How To Make This Easy Beach-Themed Shaker Card

Featuring a Fun Seashell Shaker Element

Hello and welcome to my studio! I’m so happy you’re here today because I love what I do and I adore sharing my ideas with you! I try to share new craft projects every week. And this week’s craft project is so much fun! When the idea for this card popped into my head, I thought it would take me a couple of days to work it out and make it. But you know what? It didn’t take much time at all, it’s actually quite easy to make this beach-themed shaker card.

This 5 x 7” beach-themed shaker card features a prominent seashell shaker element filled with colorful sequins! The background is a black embossed panel which houses the seashell window. And this window offers us a peek at life under the sea. This card boasts a sandy beach, coastal grasses, seashells, and funny little fishes. I’ve added a wooden-style sign that reads “Just for You!”, and a cute seagull all crafted from paper with a bit of help from my Cricut* machine. So keep reading below as I’ve shared a list of the supplies I used to create this card. Following the list of supplies is a short tutorial for building this fun shaker card. And I’ve also included a link to my FREE design in Cricut Design Space. So without further ado, let’s get krafty!

* I used my Cricut Joy Xtra to create the shell shape and grasses. I also used it to make the “Pen then Cut” wooden sign and the “Print then Cut” seashells, funny little fish trios and the cute seagull. However, keep in mind you do not have to use a Cricut to create a card similar to this one. You could use a circle, square, diamond, oval etc. die and die cut the window element.

List of Supplies

• Card Stock: White, Ocean Blue, Black, Brown, Tan
• Ink Pad: “Weeping Willow” dark brown
• Designer Paper- Ocean Themed. ( I used a piece of retired designer paper from Stampin’Up called “Whale of a Time” )
• Cricut Machine
• Printer
• Colorful Sequins, gems
• Glue
• Embossing Folders: Stampin’Up! ( Open Circles ) and ( Rustic Stripes )
• Clear Window Sheets: find it HERE
• 1/4” Adhesive Foam Tape: find it HERE

Let’s Get Krafty: Gallery

Let’s Get Krafty: Step by Step

HERE IS THE LINK TO MY FREE DESIGN IN CRICUT DESIGN SPACE: KKS: BEACH THEMED SHAKER CARD

Right, so this 5×7” beach-themed shaker card is full of character and fun! And you’ll see just how easy it is to create with or without a CRICUT. If you are using my free design in Cricut Design Space (CDS), your Cricut will cut out the shell shape and the rectangle, that is sized properly for this card, from black card stock. Then you could emboss this layer if you wish. I used the “Open Circles” embossing folder. Because I don’t have an embossing folder that is ocean or beach themed. I may have to rectify this situation. I mean, needs must, right? 🙂

Next, your Cricut will “Pen then Cut” the sign post and you can color in the words using a color that coordinates with your card. At this time, I chose to use a “Stripes” embossing folder to add a wood texture to the sign. Then I used a dark brown ink to add a bit of color around the edges.

Now, your Cricut will “Print then Cut” the fish trios, seashells and the seagull. And your machine will cut the coastal grasses.

And for the beach sand strips at the bottom of the card, I just used scissors and cut 2 layers of hilly shapes from tan card stock. Then you could add a sandy look by using a brown pen or marker and make little dots all over the strips. Or you could do the ink splattering technique.

Creating Your Under the Sea Background

So, for the under the sea background, I used a piece of designer paper from a retired pack from Stampin’Up! YES! I’ve been hoarding it. I’ve mentioned my problem with hoarding paper before. 🙂 You could use any paper you find or have for this part. Whimsy Stamps has some fabulous paper that work nicely for this card. OR you can choose an ocean background on CDS that will “Print then Cut” for you. I’ve added a couple of possibilities on my design, but you can do a search and see what there is on offer. I’ve done this before with other cards, and it comes in real handy when I don’t have the paper I want.

Then, adhere your window sheet to the underside of your black panel.

Next, add your 1/4” adhesive foam strips to the outer edges of the scenic background panel. Adhere your cute little fish trios to your background. Then add your sequins inside that boxed in area. Now, adhere the top black panel on the foam strips. Yay! You’ve created your shaker element!

Decorating Your Amazing Beach-Themed Shaker Card

Right. So now it’s time to decorate your card! This is so much fun! Yes, I always say this. Start by adding the first sandy strip to the bottom. Then adhere the coastal grasses and the sign post. Now, adhere the second sandy strip. At this time, add your little seashells wherever you wish. Don’t forget to add your cute seagull perched on the sign post.

Now, to finish your card, layer a piece of ocean blue CS onto your 5 x 7” white card base. If you need to create the card base, take a piece of white CS and trim it to 7 x 10”. Score the long side at 5”, fold and burnish the score line and now you have a 5 x 7” card base. Now, adhere your decorated layer onto the blue layer. Lastly, complete your amazing beach-themed shaker card by adding some sequins or colorful gems onto the top panel and that’s it!!

Keeping It Krafty

In closing, I’d like to thank you again for joining me here today. This easy beach-themed shaker card has been a really fun project to make, right? Sometimes cards can appear to be more difficult than they actually are. CRICUT makes easy work of the designed elements for this card. BUT, keep in mind, you can make a card similar to this one without a Cricut machine. Simply use a shape die and die cut your window. And take a look through your stash of stamps and dies because you may already have what you need to create tall grasses, sign posts, seagulls, seashells etc. I mean, you certainly don’t have to make your card exactly like this one.

Because I believe there’s a doer, a maker, a crafter, in all of us. And my goal is to inspire you to tap into your creativity. You don’t have to do this for anyone else. Paper crafting is an amazing way to relax, reset and recharge. It’s therapy in the form of papers, inks and imagination! So, no matter what it is that you decide to make just make it your own. And always remember to keep it Krafty!

Until next time,