If you love the idea of slowing down, sitting back and soaking up the view, the Relaxing Waterside Bundle is sure to brighten your crafting.

This calm, coastal-inspired Stampin’ Up! bundle is filled with peaceful waterside images that make it easy to create handmade cards for Father’s Day, birthdays, retirement, encouragement or simply telling someone to relax.

Today I’m sharing three different cards that showcase just how versatile this bundle can be. Each project builds on the one before it, making it perfect for beginner card makers who want to grow their skills one project at a time.

Meet the Relaxing Waterside Bundle

The Relaxing Waterside Bundle includes:

• Photopolymer stamps featuring a classic Adirondack chair, seagulls and waterside grasses, plus cosy extras like a coffee cup and book
• Coordinating dies that cut the chair and details for you
• Sentiments perfect for Father’s Day, birthdays, retirement (“Here’s to a New Chapter”) and everyday encouragement (“Relax”, “Today Is Your Day”)

What I love most about this bundle is how easy it is to mix and match the pieces to build a relaxing waterside scene. The dies do all the cutting for you, so you can spend more time experimenting with layouts, colours and techniques.

👉 Shop the Relaxing Waterside Bundle here

Card 1: Pull Up a Chair

This colourful line-up is the perfect introduction to the Relaxing Waterside Bundle, because it lets the die-cut chairs do all the work. I cut the same chair four times in four different colour combinations, and I love how each one takes on its own little personality.

Add a few softly stamped grasses and seagulls across the background and suddenly you have a whole scene — no complicated techniques required. It’s a lovely reminder that simple card designs definitely don’t have to be boring.

Try swapping the sentiment to suit a birthday, a retirement card or a simple “thinking of you”.

Beginner Tip

If you’re new to die cutting, this is a wonderful place to start. Cut the same shape a few times in different colours and let repetition do the design work for you.

Card 2: Here’s to You, Dad

This project shows how a simple stamped background can completely change the look of your card. I started with strips of cardstock in different colours, then stamped the same grass image over each strip using a coordinating ink. Bringing all those strips together creates a fun patterned background — almost like making your own Designer Series Paper.

From there it’s just the stamped chair, a little seagull and a simple “Dad, Have a Great Birthday” greeting. It feels colourful and cheerful while still being perfectly suited to Dad.

Experiment with different cardstock colours or change the greeting to make this design work for any occasion.

Beginner Tip

When you’re creating a repeated stamped pattern, don’t worry about spacing every image perfectly. Let some of your stamping run off the edges too — it helps the pattern feel much more natural.

Card 3: Today Is Your Day

For the final project, I wanted to take things a little further and create an entire scene. Instead of relying on cardstock layers for colour, I built a softly blended background that moves from warm sunset tones up into a blue sky.

The stamped grasses and seagulls add just enough detail to suggest a peaceful waterside setting, while the dark die-cut chair becomes the star of the card. It’s the same chair as Card 1, with a completely different feeling.

Change your blend colours to suit the mood — cool blues for a calm morning, or warm tones for a golden sunset.

Beginner Tip

Blending looks impressive, but it’s really just building colour up gradually in light layers. Start soft, go slow, and add more only where you want it.

Why I Love the Relaxing Waterside Bundle

What makes this bundle so enjoyable to create with is its flexibility.

The same collection of stamps and dies can be used for:

• Father’s Day cards
• Birthday cards
• Retirement and “new chapter” cards
• Encouragement cards
• Thinking of You cards
• Everyday cards for the men in your life

Simply changing the colours, layout or background technique creates an entirely different style of card.

That’s exactly what I love sharing — helping you see how one bundle can inspire dozens of creative ideas.

Which Card Is Your Favourite?

Now it’s your turn!

Which project would you make first?

Card 1: Pull Up a Chair
Card 2: Here’s to You, Dad
Card 3: Today Is Your Day

Leave a comment below and let me know your favourite. I’d love to hear which design inspires you most!

I hope these projects inspire you to pull out your supplies and start creating. Sometimes all it takes is one versatile bundle and a few simple ideas to spark your next handmade card.

If you recreate any of these designs, I’d love to see them! Be sure to tag me on social media so I can celebrate your creativity.

Happy crafting! 💕