By the Sea – Peaceful Dock

Lake-Themed Inspiration

The current challenge at Cut It Up! Challenge #350 is By the Sea—think ocean, lake, or river—and I immediately knew I wanted to create something peaceful and relaxing. There is just something about water that invites you to slow down and breathe. I could not love this theme more!

For this lake-inspired card, I used the soon-to-be-released Peaceful Dock stamp set (167138) with coordinating dies (167140). Everything began with a crisp Basic White card base layered with a full panel of Lost Lagoon cardstock dry embossed with the So Swirly Embossing Folder and swiped with a Lost Lagoon ink pad lightly across the raised embossing to really bring that embossing to life. That simple step highlighted every swirl and added so much depth and movement – it’s almost like wind skimming across the water.

The focal elements were stamped in a beautiful mix of color and neutral tones. The boat in Pecan Pie gives that warm wooden dockside feel, while the stack of books in Berry Burst and the sweet sunhat in Azure Afternoon add cheerful pops of color. Each element was die cut and arranged to create a cozy, ready-to-relax scene. I also die cut the hat band from Azure Afternoon and added it to drape slightly over the side of the boat for a bit of extra dimension and realism.

To balance all that color, I die cut seven lily pads from the Crumb Cake gingham and plant patterns in the Perennial Lavender Designer Series Paper (DSP). These subtle neutrals help ground the brighter tones while keeping the whole design cohesive. The banner behind the boat was created by die cutting Basic White with the Party Banner die and trimming it slightly smaller for a more tailored look. I ran it through the Beautiful Pattern 3D Embossing Folder for added texture because, clearly, texture was the star of the show on this card.

The textured banner was adhered directly to the card front, centered near the top. The boat, books, and hat were all popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals to give the scene wonderful depth. A sentiment strip reading “Take Time to Relax” was stamped in Lost Lagoon and layered with Azure Afternoon and Berry Burst mats for a bold, finished look across the bottom of the card. The lily pads were scattered around the boat, and six Holographic Resin Dots were tucked between them for just a touch of sparkle.

Inside the card, I continued the coordinated color story with a Basic White writing panel layered onto Azure Afternoon and Berry Burst mats. I love when the inside feels just as finished as the front.

This card makes me want to sit lakeside with a stack of books and absolutely no agenda. It captures everything I love about peaceful summer days near the water.

I’m also entering this project into a few additional challenges that inspired this design. The Can You Handle the Pressure challenge encouraged die cutting, which made this the perfect opportunity to feature all those detailed pieces. Sketch-N-Scrap #294 provided a fabulous layout that sparked the overall arrangement. And the Color My Heart Color Dare #691 inspired the beautiful combination of Azure Afternoon, Berry Burst, and Lost Lagoon, with white and neutrals allowed to balance the palette.

I truly hope you’ll join in the fun of the By the Sea theme at the Cut It Up! Challenge. I cannot wait to see all the creativity that flows in over these two weeks. There is something so inspiring about watching how different makers interpret the same theme in completely unique ways. It amazes me every single time.

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