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

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:

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See you tomorrow for Part 3!

Stampin’ Up!®️ Flourish & Frames Bee Love Card, Hot Foil Tutorial

I’ve Been Foiled & Framed!

July 10, 2026July 10, 20261 Comment

The first time I saw HOT FOIL on a greeting card, I was captivated! That was a few years ago, and I’ve (not-so) patiently waited for Stampin’ Up!®️ to release a version I could use and share, for I knew that they would…it was just too beautiful to resist. The DAY HAS FINALLY COME and you are going to be just as enchanted.

Let’s start with a quick video to show you how, then display a few stunning examples. Make sure you read ALL THE POST for a few tips to make your experience the best! You may want to SAVE or PIN this post to refer to later.

The card I created for the video was a split-image of the breathtaking Garden Silhouette background foil die in Night of Navy Two-Tone card stock and White Willow on a Strawberry Slush Card base (Strawberry Slush seems to be the closest color to the Pink Foil). The sentiment is from the Classic Greetings hot foil dies:

The next card I created was a fun-fold with the Flourish & Frames Bundle and all the supplies for this card will be listed below.

Foiling works best on smooth paper, such as:

Two-Tone Cardstock
Smooth cardstock (Our Basic White Cardstock works great!)
Stampin’ Up! vellum
Designer Series Paper
Window Sheets
Pearlized Specialty Paper

I used our regular milled Basic Black card stock for the frame, and to be honest, it wasn’t quite smooth enough and if I was to make this card again, I’d use Black Two Toned card stock (which I’ll list in the supplies). Too much excess foil stuck to the black. Always test small samples first on other surfaces. Porous or textured papers can yield inconsistent results.

This fun-fold peek-through card design is a surprise to open!

Inside the card, the Vanilla card stock is 4″ x 10.5″, scored at 5.25″ and 7-7/8″

My mother made my sister and me matching gingham rompers for summer when I was a little girl, and perhaps that’s why I’ve been obsessed with the pattern ever since. This new Designer Series Paper has two sizes of Gingham in the 2026-2028 In Colors and the Golden Glow was ideal for my Bee-Love card.

More Hot Foiling FAQ:

Q. How is hot foiling different from regular foiling?

A. Hot foiling involves heat and pressure. It uses heat-reactive foil and special hot foil dies to transfer the foil. Regular foiling is adhesive-based and uses glue, toner, or laminator to bond the foil.

Q. How does hot foiling differ from heat embossing?

A. While both techniques are high on “wow” factor, the hot foil finish is smooth, where heat embossing is slightly raised.

Q. What tools do I need for hot foiling?

A. You’ll need:

Stampin’ Hot Foil System
Specially-made hot foil dies (IMPORTANT NOTE: Cutting dies are not designed to be used with hot foiling. You cannot die cut using foiling dies. Doing so risks damaging the dies and the system.)
Stampin’ Hot Foil Rolls
Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

Q. How do I avoid over-foiling or patchy results?

A. You can remove over-foiling (extra foil outside the design) by lightly erasing with a clean white eraser. Patchy foiling can result from uneven heat or papers with a texture. Try preheating your hot foil die longer or switching to smoother paper. Clean your hot foil die occasionally to prevent residue buildup.

Two final notes:

When you order the Hot Foil system before January 4, 2027, the Metallic Magic Class is INCLUDED in your purchase, helping you to learn how to use your new tools!
Stampin’ Up!®️ has already placed a second order for the system, but it takes time to manufacture. If they sell out quickly in July, it may not be available until late 2026 when the second shipment arrives, so don’t delay ordering!

Another video tutorial resource:

Hope your summer HEATS UP with HOT FOIL ~ Loni Spendlove 🧡

Bikes & Blooms Diagonal Sliding Channel-Lock Card

June 23, 2026July 9, 2026Leave a comment

The Global Design Project color challenge #GDP553 felt “retro” to me, so I grabbed the stamp set from the June “Bikes & Blooms” Paper Pumpkin Kit and started playing.

I was reminiscing about the freedom we had during the summer growing up in the 1970’s: We would leave on our bikes and ride/play until dark, with a stop at one house or another for lunch. The rule was that we had to be home by dark! It was glorious to feel safe and to have the mobility our “wheels” provided.

TRUE STORY: One of my granddaughters just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels and she called me from her watch/phone as I was writing this post to tell me she was taking a ride around the block! While things are a little different than they were 50 years ago, I’m grateful she has acquired a new skill and a taste of her own freedom.

Back to our card of the day: Following the diagonal card fold shared earlier this month, I added a sliding channel lock piece that keeps the front flaps together, and slides off to open. TIP: When you cut your scored card stock diagonally to get two card bases from one sheet of 8.5″ x 11″ card stock, cut it *slightly* shorter (like 1/16″) so there is a small gap between the edges when folded to allow the locking piece to slide easily.

The Perennial Postage dies were perfect for giving the bike image a frame and creating the mechanism. Watch how to create a channel lock and how this card works:

To fit the Peaceful Pine/Barely Blush/Timid Tiger color scheme, I colored one of the 2026-2028 In Color Butterflies with the Timid Tiger Stampin’ Blends marker. It was easy because it was already orange-ish in Crisp Cantaloupe. The extra embellishments actually cover up an ink smudge I made with my finger, and I wasn’t about to start over again 😆 FYI: The Card base is Basic Beige, which really gives it a 70’s Vibe.

This was a fabulous stamp set from the June “Bikes & Blooms” Paper Pumpkin kit.

If you missed the Bikes & Blooms kit, the good news is that the REFILL is in my store…and you don’t really need the stamp set to complete the cards because you can add your OWN sentiments and use an ink pad you already own. BUT, you do have to be a subscriber.

Paper Pumpkin (a marvelous monthly craft kit) is FOR YOU IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES YOU:

You’re just starting to paper craft or rubber stamp
You don’t have a lot of space to store supplies (a year’s worth of stamp sets and ink spots fit in one of the kit boxes which is smaller than a half a shoe box!)
You are traveling and need something fun to take along!
You enjoy a creative experience that is carefully curated for the season and includes everything you need (except a pair of scissors).

You can subscribe NOW and you’ll receive the July “Hooray for Birthdays” kit which guides you through creating 9 Easel Birthday Cards which stand up to display in a delightful way. Pause your subscription or cancel anytime (but you won’t want to!).

Already a subscriber? Remember to add the Detailed Flora Add-On Dies to your next order, for it will extend the usefulness of the stamp sets in the July, August and September kits!

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Diagonal Arch-Lock Card: Uncommonly Fun!

June 1, 2026June 2, 20262 Comments

Card makers relish the ability to astonish and delight loved ones with mail that is outside “normal” parameters, and this card combines a diagonal fold with an interlocking nested frame that makes it different in a cool way.

On the first Monday of each month, I share a live crafting video on my Facebook Page/YouTube channel and the first design I created today was this elegant card.

Use the 3rd and 4th largest from the Stampin’ Up!®️ Everyday Arches Dies to layer with dimensionals (in the lower left corner only). The top triangle folds down between the two arch frames to “lock” the card closed.

It beautifully shows off each of the items in the Moonlit Flora Suite, from stamps & dies to gasp-worthy paper and coordinating embossing folder:

A second version of this card design is timely for Father’s Day and uses the Waterside Retreat Suite. A little ink blending on the Basic Beige front arch makes a lovely sunset background. You can see both arches when you unlock the top flap:

Use any “nesting” frames for this idea, and to help you visualize it, I used the Silly Old Bear Designer Series Paper with it’s matching Sweet Words & Labels bundle from the suite. It was the easiest of all because I simply die cut the image on the front of the label directly from the paper! There are so many labels in graduating sizes, so it’s an ideal choice for the locking layers.

I’ve got step-by-step instructions for you in this video: Please leave a comment if you watch it~ that signals YouTube to share it to a wider audience! And of course, I deeply appreciate your support of my Stampin’ Store…you can click on any of the above links!

Graduation Diagonal Fold Card with Arch Slide Lock

February 27, 2026Leave a comment

Do you have a favorite card fold or sketch that you go back to time and time again? I’m going back to this diagonal fold with a double arch that you can slide in to lock because it’s so versatile for the Reasons & Seasons mashups I’m sharing this week!

Stampin’ Up!®️ Graduation Card using Seasonal Celebrations and Reason to Celebrate stamp sets

This fold was one I used for the Anniversary card created for a swap in January with the same two stamp sets, so I thought you would appreciate seeing how you can get more uses from it.

By layering two arches together (one on top of the other, separated by black stampin’ dimensionals on just the lower diagonal section) you create a locking mechanism: simply slide the top diagonal piece between them when you close the card:

Here are a few tips:

Make TWO cards at the same time: Score a full sheet of card stock in half both directions (lengthwise and widthwise) before cutting, then cut it diagonally and you’ll have two card bases.
The top layer (the one I embossed) is a 4″ x 5.25″ piece of card stock. Emboss first, then cut it diagonally to make the layers.
You could use two of the same size arches to create the lock, but I like the look of a larger arch behind the smaller arch, even though you only see half of it when it’s locked.
Remember to add an adhesive sheet to the back of your silver foil sheet *before* die cutting the star- peeling off the backing to stick it on is much easier/cleaner than using liquid glue! Use your embossing buddy on the points of the star that stick beyond the arch and those points won’t stick to the card.

When the card is open, I did include a Congratulations sentiment, and you can just ink up the “grad” part of the longer Graduation sentiment to get the shorter word.

This card is red & black because that’s the color of both the high school and local university, but you can use the colors for the school you are celebrating, obviously.

Another reason to celebrate is ready to be called into action and make this milestone memorable!

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If you’ve enjoyed the #celebrationcombination cards shared this week using the Stampin’ Up!®️ Seasonal Celebrations and Reason to Celebrate stamp sets, please leave a comment and I always appreciate the support when you shop my store.

Reasons & Seasons Celebration Week

February 23, 2026February 23, 2026Leave a comment

Last month I shared the Anniversary swap card I created using the Reason to Celebrate and Seasonal Celebrations stamp sets (which were designed to coordinate!) and this week, you’ll see the two sets combined to create something for every season included, starting with a simple fun-fold birthday card.

Stampin’ Up!®️ Fun Fold Birthday card with Reason to Celebrate and Seasonal Celebration stamp sets

The colors on this birthday celebration are Daffodil Delight, Shy Shamrock and Berry Burst, which is a combination that could be used for everyone. By stamping the party hats and confetti randomly on the front and inside layers, you’ve created your own party for the mailbox. The Lasting Linen background stamp also gives a bit of texture to the background of the Daffodil card base.

The key to this card is to shave off 1/16″ of an inch on the right-side of the card front, so the 7.5″ x 4.75″ Shy Shamrock card can fold over the front without buckling the card.

Small details like a few shiny embellishments top it off:

Make your own with these supplies from my Stampin’ Store:

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See you tomorrow for another Celebration Combination Card!

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!

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

New at SU! Fluffy Squirrels & Branches

September 17, 2025September 16, 20253 Comments

There is always something NEW at Stampin’ Up! and September brought a SLEW of lovely new products, so the New at SU! Design Team is here to introduce you to your next “must have” item from the September-December Mini Catalog OR Online Exclusives!

I’ve chosen the Fluffy Squirrel bundle: A photopolymer stamp set with a coordinating punch, paired with the Branching Out bundle – both from the new Mini Catalog.

When creating a card with matted layers on the front, consider ways to make it different: Use a different shape for the layers, or score the card base in an unexpected way. This card base is 5.5″ x 8.5″ as usual, but scored at 1.25″ and 5.5″, so it folds around the inside greeting:

The color palette for this card is Lost Lagoon (pretty color for pines), Cajun Craze, Pecan Pie, Early Espresso and Basic Beige – feels like fall 🍂 and the squirrels make autumn adorable, sitting on a tree stump and gathering acorns for the winter. Optional idea: add some texture to the background on the top of the card by using the Birch Wood embossing folder after stamping the branches.

The best things for YOU to gather is paper crafting supplies for hours of contented crafting in every season, so keep a shopping list handy as you discover other items featured in our blog hop to squirrel-away for a stamping day (I’ve listed my products used at the bottom of this page).