ANOTHER ROUND OF HELLOS

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I used the February Product of the Month Designer Series paper with A Round Of Hellos again. I like the pairing. I like having “HELLO” cards on hand because they’re so easy to customize.

  • Stamps: A Round of Hellos
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Misty Moonlight, Night of Navy
  • Accessories: Circle Punches (2 1/2, 2 3/8, 1 7/8, 1 3/4); Linen Thread, Low Profile Sparkle Dots (retired), True Blue DSP (Product of the Month, retired) Stampin’ Dimensionals

This True Blue DSP has sold out, as have the Daffodil Delight Sparkle Dots. I’ll be honest: it’s hard to keep everything current with our more fluid product releases. The good news is that there’s always something new, and you can almost always find a substitute for what you see here. If you have these products, here’s a great way to use them. If you don’t, challenge yourself to find something in your stash that will work. It’s usually just a matter of changing the color palette.

This is a great geometric layout that lets the Designer Series Paper do most of the work. Helpful hint: when you’re stamping the floral image, begin with the flower (this one is in Misty Moonlight). It’s much easier to align the dot at the top and the leaves below with the flower in place – at least for me!

Go ahead: Dig through your stash and find some DSP that is just begging to be used. If you’re one of the few paper crafters in the world without a DSP stash, well, you can always search the Online Store.

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THE CUTEST CREW BIRDIES: SO GLAD WE’RE FRIENDS

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I can’t seem to let go of Cutest Crew! It’s perfect for so many types of cards. Though it’s quite well suited to cards for children, I think it’s also smashing for adults. Who wouldn’t love to get this in the mail??

  • Stamps: Cutest Crew
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Pretty in Pink, Pool Party, Lemon Lime Twist, Darling Duckling
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Cutest Crew dies, Everyday Arches dies, Blending Brushes, Stampin’ Blends, Stripes and Dots DSP (Demo Exclusive), Dear Dots (retired), Ink Refill, Paintbrush and Bone Folder, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I resisted the Everyday Arches dies for much too long. They are GLORIOUS and I wish I’d taken the leap earlier – there was a sort of stubbornness about not having bought them right away. Sometimes my purchasing decisions are based on rather ridiculous ideas!!! But never mind, I have them now and I love them. In fact, I highly recommend them!.

No less an authority than the New York Times (Well Newsletter) is advocating hand written letters. A letter increases engagement and connection, and can provide comfort to the recipient. I won’t argue with that!

I recently learned a spritz-tip – sorry, it was late-night doom-scrolling and I can’t acknowledge the brilliant crafter. When you load up a paintbrush with diluted Stampin’ Up! ink refill, tap it on a bone folder instead of your finger for more satisfying speckles. Try it, it works!!

Shop the Online Store and create a memory you can send through the post.

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COLOUR INKSPIRATION 206: PUMPKIN PIE, SHADED SPRUCE AND GRAY GRANITE

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Time for another Colour Challenge – this is CI #206 at Colour INKspirations! It’s taken me some time to wrap my head around these colours. Shaded Spruce and Pumpkin Pie are strong and bold hues – thank goodness for Gray Granite! I let that be the dominant tone, and added Shaded Spruce and Pumpkin Pie as accents.

  • Stamps: Fern & Flora (May – August 2026 Stampin’ Up! catalog)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Shaded Spruce, Pumpkin Pie, Gray Granite
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Fern & Flora dies, Blender pen, Gray Granite Variegated Trim, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I chose to use Blender Pens to color this image with these saturated hues. The Blender Pen allows a lot more control over the depth of color, and it’s easy to layer the color for more saturation. These are small images, so it was quick coloring.

I love this new Variegated Trim from the March 2026 Online Exclusive release. It’s like a wide Linen Thread – and we know how I feel about that.

Stop by the Colour INKspirations page to see the gorgeous entries to this challenge. You have time to create one yourself!

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DIY CALENDAR BLOG HOP: APRIL 2026 – CUTEST CREW

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Welcome back to DIY Calendars for another month of hand-made desk top calendars. The crew has some beautiful spring designs for your pleasure and inspiration. My choice this month is the delightful Cutest Crew bundle.

  • Stamps: Cutest Crew
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Peach Pie, Smoky Slate, Granny Apple Green, Lost Lagoon
  • Accessories: DIY Calendar Template, Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine , Cutest Crew dies, Stampin’ Blends, Blending Brushes, Wink of Stella, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I gave the kittens a bit of a wash so they had a nice place to roll, and I added a little Wink of Stella because, well, Wink of Stella. I made the butterflies the same colors as the wash (Granny Apple Green and Lost Lagoon) so it would look properly planned.

5 kittens were a little long for the calendar page, so I trimmed off the leading feline and popped it under the month. I couldn’t leave it off altogether now, could I?

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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A BUNNY WITH A FULL BASKET!

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This little bun-bun has more eggs than she can manage, so she’s set them rolling across the front of my card – Easter is on the way!

  • Stamps: Easter Basket
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Petal Pink, Timid Tiger, Crumb Cake, Balmy Blue, Soft Sea Foam, Daffodil Delight
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Easter Basket dies (no longer available) , Stampin’ Blends, White Ribbon (retired), Stripes and Dots DSP (Demonstrator Exclusive) Stampin’ Dimensionals

This DSP is a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator exclusive – yes, we have perks! However, you can find an alternative. Our Color Family DSP packs deliver a similar tone-on-tone look. I layered a 1 1/2″ piece of Basic White card stock on the Timid Tiger Panel, then added the DSP above and below it. The lower piece of DSP is 1 1/4″, the upper piece is 1 3/4″

There are multiple bunnies in this set to add to the front, but the little chick is also adorable. This layout lends itself to different small images rolling through the middle!

I’m sorry to say that the Easter Basket dies have been discontinued. The stamps are still available, and the shapes aren’t difficult to fussy cut, so don’t be afraid to choose just the stamps!

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WASHI TRANSFORMED: AN EXHIBIT AT THE SCHAEFER GALLERY, Maui

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For my recent birthday, Mr. Maui Stamper took me to breakfast and then to an exhibit at the Schaefer Gallery at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. It’s one of our favorite places to visit. The exhibitions are always extremely well curated, and the gallery is just the right size to explore without being overwhelmed. WASHI TRANSFORMED: NEW EXPRESSIONS IN JAPANESE PAPER took our breath away.

Yuko Nishimura, Line Transformation

This work is folded paper, and when you see it in person, it is absolutely magical. It is luminous and enchanting, and I kept examining it to see how it was made. The artist pleats and folds the paper to create these stunning architectural shapes.

Yuko Nishimura, Line Transformation

In places, there is a soft application of a translucent color to the paper. There are 3 of these works and they are overwhelmingly beautiful.

Kakuko Ishii, Japanese Paper Strings Musubu W+B

There are also 3 of these works, somewhat basket shaped. They are made of the white cord often used in gift-giving. Each shape is unique, but their structure is similar. I was mesmerized as I followed the individual cords composing each work.

Eriko Horiki, Group of Ishi (Stone) Light Object

These 3 sculptures are illuminated from within, and create a composition that evokes the rocks in a stone garden. The light is very soft, and the shapes are organic and very pleasing together. This is a peaceful composition, gentle and calm.

Hina Aoyama, Les Papillons

You absolutely need to see this to believe the level of detail in this beautiful composition. These images are cut from paper, with exquisite perfection and attention to detail. Some of the cut lines are the width of a hair. We were both captivated by the intricacies and beauty of this work.

Kyoko Ibe, Morning Glory #2

It’s impossible to convey the size of this work – I should have taken a photograph with a person to convey the scale. I estimate it to be 8 feet tall, and each of the 6 panels to be 3 or 4 feet wide. The paper has been soaked and softened, with color added using inks and mica. Old documents are collaged onto the surface (the guide said they were things like tax and marriage documents). This set of screens has a sweeping, mysterious quality. The sheer scale of it is breathtaking.

There are 9 artists represented in this show: Hina Aoyama, Eriko Horiki, Kyoko Ibe, Yoshio Ikezaki, Kakuko Ishii, Yuko Kimura, Yuko Nishimura, Takaaki Tanaka, and Ayomi Yoshida. They reside in Japan, France and the United States, and this exhibition is the final stop of the tour. There are many other works I have not pictured – my photographs are entirely inadequate, as well as incomplete. If you live on Maui, I urge you to visit the Schaefer to see these works for yourself. The exhibition runs through May 15th. Don’t miss it!

