Tag: crafting

Crafty Thursday #9 Pleat Fold Christmas Cards

*December Host Code M6C34D2G: see below for details 

Hello friends!

I appreciate you coming along on my crafting and card making journey. I have found such joy in creating cards, and I hope that I inspire you to get your hands a little inky, get some glue in your hair and create, too!

Believe it or not, I’m done with my Christmas cards! *release confetti!* Of course, I have a few spares, just in case I may have overlooked someone. I was so excited when my order with the Heartfelt Hexagon bundle, the Boho Blue Mini emboss and die machine, and the Cheery Patterns embossing folders arrived, because I was able to finish up my cards! The Hexagon punch was perfect to use with my favorite Christmas stamp set, too. 

Just look at these beauties! And, they did not require extra postage! 🙂

I have loved creating with this gorgeous Winter Meadow DSP, which is staying in stock! Yay! Hurry and grab some! I was a bit intimidated by the 12×12 sheets at first, but once you slice into it, the inspirations abound. I’ve made quite a few Christmas cards with this paper, and I still have some left for other wintery projects.

Speaking of wintery projects…I am so very ready for bright colors and fun new papers…and that is exactly what will be coming via UPSanta today! So many beautiful new papers, fun dies and stamp sets, all from the new Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration, which both begin availability on January 4, 2024. One of the perks of being a demonstrator is getting the chance to pre-order and start playing with all the new products. There are plenty of others, too, and I’m happy to talk to you about it more!

I’m so looking forward to making new, fun projects to share, and the very first video will be…
Ah! You’ll have to subscribe to the channel to see the premier! 😁 Trust me, it will be a rockin’ good time. I’m planning to be on mid-January, barring anything urgent that comes up and I can figure out the whole tripod, 2 screen thing. 

All of my personal shopping links are above in the post, if you’d like any of the products I used for these cards. Instead of an instruction sheet, I refer you to the Suestampfield blog post , who is the designer of these lovely cards.

Thanks for joining me today! Have a blessed and wonderful weekend. Let me know in the comments if you went to any Christmas parties! 🎄

Barbara

*By using the Host Code at the top of the post, I have the opportunity to earn some free products. You can host an online class and earn free products, too. Email me with any questions and we can set up an online class. stampinoplous@gmail.com

If you use my Host Code, and spend $50 or more in product, before tax and shipping, you will receive a thank you gift from me personally. Code on this post is valid for December 2023 only.

Crafty Thursday #7, Corner Flip-Fold Card

Happy Crafty Thursday on Friday! I hope you all had a great day, watched the Macy’s parade, and didn’t eat TOO much. My hubby and I had a quiet day and enjoyed the parade, and old favorite movie, March of the Wooden Soldiers, and ate stuffed shells, meatballs and garlic bread. I’m making some turkey over the weekend, when I’m sure we’ll see some or all of the grandkids and kids who live here in Colorado.

*NOVEMBER 2023 HOST CODE AUJPKKWY

I received my happy mail, and oh, what fun I’ve been having! I can hardly wait for my next happy mail, coming from my terrific team leader, Lorraine. She takes such good care of us all, and I hope to build my team as well as she does for ours! My featured card today, the Corner Flip-Fold is one that I CASE’d from her You Tube and blog. (CASE: Copy And Share Everywhere)

Aren’t they cute?

I had a great time trying my hand at this fun fold. I was a bit nervous cutting the first one. One of my first (failed) attempts at a fun fold card still sits in my file basket, and I try not to look at it too often. I think that in my exuberance and inexperience, I tried one that was a bit too complicated. This one looks a bit advanced, but it’s really not that difficult at all. The biggest part was overcoming the nervousness of cutting into the card base. 
I started with some of my fun new papers, the Inked Botanicals designer series paper. The patterns and colors in this series is so beautiful, and I wanted to dig in right away. This card is perfect to really let that DSP shine!
It matched really well with the Azure Afternoon and Poppy Parade card stock as the card bases. Those are both in the Brights collection, which has all the matching inks, etc. If you get the assortment package, you get 2 pieces of each color, for a total of 20 sheets. It’s a great price to try out all the color options! And, here’s a tip: when you shop, you can look in the description for the colors that SU uses in their designer series papers, so you can then order the coordinating card stock, ink, and markers. In the catalogs, there’s a color bar somewhere on the page when you shop for bundles that include DSP. 

When you do your flip corner, you see some of that gorgeous paper on the inside of the card. On two I chose to let it ride, and the other two I chose a coordinating paper to feature. I love to bring some of that fun to the inside of the card as well. I even added an extra strip on one card.

I kept the sentiments simple: I didn’t use any on two of the cards fronts, and just a small one on the other two. I used my favorite stamp sets, and, yes…that cute little heart showed up again! 
Speaking of papers, inks and stamp sets, Stampin’ Up has released their lists of carryover and retiring products. If you have seen anything in the September-December 2023 Mini catalog, NOW is the time to shop! Many products are retiring, and will only be available while supplies last. Some items have been marked down as much as 60%. Some bundles are being retired, but the products will still be available, but not at the great discount price. I just ordered the Heartfelt Hexagon bundle, stamp set and punch, that I’ve had my eye on for a bit. Both products will carry over, but not as a bundle. You can also shop the Clearance Rack and Online Exclusives for more terrific items that aren’t in the catalogs, or won’t be coming back. Lots of new kits are available, as well as the Paper Pumpkin subscription boxes. It’s a good time to grab a few gifts for that crafter in your life. 
It’s also a pretty good time to join as a demonstrator. You’ll get a big discount on your starter kit, and a special thank you gift from me, personally. You don’t have to sell, write blogs or appear on You Tube. You can simple enjoy the discount on products. I would love to have you on Team Stampinopolous if you are a beginning stamper or want to create your own team. You can email me at stampinopolous@gmail.com for more info. I am here to help you in whatever your goals are. 
I’d LOVE to see your card creations! If you go to my Facebook page, Stampinopolous, you can add your photos under the post featuring this card. 
COMING IN JANUARY:
➤ Newsletter sign ups: I will publish a monthly newsletter with card tutorials, Stampin’ Up news and maybe ever a recipe or two!
➤ If all goes well, my You Tube channel will go live. With more than the 16 second trial video that’s on there right now. 🙂
As always, a free instruction sheet is available at this link. I added pictures to help you “see” the cuts and fold.
Thank you for stopping in, reading and commenting. I appreciate you all!
Till next time, be blessed beyond measure!
Barb
*This week is the last week to use the NOVEMBER 2023 HOST CODE when you order. All orders of $50 or over in product before taxes receive a thank you package of embellishments from me personally. If your order is over $150 in product before taxes, do not use the host code and enjoy your own Stampin’ Rewards!

Saturday Stampin'

Happy mail today! 🎉
Remember my order that I almost ordered the day before the sale? Well, I ordered the correct day, and got my new supplies today! Fun new DSP, inks, and card stock colors!
Supplies used:
》DSP: Zoo Crew
I wasn’t sure I would like this DSP: oh, my, it is SO MUCH FUN!
》Stamped With Love stamp set
This stamp set is fun, too! I love, love, love that tiny heart!

》Inks: Lemon Lime Twist, VersaMark for the tone-on-tone, Memento Tuxedo Black, and Melon Mambo for that adorable heart!!

I’ll be experimenting more tomorrow, and I have a few other cards to show you. Two sets of cards, using the pre-made card bases. One set was very simple, the other a bit more. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
Barbara 
*All Stampin’ Up! links are mine, and I make a commission

Read about the seal of the Holy Spirit on your heart  

#creating #createandblessothers #stampinopolous #stampinup #cards # cardmaking #papercrafts #newsupplies #happymail

Crafty Thursday # 6: Explosion Cards Fun Folds

 Confession: I really love the creativity of Fun Fold cards. L.O.V.E. it!

But…some are really hard! 😏 I’ll show you both of my attempts.

NOVEMBER 2023 HOST CODE: AUJPKKWY

This was the easier one. The inner piece is called a squash fold, and it’s fairly easy to make. More about that below; I was able to liberally use my favorite stamp set, Circle Sayings, I just love that little cupcake! I chose not to color it this time, I liked the look of the tone-on-tone vibe I had going with the fun Bright and Beautiful papers. I used Bubble Bath card stock for the base, and stamped with Fresh Freesia. I love the color combo!

One great thing about the squash fold piece is that you can make it any size so long that it’s a square. I made some fun ornaments with this fold, too. They can be given or used for Christmas, birthdays or any other occasion where you may want a fun alternative to a card. The designer series paper is the perfect weight to use for this very fun fold! You can use card stock, but it’s a bit bulky, and if using in a card, will require extra postage.  

To create the squash fold: You need a 6 in x 6 inch square. Score at 3 inches on both sides, creating 4 squares. Then, score diagonally, once across. You can see the folds in the above photo. Fold the piece in half, keeping the pattern you want to show on the INSIDE of the fold. Do the same for the other horizontal side, keeping the chosen pattern inside. You will have a 2 3/4 in square. Open it back up,  then fold on the diagonal the opposite way, so the chosen pattern is on the outside. It sounds a lot more complicated than it is, and I hope I’m explaining it well here. You can see in the picture how it pops out, creating the “explosion” when you open the card.

The next card is the one I had some trouble with. I made several templates before I attempted the card. The squash fold is up in the corner, and it’s not quite as easy to create as the simple squash fold. I used a thinner piece of white card stock from Hobby Lobby to create the base, as I found that a bit easier to work that tricky corner.

I’m holding it closed so you can see the front and how it opens up to the right. I put the round greeting on a square, to keep the linear look. 
As you can see in the second picture, there was plenty of room to decorate this card. I probably got a bit caried away 😁 I’m not sure that I have this one down, and after a few failed attempts, my hubby told me to set it aside and try again another day. So, I listened to his wisdom and made dinner!
Creating is all about the process, and sometimes the process doesn’t quite
work the way you intend it to. My grandkids will love the card, and never know that it’s “not perfect.” Perfect cards are available in the stores; imperfections are the love you put into it. 
 
I’m going to leave you a link to Really Robin Stamps’s You Tube tutorial on the corner fold card. She explains it so much better than I think I can, and makes it look easy. 😉 
All supplies can be purchased in my online store or you can use my shopping link here. If you use my host code at the top of this post, and spend $50 or more on product, you will receive a thank you gift directly from me. The Seasonal Sale ends today, so if you want anything, hurry over to shop!
Thanks for spending some time with me today. I hope you try BOTH of these cards, and if you do, let me know how they turned out. You can post a picture of them in the comments for this post on my Facebook page.
A tutorial sheet for the Explosion Card and Squash fold (first card) is available right here.
Till next time, have a blessed and wonderful day!
Barbara
*all Stampin’ Up! links are mine, and I earn a commission.

Surprise Sale! 🥳

Hey, friends! That’s my 16 pages of post-it notes Stampin’ Up! wish list…and, guess what??

November 14-16, 2023 is a SALE!!! 🎉🥳
⭐️ 10% off ribbons and trim
⭐️ 15% off inks
⭐️ 20% off paper
All from the 2023-2024 Annual catalog!
Discounts are automatically applied when items are added to order. Some items may sell out due to high demand; sale will not be applied to items that go on backorder. Keep in mind that the distribution center might fall behind due to high order volume.
This is a great time to shop for quality Stampin’ Up! products. Maybe I can knock a page or two off that list 😉 How about you? 
Please use the following:
November 2023 Host Code: AUJPKKWY
*Orders over $50 get a freebie thank you from me personally!
If you’re order is over $150, don’t use the host code, enjoy your own shopping rewards! 

Happy Shopping! 

Crafty Thursday #5: Eight Cards in ONE HOUR! Assembly Line Technique

 Yes, you read that correctly! I made 8 cards in one hour, including the matching envelopes! 

*NOVEMBER 2023 HOST CODE: AUJPKKWY

These were fun cards to create, and a great return for an hour of work! (Okay, making cards isn’t really work, but you know what I mean!)

I know the assembly line isn’t a new idea, after all, that’s what made Henry Ford a rich man! It’s a great technique in card making, especially when you want to make lots of cards in a little bit of time. This is a great idea to make gift sets. Using the premade cards and matching envelope set certainly helped the process, that was one step already done! The premade cards and envelopes are a great deal. 

I decided to make Christmas cards after watching a video by Lisa Freeman. I chose Winter Meadow Designer Series Paper and my favorite Christmas stamp set, Christmas Classics and got to work!

I cut all my coordinating card stock pieces first with the Paper Trimmer (LOVE that tool!). The packaging of the DSP lists all the Stampin’ Up! colors used in the papers, so it’s very easy to match your card stock with your DSP. Same with the ink! I double checked my measurements, then cut my DSP pieces.


Next came the front sentiments. I love the Modern Oval punch, and made fast work of popping out the white and colored ovals. I stamped the sentiment in coordinating ink, then glued them to the backing. I did the same on the inside of the cards, as well as the back flap. I love the font used for the set, and the Seasons Greetings stamp is perfect for the flap! I used the pine bough and berries to give it a bit more oomph, and copied that on the front. I kept the same color palette on the envelopes, too. I really like the looks of it, and it would be a great set to gift!

The assembly of the cards was super quick; first gluing the strips to the card stock, then gluing the panel to the card fronts. Using the Stampin’ dimensionals, I placed the oval sentiments on the fronts. Easy as pie!
In an hour, I had 8 simple, beautiful cards. I was pretty happy!
I hope you try this technique. A free project sheet is available HERE.
Have a wonderful and blessed day!
Barbara 
Read the Beatitudes and see who is blessed! 
*To order, please use the host code for November, 2023 AUJPKKWY. If your order is over $150 in product, don’t use the code, enjoy your own rewards! Orders over $50 will receive a free pack of embellishments from me personally as a Thank You!

All product links are my demonstrator links, and I earn products when you use them to shop, thank you!

Crafty Thursday #2 Gift Card Pocket Fold Variation

 Hello and welcome to Crafty Thursday! 

I hope you had a wonderful and creative week. I happened to get a Happy Mail delivery today from Stampin’ Up! so that helped get my creative mood flowing. So many fun, fun things! 

I am completely geeking out over those A-Dorable Ink Spots! They are 1 inch square and come in the classic colors like Real Red, Gorgeous Grape, Daffodil Delight, etc. They also have an option to purchase blank Ink Spots and the refill inks, so you can create your own set. It’s a great and economical way to build a nice ink collection.

I needed to replenish my Dimensionals, grabbed a few Stamp Blocks, embossing powders and VersaMark Ink for embossing and tone-on-tone stamping. 

After thoroughly examining all my new supplies, I got down to it.

The card I’m featuring today is a variation of the Gift Card Pocket Fold. It’s a nice, easy one to make if you’re just beginning your card making, or if you have minimal supplies on hand. It’s not a “standard” card size, which is okay since I’m not going to be mailing it. I do believe it will fit in a large envelope. You can find many, many printable lists of standard card sizes online. This one is on Pinterest. I used an odd piece of black card stock that I had on hand, and it folded up to a nice almost 6 in x 3 1/2 in card.

I used the new stamp set, Stamped With Love, which has the adorable letter and pen. The mailbox is fun, too and it has some nice, simple sentiments included. “I Like You” and “Love You Always” has a pretty script font, and sounds like something you’d actually write. I was also waiting for the Bright and Beautiful paper, just look at all those fabulous patterns! I wanted to make a dozen more cards with it just because it’s so darn fun.

The bright colors really popped against the black. I just love that adorable envelope and pen! You can use so many of other sentiments in there, but I used one from the set. After I stamped that, I added the red heart (possibly the smallest stamp ever created) and colored the pen with alcohol markers. Then I fussy cut around it, added dimensionals, and boom, the front was complete. It’s nice to have a quick and clean look, especially with the bold DSP

Inside, I added some fun stripes to the pocket, which is the opposite side of the paper. There are so many GREAT patterns with this set, there are so many combinations you can use. 

I love the humor of the inside sentiment, “so you get a card.” I added another tiny heart, and an extra strip of the front paper. I can tuck a gift card or some cash in the bottom pocket and have plenty of room to write a greeting. I think I’ll wrap it up in some plain craft paper and give it along with a cupcake. Because, who doesn’t love a cupcake on their birthday?

Well, I know this has been a longer post, so thank you for reading through. As always, a free instruction sheet is available right here. I hope you enjoyed the post, and please let me know if you made this card for someone you like! 😉

Till next time,

Be blessed

Barbara

Read about the free gift of salvation in Jesus that God gave to all, because He loves us.

In the Word Wednesday #2

 Good morning! (ugh, it’s probably afternoon)

Psalm 119 is an amazing, wonderful, epic prayer. Of the many topics the 176 cover, it’s most often a prayer to stay close to God, walk humbly in His ways and asking God to stay close. There’s repentance, confession, personal and corporate intercession, even some prayer for enemies to be vanquished. 

In Psalm 118, if I might digress a moment, is a passage that I have been praying daily for Israel.

All the nations surround me;

   in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

They surrounded me on every side;

   In the name of the LORD, I cut them off!

They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns;

   In the name of the LORD I cut them off!

I was pushed so hard that I was falling, but the LORD helped me (Psalm 118-10-13, ESV)

Back to Psalm 119, it is an acrostic piece, which means that the first letter of each verse corresponds with a letter of the alphabet. There are 22 sections, each beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I think I have decided that my favorite passage is from verses 33-40. Yesterday, I was attempting some stamping art, using a technique called stamping off. You load your stamp with ink, then stamp once on a piece of scrap paper before stamping on your project. I have a naturally heavy hand, so I think I need to practice this a bit more! I also used my blending daubers on one to bring just a bit of color. Here are my efforts so far:

I’ll be making a few more, hopefully with less “typos”!! hahaha

What are you doing creative today that incorporates faith? Please let me know in the comments!
Be blessed!
Barbara 

Crafty Thursday #1: Quarter Gate Fold Card

 Hello! Thanks for joining me on Crafty Thursday!

I find a lot of card inspiration on You Tube and Pinterest. I saw the card I made today by Stamping Queen Bee on You Tube. I’m calling it a Quarter Fold Gate Card; it’s a variation of the Gate Fold card that I posted about here.

This card is a great vehicle for displaying both sides of the 12×12 Designer Series Paper. I have been wanting to use the Winter Meadow DSP with the deer scene, and this card was perfect for it! The small trees were also a great choice to use with this card design. Stampin’ Up! DSP’s make card designing simple. All of their papers are double sided and all of their products are designed to work together. I was able to choose the coordinating inks to go along with the DSP. (I kind of wish my closet was this easy to coordinate!) 

I used the Christmas Classics stamp set, which is in the Sept-Dec 2023 Mini Catalog. I love the fonts on the sentiments, very clean and classy. The holly, and pine boughs make it a perfect, cozy and beautiful card. The Seasons Greetings sentiment was perfect for the envelope flap…yes! Don’t forget to decorate those envelopes! I used my Modern Oval punch for the front sentiment. 

On the inside of the deer scene card, I decided not to put in a white interior piece; the paper is light enough to write on. (the picture is a bit dark) Again, I stamped the Seasons Greetings sentiment across the top, and added Poppy Parade berries for some accent color. Of course, if I change my mind before sending, it will be quick and easy to add that interior piece. I finished off the front of each card with a few Blooming Pearls for a little but of bling.
Please let me know if you try make this fun fold card. A free instruction sheet is available to download here.
Thanks for joining me today! Please create and bless others!
Blessings!
Barbara
Read more about Jesus’ parable of the pearl of great price
*All links take you to my Stampin’ Up! shopping page.

Gate Fold Card

 

My shipment of new Stampin’ Up! products arrived this week, and I’ve been busy, busy, busy! I had some organization to take care of first (we’re in a small apartment, I need to be smart with our spaces!) but I finally got down to making some cards using the new products!

Aren’t these cards beautiful? The technique is called the Gate Fold, and I made one with a belly band (middle) instead of the “gates” on the front. In the second photo, you can see how the cards open. One opens side to side and the other top and bottom. I added a thin piece of the Designer Series Paper on the inside for a little extra flair. 
The belly band slides off to reveal the beautiful DSP I used on the inside as well. The paper leant itself so beautifully to add a sentiment, and carry the snowy forest theme to the inside.
I just love the deep, bold colors of the card stock in contrast with the softer tones in the Winter Meadow Designer Series Paper. Together, I think they make stunning cards! The other designs in this package are just as stunning, be on the lookout for more cards using this paper.
I used the new Christmas Classics stamp set on the first two cards, and a retired set, Flurry of Wishes, on the third. 
The first Gate Fold card used Garden Green card stock, and the second one, Mossy Meadow. 
The punch used for the sentiment is the new Modern Oval punch. I like the size (approx 1 3/4 x 2 in), it’s just right for many sentiment-al occasions. To conceal the seam on the belly band, I snipped off the top and bottom to fit it on the band. The shape lends itself well to adjusting to fit the space needed. 
I finished them off with a little bit of bling, using the Blooming Pearls embellishments.
The wood coasters were made by my son. They’re coming in quite handy in my card making endeavors! 
For a printable GoogleDoc tutorial of how to make this card, click here! 
Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Barb