Get the 12 Weeks of Christmas Today!

Christmas Truck

Every year I send out the 12 Weeks of Christmas holiday emails only to my Mailing List subscribers as a thank you for following me on this stamping journey! They also get a newsletter every Tuesday with Stampin’ Up! news and offers plus at least one stamping project idea or tip. But when we start counting down to Christmas, I send out a special email on Wednesdays with an exclusive holiday project that I don’t post anywhere else!

We are already on Week 5 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas!! You missed the first four weeks, but you can still get the rest of the holiday emails if you sign up right now before 1:00 PM CT today!

Here’s how to get on my Mailing List! If you are on a computer, you probably will see a red box on the right side at the top. Just fill in your name and best email address.

If you are on your phone, you may have to scroll to the bottom of the screen.

Or just click here to go to my Mailing List Sign Up page!

Last Minute Past Halloween Ideas!

If you are still looking for last-minute Halloween ideas, here are a few from past years! You can update with our newer products or maybe you still have some of these older products from years past! Whatever you like! Click the title above the photo to go to that blog post for directions. Don’t miss the last idea at the bottom of the post – a new one I had to stick in because it’s so fun! I usually make one of these every year! Save that paper towel roll!

Make a Cute Halloween Votive Candle Holder

Make Easy Sour Cream Containers for Halloween Treats

Make Easy Sour Cream Containers for Halloween Treats

Halloween Chocolate Candy Treat Bag

Halloween Chocolate Candy Treat Bag

Triangle Treat Box For Halloween

Triangle Treat Box For Halloween

Halloween Night Candy Bars

Halloween Night Candy Bars

Witch’s Boots

Here’s an updated idea I made this year but I’ve made lots of these in the past!

I didn’t stuff any candy in there yet but I will! The Witch’s Boots are made with a paper towel roll cut in half. Wrap the roll in designer paper or cardstock. I used the Merry Bold & Bright Designer Paper, the pattern with the stripes that look like socks! Yes, you can use Christmas paper for a Halloween project!

Take a piece of Basic Black Cardstock however high you would like it to be to wrap around the bottom of the roll to start making the “boot”. Cut it so the ends meet in the center of the front of the boot and then you can fold back the top corners. Make it tall enough to add the buckle, especially if you want a big one.

Cut a piece of Basic Black in a long triangle to make the bottom of the boot. You want it to be as wide as the roll but you can trim around it to make it rounded in the back. You can cut it longer than you want and then curl up the toe with just a pencil or something however you like it.

You can make a cheater buckle by just adhering a square of black in the center of a square of Gold Foil. Then put some candy in a cello bag or add it to the “boot” as is. Just have fun with this idea

I hope these ideas are helpful and fun for you! Each one of these is my favorite thing that I love to make! (Maybe, especially, decorating these large candy bars??!!!)

Have fun and be safe on Halloween Night!

More Last Minute Them Bones Halloween Cards!

Them Bones Halloween Cards

The other day I made a few more Halloween cards, partly to use up as much of the Them Bones Designer Series Paper by Halloween as I can! Some of the patterns I can use for Thanksgiving and beyond, but the skeletons and tombstones, not so much! It’s also about trying not to hoard all the beautiful Stampin’ Up! paper that takes up space in my house after all these years!

I’ll just give a general description of each card.

Top left: This card uses the diagonal striped blue paper on “the other side” of the pattern with the little bats flying around. Layered on that is the spotlight panel (with a layer of Basic Black) that is part of the one sheet with a lot of different scenes that you cut apart. I cut out one of the skeletons and adhered him in the spotlight, from the moon I suppose, as if he is dancing. The “Happy Halloween” greeting is from a past Paper Pumpkin Kit stamp set. You can use what you have. I added some Black Classic Matte Dots to the greeting and some Iridescent Rhinestone Gems.

Top Right: This card uses one of those panels on a big sheet, plus I added pumpkins from the Pick of the Patch Stamp Set. The greeting is stamped with the Alphabest Stamp Set and punched out with the Best Label Punch.

Bottom Left: This card also uses that blue striped paper for the background. I added pumpkins, a skeleton, and a punched out moon from the large paper with tombstone scenes that can be cut apart.

Bottom Right: A super easy card to make by just cutting out the Trick or Treat panel on the sheet with all the different panels. It is layered on a piece of the orange plaid designer paper. I just added a bow made from Glittered Organdy Black Ribbon (retired). You could use the Black and White Gingham Ribbon or anything else you like.

If I have time I may even make some Halloween cards to hand out to the Trick or Treaters along with their candy!

I hope these ideas help you if you are still making Halloween cards or if you, too, want to use up your Halloween Them Bones paper!

Them Bones Skeleton Triangle Treat Box For Halloween

Them Bones Skeleton Triangle Treat Box

One of my favorite types of treat boxes is this triangle treat box. You can make them for any occasion such as this Them Bones Skeleton Triangle Treat Box For Halloween. This kind of treat box is really so easy to make! You will be surprised if you haven’t made one yet!

You can vary the size of these triangle boxes. All you have to do is follow the basic pattern. You can use cardstock or designer paper. You can leave the cardstock plain, stamp on it, or add designer paper or embellishments. And these boxes aren’t just for candy or food. They can hold a small gift, or even money or a gift card.

Here is the basic pattern and the size I used for this Halloween Triangle Box. I used a piece of Them Bones Designer Series Paper to make this box. Obviously, cardstock would be a little bit sturdier if you needed that. My paper is cut at 4″ x 8″. If your paper has a pattern you need to pay attention to which way you cut the paper so the pattern won’t be sideways or something.

Triangle Box Drawing

After cutting the paper to the size you want, the rest is scoring. The blue lines on the diagram above are the score lines. Score the length of the paper in half, so if your paper is 4″ x 8″, score at 4″ in the middle. Measure the mid-point on the ends (2″) and lightly mark with a pencil.

The “tricky” part is scoring on the diagonal but it is easy. In that awkward position with your Paper Trimmer, score from that 2″ middle point at one end down to the middle score line which will be on a diagonal. Do that on both sides of one end, then turn the paper and score at the other end in the same way. When you do it, you’ll see how it goes. Here you can see the other side of the paper, which I could have used instead of the bones pattern. You can see what the score lines look like, really from midline to midline. Then you’ll punch holes in each corner, preferably holding the ends together when you do it so they match up.

Triangle Treat Box Scored

After you do the scoring, crease all the score lines and fold the box together to see how it goes. Then hold the ends together on each side and use a hole punch of whatever size you like to punch holes through the two papers on each side. After you decorate your box and put the treat inside, you can tie the box together with ribbon or twine.

This box is simply decorated by cutting out the skeletons from another sheet of paper in the Them Bones DSP and adhering them to the box. You could also add a greeting or some other embellishments. I tied my box closed with the Black & White 1/4″ Gingham Ribbon.

Here is what the box looks like from the side:

Them Bones Skeleton Triangle Treat Box Side

Here’s a triangle box I turned into a Witch’s Hat for Halloween….nine years ago! Wow!

Try one and you will see how easy it is to make a triangle treat box. And you just might need one or more for Halloween night maybe for family treats or for a few special trick-or-treaters!

Happy Halloween in a few days!

OnStageAtHome2023 Gift Box!

OnStageAtHome2023 Box

Stampin’ Up! is having a virtual event on the second Saturday in November called OnStageAtHome 2023 and I was one of the lucky “several thousand” people who registered early enough to get this free gift box! It just arrived late yesterday and was so much fun I had to show you all the things in it!

You still have time to sign up to be a Demonstrator with Stampin’ Up!, get the special deal offered until October 31, and get to “attend” this virtual mini-convention on your computer FREE of charge! You will automatically be registered, and even if you can’t attend, you can watch a recording later. (But you won’t get a gift box, sorry!) And get previews of the upcoming Spring Mini Catalog!

OnStageAtHome2023 Box Inside

Inside is a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle and all kinds of things!

OnStageAtHome2023 Box Contents

Even a pair of Stampin’ Up! socks!! There are pens, a pin, photo props, and a quality notebook with little stickers!

OnStageAtHome2023 Box Open
OnStageAtHome2023 Notebook

OnStageAtHome2023 Box Props

I knew it was coming, but it was such a nice surprise when it arrived on my porch! I just had to show you all the goodies! And now I have a new pair of socks to wear! And don’t all of us papercrafters just go crazy over notebooks and pens?!! I always have!

We are all still very much in holiday mode, but it won’t be long until we’ll be looking forward to a change of pace and be ready for new spring products! It will be fun at this virtual OnStage to see what some of the new products will be! One of the best perks of being a Demonstrator!

Home For the Holidays Refill Kit Available!

Home For the Holidays Refill Kit

If you missed the October Paper Pumpkin Kit, Home For the Holidays, you can order it in the Stampin’ Up! Online Store! You must be a subscriber, though! OR maybe you just want more cards to make if eight weren’t enough! This is the Refill Kit which means you get all the materials you need to make the cards except for the ink spot and the stamp set. But you won’t need the stamp set if you have any Christmas greetings. You can use what you have or write it out on the greeting piece.

This card kit is beautiful and comes with layers of houses and trees to adhere on to the card base popped up with included dimensionals. It’s an easy kit to make! You will end up with eight cards, four cards each of two designs plus matching envelopes. As a bonus, the kit contains a bottle of glitter glue to use on the snow on the cards!

CLICK HERE to see my blog post when I spent a relaxing afternoon making up this Paper Pumpkin Kit!

Home For the Holidays Refill Kit Contents

If you are interested in this kit, order it soon while it is available! It will certainly speed up your holiday cardmaking!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP!

A Trio of Ghosts Halloween Card

Trio of Ghosts Halloween Card

I got the idea for this Trio of Ghosts Halloween Card from something I saw online, probably on Pinterest. It was a group of little tags that looked like ghosts! That gave me the idea to make tags that looked like ghosts but put them on a card! Why not have fun making a Halloween card?!

This card base is Basic Black with a layer of the Them Bones Designer Series Paper. I chose the pattern with the tiny bats because they are flying with the ghosts! You could make similar ghosts in any number of ways depending on what you have on hand to use. For my ghosts, I used the Tailor Made Tags Dies but I made them shorter than the die. If the die is longer than you want, roll the die through as far as you want it, then take it out of the machine. Scoot the die up so it is where you want the bottom of the tag to be but align it with what is already diecut. You will be able to feel it when it fits perfectly. Just try it and you will figure it out!

I drew on faces with a Stampin’ Blends Black marker. If you have a small hole punch you could punch out the black eyes to adhere instead of drawing and add that little white highlight with a gel pen.

The “boo” is stamped with the Alphabest Stamp Set and Memento ink. You wouldn’t have to add that but I thought it was cute! The center ghost is popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

At the top of each ghost, I tied a little bow with the Black & White 1/4″ Gingham Ribbon and adhered it with a Mini Glue Dot. Each bow covers up the little tag hole but you could also tie ribbon through the hole instead of a bow.

If you had “googlie eyes” you could adhere those on the ghosts instead of drawing on the eyes.

There you have another idea for a Halloween card! We are almost out of time!

A Walk in the Forest Merry Christmas Card

A Walk in the Forest Merry Christmas Card

I had a different idea for this A Walk in the Forest Merry Christmas Card, but I like how it turned out. In fact, I liked it so much that as long as I had all the materials out, I made several more cards just like this one for my Christmas card stash. I modified it a little bit which I’ll tell you about later.

The card base is Balmy Blue and the designer paper layer is in the A Walk In the Forest Designer Series Paper. You’ve probably seen this paper used in cards online but you may have missed it in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Mini Catalog. You’ll find the description of this paper at the top of page 5. If you stop and read the “Making a Difference” paragraph on that page, you’ll see that Stampin’ Up! will donate $3 for every package sold to support organizations dedicated to spreading cheer and providing support to those in need.

In the center, I used a Scalloped Contours die to cut a scalloped rectangle and also cut a piece of Basic White to fit inside the rectangle. I just measured and cut it with my Paper Trimmer. I stamped the greeting and some tiny snowflakes that are in the Merriest Trees Stamp Set in Balmy Blue ink. On this card, I wrapped around a piece of Balmy Blue 3/8″ Sparkle Ribbon and added a bow separately, adhered with Glue Dots. The whole greeting piece is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals. Then I added some white Adhesive-Backed Glitter Sequins.

On the extra cards I made, I decided to adhere the center piece flat on the card since they will be mailed. If your card gets too thick, that’s a problem when you mail it. These cards still have some bulk with the bow because the ribbon is velvety with sparkles! Beautiful but a little thicker! On these extra cards, instead of the Glitter Sequins, I added the Balmy Blue sequins in the Pastel Adhesive-Backed Sequins. They look pretty as well!

Hope you have an early start on your Christmas cards! If you need more holiday ideas, sign up for my Mailing List in the red box here on my blog to get my 12 Weeks of Christmas emails every Wednesday with an exclusive idea each week!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Love the Paper Pumpkin October 2023 Kit!

Paper Pumpkin Oct 2023 Cards & Envelopes

I always love the Paper Pumpkin holiday kits and this Paper Pumpkin Home For the Holidays Kit is no exception! It all starts with the beautiful box that you can save and use for packing away some Christmas items after the holidays and know that it will be easily recognizable! The contents of the box were all wrapped up in red tissue paper. I like to say that getting a Paper Pumpkin Kit in the mail is a gift you give yourself and each kit is certainly made to look like a gift that you will enjoy opening!

Paper Pumpkin Oct 2023 Contents

This kit made eight Christmas cards, four of each of two designs. The only stamping was for the greeting which was popped up over a piece of glitter paper. There were extra cutouts of houses to layer on the card front, plus some evergreen trees. For a special bonus, there was a bottle of glitter glue to apply along the roof lines of the houses and on the windows. The scenes are really beautiful and easy to put together. If you hate using dimensionals and peeling off those little backing papers, this kit might not be for you! There are a lot of “popped up” things on these cards! There is also a nice sentiment to stamp inside the cards.

Here is one card design. The houses are the layer that you add with dimensionals, which are provided in the kit. Then you add the trees popped up as well, plus the greeting at the top.

Paper Pumpkin Oct 2023 Cards1

Here is the second card design. This one has two separate pieces to adhere with dimensional to create layers of the decorated houses. The greeting is placed at the bottom of the card. And then the extra-fun part of outlining the houses wit the glitter glue.

Paper Pumpkin Oct 2023 Cards2

Possibly Stampin’ Up! will find they have extra Paper Pumpkin Kits and will add them to the Online Store. If you would like one, just sign up for a Paper Pumpkin subscription first and then purchase your kit plus maybe the add-on Cards & Envelopes.

Click HERE to JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN!

The November Paper Pumpkin Kit (sign up by November 10th to get this kit!) looks like it continues the same beautiful theme but this time you make small gift boxes for a little treat, gift or whatever you want to enclose.

Paper Pumpkin November 2023 Sq Ad2

This next Paper Pumpkin kit, for November 2023, is called Warm Wishes and comes in a decorative box very similar to the October kit.

Here are the details of the Warm Wishes Paper Pumpin Kit:

-8 boxes; 4 each of 2 designs
-1 Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Spot
-Iridescent glitter accents on paper
-Precut paper pieces
-Linen thread
-Treat bags
-Warm Wishes photopolymer stamp set
-Completed box size: 4-1/4″ x 4-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ and 4/1/4″ x 3-3/4″ x 1-1/2″
-Coordinating Stampin’ Up! colors: Balmy Blue, Blueberry Bushel, Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry, Daffodil Delight, Lemon Lolly, Mossy Meadow, Night of Navy, Old Olive, Pecan Pie, Real Red

This kit even has an add-on of extra cards and decorated envelopes, the Warm Wishes Cards & Envelopes, which you can purchase only if you are a Paper Pumpkin subscriber. The card bases have iridescent glitter accents. All you have to do is add a stamped greeting if you want to keep it simple!

The week after the 20th of the month, after they try to process any credit cards that didn’t go through the first time around the 10th of the month if they have any extra kits or refills, they will post them in the Online Store. So if you have to have this easy Christmas card kit, sign up for Paper Pumpkin to get the November Kit (by November 10th), and then you can purchase any of the available Kits or Refills. Refills typically only contain the package of materials, not the stamp set or ink spot.

No risk, no obligation to continue your subscription for any certain length of time! Try it now and get in on at least one of the holiday kits to help with your Christmas wrapping! You can always skip a month if you want to or cancel. Just go into your account by the 10th of any month if you want to make any changes.

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN!

Merry Bold & Bright Christmas Tree Card

Merry Bold & Bright Christmas Tree Card

The other day when I was making a Christmas card for my 12 Weeks of Christmas email, I had planned to use this star pattern in Crushed Curry that you see on this Merry Bold & Bright Christmas Tree Card. You’ll find it in the Merry Bold & Bright Designer Series Paper. I was going to use it for the background of my card. But when I flipped it over to apply adhesive, I saw the colorful diagonal stripes and couldn’t resist. I applied the adhesive to the star pattern and used the striped side on my card. So this card makes up for not using the star pattern the other day! Also, this pattern could be used at any time during the year! Perfect for birthdays and other happy cards, kids or adults!

I could have used Crushed Curry for the card base, but I really wanted to use Real Red cardstock for the card. I planned to diecut a Christmas tree with the Merriest Trees Dies but then I spied this dotted paper in the Merry Bold & Bright Designer Series Paper. I diecut it to see how it would look and I liked it!

The greeting is in the Merry & Bright Stamp Set. I stamped it in Real Red ink on Basic White and diecut it with a banner shape in the Stylish Shapes Dies. Just to set it off a little bit, I also diecut a Real Red banner of the same size and cut it in half horizontally so I could adhere the halves to the top and bottom of the greeting.

To embellish the tree I die cut a star out of the Merriest Trees Dies and adhered it with tiny drops of Multipurpose Liquid Glue. You could use Adhesive Sheets before diecutting if you think of it! I also used the Adhesive-Backed Glitter Sequins to decorate the tree.

As I write this, the Merriest Trees Dies are unavailable but due back in stock the week of November 6th. The Glitter Sequins are also unavailable but due back in stock the week of November 13th. I love these Glitter Sequins but there are many other gems and jewels you probably have in your collection that you can use instead. I looked through my pile a couple of times before I decided. If there is an out-of-stock item you are waiting on, be sure to keep checking ahead of schedule (or ask me for any updates) because frequently products come back in stock early and sometimes even sell out again.

Here is another Christmas card I made using another pattern in the Merry Bold & Bright Designer Paper.

Maybe this card is a little less traditional for Christmas but I think I like it and maybe will make more for my holiday cards! I really do love this Merry Bold & Bright Designer Series Paper, probably mostly because I love Christmas lights so I love the Christmas lights on the designer paper!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Halloween Ghost Wreath Card

Halloween Ghost Wreath

For this Halloween Ghost Wreath Card, I chose a stamp set you might already own that you can use for Halloween. It’s the Cottage Wreaths Stamp Set that can be used for many occasions. Along with the greetings in the stamp set and the extra stamps, you can use this stamp set for Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas. Or make the wreaths generic and use them for any occasion year-round.

I used a Pumpkin Pie cardstock card base for this card to go with the plaid pattern in the Them Bones Designer Series Paper. Sometimes we overlook the generic patterns in a themed designer paper package that can be used in many other ways.

For the wreath, I colored on the entire wreath stamp using Stampin’ Write Markers (not Blends) to get the multicolored look. I used a couple of different greens, a yellow, and an orange. Start with the lightest color because the markers will overlap; that way, you won’t get other colors on your markers. If you do, just scribble on scrap paper to get back to the original color. This stamp set is one of the “Distinktive” stamp sets that Stampin’ Up! developed to add a special texture to the stamped image. That’s why it doesn’t look totally flat and solid as we are used to, it looks more shaded just by stamping, not just by coloring. I used one of the Country Wreath Dies to cut out the wreath and the stamped bow.

For a little background to help the wreath stand out, I cut out a scalloped rectangle of Basic Black using the Scalloped Contours Dies. This is glued down flat on the card and the wreath is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals. The greeting is in the same stamp set and is stamped on Pumpkin Pie, then die cut with a banner in the Stylish Shapes Dies. I originally planned to place it across the middle of the wreath but changed my mind.

To make the wreath perfect for Halloween on this card, I folded a small piece of Basic White cardstock in half and cut out half a heart shape like you did when you were a kid! You could use a small heart punch or die as well. Cutting it myself was quicker! Then I cut the heart shape in half and put eyes on the ghost. I placed the ghost inside the wreath, just peeking out a bit!

Sometimes you make a card and you’re especially happy with it even if you didn’t have a great plan starting out! This card is one of those! I really like the colors of the paper and how the wreath turned out, and of course, especially the peeking ghost!

There are less than two weeks to make and send or give Halloween cards and treats so we have to get busy! Hope this idea helps!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Them Bones Halloween Treat Bag

Them Bones Halloween Treat Bag

Here is a quick and easy candy or treat holder you can make! It’s the Them Bones Halloween Treat Bag and you can copy this exactly or make it and decorate it however you like! It only took a few minutes to make!

Start with a piece of cardstock or designer paper that is 12″ x 6″. Keep in mind that 2″ of that will be the bottom flaps, so if you want your treat bag taller, you need to add more height so maybe you would want to cut the paper 12″ x 8″. I used the batty pattern in the Them Bones Designer Series Paper in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog.

Using the Paper Trimmer or Scoring Tool you will score the paper so it can be folded into the bag shape. Pay attention if your paper has a pattern so you don’t end up with it upside down! Place the paper vertically so you can score the bottom flaps at 2″. Then turn the paper so the 12″ length goes across the top, horizontally. Score at 1″ 3 3/4″, 6 1/2″, and 9 1/4″.

Box Diagram

Crease and fold all the score lines and use a Bone Folder to get a sharp crease. Cut out the small section at the bottom as you see in the diagram above (the light blue area). Cut up on all the bottom score lines for the flaps just up to the 2″ score line.

Them Bones Treat Bag Scored

You can pretty well see from my paper above how it is scored, creased, and the bottom flaps cut apart. If you flipped the designer paper over, you would put adhesive on that narrow strip on one side and it adheres to the straight side on the other end of the paper.

Fold everything to form into the treat bag. Make sure you see how it all goes together before you start glueing! Add some strong Seal+ or Tear n Tape on that narrow section above the cut off piece. Then just fold the other end over flat on the table so it all lines up. This is easier than trying to hold it in your hands! Next, glue the bottom flaps together. Push your Bone Folder or something down inside the bag so you can push those bottom flaps together after they have been adhered to get a strong bond.

Before you decorate the bag, look and see where the paper is adhered together to form the bag shape so that you can put that in the back so it’s not so visible. Then decorate the front of the bag however you like. I cut out a rectangle with a skeleton on it that fit perfectly on the front of the bag. You could add a greeting or some jewels. I decided I liked it as is.

With this pattern, you can leave the top of the bag open if you like. Before adhering anything, you could even fold the top edge of the bag down if you wanted to show the inside design of the paper. I didn’t want my bag to be much shorter than it is so I didn’t do that. But if you want to put your treat inside and then close it up, you can add some kind of clip or punch two holes in the top with a punch and put a ribbon through. I used this Black Glittered Organdy Ribbon (retired) but the gingham ribbons we sell now would be cute also. To close the top of this bag, just push in the sides and work with it until you get the top edges even and the sides and bottom how you want them.

As I said before, you could use any paper and decorations to make these little bags for any occasions to hold treats or a small gift! Once you get the hang of making these little bags and boxes with your stamping supplies, you will open up another way to be creative!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Paper Pumpkin and the Annular Eclipse 2023

Eclipse 2023 Paper Pumpkin Box

Yesterday was an exciting morning in Texas and many other places and surprisingly, Paper Pumpkin helped us see the Eclipse 2023. We had beautiful, perfect weather (after a long, very hot summer!) with clear blue skies. If you had rain or clouds you probably didn’t get to see it.

This was an annular eclipse where the moon blocks the view of the sun from the earth. In a total eclipse, the moon entirely blocks the sun. In this annular eclipse the moon is farther away from the earth so it appears smaller and when it blocks the sun, it doesn’t completely cover the sun which leaves a “ring of fire” around the edge. We didn’t see that here in Houston, but we had about 85% coverage. We could have driven a few hours farther southwest and had better coverage.

Of course we all know you shouldn’t look directly at the sun during an eclipse. We didn’t have the special glasses so we had to use other methods to see the eclipse. First of all, the easiest thing is to look at the sidewalk at the shadows of the leaves from the trees. You can very clearly see the shape of the eclipse.

Eclipse 2023 sidewalk

As time went on there were more and more shadow, in the street, up to our front porch, everywhere! Probably our favorite one was the shadows on the front of the house and the roof.

Eclipse 2023 House

Then my husband was playing around out on the patio in the backyard. I had been working on finishing up some old Paper Pumpkin kits so I had some empty boxes on the dryer inside the box door ready to go out in the recycle bin. My husband grabbed one and did the old pinhole trick of punched a small hole in the box and focusing it on a box on the ground. I realized he was using a Paper Pumpkin box so I got the idea to post it on my blog!

Eclipse 2023 Paper Pumpkin Box

Then he also brought out my mother’s old colander that I still use and that made a fantastic artistic pattern!

Eclipse 2023 Colander

I think this is really cool! Of course, the photo isn’t as sharp as it was seeing it in person but you get the idea!

Eclipse 2023 Colander Art

That was our exciting morning of tracking the eclipse from around 10:30 am to the maximum eclipse around noon, and then ending around 1:30 pm. Besides viewing the eclipse, it was fun to see other neighbors outside and get to chat with them! Usually we are inside our airconditioned houses, but as I said the weather yesterday was perfect for being outside!

So next time there is an eclipse, grab an empty Paper Pumpkin box and let it help you see the shapes of the eclipse without endangering your eyes!

Get your Paper Pumpkin box HERE with a fun papercrafting project inside. All the materials you need are included except scissors. No risk, no obligation! Try it out for at least one month and see if you enjoy it! It’s fun to get a Paper Pumpkin Kit in your mailbox once a month!

Here is the November Paper Pumpkin Kit! Make treat boxes for the holidays! Or use the materials to design your own projects! Sign up by November 10th!

Paper Pumpkin November 2023 Sq Ad2

Heartfelt Hexagon For You Card

Hearfelt Hexagon For You Card

The idea for this Heartfelt Hexagon For You Card came from copying my own card from a while back! I was looking through my stash of cards and found this one I’d made before and thought I’d just copy it using a new punch!

The punch came from the fairly new Bundle, the Heartfelt Hexagon Bundle.

Heartfelt Hexagon Bundle

Stampin’ Up! released this Bundle ahead of World Card Making Day last weekend. It was one of the sets they used during the virtual event to make a card. My order didn’t come in time for that so this is the first time I’ve played with the stamp set and punch.

It looks like a great stamp set to use with a punch you can use a lot! The punch can be used without the stamp set in many ways. You can punch out other images, words, or just paper shapes. Choose from a simple dotted border or one with a little more fancier border. Here is my first tip – when stamping the simple dotted border, just use a light touch. Stamp it and get out! Don’t keep pressing on the stamp because you will automatically wobble it and the dots will be blurry! When I looked closely at my stamped image the first time I realized my little dots were not perfectly shaped anymore. Then I remember hearing another Demonstrator give that tip…or maybe it was on the virtual event.

The next tip is to be cautious when you pull the hexagon outline off the case or off the stamping block. You don’t want it to get out of shape. If it does, you can lay it stamping image down on the table, let it settle for a moment, and then place the block on it to pick it up. That way it will be in its natural shape. My stamp really played games with my eyes or my brain! If I laid it down on the table not in the same position as the punch, it looked all wonky to me and I thought I’d stretched it completely out of shape. It was the weirdest thing! All I had to do was turn it a bit and it was correct!

The card base is Midnight Muse with a layer of Basic White. I embossed the Basic White with the Countryside Blossoms Embossing Folder. Most of the design doesn’t show but I like the little leaves along the side plus just a peak at the rest of the folder’s design.

The center layer is Midnight Muse measuring 2 3/4″ x 4 1/4″ I used the Countryside Inn Designer Series Paper for the layer. It measures 2 1/2″ x 4″. All of that is adhered flat on the card.

I stamped the fancier border on Basic White with Misty Moonlight ink and punched it with the Heartfelt Hexagon Punch. It is stamped with a greeting in the same stamp set along with the little design. Just that little design adds so much, I think! I popped up the hexagon with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

For a finishing touch, I tied a bow with the Night of Navy 3/8″ Bordered Ribbon and adhered it on the card with Mini Glue Dots. If I made the same card again, I might move the ribbon up to the bottom of the hexagon, but it’s okay as is. This is really a pretty basic card without frills but still looks nice. You could add some jewels or gems or sequins if you wanted to. Certainly you can change the greeting for other occasions.

Just search for Heartfelt Hexagon Bundle or the Item number 162889 and it will come up. Or just search for hexagon. I think it is just listed under Products, no special category. This is a Bundle that I think you want. The stamp set is versatile and useful and so is the punch so you will get a lot of use out of both!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! HERE!

New November Paper Pumpkin Kit!

Paper Pumpkin November 2023 Flyer

Just as soon as the current month’s Paper Pumpkin goes out in the mail, the next day we find out what the next Paper Pumpkin Kit will be! The November Paper Pumpkin Kit, the papercrafting kit that comes to you in the mail every month, is called “Warm Wishes” and is a kit to make holiday treat boxes! Always fun things for the holidays! The holiday Paper Pumpkin Kits are usually my favorites.

“Light up the Christmas season with this month’s Paper Pumpkin kit! With traditional Christmas home designs and warm Christmas wishes, spread the light of Christmas with a gift box! Plus, you can get the Warm Wishes Cards & Envelopes Add-On to take your Christmas crafting even further (available while supplies last).” (You can only purchase these cards and envelopes if you are a Paper Pumpkin subscriber.

Kit Details::

This kit includes:

8 boxes; 4 each of 2 designs
1 Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Spot
Iridescent glitter accents on paper
Precut paper pieces
Linen thread
Treat bags
Warm Wishes photopolymer stamp set


Completed box size: 4-1/4″ x 4-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ and 4/1/4″ x 3-3/4″ x 1-1/2″


Coordinating Stampin’ Up! colors: Balmy Blue, Blueberry Bushel, Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry, Daffodil Delight, Lemon Lolly, Mossy Meadow, Night of Navy, Old Olive, Pecan Pie, Real Red

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