more color mondays – bubble bath, pretty in pink and pool party

more color mondays – bubble bath, pretty in pink and pool party

Today’s More Color Monday is also a repeat card sketch back on February 18th I posted a blog post about card sketch #118 -= it is such a fun and easy way to make a card I thought I would show you another version with a totally different Designer Series Paper to show you just how versatile a sketch can be! This sketch is super awesome because it allows you to stretch you DSP by using 3″ and 4″ squares! No WASTE!!

Measurements:
BASE: Pool Party CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
DSP: 4″ square, 3″ square
Bubble Bath CS: 3 1/4″ square, 5/8″ x 2 1/8″
Pretty in Pink CS: 7/8″ x 2 5/8″
Basic Black CS: scrap

Adhere the 4″ square of DSP to the top of the card front.

Adhere the 3″ DSP square to the Bubble Bath matte.

Stamp the sentiment Celebrate to the small Bubble Bath CS layer in Tuxedo Black Memento ink.
Mount onto a piece of scrap Pretty In Pink CS and cut to 1/8″ border on the bottom.
Leave about 1/4″ on the right-hand edge for the punch.
Using the Happy Labels Pick a Punch on the Ticket stub side – punch the right-hand edge of the sentiment piece to make it look like a ticket stub edging.
Stamp Happy Birthday from the Boardwalk Fun stamp set in Tuxedo Black Memento ink in the center of the inside of the card.

Die cut a palm tree from the Boardwalk Fun dies in Basic Black CS and adhere to the bottom right-hand corner of the inside of the card.

Adhere the 3 1/4″ matted DSP square to the lower center of the 4″ DSP square on the card front.
Pop up the sentiment over the DSP on the card front.
I place three Frosted Irridescent Dots (which are a retired product but I will put an alternative active product in the photo links below for your buying pleasure! LOL) onto the card to finish off this fun and easy card sketch birthday card!

Try this sketch today with some of your DSP stock and let me know how it turns out!
Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

shadow block technique painted illusions card

shadow block technique painted illusions card

I love this simple technique not only does it efficiently use up scraps of paper but it looks so cool! And you can create this card with minimal supplies – BONUS!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″, 1″ x 3″
Misty Moonlight CS: (12) 1″ x 1″ squares, 1″ x 3″
DSP: (12) 1″ x 1″ squares

Place a small amount of glue or tape on one of the Misty Moonlight squares and attach one of the DSP squares on top of it with the bottom and right hand side of the Misty Moonlight square peeking out evenly as shown in the photo.
Do 11 more squares varying the pattern making sure to put the “shadow” in the same place each time.
Stamp the Hello Sunshine sentiment from the Exploring Nature stamp set in Misty Moonlight ink on the 1″ x 3″ Basic White CS layer.
Mount this layer onto the 1″ x 3″ Misty Moonlight CS layer with the same pattern of offset as a “shadow”
Start to place the double shadow squares on the card front – 3 across and four down.

TIP: When I adhere something across the span of the card I place the outside images first and then center the middle in between the two outside images – it is easier to space them this way!

Next I place the four down so I can match the rows and columns evenly.

Adhere all the shadow squares to the card front.

Finish adhering the squares lining them up in even rows.
Pop up the sentiment piece on Stampin’ Dimensionals and place on the card over the shadow squares.
Place the sentiment piece in the middle of the four rows.
I added three Pearlized Faceted Circles to finish off this fun card!

Try this simple technique with your paper scraps and see what fun art work you can create – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

happy birthday sneak peak card

happy birthday sneak peak card

Rolling Waves are a great analogy for life sometimes – you just need to roll with things! Today’s post should have posted yesterday but for anyone that has been following me – you know this week was a busy and hard one that eventually everyone needs to deal with. Late in January we lost my mother unexpectedly and Saturday was her Memorial Mass. I stayed in Northern Virginia for a few extra days to work on things at her home and drove back late Tuesday night with the intention of getting everything I needed to do done on Wednesday! I almost succeeded – I just didn’t get this post typed up and finished in time so it is here for you today.
One of the special things about stamping is that it is my ME time, my solace, my saving grace – it is how I pamper and “take care” of myself – truely – it is something I have loved and enjoyed for 25 years now!

It is so important to have time to recoup and regenerate especially when you are taking care of children and parents and are in that middle space. This is my comfort zone and if you know me I gravitate towards summer, sun and water! This card combines all of that into a fun and whimsical birthday card!

Measurements:
BASE: Crumb Cake CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Basic White CS: 2 1/2″ x 3″, scraps for
umbrellas, sentiment, shells and foam dies
Summer Splash CS: scrap for water and
umbrella dies

Die cut the shells out of a scrap of Basic White CS.
Using blending brushes and Summer Splash, Flirty Flamingo and Crumb Cake ink, I colored the shells and starfish.
I cut a corner out of a scrap of Basic White CS about 3″ on the bottom side and about 2 1/4″ up the side. I stamped it with the large water stamp in Balmy Blue and blended the color with a blending brush as well.
I adhered it to the card front corner.
I die cut the foamy water die out of Summer Splash CS and set it on the card corner above the Balmy Blue stamped piece.
I die cut the foam out of a scrap of Basic White CS tucked it under the Summer Splash die.
I stamped the Crumb Cake CS with the sand image in Crumb Cake ink and then adhered the foamy water dies down over the corner piece.
I adhered some of the shells at the water line.
I die cut two umbrellas out of scraps of Basic White CS and then one of each design in Flirty Flamingo and Summer Splash. I adhered them in alternating patterns.
I adhered the Flirty Flamingo and White umbrella to the card.
I popped up the Summer Splash and White umbrella on Stampin’ Dimensionals over the lower left-hand edge of the Flirty Flamingo and White umbrella.

I stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Rolling Waves stamp set in Summer Splash on a long 1/2″ strip of Basic White CS and slid it back and forth until I decided on the location of the wording and adhered it down to the card.

I adhered the last two shells to the left-hand side of the Happy Birthday sentiment.
I added three Pearlized faceted Circles from the Lovely and Beautiful Suite of products to finish off this fun card that did my soul good!

Take time out each day to do something you love and take care of yourself so you can be good for others! Now go and create something beautiful – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Remember since this is a sneak peak and not available until March 3rd to customers the rolling waves stamps, dies and bundle will not appear below in the photo clickables.

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

january demonstrator swap cards

january demonstrator swap cards

I love swapping with others and getting new ideas – it can be a different color combination, a unique fun fold or a stamp set I do not own but all of the new ideas that come in the mail are so much fun! Isn’t it fun to get happy mail in your postal box, not just bills? LOL

Today’s post was supposed to go out yesterday and I got waylaid with a million other projects which seems like the norm anymore! But better late than never seems to be my motto these days!

Today’s first card comes all the way from the midwest from Ginger S. and is a host of monochromatic blues on the outside with an Unbridled Beauty surprise on the inside! It uses the Allin a Row embossing folder and the Nature Walk DSP. She even stamped the envelope with a horse!

Patty J’s card is a lovely masculine card featuring the outgoing Last Chance stamp set Autumn Tree’s deer and the sentiment from the Nature’s Symphony stamp set. The DSP is a mix of Nature Walk and the Last Chance Timeless Plaid DSP.
This next card from Jeanne T is a lovely floral design made with Floral Charm DSP and the Beautifully Celebrated Bundle of products.
Denise W’s swap card features the Easter time Mix & Match ephemera pack, the Splash of Sparkles Specialty DSP and the Softest Spring Puffy Stickers for the floral embellishment. The Sentiment is from the Woolly Friends stamp set. Such a sweet card that comes together fast with the Mix & match pack.
The next three swaps are 3D fun folds and they deliver with a BANG!

The first uses the Nature’s Symphony Suite of products and an easel card fun fold with a 3M sticky pad to hold the easel upright such a cute desk calendar idea from Andrea U.

The second project uses the same DSP Nature Walk and the Exploring Nature stamp set for the sentiment, exposed Brick 3D embossing folder and Pressed Flower motif embellishments, Beautiful Motifs die set and a tearing technique for the sentiment piece from Marie W for a lovely gender neutral easel card fun fold!
This last 3D calendar card uses the Boardwalk Fun Bundle and the Beach Boardwalk DSP for a super fun and summer-y tent fold 3D project from Lori V.
The last card that I received is from Kathi D and uses my new favorite bundle – Rolling Waves for a gorgeous monochromatic card using a technique I detailed a layering circles card from November 17, 2025. Go back and learn how to make this fun technique! Rolling Waves is a pre-order for the new Online exclusives release so it will be available to order in March!

I really do love learning how to make new and beautiful cards and other’s ideas can elevate your own game! Hope I inspired you to try some different card making techniques! Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Product List
Paper Snips
[103579]
$12.00
introducing the new stampin’ positioner – available in starter kits now

introducing the new stampin’ positioner – available in starter kits now

Stampin’ Up! has introduced the NEW Stampin’ positioner and we are so excited about this new tool. It is currently available to demonstrators as a pre-order and in the starter kits as a FREE bonus item! It will be available to customers soon!

Truthfully I loved our former stamp positioner and was sad to see it go away but this one works very well and I am so ready to have a new tool to use!

The press and pop design is genius and it allows you to hover the stamp over the surface without it touching the paper until you press down on the upper platform piece allowing you one last chance to make sure that the stamp is in the correct position! I love this feature!

This card uses the smaller leaf cluster from the Textured Notes stamp set to make a repetitive stamped wreath!

Measurements:
BASE: Old Olive CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Basic White CS: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″

On the platform there is a etched paper corner that allows you to line up your paper and turn it and place it in the exact position!

The positioner comes with 5 pieces: 1 magnetic base plate, 2 magnets designed with plastic lift tabs (brilliant), 1 large stamp plate and one small alignment plate.

I aligned the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer in the corner marking shown in the first photo. I secured the paper with the 2 magnets.

Place the stamp sticky flat side up positioned on the paper where you want the image.
Place the large stamp plate in the four posts and press down on the plate to pick up the stamp.

Sometimes new stamps come with a residue and can stick to the paper to prevent this clean the new stamps before using.

Remove the large stamping plate and ink the stamp. Place the large stamping plate back in the four posts of the base.

It hovers over the surface without touching the paper so you can make sure the stamp is in perfect alignment!

Press down on the large stamping plate to stamp and then remove the stamping plate from the base to see if the stamp has transferred to your satisfaction.

If not, re-ink the stamp. place the plate back on the base and press again.

If it is stamped to your satisfaction remove the plate and reposition the paper to the next corner of the paper in the etched corner marking.
Secure the paper with the magnets, re-ink the stamp and place the large stamping plate on the base.

Press down to stamp the image.

Move the paper to the next corner in the etched corner marking.
Repeat the process – re-ink the stamp place the large stamping plate in the base and press down.
Move it to the last corner and then repeat.
Place the paper horizontally on the Stampin’ Positioner and place the stamp in the position you want to stamp it.
Stamp the leaf image to complete the wreath
I forgot to take the first horizontal stamp so this is the paper turned 180 degrees and stamped to close the wreath image!
I placed the layer on my glass mat and blended the edges with the Old Olive ink.
I placed the layer back on the Stampin’ Positioner and placed the sentiment flat side up on the layer where I wanted to stamp it.

I placed the large stamping plate over the sentiment stamp and pressed down to secure the photopolymer stamp on the plate.

I inked it in Old Olive ink and stamped it on the layer.

I wanted to stamp a sentiment from the Prayers and Promises stamp set from the January to April 2026 mini catalog on the inside – this set is photopolymer and I also wanted to stamp the leaf image from the Textured Notes which is red rubber.

These stamps are different widths so you should stamp them separately but I wanted to show you what happens when you mis-stamp something and how easy it is to fix a stamping project with this Stampin’ Positioner!

So I stamped both stamps at the same time and the photopolymer being thinner did not stamp completely. So I removed the leaf stamp and restamped the sentiment – I didn’t even need to re-ink just re-pressed the stamp to the paper!

I blended the edges with a blending brush and some Old Olive ink and adhered it to the inside of the card – crisis averted!
I added a brass butterfly to the inside around the inside sentiment.
I distressed the edges of the front layer and blended the turned down corners with a blending brush and ink.

I adhered the layer to the card front. I added brass butterflies to finish off this sympathy card for a sweet friend that lost her husband.

Cards can be a comfort to let you know that people are thinking about you in your grief – I have received many cards in the past week and they do make a difference – I love that I can make and teach people to make something that brings comfort to those in need of it!

Go and make a card today to send to a friend that needs to hear from you! Go and create your own artwork – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie