Make a Date with Creativity

April 3, 20266 Comments

Do you have a standing appointment on your calendar for creativity? Not a someday, not a “when-I-have-time”, but a regular, reliable pause where ink meets paper and you focus on the divine act of making something from scratch.

One of the things I love most about Paper Pumpkin by Stampin’ Up!®️ is that each month, a fully coordinated, all-inclusive kit arrives at your door like a little box of possibility. No supply hunting. No decision fatigue. Just open the box and begin your date with creativity!

Here’s the part that might surprise you… the creativity doesn’t end when the kit is finished.

For this card, I used the stamp sets from the March 2026 “Fluttering Garden” Paper Pumpkin kit to create something entirely new for the Freshly Made Sketch challenge #FMS730. I wanted to see how far I could stretch those detailed stamps, and it turns out—they fly beautifully.

I discovered that my favorite way to color the hummingbirds is with blending brushes and ink pads. No need to be particular… JUST START BLENDING! The soft gradients give them a delicate, natural look and once you fussy cut them out, they look lovely.

The real gift of a monthly kit like Paper Pumpkin is that it builds your confidence while quietly expanding your skills. First, you follow the included designs. Then, you start to experiment with a new layout or color palette… until one day you realize you’re not just assembling—you’re creating.

I used two of the Nesting Essentials dies to create dual frames for this card, and the card colors are Very Vanilla, Pretty Peacock, Blackberry Bliss, Old Olive and Crisp Canteloupe (a returning In Color).

Having a monthly crafting ritual is grounding is grounding and you’ll find a Paper Pumpkin subscription is the mail you anticipate the MOST! The April kit, “Lakeside Retreat,” is available to subscribe to through April 10th. It includes a Peaceful Pine ink spot (an early release of a NEW IN Color!) and coordinates with the Waterside Retreat Suite which will be available in the May-August catalog:

Subscribe to Paper Pumpkin

It’s a flexible subscription, with the ability to skip a month or cancel at any time (but why would you?).

Stay tuned for some sneak peeks of this suite and the optional “Wonderful Scenes” Add On dies that coordinate with the April, May and June Paper Pumpkin Kits!

One more detail to point out on my hummingbird card: Add a wash of WINK OF STELLA GLITTER BRUSH over the wings for gorgeous shimmer & shine!

The best way to keep creating… is simply to begin.

Easter Celebrations

February 26, 2026Leave a comment

The Creative Juice Celebration Combination Card # 4 is for Easter, and I am following the Global Design Project “Case the Designer” Challenge! This is Leah’s card that we can CASE = Copy And Selectively Edit (or CASE = Create And Share Everything). #gdp536

Combining the Stampin’ Up!®️ Reason to Celebrate and Seasonal Celebrations stamp sets (which are designed to work hand-in-hand), this is the card I’ve designed to meet the challenge, which continues our #celebrationcombination week,

The camera doesn’t pick up the shimmer and shine on both the specialty papers used for the bunny and the backgrounds, but it surely does make it pretty!

Another combination I love is Eyelet (embossing folder) and Gingham (ribbon) ~ it’s a classic that is always springtime fresh.

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Hope you are enjoying all the ways to mix these two stamp sets together for all the occasions that are happening during the first part of the year ~ go back to see what you’ve missed and return tomorrow for more! ~ Loni Spendlove

Fill the World with Love

February 9, 2026Leave a comment

After making and mailing over 200 Valentine cards through the last two weeks, I had to pause and have a nap today! I thought I was done with the season of Love, then I saw the #tgifc563 color challenge from TGIF Challenges and the Sketch Challenge #gdp534 from Global Design Project, and knew there was one more to make.

Blending these two challenges with the Stampin’ Up!®️ Hope, Love & Joy bundle and here’s the result:

Fill the world with Love, Stampin' Up! Hope, Love & Joy bundle

This card reminds me that a few simple layers of card stock and ink can be beautiful, and MORE THAN EVER, what the world needs is kindness, respect, charity, tolerance and LOVE.

I’ve watched as we’ve been (intentionally) polarized, and many dear friends jump on the bandwagon of one side or another before finding out where the wagon is heading. Often, what we believe is proven wrong when we have all the facts…or at least more nuanced, as life is. My choice is to flood the earth with as much GOODNESS as possible, one piece of art at a time, because that is what I have immediate control over.

Stepping off my soapbox and returning to stamping, I was pleasantly surprised at how embossing the black card stock added the subtle details needed for the background, and by using a blending brush to add Melon Mambo ink from the top of the arch fading downwards, it gives the feeling of love falling from heaven, when we love one another.

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If you don’t know where to begin creating LOVEly things with stamps, ink and paper, may I suggest a monthly craft kit? Our Paper Pumpkin kit is a box that arrives each month with everything you need to make multiple projects! Pieces are pre-cut, adhesives & embellishments are included, and while the instructions are in the box, you can also watch a video on the Paper Pumpkin YouTube channel for each kit!

The February kit will be a celebration of SPRING and will create 9 cards. Subscribe by the end of day on February 10th to receive this kit!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Valentine Kissing Booth

January 31, 2026January 30, 2026Leave a comment

It was the kissing booth that did it for me! When I saw the Stampin’ Up!®️ artist who designed this stamp & die bundle demonstrate how to build this booth, I was hooked:

This week is a Valentine Project challenge at TGIF Challenges #tgifc562

“Pucker up, buttercup!” is what I imagine this bear saying, who has volunteered to man the booth! Taking the pucker-up challenge are two little blue birds, with all the love you could wish for in one adorable card!

While the bundle is coming back to my store the week of February 2nd, you can save this idea and ask for a reminder to order as soon as it’s back HERE

Looking for a creative Valentine activity with a friend or spouse? Come to the Cookies, Cards & Cocoa class in Hurricane, Utah on Friday, February 6th (save your seat by Monday, 2/2)

As a reminder, Bonus Days ends on Monday, February 2nd, as well, so NOW is the time to stack your savings by shopping in my stampin’ store. ALSO: Save all the coupon codes emailed to you after your order, so you can redeem them in February!

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And in case you think these bears are only for Valentine’s day, let me assure you that they can be used to send smooches ALL YEAR LONG…

Customers who subscribe to my email will be receiving a tutorial with this fun bundle next week, so make sure
Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove.

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Short History of Valentine Cards

January 13, 2026Leave a comment

Long before die cut hearts and doilies, Valentine’s Day began as the feast of Saint Valentine, a priest martyred on February 14th for performing marriages for despite a ban by a Roman Emperor. By the Middle Ages, poets were already linking the date with romance, and lovers began exchanging handwritten notes and verses to mark the occasion. Early valentines were intimate, the declarations of affection carefully folded and sealed with wax.

By the 1800s, new printing techniques and affordable postage turned those private notes into something more playful and decorative. Elaborate lace trimmed cards, colorful illustrations and clever verses filled Victorian mailboxes. In America, Esther Howland helped popularize these printed valentines, transforming the tradition into the greeting card exchange we know today.

Something that hasn’t changed is the heart of the practice: Valentine cards focus on taking time to say “you are loved” with paper, ink and imagination.

This card, inspired by the #creativechallengesu January sketch, carries history forward in a fresh way. The soft layers of Stampin’ Up!®️ Love Notes Mix & Match 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper give it a collage charm (nod to the past), while the stamped elements from the Valentine Kisses bundle dish a dash of whimsy (embracing today).

You can play along, as well! Create a card inspired by this sketch and post it on your social media with the hashtag #creativechallengeSU during January 2026.

Paper changes and styles evolve, but the magic of sending love through a handmade card keeps fluttering along, like a blue bird of happiness winging a love letter to it’s intended 💌

Interested in a longer history of Valentine cards? Visit this excellent article by Rare Bird Antiques!

For supplies to create your own Valentine cards, thanks for shopping my Stampin’ Store ~I’ll mail a hand-stamped thanks!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Fab-Ewe-Lous Sheep & Free Ship LAST DAY

December 12, 20252 Comments

Some cards leap off the desk and insist on being created -this one was definitely in that category!

When the new Wooly Friends bundle arrived on my porch (available to customers beginning January 6th), the sheep all but marched themselves to my craft table. I paired them with December’s Product of the Month, the True Blue Florals Designer Series Paper (which you can add to any $75 order for just five dollars). The rich blues felt like the perfect stage for these fuzzy little scene-stealers.

To give the sheep their soft, pettable charm, I stamped them on All-Season Velvet specialty paper. It adds a texture that turns the card into something people instinctively want to touch, the way you might absentmindedly run your fingers over a cozy blanket.

My card follows the Global Design Project Sketch #gdp526, the lambs as the 3 circles drawing the eye:

Today is an especially good day to treat yourself to some craft supplies: It’s the last day of Stampin’ Up!’s free shipping offer on orders over $75, which makes this the perfect moment to tuck a few favorites into your cart and scoop up that $5 paper special along the way. BONUS: If you are a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, you can also shop the PP product sale, with past kits, refills and add-on dies included!

Consider this your gentle nudge to craft something that makes you smile. These little wooly faces certainly did the trick for me.

Spa Day Thanks a Million Card

November 10, 2025November 10, 2025Leave a comment

This week’s Global Design Project #522 (a sketch) and TGIF Challenge #550 (colors) both inspired this bright, cheerful card—perfect for sending gratitude for a little pampering!

