Hi friends, I’m back home from Frankfurt and still riding that creative high. You know that feeling when you’ve had products sitting in your studio for weeks, and suddenly the inspiration hits? That was me with the Waffle Flower Postage Collage collection. I’ve been itching to play with these, and once I started, I couldn’t stop.
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Today I’m sharing several cards featuring the Postage Collage Meow Stencil, the Postage Collage Peony Stencil, the Nesting Postage Collage Peony Stencil, and coordinating goodies from Waffle Flower, paired with my favorite Altenew Fresh Dye Inks.
The Postage Collage Collection is all about creating your own faux postage stamps for handmade cards using photopolymer stamps, and let me tell you, the possibilities are endless! This collection offers so much variety, and it was such a joy to experiment with all the components.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
Watch the video below or on my YouTube channel.
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POSTAGE COLLAGE EXPLAINED
If you’ve never explored the Postage Collage system before, let me give you a quick overview.
The Foundation: Postage Collage Die
At the heart of this collection is the Postage Collage Die. This is the base that everything builds on. It creates that perforated postage stamp panel with individual “stamp” sections. Waffle Flower continues to release new stencil designs that coordinate perfectly with this die, which means you can keep expanding your collection without replacing the core pieces. I love that kind of smart system.
Also, quick packaging appreciation moment: many of Waffle Flower’s dies come on magnetic sheets inside clear envelopes, which makes storage neat and easy. Little details like that make crafting smoother.
Card 1: Postage Collage Meow (A Little Tribute to My Cats)
As soon as I saw the Postage Collage Meow Stencil, I knew it had to come home with me. I have two orange cats who supervise everything I do in the studio (and occasionally sit on it), so this set felt very personal.
This stencil set includes four clearly etched layers:
- Background
- Light layer (base cat color + eye placement)
- Dark layer (shading + more detail)
- Final detail layer
Each layer is labeled, including helpful notes like “light,” “dark,” “eyes,” and even “skip for white.” That guidance makes layering much easier, especially if you’re working with multiple shades of the same color.
For my card:
- Background: Moss (Altenew) for a soft green backdrop inspired by my living room walls.
- Cats (light layer): Chamomile for the base.
- Cats (dark layer): Snapdragon for shading and depth.
- Eyes: Pistachio (my cats have green eyes, so this was non-negotiable).
- Pink accents and toy mouse: Pinkalicious and Rubelite
- Final details: Black ink for facial features and definition.
- I used a Waffle Flower Grip Mat to hold everything in place while blending. No tape needed, which makes the process so much faster.
After finishing the ink blending, I brought the panel to my MISTI and stamped additional details from the Postage Collage Stamp Set. The cancellation marks and postage values completely transform the look. It’s amazing how those small black elements instantly sell the “postage stamp” illusion.
I added a sentiment from the Simply Said Stamp Set, foam-mounted the panel onto a pink A2 card base, and finished with Altenew Crystal Clear Enamel Dots.
This card makes me smile every time I see it. It feels like a little postcard from Lucy and her brother.
Card 2: Nesting Postage Collage Peony (With Shading and Dimension)
Next, I played with the Nesting Postage Collage Peony Stencil and coordinating Nesting Postage Collage Die.
The stencil includes multiple layers for:
- Flowers (base, medium, dark)
- Leaves (base and detail)
- Flower centers
- Optional background
You can follow the instructions exactly and apply solid layers of color, or you can take a more dimensional approach. I tried both. The solid version is beautiful, but for my final card, I went with directional, shaded ink blending to create more depth.
For the flowers:
- Base: Pink Diamond
- Medium shading: Pinkalicious
- Deep shadows: Razzleberry
Instead of fully covering each layer, I applied color strategically where shadows would naturally fall. Using smaller blending brushes for the darker tones helped keep the shading controlled and realistic.
For the leaves:
I skipped the solid leaf detail layer and instead used shading to build dimension.
For the flower centers:
Then I softly blended Dew Drops around the background areas for just a hint of cool contrast without overpowering the florals.
I finished this card with postage cancellation stamping in a softer ink for a more subtle effect, added foam adhesive for dimension, and embellished with clear enamel dots.
