SUNFLOWER TOTE

The Sunflower 3D Embossing Folder was at the very top of my July Online Exclusives list. It’s the large format 6″ x 8″ folder, so the options are endless for cards as well as 3D projects. I turned it into a sweet little tote.

  • Stamps: Spring Corners
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Darling Duckling, Timid Tiger, Mellow Moss
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Sunflower 3D Embossing Folder, Spotlight on Nature dies, Spring Corner dies, daubers, 25-27 In Color Flat Pearls, Paper Snips (gone 😭), Mossy Meadow 1/4″ Gold Ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensionals

It’s quick work to color the embossing folder with daubers. I began by dragging my Mossy Meadow ink pad lightly across the side of the embossed card stock where the sunflowers were recessed. (It’s called the debossed side, but who knows that?) Add ink to the design using daubers, and the result is a rustic, homespun look. If that’s not your style, use Stampin’ Blends, Watercolors, or Watercolor Pencils – but it will take a lot longer!

The handles are two big Spotlight on Nature circles, cut with a smaller circle centered inside. TIP: if you use washi tape across the circles, you can get an even and repeatable ring. Just be sure to take some of the stickiness off the washi by pressing it onto whatever you’re wearing once or twice so it doesn’t tear the paper when you remove it. There’s something about sending it through the Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine and smashing the daylights out of it that makes it want to stick to paper.

My tag is hand cut. I used a piece of chipboard from the back of a DSP package to make a pattern for the angles at the top. I snipped the corners with my Paper Snips and added the corner die cut from Spring Corners, along with a tiny 25-27 In Color Flat Pearl. A bow with the Mossy Meadow and Gold ribbon finishes it off!

Paper Snips, we will miss you. 😭😭😭 They sold out in a hot minute after Stampin’ Up! announced that they would no longer be available from the manufacturer. Stay tuned for an update on a replacement. In the meantime, take good care of your Snips!

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Discover Colour Inkspiration #188: Crafting with Vibrant Colors

Oh, it has been a long time since I’ve done a challenge! We have enjoyed a LOT of travel in the first half of 2025. It’s been WONDERFUL, but it’s meant a lot of time away from crafting. It’s great to be home, to sit with all my crafty things and to be inspired!

This is ColourInkspiration #188. The challenge colours are Strawberry Slush, Timid Tiger, Coastal Cabana, and Gray Granite. This is a lively bunch of colours if I do say so myself!

  • Stamps: Pattern of Friendship
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Strawberry Slush, Timid Tiger, Coastal Cabana, Gray Granite
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Beautiful Motif dies, Daubers, retired flat dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Here’s the inspiration photo:

This image has lots going on but it’s filled with things I love: the sea, beautiful landscape, flowers, and lots of books! I wouldn’t mind spending a little time in that cove.

I confess: the splatters are from an ancient Stampin’ Up! tool. I *think* it was called the Color Spritzer, and it works by funneling a blast of air past the tip of a Stampin’ Write marker. I love how fine a splatter it creates – more a spritz, if in fact that was the name.

I’m not usually a super-bright color-combo crafter, so this was a bit of a stretch for me. I cut a variety of pieces with the Beautiful Motif dies and played with them until I liked them. I chopped quite a few of them into smaller pieces, allowing me to blend the colours more. And I used our daubers to add a little extra ink to the die cuts for dimension.

Pattern of Friendship is an Online Exclusive bundle. I bought it for the die – oh, just you wait, there are projects coming – but the stamps are all sentiments. I’ve decided I liked them better once they were in my hands. Does that ever happen to you, or is it just me?

Colour Inkspirations is a really fun challenge group. There’s plenty of time to create for each one, assuming you’re not galavanting around the globe. Plus it’s the nicest group of crafters you’ll find anywhere. Check them out, and give it a try!

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IMPRESSIONS ABLOOM DOUBLE GATE FOLD

Do you like making Fun Fold cards? This one is super easy. Plus, if you follow my color choices, you’ll have a VERRRY GIRRLY card for that friend – you know the one – that LOVES pink!

  • Stamps: Impressions Abloom, Elements of Text
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Garden Green, Pretty in Pink, Strawberry Slush, Melon Mambo, Lemon Lolly
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Impressions Abloom dies, Textured Notes dies, Floral Impressions DSP, In Color DSP, Bordered Ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The Textured Notes dies step up any project. Every size has a different design around the edge, but they all coordinate. They’re one of my absolute Go-To products.

Here are the basic dimensions for the gate fold:

  • Cut a card base to 5 1/2″ x 11″
  • Score at 2″, 3 3/4″, 7 1/4″ and 9″
  • Add DSP panels (with or without mats) to each side. This version uses mats that are 1/4″ smaller for length and width from the card base panel, and DSP that are another 1/4″ than the mat.

I adhered ribbon under the center panel. The panel itself is adhered with sticky strip to the left front panel and the ribbon wraps around the entire card.

See the new Floral Impressions Suite in the Online Store.

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BEAUTIFUL GALLERY DSP; LET THE PAPER DO THE WORK

The Beautiful Gallery DSP is absolutely stunning. These 6×6 images are Old World masters quality, and they shine on the front of a card. I have two floral designs to share with you today, and the pair of cards took me less than 10 minutes to create.

  • Stamps: Layers of Beauty
  • Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Mossy Meadow
  • Accessories: Beautiful Gallery DSP, Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Textured Notes dies, Linen Thread, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I cut the rectangle with the Textured Notes dies and added the sentiment. I scored one side of the rectangle and tucked it in between the layers. I added Linen Thread before securing the panel to the card front.

The sentiment on this card is from the Textured Notes stamps set, and the Basic Black mat is replaced by a Pecan Pie layer. That’s it!

Shop the Online Store for this beautiful suite.

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ALONG THESE LINES: A SINGLE ROSE

I have one more image to share from Along These Lines. I love the elegant vertical lines of this rose, and decided to pair it with the stunning Woven Textures DSP. To me, these linear images seem to work well with softer tones, so I chose Petal Pink for my rose.

  • Stamps: Along These Lines, Happy Hibiscus
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Petal Pink, Soft Sea Foam, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Note cards and envelopes, Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Textured Notes dies, Stampin’ Blends, Woven Textures DSP, Paper Snips, Linen Thread, Stampin’ Dimensionals

This is our smaller format Note Card. I used my snips to trim out just the word THANKS from the sentiment from Happy Hibiscus. I chose the soft linen-look design from the DSP pack so it wouldn’t overpower the rose. It has the feeling of matted artwork, don’t you think?

Shop the Online store for all your paper crafting needs!

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LAST CHANCE; WINTERLY TREE TOPS

Welcome to my April Last Dance/Last Chance series! Here’s another beauty I’m sorry to see retire, because I have really enjoyed these birdies. I don’t know if there are any birds with this exact coloring in the wild, but I claim artistic license and I don’t care.

  • Stamps: Winterly Tree Tops
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Blueberry Bushel, Crumb Cake, Pecan Pie, Wild Wheat
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes dies, Timeless Plaid DSP, Stampin’ Blends, Linen Thread, Stampin’ Dimensionals

This square center panel is made with the Stylish Shapes dies, which are NOT on the Last Chance list (whew!!) It’s backed with a Wild Wheat panel, which IS Last Chance as it’s a retiring 23-25 In Color. You know, when I first saw Wild Wheat I had some rather *ahem* uncharitable thoughts about the color, but once I started pairing it with other colors I became a fan. I especially love it with blue, black and grey tones.

The double gate fold is a lot simpler than it looks. Score a 5 1/2″ x 11″ piece of card stock at 2″, 3 3/4″, 7 1/4″ and 9″ to create the side panels. Once you’ve embellished the side panels, add a focal point of almost any shape to one side and you’re done!

At this writing, the Winterly Tree Tops stamps have sold out, but the dies are still available. And of course, Stylish Shapes has its hand in the air saying “choose me, choose me!!” Visit the Online Store and see the updated Last Chance List.

