I’m so excited to share today’s project with you—a set of fun, ocean-inspired cards using the Little Mermaid Collection from Scrappy Boy Stamps! If you love creating cohesive card sets or want to get the most out of your patterned paper, this 6 x 6 One Sheet Wonder technique is perfect for you. One sheet of patterned paper, a handful of coordinating stamped and die-cut images, and you’ll have a beautiful set of cards ready to go.
Lately, I’ve been trying to make the most of my patterned paper stash, and a One Sheet Wonder is a great way to stretch your supplies while creating multiple cards that work together beautifully. Plus, it’s a fun creative challenge to see how many combinations you can get from a single sheet! The Little Mermaid Collection is so charming with its playful under-the-sea vibe, and it made this project come together effortlessly. Let me walk you through how I used the collection and some tips that might help you along the way.
Supplies and Preparation
For all of the cards, I stamped the images from the Little Mermaid 6 x 8 Stamp Set onto Hammermill Smooth Cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. This ink is perfect for alcohol markers since it won’t smudge or bleed. I colored all the images with my OLO Markers—they blend so smoothly, which made it easy to create those soft, ocean-inspired tones. After coloring, I used the Little Mermaid Outline Dies to cut everything out. Having coordinating dies saves so much time and gives you those clean, professional edges that make your cards look polished.
I also used the Under the Sea Scene Builder Dies to cut out various seaweed and coral shapes from Sage Leaf and Mermaid Cardstock. This added some nice texture and color contrast. For embellishments, I die-cut some bubbles, a fork (a fun nod to the movie!), and some crabs, lobsters, and fish from Silver Glitter Cardstock and Blush Glitter Cardstock. A little sparkle always elevates a card!
6 x 6 One Sheet Wonder:
Pattern Paper Cutting Guide
The key to a successful One Sheet Wonder is cutting your patterned paper strategically so you can use every piece efficiently. I selected a sheet from the Little Mermaid 6 x 6 Pattern Paper Pack and cut it down into these pieces:
Two 3” x 6” strips
From the first strip:
One 3” x 3” square
One 2” x 3” rectangle
One 1” x 3” strip
From the second strip:
Two 1” x 4” strips
Two ½” x 4” strips
Three 1” x 1” squares
One 2” x 2” square
One 1” x 2” rectangle
A tip here: Always cut your largest pieces first. That way, you’ll have more flexibility with the smaller pieces and less waste. I also recommend laying out all your pieces before you start assembling—this helps you visualize how the patterns will work together.
Card Design Ideas
I love how each card turned out unique but still cohesive as a set. Let’s take a closer look at how I used the pieces and the overall design approach:
Card 1: Fintastic Birthday
For the first card, I used the 3” x 3” square of patterned paper, matted it onto Lilac Cardstock, and attached it to a top-folding A2 card base. I stamped the sentiment "Have a Fintastic Birthday" about a ¼” below the focal panel using Versafine Onyx Black Ink—my go-to for crisp, detailed impressions. The stamped and colored mermaid became the star of the card, and I tucked some seaweed and glitter bubbles behind her for dimension and texture.
Pro Tip: When using foam adhesive to pop up your focal image, try adding two layers for extra height. It makes the image stand out even more and creates a nice shadow effect.
Card 2: Dream Big Little Mermaid
This one features the 2” x 2” and 1” x 2” pieces of patterned paper, which I flipped over to use the opposite side for contrast. After matting them on Lilac Cardstock, I positioned them at the top of the card with a small gap between them. The sentiment "Dream Big Little Mermaid" fits perfectly beneath the layers. I used the mermaid-in-a-dress image for this one, which gave the card a sweet, dreamy feel. A few silver bubbles added just the right amount of sparkle.
Card 3: Stay Salty and Sparkly
For this card, I combined a 1” x 4” strip with a ½” x 4” strip, flipping one over for contrast. I added coral and seaweed die cuts at the top, then popped up the Sea Witch image using foam adhesive. I love how the mix of textures and glitter accents made this card feel rich and layered without being too busy.
Pro Tip: When working with glitter cardstock, use a strong adhesive like liquid glue or a tape runner to keep it securely in place. Glitter paper can sometimes resist weaker adhesives.
Card 4: Don't Be Such a Guppy
This card used three of the 1” x 1” squares and a ½” x 4” strip. I matted all the pieces and arranged them vertically along the side of the card. The sentiment "Don't Be Such a Guppy" fit perfectly on the right side. I added Flounder, Sebastian, and a clam with a pearl to the small squares, making a cute little undersea scene. The fork die cut behind the clam was a playful finishing touch.
Card 5: I'm Glad You Found Your Prince
For the final card, I combined the last 1” x 4” strip with the 2” x 3” piece. After matting them, I positioned them at the bottom of the card and stamped the sentiment "I'm Glad You Found Your Prince" above. The dancing Ariel and Prince Eric image was the perfect focal point here. Silver glitter bubbles and a bottle die cut tied everything together.
Finishing Touches
Once all the cards were assembled, I went back and added highlights with a white gel pen—this makes a huge difference in bringing the images to life. I also added some shimmer using a Clear Sparkle Overlay Pen on the mermaids’ tails and the bubbles for that extra magical touch.
Pro Tip: When adding white gel pen highlights, think about where the light would naturally hit. A few well-placed highlights on the hair, face, and tail give the images a more polished and dimensional look.
Final Thoughts
A 6 x 6 One Sheet Wonder is such a satisfying way to create a set of coordinating cards. The Little Mermaid Collection from Scrappy Boy Stamps made this process so easy because all the elements work together beautifully. If you’ve been holding onto that special 6 x 6 paper pack, this technique is a great way to finally put it to use!
I hope you found this helpful and inspiring. Be sure to check out the video tutorial for a closer look at the process and finished cards.
One Sheet Wonder: Create Five Adorable Little Mermaid Cards Video Tutorial:
If you have problems watching the video here on my blog you can always watch it on my YouTube Channel by Clicking here!
(Wondering what I used in this video? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible). As always I appreciate your support of my videos!
Materials Used:
Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.
Happy Stampin'
Rick Adkins
Affiliate Disclaimer:
Just a friendly reminder, as part of my commitment to transparency, please note that some of the links provided maybe affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support is truly appreciated!
Additionally, I kindly ask that you always accept the tracking cookie for the affiliate websites. Rest assured, this will not in any way expose your computer to viruses or compromise your information. It's simply necessary for the company to attribute the sale to the affiliate, ensuring creators like myself receive their rightful commissions.
Your trust and support enable me to continue sharing creativity through my email lists, blog, and YouTube channel. Thank you for being a valued part of our crafting community!
Comentarios