Ink Blending on Black & White Patterned Paper

Have you ever had a piece of patterned paper that you really wanted to love, but every time you tried to use it, it just felt a little too bold or overpowering?

That was exactly how I felt about this black and white bee paper sitting in my stash. After loving how the ink blending softened the paper on my previous card, I wanted to experiment with it a little more.

Black & White Paper Paper Transformation

I started blending a mix of yellow tones, deepening the colour around the edges to create a soft glowing effect through the middle of the background.

I also added a subtle bokeh-style effect using sponge daubers and the same ink colours. You see the full step-by-step transformation here:

Freshly Made Sketches Inspired Design

The current sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches features a rectangle focal point in the centre of the card. I paired that idea with inspiration from a recent frame based project I made and created an open stitched rectangle frame. Leaving the centre open allowed the transformed patterned paper to really shine through as the focal point.

Finishing Details for This Thank You Card

The thank you sentiment was inspired by the current TGIF Challenges theme, which is focused on thank you cards this week.

After packing everything away, I kept thinking the card needed a little extra contrast. So, inspired by the little blue wings of the bee, I pulled out a soft blue scrap and layered that over the floral die cuts instead — a change that ended up making the whole design pop much more.

I’m really happy with how this card came together. It feels soft and layered while still letting that bold patterned paper remain the star of the design.

Ink Blending on Black & White Patterned Paper

May 21, 2026

Leftover Die Cuts | Use Your Stash #3

Using Leftover Die Cuts for Cardmaking

When I spread my scrap stash out over my desk, I noticed I’d accumulated small piles of leftover die-cut shapes. You cut a few extra “just in case,” set them aside for later… and before long there’s a little stack of shapes that never quite made it onto a finished project.

Creating a Repeated Die-Cut Background

For the third challenge in my Use Your Stash – Season 1: Paper Scraps Edition, I decided to focus on some of these pieces. Instead of treating those leftover shapes as scraps, I turned them into a repeated die-cut background.

Adding Texture with Embossing

I reached for a group of blue circles that had already been cut and placed them inside the Tin Tile embossing folder, running them through the Big Shot to give them this lovely pattern.

I suspect the particular shade of blue was actually from a recycled manila folder rather than a Stampin’ Up! colour, so I couldn’t do an exact match with the background panel I adhered them to. After testing a few blues from my collection as substitutes, I settled on Pacific Point.

Keeping the Design Simple with Bold Colours

Because the colour was quite bold — and I had a sympathy theme in mind — I decided to keep the overall design simple.

A Sea-Inspired Card Variation

When I sat down to film the tutorial, I decided to explore a sea-inspired variation. The blues already lent themselves beautifully to an ocean palette.

I kept the same layout and colours, but switched the embossing folder to Swirls and Curls. The white leafy element became a die-cut net from the Under the Sea framelits, and the orange florals were replaced with a tiny school of fish.

Those small changes shifted the mood of the card, turning the repeated shapes into something a little more playful and thematic.

Watch the Full Tutorial

You can see the design choices and craft along with me in the full video tutorial below.

Exploring a Third Variation with Dies

While filming this challenge, another idea emerged.

I still had the Under the Sea framelits on my desk, and a sand dollar shape caught my eye. With a stack of light blue leftover circles sitting in front of me, it felt like the perfect opportunity to create one more variation.

Creating a Beach-Inspired Card Design

For this version I used the Sand Dollar die to cut the shapes and leaned into a beach-inspired theme.

The lighter palette and delicate shapes gave the card a completely different feeling, even though the underlying idea remained the same. Because the repeated background already added plenty of visual interest, I kept the sentiment banner simple with a few stamped details.

It’s a good reminder that a single layout can evolve in very different directions depending on the supplies you choose.

How One Layout Creates Multiple Card Ideas

Starting with a simple goal — use up die-cut circles — led to three very different cards: a soft sympathy design and two sea-inspired variations.

Using your stash well isn’t just about finishing leftover pieces. It’s about looking at what you already have and asking:What design could this become?

More Cardmaking Ideas Using Scraps

If you’d like to see the full process and how each version came together, you can watch the tutorial below.

If you enjoy stash-busting ideas like this, you can find the other projects in the Use Your Stash – Paper Scraps Edition series HERE.

Leftover Die Cuts | Use Your Stash #3

March 13, 2026