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LAST CHANCE for SEASIDE WISHES

Welcome to my April Last Dance/Last Chance series! I have to tell you, saying goodbye to Seaside Wishes is going to hurt a bit. It’s not leaving my craft room, but once it’s no longer available in the Online Store, I don’t usually share it in a blog post. Farewell, beautiful images!

  • Stamps: Seaside Wishes
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Summer Splash, Calypso Coral
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Seaside Wishes dies, 24-26 In Color Shimmer Gems, Linen Thread, Glue Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I’ve made more than a few cards with these stamps – you can see some of them HERE and HERE and even a very simple one HERE. For this one, I tore the edge of the card stock. I used strips about 7 1/2″ long so that I could play with the angles on the card front, and I put a piece of Basic White torn card stock between the color layers to bring sea foam to mind. A couple of gems, a sentiment, and the “dits” from the stamp set finish this one off.

As I write this, the Seaside Wishes stamps are low inventory. There’s also a gorgeous Hybrid Embossing Folder that you won’t want to miss. I’ve said it all month: don’t wait!

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Last Chance: Leaf Collection Stamp Set is $10

Welcome to my April Last Dance/Last Chance series! Today’s dance partner is Leaf Collection, a versatile, tropical image . News flash: it’s deep discounted to just $10.

  • Stamps: Leaf Collection, With You in Mind
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Crushed Curry, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green,Garden Green
  • Accessories: Hexagon Punch, Daffodil Delight 1/8 trim (also Last Chance), daubers, Stampin’ Trimmer, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I inked the stamp with daubers, then gave it a light misting to keep everything flowing. You need to work quickly as the ink will start to pool on the larger leaves. My strategy is to do the small ones first, then the larger ones.

Once the image is stamped, cut it diagonally. Use a bit of washi tape to hold the cut pieces together, turn it a quarter turn, and cut it diagonally again. Adhere the 4 pieces with a slight gap between them for an abstract tiled look.

See a couple of alternative designs from last May and June.

Shop Leaf Collection and all of the other Last Chance products today. Supplies are limited, and when they’re gone, they’re GONE.

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FRIENDLY SEAGULLS: THANKS

I grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and seagulls were the bird-soundtrack of our beach days. Their noisy calls and antics are a big part of my memory, and I still love to watch the rascals when I visit home. Needless to say, Friendly Seagulls (SAB 2025) was a must.

  • Stamps: Friendly Seagulls (SAB 25)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Wild Wheat, Poppy Parade, Gray Granite
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Perennial Postage dies, Mini Corrugated 3D Embossing Folder, Mini Alphabet dies, Wild Wheat Jute Twine, Toadstool Garden DSP (SAB 25), Stampin’ Dimensionals

The Mini Alphabet dies are the BEST!!! One crank of the Stamp Cut Emboss Machine and you have all the letters PLUS extras of the ones you use the most. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

If you live anywhere near seagull habitat, you need these stamps. If you vacation near seagull habitat, you also need these stamps. If you just like a lot of sass and attitude, well, you can guess what I’m gonna say. See them in the Online Store. But don’t wait too long – Sale-a-bration is winding down! You’ve got until February 28th.

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TERRIFIC TOADSTOOLS: BRIGHT THANKS

Today’s card is full of pattern and color – you just might need your sunnies! 😎

  • Stamps: Terrific Toadstools, Seaside Wishes
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Soft Seafoam, Melon Mambo, Fresh Freesia, Granny Apple Green
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes dies, Toadstool Gardens DSP (SAB 2025), Adhesive Shiny Backed Sequins, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Yup – did you notice? The Goldilocks “dits” from Seaside Wishes make yet another appearance. They’re my fave.

And so are these little mushies from Terrific Toadstools. There are so many shapes and sizes, and since the stems are separate from the caps you can create color combinations to your heart’s desire. I chose my colors based on the Toadstool Gardens Designer Series paper.

You can find Terrific Toadstools in the Online Store in a sweet bundle with a builder punch. Add the Stylish Shapes dies to your cart and you’ll qualify for a pack of this charming Toadstool Gardens DSP. But hurry, Sale-a-bration ends February 28th.

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