snowflake kisses – work smarter not harder!

snowflake kisses – work smarter not harder!

Today is all about working smarter not harde!

Let’s make two cards for the price of one!

The gorgeous background die from the Snowflake Kisses bundle is the perfect way to get two cards with little extra effort!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: (2) 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, 4″ x 5 1/4″
Azure Afternoon CS: scraps for cutting
sentiment piece and snowflakes

Die cut the round circle die and the three larger snowflakes and the cluster of smaller snowflakes from the Azure Afternoon scraps.

Die cut the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer with the background snowflake die.

Hold or temporarily adhere the background snowflake die to a Basic White card front.

Using light pressure as to not bend the die we are using as a mask, brush with Azure Afternoon ink and a blending brush over the entire surface of the mask and the card front.

You will create the base for card #2 and color the die to attach to Card #1 at the same time!

Adhere the die to card #1 Basic White card base.
Stamp in Azure Afternoon ink Be Warm and Well sentiment to the center of the Azure Afternoon circle die.

Pop up on Stampin’ Dimensionals and add to the center opening of the die.

Adhere the 4 snowflakes from the small snowflake die cluster to the centers of some of the snowflakes in the background die.
Add silver embellishments to the card front such as Drusy Adhesive-Backed embellishments.
Stamp sending warm hugs in the center of card #2 and add the three larger Azure Afternoon snowflake dies around the sentiment.
Adhere three pearls like the Antique pearls currently available or look forward to these gorgeous sneak peak Pearls of Beauty which are available November 1st which will coordinate with the upcoming Brushed with Beauty suite!

With little more effort than making the first card you get the second BONUS card too!
Try this technique whenever you decide to color your large dies and use them as a mask to make a background for a second card!

Hope you try this technique soon and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

gallery blooms card sketch #101 layout

gallery blooms card sketch #101 layout

Today’s blog post is the first in a series of cards using a card sketch. Card Sketches are a great starting point for creativity.

Sketch #101 starts with a base card with several layers including a natural element.

Measurements:
BASE: Secret Sea CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Cloud Cover CS: 2″ x 5 1/4″
Basic White CS: (2) 3″ x 4 1/2″ and 4″ x 5 1/4″

The trio of flowers image from the Gallery Blooms bundle has a long stem and I have a tip for proper placement for the coordinating die.

Gallery Blooms stamp set is a photopolymer stamp set and they can be repositioned so the stem might not be in the current position to be die cut. I die cut a scrap piece of Basic White cardstock with the trio floral stamp image. I put this die cut paper over the photopolymer stamp and adjusted the stem inside the die paper.

Take this positioned stamp image and ink it up in the Secret Sea ink and stamp on a scrap piece of Basic White CS.
Using a Blender Pen – which is a brush tip pen that contains clear ink – this clear ink can “re-wet” the Secret Sea ink of the trio flower image.
Draw the Blender Pen over the outlines of the flowers and spread the ink from the edges into the center.
Stamp the background stamp from Beautiful Motifs stamp set all across the front of the card base. Stamp in Secret Sea ink.
Color the edges of the card front in Secret Sea ink.
Emboss a 4″ x 5 1/4″ Cloud Cover CS piece with the Mini 3D embossing folder.
Cut the layer in half to 2″ x 5 1/4″.

Die cut the trio flower image with the coordinating die from the Gallery Blooms Bundle.

Adhere the embossed layer to the left hand side of the card base, mimicking the layer on the card sketch.
In card sketches, use your creative eye and know that you do not need to copy the sketch literally! For the circle in the sketch I added a rectangular layer instead of a circular image!

I die cut from the Textured Noted set of dies and stamped a sentiment from the Beautiful Motifs stamp set in the bottom right-hand corner.

I die cut the trio flower image from the Gallery Blooms stamp set and popped it up on the Textured Notes rectangular die cut.
This stamped image is the Natural element in the sketch – this element could be anything so use your imagination!
Adhere the rectangular die layer to the center and right of the embossed layer.
Stamp the flower tops on the bottom of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer Basic White CS and adhere it to the inside of the card.
I added three Secret Sea 2025-2027 In Color Flat Pearls to the card around the floral image and this is my take on Card Sketch #101.

Let me know what you come up with! Now grab some items from your personal stash and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

fruit salad sale-a-bration card

fruit salad sale-a-bration card

This simply stamped designer series paper card using a FREE pack of Designer Series Paper called Fruit Salad from our 2025 Sale-a-bration catalog. I made this card from layout #10 from the bottom of page 22 from the 2024-2025 Annual Catalog.

Measurements:
BASE: Real Red CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
DSP: 3″ x 3″
Granny Apple Green CS: 3 1/4″ x 3 1/4″
Basic White CS: 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″

Take the uninked Craft Stampin’ Ink pad and a Tuxedo Black Momento ink refill and fill the uninked pad with ink refill until all of the pad is covered with black ink. I smooth the liquid into the pad with the back of a plastic spoon.
Stamp the “you make me smile” sentiment with the new ink pad in the center bottom of the card front.
Adhere the DSP square to the Granny Apple Green square and then the Basic White square.
Turn the layers over and add Stampin’ Dimensionals to the back and wrap the Silver and White Sheer Ribbon around the back of the layer.
Adhere the square layers above the sentiment on the card front and knot the ribbon over the layers.
Add a small Rhinestone Basic Jewel adjacent to the sentiment.

This simply stamped card made from card layout #10 from the annual catalog! Try making a simple card from one of the card layouts on page 22.

Now go out and create some artwork of your very own – one layout – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

humble home double box fun fold

humble home double box fun fold

This Double Box Fun Fold card is super easy once you have the dimensions and what a fun standing 3D card for your favorite person!

Measurements:
BASE Piece #1: Pecan Pie: 9 3/8″ x 4 1/4″
   scored at 3/8″, 1 3/8″, 2 7/8″ and 3 7/8″
BASE Piece #2: Pecan Pie: 3 1/2″ x 5 1/8″
   scored at 3/8″ and 1 3/8″
   scraps for Humble Home punch
Basic Beige CS: 3 3/4″ x 4″
   3 1/4″ x 3 3/4″
Real Red CS: 1 1/4″ x 4″ and (2) 5/8″ x 4″
   scrap for die cut
   1/4″ strip for Humble Home punch for heart

Stamp the Home image in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Pecan Pie scrap and punch out home and save the heart as well.

Die cut a medium circle from the Stylish Shapes die set in Real Red CS and stamp the “from our house to yours” in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink.

Run the Basic Beige smaller piece through the Exposed Brick 3D embossing folder.
Run the three Real Real pieces through the Forever Plaid 3D embossing folder.
Fold the score lines in as mountain folds and add Tear and Tape to the first and smallest scored panel.
Peel off the release paper from BASE #1 and fold the second score line from the end and attach the Tear and Tape piece to the card base.
If you attach while the paper is folded flat this will put the scored tab with the Tear and Tape in the correct place to allow the card to open and close within the parameters of the envelope size.
Attach the Forever Plaid 3D embossed Real Red pieces to the box panels the two pieces of the same size attach to the side of the box and the larger piece goes on the top panel of the box.
Adhere the Basic Beige embossed piece to the BASE #2 piece.
Place some adhesive on the end opposite the Tear and Tape end to attach to the BASE #1 box.
I placed the piece upside down on Box #1 so that I made sure to only adhere where the end of the piece would meet on Box #1’s surface (you do not want to adhere past the box edge)
Flip over Box #2 and adhere the left hand edge to Box #1.
Peel the release paper from the Tear and Tape, fold over the first two panels and then collapse box #1 and with the first to panels from Box #2 folded to the back – press firmly to secure the Tear and Tape to the card base.
(I decided to add a layer to the card base after doing this step OOPS!! so if you would like a layer under Box #2 do this before adhering the end of Box #2.
I adhered the small Real Red sentiment circle die to the surface of Box #2.
I adhered a Pecan Pie small heart to the Real Red circle die.
Adhere the Humble Home punch house to the card front and I added three Real Red hearts coming out of the chimney.
I decided to add another layer to the card base so I detached BASE #2 and adhered the Basic Beige layer to the card base then reattached BOX #2.
This is a view of the card standing up!
I added three Iridescent Adhesive-Backed Discs to the card front to finish the card off with a little bling!

Try this Double Box tutorial soon with stuff from your own stash and let me know how it turns out!

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

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

post 500! double arrowhead full of life card

post 500! double arrowhead full of life card

Can you believe this is my 500th POST!!!
That is 166 weeks worth of Monday, Wednesday and Friday tutorials and cards and that is 3.2 years worth of content! I am proud of this blog I started and the business that I have built! The best part for me is the friendships that I have made and customer relationships that have been built over the last 23 years! I am grateful for every day that I can wake up and create something fun and beautiful and i am forever thankful for this awesome company!

I wanted to make a special card for the 500th post and one of my favorite stamp bundles right now is the Sketched Butterflies!
I was inspired by a very talented demonstrator in my side line named Susan Campfield and she made this awesome double arrowhead card a few months ago and I wanted to try my hand at it – so this is my version!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
(2) 4 1/4″ x 5″
scored on 5″ side at 1 1/2″, 3″ 3 3/4″ and 4 1/2″
(1) 2 1/4″ x 4″ embossed
Full of Life DSP
(2) 1 1/4″ x 4″
(4) 1/2″ x 4″

I folded the (2) 4 1/4″ x 5″ in a Mountain-Mountain-Valley-Mountain configuration. See the folded sheet at the top of the next photo.

Using the Multipurpose (green) glue, on the smallest edge (in between the 3 3/4″ and 4 1/2″ score lines) – glue to the back side of the first panel. This will make an arrowhead shaped piece of paper.
Do that to the second 4 1/4″ x 5″ piece of paper as well.
Adhere the 1/2″ x 4″ pieces of DSP to the gusseted part of both of the arrowheads.
With the points of the arrowheads facing in towards the middle of the card adhere the arrowheads to the outside edges of the card front.
Adhere the 1 1/4″ x 4″ pieces of DSP to the 2 front panels of each arrowheads.
Emboss the 2 1/4″ x 4″ piece of Basic White card stock with the Dotted Circle 3D embossing folder or another one of your choosing.
Adhere to the middle of the card in between the two arrowheads,
Stamp the sentiment on Basic White card stock scrap and die cut some of the Sketched Butterflies in Basic Black card stock and adhere to the middle embossed panel.
Add some Drusy Adhesive-backed embellishments to the card front.
I took an extra piece of DSP and adhered it to the inside of the card and added an extra butterfly die to the paper.
The gusseted arrowheads allow the card to stand freely for display!
HAPPY 500th post! Hope you love this card as much as I do! Thanks for the inspiration Susan! and I hope I inspire you as well! Now it’s your turn to create some art work of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie