Today I’m sharing a simple, yet beautiful card that captures the calm and peace of a day at sea. This project is full of soft, layered blues and makes great use of one of my favorite tools—blending brushes!
To begin, I cut a circle using the next-to-largest die from the Stylish Shapes set, creating a stencil from a piece of scrap white cardstock. I placed that homemade mask over a panel of Basic White cardstock and softly blended Balmy Blue ink into the circular opening using a Blending Brush. I love how this technique allows you to build a dreamy, ethereal background in just the right spot.
Once I was happy with the blue hue, I removed the mask and reached for the upcoming Sunrise Sailing stamp set (165491). Using Night of Navy ink, I stamped the sailboat and the flying birds. For the boat body, I stamped off once to create a lighter shade of navy—just enough contrast while still tying the color palette together. The water beneath the boat was added using Balmy Blue ink, anchoring the scene in soft waves.
The sentiment, “You Deserve The Best,” (also from the soon-to-be-released Sunrise Sailing stamp set) was stamped in Night of Navy on a scrap of Basic White and trimmed down to tuck right into the design. The focal panel was then adhered to a Balmy Blue mat, which was layered on top of a Night of Navy panel. After assembling the layers, a bit of Gray Baker’s Twine was wrapped around the panels and tied into a little bow, then the sentiment strip was nestled right up to the twine. It adds just the right touch of texture and charm.
To bring the whole piece to life, I brushed a little Wink of Stella on the water and the boat’s body. That hint of sparkle catches the light so beautifully—it’s like the sun glinting off the waves! All of this was then mounted onto a Thick Basic White card base with dimensionals for a crisp, clean finish with a little bit of shadow.
Inside the card, another Basic White panel was bordered with Night of Navy to keep the look cohesive and polished. It’s the perfect finishing touch for a card meant to lift someone’s spirits or celebrate a special milestone.
I’m entering this sweet card into The Paper Players #732 Challenge (Travel) and the Never Before Used Schtuff (NBUS) #73 challenge for April since the stamp set is brand new and never used before.
I created a fun shorts video showcasing how to create this card, step-by-step for you. Please check it out below and on my YouTube channel:
Thanks for stopping by today! I hope this project inspires you to pull out your blending brushes and play with soft colors and serene scenes. If you don’t already have a demonstrator, I’d love to be yours.
Measurements (all in inches):
- Card Base (Thick Basic White) – 4-1/4 x 11, scored and folded at 5-1/2
- Art piece (Basic White) – 3-1/2 x 4-3/4
- Mat for art piece (Balmy Blue) – 3-5/8 x 4-7/8
- Largest layer (Night of Navy) – 3-3/4 x 5
- scrap (Basic White) for sentiment – 1/2 x 3
- Inside the card – Basic White 3-3/4 x 5, coordinating cardstock (Night of Navy) 3-7/8 x 5-1/8
Supplies used:
What a fabulous way to use our theme this week! Your design is so simple and yet really striking with the stenciled circle in the background! Great card and we’re happy you’re sharing us with us at the Paper Players!
Thank you so much! I really enjoyed playing along with this week’s theme, LeAnne—it was the perfect excuse to keep things simple and let the soft blues shine. I always appreciate the warm welcome from the Paper Players!
There is no adjective I can use that is better than your serene, Julia! You have created a picture for the dictionary definition of serenity and I love the wonderful blues! Thank you for inspiring everyone to use their NBUS! Hugs, Darnell
Oh Darnell, your kind words just made my day! 💙 I’m so touched by your comment—and I’m thrilled that the peaceful blues came through. Thank you for creating such an encouraging space with NBUS and for always inspiring with your thoughtful feedback. Big hugs right back!
How delightful! I love the serenity of the blues and the soft curves of the water and blended circle. I’d not really noticed this set before, but it’s a beauty. Thanks for joining in with my travel theme at The Paper Players.
Thank you so much, Jan! I really loved your travel theme—it gave me the perfect reason to ink up this beautiful set. I’m so glad the calm blues and curves stood out to you! Thanks again for the inspiration and for all you do at The Paper Players!