watercolor background technique - nataliegramleystamps

more color mondays – pretty peacock, melon mambo and poppy parade

by nataliegramleystamps | Dec 29, 2025 | card samples, color challenge, die cutting, more color mondays, new catalog, techniques

Today’s More Color Mondays color challenge features Pretty Peacock, Melon mambo and Poppy Parade.

There are a couple of fun techniques to this card and a SNEAK PEAK of the Boardwalk Fun Bundle.

Measurements:
BASE: Melon Mambo CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Poppy Parade CS: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″, scraps for dies
Basic White CS: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″
Pretty Peacock CS: scraps for dies
Melon mambo CS: scrap for dies

Adhere the Poppy Parade CS to the Melon Mambo CS base.

Color the bottom of one of the Basic White CS layers with a blending brush with Pretty Peacock ink.

Using another blending brush color the top of the Basic White layer with the Melon Mambo ink.

Color the top of the Basic White layer with a blending brush and Poppy Parade ink.

Spray the glass surface with water and pat the Basic White layer over the water covered glass and mix the watercolor onto the blended color surface.

Dry the layer with a heat tool.

Using the edge of a Versamark ink pad, swipe in lines over the top of the layer and concentrated in a small squiggle down at the bottom.

Sprinkle gold embossing powder over the versamark ink.

Heat with a heat tool until embossing powder melts.

Adhere the watercolored layer onto the card base.

Stamp Happy Birthday in Pretty Peacock ink on the second Basic White layer.

Color over the Basic White layer with the Melon Mambo and Poppy Parade blending brushes.

Die a small palm tree from the Boardwalk Fun die set from Pretty Peacock cardstock. Adhere the palm tree die to the right of the stamped sentiment.

Adhere the layer to the inside of the card.

Die cut the ferris wheel and the taller palm tree in Pretty Peacock CS.

Adhere to the middle of the colored layer on the card front. Pop up the ferris wheel on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Die cut the ferris wheel carts in Poppy Parade and Melon Mambo cardstock.

Adhere the carts onto the ferris wheel in alternating colors.

Die cut the ticket die in Melon Mambo cardstock.

Stamp the Enjoy the Ride in Melon Mambo ink onto the ticket die.

Pop up the ticket onto the card front on the lower left hand corner at the base of the Ferris Wheel dies.

I love the way this background turned out – try this watercolor and heat embossing technique.

Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time.

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Reminder this card is a SNEAK PEAK of an upcoming stamp bundle – the photo links for the sneak peak items will not be included below until they are available.

Product List

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[166780]

$14.00

Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[115320]

$14.00

Poppy Parade 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[119793]

$14.00

Pretty Peacock 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[150880]

$14.00

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad

[147051]

$9.00

Versamark Pad

[102283]

$9.50

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

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$15.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$140.00

Heat Tool (Us And Canada)

[129053]

$32.00

Metallics Wow! Embossing Powder

[165678]

$21.00

← card sketch #114 - hope, love & joy card double front flap fun fold card - boardwalk fun bundle →

new online exclusives – encircled in nature product review

by nataliegramleystamps | Mar 6, 2024 | card samples, embossing folders, fun fold, online exclusives, stamps ink paper, techniques

Yesterday, Stampin’ Up! released some amazing new stamp sets, dies, bundles and suites in their Online Exclusives promotion. This program was developed to bring you new stamps more frequently than the publication of catalogs will allow! So we have new stuff coming out more frequently – more choices!!
This is one of the stamp bundles that I will be showing you over the next few weeks and it is lovely. A stamp set called Encircled in Nature with a twig wreath and coordinating stamps and dies to make fantastic wreaths and tree scenes and even things outside of the wreath image, flowers and sprigs of leaves and stars and a moon for so many possibilities!

I have tutorial directions for an in depth Z fold card with a watercolor wash background technique and other samples to show the diversity of this year round set!

Measurements for the Tutorial card:
Base: Coastal Cabana CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/2 and 2 1/8″
Basic White Layers: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″
scrap of Pretty Peacock for the die
I started with a E size acrylic block and laid the Coastal Cabana ink pad on the surface of the block to transfer the ink.

I sprayed the surface of the Basic White cardstock layer and the acrylic block with water.

I laid the acrylic block on the center of the Basic White layer and let the ink soak in for a minute.

Pull off the acrylic block and either let the paper dry naturally or if you are in a hurry grab your Heat Tool and dry it heating both the underside of the paper and the surface to help with the paper curling that occurs when the paper is wet.

I stamped the twig wreath stamp image onto the upper center of the watercolor space.

I rotated the image and re-stamped for a thicker twig wreath image.

I stamped the curved tree image in Pretty Peacock and then without re-inking the stamp I stamped the image again to provide a fuller image with more depth.

I stamped the sentiment in the middle of the wreath in Pecan Pie ink like the wreath.

I stamped the stars and moon image in the upper right hand corner in Pretty Peacock ink.

I die cut the solitary tree out of Pretty Peacock scrap and adhered it to the bottom left hand edge of the watercolor square.

I ran that whole layer through the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine with the Painted Texture 3D Embossing Folder.

I scored the base card and used a bone folder to crease the score lines.

I added color to the Iridescent Pearls with the Pretty Peacock Stampin’ Blends marker and allowed them to dry.

I added SEAL Adhesive to the front panel.

I added the embossed layer to the front panel and added the Pretty Peacock-colored Iridescent pearls to the card front.

I stamped the single tree in Pretty Peacock ink on the second Basic White layer and adhered it to the inside of the card.

This is the finished Z fold card!

The stamp set comes with 11 stamps 7 image stamps and four sentiments in print and cursive fonts.

The die set comes with 10 dies. two to cut out the inside and outside of the twig branch wreath so you can cut the inside only, outside only or both! Two tree stand alone dies and one tree that cuts out the single tree stamp, one die for the flower stamp, one die for a stand only berry wreath and one die that cuts two pine boughs at once.
Note: I purchase on Amazon full sheets of magnet paper and cut them to size and stick them to the paper that the dies come on – I find it easier to remove them from the magnet sheets instead of the tape that holds them in place on the original paper packaging .

My next card sample uses just a part of the single tree stamp. I stamped in a variety of colors to create a rainbow effect on 1 1/4″ squares matted in black and mounted onto a Real Red card base.
I popped up the sentiment onto Stampin’ Dimensionals and added Black and White Gingham ribbon in a loop under the sentiment.
I added a few sparkle gems to complete the card.

My next card sample used just the flower image and flower die from the bundle in Highland Heather, Granny Apple Green and Gorgeous Grape markers and Highland Heather CS for the dies. I embossed a center panel from the Basics 3D embossing folder pack and added the dies and flowers to the bottom of the card. I added a sentiment, ribbon and Purple Sparkle gems to the card as well.

The wreath is one of the main items in this set and the next two samples use the two different wreaths. This first wreath sample I die cut the stand alone (Meaning the die does not have a stamp that coordinates with it) on Basic White cardstock and colored the branches in Old Olive marker and the berries in Light and Dark Cherry Cobbler Stampin’ Blends! Then I die cut the pine boughs in Mossy Meadow CS and added them under the colored wreath for depth and texture. I added a linen twine bow and Iridescent pearls and popped up a sentiment matted in coordinating Cherry Cobbler Cardstock. I adhered the wreath to a Basic White cardstock background embossed with the Exposed Brick 3D Embossing Folder and mounted that onto a Mossy Meadow cardstock base.

I recently finished a swap card for this month’s swap and used the leaf die on the Oxidized Copper DSP and with two passes made four sprigs of gorgeous leaves I glued them into a wreath on another embossed Exposed Brick 3D layer and mounted that onto a Pretty Peacock cardstock base. I stamped the sentiment on the basic White layer before embossing and added Adhesive Backed Seuins Trio in Pretty Peacock coordinating colors to finish the swap card!

My last Sample card uses only the stand alone tree dies in Gorgeous Grape cardstock. I made a cloud background with a mask made from the Basics Borders die set, with Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape blending brushes. I mounted the Basic White layer onto Gorgeous Grape card base with a sentiment and Iridescent Pearls around the wording to finish this elegant and simple card!

Here are six ideas for this new Online Exclusive bundle and that is just the start of the possibilities for this set. Check out the rest of the Online exclusive offerings that just dropped yesterday from a new latte suite to a magnificent Magnolia bundle!

Now go create some art work of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Product List

Encircled In Nature Bundle (English)

[163629]

$54.00

Encircled In Nature Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[163623]

$24.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$10.50

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[121045]

$10.00

Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[119685]

$10.00

Gorgeous Grape 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[146987]

$10.00

Highland Heather 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[146986]

$10.00

Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[133676]

$10.00

Pretty Peacock 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[150880]

$10.00

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[102482]

$10.00

Oxidized Copper 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper

[162190]

$8.00

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

$26.00

Bone Folder

[102300]

$7.00

Stampin' Seal

[152813]

$8.00

Stampin' Seal+

[149699]

$12.00

Tear & Tape Adhesive

[138995]

$7.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[110755]

$5.50

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.25

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

[144108]

$4.25

Paper Snips

[103579]

$11.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$128.00

Encircled In Nature Dies

[163628]

$36.00

Iridescent Pearl Basic Jewels

[158987]

$7.50

← today's the day new online exclusives! sweet springtime paper pumpkin alternative card →

happy valentine’s day

by nataliegramleystamps | Feb 14, 2024 | card samples, embossing folders, my favorites, sketch challenge, stamps ink paper, techniques

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today’s blog post is all about a great combination technique – a baby-wipe watercolor paper technique.

Grab a wet baby wipe and add a few drops of re-inker. Rub in a circular motion applying ink to a portion of the watercolor paper. Repeat this with a new baby wipe and a new color, overlapping the previous color. I chose three colors for a berry milkshake effect – Flirty Flamingo, Berry Burst and Gorgeous Grape re-inkers.

Measurements:
BASE: Mambo Melon CS 5 1/2″ x 7 3/4″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 3 1/8″ x 5 1/2″ and
scraps for dies
Watercolor paper: 4 1/2″ x 5 1/2″

After the watercolor paper is completely dry, i die cut the ice cream scoops for the milkshake from the Share a Milkshake bundle.

I stamped the milkshake glass two step stamp in Mambo Melon and stamped off for the base portion.

I stamped the decorative glass portion of the base stamp in full strength Mambo melon ink and also stamped a straw and cherry as well.

Die cut all of the desired pieces for the card front.

Score the card base at 4 1/4″ and fold over so that the short side is at the front.

Stamp the Be My Valentine sentiment on the lower left hand corner in Tuxedo Black Memento ink.

Cut a 1″ x 5 1/2″ strip from the watercolor paper so you get all three colors and emboss it with the Basics 3D embossing folder.
Adhere to the right hand edge of the inside base of the card so that it peeks out when the card is closed.

Cut a 3 1/8″ x 5 1/2″ Basic White cardstock layer for the inside of the card to the left of the 1″ strip.
Stamp the “You’re the cherry on top” sentiment in mambo melon ink on the upper center of the layer and adhere to the inside of the card.

Start adhering the dies to the front of the card – make sure you place the glass image low enough to accommodate the amount of ice cream scoops you die cut!

I adhered the ice cream scoops in a gradient effect and placed the straw on the bottom scoop and the cheery on the top!

I added Opaque Adhesive-Backed Gems to finish off the card!
Now to write a sweet note to the love of my life – SHHHHHHH don’t tell him I snuck it into his backpack last night so he’ll find it today at work!

Hope you were able to create cards for those you love – it’s what this paper craft is all about!
If you didn’t yet and you have someone special that needs to hear it – go and create some artwork of your very own and let them know – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’ and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Natalie

Product List