Stack, Cut, Shuffle, STAMP

August 12, 2024Leave a comment

So many marvelous Designer Series Papers, so little time? This technique for cutting a stack of patterned paper will have you making multiple cards at ONE TIME!

Begin by selecting 4 patterns of Designer Series Paper- I suggest using a maximum of two busy or bold patterns and add a subtle design and a tiny or monochromatic print, in 4 different colors (or different shades of the same hue). This will give you the CONTRAST you need when piecing them back together.

You can adhere the shuffled pieces edge-to-edge (as on the card, left) or leave a small space between them, giving a window-pane look (card on right). You may find that a design on the BACK of your paper works well, so go ahead and flip it over, if needed.

I used the Unbounded Beauty 12″ x 12″ pack- it’s part of the Designer Series Paper SALE this month, August 2024 and showcases the 2024-2026 In Colors, which are lovely together. With the few scraps left over, I added a piece to the inside layer and to the flap of my envelope.

Grab your patterned paper and follow along with me here, as you practice your cardmaking:

If you paper is directional, you’ll need to decide if you are creating PORTRAIT cards (tall) or LANDSCAPE cards (wide) **before** you cut your paper, and make sure it’s oriented the correct way.

The Unbounded Beauty cards were landscape, but I also needed some sympathy cards, and the blues in the Countryside Inn Designer Series Paper (also 15% off in August) seemed fitting. These are portrait versions of the Stack, Cut, Shuffle technique:

Inside the cards:

I’ll list supplies for both versions, starting with the Unbounded Beauty demonstrated in the how-to video:

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Supplies for the Countryside Inn Comfort card are below.

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The Versatility of a Fabulous Kit

August 5, 2024August 5, 2024Leave a comment

Stampin’ Up! has the #bestcraftingkit (or kits) on the planet. Whether you just want to dip your fingers in the paper crafting ocean, or you want to commit to creativity each month…there’s a kit for you!

I wanted to showcase how amazing the July Paper Pumpkin kit “Painted Petals” was, and encourage you NOT TO WASTE A SECOND in subscribing for the August kit (and beyond).

After assembling one of the cards as intended from the kit, I created an “alternate” card by just adding a bit of Basic Black card stock. You may enjoy simply following the instructions, but if you want to stretch your artistic muscles, kits are a superb starting spot:

Fold the printed card base with the printed images INSIDE the card, then trim 1/4″ off the bottom and open side, making it 4″ x 8 1/4″ when open. Fold the front (colored) flap back on itself, add a 3″ x 4.25″ black card stock to the front left side of the card and attach your details. Adhere the card to a 5.5″ x 4.25″ black card stock base and voila:

Try turning your kit into scrapbook pages for your memory albums! The back side of the card became a faux strip behind my photo mats, and I added a simple floral border at the bottom:

Finally, don’t forget the box! On the months when the box matches the contents (usually Paper Pumpkin kits arrive in Poppy Parade boxes), you may want to gussy it up and use it as gift wrapping:

For the box top, I used one of the envelopes and the special Add-On Every Celebration Dies, which coordinate with the July, August AND September Kits:

Once your kit is completed, you are left with a small ink spot and the photopolymer stamps. With some basic supplies, you can create more fantastic cards, tags, gifts, etc.

So what is the August 2024kit going to be? Birthday Cards!

The “Time for Cake” craft kit will be shipped around the 15th and features the following, but you must subscribe by August 10th

Rose gold foil
Accordion card folds
A festive color palette
A birthday sentiment stamp set

Subscribers will also receive a gift with their kit: an additional stamp set! Those number stamps will become an indispensable tool in your stamping arsenal.

Subscribe to Paper Pumpkin NOW!

We have MORE INCREDIBLE a la carte kits that you won’t want to miss – stock up for yourself, to make with friends, or to give as gifts! The selection is always growing, so check back every month to discover your inspiration.

Explore the Kit Collection NEXT

Keepin’ It Cool with Pink Ice Cream

August 3, 2024Leave a comment

When we take the grandkids for Ice Cream, COLOR is always the biggest factor in choosing which flavor to get! According to their thinking, the brighter the color, the better it tastes?

For a hand-stamped birthday card today, the colors were chosen by the weekly TGIF Challenge, #tgifc484

I’m a big fan of images that pop out of the frame, and that concept works well here.

A quick swipe of the White Craft ink pad over the eyelet-embossed Daffodil Delight background allowed me to emboss it with white embossing powder – if double scoops of ice cream are better, so is double embossing!

Top if off with some sprinkles (Iridescent discs sparkle and catch the light, and they are flat for mailing as an added bonus) and you’ve served up a cute birthday cone!

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Remember to redeem any Bonus Days Coupons you earned in July this month (August)!

Joseph’s Coat Technique (with Embossing Folders)

July 29, 2024July 30, 20241 Comment

Revisiting a classic stamping technique- this time with 3-D Embossing Folders!

The Joseph’s Coat technique has been done with heat embossing in the past, but Stampin’ Up!’s beautifully detailed and deep image embossing folders really make it easier than ever to create colors that seem to POP from a dark background.

This was the second card I created in the how-to video today using the Layered Florals embossing folder, and it shows the vibrancy of the colors you can achieve with this trick. I also made these cards into a Z-Fold style that stand up to display.

In a nutshell, the way to make this stunning background is to emboss a white or vanilla piece of card stock, then color in the RECESSED images using sponge daubers + Classic Ink Pads -OR- Stampin’ Write Markers. Once you’ve colored all the images, drag a dark ink across the top of the background. I used Night of Navy ink over my Petunia Pop water lilies on this version.

Watch to learn how:

Peek at the details from the Changing Leaves Hybrid Folder Joseph’s Coat card…amazing, eh?

For best results, make sure your dark ink pads are inked up well to achieve the dark “background” in one swipe of your pad.

Here are the supplies I used – order them today, then give this technique a try!

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Changing Leaves Bundle (English)

Layered Florals 3 D Embossing Folder

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Gorgeous Grape 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Petunia Pop 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Cajun Craze 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Sponge Daubers

Petunia Pop Classic Stampin Pad

Shy Shamrock Classic Stampin Pad

Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad

Gorgeous Grape Classic Stampin' Pad

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad

Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad

Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad

Petunia Pop 3/8" (1 Cm) Bordered Ribbon

Baker's Twine Essentials Pack

Stampin' Dimensionals

Just a few days left to earn BONUS DAYS coupons in July! Redemption for the codes you’ve earned this month will begin August 1st!

New at SU!~ LEAVES, but Make ’em Metallic!

July 17, 2024July 17, 20243 Comments

We’ve got an eye-catching theme for the July New at SU! Blog Hop~ putting the spotlight on some of the current METALLIC products Stampin’ Up! has to make your crafting super SHINY!

Though the extreme summer weather just ended (we are happy to be down to 102º Farenheit), and as much as I enjoy this season, I’m looking forward to the crisp feel of Autumn, so I created my cards using the Changing Leaves bundle (NEW to the Stampin’ Up! Online Exclusives) and the Dry Brushed Metallic Specialty Paper

Copper embossing powder for the leaf adds a second color to my mixed-metals, and a dot of Metallic Enamel Effects at the tip of each end of the sprig is the finishing touch!

It was so pretty, I made a second version! The softness of the embossed background and the separated Copper Clay Jute twine gives it an organic, woodland vibe.

Side-by-side, they reflect the details of nature- so lovely to imitate!

Don’t be too distracted by shiny objects, you’ve got more to see along the global “Make It Metallic” blog hop~ up next is Tricia with another new Online Exclusive product to get you holiday ready:

July 2024 New at SU! Blog Hop: Make it Metallic!

Previous Blog Next Blog

1.The Joy of Stampin’ with Rachael (US)- Going for the Gold

2.Stamping Flair (AU) – Thoughtful Designs

3.Studio Shabaz (AU) – Lifetime Of Love

4.scraphexe (DE) – Höhenflüge mit Metallic-Effekten (Aventurous Sky)

5.Attelyootje(NL)- Season of Green & Gold

6.Playing with Papercrafting (CA) – Seaside Wishes in Metallics for New

7.Creative Juice by Loni (US) – Leaves, but Make ’em Metallic!

8.Tricia’s Stamping Creations (US) – Greetings of the Season

9.247 Inkspiration (US) – Layers of Beauty

10.iHeartCards2 (US) – Sophisticated Sled

11.De Kijkkast (NL) – Silver Magnolia

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Looking for more Changing Leaves inspiration? Check out my PREVIOUS post with 5 more card ideas and tips for using the Hybrid Embossing Folder included in the bundle!

If you are in the US, I’m happy to serve your creative needs, and don’t miss BONUS DAYS during July!

Hybrid Embossing Folder How-To

July 15, 2024July 15, 20244 Comments

Curious about how a “Hybrid Embossing Folder” works? Allow me to demonstrate how-to using the new Online Exclusive Changing Leaves bundle.

The embossing folder creates amazingly detailed leaves which are beautiful both embossed (raised) and debossed (recessed). Here is a “raised” example in Granny Apple Green using the embossed design for a background on a card:

Flip the embossed paper over and paint into the recessed images using water painters and ink refills -OR- water painters with Metallic Enamel Effects for shine:

Simply stamping the images and die cutting them to use on your projects is also an option. Watch for the tip to lining up all three leaf images in the correct spot, making them easier to die cut at the beginning of this video, in which I also demonstrate all the techniques I’m sharing:

I used my stamped/die cut leaves on a floating frame card:

Finally – and this is the HYBRID VERSION – the dies snap into the embossing folder! All you have to do is add your paper, run it through the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine, and out come die-cut, embossed accents! This is a bonus project that shows the detail:

I borrowed the sentiment from another Online Exclusive stamp set called Comforting Thoughts for an occasion when there are just no words to express what you are feeling for someone’s heartache.

Try dragging your ink pad across the top of an embossed/cut leaf to bring out the details (or use a brayer rolled in ink), like the Pretty Peacock leaf on the card:

The Changing Leaves bundle is $54 (US) so it qualifies for a $5 BONUS DAYS coupon when you purchase it during July 2024. Collect coupons July 3-31st, then redeem them during August!

Paper Crafts with ZEST!

July 8, 2024Leave a comment

The frame die from the Citrus Blooms bundle offers such versatility when you are considering summery cards or gifts, and in my Live Crafting broadcast today, I couldn’t stop with just one project.

The first card I demonstrated was the elegant “gate-fold” card, which opens to reveal a simple branch of mouth-watering fruit. For once in my career, I DIDN’T add a sentiment to this card! It seems like it could be used for any reason, so I left the options open.

The measurements for this gatefold card are:

Night of Navy Mat: 5.5″ x 4.25″
Basic White card stock: 4″ x 10.5″, scored at 5.25″
Designer Series Paper for gate flaps: 5.5″ x 5″, folded in half at 2.5″
A piece of Designer Series Paper to die- or fussy-cut your preferred citrus from
22″ Navy & Gold Glimmer ribbon

While I didn’t demonstrate the second card, I’ll show you how to cut the larger navy layer from the frame using a 4.25″ x 5.5″ piece of card stock in the short video below.

Finally, when I found the Lemon Crisp Kit Kat candies, I knew I needed to make a favor (before I ate them all and regretted my life choices).

Measurements for this project:

Cut the frame from a 4″ x 5.5″ piece of Designer Series Paper, then score it at 2-1/8″ and 3″ in the center.
Night of Navy card stock 2-7/8″ x 4.5″, scored on all four sides at 1″ to create the “box” that holds two candies inside.
Navy 1″ x 8.5″ for the band around the outside (you’ll cut off the excess on the top after wrapping it)
Ribbon- as long as you want (tie a knot or a bow)

Now you have all the pieces prepared (right?), watch HOW to make each of these projects:

JULY is the month to earn BONUS DAYS COUPONS!

Add these items to your cart to earn your first coupon(s) AND make the projects shown here!

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You are the reason I am able to bring inspiration to you once a week without charging a fee. Thank you for your orders, comments, and shares. It means so much to me, I hope you know!

So Very Merry Gingerbread House Christmas Card

Sweet Treat Challenge + New Online Exclusives

July 3, 2024Leave a comment

The Sweet Treats theme for the TGIF Challenge this week got me dreaming of sugar plums…

We’ll call it “Christmas in July”!

This was the #tgifc479 challenge to start our creative cogs turning:

The So Very Merry stamp set is not in the catalog, but *IS* still in the Online Exclusive section of my Stampin’ Store, and I embossed the gingerbread house on a banner cut from the Nested Essentials dies, then colored it with watercolor pencils and added Wink of Stella to the candy for sparkle (all supplies listed below). Though it’s hard to see in a photo, trust me that the treats glisten in the light!

Speaking of Online Exclusives, there are NEW ADDITIONS to that section of my store, and you’ll have a hard time choosing between the frightfully fun Halloween, the elegant Autumn or the gorgeous Holiday offerings. You have my permission to choose all of them! And there is MORE than just these shown.

Back to my gingerbread house card, the supplies I used are below and feel free to use the idea for your holiday mail, if you love it!

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A Pinch of Party Pizzazz

July 2, 2024July 2, 2024Leave a comment

Let’s be real. Who has time to make a balloon arch, a photo booth, hand-made party favors, personalized invitations PLUS the food & entertainment for a party by themselves? NOT ME.

However, there are a few details I CAN make quickly and simply to elevate a celebration. This one was inspired by my mother-in-law who always has seasonal “china dishes” (paper plates) and napkins. The dollar store makes this even more feasible and all you need to do is wrap them all together and add a tag!

To make it easy for your guests to grab & go, wrap the utensils, a fun straw and box of sparklers (or other small gift) together with a ribbon (no bows required, but a little bling goes a long way), add a simple tag and set them in a fun cup or basket. Your friends can easily hold on to the whole bundle while still filling their cups.

This striped tag was created using the Labeled with Love bundle- choose a coordinating punch or dies when you purchase this versatile crafting combination! I have a few tips in the short video tutorial for mass-producing these labels in minutes. Remember you can switch-up colors and sentiments for any party, too.

When you have the basics on hand (card stock, stamps, ink, ribbon and a punch), you are prepared to sprinkle a pinch of pizzazz onto a gathering of any type. Select the items you need to stock up on:

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Labeled With Love Punch Bundle (English)

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Misty Moonlight 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad

Gold & Silver 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Trim Combo Pack

Night Of Navy & Gold 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Glittered Ribbon

Adhesive Sheets

Simply Zinnia, Simple Fun-Fold Thanks Card

June 24, 2024Leave a comment

Bright colored flowers shout “I LOVE YOU” as well as “THANK YOU” and “YOU’RE THE BEST!” Zinnias lead the garden in bold flower-power during the summer, so a color-blocked card that stands to display seemed like the one to craft today:

The Simply Zinnia stamp & die bundle is an Online Exclusive that you can NOT miss! For my demonstration, I used Versamark ink to stamp the zinnia image on both the Berry Burst and Coastal Cabana card stock pieces that fit on the card base.

However, the Zinnia bundle IS part of a larger Flowering Zinnia SUITE of products, which includes the Zinnia 3-D Embossing folder…so I also did a version of this card using it to make a “touchable” raised background.

This is how they stand:

There is a HELPFUL TIP for layering the petal dies in today’s video tutorial, which will save you time in assembly. Remember, you can click on the gear in the bottom right of the video and change the speed to make any tutorial play faster, if you are an impatient crafter like me!