Card 3: Postage Collage Peony (Portrait Layout Twist)
The standard Postage Collage Peony Stencil creates a horizontal panel, but I wanted to try something different. I trimmed off two stamp sections to create a nearly square panel and mounted it onto a portrait A2 card base.
For this one, I went bolder with color:
Background gradient:
Pink flower:
- Pink Diamond
- Pinkalicious
- Razzleberry
- Honey Drizzle (flower center)
Red-orange flowers:
- Rouge
- Crimson
- Velvet
- Citrus Burst + Honey Drizzle for warmth
Leaves:
I also used the Postage Collage Blocks Stencil as a mask when stamping the cancellation marks. This kept the black ink from overlapping onto the white perforated edges, giving a cleaner look.
Sentiments came from the Simply Said Stamp Set, and I added a small “with love” from the Sealed Sentiments collection for a finishing touch.
What I love most about the Postage Collage collection is its versatility. You can:
- Keep things simple with solid layers.
- Add depth with detailed shading.
- Change the mood completely with background color.
- Stamp boldly in black or softly in neutral tones.
- Trim panels and rethink the layout.
It’s one of those systems that grows with your creativity. If you already have pieces from this collection, I hope this inspires you to pull them out and try a new color combination or blending technique. And if you’re new to it, start with the Postage Collage Die and build from there. It’s such a fun creative playground.
Thanks so much for spending time with me today. I’m off to make a few more birthday cards because somehow I never have enough.
See you soon,
Yana
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available, I use compensated affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 Waffle Flower Postage Collage Die Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Postage Collage Meow Stencil Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Postage Collage Woof Stencil Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Postage Collage Blocks Stencil Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flowers Postage Collage Peony Stencil Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Nesting Postage Collage Peony Stencil Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Nesting Postage Collage Die Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Postage Collage Stamp Set Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Sealed Sentiments Stamp Set Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Waffle Flower Simply Said Stamp Set Shop at: SSS | SC | PFS |
 Altenew Large Blending Brushes Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 Altenew Small Blending Brush Shop at: AN | PFS |
 Altenew Mini Blending Brush Set Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 Exclusive Lilac Shimmer Platinum 6 Die Cutting & Embossing Machine – 6″ Platform Shop at: SB USA | SB UK |
 Hammermill White 100 Lb Smooth Premium Color Copy Pack 25 Sheets Shop at: SSS |
 MISTI Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS | SC | AN | SB USA | SB UK | AMZ | PFS |
 Altenew Sweet Dreams Fresh Dye Ink (Dew Drops, Aqualicious, Teal Cave, Galactic Stream) Shop at: AN | PFS |
 Altenew Tropical Forest Fresh Dye Ink (Bamboo, Parrot, Olive, Moss) Shop at: AN |
 Altenew Cherry Blossom Fresh Dye Ink (Pink Diamond, Pinkalicious, Rubellite, Razzleberry) Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 Altenew Forest Trail Fresh Dye Ink (Aloe Vera, Matcha Tea, Swamp Green, Oak Moss) Shop at: SC | AN |
 Altenew Red Sunset Fresh Dye Inks (Blush, Rouge, Crimson, Velvet) Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 Altenew Golden Sunset Fresh Dye Ink (Sunray, Chamomile, Snapdragon, Terracotta) Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 Altenew Jade Dreams Fresh Dye Ink (Pistachio, Misty Sage, Mossy Meadow, Green Opal) Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 Altenew Pocketful of Sunshine Fresh Dye Ink (Honey Drizzle, Maple Yellow, Fresh Lemon, Citrus Burst) Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black Ink Shop at: SSS | AMZ | PFS |
 Spellbinders Chiffon ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Simon Says Stamp Cotton Candy A2 Side-Fold Scored Cards Shop at: SSS |
 Simon Says Stamp Sage A2 Side Fold Scored Cards 100# 10 Pack Shop at: SSS |
 Altenew Crystal Clear Enamel Dots Shop at: SSS | AN |
 Waffle Flower Grip Mat 6×6″ Shop at: SC |
 Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape Shop at: SSS | AN | PFS |
 White Foam Squares Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | AMZ | PFS |
 Glassboard Studio Super Strong Magnets Shop at: GBS |
 Glassboard Studio Glass Craft Mat – Code YANA15 Shop at: GBS |
