watercolor wash - nataliegramleystamps

creating unforgettable details in card making or scrapbooking

by nataliegramleystamps | Mar 11, 2026 | card samples, embossing folders, more than a card, my favorites, out of the box stamping, scrapbooking, stamps ink paper, techniques

Sometimes creating something special for a card or a scrapbooking page makes that piece memorable or a little extra special.

This week I am going to be at our national convention called OnStage 2026 and I created a bunch of swap cards for the event.

We are expected to use only current products and current colors, so I modified a card I did a few weeks ago and instead of using Designer Series Paper to create the beach blanket in my beach scene I wanted to create a beach blanket made out of background paper that I made.

I looked through my embossing folder as I knew that I wanted to add texture on top of whatever background design I created and decided that the Beautiful Patterns would be a great choice to mimic a blanket texture and design!

I wanted to do matching colors for the card I had designed so I started with Crumb Cake and Balmy Blue inks and did a watercolor wash striped design on our Basic White Cardstock alternating with two wide brushes from our Water Painters three brush sets.

I then dipped my very wet brush into the lid of the stampin’ pad filled with ink refill dots of ink and tapped the side of the brush with my bone folder over the watercolored paper to create a splatter effect.

I decided that the Beautiful Pattern 3D embossing folder would create a nice embossed design over the paper, so I ran it through our Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine with the BASE #1 and Embossing #4 Plates.

I cut the 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ embossed layers into
1 1/2″ strips.

Then I cut the 1 1/2″ strips into 2″ segments so I created a little rectangular blanket shape.

I took our knife edged scissors which unfortunately are no longer for sale – but use a sharp scissors to cut small fringe across the short edges on both sides.

I added the blanket to the sand of my beach scene card!

Then I proceeded to make 99 more! LOL – now I am ready to swap!

Cannot wait to show you all the great cards I will be trading for in the next coming days! I will have all of them on display at this month’s Stamp-a-Stack class on the 23rd!

Make sure that you RSVP!

Now I am off to visit and stamp with new and old friends – hope you are getting to do the same! Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Product List

Rolling Waves Bundle (English)

[167145]

$51.25

Rolling Waves Photopolymer Stamp Set

[167142]

$20.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[166780]

$14.00

Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[146982]

$14.00

Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[120953]

$14.00

Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad

[147105]

$9.00

Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad

[147116]

$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

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$15.00

Blending Brushes Storage

[160519]

$16.00

Tear & Tape Adhesive

[154031]

$7.00

Water Painters

[168253]

$13.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$140.00

Rolling Waves Dies

[167144]

$37.00

Iridescent Pearl Basic Jewels

[158987]

$7.50

← more color mondays strawberry slush, calypso coral and secret sea celebrate spring february 2026 paper pumpkin alternate pop up card →

onstage 2025 beautiful butterflies swap card

by nataliegramleystamps | Mar 5, 2025 | card samples, card swap, online exclusives, techniques

I signed up for three special swaps for the upcoming 2025 OnStage event in Raleigh, North Carolina and then it sold out before I had the chance to sign up – I am so sad – I went last year with my sweet friend Barb and we had so much fun and I learned so much. Oh well my friend Michael that I met last year at OnStage is hosting the special swaps and this sweet man allowed me to send him my swap cards and he did not take my name off his lists! So this is one of the special cards I designed for the Demonstrator’s Choice Swap that I am in.
I chose components from some of my favorite new sets: Everyday Arches dies, Beautiful Butterflies bundle and the Elements of Text which is slowly becoming one of my new favorite background sets!

Although this card has a bunch of layers it is not difficult but I have some paper saving tips to make this – so follow along!

Measurements:
BASE: Coastal Cabana CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ piece for die cut
Lemon Lime Twist Layer: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Basic White Layer: 3 3/4″ x 5″
scrap for sentiment piece
Fluid 100 paper: 5″ x 7″ sheet

I choose three consecutive arches dies and cut the middle arch out of the center of the Lemon Lime Twist layer and then adhered that layer to the Coastal Cabana card base.

I cut the smallest consecutive die chosen from the center of the Basic White layer and adhered it to the Lemon Lime Twist layer on the card front.

I die cut from the Coastal Cabana layer the largest consecutive die chosen and adhered it over the die openings on the card layers on the card front.

I stamped the circle text image from the Elements of Text stamp set in the center of the Basic White Everyday Arches die in Coastal Cabana ink.
I adhered the Basic White Arch die to the Lemon Lime Twist die and adhered both of them to the Coastal Cabana Arches die on the card front.

I used some of the left over watercolor Fluid 100 paper that I created for the Beautiful Butterflies More Color Mondays card from my February 3rd blog post.
I colored the Fluid 100 paper with Blending brushes in Azure Afternoon, Coastal Cabana and Lemon Lime Twist and then splattered the paper with water from a Stampin’ Sprintzer and a water painter.
I then die cut smaller butterfly dies from the Beautiful Butterflies die set.

At the time I created that early February post I had a lot of scrap watercolor paper left over so I cut smaller butterflies from the scraps and this is what I designed to use up all those spare die pieces!

I used three smaller butterfly detail dies and one medium background butterfly die for each swap card.
I adhered one of the small detail butterflies to the background butterfly and adhered all three dies to the top portion of the Elements of Text stamped die piece.

I stamped the sentiment in Coastal Cabana ink and then colored the background of the paper in Lemon Lime Twist with a Blending Brush.

I fussy cut the words out to adhere to the card
at the base of the Basic White Everyday Arches die.

I added Iridescent Adhesive-Backed Discs to the card in the green hue to coordinate with the card.

After evaluating the card I decided I wanted a little more color on the sentiment piece to balance out the color used in the top of the card. So I removed the sentiment piece and brushed the edges with a Blending Brush and Coastal Cabana ink leaving some of the Lemon Lime Twist background peeking through.

This finished out the card and created a nice balance of color and textures on the card.
Hope they like my swap card!

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

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Product List

Beautiful Butterflies Bundle (English)

[164615]

$59.25

Everyday Arches Bundle (English)

[164630]

$45.00

Elements Of Text Cling Stamp Set

[164774]

$26.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$13.00

Coastal Cabana 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[131297]

$11.50

Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[144245]

$11.50

Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper

[149612]

$9.00

Azure Afternoon Classic Stampin' Pad

[161663]

$9.00

Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad

[147097]

$9.00

Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin' Pad

[147145]

$9.00

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

Small Blending Brushes

[160518]

$14.00

Stampin' Spritzer

[126185]

$6.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$130.00

Beautiful Butterflies Hybrid Embossing Folder

[164614]

$42.00

Everyday Arches Dies

[164629]

$29.00

Iridescent Adhesive Backed Discs

[161954]

$7.00

← mixed floral bokeh blended card memorable blooms naturally gilded floating element card →

beach day card for a hot summer week

by nataliegramleystamps | Jun 21, 2024 | card samples, die cutting, my favorites, stamps ink paper

Well there is no question summer has arrived in Conneaut Lake! It has been in the 90 degree range all week and I have divided my time all week in 20 minute increments while I water the grass seed all over our lawn!
In my spare time I made this sweet beach day card with Watercolor paper!

Measurements:
BASE: Flirty Flamingo 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic Black: 4″ x 5 1/4″
scraps for silhouette die cuts
Watercolor paper: 3 3/4″ x 5″

Using an E acrylic block, Choose 3-4 colors and tap the edge of the ink pad directly onto the block – this will allow you to control how much of the block to color and keep the ink colors separated.
I used Poppy Parade on top, Flirty Flamingo below that, Crushed Curry below the Flamingo and Pecan Pie on the bottom to depict the sand on the beach.

I spritzed the Acrylic block with water and placed the watercolor paper on the block and rubbed the ink into the paper – allow to sit on the block for enough time that the water and ink can absorb into the watercolor paper. Time will vary based on the amount of water sprayed on the block.

Allow the paper to dry and stamp the sentiment in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on the top of the watercolored portion of the paper.

Adhere the watercolor paper to the Basic Black layer. Die cut the images you would like to silhouette on the card in Basic Black scraps.

Adhere the die cuts onto the watercolor paper and then adhere the whole layer onto the Flirty Flamingo card base.

Adhere three of the coral/flamingo colored pearls from the new Adhesive-Backed Pearl Trio around the sentiment and my summer sunset beach day card is complete!

Try this super easy and fun watercolor technique today! Now go and create some art work of your very own, one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Here is another sample that I made using the same technique but different colors I started by tapping the side of my ink pads onto the acrylic block top to bottom: Gorgeous Grape, Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry and Pecan Pie.
I added the Palm tree and paddle board as Silhouettes as well.

