Today’s card started a little differently than usual. I didn’t begin with a stamp set or even a layout—I started with a color. I realized I hadn’t made a blue-based card in a while and immediately reached for Secret Sea. There’s something about its deep, moody blue tone that feels both grounded and elegant, and I knew I wanted that to be the foundation for today’s project.
Once I had Secret Sea in hand, I remembered I hadn’t used my Paper Tags stamp set nearly as much as I’d like, so it was time to show it some love. I browsed a few online card challenges for inspiration and the sketch from Just Add Ink #768 caught my eye. It was clean and inviting—perfect for a quick but fun card design.
I embossed a panel of Secret Sea cardstock using the Gathering Leaves 3D Embossing Folder, and I just love the rows of tiny leaves it creates. It adds so much texture without overwhelming the card. The sentiment, “It’s a Wonderful Day to Celebrate You,” was stamped in Secret Sea ink onto a scrap of Basic White and then die cut with the Stylish Shapes circle die (about 2-3/4 inches across). That stitched detail really ties everything together and gives the sentiment a polished frame.
For the layout, I started with a standard A2 card base in Secret Sea and layered a panel of Basic White cardstock on top. The embossed panel came next, and then I added a strip of the Cloud Cover Florals in Bloom Designer Series Paper—specifically the stripe pattern that coordinates beautifully with Secret Sea. That strip ran horizontally about a third of the way up the card front following the sketch’s layout, adding a pop of visual interest without taking away from the clean design.
The sentiment circle was adhered with dimensionals slightly to the left, overlapping the DSP just enough to anchor everything together. And to finish off the front, I added five of the Low-Profile Sparkle Dots in Secret Sea using my Take Your Pick Tool. I alternated between the small and larger dots, placing them in a gentle circular arc along the right side of the sentiment for just the right amount of sparkle and rhythm.
Inside the card, I added a panel of Basic White with a narrow coordinating strip of the same striped DSP on the right side. It brings the outside of the card inside without needing much effort.
Honestly, I’m thrilled with how this card turned out. It’s not overly fancy, but it still feels detailed and intentional, with touches of texture, sparkle, and contrast. It’s clean, classy, and was so satisfying to create. So, I’m entering this card into four online card challenges:
- Just Add Ink #768 for the sketch
- A Cut Above September Challenge for using die cuts
- Tic Tac Toe Challenge #279 for using stripes, a stamped image, and embossing (straight down the right column)
- And finally, the Can You Handle The Pressure Challenge for incorporating dry embossing and layered textures
You can catch the full video tutorial on my YouTube channel, where I walk through the process of making this card from start to finish.
I’m also offering a free downloadable PDF with all the measurements and supplies, so be sure to grab that from the link below!
Hope you have a chance to get inky today! Thanks for stopping by,
Supplies used (also listed in the tutorial):
Fantastic…great masculine take on the sketch!!Thanks for playing along with the “just add a sketch” challenge. We are glad you joined the fun and played along with us.
Deb Horst, Guest Designer #JAI768
Thanks, Deborah. That’s so nice. It’s a great sketch this challenge.
Lovely CAS card! The color is beautiful and those gems looked great wrapped around the die cut sentiment circle. Love the embossing too. Thanks for sharing with A Cut Above’s September Challenge.
Thank you, Vicki! It’s always fun to play along with A Cut Above.
Love the subtle texture and colour choice Julia, a great use of the sketch. Thanks for joining in at Just Add Ink.
Thanks, Nikki! I’m glad you like the texture and color choice. It was truly a great sketch and provided wonderful inspiration.
That is such a great color, great masculine feel to your card, and the added texture is such a nice detail! Thanks for joining us at Can You Handle the Pressure.
Thank you so much, Melanie! I always love joining in with Can You Handle the Pressure challenges!
I love the colors you chose here; it really showcases Secret Sea. Thank you for participating in our sketch this week. Sandra, Just Add Ink Guest Designer #jai768
Thanks, Sandra!
Great masculine card Julia. Love the simplicity and textures. Thanks for joining us at Just Add Ink – Tristan DT.
I’m so glad you like the card, Tristan! That means so much to me.
You had me at Secret Sea! I love how you’ve used our sketch to create your design Julia. I love that sentiment too! Thanks for joining us this week at Just Add Ink.
Haha! I love that, Lou! Isn’t Secret Sea an amazing color? Thanks for your kind comnments.
Simply beautiful & perfect! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Can You Handle the Pressure challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often.
Darlene
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS
Can You Handle the Pressure Co-Owner
Thank you, Darlene! I appreciate you stopping by and leaving such nice comments. It means so much.
I really love this card. It’s beautiful in its simplicity, and your colors are gorgeous. Lots of wonderful work here, I can tell you have such an eye for color and design. Thanks so much for playing along with us over at A Cut Above. I hope we see you back again soon.
Judy~ ACA CT Designer
Thank you, Judy! I love playing along with the A Cut Above Challenges.