Showing posts with label handmade cards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label handmade cards. Show all posts

August 17, 2026

3 Easy Handmade Cards with Paper Medley Designer Series Paper

 Do you ever sit down to make a card, look at all your beautiful patterned paper, and suddenly have no idea what to do with it?

You love the colors. You love the patterns. You may have even bought the paper because you simply couldn’t leave it behind—but now you’re afraid to cut into it or unsure how to combine the designs without making your card feel too busy.

If that sounds familiar, you are definitely not alone.

This week, I created three easy handmade cards featuring the Stampin’ Up! Paper Medley Designer Series Paper. Each design offers a different way to let patterned paper do the creative heavy lifting, from an elegant diamond layout to a scrap-friendly patchwork card and even a little hot foil sparkle.

Best of all, we made all three cards in under an hour—including the hot foiling! These are exactly the kinds of projects I love: approachable enough for a newer card maker, but with enough interesting detail to make an experienced stamper want to play too.

Turn Simple Squares into an Elegant Card Design


The first card proves that you don’t need a complicated layout to create something beautiful.

I used three decorative square die cuts, turned them on point to create diamonds, and layered small pieces of the Paper Medley Designer Series Paper over two of them. The center diamond holds the “Thinking of You” sentiment.

Misty Moonlight cardstock and ink give the card a calm, peaceful feeling, while the decorative edges add detail without requiring extra stamping or coloring.

This layout is a great one to save because you can recreate it with almost any patterned paper and sentiment. If you don’t own decorative square dies, try plain squares with a narrow cardstock mat behind them.

Here’s a helpful design tip: when repeating a shape, keep the spacing as even as possible. That repetition creates a sense of balance and makes even a very simple card look polished.

And if poking all those tiny pieces out of an intricate die feels tedious, try using a Take Your Pick Die Brush or placing a dryer sheet between your cardstock and cutting plate before die cutting.

Use Your Paper Scraps to Create a Patchwork Card


Do you have a container filled with patterned paper scraps that are too pretty to throw away?

The second card was made for you!

This patchwork-style layout uses several small pieces of Paper Medley Designer Series Paper arranged over a Basic Black cardstock panel. Most of the pieces measure only 1¼" x 2½", along with two 1¼" squares.

The black background creates a narrow border around each piece, helping the different patterns look intentional and cohesive. It reminded several of us of a scrappy quilt—and I think that describes it perfectly.

When mixing patterns, choose papers that share at least one or two colors. You can then pull one of those colors into your card base or sentiment. I used Hydrangea Hue for the base and Calypso Coral ink for the “Have a Fabulous Day” greeting.

If assembling several pieces feels overwhelming, begin with the center section and build outward like a puzzle. Once that first piece is straight, the remaining sections are much easier to position.

Add Texture and Shine with Hot Foiling


Our final card introduces a little something extra: hot foiling!

I paired a soft floral Paper Medley pattern with Calypso Coral and Petal Pink cardstock. An embossed Basic White background adds texture while allowing the patterned paper and sentiment to remain the stars of the card.

The “Thinking of You” greeting and coordinating frame were created with the Stampin’ Up! Hot Foil System. The delicate foil border and shiny sentiment instantly made the card feel special.

Hot foiling may look intimidating when you first see the plates, foil, heat, and die-cutting machine, but the system guides you through the process. It heats up, signals when it is ready, and then the design is transferred by running everything through the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine.

One important tip: place the foil with the shiny side facing the hot foil plate.

Also, don’t throw away the leftover foil! Larger unused areas can be saved for smaller greetings, decorative elements, or label borders.

Not ready to try hot foiling yet? You can still recreate this layout with a stamped sentiment and a regular label die. The design will be just as lovely.

Beautiful Cards Don’t Have to Take All Evening

I know how easy it is to tell yourself that you don’t have enough time, the right supplies, or the creativity to make something worthwhile.

But creativity doesn’t have to mean spending hours designing a complicated card. Sometimes it means choosing one pretty piece of paper, following a layout you already know works, and enjoying a few quiet minutes at your craft table.

These three cards use simple shapes, manageable layers, and sentiments that can work for many different occasions. You can copy them exactly or use them as starting points with the supplies you already own.

Which design would you make first: the elegant diamonds, the scrappy patchwork, or the hot foil card? Leave me a comment and let me know—and be sure to save these ideas for the next time your patterned paper needs a little love!

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July 20, 2026

3 Easy Lily of the Valley Cards for Every Kind of Crafter

 Have you ever fallen in love with a stamp set, only to bring it home and wonder what on earth you should make with it?

The Stampin’ Up! Lily of the Valley Bundle makes that decision much easier. Its delicate flowers can look soft and simple, bold and modern, or beautifully elegant depending on the colors and techniques you choose.

During this week’s Stampin’ Sundays with Katrina, I created three handmade cards—including an easy Z-fold birthday card. Whether you’re new to stamping, short on crafting time, or simply looking for fresh card-making inspiration, you’ll find an idea here that you can recreate.

An Easy Z-Fold Birthday Card That Stands Up for Display

The first project is a Z-fold birthday card featuring Pretty Peacock cardstock and the gorgeous Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper.

A Z-fold is one of my favorite fun folds because it looks impressive without requiring complicated cutting or scoring. The card base is simply scored at 4 1/4" and again at 2 1/8". Fold the card in half as usual, then fold the front panel back on itself.

That’s it—you have a Z-fold!

I used two Everyday Arches die cuts for the front and inside of the card. The front arch features the large die-cut lily of the valley and a “Happy Birthday” greeting. The matching arch inside provides a place for the message, “To one of the nicest people I know,” along with a handwritten note.

Here’s an important assembly tip: when attaching a shape across the front fold, add adhesive only to the section touching the narrow front panel. Otherwise, you may accidentally glue your card closed. I lined up the front arch with the one inside before pressing it into place.

This card stands beautifully on a mantel, desk, or shelf—perfect for the person who loves to display and save handmade cards.

A Quick Card for Busy Crafting Days


The second card is proof that a quick card can still be absolutely beautiful.

I started with a Thick Basic White card base and added a Pool Party layer. The background combines two coordinating papers: a leafy pattern from the Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper and a tone-on-tone design from the Luxe White Specialty Designer Series Paper.

The specialty paper is lovely on its own, but I wanted its subtle pattern to stand out. Using a blending brush, I added Balmy Blue ink to the center of the paper. The color gently settles around the raised design, making the pattern easier to see while keeping the background soft.

The small lily of the valley image was stamped in black and colored with Pool Party and Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends. Two overlapping circular die cuts create the focal point, with the smaller circle holding the simple “Happy for you” greeting.

This design is a great card recipe to save. Choose two coordinating patterned papers, add a simple stamped image, and finish with two layered shapes. You can easily adapt it for birthdays, congratulations, thank-you cards, or thinking-of-you cards.

And yes, we decided it needed rhinestones—because a little bling makes everything better!

Create Texture with Torn Two-Tone Cardstock


The third card has a bolder color combination, pairing Basic Beige with Pretty Peacock, Blackberry Bliss, and Granny Apple Green.

For the background, I tore a strip of Blackberry Bliss two-tone cardstock. This cardstock has a white core, so tearing the paper toward yourself exposes that white edge. It creates texture and contrast without adding another layer or specialty tool.

If you want a rougher, more organic appearance, gently distress the torn edge with your fingers after tearing it.

I stamped the large lily of the valley image in Granny Apple Green and used a Blender Pen with a small amount of Balmy Blue ink to shade the base of each white flower. Lily of the valley blossoms are naturally white, so they didn’t need to be completely colored. That little hint of blue was enough to give them depth.

The separate leaves were stamped tone-on-tone on Granny Apple Green cardstock, die cut, and layered behind the flowers. A Pretty Peacock geometric die cut added another bit of interest in the background.

The finished “So grateful for you” card is a wonderful reminder that you don’t always need to color every part of a stamped image. Sometimes a little shading is all it takes.

One Bundle, Three Completely Different Looks

What I love about the Lily of the Valley Bundle is its versatility. We created a dimensional birthday fun fold, a quick and airy “Happy for you” card, and a rich gratitude card using the same bundle.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a new stamp set, try choosing just one element to change on each card:

  • Use a different color combination.
  • Switch between stamped and die-cut flowers.
  • Add a simple fun fold.
  • Combine patterned paper with a subtle coloring technique.
  • Change the sentiment to fit the cards you need most.

You don’t need hours of free time or a craft room full of supplies to make something meaningful. Start with one beautiful image, keep the layout manageable, and let the paper do some of the work for you.

Which of these three Lily of the Valley cards would you make first: the Z-fold birthday card, the soft “Happy for you” card, or the torn-paper gratitude card? Leave me a comment and let me know. Be sure to save this post for your next creative afternoon, and grab the coordinating printable tutorial so you can craft right along with me!

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July 6, 2026

3 Easy Fall Handmade Cards You'll Want to Make This Season

 Can you believe we're already starting to think about fall crafting?

If you're anything like me, you love getting ahead on seasonal cards without feeling overwhelmed. That's exactly why I couldn't wait to share the adorable Fun for Fall Bundle from the new July Online Exclusives.

This bundle is filled with charming scarecrows, playful crows, sweet sentiments, and coordinating dies that make creating fall cards surprisingly easy. During this week's Sunday Live, I created three simple cards that are perfect for beginners but still have plenty of personality.

Let's take a closer look!

Card #1: Layering Designer Series Paper Makes a Big Impact

Sometimes the prettiest cards are the simplest ones.

For the first card, I combined two coordinating patterns from the Regals Designer Series Paper with layered black mats and one of my favorite Everyday Arches Dies.

The little scarecrow becomes the star of the card without needing lots of extra embellishments.

A few simple details make all the difference:

  • Layer patterned paper with narrow black mats for definition.
  • Pop up your focal image with Dimensionals for added depth.
  • Finish with a few Rustic Metallic Adhesive Dots for a warm fall feel.

It's clean, cheerful, and comes together quickly.

Card #2: You Don't Have to Use the Whole Stamp


One of my favorite tips from this week's Live was showing that you don't always have to use an entire stamped image.

Instead of cutting out the full scarecrow, I only used the upper portion peeking out from behind a stitched circle. It completely changes the look of the image and stretches your supplies even further.

I also added a narrow embossed Balmy Blue strip using one of the new Seasonal Cheer Mini Embossing Folders.

It's a small detail, but it adds beautiful texture without overwhelming the design.

Sometimes thinking outside the box with your stamps gives you even more creative possibilities.

Card #3: Simple Stamping with a Touch of Humor


These little crows absolutely stole the show.

The sentiment "This is Something to Crow About!" is fun, playful, and perfect for celebrating all kinds of accomplishments.

Instead of leaving the sentiment as one long strip, I cut it apart and layered the pieces over a stitched circle. It's an easy design trick that creates movement and adds interest.

If you've ever hesitated to cut apart a sentiment, don't be afraid! As long as you trim carefully, you can create so many different looks.

My Favorite Coloring Combination

Several viewers asked how I colored the scarecrow, so here are the Stampin' Blends I used:

  • Darling Duckling
  • Blueberry Bushel
  • Cherry Cobbler
  • Pecan Pie
  • Crumb Cake (or Ivory for skin)
  • Mossy Meadow

These warm fall colors bring the scarecrow to life while keeping everything soft and cheerful.

Don't Forget Your Free Tutorial

If you're on my mailing list, your printable PDF tutorial is arriving in your inbox otherwise, you can grab it right here..

Inside you'll find:

  • Complete measurements
  • Supply list
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Photos of all three cards

And remember...

This month's Fun for Fall class is FREE with a $40 order (before shipping and tax) placed by July 15th. I'll mail you all of the prepared cardstock and consumable supplies so you can recreate these cards at home using your own stamps and inks.

I hope these projects inspire you to start creating for fall a little early!

I'd love to hear from you in the comments: Which card is your favorite—the Hay There scarecrow, the Congratulations card, or the playful crows?

Happy stamping!

– Katrina

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