Stampin’ Up! Painted Pumpkins Cards: Three Fall Card Ideas and a Triple Z Fold

 Fall is the perfect time to fill the craft table with pumpkins, warm colors, and a fun fold or two! In this free cardmaking class, I used the Stampin’ Up! Painted Pumpkins Bundle to create three very different fall cards—from a cheerful everyday design to an elaborate Triple Z-fold pumpkin patch.

The Painted Pumpkins Bundle gives us several ways to create pumpkins. During the class, I colored stamped images with Stampin’ Blends, used the coordinating decorative masks, and cut pumpkins directly from cardstock and Designer Series Paper. I love it when one bundle gives us this many possibilities!

Card 1: Colorful Painted Pumpkins Card

The first card is the simplest of the three, but it certainly isn’t short on color. I stamped the pumpkin images in Memento ink and colored them with a mixture of warm Stampin’ Blends colors.

Because I wanted the crisp black outlines without heavy black stems, I removed some of the ink from the stems before stamping. That allowed me to color the stems green afterward.

Golden Glow Gingham Gallery Designer Series Paper creates a cheerful background, while Linen Thread and coordinating embellishments add a little texture. The “Hello Gourd-geous” sentiment makes this a fun card to send for almost any fall occasion.

Card 2: Book-Binding Pumpkin Thank-You Card

For the second card, I created the pumpkins with the Painted Pumpkins decorative masks instead of stamping their outlines. Golden Glow and Cajun Craze ink produced the softly striped and blended pumpkins.

This card also features a book-binding fold. It is an easy way to make a traditional card shape feel a little more special without making it difficult to mail.

I used the Tile Garden Dies to add decorative edges to the layered squares. In the video, I show how to use the same square die to give a smaller piece a matching edge. A Linen Thread bow provides the finishing touch.

Card 3: Triple Z-Fold Pumpkin Patch

The final card is definitely the grand finale! This Triple Z-fold design gave me several levels on which to build an entire fall pumpkin patch.

I created the Lost Lagoon background with one of the Painted Pumpkins masks, giving the cardstock a subtle tone-on-tone vine pattern. The Rustic Check 3D Embossing Folder adds brick-like texture to the panels in front.

The detailed garden gate was cut from Pecan Pie two-tone cardstock and lightly sanded to bring out the rustic wood texture. I attached the gate so it could open, then tucked a little mouse holding a pumpkin behind it as a surprise.

The mouse comes from the Christmas Mice Bundle, but he certainly doesn’t need to be saved only for Christmas!

After the Live Video

After the class ended, I changed the sentiment on the Triple Z-fold card to “Hello Gourd-geous” and added Wink of Stella. That is why the completed card in my photos looks a little different from the version shown at the end of the video.

Sometimes I need to step away from a card for a few minutes before I see exactly what finishing touch it needs!

Which Painted Pumpkins Card Is Your Favorite?

Do you prefer the colorful simplicity of the first card, the book-binding thank-you card, or the detailed Triple Z-fold pumpkin patch?

Leave me a comment and let me know. I always enjoy hearing which project catches your eye!

You can find my current classes, events, shopping links, and more at CraftWithCheryl.com.

Thank you for crafting with me!

Shop the Bundle Here: Painted Pumpkins Bundle

Christmas Mice Fun Fold Card | Mystery Stamping #35

I brought an older Mystery Stamping layout back this week and gave it a completely new Christmas look!

For Mystery Stamping #35, I used the adorable Stampin’ Up! Christmas Mice Bundle along with A Little Christmas Designer Series Paper to create this Christmas fun fold card.

One of the things I love about Mystery Stamping is that the measurements may stay the same, but the finished card can look completely different depending on the stamps, paper, and colors you choose.

Christmas Mice Card Details

The Christmas Mice Bundle has so many cute little details, but one of my favorites is the way the dies allow the mice to hold some of the accessories.
For my card, this little mouse is delivering a Christmas present. I paired him with the sentiment “Sending little moments of joy & cheer,” which seemed just right for this sweet Christmas card.
The plaid A Little Christmas Designer Series Paper gave me the traditional Christmas colors I wanted and worked perfectly with the bright red gift.

Mystery Stamping #35 Clue

If you’d like to create your own version of Mystery Stamping #35, use the clue below to gather and cut your supplies.

Remember—you do not need to use the same products or colors that I used. Choose supplies from your own craft room and see where the mystery takes you!

That’s half the fun.

Watch Mystery Stamping #35

You can watch the full Mystery Stamping #35 cardmaking tutorial below and see how my Christmas Mice card comes together.

If you’re playing along, I recommend creating your card from the clue first and then watching the video to see how our finished cards compare.

More Christmas Mice Inspiration

The Christmas Mice Bundle is also one of the featured bundles for Stamping Cross Country Fall ’26, so you’ll be seeing even more ideas using these cute little mice.
The Stamping Cross Country Digital Experience is available if you’d like access to the projects, tutorials, and classes and want to craft along on your own schedule.
You can find Stamping Cross Country, my Stampin’ Up! shop, upcoming classes, and all of my current links at CraftWithCheryl.com.

Try Mystery Stamping With Me

Mystery Stamping is one of my favorite ways to use supplies I already own and look at my stamp sets and Designer Series Paper in a completely different way.
If you make Mystery Stamping #35, I’d love to see what you create. The layout may be the same, but everyone’s finished card is always a little different!

Web of Fun: Three Easy Halloween Projects

 Hi friends!

Today I’m sharing three Halloween projects featuring the Web of Fun Bundle from Stampin’ Up! We’ll make two handmade cards and one cute treat package, with plenty of simple ideas you can use in your own seasonal crafting.

These projects are festive without being overly complicated. You can recreate them with the same products or adapt the layouts and techniques using supplies you already have.

Project 1: Diagonal Embossed Halloween Card

For the first card, I placed the cardstock diagonally inside the embossing folder. This creates a band of embossed bats across the card instead of covering the entire background.

The bold Happy Halloween greeting and little spider add plenty of personality while keeping the design easy to assemble.

Project 2: Spider Web Halloween Card

The second card features Halloween patterned paper, a vellum spider web, and a stamped spider.

I also die cut the word “happy” from foam to give it extra height and dimension. It’s an easy way to help a detailed greeting stand out against a busy background.

Project 3: Halloween Treat Package

For the final project, I decorated a clear candy bag with a handmade topper.

A stamped sentiment and a few tiny ghost and bat accents turn an ordinary bag of candy into a fun little gift. These would be perfect for party favors, classroom treats, table decorations, or surprise deliveries to friends and neighbors.

Watch the Class

Follow along as I create all three Web of Fun projects step by step.

You can shop the Web of Fun Bundle here: Web Of Fun Bundle

For more free classes, project inspiration, and crafty updates, join my email list at CraftWithCheryl.com.

Thanks so much for crafting with me!

Cheryl

3 Fun Ways to Use the Balloon Festoon Bundle

 The Balloon Festoon Stamp & Die Bundle may immediately make you think of birthdays and celebrations—and it is wonderful for both—but the dies can do much more than create a simple balloon bouquet.

For this class, I made three bright and cheerful cards. We started with the more involved projects and worked our way toward a very easy card with a slightly unexpected twist.

The Balloon Festoon Bundle

The stamp set includes useful celebration greetings, but I think the dies are the real stars of this bundle. They include several sizes of balloons, delicate balloon strings, small highlight pieces, and larger shapes that could also be used for party decorations.

Throughout the class, I mixed cardstock and patterned paper to create balloons with different colors and textures. Using papers from the same Designer Series Paper pack made it easy to build a coordinated color combination without having to plan every color individually.

Project 1: Book-Fold Balloon Birthday Card

Our first project is a book-fold card with a narrow striped panel along the side and a colorful balloon arrangement on the main section.

The card base begins with a standard half-sheet of cardstock. An extra score line creates the narrow book-binding section, which is secured closed while the larger section opens like a traditional card.

I layered balloons of several sizes over patterned paper, using a combination of flat adhesive and Stampin’ Dimensionals. One of the larger balloons also became the sentiment label for “Hip Hip Hooray.”

