CUTEST CREW KITTENS AND TWO TONE CARD STOCK

  • 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

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

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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LOVELY BLOSSOM DESIGNER SERIES PAPER IS READY TO ROLL!!

I know I said the puppies were the most fun to color, but I think I’ve changed my mind. The birdies can be any kind of crazy colors, and they still sort of make sense. That fact allowed me to match them to this beautiful DSP despite the face the result is somewhat improbable.

There’s been a tiny nest of Japanese White Eyes just over the fence at Mary-Next-Door’s house. We can hear the babies peeping, and unfortunately, so can Bella. She is obsessed, but for the time being the stucco wall is too far away, and the branches of the shrub are too small to hold her. Let’s hope it stays that way!

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PUPPIES! PUPPIES! PUPPIES!

I think the puppies are the most fun to color, although the birdies are right behind them (and there are only 3 birdies so they go faster 😆). Stampin’ Blends make it quick and colorful work.

The Woodgrain Wonder DSP is gorgeous, and the patterns are more uniform. It’s a versatile neutral paper that has lots of potential. Have some fun with it!

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ANOTHER ROUND OF HELLOS

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

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!

  • 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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