Product List

Beach Day Bundle (English)

[162800]

$48.50

Beach Day Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[162797]

$20.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$13.00

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

[121045]

$11.50

Flirty Flamingo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[141416]

$11.50

Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper

[149612]

$9.00

Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad

[147087]

$9.00

Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin' Pad

[147052]

$9.00

Pecan Pie Classic Stampin' Pad

[161665]

$9.00

Poppy Parade Classic Stampin' Pad

[147050]

$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

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.25

Paper Snips

[103579]

$12.00

Stampin' Spritzer

[126185]

$6.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$130.00

Beach Day Dies

[162799]

$34.00

Adhesive Backed Pearl Trio

[163319]

$7.50

← simple stamping with designer series paper more color mondays - lost lagoon, summer splash and coastal cabana →

more color mondays – orchid oasis, starry sky and parakeet party

by nataliegramleystamps | Mar 11, 2024 | card samples, color challenge, In Colors, more color mondays, retiring products, stamps ink paper, techniques

I used a large F acrylic bloc and placed reinker drops all over the surface – Parakeet Party drops on the bottom and Orchid Oasis and Starry sky intermingled on the top portion.
I sprayed it with water and placed scraps of Basic White cardstock over it to absorb the color and the water.

Every year around this time, Stampin’ Up! starts to prepare for the new annual catalog release and the retiring list which will be out soon. We anxiously await the release of all the fun new products but the sneak peak at the new In Colors is the most highly anticipated! While we don’t know in advance what the colors are – we do know that the 2022-2024 In Colors will be on the retiring list and these are some of my favorites In Colors ever – I am a Brights girl and I will be very sad to see all five of these colors go away! So today’s More Color Mondays Color Challenge is all about 3 of the 5 of these retiring colors. That being said if these are some of your favorites or you have these ink pads and did not buy the re-inkers yet I would highly recommend that you purchase them NOW!! They always sell out fast!

Measurements:
BASE: Starry Sky CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″ and scraps for circle dies
Basic White: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″
scrap for watercoloring
Orchid Oasis: scraps for circle dies
Parakeet Party: scraps for circle dies

I used the two smallest circles dies in the Everyday Details die set and placed them inside one another to create a dotted circle frame and a smaller circle.

I stamped the open flower outline and the leaf outline stamp from the Color and Contour stamp set over the dried watercolor wash paper. I die cut the flower and fussy cut the leaves.

I scored and folded the Starry Sky base and added a strip of Stampin’ Seal tape on the two sides of the Basic White layer.

Starting on one end of the tape I wrapped one color at a time around the front of the card stock and attached it to the other tape on the opposite side on the back and cut the end off the twine spool. I repeated with other two colors until I was happy with the design to fill the middle of the card and adhered it to the card base.
I stamped the thank you sentiment to the upper right hand corner.

I adhered the open circle dies to the left hand side of the card front overlapping starting with the Orchid Oasis on top, Parakeet Party in the center and the Starry Sky on the bottom.

I popped up two of the watercolor wash flowers on Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals and adhered them in between the open circle dies. I adhered three of the fussy cut watercolor wash leaves under the flowers.

I added some 2022-2024 In Color Pearls to the card front in all three colors.

Whenever I have a very dark cardstock as the base I add a Basic White layer to the inside of the card base and I added the small circle dies and a scrap strip of the watercolor wash to the inside to decorate it. I cut the circles as I adhered them overlapping the edge to create some depth and dimension and decided to add those to the card front to finish it off!

Here is the finished card front I love these colors and will miss them a lot! Please order the reinkers if you have these ink pads and if you go to my stampin’ up!website at
https://nataliestamps.stampinup.net click on SHOP BY then click COLOR then click 2022 – 2024 IN COLORS and you will see all of the products that contain these colors. Most years we retire all of our DSP and most of the DSP with any of the In Colors will likely be retired as well – so scoop it up while you can. Remember these are all while supplies last and they will NOT be replenished if they are retiring items!

If you have these colors grab them and make a card of your own and inspire and share with us on my Facebook post in the comment section!

Product List

Color & Contour Photopolymer Stamp Set

[154994]

$21.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$10.50

Orchid Oasis 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159267]

$10.00

Parakeet Party 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159259]

$10.00

Starry Sky 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159263]

$10.00

Orchid Oasis Classic Stampin' Pad

[159214]

$9.00

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

Everyday Details Dies

[162864]

$34.00

Scalloped Contours Dies

[155560]

$35.00

Clear Block F

[118483]

$19.00

Orchid Oasis Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[159215]

$5.00

Parakeet Party Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[159209]

$5.00

Starry Sky Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[159213]

$5.00

2022–2024 In Color Baker's Twine Pack

[159195]

$15.00

2022–2024 In Color Pearls

[161621]

$7.00

← sweet springtime paper pumpkin alternative card saying goodbye to 2022-2024 in colors →

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.