Sneak Peek: Sweet Bees Stamp Set by C.C. Designs | Buzzing Birthday Card Idea

When I first saw the new Sweet Bees Stamp Set from the July 2025 C.C. Designs release, I couldn’t help but smile. There’s just something about bees with watermelon slices and tiny flowers that feels perfectly summer-y and just a little bit sassy. I immediately knew I wanted to build a card that celebrated their charm without overwhelming them with too much going on—which, let’s be honest, is sometimes easier said than done when you’re also itching to use that beautiful patterned paper that’s been sitting in your stash.

So today I’m sharing a fun birthday card idea that lets your stamped images shine and makes good use of your favorite patterned papers—all without turning into a busy mess. If you've ever found yourself second-guessing your paper choices mid-project, this one’s for you.

Sneak Peek: Sweet Bees Stamp Set by C.C. Designs | Buzzing Birthday Card Idea

Bringing the Bees to Life with Simple Coloring

I started off by stamping three of the bee images from the Sweet Bees Stamp Set—the little flyer, the one perched on a flower, and my personal favorite, the bee with her slice of watermelon. These were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on OLO Blending Cardstock, which gives me a nice smooth surface for alcohol marker coloring.

While I usually reach for my OLOs or Copics, I decided to play with my Ohuhu Honolulu Brush Markers this time—and I was pleasantly surprised. They blend beautifully, especially on images with bold lines like these bees. I kept the color palette bright and cheerful, sticking to soft yellows, warm pinks, and pops of green and black.

Pro tip: When coloring small images like these, limit your color palette to 3–4 key tones and repeat them across each image. It helps tie everything together, especially when your card design involves multiple focal points.

Making Patterned Paper Work With Your Design, Not Against It

Pattern paper can be tricky. Use too much, and it feels chaotic. Use too little, and you might wonder why you bothered. For this card, I pulled out the Bee Happy 6x6 Pattern Paper Pad from Echo Park, which happens to be a perfect match for the Sweet Bees.

I chose four patterns that complimented my coloring—nothing too bold, but enough contrast to add interest:

• A white background with little yellow flowers and bees as my base layer

• A bold black with white daisies

• A subtle black with small white polka dots

• And a tone-on-tone yellow heart pattern that felt just right for the sentiment

Laying them out took a little trial and error (I always recommend cutting extras and shuffling them around before committing). But the key was to space them out with small gaps between the layers to create breathing room.

Pro tip: Always start with your most neutral pattern in the background, then layer bolder prints on top. Keep your sentiment area on a low-contrast or tone-on-tone paper to ensure it’s legible without adding a separate panel.

Dimension, Details, and the Finishing Touches

Once my papers were arranged, I started playing with placement for my bees. I used 2mm foam squares to pop them up—this gives just enough lift to add shadow and interest without overwhelming the layout. The little bee on the flower went right over the sentiment strip to help ground that area. The flying bee is angled toward the top corner, and the watermelon muncher anchors the lower left.

Then came my favorite part—the finishing details. I added a bit of Spectrum Noir Clear Overlay Sparkle Pen to the wings for that magical shimmer you can’t always capture in photos, but that really sparkles in person. Once dry, I used my white Gelly Roll pen to add some soft highlights, and a black Gelly Roll pen to dot their eyes for just a little extra shine.

To wrap it up, I placed three small Cosmic Rhinestones just above the sentiment. It’s a simple touch, but I love how it draws the eye down the card and echoes the sparkle on the wings.

Why This Card Layout Works

This card was all about solving the “too much pattern paper” dilemma while still highlighting those darling bee images. By using a cohesive color story and keeping the layout clean with well-placed spacing, the design stays fun and layered without being overwhelming.

If you’ve ever struggled to mix patterns or balance detailed stamps with busy backgrounds, try starting with this type of layout—three images, a strong vertical grouping of paper layers, and foam adhesive for a little dimension. It’s a flexible formula that you can dress up or tone down depending on your images and papers.

I hope this sneak peek has you as excited as I am for the Sweet Bees Stamp Set from C.C. Designs. This set is full of charm, and I can already imagine so many different ways to use these bees—thank you cards, summer hellos, even scrapbook embellishments.

Let me know in the comments—are you a pattern paper lover or someone who avoids it at all costs? And which bee is your favorite from the set?

Thanks for dropping by today I hope that you found a little spark of creative inspiration with my project today. Wondering what I used in this project? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails in the Materials Used section, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible.

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

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