Sampler Time: Scenic Coast

Setting Sail with the Scenic Coast Suite: My Latest Paper Sampler!

If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, then you know exactly how much I love making, displaying, and gifting paper samplers. It is such a wonderful way to share my craft—and a whole lot of love—with the special people in my life. Over the years, I have made samplers for new babies, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and plenty of "just because" moments. Christmas, changing seasons, holidays... you name it, it’s a good reason to make a sampler!

This month, I am thrilled to be offering a local class featuring my latest design using the gorgeous Scenic Coast Suite of products. 

This suite immediately caught my eye when it was first offered for preorder—gotta love those perks of being a demonstrator! The vibrant colors, the scenic sunsets and sunrises captured in beautiful shimmery detail, and the specialty paper featuring three different colors of shimmery
vellum are absolutely stunning. Plus, the images on the stamps and coordinating dies are fantastic to work with.

Saving Time with Templates

This project started with my trusted sampler layout. (If you missed it, definitely check out my earlier blog post on Paper Sampler Templates). I found that the more samplers I made, the more frustrated I became having to re-figure out the math every single time. I don't know about you, but if I can save a little time and mental effort... I will! I ended up creating templates for 8", 9", and 12" square samplers, but the panel sizes can easily apply to rectangular backgrounds too.

For this specific design, rather than using one massive focal panel, I decided to make all three rows the same size and just alternate their placement. I have done pieces in the past with 9 small squares, but for this layout, I paired a small square element with a larger panel that spans 2/3 of the width.

Crafting the Rows: Layout & Color Choices

I started by picking out the different styles of paper from the Scenic Coast Designer Series Paper (DSP), which comes in a handy 6" x 6" size. I cut six of them into wide panels, making sure to focus on the beautiful sun placement in each scene. Once they were cut, I mounted them onto coordinating cardstock. Stampin' Up! makes this part completely foolproof by listing all the matching colors right on the cover page of the DSP package! From there, I played around with the different pieces until I found the three combinations I liked best.

Using the remaining cardstock backing colors and the leftover scraps of each DSP page, I set to work creating the small square elements to finish off each row.

The Little Vignettes (Small Squares)

These smaller squares were incredibly fun to pull together because I used various dies to build miniature scenes:

• The Sailboat Row: One square features a crisp blue sailboat riding the waves

• 
  The Shoreline Row: Another features a detailed rock formation with a sun and birds soaring overhead 
  

• The Under the Sea Row: The final square features a fishing net layered with sea stars and shells

(Fun fact: they are sea stars, not starfish—something I only know because of my marine biologist brother!)

Bringing the Large Panels Together

The larger panels allowed for a bit more storytelling, though they required a little creative problem-solving:

• 
  The Purple Arch Rock: This panel combines a bold rock formation, sailing boats, and soft clouds drifting across a sunset sky 
  
  

• The Radiant Sunset: This top panel uses a beautiful "The Adventure Continues" sentiment layered over a stunning vellum sunburst 

• The Lighthouse: This focal point features a rich blue silhouette lighthouse casting a glow over a vibrant sea, finished with a "Wishing You a Lifetime of Joy" sentiment 

The lighthouse and the vellum sunburst dies were actually a bit tricky because their sizes didn't perfectly fit my panel templates at first. But that’s the magic of crafting! When you start to play and experiment, you almost always figure out a clever way to make things come together. (If you want to see another example of this, check out how I made a 6" x 6" DSP fill an 8" panel on my Wonder & Light Sampler from last year!)

Join Me for Class!

I am so looking forward to hosting this upcoming class! It is going to be an absolute blast helping everyone take the elements from this suite and piece them together into something truly amazing to hang up at home or gift to someone special.

Want to join in on the creative fun? You can find the registration link right now on my website: sharonsstampingspot.ca, or use the button below!

Note: If you are reading this after June 28, 2026, don't fret! I have tutorials of past projects available for purchase on my website as well, so you never have to miss out on the crafting action.

*  Register NOW *