The Paper Creative LLC-Stamp the Fun Up

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Hi crafty peeps! Can you believe we are already into February! This month’s inspiration station photo gives us an early taste of spring! I was drawn to the reds and greens in the photo and wanted to focus on layered texture using these colors. I hope you like my take on it! Remember, hit the link above to join the hop, and if you try any of these tips or this project, be sure to tag me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup, I’d love to see your work! See you next month!

To get as much real estate as possible so I could bring texture out as the main focus of this card, I decided on a top folding 6 x6 card base. Here’s my trick for making a 6 x 6 card base from two pieces of 8.5 x 11 cardstock: From my background color cardstock (the dark green in this case) I cut an 8.5 x11 piece of the cardstock down to a 6 x 11 piece. I scored this at the 6″ mark going down, so I had a folded card with a 6×6 front flap and a 6 x 5 back flap. From a lighter color green cardstock, I cut a 6×6 square, and, opening the dark green card base, I adhered it to the front of the 5″ flap. From the bottom I trimmed of 1/8 of an inch (the fold of the card base will take up just enough space to push this added 6×6 layer out about 1/8 inch past the front flap of the card).

From a medium shade of green cardstock, I embossed a panel using Altenew 3D embossing folder Book Cover Engravings. I fussy cut this out so the embossed image would have the dark green background of the card base behind it.

Unsing dark green inks, I added some depth by dry brushing over the cut out embossed image, and I blended dark green ink from the bottom of the card base front up, to give more depth behind the embossed image.

I also used watered down dark green inks to splatter texture spots on the cut out image. Next, I chose the Altenew Dynamic Duo set Watercolor Dreams and some shades of red inks. The flowers in this set are created with a layering stencil, and then you can cut them out with the corresponding dies.

Once I cut my flowers out, I went back over the white cut-out edge with the red colors to soften the white.

This set has dies and stamps to create the leaves, so I used scraps of my medium and dark green cardstock to cut out leaves and like I did with the embossed image, I used some dry brushed dark green ink over them to add depth. I then rolled them over my stylus (but a pencil will do as well) to form them and give them some realistic lift.

Next, I chose scraps of red cardstock in coordinating colors and used my new favorite butterfly die from Altenew Mini Delight for Garden Bench to cut out a bunch of butterflies.

To assemble the card, I used foam tape on the embossed image, but only on the top parts. The bottom edge of it I glued flat to the card base. Next, I used foam dots to adhere the flowers. For the leaves, I glued them straight to the embossed panel, positioning them so they covered the cut raw edge of the embossed image. I added dots of Glossy Accents to light spots on the embossed piece created from splattering with watered down dark green ink, this was to give the look of dew drops.

I used dark green ink to stamp the sentiments and die cut them out of a dark red cardstock I used for some of the butterflies. I then added some butterflies in a cascade of colors from dark red to light red as they headed for the right edge of the card.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO JOIN THE INSPIRATION STATION CHALLENGE HOP!

https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com

Happy New Year crafty peeps! Let’s get right into a crafty 2025!! This month’s inspiration photo gave me so many ideas that I decided I would actually scale my ideas down a bit. I loved the neutral tones and colors in the photo. By themselves, the brown tones would be just blah…but against the soft white background, they are framed in a way. So, rather than the blue of the bird that was the most obvious focal point that I first thought about focusing on, I decided to give attention to the browns by incorporating the blues into part of the background as a frame. I hope you like this project, and I hope you try some of these tips and techniques and join in the hop challenge (click the link below). If you do, be sure to tag me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup, I’d love to see what inspired you from the inspiration photo!! See you all next month!

When I decide to create a card that focuses on a small detail as the main focal point, I like to use an A2 size card. I feel this is the best scale to bring attention to the small focal point. I also love to add depth and layer to a focus card by layering with different designs and textures of a background. I chose the two blues that I felt reflected the blue from the bird in the inspiration photo, as part of the background.

I decided to layer them up on an angle to add interest, and in order to keep the bold colors as part of the background, I decided to add a white panel over them, to anchor the focal point, but to add even more depth, I embossed this smaller panel with the Book Cover Engravings 3D embossing folder by Altenew.

Pro tip: if you find it hard to come up with a good anchoring background for a focal point card, pick supporting colors and layer them up in interesting ways and add monochrome texture i.e. embossing.

Next was to create the focal point for that comforting brown color of the leaves in the inspiration photo. I chose Stampin’ Up! inks in Copper Clay and Wild Wheat. I used the Stampin’ Up! Textured Floral stamp set and Bough punch to create the focal point leaves for the card. I used white embossing powder to lightly “frost” the tips of the leaves and then added just a touch of Hero Arts lacquer pen in Sparkle Clear because, there’s always room for sparkle 🙂 Before attaching them to the card with a coordinating twine bow, I rolled the leaves to give them some lift and realism.