When arranging a group like this, I like to place the largest pieces first and then tuck the smaller balloons into the remaining spaces. I also wait to glue everything down until I am happy with the overall balance.

Project 2: Arched Tri-Fold Shaped Card

The second project uses three large arch-shaped die-cuts connected with small cardstock hinges.

When opened, the card stands across three panels. The balloons continue from one section to the next, creating a full celebration scene. The final panel includes a white arch for writing a personal message.

The hinges are simply small cardstock rectangles scored through the center. I placed strong adhesive on each side of the score line and used them to join the three arches.

A few tips from this project:

Keep balloons on the inner panels fairly flat so the card can close.

Use Dimensionals mainly on the front panel, where there is more room.

Arrange everything before gluing so balloons do not interfere with the folds.

Check the finished width and height against an envelope before completing the decoration.

I used adhesive sheets behind the delicate balloon strings and highlight pieces. That turns them into easy peel-and-stick die-cuts and saves a great deal of fiddling with liquid glue.

Project 3: Balloon Daisy Card

The final project is the simplest card, but it may be the most unexpected.

Instead of using the balloon shapes as balloons, I turned them sideways and arranged five large white die-cuts around a yellow circle. Suddenly, the balloons became daisy petals!

I layered the flower over small floral patterned paper, added a banner greeting, and finished it with a few tiny ladybug embellishments.

This is a great example of looking beyond the intended purpose of a die. Circles can become flower centers, balloons can become petals, and leaves can become wings or feathers. Turning a shape in another direction can open up an entirely new group of projects.

The large flower extends beyond the card front but can flatten for mailing.

A Few Tips for Using Detailed Balloon Dies

Adhesive sheets are especially helpful behind thin strings and small balloon highlights.

Cut extra balloons while your machine and supplies are already out. Leftovers make quick birthday cards later.

Use balloons cut from patterned paper to add color and shading without extra stamping.

Try using a balloon as your sentiment label rather than adding another separate shape.

When layering several pieces, add Dimensionals only on the centers at first. This leaves room to tuck more die-cuts underneath.

Shop the Balloon Festoon Bundle

The Balloon Festoon Bundle is available through my Stampin’ Up! online store.

SHOP THE BALLOON FESTOON BUNDLE HERE

You can also visit CraftWithCheryl.com to find my current classes, shopping links, and other ways to craft with me.

Which project is your favorite: the book fold, the arched tri-fold, or the balloon daisy?

Scalloped Blooms Cards: 3 Cheerful Card Ideas with Embossing & Fun Folds

 This week’s free card class was all about the Scalloped Blooms Bundle, and I kept the projects bright, cheerful, and very doable.

Sometimes it is nice to have a class that doesn’t feel complicated. This bundle has great scalloped dies and sweet sentiments, so I used those pieces along with papers and supplies I already had on hand. You do not always need every piece in a suite to make beautiful cards.

In this class, I made three cards:

Card 1: Striped Flower Birthday Card
This card uses colorful striped patterned paper with die-cut flowers and leaves. It is simple, happy, and a great way to let the paper and dies do most of the work.

Card 2: Scalloped Shape Card
The second card is a shaped card made with the large scalloped die. I added patterned paper, ribbon, and butterfly embellishments. This one also came with a little live-class adventure when I thought I had lost a die. Spoiler: I found it about 12 hours later!

Card 3: Daisy Thank You Card
This was the card I was most excited about. I inked the embossing folder before running it through the machine, which created a beautiful yellow background while keeping the daisies white. Then I added the scalloped circle layers and a thank you sentiment.

The Scalloped Blooms Bundle is available now, and it is a fun one if you like dies that can be used in lots of different ways.

Shop for the supplies here: Scalloped Blooms Card Class

Stamping Cross Country Digital is also still available. The fun is starting now, and the main event is next week. Digital registration is a great option if you want the retreat experience without waiting for a box in the mail.

You can find current links, class replays, shopping information, and my email signup at CraftWithCheryl.com

Silly Old Bear Fun Fold Card | Mystery Stamping #26

 

Silly Old Bear Fun Fold Card | Mystery Stamping #26

Mystery Stamping is always a fun surprise, and this project turned into the sweetest fun fold card featuring the Silly Old Bear Suite from Stampin’ Up!

