Don’t you think puppies are perfect for a card? Especially a birthday card – and this one could say Happy Birthday inside – but also for a “I’m just thinking of you today, here’s a card” kind of card. And the paw prints on the envelope are such a fun sneak peek.
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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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.
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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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??
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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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.
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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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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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
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!
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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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!
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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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!!”
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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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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If you’ve got a package of Traditions of Christmas DSP hanging around, you have a treasure, my friends! The flip side – “B Side” if you’re Old School like me – has fabulous tone-on-tone designs. It has a life beyond the holidays!
These silly girls are perfect for a Bestie Card. You know, that always-got-your-back, I-got-your-bail-money-sister friend? They’re telling secrets right now. You could easily make this into a birthday card, or even a welcome twins card.
Go check out the B-Side of your holiday DSP. You’ll be amazed.
I’m sorry to tell you that Woolly Friends is currently unavailable, but it’s expected in-warehouse on April 20th. This one is worth the wait! Use the “Notify Me” option – it works perfectly.
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