Perfect Placement Every Time — A Cardmaker's Template Trick

Perfect Placement Every Time — A Cardmaker's Template Trick

Michelle Makes Cards

If you've ever stamped a beautiful background only to realize your focal element landed slightly off — this one's for you.

In this Michelle Makes Cards episode, I'm sharing a technique I now use on almost every multi-element card: building a reusable placement template directly from your stamped pieces.

Here's the quick version of what we cover:

  • The supplies — the Gina K. Designs stamp set and ink pads I used to make this sympathy card; Sentimental Bouquet (retired), Lilac Trio Set, Black Onyx, Archival Jet Black, Versa Fine Clair Black Nocturn

Gina K. Designs stamp set with Dark Lilac, Medium Lilac, Light Lilac, Jet Black Archival, and VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pads on a red mat

  • Stamp your elements on scrap cardstock and cut them out — these become your template pieces, not your finished card

A set of stamped squares in black ink plus a "with sympathy" below on a piece of paper in the MISTI

A pair of scissors with black and gray handles is held between two hands over a red cutting mat, with a small white card underneath.

  • Arrange the cut-outs on your card base until the layout is exactly right — no guessing, no measuring, no "close enough"

A top-down view of a person's hands resting on a red cutting mat over a dark surface. In the center is a small white card labeled 'with sympathy' with three dark square stamped, and two small square silver/gray cut out squares are placed to the left.

  • Use the template to align your stamps and ink directly onto your good cardstock with confidence

Close-up of a person's hands using a dark blue stained polymer stamp with two black squares on a white sheet in a MISTI positioning tool.

A close-up of hands using a clear acrylic stamping plate with grid lines and sample color swatches in blue and purple. A Sweet Petunia brand stamping plate is visible, along with a partial ink pad labeled Dark Lilac.

  • Silhouette stamping on the squares — the template keeps every block exactly where it belongs

A close-up of a stamping or crafting tool with a translucent pink lid and a clear acrylic base. A white card with three blue-purple leaf-shaped stamps is placed on the base, and the brand name 'MY Sweet PETUNIA' is printed on the inside of the lid.

  • See the difference the template makes — a close-up of the placement template, then the finished panel for comparison

A hand holds a white copy paper stamping template displaying three textured gray square swatches and a small white label reading 'With Sympathy' against a solid red craft mat.


A hand holds a white card showing three stamped fern leaf designs in shades of blue and purple, with the text 'wild sympathy' printed on the card. A MISTI stamping positioner is in the background.

The tip I wish someone had told me sooner: Photocopy your finished template or card panel and trim it to size. File it away. When you fall in love with a card design and want to make it again — for a gift, a batch, a class — your layout is already done.

A hand holds a white card photocopy showing three dried fern leaf impressions stamped in gray, with the words 'thank you' printed on the card, set against a red cutting mat background.

I walk through every step in the full video, including how I set up the lilac trio squares for this sympathy card. Watch it below!

▶ Watch: Perfect Placement Every Time | Michelle Makes Cards

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