card sketch #118 challenge

card sketch #118 challenge

Anyone that hoards paper (and OK all papercrafters do it!) knows that IF AND WHEN you actually get the courage up to cut your gorgeous Designer Series Paper – YOU ABSOLUTELY WANT to get the MOST out of it!

And this sketch is the right one for this task!

Cut in 4″and 3″ squares this will stretch your paper to the MAX with NO WASTE!!

Measurements:
BASE: Flirty Flamingo CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″, scrap for word die
DSP: 3″ and 4″ squares
Basic White CS: 3 1/4″ square, scraps for dies

Adhere the 4″ square of DSP to the card front.
Mount the 3″ DSP square onto the Basic White CS 3 1/4″ square and mount it off center below the edge of the 4″ square on the card front.

Adhere the Flirty Flamingo “because” die cut from the Words of Beauty die set at the top of the 3″ square.

Stamp the sentiment from the Words of Beauty stamp set in Flirty Flamingo ink on the sentiment die from the same set. Pop that up on Stampin’ Dimensionals below the “because.”

I placed three Sparkle Dot Essentials around the words and sentiments and realized I wanted a little something below the sentiments to balance the whole thing so I grabbed the upcoming Springtime Scenes and there is an adorable little leaf die image and cut two of them to adhere below!

Sometimes you look at a card and know it needs just a little something more! This card needed that! It looked complete after that die addition, don’t you think?

Now it’s your turn – go create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays – petunia pop, peach pie and summer splash

more color mondays – petunia pop, peach pie and summer splash

Who says masculine cards need to be neutral or muted colors – this More Color Mondays color challenge card was made for a special birthday that is today in our family!

The Shell Collecting stamp set is a reversible stamp set – it contains 6 symmetrical stamps that can be reversed directly to be used as a two step stamping process and 2 other images that contain mirrored images of each other and you can use the flat sides of the mirror image for the reverse stamping for each of those stamps! So fun to be able to fill in the background without coloring – just ink it up and go!

Measurements:
BASE: Summer Splash CS: 5 1/2″x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, 1 1/2″ x 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″, 1 1/4″ x 4″

I started on the corner of the Basic White CS layer with the conical shell in Petunia Pop – this is one of the two images that has two mirrored images I used the back of one and the front of the other image to two step stamp.

In the second photo I stamped the fill in portion of the conical stamp and also stamped the starfish which is a symmetrical stamp and is totally reversible on it’s own in Peach Pie ink.

I reversed the starfish on the acrylic block to the smooth side and stamped off once on my grid paper creating a lighter second generation stamping effect for the Peach Pie inked starfish.

Then I stamped the conch shell which has two mirrored images in the stamp set in Summer Splash ink.

I also stamped Happy Birthday from the January POM (Product of the Month) Fabulous Sayings in Summer Splash on the 1 1/4″ Basic White layer.

I took the flat side of the mirrored image conch shell and stamped off on grid paper two make the fill in lighter in Summer Splash ink.
I matted the happy birthday sentiment in Summer Splash CS.
I finished the 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer by stamped the entire surface with alternating colors and shell types.

Then I ran it through the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine with the BASE #1 plate and the Embossing Plate #4 with the Soft Waves 3D embossing folder.

I adhered the 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer to the card base and the adhered the sentiment matted layer across the top third of the card. I added two silver Faceted Snowflakes around the sentiment to finish off the card!
Try one of our super fun reversible stamp sets today this one is amazing!

Now go and create some artwork of your very own one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

card sketch #117

card sketch #117

Today’s card continues the series on Card Sketches with #117!

This simple sketch provides plenty of creative inspiration with a layer and a double matte with sprigs behind it. I followed the sketch quite literally but later on next week I will show you another card from this same sketch with a completely different look!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer, and scrap
for the die
Vellum CS: scrap for the sentiment matte
Lemon Lime Twist CS: 1/2″ x 4″, and scrap for
the die

Emboss the Basic White CS layer with the Stone and Vine 3D embossing folder.
Adhere the embossed layer to the card base.
Take the 1/2″ x 4″ Lemon Lime Twist CS strip and adhere it to the center of the card front.
Die cut two concentric circles from the Spotlight on Nature dies. The smaller one in Basic White CS and the next size up in Vellum CS.

Stamp the sentiment in Lemon Lime Twist ink and color the edges with a blending brush and the same ink.

Adhere the Basic White stamped circle onto the vellum circle with Stampin’ Seal.

Pop up the sentiment vellum circle with Stampin’ Dimensionals – making sure to stay inside the Basic White circle outline.
Die cut the large leaf sprig die in Lemon Lime Twist cardstock and cut into 2 pieces.
Attach the sprigs to the sentiment piece and adhere the sentiment focal piece to the card over the Lemon Lime Twist strip.
I added Holographic Resin Dots to the card for a little sparkle to complete the card!

Try your hand at this card sketch – if you are new to sketches try it literally as the sketch is drawn or be creative and use the sketch as a launching point and go crazy with ideas!

Let me know what you make – now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

card sketch #115 – get inspired with sketches

card sketch #115 – get inspired with sketches

Today’s post is all about simplifying the creative process! Ever feel stumped sitting at your desk with a lot of choices and no clear direction? All of us get that way – I find I lose my mojo when my space is messy – but I can get in a creative slump at any time and when I do using a card sketch can prime the creative juices into flowing again!

So today’s card sketch #115 is all about getting the creative juices flowing with a simple layout!

I had so much fun with this sketch that I have a bunch of samples to show you different ways to make this sketch come to life!

Measurements:
BASE: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″. scored at 4 1/4″
DSP: 1″ or 1 1/8″ x 3″
Layers: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″
Scrap for sentiment focal point
scrap for die cut

The perfect thing about a sketch is that it is only a spring board for your imagination!

The pool party sections in the sketch can be DSP, cardstock, embossed cardstock, stamped background images and anything else your creative soul can devise!

That is what I love about sketches even though everyone starts with the same template the outcome is whatever you can make of it!

In my first example I cut the DSP strips at 1 1/8″ x 3″ and adhered them to a Basic Beige 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer.

I die cut from an Old Olive scrap a Textured Notes rectangular die and stamped Love and Hugs sentiment from the Greenery lane stamp set in Mossy Meadow ink for some contrasting color.
I adhered the Basic Beige layer onto a Mossy Meadow card base and popped up the sentiment layer on Stampin’ Dimensionals.
I die cut a greenery piece in Basic Beige scrap from the Greenery Lane die set and adhered it to the bottom portion of the sentiment die.

I added three Antique Pearls to the sentiment layer around the words to highlight them!

Since the base is a darker colored cardstock I added a Basic Beige layer stamped with a leaf image from the Greenery Lane stamp set in Mossy Meadow ink to tie the whole card together!
The second sample I used a different page from the Nature Walk DSP like the first card but changed the color scheme and made the DSP strips 1″ x 3″ for a little paper saving I cut a 3″ x 4″ DSP piece and cut into (4) 1″ x 3″ strips! I just needed to adjust the space in between the strips on the card front.
I used Crumb Cake, Pecan Pie and Early Espresso with the script DSP pieces and stamped the inside as well!
In my third sample I used embossed cardstock strips with the new Online Exclusive Beautiful Pattern 3D embossing folder. and the sentiments and die from the Boardwalk Fun bundle from the upcoming 2026 January to April mini catalog available on Tuesday!
I still had all the cardstock out from yesterday’s post card and I used the same colors Pretty in Pink, Flirty Flamingo and Bubble Bath!
For my last sample I made my own DSP by stamping images on a 3″ x 4 1/2″ piece of Basic White cardstock using Pretty Peacock, Poppy Parade and Granny Apple Green ink and images from the Greenery Lane stamp set.

I cut those into 1 1/8″ x 3″ pieces keeping them in order so the stamped pattern flows from strip to strip!

I embossed the vertical piece and popped up a sentiment over the Poppy Parade layer!

Use your imagination for the strips make them different sizes or from different colors and materials! See what you can design – now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp – one sketch at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Remember the SNEAK PEAK items will not be listed in the photo links below until they are available on January 6th!

And plan on joining me next Saturday for my new catalog open house!

card sketch #114 – hope, love & joy card

card sketch #114 – hope, love & joy card

Today’s card uses a simple card sketch and is a very simple Designer Series Paper card – super easy to put together and CASE!

Measurements:
BASE: Blueberry Bushel CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ and scrap for
sentiment and die
DSP: 4″ x 5 1/4″

I am going to spend my time explaining a tip and trick for getting a die centered correctly.
I actually wanted to use a different circle die than the one that came with the Hope, Love & Joy Bundle because I wanted to use the small circle from the Spotlight on Nature dies with the lined edges – I imagined it would look like the lines were radiating out from the earth so I wanted to try this circle rather than the one in the coordinating die set!

Because it is not coordinating a slightly bigger I wanted to show you the steps I took to center the image with this die.

Place the desired die on a scrap piece of Basic White CS and trace around the outside with a pencil.

Stamp in Tuxedo Black Memento ink the desired image in the center of the penciled circle.
Color the water areas of the Earth with Balmy Blue light Stampin’ Blends then outline with Blueberry Bushel Light then go over the entire water are with the Balmy Blue Light again to blend the alcohol markers.

Color the land areas with Crumb Cake Light first then outline the area with the Dark Stampin’ Blends marker then blend the entire land area with the Light marker.

I used a scrap of Basic White to stamp the outside sentiment from the scrapbooking set Exploring Nature in Blueberry Bushel ink and fussy cut around the letters then blended the edges with a blending brush and Blueberry Bushel ink.

I die cut the Earth.

I stamped the inside layer with the “stay wild & free from the Exploring Nature set and adhered it to the inside of the card base.

Adhere the DSP layer to the card front then I adhered the fussy cut sentiment to the lower third of the card front.
I popped up the Earth die cut above the sentiment and added Basic Rhinestones to finish off this lovely and simple card!

Try this centering technique or my sketch and go and create some art of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

REMINDER: this is another sneak peak so the photo links below will not reflect the SNEAK PEAK items.
These will be available to customers on January 6th and are available right now to demonstrators and in starter kits!

card sketch #113 – simple designer series paper card

card sketch #113 – simple designer series paper card

Our Designer Series Paper is the absolute best in the industry – in quality and design! I love our papers and am so proud to work with a company that takes such pride in developing it’s products! This card sketch lends itself perfectly to our pretty papers. The coordinate so beautifully with all the other papers in the entire package so making a card like this is super simple! Just pick out four designs from the pack and get to cutting!

This is card sketch #113! Have fun!

Measurements:
BASE: Old Olive CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, scrap for punch
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″
DSP: 4 different designs
2 5/8″ x 3 7/8″, 2 5/8″ x 1, 1″ x 2″
and 1″ x 2 7/8″

Adhere the 2 5/8″ x 3 7/8″ to the left-hand corner of the Basic White layer.
Adhere the 1″ x 2 7/8″ to the right-hand top corner.
Adhere the 1″ x 2″ DSP piece to the lower right-hand corner.
Adhere the 1″ x 2 5/8″ to the bottom left-hand corner.
Punch out the Heartfelt Hexagon punch on a scrap of Old Olive cardstock and stamp the “Bright & Happy CHRISTMAS WISHES” sentiment from the Jolly Holly stamp set in Old Olive ink and then add Old Olive ink to the outside edges of the punch with a blending brush.
Pop up the punch image on the layer front – I placed mine at the intersection of the four different DSP designs.
Adhere this layer to the Old Olive card base.
Adhere three green Traditional Sparkling Sequins to the card front around the punch and you have completed the easiest Christmas card yet!

Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie