Wow Bow Fun Fold Card

January 5, 2026January 5, 2026Leave a comment

We card creators are constantly faced with a dilemma: Which side of this pretty paper should I use when both front and back designs are beautiful? The Wow Bow Fun Fold lets you use BOTH sides and is easily crafted from ONE PIECE of 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper:

This idea was adapted slightly from my friend Frances Martin of Frenchiestamps.com and you can see her versions HERE.

As I explain in the tutorial video, I like to pair bold designs with small patterns, and most of the time, Stampin’ Up! does the work for us by creating Designer Series Paper (DSP) that coordinates on front and back with contrasting colors and patterns. You can take your cue for the colors of your card from the DSP itself, as well. For my demonstration card (above) I chose a Fresh Freesia card base and Old Olive layer on the front, which matches the Lovely & Beautiful Designer Series Paper I used.

Two more versions: One showcasing the Made with Love DSP and the other featuring Cute as a Bug paper — tomorrow can’t come soon enough for you to collect all these patterns!

All of these papers will be included in the Paper & Ribbon Share, where you’ll receive a 6″ x 6″ piece of each paper arriving TOMORROW (Jan. 6, 2026) to play with! Don’t hesitate, the deadline for reserving your share is TODAY (Jan. 5, 2026). If there are any shares left over, they will be offered first-come-first-served at the Card Cafe Class in Hurricane, UT on January 15th.

The video will walk you through making this easy fancy fold card, and the measurements are below.

Card Measurements:

Card base 5.5″ x 8.5″ card stock
First layer 4″ x 5.25″ card stock
Designer Series Paper 6″ x 6″ – cut 3/4″ off bottom and score remaining piece at 1.5″ and 4.5″
Use 3/4″ strip INSIDE the card!

This final sample uses the Hobby Haven Designer Series Paper available now in my Stampin’ Store. It is NOT included in the Paper Share, but sure makes beautiful cards for folks with hobbies such as crafting, baking, houseplants (shown), sewing, self-care, etc. :

COMING TOMORROW, January 6th:

Customers may begin to order from January-April Mini Catalog and January Online Exclusives!
NEW Product of the Month drops!
NEW KITS available!
BONUS DAYS earning period begins: Earn $5 coupon for each $50 spent (in addition to collecting 10% back in Stampin’ Rewards!) to redeem between February 3-28, 2026!

Waterfall Gift Card Folio Tutorial

December 1, 2025Leave a comment

When my cousin Valarie asked if I could make a Gift Card Folio like one she had seen on a social media, I watched the video she shared and said ABSOLUTELY!

Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas Gift Card Folio

This is a larger version of a classic interactive card design called a “Waterfall Card”, and this one presents FIVE GIFT CARDS (or would be an excellent base for a mini photo album). After a few tries and tweaks, I was satisfied with the result – give this a try! You can follow along with the video instructions below 🖥️

Inside the gift card folio featuring Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas Designer Series Paper

I’ve used the Modern Christmas Designer Series Paper from Stampin’ Up!® to embellish this folio, though I show a few other versions made with the retired “Season of Green & Gold” DSP in the video. The black, white & gold is just so elegant, and of course, you can choose any colors/patterns/paper that fit your occasion.

TIP: Add gift cards to each of the five panels with mini glue dots, or use the panels and both sides of the folder for photos of a event to remember!

When you pull the tab, the “waterfall” begins to cascade, and a “secret message” appears:

Maximizing the use of materials was important to me, so this version uses a full sheet of 12″ x 12″ card stock (and a full sheet of 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper, if you cut it wisely), plus a few extra pieces. WATCH the tutorial to see HOW TO CUT the card stock!

Measurements:

11-7/8″ x 9″ Basic Black card stock, scored at 4″ and 8″
12″ x 3″ Basic Black card stock, scored at 1″, 2″, 3″, 4″ and 5″
6″ x 1-1/2″ Basic Black card stock, scored at 1″ and 4-7/8″
5 pieces of card stock 2-1/2″ x 3-3/4″
Designer Series Paper: TWO 8-3/4″ x 3-3/4″ and TWO 8-3/4″ x 3-5/8″
Gold Foil sheet: 1-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ for the belly band
Scraps of card stock for label, scraps of Designer Series Paper for embellishments inside.

Making paper crafting easy for you is my goal. What did you think about this tutorial? Please leave a comment and tell me what you’ll use this idea for (comments are found at the top of the post, next to the posting date).

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DON’T MISS THIS!

If you’ve been waiting for a good time to subscribe to the BEST MONTHLY CRAFT KIT, OR you need a unique and creative gift for a friend, this is your sign! From December 1-9, pre-paid Paper Pumpkin subscriptions are discounted as follows:

3-month prepaid: $61.00 (regular price $81.00)

6-month prepaid: $122.00 (regular price $162.00)

12-month prepaid: $244.00 (regular price $324.00)

This price includes shipping! Now, here’s the fine print:

* Subscriptions purchased during this promotion start immediately with the December Watercolor in Bloom Kit. This kit cannot be skipped.

* Do not purchase multiple subscriptions for the same recipient. The subscriptions will all start with the Watercolor in Bloom Kit, so the recipient will end up receiving duplicates of the same kit each month.

* If you are already a Paper Pumpkin monthly subscriber, this is a great opportunity to save on your upcoming kits!

* If you ALREADY HAVE a pre-paid subscription and wish to take advantage of the sale, go into your account and PAUSE your currrent December kit, unless you wish to have 2 of the same boxes shipped to you (the other would be a lovely gift to give!).

Sign me up for Paper Pumpkin!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Christmas Ornament in a Flip-Flap Card

November 5, 2025November 5, 20251 Comment

There have been a lot of MAILABLE GIFT IDEAS shared on my website this year, thus, it’s fitting that we add an ornament featuring the large Gold Hoops (also from my store) that could be hung on a Christmas tree. Awesomely, Stampin’ Up!’s new 4″ x 4″ FLIP-FLAPS allow the ornament to double as the decoration for the front of the card, and I have a video tutorial to help you learn how to make one!

By folding the Flip Flap pocket over the front of the card, you can slide the ornament inside and lift the flap to open and get it out. NOTE: In my tutorial, I adhered the flip flap to the inside layer, but you’ll want to adhere it to the back panel inside the card instead, so the ornament doesn’t fall out until you open the flap!

Using the Modern Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper and “A Child is Born” stamp set was an elegant combination, don’t you agree?

This next version was inspired by an ornament my teammate Angaleen taught us in our November team virtual Stamp & Chat meeting, and uses the North Pole Delivery Specialty Designer Series Paper, which includes printed die cuts:

Here’s how it looks when you open it up, and the back side of the ornament:

I didn’t use the Gold Hoop on this version, but will on the last one. Use any punch or die for your leaves. The recently retired “Bough Punch” was on my desk, so that’s what I grabbed for both the North Pole card and the next one, featuring my favorite Designer Series Paper from last year (and still available online), Nests of Winter.

The birds were fussy cut from the patterned paper and the sentiments came from the Traditional Labels bundle. I added some Cherry Cobbler delicate details from the Branching Out dies along the top and bottom of the Flip-Flap for this card (TIP: Add a piece of adhesive sheet to the card stock BEFORE you die cut them out, to make the berry branch stick without mess!)

Here is the card opened:

Ready to craft along with me? Watch the video (and rest assured, I usually don’t have such a beastly time with Stampin’ Seal + !!!). THANKS IN ADVANCE for choosing to shop with me! It allows me to have the time and resources to share more ideas with you without charging for the tutorials.

If you find these instructions useful, please shop by clicking any of the links to the products listed above! Another way to show your support: Scroll back to the comment section at the top of the post near the date and leave a COMMENT!

FINAL TIP for this card idea: Score your 4″ x 4″ Flip Flap at 4-1/4″ (the score will be close to the side with adhesive) before you attach it to the inside back panel of your card, so it folds over the front and lays flat.

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

No Tricks, All Treats: Candy Bar Books

October 6, 2025October 6, 20251 Comment

If your Halloween crafting stash is calling your name louder than a ghost in a graveyard, grab your Stampin’ Up!® Spooky Sweet Suite and conjure up something boo-tiful! Don’t worry, eat sweets with these dang cute CANDY BAR BOOKS:

I’ve brewed up two fun versions of this project. The Granny Apple Green “All Treats” Candy Bar Book holds two classic Hershey bars, while the Timid Tiger “Spooky Sweets” version was made to fit two Ghost Toast KitKats. Each one ties up neatly with ribbon to keep your candy secure until it’s time for a delicious reveal. Whether you’re giving these as gifts, party favors, or adding them to a Halloween goodie basket, they’re sure to get more “oohs” and “aahs” than a haunted house on October 31st.

These projects are surprisingly easy to assemble—no hocus pocus required! I’ve included an instructional video below, AND a printable .pdf with measurements.

Print .pdf Candy Bar Book Tutorial

Note that the belly band measurements are shown on white card stock, but the project uses Granny Apple Green card stock.

I embossed the covers to add some textured dimension (because even monsters like stampin’ style), then decorated with die cuts, stamped images, and a touch of sparkle. Isn’t it Franken-fun?

Here are the key measurements for both versions:

Green “All Treats” Book (fits two Hershey bars):

Cardstock base: 5 1/4″ x 6 1/2″ scored along shorter end at 2 3/8″and 2 7/8″
Belly Band: 1 1/2″ x 6 3/8″ scored at 1/2″, 2 7/8″, 3 3/8″ and 5 7/8″
Ribbon: 16″

Orange “Spooky Sweets” Book (fits two KitKats):

Cardstock base: 5″ x 6 3/8″ scored along the longer side at 2 3/4″ and 3 5/8″
Belly Band: 1 1/2″ x 8 1/8″ scored at 7/8″, 3 5/8″, 4 1/2″ and 7 1/4″
Ribbon: 16″

Want to see the whole project come to life? Watch my full step-by-step tutorial on YouTube here:

What else did we talk about today? The 3-day KIT SALE (through October 8th):

AND we discussed FAQs on the Starter Kit Special! Bottom line: If you are planning to order more than $35 in crafting supplies from my Stampin’ Store this month, you may as well choose the Starter Kit!

To make your shopping Spooky Sweet, I’ll list the supplies for these projects below and THANK YOU for choosing me to serve your creativity!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Funny Flamingo Missing Middle Card & Spooky Sweet Events

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025Leave a comment

Halloween is around the corner, but you don’t need to be limited to the Trick or Treat season when crafting with the Stampin’ Up!®️ Spooky Sweet products, and particularly the Designer Series Paper. This sheet has a flamingo dressed in a tutu that I’m going to use on a birthday card:

It’s TOO TOO cute when paired with the Not 29 Anymore stamp set for a card you can send to “THAT FRIEND” who is fiesty & fabulous:

This card is called a “Missing Middle” card, and is easier than it looks: Start with a 4-1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of card stock (mine is Granny Apple Green) and score it at 5-1/2″ and cut it at 7″… leaving you a 1-1/2″ x 4-1/4″ piece of card stock for the bottom of the card. (All the supplies I used are listed at the bottom)

Fold the top 1-1/2″ down and add a layer of Designer Series Paper, if desired. Lay the section you cut off at the bottom edge of the card, and attach a 2-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ piece of card stock to the top section and bottom section only. Then it will open like this and you can add a white layer inside to write or stamp on:

My flamingo is layered over a piece of retired Be Dazzling specialty paper, but any of our current Glimmer Paper brings the bling when you need it.

Heading into the Halloween season, there are a few events (online and in-person) you’ll want to know about:

First: The VIRTUAL Spooky Sweet Class happens Thursday, October 2nd, and the last day you can order the suite and be invited to join the class is September 24th! This gives me time to prepare and mail the supplies you’ll need, and for you to have the suite ready to use. Learn more at the event description on Facebook by clicking the image below, or on my event calendar HERE.

Second: Stamping is the best medicine to make you feel good, and you’ll stamp 3 FALL paper crafting projects at our Stamp Therapy sessions in Hurricane, UT on October 9th. Choose to attend the 10 am session or the 6 pm session, but register early, because these seem to fill up quickly. Class fee: $15.

Southern Utah crafters: Here’s another tasty opportunity for more Spooky Sweet crafting at the Cookies, Cards & Cocoa class on Oct. 16th at 6:30 PM at the Strap Tank Restaurant in St. George, UT.

Decorate 4 Halloween sugar cookies and stamp two paper crafting projects, while enjoying a beverage from the restaurant. Class fee: $35 ALL SUPPLIES PROVIDED! Click HERE to register by Oct. 9th

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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.

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Dynamic Backgrounds with 6×6 Patterned Paper

September 1, 2025December 27, 20251 Comment

Have ever looked at a stack of pretty designer series paper and think, “It’s too pretty to cut”? I hear you—but here’s the good news: when you do cut it, you can get the most out of every single sheet! I created this cutting map that turns any 6” x 6” piece of designer paper into perfectly sized layers for the front of your cards:

In my live video today, I walked through the process step by step and made the card shown here from the Autumn Toile pack of paper that will be available on September 2nd. (You’ll find the replay below if you want to craft along!) The cutting map is below so you can print it out, tuck it near your paper trimmer, and use it anytime you want to make lovely layers of backgrounds for your greeting cards.

Cutting guide for 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper

The first cut you make (circled) will be 3-7/8″ into the square. The second cut will be to cut the leftover pattern down to 4-1/2″ tall, then other cuts as shown.

Layer the two large rectangles on a contrasting card stock base, and the two long strips go on a piece of card stock that is 2-1/2″ x 4-3/4″, which can be attached with dimensionals to either the left or right side of the front of the card.

For my samples, I used a mix of Stampin’ Up! designer series paper. Four of the patterns come straight from the September Paper Share I’m offering — fifty-three 6″ x 6″ sheets of Stampin’ Up! Designer Series Paper, all cut down and ready for you to create with. It’s a perfect way to try every new design without committing to full packs, and it gives you plenty of variety for projects like this.

My last two examples of this sketch feature the Painterly Pears Suite and the Spooky Sweet Suite. Isn’t it terrific how the same cutting map works across completely different styles—fall-inspired pumpkins, happy holiday greetings, fresh pears, or playful Halloween motifs?! It’s proof that a simple template can stretch your supplies and spark new ideas.

Whether you’re making cards in bulk or just want a foolproof way to get more from your paper, this card design is one you’ll use again and again. Scroll down for the video, save all six card samples, and grab your trimmer—you’ll be amazed how quickly 6” x 6” papers can turn into a gallery of handmade cards.

The 1″ x 3-7/8″ piece from the cutting map goes INSIDE the cards, like this:

TWO more opportunities before you go:

The Autumn Toile paper (on the first card I demonstrated) coordinates with the September Paper Pumpkin kit, so if you adore autumn and those detailed designs, you will certainly want to subscribe by September 10th to receive a fall-filled box of coordinating crafting!
While the Spooky Sweet Suite paper is NOT included in the Paper Share, I *WILL* be teaching a Virtual Halloween class with the suite on October 2nd – Add the suite to your cart for an invitation to join the party, or visit the Facebook event page (link above) to find out how to register.

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Popcorn Faux Shaker Card

August 4, 2025August 5, 2025Leave a comment

Creative Juice LIVE Crafting (on YouTube & Facebook) IS BACK…with a twist! Going forward, I’ll be going live in my channels at 12:30 p.m. MT ON THE FIRST MONDAY OF EACH MONTH. As I *pop* back into your social feed, I have an a-maize-ing Faux Shaker Card tutorial to share with you in today’s video!

Traditional shaker cards are quite thick, so using a clear envelope to hold the shaker elements makes the card thinner to mail, and easy to make.

Colors used: Darling Duckling, Strawberry Slush and Secret Sea, which are all 2025-2027 In Colors, and an announcement you’ll appreciate is that tomorrow (August 5th) is the beginning of an IN COLOR SALE!

Many In Color products are 15% off through August 31st, and I need to remember to order refills for my ink pads…my shopping list is started.

Without further adieu, here is the VIDEO TUTORIAL for the Faux Shaker Popcorn Birthday card, and you may add the supplies to your cart with the list below the video:

Crafting cards doesn’t get “butter” than this!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Christmas in July: Snow Globe Card

July 30, 2025July 30, 2025Leave a comment

“The hot and the cold are just so intense, put ’em together, it just makes sense!” -Olaf ⛄️

Get ahead of the holidays by starting your Christmas cards now! The Jar of Joy stamp set (which coordinates with the Sweet Jar builder punch) will have you shaking up snow during the heat of summer:

Layers: 3.5″ x 4.75″ Designer Series Paper, 3.75″ x 5″ Real Red Card Stock

The way to make the jar shiny is by laying a piece of packing tape over the stamped image before punching it out (did the same for the sunglasses on my pop-up tote card here).

The way the snow globe pops through the front of the card from the inside is a delightful detail that gives the open card charm, as well.

This video shows how to create this card from start to finish in 90 seconds:

I am enjoying playing along with the Global Design Project “Christmas in July” #gdp507 challenge with this card! It’s simple enough you could easily make multiples at one time, too.

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Birthday Cupcake Fun-Fold Card

July 11, 2025July 5, 2025Leave a comment

A simple card can be transformed by an easy fun-fold element, and in today’s free tutorial, I’ll show you how to make someone’s birthday brighter!

Behind this simple facade lies a fancy surprise as you open the card:

The Everyday Arches dies are the star of this card, and an essential set of paper crafting tools that belong in every stamper’s arsenal.

Let me know if you like this idea by leaving a comment (top of post, near posting date), order the supplies you need below the button, then download the tutorial and give it a go!

Download Cupcake Fun-Fold Tutorial