more color mondays – pretty peacock, blackberry bliss and crumb cake

more color mondays – pretty peacock, blackberry bliss and crumb cake

I wanted to create some fun background papers for this card so I took each of the challenge colors and did the same technique with each (I only have pictures of the Pretty Peacock version)

The first thing I did was blend color onto a 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer of Basic White CS with a Blending Brush.

Next I placed a drop of Ink refill in the lid of the ink pad and dipped the wide Water Painter into the ink and liquified it with extra water.

I splattered the ink onto the layer that was set on my glass mat.

Do not disturb the over splatter it will be used in the next step of the technique!

I then moved the layer and sprayed the over splatter with a Stampin’ Spritzer filled with water.

I turned the layer blended color side down on the glass matte surface over the water and patted the layer down to absorb the water – I moved the layer around to wet different portions of the layer in the over splattered water.

Allow the layer to dry.

I repeated this step with the other two colors of ink – Blackberry Bliss and Crumb Cake.

I cut the Crumb Cake layer into 1 1/2″ x 4″ strips and added it to the Crumb Cake card front.

I forgot to take pictures of the next steps – so sorry! I stamped the large leaf image from the Nature’s Symphony stamp set in Pretty Peacock ink and then cut them out with the corresponding die.

I cut the large leaf die from the Blackberry Bliss colored layer.

I cut a circle die from the Spotlight on Nature dies in Crumb Cake CS and stamped the “you make me smile” sentiment in Pretty Peacock ink.

I arranged the Blackberry bliss dies and the stamped Pretty Peacock leaves under the sentiment circle. I popped the circle up on Stampin’ Dimensionals and finished arranging the leaves in a loose cluster around the card!

I added 5 Faceted Snowflakes in the pretty Peacock hue to finish the card with a sweet color coordination – I think the snowflakes look like stars and loved the faceted look it gave this card!

I hope this inspires you to try this fun background technique and see what you can create – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays – petunia pop, daffodil delight and strawberry slush

more color mondays – petunia pop, daffodil delight and strawberry slush

Today’s More Color Mondays color challenge features the suite that debuts tomorrow on January 6th all of the great new projects become available in our new January to April 2026 mini catalog!

This sweet and whimsical fun fold card starts like a normally 4 1/4″ x 11″ card scored at 5 1/2″ but cut a little off one side and it allows you to see the inside of the card at a glance!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″ cut 1 1/2″ off one side
DSP: 3″ x 4″ and 1 1/2″ x 4″
Strawberry Slush CS: 1/4″ x 4 1/4″
Petunia Pop CS: 1/4″ x 4 1/4″
Daffodil Delight CS: 1/8″ x 4 1/4″

Cut 1 1/2″ off the left hand side of the 11″ length. Save that piece and cut for the sentiment piece.
Cut the DSP at 3″ x 4″ and 1 1/2″ x 4″ – adhere the 3″ piece to the upper flap, leaving an even 1/8″ border on the top and sides.
Adhere the 1 1/2″ piece to the inside bottom of the card leaving a 1/8″ border on the bottom and sides.
Adhere the Colored cardstock strips below the 3″ DSP piece so that they cover the white section completely.
Adhere the Daffodil Delight strip and stamp the sentiment in Petunia Pop Ink and blend with a blending brush and Daffodil Delight ink over the sentiment. Pop up the sentiment on the right-hand side of the strips.
The Beach Boardwalk Suite comes with these fun Puffy Stickers so I decided to add a few for the coordinating embellishments around the sentiment – a yellow sun and two dots.
This finishes the card with more whimsy and color and hopefully will bring some sunshine to someone’s day!

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

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Reminder the Boardwalk Fun and Beach Boardwalk items are SNEAK PEAK until tomorrow and therefore will not be in the photo links below as they are not available just yet – but only 24 MORE HOURS TO GO!

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!

double front flap fun fold card – boardwalk fun bundle

double front flap fun fold card – boardwalk fun bundle

Happy New Year! Normally I post on Monday-Wednesday – Friday of each week but I wanted to wish you all a great and creative NEW YEAR! Happy 2026 – can you believe it’s another new year? They seem to come faster and faster these days LOL!

Today’s card is a very simple double front flap fun fold card! Follow along and learn how to make one of your own!

Measurements:
BASE: Pretty in Pink CS: 5 1/2X 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Bubble Bath CS: 3 1/2″ x 4 3/4″
Flirty Flamingo CS: 3 1/4″ x 4 1/2″
DSP: 3″ x 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 1″ x 3 1/4″, 4″ x 5 1/4″

Thanks to Juli B. for the initial inspiration. I am using the Beach Boardwalk Suite Collection of products and just a reminder these will be available in this coming Tuesday and will not be able to be included in my photo links below until after their release to the general public. These are available in a starter kit and to active demonstrators currently!

Take the BASE and score in the center at 4 1/4″ then cut 1 1/4″ off the left-hand edge.
Score the 1 1/4″ cut piece at 3 1/2″.
Glue the smaller tab with Multipurpose liquid glue and match the score line up with the edge of the BASE paper’s right-hand edge. Adhere down at the level you want it to swing over the front.
Emboss the front flap – this could have been done at the beginning as well. I used the Beautiful Patterns 3D embossing folder which is an Online Exclusive from the Brushed with Beauty Suite.
Stamp the Celebrate on the right-hand edge of the 1″ Basic White piece and the Happy Birthday in the center of the 4″ Basic White layer in Pretty in Pink ink.
Adhere the 4″ Basic White layer on the inside of the card base to cover the Pretty in Pink flap insert.
Add ribbon in a knot around the left-hand edge of the 1″ Basic White piece and adhere to the small flap.
Adhere the DSP to the Flirty Flamingo layer and then adhere those to the Bubble Bath layer.

Adhere that flap layer to the card front being careful to measure where you want to adhere – sometimes I eyeball that but if you are uncertain you can place the layer where you want it and add a sticky note to the back edge then you will know where to place the glue only on the right-hand side of the sticky note and you will not inadvertently glue your card together!

I added three Pretty in Pink 2024-2026 In Color Flat Pearls (LOL – I actually added the 2025-2027 Strawberry Slush Pearls because that is what I had but the worked great with a slightly darker pink hue – use what you have!) to the card front for a coordinated bit of bling to finish this fun birthday card.

I always have a tendency in the winter especially after a large snow storm to make wistful summery cards – so here is your little bit of sunshine for today instead of all this snow outside my Stampin’ Studio!

Now go and create something fun today for the first day of the new year – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays – pretty peacock, melon mambo and poppy parade

more color mondays – pretty peacock, melon mambo and poppy parade

Today’s More Color Mondays color challenge features Pretty Peacock, Melon mambo and Poppy Parade.

There are a couple of fun techniques to this card and a SNEAK PEAK of the Boardwalk Fun Bundle.

Measurements:
BASE: Melon Mambo CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Poppy Parade CS: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″, scraps for dies
Basic White CS: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″
Pretty Peacock CS: scraps for dies
Melon mambo CS: scrap for dies

Adhere the Poppy Parade CS to the Melon Mambo CS base.
Color the bottom of one of the Basic White CS layers with a blending brush with Pretty Peacock ink.
Using another blending brush color the top of the Basic White layer with the Melon Mambo ink.
Color the top of the Basic White layer with a blending brush and Poppy Parade ink.
Spray the glass surface with water and pat the Basic White layer over the water covered glass and mix the watercolor onto the blended color surface.
Dry the layer with a heat tool.

Using the edge of a Versamark ink pad, swipe in lines over the top of the layer and concentrated in a small squiggle down at the bottom.

Sprinkle gold embossing powder over the versamark ink.

Heat with a heat tool until embossing powder melts.
Adhere the watercolored layer onto the card base.
Stamp Happy Birthday in Pretty Peacock ink on the second Basic White layer.

Color over the Basic White layer with the Melon Mambo and Poppy Parade blending brushes.

Die a small palm tree from the Boardwalk Fun die set from Pretty Peacock cardstock. Adhere the palm tree die to the right of the stamped sentiment.

Adhere the layer to the inside of the card.

Die cut the ferris wheel and the taller palm tree in Pretty Peacock CS.

Adhere to the middle of the colored layer on the card front. Pop up the ferris wheel on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Die cut the ferris wheel carts in Poppy Parade and Melon Mambo cardstock.

Adhere the carts onto the ferris wheel in alternating colors.

Die cut the ticket die in Melon Mambo cardstock.

Stamp the Enjoy the Ride in Melon Mambo ink onto the ticket die.

Pop up the ticket onto the card front on the lower left hand corner at the base of the Ferris Wheel dies.

I love the way this background turned out – try this watercolor and heat embossing technique.

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

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Reminder this card is a SNEAK PEAK of an upcoming stamp bundle – the photo links for the sneak peak items will not be included below until they are available.

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!