Trend Watch – Ahoy, the Nautical Trend

There is something that happens in the summer that makes most of us want to flock to the water.  Just the idea of being on a boat, or letting waves splash your feet or watching fish go by as you snorkel is so appealing.  Maybe that is why I am seeing nautical themes everywhere.  So until I get my boat,  (hint, hint to my husband) I am going to feast off of these cool water themed nautical projects.  I hope you are inspired and refreshed by them as well.  Spoiler alert:  there will be many bad puns in this post.

I love the versatility of the nautical theme.  In this first card the realistic darkness of the wood and wear on the port hole make you think you are inside a ship looking out at another passing by.   The detail in this card is just gorgeous.

  card by Melissa Cochran photo courtesy of Crazy Paper Freak

There is also a cool, dark side of the nautical world.  Colleen used cool chalkboard techniques to make this pirate ship look ever so ghoulish and scary.  The skeleton eyes just seem to glow.

 

card by Colleen Dietrich photo courtesy of Dietrich Designs

But, when you decide you want to be sweet, the nautical theme works well too.  How sweet is this little boat with the two colored sails.   Betty’s use of scalloped edges for the water is clever and adds to the overall cuteness of this sweet card.

card by Betty Wright photo courtesy of The Things I do with Paper

 This fun shaped boat card is also a super sweet way to say happy birthday.  It is perfect for a young water lover in your life.

card by Katie Gehring photo courtesy of Stamping Lightly

I’m not even sure if it is possible to get any cuter than this little girl from My Favorite things in her little sailor suit.  I just love the color and composition for this card.  And check out how clever the water is constructed under the boats.  A total cuteness winner.

card by Debby photo courtesy of A Scrap Journey

Kara cleverly found another way to use her jar stamp by creating this adorable ship in a bottle/jar.  The sentiment with this card is just so sweet.  Another great idea for water is a little cloud stamp.  Just love this.

card by Kara photo courtesy of K and R Designs

The puns available on some of these nautical sets are plentiful and awesome.  And since I just can’t resist a pun, I have a bunch to show you.  The first one is a whale of a pun.  Get it?  Okay, bad pun but super cute card.

card by Kimberly Harris photo courtesy of Kimberly Harris Studio 

I think you’ll sea why I think this next card is so awesome.   I just love the coral colors and the under-the-sea calm feel of this card.

card by Keisha Campbell photo courtesy of A bit East-Coast

 A naughty pun is a good one too.  The simplicity of this card really gives this ship a punch!

card by Sherry Eckblad photo courtesy of Button Junkie Designs by Sherry Eckblad

I shore do love the combination of textures and elements in this card.  Even the background paper stays on theme.

card by Lisa Henke photo courtesy of My Little Creative Escape

I hope you can preserve your tolerance for me as I show this next cute card.  It is so fun when cards can tell a whole story and this one is such a sweet one.

card by Mary J photo courtesy of Where’s my Creativity

 I thought I would float this one by you last so it could anchor the whole story.  The stamping on cork and the bow are fabulous and completely undeserving of my awful puns.

 card by Dawn McVey photo courtesy of Raspberry Suite

Okay, that is it for my terrible puns.  But I hope they didn’t detract from the awesomeness of the cards and this fun, trendy theme.  Below are a few of the fun supplies I have found to make your own nautical fun.

So go ahead… make something pretty.

 

 

by Aliya White