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

Joy-ful Color & Sketch Mash-up

October 10, 2025October 10, 2025Leave a comment

Some punny jokes begin with “What do you get when you mix a ____ with a ____?” but in paper crafting, MAGIC happens when you are given two different starting points, like a color palette and a sketch!

This card was born by marrying the Global Design Project Color Challenge #gdp517 with the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #FMS707 …AND combining the Abundant Joy Paper Pumpkin Add-On dies with with the Traditions of Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper! No stamping required for this project 😉

Hang in there…even though the Traditions of Christmas DSP is backordered right now, Stampin’ Up!®️ is rushing to have it re-printed and re-stocked mid-November. Meanwhile, get your Christmas Cards started by subscribing TODAY for the October Cozy Christmas Paper Pumpkin kit AND remember to include the optional Abundant Joy Add-On Dies (which coordinate with the October/November/December kits) to your next order!

October 10th is the last day to subscribe for the Cozy Christmas card kit, and the dies are darling on their own, with just a bit of pretty paper, and using a bit of glimmer paper for the JOY makes the season sparkle:

Next time you are needing some creative inspiration to strike, pick a color palette and card sketch and make your own mash-up!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Say HELLO to Your Monthly Creative Escape

July 7, 2025July 5, 2025Leave a comment

Do you make consistent appointments with the doctor or the dentist to stay healthy? Do you have an exercise schedule or beauty regimen? Those promises you make to yourself for your well-being are the most important ones to keep, so make a pact to improve your connection with friends and to nurture your creativity:

Say HELLO to your monthly creative date – one you can do on your own, or with a friend!

A Paper Pumpkin craft box arrives in your mail on or before the 20th of each month filled with everything you need to make a paper-crafting project: Pre-cut paper, an ink spot in a Stampin’ Up!®️ color, adhesive and an exclusive stamp set. There are also step-by-step instructions in the box AND a how-to video on YouTube each month. Your FIRST kit includes a clear block – keep it handy for future kits!

This is a sneak peek of the July kit – the deadline for this kit is July 10th, but you can subscribe anytime and get the next kit!

The Sweeter With You July Paper Pumpkin Kit will be a card kit that makes 8 cards: 4 each of 2 different designs featuring sun-kissed strawberries and gingham!

One other perk for subscribers is an optional Add-on die set each quarter that matches the kits for all three months. The July-September coordinating Add-on is the Circle of Seasons dies:

And here is a card I made with the Circle of Seasons Add-on dies to whet your appetite for a sweet crafting subscription!

From a silver foil “Hello” to the mouth-watering fruits, this card is quintessential summer! But that’s not all…the dies ALSO cut an ACORN (which will match the September kit!)

As a subscriber, you may add an extra kit for yourself or a gift, shop from extra kits or refills, skip a month, or cancel at any time. I send a Paper Pumpkin Patch newsletter to my subscribers the last week of every month with ways to continue to use their stamp set and ink spot after the kit is completed!

If you’ve ever wanted to attend a class, but couldn’t — if you need a happy hobby — or if you just love paper, ink and stamps– THIS SUBSCRIPTION is a way to show yourself (or a friend) a little love.

👇🏼CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE NOW!👇🏼

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Keep your creative juices flowing with Paper Pumpkin! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Sunflowers & Tractors

July 2, 2025July 2, 2025Leave a comment

Did you know Stampin’ Up!®️ releases NEW products every other month? July is one of those months, and I wanted to mix two of the new items together for a large slimline card: The T ractor & Co. bundle (photopolymer stamps + dies) and the fabulous Sunflower 3D embossing folder!

To make the sunflowers pop, after you’ve embossed an 8.25″ x 3.25″ of Darling Duckling card stock with this extra-large embossing folder, drag the Garden Green ink pad across the flat side (where the flowers are pushed down, not up).

An 8.5″ x 3.5″ Garden Green Mat behind the sunflowers frames it nicely, and the tractor is popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The Pool Party card base is 9″ wide and 8″ tall, scored in half at 4″. This fits into a legal sized envelope.

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Those are just two of the new products launched yesterday! Also check out the two new KITS for July (click on images to see the kits):

One more thing I’m looking forward to this month is the Sweeter With You Paper Pumpkin kit! In case you aren’t familiar with Paper Pumpkin, it’s a craft kit subscription by mail, and each kit includes an exclusive stamp set, ink spot and all the supplies prepared for you to enjoy a stress-free moment of creativity!

Each quarter, a coordinating set of dies is also offered to Paper Pumpkin subscribers, and they match all the kits released in those three months. The Circle of Seasons die set is only $12 and the strawberry die will also create an acorn (hint at the September kit!):

My Paper Pumpkin subscribers also receive a special email from me on the last week of the month, with ideas to use the stamp set, ink spot and add-on dies AFTER the kit is complete! I know you’d look forward to a kit in your mailbox each month, so give it a try!

Check out all the new products released this month HERE:

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Be MINE (Valentine Seagulls, again)

January 18, 2025January 18, 2025Leave a comment

It had to be made.

If you’ve ever seen “Finding Nemo”, you know how the seagulls squawk “mine! mine! mine!” over a french fry? This card was swimming in my head with the call of the birds until I stamped it!

Can’t you hear them?!

If you haven’t seen the other Friendly Seagull Valentines I created earlier this week using the Stampin’ Up! Friendly Seagull stamp set for Sale a Bration, you’ll want to see them, too (hint: there ARE french fries involved!)

The Friendly Seagulls stamp set could be yours FREE with a qualifying order from my Stampin’ Store by Feb. 28, 2025.

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It was fun to use the Mini Alphabet letters on the heart die from the “Spring Is In the Air” dies, which are a Paper Pumpkin subscriber exclusive add-on. If you aren’t a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, this is your sign!

Fault Line Cards- Paper Pumpkin Alternatives

December 27, 2024December 30, 20243 Comments

I was thinking of cake.

This decorating trend is called a “fault line” cake, and after watching a few short videos (activating my sweet tooth), it occurred to me that the concept would translate into card making (minus the calories!).

Let’s try it using the December Paper Pumpkin “Notes from the Heart” stamp set from paired with card stock and Designer Series Paper to create these Fault Line greeting cards,starting with a thank you card:

I roughed-up the edges along the “fault line”, reminiscent of my Busted Canvas card, by rolling back the torn edges. It really gives the card character!

Next, a Basic Beige Birthday Card, with the Timeless Plaid Designer Series Paper (from the Stampin’ Up! 2025 January-April mini catalog) peeking through:

Since I hadn’t opened the Nature’s Sweetness Specialty DSP package, I ended my stamping spree with this shiny Congrats Card. The gold foil and embossing are gorgeous, so I’ll probably make a whole stack of these to have on hand! The Adhesive-Backed Heart Sequins will be available on January 7th:

Here are the materials needed for the Fault Line card:

4.25″ x 9.5″ card stock base, scored at 5.5″
4.25″ x 5.5″ card stock, same color (inside the front of the card to give it stability and cover DSP)
Designer Series Paper 4.25″ x 4″ -the main image showing through
Designer Series Paper -OR- card stock 4.25″ x 3″
Stamps, Ink pad, embellishments (as desired)

Learn how to make this fault line card (with a twist) on Monday 12/30 during Lunchtime Live Crafting on my Facebook Page and YouTube channel at 12:30 MT. The replay will be posted here on my website later that day.

Don’t miss a Paper Pumpkin kit! The January kit Hearts for You will be oh-so-loveable, and I always share exclusive alternate projects using just the stamp set and ink (similar to these) with my subscribers in my Paper Pumpkin Patch email. Subscribe NOW by clicking the image or link above:

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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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Don’t Be Spooked-Be Crafty!

October 9, 2024Leave a comment

There is a LOT going on in the SU!niverse – let’s break it down, so you can pick your path to fall creativity:

First: Can there be anything easier and more exciting than getting a craft kit in the mail??

Actually, YES: When your first kit is 40% off!

The last day to take advantage of the Paper Pumpkin new subscription offer is Thursday, October 10th (also the deadline for the Nests of Winter Kit) and new accounts will receive 40% off the first kit when you enter the promo code HOLIDAY40 – CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE

Sweetening the pot: I have a GIVEAWAY for one new subscriber – the coordinating Merry Tags & More dies match the Oct/Nov/Dec kits! It could be yours, along with the joy of a new monthly crafting adventure!

Second: TODAY (Wednesday, October 9th) is the last day of our Stamp Sale~ 15% off all stamp sets from the Annual Catalog!

Next: Whether you are craving connection, a community or a discount on craft supplies, you’ll find that the best opportunity to try any of those is the STARTER KIT – and it’s worth MORE in October!

You’ll get to choose $155 ($30 more than usual) worth of product for just $99, PLUS get a discount on future purchases through January, 2025. You’ll also get to be a part of my Sprinkled Ink family of demonstrators, and if it brings you JOY, it could turn into the adventure of your life!

FINALLY: Choose your own CURATED Craft Kit for up to 30% off this month!

This sale includes the two newest kits that were released last week! Click on the images to view them:

Tie a ribbon around these kits and you are ready for gifting!

BONUS NEWS: I’ll be at CraftCon USA in Kanab, UT on October 25-26 and teaching two classes with my friend Sue. We would love to see you there! Use promo code TEACHERS PET to save MORE on the event registration, then use what you saved to register for one of our classes.

Winterly Tree Tops 3D Frame Card with birds for a friend, Stampin' Up!

Mail this 3-D Frame Card

October 7, 2024October 7, 2024Leave a comment

…to a friend who will display it proudly!

Because the October Paper Pumpkin kit coordinates with the Nests of Winter Suite, I wanted to show a card using those products that pops out of the envelope to create a stand-up 3-D frame:

This was a pretty simple card to create, and if you dislike fussy cutting (as I did with the birds from the Designer Series Paper), you could use the coordinating dies to cut different birds out for the inside.

Here’s the video tutorial to follow along:

Add a panel to the back of the card for writing your message, and remember, #nonakedenvelopes

If you love this project, DON’T MISS THE “Nests of Christmas” craft kit in the mail! You must subscribe by October 10th in order to receive this kit, and new subscribers can use code HOLIDAY40 to save 40% off their first kit!

The stamp set from the Kit will work perfectly with the Suite from the mini catalog (which we used today). When you purchase Stampin’ Up! products from your demonstrator, you support a small business, PLUS keep artists creating beautiful crafting supplies for you to enjoy~ THANK YOU.

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Build Creative Muscles – Get 40% Off!

September 23, 2024Leave a comment

When I taught piano lessons, I’d tell my students “Practice trumps talent when talent doesn’t practice”. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not creative,” believe me when I say CREATIVITY CAN BE LEARNED!!

The easiest way to become more artistic is to have a starting point. Paper Pumpkin – a monthly craft box kit subscription – gives you a place to practice. Let me show you how:

On the left is a card created as designed for the September Paper Pumpkin Kit (“Autumn Abundance”). It took me less than 5 minutes to make it, following the instructions in the box. I thought the colors were so pretty, I chose to use the same palette on another card. Using Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry and Night of Navy ink pads, I followed a sketch from the Stampin’ Up! Sept-Dec Mini Catalog (pg. 16) to make the second card. It was simply stamped on Very Vanilla card stock and used the Labeled with Love punch to make the trio of panels.

Each quarter, there is a coordinating die set available to add-on to the kits, so I used the same sketch & colors to create a second version with the die-cut leaves using the dies for last quarter. They are sold out, but you CAN order the Merry Tags & More Dies (which coordinate with the Oct-Dec 2024 kits) while supplies last.

Next, this Thank You card in the kit (left) had a beautiful base. What if you needed a small gift package?

Make it into a box, of course! I’m teaching you how to make all these alternate projects in today’s video, so watch here for instructions:

Also included in the kit this month was this third card project- it was a 4″ x 4″ Autumn card, then I looked at the window and it made me think of a shaker card:

The snail and leaves shake around inside!

The kit is terrific to get your creative juices flowing, and making the projects as intended, you will learn the basics of paper crafting. You can always make different projects with the supplies you have in the box, and I send an EXCLUSIVE email each month to my Paper Pumpkin subscribers with ways to use the stamp set and ink spot after the kit is complete!

HERE’S THE DEAL:

Try a Paper Pumpkin craft kit subscription with 40% off your first month (new subscribers only)! Use promo code HOLIDAY40 when you subscribe HERE by October 10, 2024!

You are peeking at the “Nest of Christmas” October Kit, which coordinates with the Nests of Winter Suite in the Sept-Dec Mini catalog, and you could try it at a discount! This kit will make 10 Christmas Cards.

While the September Autumn Abundance kit isn’t available as a full kit, the refill IS available in my store (limited supplies available) and you could use other stamps and ink pads you already have to make it. You must be a current Paper Pumpkin subscriber to order refills or add-ons, so sign up and then start shopping the extras, using the same email you subscribed with.