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

Branches & Pines: Swap Card for BackStage

November 15, 2025Leave a comment

There are so many things I’ve learned while being a Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrator beyond rubber stamping: This marvelous company was the first to train me on Crucial Conversations (which I’ve invested in three times since then), leadership and time management skills, self-care, communication, and most recently I’ve returned from #StampinUpBackStage (our leadership conference) in Las Vegas, where we learned to connect more meaningfully with our creative communities. What a blessing to have the personal development opportunity to help me grow into the best version of myself, so I can serve YOU!

Of course, no stamping event would be complete without a little swapping, but I was afraid I wouldn’t have time to make any cards to exchange…the night before I left, I MADE time to craft 20 cards. I used the cutting guide/template I shared in September and the Elegant Pine Snowflakes Designer Series Paper paired with the Branching Out bundle, which coordinated quite nicely:

It was delightful to share my cards with others, and receive many lovely hand-stamped creations in return, so the las-minute midnight stamping session paid off!

While not a holiday card, it has the feel of the season, and would make an excellent birthday or wedding card for someone celebrating during the winter:

If you are here to learn card-making skills, I’d love to send you a THANK YOU card when you order supplies from my Stampin’ Store! Make sure you OPT IN for REWARDS (earn 10% of your purchase back to save or spend next time) AND OPT IN to allow me to contact you!

Ready to embark on your own Stampin’ Up! personal adventure as a demonstrator? You will be loved and cherished in the Sprinkled Ink team, my demonstrator family!

Join Stampin’ Up!

Mix and match card stock to coordinate with the colors in the paper, and use any embellishments that you need to use up 😉

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Christmas Ornament in a Flip-Flap Card

November 5, 2025November 5, 20251 Comment

There have been a lot of MAILABLE GIFT IDEAS shared on my website this year, thus, it’s fitting that we add an ornament featuring the large Gold Hoops (also from my store) that could be hung on a Christmas tree. Awesomely, Stampin’ Up!’s new 4″ x 4″ FLIP-FLAPS allow the ornament to double as the decoration for the front of the card, and I have a video tutorial to help you learn how to make one!

By folding the Flip Flap pocket over the front of the card, you can slide the ornament inside and lift the flap to open and get it out. NOTE: In my tutorial, I adhered the flip flap to the inside layer, but you’ll want to adhere it to the back panel inside the card instead, so the ornament doesn’t fall out until you open the flap!

Using the Modern Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper and “A Child is Born” stamp set was an elegant combination, don’t you agree?

This next version was inspired by an ornament my teammate Angaleen taught us in our November team virtual Stamp & Chat meeting, and uses the North Pole Delivery Specialty Designer Series Paper, which includes printed die cuts:

Here’s how it looks when you open it up, and the back side of the ornament:

I didn’t use the Gold Hoop on this version, but will on the last one. Use any punch or die for your leaves. The recently retired “Bough Punch” was on my desk, so that’s what I grabbed for both the North Pole card and the next one, featuring my favorite Designer Series Paper from last year (and still available online), Nests of Winter.

The birds were fussy cut from the patterned paper and the sentiments came from the Traditional Labels bundle. I added some Cherry Cobbler delicate details from the Branching Out dies along the top and bottom of the Flip-Flap for this card (TIP: Add a piece of adhesive sheet to the card stock BEFORE you die cut them out, to make the berry branch stick without mess!)

Here is the card opened:

Ready to craft along with me? Watch the video (and rest assured, I usually don’t have such a beastly time with Stampin’ Seal + !!!). THANKS IN ADVANCE for choosing to shop with me! It allows me to have the time and resources to share more ideas with you without charging for the tutorials.

If you find these instructions useful, please shop by clicking any of the links to the products listed above! Another way to show your support: Scroll back to the comment section at the top of the post near the date and leave a COMMENT!

FINAL TIP for this card idea: Score your 4″ x 4″ Flip Flap at 4-1/4″ (the score will be close to the side with adhesive) before you attach it to the inside back panel of your card, so it folds over the front and lays flat.

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

12 Days of Crafting & Free Shipping – 3 Days Only

October 21, 2025Leave a comment

Remember the anticipation of getting to open one door each day on the calendar counting down to Christmas? You can re-live that giddy feeling with the new 12 Days of Crafting Advent Calendar!

Behind each door are brand-new, never-before-seen dies, paper, embellishments, and other exclusive items you won’t find in any of the Stampin’ Up! catalogs or in our online store which all coordinate with the 12 Days of Crafting Advent Calendar photopolymer STAMP SET (a double set, INCLUDED with the calendar!), worth well over $125.

This set (and the supplies in the calendar) are NOT Christmas or Holiday-specific, but can be used year-round for crafting happiness.

While I don’t want to spoil the surprises inside, I am going to share more ideas using just the stamp set (along with card stock and ink) from October 22-26th on my Creative Juice by Loni Facebook Page, beginning with this Summer Splash “Thinking of You” card.

Serendipitously, there will be THREE DAYS of FREE SHIPPING on orders over $75 from October 22-24, 2025, so this is the time to save 11% AND check off a Christmas gift for a paper crafter!

Now, if you are a crafter yourself, the BEST deal is the October-Only Starter Kit offer, and you could choose to add the 12 Days of Crafting to your Starter Kit for just $35 (and still choose a few more products!):

Show me the Starter Kit!

If you order the 12 Days of Crafting Advent Calendar from my store (while supplies last) OR join my team, you’ll receive 12 project tutorials using the supplies from the calendar before the end of 2025!

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New at SU! – Gingerbread Gifts

October 15, 2025October 15, 20252 Comments

The theme for the October New at SU! blog hop is “No Tricks – Just Treats!” and I’m sharing a Gingerbread Man Tag for a cute Holiday Gift Idea for neighbors, co-workers or anyone who deserved a jolly bit of baking!

Crafters LOVE to give presents, and the details make each gift delightful. This creative idea will have the recipient “baking spirits bright” for a delicious treat hot out of the oven!

The Gingerbread Man bundle includes a die that cuts a cookie that folds in half to form a card. I decided that when it opens, it should look good enough to eat (or rather, HAS been eaten):

I have a few TIPS to make this project easy to prep for making multiple tags:

The 1/2″ strips of Basic White card stock you have left over from making card layers are perfect for the icing squiggles: Remember to put a strip of adhesive sheet on the back of that strip before die cutting, and each squiggle can do one wrist and one ankle on the gingerbread man.
Including the Gingerbread man, you can get all the pieces cut in 3 passes through the Cut & Emboss Machine, if you follow the format below.
The 3rd picture shows all the pieces cut and ready! You’ll end up with two candy canes: one with a white base and one with a red base.

I did add a little sponging of Crumb Cake ink around my cookie with a blending brush, and used another 1/2″ strip for the banner:

The festive hot pads with a POCKET can be found on Amazon HERE for less than $2 each and have some , and the skinny spatulas HERE. The Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie mix was at my local grocery store, but you could substitute a Sugar Cookie mix, which is often found at the Dollar Tree (or whatever mix is available in your area.

Before you move on to another tasty treat stamped by one of our dazzling New at SU! design team, I’ve added the supplies needed for this project to the end of this post to help you get started on your holiday gifting quickly (U.S. crafters only), and I’d appreciate hearing from you if you liked (or copied) this idea ~ you can leave a comment at the top of my post, near the date.

Now lick your fingers and press the GO button for “Gathering Together” treats by Karen, your next stop along the sweet tour:

October 2025 New at SU! Hop: No Tricks, Just Treats!

Previous Blog Next Blog

1.Astrids Papiereuphorie (AT) – Halloween Goodies

2.Did You Stamp Today? (US) – Halloween-ish Treat Pouches

3.247 Inkspiration (US) – Gathering Moments Treat

4.iHeartCards2 (US) – Halloween Treat Holders

5.Creative Juice by Loni (US)- Gingerbread Gifts

6.Furry Cat Designs (UK) – Gathering Together Treats

7.De Kijkkast (NL)- Kleine kersttractatie met Delicate Pines

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Remember: If your shopping list is more than $35 in October, 2025, your best shopping deal is the STARTER KIT! With two specials this month to choose from (plus a discount on your future purchases- including your Christmas Gifts! – through March 2026!) there are no strings attached to just give it a try…and possibly a wonderful adventure ahead:

Shop the Starter Kit NOW

Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

No Tricks, All Treats: Candy Bar Books

October 6, 2025October 6, 20251 Comment

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.

Print .pdf Candy Bar Book Tutorial

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!

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Fluffy Squirrel Birthday & Sprinkled Ink Swaps

September 29, 2025Leave a comment

The art my teammates create is astounding! The Sprinkled Inkers (and friends) host a card swap for each new print publication, including new Online Exclusives. Michelle snapped these photos and I wanted to brag on the creators:

There were fun folds we learned in a virtual team meeting, gift card holders, tags, layers, specialty paper, ornaments, fun folds, embossing… all the creative ideas you collect by being a stamper! I’m so proud of these demonstrators, and there is ROOM IN OUR FAMILY FOR YOU!

For 31 days in October, there are two fabulous starter kit offers, and there is no reason you shouldn’t give take advantage of one of these two unbelievable deals:

As part of my team, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in the best card swaps EVER, and be embraced by a community of creatives you didn’t know you needed.

This was my card for the swap – just in time for Fall birthdays!

This playful card pairs the Stampin’ Up!®️ Fluffy Squirrel bundle (stamps & punch) with the Everyday Arches dies for an autumnal birthday greeting. The embossed background adds texture behind the sweet squirrels—one bringing a gift and the other gathering acorns. Turning the arches sideways adds to their versatility! A touch of twine and soft ink blending finish it off, making this card a charming way to celebrate someone’s day of birth in October or November.

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Funny Flamingo Missing Middle Card & Spooky Sweet Events

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025Leave a comment

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

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Witches Wear Pink Halloween Card

September 10, 2025Leave a comment

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).

Register Here

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

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Keep your creative juices flowing! 🍊🧡– Loni Spendlove

Dynamic Backgrounds with 6×6 Patterned Paper

September 1, 20251 Comment

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.

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:

It’s my intent to return and show you why you may want to save the top right corner pieces (1-1/2″ x 2-1/8″)… hoping I remember to do it soon!

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.