card layouts - nataliegramleystamps

gallery blooms card sketch #101 layout

by nataliegramleystamps | May 14, 2025 | card samples, card sketches, die cutting, embossing folders, In Colors, my favorites, new catalog, techniques

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

Product List

Gallery Blooms Bundle

[165213]

$53.00

Gallery Blooms Photopolymer Stamp Set

[165211]

$19.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[166780]

$14.00

Cloud Cover 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[165621]

$14.00

Secret Sea 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[165624]

$14.00

Secret Sea Classic Stampin' Pad

[165285]

$9.00

Stampin' Glass Mat Studio (Imperial)

[163987]

$60.00

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

$28.00

Bone Folder

[102300]

$8.00

Stampin' Seal

[152813]

$8.00

Stampin' Seal+

[149699]

$12.00

Tear & Tape Adhesive

[138995]

$7.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[110755]

$6.00

Mini Glue Dots

[103683]

$7.25

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

[144108]

$4.25

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.25

Paper Snips

[103579]

$12.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$130.00

Gallery Blooms Dies

[165212]

$40.00

Mini Corrugated 3 D Embossing Folder

[165559]

$11.00

Textured Notes Dies

[165555]

$31.00

2025–2027 In Color™ Flat Pearls

[165192]

$8.50

← more color mondays - berry burst, coastal cabana and gorgeous grape - paper pumpkin alternatives florals in bloom sketch #102 card →

creating a simple sale-a-bration card

by nataliegramleystamps | Jan 3, 2025 | card samples, card sketches, Designer Series Paper, Sale-a-bration, stamps ink paper, techniques

Have you ever REALLY looked at the bottom of page 22 in the 2024-2025 Annual Catalog? There are 22 card layout samples and there is so much inspiration in these little blocks!

Today’s blog post is a very simple stamps, ink, paper card made with a sneak peak DSP from the Sale-a-bration catalog available January 7th!
For those customers that received their catalogs in the mail on page 11 of the 2025 Sale-a-bration catalog you will see the 12 sheets of 12″ x 12″ beautiful floral paper that you can earn for FREE with a $60 purchase.
I used the last layout design on page 22 and designed a simple stamping card with this DSP taking center stage! The awesome part of this card is that it uses a 4″ square so you could make 9 cards from one sheet of DSP. One pack of this FREE DSP could make 108 of these cards!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
DSP: 4″ square cut diagonally

You will notice that if you look at the card layout on page 22 there are two squares and a sentiment strip in between. Now here is the fun part! You can take this layout as a springboard and tweek it – it is ONLY a starting point! I decided to use the Designer Series paper as the “two squares” and eliminate the extra rectangular layer.
You can cut the DSP square anyway you choose I started about an inch down from the top of the DSP and cut diagonally to just about 2/3 of the way down on the opposite side.

I laid the DSP pieces on the card front and positioning them so that the borders on the sides and top are even I lightly drew a pencil mark along the diagonal edges.
I then pushed the DSP away and in between the top and bottom pencil marks I stamped the sentiment and the flowers from a level two Sale-a-bration set called Heart Shaped Bundle (comes with stamps and coodinating dies! FREE with a $120 purchase) in Berry Burst ink.

I stamped the leaves in Shaded Spruce ink around the floral images.

Adhere the top and bottom Designer Series paper pieces to the card front allowing the sentiment and floral stamped patterns to “peek” through the diagonal space in between them.

Wrap the white ribbon around the bottom front of the card edge and tie in a knot.

Such a fun and simple stamped card!

Look on page 22, pick out a layout and use it as a starting point for your card. Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Reminder since these products will not be available until after January 7th this post will go live with only the photo directory below showing current products only.