Stampin’ Up!®️ Sunflower Fields Thinking of You card from simple stamping to stepped up.

New at SU!- Simple Sunflowers, Stepped Up

September 16, 2026September 16, 20262 Comments

Travel around the world with us as we share stamping inspiration on our September New at SU! blog hop!

We are here to show you how to stamp simply, or step up the same project according to your time or preference. I’m using the new Sunflower Fields Suite Collection, and will start SIMPLY with stamps, ink and paper:

Stamping the large image on a smaller layer (3.25″ x 4.5″) brings the focal point to the center. All the stamping was done with Golden Glow ink on Golden Glow card stock (or Very Vanilla card stock for the greeting). I used a sponge dauber to add Cajun Craze ink to the center of the sunflower on top.

Let’s STEP IT UP a little!

For this version, I just replaced the stamped background with the coordinating Sunflower Fields Designer Series Paper, added leaves, colored my stamped sunflower with Stampin’ Blends, added a bow of linen thread and cut around my sentiment (watch the secret for perfectly cut sentiments HERE).

Now to take it ONE STEP MORE:

This fancified version uses the Lazy Daisy 3D embossing folder for the background, adds another flower and includes a few scattered embellishments.

WHICH VERSION is your style? Leave me a comment (near the date at the top of the post) and tell me!

Hop around the world to see other simple-to-stepped-up projects from these talented demonstrators:

September 2026 New at SU! Hop: From Simple to Stepped Up

Previous Blog . Next Blog

1.Merrick Makings (AUS) – Simple to Stepped Up

2.Creative Juice by Loni (US)- Simple Sunflowers, Stepped Up

3.Furry Cat Designs (UK) – Simple to stepped up Holly Jolly Branches

4.Stamping Flair (AU) – Simple to Stepped Up with Neutral Noel

5.Stamping Scene (UK): Stepping up your project ideas, New at SU!

6.Did You Stamp Today? (US) – Christmas Two Ways

7.Astrids Papiereuphorie (AT) – Von einfach zu besonders

8.247 Inkspiration (US) – Simply Leaves

9.scraphexe (DE) – Simple to stepped up

10.De Kijkkast (NL) – Garden Tiles from Simple to Stepped Up

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We’ll be back next month with a FONTASTIC New at SU! Blog Hop – until then, may your Stampin’ Up!®️ products bring you craftiness!

DON’T MISS THE 3-DAY STAMP SALE- September 16-18th!

Stampin’ Up!®️ Luxe Foliage and Exciting Times Thank You Card for TGIFC594 Sketch

Fall Feel for a TGIF Sketch

September 12, 2026September 12, 2026Leave a comment

I’m willing Autumn into existence by crafting with new Designer Series Paper patterns for the season, and following the TGIF Challenges sketch #tgifc594

My postman delivered the new Product of the Month this morning, so it’s noon and I still haven’t gotten dressed…but I DID make a pretty card with this sumptuous Luxe Foliage Specialty Designer Series Paper, so the day hasn’t been wasted:

The label on the sketch reminded me of the Exciting Times bundle that is a terrific set of stamps and coordinating punch that gives stampers of all levels so many options when paired with pretty paper!

I’ll show you two ways to use this bundle, and your imagination may bring you more ideas!

On the Thank You card, I punched out the center of the larger stamped image and raised it with mini dimensionals to give the sentiment a frame:

NOTE: You can use the corner of the punch to punch out the corners of the larger frame!

You can see the same concave corners on this version, using the Autumn Opulence DSP and matching Autumn Woodland Glimmer Paper. This time I’ve added the stamped and punched sentiment on TOP of the background and tucked in a few floral pieces I fussy-cut from the paper:

I always love when we add a purple into the mix of fall colors! Here’s a detailed view of the label:

Give this sketch a whirl and share your version on the TGIF Challenges blog and remember that you can add the Product of the Month to your cart for just $5 when your order exceeds $75 and each month the item is only available while supplies last!

Product List

Exciting Times Bundle (English)

Luxe Foliage 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper

Golden Glow 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Gold Striped 3/8" (1 Cm) Mesh Ribbon

Peaceful Pine 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Very Vanilla 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Peaceful Pine Classic Stampin Pad

Golden Glow Classic Stampin' Pad

Secret Sea Classic Stampin' Pad

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

Autumn Opulence 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper

Autumn Woodland 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Glimmer Specialty Paper

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

Blackberry Bliss 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad

Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad

Linen Thread

Earthy Matte Dots

Stampin' Seal

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Stampin’ Up!®️ Gingham Gallery Birthday Pie Harvest In Color Accordion z-Fold Card

Gingham Harvest Birthday PIE Card

August 31, 2026September 7, 2026Leave a comment

I’ve never met a pastry I didn’t like, and as we enter the harvest season, pie is the pastry of choice…so why not a birthday PIE instead of a cake?

This card was a work-in-progess as it went along, and it began with inspiration from two challenges: The #tgifc592 Product challenge to use the 2026-2028 In Colors and the #gdp563 Garden/Harvest inspiration (pumpkins or apples are part of a pie, thus it counts, right?)

This fun-fold is called a Z-fold Accordion card: I didn’t really follow any tutorial, but made it up as I went along! I cut a piece of Peaceful Pine card stock to 11″ x 5.5″ and scored at 1.75″, 3.5″, 5.25″ and 7″ – it makes the final card 4″ x 5.5″. I used the leftover piece to make the 3″ x 7″ panel which folds at 3.5″ and sticks to the front and back of the accordion fold. Then you can add Designer Series Paper over the top and embellish as desired:

I chose Peaceful Pine and Crisp Canteloupe as my In Colors and once I laid the “table” with the gingham coverings, I was delighted to find the pie and slice of pie from the Harvest Hues Mix & Match Ephemera Pack (Item #168495 – arriving tomorrow, 9/1/26) were the perfect servings for the party!

A few copper foil leaves add the bling that any good card maker must have, and the happy birthday sentiment follows suit:

It’s a lovely transition from summer garden to autumn treats, and will be a card to adorn someone’s shelf or mantel to decorate for their birthday!

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Two quick reminders: the September Designer Series Paper Share (which includes a piece of copper Metal Effects specialty paper) closes tomorrow, September 1st, and is the best way to get a sample of every NEW design dropping 9/1! It’s like a paper buffet, so you know which you want to go back for more of.

Second reminder: TODAY is the END of the current Paper Sale in my Stampin’ Store!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Stampin’ Up!®️ Hot Foil Reverse Die for Thinking of You Card in Pink Foil with Classic Greetings and Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper

New Life for Used Hot Foil Scraps

August 24, 2026August 24, 2026Leave a comment

As promised, I’m back to share how to use up all of the negative images from your Hot Foil projects, and this is a look at a product coming on September 1st: The Hot Foil REVERSE DIE.

This die is basically a blank slate that heats your scraps and adheres them to a paper, for instance: For the top card, I foiled “Thank You” onto Cajun Craze card stock and then used the gold foil negative image to heat onto white card stock, so the gold foil is around the sentiment:

Watch how this is done as I demonstrate this process quickly:

One extra tip not mentioned in the video: The pink foil scrap I used for my card was actually used twice before this: Once for the lovely frame, then a second time for the sentiment inside. It’s serendipitous that the Classic Greeting Hot Foil dies fit INSIDE the Flourish & Frames largest die!

Here’s the finished card from the video tutorial:

While you are waiting for the Hot Foil Reverse die, you can order the Hot Foil System from my website this month AND take advantage of the last week of the Paper Sale, which includes the Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper for 15% off. Click banner to see all:

Thanks for visiting and PLEASE sign my guestbook (leave a comment) at the top of the post near the date ~ I appreciate that you’ve taken the time to learn something new. I’m here to serve your creative needs!

Winnie the Pooh Gable Treat Box, Stampin’ Up!®️ Silly Old Bear Suite

Pooh Bear Gable Treat Box

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026Leave a comment

A charming package gives a gift an air of delightful anticipation, and what could be sweeter than a Silly Old Bear and his honey pot?

We used to carefully flatten our lunch boxes (which were a larger version of this one) when we attended Stampin’ Up!®️ “Convention” years ago at the Salt Palace…they were ideal for stamping on and using as gift wrapping! Now we have White Gable Boxes which are food safe and perfectly sized for a cupcake or small treat (6-1/4″ x 4″ x 2-1/2″) …and each one is just a dollar (comes in a package of 10).

Wrap a 2″ x 12″ strip of patterned paper around the box and cover the gap on the front with a focal point (I added an embossed plaid on the diagonal for Pooh’s background). Simple and adorable.

Assembling the boxes: Gable Boxes come flat, but once you’ve adorned your box as you wish, open the box, fold in the U-shaped flap first, then the sides. Finally, push in the large tab and it will pop back into box shape. Put your treat/gift in the top and pinch the scallop handle together, sliding it into the slot on each slanted side.

Think baby showers, birthday drop-offs, class treats = these are your go-to boxes!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Paper Cuts and Delightful Deals

August 12, 2026August 12, 2026Leave a comment

If you’ve filled your cupboards, drawers, desk and closets with pretty paper, then you understand the passion for paper. It’s not just a flat material, but infinite possibilities when you hold a piece in your hand! “Should I make a card? A gift? Seasonal decor?” are the questions that run through my mind when I open a fresh pack of card stock or patterned designs.

While Stampin’ Up!®️ is hosting a SALE on select DSP and card stock in August, I wanted to share ideas to inspire you to CUT INTO THAT PAPER you love!

Glow of Harvest and Peaceful Garden greeting cards following same sketch

Each of these cards follows the same “sketch” and use different Designer Series Paper. Since the Peaceful Garden (bottom card) paper is part of the sale, we’ll take a closer look at it first:

I used only the Peaceful Garden DSP, card stock (Misty Moonlight & Secret Sea) and a pre-printed sentiment from the Greetings for All Ephemera pack…no stamping required for this card.

Stampin’ Up!®️ Glow of Harvest Keep Looking Up greeting card

The second card follows the same sketch, and shows off the August Product of the Month, the Glow of Harvest Designer Series Paper…

My team had a challenge to use this paper for a project and share it, thus my version does dual duty! It also gives a sneak-peek at a new embossing folder coming in September (Softly Woven). I added a sweet sentiment and acorn accents from the Sweet Words & Labels bundle.

Sketch Details:

Background papers: 1.5″ x 3″ and 3″ x 3″ (optional mat: 3.25″ x 4.75″)
Banner: 2″ x 3-7/8″
DSP strips or labels: approx. 1/2″ tall by however long you’d like.

HEADS UP: The September Paper Share is also OPEN and you can reserve a 6″ x 6″ piece of each NEW design being released next month! It will be shipped to you around September 9th, but you must pay for your share by September 1st.

If you need storage options for your paper, you may check out the deals at Stamp-n-Storage for the next week: Each day is a different daily special and I love their paper storage options (pockets work well for me!):

Will It FOIL? Part 5: Foil on Photos (+Bonus Card)

August 7, 2026August 7, 2026Leave a comment

While we’ve just begun to explore what can be Hot Foiled, today’s medium concludes my initial series based on my LIVE Crafting video from Monday, August 3, 2026. A printed photograph was sitting on my desk as I began experimenting, so naturally, I had to try adding some extra SHINE!

It felt resourceful to small sections from previously used foil to add two colors of butterflies (silver & pink) to the upper corner of this cute photo of my daughter-in-love and granddaughter. Will surely be trying more multi-foiling in the future, and the smooth surface of the photo was ideal for this technique.

Since I was using the Butterfly Flight Hot Foil Dies, here’s some info about the very popular bundle and a bonus project!

The bundle includes the hot foil dies (shown in gold, but they are a matte-gray with a satin finish in actuality), coloring masks (easiest to color the butterflies after foiling and before die cutting out), coordinating cutting dies (don’t worry, it’s easy to tell the difference between the dies!), AND detail dies for extra embellishments.

The coloring masks are numbered 1-4 in the top left corner near a notch to help you line them up easily, and to walk you through each step. You could spritz color over the masks, but I find it works best with blending brushes or even sponge daubers. This shows the butterflies colored with blending brushes and ink pads after foiling or just using the masks to make the winged creatures, both of which are lovely:

And the finished project, with a printable tutorial just for you!

Print Tutorial .pdf

The award for the “Most Versatile Designer Series Paper” goes to the Artisan Sketched Garden DSP, which you can color, blend, spritz, layer, fussy cut and fold…and it’s 15% off during the August Paper Sale! It literally coordinates with so many things that you’ll wonder how you crafted before using this black & white design.

If you print the tutorial, pause to say HI in the comments, please!

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Hope this series of Hot Foil tutorials has been handy ~ scroll back to check out the previous posts if you’ve missed any!

Stampin’ Up!®️ Hot Foil Shaker birthday card featuring Splash of Sparkles Designer Series Paper, Flourish & Frames and Classic Greetings

Will It Foil? Part 4: Window Sheets

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026Leave a comment

Welcome, crafty friends! If this is your first visit or your daily visit, I’d appreciate it if you’d check in and say hello: Tell me what brought you by and if anything I’ve shared is helpful to you. Click on “comments” near the top of the post (by the date) and leave me a message…THANKS!

As the 4th part of the “Will It Foil” series featuring the NEW Stampin’ Up!®️ Hot Foil System, today I’m showing how it works on WINDOW SHEETS.

As Hot Foil works best on smooth surfaces, there is really nothing smoother than a clear piece of plastic. I foiled both the large frame from the Flourish & Frames bundle AND the sentiment from the Classic Greetings AT THE SAME TIME onto a window sheet with Silver Foil.

The Splash of Sparkles specialty Designer Series Paper recently retired, and it had bold swaths of foil that worked well for this design, so I layered it onto Smoky Slate card stock and die cut the large frame from the center then adhered the window sheet behind it. To prepare it for a shaker card, use Foam Adhesive strips on the back side around the opening and toward the outside edges, assuring that it is an enclosed rectangle so that none of the sprinkles can escape. Don’t adhere it to the card base YET…

Next I stamped some “balloons” on the front of the white card base (shhh…don’t tell anyone, but I don’t have a balloon stamp, so I used the solid bee body from Bee My Valentine stamp set and drew ribbons with a marker).

Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of shaker elements (cupcake sprinkles or glitter can also work) onto the card front, then carefully remove the adhesive from the foam strips you enclosed the back of the frame with and attach the framed window sheet layer over the shaker elements onto the card front.

This is a card a granddaughter will LOVE to shake up to celebrate her 10th birthday!

Here’s my tutorial video which inspired this series of posts:

Have you thought of any more mediums to try foiling on? Let me know and I’ll try it if I can! See you tomorrow for Part 5.

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Four days left to get 25% off your first all-inclusive Paper Pumpkin craft kit: Subscribe by August 10th and look forward to a curated creative escape arriving in your mailbox each month!

Skip or cancel anytime after the first month, but I guarantee you won’t want to and they are also unique and thoughtful gifts!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Hot Foil Butterfly Flight Arched Easel Card

Will It Foil? Part 3: Foil on Vellum

August 5, 2026August 5, 2026Leave a comment

Another smooth medium for hot foil stamping is Vellum. a translucent paper that exudes elegance.

For this card, I hot foiled the butterflies/moths onto vellum paper with silver foil, then colored them on the BACK side of the vellum with Stampin’ Blends markers.

A card this pretty needs to be displayed, and since it’s also an easel, it can be! To make the base of the card, score an 8.5″ x 11″ card stock at 2-3/4″ and 5-1/2″, then attach the arch ONLY to the lower half of the card front. Remember to “lift” an element (in this case, the “thankful for you” label) inside the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals to give the base something to lean against.

Stampin’ Up!®️ Moonlit Flora and Hot Foil Butterfly Flight Easel Card

While the Moonlight Flora Designer Series Paper is part of the August Paper Sale, it’s currently out of stock, but should be back next week (around August 10th). YOU CAN REQUEST A NOTIFICATION when a product is back in the store and it’s very useful as a reminder to order.

If you haven’t had a chance to view the Hot Foiling video tutorial this blog post is inspired by, here it is:

Card making is more than a hobby, it’s a way to connect with people you care about in a meaningful, beautiful way. Your written love inside a hand-crafted card will encourage, delight, comfort, soothe, reassure, and lift the person you send it to, and often becomes a cherished keepsake. Never underestimate the power of your heART 🧡

Product List

Butterfly Flight Bundle

Everyday Arches Dies

Moonlit Flora 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

Silver Stampin' Hot Foil Rolls

Silver 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Foil Sheets

Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Secret Sea 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Soft Sea Foam 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad

Berry Burst Classic Stampin' Pad

Stampin' Hot Foil System Na & Craft Class

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

Fern & Flora Bundle (English)

Berry Burst Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

Night Of Navy Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Lost Lagoon Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

Blackberry Bliss Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

Black Stampin' Dimensionals Combo Pack

Mini Glue Dots

We aren’t finished with this series yet, so scroll back to catch the ones you’ve missed and return tomorrow for more!

Hot Foil on Foil Sheets, Winnie-the-Pooh fun fold card

Will It Foil? Part 2: Foil on Foil

August 4, 2026August 4, 2026Leave a comment

Hot Foiling works best on smooth surfaces such as Stampin’ Up!®️ Two-Tone card stock and the Designer Series Paper I showed yesterday, so the next medium I wanted to try was Foil Sheets!

For this sweet fun-fold card with Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet, I layed the frame CUTTING die on the platform and arranged the small flourish HOT FOIL die pieces where I wanted them to be. Then I removed the cutting die and allowed the flourishes to heat. Once it was ready, I added the GOLD foil over each flourish (A GREAT WAY TO USE SMALL SCRAPS OF FOIL) then laid a piece of copper foil sheet over both of them.

Once it was foiled, I die cut out the frame!

Here’s how the card opens:

Foiling on Foil Sheets = ✅

I’ll be mailing this card to one of my favorite people: A grandchild!

Here’s the video tutorial that teaches this series that started yesterday:

We don’t currently have copper foil sheets in our inventory (though we could again in the future) so I’ve included the link for GOLD FOIL SHEETS in the shopping list: