Secret Garden Gate-Fold Thank You Card

June 28, 2025June 27, 2025Leave a comment

This week’s TGIF Challenge #tgifc531 is “Garden Gates” and I wanted to create a gratitude card that felt like you were walking into a Secret Garden:

After I created my card, I went back to the TGIF post and realized Wendy Weixler and I both had a similar idea for building the gate, but how delightful that both are unique!

The first type of card I thought of was the appropriately named “Gate Fold” card, so I had to think it through. I ended up cutting my gate in half, so you could enter the garden:

There are only 3 days left of the Suite BOGO Sale, so I chose to use the Impressions Abloom bundle and Designer Series Paper from the Floral Impressions Suite. Each piece of our suites also qualify for the sale, just remember that the lowest price suite or suite product will get the 50% discount!

Now enter the secret garden:

I used the arch die cut from the larger gate (cut for the front) on the inside, and let the profusion of flowers bloom on all sides!

Fun fact: The Secret Garden classic children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett was one of my favorite reads as a child, and though I’m a huge musical nerd, I DON’T really love the Secret Garden musical play. The book is definitely best (and there are a few decent movie adaptations).

This card just gives all the wonder of finding a secret garden behind a locked gate!

Now, if you’ve procrastinated, here’s your reminder to shop the SWEET Suite BOGO Sale.

Product List

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Scrapbooking with Everyday Skies Suite & Virtual Event

June 23, 20253 Comments

Scrapbooking is about telling your stories and getting the photos off your phone! Myself, I tend to keep it simple to get it done. As part of our “Sweet, Suite Summer” series (since it’s the last week of our Suite BOGO50 Sale) I wanted to use the Everyday Skies Suite to show you how these products can be fantastic for memory albums!

My first page capturing a trip to Texas (many years ago) could NOT be more simple because the photo has the date and the front of the folder that the picture came in tells where it is. There are no Everyday Skies products on this page, but hold on…

On the second page, I start using the Everyday Arches dies, which is part of the suite. Cutting photos with the arches gives them a unique look. While my preference is 8.5″ x 11″ pages, you can do the same thing on a 12″ x 12″ page:

The title uses a few of our alphabet dies (listed in complete supply list, below) and a strip of the Everyday Skies Designer Series Paper makes it feel separated.

Moving to the third page (also the second page of the layout), I’ve added a whole 6″ x 6″ piece of the DSP to the lower corner to tie the colors together, and stamped the airplanes to indicate that we flew to Texas for this vacation:

To keep all the maps, ticket stubs and brochures together, page #4 actually acts as a pocket:

Just for fun, the postcard from the Alamo in San Antonio that I used on the bottom of the pocket page is 3-D, so when you move the page, a different image appears:

Try “framing” a larger photo with an arch outline, and watch the demonstration video to learn how I made the photo corners 😉

EXTRA! EXTRA! After the video, I made one more simple page to finish off my photos from that trip 21 years ago, and tie them together with the arches (and those photo corners show up again). This will face the Alamo page, completing the layout and telling the story:

The Everyday Skies suite was so popular when it launched a few months ago that it’s been out of stock. I’m super glad it is back in stock with time for you to get all of it (or just the parts you love most) before the BOGO50 Sale ends on June 30th!

If you are a scrapbooker, DON’T MISS the chance to join the VIRTUAL ALBUM RETREAT in July:

Don’t be put-off by the price: The kit includes FOUR stamp sets and 12 DOUBLE PAGE LAYOUTS (one pair for each month of the year) and the instruction you receive in the event will be worth the investment! Seriously….click to go check out the kit:

Month by Month Album Retreat Kit

Once you purchase the kit, you’ll receive an email in early July to the exclusive Facebook Event page, so make sure your account has the best email for you! ALSO: When you purchase the kit, you earn $25 BACK in Stampin’ Rewards (if you’ve opted in) to use on your next purchase, or save up for a binder to put your pages in!

You’ll be so happy you joined the Virtual Album Retreat – order your kit today before they run out!

Product List

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

It’s a Sweet Suite Summer- BOGO50 Sale!

June 5, 2025Leave a comment

There’s sweet offer during June on Stampin’ Up!®️ Suites – AND individual products from the suites! It is a bit tricky, so read carefully to understand how this BOGO sale works, then I’ll share summery stamping projects using the suites all month long!

What is included in the Buy One, Get One 50% off sale? All available suites and suite products from the 2025–2026 Annual Catalog and Online Exclusives. If a suite product is out of stock, there is no rain check, but come back often during the month to see if they return!

Which item will be half off? The 50% off discount will apply to the lower-priced item (for example, if you buy a full suite collection and a stamp set from a suite, the suite would be full price, and the stamp set would be 50% off).

Do the products I choose have to be from the same suite? NO- you can mix and match products from any suite!

How can I tell which item will be 50% off? The lowest priced item(s) will always get the discount, and the discount will appear in your cart once you’ve added two items within the sale parameters to your cart. You might choose to place separate orders: One with higher-priced items bundled together, and another with less expensive suite products.

I’ll be sharing simple projects with the Stampin’ Up!®️ Suites throughout the month, so let’s start with the Turtle-y Cute Suite and a fun-fold card you can create quickly, without doing any coloring, thanks to the Designer Series Paper:

Download Card Tutorial

The designs on the paper cover every occasion from weddings to picnics, and everything in between! My favorite pieces of the suite (after the DSP) are the Turtle Textures embossing folder and the Shades of Green Hexagons – a delightful little detail with a nod to a turtle shell!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Let Freedom Wave: A Patriotic Banner

May 27, 20251 Comment

My 2025 Memorial Day began with the opportunity to sing with the Hurricane Valley Choir at a program at the Hurricane, Utah cemetery honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, as well as those who still serve in the U.S. Military today. That got me thinking about the freedoms I enjoy today because of people who laid down their lives in many ways.

I love the United States of America and what the Founding Fathers intended it to be. I believe it is a land blessed by God, but to have His protection, we must follow Him. There are things I’m concerned about (and have been for many years) and I’m choosing to remember those who fought for freedom – on a battle field or in a home.

Which brings me to the paper craft I demonstrated in my live video: A banner for freedom! We start with Memorial Day at the end of May, proudly wave our country’s flag on June 14th for Flag Day and celebrate our Independence Day on July 4th…so this craft using the Party Banner Dies, Pretty Florals Bundle and Mini Alphabet dies was created in time for a multi-seasonal decoration.

It now hangs proudly on my front door:

As mentioned in my video, the best shopping deal for stampers ANYTIME is the Starter Kit, which normally includes $125 in product that YOU CAN CHOOSE, plus supplies to run your business (catalogs, etc), a free Paper Pumpkin Kit AND free shipping…all for $99!

Currently we have a special offer – for just a few more days – which allows you to choose and extra $40 in your kit! There are no requirements to this opportunity: Only a chance to see if a creative business (or get a discount on the products you are already using) is something you’d enjoy exploring.

Learn more about the Starter Kit

Serendipitously, the Party Dies Bundle is $125 for both the Banners and the large Alphabet – adding them to your starter kit would be a terrific way to save on these incredible crafting tools! Once you join Stampin’ Up!, you’ll also be able to save 20% (or more) on future purchases, and connect with a community of crafters that you didn’t know how much you needed.

If shopping with a demonstrator is more your style, I’m delighted to serve you! Here are the supplies I used for the Patriotic Banner, and you can click on any to add to your order:

Product List

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Crafting Cards with Party Dies

May 19, 20251 Comment

Sometimes you have to invest in your hobby, and when you are ready to do so, may I suggest the Stampin’ Up! Party Banners Dies and Party Alphabet Dies? You’ll save 10% when you bundle them together in one purchase, and, as I mention in the instructional video below, you can claim them as “exercise equipment” 😅

A shaped card is as fun to create as it is to receive! The 5th largest banner die is just about 5.5″ x 4.25″, so these cards fit into the basic white Medium Envelopes:

We made the Pretty Peacock version (left) in the live crafting video, then when we were done, I looked at it and realized that the Damask Designs Embossing folder probably needed to be turned vertically, so created a second with the “Thanks” from a previous Paper Pumpkin kit Add-On die set called “Thanks & Beyond” (shoutout to my PP Craft Kit subscribers!).

This week is high school graduation in southern Utah, and I’m still making cards for grads! This Shy Shamrock card is the banner turned sideways, with letters cut from 2024-2026 In Color Glimmer Paper, and the lock/key/sentiments from Tags to Go.

Finally (for today, at least), I demonstrated this slimline card to remind you of the Eclipse Technique with alphabet dies:

A card for any cake-consumption celebration!

Learn how to make all these banner-themed cards in this video:

If I’ve inspired you to add the Party Die bundle to your list, please shop in my Stampin’ Store!

Better yet…choose these dies as part of a Starter Kit and only pay $99! The other perks of being a demonstrator are even better than the discount: A community of friendly crafters, the opportunity to create a business you love – or a hobby that brings you purpose and passion.

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊- Loni Spendlove

Crafting Happiness with Sweet Jar or Humble Home

May 14, 20251 Comment

Ever wish you could attend one of my classes in person, but you don’t live in my area? This is your chance to attend a VIRTUAL class from anywhere in the USA!

What: Crafting Happiness Virtual Class, featuring the Sweet Jar -OR- Humble Home bundles (stamps + coordinating punch). You’ll receive all the consumable supplies in a class packet mailed to you, then you can choose to use either bundle (NOT INCLUDED)

When: Wednesday, May 28th at 4 pm MT (replay will be available for guests- it’s fun to join LIVE, but you can always catch or re-watch the video) **REGISTER BY MAY 20th**

Where: Private YouTube video for registered guests!

This class is designed with crafters of all levels in mind, and while it spotlights the NEW Sweet Jar bundle, it could be completed with the Humble Home bundle. CHOOSE which you’ll use and when you order either bundle from my store before May 20th, I’ll email you a coupon for $5 off the class fee!

These cards were created as an example of how each bundle is interchangeable, though they are NOT part of the 5 projects you’ll make during the class:

The Class Packet you’ll receive by mail includes*:

Rhinestone Basic Jewels (item #144220)
Sponge Dauber (1) (Item #133773)
Card Stock, Designer Series Paper, packaging, envelopes and accessories cut for all five projects
One sheet of Stampin’ Dimensionals
Sweet surprises!
Colored copy of all the projects for reference.

(* while supplies last- if items sell out before packets are mailed, items of equal value may be substituted)

Also needed (not included in class fee):

Ink Pads: Smoky Slate (#147113), Pool Party (#147107), Shy Shamrock (#163808), Pretty in Pink (#163807), Pecan Pie (#161665), Petunia Pop (#163811), Daffodil Delight (#147094). Optional: Early Espresso (#147114), Shaded Spruce (#147088)

The class fee is $37 (includes shipping to you) and watch for a coupon in your email quickly after you order one of the bundles from my store!

You’ll love the adorable things you create during the class, so don’t hesitate: Register today!

A Sketch to Show a Palette

May 5, 2025May 15, 2025Leave a comment

As I prepare for my annual Stampin’ Soiree & BOGO Sale this Saturday (featuring a NEW Stampin’ Up!®️ Catalog and Online Exclusives), I wanted to make a few samples with some of the fresh products coming tomorrow, May 6th! Since multi-tasking is the only way this one-woman show can get things done, I chose a simple sketch, which doubles as a way to show the color palette, and used it for my lunchtime live crafting video, too:

The first card I demonstrated was inspired by the #tgifc523 color challenge of Petnunia Pop, Balmy Blue and Daffodil Delight:

Starting simple – no mat on this card (though you certainly could add one), I stamped flowers from a new Online Exclusive bundle, Impressions Abloom on top of the 3-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ panel, then added 1-3/16″ squares of the colored card stock to the bottom:

When crafting from a sketch, give yourself some freedom to make changes! I didn’t add the palette to the Poppin’ By card, but used the darling filmstrip die to add the border at the bottom:

My favorite thing about this set is probably the tennis shoes you could add to the bucket of popcorn:

Moving along, let’s take that sketch and turn it SIDEWAYS, which is what I did for the Notes & Totes bundle from the new catalog, which I paired with the 2025-2027 In Colors (from bottom to top: Secret Sea, Timid Tiger, Cloud Cover, Darling Duckling & Strawberry Slush):

And finally, I used some Celebration Expressions Memories & More Cards to make this Happy Birthday card, and my friend Barb’s Million Dollar Stamp Set Layered Thoughts, this time putting the color palette below the main panel:

To see me create two of these cards (and share some tips), watch this:

If one of these new items or colors is something you must have, visit my Stampin’ Store starting on May 6th to make an order, or click on the Stampin’ Supplies link under any card you love.

See all these samples IN PERSON – and MORE – at the Stampin’ Soiree, Saturday May 10th in Hurricane, UT. It’s FREE and open-house style, so plan to drop in with a friend between 1-4 pm!

One more announcement: If your wish list is long, the best value for Saavy Stampin’ Shoppers is the STARTER KIT, and starting tomorrow, May 6th, you can choose MORE in your starter kit, with no strings attached!

Bistro Burger: Masculine Birthday & Gift Box

March 24, 2025March 24, 2025Leave a comment

A double-patty burger is a satisfying meal for a birthday celebration AND makes a terrific card, thanks to Stampin’ Up!’s Burger Bistro bundle (stamps & dies). In particular, it also pairs well with the Timeless Plaid 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper, as you’ll see…

I like coloring this stamped image with our Watercolor Pencils, which you can use without water!

You can watch the tutorial for both card and gift box here:

It’s hard to stop with one card, when the plaid paper makes each card so unique!

A reminder to order any ink refills, card stock, or embellishments in the 2023-2025 In Colors that will be retiring at the beginning of May. I used Boho Blue and Pebbled Path, both leaving soon, on these projects! Often colors sell out long before the last day, so don’t delay.

A useful gift for the man who likes to grill burgers would be a shaker of hamburger seasoning, and this 2-4-6-8 box is just the right size. It’s speedy to make, starting with an 8-1/2″ square piece of card stock (instructions in the video).

SAVE/PIN this post, then give this card and gift box duo a try the next time you need a masculine birthday gift!

New at SU! Dino-Mite Backgrounds!

March 19, 2025March 19, 20251 Comment

For our March New at SU! Blog Hop, we are bringing BACKGROUNDS to the front and center! You are sure to find unique ideas to save/remember as you hop through the projects our world-wide design team have created.

My card features a new Online Exclusive background stamp named Painted Stripes:

To show it’s versatility, I’m using this background to create THREE different patterns behind the dinosaurs on this birthday card any dino-obsessed kid would appreciate!

Painted Stripes can be used for vertical lines, horizontal stripes or stamped both directions to create a playful plaid pattern. I love that they are imperfect lines with variegated textures, because you can’t stamp it incorrectly! You can also use this large background stamp on the envelope to make it match (I masked off the address area with a post-it note, which you remove after stamping over it):

The Darling Dinos live up to their name, and are just as cute when stamped on colored card stock, for minimal effort in coloring. And hats on dinos? Cuteness factor x 1000!

I’ll list the supplies used below the roll-call, and am happy to serve you if you don’t have a U.S. demonstrator. Find MORE beautiful background ideas for your card creations at each of these places:

March 2025 New at SU! Hop: Beautiful Backgrounds

Previous Blog Next Blog

1.Creative Juice by Loni (US): Dino-Mite Backgrounds!

2.The Joy of Stampin’ with Rachael (US)-Beautiful Backgrounds with Hear

3.Furry Cat Designs (UK) – Textured Notes Dies for a background

4.Stamping Flair (AU) – Mini Corrugated Embossing Folder

5.Stampinxime by Ximena Morales (DE) – Emboss-Resist-Hintergrund mit Sc

6.De Kijkkast (NL) – Smooched Background with You are Remarkable

7.247 Inkspiration (US) – Beautiful Backgrounds

8.scraphexe (DE) – Beautiful Backgrounds

Product List

Painted Stripes Cling Stamp Set

Darling Dinos Bundle (English)

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Highland Heather 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Calypso Coral 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Highland Heather Classic Stampin' Pad

Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad

Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin' Pad

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

Uninked Stampin’ Craft Pad & Whisper White Refill

Basics Wow! Embossing Powder

Heat Tool (Us And Canada)

Highland Heather Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Balmy Blue Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Lemon Lime Twist Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

Mini Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

Paper Trimmer

Glossy Dots Assortment

Stampin' Dimensionals

If you have time to leave a comment (link at the top of the post on the left by the date), I’m always grateful for your thoughts!

Cute as Can Bee Mirror

March 18, 2025Leave a comment

There is always creative treasure to discover at the dollar store, and when I saw this hexagon mirror, I knew just what to do with it!

Did you know StazOn ink will stamp on non-porous surfaces like plastic and GLASS? The flight trail of the bee traverses across the mirror, then I grouped a few of the hexagon Meant to Bee dies on the edge:

There are 5 sizes of hexagons in the die set, and each one cuts both a hexagon and a hexagon “frame”:

Remember that you SAVE 10% when you buy the dies and stamp set together in a bundle!

Such a cute (and quick) gift! I’m certain one of my granddaughters are going to love hanging it in their room. I may have to go back to look for more of the mirrors, so they each have one.

I did demonstrate this project, along with the Happy Bee-Day Loaded Envelope, in yesterday’s video – it starts at about 22:00

Tell me what you think of this project – my comment section is at the top by the posting date and I enjoy hearing from you!