Sand & Sea Suite - combining die cutting, embossing and watercoloring!

 Hi Stampers!

I'm really excited to share my project today! Last November, I attended the online OnStage event for Stampin'Up! demonstrators and wow, it was amazing! Something happened that I'm sure you can relate to. One of the premier suites in the new Mini Catalog is the "Sand & Sea" suite, a glorious suite of seashells and ocean themes including dies, stamps, an embossing folder, gorgeous Designer Series Paper and embellishments. I loved the color scheme at first sight but there was a major problem for me. You see, I have spent my entire life in a three state area, aside from the college years, of South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. For the geographically challenged, let me clue you in that there are no seas, oceans, seashells, seaweed etc anywhere in these states. I am completely unfamiliar with beaches and oceans and tides etc. I couldn't relate to the theme of these suite at all and didn't even consider putting it on my wish list. 

THEN, I saw an amazing demonstration from a demonstrator in Australia, Tatiana Tobin, and my mind was blown! When I saw how all the products coordinated together and even more, what she showed you could do with them, I couldn't wait to purchase the entire suite! This is so out-of-the box for me and that in itself was super fun! I recreated one of her card projects and added a background of seaweed using the die one more time, on Pear Pizzazz paper. I'll show you the card and then I have a video explaining the coordination of the products and how I watercolored the seashells and created the card!

In a nutshell, you first die cut with the big shell/seaweed die on Fluid 100 Watercolor paper. You make a second die cut on any green card stock, I used Pear Pizzazz. You then emboss your watercolor paper die cut with the Seashells 3D embossing folder and then watercolor with our Water painters and ink (Gray Granite and Blushing Bride). After drying, you cut the shells apart from the rest of the die cut piece and separate the seaweed die cuts into pieces and adhere all to the background piece of DSP. It was fun to add some Wink of Stella to the seashells to give them a little sparkle as well. I'm grateful I saw the idea on the OnStage video and it inspired me to try it myself!

Of course, I wanted to try more fun ideas! This card features one of my favorites of the DSP selection, soft blues, pinks and grays. I wanted something like a twig or sprig on the card and used a die from the Peaceful Boughs dies, one of our Christmas products! Thought it could pass for coral in a pinch, but remember, I know nothing about oceans, haha!

For this project, I also did two die cuts with the large die, one with Very Vanilla and one with Pear Pizzazz. I stamped the shells on the Very Vanilla piece in various colors and then cut them free of each other. I placed them where they would be on the die, with dimensionals.  

This card features a close up look at the embossing folder. This suite has some amazing specialty paper called Pearlescent Specialty Paper. It has a wonderful sheen to it and was super fun to emboss and then color with sponge daubers.

For my last idea, I played with some of the stamps and loose dies included in the bundle. I like this color scheme, just a little different and muted. 

Overall, I was very satisfied with my adventure to the sea and back and love the seashells I collected along the way. I have hopes of actually doing this in person some time and who knows, maybe I'll be overloaded with inspiration then!

Thanks for stopping by! All my supplies are below in case you are a seashell fanatic and can't wait to collect some of your own! 

Happy Stampin'!

Sarah