creativity now alternate cards and pages

creativity now alternate cards and pages

During Covid, Stampin’ Up! like most companies pivoted to online events for demonstrator education instead of in person…

Creativity Now was born from that necessity and has been a well attended online seminar for the last few years…now that the world is relatively back to normal they announced that this year’s Creativity Now would be the last one.

We were sad to hear that but with the introduction of Online card classes and Virtual card and Album Retreats the event has become redundant…So join me today to see the creative inspiration from our last Creativity Now event and the alternative projects I created!

Creativity Now used a pre-order upcoming Online Exclusive Suite that was definitely a different style for me called the Painted Collage Suite with the Notes of Collage bundle and Painted Collage DSP. But like most times I start to play with the products and fall in love with the designs!

These first projects are two of the projects I did from the instructions for projects A and B.

A is a card using water coloring techniques on our watercolor paper and a matching envelope made from our Designer Series Paper!

Project B is a card on card design for a gift card holder – the blank center portion of the smaller Cajun Craze tri-fold card on card is where the gift card would be attached and this uses the smaller vingnettes from one of the DSP pages.
It also uses the cross hatch die pattern as a cool background under the tri-fold card!
Project C was a two page scrapbooking spread for an 8 X 10 album and since I scrapbook in 8.5 x 11 or 12 x 12 I converted the layout elements into 8.5 x 11 scrapbooking pages.

The first three photos are from the elements of the 8″ x 10″ scrapbooking spread converted to 8.5″ x 11″.

Project D was a very cool banner which I had no immediate use for so I also took the elements and created more scrapbooking pages!

These next photos are using the banner elements for scrapbooking background elements instead of the banner!

I created a single page spread with the last banner image shown below.
and one last page using more scraps and elements from the unused projects!
When I was preparing and pre-cutting all of the elements for the Creativity Now virtual retreat projects I saved all the negative die cuts and extra Designer Series paper and created some alternate projects and wanted to show you these as well.

This first alternate used the larger leaf die image negative. I backed it with a watercolor Lost Lagoon and Secret Sea DSP pattern.
I blended Secret Sea ink on a 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer and splattered it with a Secret Sea Stampin’ Blends marker. I adhered the negative die to the right-hand side of the blended layer and adhered both to a Lost Lagoon base.
Added a banner sentiment piece and Dewdrop embellishments to finish off the card with a coordinated look!

This next alternate I used a Golden Glow card base, a 3″ x 5 1/2″ piece of DSP and several left over dies to create this card. I blended the sentiment piece like the last card with Secret Sea ink on a blending brush and splatters with the Secret Sea Stampin’ Blends marker.
This Cajun Craze alternate card uses a blended background with Cajun Craze and Petal Pink inks. Then I stamped the circle image from the Notes of Collage set (SNEAK PEAK this will be available to customers in the next Online Exclusive release) in Petal Pink ink and the rain or teardrop image in Cajun Craze ink in collaged pattern as a background and then splattered the surface with the Cajun Craze Stampin’ Blends marker. I stamped the finer leaf stem on the right-hand side of the layer in Cajun Craze ink and popped up the negative die layer over it on Stampin’ Dimensionals. I adhered this to the Cajun Craze base and added Metallic Gems and a sentiment to finish off this card!
For this next alternate, I blended the background with Secret Sea and Petal Pink inks and blending brushes. Stamped the larger leaf image from the Notes of Collage stamp set in Secret Sea ink on the right-hand side. Added splatter from the Secret Sea Stampin’ Blends marker and the added the negative die over the image. I added an extra die cut that I had and a sentiment and adhered that layer to a Cajun Craze base card and finished it off with Copper Metallic Gems!
My last alternate card I blended a background of Lost Lagoon, Golden Glow and Petal Pink with Splatters and added the last negative die I created. I concentrated the Golden Glow where the negative die openings would be – it looks like a hot mess but when it is covered by the negative die it works! I splattered the entire card with Secret Sea marker and added Secret Sea stamped circles from the Notes of Collage to the negative Golden Glow die piece prior to adhering it to the blended layer. I finished by adhering it to the Golden Glow base and adding gold metallic gems to finish off this lovely alternate card!
Hope these inspired you with some fun and easy techniques.

You can use all of the bits and pieces!

Now it is your turn to go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

PS: Reminder as always ALL SNEAK PEAK items are not available yet so I cannot add then to the photo links below.

last onstage swap to share – fun fold #4 swap

last onstage swap to share – fun fold #4 swap

Well I saved the best for last – I participated in 4 specially organized swaps by my friend Michael D. at OnStage this past March in Long Beach, California. This was Fun Fold swap #4 and I love the ideas and diversity of the swap!

The first swap card I have to show you Ann O. used the Easter Basket stamp set which is on the LAST CHANCE LIST and still available as I wrote this yesterday! She used sweet pastel colors of Pretty in Pink and Balmy Blue for a pull out gift card design. She used our Take Your Pick tool’s crafter’s tips to perforate two of the edges for the outer holder. Such a cute design!

Lola R. made a Homemade Sweetness extended Z-fold using the Homemade Sweetness Suite of products and both the Made with Sweetness dies and the Filled with Sweetness bundle. Lots of lovely layers and detail!
My next swap example is from Judy K. and features the current Garden Poetry Suite of Products with the lovely Garden Poetry DSP and the embossing folder both inside and out which adds such depth and dimension, and I love the color combination of Berry Burst, Blackberry Bliss and Garden Green.
My entry used the Swirled Designs Bundle and the Splash of Sparkles DSP with a slider card fun fold!
The next swap card is from Michelle R and is one of my favorite easy fun folds. You just cut the card front on half and twist it and use it as the matte for the top flap. Michelle used the Turtely-Cute Suite of products which is still available when I last checked but is on the LAST CHANCE LIST!
Easel cards are always a WOW for me and not difficult to make (check out the instructions on how to make one in my 11-19-2025 post “winter meadow easel card”) Yolanda N. featured the Beach Boardwalk DSP which is still current and the Boardwalk Fun Bundle which is unfortunately sold out! This card is so stinkin’ cute though!
Another Turtle-y Cute entry from Sandy R uses a little slider technique – open the door and you get a turtle-y surprise!
Joanne J. used a gorgeous palette of Old Olive and Basic Beige with the Discontinued Beautiful Gallery DSP and the sentiment is from the Nature’s Symphony stamp set for a Corner Tuck fun fold card. Just Lovely!
The new and very popular Delicate Dreams Suite of products was used by Robyn B. for this double box display fun fold card. This suite is so popular it is currently unavailable but expected back in stock shortly. Did you know that we added a feature on our shopping website that if the product is out of stock you can ask for an email notification when it returns! Sign up now to be notified if this suite is on your list – it’s on mine!

This card folds flat to send in a normal sized envelope but stands for display when opened! SO FUN!!

My last swap card is from Joy N. and features the Nature’s walk Suite Collection, the Nature’s walk DSP and the Nature’s Symphony Bundle. This Z-Fold Flap card will be highlighted in an upcoming blog post coming soon!
I hope these gave you inspiration to try a new fun fold soon they certainly inspired me!

Now it is your turn to go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

onstage 2026 gift card holder swap

onstage 2026 gift card holder swap

Swapping with other card makers is always fun and this year swapping at OnStage 2026 was the best! I participated in 4 special swaps and then made over 100 cards to swap in the general sessions so I have SOOOOOO many ideas to share with you!

This swap was one of the special swaps hosted by my friend Michael D. from New jersey and this one was specifically a gift card holder swap.

This first card was designed by Carrie S and uses the LAST CHANCE boho Vibes suite of products including the awesome DSP! This card scores the paper at 1 1/4″ and 5 1/2″ on the 11″ side and then folds the 1 1/4″ score line in toward the center score line to create a gift card pocket! Sweet and simple!

Anne O. used a different approach and cut an Early Espresso 1/4 sheet of cardstock as the base and the added a Pecan Pie matte of
4″ x 5 1/4″ and then a Basic White card of 3 3/4″ x 10″ scored at 5″.

She added a diagonal pocket on the inside and decorated it with the Sunflower 3D embossing folder! Love this design!

The Perennial Lavender DSP can make any project special and this tri-fold gift card holder by Patti Jean W is no exception.
She uses a 1/4 sheet of Highland Heather CS as the base with a DSP sheet of 4″ x 5 1/4″. She added a 4 1/4″ x 9″ sheet of Highland Heather scored at 3″ and 6″ and added a DSP to decorate the panels! Great thank you gift card holder!
Sandy C’s gift card holder is also a tri-fold design but instead of folding the score lines inward this one folds as a Z fold using the same dimensionals with a subtle difference in the way it opens creating a totally different look!
This wedding gift card holder by Joanne J. uses the Lifetime of Love stamp set and the Perennial Lavender DSP both of which are on the LAST CHANCE LIST!! This slider gift card holder will be detailed in a future blog post so be on the lookout for the directions with my own take on this design in the near future!
Garden Poetry DSP shines on this gift card holder by Kellie M. the design and measurements are similar to the first card shown!
This slider gift card holder version by Karen H. features the Lovely Stripes embossing folder which is now SOLD OUT and the Splash of Sparkles DSP.
This was my submission for the gift card holder which I posted originally on February 11th, 2026 with all the directions!

This gift card pop up slider uses the Swirled Designs bundle and the Words of Beauty (the Words of Beauty is on the LAST CHANCE LIST) with the Splash of Sparkles DSP.

Randy B. created this graduation gift card holder by simply adding a 1″ x 5 1/4″ piece of DSP to the inside bottom of the card and just adhering it with a thin line of glue on the two sides and the bottom creating a pocket for the gift card!

The stamp set used was the Seasonal Celebrations which is on the LAST CHANCE LIST!

The last gift card holder in this swap uses the Beach Boardwalk suite of fun products including the DSP and the puffy stickers.

Yolanda N. Cut the base card to 5 1/2″ x 7 1/4″
scored at 4 1/4″ from the right-hand side.
Then added a pocket to the right-hand side of the card.

Hope these inspired you for your next gift card holder project – they are simple to create and you do not need to buy them at the store!

Now it’s your turn to create some gift card holders one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

gift card slider fun fold

gift card slider fun fold

Today’s post is a little late but as they say better late than never, right? Some days you just get tied up with unforseen duties!

This gift card slider fun fold is worth the wait though!

Measurements:
Summer Splash CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″, scraps for
stamped sentiment and word die
Lemon Lolly CS: 2 3/4″ x 3 3/4″, 1 1/2″ x 6″
scored at 2″ and 2 1/2″
DSP: 3″ x 4 1/4″,2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″

Take one of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ and stamp the circle image from the Swirled Designs bundle in Summer Splash randomly around the layer.
Adhere to the card base.

I stamped the second 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece with one circle image and added it to the inside of the card.

Take the larger DSP layer and die cut a hole in the center I used one of the sentiment dies from the Words of Beauty die set.
Turn the DSP layer over and place Stampin’ Dimensionals around the perimeter with the exception of under the die cut hole.
Attach the smaller DSP layer to the Lemon Lolly matte piece.

Score the 6″ long Lemon Lolly layer at 2″ and 2 1/2″. Then add a piece of Tear & Tape between the two score lines. On the back side of the smaller section add another piece of Tear & Tape to the top edge.

Fold the Tear & Tape piece of cardstock so both score lines are resting against the back of the Lemon lolly layer at the middle top edge.
Remove the backing from the Tear & Tape and attach.
Slide the long edge through the die cut hole and remove the second piece of Tear & Tape.

Lay the Lemon Lolly matted DSP piece in the center of the bottom piece of DSP and rub over the area where the Tear & Tape will attach.

I die cut the word because from the Words of Beauty die set in three matching colors and adhered them together.

I die cut the long sentiment die and inked up the It’s Your Birthday in Summer Splash and stamped it on the die.

I adhered Stampin’ Dimensionals to the sentiment.
I die cut the intertwined circle die in Vellum and attached it to the back of the long sentiment piece then adhered both the words and sentiment piece to the outside card flap.

I added a punch to the bottom of the pull tab piece and added some Darling Duckling ribbon.

I added a matching gift card to the inside upper edge of the pull tab.
I added five Shades of Green Hexagons for the embellishments!

Pull the tab and reveal your gift card so stinkin’ cute and what a fun way to present the gift card!

Try this tutorial and make this slider gift card holder with your supplies – now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie