No Tricks, All Treats: Candy Bar Books

If your Halloween crafting stash is calling your name louder than a ghost in a graveyard, grab your Stampin’ Up!® Spooky Sweet Suite and conjure up something boo-tiful! Don’t worry, eat sweets with these dang cute CANDY BAR BOOKS:

I’ve brewed up two fun versions of this project. The Granny Apple Green “All Treats” Candy Bar Book holds two classic Hershey bars, while the Timid Tiger “Spooky Sweets” version was made to fit two Ghost Toast KitKats. Each one ties up neatly with ribbon to keep your candy secure until it’s time for a delicious reveal. Whether you’re giving these as gifts, party favors, or adding them to a Halloween goodie basket, they’re sure to get more “oohs” and “aahs” than a haunted house on October 31st.

These projects are surprisingly easy to assemble—no hocus pocus required! I’ve included an instructional video below, AND a printable .pdf with measurements.

Note that the belly band measurements are shown on white card stock, but the project uses Granny Apple Green card stock.

I embossed the covers to add some textured dimension (because even monsters like stampin’ style), then decorated with die cuts, stamped images, and a touch of sparkle. Isn’t it Franken-fun?

Here are the key measurements for both versions:

Green “All Treats” Book (fits two Hershey bars):

  • Cardstock base: 5 1/4″ x 6 1/2″ scored along shorter end at 2 3/8″and 2 7/8″
  • Belly Band: 1 1/2″ x 6 3/8″ scored at 1/2″, 2 7/8″, 3 3/8″ and 5 7/8″
  • Ribbon: 16″

Orange “Spooky Sweets” Book (fits two KitKats):

  • Cardstock base: 5″ x 6 3/8″ scored along the longer side at 2 3/4″ and 3 5/8″
  • Belly Band: 1 1/2″ x 8 1/8″ scored at 7/8″, 3 5/8″, 4 1/2″ and 7 1/4″
  • Ribbon: 16″

Want to see the whole project come to life? Watch my full step-by-step tutorial on YouTube here:

What else did we talk about today? The 3-day KIT SALE (through October 8th):

AND we discussed FAQs on the Starter Kit Special! Bottom line: If you are planning to order more than $35 in crafting supplies from my Stampin’ Store this month, you may as well choose the Starter Kit!

To make your shopping Spooky Sweet, I’ll list the supplies for these projects below and THANK YOU for choosing me to serve your creativity!

Product List

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove


Funny Flamingo Missing Middle Card & Spooky Sweet Events

Halloween is around the corner, but you don’t need to be limited to the Trick or Treat season when crafting with the Stampin’ Up!®️ Spooky Sweet products, and particularly the Designer Series Paper. This sheet has a flamingo dressed in a tutu that I’m going to use on a birthday card:

It’s TOO TOO cute when paired with the Not 29 Anymore stamp set for a card you can send to “THAT FRIEND” who is fiesty & fabulous:

This card is called a “Missing Middle” card, and is easier than it looks: Start with a 4-1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of card stock (mine is Granny Apple Green) and score it at 5-1/2″ and cut it at 7″… leaving you a 1-1/2″ x 4-1/4″ piece of card stock for the bottom of the card. (All the supplies I used are listed at the bottom)

Fold the top 1-1/2″ down and add a layer of Designer Series Paper, if desired. Lay the section you cut off at the bottom edge of the card, and attach a 2-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ piece of card stock to the top section and bottom section only. Then it will open like this and you can add a white layer inside to write or stamp on:

My flamingo is layered over a piece of retired Be Dazzling specialty paper, but any of our current Glimmer Paper brings the bling when you need it.

Heading into the Halloween season, there are a few events (online and in-person) you’ll want to know about:

First: The VIRTUAL Spooky Sweet Class happens Thursday, October 2nd, and the last day you can order the suite and be invited to join the class is September 24th! This gives me time to prepare and mail the supplies you’ll need, and for you to have the suite ready to use. Learn more at the event description on Facebook by clicking the image below, or on my event calendar HERE.

Second: Stamping is the best medicine to make you feel good, and you’ll stamp 3 FALL paper crafting projects at our Stamp Therapy sessions in Hurricane, UT on October 9th. Choose to attend the 10 am session or the 6 pm session, but register early, because these seem to fill up quickly. Class fee: $15.

Southern Utah crafters: Here’s another tasty opportunity for more Spooky Sweet crafting at the Cookies, Cards & Cocoa class on Oct. 16th at 6:30 PM at the Strap Tank Restaurant in St. George, UT.

Decorate 4 Halloween sugar cookies and stamp two paper crafting projects, while enjoying a beverage from the restaurant. Class fee: $35 ALL SUPPLIES PROVIDED! Click HERE to register by Oct. 9th

Product List

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove


Witches Wear Pink Halloween Card

Annabelle Broom is a non-conformist witch who would rather help than hinder, and is the protagonist of a children’s musical play = one source of inspiration for this cute Halloween card! The other prompt for my color choices was the #tgifc541 color challenge of Strawberry Slush, Timid Tiger and Secret Sea:

Secret Sea is a deep, dark navy blue, which is really lovely in real life, and a perfect substitute for black in Halloween cards. Using Basic Beige as my neutral background gave my card a bewitching-hour feel.

As Annabelle would rather wear PINK than black, this fantastic feline witch asserts her fashion sense with a pink (Strawberry Slush) tutu and is ready to fly to help lost children on her trusty broom!

If Spooky Season is your favorite, here are two opportunities to craft with me virtually, or in person:

Spooky Sweet VIRTUAL Crafting Class: Thursday, October 2nd at 4 pm MT

The video craft-along instructions will be broadcast on a private YouTube for those who register AND purchase the Spooky Sweet Suite Collection (an Online Exclusive). If you order the Suite from my store, the class is just $10 (includes shipping to you) and I’ll email asking if you’d like to join the class. Craft along LIVE with me -OR- watch later at your convenience.

Class kit includes card stock and envelopes, dimensionals, cutting guide and goodies for creating 5 projects SO CUTE, THEY ARE SPOOKY! ALSO NEEDED (not included): Adhesive, Paper Trimmer, Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad and the following Stampin’ Blends: Granny Apple Green, Petunia Pop, Pumpkin Pie, Smoky Slate.

If you have purchased the suite collection from another demonstrator (or as a demonstrator), the fee is $20 – contact me to register before September 22nd!


If you live in the Southern Utah area, you’ll want to come to the Cookies, Cards & Cocoa class at the Strap Tank Restaurant on October 16th, where you’ll learn to decorate 4 sugar cookies with LoveCookies Bakery and 2 paper crafting projects with me (DIFFERENT than the ones at the virtual class).

Looking forward to brewing up some spooky sweet crafting with you!


Product List

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove


Dynamic Backgrounds with 6×6 Patterned Paper

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:

  1. 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!
  2. 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.

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove


Come to a Craft Event -Live or Virtual!

You can watch a lot of videos, but nothing compares to getting your fingers IN THE INK! If you are like most people, you learn best by DOING, and there are so many exciting stamping events coming up, so choose the one(s) that work best for you:

Coming first is the “Remember the Adventure” Travel Journal class that is one week away in Hurricane, UT, so register quickly to ensure your seat! Bring 20-35 photos of a recent adventure and you can complete the album to show off your last adventure. Class Fee: $20 (a STEAL!) Find class details on the Facebook event HERE.


Next on the calendar is the September Paper Share!

Twice a year I offer a 6″ x 6″ sampler of all the new Designer Series Paper released by Stampin’ Up! in a mini catalog. With the September-December mini catalog coming (AND the September Online Exclusive release), there are 53 pieces of gorgeous papers that span through autumn and the holidays, and you can get a piece of each one to play with! Learn more HERE and reserve a share by September 1st!


The Southern Utah Fall StampFest will be Saturday, September 13th and you will want to bring a friend to this cozy crafternoon event! Save $10 when you register by August 30th!.

We’ll be offering the same projects to happy crafters in Utah County just a few weeks later (on September 27th). Grab your spot early before someone schedules your day for you!


Spooky Sweet Suite Class: October 2nd at 4 pm MT

The creativity continues into October, this time in a VIRTUAL CLASS for all those who love Halloween! The Spooky Sweet class will be one you can participate in while in your pajamas, as it will be broadcast on a private YouTube video for those who register and purchase the Spooky Sweet Suite Collection. If you order the Suite from my store, the class is just $10 (includes shipping to you) and I’ll email asking if you’d like to join the class, once you’ve checked out with the suite in your cart!

If you have purchased the suite collection from another demonstrator (or as a demonstrator), the fee is $20 – contact me to register.

Craft along LIVE with me -OR- watch later at your convenience.

Class kit includes card stock and envelopes, dimensionals, cutting guide and goodies for creating 5 projects SO CUTE, THEY ARE SPOOKY!

You will also need: Spooky Sweet Suite Collection, Adhesive, Paper Trimmer, Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad and the following Stampin’ Blends: Granny Apple Green, Petunia Pop, Pumpkin Pie, Smoky Slate.


Finally, put these events in your calendar and watch for details coming soon:

Stamp Therapy Class – October 9th (Hurricane, UT)

Christmas Cards & Cocoa Class – November 20th (Hurricane, UT)

Keep your creative juices flowing at a class! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove