Author Archives: Karen Fontinelle

Harvest Meadow Pretty Pumpkins Card

Harvest Meadow Pretty Pumpkins

This year it seems to be trendy to have pumpkins of non-traditional colors so I thought I would try that with this Harvest Meadow Pretty Pumpkins Card. I’m not even sure how I came up with this particular idea but I pulled out the Harvest Meadow Designer Series Paper and played around with the various papers to see how these would work as pumpkins. I also was very interested in using the die in the Detailed Pumpkins Dies.

The card base is Old Olive mainly because I had already cut out the leaves in the Detailed Pumpkins Dies from an Old Olive scrap on the table while I was cutting out the pumpkins. I cut out the pumpkins and played around with their placement and combinations just on the table before I tried to put them on a card.

The background layer is the striped pattern in the Cute Halloween 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper. I just was looking through various papers to see if there was something I wanted to use for the background layer or if maybe I would use cardstock and emboss it in a folder to add some texture. At first, I didn’t think there would be anything in the Cute Halloween Paper but found this striped paper that was pretty subtle but had Old Olive in it, one of the colors I was already using. I think it provides some interest in the background without clashing with the prints on the pumpkins.

The pumpkins are cut out with the outline die in the Detailed Pumpkins Dies. I chose some patterns from the Harvest Meadow DSP that I thought could look okay as pumpkins, even the blue! The one pumpkin is die-cut from Calypso Coral Cardstock with the die with the slits. I wanted another color behind those slits, so I traced the die cut on a scrap of Bumblebee Cardstock and then cut it out with Paper Snips just inside the pencil lines so it wouldn’t stick out from the Calypso Coral cardstock. A couple of the pumpkins are popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals® as are a couple of the leaves.

The greeting is in the Pretty Pumpkins Stamp Set. I stamped it in Old Olive ink on a scrap of Basic White Cardstock. I kept it simple by just leaving it as a rectangle. I didn’t want to take up too much more room on the card or take away from the pumpkins.

Here is another card on my blog that I made recently using non-traditional colors (but now trendy!) for the pumpkins. This was a fun card to make and I liked how it turned out with the different colors. When you make a fall card with pumpkins, take some artistic license and see what new colors you can use for the pumpkins! Just have fun with it! Experiment, like I did on this Harvest Meadow Pretty Pumpkins Card, until you are happy with your result!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

It’s the Holiday Paper Pumpkin!

PP Square Ad Oct 2021 2

Some of my favorite Paper Pumpkin Kits are the holiday ones! I already love this box and can’t wait to see what the card designs are!

When you picture a peaceful Christmas, what comes to mind? Do you see snow outside your window, softly swirling through the sky? A tree trimmed with tinsel, a fire crackling nearby? Maybe you’re dreaming of decorating a holly jolly gingerbread house. Can you catch a whiff of Christmas cookies wafting through the air?

Whatever it is you think about when Christmas comes to town, picture a peaceful Christmas with the Peaceful Christmas Paper Pumpkin Kit! This glimmering and gleaming kit is your creative kickstart to Christmas cardmaking. With sprinkles of snow, shimmering silver skies, and heartwarming holiday wishes, you’ll have enough elements and embellishments to create 10 Christmas cards and coordinating envelopes.

Speaking of coordination, make even more Christmas magic with Peaceful Place products! Our stunning Peaceful Place Suite Collection (item 156277) pairs perfectly with the kit’s components. Brew a cup of cocoa, snuggle up with a soft blanket, and prepare for a cozy craft night in!

Details

The kit contains enough elements to create 10 Christmas cards—5 each of 2 designs—and coordinating envelopes. This all-inclusive kit includes printed card bases, die-cut paper pieces, embellishments, adhesive, and more!

October’s kit arrives in a cute collectible box covered with enchanting evergreen trees. Use this special, limited-edition box to store your holiday handicrafts, or transform it into a well-wrapped package for a present!

The kit’s contents pair perfectly with the Peaceful Place Suite Collection (item 156277). To continue your Christmas crafting, combine the kit’s components with the suite’s patterned paper, shimmery sequins, and more!
Card size: 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ (10.8 x 14 cm)
Envelope size: 4-1/2″ x 5-3/4″ (11.4 x 14.6 cm)
Coordinating colors: Basic Gray, Real Red, Shaded Spruce, silver foil

Sign up by October 10th!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY!

