Find ideas, instructions and materials used to make a variety of paper-craft projects using Stampin' Up! products. As an independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator in New Zealand I love to share my passion for creating things with paper including cards, boxes, gifts and decorations. I find that making things is a fun and relaxing past-time which relieves stress and gives me a purpose to be active every day. If you have any questions or want to learn more about Stampin' Up! feel free to contact me.
Twenty-one years ago I laboured to give birth to my youngest daughter so it only seemed fitting to create a very special card to celebrate her birthday.
This large box card was a true labour of love and very fun to create!
I've been wanting to make an 'explosion' box card for some time, so this special birthday was the perfect excuse for me to try this fun fold design.
I used retired designer series paper to decorate this card box -- Pattern Party on the outside and Sunshine & Rainbows on the inside. The DSP determined my colour scheme and inks.
The box was made from a 12" x 12" piece of Melon Mambo cardstock scored at 4" on all sides. I made the lid from a 6" square piece of Melon Mambo cardstock and scored it at just under 1" on all four sides so that it would be slightly larger than the 4" square box.
I die cut hearts for each corner from Basic White cardstock using the largest heart from the retired Be Mine Stitched Dies. I also traced around that same die to make each heart-shaped corner for my box.
The Mini Pocket Envelope Dies were the perfect choice to make a little pocket to hide $21 inside for the birthday girl because she is Amazing!
I created a triangular pocket out of designer series paper on one side to hide a little message which allowed me to sign the 'card'. The white heart was the inside of one of the larger corner heart die cuts.
I printed six photos of my daughter at various ages on paper and then die cut them with the largest heart from the Be Mine Stitched Dies to personalise this special box.
The tealight multi-tiered cake was another project I had been wanting to make and I personalised it with the Playful Alphabets Dies.
I made sure to make the cake hollow so I can easily turn on the tealight. You can learn how to make a cake in my video below.
I've also made another little video showing this special card in close-up view along with explanations of how I made it. All the products I used are listed in the description of the video.
Even though I used a lot of retired products to make this special gift card, you can make your own using whatever you have at hand or purchase some similar products from Stampin' Up!
When my children were little I loved finding that special gift they really wanted for Christmas but now that they are all grown up I find it difficult to get them presents because they just buy whatever they want as soon as they have the money.
So now I give them gift cards which they can use on what they really want . . . and who doesn't need extra money. But a gift card (or cash) alone doesn't seem special enough so I package it inside a handmade greeting card!
You can make a left or right opening card with this fun fold technique.
You can hide a gift card or cash behind the removable tag on the front of this card.
The tag can be used for gift giving as well or just leave it in the card as extra decoration.
This fun fold video shows how to make the tag/gift card holder cards.
These two cute cards used the Sweet Little Stockings bundle of products.
The inside of these cards reveal a pocket for you to hide a gift card or cash.
If you'd like to recreate these cute cards have a look at my instructional video here.
You can even change any existing greeting card into a gift card holder using a bit of extra paper and a punch as shown in my Quick Tip video.
I hope I've inspired you to dress up your prezzy card giving this year and I'd love to see what you make!
To welcome in the year 2021 I designed a card to hold a mini calendar.
I created a special fold so that when the card is opened the mini calendar on the inside can be displayedon a desk or countertop.
If you love dragonflies you'll love this card as I used the new Dragonfly Garden stamps and matching Dragonfly Punch to cut out the large and small dragonflies from the Dandy Garden designer series paper.
You can find these new products in the 2021 Mini Catalogue by Stampin' Up!
This is perfect as a thank you card for a friend, however you could make it for anyone by just removing the sentiment on the left side of the card.
You can use it as a gift as well since the mini calendar can be displayed easily when opened.
I used my Wink of Stella Glitter Brush to add some bling to the wings of the dragonflies.
When I first made this design I stamped two dragonfly images and coloured them with watercolour pencils to match the background designer series paper before punching them out with the new dragonfly punch.
I stamped some of the smaller images on the mini calendar pages as well as on to the dsp. Be sure to stamp off the image on scrap paper before stamping on the calendar or it will be too dark to see the dates.
The card base was 10.5 cm x 29.7 cm -- I cut an A4 sheet of cardstock in half lengthwise.
I scored it at 7.5 cm and 9 cm from the short edge on both sides to create the special fold.
I cut four pieces of designer series paper to 7 cm x 10 cm -- two for the front and two for the inside. You could cut four pieces of the same dsp and use the opposite side on the inside of the card or choose complimentary designs and colours. The large dsp for the inside centre section is 11 cm x 10 cm.
I cut some cardstock slightly larger than the mini calendar and die cut the numbers from the centre of it before sticking it down on the inside. Don't forget to attach some ribbon or cord to the front before attaching the dsp so you can close the card.
I made a video showing how to make the 'Thank You' card as a participant of the Global Monthly Video Hop. You can see it here and I've put links to the other members of the GMVH in the description of my YouTube video so you can see more 'Thank You' projects from demonstrators around the world.
I hope you like my special card and have a wonderful New Year!
I watched a video by a Canadian demonstrator, Tina Zinck, about the Open Book Easel Card technique. This method creates very impressive cards but it is a simple technique. Since I am spending more time at home due to the pandemic I finally got a chance to try this technique and now I am totally in love with Open Book Easel Cards!
You can make them for any occasion just by changing up the type of designer series paper and stamps you use. So far I have made six different cards using a variety of papers and colours, but I'm sure I'll be making lots more!
I used a gold foil edged card as the background for my Christmas Tree design. The layers were made from papers in the Most Wonderful Time Product Medley along with the stamps and dies. I used the Scripty 3D Embossing Folder to create the top layer and lightly sponged some Old Olive ink on the lettering to make it stand out. I made some Gold Foil ornaments for the Christmas tree using the little bauble die from the Little Treat Box Dies.
I then decided to make a monochrome card using some black and white music paper (retired from Stampin' Up!). I used a piece with the music and words for Deck the Halls as the front layer and I didn't feel I should cover it up, so I decorated around it with a garland made from the Wreath Builder Dies. I added a little bow with the Real Red Braided Linen Trim and embellished the wreath with Red Rhinestone Basic Jewels.
My next Mailbag Make focuses on the lovely Bird Ballad Designer Series Paper. This paper is very beautiful with it's many subtle colours and detailed images of birds, feathers and flowers. I discovered three projects online which are perfect to showcase this paper.
My first card is made from a design by Julie Davison which allows the sentiment to take centre stage, surrounded by the beautiful floral side of the DSP with a colourful bird cut from the paper.
Bird Ballad Card using Stitched Nested Labels Dies
My next card I cased from a Dutch demonstrator named Elly Rijnvis and it is the first time I have tried a double easel card.
Front of Double Easel Card
I've made a lot of easel style cards in the past but this is the first time I've tried a double easel one. I really love the way it shows off both sides of the designer series paper!
Double Easel Card
To add a little more dimension to this Mailbag Make I have included a little birdhouse I learned how to make from a video by Silke Trapani, a demonstrator in Germany. Of course it was a perfect match for the designer series paper with a fussy cut bird and some flowers to decorate the front of the birdhouse.
Mini Birdhouse with chocolate eggs inside
Have a look at my sneak peak video of this Bird Ballad Mailbag Make for more details and to find out how to order yours.
I hope you like this Mailbag Make and I'd love to see your completed creations!
When I was a Brownie Leader, about 15 years ago, I used to print the Brownie promise, song and Girl Guiding rules onto a piece of paper and then with a bit of folding and one little cut I turned it into a mini booklet for the girls. I decided to revisit this idea and create mini booklets with Stampin' Up! products.
I started with an A4 sheet of Whisper White cardstock and scored it in the middle at 10.5 cm (4-1/8") and turned the page 90° to scored it again at 7.425 cm (2-7/8"), 14.85 cm (5-7/8") and 22.275 cm (8-3/4"). I folded it down the middle both ways and then folded each narrow end in towards the middle. I cut the centre scoreline (10.5 cm line) down to the outer fold lines. I then folded the paper on the 10.5 cm middle fold and holding each end, pushed the sides in to create a little booklet.
Sample of cutting and folding using a piece of printer paper
I used a piece of printer paper as a sample to create my design placement. If you are going to stamp on each section you need to do it while the cardstock is flat, before you put the booklet together. Other embellishments can be added when the booklet is folded up.
For my first booklet I used the Beautiful You Cling-Mount Stamps, the Under My Umbrella Photopolymer Stamps and the Umbrella Builder Punch.
Pages 1 and 2 of Umbrella booklet
The designer series paper I used was only available during Sale-A-Bration and the designs matched the Umbrella Builder Punch. I fussy cut the stamped flower images after colouring them with Stampin' Blends.
Pages 3 and 4 of Umbrella booklet
I used a bit of Balmy Blue cardstock and coloured in the stamped images with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink before colouring them in with Stampin' Blends using colours from the umbrella designer series paper.
Pages 5 and 6 of Umbrella booklet
On page five I sponged a bit of Daffodil Delight ink in a circle to create a little sun peeking out of the Balmy Blue cardstock which was die cut using the Stitched So Sweetly Dies.
In my video I show you how to make a mini booklet using Painted Poppies Cling Stamps, Peaceful Moments Cling Stamps, Painted Labels Dies, and Poppy Moments Dies.
Pages 1 and 2 of Poppy booklet
I stamped the images using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and decorated them with Poppy Parade and Old Olive colours.
Pages 3 and 4 of Poppy booklet
For the die cut flower I used Rich Razzleberry ink, stamping several times to get subtle colour changes in order to match the designer series paper peeking out of the floral die cut from the Poppy Moments Dies.
Pages 5 and 6 of Poppy booklet
I used one of the Peaceful Poppies Elements along with some die cut images from the Painted Labels Dies to decorate the final two pages. To get the black ribbon I coloured a length of Whisper White 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon with the brush end of a Basic Black Dark Stampin' Blends pen.
In my video I show you lots of tips for partial image stamping as well as how to colour embellishments with a Dark Basic Black Stampin' Blend pen.
I hope you liked my little project and make your own little booklet to share with someone special!
