Bee My Valentine Hearts Valentine Card

Are you making Valentines? Here is a fun one, the Country Bouquet Hearts Valentine Card, with lots of stamped hearts! Sometimes I like to just stamp randomly all over the card. It just feels good and the simplicity is nice!

For this card, I used the solid heart in the Bee My Valentine Stamp Set in the Spring Mini Catalog. I started by stamping three Sweet Sorbet hearts. Then I just chose several other colors and mostly stamped three hearts of each color. You can use whatever color theme you like! I think I used Fresh Freesia, Balmy Blue, Highland Heather, Daffodil Delight, Soft Sea Foam, and Calypso Coral. I crammed them in there! Be sure to turn the stamp or paper so they are all going in slightly different directions. Not to be one to know when to stop, I also added some really small hearts stamped in Melon Mambo ink.

Before adhering the hearts card front, I wrapped around a piece of Silver & White 1/2″ Sheer Ribbon down the side. After adhering the front layer to the Sweet Sorbet card base, I tied a bow around that piece of ribbon. I liked this ribbon because you could still see through it to see the colored hearts.

For the greeting, I chose “With Love” in the Country Bouquet Stamp Set. I wanted to stamp it on the heart punched out of the Country Bouquet Punch but it was too long so I had to stamp each word by carefully inking up only one word at a time. It was risky but I did it! I could have done it a more careful way but I took a chance! I popped up the stamped heart over a diecut rectangle in the Timeless Arrangements Dies. Then I scattered around some Iridescent Rhinestone Jewels.

Have fun making some Valentines!

Planted Paradise Just For You Card

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I’ve had this stamp set for a while now but finally made a card with it, the Planted Paradise Just For You Card. I got this stamp set FREE when I “attended” a virtual Stampin’ Up! Event for Demonstrators called OnStage@Home. It’s been a while since that event so I’ve finally tried it! It might not have been a stamp set that I would order from the Spring Mini Catalog on page 47, but as it turned out, I really enjoyed playing with it and making this card!

This Planted Paradise stamp set would be perfect for a plant lover! It is a stamp set with SO many different leaves, foliage, and pots. It’s one of those stamp sets that you can just play with and see what you come up with!

For this card, my first card, I used a sample card in the Spring Mini as my inspiration. It doesn’t match exactly but the focal point is similar to the hanging potted plants. The card base is Garden Green cardstock. The designer paper on each side is the “backside” of one of the very scenic papers in the Meandering Meadows 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper. I just looked at some of the designer papers I have for one with a green background. At this point, I wasn’t even sure what card design I was going to make. I had a 2″ wide strip of this green background paper, but got the idea to put it on each side of the card so I cut it in half at 1″ x 5 1/4″ Then I adhered each strip to each side of the card front.

For the center, I used Basic White cardstock. When I was all finished with it, I noticed it was cut shorter than I intended! It was supposed to be the same length as the green strips on the sides! What to do? Maybe add a layer underneath? Well, when I placed it centered on the card, even though it was shorter than I planned, I thought it looked fine! A little different! Maybe a little modern! So I kept it that way and used it the length it was cut!

The large pot is stamped with Cajun Craze ink and cut out by hand with Paper Snips. The leaves were stamped in Garden Green ink and others in Soft Sea Foam ink. Some were stamped on Soft Sea Foam cardstock with Soft Sea Foam ink. I cut these out by hand, even some extras so I could play around with them in the pot. I wanted a variety of leaves. I popped up the pot with Stampin’ Dimensionals but I only placed them at the bottom of the pot so I had room to stick in the leaves at the top wherever I wanted them. Then I could add more Dimensionals under the top after the leaves were in place.

Before adhering the plants and pot, I stamped the chain holding the pot. I didn’t have to be really precise because I knew the plants and pot were going to cover the “chain”.

For some finishing touches, I stamped a butterfly in the stamp set in Gorgeous Grape ink and a greeting in Cajun Craze. The greeting is in the Charming Sentiments Stamp Set. Then I remembered that the stamp set had dies so I cut out the greeting with the appropriate Sentiment Silhouettes Die. I also decided to use the new little Adhesive-Backed Cork Rounds on the card front. Not sure I like them on this card but they seemed like something that would go with plants. I like sparkle better I think!

Although I wasn’t all that thrilled with this stamp set, when I looked back at this card the next day I found that I liked it a lot! I think the Gorgeous Grape butterfly really adds a pop of interest. You could even make the leafy plants look more 3D by folding them lengthwise a little bit or curling the tips a little bit or stamping the butterfly and cutting it out with the wings bent a little bit.

I’m ready to make some more cards with this Planted Paradise Stamp Set! Check it out in the January-April 2024 Mini Catalog!

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Valentine Stamping and Watercoloring

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I seem to be getting a lot of watercoloring accounts popping up on my social media and some of them look so fun and simple! I don’t own a set of watercolor paints, but I knew I could use our Stampin’ Up! ink and the Stampin’ Up! Water Painters. I saw a card design a little bit like this card but made with cardstock hearts in kind of an ombre effect. I got the idea to use the Country Bouquet Stamp Set in the Annual Catalog for stamping hearts and then I watercolored them!

This Valentine only uses Real Red ink! The card base is Real Red. The hearts are stamped with Stazon black ink on Stampin’ Up! watercolor paper, Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper (149612). You need to use Stazon ink since it is waterproof. You don’t want any ink to smear when you apply the watercolor. Basic White cardstock doesn’t stand up well to water so watercolor paper is a lot better. If you still have some Shimmery White cardstock that unfortunately is retired now, it works fairly well with water.

To make this card, stamp hearts on the watercolor paper. If you already have some ink in the lid of the Real Red ink pad, you can start with that. Squeeze water out of the Water Painter to make a very light color with the ink. I had a scrap piece of watercolor paper that I tested my colors on. When you feel you have the shade you want, color in the top three hearts. Then add a little bit more reinker to the lid (don’t let all the water get onto your ink pad!), stir it up with the Water Painter, perhaps adding more water. When you get a medium shade with the ink and water, fill in the next row of hearts. For the last row of hearts, add more reinker and see what shade you have or add more water if it is way too dark. You want three different shades of colored hearts just using Real Red reinkers and water. See my photo below of what I was using.

Either let the watercolor paper dry or hit it with your Heat Tool for a short time. It doesn’t take very long at all to dry with the Heat Tool. Then you can adhere it to the card base of Real Red. I used a LOT of Stampin’ Seal+ since the watercolor paper is heavier and possibly warped a little bit. I wanted to be sure it was going to hold on the card.

I tried to figure out what to do for a greeting and in the end stamped “For You” randomly in the empty spaces on the card. Not one to leave well enough alone, I also added some Pastel Adhesive-Backed Sequins in Petal Pink scattered on the front of the card.

On the inside of the card, I added a Basic White layer and stamped both greetings “Just wanted to say” and “Happy Valentine’s Day in Real Red ink.

IMPORTANT: Before you just close up that ink pad, take a paper towel and dab out all that water. You don’t want that all soaking into your ink pad and it would probably make a mess anyway just closing the lid!

This was a fun way to do something a little different but still use Stampin’ Up! products. Sometimes we may forget how versatile many of our products are, the reinkers being one of them. Try a little watercoloring with your reinkers and Water Painters or whatever small brush you have. If you don’t have the Stazon ink, I’d suggest just paint the hearts and omit the stamping. Make all the hearts different colors if you like. Just play!

February is here so this is the last month for Sale-A-Bration. It’s a good time to pick up a few things at Stampin’ Up!, thinking of reaching that $50 level or $100 level or more to choose a FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure and the newly released products on this flyer.

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More to Sale-A-Brate New Products Feb 2024

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As if there weren’t enough good products to choose from in the Stampin’ Up! Sale-A-Bration Brochure, Stampin’ Up! has added some additional choices! If you haven’t heard, Sale-A-Bration is a special promotion (a favorite promotion!) that Stampin’ Up! offers every year. With every $50 purchase, you can choose one product from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure (and now these extra products) for FREE! No limit! If you spend $100, you may choose from a couple of special $100 Level items or choose two $50 Level products. If you spend $150, then you have those aforementioned choices PLUS you earn Stampin’ Rewards of 10% more product!

Notice that the last two products on the flyer, the Core Colors Markers, and the Dragonflies Punch, are products available with a $100 purchase.

Click HERE or on the flyer above to see the added Sale-A-Bration products you can choose from!

These products are from the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog: Beside Me Stamp Set, Botanical Layers Stamp Set, Delightfully Eclectic Designer Series Paper, Stripes and Splatters 3D Embossing Folders, 2023 New Core Colors Stampin’ Write Markers, and Dragonflies Punch.

These products are in the Spring Mini Catalog: Just Kiddin’ Designer Series Paper and Sweet Thoughts Memories & More Cards & Envelopes

These products are Online in the Kits Collection: Love This Memory Notebook Kit and Robot Buddies Kids Card Kit

NOTE:

The item numbers in this flyer above MUST BE USED to redeem these products as Sale-A-Bration items. These products have different item numbers in the catalog, which won’t register as part of Sale-A-Bration.

Sale-A-Bration ENDS February 29th! Don’t delay!!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE TODAY!

Two New Kits in the Stampin’ Up! Kits Collection

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Today is almost like Christmas at Stampin’ Up! Lots of new things coming! Two new Kits in the Kits Collection which are available TODAY! What a great way to start off a new month!

This is the Birthday Sparkle Kit! Looks very pretty and sparkly to me! Make six glittery birthday cards and six gift tags with this kit. Besides the stamp set, you get diecut paper pieces, glittery stickers, twine, and envelopes. Use the contents exactly as designed or make up your own designs. If you don’t need tags, make them into cards, for example.

Kit includes:
*Birthday Sparkle Photopolymer Stamp Set
*Clear Stamp Block
*Early Espresso Stampin’ Spot
*Predesigned projects
*Step-by-step instructions
*Precut pieces (No prep work! Get right to crafting)
*Make 6 cards and 6 gift tags
*Cards: 3 each of 2 designs; folded card 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″
*Gift tags: 3 each of 2 designs; largest tag 2-1/4″ x 3-1/2″

6 preprinted envelopes
*Enough adhesive to complete projects
*Gold glitter stickers and pressed wood picks.
*Baker’s Twine in Early Espresso and White
*A 9-7/8″ x 6-1/2″ x 2-3/4″ printed designer box for storage or crafting on the go

Product colors: Basic White, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, gold glitter

For something a little different, here is the Happy Houseplants Kit. If you love houseplants but don’t necessarily have a green thumb, this home decor kit might be just the thing! This kit comes with four 6″ x 6″ frames to hold the plant diecut pieces that you can make look almost 3D! You don’t even have to shop for frames when you make the plants!

Kit includes:
* Predesigned projects
* Step-by-step instructions
* Precut pieces (No prep work! Get right to crafting)
* 4 white frames
* Frame size: 7-1/8″ x 7-1/8″ x 7/16″
* Enough adhesive to complete projects
* A 7-3/4″ x 7-1/2″ x 3″ printed designer box for storage or crafting on the go

Product colors: Calypso Coral, Garden Green, Granny Apple Green, Lemon Lime Twist, Pecan Pie

Check out these two new kits in the Kits Collection as well as all the other choices! Kits by Stampin’ Up! are perfect for new crafters, busy crafters, or crafters who want quick and easy projects. All-inclusive project kits have everything you need in one box! Give them as a gift or try them yourself. Kits are while supplies last.

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! KITS COLLECTION!

Flight & Airy Thank You Card With Birds

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Continuing with my cardmaking with one of the beautiful Sale-A-Bration papers, I am showing you this Flight & Airy Thank You Card With Birds. I really like this Flight & Airy Designer Series Paper that I got FREE with my $50 purchase at Stampin’ Up! If you haven’t taken advantage of Sale-A-Bration yet, you have one more month to go! Sale-A-Bration ends February 29!

This card uses two different patterns of the Flight & Airy Designer Paper. The background design is just a floral pattern. It actually reminds me of years ago when maybe you would see a pattern like this on bedsheets or a bedspread. I think the soft pink in the background of the flowers is so pretty. The birds sitting on the flowery branch come from another paper in the package with medium size birds that can be cut out with Paper Snips by hand.

The card base is Boho Blue, but you could choose another coordinating color easily. I used the Radiating Stitches Dies to cut out the two rectangles on the center front of the card. I used Boho Blue and Basic White. If you do not own these dies, you can just cut rectangles out of cardstock to whatever size you want or maybe use one of the tag dies or something else in your die collection. The greeting is stamped in Boho Blue ink and is in the Go To Greetings Stamp Set.

The birds on the front of the card must be cut out by hand unless you want to use a circle die or something. It is not difficult to cut out. You do not need to cut deeply in between all the leaves or flowers. Just cut easily around the edges and it will be fine. It works best to turn the paper rather than the scissors. Don’t worry about perfection. You could pop up these birds with Stampin’ Dimensionals, but I glued them flat on the card. Then I added three colored Rainbow Dots for a little embellishment. I love these Rainbow Dots! They are flatter than some jewels and things so they are not a worry about mailing.

If you missed my card the other day using the Flight & Airy DSP, click HERE.

If you wanted to add a little something to the inside of the card, you could add a Basic White layer for a stamped greeting or personal message and cut out some other birds to adhere in the corner or a scrap strip of the flowered paper.

Don’t wait too long to take advantage of Sale-A-Bration! But stay tuned for February 1st when there might be something new for Sale-A-Bration!

Flight & Airy Just a Note Card in Fresh Freesia

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I enjoyed making this Flight & Airy Just a Note Card in Fresh Freesia so much yesterday! It just came together very easily. If you already have this Sale-A-Bration paper, you know how beautiful it is. And if you don’t have it yet, you should get it!

If you haven’t heard of Sale-A-Bration, with every $50 order or more at Stampin’ Up!, you can choose a FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure. Spend $100 and choose between two free products or one special product for the $100 level. We all love to get new stamping supplies and FREE makes it lots of fun!

This Flight & Airy Designer Series Paper is one of the Sale-A-Bration choices on page 6 of the Sale-A-Bration Brochure. It has watercolor images of birds and branches, birds and flowers, watercolor wash backgrounds, and floral patterns. The papers are all so pretty! I’m sure you will love them too! There is a long list of coordinating colors with these papers.

This card has a card base of Fresh Freesia. The designer paper layer I chose has smaller birds and branches so you might not want to be fussy cutting these birds from the paper, but you certainly can from some of the other patterns. I like the look of the numerous bluebirds and flowers on this paper.

For the focal point of the card, I used the Radiating Stitches Dies to cut out one Basic White rectangle and one larger Fresh Freesia rectangle. The bird on the flowery branch is cut out by hand from another sheet of the Flight & Airy Designer Paper. You might think that fussy cutting a design like this would be really difficult but it is not! Just cut around the edges, wiggling your scissors in and out. As you can see, since this whole image is very “dense” you’re not really going to cut way into it at all. Just cut around the edges of the flowers and leaves and then around the little bird. I glued everything flat to the card, but you could pop up the cutout bird and branch with Stampin’ Dimensionals. For an embellishment, I simply tied a bow out of two strands of Linen Thread and adhered it will a Mini Glue Dot.

The greeting is stamped with the Go To Greetings Stamp Set. You could use almost any greeting with this card, from a happy occasion like a birthday to a greeting expressing sympathy. It is stamped in Fresh Freesia ink.

If you don’t own the Radiating Stitches Dies, just choose another die that would work or cut out your rectangles with the Paper Trimmer. The edges of these two rectangles are very pretty, but plain rectangles would look nice as well. You could even add a few pearls or jewels of some kind to this card, but I think it is fine as is!

When you shop at Stampin’ Up! during Sale-A-Bration, think in terms of $50 increments so you can get a free Sale-A-Bration product. If you are just a little bit short, check the Clearance Rack for something that might put you over the top.

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Bee Mine Book Fold Valentine Card

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February is coming soon so it’s time to get those Valentines ready to send and give! This is one of those fun book fold cards but the fold is at the top instead of on the side. Try this Bee Mine Book Fold Valentine Card for a fun card Valentine to send to someone!

This book fold card starts with a card base of Sweet Sorbet. The card base is cut at 11″ x 4 1/4″, then scored at 4 1/4″ and 5 1/2″. The 5 1/2″ score line is the center fold of the card. The 4 1/4″ score line makes the “binding” on the top of the card. Glue that area to the card base so that only the 4 1/4″ portion of the card opens. Once you have the book fold card base made, you can decorate the card for Valentine’s Day or for any occasion you need.

I used the Bee Mine Designer Series Paper in the Spring Mini Catalog. It is part of a big collection of products, the Bee Mine Suite Collection. You can purchase all of it or just some of it. The Bee Mine DSP is cute and is not exclusively for Valentine’s Day but you can use it for Valentine’s Day! Even if you exclude the obvious hearts papers, there are still plenty of patterns you can use for any occasion!

To decorate the card, I adhered a strip of 1″ x 4″ to the top book fold area. I chose the pattern with the little bees flying around. For the larger front of the card, I adhered a tiny heart pattern cut at 4″ x 4″. The three little white circles are die-cut from the Deckled Circles Dies. I cut out the larger bees with hearts on one pattern of paper and adhered each to one of the white circles. I glued them flat to the card but you could pop up the circle and bee or just the bee. For the greeting, I stamped one from the Bee My Valentine Stamp Set in Sweet Sorbet ink. There wasn’t one good place to put a greeting so I just made three and placed them around on the card.

I really like the Sweet Sorbet Ribbon that comes in the Suite, but to go with the black on the bees and for something different, I added a bow at the top with the Black & White 1/4″ Gingham Ribbon.

On the inside of the card, I added a 4″ x 4″ piece of Basic White and cut out another bee to put in the corner.

Here is another card I made in the book fold style with the fold on the side of the card and also using the Bee Mine Designer Series Paper.

Remember that Sale-A-Bration is still going on and will continue through January. With every $50 purchase, you may choose one FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure. There are some great choices from stamp sets, to paper, to embellishments. And what’s better than getting stamping products FREE?!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Softly Stippled Thanks Card

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Remember, Sale-A-Bration is going on at Stampin’ Up! this month and next month! With a $50 purchase, you can choose this Softly Stippled 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper FREE! This paper is very versatile with stippled florals, earthy colors, and textured-looking designs. You will be able to use this paper for many cards and projects.

The card base is Melon Mambo with a layer of the Softly Stippled paper. This pattern is a Pool Party pastel-colored texture that looks like a woven fabric! Just looking at the card, you would think the paper is embossed or has a physical texture on it, but it’s just the look of the paper.

Another sheet of the Softly Stippled paper has black and white flowers all over. They can be left as is or they can be colored. I chose a few of the flowers to color and then fussy cut with my Paper Snips out of the sheet of paper. For this card, I used Watercolor Pencils and then softened the coloring with a Blender Pen. Stampin’ Up! sells two different boxes of Watercolor Pencils, Assortment 1 and Assortment 2. Back when I became a Demonstrator, coloring with Watercolor Pencils and a Blender Pen was my favorite way to color! I used Melon Mambo for the pink flowers and Daffodil Delight for the yellow ones. The leaves are Granny Apple Green and Mossy Meadow and also some Old Olive. On the yellow flowers, I added a tiny bit of Calypso Coral too. You can combine colors and then blend them with the Blender Pen. The yellow flowers are adhered directly to the card. The pink flowers are popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The greeting is in the Artistically Inked Stamp Set. It is stamped in Melon Mambo ink and die cut with one of the label dies in the Something Fancy Dies. There is even a matching larger die that you can use for a layer in Melon Mambo.

To finish off the card, I added two Melon Mambo Glossy Dots to the greeting. But I couldn’t stop there! It just seemed like I should also add some Iridescent Rhinestone Jewels down by the flowers. Sometimes you have to know when to stop…but I went ahead anyway on this card! I don’t think it’s too overdone!

Here is another card I made with two other patterns of the Softly Stippled Designer Series Paper.

Go shop at Stampin’ Up! and put in an order of $50 or more so you can choose a FREE Sale-A-Bration product!

Nature’s Sweetness Easy Explosion Box

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Nature's Sweetness Explosion Box with Lid

This Nature’s Sweetness Easy Explosion Box is something fun and easy to make and makes a cute little gift or favor for someone. There are variations of this little project but I came across this idea while cleaning out some old computer files! You never know what you might find!

Some explosion boxes have sides that fall open when you remove the lid. I’ve made that kind too which can be used well as kind of a folding scrapbook or photo album. This one I made has sides that just fold in. Put a greeting on the inside, maybe a little treat or gift. You could write messages on the sides inside or adhere some small photos.

This explosion box uses the Nature’s Sweetness Specialty Designer Series Paper. For my box, I used a very gold pattern for the box and a white and gold pattern for the lid. These papers have another design on the other side. You do want to pay attention to the direction of any patterns on your paper choice.

Start with a 7 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ square of paper for the box. Score at 2 1/2″ on all sides, like a tic tac toe board. Or think of it as scoring at 2 1/2″ and 5″. After you have done the scoring, cut off all four corners on a diagonal. You can use your Paper Trimmer, just lay the two points on that cutting groove.

Nature's Sweetness Explosion Box Scoring

Fold and crease all the score lines and by hand, fold the corners to the inside to form a box. Give those fold lines a good crease with your fingers or lay on the table and use your Bone Folder.

For the box lid, cut a square 4 1/4″ x 4 1/4″. Score on all four sides at 7/8″. Then make four snips as shown in red below to make the flaps. Cut toward the outside of the scoreline a tiny bit. I think this gives just that tiny bit of extra room for the lid to fit over the top of the box without pinching in the sides. I didn’t do mine as perfectly as I should have but it turned out all right.

Fold and crease all the score lines and then fold in the flaps and adhere to make a lid.

On the inside of the box, you can put a little greeting of any kind. I cut another square of one of the designer papers and then layer a greeting or message on top of that. I stamped a greeting from the Lovely & Sweet Stamp Set.

You can decorate the top of the lid, or if you prefer tie a ribbon around the box with a bow on top. For mine, I roughly cut out this flower and leaves from the gold embossed sheet in the Nature’s Sweetness DSP. The image is colored with Stampin’ Blends and then cut out with one of the dies in the Lovely & Sweet Dies. I layered the diecut on a circle punched out with the 2″ Circle Punch.

This is an easy little project so give it a try! Some designer papers are heavier than others or you might want to try using cardstock which you can stamp on or add layers of designer paper to decorate. The sky is the limit! Have fun!

Stay In Touch With the Stamping With Karen Mailing List!

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Have you signed up for my Stamping With Karen Mailing List yet? If you like visiting my blog or if this is your first time here, please join us by signing up in the Mailing List Sign Up Box!

You will receive an email newsletter each Tuesday with the latest Stampin’ Up! news and any special offers, plus at least one tutorial for a card or another project or tip. Stampin’ Up! updates us on Tuesdays so that is a good day to get in touch with you!

If you like getting new stamping ideas, this is for you! These projects are exclusive to my newsletter.

As a special gift for signing up, you will receive a PDF called “A Dozen Creative Gift Wrap Ideas”.

Keep on top of all things Stampin’ Up! and learn how to use those great products in papercrafting! Sign up in the Mailing List sign-up box in the upper right corner of my blog or the pop-up box! If you are on your phone, the red signup box may be at the bottom of this post.

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Lighter Than Air Suite in Spring Mini

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Lighter Than Air Suite SU Photo — Image © Stampin’ Up! 2024

One of the popular Suites in the new Stampin’ Up! Spring Mini Catalog is this Lighter Than Air Suite! You will find this Suite on pages 32-34. If you like hot air balloons, you will love this Suite! I might like looking at hot air balloons, but I don’t think I want to ride in one so high up! I remember when we were first married, there was some event with several hot air balloons on the ground in a field and we could walk up and see them up close. There was one that you could get into the basket and just be lifted up a little bit, still anchored to the ground. Just a tiny little ride not far off the ground! I wish we would have tried that! It was a pretty safe way to test out a hot air balloon ride, just a little bit! One time, years ago, a hot air balloon landed in my parents’ neighborhood, right out on the street! Fortunately, it was a neighborhood street, not a heavily trafficked one, but I guess that is where the balloon needed to land. They certainly are pretty floating across the sky!

I love the soft colors in this Suite, especially in the Lighter Than Air 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper. This paper is pretty to use for many cards for many occasions or projects. There’s only one pattern with hot air balloons on it but the other patterns are very generic. There are stripes, dots, and many other patterns you can use for general cards, baby cards, birthday cards, and more!

I suggest getting this designer paper, Rainbow Dots, and Baker’s Twine if nothing else! Here is a card I made recently using the Lighter Than Air 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper and the Rainbow Dots. The pastel colors are so pretty, you can’t go wrong! Of course, there is a stamp set and dies to really indulge your love of hot air balloons. You can see lots of design ideas on pages 32 and 34.

Enjoy this Stampin’ Up! video telling you all about the Suite!

Remember, with every $50 you spend at Stampin’ Up! you will earn a FREE product during Sale-A-Bration through the end of February. There are no limits to how many products you can earn!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Perennial Lavender You Mean the World Card

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This Perennial Lavender You Mean the World Card came together pretty quickly! All I did was look at the papers in the Perennial Lavender Designer Series Paper package and when I saw these two patterns, I was sold! I knew I wanted to make a card with that combination! The Perennial Lavender Suite doesn’t mean every card has to be purple!

This is one of those basic card designs. Just use two different patterns of paper, one on the top of the card base and another on the bottom. You can have the two pieces meet up exactly or have them overlap a little bit. You can cover the seam with a piece of ribbon or even a piece of cardstock or another piece of designer paper.

The card base is Lost Lagoon. I really haven’t used this color very much but it is very soft and pretty. It coordinates perfectly with both the designer papers I used – the watercolor wash background on the bottom and the painted foliage of all shades of green.

I wasn’t sure what ribbon to use on this card. I pulled several possibilities out to try. Much to my surprise, I kind of liked this Black & Very Vanilla 3/8″ Large Check Ribbon. It doesn’t seem like it would match, but I liked it. What do you think? I adhered a ribbon around the seam where the two papers overlapped and then added the bow separately with a Glue Dot.

The greeting from the Perennial Postage Stamp Set is stamped in Memento Black Ink (I was planning to use Lost Lagoon Ink but I thought the black would go with the black & vanilla ribbon I used!) I stamped it on Very Vanilla cardstock and punched it with the Heartfelt Hexagon Punch. You’ll find this punch in the Heartfelt Hexagon Bundle with the Heartfelt Hexagon Stamp Set. This set is all in the Spring Mini Catalog but was an early release so some of us had it early.

To help the Very Vanilla greeting stand out a little bit, I punched another Hexagon out of Lost Lagoon and cut it in half horizontally. Then I adhered it behind the Very Vanilla hexagon with a little Lost Lagoon showing the top and bottom. For an embellishment (although you don’t need any with this simple card) I used some of the Lost Lagoon Tinsel Gems in the 3-pack for an embellishment.

Earn a FREE Product during Sale-A-Bration! SHOP STAMPIN’ UP!

Bee Mine Z-Fold Valentine’s Day Card

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I already had this Petal Pink cardstock made into a Z-Fold card base in my package of paper so I started with that. I must have gotten that far one day and then changed my mind about the card! But this day, it was perfect! This Bee Mine Z-Fold Valentine’s Day Card is one of those cards that I was pleased about how it all came together!

Let’s start with the basics. A Z-Fold card starts as a regular card base, but the front of the card is scored down the middle and folded back on itself! You don’t even need to score the front of the card, just fold the right side back even with the fold on the left side of the card. If you do want to score the cardstock, score the 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ paper at 2 1/8″ and 4 1/4″. Fold in half, then fold the 2 1/8″ score line back to the fold.

For this card, I used the very cute Bee Mine Designer Series Paper. I wasn’t so much into bees when the Spring Mini Catalog came out, but the paper has won me over! It just makes me happy to work with it! For the front Z-Fold panel, I used this super-cute red pattern with little white flowers. On the inside, I used the pattern with the Daffodil Delight plaid lines.

The greeting is in the Bee My Valentine Stamp Set and is stamped in Memento Black ink on Basic White. It is diecut with a rectangular shape in the Nested Essentials Dies and then layered on a larger Daffodil Delight layer. When you adhere the greeting to that Z-Fold make sure you are only putting glue on the correct half and not the whole area so that the card will still open!

Since I put designer paper on the inside of the card (or if you have a dark-colored cardstock, you may need a lighter piece to stamp or write a greeting on the inside of the card. I die-cut a piece of Basic White to match the Daffodil Delight diecut piece and made sure it was placed directly behind the greeting on the front of the card. Put the card face down, and lay the inside diecut piece face down along the backside of that greeting. Apply glue, then fold the back of the card over so that it adheres exactly in the right place. When the card is closed, you don’t want the inside greeting itself or the diecut piece showing from the front if possible.

To embellish the card, I cut out bees from the designer series paper and adhered those to the front and inside of the card. I also used the Bee Builder Punch to punch out some Sweet Sorbet hearts to use, also.

Try this Z-fold card if you haven’t already. Here’s another example of a fun Z-Fold card. I think it is an easy way to make a card seem extra special!

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Bee Mine Z-Fold Valentine's Day Card Inside

Softly Stippled Hello Card

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Make a nice card, like this Softly Stippled Hello Card with the free designer series paper you can earn at Stampin’ Up! during Sale-A-Bration. This card may have a few extra layers than you are used to making but it still is an easy card and the pretty paper does the work! Just add a greeting and a little embellishment.

Earn this paper during Sale-A-Bration at Stampin’ Up with a $50 purchase. When you spend $50 or more during Sale-A-Bration (ends February 29) you may choose a free product in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure. If you spend $100 or more you may choose two free products at the $50 Level or one extra-special product at the $100 Level.

For this card, I chose Calypso Coral for the card base, one of the coordinating colors with this Softly Stippled Designer Series Paper. Then I chose two patterns of the paper that I wanted to use. The monochromatic floral layer on the card base makes a pretty background without competing with the center layers.

The center Calypso Coral layer is 2 3/4″ x 4 1/4″. The floral layer on this piece is one with Calypso Coral and other colors of flowers and foliage. It is cut at 2 1/2″ x 4″. Before adhering it to the card front, I adhered some ribbon and a bow around it. The bow is tied separately and adhered with Mini Glue Dots. I used the Pecan Pie 3/8″ Center Stripe Ribbon which you will find in the Online Exclusives. (I had to search for it myself!) It is part of the Meandering Meadow Suite which was released a little while ago in the Online Exclusives category. The Suite is not available at the moment due to the Dragonflies & Birds embellishments not being available until February 5th. However, you can order everything else separately.

The greeting is stamped on Basic White in Calypso Coral ink, then die cut with a small square in the Stylish Shaped Dies in the Annual Catalog. The next size up in the squares was bigger than I wanted to I just cut a square myself out of the Calypso Coral paper to be the layer under the greeting. The greeting is in the Circle Sayings Stamp Set. I liked using the word “Warm” on such a cold day in Houston and probably where you are too! To the greeting, I added three Rainbow Adhesive-Backed Dots. They technically are not the correct color but it sure looks close to me so it’s fine. I love those dots!

You could pop up any of these layers or leave them flat as I did. Change the designer paper layers to your liking. Here is another card I made last year with the Countryside Inn Designer Series Paper in the Annual Catalog. I just copied my own card with this designer paper! I think it is a nice card design and easy to make to showcase pretty designer series paper.

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