I stamped the sentiment from the Textured Floral stamp set using coordinating Stampin’ Up! ink in Azure Afternoon.

(For a look at how to create the frosted look with embossing powder, check out my video here for Altenew’s “Frosty Splendor” YouTube hop:

For information on snagging Stampin’ Up! products, email me at: stampthefunup@yahoo.com

Click the link below to head over to the Altenew online store:

https://altenew.com?sca_ref=6442205.Cy3WhHYLAt

Doesn’t this month’s inspiration pic give you all the peppermint rum cocoa feels 🙂

Click the link below to follow along the challenge!

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I have been on a tag kick for the holidays so, originally i was going to make this a 6″x6″ card but decided to turn it into a tag.

I started with re-creating the wood background.

I set a 6″x6″ square of light brown cardstock onto my scoring board and scored a line right down the middle at 3″. I then scored lines to the right and then to the left of the center score, setting them at 1″ at the top and making them 1/8″ wider at the bottom so as to get the perspective of the boards going off into the distance.

Using my Prismacolor colored pencils, I drug a dark brown pencil over the scored lines.

Using copy paper, I tore a piece in half to mask off each “plank”.

Starting with a medium brown ink cube, I set the edge of the pad down on each masked off strip and drug it down. I then picked up the ink pad and moved it to the top of each strip and repeated this process. I then took a darker brown and repeated this technique over the medium brown. I moved the masks for each plank to continue this process to create a wood grain look.

To add depth, I went over the scored lines with a black colored pencil.

Using the Altenew mini delight set “Creative Cookies” I stamped the cookie images with a medium brown onto the same light brown cardstock. I then used white embossing powder with the layer stamp to create the icing. For the finishing touch I went over the edges with a very small blending brush and the dark brown, so they looked cooked.

Instead of recreating the cup from the inspiration photo, I took a piece of light red cardstock and stenciled over it with dark red dye ink using the “Sweater Pattern” stencil from Hero Arts. I offset this and trimmed it to fit the wood panel which I had cut down and added to a dark green background and attached it to a tag cut from Anna Griffen cardstock. The tag is from the “Plantin Schoolbook” “Roly Poly” tag from an old Cricut cartridge. Yep, I still use my Cricut Expression 🙂 At this point I also cut the sentiment from dark green cardstock using the sentiment from the Altenew “Creative Cookies” mini delight set.

I used a medium brown and dark red to add depth to the Altenew mini delight “Very Berry” set

I went back to my Cricut and “Joy of the Seasons” cartridge to cut holy images and I used the stamps from the “Very Berry set to add details to the holy leaves. I then took a wide tipped stylus to rub on each leaf, to get them to curl up and get dimension.

I attached the berry clusters from the “Very Berry” mini delight set to the holy leaves I had cut with my Cricut.

The final step was attaching the cookies and leaves. The background cookie is glued right to the background, but the other cookie is up on foam tape.

I love getting creative with getting dimension added to tags! Below is a highlight photo of the supplies I used.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and if you try any of these techniques, be sure to tag me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup. Good luck on the hop, and I’ll see you again for January’s Inspiration challenge!

Hi crafty peeps! Here’s a follow up the last Facebook Live!! If you missed it, head over to the Facebook page Stamp the Fun Up and check it out! I showed you how to use Altenew Artist markers on vellum to give the cake a soft glazing and to make a marbled glass look on the cake stand. The design for the card above is from Pinterest. If you are in need of inspiration for holiday cards this week, check out the Stamp the Fun Up Pinterest page:

After the live, I went back and re-did the flowers around the cake so more of the cake showed.

Here’s a list of the featured supplies I used on this project:

Woodland Garden Artist Alcohol Marker set, Golden Peach Embossing Powder, sequins in Satin White and Antique Gold, Mini Delight subscription sets: Watercolor Cluster, Zero Waste Potpourri, A Floral Cograts and Birthday Wishes.

You can head over to the Altenew shop via the link below to snag any of these items, or to sign up for the monthly Mini Delight subscription:

https://altenew.com?sca_ref=6442205.Cy3WhHYLAt

I hope you all liked this project, if you did, let me know! And, if you try any of the techniques I did in the video, I would love to see your work, tag me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup.

No live show next week as we will be celebrating Thanksgiving in the U.S. So, see you all in December!

Hello crafty peeps! Thanks for joining me for the first “Smash Your Stash” Facebook Live of the winter crafting season!! I used Altenew Artist Markers to tint Tim Holtz paper dolls, as well as showed you my “pro-tip” for getting a quick and easy ink-blended look for layering dies 😉 If you missed the live, head over to the Facebook page Stamp the Fun Up, scroll down and you will find it there to re-play. My “Smash Your Stash” Facebook Live’s will be every Thursday at 7 pm EST until spring, so make sure to follow the Facebook page so you don’t miss any! In the meantime, follow me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup to catch all my crafty shenanigans, and tag me if you try any of the tricks and techniques you see me do-I would love to see your work! You can purchase some of the items I used last night by clicking the link below to the Altenew shop (however, as my Live shows are all about using up what you have, not all items you see me use will be available, but I know you will be able to find alternatives!)

https://altenew.com?sca_ref=6442205.Cy3WhHYLAt

Here’s a close up of each of the cards I made. Enjoy! See you soon!