Blackberry Beauty Slimline Floral Card

Blackberry Beauty Slimline Floral Card

This Blackberry Beauty Slimline Floral Card is what happens when you open a package of designer paper you just received and you didn’t realize this pattern was in the package and you just say to yourself, “Wow! That would make a beautiful, simple card!” Sometimes just seeing a sheet of paper inspires you to make a certain card design.

This designer series paper, Blackberry Beauty Specialty Paper, is so popular it has been back-ordered multiple times! It is beautiful paper for fall with its gold foil accents! This particular pattern is one of those with an empty space down the middle of the 12″ x 12″ paper so you can just cut it in half and then possibly make six cards out of that paper. When I saw these tall flowers (are they Queen Anne’s Lace?), I knew I was going to make a slimline card and that this pretty pattern wouldn’t really need much else!

The card base is Early Espresso. To make a slimline card, just start with a piece of cardstock 6″ x 6″ and fold it in half so the card is 3″ x 6″. This will fit in a regular envelope you might have in your desk at home. I cut the designer paper at 5 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ to just leave a narrow margin around the edge. You can cut the designer paper to take the best advantage of the placement of the flower or flowers on your card front. For example, you wouldn’t want half of this big flower cut off if somehow the way you cut the paper made that happen.

For the greeting, I stamped one from the Pansy Patch Stamp Set on a die-cut piece of Basic White. This is a small rectangle die from the Stitched So Sweetly Dies. I needed something very small for this card since there isn’t much space! This greeting is part of a longer sentiment so I colored only the part I wanted with the Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker. You’ll find this marker in the Neutrals Stampin’ Write Markers.

To add a little bling to the card I just added a strip of the Gold 3/8″ Shimmer Ribbon under the greeting. It just adds a little more sparkle of gold to go with the gold foil sparkles on the paper. You could use another gold ribbon if you like. Since the Early Espresso card base is pretty dark, I added a layer of Basic White for a stamped or written message on the inside of the card.

Certain designer papers are just made to be used all by themselves, I think, like this one! It would even be very pretty without the greeting on the front. We don’t always need to make a very fancy, fussy card when just a simple one that shows off the paper or some other element is all that we need for an elegant card.

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

In Remembrance of September 11

Special Edition God Bless America Stamp

When September 11th happened twenty years ago, I was a Stampin’ Up! customer, not a Demonstrator yet. My Demonstrator told me about this Special Edition stamp Stampin’ Up! was selling to benefit those affected by the events of 9/11. Of course, I wanted to order one and I have always loved this stamp.

As I pondered what I should put on my blog for September 11th, I happened to think of this stamp. Perfect. As you can see in the photo below, I cut the words off the stamp and anchored them on the side of the wood block. Then I could use the flag image by itself or use the words separately. I colored on the stamp with markers since I wanted to use more than one color. I used Night of Navy and Real Red.

The stamped image is layered on Real Red cardstock, Night of Navy, and then Gold Foil. The Night of Navy border is really just a background for the photo but actually, I like it as part of the card. I didn’t actually make a card, just a card front, which really could be put in a frame.

God Bless America Special Edition Stamp

The company raised more than $1 Million for the September 11th Fund.

This was one of those events when we all remember almost every detail of what we were doing that day, what all happened, and how we felt. My boys had gotten off to school and I was home cleaning up the kitchen with the Today Show on TV. Once I realized what was happening, all I could think of was I wanted my kids and husband home, but I wondered if the schools even knew what was going on. One mom went to the high school to pick up the carpool and I went to pick up my middle-schooler and his friend that we carpooled with. I remember the parking lot full and cars all over the place picking up kids and the secretary saying there was no need to take the kids home. But we all wanted our loved ones home and close to us because we really didn’t know what else was going to happen. I didn’t want to scare my son and his friend too much since they barely, if at all, knew what was going on, so I purposely stopped at Taco Bell to pick up some lunch for them so things would seem “normal” and not too crazy. His friend, just that summer, had visited New York City and had visited the Twin Towers. My daughter was away at college but one of her best friends was in school in NYC so she called her and remembers hearing sirens in the background. I didn’t think there would be school the next day or work or anything going on, but the President decided life was going to go on, so our country continued on with our normal routines.

I love that Stampin’ Up! came up with this stamp and offered it as a way to help others. “Making a difference” has always been one of Stampin’ Up!’s values and that’s good to know about a company.

Cute Halloween Trick or Treat Ghosts Card

Cute Halloween Trick or Treat Ghosts Card

I just had to make another fun Halloween card, this Cute Halloween Trick or Treat Ghosts Card. I started by picking out the designer paper and played around from there! I have a trick for how I made one ghost go in a different direction from the one stamp!

This card base is Old Olive Cardstock with a layer of basic black. I chose the designer paper with the little houses and tiny moons and ghosts! This is the Cute Halloween 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper. So many cute patterns to choose from! I decided to make the designer paper narrower than the card front and have the ghosts floating along the edge. Then I decided to cut a decorative edge with a scallop die in the Penned Flowers Dies. Next, I selected another designer paper, the one with black dots, to go along the edge, after considering several options. This card opens from the top but it would be the same if it opened from the side.

The greeting is stamped from the Cutest Halloween Stamp Set on Basic White and then die cut with a die that fits inside the Basic Black die-cut, both of which are in the Ornate Frames Dies. I popped up the greeting on Stampin’ Dimensionals® and added two Elegant Faceted Gems.

For the ghosts, I stamped two ghost shapes in the Cutest Halloween Stamp Set on Basic White and then turned over the cardstock and stamped one ghost on the back where it didn’t overlap the ghosts stamped on the front. I also added the faces and little arms just on the ones on the front of the cardstock! So cute!! I cute out the ghosts by hand with my Paper Snips. Now you can purchase the Halloween Punch and get both the stamp set and punch in the Cutest Halloween Bundle and save 10%. So I cut out the two ghosts on the front of the white cardstock who were both facing the same direction. I cut them out with a bit of the black ink outline showing as it would if I had used the punch. Then I turned the paper over and cut out the ghost outline. But here’s the trick… after cutting out the ghost shape, I turned it over so it would be facing the opposite direction from the other two ghosts and stamped the face on it. Now, this ghost doesn’t have the black ink outline on it since I am using the unstamped side. But if you want that black ink outline, just take a black marker and run it around the ghost along the edge to get some black marking along the outline. Or, maybe it doesn’t really matter to you and you can skip that step! Out of the three ghosts, I wanted one facing the other direction.

I originally planned to adhere the ghosts right along the edge of the green designer paper, but in the end, I liked the placement you see better. I also turned the Ornate Frame die in portrait position and stamped the greeting in that direction which I think fits better than landscape position. Either way would be fine, though! Just play and see what looks good to your eye! Here is another Halloween card using the Cute Halloween DSP except with the sheet with ghosts! Order the Cute Halloween Paper on your next order so you have plenty of time to create “cute” Halloween cards and projects to send out, like this Cute Halloween Trick or Treat Ghosts Card.

New Christmas Whimsy Kit Today!

Christmas Whimsy Kit Banner

“Christmas Whimsy’ is a new kit in the Stampin’ Up! Kit Collection, just being released today! You probably noticed photos of it in the Holiday Mini Catalog on page 6, with another kit coming that is shown on page 7. I suppose they are releasing these a little later than the catalog to get a little closer to the holidays!

Christmas Whimsy is an adorably festive card kit with a modern design! Santa’s elves might be hard at work in the North Pole but with this all-inclusive kit, the hard work is done for you! All pieces are printed, die cut, and ready for you to craft. The simple steps of this kit are perfect for beginner crafters and kids, too! Grab a kit or two and gather around for a simple Christmas activity that everyone will enjoy. The kit contains everything you need to create eight elf-centric Christmas cards including printed card bases, die cuts, embellishments, an exclusive stamp set, a Night of Navy Classic Stampin’ Spot, and more!

Christmas Whimsy Kit (158166) $19 USD

DETAILS
Kit contains enough supplies to create eight cards—4 each of 2 designs.
Includes printed card bases, printed die cuts, adhesive, embellishments, gold foil die cuts, gold twine, and coordinating envelopes with gold foil accents.
Includes an exclusive stamp set and a Night of Navy Classic Stampin’ Spot.
Finished card size: 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″ (14 x 10.8 cm)
Coordinating colors: Balmy Blue, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Evening Evergreen, Gray Granite, Misty Moonlight, Poppy Parade, Real Red, So Saffron, Soft Succulent, Soft Suede

Christmas Whimsy Kit Contents

SHOP THE STAMPIN’ UP! KITS COLLECTION!

Cute Halloween Happy Haunting Card

Cute Halloween Happy Haunting Card

Make this easy Cute Halloween Happy Haunting Card and send to a spooky friend for Halloween! It’s a basic card design, but as usual, the designer paper makes it extra special! If you are a Halloween lover, be sure to get this paper and make some fun cards to send for Halloween!

This cute designer paper is the Cute Halloween 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper. I just love all the whimsical Halloween characters plus the more generic designs to pair with them. This Cute Halloween Paper is really CUTE! I could have used just the piece of paper with the black cats and pumpkins, but then the black and orange striped paper I knew would look so cute with it, too!

The card base is Pumpkin Pie with a layer of Basic Black under the designer paper. I cut the designer paper with the cats and pumpkins at 5″ x 3″ and the striped piece at 5″ x 2″. This way there was room for the two papers to overlap so I could glue them together before adding the ribbon. If you cut them exactly to the space, then you likely should glue the designer papers to another piece of cardstock the same total side so you can tie a ribbon around the seam.

Look at your designer paper with designs like this one carefully before you cut. Look at the images on the paper and see how you can maximize those and maybe not cut through too many of them. For example, instead of cutting off 1/4″ on one side and really cutting into an image you like, maybe you can cut 1/8″ off each side instead of 1/4″ of one side. That might help you preserve more of the images on the paper. Just look and see how you can place your cuts to get the best images on your paper where you want them! Maybe cut a piece off the top of the designer paper before you cut anything else to position the images on the paper.

I used the Black & White Gingham Ribbon to tie around the seam in between the two papers. I love this ribbon! I tied the bow separately and adhered it with Mini Glue Dots.

The greeting is found in the Banner Year Stamp Set. I looked at several greetings in a couple different sets and decided on this one for size and appropriateness. I stamped this in Memento Black ink on Smokey Slate Cardstock. It is die cut with one in the Stitched So Sweetly Dies. I tried layering this greeting on various colors but decided it was fine just by itself.

I love fun and whimsical Halloween things and this Cute Halloween Paper is perfect for me! Put it on your next order so you can make a few Halloween cards or projects in plenty of time!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Last Month For Sale-A-Bration!

Sale-A-Bration Banner 2021

When Sale-A-Bration began in August, it seemed like it would go on for a long time! But now the first month is already over and we are into September! We know how fast time flies so don’t miss out! This special Stampin’ Up! promotion ends Thursday, September 30, 2021, in about 3 1/2 weeks!

In case you are new to Stampin’ Up!, you might not know what Sale-A-Bration is! Sale-A-Bration has been around since the beginning or near the beginning of Stampin’ Up, except back then it was called “Sell-A-Bration”. It really took off and has been an annual promotion ever since, one that everyone loves! However, THIS year, we are having TWO Sale-A-Brations!! We only had it starting in January before, but right now we are having the second one in 2021! And at a perfect time when we are purchasing new products anyway in the Holiday Catalog!

The concept of Sale-A-Bration is that when you spend $50 or more, you get to choose a FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure! And we all love FREE stamping supplies! If you spend $100 or more, you have a choice of one $100 Level product in the brochure or two $50 Level products. You will see those designations in the brochure. No limits to what you can spend and get for FREE!

TAKE A LOOK AT THE SALE-A-BRATION BROCHURE HERE!

Watch this video to learn about the Sale-A-Bration products!

If you have a large order yourself or go in together with friends, you can choose a FREE Host stamp set, In Your Words, with a $300 order! It’s on page 17 in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure.

In Your Words SAB Host Set 2021

And if you would like to be a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and start your own stamping business, now is the time to JOIN! Read about joining Stampin’ Up! HERE on my website and let me know if you have any questions. Below, you will see the choices of a FREE BUNDLE you can add to your Starter Kit when you join during Sale-A-Bration! Click to view a clear version!

Sale-A-Bration is a fun time at Stampin’ Up! This year, it is double the fun of having a second Sale-A-Bration going on now! But it won’t last forever! Sale-A-Bration ends on September 30 and you know how time flies! Get what you want before things sell out! Enjoy the Sale-A-Bration video above!

Peaceful Prints Kraft Christmas Gift Bag

Peaceful Prints Kraft Christmas Gift Bag

One thing I always enjoy making are gift bags out of plain shopping bags like this Peaceful Prints Kraft Christmas Gift Bag. Lots of times I can use ones I get at stores, even if they have the store name printed on the front because that printing gets covered up. Just remember, it is just like making a card, maybe a larger one, that you adhere to the front of the gift bag! It’s so much fun to make a personalized bag for any occasion!

For this bag, I used the Peaceful Prints Designer Series Paper. You only have this month left to get this paper, and you can get it FREE with a $50 purchase at Stampin’ Up! during Sale-A-Bration! I tried various layers of paper and cardstock and combinations before I settled on this! Sometimes you just have to keep playing and working until it all comes together!

I used a piece of the Peaceful Prints Designer Paper for the background piece. It is 7″ x 8″ and I liked the way it matched the trees. The background paper (5″ x 6″) has little deer and tiny trees on it and is layered on Real Red Cardstock (6 1/2″ x 5 1/2″). I decided to add trees, some die cut with Christmas Tree Dies out of the Peaceful Prints paper and some out of Garden Green Cardstock. I sponged a little Garden Green Ink on the cardstock trees. I used three different tree dies to make different size trees. Some are popped up on Dimensionals and some are adhered flat on the designer paper. The deer are cut out by hand with Paper Snips from the designer paper.

The greeting had to be a little bit small to fit in the space. It is in the Frosted Gingerbread Stamp Set. It is cut out with one of the Tasteful Labels Dies and layered on a small banner die also in the set. Make some of these ahead of time and you’ll be all set for gift-wrapping during the holidays!!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Whimsy & Wonder Traditional Christmas Card

Whimsy & Wonder Traditional Christmas Card

The Whimsy & Wonder Suite in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog uses soft pastel colors in it, but for this Whimsy & Wonder Traditional Christmas Card, I decided to just use the traditional Christmas colors of red and green!

The card base is Garden Green with a layer of Real Red Cardstock. Real Red has been my favorite color forever! If you buy a red somewhere else, like the big box craft store, you will find that their red does not compare to the perfect red of the Stampin’ Up! Real Red! I know because I bought a big package of red cardstock and envelopes when I first started stamping. When I saw how it compared to the Stampin’ Up! Real Red, I threw out the store-bought red paper!

The stamped layer is Shimmery White, my other favorite paper! It has just the slightest glimmer to it and works well with any medium, even some watercoloring. I stamped the tree from the Whimiscal Trees Stamp Set in Garden Green Ink. Old Olive would also look good. Then I overstamped it with the dots to look like little red ornaments or lights on the Christmas tree. I couldn’t resist stamping the holly and berries up in each corner of the card. I just stamped them in Garden Green and then went back in with a Blender Pen and added green ink to the leaves and red ink to the berries. Just very lightly and carefully because I didn’t want the initial stamping to smear.

The greeting is stamped from the Banner Year Stamp Set. It is stamped on Shimmery White and layered on a strip of Real Red, punched at each end with the Lovely Labels Pick a Punch. The greeting itself is popped up on Dimensionals but the Real Red punched piece is adhered directly on the card front. For some embellishment, I added the smallest Gilded Gems to each end of the red piece.

Since the tree doesn’t come with a trunk, I didn’t really like it just floating in the air, so I added a bow with the Real Red 3/8″ Sheer Ribbon. I might have preferred a really narrow ribbon but since this one is sheer, I thought it looked light enough to put in between the tree and the greeting. And since my tree needed a star at the top, I looked through my retired punches and found the right size little punch with a star and punched some Gold Foil.

The lesson here is that even though this stamp set, Whimsical Trees is “whimsical” doesn’t mean you can’t make it “traditional” with color and embellishment! Here is another card I made with the same stamped tree and the new Whimsy & Wonder Specialty Designer Series Paper in the less traditional colors. I love this card as is, but if you are looking for the red and green of Christmas, you can certainly use this tree and change up the colors. If you are looking for a more traditional Christmas card or at least a few for certain people, then try this Whimsy & Wonder Traditional Christmas Card with red and green!

Join Paper Pumpkin! Get This September Haunts & Harvest Kit!

Paper Pumpkin Sept 2021

If you are new, this is how Stampin’ Up! describes Paper Pumpkin! Think about trying it, especially this month if you like fall!

What is Paper Pumpkin? Paper Pumpkin is our monthly One-Stop Box™ that offers a unique variety of paper projects for subscribers of any skill level to enjoy! These thoughtfully themed and all-inclusive craft kits encourage Stampin’ Up! customers to explore their creativity, try new techniques, and discover their potential in papercrafting.”

This kit features three different designs for every treat box. That means whether you want to celebrate the Fall harvest or feel like getting in the Halloween mood (or a mix of both!), you can choose how you want to create your adorable treat boxes! Take your pick from crisp red apples, seasonal pumpkins, spooky jack-o-lanterns, or get creative and customize them into whatever you can imagine! 

The Haunts & Harvest Paper Pumpkin Kit contains enough supplies to create 12 treat packages which means you get to share the a-maize-ing treats with your friends and family! These treat package designs are perfect for Halloween party favors or place setting favors at a fall feast. These treat packages are the perfect way to tell your family and friends to eat, drink, and be scary!

The Haunts & Harvest Paper Pumpkin Kit not only offers the cutest giftable treat packages, it is also intended as home décor with the included wheelbarrow crafting opportunity! This month’s Paper Pumpkin box is designed with pre-traced lines and instructions to create a vintage-inspired wheelbarrow as a place to display your too-cute-to-spook treat packages.

ABOUT THE KIT

Haunts & Harvest 

  • Kit contains enough supplies to create 12 treat packages—4 each of 3 designs. The all-inclusive kit includes printed die-cut boxes, die-cut sheets, adhesive, and more!
  • Finished treat box size: 2-1/2″ x 2″
  • Includes an exclusive stamp set and a Classic Stampin’ Spot
  •  Coordinating colors: Basic Black, Pale Papaya, Poppy Parade, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Succulent

Remember, this is YOUR kit when it arrives in your mailbox in mid-September! You will be ready to start thinking about fall and fall decorating! You can make everything exactly as designed in the kit or use the supplies to make your own designs and variations! If you don’t want treat boxes, make cards out of the supplies. Change it up however you like, but I have to say, it is a treat sometimes to just open the box and not have to think about “what to make”. The plan is already there for you! There’s even a video you can watch plus the directions. It’s easy enough for everyone! If you want more than 12 treat packages, order two kits! You may be able to get a “Refill Kit” later on but those are never guaranteed. Once you are signed up as a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, you can go in the Stampin’ Up! Online Store and order any past kits or refills that are available!

I always say Paper Pumpkin is a gift you give yourself! Once a month you can count on getting a package in the mail and what is better than a box of a new stamping project and supplies!

The deadline is Friday, September 10th so sign up today so you do not forget!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY!

Monochromatic Shaded Summer Thank You Card

Monochromatic Shaded Summer Thank You Card

I was taking inventory of all my cardstock colors before I got an order ready for Stampin’ Up! and I came across this embossed layer in the bag with the other Pool Party Cardstock. I immediately thought that would be pretty on a simple card and this Monochromatic Shaded Summer Thank You Card turned out! Sometimes it’s your scraps that turn into something interesting!

This card has a Basic White Cardstock base, which is difficult to see in the photo. I added a Pool Party Cardstock layer to go behind the embossed layer. Another extra piece I saw with the Basic White paper was this already die-cut Scalloped Contours Die so I thought it would be perfect to use!

The floral bouquet is stamped with the Shaded Summer Stamp Set. You will find this stamp set in the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog on page 75. It has two pretty floral stamps and a lot of useful greetings. Another interesting thing about this stamp set is that you can earn the coordinating dies FREE during Sale-a-Bration with a $100 purchase. The die set is called the Summer Shadows Dies. Not only does it have dies to cut out the stamped flowers, but it has other flower dies, too! I didn’t even own the stamp set, but with the opportunity to get the dies free, I went ahead and ordered the Shaded Summer Stamp Set. Maybe I’ll get lucky and they will carry over the dies after Sale-A-Bration! Either way, it will be a useful combination to own.

After diecutting the flowers, I popped them up with Stampin’ Dimensionals on the die cut Scalloped Contour piece. I tied a piece of White 1/4″ Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon around the stem of the flower piece, plus added some small, white Elegant Faceted Gems around the flower.

The greeting is in the Shaded Summer Stamp Set. As I looked at my dies to see what I would like to use, I decided on the Messages Die. You don’t have to have a whole page of stamped greetings in order to use this die that cuts out an amazing number of greetings all at one time! I just placed the little scalloped die area over my stamped greeting to see if it fit, and ran it through my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. It was perfect for this card! It fit perfectly without covering up too much of the pretty embossing on the card layer. By the way, the folder is the Ornate Floral 3D Embossing Folder. So pretty with all the little embossed flowers and leaves! I had already embossed it to use on another card but didn’t like it. Then it ended up being perfect on this card, actually inspiring the creation of this card!

Remember, if you want to keep things easy, a monochromatic card can fit the bill! I only had to stamp the floral image, not color in the flowers and leaves! Here is another monochromatic card I made a while back, that was simplest to make with just one ink color.

This is the last month for Sale-A-Bration this year! Whether you spend $50 or more to earn a FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure or spend more and get a $100 level choice, you will be sure to find something fun to spur your creativity, like this Monochromatic Shaded Summer Thank You Card.

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! and SALE-A-BRATION ONLINE HERE!

Pretty Pumpkins Thankful Pale Papaya Card

Pretty Pumpkins Thankful Pale Papaya Card

Many times you never exactly know what you are going to end up with when you begin stamping, as I didn’t with this Pretty Pumpkins Thankful Pale Payaya Card. I knew I wanted to stamp these Pretty Pumpkins and color them with these different colors. What I didn’t know was that I would end up using this designer paper as a background layer on the card and that I would love the way it looked. The colors might not be an exact match, but I just liked it regardless!

I love the Pretty Pumpkins Stamp Set and the Detailed Pumpkin Dies! You can purchase both together in the Pretty Pumpkins Bundle and save 10%! Just add another $5.00 to your order and you will earn a FREE Sale-A-Bration product with your $50.00 purchase! Sometimes I feel I don’t need the extra expense of the die set, but in this case, there are two dies, especially the one die, that will make for really fancy and pretty pumpkins that you can’t stamp!

This card has a Pale Papaya card base. The designer paper I found in the Harvest Meadow Designer Series Paper. I hadn’t opened that package yet, but I was surprised to find this particular design in there! When I tried it out on the card, I really liked the look!

The pumpkins are stamped from the Pretty Pumpkins Stamp Set with Memento Ink and colored with Stampin’ Blends Markers. You have lots of choices of colors for your pumpkins these days, not just basic orange! I liked some of these pumpkin colors I was seeing online so I tried it out! My pumpkins are Mint Macaron, Pool Party, and Pale Papaya, using both the Light and Dark markers. The pumpkin leaves are colored with Granny Apple Green markers. Then I used the Detailed Pumpkins Die to cut out the trio.

For the background for the pumpkins, I used a scalloped rectangle die cut from the Scalloped Contours Dies. If you don’t have these dies, I highly recommend them! This die-cut is Basic White with the greeting stamped in Pale Papaya Ink It just fits on there with the pumpkins. You could stamp another color if you wanted to. This die-cut is layered on a rectangle of Pale Papaya. The pumpkins are popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals®. For some bling, I added some In Color Jewels.

Check out THIS CARD I made previously with the Pretty Pumpkins Stamp Set and the fancy die I mentioned in the Detailed Pumpkin Dies.

This card today is actually a pretty basic card, but I think the color of the pumpkins and the designer paper in the background make it look much more than a basic designed card. This Pretty Pumpkins Bundle can be used now for fall, for Halloween, and for Thanksgiving cards and projects that you may want to make! I hope this Pretty Pumpkins Thankful Pale Payaya Card gives you some inspiration to use some different colors on a traditional card.

Pretty Pumpkins Thankful Pale Payaya Card Closeup

A Second Chance To Get the August Paper Pumpkin Kit! Don’t Miss It!

SPECIAL OFFERING FOR THE SHELLI HOPE BOX

From Stampin’ Up!:

Due to a glitch in our system, customers were unable to subscribe to Paper Pumpkin’s Shelli Hope Box between July 31– August 5. We are sorry for any inconvenience that caused, but we would like to make it up to you!

(In case you are new to Stampin’ Up! history, Shelli Gardner, along with her sister, is the CoFounder of Stampin’ Up! We always love Shelli’s creative ideas!)

From August 24 – August 31, we will be offering the Shelli Hope Box to all North American customers, regardless of subscription. (Normally you would have to have a subscription to purchase a past kit, but for this one week only, you do not, you can just buy it!!) 

The kit can be purchased through the Paper Pumpkin Refills and Past Kits section of the online store from 12:00 AM (MT) August 24 to11:59 PM (MT) August 31. If you were not able to purchase the kit, it’s available for this limited time! Shelli Hope Box refills will continue to be available to subscribers only. After this limited offering, the Shelli Hope Box full kit will only be available on the regular past kit schedule for subscribers only. 

SO… Even if you are not a subscriber now, you can order this August Paper Pumpkin Kit on your Stampin’ Up! order. What a great time to try out a Paper Pumpkin Kit without a subscription!  Mine just arrived the other day and although I haven’t gotten to make it yet, the contents look fantastic!  There is even a roll of special Blackberry Bliss ribbon included in this kit! Purchasing this kit may even help you earn a free Sale-A-Bration product!

Here is Shelli’s original video describing the August Paper Pumpkin Kit, Shelli’s Hope Box!

HOPE BOX PAPER PUMPKIN PAST KIT  #158541

Golden 50th Anniversary Card

Golden 50th Anniversary Card

This Golden 50th Anniversary Card is one I just made recently although with some retired products. I don’t usually use retired products on my blog posts, but I’m starting to find that hopefully, I will be needing some 50th wedding anniversary cards coming up in the near future so I thought maybe some of you will be, too!

One of my favorite family memories is of my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary and the surprise party my mother threw for them! My other grandparents didn’t make it that long so that was bittersweet. My mother wasn’t necessarily planning to do anything like a party for her parents until their next-door neighbor said she “had” to have a party for them! Relatives and friends came from out of town from all over! My grandma’s sister and her husband came ahead of time, as if they were just visiting, so she could be in place at my grandparents’ house. Another long-time family friend came from Kansas City and stayed at our house. She made really good fried chicken, I remember! The day before the party, my grandpa drove over to our house with his visiting brother-in-law to stop in! This lady had to go hide down in the basement, but then my grandpa and uncle went down in the basement for some reason so she had to hide in the bathroom and hoped they wouldn’t come in there!

On Sunday everyone showed up to surprise my grandparents at their house! It was such a fun party with relatives, friends, and neighbors! I thought my brother and I shouldn’t have to go to school on Monday because we were at this party all afternoon and evening on Sunday, but my mother sent us! Now my brother and I have some of the Golden Anniversary gifts that our grandparents received as remembrances.

Recently my sister-in-law and her husband celebrated 50 years of marriage! This is the card I sent them. You wouldn’t have to use all gold, of course, but why not?! The card base is Basic White with a layer of Basic White. Then there is a layer of Gold Foil with another layer of Basic White. The Basic White is covered by a piece of the retired Golden Garden Designer Specialty Acetate from the Spring Mini 2021 Catalog in the Fine Art Floral Suite. To the side of the acetate is a gold striped piece of designer paper from the Expressions In Ink Specialty Designer Series Paper. I covered the seam with a piece of Gold 3/8″ Shimmer Ribbon.

The numerals are made from the retired Large Numbers Framelits and cut from Gold Foil. The “50” is layered on a die cut circle of Basic White and layered on a scalloped circle of Gold Foil. That is all layered on top of a die cut from the Tasteful Labels Dies.

The “Congratulations” is embossed with Gold Embossing Powder and cut by hand to fit the gold layer. It is in the Hand-Drawn Blooms Stamp Set. I used the dies in the Banner Blooms Dies, just the banner in the bouquet, for that gold foil layer behind the greeting. Probably had to trim it by hand also!

And that’s all! Sounds complicated to write up, but if you copied it, it wouldn’t be that hard because you would already have the design. It’s pretty amazing when a couple celebrates their 50th golden wedding anniversary so they deserve a special card! Maybe you should look ahead and see if any family or friends of yours are coming up on that special milestone and think about a special card you can make, like this Golden 50th Anniversary Card!