There’s something magical about soft ink blending—especially when you’re working with warm sunset tones. The Notes and Totes Stamp Set using soft ink blending, captures all the cozy feels of a late summer evening, and the result is a handmade card that feels thoughtful, polished, and beautifully simple.
This is one of those cards that looks way more complicated than it really is. If you’ve ever felt unsure about blending inks, I promise this is the perfect project to build your confidence. All you need are a few Stampin’ Up!® ink pads, a couple of Blending Brushes, and some coordinating cardstock to mask your layers and create a stunning background. Click here for more cards using Blending Brushes.
The color combo is bold but softened thanks to the blending: Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, and Azure Afternoon. That trio gives you warmth, glow, and calm all at once. I applied each color in a loose band across the center of the card, letting them gently fade into one another. No harsh lines. No stress. Just light circular blending and a little patience.
To frame that soft sky effect, I tore strips of Basic Beige cardstock and layered them above and below the inked section. The texture of the torn edge adds dimension and mimics the look of sandy dunes or soft clouds rolling across the horizon.
Everything is mounted onto a Balmy Blue card base, which gives the whole design a subtle pop and pulls out the cool tones in the ink blending.
The sentiment “sending warm wishes” from the Notes and Totes Stamp Set by Stampin’ Up!® was the perfect finishing touch. I stamped it directly onto the lower portion of the beige cardstock in the rich Cajun Craze ink to keep the focus on that heartfelt message.
Grab your Free copy
Get 5 Bee-utiful Exclusive
Card Sketches in Your Inbox
Join our newsletter and receive a honey of a package of five quick & simple cards guaranteed to make your creativity buzz! Sign up now and let the goodness flow straight to your inbox!
This is a card you can send any time of year—whether someone’s going through something hard, celebrating something small, or just needs a smile. And once you try this technique, you might find yourself reaching for those blending brushes again and again.
Want to make it yourself? Grab the full tutorial below with exact measurements, ink colors, and tips for easy ink blending.
I hope you’ll give this one a try. It’s bold, it’s easy, and it’s sure to make someone feel appreciated—with a handmade twist.
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
Thanks for stopping by for today’s card tutorial! My goal is to help you make quick & easy greeting cards for all occasions. If you’d like more detailed directions on how to make this card, feel free to email me. I hope you’ll join me again for more card-making ideas!
Notes & Totes Stamp Set with Ink Blending
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Fold the Balmy Blue cardstock in half at the 4-1/4" score line to create your card base.
- Adhere one of the 4" x 5-1/4" pieces of Basic White cardstock inside the card base.
- Using a clean Blending Brush, ink up the brush using Azure Afternoon ink and starting at the bottom of the other piece of 4" x 5-1/4" Basic White cardstock., using small circles. Go up about 1-1/2", having your lightest color at the top.
- Using another clean Blending Brush, ink up the brush using Cajun Craze ink and starting at the top, blending down about 1-1/2" with the lightest color towards the center.
- Using another clean Blending Brush, ink up the brush using Pumpkin Pie ink and lightly add ink in the remaining white space. Be careful to not put too much ink into the blue, but it's ok to add more ink onto the Cajun Craze area (this will brighten up the ink.)
- Stamp the sentiment onto the bottom right of the Basic Beige cardstock using Cajun Craze ink. Starting just above the sentiment, tear the paper down to about 1/2" on the left side. Tip: use your thumb to keep from tearing into the sentiment. Adhere to the bottom of the Basic White cardstock.
- Using the remaining piece of Basic Beige cardstock, tear at a diagonal as desired. Be careful not to tear too much off the top piece of Basic Beige cardstock but you want enough to show the sponging. Adhere to the top of the Basic White cardstock.
- Adhere the Basic White cardstock to the front of the Balmy Blue card base to finish the card.
Skill Level
Busy Bee projects are designed for the beginner or busy papercrafter. This is a basic cardmaking project that can be achieved by someone who has never made a handmade card before. You can view more Busy Bee cards here.