Featuring Altenew Educators and Altenew Artist Markers

Click the “Ink & Inspire” link below to check out the specially curated kit for this retreat, then click the link below that to sign up through Bridget Casey.

Ink & Inspire

Ink & Inspire: Altenew Artist Markers 3-Day Workshop

(click the link below to follow along the hop challenge!)

https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com

Happy November everyone! Can you believe it’s time for another Inspiration Station Challenge?? Doesn’t this month’s inspiration photo give you all the cozy fall feels? Nothing says cozy like a warm cup of something yummy, and that’s what inspired me from this month’s inspiration photo.

My project is an A2 size card on a standard fold card base of 80lb Neenah solar white cardstock. I chose Altenew Fresh Dye inks in colors from my 2024 Fall palette: Raspberry Sunset, Melted Butterscotch, Amber Blaze, Lemonade Stand and Rhodolite.

The “flannel” panel on the front is Altenew craft cardstock cut to 4 x 5 1/2″. I used the Wavy Grid stencil from Altenew, and tilted it so it has a bit of movement, like a blanket. Starting with Raspberry Sunset and working thru Melted Butterscotch, Amber Blaze and Lemonade Stand, I blended over the stencil. The craft cardstock showing thru the squares helped to warm up the cozy factor with these colors.

I used tape runner to attach this to the front of the card base.

Next, I chose the Afternoon Delights mini delight stamp and die set from the Altenew monthly mini delight subscription (ask me why this is the best subscription EVER 🙂

The stamp in the set is a lovely outline flower cluster. Using the Rhodolite ink I off-set stamped this image onto the stenciled panel.

Next piece to make was the teacup. First, I chose the cardstocks for the pieces: Andromeda and Brushed Gold cardstock from Altenew and a scrap of white and craft cardstock.

On the cup front and plate piece, I used Antique Gold embossing powder from Altenew and the flower stamp from this set to give the cup some elegant detail. I also brushed over the “tea” with a very light coat of Rhodolite.

The final elements were stamped and die cut flowers from the Regal Beauty stamp set from Altenew. This is a layering stamp set, so i used my same ink palette for the stamped layers. Pro tip: the large flower in the background is attached by a spot of glue I dabbed in the middle of the back of it, then pressed it down. I didn’t put any glue out towards the petals. This way, as the glue dries, it will pull up the paper fibers and give the petals a little lift. This gives you depth without having to use extra foam dots. The smaller flower and the teacup I did use foam dots for. The final step was adding the sentiment from the Regal Beauty stamp set in the Rhodolite ink.

I hope you enjoyed this month’s inspiration project! Remember, if you try any of these techniques, tag me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup I would love to see your take on this month’s inspiration photo! Remember to click the link at the top of this post to follow along the hop over at Inspiration Station! See you all soon!

To snag any of the Altenew products I used in this project, click the link below!

https://altenew.com?sca_ref=6442205.Cy3WhHYLAt

Hi everyone! I wanted to do a follow up post to give you my tips and tricks I used on this month’s project! This is a 5×7″ card with a panel of 110lb cardstock on top for stability. If I am going to do card projects with beefy fronts like this one, I always add a layer of 110lb cardstock to the face of the card base.

The sentiment banner across the top is cut to fit the added panel, and it is from Altenew brushed gold metallic cardstock-sentiment banners are great ways to use up scraps and to showcase a simple sentiment. To give it some sophistication, I used the Altenew Morning Flowers stamp set, just the leaves layer, and embossed gold leaves across the banner with Altenew Antique Gold embossing powder. Nothing says seasonal sophistication like tone-on-tone gold! I also tried the Rose Gold metallic with Peach embossing powder, which really paired well together, but ultimately decided on the gold.

I really wanted to give this card a 3D effect using stenciled flowers and layering die-cut flowers. I always tend to go overboard with flowers, so to reign it in a bit and give the flowers a grounded area on the card, I used concentric oval dies to cut a large oval from Altenew craft cardstock, and a smaller oval from the Altenew crafty necessities cardstock pack in “Andromeda”. This oval I embossed with the Garden Harmony embossing folder. For interest in the final composition, I adhered both ovals together, then as one piece I off-set them to the right of the 110lb panel so it hung off the edge just a bit. Then I snipped off the overhanging part. Since I had the craft cardstock out, I also cut some random leaves to add in for filler and to break up the bright flowers-neutral accents are a great way to break up over the top flower arrangements.

The background flowers are stenciled from the Bitterroot Flowering layering stencil set, directly onto the 110lb panel. I stenciled three flowers for good composition and let two of them come off of the panel, so your eye is drawn into the finished arrangement.

For the 3D flowers I used two layering die sets: Charming Foliage and Craft-A-Flower Cape Marguerite. To add interest and depth to all the layers of the flower dies, I inked up two scraps of 110lb cardstock: one with oranges and one purples-I inked the cardstock with reds first, then added blue ink over this, rather than using straight purple ink. This gives more depth to the colors I was looking for. After inking I spritzed them with water, this tones down the hues and gives the over-all tone of worn-out color.

I used my heat gun to dry these and also let them set up a bit longer after the drying-I had really saturated the paper fibers. But once thoroughly dried, I cut out my flower pieces and created the finished arrangement.

I hope you enjoyed learning my tricks on this card! Leave me a comment, let me know what you think, and if you try any of these techniques, tag me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup I would love to see your work! Until next month, have fun getting artsy!

https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com

I was so inspired by the color palette in the inspiration picture for this ‘month’s challenge, specifically the black. Immediately I decided to incorporate black glitter cardstock into my project-I don’t get many chances to use glitter cardstock, let alone black glitter cardstock. I also chose orange glitter cardstock as well as crimson red and honey yellow.

The card base is a 5″x7″ base out of black cardstock. From my stash I grabbed a die-cut frame with more rustic Halloween colors and cut to fit a piece of black glitter cardstock which I adhered to the backside of the frame. I added black ink around the edge of the frame as I always like to finish the edges of die-cuts. Although there are no browns in my finished project, the browns in this frame pick up on the organic elements from the inspiration photo.

The card front has multiple layers. The first layer that I adhered to the card base is the orange glitter cardstock cut to 6 7/8″ x 4 7/8″. To the back of the framed black glitter, I attached a layer of crimson cardstock.

But before adhering it to the orange on the card base, I set it onto the magnetic cutting pad of my embossing/cutting machine and placed the framed black glitter cardstock over it. Using a silhouette pumpkin die, I cut thru both layers of the black glitter and crimson cardstock beneath it.

Now I adhered this panel to the front of the card.

To give the cut-out pumpkin a classic jack-o-lantern face, I used black cardstock over the honey yellow and cut out two triangles and a raggedy mouth. For the nose I used a paper hole punch.

I cut notches out of the black triangles and the black circle to give the shadow look. For the mouth I just off-set the yellow over the black.

For finishing touches that mimic the inspiration photograph, I stamped and die cut leaves out of the crimson and honey yellow cardstock. I assembled clusters at each corner and attached some gourd stickers from my stash. A simple stamped sentiment pulls the look together.

I had so much fun putting this project together and I can’t wait to see how this month’s inspiration photo inspires your Holiday projects! Be sure to tag me on Instagram @scrappystampthefunup to share your creations! And don’t forget to head over to inspiration station to join this month’s hop challenge! Good luck and I’ll see you next month!

https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com

https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com

Wow, so, first of all, I cannot believe we are already at this time of the year! I was so inspired by this month’s inspiration photo, not by the essence of the season that it portrays, simply because I am not ready to acknowledge that summer is almost over, but, by the colors. I was inspired to incorporate the colors into a subtle nod to the season, using the Changing Leaves stamp and die set from Stampin’ Up!.

The first order of business was to establish the color palette, based on the inspiration photo. Of course I hit my scrap stash.

I started with a 5×7″ card base of craft cardstock. This helped set the tone.

I used the largest die to cut out the lower right corner of the top of the card base.

I did snip off the bits from the die cut that would interfere with the final stamped image. Next, I added a patterned cardstock on the inside of the card to give some contrast to the stamping I did thru the die-cut area.

Next, I used red and blue cardstock scraps to glue to the front of the card. I used my snips scissors from Stampin’ Up! to cut out the area from the blue cardstock.

Using black ink again, and the stamps in the stamp set, I layed out an artsy-fartsy background. I added the yellow band to hide where the red and blue met on the face of the card. Next, using coordinating patterned cardstock I used the dies from the stamp set bundle to cut out a bunch of leaves. I glued these into the center of the card face, then used the round die from the set to cut the centerpiece for a sentiment.

Finally, using one of the sentiment dies from the set, I cut and stamped a secondary sentiment. This over hung the corner cut out, so i did have to go in with my snips and trim it out.

After creating this card on the fly, I realize there were some things I could have done different to make this project go smoother, but in the end, I liked the result, regardless.

If you try this project, let me know what you think, or if you came up with some other ways to accomplish a similar result! As always, thank you for playing along with the monthly Inspiration Station Challenge. Can’t wait for next month!