HAPPY EASTER!

 Blessings to all my stamping family and friends!

Wishing you all a very blessed Easter as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior from death and the grave.  Hallelujah!  What Amazing Grace was bestowed on us!

See you all back here tomorrow.

Sharon

Three Panel Arch Fun Fold Card

Hello friends!  Yes, I know it's almost Easter and kind of late to be sharing an Easter card, but I just made it, and I really, really want to share it.  I've seen several versions on these cards and was determined to figure out how to make this.  I'll tell you how I ended up making this card, but it's not quite like anyone else's videos that I looked at.   Everyone seemed to have their own take on how to make these.  So, you can do like I did and immerse yourself into half a dozen videos and then just go for it.

Here is the finished front of the card all folded up nicely and ready to put in the envelope.  Let me give you a list of pieces to die-cut and have ready to put together when needed.

Blackberry Bliss cardstock:

cut 3 - largest Everyday Arches Dies

cut 1 - large & 2 small butterfly bodies from Beautiful Butterflies

cut 1 - piece 3 1/2" x 8 1/2" score @ 4" & 8"

cut 1 - piece 3 1/2" x 4"

Basic White cardstock:

cut 1 - 2nd largest arch die

cut 1 - 3rd largest arch die

cut 1 - 6th largest rectangle Textured Notes Dies.

Fresh Freesia cardstock:
cut 1 - 2nd largest arch die

DSP:
cut 1 - 3rd largest arch die
cut 1 - large and 2 small butterflies

Silver Cardstock: cut 1 cross

Here' the card fully opened.  We'll work on one panel at a time.  Start first with the two Blackberry Bliss rectangles.  Fold on the scored lines to make a Z fold.  On the 1/2" section on the end, attach the plain cardstock piece to the front of this making sure not to go over the scored line.  Add adhesive to the 1/2" section and attach the other piece to create a 12" long strip with scores at 4" and 8".  When this is accordion-folded closed, if you have a small amount extra, just trim it off.  It was about 1/16" too long on my card.

For the front panel, you need the smaller white arch.  On this, you'll stamp the sentiment from the Everyday Arches stamp set.  This is stamped to fit in the arched area with Blackberry Bliss ink.  

Next the palm leaf frame from the Faith Collection was stamped with Garden Green ink in the center.  After die-cutting the silver cross, I placed the detailed cross die over it and from the back side, used my bone folder to rub and apply pressure.  This gives you a subtle woodgrain look without cutting it.  Set this panel aside along with the cross for a few minutes.

On the middle panel, layer the DSP print arch onto the Fresh Freesia arch using adhesive.  Line all the edges up carefully.

Then layer these onto the Blackberry Bliss arch with adhesive. 

The sentiment is from a retired set and is stamped with Blackberry Bliss ink.  You could use whatever sentiment works here.  This is attached about in the center of this panel.

I chose to use the back side of the butterfly die-cuts here. The butterfly bodies are attached to the wing sections with adhesive.  Then the two butterflies are attached to the panel using adhesive also.  Set aside.

The largest white arch is last.  It has a sentiment from the same retired Easter set that is stamped with Blackberry Bliss ink.

The white panel is attached to the last Blackberry Bliss panel by using adhesive.

The large butterfly body is attached to the butterfly.  Then it's attached to the panel very close to the bottom, so I'd have a little bit of space to sign the card.  Make sure the wing tip doesn't go past the score line and cause problems.

Now let's put it together.  Lay out the 3 1/2" x 12" strip flat to start.  On the first panel of the strip, add adhesive about 1/4" in from the 4 edges.  Line up the arched panel so it's flat at the bottom and centered on the two sides.

Fold that panel back and out of the way.  It will be behind the middle panel so you can make sure this gets lined up well when attaching.  Add adhesive inside the strip where this next panel will go just like you did the front panel.  Then line up your middle arched panel onto the card making sure the bottom is flat and the arch matches up with the one behind it.

Attach adhesive on the last section and line up the last panel.  Before pressing down heavily, close the card to make sure the last panel lines up too.

Finishing touches:  The cross is attached to the front panel.  I used Dimensionals for this.  

The purple gems are another retired product.  They matched the Blackberry Bliss cardstock so nicely I couldn't resist using them!

That's it for this fun fold Easter card.  Now that I've made this version of the Three Panel Arch Fun Fold Card, I'm going to have to try out a few different versions, especially a birthday card, I think.  Wouldn't that be cute?  I plan on getting back with you about those cards soon.  This type of fun fold really looks harder than it is to make.  Once you've got all the elements die-cut and ready to go, it just takes another 10 minutes to put together.  And that's it for the Three Panel Arch Fun Fold Card.  Whew!  What a mouthful!

Have you signed up for the rewards program yet?  Make sure you do that before you place another order.  I don't want you missing out on any of the rewards available to you.

Thanks for taking time out this weekend amid all the busy-ness of Easter to see what I've been stamping lately.  I appreciate you so much!

Have a blessed Easter,

Sharon

Huge Update!

Hello my fellow stampers.  Today this post will just be informational.  I might get around to a card sample later today.  But for right now I want to share some awesome information about Stampin' Rewards that is starting today - April 15th. 

I'm sure you've been hearing that there are no host codes anymore or hostess benefits.  That is true.  There are big changes coming today!  Here's a rundown of what's new:

Stampin’ Up! is making the rewards program more inclusive and user-friendly so more customers can earn rewards more often. Whether you’re a casual crafter or a seasoned stamper, you’ll love the added value and simplicity!

New Stampin’ Rewards:

• Earn 10% Back – Get 10% of your order total back in rewards starting at just $20.
• No Host Codes Required – Every customer earns rewards individually—easy!
• Use Rewards Anytime – Redeem your rewards when and how you like. They’re valid for 12 months.
• New Rewards Dashboard – Easily track and redeem your rewards right from your Stampin’ Up! account.
• Let Them Build – Save up rewards for something special or use them as you go!

How to Start Earning:

1. Log into your Stampin’ Up! account (or create a new one).
2. Opt into the rewards program to begin earning.
3. Shop your favorites and enjoy watching your rewards grow!

The Stampin' UP! website will be down for several hours on April 15th during this transition.

I'm here to answer your questions and give you any help I can.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Sneak Peek and Last Chance Together

Hello stamping friends!  This catalog change-over time is always challenging deciding what stamps to use for blog posts.  Today is a bit of a mash-up with a favorite Thoughtful Wishes stamp set paired with the very new Sweet Blooms set and the new Pretty Florals stamp sets.  Oh, throw in some of the new Florals in Bloom Designer Series Paper just to keep things interesting.  In fact, both of the cards today are really focusing on the Florals in Bloom DSP just because I like it!  Oh my, it looks like I got my hands on some new goodies, and I just had to use it all!!  So, let's see what I've been stamping.

Here's my two lovely cards made with Florals in Bloom DSP for the main part of the card.  Don't you love these prints?  It's one of the very first items I needed to pre-order from the new Annual Catalog that you should be getting in the mail right about now.  These prints just scream spring as far as I'm concerned, so why not use them right away?  Let's get creating.  We'll make the pink one on the left first.

Love this print!  It looks like a flower garden just bursting with blooms!  I wanted to go and pick some.  Pretty in Pink is one of the coordinating colors, so this was my choice for the card base.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored and folded in half.

The next layer is Basic White cardstock.  It measures 5 1/4" x 4".  The DSP layer measures 5 1/4" x 4" also.  This is scored on the right side 3/4" from the edge.  It's folded back to reveal these dabs of color that blend with the floral print, then it's glued down to stay put.  This is attached to the Basic White layer keeping the edges even.  I used "green glue" for this.  

A length of about 12"-13" of the Pretty in Pink 3/8" Bordered Ribbon was cut.  Then it's wrapped around the white and print layers and tied into a knot in the front of the card.  Make sure to trim the ends because they tend to fray when tying them.  I also tucked a Mini Glue Dot under the knot to hold it in place.

After adding the ribbon, attach these layers to the folded Pretty in Pink card base.  I used Dimensionals for this.

Next is the sentiment.  This is a nice one from the new Sweet Blooms set.  It's a nice font and I love the sentiment it conveys.  This is stamped on a Basic White label that's die-cut using the Countryside Corners Die set.  This is on the Last Chance List right now.  If you don't own this set of dies, you really should consider getting them while you still can.  I think they're very versatile and use them often.  While cutting the white label, cut a Daffodil Delight label as well.

Stamp the sentiment with Garden Green ink onto the white label.  Using the new Pretty Florals stamp set, stamp three partial stems of the tiny flower spires in Pretty in Pink ink.  I also used Pretty in Pink ink with Wink of Stella to color in some of the petals.  A few of them got two coats to make them a little darker with just a hint of shine.

Layer the Daffodil Delight label off-set behind the sentiment label and attach together with adhesive.  Then use Dimensionals to attach to the card front.  

For a little added bling, add three of the Lemon Lolly Rainbow Dots to the card front.

Ready for the next card?

This is another print from the Florals in Bloom DSP that I'm having fun with today.  This print is matched up with the Peach Pie 2024-2026 In Color and a new 2025-2027 In Color called Secret Sea.  This is a lovely dark navy/black color that will be a great neutral to have on hand.

The Peach Pie card base measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.

The Secret Sea layer measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Then the DSP layer measures 5" x 3 3/4".  The two layers are attached together with adhesive.  Then the Peach Pie 3/8" Bordered Ribbon is wrapped around the layers and tied in a knot near the bottom.  

These layers are then attached to the folded base using Dimensionals for a little lift.

For this card, the Stylish Shapes dies were used to die-cut the circles.  The 2nd largest circle die was used to cut the Secret Sea layer.  The 3rd largest die was used to cut the Basic White circle.  The sentiment from Thoughtful Wishes (Last Chance List!) was stamped with Secret Sea in the center of the circle.  The patch of small flowers from the same set were stamped over the sentiment using Peach Pie ink.  I like how these flowers fill in the circle but don't detract from the sentiment.  

The two circles are attached with adhesive.  Then they're attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

It took a few tries to find just the right touch of bling for this card.  The Tinsel Gems Three-Pack have a Misty Moonlight gem that really picked up the blues in the leaves.  The lightly tinted gems are a perfect match here.  Unfortunately, they are on the Last Chance List also.  I think I might have to purchase another pack while I still can. 

Well, there you have the mash-up of old and new.  It's always fun to do a lot of mix and match projects when the old favorites are leaving, and the new goodies are just starting to show up.  Did you have fun with these simple ideas?  Hope you're inspired to get out your stamps, ink, and paper and get creative.

When your catalog arrives, I hope you have fun perusing it and marking all your favorites and must-haves.  Maybe you'll be choosing this gorgeous new Florals in Bloom DSP just like I did!

If I can be of assistance to you or you have some questions, feel free to email me.  I'll get back with you as soon as possible.  Thanks!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

sharoncarr50@gmail.com

Easy Cross Easter Card

Hello friends.  I don't know if you've seen all the variations of the cross card that is very popular right now.  I've tried 3 of them and wasn't crazy happy about any of them.  Then I saw a video by Terri Gaines that was different.  Instead of having a pop-up cross, she just has the cross on a fold on the card front.  So easy and I love that it stands up nice and straight with no propping at all.  Yay!  And the icing on the cake was the number of samples she made using different DSP prints!  Wow.  I think there were at least eight of them!  To check out her ideas, go to CreatewithTerriGaines.com    No, I didn't copy any of them completely but chose my own papers and had fun.  You should give this one a try too.

Here's the finished card.  I love it!  To make it, I started with an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of Daffodil Delight cardstock.  It is scored at 1 1/4" and 4 1/4".  You need another piece of the same Daffodil Delight cardstock that measures 3 3/4" x 1 1/4".

The DSP is from the Floral Delight DSP pack.  The olive print has two pieces cut for the base of the card.  These measure 2 3/4" x 5 1/4" and another at 4" x 5 1/4".

The print I used for the cross portion of the card measures 1 1/8" x 5 3/8" for the vertical section and 1 1/8" x 3 5/8 for the cross piece.

Starting with the card base, fold the card in half, and then fold the flap open.  On the front left section and the inside of the card right section, attach the DSP pieces that were cut for the card base.

Now, the DSP gets attached to the cross parts.  The longer one is attached to the folded back part of the card front.  The short piece is attached to the extra piece of Daffodil Delight that was cut.  After attaching the DSP to these pieces, close the card and lay the cross piece over the cross.  You want the right edge to line up with the right edge of the back of the card.  Attach together at the overlap.  I lightly marked with a pencil the area for the adhesive.

The stems and flowers are from the Linked Together Bundle.  There are two sizes of stems.  I cut one of the longer stems and three of the shorter stems out of Old Olive cardstock.  They are attached to the cross with adhesive.  

Then at least five of the flowers were die-cut from Basic White cardstock.   I only used five on my card, but Terri used six on her cards.  Your choice.  There are many other die sets that have stems and flowers that would work.  Just look to see what you have on hand.  I added the flowers with adhesive also. 

The sentiment is from the Storybook Friends stamp set.  For a banner, I cut the 2nd smallest die in the Countryside Corners Bundle from Basic White cardstock.  The greeting is stamped with Old Olive ink way over on the left side of the die-cut.  The right side of the banner is attached behind the cross.  Make sure this doesn't hang over the outside edge of the card.  We want to make sure this card fits into a regular envelope.  

Inside each of the flowers a Rhinestone Basic Jewel was added.  I really wanted a yellow gem, so before adding them, I colored them with the Daffodil Delight Blender Dark Pen to get a nice soft yellow color.  The gems fit inside the tiny hole in the center of each flower perfectly.

To finish the inside of the card, I cut a piece of Basic White at 2 3/4" x 5 1/4".  This is attached inside after stamping a sentiment with Old Olive ink.  This is an old, retired wood stamp, but it's perfect and I'll hang onto it forever.

On the other side, I added an arched die-cut made from the Everyday Arches Dies.  The shape reminded me of the opening to the empty tomb on Easter morning.  This is the 3rd smallest die. The sentiment is not SU!, and unfortunately the stamp is so old that the company doesn't exist anymore.  What a shame.  Make sure this is added to the left side, so it doesn't show when the card is closed.

Just a last close-up look at the cross.  I can't wait to try this again using a woodgrain DSP for the cross.  Wouldn't that be a terrific look?

I hope you give this card idea a try.  It's a very special card for Easter when you want to send something more than a plain card.

Thanks for stopping by to see what's going on over here.  Right now, everything looks a bright Granny Apple Green outside.  It was so dry, but we've had a good steady rain today and all the greenery and flowers are happy again.  It's so wet out there and that means it's a good day to stay inside and create!  Yay, stamping weather!!

If you run into any problems or have questions while making this card, feel free to text me at 313-407-0750 or email me at sharoncarr50@gmail.com.  I'd be happy to help you if I can.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Three Panel Card for Easter

Hello my friends!  Hope you're all doing well on this Saturday afternoon.  How did we go from the heater running to the air conditioner needing to be on?  Yesterday evening, the house temps actually got up to 93 degrees!  How is that possible already?  It seems so weird turning on the air conditioner in April!  I'm not complaining mind you, but it is a little 'extra' warm right now.  Because of the warm weather, the blueberry bushes are covered in blooms.  Hope we get a good crop this year.  I love blueberry muffins and blueberry buckle.  Maybe when I make a batch, I'll have to share a picture and my mom's recipe.  Yum!  I'm already craving it!  Ok, enough about food and let's get to the stamping part.

Disclaimer first:  If you're only interested in current products, you might as well quit reading.  There are a couple of retired oldies from a good number of years back that I've used for the sentiments.  I always keep retired Easter sets because I find it very hard to find Easter sentiments.  So, keep what I got, right?

I've tried three panel cards before, but never like this.  I love that it's a full-size card and not a skinny imitation.  It just has an extra panel to open up.  Once I saw this done, it was a real "duh" moment.  Don't know why I never thought of this idea!  I saw this card on a blog by Tracy at stampinqueenbee.com.  It's so quick and easy without tons of measuring that takes up time.  Just cut a few layers and you're finished.

For this card, I started with 2 card bases of Daffodil Delight cardstock that measured 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and are folded in half.  To get the three panels, just attach the left side of one base to the right side of another base.  Yup, that's it.  You're ready to layer and finish the card.  What could be easier?

Let's start with the front panel.  There is a layer of Basic White cardstock first.  I cut 2 of these that measure 5 1/4" x 4".  Save one for later.  

On the white layer, a piece of Floral Delight 12" x 12" DSP was layered.  This is a gorgeous green print with white flowers on it.  Looked perfect for Easter.  This measures 5" x 3 3/4".  This was attached to the white with adhesive.  Then both were attached to the front panel of the card base using adhesive too.

The added flowers are a stamp from the Thankful Garden Bundle.  This was stamped on a Basic White quarter sheet of cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

For this card, I got out my watercolor pencils in Daffodil Delight and Garden Green.  I hadn't used these for a long while and they needed some love and attention.  For the flower, I colored in the center of the flower pretty heavily.  Then a light touch was used over the rest of the flower.  It looked pretty as it was, but I used a Blender Pen to soften and blend the watercolor pencil.

For the leaves, I colored the veining with the Garden Green pencil and softened with the Blender Pen.

I wasn't exactly happy with the color, so I went into my retired ink pads and grabbed the Soft Succulent ink.  Using the same Blender Pen, I picked up a small amount of ink to add to each of the leaves.  I was much happier with the color I created.

The flowers were die-cut with the coordinating die.  When I laid it on the card front, the background white areas bothered me.  So, I got out my trusty Exacto Knife and performed a little surgery on the piece.  I like it much better now.  And I also went over the flowers and leaves with a little Wink of Stella to give it a touch of sparkle.  Then the centers of the flowers were added in stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink to finish.

The flowers were attached to the front panel of the card using Dimensionals.  

The sentiment is from the retired Delightful Dozen stamp set.  I have no idea how many years ago this set was available, but I still like it and use it.  I thought the curling font went well with the sketchy look of the images.  This was stamped on a 3/4" strip of Basic White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  The ends are flagged to finish.  The label is attached over the stem using Dimensionals on the ends.

Next, we move to the inside of the card.

Opening the card and laying it out flat I worked on the two outer panels.  There are two pieces of the same DSP print used on the panels.  They measure 5 1/4" x 4".  Each are attached flat to their side panels using adhesive.

The center panel is the other white piece we cut earlier.  This has the same flowers stamped in the bottom corner using Daffodil Delight ink.

The sentiment is from the His Grace set which is another retired goodie from years back.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Closing the right panel of the card, you can see I stamped the flower again with Garden Green ink on the same color of cardstock.  This is die-cut, then attached flat to the plain panel.

A banner was stamped with a sentiment from the Faith Collection (current!!)  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on a 1/2" strip.  The ends were trimmed and flagged.  Then it was attached over the flower with adhesive.

On the open left panel, a Bible verse from the His Grace set was stamped with black ink onto a small white piece.  This was trimmed to fit around the verse and a layer of Garden Green was layered behind it.  Then it's attached flat to the panel with adhesive.

The last step was adding a touch of bling.  Three of the Low-Profile Dots in gold were added to finish the design.

Now that I'm done describing how to make this, I think it almost took longer to write about it than to make it!  Hehe.  Well, that's an exaggeration to be honest.  But it is a quick and easy card.  I love the surprise when you have an extra panel to open.  It just makes it a little more special in my opinion.

Don't forget there's only til the end of April to do your shopping from the annual catalog and the Jan - April Mini Catalog.  Check out the Last Chance list for the retiring items. Some are discounted very nicely too! Don't forget the cardstock prices are going up in the new catalog.  You might want to stock up on several of your favorite colors.  I know I love a bargain.  I'm guessing you do too.  

