Expanding the Bikes & Blooms Paper Pumpkin Kit

June 25, 2026June 25, 2026Leave a comment

If you are a paper crafter but aren’t a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, perhaps this will change your mind!

A kit is a starting point for creativity: You can assemble a kit “as is” or find ways to extend the use of the supplies in the kit (as I did) OR use them in a completely different way (for scrapbook pages, gifts, decor, etc.) This month, I took the LOVELY June Bikes & Blooms kit and added exactly 4 sheets of coordinating card stock to make 14 cards instead of 9:

June 2026 Bikes & Blooms Paper Pumpkin Expansion

Here’s what I added:

4 Basic White Card Bases
2 Lost Lagoon Card Bases
Two 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ Lost Lagoon panels for the Congrats and Thank You flip cards
Two 4-1/2″ x 2-3/4″ white card stock to stamp on for Lemon “Lovely Day” cards (cut at 3″ to split)
Four 1/2″ x 4-1/2″ strips of Calypso Coral card stock to add behind stamped panels.

Watch the process as I cut the lemon bike panel AND one of the pink card bases in half, then added some Lost Lagoon card stock! For some reason, I can only share the YouTube link here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/LYFnApqnpaE

Because the REFILL for this Bikes & Blooms kit is available while supplies last (for subscribers only…you CAN subscribe by July 10th for the next kit, then shop the past kits and refills immediately) I wanted to show that it’s easy to complete the kit with any sentiment stamps you already own, since the stamps and ink spot are NOT included in the refill. I used sayings from Banner Sayings and Reason to Celebrate sets and the cards on the left are gift card holders:

If you received the Bikes & Blooms Paper Pumpkin kit, then you have the stamp set, which is what I used to finish off the other Lemon Lolly card bases. The April and May kits included the Peaceful Pine and Misty Moonlight ink spots, so I used a blending brush with those colors to create grass and sky, stamped the bike and sentiment in Misty Moonlight and the flowers and butterflies using the Calypso Coral ink spot from this month’s kit:

Bikes & Blooms June 2026 Paper Pumpkin Alternative, Split Panel Card

The butterflies are from the sold-out add on Wonderful Scenes dies. Once you subscribe, you’ll want to remember to order the dies that coordinate with kits for the quarter: The July/August/September kits are enhanced by the Detailed Flora add-on, which are only $14:

Finally, because I cut one of the pink card bases in half for the Thank You and Congratulations cards, I cut the other pink card base down to 4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″ and added each to the front of white card bases to use the other pieces for that design from the kit:

Before I answer some Frequently Asked Questions about Paper Pumpkin (the BEST monthly craft kit by mail!), let’s peek at the July kit (shipped around the middle of the month):

If these answers aren’t enough to help you SUBSCRIBE and anticipate a fabulous craft kit next month, PLEASE leave a comment and I’ll answer any other questions!

Paper Pumpkin FAQ:

Q. Why didn’t I get a clear block in my kit?

A. Blocks are only included in the Welcome Kit for new subscription purchases. You will not find a clear block in your monthly subscription after your first kit, in refills, or in past kits.

Q. How do I make changes to my subscription?

A. Log into your Stampin’ Up! account, open the account dropdown, and select Subscriptions to manage your subscription(s).

Q. Can I skip a month?

A. Yes, simply log into your Stampin’ Up! account, open the account dropdown, and select Subscriptions. Click on the subscription you want to manage, then click Skip [MONTH] in the Need a Break Box on the right side of the screen on or before the 10th of the month to skip Paper Pumpkin for that month. If you skip any day past the 10th, the current month’s kit will bill and ship, and the following month’s kit will be skipped. Note: You won’t be able to skip or modify a newly purchased subscription until after the first monthly kit(s) ship.

Q. What if I need to cancel my subscription?

A. For a pay-as-you-go subscription, log into your Stampin’ Up! account and open the account dropdown. Click on the subscription you want to manage, then click Cancel on or before the 10th of the month to cancel completely. If you cancel on (or after) the 11th of the month, you’ll receive that month’s kit and will not receive any more Paper Pumpkin kits after that time. You CAN suspend for a month (at any time after the first shipment) and we will not count the suspended month against your prepaid subscription.

Q. When does my subscription expire?

A. A pay-as-you-go subscription will renew until you cancel it, and a prepaid subscription lasts for the duration of the purchased subscription. We will send an email with a link to the subscription product page to remind you and your subscribers when your prepaid subscription is about to expire.

Q. How much is a Paper Pumpkin Subscription?

A. $29 month plus tax. Shipping is included in that price! You may also purchase a 3-, 6- or 12- month pre-paid subscription. ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS QUALIFY for you to earn Stampin’ Rewards *if you’ve opted in* for that free program!! Log into your Stampin’ Up! account, open the account dropdown, and select REWARDS to check!

SUBSCRIBE TO PAPER PUMPKIN

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

Mailable Gift for Men

June 12, 20251 Comment

Adding to the growing “Mailable Gifts” list (you’ll want to PIN or bookmark that link) ~ this time it’s one a guy would appreciate!

Since it’s Father’s Day, I like to remember my sons and sons-in-love (I do the same for the girls on Mother’s Day). A gift card for a CAR WASH doesn’t break the bank (when you have many gifts to mail), and when I was at Quick Quack Car Wash purchasing gift cards, I saw that they also had AIR FRESHENERS for just $1!!

Of course, I had to come back to make a slimline card that would fit both the Duck Scent and the gift card! The Stampin’ Up!®️ Party Alphabet dies are large enough to show off the contrasting pattern on the front, and this is the inside of the card style:

I did have to cut off just a bit of the bottom of the “Duck Scents” to fit into a small envelope (as shown) – it’s a 6 3/4″ security envelope, like you can buy a box of at Dollar Tree. The card size is 3.5″ x 6.25″ when folded, and I’ll give you material measurements in just a moment.

One thing you will have to do is manipulate the sentiment on your clear block, so it will curve around the first letter, and fit on the Designer Series Paper. That’s easy to do with Stampin’ Up!®️ photopolymer stamps, like the Everyday Arches set I used for this card. Make sure to stamp this sentiment close to the left side of the patterned paper so you have room for the letters!

I’m here to make all the mistakes so you don’t have to- I had to make this card style 3 times before I got it right! Once I got it down, I made multiple versions. Here are the measurements:

11″ x 3.5″ cardstock for card base, scored at 6.25″ and 9.75″ (fold the smallest flap over and secure edges with Tear & Tape adhesive to create a pocket for a gift card).
Designer Series Paper for front layer: 6″ x 3.25″
Cardstock for inside of card: 5-7/8″ x 3-1/8″
Designer Series Paper AND card stock for 3 letters (and the shadow behind them): 2.5″ x 5″

Stamp any designs you want on your letters (like the birds) BEFORE you offset the card stock behind them for a shadow effect, then pop them up on the front of your card with dimensionals.

These cards turned out terrific with a combination of papers from the Everyday Skies 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper pack! Supplies listed below, and the SON card uses Cajun Craze, Blueberry Bushel and Cloud Cover (inside) card stock; the DAD card uses Azure Afternoon, Blackberry Bliss and Basic White (inside) card stock.

Would you give this card style a try? Leave me a comment (at top of post, next to the posting date) to let me know how you like it.

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Fantastic Dad Slimline card with Stampin' Up! Party Alphabet dies

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Wildflower Birthday Cards (with a Pocket!)

March 3, 2025Leave a comment

The month of March is a busy birthday month for my family, so you can expect to find a LOT of Birthday Inspo here for the next 4 weeks, starting with this fun pocket card, which fits one of the FIVE tags from the Designer Series Paper perfectly:

Yes, this is the SAME mini-loaded-envelope I created a few weeks ago using the Toadstool Gardens Designer Series Paper, and when I realized the tags fit perfectly, I had to make some birthday cards!

They come together quickly, and it would be easy to attach a gift card to the back of the tag with a strip of Stampin’ Seal! If you are handing it to the recipient in person, you could also slip a Ghiradelli square into the front pocket, as well.

Follow along with me in the video tutorial:

Instructions for POCKET: Start with a 6″ x 6″ piece of double-sided patterned paper, then score along two opposite sides at 1-5/8″. One the bottom, score at 1-7/8″. Fold paper in along both 1-5/8″ sides and on the top, fold out the corners in a “collar”, then adhere edges together in center. Next, fold up along 1-7/8″ score line and wrap a 1/2″ strip around the lower pocket edge (can adhere the lower pocket to the front, or along the sides, creating TWO smaller front pockets).

You really need to see this gorgeous paper in person to appreciate the gold foil accents, but here’s as close as I could get in a photo:

Thank you for purchasing the supplies from my Stampin’ Store to make your own~ watch for 30+ exclusive tutorials to be emailed to your inbox every month you order over $50 from my store AND a hand-stamped card to thank you for your business!

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Spotlight Masking Technique

November 25, 2024Leave a comment

Using this reverse masking concept with blending & stamping to give your hand-crafted projects the look of layers without the bulk of extra paper! While I’m sharing projects used mostly with the November “Filled with Joy” Paper Pumpkin kit, I know you’ll find ways to try it with what you have.

Watch the video tutorial, then see the finished projects below.

A good paper crafter looks for new ways to use every piece of a kit, such as the piece that we popped the ornaments from in the kit – I used it as a stencil for blending ink onto this tag (from the coordinating Merry Tags & More dies), then stamped through the stencil before removing it:

Voila! A new ornament! Same technique on a card:

These stockings were included in the “Filled with Joy” kit – there were still some refills available to Paper Pumpkin subscribers at the time of this post – and DID YOU KNOW you could add texture to fabric by running it through an embossing folder?! The Eyelet 3D folder was adorable on these and the tag was another alternative idea that wasn’t shown in the video:

I’ll stuff these with some goodies for my primary class at church and for the sisters I minister to. That’s 8 gifts wrapped, thanks to a kit!

Paper Pumpkin subscribers who choose me as their demonstrator receive an exclusive “Pumpkin Patch” email each month with more ways to use the stamp set and ink pad from their kit.

You can “think outside the box” and use the supplies from a kit for different projects, like this quick gift card holder (demonstrated in the video):

If you missed subscribing for the November Paper Pumpkin kit, don’t worry…you could make the same gift card holder idea with the Festive Tags kit, which is available a la carte in the Kit Collection!

While you can order from the Kit Collection ANYTIME (new kits are added monthly!), you may not want to miss a month of our premium craft kit subscription…the December kit is called “Notes from the Heart” and here’s a sneak peek:

Learn more about Paper Pumpkin HERE.

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A Top-Flip Fun Fold Card

September 16, 2024Leave a comment

Simplifying an idea today with this flip-top fun-fold card! I wanted to use the “Warms My Heart” stamp set, which doesn’t have coordinating dies, so opted to use a panel I could stamp on as the focal point. The Everyday Details dies has these darling dots around the edge of the rectangles, and don’t need much dressing up. Plus, the beautiful pumpkin patch on the bottom of the patterned paper needs to be seen:

The top flap (with girl carrying pumpkins) flips up and there is a second message that matches the theme on the top of the card:

Finally, you open the card all the way and you can make a pocket with the other large piece of Designer Series Paper to slip a gift card in!

Here are the paper supplies you’ll need (with the ones I used for the card above in parentheses):

Card base: 8.5″ x 5.5″ scored at 4.25″ (Cajun Craze)
Flap for over top: 5.25″ x 2.75″, scored at 4.25″ (Cajun Craze)- watch video for paper-saving TIP!
Layer for inside card: 5.25″ x 4″ (B asic Beige)
Two rectangle “frames”: Largest die from Everyday Details (Basic Beige)
One rectangle matt: 2.5″ x 4″ (Pumpkin Pie)
Designer Series Paper: 5.25″ x 4″ and 5.25″ x 2″ (Splendid Autumn)

For the Pumpkin Spice drink layer, I used the More Than Autumn bundle (you’ll see more of that bundle on Wednesday!)

After this How-To video, you’ll find the Christmas version of this simple fun-fold card!

Here’s the same card pattern using the image of the woman with the holiday wreath:

While this version could also hold a gift card, I chose to make it a normal card and on the inside, and simply added a strip of the back side of the Designer Series Paper to the inside to make it fancy:

The Christmas Version features the Sentimental Christmas Designer Series Paper which is our “Craft & Give Back” product: For each package ordered, Stampin’ Up! donates $3 to Firstbook.org to support Children’s Literacy. (Outside the US? Check with your demonstrator to find out where the donation goes in your country)

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BREAKING NEWS: Wednesday, September 18th will be a FREE SHIPPING DAY on orders over $75 USD!

Stampin' Up! Attention Shoppers, Pop Up Gift Card Sunburst card

Let’s Go Shopping

August 30, 2024Leave a comment

The theme for the TGIF Challenge #tgifc488 is retail therapy: What could make you feel better than new crafting supplies?

Did I throw you off by showing the inside of the card first? It’s one of my favorite gift card holders, and pops out to present a card or gift certificate. Did you know I offer gift certificates of any amount? My gift certificates are good for products OR classes/events!

Moving on to the FRONT of the card…

A sunburst is a terrific way to use up scraps of Designer Series Paper, and I know I’m always on the lookout for ways to bust my stash of scraps!

The shopping cart die cut with silver foil sheets just feels like the real experience of being on the hunt for the perfect item in store. I was going to fill it with little die cuts from the Crafting With You dies, but apparently it’s loaned out to a friend…the goodies in the Attention Shoppers bundle work just as well to give you the gist.