Simply Leaves - Card Class

 

🍂 Simple Leaves Card Class – FREE! 🍂

Celebrate the beauty of fall with three handmade cards inspired by autumn colours and leaves! This free class features the Simply Leaves Stamp Set & Punch Bundle and the Autumn Opulence Designer Series Paper to create beautiful cards perfect for sending a little kindness, gratitude, and encouragement.

🎥 Watch the video below and follow along as I guide you through each card.

📄 Download the free step-by-step PDF instructions to craft along at your own pace!

Happy stamping! 🍁💕

 

In 2023 and then again just last week, we took the kids to a local farm for their annual Sunflower Stroll. It had been a few years since we had visited, so when we went back this year, it was the perfect opportunity to take lots of pictures and make some new family memories.

When I saw Stampin’ Up!’s Sunflower Fields patterned paper, I knew right away that I had to scrapbook these adventures. The colours, sunflowers and patterns were absolutely perfect for our photos!

So I decided to create two 12" x 12" double-page layouts—one documenting our 2026 visit and another going back to our original Sunflower Stroll in 2023.

🌻 2026 Sunflower Stroll

This year's Sunflower Stroll was such a beautiful late-summer day. The sun was shining, the sunflowers were in full bloom, and there were bees and butterflies everywhere.

As I've mentioned before, I really like using a scrapbook sketch to help get me started. It gives me a starting point without making me feel like I have to follow it exactly.

For this layout, I found a sketch that worked perfectly with the number of photos I wanted to use. I did make one small change—I changed two of the photo sizes to 3" x 4" to better fit the pictures I had taken.

And that's one of the things I love about using sketches: they're a starting point, not a rule!

Sketch inspiration: September 2026 12" x 12" double-page layout

🌻 2023 Sunflower Stroll

Since I was already working with the Sunflower Fields papers, I thought it would be fun to go back and scrapbook our 2023 Sunflower Stroll too.

The photos are completely different from this year's visit, but the same sunflower theme worked beautifully. I love how using the same collection creates a connection between the two layouts—even though the layouts themselves are quite different.

Again, I used a sketch as my starting point and then changed things around to work with my photos and the supplies I had on hand.

🌻 One Collection — Two Stories

I love when one collection can be used for more than one memory. The Sunflower Fields patterned paper gave me a starting point for both of these layouts, but the finished pages ended up looking completely different.

That's one of my favourite things about scrapbooking—taking the same supplies and making them work for your story.

🌻 Products I Used

Here are some of the supplies I used to create these layouts:

• Sunflower Fields Pattern Paper
• 12" x 12" White Cardstock
• Golden Glow Cardstock
• Stampin' Blends in Daffodil Delight, Peaceful Pine and Pecan Pie
• Stampin' Seal Tape Runner
• Dimensionals
• Celebrate Sunflowers Bundle (retired)
• Sunflower Stroll embellishments

🌻 Looking for a Current Sunflower Stamp Set?

One of the products I used on these layouts was the Celebrate Sunflowers Bundle, but that collection has since retired.

The good news is that there is a beautiful current alternative available: the Radiant Sunflowers Bundle!

The Radiant Sunflowers Stamp Set includes several lovely sunflower and floral images along with sentiments, and the coordinating dies make it easy to cut out the flowers and create layered embellishments.

While it isn't the exact product I used on these scrapbook pages, I think it would be a wonderful option for recreating the sunflower look or creating your own sunflower-themed scrapbook pages and cards.

🌻 Radiant Sunflowers Bundle

Available in my Stampin' Up! store

🎁 FREE SUNFLOWER STROLL PRINTABLE

🌻 A Little Freebie for You!

I also created a free Sunflower Stroll printable to go along with these layouts!

You can print it on 8.5" x 11" white cardstock and use the pieces to add a little extra sunshine to your scrapbook pages, cards, journals or other paper-crafting projects.

This printable is completely free—enjoy! 💛

Three years, two Sunflower Strolls and lots of memories. 🌻

That's one of the reasons I love scrapbooking. Years from now, I'll be able to look back at these pages and remember not just what the kids looked like, but the little details of our day—the sunshine, the flowers, the family pictures and all those little moments that might otherwise be forgotten.

A simple day at a local farm became two scrapbook stories that we can keep forever. 

Thanks for stopping by Create & Share!
I hope these layouts inspire you to pull out some of your favourite photos and create a few memories of your own. 💛

Easter Bunny Cards

I have been loving all the projects that I've been putting together using the Storybook Moments products. I knew from the time I saw all of them I wanted to get them, but once I did I wasn't sure where to start. I find the Timeless Plaid papers work perfectly with the cards and the Storybook Moments papers work great for layouts and fussy cutting. 

Here is a closer look at the ones I have recently created:

I like to have a few background stamps for cards like this - this one is from a retired set. It's something to keep your eye out for. The cute cottages are easy to cut out and would be great for welcome to the neighbourhood or congrats on a new home cards too.

Aren't these bunnies cute! I coloured using Pecan Pie, Lost Lagoon, Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive Stampin' Blends. I coloured the pearl embellishments using the Old Olive Stampin' Blends.

Isn't he cute. The bunny is cut out and popped up with dimensionals. The pot is coloured using Pecan Pie Stampin' Blends. Very simple card. 

Do give out Easter cards?

If you are interested in any of these products you can find them at my online store.

Harvest Time Scrapbook Layout

 Did you see my first layouts featuring the Storybook Moments suite?
It was all about setting up our small vegetable garden.

For my second layout I loved the chance to use some other products in the Storybook Moments.

These two pages were about our harvesting from our small garden.

For this layout I used the two-tone Lost Lagoon cardstock showcasing both sides in a subtle look with the contrast of more white cardstock. I decided not to add a title as it just didn't work. 

But I love the vegetables along the side with the bunnies - all fussy cut from the Storybook Moments designer series paper. Plus behind the three smaller photos I added Timeless Plaid designer series paper. 

Within the three gatherings of embellishments I stamped images from the Storybook Garden Patch stamp set and coloured using Stampin' Blends along with fussy cut pictures. 

 

Products used can be purchased online at my store.

If there is anything you would like to know more about please leave me a comment.

Storybook Moments Cards

 

I created the card below using the Storybook Friends stamp set and a watercolour technique.

I love the soft look and feel of watercolour technique: 

• I stamped the image using Stazon ink for the image and sentiment on Fluid 100 Watercolour Paper. I used Old Olive, Pecan Pie, Petal Pink and Lost Lagoon inks.
• Before applying colour to the paper I add water to that area.
• I add ink to a clear block and picked up with a wet brush.  
• To add a darker shade I dry the area and go back in and add more ink. For lighter I add more water.

My number one tip is to practice, try different ways, watch videos of others, etc. 

If watercolour isn't something you want to try, instead use the Stampin' Blends or Stampin' Write Markers. There are many ways to colour the stamped images, they key is to find the one you enjoy and have fun!

To finish the card, I wrapped twine around the watercolour paper, tied it in a bow and using dimensionals mounted it on a Crumb Cake 5x3.5" and adhere to the front a White Notecard.

For my second card, I fussy cut out a watercoloured bunny and added to a layered White Notecard.

If you don't like to fussy cut, grab the coordinating dies. 

If you are interested in purchasing any of these products or others please visit my online store!

More projects coming next week!

Storybook Moments Scrapbooking

 

My son, Joshua, loves the story of Peter Rabbit, so when I saw the Storybook Moments suite of products I knew I had to bring them home. 

• The Storybook Moments Suite - Step into a world of folk tales, garden pails, and fuzzy tails with the Storybook Moments! There are so many ideas for this suite from dressing up your springtime, Easter, or baby announcement cards by fussy cutting the neighbourly critters, gardening accessories, and countryside cottages or decorate scrapbook pages with the ornate frame patterns, flora, and hearty vegetables. 

The first project I put together was a two page scrapbook layout - all about the start of our vegetable garden in 2024.

I used the following products: 

STORYBOOK MOMENTS SPECIALTY DESIGNER SERIES PAPER & STICKER SHEET

STORYBOOK LIFE 12" X 12" TWO-TONE CARDSTOCK

Along with 12x12 white cardstock and 8.5x11 Mossy Meadow and Crumb Cake cardstock.

I like to use sketches when planning out my layouts. I used this one from Allison Davis - I like the amount of photos, the layering and the stitching.

To add stitching I used embroidery floss that I had on hand (I also cross-stitch) but I could have used the Stampin' Up! twine or thread too. To add the holes I measured out with a ruler and pencil and used Take Your Pick tool with the double-ended pick tip to pierce the paper using the foam mat under the paper.

For my title and year I used a combination of stickers and dies included in the kit as well as I used a set of dies I have - though those in particular are no longer available there are a few available online and I believe a new set is coming out in the new catalogue. 

I would love to hear if you would like to create with this cute suite of products. 

Please feel free to shop online for any of these and if you need any help please let me know.

Stay tuned for more projects using the suites stamp sets and Timeless Plaid papers!

Crafting Made Easy!

 

Do you ever just want to craft but don't have the energy or time to design something? You just want to make something? Thats why I love Paper Pumpkin! Each month a surprise kit arrives and I get to play.

The January kit was perfect for doing just that! And more....

The kit came with everything to make three of each of these cards. 

So one thing I like to do is put together one of each of cards as directed. 

This helps me to get creative.... then I grab a few of my own supplies and see how I can create something of my own. 

I used a retired stamp set and the Classic Wedding stamp set.

I used the supplies that were in the kit to create:

I love how these all came together. 

I love to do this with Paper Pumpkin - you can easily coordinate with your own stash as all the colours are from the Stampin' Up! family. 

Paper Pumpkin also provide emails with suggestions on how you can change up the projects and make other things too. For example I found an old kit, also Valentine themed, and was able to play around with it too. 

I used a retired ice cream stamp set and the kits colours, to create this:

I made tags by trimming the card base in half:

Suggested Ideas Provided

And using the suggested ideas and included Snail stamp I came up with this:

There is so many options with the Paper Pumpkin kits.

You can sign up for a monthly subscription with the option to pause/skip or cancel anytime. Or can try for one, three, six or 12 months. 

There are so many options - and here is a hint as to what March's kit looks like:

Click here for more details