Thanks for sharing some of your weekend with me.  Now I need to get outside on this beautiful day and get something done!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Front Step Pop-Up Card

Greetings my stamping friends.  Today's card is a fun fold beauty that I'm sure you'll like.  Knowing how inept I can be when making fun fold cards, you can be sure I CASEd this card idea.  There's no way I'd be able to figure out dimensions and all by myself.  So, I want to give a big thanks to Lynn Dunn at stamptasticdesigns.com for sharing her lovely card.  After following her directions and making a similar card to her sample, I kept going and made another card that I'm sharing with you.  Hope you give this fun fold a try.  It's really not that hard to make once you wrap your head around the few basic parts you need.  Let's get creating.

I started with a base card of Pool Party.  Cut a piece a 11" x 4 1/4".  This is scored at 5 1/2".

For the front step section:  Cut a piece of Basic White cardstock 9 3/4" x 4".  Score on the long side at 2 1/4" and 4 1/2".  This is accordion folded, then the largest section is attached to the card front as shown.  I used "green glue" for this step.

Cut a floral print layer from the Wildflower Birthday DSP that measures 5" x 3 3/4".  This is attached over the white layer you just made.

Cut another piece of the same DSP print that measures 3 3/4" x 2".  This is attached to the front of the step out using "green glue".

Cut a piece of either Pool Party or the same DSP that measures 3 3/4" x 2".  This piece is attached inside the fold.  You can see where I attached the Pool Party layer from this picture.

Cut another piece of Pool Party cardstock.  This measures 4 1/4" x 3".  Cut another Basic White piece that measures 4" x 2 3/4".  This was embossed with the So Swirly Embossing Folder.  This sort of reminded me of frosting swirls.  You can use any other embossing you'd prefer.  After embossing, this layer is attached to the Pool Party layer with "green glue".  

Next, lay the card down flat and fold the step part closed.  This way you can position the Pool Party layer on the center of the front.  Lightly mark with a pencil and attach it only to the step portion.

The Wildflower Birthday DSP has 2 sheets of punch out pieces.  The cake piece and extra flowers comes from this.  The cake is attached to the white layer with Dimensionals.  This is closer to the top so the sentiment will fit.

A 3/4" strip of Basic White cardstock is used to stamp the Happy Birthday.  The sentiment comes from Arched Wishes stamp set.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  It's trimmed to about 3 3/4" long and the ends are flagged.  This is attached below the bottom of the cake stand and onto the card base.  It's attached with Dimensionals.

The inside of the card base has a layer of Basic White that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  There is a 3/4" strip of pink and white diagonal checked DSP.  This is another print from the Wildflower Birthday DSP.  It's attached at the bottom of the white layer.  One of the printed punch-outs from the DSP pack is added as an extra accent.

Back to the front of the card for the addition of a little bling.  Another little flower was attached to the cake stand.  Then what was it going to be - gems or sequins?  This time I chose the Iridescent Faceted Gems.  They are so sparkly and match most any color you place them on.  So pretty and just the right amount of sparkle for a fancy birthday card.

Here's a last look at my birthday card.  I'm so happy with it!

Now I want to share the original card I made following Lynn Dunn's post.  

This is being held closed to show how it fits in a regular size envelope for mailing. 

The main colors are Garden Green and white.  The stamp set is the Thankful Garden set.   I used the masks and Blending Brushes to color the flowers and leaves.  The green print paper is from the Lovely Garden DSP pack.  This green print is just beautiful!

Only two colors were used for the coloring - Crushed Curry and Garden Green.  Both of these colors were added with a very soft touch to keep these fairly dark colors lighter on the image.

The new Mini Corrugated Embossing Folder was used here.  Isn't it a cute background?

The sentiment is from the Thankful Garden set, and it's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Three of the Brushed Brass Butterflies were used for the accent on this card.  Looking at the card now, I'm thinking the little Bee Trinkets would be great here too.

I mentioned that I followed her instructions and colors - mostly.  There always have to be a few details that I change, because I can't help myself.  This is a beautiful card though and I'm very pleased with it.  I hope you too give this fun fold a try.   It's easier than it looks.

Just a heads up that the retired list is out.  Go to Last Chance List to see what will be leaving soon.  Don't wait too long to make those last-minute purchases of retiring stamps, cardstocks, products, and In Colors too.  Hope you'll consider putting my name in for your demonstrator.  Thanks!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon