Anticipating Autumn

By nature, I enjoy the season I’m currently living in. However, I can affirmatively claim that FALL is my favorite!

The new “Changing Leaves” bundle was sitting on my craft desk (freshly upacked from a pre-order for new Online Exclusives coming July 2nd) when I saw the TGIF Sketch Challenge – so here we are:

The simplicity of this sketch allows the details of the stamped image and the hybrid embossing folder to take center stage:

These are the colors I chose for my card:

Clever crafters may be asking, “Does Stampin’ Up! have Mossy Meadow ribbon? Or Blackberry Bliss jute twine?” and the answer is NO! But you CAN color the Basic Beige ribbon with the dark Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Blend Marker and the Moody Mauve jute trim with the Blackberry Bliss Stampin’ Blend Marker! Because the blends markers are alcohol-based, it doesn’t take long for the trims to dry before adding them to your paper creations.

Being able to order new products EARLY is one of the perks of being a demonstrator! Don’t suffer from FOMO…you can join my Sprinkled Ink team of demonstrators whenever you are ready.

POST UPDATED JULY 3, 2024: Changing Leaves Bundle NOW AVAILABLE!

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Paper Purse/Tote for Happy Bday Shoppers

The vibrant In Color combination from the Global Design Project challenge #gdp449 felt like just the ones to use for today’s Live Crafting project

Your stampin’ stash can be used for MORE than cards, and this little purse/shopping tote/beach bag template can be used for gifting things such as gift cards, candy, money, jewelry, etc. The finished size of the box itself is 3.75″ tall, 3.5″ wide and 1″ deep.

The inspiration for the gift bags in the shopping cart came from a swap from my team mate Heather Goins, a.k.a. the Crazy Cardmaker. I love how she stamped onto patterned paper and colored the tissue paper in!

Normally, I wouldn’t pair foil paper AND glimmer paper, but this time it really added all the shimmer needed for a birthday celebration.

This is the month to add the NEW Attention Shoppers bundle to your collection: A stamp set + die bundle is discounted 10% when it is new to a catalog or publication PLUS in June 2024, bundles are an *additional* 10% off!

Did you notice the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machines are also 10% off?

The video will walk you through creating this boxy tote, and scroll down for printable instructions using the Tune In Bundle!

You can keep going to the tutorial but don’t forget to click and add these products to your shopping cart:

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I had created this pattern for a project that I shared with the Stampin’ Leaders Project Sheet group. The instructions will give you the same measurements for the Attention Shoppers version!

Pop-Out Book-Binding Card

Remember the SQUASH CARD we made last week? We’re using the SAME fold, just starting smaller, and putting it inside a book-binding card for a POP-ular fun-fold for your favorite POP this Father’s Day (or ANY OCCASION)!

At first glance, this looks like a normal book-binding card. But wait until you open it up!

Watch this tutorial and give this a try, and you’ll be chopping all your Designer Series Paper to 6″ square to make more!

The silver foil pop top and bottom really make it look like an aluminum can:

The Simply Sparkling stamp set and dies are just a taste of many incredible products only found in my online store, so while you are adding them to your cart, check out the other Online Exclusives.

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Squash Fun-Fold Card

Usually, I’m a bit more timely in posting my finished project from my Monday Lunchtime Live crafting videos, but we were focused on tending the grandkids. I’m just now getting settled back at home and sharing this (late Saturday night)…better late than never!

This fun-fold card is called a “squash card” and begins with an 8.5″ square piece of card stock. Once finished, the card squashes (or smashes) flat to fit into a standard Stampin’ Up! envelope.

Measurements for the pieces:

  • 8.5″ square card stock, scored at 4.25″ horizontally and vertically AND once diagonally.
  • Designer Series Paper: One 3.75″ square and two 3.5″ square
  • Basic White card stock: Two 3.75″ squares, plus a piece to stamp a greeting and/or images to embellish with.

I die cut images from the Designer Series Paper for the front of my cards, but you could just as easily stamp what you’d like for the top of your cards.

Now peek inside:

TIP: The same design can be used on a 12″ x 12″ piece of card stock to create a mailable scrapbook page! Place photos where any of the paper or card stock layers are, and save a spot to journal about the memories, then fold it up to send to a friend to remember a happy day together.

Watch for instructions:

Thanks for ordering the supplies from my Stampin’ Store so I may continue to bring you ideas to try!

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Good news! Starting June 5th, both the standard and mini Cut & Emboss Machines will be 10% off (they have NEVER been on sale before!) PLUS stamp + die bundles- which are already 10% off – will be available for an ADDITIONAL 10% discount through June 30, 2024.

Ice Cream, Adhesive Sheets and Last Chance Sale

When you have the right tools, any project becomes easier.

Adhesive sheets are a type of double-sided adhesive that make any piece of paper into a sticker, and they are indispensable for a project like PAPER PIECING. The Ice Cream Swirl dies are a perfect example of how you can create sweet cards to drool over, using adhesive sheets:

Start with a 5.5″ x 6.75″ card base (scored at 4.25″) and “build” layers with Designer Series Paper. The Lighter Than Air designs have creamy colors that I used to cut 3 swirls from, then built up my lemon-raspberry ice cream swirl. This is a card you’ll want to make triplets of at one time, just to use up all the pieces:

Today (April 9th) is the last day to register for my Crafting Happiness class on Friday, April 19th, where I’ll be featuring the Ice Cream Swirl Bundle (and you get a discount on the class if you purchase the bundle from my store)- OR you can use one of the stamp & die bundles you may already have.

A tutorial to teach how to use Adhesive Sheets:

Inside the card:

Today also begins the Stampin’ Up! Last Chance Sale– click image to shop!

I appreciate your order of genuine Stampin’ Up! products from my store! Your support give me the opportunity to continue sharing creativity with you. I’m always tickled to mail a hand-stamped card as a thank you for online orders!

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Farewell Friday: Good Feelings & Rays of Light

As we near the end of a Stampin’ Up! catalog year, it’s time to spotlight some of my favorite retiring products. These products are available while supplies last or until April 30, 2024 (download full retiring product list at end of this post).

Since the TGIF Bonus Challenge #tgifc466 was to create a “simple gift set” of cards, it gave me the opportunity to stretch outside my comfort zone of bright colors, and use some of the black & white designs from the Delightfully Eclectic Designer Series Paper. But you can’t take ALL the color out of my life, so I added Calypso Coral, which also shows up on some of the paper designs.

These cards use the paper, PLUS the Good Feelings stamp set and Rays of Light background stamp, all of which will NOT be returning to the new catalog premiering in May. The Rays of Light background is the one I will grieve over losing the most!

This simple fun-fold card style is strategically planned to make the most of your patterned paper! If you score a full 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of card stock along the long edge at 4.25″ and 9.75″…THEN cut it in half at 4.25″, you’ll have two 11″ x 4.25″ cards ready to fold, meeting on the front of the card,

Use a 4″ x 4″ piece of DSP on one side and a 4″ x 1″ piece on the smaller fold. This pattern can be used in landscape or portrait orientation.

Now, HOW should we “gift” all these simple co-ordinating cards?

A quick folio made from a 12″ tall x 10″ wide piece of the Designer Series Paper is just the thing, and can hold all the cards plus envelopes!

Score it at 4.75″ and 5.25″ to give a center binding back, then add a ribbon to tie closed:

What else is retiring? Click banners to download the lists of items from the ’23-’24 Annual Catalog AND the January-April Mini Catalog which will be retiring.

>>> NOTE THAT THE LAST CHANCE SALE STARTS APRIL 9th <<<

These are the supplies I used for my simple set of cards and the folio to gift them in. I appreciate your orders so much and will mail you a thank you card! THANK YOU.

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Coloring with Masks (Enduring Beauty)

Masks (the fancy Stampin’ Up! term for stencils) make coloring stamped images speedy and simple!

I was truly WOWed with how quickly I was able to color the floral spray image from the Enduring Beauty bundle with the coordinating masks, blending brushes and ink pads. This is a technique you may embrace if you don’t love to color, OR if you are just getting started, you can stamp and color this image with just two ink pads! Watch & learn how:

Did you catch how to die cut just half the image so you can add a layer of Designer Series Paper as the background? For the video, I added a second fold that opens on the right:

But you can just add a 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ layer of Designer Series Paper behind the flowers to make it a regular card. I really like the look of the Poetic Expressions designs with the flowers, and used the colors of that paper for coloring the flowers, as well.

Turn the design sideways and try different colors, too.

It’s a beautiful stamp set to use for so many projects, and if you haven’t seen my two previous posts using this set this week, check out the Notebook Cover project HERE and the color challenge card HERE.

THANK YOU for shopping in my Stampin’ Store for GENUINE Stampin’ Up! products!!! It enables me to continue bringing you creative ideas and you are guaranteed high quality products with service from someone who cares about you.

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Craft Happiness with Ice Cream Swirl

From a firm believer that you have the power to create your own joy, here’s an opportunity to *literally* craft things with rubber stamps, ink & paper that make you feel (and those you share them with) gleeful!

Crafting Happiness Papercrafting Class Banner

This class will spotlight the Ice Cream Swirl bundle (Item #162771-NOT included in the class fee)- OR you can complete the projects with the Simply Sparkling bundle (Item #162871), the Beautiful Balloons bundle (Item #161457), of the Share a Milkshake bundle (stamps and dies sold separately) – any of which can be ordered in my Stampin’ Store:  http://bit.ly/lonistampinupstore. BONUS: When you order the Ice Cream Swirl from my store, I will email you a discount code for $7 off the class!

You can learn more about the class below the video, here’s a completely different card I made in my Monday Live Crafting today~

Watch the HOW-TO below, plus you can see a sherbet easel card using the Ice Cream Swirl bundle HERE

MORE CLASS DETAILS: Registered class members will receive a class packet with all the consumable supplies (card stock, envelopes, Designer Series Paper, etc) needed for 5 projects we create together during the class, PLUS two full sized accessories (2 embellishments we will use in class) and a color copy of the completed projects. Crafting Happiness Virtual Class fee: $37

Class packet includes*: 

  • Tinsel Gems Four- Pack (Item #161623)
  • Iridescent Shaker Circles (Item #161625)
  • Card Stock, Designer Series Paper and accessories cut for projects
  • One sheet of Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Envelopes and packaging
  • Sweet surprises!

(* while supplies last- if items sell out before packets are mailed, items of equal value may be substituted)

Also needed: 

  • Stamps & Dies of your choice (suggested bundles listed above)
  • Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine (or Mini Machine) or similar die cutting machine for coordinating dies
  • Ink Pads: Pretty Peacock, Berry Burst, Lemon Lolly (OR Daffodil Delight), Calypso Coral, Lemon Lime Twist, Pecan Pie (OR Crumb Cake)
  • Watercolor Pencils Assortment #1 (Item #161700) OR Stampin’ Blends (colors above)

The class will be privately streamed to YouTube and you’ll receive a link via Email on April 16th to watch and craft along with me on April 19th, or watch at your convenience anytime! 

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Upcycle a Kit Box into a Gorgeous Gift

Maybe it’s because we’ve searched for a good box previously to no avail, but I am of the age that it’s difficult for me to throw away the boxes from Stampin’ Up! kits, or the pretty Paper Pumpkin boxes! They are such a perfect size for a half batch of BROWNIES, that it *almost* makes me want to bake a pan of ooey-gooey goodness, but then I’d want to eat the other half…

But what can we DO with those wonderful Stampin’ Up! boxes (aside from delivering goodies)??

Turn them into STATIONERY GIFT SETS!

Begin by covering the top with a piece of card stock and/or Designer Series Paper and embellish as desired. The February Paper Pumpkin kit box was also one I kept to modify, and because it was pre-printed, it took a smaller piece of card stock that I embossed for the center:

Next, you’ll also re-cycle the cardboard backing from a package of Designer Series Paper by cutting it into two pieces:

  • 12″ x 6 1/4″ – scored at 4 1/2″, 6″ and 7 1/2″
  • 4 1/2″ x 9 1/8″ – scored at 2 1/2″, 4″ and 6 1/2″

Those two pieces will create the dividers for your box. These easily fit 6-8 cards & envelopes on the large sections, a small book of postage stamps in the smallest section and your could add tags, small gift enclosures, a pad of post-it notes or a treat in the medium section:

Here’s the video tutorial to discover how simple it is to make this handy project:

After the video, I remembered I had some Dollar Tree goodies to send to my grandkids, and lo-and-behold, they fit in a 2-section box… just leave out the second section divider and you could also put twice as many A2-sized cards inside:

As demonstrated in the tutorial, I made a few simple cards using up the scraps from my pack of Perennial Lavender DSP and the Paper Butterfly Accents, along with the Perennial Postage bundle:

What are you going to put in your boxes? I’d love to see how *you* upcycle an empty kit box…share your creativity in my VIP Facebook Group!

Now that you’ve seen what you can make with the boxes, shop for more in the current Kit Collection:

Don’t miss the chance to subscribe before April 10, 2024 for the Delicate Wings Paper Pumpkin Kit, and add the “Thanks & Beyond Dies” to coordinate with the April, May AND June Paper Pumpkin kits!

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Birthday: Game On!

Our family loves to play games together- from board games to video games! A few of our favorites are:

  • Killer Uno (card game)
  • Perpetual Commotion (some call it Nertz)
  • Splendor (strategy)
  • Anything Mario (video)
  • Overcooked (video)

Seeing the “Level Complete” stamp set on my shelf reminded me that my son (an avid gamer) is adding an extra (year to his) life this month, so that’s where my imagination went when I saw today’s #tgifc463 Sketch Challenge.

I turned the sketch sideways and used the game controllers as the focal point:

The black & white designs on the Rock & Roll Designer Series Paper are truly awesome whenever you need a masculine background!

A black card is striking with Daffodil Delight and Tahitian Tide, just remember to add a white layer on the inside to write on.

While we are the subject of Tahitian Tide (a 2022-2024 In Color), remember that it’s one of these bright hues retiring at the end of April, 2024, and we don’t really have any bright turquoise to replace it right now, so order an ink refill for your ink pads and card stock of the same color for coordination!

Does your family have a favorite game to play together? Tell me!

To re-create this card, you can click on the supplies listed and order from my Stampin’ Store- that helps me so I can continue to bring you great ideas you are welcome to copy. or spark your own imagination!

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