USING CONEFLOWERS WITH COLLAGE STYLE BACKGROUNDS

I love this coneflower image, but it’s big. It fills a card front pretty quickly, so I decided to focus on the background. After a few tries, I hit on the idea of a medley of background stamps. I had a pretty big mess on the my craft desk when I was done!

  • Stamps: Coneflower, Beautiful Motifs, Textured Notes, Elements of Text (retired)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Peach Pie, Timid Tiger, Old Olive, Pecan Pie
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Coneflower dies,Stampin’ Blends, Masking Paper, Stampin’ Dimensional

Both flowers are colored with Stampin’ Blends and cut with the Coneflower dies, but one is adhered directly to the card front and one is on Stampin’ Dimensionals. Is it even possible to make a card without Stampin’ Dimensionals?

I played with the layers for the collage for quite a white. I haven’t done much collage, so it takes a long time for me to find the color, shape and textural combination. There was a lot of trial and error, but isn’t that what crafting is all about??

Find yourself a nice big image and play with the background. Then come back an tell me how you did!

In the meantime, shop the Online Store.

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DIY CALENDAR BLOG HOP: SEPTEMBER 2025 LONG TIME NO SEE

It’s the first of the month, and it’s time for another DIY Calendar! The DIY Team stands ready to inspire you this month and every month. Fun Fact: We do not discuss what we’re doing each month. The other posts are as much a surprise to me as they are to you! Let’s see what’s happening in September.

  • Stamps: Long Time No See, Textured Notes
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Summer Splash, Granny Apple Green, Fresh Freesia, Memento Black
  • Accessories: DIY Calendar Template (2026 is now available! see below), Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, So Swirly Embossing Folder, Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I’m not usually on the Cute Animal Train, but I made an exception with this set. My husband grew up with dachshunds, and he tells some pretty fabulous stories. When we were first dating, the dachshund in residence was Max, and he was a very stubborn dog. But that’s a story for another time…

If you look carefully, you’ll see the Summer Splash mat is embossed with the So Swirly 3D Embossing Folder. I don’t usually do that, but when I went to find a scrap for the mat, this one was there begging to be chosen. Why not? It’s kind of fun.

Now go and see what the Team has created for September!

Did you think I would forget 2026? I know some of you have been waiting for September!! Yes, the 2026 template is available. You can now purchase and download it right away – no more waiting til it’s daytime in Maui for me to respond 😆

Technology has a price, though. The template will be $6 this year, just 50 cents a month! You’re welcome to print multiple copies for yourself and for gifts. You are purchasing JUST a template: you’ll need to print and trim the pages.

I recommend Stampin’ Up! Basic White standard card stock. My printer doesn’t give me a crisp enough image, so I take my template and my paper to my local print shop. It’s worth the effort. I hope you’ll enjoy making your own DIY Calendar!

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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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LAST CHANCE FOR BIRD’S EYE VIEW #2

Welcome to my April Last Dance/Last Chance series! I got a little carried away with myself and before I knew it, I had another version of Bird’s Eye View. It’s one of my favorites, so I shouldn’t be surprised. WARNING: This version includes Fussy Cutting.

  • Stamps: Bird’s Eye View, Translucent Florals, Textured Notes
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Misty Moonlight, Pebble Path, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wheat, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Paper Snips, Stampin’ Write Markers, Stampin’ Blends, Adhesive Back Solid Gems (retired), Stampin’ Dimensionals

For some reason I am obsessed with “flicks” from the Stampin’ Write markers. I’ll eventually get over it.

I colored the birds with Stampin’ Write markers and fussy cut the images. They’re pretty straightforward shapes, so the cutting is easy. I perched each bird on a little branch (HINT: place the birds on the panel before stamping the branch or adhering the birds to optimize the branch placement). I added a few gems and I was done.

Bird’s Eye View is available while supplies last. Don’t let these avian goofballs get away!

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TEXTURED NOTES:COLOUR INKSPIRATION #181

I am so overdue for a Colour INKspiration challenge! My life has been really full since the holidays, but when I saw this Colour combo I told myself I HAD to make time for it.

  • Stamps: Textured Notes
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Azure Afternoon, Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Summer Splash
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Textured Notes dies, Stampin’ Write markers, Party Dots, Pack Your Bags Twine, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I’ve tried a lot of methods to get those tiny flecks. The one that works consistently for me is to use a Stampin’ Write marker and flick the brush tip against the cap. That gives me uniformly small, evenly dispersed flecks and that’s what I want.

The Textured Notes dies are an absolute must for your crafty stash!! They will be available on Wednesday March 5th as part of the new Online Exclusive release. Don’t miss it! You NEED these dies. Best way to find them is to long into the Online Store and click on What’s New.

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