layout #104 beautiful gallery card

layout #104 beautiful gallery card

Do you ever feel stuck and don’t have any new ideas for making cards? I love to challenge myself with card sketches – they are a perfect starting point and inspiration for those of us that get stuck creatively – every once in a while!
Don’t let anyone kid you – we ALL get stuck creatively!

Card sketches are a perfect way to get unstuck!
This sketch #104 is a great way to use 6″ x 6″ DSP – I cut a 3″ square which means I can make 4 CARDS from one sheet of 6″ x 6″ DSP!
SO FUN!

Measurements:
BASE: Secret Sea CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Basic White CS: 3 1/4″ x 5 1/4″
DSP: 3″ square

Cut the 3″ square into 1″ x 3″ strips of DSP.
Keep the pattern in order and pay attention to the direction of the DSP if applicable.
Adhere the top piece of DSP to the top ofthe Basic White CS layer leaving a 1/8″ border on the top and sides.
Place the bottom piece as a place holder 1/8″ down from the bottom of the first ppiece and adhere the second piece 1/8″ below the place holder piece.
Now take the third piece that you used as a place holder and adhere it to the Basic White CS layer 1/8″ below the second piece.

(This will leave an evenly spaced blank spot below the first piece to stamp your sentiment!)

Tear the bottom off of the Basic White layer.

TIP: Tear towards you and place your thumbs at the tear and move them as you tear so that the tear does not get away from you!

Emboss the front of the card base with the Damask Designs embossing folder – this is a basic embossing folder not a 3D – so place the base plate #1 and the #3 cutting plate on the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine. Place the paper inside the embossing folder, set on the bottom #3 cutting plate and add the top #3 cutting plate above and embossing folder and run through the machine!
Stamp in Secret Sea ink in the blank space on the Basic White layer and adhere the 2025-2027 In Color Flat Pearls in Secret Sea around the sentiment.
Pop up the Basic White layer on Stampin’ Dimensionals and adhere to the middle of the card front.
Simpoly using another design on the same pack of Beautiful Gallery DSP and changing the position of the sentiment stamp creates another card made from the same card sketch but looks entirely different!

Try this card sketch with your stash and send my a pic of your creation! Now go and create with this card sketch and make some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

may demonstrator swap cards

may demonstrator swap cards

Time again for my monthly demonstrator swap cards – May was for all things new – new catalogs and new Online Exclusives.

The first card from Vickie G. starts with a Crumb Cake base embossed with the SO Swirly embossing folder. The Perennial Postage die creates a frame that encircles the focal point of multi colored background of Fresh Freesia, Darling Duckling, Cajun Craze and Strawberry Slush. The flowers from the Gallery Blooms stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored petals with the Wink of Stella.

Carol S’s swap card features the Florals in Bloom Suite. On a Secret Sea cardstock base, a small piece of DSP on the left hand side. The right side filled with stamped flowers and dies.
I love the word dies in this set! Such a bright, Spring card!
Lyn L’s swap card uses the Thoughtful Journeys DSP as the background and she stamped directly onto the DSP with the Peaceful Piers stamp set.
She created a fun surprise pop up on the inside of the card!
Lori V’s swap card features the Feathered Fun reversible stamp set embossed in White embossing powder and colored with Stampin’ Blends markers. She created the sparkly Azure Afternoon paper by painting Wink Of Stella directly onto the colored cardstock to add the extra slash of glitter!
This whimsical swap card using the new Along These Lines stamp set from the new 2025-2026 Annual catalog on Cloud Cover cardstock card base. She used the DSP from the Boho Vibes Suite Collection and a whimsical ribbon treatment along the middle of the DSP strip.
The next swap card was made by Maria W and inspired by a card done on Susancampfield.com, this gorgeous Beautiful Gallery Suite card is set on Basic Beige cardstock with Timid Tiger accents. I love the way the frame and the embossing folders line up – such a great detail!
The next swap card is a lovely z fold card featuring the Sunrise Sailing bundle by Robin C.
The extended Z fold features the hybrid embossing folder images of water in Misty Moonlight cardstock and the sky and clouds in the Cloud Cover cardstock, the boat in stamped in Misty Moonlight on Petunia Pop cardstock. There is some sweet stamping ont he inside and back of the card as well!
Veronica S’s swap card uses the beautiful dies from the Impressions Abloom Suite and this is a suite I do not owe and one of the bonuses of participating in Demonstrator swaps – getting beautiful samples from sets you do not have.
This lovely clean pallette of black and white with pops of Coastal Cabana and Strawberry Slush makes for a great card.
Hoping this month’s swap inspiration motivated you to get creating your own artwork – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Product List
Paper Snips
[103579]
$12.00
beautiful gallery watercolor gate fold card

beautiful gallery watercolor gate fold card

Happy Friday! I am back in PA after settling my youngest in New England for a summer internship and after spending the day cleaning up dry wall dust that is EVERYWHERE! I took a much needed crafting break and created this gate fold watercolor card! Hope you like it!

Measurements:
BASE: Timid Tiger CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 2 1/8″ in from each end
Fluid 100 paper: (2) 1 1/2″ x 5 1/2″
Basic White CS: scraps for die cuts and
sentiment strip and 4″ x 5 1/4″ inside layer

I used a retired block (sorry I forgot that we had retired the I acrylic block) but you can use any size you have on hand!
I added color to the top third of the block by pressing the ink pad directly onto the acrylic block.

I applied Timid Tiger ink directly onto the middle of the acrylic block (it is ok to overlap a darker ink color but you will contaminate the ink pad if you stamp a lighter ink color over an existing darker color!)
I applied Poppy Parade to the bottom of the acrylic block.
I sprayed the acrylic block with water from a Stampin’ Spritzer and placed the two pieces of Fluid 100 paper together and stamped the block of ink directly onto the middle of the papers. I held the block in place for a few seconds to allow the water and ink color to penetrate the fluid 100 Watercolor paper.
Score the base card 2 1/8″ in from each side of the 8 1/2″ side of the card. Fold inward until the two sides meet in the middle – this is called a gate-fold card.
I added the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer to the inside of the card.
I stamped an image from the Gallery Blooms stamp set to the bottom of the Basic White layer for a little added interest!
I adhered the Fluid 100 papers right up to the inside edges of the gate fold.

I die cut two images from the Beautiful Motifs die set in scrap Basic White cardstock and adhered one to each side of the gate fold.

I stamped a thank you sentiment from the Beautiful Motifs stamp set in Timid Tiger to the left hand side of the 1″ x 5 1/2″ Basic White strip and added some flower images from the Gallery Blooms stamp set in Crushed Curry to the right hand side.
I adhered only the left hand side of the sentiment piece so that the card will still open.
I adhered three 2025-2027 In Color Flat Pearls in Timid Tiger to finish off the first version of this card.

I decided to add a little sparkle and depth to the card by adding a splatter technique by tapping the brush tip side of the Poppy Parade Stampin’ Blends over the card front.

I brushed the leaves and petals of the two die cuts with Wink of Stella and the wet brush moves a little of the ink color over the dies as well as added a fine sparkle that is gorgeous but subtle and it does not show well in these photos but trust me it is amazing!
Such a fun card and I am glad to be home and crafting again!

Try this fun fold and some of the techniques I shared and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

gallery blooms card sketch #101 layout

gallery blooms card sketch #101 layout

Today’s blog post is the first in a series of cards using a card sketch. Card Sketches are a great starting point for creativity.

Sketch #101 starts with a base card with several layers including a natural element.

Measurements:
BASE: Secret Sea CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Cloud Cover CS: 2″ x 5 1/4″
Basic White CS: (2) 3″ x 4 1/2″ and 4″ x 5 1/4″

The trio of flowers image from the Gallery Blooms bundle has a long stem and I have a tip for proper placement for the coordinating die.

Gallery Blooms stamp set is a photopolymer stamp set and they can be repositioned so the stem might not be in the current position to be die cut. I die cut a scrap piece of Basic White cardstock with the trio floral stamp image. I put this die cut paper over the photopolymer stamp and adjusted the stem inside the die paper.

Take this positioned stamp image and ink it up in the Secret Sea ink and stamp on a scrap piece of Basic White CS.
Using a Blender Pen – which is a brush tip pen that contains clear ink – this clear ink can “re-wet” the Secret Sea ink of the trio flower image.
Draw the Blender Pen over the outlines of the flowers and spread the ink from the edges into the center.
Stamp the background stamp from Beautiful Motifs stamp set all across the front of the card base. Stamp in Secret Sea ink.
Color the edges of the card front in Secret Sea ink.
Emboss a 4″ x 5 1/4″ Cloud Cover CS piece with the Mini 3D embossing folder.
Cut the layer in half to 2″ x 5 1/4″.

Die cut the trio flower image with the coordinating die from the Gallery Blooms Bundle.

Adhere the embossed layer to the left hand side of the card base, mimicking the layer on the card sketch.
In card sketches, use your creative eye and know that you do not need to copy the sketch literally! For the circle in the sketch I added a rectangular layer instead of a circular image!

I die cut from the Textured Noted set of dies and stamped a sentiment from the Beautiful Motifs stamp set in the bottom right-hand corner.

I die cut the trio flower image from the Gallery Blooms stamp set and popped it up on the Textured Notes rectangular die cut.
This stamped image is the Natural element in the sketch – this element could be anything so use your imagination!
Adhere the rectangular die layer to the center and right of the embossed layer.
Stamp the flower tops on the bottom of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer Basic White CS and adhere it to the inside of the card.
I added three Secret Sea 2025-2027 In Color Flat Pearls to the card around the floral image and this is my take on Card Sketch #101.

Let me know what you come up with! Now grab some items from your personal stash and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays – secret sea, boho blue and cloud cover

more color mondays – secret sea, boho blue and cloud cover

Today’s More Color Mondays color challenge is all about something old and something new – all in hues of blue! The 2023-2025 In Colors are making their last appearance and taking their final bows and going quickly as of writing this yesterday the Boho Blue ink, cardstock and refills, Pebbled Path cardstock and refill and Wild Wheat cardstock and refill are all SOLD OUT the rest are availabel while supplies last!

I am combining them with two debuting colors from the 2025-2027 In Colors collection: Secret Sea and Cloud Cover!

Also debuting on May 6 is a gorgeous new suite called Beautiful Gallery. The 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper steals the show with art gallery inspired painted and sketched designs.

Measurements:
BASE: Secret Sea CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 2 1/8″ and 4 1/2″
Boho Blue CS: (2) 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″
scrap for sentiment banner matte
Cloud Cover CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Basic White CS: 2″ x 5 1/5″ and
scrap for the sentiment piece
DSP: 6″ x 6″

I embossed the Cloud Cover layer in the beautiful new Damask Designs embossing folder and adhered it to one of the Boho Blue layers.
Base your cuts of the 6″ x 6″ DSP on the composition of the painting. You want to cut 3/4″ off of one end to make it 6″ x 5 1/4″ and then cut it into 2 pieces 2″ and 4″ basing the 4″ piece as the front of your finished card.

I cut the 2″ piece down to 1 1/4″ x 5″ as I wanted a little embossed layer border the entire way around the DSP layer.

Adhere the 2″ x 5″ DSP piece on the right-hand side of the embossed layer.

I used a 2″ x 4″ scrap piece of Basic White CS for the left-hand side of the embossed layer and stamped a sentiment from the Beautiful Motifs stamp set in Secret Sea ink – this is a beautiful deep misty navy quite different from our Night of Navy. I adhered it to the side of the DSP.
Adhere this embossed layer to the inside of the z-fold card.
Take the top portion of the 6″ x 6″ DSP piece that you initially cut off and cut it down to 3/4″ x 5 1/4″ and adhere to the 2″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Basic White CS to the middle. Adhere this piece to the middle layer of the z-fold card.
Take the 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of DSP and adhere it to the second layer of Boho Blue CS then place adhesive on the front panel of the z-fold and attach this layer so that the top, left-hand side and bottom are equally aligned to the front z-fold panel.
Using the back side of this DSP scrap stamp a “just a note” sentiment onto the scrap in Secret Sea ink and cut a banner edge on the right-hand edge. Adhere to a scrap piece of Boho Blue CS and cut a banner edge on the right-hand side to match the DSP banner edge.
Pop up the sentiment piece onto Stampin’ DImensionals and place in the upper left-hand corner of the card front or elsewhere depending on the DSP composition you choose.
I added five new In Color embellishments in Cloud Cover and Secret sea to the card front there are also embellishments which are part of this Beautiful Gallery suite called Pressed Flower motifs and they would have gone nicely with this project as well. All of this will be available to customers in early May! Love it and want to have it now? Join my team and you are able to order it in the pre-order period!

I love the way that extended Z-fold fun fold cards look like a normal card but surprise you when they are opened!

Try this easy fun fold and go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Reminder this post is going live prior to the new In Colors being available so the sneak peak items will not be in the order icons below – these are only available currently to current demonstrators to order in a pre-order but will be available once the 2025-2026 Annual Catalog goes live May 6th,2025!