Peaceful Garden – Creative Juice by Loni

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!):

Have ever looked at a stack of pretty designer series paper and think, “It’s too pretty to cut”? I hear you—but here’s the good news: when you do cut it, you can get the most out of every single sheet! I created this cutting map that turns any 6” x 6” piece of designer paper into perfectly sized layers for the front of your cards:

In my live video today, I walked through the process step by step and made the card shown here from the Autumn Toile pack of paper that will be available on September 2nd. (You’ll find the replay below if you want to craft along!) The cutting map is below so you can print it out, tuck it near your paper trimmer, and use it anytime you want to make lovely layers of backgrounds for your greeting cards.

Cutting guide for 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper

The first cut you make (circled) will be 3-7/8″ into the square. The second cut will be to cut the leftover pattern down to 4-1/2″ tall, then other cuts as shown.

Layer the two large rectangles on a contrasting card stock base, and the two long strips go on a piece of card stock that is 2-1/2″ x 4-3/4″, which can be attached with dimensionals to either the left or right side of the front of the card.

For my samples, I used a mix of Stampin’ Up! designer series paper. Four of the patterns come straight from the September Paper Share I’m offering — fifty-three 6″ x 6″ sheets of Stampin’ Up! Designer Series Paper, all cut down and ready for you to create with. It’s a perfect way to try every new design without committing to full packs, and it gives you plenty of variety for projects like this.

My last two examples of this sketch feature the Painterly Pears Suite and the Spooky Sweet Suite. Isn’t it terrific how the same cutting map works across completely different styles—fall-inspired pumpkins, happy holiday greetings, fresh pears, or playful Halloween motifs?! It’s proof that a simple template can stretch your supplies and spark new ideas.

Whether you’re making cards in bulk or just want a foolproof way to get more from your paper, this card design is one you’ll use again and again. Scroll down for the video, save all six card samples, and grab your trimmer—you’ll be amazed how quickly 6” x 6” papers can turn into a gallery of handmade cards.

The 1″ x 3-7/8″ piece from the cutting map goes INSIDE the cards, like this:

TWO more opportunities before you go:

The Autumn Toile paper (on the first card I demonstrated) coordinates with the September Paper Pumpkin kit, so if you adore autumn and those detailed designs, you will certainly want to subscribe by September 10th to receive a fall-filled box of coordinating crafting!
While the Spooky Sweet Suite paper is NOT included in the Paper Share, I *WILL* be teaching a Virtual Halloween class with the suite on October 2nd – Add the suite to your cart for an invitation to join the party, or visit the Facebook event page (link above) to find out how to register.