CHARMING (BIRTH) DAY

Have you seen Charming Day? It’s a new Online Exclusive, and yes, it’s another flower set. Telling myself “NO more flowers!” doesn’t seem to be working very well. In this case, it was the sentiments and the fonts that pushed me to Add To Cart. 😆

  • Stamps: Charming Day, Spotlight on Nature
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Strawberry Slush, Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Charming Day dies, Impressions Abloom dies, Floral Impressions DSP, Stampin’ Blends, Blending Brush, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I used a couple of tricks to make this easy. I used a Blending Brush with Pretty in Pink ink to create a light wash of color on my Basic White card base, then added a few textural elements from Spotlight in Nature. I inked the words on the sentiment separately so that I could offset them on the card front.

I cut the DSP and the mat to size and used just a little adhesive to hold them in place, then ran them through the Big Boss together. DSP is lighter weight than card stock, so the two pieces cut through cleanly. I pulled out the center ovals, then finished adhering the card stock and DSP and added them to the card front. The stitched frame on the inside fits inside the opening, so it needs to be carefully glued into place.

The Floral Impressions DSP is all about gorgeous florals, but the “B” sides of the papers are gorgeous tone-on-tone designs. So many options! Time to get crafting, friends.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

FLORALS IN BLOOM DESIGNER SERIES PAPER TAKES THE STAGE

Cutting into beautiful Designer Series Papers (DSP) can be really hard to do. I have a stash of paper that I just can’t bear use precisely because it’s too beautiful to cut, and that’s a shame! I took my trimmer to the Florals in Bloom DSP and I’m so glad I did.

  • Stamps: Pretty Florals, Charming Day, Spring Corners
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Petunia Pop, Garden Green
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Pretty Florals dies, Spotlight on Nature dies, 2 3/8″ Circle punch, Stylish Shapes dies, 2, Florals in Bloom DSP, 24-26 In Color Shimmer gems (retired), Stampin’ Dimensionals

I was inspired by Lyssa Zwolanek at Embellish and CASED her project completely, although I chose a different set of designs from the DSP pack. This card is much easier than it looks, and it really highlights the beautiful designs and coordination of Stampin’ Up! DSP.

The card opens to reveal a narrow panel for your message. Personally, I love this kind of space. I often send birthday cards to friends I see regularly, because who doesn’t love a little happy mail with all the junk in their mailbox? But I don’t have news to share, just good wishes – so a small writing space suits me perfectly.

Once I started I needed to make more. I replicated Lyssa’s gorgeous card, then created a few more of my own. Color makes a big difference in a project! I can’t decide which of these two I prefer – what do you think?

If you’re looking for the Florals in Bloom DSP, it’s currently available. The Pretty Florals bundle is currently out of stock, but it’s expected the week of July 28th. Did you know you can request an email to notify you when a product comes back in stock? Just click “VIEW” when you find the item in the Online Store and add your email to be notified. Easy peasy!

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

WOVEN TEXTURES DESIGNER SERIES PAPER BIRTHDAY

The Woven Textures DSP makes my heart sing! I love textural papers, especially ones based on natural materials. This is a great fit for Hawaii themed crafting.

  • Stamps: With You in Mind
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Lemon Lolly, Granny Apple Green, Crumb Cake, Mossy Meadow
  • Accessories: Woven Textures DSP, Sunny Springs Cards & Envelopes, Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Gallery Blooms dies, Country Flowers dies (flowers and leaves – Last Chance) Glue Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The Gallery Blooms dies are amazing – in addition to all the floral images they cut out, there’s a single large die that cuts two frames and a center panel that all nest into each other. I’ve used the smaller frame and the center panel, and I cut 3 extra frames out of Crumb Cake card stock to stack together. I love the 3D effect it gives the frame.

Our Sunny Springs Cards & Envelopes have beautiful designs on the card bases as well as the envelopes. They make stunning cards effortless! Shop the Online Store.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

ALONG THESE LINES: CAKE

How about a Layer Cake on a layered card? I don’t often make square cards, but I was inspired to create a stack with this one. I made it monochromatic, but I was tempted to do it in rainbow colors. Stay tuned for future updates.

  • Stamps: Along These Lines
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Bubble Bath, Petunia Pop, Berry Burst
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes dies, Textured Notes dies, In Color DSP, Bordered Ribbon, Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I kept the coloring to a minimum, as these images are pretty intricate. A light color and a simple highlight was all I wanted. I layered a Basic White panel with a color panel and put Stampin’ Dimensionals on the back, then repeated twice more.

The Textured Notes dies are rectangles, but by running the die cut through a second time I was able to create a square. I love the designs on the edges of those dies.

TRUTH: I forgot to add the sentiment before I began stacking the paper with the dimensionals, and I was not brave enough to attempt to add it on the top of the stack! It says Happy Birthday inside.

Find Along These Lines and lots of other glorious new products in the Online Store.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

LAST CHANCE/LAST DANCE FOR BIRD’S EYE VIEW

Welcome back to my April Last Dance/Last Chance series! Bird’s Eye View was an early choice for me back in 2023, and I was delighted to have it in the catalog for a second year. But it’s time to make room for new birdies.

  • Stamps: Bird’s Eye View, Ice Cream Swirl, Attention Shoppers (all Last Chance)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Timid Tiger (25-27 IC), Darling Duckling (25-27 IC), Strawberry Slush (25-27 IC), Balmy Blue, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Circle dies (I used the retired Layered Circles), Window Sheets, Blending Brushes, Masking Paper, Stampin’ Write Markers, Paper Snips, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I started by stamping each of the birds on Masking Paper and cut each one out with my snips. After stamping each bird on the card front panel I covered it with its masked image. I created a mask by using a circle die and a window sheet (I tried to punch it, but it was too thick and I was unhappy with the results). I used washi tape to secure the mask over each bird, then created a “color halo” with a Blending Brush. The Balmy Blue Stampin’ Blends added a touch color to the wing on each bird.

I also stamped the “Make A Wish” sentiment from Ice Cream Swirl three times and cut out each word. I could probably have done it with one image, but I’m lazy and didn’t want to pay that much attention to my fussy cutting. There’s a few flicks from the Stampin’ Write marker around behind the sentiments.

I used the birthday cake image and sentiment from Attention Shoppers on the inside. And sharp eyes will notice that the front panel is on Stampin’ Dimensionals. I don’t remember the last time I made a card without them!

Timid Tiger, Darling Duckling and Strawberry Slush are 25-27 In Colors and will be available on May 7th. In the meantime, skit-skat-skoodle-doot* off to the store to pick up Bird’s Eye View, Attention Shoppers, and Ice Cream Swirl before they disappear for good!

*Any Chicka Chicka Boom Boom fans out there??

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

Last Chance for Painted Lavender & Something Fancy Stamps

Welcome to my April Last Dance/Last Chance series! Today’s a double-dipper: both Painted Lavender and Something Fancy are retiring. There are deep discounts on the Painted Lavender dies and stamps!

  • Stamps: Painted Lavender, Something Fancy
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Petunia Pop, Bubble Bath, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Mini Corrugated 3D Embossing Folder, Hexagon Punch, Petunia Pop Bordered Ribbon, Blender Pen, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I’ve CASEd this from a card I swapped with the AH-MAZING Fiona Carson at OnStage 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. If you need an energy boost, check her out. She is a dynamo!

The images from Painted Lavender are stamped first, then embossed with the Mini Corrugated 3D Embossing Folder for texture on texture 💕 I used Petunia Pop on the larger flowers, but I stamped them off before adding them to the card panel. And I added a touch of Daffodil Delight to the center of those flowers with the Blender Pen. Blender Pens are indispensable -you can add a little or a lot of color by controlling how much ink you add to the brush.

Don’t take your time shopping, as these stamps are gone for good when they sell out. Shop LAST CHANCE before it’s too late.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

SUMMER SPLASH SLICE & SLIDE

I definitely have my favorite colors and color combinations, and lately I’ve been trying to stretch myself a bit. Combining Summer Splash and Gorgeous Grape is absolutely a stretch, but I think it works! Please say you agree 😉

  • Stamps: With You in Mind
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Summer Splash, Gorgeous Grape
  • Accessories: 24-26 In Color DSP, 24-26 In Color Shimmer Gems, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Gorgeous Grape is NOT a color I reach for. It has to be very intentional, and in this case, I really didn’t think these two would work. I was actually kind of pleased at how well they came together!

If you haven’t explored With You in Mind, I recommend it. The sentiments are big and bold with a modern font, and I love the script/block font combination. The small leaf is from the same stamp set, making this a great choice for on-the-go crafting.

The Slice & Slide format creates an interesting shape when you open your card, and leaves a little space for a clever reveal at the bottom as well.

The Paper Family packs are a great option for this layout as you have 4 different patterns and a variety of colors to work with. Let me know if you’ve taken the Slice & Slide plunge!

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

DELIGHTFUL WISHES SLICE & SLIDE

Can I tell you a secret? (Don’t be shocked.) I absolutely adore this Slice & Slide layout. It’s easy. It’s a GREAT way to use our DSP. And it looks so much harder than it is.

  • Stamps: Delightful Wishes
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Boho Blue, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade
  • Accessories: Timeless Plaid DSP, 23-25 In Color Opaque Sparkle Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

There’s more information in my January 27th post on this technique. You’ll notice this card has no die cuts, no coloring, and no fussy cutting. You just slice off a portion of the card base, slide it up the side, add DSP and a sentiment panel, and then step back and admire your clever work. Really.

Timeless Plaid DSP is part of a suite, but I’ve stocked up on a couple of extra packages because it’s so versatile. There are definitely great Manly combinations in the pack, but there are plenty of options for a neutral or feminine card. It’s a good thing to have on hand.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

CORNER IN BLOOM: PETUNIA POP BIRTHDAY

Corner in Bloom is one of my favorite Sale-a-bration stamp sets, and while I’m not certain these flowers are petunias, I’m very happy to see them in Petunia Pop. These are happy flowers!

  • Stamps: Corner in Bloom (SAB 2025), With You in Mind, Elements of Text
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Petunia Pop, Granny Apple Green, Gray Granite
  • Accessories: Paper snips, Stampin’ Blends, 24-26 In Color DSP pack, Iridescent 1/2″ trim, 24-26 In Color Resin Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I’m gonna get real here: this didn’t work out the way I envisioned it. I’m not happy with the script from Elements of Text that was supposed to be in the background but ended up looking like I accidentally made a grocery list on my card. I tried to add it after everything else was done, and I should have taken the time to carefully mask off the sentiment and the flowers. Live and learn!

Instead, I took the time to add these flowers to the inside corners. This set comes with corners and single flowers from each corner, and it was the single flower I used to do this.

We’re halfway through February, and that means we’re on the downhill side of Sale-a-bration 2025. If you’d like to earn Corner in Bloom (or any other SAB selection) for free, head over to the Online Store and do a little shopping.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

SLICE AND SLIDE FUN FOLD: FRUIT SALAD

Fruit Salad Designer Series Paper has the perfect set of patterns for this clever fun fold card. You’ll have so much fun mixing and matching designs!

  • Stamps: Spotlight on Nature, Everyday Greetings, Greetings of the Season
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Coastal Cabana, Old Olive, Pecan Pie
  • Accessories: Fruit Salad Designer Series paper (SAB ’25), Paper Trimmer, Water Painter, 24-26 In Color Shimmer Gems, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I love the leaves from Spotlight on Nature. They’re elegant enough to stand alone, but they are subtle enough to work as a background. I used a Water Painter to blur the ink a bit after I stamped them.

This card is a direct CASE from one of Rachel Tessman’s Mystery Stamping events. Follow the link for detailed instructions, but the basic concept is to measure halfway down the right side of the front panel of the card and cut a diagonal piece to the lower left corner. That piece is rotated up the left side of the card, forming an asymetrical card front. Measure coordinating pieces of Designer Series Paper (Fruit Salad, in this case) to layer the card front and the rotated piece. Add a sentiment panel over the assembled card front and embellish.

These are absolutely addictive to make! The possibilities are endless, and the DSP is the star of the show. I may or may not have a somewhat excessive collection of DSP that needs to be used ASAP, and I’ve been slicing and sliding for a few days.

Rachel has very detailed instructions, so head over to her post if you need more specifics. If you need DSP, (come ON, you know you do), shop the Online Store. Be sure you take a good look at Fruit Salad, available for free with a qualifying order during Sale-a-bration 2025.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.