ENHANCE YOUR CRAFTING WITH MOONLIT FLORA DSP

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Stampin’ Up! Designer Series Paper (aka DSP) is one of the most versatile design elements in my crafting bag o’ tricks. Our papers are smooth, two-sided, and beautifully designed to accent any project. The Moonlit Flora DSP is especially lush, and it really satisfies my tropical little heart.

I’ve added some shimmer to the fern die cut with our new Shimmer Brush. I got the idea after I’d adhered the fern to the card front, so the accent isn’t as precise as I’d like. In my house we call this Delayed Intelligence. Sigh.

All of the Fern & Flora images are beautiful, but I chose to use just the paper and the die cuts for this card. This layout is very simple – it uses 2 pieces of DSP and a strip of Secret Sea run through the Fern & Flora embossing folder. The hardest part is choosing which papers to feature!

Give this one a try with the Moonlit Flora DSP or any other paper you have in your stash. You’ll love the results!

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DIY CALENDAR BLOG HOP: JUNE 2026 – FERN & FLORA

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Welcome back to DIY Calendars! Thanks for joining us this month – and every month – as we share our creative ideas. This month, I’m using a bundle from the May-August 2026 catalog called Fern & Flora. It has tender sentiments and beautiful line drawn botanical images, making it a very versatile bundle.

  • Stamps: Fern & Flora
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Hybrid Black, Daffodil Delight, Mossy Meadow, Highland Heather, Fresh Freesia
  • Accessories: DIY Calendar Template, Fern & Flora dies, Stampin’ Blends, Blender pen, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I don’t often add 3-D elements to my calendars, but I wanted this sentiment to stand out. The original wording is “you make the world a better place” but I used a Blender Pen to hand-color the stamp and leave out the word “you”.

I wanted to see if the Blender Pen would work. We used to use Stampin’ Write markers for this technique, but since they’re no longer available I was looking for an alternative. It worked!

The panel of lines in the back has been stamped off to create a softer look. The calendar is mounted on a Highland Heather panel. It’s a color I don’t use very often, but I’m very happy with the way it combines with Mossy Meadow and Daffodil Delight. I’m debating on working my way through the entire Stampin’ Up! color collection – what do you think? There are a few colors that will definitely provide a challenge for me!

Click the button to travel through the Blog Hop and see what Sharon and Cheryl have created this month. We’re so glad you’ve joined us!

Would you like to make your own 2026 DIY Calendars? The template is just $6. Visit my secure page to make your purchase. (You can also find the page on the banner across the top of my home page.) You’ll receive links to download the templates in an email after you’ve paid. You’ll need to cut and paste those links into your browser. (You may need to check your spam folder to find that email.)

The 2027 Calendar will be available in September. I know some of you are already counting the days! For now, it’s only 2026 that’s available.

You are only purchasing a template, which you can download and print for your personal use. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

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COLOUR INKSPIRATION #210: GUEST DESIGNER!

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Today I’m quite pleased to be a Guest Designer for Colour* INKspiration Challenge #210. This one is really fun, as it’s all about the 2026-2028 In Color Palette from Stampin’ Up!

It took me a while to decide where to start as I love all five 26-28 In Colours. I ultimately chose to begin with Crisp Cantaloupe, as it’s a returning colour from the 2013-2015 Palette. Anyone else who has been around that long??

The background paper isn’t DSP. It’s our new(ish) Water and Dotted Lines Decorative Masks, colored with a Blending Brush. They’re quite large – 12″ x 12″ – so you could cover an entire page for a scrapbook layout or a 3D project. I’m quite smitten 💕

Flowers Fair can be used so many ways. Here I’ve coloured it, then cut it with one of the arch dies. Stampin’ Blends are my favorite way to colour these images, but you could use Watercolour Pencils, Blending Brushes, Watercolour, or even daubers to fill in the colour.

I decided to emboss the greeting with White Embossing Powder on a Peaceful Pine panel. I’m happy with the way the embossing makes the greeting “pop” on the card front.

Take a look at what the Design Team has created for this great colour challenge. If you’ve never played along, I hope you’ll give it a try! You can’t go wrong with such a gorgeous set of colours.

*Although I’m in the US and the standard spelling is “COLOR”, I’ve chosen to use the alternative spelling of “COLOUR” in recognition of the group identity. I’m sure you can make the translation. 😆

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A NEW CATALOG, NEW ONLINE EXCLUSIVES, AND TWO NEW KITS!

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It’s a Stampin’ Up! shopping trifecta! Lots of new products, not to mention a new JOIN offer and a brand new Product of the Month! I hope you’ve got your list ready.

Let’s start with the new 2026 May-August catalog. It’s a brand new format, with lots of brand new products – including the 2026-2028 In Color Collection. Click on the catalog above to see a digital copy, or click HERE to shop the Online Store.

The star of the May 2026 Online Exclusives is definitely the Silly Old Bear Suite. I predict this to be a very hot seller – don’t wait to get yours!

This Specialty DSP is likely to be another hot seller. It’s just $5 with a qualifying order – don’t miss the chance to add it to your cart.

These two new kits are just the thing for that last minute card – they’re both stamping kits, which means you can use the included sentiments or substitute your own. Choose Serene Scenes, choose Pretty Party, or choose them both!

Before you place that order, take a look at the bonus you’ll earn when you become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator in May. In addition to all the kit benefits, you’ll get all five NEW Magnetic Ink Pads in the 2026-2028 In Colors! It’s a sweet deal – message me if you want to chat about whether or not it’s a good fit for you.

Happy Browsing, Shopping, and Deciding!! Get started HERE.

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COLOUR INKSPIRATION #208: LOVELY ARRANGEMENTS

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The Colour INKspiration crew has a fun challenge this time around. It’s time to say farewell to the Stampin’ Up! 2024-2026 In Color Collection: Shy Shamrock, Pretty in Pink, Peach Pie, Petunia Pop and Summer Splash. The challenge is to use at least one, or as many as all five retiring colors in a project. I chose Shy Shamrock and Petunia Pop.

I stamped off the Lovely Arrangements leaves to keep them from competing with the other elements. I actually like the uneven result as it increases the textural feeling. The flowers are colored with Stampin’ Blends. I’m going to miss the 24-26 In Color Collection!

The Nested Essentials dies are new to my craft arsenal, and the biggest hexagon said “try me!” It was too wide for the card, but when I cut it in half it worked perfectly. And the stripes in the DSP played so well with the stripes in the (most sadly retired) Pattern of Friendship die – I hope you’re lucky enough to have that die in your arsenal!

Take a minute to check out the Colour INKspiration page on Facebook. The challenge is open until Monday, May 11th at 5pm (AEST). You’d best check your favorite time zone calculator on that, and don’t forget that Australia is on the other side of the International Date Line from the USA. 😉

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DIY CALENDAR BLOG HOP: MAY 2026 – SILLY OLD BEAR

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Welcome to DIY Calendars for May! Thanks for joining us this month – and every month – as we share our creative ideas. My choice for May is a new suite debuting with the 2026 May Online Exclusives that brings back very fond childhood memories: Silly Old Bear.

  • Stamps: Sweet Old Friends, Sweet Words and Labels (coming May 5th)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Azure Afternoon, Granny Apple Green, Golden Glow, Barely Blush, Bubble Bath, Strawberry Slush, Hybrid Black
  • Accessories: DIY Calendar Template, Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I grew up with the Silly Old Bear, and these images and phrases are very sweet and dear to my heart. I’m from the pre-Disney era, and my memories are of the line drawings from the original book. Fortunately, those are the images in Sweet Old Friend.

One caveat: due to licensing restrictions, this suite is only available in the USA.

I’ve colored Piglet and Pooh with Stampin’ Blends and added a wash of color to the calendar page with the Blending Brushes. I’m looking forward to seeing this on my desktop through the month of May!

Click the button to travel through the Blog Hop and see what Sharon and Cheryl have created this month. We’re so glad you’ve joined us!

Would you like to make your own DIY Calendars? The template is just $6. Visit my secure page to make your purchase. (You can also find the page on the banner across the top of my home page.) You’ll receive links to download the templates in an email after you’ve paid. You’ll need to cut and paste those links into your browser. (You may need to check your spam folder to find that email.)

You are only purchasing a template, which you can download and print for your personal use. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

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COMPARING THE 2026-2028 IN COLORS WITH OUR CURRENT PALETTE

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The last couple of years I’ve taken to making these simple side-by-side arrangements of our new In Colors and their close friends in the Stampin’ Up! color families. I’m fascinated with the way they fit – or don’t fit – with the existing lineup. Take a look at this year’s class:

That’s Hydrangea Hue in the center. It’s almost a periwinkle color, although it looks a little more lavender in this photo that it does in person. If you’ve been around for a bit, you might remember Orchid Opulence – I think Hydrangea Hue is closer to that color tone. I need to see if I can find some Orchid Opulence card stock to test my theory.

Here’s Golden Glow with the yellows. It’s a beautiful shade that is going to be stunning in the autumn. It almost leans into a warm brown, but not quite – I think it could work as a neutral.

Ahhhh, Peaceful Pine. This one will surely be one of my favorites. It’s a lovely green, in my opinion more of a garden green than the color named Garden Green! It will work well for the holidays as well as year round as foliage.

Barely Blush is a VERY welcome shade of pink! It’s really soft, softer than it looks in this light. I included Pretty in Pink as a comparison, even though it’s retiring, because it really demonstrates what a lovely shade of pink we have on our hands.

And finally, we have Crisp Cantaloupe back it the house! It’s going to be a gorgeous monochromatic partner to Flirty Flamingo, Calypso Coral, and Petal Pink. It can play in the orange sandbox as well!

These photos are a useful comparison, but don’t take them as a true representation of the actual color – lighting during photography as well as differences in monitors will influence how the colors appear. Purchase a pack of the 26-28 In Color assorted card stock (#167683) when it’s available to customers on May 5th and see them for yourself. I think you’ll be delighted!

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CUTEST CREW KITTENS AND TWO TONE CARD STOCK

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I am smitten with Cutest Crew! These kittens are playful and chaotic and exactly how a kindle of kittens should be 😺

  • Stamps: Cutest Crew
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake, Gray Granite, Pebble Path
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Cutest Crew dies, Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder, Two Tone Card Stock, Stampin’ Blends, 1/8″ Ribbon (Bubble Bath), Pebble Path DSP (retired), Stampin’ Dimensionals

I hope you’ll excuse my use of retired DSP – I didn’t have Gray Granite, but I had Pebble Path, and I thought it worked pretty well! (A moment of silence, please, for Pebble Path, I loved that In Color!)

Along the same lines, I slipped in the Bubble Bath ribbon as it played very nicely with Pretty in Pink. Sometimes embellishments will give you double duty that way 😉

The kittens are a lot of fun to color with Stampin’ Blends. This little crew is an active bunch and they make for a very playful card!

The Cutest Crew dies are out of stock and due in the Warehouse the week of April 27th. Have you used the “Notify Me” option in the Online Store for out of stock products? It works like a charm!

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CUTEST CREW KITTENS WITH LOTS OF TEXTURE

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Have you seen enough kittens? NOT POSSIBLE. Cutest Crew! These kittens have been so much fun that I’ve had them on my desk all month long.

I love the patterns of lines, both horizontal and vertical, anchored by the Misty Moonlight circle in the middle. The patterns in the embossing folder lined up almost perfectly with the Designer Series Paper – what a lucky coincidence! Oh, and have I mentioned the kittens??? 😉

I love how our embellishments are flattened out. I usually add a piece of card stock to the front of my cards before I put them in the mail, and I haven’t had any problems. Stampin’ Up! really does listen when we tell them things that work – and that don’t work!

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TWO TONE CARD STOCK AND ROLLING WAVES V2

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Déja vu? Not quite – this is a variation on my first Rolling Waves/Two Tone Card Stock card. It’s simplified a bit, and it has a bit of a color pop with the sea stars added on the bottom. But the colors and the layout are quite similar.

The technique is quite similar – tear the paper, alternate sides as you apply it, and finish with the Rolling Waves die cut. I changed the sentiment panel to a Stylish Shapes banner, and the color palette is Pool Party and Coastal Cabana instead of Cloud Cover and Lost Lagoon.

We made this card in my crafting groups, and one of our members shared a hilarious story about someone in an aquarium rather arrogantly correcting her children: they are NOT Star Fish, they are not fish at all, they are Sea Stars. Oh my gosh, we laughed so hard – you had to be there.

That’s why we make cards together, isn’t it? For the fun, the laughter, and the connection.

Maybe you could send a birthday card to someone this week. It will bring a little joy to both of you. If you need supplies, shop the Online Store.

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