Sunflower 3d embossing folder

 Embossing folders love them? Or meh not your thing? They come in so many patterns and for all occasions. They can add so much to any project. And there are lots of techniques you can do with them! As well as they can make quick cards super quick as well as add fun features to any project. All of which is why I love using them! And when I saw this beautiful one I just knew it would be joining my collection. Called Sunflower this beautiful folder just called out to me!

Wow this embossing folder is a big one! Not only in size, it's a whopping 15.2cm x 21.6cm! But in impact as well! It's a 3d folder so it has tons of depth and texture. 

This card style allows you to see both sides of the embossed panel because you die cut a rectangle out of the card front! Then die cut the rectangle from a piece of cardstock measuring the same as your card front. Adhere the embossed panel to the card front then the frame panel on top to create the window.

The reverse of the embossed panel then shows on the inside of the card.

Want to see how I added colour to this embossed panel? Scroll down for the video 😉

What do you think of this fun card? It's a great way to share a sentiment across the whole card!

Want to know how it's coloured? Well here's the video where I made this and other backgrounds using this fab embossing folder. 

Easy to make Shaker cards

Do you find the idea of a shaker card of putting? Do you think they're tricky? Well let me share 3 ways to make a shaker card that are all super easy!

The first card is a traditional shaker. For this card I used Coneflower Celebration stamps and Nested Essentials dies along with Itty bitty bokeh mix sprinkles. 

The second card is made using the super fun Party piggy stamps and coordinating dies. This die set also features a circle die that fits in the piggies tummy perfectly as well as the fab Snall circle shaker domes. I filled the dome with the oh so sparkley Loose shaker elements.

The final card of the shaker trio is the simplest! The sentiment from the Layered thoughts stamp set is stamped directly onto pattern paper then matted onto a piece of cardstock before being slipped into a cello bag! The sprinkles used in this shaker are the Loose frosted dots. 

Want to see how these cards came together?  Then watch the recording of my Live at 5 Facebook live below 😀

So which is you favourite way to make a shaker card? 

Coneflower Celebration thank you card

 Is making a single layer card  tricky for you? It can be difficult to achieve yet it can be very simple so long as you don't over think it. Today's inspiration is a single layer card that has plenty of interest and depth. I have used the Coneflower Celebration stamps and a fun easy technique.  The Coneflower Celebration stamps are so beautiful. And versatile the selection of sentiments make it so useful. 

This card uses lots of the stamps!

The card starts by taking a card base in basic white. Then you'll need 3 inks and blending brushes along with Masking paper and scraps of cardstock.

Cut strips of the masking paper and mask the sides of the card base. The colours I chose are peach pie and timid tiger both shades of orange. Along with strawberry slush a red/ pink colour. All the inks I've used on this card are In-Color's from the 2024-2026 and 2025-2027 In-Color collections.

Now blend the inks between the masking paper. The masking paper makes creating clean crisp lines easy to achieve. Don't worry if the blending isn't perfect the next step will help you achieve a great finish. 

Take 3 scraps of cardstock and tear towards create 3 difficult types of masks. Bow working with the brushes blend over the cardstock masks to create a fun texture on the panel. 

Once done remove the masking paper carefully.  Top tips for the removal of the paper is to gently heat the taped area. I used the low setting on my heat tool and gently waffled it on both front and back side. The pull the tape up keeping it parallel to the card. Take it slowly. 

The finished card base now has this beautiful panel on it. 

Dispose of the masking tape but keep the cardstock ones to use on the inside of the card. Layer the cardstock together and adhere to the inside along the bottom edge. 

I used the gorgeous secret sea ink,  another colour from the 2025-2027 In-Color collection, to stamp over the coloured areas of the card. 

I used the secret sea Stampin' Write marker to add small dots around the images to add further images with out bulk.

Single layer cards don't need to be plain as this bright and bold textured card proves! A single layer card doesn't need to lack texture and depth especially when you use this simple technique! 

Blending and masking are such a fun way to make interesting and unique backgrounds.

Coneflower Celebration thank you card

 I'm loving the versatility of the Coneflower Celebration stamps and dies! And today's inspiration shows how you can let your imagination run riot with them!

The cards I'm sharing today uses the petal die from the set and bright and bold colours. The flowers were created during my weekly Facebook live over on my Facebook page here . I go Live at 5 every Monday afternoon and you can find my videos over on my YouTube channel here. 

The card base is made by taking a piece of cardstock measuring 10.5cm x 29.7cm and scoring at 14.85cm.  Then marked up from  the bottom right-hand edge of the card front at 4cm and cut diagonally to the scoreline.  This creates a fun angled front for the card.

Next take the Mini corrugated 3d embossing folder and emboss the card front.  

Adhere the flowers across the front edge of the card. Top tip die cut 3 extra flower centers and adhere to the back of the flowers so that they look neat and tidy from the inside.

Next use the embossing folder and emboss a panel of white cardstock measuring 10cm x 14.4cm . Mark 4cm up from the bottom right-hand edge and cut diagonally to the left-hand top corner. Adhere this panel to the top of a piece of white cardstock measuring 10cm x 14.4cm. Now take a 0.5cm strip of black cardstock and adhered it across the panel. Stamp your sentiment and adher the panel to the inside of the card.

Here is the card that I made during my Live at 5.

This too is a cut front card. 

Here is the video of how the flowers were created .

The colours are inspired by the rainbow and grouped by warm and cool tones. Which do you prefer? 

Two-tone cardstock and glass and garden embossing folder

 For the last day of the 20% off the Two-tone cardstock offer I thought I'd share another fun technique using this amazing cardstock.  The Two-tone cardstock has a white core that can be brought into view by tearing and also by sanding it. So with the Glass and Gardens embossing folders , the Mini Stampin' cut and emboss machine and the wonderful Two-tone cardstock collection and the addition of a simple everyday item I made today's inspiration 😀 

The glass and Gardens embossing folder is a pack of 2 folders that fit through the mini machine with ease . They can of course go through the large machine. The 2 pack works well together or individually so offering great scope of use.

For today's card I have chosen to use petunia pop Two-tone cardstock with white cardstock to give the card a monochromatic feel.

Can you see how the embossed areas of the card pops of the page ? This is because once the panel was embossed I rubbed my nail file/ emery board over top to reveal the white core! You can use a dedicated crafters sanding tool or a nail file block but it doesn't have to be a fancy tool.

I love this effect it's so easy to achieve yet  has real impact on your project. 

The sentiment is heat embossed with white powder onto a die cut circle of the lighter side of the petunia pop Two-tone cardstock.  The lighter shade of the cardstock is great for the mat for the main feature to sit on.

The swoosh of white ribbon and a fussy cut bee from the Cute as can Bee pattern paper adds just enought cuteness to this card. The white dots from the Neutral Matte dots add little pops of white to help ballance the project.

Two-tone cardstock and Layered Thoughts

 Today's inspiration using the oh so versatile Two-tone cardstock which is on sale today, the 10th of July 2025 and tomorrow the 11th of July. If you're new to the Two-tone cardstock collection then may I suggest that you look at the multi packs which offer a selection of colours that coordinate with packs of pattern paper. But as today's card will show you don't need pattern papers to make fun cards using the Two-tone cardstock 😉 Today's card is using cardstock from the Meant to Bee Two-tone cardstock multi pack plus a pretty shade of  Yellow. 

The colours I chose from the pack are the gorgeous yellow called daffodil delight,  the cool blue called pool party and the gorgeous purple called petunia pop.  This vibrant selection works so well together as well as with other colours. 

I took strips of the cardstock and ripped them along one edge. My top tip for creating a torn edge that shows the white core of the cardstock if to hold the side that you want the white edge to be in your right hand and tear towards you with the left hand.

I used both sides of the Two-tone cardstock.  I love how the light side of the cardstock with the full strength side next to it gives a lovely effect.

I used scraps to decorate the inside of the card. After all waste not want not 😉

The cardbase is made using basic black cardstock so that the colours of the Two-tone cardstock really pop.

The sentiment is stamped in versamark and heat embossed with white embossing powder on to the dark side of a piece of black Two-tone cardstock.  Then I tore both ends to show the white core.

What colours would you choose to make a card like this one?

Two-tone cardstock fun fold card with Coneflower celebration

 So today's inspiration is the card I created on my Live at 5 on Monday just gone over on my Facebook page.  I created a fun fold card that is really rather simple using bubble bath Two-tone cardstock.  This delicate shade of pink is just delightful.  I paired it with the amazing Coneflower Celebration stamps and coordinating dies. 

The stamps have brilliant sentiments as well as the beautiful large coneflower flower. 

And the dies have a great feature that allows you to create hidden messages!

Here is the project closed to fit in a standard C6 envelope. 

It all starts with a piece of Two-tone cardstock measuring 14.85cm x 30cm. ( 5¼" x 12"). 

 Then score it at 5cm and 10cm from each end. ( 2" and 4")

Now mark down 5cm (2") from the top left hand corner and the same on the right-hand side. And cut from the mark up to the first scoreline on both sides.

The front decorative panels are 7cm x 7cm , 6.5cm x 6.5cm and 6cm x 6cm ( 2¾" x 2¾", 2⅜" x 2⅜" and 2½" x 2½").

The internal panel I used measures 9cm x 13.4cm (3½" x4½")

I used the fun hidden messages panel inside the flower to add an extra touch.

Here's a close up of the tone on tone stamping I did before scoring , cutting and folding the Two-tone cardstock. 

To see how the card comes together please watch the recording of my Live at 5 here

I hope you're enjoying these projects and they are inspiring you to use the amazing Two-tone cardstock.  And don't forget it's got 20% off till 10.45pm on the 11th of July . If you're in the UK you can shop with me by clicking here

Two-tone cardstock 12 x 12 layout

 Today I'm sharing a double page 12 x 12 scrapbook layout.  Now I'm just dipping my creative toes into the world of memory keeping and it's great fun! I host a monthly memory keeping event and today I'm sharing a page that grew from one that I shared at our crop... I think that's the right name for it 🤔 🫣.

One of the latest products from Stampin' Up! Are the oh so versatile Two-tone cardstock collection.  These 12 x 12 sheets come in all 50 of the Stampin' Up! Colours as well as white and vanilla. One side is a the usual colour and the other is a lighter shade of the colour! Perfect coordination 😃 and it's on sale for the next few days! 9th to the 1th of July 2025. You can find them all in my online shop here 😉

So my double page starts with 2 pieces of pecan pie Two-tone cardstock that are torn to reveal the white core. They are then adhered top and bottom to a piece of pattern paper from the Everyday Happiness paper and sticker pack.

 

The pages can be placed either side of each other or as standard alone ones.

I used the tote bag dies to create a pocket for the page . I used the light side of the pecan pie Two-tone cardstock for the body of the bag and the dark side for the trim.

I made a mini mini album from the newspaper die from the Notes and Totes bundle. I took a piece of vanilla Two-tone cardstock and folded it in half . Then placed the edge of the die slightly of the fold and passed it through my cut and emboss machine.  The die made easy work of two layers of this cardstock going through at once! I then cut another page and adhered that inside my mini album. 

The mini album fits neatly into the tote bag pocket.

The wooden fence is created with the pecan pie cardstock and the dies. These dies add texture as well as cutting. Sometimes I took a nail file and sanded them to allow the white core to show through.

I used of cuts to freat this sign for the page.

Above is a close up of the weathered look the fence has thanks to sanding it.

A Little detail on the water bottle was created by just adding a little torn piece of the reverse of the pretty peacock Two-tone cardstock. 

I also used some Flip-Flaps to add extra places to add photos and journal. These are such a fun addition to any page.

Well I had great fun creating these pages and look forward to making some seaside fun pictures to add to them over the summer.

Painted Stripes 4 for 1

 On the last Sunday of every month I host Craft and Connect.  This event is a craft along with me. I share 2 cards and share top tips and mistakes 😉 in real time. We share inspiration and creativity and  have a lovely time together. Each month I showcase different stamps or products. Everyone who joins uses their own stash to make the projects. We use the zoom platform so that we can come together from all over. There is no charge for this event, yes that's right it's a free class with me, Cary! 

This month we showcased large single background stamps. I chose to use the beautiful Peaceful View and the stunning Painted Stripes cling stamps to share top tips and mistakes with.

 Today's inspiration are the 4 , yes 4 cards we made from 1 inking of the painted stripes stamp.

So what did we do with this large stamp? Well firstly we added ink to the stamp using blending brushes. We talked about colour and how to use chose the right colours for the task. I shared top tips and mistakes as we chatted and created our first sample.

Once the stamp was inked up we created a single layer card. The colour palette I chose was a mix of 2024-2026 and 2025-2027 In-Color's. The sentiment is also a large single stamp called Simple Birthday. Don't you just love secret sea for a softer alternative to black on projects 🤩

Next I grabbed 2 sheets of fluid 100 watercolour paper and a spritzer filled with water. First I spritzed a piece of watercolour paper. Next I spritzed the stamp and placed the damp side of the paper to the stamp. Then lift the paper up in one fluid move and set aside to dry.

I then repeated the process with another piece of watercolour paper. You may even get further imprints depending on your colour choices. Strong colours will give more impressions than pastels. 

Here is the card I made using the second impression.  Top tip to tearing watercolour paper is to paint the outline of where you're going to tear with water.

A simple heat embossed sentiment and a few matt black dots to finish this card is all it needed.

Once the third impression piece was dry I used a new set of large letter dies called Party Alphabet dies and cut out the word hello.

I then took the Journaling pen and created faux stitching around the letters . Once placed on the cardstock mat I ran it throughout the cut and emboss machine with the amazing Forever plaid 3d embossing folder.  This very large embossing folder is perfect for DL ( large slimline ) cards!

Not wanting to waste the gorgeous paper I made I used the negative piece to create a fourth card. For this one I used the pens to add a stitched detail inside the letters.

So there they all are 4 cards from 1 inking of a stamp 😀 a fun way to use this very versatile stamp .