Expanding the Bikes & Blooms Paper Pumpkin Kit

June 25, 2026June 25, 2026Leave a comment

If you are a paper crafter but aren’t a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, perhaps this will change your mind!

A kit is a starting point for creativity: You can assemble a kit “as is” or find ways to extend the use of the supplies in the kit (as I did) OR use them in a completely different way (for scrapbook pages, gifts, decor, etc.) This month, I took the LOVELY June Bikes & Blooms kit and added exactly 4 sheets of coordinating card stock to make 14 cards instead of 9:

June 2026 Bikes & Blooms Paper Pumpkin Expansion

Here’s what I added:

4 Basic White Card Bases
2 Lost Lagoon Card Bases
Two 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ Lost Lagoon panels for the Congrats and Thank You flip cards
Two 4-1/2″ x 2-3/4″ white card stock to stamp on for Lemon “Lovely Day” cards (cut at 3″ to split)
Four 1/2″ x 4-1/2″ strips of Calypso Coral card stock to add behind stamped panels.

Watch the process as I cut the lemon bike panel AND one of the pink card bases in half, then added some Lost Lagoon card stock! For some reason, I can only share the YouTube link here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/LYFnApqnpaE

Because the REFILL for this Bikes & Blooms kit is available while supplies last (for subscribers only…you CAN subscribe by July 10th for the next kit, then shop the past kits and refills immediately) I wanted to show that it’s easy to complete the kit with any sentiment stamps you already own, since the stamps and ink spot are NOT included in the refill. I used sayings from Banner Sayings and Reason to Celebrate sets and the cards on the left are gift card holders:

If you received the Bikes & Blooms Paper Pumpkin kit, then you have the stamp set, which is what I used to finish off the other Lemon Lolly card bases. The April and May kits included the Peaceful Pine and Misty Moonlight ink spots, so I used a blending brush with those colors to create grass and sky, stamped the bike and sentiment in Misty Moonlight and the flowers and butterflies using the Calypso Coral ink spot from this month’s kit:

Bikes & Blooms June 2026 Paper Pumpkin Alternative, Split Panel Card

The butterflies are from the sold-out add on Wonderful Scenes dies. Once you subscribe, you’ll want to remember to order the dies that coordinate with kits for the quarter: The July/August/September kits are enhanced by the Detailed Flora add-on, which are only $14:

Finally, because I cut one of the pink card bases in half for the Thank You and Congratulations cards, I cut the other pink card base down to 4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″ and added each to the front of white card bases to use the other pieces for that design from the kit:

Before I answer some Frequently Asked Questions about Paper Pumpkin (the BEST monthly craft kit by mail!), let’s peek at the July kit (shipped around the middle of the month):

If these answers aren’t enough to help you SUBSCRIBE and anticipate a fabulous craft kit next month, PLEASE leave a comment and I’ll answer any other questions!

Paper Pumpkin FAQ:

Q. Why didn’t I get a clear block in my kit?

A. Blocks are only included in the Welcome Kit for new subscription purchases. You will not find a clear block in your monthly subscription after your first kit, in refills, or in past kits.

Q. How do I make changes to my subscription?

A. Log into your Stampin’ Up! account, open the account dropdown, and select Subscriptions to manage your subscription(s).

Q. Can I skip a month?

A. Yes, simply log into your Stampin’ Up! account, open the account dropdown, and select Subscriptions. Click on the subscription you want to manage, then click Skip [MONTH] in the Need a Break Box on the right side of the screen on or before the 10th of the month to skip Paper Pumpkin for that month. If you skip any day past the 10th, the current month’s kit will bill and ship, and the following month’s kit will be skipped. Note: You won’t be able to skip or modify a newly purchased subscription until after the first monthly kit(s) ship.

Q. What if I need to cancel my subscription?

A. For a pay-as-you-go subscription, log into your Stampin’ Up! account and open the account dropdown. Click on the subscription you want to manage, then click Cancel on or before the 10th of the month to cancel completely. If you cancel on (or after) the 11th of the month, you’ll receive that month’s kit and will not receive any more Paper Pumpkin kits after that time. You CAN suspend for a month (at any time after the first shipment) and we will not count the suspended month against your prepaid subscription.

Q. When does my subscription expire?

A. A pay-as-you-go subscription will renew until you cancel it, and a prepaid subscription lasts for the duration of the purchased subscription. We will send an email with a link to the subscription product page to remind you and your subscribers when your prepaid subscription is about to expire.

Q. How much is a Paper Pumpkin Subscription?

A. $29 month plus tax. Shipping is included in that price! You may also purchase a 3-, 6- or 12- month pre-paid subscription. ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS QUALIFY for you to earn Stampin’ Rewards *if you’ve opted in* for that free program!! Log into your Stampin’ Up! account, open the account dropdown, and select REWARDS to check!

SUBSCRIBE TO PAPER PUMPKIN

Bikes & Blooms Diagonal Sliding Channel-Lock Card

June 23, 2026June 23, 2026Leave a comment

The Global Design Project color challenge #GDP553 felt “retro” to me, so I grabbed the stamp set from the June “Bikes & Blooms” Paper Pumpkin Kit and started playing.

I was reminiscing about the freedom we had during the summer growing up in the 1970’s: We would leave on our bikes and ride/play until dark, with a stop at one house or another for lunch. The rule was that we had to be home by dark! It was glorious to feel safe and to have the mobility our “wheels” provided.

TRUE STORY: One of my granddaughters just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels and she called me from her watch/phone as I was writing this post to tell me she was taking a ride around the block! While things are a little different than they were 50 years ago, I’m grateful she has acquired a new skill and a taste of her own freedom.

Back to our card of the day: Following the diagonal card fold shared earlier this month, I added a sliding channel lock piece that keeps the front flaps together, and slides off to open. TIP: When you cut your scored card stock diagonally to get two card bases from one sheet of 8.5″ x 11″ card stock, cut it *slightly* shorter (like 1/16″) so there is a small gap between the edges when folded to allow the locking piece to slide easily.

The Perennial Postage dies were perfect for giving the bike image a frame and creating the mechanism. Watch how to create a channel lock and how this card works:

To fit the Peaceful Pine/Barely Blush/Timid Tiger color scheme, I colored one of the 2026-2028 In Color Butterflies with the Timid Tiger Stampin’ Blends marker. It was easy because it was already orange-ish in Crisp Cantaloupe. The extra embellishments actually cover up an ink smudge I made with my finger, and I wasn’t about to start over again 😆 FYI: The Card base is Basic Beige, which really gives it a 70’s Vibe.

This was a fabulous stamp set from the June “Bikes & Blooms” Paper Pumpkin kit.

If you missed the Bikes & Blooms kit, the good news is that the REFILL is in my store…and you don’t really need the stamp set to complete the cards because you can add your OWN sentiments and use an ink pad you already own. BUT, you do have to be a subscriber.

Paper Pumpkin (a marvelous monthly craft kit) is FOR YOU IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES YOU:

You’re just starting to paper craft or rubber stamp
You don’t have a lot of space to store supplies (a year’s worth of stamp sets and ink spots fit in one of the kit boxes which is smaller than a half a shoe box!)
You are traveling and need something fun to take along!
You enjoy a creative experience that is carefully curated for the season and includes everything you need (except a pair of scissors).

You can subscribe NOW and you’ll receive the July “Hooray for Birthdays” kit which guides you through creating 9 Easel Birthday Cards which stand up to display in a delightful way. Pause your subscription or cancel anytime (but you won’t want to!).

Already a subscriber? Remember to add the Detailed Flora Add-On Dies to your next order, for it will extend the usefulness of the stamp sets in the July, August and September kits!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Stampin’ Up!®️ Splash & Relax with Two-Toned Card Stock

New at SU!- Splash into a Two-Toned Summer

June 17, 2026June 17, 20267 Comments

Sunshine or shade?

You can have BOTH! Your favorite New at SU! crafting crew from around the world are here to show you how to use Stampin’ Up!®️ TWO-TONE card stock! Learn paper crafting techniques that will help your creativity be as cool as you are this summer.