For Mystery Stamping #26, we used one set of clues to create one completed card. I followed the clues along with everyone else and ended up with this cheerful fun fold design.

A Sweet Fun Fold Card

This card has such a cozy, storybook feel. The Silly Old Bear Suite is perfect for creating cards that feel warm, friendly, and a little nostalgic.

The fun fold adds interest without making the card feel difficult. It’s a great layout to use again with other designer papers, stamp sets, and greetings from your own craft room.

Use What You Have

One of the best parts of Mystery Stamping is that everyone’s card looks a little different. You do not need to have the exact same supplies I used.

For this card, you can substitute:

• A favorite designer paper
• Any cute stamped image
• A greeting for friendship, birthday, thank you, or encouragement
• Coordinating cardstock and embellishments

The clues give you a starting point, but your creativity makes the card your own.

Featuring the Silly Old Bear Suite

I used the Silly Old Bear Suite for my card, and it is such a fun collection for creating sweet, playful projects.

If you love the look of this suite, you can shop the bundle through my Stampin’ Up! store.

Shop the Silly Old Bear Bundle Here

Watch the Replay

You can watch the full Mystery Stamping #26 replay and craft along at your own pace.

I hope this project gives you another fun fold idea to try. Whether you use Silly Old Bear or something already in your craft room, this layout is a great one to keep in your cardmaking toolbox.

Happy crafting!

Cheryl

Lily of the Valley Cards: Embossed Card + 2 Fun Folds

This week’s cardmaking class featured the beautiful Lily of the Valley Bundle and coordinating products from the suite. I made three cards during the class: one elegant embossed card, one green fun fold card, and one shaped tri-fold card using the Everyday Arches Dies.

I love classes like this because they show how one bundle can create very different styles of cards. You can keep things elegant, go a little more playful with a fun fold, or make something extra special with a shaped card. And, as always, you can use the supplies you already have and make these ideas your own.

Card 1: Embossed Lily of the Valley Birthday Card

The first card used a Pretty Peacock two-tone cardstock layer with a detailed embossing folder. I lightly misted the cardstock before embossing to help prevent cracking, then gently sanded the raised areas to bring out a little of the white core.

This card also used die-cut Lily of the Valley flowers and leaves layered over a decorative shape. It has an elegant feel, but the steps are very doable.

A few things to try:

• mist cardstock before using a detailed 3D embossing folder
• lightly sand two-tone cardstock for extra texture
• use die-cut flowers without stamping for a quicker option
• add a small butterfly or embellishment for a soft finishing touch

Card 2: Lily of the Valley Fun Fold

The second card was a simple fun fold using Garden Green cardstock and coordinating designer series paper. I used two patterned paper panels and added stamped Lily of the Valley images for the focal point.

This card is a good example of letting the paper do a lot of the work. The fold is easy, but it still feels special when opened.

A few things to try:

• use coordinating paper strips for the front flap
• let your designer paper guide your color choices
• color flowers with a blender pen and ink
• add a small bow and embellishments for a finished look

Card 3: Everyday Arches Shape Tri-Fold Card

The third card was the “extra special” card of the class. I used the Everyday Arches Dies to create a shaped tri-fold card. The panels are connected with simple cardstock hinges, which makes the card much easier than it first appears.

I also used the impressions mat to add texture with a die, which gave the inside panel a soft embossed detail. This is a fun way to get more use from the dies you already have.

A few things to try:

• use large nesting dies to create shaped card panels
• create simple hinges from scored cardstock strips
• add soft color behind stamped images with a blending brush
• use Wink of Stella for a little shimmer

Watch the Replay

I hope this class gives you a few ideas for using the Lily of the Valley Bundle, or for pulling out similar floral stamps and dies from your own collection.

You can buy the products used at this link: Lily of the Valley Class Products

You can find my current links, class replays, shopping info, email sign-up, and event details at: CraftWithCheryl.com

⏰ Last Chance! Registration for the Summer Virtual Retreat closes tomorrow, Monday, June 1st. Don't miss out on your retreat box—head over to CraftWithCheryl.com to snag your spot!

Thanks for crafting with me!