Category Archives: Tips and Techniques

SNAPPING UP LAST CHANCE DEALS

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The LAST CHANCE list updated this week and holy smokes! For the first time, past Sale-a-bration products are available. One of my favorites is the Toadstool Gardens DSP, and I made a quick card to highlight some of the great designs in the pack.

  • Stamps: Terrific Toadstools
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Timid Tiger, Gray Granite, Melon Mambo, Granny Apple Green
  • Accessories: Toadstool Gardens DSP, Toadstool Builder Punch, Simply Scoring Tool, Blender Pen, Stampin’ Write Markers, Stampin’ Dimensionals

One of the things I love about this pack is that it has bold, bright designs paired with softer, tone-on-tone patterns. I’ve used 4 different papers for this simple card, and there are plenty of other options to choose from.

I inked the toadstool cap with Timid Tiger and removed the ink from the frilly underside bits (no idea what they’re called, too lazy to search.) I used a Stampin’ Write Marker to replace that color with Gray Granite, which mirrors the coloring in the DSP. Super easy, but one of those little touches that make a card special.

Have a little fun with this paper even if you don’t have the Terrific Toadstools bundle – it would be almost as easy to fussy cut a toadstool from the paper to replicate this card. But don’t wait too long to do your Last Chance shopping: it’s called Last Chance for a reason!

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DIY CALENDAR BLOG HOP: AUGUST 2025 CHEERS AND SIPS

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Happy August, and welcome back to DIY Calendars! We’re glad you’ve stopped by for a little late-summer inspiration. I’m thinking cool and refreshing adult beverages this month with the Cheers & Sips bundle from our Online Exclusives line.

Mr Maui Stamper is a fabulous bartender. He’s a measure twice, cut once kind of guy anyway, and during the pandemic he put that mindset to creating refreshing adult beverages. He’s become an expert, and I’m always happy to test his new creations!

I had a lot of fun blending watercolors for this card, but not half as much fun as he has blending spirits and mixers. So yes, Cheers to Us!

DIY CALENDAR BLOG HOP

Click the button to travel through the Blog Hop and see what Sharon, Cheryl and Malia have created in August. We’re so glad you’ve joined us!

Would you like to make your own DIY Calendars? 2025 is still available, and 2026 will be available next month. I know some of you are champing at the bit to get to it!

The template is just $5 – let me know that’s what you want and I’ll send you an invoice. Please tell me you’re a real being in the message box – I’m getting increasing amounts of spam. Everything is done digitally, so you’ll have it quickly.

You are only purchasing a template, which you can download and print for your personal use.

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BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS: MEMORIES AND MORE

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Have you used our Memories and More card packs? They’re super versatile – use them for memory keeping, of course, but they’re also full of fun images ready to use and patterns that coordinate, much like our Designer Series Paper. Today’s card uses up some remnants I had languishing on my craft desk.

  • Stamps: Charming Day
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Timid Tiger, Balmy Blue, Berry Burst, Granny Apple Green
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes dies, Party Dots, Memories and More Celebration Expressions card pack, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The designs do all the work on this card. It’s just mix, match and SEAL! Gotta love it.

I’m loving the Happy Birthday from the Charming Day Online Exclusive release. I think I ink it 50/50 to split it (as I’ve done here) more than use it in a straight line. All products are available in the Online Store.

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ONE MORE PATTERNS OF FRIENDSHIP CARD: BIRTHDAY!

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Yup, I’m still rockin’ that Patterns of Friendship die! Today I’ve paired it with the Memories and More Celebration Expressions card pack and the Along These Lines stamp set for a colorful birthday card. I used the Patterns of Friendship die on the card front and love the result!

  • Stamps: Along These Lines, Spring Corners
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Balmy Blue, Pretty in Pink, Berry Burst, Granny Apple Green, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Patterns of Friendship die, Stylish Shapes die, Stampin’ Blends, Memories and More Celebration Expressions card pack, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I confess, there’s a bit of work to fussy cutting the balloons, but straight lines and simple curves are actually pretty easy. The cake is quick to color, and everything else is just layers. I love complex cards, but simple ones surely have their place!

The best part is that all the elements for this card are currently available. Shop the Online Store and see!

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PATTERNS OF FRIENDSHIP: YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND

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This big but subtle die is my very best crafting friend right now! I’ve found so many ways to use it, and I love the texture. It’s a flat surface, unlike embossing, so there are no problems adhering images and embellishments. And it’s just gorgeous!

  • Stamps: Gallery Blooms, Beautiful Motifs
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Fresh Freesia, Petaunia Pop, Lost Lagoon, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Gallery Blooms dies, Patterns of Friendship die, Textured Notes dies, Stampin’ Blends, Petunia Pop Bordered Ribbon, Iridescent Ribbon, Retired In Color dots, Stripes and Florals cards and envelopes, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The Iridescent Ribbon is perfect for coloring with Stampin’ Blends – it’s one of my favorite tricks. Did you notice the subtle lines in the ribbon echo the lines in the Patterns of Friendship die? Gotta love that.

The Stripes and Florals Cards and Envelopes are on the Last Chance list, and they’re discounted, too. They’re another of my favorite tricks for a quick card.

Recently we’ve been experiencing some unannounced retirements of products due to various things outside our control. These items move from “unavailable” to “retired” without transitioning through the Last Chance list. If you love something, don’t wait to order it!

I would be VERY SAD to miss out on Patterns of Friendship. The Gallery Blooms bundle is expected back in stock the week of July 28 (that’s next week!) Beautiful Motifs bundle is currently in stock, and the dies are absolutely gorgeous – don’t miss them!

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PATTERNS OF FRIENDSHIP: THE BIG DIE YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDED

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I initially overlooked Patterns of Friendship because the stamps didn’t stand up and shout at me. But when I started seeing projects with this amazing texture, I went back to the Online Store and looked again, and there she was: the Patterns of Friendship die.

  • Stamps: Gallery Blooms, Elements of Text, Country Flowers (retired)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Cloud Cover, Fresh Freesia, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Patterned Friendship dies, Gallery Blooms dies, Textured Notes dies, Stylish Shapes dies, Cloud Cover Faux Linen Ribbon, Floral Impressions DSP, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Have you added one of the In Color Faux Linen Ribbons to your crafty stash? Oh, my – it’s gorgeous! I sliced this one lengthwise and used just a single strand to secure the bundle. That keeps the bow a little softer and mailing-friendly.

Gallery Blooms are perfect for coloring, and I used Stampin’ Blends this time. This closeup reveals a little detail: I used a scrap of Floral Impressions DSP behind the sentiment. It’s a little extra bit of texture in a card that’s already bursting with texture.

The Patterns of Friendship die is 6″ x 6″ so you can cut your panel to run either horizontally or vertically. If you look closely, you’ll see that the rows of little dots are balanced so that a 4″ card stock panel lands exactly between the rows. I love those kind of (semi-OCD) details.

I’m a bit of a texture nerd, so you can imagine how pleased I am with this new die. (Bonus: when you peel the card stock off the die, it makes a very satisfying noise.) There are multiple layers here: the dies, the paper layers, the DSP, and that big crazy ribbon. Have fun with it! You can find everything you need in the Online Store.

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USE UP THAT DESIGNER SERIES PAPER STASH!

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If you’ve been crafting for a minute or two, you probably have a stash of Designer Series Paper (DSP). Maybe you bought the pack for one design that you loved and the rest has been untouched. Maybe you’ve used most of the pack but there are just a *few* sheets left. Or maybe you just bought too much and need to use it before you buy more. (Ugh, the truth can hurt.)

  • Stamps: Perfect Pears
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Mossy Meadow
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Textured Note dies, Painterly Pears DSP, Daubers, Blender Pen, Low Profile Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I am obsessed with coloring the pears with Daubers, and love that every time it’s just a bit different. I pulled the color palette from the DSP and added a bit of Mossy Meadow to the edge for a little drama. The sweet row of blossoms under the writing panel is stamped in Daffodil Delight and has a little center added with a Blender Pen.

If I may be so bold as to say it, if you don’t have the Textured Notes dies, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200, just click on ADD TO CART. (There. I feel better.)

My dear crafty buddy Sharon showed me this great fun fold. Score a standard 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ in the center (4 1/4″) and also 1 1/4″ from either end (that’s 1 1/4″ and 7 1/4″ if you need the exact numbers). It creates a perfect canvas for DSP.

Everything else is just cut-and-mat DSP! This is another quick and easy card to assemble, and it features my favorite “just enough room for I-Love-You” writing panel. Those Low Profile Dots are a great product for cards you intend to mail, too. I usually put a piece of card stock over the front of a card when I mail it, but it’s almost not necessary with these Dots.

The Perfectly Pears bundle is a great option to add color and variety to your crafty stash. There are flowers, sure, but they’re quite understated. It’s all about the pears – and of course, that gorgeous Painterly Pears DSP. Try it, you’ll like it.

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SUNFLOWER TOTE

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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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CHARMING (BIRTH) DAY

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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.

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FLORALS IN BLOOM DESIGNER SERIES PAPER TAKES THE STAGE

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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!

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