The first thing you need to know is that our Two-Tone Cardstock has a dark and a light side (duh…it’s in the name!) and a WHITE core between them. Some of the other projects will show off that white core, but I’m here to show how the two variations can give you DEPTH with your die cuts.

By using both sides of the paper (dark and light), you can create a shadow of the same color, making a dimensional die cut like this sun visor from the Splash & Relax bundle. I’ve also used our new wonderful White Gel Pens to give a few little details, and I had to use my favorite packing tape hack to make the sunglasses reflect the light:

The trick for that is to adhere a piece of packing tape to your card stock *before* you cut the base of the sunglasses. Apply an adhesive sheet behind the yellow card stock and slip the lens die cuts *inside* the sunglass die to cut out the frame. Then you can peel off the adhesive sheet and adhere the frame over the shiny outline of the sunglasses.

Two-step along to the other Two-Tone Summer projects, but before you go, I’d love for you to leave me a comment!

June 2026 New at SU! Hop: Two-Toned Summer!

Previous Blog Next Blog

1.Merrick Makings (AUS) – Summer Two-tone memory keeping

2.The Joy of Stampin’ with Rachael (US)- Two Tone Summer Memories

3.iHeartCards2 (US) – Two-Tone Summer Capturing Smiles

4.Creative Juice by Loni (US) – Splash into a Two-Toned Summer

5.Furry Cat Designs (UK) – Two Tone Summer

6.Stamping Flair (AU) – Two-Tone Summer

7.Astrids Papiereuphorie (AT) – New at SU Two Tone Geburtstagskarte

8.Did You Stamp Today? (US) – Two-Toned Inlaid Ferns

9.247 Inkspiration (US) – Sunset Coast

10.Stampingscene (UK) – Springtime Scenes with Two-Tone ideas

11.scraphexe (DE) – Two-Tone-Summer Layout

12.De Kijkkast (NL) – Crumpling Two Tone Cardstock in Beachstyle

13.Stampinxime (DE): New at SU! Sommerkarte mit InColors in Farbkarton-D

If you are a U.S. crafter and don’t have a demonstrator serving you, it would be my honor to be your crafty connection. Every order receives a hand-crafted card from me, plus when your order is over $50 in one month, I email a bundle of exclusive stamping tutorials to say thanks – a new set every month! Peek at June’s bundle:

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Stampin’ Up!®️ Silly Old Bear Old Friends for TGIF Sketch Challenge

Silly Old Bear & Friends

June 15, 2026June 13, 2026Leave a comment

Nostalgia reigns whenever I craft with the Silly Old Bear suite, and not just from my childhood, but my own kids spent many happy hours watching Winnie the Pooh and singing classics such as “I’m just a little black rainCLOUD! Hovering under the honey tree!” A.A. Milne’s characters are truly “old friends” at our home.

This card was inspired by the #tgifc581 Sketch Challenge

The only thing I stamped on this card was the sentiment, which I cut apart to scatter across the frame. Everything else was die cut from the Designer Series Paper!

Another demonstrator was kind enough to share that this is what you can die cut from one sheet of the paper which has the characters on it, The dies cut both the images on the patterned paper AND the images you can stamp!

The SUITE includes the Sweet Old Friends AND Sweet Words & Labels bundle, Designer Series Paper and the Hundred Acre Wood embossing folder. It makes adorable nursery decor, baby books, and of course greeting cards.

Whomever I send this to better display it on a mantle for a good long time…it’s already framed and reminds me of the blessings of good friends!

Product List

Silly Old Bear Suite Collection

Peaceful Pine 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Barely Blush 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Pecan Pie 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Pecan Pie Classic Stampin' Pad

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

Adhesive Backed Metallic Gems

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Stampin’ Up!®️ Wild Bunch Penguin Black & White Thank You Card

What’s Black & White with a POP of Color?

June 13, 2026June 13, 2026Leave a comment

With all the makings of a silly joke, I’m back with a Penguin card from the Wild Bunch Stampin’ Up!®️ Product of the Month! Isn’t he looking dapper in his everyday tuxedo paired with a POP of Crisp Cantaloupe?

