distressing with water - nataliegramleystamps

more color mondays – golden glow, hydrangea hue and crisp cantaloupe

by nataliegramleystamps | Jun 8, 2026 | card samples, card sketches, color challenge, Designer Series Paper, die cutting, In Colors, product reviews, stamps ink paper, techniques

Today’s color challenge features three of the five NEW 2026-2028 In Color collection – Golden Glow, Hydrangea Hue and Crisp Cantaloupe.

This easy card uses a blended water splatter technique background.

Measurements:
BASE: Hydrangea Hue CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ scrap for banner die
DSP: 3″ x 3″, (2) 2″ x 2″

Take the Basic White layer and a blending brush and color the top third with Golden Glow ink.

Color the middle third with a new blending brush and the Hydrangea Hue ink pad.

Color the bottom third with a new blending brush and the Crisp Cantaloupe ink pad.

Take the large water painter brush and squeeze out a large puddle of water onto the glass matte studio surface – tap the end of the brush to drop water sprinkles over the surface of the blended background layer. The water sprinkled on the surface will lift the ink and create a splattered background technique. This distresses the paper layer in a unique way – different every time you do it!

Adhere the splattered blended layer to the Hydrangea hue card base.

Die cut the banner dies in three sizes with each of the colors – Golden Glow, Hydrangea Hue and Crsip Cantaloupe from the 2026-2028 In Color 12″ x 12″ DSP pack. Pick different patterns in the three different colors and die cut.

Adhere them with the largest banner in the upper center of the card base. Then adhere the two other smaller banners to the left and the right side overlapping and matching up the top edge to be even with the center banner.

Punch out two of the butterfly images from the NEW Floral Flight Accents embellishments and adhere them over the banners.

Die cut the shorter, thicker banner from the Stylish Shapes die set and stamp the “fluttering by to say hi” sentiment from the All Aflutter stamp set in Hydrangea Hue ink. Blend the edges with a blending brush.
Pop up the sentiment piece on Stampin’ Dimensionals and place in the bottom center of the card front.

Add three 2026-2028 In Color Dots around the sentiment to complete this easy and fun card.

Try using this technique to make a background and create some artwork of your very own using this background and the stamps you have at home – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Product List

All Aflutter Bundle (English)

[167570]

$41.25

All Aflutter Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[167564]

$20.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[166780]

$14.00

Hydrangea Hue 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[167687]

$14.00

2026–2028 In Color™ Painted Patterns 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[167755]

$19.00

Floral Flight Accents

[167558]

$6.50

Hydrangea Hue Classic Stampin' Pad

[167677]

$14.00

Stampin' Glass Mat Studio (Imperial)

[163987]

$60.00

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

$28.00

Stampin' Seal

[152813]

$9.00

Stampin' Seal+

[149699]

$13.00

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

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$17.00

Water Painters

[168253]

$13.00

Tear & Tape Adhesive

[154031]

$7.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$140.00

2026–2028 In Color™ Dots

[167546]

$9.00

← in color strip card february demonstrator swap cards →

nests of winter designer series paper card

by nataliegramleystamps | Sep 18, 2024 | card samples, Designer Series Paper, die cutting, new catalog, techniques

I had some left over foliage frames dies from a previous card design from the Winterly Tree Tops Bundle that I just could not let go to waste so this is the card I designed around that fun frame die!

Measurements:
BASE: Granny Apple Green
scrap for sentiment piece
Basic White layers (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″
Nests of Winter DSP scrap for bird fussy cut

Color one of the Basic White layers with Granny Apple Green ink and Garden Green ink and individual Blending brushes for each color.
Starting off the paper in a circular motion color different portions of the Basic White layer until the entire surface is covered and the colors are blended together.

Spray the colored layer with water from a Stampin’ Spritzer. allow to dry – where the water droplets hit the ink it will lift the color and lighten the area creating a very cool splatter background!

Cut the other Basic White layer with the foliage frame die from the Winterly Tree Tops die set.
Adhere the frame over the splattered blended background.

Adhere the frame die to the Granny Apple Green card base.

Die cut the rectangular sentiment piece from the Peaceful Season die set and stamp the “thinking of you always” sentiment from the Winterly Tree Tops stamp set in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and thread a 5 inch White Diagonal Trim ribbon from the Petal Pink and White Diagonal Trim Combo Pack through the openings and cut the edges in a diagonal.
Pop up the sentiment piece on Stampin’ Dimensionals and place in the lower right-hand corner of the card base.
Fussy cut the chickadee bird from the Nests of Winter Designer Series Paper and adhere above the sentiment piece.

Finish the card off with three white Iridescent Adhesive-Backed Discs and the card is done!

What a difference that background makes on the card!

Try this background today and combine it with stamps you have to create your own card – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Product List

Nests Of Winter Suite Collection (English)

[164072]

$97.75

Winterly Tree Tops Bundle (English)

[164066]

$55.75

Winterly Tree Tops Cling Stamp Set (English)

[164184]

$26.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$13.00

Granny Apple Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[146990]

$11.50

Nests Of Winter 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[164183]

$12.50

Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad

[147089]

$9.00

Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad

[147095]

$9.00

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

$8.00

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 Stampin' Dimensionals

[144108]

$4.25

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.25

Paper Snips

[103579]

$12.00

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$15.00

Stampin' Spritzer

[126185]

$6.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$130.00

Peaceful Season Dies (English)

[164020]

$34.00

Winterly Tree Tops Dies

[164065]

$36.00

Iridescent Adhesive Backed Discs

[161954]

$7.00

← more color mondays - flirty flamingo, mambo melon, and highland heather post 500! double arrowhead full of life card →

beauty of the deep card

by nataliegramleystamps | May 17, 2023 | card samples, product reviews, stamps ink paper, techniques

I have to be totally honest with you all – I was so surprised at how much I liked the More Color Monday challenge and I thought that these would be the perfect color combination for my newly acquired Beauty of the Deep bundle!

I decided to do color blending for the background paper that I would use for the die cutting for the card – so I started with a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Basic White Cardstock and started off the edge of the paper and added one color at a time in several spots around the cardstock. I started with Boho Blue and a Blending Brush.

I added Lost Lagoon and started blending the colors where they met.

Last I added Pool Party to the rest of the white spaces on the cardstock piece, blending the colors together.

Next, using a water painter I squeezed water onto the brush tip and tapped the barrel of the water painter onto it’s cap and sent watertspray and droplets down onto the color blended surface of the cardstock, this will lift the color from the paper surface and make lighter spots all over the color blended paper.

I die cut the coral die and the angelfish out of this paper and set aside until the other Basic White layer was stamped and colored.

Take a second sheet of 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White cardstock layer and stamp the long lacey coral in Lost Lagoon ink on the bottom of that layer and add long strands of seaweed in Pool Party in between the coral stamps.

Using a waterpainter dip the brush into the lid of the Pool Party ink pad where 1-2 drops of reinker have been placed and add some water from the painter to the reinker. Watercolor wash in a diagonal motion leaving some white space to mimic the light coming from the surface shining through the water.

Stamp the angel fish onto the die cuts and adhere the coral die cuts to the bottom of the cardstock.

Stamp the sentiment thinking of you from the Wonderful Thoughts stamp set in Boho Blue ink at the top right hand side of the Basic White layer and adhere the fish. Stamp some bubbles in the water with the Boho Blue ink and then adhere the layer to the Boho Blue cardstock base.