Tag: inspiration

I like to get the most out of my craft supplies. I know a lot of crafters do! We save every scrap to “do something with it” and every embellishment for “just the right card.”

When I opened the Stampin Up paper pumpkin kit in June, I was so excited by the theme and the colors! This month they packed the kit with papers, stamps, ink, embellishments, and adhesives — everything I need — to make 8 cards and envelopes with the fun broadway theme of lights and celebration. Every month seems to include lots of extra pieces, but not enough for the intended creations. Not without thinking outside the box.

But you know me: I’ll stretch those pieces and extras farther and use pieces that weren’t even intended for the card! With a little creativity, these extras can be turned into bonus cards!! I wanted to share with you some extra cards I created and a few tips for part of the process I go through to expand the number of cards I create from a single kit.

My Kit Stretching Method:

1. I sit down at my desk with supplies in front of me.
   1. What color combos work with your supplies?
   2. Create with this color scheme in mind.
2. I often make a few cards exactly as the kit suggests.
   1. This can get the ideas flowing.
   2. The ideas are so gorgeous!!
   3. Don’t throw out your scraps as you create these!!
3. I bring out any related supplies I may have.
   1. In this case, I realized I have the matching Lemon-Lime Twist Ink as well as the Lovely Lipstick Cardstock.
   2. Black and white paper from my stash that of course matches the theme!
   3. The congrats sentiment would be perfect for a graduation party I have coming up, so I pulled out a few graduation embellishment stickers, including a cap, gown, and diploma.
4. I look at my scraps and pieces I didn’t make into the suggested card.
   1. Can anything be used as a stencil, a template, or a background?
   2. I used the Marquee outlines as a background and the Hooray sticker outlines as stencils using a Lovely Lipstick Marker!
      

      

      
   3. Are there any leftover pieces or edges from sticker sheets?
      

      
5. Out of ideas?
   1. Fold a bright piece of matching cardstock into a card. Sometimes just seeing a card base can be enough to assist in figuring out designs and placements!
      

      
   2. The kits always arrive with a variety of stamps that may not be used with the suggested card, but are great for alternatives and extra cards!
   3. If you create a design you really like, make a few with the leftovers you have! I made multiples of a few of these cards!

Here’s what I STILL have leftover! But it’s getting late, and 19 cards is quite a stack! Who’s birthday is next?!

I’m submitting a card for Paru’s Card Making Challenges – Birthday and the Always Happy Birthday July Challenge.

This has been so much fun. Thanks for checking out my blog, and Happy Crafting!

If you are interested in getting your own monthly Paper Pumpkin kit delivered to your mailbox, click here! Every month I will showcase a few alternative cards and creations to create with the kit!

Would you like to get 50% off your first Stampin’ Up! Paper Pumpkin kit? Simply sign up for a Paper Pumpkin subscription before August 10, and use the Promo Code BLOOM0818, and please choose me, Laura Geffert, as your demonstrator!

Here are more details:

• New month-to-month subscribers qualify for the 50% discount and must use the code BLOOM0818 at paperpumpkin.com by August 10, 2018 at 11:50 PM (MT).
• The discount cannot be applied to prepaid codes.
• The 50% discount only applies to the new subscriber’s first kit shipped. After that, the price for each month’s kit will return to the regular price of $19.95 USD/$26.95 CAD.
• Unless you cancel, your membership will continue at full price after your first kit.

This monthly kit from Stampin’ Up takes up very little space, and is all-inclusive, although you may need scissors. The projects are simple, come with instructions, and are fun (as you can see from my blog!). The kits are always a surprise, but you can cancel at any time or put your subscription on hold.

 

The other products I used to create all of these additional cards can be found here:

If you missed the kit this month, but love the theme, no worries! You can create this and much more with the Broadway Birthday Bundle, and the coordinating Broadway Bound Specialty Designer Series Paper!