You don’t even need to emboss the checkered background- simply stamp the image over and over again in Whisper White Craft ink on Basic Black card stock. I *did* emboss the sentiments, and cut them apart so there would be a trio to draw the eye in a triangle.

I “cheated” on the double ribbon: I just taped two 5″ strips of ribbon to the back of the top layer, then tied another length around them on the front in a bow.

The inside is a la “Madagascar” (the movie) style: with another trio of precocious penguins peeking out playfully:

The Wild Bunch stamp set is available *while supplies last* as an option to choose for just $5 once your order reaches $75. Which is serendipitous because today (6/13/26) is the last day of our Summer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $75 as well!

SHOP NOW

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If this dramatic combination of Black & White plus a pop of color appeals to you, you’ll want to attend the Paint a Paper Garden class, where you’ll learn 5 different coloring techniques for the elegant B&W Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper. This will be held in Hurricane, UT on July 11th:

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Stampin’ Up!®️ Wild Bunch Highland Cow card for a friend.

Wild Bunch & Save on Shipping (3 Days Only)

June 10, 2026June 9, 2026Leave a comment

Dear loyal friends & customers,

This is your advance notice that there are 3 days of FREE SHIPPING coming on June 11-13 (this Thursday-Saturday) on orders over $75 PLUS when your order reaches $75, you can choose a Product of the Month for just $5 (while supplies last).

To maximize your crafting investment, check the last chance list, buy SUMMER BOREDOM BUSTERS (a.k.a. KITS) and restock adhesive and card stock. The new Paper Pumpkin add-on dies (Detailed Flora) will also drop on the first day of free shipping, so remember to add them to your cart because they coordinate with the July-September kits!

Each month, I add the newest Product of the Month to the right column of this website, and in case you haven’t paid attention to June’s product, it’s the cutest critters in stamp set form!

The sketched plaid brought to mind the Misty Moonlight Checkered Trim that I’ve been itching to use, and my UK demo friend Helen Read shared a card map that I borrowed:

I believe you’ll find it easiest to color these animals with the wonderful Stampin’ Up!®️ Watercolor Pencils, and you can really blend them nicely when the tips of the pencils are dull, not sharp. If you want to enhance the colors, lightly color over the pencils with a Water Pen, starting with the lightest colors first.

The details definitely define the card, and while the flower embellishment is part of the Violet Dreams Suite coming in July, both ribbons and Designer Series Paper are available now and are listed in the supplies below, moving your order toward the minimum for free shipping and the Product of the Month!

On the inside of the card:

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One final reminder: Today (6/10) is the deadline to subscribe for the June Paper Pumpkin Kit “Bikes & Blooms” which includes everything you need to create 9 cheerful summer-style greeting cards with silver accents and matching envelopes! This is happy mail you’ll look forward to every month.

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

World Bicycle Day: Card(s) to Celebrate!

June 3, 2026June 3, 2026Leave a comment

It’s the day the world looks to the marvelous machine, the bicycle! This short reel by National Geographic explains a bit about how this invention affected the world:

View this post on Instagram

Like myself, you probably have fond memories of the freedoms provided because of a bicycle! I felt so grown up when I was able to ride my bike to the Market Basket 3 blocks from my house to spend a quarter on a candy bar and having “wheels” allowed me to ride to work at the hotel my father managed. Though it was uphill to the hotel, I was grateful to coast home after stripping sheets from all the beds.

To commemorate the mechanics and freedom of a bike, I’ve created a birthday card:

Fussy cutting a bike from the Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper got me rolling, and a label from the same paper provided a place to stamp.

I sprayed the Pecan Pie with water, crumpled it up and then spread it out to dry flat, giving it a leather-like texture, then distressed the edges of the seagull print.

Ready to celebrate the bicycle through crafting? June’s Paper Pumpkin is the Bikes & Blooms kit and it’s going to be fabulous:

You’ll enjoy creating 9 cheerful cards which include shiny silver foil and embellishments and you can transform your kit into alternate projects, like scrapbook pages. Make sure to subscribe to the world’s best craft kit by June 10th to get the Bikes & Blooms kit!

