Author Archives: Karen Fontinelle

Wonderful Snowflakes Winter Storm 2026

It just so happened that I had this retired package of snowflakes sitting out with some other retired papers and with the tremendous Winter Storm of January 2026 going on right now across half of the country, I thought I should use some of these snowflakes. These are the Wonderful Snowflakes, diecut iridescent foil white snowflakes, that apparently came out in the Holiday Mini Catalog of 2021! I had no idea it was that long ago! With the stormy, snowy, icy, cold winter storm, I thought I would make a card for those of us suffering through this very wintery weather….especially here in Houston, TX where we don’t have this kind of weather very often. And if we do have it, it usually doesn’t last very long. Houston mostly escaped the worst weather we could have had, freezing rain and ice everywhere. While the highway ramps and overpasses were icy and various spots slick and some traffic accidents, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been. Not that I was out and about! We just stayed in all day yesterday!

This card is plenty simple! If you don’t have these specific snowflakes, maybe you have snowflake dies or snowflake stamps. I used Cloud Cover cardstock for the card base and that’s all. I didn’t add a top layer to the base. I thought the base should be some kind of blue for the sky or the dreary days of winter, and once I spotted my package of Cloud Cover, I knew that was it!. I happened to only have these three snowflakes left. One side has the iridescent, shiny look, but you could turn them over for matte white.

Here’s how I glued them down using the Multipupose Liquid Glue. I got the idea from Patty Bennett. Use a silicone brush, like you would use for butter or barbecue sauce. Cut the bristles shorter. Then have your Silicone Craft Sheet handy or something similar. Make a little puddle of the glue on the silicone sheet, then dab the brush straight up and down into it. Place the snowflake or delicate item you want to glue face down on the silicone sheet (in a clean spot) and dab the back lightly with the silicone brush. You only want a little bit of glue on the brush so it doesn’t ooze onto the front of the image. If you don’t want to put glue on the snowflake like this, just put the most minute drops of glue possible on the back of the snowflake.

This small diecut circle under the greeting was already in my package of paper, so I used it! It’s from the Spotlight on Nature Dies. The greeting is stamped in Memento Black ink on a Basic White narrow scrap with both ends cut in the banner shape. The greeting is in the Banner Sayings Stamp Set. The circle is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals. For a little bling, I added quite a few Pearls of Beauty in white on the snowflakes and around on the card.

Enjoy your Snow Day today, if you have one. Stay warm and stay safe. Remember, it will be August before we know it!

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Join and Get a New Stampin’ Positioner!

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Here’s a big surprise from Stampin’ Up! They are coming out with this new Stampin’ Positioner in the future, but you can sign up to become a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator now and get this new product FREE! Buy the Starter Kit and get this Stampin’ Positioner FREE. Current Demonstrators can preorder one, and it will be available to everyone at a time to be determined.

When you join Stampin’ Up! February 3–March 2, you’ll get the new Stampin’ Positioner tool FREE! Along with your Stampin’ Positioner, you’ll receive your Starter Kit, which includes free business supplies and free shipping. Plus, you’ll get all the fun that comes with being part of our supportive crafting community. There’s no better time to join than now!

Just order $125 worth of Stampin’ Up! products that you want for your Starter Kit and pay only $99! AND now, from February 3-March 2, you will also receive the new Stampin’ Positioner. This new tool will stamp precisely aligned images and create repeating patterns easily so that you can make multiple projects in minutes. It comes with the large stamp plate plus a smaller alignment plate for smaller images.

Becoming a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator means you get to enjoy all the perks of being part of Stampin’ Up! Receive a discount of 20-25% off your product orders, early access to new products and catalogs, the opportunity to attend Stampin’ Up! events, the chance to earn a modest supplemental income, and best of all, make new stamping friends as you meet customers and other Demonstrators.

Watch this video to find out more!

Find out more about joining Stampin’ Up!

Cute As a Bug Thanks Friend Card

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This is one sheet of the Cute As a Bug Designer Series Paper that recently came out in the new Stampin’ Up! January-April 2026 Mini Catalog. It is part of an entire Suite. the Cute As a Bug Suite Collection. This kind of patterned paper has cut-apart images on one sheet of paper that can be used for any of your projects, whether cardmaking, scrapbooking, or other papercrafting. These individual images can be trimmed down smaller or combined in layers. Whatever your project requires.

The picture above shows how I began using this sheet of paper. I cut across horizontally the whole sheet since those horizontal images were all the same size. Then I cut down on each individual strip to separate the various images. If you prefer, you can just cut apart the individual images you plan to use at the time.

To show how very easy it is to make a card with these cut-apart images, I made this card using just one of the cut-apart images, the one with the various whimsical bugs having a little picnic or gathering on a blanket on the ground. This piece is 4″ x 5 1/4″ and fits perfectly on the card base of Blackberry Bliss cardstock. The greeting is a piece of ephemera in the Saying Something Ephemera Pack. I thought the color coordinated with the card and was small so as not to take away from the cute scene on the card. The two words could also be cut apart and used individually if that suited the project better.

I think this scene is so cute with the little bugs, mushrooms, and berries! I’m normally not too interested in bugs and insects and other creepy crawlers since we have plenty in real life in the tropical climate where I live! But these little guys on this Cute As a Bug Designer Series Paper were too cute to pass up so the title for the paper is perfect!

If you are interested in the whole Suite Collection, you can get the designer series paper, the stamp set and dies, ribbon, and some very cute ladybug embellishments. As I write this, the Suite is not available but is on order and should be back in stock the week of February 2nd. It looks to me like it is the stamp set and dies that are not available so if you wanted the paper right away you can still order that, although it says Low Inventory right now. If you go to any unavailable product, there is a box to fill in your email to be notified when it is back in stock so you know when you can order it. I have found it tot work very well.

Wintery weather is on the way for a lot of our country, but it won’t be long that spring will be upon us and these cute little bugs will be out having fun….well, maybe not “cute” little bugs in Houston, but at least this Cute As a Bug Suite Collection is cute!

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Splash of Sparkles Z-Fold Birthday Card

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This Splash of Sparkles Z-Fold Birthday Card is made with some of the happiest paper we have ever had! Wait until you see it in person! That’s how I felt the first time I made a card with this paper – it made me feel happy! The colors, the foil accents, the splashes of colors in all different designs – it’s just wonderful paper to have fun with! You will want to put the Splash of Sparkles Designer Series Paper on your next order!

I made a Z-Fold card because it shows off more of the beautiful paper in the Splash of Sparkles pack. A Z-Fold card is easy to make. It just requires one extra fold. Make the usual card base of 5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ for the front. Then fold the front of the card in half, back toward the fold which is at 2 1/8″. Score first to make it easier to fold. This card base is made with Timid Tiger cardstock, one of the newest In Colors.

To decorate the card I cut a strip of the orange, pink, and gold striped pattern at 1 7/8″ x 5 1/4″. For the inside of the card I used the pattern with the big watercolor circles, choosing the portion that had the orangish and pinkish colored circles so it would coordinate with the paper on the front.

For the front of the card, I diecut a piece of Timid Tiger with one of the Branching Out Dies and the next smaller one in Bubble Bath pink. For the inside of the card, I diecut another piece of Bubble Bath in the same smaller size so that it would fit behind that layered panel on the front of the card.

The flower, leaves, and sentiment are stamped with the Lovely Arrangements Stamp Set. The flower is stamped in Memento ink and colored in with the Timid Tiger Combo of Stampin’ Blends. The leaves are stamped with Granny Apple Green ink on Basic White. I cut both out by hand. The greeting is stamped in Memento Ink, also on Basic White. For space reasons, I cut the words apart and carefully cut around each one.

To assemble the card, layer the Bubble Bath cardstock diecut panel on the Timid Tiger panel. When you have the card folded into the Z-shape, adhere the designer paper on the narrow front panel and the other pattern inside the card. See where the center of that panel is so that it can be lined up right on the Z-fold. Only put glue or adhesive on the one side so that the other side will not be stuck to the inside of the card! I had a scrap of the striped paper, so I adhered that as a background for the words to the front panel. The flower is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals and the leaves are glued flat to the card.

If you want to stamp a greeting or images on the inside panel, do so before you adhere it inside the card, just in case. I stamped Happy Birthday and a couple of the other flower in the stamp set. Line it up inside the card with the front panel, put adhesive on the back of it, and then fold the back side of the card over to adhere the greeting panel to the inside of the card so that it lines up with the front panel and will not be sticking out when the card is closed. You will understand when you do it!

Splash of Sparkles Z-Fold Birthday Card Open

Here are the two sides of the Splash of Sparkles Designer Series Papers:

Aren’t those such bright and fun colors? And even better in person!

And one side has gold and iridescent foil for some real pizzazz! Think about birthday cards, any happy occasion, maybe even party invitations!

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Remember, it is Bonus Days through Feb. 2nd! Earn a $5 coupon to spend in February with every $50 amount you spend on products!

Made With Love Hugs & Kisses Valentine Card

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I was so happy with the way this Made With Love Hugs & Kisses Valentine Card turned out, even without a clear idea of what I would make and with so many choices of pretty papers and combinations of those papers! Get the Made With Love Designer Series Paper and the Endless Love Stamp Set, and you are set for making many valentines!

The Made With Love Designer Series Paper is chock-full of hearts in different sizes and colors, X’s and O’s, love arrows, and then the more generic sheets that coordinate with the Valentine sheets but will also be good to use on other kinds of cards. The beautiful colors are Bubble Bath, Flirty Flamingo, Poppy Parade, Real Red, and Strawberry Slush. You will find this paper, stamp set, and all the extras in the Made With Love Suite Collection in the Stampin’ Up! January-April 2026 Mini Catalog on pages 30-33.

If you would like a sticker sheet to coordinate with the Made With Love Paper for scrapbooking or even cards and other projects, check out the Made With Love Designer Series Paper & Sticker Sheet on page 59 of the Mini Catalog. These Sticker Sheets we have had recently at Stampin’ Up! are really fun to use and quick and easy in some cases, too!

For this card, I used Real Red cardstock for the card base. I cut the top layer of designer paper with the small hearts at the usual size 4″ x 5 1/4″, although you could make it a little shorter if you wanted to save a strip of paper, as long as the bottom paper would overlap a little bit. The bottom piece of polka dots is cut at 5 1/4″ x 1 1/2″. Adhere those two papers together before adhering to the card so you can wrap the ribbon around over the seam first. Any time I put ribbon on a card like this, I just extend the ribbon about an inch or less around to the back or the paper on each side, not all the way around. It saves a couple inches of ribbon on each card! Put a little Stampin’ Seal on the back to hold the ribbon. After you have the ribbon attached, adhere the designer paper to the card base. The ribbon I used is the Strawberry Slush 3/8″ Faux Linen Ribbon, which is in the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog 2025-2026.

To decorate this card I used three hearts. Two are stamped with the Endless Love Stamp Set. The striped heart is stamped in Strawberry Slush ink (although it looks close to Real Red!) and the open heart is stamped in Real Red, both on Basic White cardstock. I just fussy-cut these by hand. We’ve all cut out hundreds of hearts by hand since childhood, haven’t we??! The Strawberry Slush cardstock heart is just punched out with a heart punch (retired) that I have. I believe it’s the one that came with a scalloped-edge heart punch in the set. I found this heart punch was practically the same size as the stamped hearts so I thought it worked fine. However, there are the Endless Love Dies you can purchase along with the stamp set in a Bundle if you would like dies. Hearts, whether dies or punches, are always useful for your stash! I played around with the placement of the three hearts before settling on this design. The white heart is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

I used the words in the Endless Love Stamp Set in Strawberry Slush ink on Basic White for the greeting on the card. After stamping them first, I cut them into narrow strips with one end flagged like a banner. The top one is popped up on Dimensionals. The bottom one is adhered with a little Stampin’ Seal on the white heart with a Dimensional under the banner end to be even with the white heart.

Finally, I tied a bow and adhered it to the ribbon on the front of the card with MIni Glue Dots. I thought about adding some gems or jewels, but it was late and I couldn’t even think which ones would go with the card! And, actually, I thought the card looked fine without any bling. There already is a lot going on with the busy hearts paper, the three paper hearts, and ribbon!

Start making some Valentines now so you won’t be rushed when the calendar turns to February, especially if you are going to be mailing some cards!

And on the inside, on a piece of Basic White cardstock, I used the three stamps in the Endless Love Stamp Set, “Happy”, “Valentine’s” and “Day” to stamp the greeting in Strawberry Slush ink. You could also add a scrap strip of one of the designer papers to the bottom. Then you are set to write a little Valentine message or simply sign your card!

Lovely Blossoms Hello Friend Card

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This Lovely Blossoms Hello Friend Card is a very easy card to make, and the artwork makes it beautiful. If you have seen other designer papers with “cut-apart” images, like the Love Notes 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper, this is some of the same. This Lovely Blooms Designer Series Paper has images of lots of white blooms and a palette of colors of light pink, green and navy. Navy is really Secret Sea, a color I haven’t used much, so I’m glad to have some papers with which I can use more of it. The smaller images on several sheets can be cut apart, trimmed down to whatever size you want or left as is for your cardmaking and scrapbooking projects.

For this card, I used a base of Old Olive with a layer of Secret Sea. I chose the section of the designer paper with the white flowers on the Secret Sea background but I trimmed it down to fit on the card. The Secret Sea layer is 4″ x 5 1/4″ and the floral layer is 3 3/4″ x 5″.

For the greeting, I stamped “Hello Friend” in the Lovely Arrangements Stamp Set in Secret Sea ink on a scrap strip of Basic White cardstock. I cut a little flagged end on the left side and lined up the right side with the edge of the designer paper. It is popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Also a part of this Lovely Blossoms Suite Collection in the Online Exclusives is a pack of Moody Palette Glossy Dots. I used three of the Old Olive Dots on the front of the card. This is the nice part of a Suite. You know exactly what things go well with what!

Right now the Lovely Arrangements Bundle (stamp set and dies) is out of stock but is expected back the week of January 26th. You can buy the other items separately without waiting to buy the whole Suite. If you are interested in that Bundle or the separate items, go to their listing in the Online Store and sign up for the email that will alert you that it is back in stock.

If you like making quick and easy cards, this Lovely Blossoms Designer Series Paper is one to have on hand!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

February 2026 Paper Pumpkin Kit!

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Paper Pumpkin Celebrate Spring Feb 2026 Banner

It’s time for a new Paper Pumpkin Kit! The January Kits are being sent out now for those people who subscribed by January 10th, so now we have the February Paper Pumpkin Kit! It’s early, but if you’d like to receive this card kit in your mailbox mid-February, go ahead and sign up now! Paper Pumpkin is a monthly subscription from Stampin’ Up! and I say is a treat you give yourself….or even someone special! It is a kit with all the supplies included that you will need, including an exclusive stamp set, ink spot, and even adhesive. There is no risk or obligation. Skip a month or cancel your subscription any time before the 10th of any month.

Here are the details about the February Paper Pumpkin Kit!

FEBRUARY: Celebrate Spring
Subscribe January 11–February 10
Craft whimsical handmade cards that celebrate Easter and sweet spring days.
• Makes 9 cards: 3 each of 3 designs with 9 coordinating envelopes
• Precut paper pieces and pink baker’s twine
• Iridescent pink and yellow sequins
• Coordinating colors: Balmy Blue, Crumb Cake, Lemon Lolly, Peach Pie, Pretty in Pink,
Shy Shamrock (Classic Stampin’ Spot)

Coordinates with the Easter Joy Suite Collection (item 166954) in the Spring Mini Catalog!

Paper Pumpkin is for anyone, even non-crafters or beginning crafters. Directions are included, of course, and there is always a video online, too. And if you are an experienced, avid crafter, maybe once in a while you’d like to not have to design a project on your own – just open the Paper Pumpkin box and start creating! You can even create different designs than are presented in the kit. They are your supplies and you can cut things differently, make different designs. Just have fun with your kit!

If you like, Paper Pumpkin also offers a few Add-On Dies that you can use with the three Paper Pumpkin Kits for that quarter. Right now, you can “add-on” these little dies to go with the January, February, and March Paper Pumpkin Kits. Of course, you can also use these dies with your other Stampin’ Up! projects, too.

Paper Pumpkin Beautiful Blooms Dies Add-Ons

These are the Beautiful Blooms Dies (168666) that you can purchase in the Paper Pumpkin menu in the Online Store. Or just click the link!

Find out all about a Paper Pumpkin monthly subscription HERE!

Go to that link, read about Paper Pumpkin, and scroll all the way to the bottom to see some videos of past kits. Also, once you are a subscriber, you can purchase any past kits or refills (no stamp set or ink spot), and add-on dies that are available.

Many New Stampin’ Up! Products Today! Spring Mini, Online Exclusives, Kits, Bonus Days & More!

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Today is one of those days we stampers, papercrafters, and scrapbookers love with SO many brand-new Stampin’ Up! products going LIVE! We have a new Stampin’ Up! January – April 2026 Spring Mini Catalog, three new Kits in the Kits Collection, new Online Exclusives, a new Product of the Month, AND it’s BONUS DAYS! It’s like Christmas all over again except it’s all for us!

Before you start shopping, though, let me tell you about Bonus Days! From Jan. 6 – Feb. 2, with each order of $50 or more you earn a $5 coupon code that will be emailed to you soon after you place your order. If your order has multiples of $50 (such as $100 or $150) (before shipping, tax, and after any Rewards are applied), you will earn a coupon code for each $50 increment. You will receive one email with two, three, or however many coupon codes. With each $50 order, you will receive an email with one coupon code.

It is up to YOU to save these coupon codes. I suggest printing out the email(s) so you have a hard copy in case anything happens to your computer or email. Then during the redemption period in February, you will enter the coupon code(s) you earned on your order. We can talk about that part later. So as you shop, think about $50 increments in a large order or reaching $50 in one order. Then save those coupon code emails!

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The Spring Mini Catalog (as I like to call it!) is filled with beautiful. new colors and designs for Valentine’s Day, Easter, florals, and all kinds of things. It’s always a refreshing change after all the holidays we have been crafting for during the past three months!

Here are the links you need if you don’t have a copy of the catalog in your hands.

VIEW THE SPRING JANUARY – APRIL 2026 MINI CATALOG PDF HERE!

SHOP THE SPRING MINI CATALOG HERE!

New Online Exclusives, products that are not in any catalog but you can order online while supplies last!

Click HERE to shop the ONLINE EXCLUSIVES!

NEW KITS IN THE KITS COLLECTION!

This month of January we are treated to THREE new Kits in the Kits Collection in the Online Store! These all-inclusive kits were designed for beginning crafters or those looking for a quick creative fix! These are great kits for those who do not have a lot of supplies or like the idea of just opening a box and having all the supplies and design ready to go! Check these out and all the other Kits already in the Kits Collection!

Lots To Love Kit

Butterfly Garden Kit

Adopt a Pet Kit

New Product of the Month

The Product of the Month is a new special promotion Stampin’ Up! started last month in December. The Product of the Month items are specially designed to be some of the best items Stampin’ Up! has to offer that aren’t available in any of our catalogs or our Online Exclusives. Every month they will release a new item that is only available for purchase once per account. These items will be limited quantity and are likely to sell out quickly—once they’re sold out, they’re gone for good! Spend $75 and purchase the Product of the Month (POM) for only $5.00!

The January 2026 Product of the Month is this Fabulous Sayings Stamp Set! Looks like a good one to have to me! We always want more sentiments to use! Or while it is still available, you could choose the December POM, the True Blue Florals Designer Series Paper instead if you don’t already have it.

I hope you enjoy all these fun new products! It makes a long blog post but it sure is fun to have so many new Stampin’ Up! products to dream about owning!

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Make an Easy Love Notes Valentine

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I’m here to tell you that if you like to make easy Valentines or a lot of Valentines, this Love Notes 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper is for you! Put it on your order right away! If I didn’t already own this package of paper, but I saw this pattern with the little heart flowers, I would buy it just for this sheet of paper! This Love Notes pack of paper has 8 sheets of each of 6 double-sided designs, so that’s a lot of paper you can use making multiples. Some papers are 6″ x 6″ full sheets, but lots are cut-apart designs to be used for making Valentines, tags, scrapbook pages, cards, or whatever you are making. Just trim down the designs you want to use. You can make them smaller than the design on the paper if you like or use part of the design or fussy-cut it for something different. Once you start playing you might not be able to stop!

This photo above gives you an idea of what the papers are like. You can easily cut out one of these square designs or the other larger and smaller designs to make whatever design you want on your card or project.

My sample card today has a card base of Garden Green cardstock. The designer paper layer on the card is exactly what the 6″ x 6″ paper looks like except that I trimmed it down for my card. It comes with that diagonal design on the left side of the heart flower garden. I trimmed it down so the side design was only 3/4″ of an inch wide, and of course trimmed down the whole sheet to 4″ x 5 1/4″ to fit on the card front. I didn’t have to add the extra diagonal piece on the side because it was already part of the paper!

The center focal point is one of the square designs on one of the cut-apart papers. It is 2 3/4″ x 2 3/4″. I layered it on a square 3″ x 3″ piece of Petal Pink cardstock and popped it up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Now this is one of the rare cards that I did not embellish! No ribbon, no sequins, no gems, no sparkle! I wanted to show you how EASY this card was to make and yet it is still very pretty even without any extra things or work!

On the inside of the card, I added a Basic White layer for a stamped or handwritten message or greeting and I added one of the scrap strips from the heart-flowered paper to the side of the white layer for a little decoration inside the card.

While a lot of this paper is Valentine-themed, you can still use a lot of it for other occasions. So if you need some paper for Valentines and wonder what you will do with the rest, I’m sure you will be able to use it beyond (or before!) Valentine’s Day.

SHOP the New Stampin’ Up! Spring Mini Catalog!

It will go LIVE on Tuesday, January 6th along with Bonus Days!

Join Paper Pumpkin and Get This January Kit!

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Here is the new Paper Pumpkin Kit for January 2026! This Special Delivery Paper Pumpkin Kit will help us start the year off right! Personally, I don’t even have to see what is in the box, I want THE BOX! Look at how pretty it is! This is a box you will likely want to save for storage or gifts or anything after you make the kit.

This Paper Pumpkin Kit will arrive in time for making valentines with sweet postage stamp designs and sentiments for love and friendship. But what is Paper Pumpkin? It’s a complete papercrafting kit that arrives in your mailbox every month after the 10th unless you skip a month or cancel. All the supplies you need except scissors are included in the kit, even adhesive. Plus an exclusive stamp set and an ink spot, like a tiny ink pad for this project. You can follow the directions and photos on the brochure included and also watch a video! The kit is fine for beginning crafters and people who don’t have supplies to make cards and other projects. All you need comes in the box! You can also look online at what other people make sometimes with alternate ideas with the supplies in the kit. So if you want to change up the project sent to you, you are free to do so! It’s your kit!

Here is the information about the kit!

Subscribe December 11–January 10

• Makes 9 cards: 3 each of 3 designs
• 3 different coordinating envelope designs
• Precut paper pieces with gold foil accents
• Coordinating colors: Blueberry Bushel, Bubble Bath, Darling Duckling, Garden Green,
Mossy Meadow, Poppy Parade (Classic Stampin’ Spot

I think this is going to be a Paper Pumpkin Kit we will love, and we probably will be able to use these cards not just for Valentine’s Day but for other occasions as well!

You must subscribe to Paper Pumpkin by January 10th to get this kit and that is less than a week away!

Go ahead and subscribe to Paper Pumpkin right now so you won’t forget! And once you are a subscriber, if you see a past kit or refill (no stamp set or ink spot) you like, you can purchase it. If you already have a subscription, you don’t need to do anything. If you skipped the December Kit, be sure to go into your account and make it active for January.

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY!

Let’s Make a Valentine!

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I know some people are not ready to see Valentine’s cards, but we are crafters, and we have to get a head start! I saw a funny post on Instagram before Christmas by a dad who posts jokes , who said he was shopping too late, his family was going to get Valentine gifts for Christmas! I haven’t been out in the stores yet since Christmas, but I imagine it’s all Valentine’s now! So here is my first Made With Love Valentine’s Day Card.

You’ll find this Made With Love Designer Series Paper in the upcoming January-April Mini Catalog 2026, going live on Tuesday, January 6th. It is part of the Made WIth Love Suite Collection which also includes the Endless Love Stamp Set that I used for the greeting. There are also the Endless Love Dies, which you can buy in a Bundle along with the stamp set. Those weren’t used on this card.

The card base is Poppy Parade, a color I haven’t used very much recently. For some contrast, and to try out the new papers, I chose two different papers for this card. I first cut a piece with all the hearts at 4″ x 5 1/4″, but later I cut it down to 2 1/2″ x 5 1/4″. I was trying to get a mixture of lighter and darker hearts, an ombre effect on the paper, so I trimmed some off the top and some off the bottom to get the middle. I saved those two 3/4″ x 5 1/4″ strips and added those top and bottom on to the Basic White layer I put inside the card so it would be ready for a stamped or written message. I think the first card I made with this paper had more of a distinction of the colors of the hearts. Whatever you end up with is fine, though! All the hearts are pretty! Then at the top and bottom I adhered 1″ x 5 1/4″ of the tiny hearts paper to the card, and then the big hearts panel right in the center.

The greeting is stamped in Flirty Flamingo ink on Basic White and then diecut with one of the labels in the Traditional Labels Dies. These are on the Last Chance list and discounted a tiny bit right now. I hate to see these dies go. I have used them a lot.

For some embellishments, I used Strawberry Slush 3/8″ Faux Linen Ribbon behind the sentiment. I like to apply some Stampin’ Seal Adhesive to the back and get the ribbon placed how I like it with the help of that adhesive. Then I also used Stampin’ Dimensionals to help hold down the ribbon and also pop up the greeting. I also tried out the new Pearlized Faceted Circles. They have several different shades in the package so they will go with a lot of colors. You will find these in the Spring Mini in the Lovely & Beautiful Suite Collection. But they will also go well with any Valentine projects and lots of other things.

View the papers in the Made With Love Designer Series Paper.

BONUS DAYS COMING JANUARY 6! With every multiple of $50 you spend, you will receive a $5 coupon code to use on an order in February. You must have your own Stampin’ Up! account and correct email address to be eligible to receive the coupon code.

NEW SPRING JANUARY – APRIL 2026 MINI CATALOG LIVE Tuesday, Jan. 6th.

NEW ONLINE EXCLUSIVES on Jan. 6th.

NEW KITS on Jan. 6th!

Mark your calendar for Tuesday!! It’s a big day at Stampin’ Up!

Lovely & Beautiful Gift Bag

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Yesterday I opened up the package of the Lovely & Beautiful Specialty Designer Series Paper, one of the new papers coming next week in the new Stampin’ Up! Spring Mini Catalog.

These are the first two papers I saw in the package when I pulled them out. Pretty.

Then I turned back the top paper to see the design on the other side, and I actually exclaimed out loud, “Oh My Gosh!!” Those big flowers with gold foil outlines just took my breath away! From there I knew I was going to use this floral paper for my first card of the New Year. But I ended up making a small gift bag with it.

Before I started working, though, I paged through the designer series paper to see all of the designs. Each one was gorgeous!

If you think these papers look nice in these photos, wait until you see them in person with the beautiful gold foil accents!

To make this little gift bag, cut the paper at 6″ x 12″. Score at 1″, 3 3/4″, 6 1/2″, and 9 1/4″. Then turn and score at 2″. Pay attention to the direction of the pattern if it is necessary for your paper. The part scored at 2″ will be the bottom of the bag and those score lines will be cut up to the horizontal score lines. See the diagram below. I drew pencil lines on the score lines.

Fold and crease all the score lines. That tiny little 2″ x 1″ piece will be cut out. The piece above that is where you will put adhesive to glue to the other side to assemble the box. Just crease and fold everything to see how it goes together. Adhere that side together, then do the flaps. If you want to close the top of the bag, you can punch holes for ribbon as I did, or you can just use some type of clip. Or you can leave the bag open!

I stamped a little sentiment on Basic White with Calypso Coral ink from the Lovely Arrangements Stamp Set, coming in the January Online Exclusives. It is just tied on with the ribbon with a little Stampin’ Dimensional on the back to hold it in place.

This is just a simple little project where the gorgeous paper does all the work! If you like florals at all, I would definitely get this Lovely & Beautiful Specialty Designer Series Paper.

Remember, Bonus Days are coming on Tuesday, January 6th, which is the day of all new things! Unless you are in a hurry for particular products, hold off until Tuesday or after when you can earn $5 coupons for every $50 you spend IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT WITH AN EMAIL ADDRESS! Check your account for an accurate email address because that is how you will receive the $5 coupon codes to use in February. If you don’t have a Stampin’ Up! account, this is a good time to make one – and be SURE to opt in for Rewards and for Marketing so that I can mail catalogs to you from Stampin’ Up!

ALL ABOUT BONUS DAYS HERE!

Welcome 2026!!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

May your New Year be filled with inspiration and creativity!

Here’s to 365 days of creativity ahead—cards to make, scrapbook pages to create, fun projects to try, and lots of new stamps, paper, ink, and dazzling embellishments!

Let’s get started!!

Bonus Days Are Coming at Stampin’ Up!

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Stampin’ Up! will soon hold one of its favorite promotions—BONUS DAYS! Because a great deal is getting rewarded for all the crafting supplies you’re already going to buy! When you shop between January 6 and February 2 and spend $50 USD, you will earn a $5 USD coupon! Make sure you save all your coupons because you can redeem them (and we mean ALL of them) between February 3 and 28. And don’t forget—each purchase earns you Stampin’ Rewards, so that’s even more bang for your buck! There’s no limit to how many coupons you can earn! Bonus Days will be here and gone before you know it.

Details:

Earn a $5 USD coupon for every $50 USD spent (before shipping and tax).
All coupon codes will be emailed right after a qualifying purchase has been made. Customers must have a customer account with a valid email address to earn coupons when they shop. If you do not have your own account, you can create one in the Online Store.
If you earn multiple codes from a single order, you will receive one email with multiple codes. If you earn multiple codes from multiple orders, you will receive separate emails for each code earned.
All order types qualify for this promotion. Phone and email orders still require an email address.
Orders started before the promotion begins will not count toward earning coupon codes. Be sure to start your order on January 6 or after. You must add items to your cart and complete your purchase during the earning period.
There is no limit to the number of coupon codes participants can earn per order or throughout the duration of the earning period.
Coupon codes can only be earned on commissionable items. Non-commissionable items (such as catalogs) do not count towards coupon earnings.

Redemption Details:

There is no limit to the number of coupon codes you can redeem on an order during the redemption period. If you’re redeeming multiple codes, you must put a space between each code.
You may only redeem coupon codes one time. You cannot redeem them after February 28.
You can redeem Bonus Days coupon codes for month-to-month Paper Pumpkin subscriptions and new prepaid subscriptions.
Coupon codes will reduce the commissionable amount of an order.
Some restrictions apply. Coupons can’t be redeemed towards Starter Kits and you cannot use them on exchanges.

January 6, 2026 at Stampin’ Up! is going to be a BIG DAY at Stampin’ Up! Not only will there be a new Spring Mini Catalog and new Online Exclusives plus new Kits in the Kits Collection, but with every $50 you spend you will earn a Bonus Days coupon to use on a future order! Plus you will earn your usual Rewards. However, you must have your OWN Stampin’ Up! account to earn the Bonus Coupons. Let me know if you need help setting up your own account or have any other questions!

New Stampin’ Up! Products Coming Your Way in 2026!

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And not just the January-April 2026 Spring Mini Catalog will be available, but also new January Online Exclusives beginning January 6th! PLUS a new Product of the Month and three new Kits in the Kits Collection! Now that’s a day worth circling in red on your calendar! It’s all coming in the New Year on January 6th! At the same time, the Holiday Mini Catalog will end on January 5th, but now we have this new system of some carryover products being shown in the Online Exclusives and retiring products going in the Last Chance Category. I think I have that right, anyway!

Here are some sneak peeks of the new Mini Catalog and Online Exclusives products that I ordered before Christmas and barely got to look at until now.

These stamp sets are all in the new Spring Mini except for the Lovely Arrangements Stamp Set is an Online Exclusive in the Lovely Blossoms Suite Collection. The Easter Basket Dies (part of the Easter Basket Bundle which includes the stamp set and dies) is next to the stamp set and says “Stampin’ Cut & Emboss” at the top with the name of the dies in tiny print above the images. Remember, these are all in the new packaging of the plastic sleeves rather than the cases for the stamp sets so if you want to, you can slide the dies in with the stamp set. I haven’t thought about yet how I will organize these sets with the new packaging.

Three new Spring Mini ephemera packs, the bottom one being vellum with gold foil. I have been loving using the ephemera packs for “quick and easy” cardmaking or other projects!

I didn’t open the packages, but here are the new designer series papers I ordered! Some floral, some Valentine’s, some Easter, and BUGS! Living in Houston, I’m not one to make any cards with bugs on them because we see too many of the real creatures in our daily lives living here in the tropics! But this Cute As A Bug Suite Collection is pretty cute so I did get some bug stamps and bug paper! However, the Cute As A Bug paper isn’t all bugs – it has strawberries and mushrooms on separate sheets as well so I can tolerate that! But these bugs are CUTE!

Some new ribbon and embellishments for all our fun projects!

The Product of the Month for December, True Blue Florals Designer Series Paper, is still available as I write this and can be purchased with a minimum order, after any Rewards or coupons, of $75. When the January POM comes out, if the December POM is still available, you can choose either one with your $75 order. One to a customer.

Beautiful Pastels Shimmer 12″ x 12″ Specialty Paper, perfect for springtime and Easter cards and projects! The colors are Bubble Bath, Lemon Lolly, and Pool Party.

The two photos above show both sides of the new Mixed Up Patterns 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper. This paper coordinates with Suites and products in the new Spring Mini.

If Christmas is over, Valentine’s Day is not far behind! This cute Love Notes 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper in the Spring Mini is much like other paper we have had with cut-apart smaller images to use as parts of your cards or other projects and scrapbook pages. But other sheets are regular 6″ x 6″ designer series paper so you get both in one pack!

This may be a little difficult to see, but it is one sheet of diecut flowers and foliage. This is the Covered In Flowers Accents. The whole sheet is white so you can use as is or color the pieces as you see fit. It is called “paperboard” and is thicker than designer series paper. I used it on a card my newsletter subscribers will see tomorrow (so sign up in the red box if you want to receive my newsletters on Tuesdays!) and I liked using the flower very much. They are diecut so you just poke out the pieces you want. For that card I just left my flower as is. Another time I will try coloring and see how it turns out. The only thing is, as I said, it is just one sheet, so you may want multiples.

So this gives you a little peek into what is coming next week, January 6th, in the new Spring Mini and the Online Exclusives for January. Plus there will be three new Kits in the Kits Collection and new Product of the Month (POM). Always remember to check the Last Chance list as well before you place your order and try to find a bargain!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Stamping With Karen

Having Fun With Paper, Ink, and Stamps

Author Archives: Karen Fontinelle

Wonderful Snowflakes Winter Storm 2026

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Cute As a Bug Thanks Friend Card

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Made With Love Hugs & Kisses Valentine Card

Lovely Blossoms Hello Friend Card

February 2026 Paper Pumpkin Kit!

Many New Stampin’ Up! Products Today! Spring Mini, Online Exclusives, Kits, Bonus Days & More!

Make an Easy Love Notes Valentine

Join Paper Pumpkin and Get This January Kit!

Let’s Make a Valentine!

Lovely & Beautiful Gift Bag

Welcome 2026!!

Bonus Days Are Coming at Stampin’ Up!

New Stampin’ Up! Products Coming Your Way in 2026!