WOOLLY FRIENDS MINUS THE SHEEP

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Stampin’ Up! puts a lot of versatility into our stamp sets – check out this design using Woolly Friends. There isn’t a sheep in sight! When you mix and match stamps with one of our lush Designer Series Paper designs, the possibilities are endless.

  • Stamps: Woolly Friends, Fabulous Sayings (Product of the Month, no longer available)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Cloud Cover, Old Olive
  • Accessories: Lovely Blossoms DSP, Moody Palette Glossy Dots, Cloud Cover Textured Ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I lined up the flower outlines, then added the color fill. I stamped off the Old Olive for the leaves to keep it soft and balanced with the Cloud Cover. I’m sorry to say the Fabulous Sayings Product of the Month has sold out – don’t wait on these products, their supply is not guaranteed!

And I just checked: The Woolly Friends bundle is due in the warehouse the week of April 20th.

The Lovely Blossoms DSP is a gorgeous background for a simple design. There are panels ready for you to cut and apply to your card front, or you can just trim a piece of the 12×12 design as I’ve done here. I love how DSP does the work for me! If you’ve been “saving” some for a special day, save no more – get out your trimmer and make a card!

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A ROUND OF HELLOS – IN THE ROUND!

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I like to send surprise cards – not for birthdays or other significant moments, but out-of-the-blue cards. I don’t know about you, but 70% of what I find in my mailbox is junk, 20% is solicitations from realtors or insurance, and 10% is actually for me. Most of that is bills, notices and statements! So getting a Real Card from a real person is a treat!

  • Stamps: A Round of Hellos
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Balmy Blue, Secret Sea
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes dies, Spotlight on Nature dies, Balmy Blue Gingham Ribbon, Low Profile Sparkle Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The Stylish Shapes and Spotlight on Nature dies nest beautifully. I like a narrow reveal on my mats, and these two dies were the perfect solution. I find stamping the blossom (the yellow image) first works well. I found it easier to snuggle the base into the blossom than to center the blossom on the base. Does that make sense?

This Balmy Blue and Daffodil combination is my second of this design – the first one was on a Pretty in Pink panel, and I just didn’t love it. Color choices make such a difference!

Don’t overlook A Round of Hellos – it’s in the Online Store.

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COLOUR INKSPIRATIONS #205: CUTEST CREW

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The Colour INKspirations Challenges are some of the best in social media. It’s been a while since I’ve joined in, and I promised myself I would find a way to use Granny Apple Green, Berry Burst, and Basic Gray in a card for CI 205. The Cutest Crew birds flapped their collective wings and said “choose us, choose us!!”

This project is a LOT simpler than it looks 😎

I began by cutting a piece of Granny Apple Green Two Tone card stock from the Made With Sweetness Two Tone Card Stock Pack (go ahead, say that a few times.) I cut it a little longer than a normal panel for a card front – about 4″ x 6″ instead of by 5 1/4″. That gave me room to overlap the torn pieces. Then I tore it up. I LOVE DOING THIS. I alternated the sides and used Tombo Multipurpose Glue to fix them in place, overlapping the white core edges.

After that it was just stamp, color, assemble! I used a little Granny Apple Green ink on a Blending Brush on the Arch die cut. I colored the Cutest Crew Birds with Stampin’ Blends, and popped them up on dimensionals. I stamped some birdie feet across my card front panel before I added the layered arch, and I completely disassembled some of the metallic trim from a while ago and rolled it up into a little nest for the corner.

I put birdie feet on the envelope too, because why not?

Please visit the Colour INKspiration page to see all the CI#205 projects. And if Cutest Crew has caught your eye, I’d put it in my cart ASAP and buy it. It’s already gone to unavailable status once!

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Creative Uses for Two Tone Card Stock

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I’m still exploring ways to use our Two Tone Card Stock, but tearing has become one of my favorite techniques. I love seeing the white core and the rough edge, and it’s a perfect match for the Rolling Waves Bundle.

I LOVE Crumb Cake paired with just about any blue, and it really sings with Cloud Cover. Add in a literal splash 💦 of white, and I think it’s just perfect.

The Two Tone Card Stock has been torn, alternated light and dark, and stamped. I started with a 4″ x 4″ square and just let ‘er rip!

This is a great tropical or coastal card, and we have a lot of colors that would work as the ocean or even a lake. Grab an assortment of Two Tone Card Stock and have some fun! All products are available in the Online Store.

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