Subscribe to Paper Pumpkin

The supplies I used for my bike card are listed below, and when your cart reaches $75, you could add the June Product of the Month for just $5…and who wouldn’t want this Wild Bunch in their craft arsenal? Note: it’s actually NOT a two-step stamp, and I think this one will sell out quickly, so don’t delay your order.

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Diagonal Arch-Lock Card: Uncommonly Fun!

June 1, 2026June 2, 20261 Comment

Card makers relish the ability to astonish and delight loved ones with mail that is outside “normal” parameters, and this card combines a diagonal fold with an interlocking nested frame that makes it different in a cool way.

On the first Monday of each month, I share a live crafting video on my Facebook Page/YouTube channel and the first design I created today was this elegant card.

Use the 3rd and 4th largest from the Stampin’ Up!®️ Everyday Arches Dies to layer with dimensionals (in the lower left corner only). The top triangle folds down between the two arch frames to “lock” the card closed.

It beautifully shows off each of the items in the Moonlit Flora Suite, from stamps & dies to gasp-worthy paper and coordinating embossing folder:

A second version of this card design is timely for Father’s Day and uses the Waterside Retreat Suite. A little ink blending on the Basic Beige front arch makes a lovely sunset background. You can see both arches when you unlock the top flap:

Use any “nesting” frames for this idea, and to help you visualize it, I used the Silly Old Bear Designer Series Paper with it’s matching Sweet Words & Labels bundle from the suite. It was the easiest of all because I simply die cut the image on the front of the label directly from the paper! There are so many labels in graduating sizes, so it’s an ideal choice for the locking layers.

I’ve got step-by-step instructions for you in this video: Please leave a comment if you watch it~ that signals YouTube to share it to a wider audience! And of course, I deeply appreciate your support of my Stampin’ Store…you can click on any of the above links!

Scallops from Circles

May 28, 2026Leave a comment

Which. of the circle punch ideas shared during this month have been useful to learn? Have you saved some to try later? If you are visiting for the first time, scroll back through the posts of May 2026 to see why this tool is a stamping necessity!

Did you know you can create a scalloped edge from circle punches? This small slimline card utilizes the 1-3/4″ circle punch and you don’t even need to punch the entire circle- just enough to layer behind your paper, so it’s a great way to use up scraps:

The “party color palette” of the Beautiful Ordinary Life Designer Series Paper was all this simple card needed. Some of the Stampin’ Up!®️ demonstrators on my Sprinkled Ink team are close to promoting to a higher title, and this celebratory card will be ready to send in it’s matching envelope!

The contrast of a white sentiment embossed on a black banner stands out on these colors, and a sweet bow along with the coordinating Array of Dots embellishments top it off.

Here’s a tip for making your cards look professional: Add a layer inside to carry the colors or designs from the front of the card all the way through!

PROJECT MEASUREMENTS: Card base is 6-1/4″ x 7″ (score in half at 3-1/2″) and envelope is a 3-5/8″ x 6-1/2″ that is a standard size for mailing an old-fashioned check 😉 Designer Series Paper is 6″ x 2-1/2″

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FOUR DAYS LEFT to take advantage of the Starter Kit Special for May ~ try it, you’ll love being part of our team! No strings attached – email me with your questions!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Inspired by Berries

May 24, 2026May 24, 20262 Comments

Like popping a fresh berry into your mouth while picking them from the garden, I couldn’t stop once I started playing with the Made with Sweetness fruit-shaped dies! Happily, the TGIF Challenge #tgifc578 gave me a reason to make another card featuring the dies AND use my circle punch again. Here’s the inspiration:

And here’s my take:

The card stock square I blended the circles on is 4″ x 4″ in case you want to try it yourself, and all the supplies are listed below (thanks for supporting my small business and shopping with me!). Now to see this card come together quickly, watch this YouTube Short:

Fresh, fruity and fun for the summer, right? Speaking of summer, here’s a special offer for the weekend- you’ll use the Puffy Star stickers for Flag Day and 4th of July crafting, so shop now!