheating a wee bit--but it's the collection itself that I think works so well! If I absolutely had to pick a favorite, though, I'd probably go with the pink stripe card...or the hb2u...umm...or the black and white?! This is so hard!! LOL)


Products Used:

(Note: I realize the MFT items are no longer available, but I am including them as you may locate them in destash groups or on a resale site.)

6. The One I Get to Keep

Notebook page with colorful floral bouquet, butterflies, and text "Where flowers bloom, so does hope." The background is pink and blue.
Art or junk journal spreads are extra special because I get to keep them and see my growth and inspiration influences over time.

Most of what I share are handmade cards, but every now and then, I feel the pull to create something just for me. That’s where my art journal comes in—and this page was a big “first” in two ways.


First, it was the very first journal page I absolutely loved, the one where I could really see my progress in this art style. Second, it marked my debut as an official member of the Paper Rose Studio design team! I was overjoyed to be selected, and I think that joy shines through in the vibrant colors and expressive composition of this layout.


I’ve made plenty of pages since this one that I love just as much, but this one earned its spot in the Top 10 because it was the first—and that makes it extra special.


Products Used:

5. The One I Made On the Road

A card with rainbow flowers and white text saying "have a good day" on a wooden surface. Text at bottom: "Crafted by Irene Smith."
This sweet rainbow card was inspired by an absolutely stunning creation from the one and only Michelle Lupton!

My crafty adventures don’t stop at the craft room—they take me to expo halls, classrooms, scrap stores, and even long car rides (which I secretly love!). That means I need a go-to kit for creativity on the move.


This card? Made in my hotel room while at the Stamp, Scrap, Art Tour in Rockford, IL. I had an Instagram hop deadline and zero time to prep. With just a rainbow of ink cubes, a cover die, and a sentiment die, I created one of my Top 10 favorite cards of the year. Bright, bold colors paired with delicate florals and crisp white space—pure joy!


Huge thanks to Michelle Lupton for inspiring this design as a CASE of her gorgeous work (click here to see the card that inspired mine)! Sometimes, limited supplies spark the best creativity!


Products Used:

4. The One I Can't Believe Is Mine

Blue and pink card with vibrant butterflies and flowers, embossed in gold, a large pink bow, "Hugs" text, and artist attribution "designed by Irene Smith."
The vibrant contrast on this card takes my breath away! Note to self: Gold embossing on EVERYTHING!

Have you ever made something and thought, Wait… that came from my brain and my hands?! Yeah—that was this card for me. The bold, coordinated colors mixed with delicate contrasts and those almost-lime yellow accents? Totally out of my comfort zone!


I don’t know what gave me the courage to try this color blend, but I do know one thing: I fell head over heels for Plumberry—that deep wingtip shade on the main butterfly—and I’ve wanted to use it on every card since!


It’s also special because it’s a 5x7, which I rarely make. But there was no way I was cutting down that focal point. Nope. Not happening. Normally, every card I make gets gifted or mailed out (eventually…lol), but this one? I think it’s staying on my wall for a while. 😉


Products Used:

3. The One That Shows My Growth

Two cartoon kids stand under a tree with green leaves against a sunset sky, in pink, purple, and orange hues. Text: "Designed by IRENE Smith."
The alcohol marker coloring here makes me feel so good!

This card. Oh my goodness—I love it. If I didn’t make it myself, I’d never guess it started with a tree stencil. I wanted a sunset background, so I ink-blended over the stencil. Pretty colors, sure, but when I lifted it? That stark white tree had me stumped (hee hee, pun intended!).


Enter my alcohol markers. Instead of my usual high-contrast style (see #7 above), I went full-on traditional—layering shadows, depth, and highlights. My little characters? Still working on that hair game (it's so tough!). But that tree? WOW. The texture, the bounced light—I’m honestly so incredibly proud of it.


I feel weird saying that because I like to stay humble, but I can’t believe I colored something in this style and truly loved it! Loved it so much, in fact, that I skipped the sentiment. Some cards speak for themselves, and this one absolutely does. I can't wait to see how much my coloring improves in the coming year!


Products Used:

2. The One I Made by Accident

Colorful card with "hi LOVE" in bold letters adorned with pink and purple fuchsias and green leaves on a light purple background. Logo and text below.

My favorite way to craft? Hands down—with friends. There’s just something electric about a room full of creative souls, bouncing ideas and energy off each other. This card was born during one of those sessions with two of my best crafty buddies. We were stamping, coloring, chatting (and yes, binging Netflix because… priorities, lol), and I was loving the color blend on these gorgeous fuchsias, which in itself is saying something because again, alcohol marker coloring is not my strong suit.


Then came die-cut time—and instant panic. I’d stamped everything way too close together. Options? Sacrifice a few blooms? Scrap the whole thing? Use it as a panel? Nope, nope, and nope. None of those worked. Then I spotted a letter die set on my desk and—lightbulb moment! What if I turned this into patterned paper letters?


And oh, did it work. I layered them with black cardstock for pop, added a soft purple ink-blended background, tucked in a few leaves, and ended up with a card I seriously considered putting at #1 on this list. This was truly a "trust the process" card. Sometimes, a little crafty chaos leads to pure magic!


Products Used:


AND FINALLY, DRUMROLL PLEASE...


1. The One That Stretched My Limits

Three cards with stenciled trees: blue winter "sending love," green spring "you are strong," and autumn "thanks." Text at bottom: "Crafted by Irene Smith."
The feeling I get when looking at these is just overwhelming. I think they are strongly emotive and capture the sense of each season and the concept of change over time. I humbly say, I am most proud of this trio of cards this year and of the growth they show in my creativity and my skill level.

This trio of cards, much like my flamingo set, was created for the Create It 3 Ways Instagram Hop—and oh, how I love that hop! It’s such a creative playground because I get to zero in on one product, one technique, or one style and really stretch my imagination. Seeing these three cards together honestly moves me. They don’t just show the changing seasons—they show the evolution of me as a maker. Growth. Passion. Art. All in one frame.

Let’s break it down:


Card One: Fresh Beginnings

I started with the green tree and kept things simple. Ink up the layers, ground it nicely, and top it off with a positive affirmation. This card feels like my “hello world” moment in cardmaking—basic techniques, but full of heart.


Card Two: Autumn Glow

Here’s where I branched out (pun totally intended!). I dove into a luscious blend of reds, yellows, and my favorite—rich oranges. Then I added a little sparkle with gold spatter. This card feels like confidence blooming.



Card Three: Winter Magic

Don’t let its simplicity fool you—this one stretched me the most! I started with a deep winter sky ink blend, misted water for that dreamy texture, and spattered extra drops of water and white paint to mimic snowfall. The tree got a progressively darker ink blend for depth. And then came the wild experiment: The Fluffy Stuff! (Seriously, whoever named this deserves a medal. Are they related to the genius behind “The Grey Stuff” at Beast’s castle? Because it’s equally delightful!) Once heated, this product puffed up like real snow, piling on branches and blanketing the ground. Pure magic.



Are there flaws in these three creations? Sure. But what I see most is progress—and pride. This trio tells a story of seasons and skills, and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out. And what's wild? I still see many more ways I can create with this stencil set! Let's see what I can come up with for 2026...


Products Used:

Final Thoughts

And that’s a wrap on my Top 10 favorite cards of 2025! This year reminded me that creativity isn’t a straight line—it’s full of twists, turns, and even a few splatters (literally!). Every setback taught me something valuable, and every success reinforced the power of positivity. Cardmaking isn’t just a hobby for me—it’s an art form that fuels my passion and keeps me grounded. If you’re on this journey too, remember: growth happens when you give yourself grace and keep experimenting. I’m so grateful for the lessons, the laughter, and the community that makes this craft even more special.


Looking ahead to 2026? I’m dreaming big—more consistent video tutorial releases, deeper dives into techniques, and plenty of bold experiments. I can’t wait to share what’s next and cheer you on in your own creative adventures. Here’s to another year of making, learning, and celebrating the beauty of handmade art—together!


Now grab some paper and craft something that really makes you smile--


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!


Colorful text "XOXO, Irene" on textured background with pastel spots. Vibrant, playful design with warm tones.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page