Creating a Heartwarming Handmade Sloth Card with a Window for Sending Hugs

Affiliate Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!

Welcome to my latest tutorial! Today, I’d like to guide you through the process of creating a heartwarming handmade sloth card with a charming window design, perfect for sending hugs to your loved ones. This beautiful card puts a smile on anyone’s face with this adorable sloth and intricate details.

This project is part of the latest challenge on Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge blog, where the theme is always ‘Anything Goes Using Paper’. A new challenge starts, every two weeks, and you can participate and show your creativity. This time, we are pleased to be sponsored by Doctor Digi House of Stamps and Last Minute Manda, who have generously provided us with beautiful digital stamps to inspire our creations.

I used Last Minute Manda’s “Sloth Coloring Book” digital stamp, part of eight beautifully detailed colouring pages. Thanks to the artist’s shading and intricate details, these colouring pages are perfect for beginners and experienced colourists.

Let’s look at the materials you’ll need and the steps to make this enchanting card.

I used the “Sloth Colouring Book” digital stamp from Last Minute Manda for this project. The image features a sloth clinging to a tree branch, surrounded by lush leaves. It’s part of eight intricately designed colouring pages, each showcasing a charming sloth scene.  

One of the standout features of this digital stamp is its detailed shading. The artist has thoughtfully included clear shadow areas, making it easier to understand where to add depth and dimension. This makes the stamp incredibly user-friendly and suitable for crafters of all skill levels. Beginners will appreciate the guidance provided by the shading, while more experienced colourists can take advantage of the intricate details to create truly stunning artwork.  

Whether you’re just starting or have been crafting for years, this stamp offers endless possibilities for creating beautiful, personalized cards. If you’d like to follow along with this tutorial and create your handmade sloth card, you can purchase the “Sloth Colouring Book” digital stamp here.  

Let’s move on to the materials you’ll need to bring this charming handmade sloth card to life.

Once you printed the stamp, it is time to bring it to life with colour! Here are the colour combinations I used for different elements of the sloth scene:

• Leaves: Yellow Green (48), Grass Green (47), and Forest Green (50).
• Tree Trunk: Sand (107), Burnt Sienna (95), and Natural Oak (91).
• Sloth: Warm Grey (9), Warm Grey 8 (WG8), Warm Grey 5 (WG), Warm Grey 4 (WG4), Warm Grey 3 (WG3), and Warm Grey 2 (WG2).
• Sloth’s Face: Leather (113), Pale Cream (142), and Colorless Blender (0).

Take your time, paying attention to the intricate details and shading. The detailed shading, provided by the artist, makes it easier to achieve realistic and stunning results, even for beginners.

Once you finish the colouring, our sloth image will be ready to take centre stage on our handmade card. Move on to the next step and create the background!

Let’s create our handmade sloth card together! Follow along as we bring this adorable sloth scene to life. Grab your craft supplies and let’s get started on this beautiful project!

To begin our crafting journey, let’s prepare the foundation of our handmade sloth card. The choice of card base is crucial as it sets the stage for the entire design. For this tutorial, I have chosen a pre-made card base measuring 10.5 centimetres by 14.8 centimetres.

I selected this size to match the dimensions of the background die we will be using, which is also 10.5 x 14.8 cm. This ensures a harmonious composition for our card.

If you don’t have a pre-made card base, don’t worry! You can easily create one from sturdy white paper. Cut a piece of paper measuring 21 centimetres by 14.8 centimetres, then score it at 10.5 centimetres (fold it in half) to create a sturdy card base

Starting with the right-sized card base sets us up for success in crafting our enchanting sloth card. Let’s move on to the next step and bring this card to life!

Let’s bring our adorable sloth scene to life by printing and colouring the digital stamp. Here’s how to do it:

Start by printing the digital stamp on DCP paper. This paper is suitable for alcohol markers and provides vibrant and smooth colour results. If you use a different colour medium, you may need to use a different type of paper for optimal results.

Once you printed the stamp, it is time to bring it to life with colour! Here are the colour combinations I used for different elements of the sloth scene:

• Leaves: Yellow Green (48), Grass Green (47), and Forest Green (50).
• Tree Trunk: Sand (107), Burnt Sienna (95), and Natural Oak (91).
• Sloth: Warm Grey (9), Warm Grey 8 (WG8), Warm Grey 5 (WG), Warm Grey 4 (WG4), Warm Grey 3 (WG3), and Warm Grey 2 (WG2).
• Sloth’s Face: Leather (113), Pale Cream (142), and Colorless Blender (0).

Be sure to take your time, paying attention to the intricate details and shading. The detailed shading, provided by the artist makes it easier to achieve realistic and stunning results, even for beginners.

Once you finish the colouring, our sloth image will be ready to take centre stage on our handmade card. Move on to the next step and create the background!

To give our card depth and texture, we’ll start by crafting the background. Here’s how:

I used a background die that matched the size of our card to create a textured background resembling a tree structure. Craft paper works perfectly for this. Place the background die on the craft paper and run it through the die-cutting machine. Once cut, enhance the texture with distress inks. I opted for Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain distress inks. Apply Walnut Stain more towards the centre and Vintage Photo around the outer edges to create depth and dimension.

