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

beautiful butterflies shaker card

beautiful butterflies shaker card

Today’s blog post is a shaker card with the Beautiful Butterflies bundle: for butterfly lovers like me this is an awesome bundle with a hybrid embossing folder and gorgeous coordinating stamp and die sets.

I had some watercolor paper left over from my March 22nd OnStage swap cards and I used the last of those papers for this special card that I mailed to a friend of mine for her birthday!

Measurements:
BASE: Lemon Lime Twist CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Basic Black CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ embossed and cut
Window Sheet 3 1/2″ x 5″
Fluid 100 paper

Emboss the Basic Black layer with the Beautiful Butterflies folder and cut a 1″ border frame with the Stampin’ Trimmer.
Save the inside rectangle for the inside of the card.
Place Tear-n-Tape around the backside perimeter of the frame cut out.
Adhere the window sheet to the inside of the Basic Black layer.
Place foam adhesive strips around the backside opening of the rectangular opening.
Place a pile of Itty Bitty Bokeh Mix in the center of the Lemon Lime card base.
Remove the release paper off the foam strips and adhere the Basic Black frame to the card front so there is an even border the whole way around the card.
Adhere the large butterfly that we die cut out of the watercolored Fluid 100 paper to the lower right hand side of the frame.
Stamp the sentiment onto remaining Fluid 100 paper and die cut with the sentiment strip die and adhere above the rectangular opening .
Place glue dots on the card front to adhere additional Itty Bitty Bokeh sequins to the card front to decorate!
Adhere a Basic White 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer to the inside of the card.
Stamp a smaller butterfly in Tuxedo Black Memento ink at the top and adhere the rectangular frame cut to the lower right hand side of that layer and the inside has some fun interest!
Shake to your hearts content what a fun interactive card!
Try making a shaker card as your next project – now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays azure afternoon, coastal cabana, and lemon lime twist

more color mondays azure afternoon, coastal cabana, and lemon lime twist

Today’s blog post card is another card using the card layouts on page 22 from the current 2024-2025 Annual Catalog. These colors pop off the page for this More Color Monday color challenge of Azure Afternoon, Coastal Cabana and Lemon Lime Twist.

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Basic Black CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Fluid 100 paper

Using the Fluid 100 Paper, I picked three colors: Azure Afternoon, Coastal Cabana, and Lemon Lime Twist.
Color the entire surface of the Fluid 100 paper with Blending Brushes in the three ink colors.
Using a Stampin’ Spritzer filled with water and a large Water Painter and spray the surface with water splatter and drop water from the water painter. Allow the paper to dry.
Emboss the Basic Black layer with the Beattiful Butterflies hybrid embossing folder.
Adhere the embossed layer to the card front.
Die cut the large butterfly from the Fluid 100 paper and adhere the top half of the card.
Color the Basic Rhinestones Jewels with the Azure Afternoon Stampin’ Blends.
Stamp the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Beautiful Butterflies stamp set on the Fluid 100 paper and die cut the sentiment piece.
Pop up the sentiment piece with Stampin’ Dimensionals and adhere to the bottom of the card on the right hand side.
Adhere five Rhinestones to the card front around the butterflies and sentiment piece.
I love this card – the colors pop off the Basic Black embossed layer.

Try to make a card with Basic Black and pops of color! Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

watercolor resist

watercolor resist

Emboss Resist is a technique using Versamark, embossing powder and a heat gun to heat and melt the powder forming a protective layer that will resist the coloring wash that we will place over the watercolor paper leaving the embossed areas white and coloring the non embossed areas!

Measurements:
Base Card: Tahitian Tide 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Watercolor paper 3 1/2″ x 5″
Scrap Basic White for the sentiment piece

Using Versamark stamp the Dragonflies from the Dragonfly Garden stamp set. Sprinkle clear embossing powder, and heat with the Heat Tool until the powder is melted.
Liberally add water to the watercolor paper, add ink to the watery paper. Adding more ink and water until the design is achieved.
Add Stampin’ Dimensionals to the watercolor paper and pop up the embossed resist paper. Stamp the sentiment on a die cut from the Stylish Shapes die set (#159183) and Glossy Dots (#158827).
Fun Technique – try this with a stamp set you have and go out and create some art of your own. One stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’

Natalie

watercoloring with dies a great way to add color and interest

watercoloring with dies a great way to add color and interest

Want to learn a fun and easy way to add color to your die cuts – especially ones that have multiple images cut from one die? In the new Nature’s Print Bundle there is a wreath of greenery and an absolutely easy way to color this die in is to first make a watercolor wash on our Fluid 100 watercolor paper with a variety of green inks and allow to dry!
Position the die in the area you wish to die cut and run through the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine.
Stamp the large leaf image with the new Orchid Oasis ink (#159214) and die cut with the image’s die from the Natural Prints Dies (#158800).
I cut a card base of 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 New In Color Parakeet Party (#159259) scored and folded at 4 1/4 inches. I used a 4 x 5 1/4 layer of Basic White cardstock (#159276) embossed with the new Fern 3D embossing folder (#158804). Adhere that embossed layer to the base card and Stamp the Best Wishes and Happy Thoughts sentiment from the Nature’s Prints stamp set (#158793) and die cut with the sentiment die in that set. Adhere the wreath to the embossed layer with Multipurpose Glue (#110755) (due to the texture the glue is your best adhesive option as it grabs onto all the nooks and crannies and is able to stay on the uneven surface! Adhere the Orchis leaves in the middle of the wreath with the Multipurpose glue as well and pop up the sentiment on Stampin’ Dimensionals (#104430). I cut a few extra leaf images from the scrap watercolor paper from the center of the wreath and added them to the wreath image. Add Iridescent rhinestones to finish off the card and voila an easy way to color that large wreath!