Cutting Map for 6×6 Designer Series Paper

February 3, 2025Leave a comment

If you create cards, you know the satisfaction of using EVERY. INCH. of patterned paper! Let me use the Stampin’ Up! Fruit Salad Designer Series Paper for Sale-a-Bration to show you how to quickly cut a sheet of 6″ x 6″ paper to make TWO cards!

The first cut you make will be 1″ off the side, then turn your DSP 90 degrees and cut an inch off the other side (you’ll have a 5″ x 5″ piece left over):

The third cut you make will be to cut your 5″ square into two 2.5″ sections. BEFORE YOU CUT, make sure you know which orientation you want your card to be, if there is a direction in the pattern! Watch the video below to see me explain.

The last cut is to take 1″ off the 6″ x 1″ strip, but DON’T THROW THAT TINY SQUARE AWAY!

Once you have your two sets of paper pieces, lay them onto a 4″ x 5.25″ card stock, leaving space in between them. Embellish, then mount the layers onto a card base:

Video instructions:

Here are the cards I created or showed using the Fruit Salad paper and the cutting guide. Add ribbon, a greeting, a focal point, a strip of card stock:

This pattern/layout is good for most double sided paper, especially when one side has a bold pattern and the back side has more subtle pattern. Try mixing up patterns from a package, like this card using the Sale-a-Bration Toadstool Gardens paper:

A sentiment stamp set and coordinating punch make finishing these greeting cards speedy, or create a scene (like the toadstools) on a 2″ x 3-1/4″ rectangle. Alternatively, fussy cut an image from the paper itself:

Don’t miss the chance to get some lovely paper free during Sale-a-Bration! Only 4 weeks left.

Come back tomorrow to see what you can do with all the last inches left over from your DSP!

Product List

Fruit Salad 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

Hugs For Love Bundle (English)

Paper Trimmer

Bright Borders Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

Labeled With Love Punch Bundle (English)

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

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

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

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

Petal Pink 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Pecan Pie 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad

Uninked Stampin’ Craft Pad & Whisper White Refill

Basics Wow! Embossing Powder

Heat Tool (Us And Canada)

Black & Very Vanilla 3/8" (1 Cm) Large Check Ribbon

Terrific Toadstools Bundle (English)

Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Granny Apple Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad

Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Pad

Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad

Adventure Together- Reach for the Stars

January 31, 2025Leave a comment

Have you browsed through the Online Exclusive section of my Stampin’ Up! store recently??! There are so many hidden treasures there, and THIS is one of them:

Adventure Together Bundle

I loved the little camper so much that I used it for the last card swap with my Sprinkled Ink team!

This card paired the Stampin’ Up! Adventure Together bundle with the Everyday Skies Suite Collection (another Online Exclusive must-have) for a snapshot of camping under the stars and stories around a fire. Doesn’t it make you yearn for warmer weather?

It was wonderful to see how it paired with many of the designs in the Everyday Skies Designer Series Paper, and this one shows a different color combination and skyscape:

Which do you prefer- The blue night sky filled with stars or the purple clouds of the evening sunset? Comments are at the top of the post near the date!

Product List

Adventure Together Bundle (English)

Everyday Arches Bundle (English)

Everyday Skies 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

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

Azure Afternoon 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Fresh Freesia 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Azure Afternoon Classic Stampin' Pad

Misty Moonlight Classic Stampin' Pad

Fresh Freesia Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Bubble Bath Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

Azure Afternoon Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

Lemon Lolly Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Basic Black Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Old Olive Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

Stampin' Seal

Stampin' Dimensionals

Two Tone Sparkle Gems

Two Bee, or Not Two Bee?

January 23, 2025January 23, 2025Leave a comment

Shakespeare would have sent these Valentines!

These are called “Floating Vertical Bandstand Pop-up” cards, and when I watched Susan Campfield’s tutorial video, the bees popped into my mind and off to the craft studio I ran!

First: YES, these cards fit inside an envelope:

Once you take them out, they pop up, and the elements “float” in front of the stage:

“But where do you write on these cards?” you ask? On the back panel!

Whether you choose one bee or two, you’ll love the newly re-colored “Cute as Can Bee” Designer Series Paper released in the Stampin’ Up! Scrapbooking brochure. TIP: If you are planning to make valentines for 2025…THIS WEEKEND is the latest you should be ordering supplies to create them!

Stampin' Up! January 2025 scrapbooking Brochure

While I used the Bee My Valentine stamp set and Bee Builder punch (shopping links below), DON’T MISS the new Meant to Bee Bundle with two sizes of bees and NEW dies!

The Sale-a-Bration Purple Adhesive-Backed Sequins are a pretty way to add some sparkle, and they are a free option when your order reaches $60 before 2/28/25. I sprinkled them on the cards, along with a few hearts punched from the Petunia Pop glimmer paper:

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#creativechallengesu

3 Unique Ways to Use Designer Series Paper

August 26, 2024August 26, 2024Leave a comment

Patterned Paper may fade into the background for most paper crafting projects, but here are THREE different ways to make the most of this crafting staple:

STAMP IT: Double up on your backgrounds to give it faux layers! For the first sample, I stamped the Drizzling Droplets stamp onto a piece of the Country Lace Designer Series Paper and the second card has the Leaf Collection stamped onto a piece of the Full of Life Designer Series Paper:

2. Heat Emboss Over It: Embossing powder covers patterns beautifully! LIghter paper patterns allow you to color in parts of the embossed image.

These samples use the same Designer Series Paper as the first cards, just different patterns from the same packages:

3. Dry Emboss It: Stamp a sentiment first, then run it through an embossing folder. To bring out the pattern, rub a sanding block (or emery board) over the top of the ridges!

The Sending Love & Hugs card uses the Perennial Lavender Designer Series Paper and a 3D embossing folder (EF) called “Forever Plaid” (available 8/4/24), while the Mediterranean Blooms version was embossed with the 3D Eyelet EF:

Just 5 days left of the Designer Series Paper Sale (ends August 31, 2024) – featuring ALL OF THE PATTERNS USED TODAY!

LOVE Stampin’ Up! Designer Series Paper?? Don’t miss the chance to reserve a 6″x6″ sample of (almost) every pattern in the upcoming September-December Mini Catalog:

Watch today’s video showing these three techniques to try on Designer Series Paper :

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!

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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Zinnias for Catalog Sketch, June Bundle Sale

June 6, 2024June 6, 2024Leave a comment

Have you noticed the 22 card sketches on page 22 of the Annual Catalog? You’ll want to turn to these any time you’ve lost your crafting mojo, for they will give you a “map” to follow as you get back into your stamping groove.

If you look closely, you may spy samples throughout the catalog that follow a sketch, as well.

I decided to use the Simply Zinnia bundle to follow this sketch for the #CreativeChallengeSU :

These colors feel like SUMMER and make me want to plant some in my yard.

I know that the Simply Zinnia bundle and Flowering Zinnia Suite are backordered (as of June 6, 2024) but they should be back in stock by the week of June 24th which will give you time to order the bundle during the June “Extra 10% Off” sale on all BUNDLES (Stamps + Dies)!

During June, the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machines are all 10% off as well – original size, mini and Boho Blue mini machine, too! Bring one (or a second one) home to your craft room.

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