For our card, I decided to create a window design. First, adhere the craft paper to the front of the card. Then, position the circle die where you want to create the window. Since the die needs to be cut through two layers of paper, run it through the die-cutting machine multiple times. Secure the die in place with tape to prevent shifting.

Next, use the same circle die to cut out our coloured image. This ensures that our image fits perfectly behind the circular window on the card front, creating a seamless window effect.

With the background and window in place, let’s move on to the next step and add some ink blending to the circle with the image.

We will enhance the circular frame surrounding the image with distress ink, to ensure the card looks cohesive and professional. I will also guide you in adhering the circle to the inside of the card. Let’s get started.

First, select distress ink colours that complement the sloth scene and the background. I have chosen Lawn Fawn and Pine Needles distress inks, for this project. Follow these steps to add depth and dimension to the circular frame:

• Around the circle, apply the Lawn Fawn Distress ink, starting from the edge and working towards the image. Be careful not to overlap with the image itself.
• Next, use the Pine Needles distress ink to apply a darker shade along the outer edge of the circle. This will create a gradient effect, transitioning from darker hues towards the edge to lighter shades closer to the image.

We ensure that the circular frame complements the overall scene while drawing attention to the central image, by adding these ink accents.

With the circular frame beautifully edited, let’s affix it to the inside of the card. Follow these steps for a seamless integration:

• Apply a generous amount of adhesive to the back of the circle, ensuring even coverage along the edges and centre.
• Partially close the front flap of the card to approximate the placement of the circle. Once positioned, gently close the card to secure the circle in place behind the circular window on the front.
• Ensure that the circle is aligned correctly and centred behind the window before pressing down firmly to adhere it to the inside of the card.

With the circle securely in place, our card is one step closer to completion. Let’s proceed to create the elements for the card front.

Now it’s time to add some natural elements to our card front by incorporating branches and leaves. Here’s how:

To add depth and dimension to the top of the circular frame, we’ll be adding two branches along with several leaves. This will create the illusion of the sloth peeking out from behind a cluster of leaves. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

Using branch dies, cut out two branches from craft paper using your die-cutting machine. Once cut, apply distress ink to the branches using the same colours used for the background to maintain consistency. Next, use a leaf die to cut out multiple leaves in various sizes. Repeat this process as needed. Colour the leaves using alcohol markers for a vibrant touch. I used Forest Green (50), Deep Green (51), and Dark Green (52) for my leaves. 

Once you’ve prepared the branches and leaves, it’s time to assemble them on the card front. Follow these steps:

Position the branches at the top of the circular frame, with the lower ends tucked inside the frame. Secure them in place using adhesive. Arrange the leaves on the branches, ensuring some leaves extend beyond the circular window. This creates a more natural look and adds interest to the design. For leaves visible through the circular window, colour both sides of the leaves to ensure a cohesive look when the card is opened. With the branches and leaves securely in place, our card is almost complete. Let’s move on to the final step: adding the sentiment to the card.

Now, let’s add the finishing touch to our card by incorporating the sentiment. Here’s how:

For the sentiment, I chose two words dies: “sending” and “hugs”. Given that the sloth is embracing the branch, I felt that “sending hugs” was a fitting message. Each word has a shadow die, which I cut out from black paper, and the words themselves are cut from white paper. After adhering the white words to the black shadows, we can proceed to attach them to the card.

Start by positioning the word “sending” at the bottom of the circular frame. This ensures that the top of the word falls within the circle’s interior. Be mindful of where you apply the adhesive, ensuring it only goes on parts that will be securely attached.  

Below “sending”, affix the word “hugs”. Once both words are in place, our card is complete and ready to spread some love and warmth to its recipient.  

With the sentiment in place, our card is now ready to brighten someone’s day with its heartfelt message and adorable sloth design.

As we wrap up this tutorial, let’s reflect on the creative process. From choosing our materials to adding the final touches, we’ve carefully crafted a heartwarming handmade sloth card step by step. We’ve explored printing and colouring digital stamps, creating textured backgrounds, and arranging elements to achieve a 3D effect.  

Now that our handmade sloth card is finished, it’s your turn to get started.

Take on the creative challenge and participate in Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge! Showcase your crafting skills and have a chance to win fantastic prizes from our generous sponsors.

Seeking additional ways to spread love and warmth through your handmade creations? Explore these related articles for more inspiration:

Sending bug hugs lift the flap card | Aveccreative

Warm Up Winter with a Snowman Sending Hugs Card

Let’s continue crafting heartfelt connections, one card at a time!

Affiliate Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!

Exclusive Sloth Colouring Book by Last Minute Manda (nov. 2025 not available anymore)

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Distress Ink Mowed Lawn by Ranger

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Distress Ink pine Needles by Ranger

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Blending brushes StudiolightNL

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White gelly rol pen 08

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• Kraft Card Stock (brand unknown)
• Background die from Aveccreative
• Leave dies from Aveccreative
• Circle die from Aveccreative
• Sentiment dies “sending hugs” from Scrapfever
• Alcohol markers from Decotimecrafts
• Sticky glue from ActionNL
• Scissors from ActionNL

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