When this amazing Lush Floral Collection by Alex Syberia Designs release arrived, I instantly knew it would be hard to stop creating with it. I ended up making 15 cards with this collection, and I am still not done with it because it feels soo good to create with.

Before I share my first card inspiration with the release, I wanted to show you their first ever enamel pin collection! I photographed the product photos for their website, they are soo beautiful, just take a look.

This photo shows:

• Alex Syberia Designs Enamel Pin Bundle  [  US | UK ]
• Wrapped with Love Enamel Pin  [ US | UK ]
• Festive Poinsettia Enamel Pin  [ US | UK ]
• Alex Syberia Designs Logo Enamel Pin  [ US | UK ]

Next week I am coming with a fun video tutorial, I bet you're gonna love it, but before that I wanted to start by showing you some designs I made. These trio flowers are too pretty to keep waiting.

What’s in the new release

The Lush Floral Collection includes:

• Lush Floral Full Release Bundle [ US | UK ]
• Floral Trio Die Set  [ US | UK ]
• Floral Trio Press + Hot Foil Plate  [ US | UK ]
• Floral Trio Press + Hot Foil Plate & Stencil Bundle  [ US | UK ]
• Lush Peony Bouquet Press + Hot Foil Plate  [ US | UK ]
• Lush Peony Bouquet Press + Hot Foil Plate & Stencil Bundle  [ US | UK ]

Pin this post to Pinterest and save this card idea for later.

First cards from the release: the blue floral trio

For these cards, I used the Floral Trio Die Set, the Floral Trio Press + Hot Foil Plate, and the Charming Flora Cover Die. I also used sentiments from Classic Sentiments and Essential Sentiments, which work so beautifully across the whole collection. 

The white flower card was made from Neenah Solar White cardstock and blended with Salvaged Patina Distress Oxide Ink, and Peacock Feathers. I really love how fresh and airy that color feels on the white petals.

For the background, I used the Charming Flora Cover Die with Mermaid soft turquoise cardstock. It adds that lovely detailed texture without stealing the show from the flowers, which I always appreciate in a good cover die. 

The foiled blue flower was made with the Floral Trio Press + Hot Foil Plate on a light blue watercolor card panel I made earlier this year. I hot foiled it with gold foil through my Glimmer Hot Foil machine. Then added color with Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide Inks through the coordinating stencil. 

Those lovely leaves I also made from a lime green watercolored cardstock. Some leaves are diecut with the Floral Trio Die and others with  the Fantasy Flowers die-set. The leaves give such a fresh pop to the card. As a final touch I added highlights with white and gold pigment pen.

The die cut blue flowers were cut from a pre-painted blue watercolor panel I had made earlier while just relaxing and playing with color. I do this often to wind down, at the end of my day, and save them for later. They always turn into something beautiful later. On the top flowers I just run through with a bit of inkblending with Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink to add a bit of color shift to the entire look.

For the pink floral version, I used Picked Raspberry and Kitsch Flamingo Distress Oxide Ink, and I foiled that one with black foil. I really liked the stronger contrast there. Same flowers, same collection, but such a different mood.

A little peek at Lush Peony Bouquet plate

Okay now let’s talk about Lush Peony Bouquet. Honestly, it is one of my favorite press plate designs this year.

I made a lot of inspiration with it, I can’t wait to show you! Next week, I’ll also have a video coming with it, if you are super curious, you can already see it on the Lush Peony Bouquet product page. But as a teaser here is a card that did not make it into the upcoming tutorial, but I thought I will give it a chance to shine on the blog.

But if you spotted that colorful floral card in the corner, consider this your little teaser. More is coming very soon.

For this project, I used the Floral Trio Press + Hot Foil Plate & Stencil Bundle on a watercolor panel. I just blended black shoot distress and peacock feathers oxide ink through the stencil, and as a final touch I made some pencil work, with purple and pink pencils. As a final touch I had to add white pen to give a bit of glow to the peonies. :) 

Sentiments I used

The sentiments on all of these cards are from Classic Sentiments and Essential Sentiments by Alex Syberia Designs. These are the sentiments you will see on my Instagram a lot. Because it is sooo easy to use. You foil or ink through betterpress system an entire card panel with one “swoosh”, then diecut all the sentiments with one diecutting and that’s it! LOVE!

This is just the beginning with this collection. If you love florals, foiling and soft-but-special card details, you are going to enjoy what’s coming next. Follow me on Instagram for more inspiration and photo tips for cardmakers!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Used Craft Supplies

A few weeks ago, I was sitting at my craft table, wondering what card I should make next. It took me a while to get it: I need to focus on what I feel like creating!

This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you click them and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

It felt so good to make something fun and enjoy the creating process. At the end, I just took a phone shot of it, as it was.

If you’ve ever felt stuck or pressured to create, you’re not alone!

Because the truth is, a lot of crafters struggle with sharing their work online at some point. I've been there too! And that’s exactly why I made this post. So let’s dive into what helps me get unstuck and find my way back.

Why Is It So Hard to Post Your Cards Online?

Research¹²³ confirms that creative activities like crafting can boost happiness and wellbeing. They give us a meaningful way to express ourselves and feel more grounded.

At the same time, crafty communities and online forums show that it’s super common to feel stuck or hesitant about posting what we’ve made.

So, what’s really going on here?

Is posting really the hard part? Or is it something else hiding underneath? Here are some sneaky thoughts and situations that can hold you back:

Life happens

When you just don’t feel like it. And that’s totally okay. Your crafty supplies will wait until you’re ready to craft again!

Fear of judgment

That tiny bird on your shoulder whispering, “What if people don’t like it?” Yep, I know her too. But the truth is: the people who matter will love it because you made it. And those who might roll their eyes? They probably would judge you anyway, no matter what you do. It’s not about you. It’s about them.

Trend pressure

Sometimes we feel like we should post, especially with collabs or design team commitments. But what if you gave yourself a craftless week... just to reset? You might even find yourself missing it.

Perfectionism

Have you ever wondered before posting a card: “Is it good enough?”

The truth is, we’re always harder on ourselves than on others. I mean, would you zoom in on a crafty friend’s work just to spot every little “mistake”? I don’t think so! You’d see the heart in it. The colors. The joy.

A Pinkfreshstudio card I made back in 2021, the sentiment is totally off, and that’s okay.

Try looking at your own creations through your crafty friend’s eyes. It might just change everything.

Overwhelm

Cardmaking is the fun part. But everything around it can feel like a lot:

• prep your project
• craft, actually
• video recording
• keep your space tidy
• set up your gear
• style your props
• take the photos
• edit them
• cut the video
• do the voiceover
• write captions
• and finally… post. 

And it doesn’t just feel like a lot! It is a lot! No wonder you're tired before you even start! Because we're crafters and want to create, not deal with all that hassle. I see you, and I totally get it.

Lack of motivation

If you barely get any reactions to your posts, it can feel like shouting into the void. Even if you say, likes don’t matter, let’s be honest, it still hurts.

But please remember, likes don’t define you and your art! The worth of your handmade creation comes from you!

Your art is totally enough, and so you are!

 

How to Overcome Craft Posting Anxiety and Stay Motivated

As a step zero, check back to the previous section and try to identify what’s blocking you right now. Before I can move forward, I need to understand what’s holding me back. But the moment I realize and acknowledge it! That’s a really good start!

5 Steps to Get Back to Crafting and Sharing

When we’ve been putting something off, it tends to grow in our minds. Posting can feel that there’s a whole mountain behind it, unless we "fussycut it" into smaller pieces.

Set Your Creative Goal

I’m not talking about mega goals, like: “I want to be a pro colourist!”. I mean regular ones. Like: “I want to enjoy crafting again” or “I want to start posting my cards.” Each of these goals leads to different steps.

If your goal is to enjoy crafting again, your first step might be something as simple as looking through your stamps for five minutes. That’s it. Done! Check it off. Then write your next step directly into your calendar, or set a reminder if that helps!

A few months ago, I set myself a personal goal that was just... way too big. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move forward. It took me some time to realize, I can only make progress if I focus on the very next tiny step. This approach helped me a lot, and I truly believe it can help you too.

 

Create with Joy

Focus on the fun part! Let yourself rediscover your crafty treasures. Pick the supplies you enjoy, and create just for yourself. You don’t need a 49th stamp or the newest die for it. Just play with what you already have! No pressure to share. This is all about finding your mojo again. You can always post your cards later, when you feel like it.

Decide When to Share

Your handmade cards don’t expire. And unless you're on a Design Team, there’s no deadline to post them.

When your project is finished, just ask yourself: “Do I want to share this now?” If your answer is yes, just go ahead! But if your gut screams “hell noooo,” then don’t force it. You can do it next time.

Plan Your Workflow

If you want to enjoy your crafty session to the fullest, a simple plan can do wonders. It takes the pressure off your shoulders and gives your creative mind a space to play! And if you're working on a craft collaboration or a DT project, you need to try it! It’s a game changer!

