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

Wild Bunch Fun Fold Birthday Card | Mystery Stamping #78

Last night's Mystery Stamping was filled with creativity, laughter, and plenty of surprises as we worked through the clues together to create this fun fold birthday card.

For this week's Mystery Stamping project, I featured the adorable Wild Bunch stamp set, the June Product of the Month. The charming little cow makes the perfect focal point for a cheerful birthday card and adds just the right touch of country charm.

Why I Love This Card

This project combines several things I enjoy:

• A fun fold that adds interest without being difficult
• Designer paper doing much of the work
• Simple coloring for a personalized touch
• A design that works with many different stamp sets

The clue:

The fold creates a card that feels a little extra special while still being easy enough to recreate with supplies you already own.

About Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch stamp set is Stampin' Up!'s featured Product of the Month for June. The playful animal images are perfect for birthdays, encouragement cards, children's cards, and everyday greetings.

Wild Bunch is Stampin' Up!'s June Product of the Month. Customers who place a qualifying order can purchase this exclusive stamp set for just $5 while supplies last. 

Shopping Link: CraftWithCheryl.StampinUp.net

This little cow quickly became a favorite while designing with the set. The image is easy to color and works beautifully with rustic, country-inspired papers.

Missed the Live?

No worries! You can still watch the replay and craft along at your own pace.

I share new Mystery Stamping projects, cardmaking classes, and paper crafting inspiration every week.

For more tutorials, classes, and creative ideas, visit:

CraftWithCheryl.com

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!