I started with the Lasting Linen background stamp, which adds such a beautiful, subtle texture to the card base. That coral tone-on-tone pattern instantly gives it a warm, woven feel. Then I reached for the Branching Out dies to create the layered frame. I love how the stitched edges give a crisp, polished look while still feeling handcrafted.

The fun part was building the little “spa scene” in the center using the Notes & Totes bundle—those bottles and tubes are just too cute! I couldn’t resist adding a touch of copper and a tropical hibiscus for a splash of personality. The sentiment, “Thanks a million,” comes from the NEW Banner Sayings bundle, which includes a punch with 3 different banners, and sayings to match any occasion.

Together, these elements make a card that feels fresh and happy—just right for anyone you want to thank in style. It’s always so satisfying when different Stampin’ Up! sets play together this well!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Go Nuts Birthday Treat Card

October 27, 2025Leave a comment

If having a sweet tooth is wrong, I don’t want to be right! Admittedly, I do *attempt* to control it, but peanuts are healthy, right? Even in a bit of caramel and nougat?

“Festive Treats” is the TGIF Challenges theme this week- this birthday treat fits for #tgifc548

Here’s a 90-second tutorial, then I’ll write the measurements below:

Card Base: 11″ x 6″, scored at 4-1/4″, 5-1/2″, 6-3/4″ and 8″

Card layer (front and inside: 5-7/8″ x 2-7/8″ with 1/2″ strips to stamp on.

Looking for more treat stamping to share with a sweet tooth? Check out the Candy Bar Books or Gingerbread Cookie Christmas Gifts featured earlier this month on Creative Juice by Loni.

Just 4 days left to take advantage of the Starter Kit Special! Smart Stampers won’t let this amazing shopping deal pass by (with the opportunity to get a discount on your stamping supplies, birthday and holiday gifts through April, 2026!) This offer EXPIRES OCTOBER 31, 2025!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Joy-ful Color & Sketch Mash-up

October 10, 2025October 10, 2025Leave a comment

Some punny jokes begin with “What do you get when you mix a ____ with a ____?” but in paper crafting, MAGIC happens when you are given two different starting points, like a color palette and a sketch!

This card was born by marrying the Global Design Project Color Challenge #gdp517 with the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #FMS707 …AND combining the Abundant Joy Paper Pumpkin Add-On dies with with the Traditions of Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper! No stamping required for this project 😉

Hang in there…even though the Traditions of Christmas DSP is backordered right now, Stampin’ Up!®️ is rushing to have it re-printed and re-stocked mid-November. Meanwhile, get your Christmas Cards started by subscribing TODAY for the October Cozy Christmas Paper Pumpkin kit AND remember to include the optional Abundant Joy Add-On Dies (which coordinate with the October/November/December kits) to your next order!

October 10th is the last day to subscribe for the Cozy Christmas card kit, and the dies are darling on their own, with just a bit of pretty paper, and using a bit of glimmer paper for the JOY makes the season sparkle:

Next time you are needing some creative inspiration to strike, pick a color palette and card sketch and make your own mash-up!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Branches Through a Window for #gdp514

September 16, 2025September 15, 2025Leave a comment

There was one piece of Silent Snowfall Specialty Designer Series Paper left on my desk after cutting and mailing all the September paper shares, then I saw the Global Design Project sketch for the week, and imagined looking out a window on a quiet winter afternoon…

Here’s the prompt for the #gdp514 sketch:

Rummaged through more patterned paper for some worthy “wallpaper” and found the back side of one of the Autumn Toile papers would be perfect (isn’t the “front” or “back” irrelevant? The FRONT is whichever you want to use!).

Once it was adhered to the front, I cut the smaller arch from both layers, then added a dark wood window casing by cutting out two nested arches. In this picture you can really see the detail through the window:

The Silent Snowfall paper has a snowflake pattern dry embossed into it, so I heat embossed some random snowflake dots from the Branching Out stamp set over the debossed side to break up the repeating pattern and help it feel more natural and random. Once it was dry, I used a brayer to roll Cloud Cover ink over the top – the inlaid snowflakes are deep enough they don’t get any ink inside. I know that we don’t have a large Cloud Cover ink pad: You can use the refill to ink up an empty stampin’ spot, or use a piece of felt as the ink pad by squeezing some ink onto it.

Once the branches were stamped over the snowflakes, that layer was adhered to a 4″ x 5.25″ Cloud Cover card inside (8″ x 10.5″ when open), with the fold on the right:

This “card-in-a-card” design allows you to catch a few snowflakes on your tongue as you continue to unfold the greeting!

Finally, you open the inside to find a large area to write all the details a friend would love to hear from you.

Tomorrow, I’ll be mashing up the Branching Out bundle (there is a set of dies that coordinate with the stamp set) with another new bundle from the 2025 Sept-Dec Mini Catalog, and you’ll want to add it to your cart when you see how essential it is.