To avoid burnout, try this:

• Plan your week ahead! It helps you escape those last-minute deadline panics.
• Pick your crafting day (or crafting hours) and let your people know: “This is my me-time!”
• Mark your photo session in your calendar, and try to pick a time when there's beautiful daylight. Your creations deserve to shine in the best light!
• Set another time for writing captions, editing videos, or whatever your content needs.
• Smaller bites feel easier, and that means you’re more likely to actually get them done.

While you’re crafting, toss your used supplies into a box. Later, when you’re writing your captions or recording your voiceovers, everything will be right there, ready to go.

Take Your Card Photos and Edit

If you can wait for daylight before taking your photos!

Here’s a quick checklist for taking photos of your cards:

• Go close to your window! Trust me, natural light is your card's best friend.
• Pick a backdrop! In this Instagram post, I shared 25 backdrop ideas to try.
• For photo props, grab a few bits from your supply box.
• Take 2-3 photos of your card

Wondering what I use to photograph my cards? Grab my free gear list, and check all the photo tools I use in my craftroom.

Now, let’s talk about editing.

I know! It can feel like a lot. But editing is part of photography. A photo without editing is like a card without a sentiment. It’s just not finished. Think of it like layering your colors and adding those final white highlights at the end of your coloring. It just makes everything pop! 

This is exactly what editing does to your craft photos. It makes a difference, and it’s really worth it.

I know! This feels like an additional step in your already endless list of “crafting”. But editing doesn’t have to be hard, and you don’t have to do it alone. With the right tools, you can make every photo as beautiful as your handmade creations effortlessly.

If you ever wished you could just tap a button and make your craft photos look amazing? 

Now you can! After years of experimenting, I created a 2-step editing shortcut to help you pop your photos in seconds. It's called Crafter’s Photo Filters and I believe they are the secret tool your crafty routine’s been missing! For more info check it out here or by clicking the photo below.

Post and Engage with Your Community

Writing a caption can easily become overthinking level 900! But in the beginning, just keep it simple. Share what products you used, and anything else that feels right. Don’t be afraid to tag the brands you used, if you want to!

Once you’ve posted, take a minute to check your past posts. Reply to a comment or two, and show some love for your fellow crafters. Even 5 minutes of kindness counts! That little kindness find its way back to you someday.

You can Do It!

A few years ago, I couldn’t speak English at all. But I knew I wanted to post my cards on Instagram in English, and I wanted to connect with fellow crafters from around the world. So I set myself a goal: I’m going to learn English.

I started with super tiny steps, and I just kept going! I met so many kind and inspiring crafty friends. I slowly became more confident expressing myself, and then came the collab requests… That’s when I set a new goal: I want to learn to speak for voiceovers!

Eek! I still can’t believe I got a feature in Papercraft Essentials magazine!

Over the years, I’ve recorded hundreds of English voiceovers and way more posts for companies like Lawn Fawn, Pretty Pink Posh, Scrapbook.com and more. And it makes me happy that I followed my goal!

Was my first voiceover perfect? Absolutely not! But without all those tiny efforts, I would have never started to make posts, videos and help crafters with photography in English.

I believe the same is true for you!

Start with tiny steps in your craft room, and you can bring your crafty mojo back.

If you're in the same boat with language learning, you have to read my friend Orsi’s post⁵! She wrote a super useful and honest article about how to keep going even when you don’t feel like it. I highly recommend it! It’s truly worth reading.

Start Where You Are

You don’t have to be perfect to start sharing your handmade crafts. Just start where you are, with what you have, and let each tiny step build your confidence.

Sharing your work can feel like a lot, and honestly, we all have days when we don’t feel like posting.

But if you sit down and think about how to break it into smaller, more manageable parts, it gets so much easier. Just start with one thing, and start small.

A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon

Mona Tóth - Photo tips for crafters & cardmakers (@mona.toth) által megosztott bejegyzés

And if you're already feeling that little spark to start sharing your card photos, come join us in my private facebook group called "Share Your Craft Photos!"

It’s a happy little corner where we celebrate our love for crafting and photography together. You are warmly welcome to join!

Crafty Hugs,
Mona

Sources & Research

¹ The Psychology Behind Being an Artist – Zimbardo
² The Connection Between Personality and Artistic Expression
³ How Creativity Impacts Mental Health – PubMed
⁴ Art as a Tool for Mental Well-Being (PDF)
⁵ Orsi's post How to Start Practicing a Language When You Really Don’t Feel Like It