Painted Skies Sip & Stamp Cards

One Friday a month, I offer a relaxing Sip & Stamp card making gathering to create three kit cards (with add ons to enhance them, not that they need them!).  In May, we used the Painted Skies kit to create three trifold cards.

For the original cards, the die cut frames are all white.  I couldn't resist trying some techniques on them.  For the first card, I blended Cloud Clover and Blueberry Bushel ink and then added sparkle with Wink of Stella.

For the second card, I used Basic Gray and Basic Black cardstock plus In Colors Pearlized Paper (Golden Glow piece) for the lighthouse and rocks.

I will add a sentiment when I decide who will receive this card.

I used my Stampin' Write Black marker to color this scene.  I love the pop of Black!  Ink blending would also work.

I added the stamped birds from the recent Lakeside Retreat Paper Pumpkin kit stamp set.  Stretch your supplies as far as possible!

Thought this kit is currently unavailable, it will be back in stock.  You can find it HERE and select to receive an email when it is back in stock.

June's Sip & Stamp will be 6/19 at 5:00.  Please RSVP by the Wednesday prior and join us!

Piglet Note Card

If you've been here for awhile, then you know that we are a Silly Old Bear family with our own Pooh Bear and Piglet (and maybe a Kanga and Eyeore, too)!  I made this quick note card to send to our Piglet girl to just say hi because I miss them both.  (They are off adulting, chasing their dreams, and living their best lives in graduate/law school!)

I used the Silly Old Bear suite plus some Mossy Meadow cardstock, Pecan Pie ink, and a little Very Vanilla cardstock.

Hopefully this sweet card will remind our girl of how much she is loved!  If you haven't created with our note cards yet, what are you waiting for?
 

Retirement Card

This card uses a variety of products to celebrate a friend's recent retirement.  The base uses a pretty piece of Scenic Coast DSP with a May Sparking Celebrations Paper Pumpkin window frame overlay.

The sentiment stamp is from the same Paper Pumpkin kit, but the gulls and sailboat are from a retired Stampin' Up! kit.

Such a fun way to sail off into the sunset, if I do say so myself!  Don't be afraid to mix & match products!

 

June Paper Pumpkin Subscription Closes Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the last day that you can subscribe to the June Paper Pumpkin box, Bikes and Blooms!  This kit makes nine cards (3 each of 3 designs) and includes silver foil elements and silver butterfly embellishments.  This month's Stampin' Spot (mini ink pad) is Calypso Coral.

Ordering closes 6/10, and the kits will begin shipping out 6/11.

The Wonderful Scenes Add-On dies coordinate beautiful with the April-June Paper Pumpkin boxes!

Order HERE!  

Nephew Birthday Card

My youngest nephew just turned 18 (NOT sure how that happened so quickly!), and his mom hosted a lovely dinner in his honor.  Since he loves to fish (both lake and ocean), I grabbed the recent Lakeside Retreat Paper Pumpkin kit to make him a card quickly.

I did add Pecan Pie ink in addition to the Peaceful Pie Ink Spot that was included in the kit.  I tucked some cash inside so that he can purchase something for himself.

Happy birthday, Will!
 

Grid Squares Card Two Ways

This card uses a very simple design that is easy to recreate: twelve 1" squares of DSP mounted onto a 3 3/4" x 5" panel mounted onto the front of a card.

To add even more interest, I embossed the panel with the Fern & Flora 3D embossing folder.

Both cards use the Moonlit Flora suite plus the Scalloped Blooms stamp set and Berry Burst ink.

Which do you prefer? 

Virtual Album Retreat 2026 Layout #6: The Highlands (Day 1)

What's not to love about this layout of our visit to Kilburn Castle, Inverary, and Loch Lomond.

The heart was super easy to make because all of the pieces were precut, but you could make your own by using quarters of 3 1/4" circles.

Flip flaps allow me to add multiple photos to one photo mat to help extend my story.

I also used flip flaps on the second page to add more photos and journaling.

The Virtual Album Retreat 2026 kit is still available, while supplies last, along with all of the training videos.  It is a gift you will not regret for your favorite scrapbooker or family memory keeper!
 

Virtual Album Retreat 2026 Layout #5: Northern Ireland

Being a "student" was another reason that Virtual Album Retreat 2026 was so fun for me!  The only decisions that I had to make were which photos I planned to use where and whether I followed the instructions or not.  (Spoiler: I did not exactly.)

I was really happy that this layout design used a lot of Garden Green so I used Emerald Isle photos on it.

It didn't photograph well, but we splattered NEW Golden Glow shimmer brush on the two base pages, and then stamped the star stripes in Pool Party.  Such fun techniques! 

Since rules are meant to be broken, I added the 3"x4" photo cascade and stretched the 3" square photos in the directions to 4"x3" photos.  I couldn't stand to crop them down any smaller.

Using the alphabet set included in the retreat kit, I stamped my Northern Ireland title on scrap white cardstock and then added to the base page.  (I was afraid I wouldn't stamp it perfectly, but it turned out nicely.)

I love the interactive elements of this page and will cut my page protectors to make them open easily.

Be sure to include journaling of at least the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, and why, as applicable).

 Remember, the Virtual Album Retreat kit is still available HERE, plus you'll receive a thank you gift from me!

Virtual Album Retreat 2026 Layout #4

Continuing our 30th anniversary cruise around the British Isles, our next stop was Cork & Cobh, Ireland.  I was so excited to visit Ireland for the first time, since one of my great-grandmothers and all four of my paternal great-greats had immigrated from Ireland.  It was an extra special trip traveling with my parents.

We had fun at a local pub in Cork and visiting Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral.

On the right page, I used several 3"x4" flip flaps to show some of my favorite photos.

In Cobh, we stopped at St. Colman's Cathedral.  (I definitely inherited my love of churches and cathedrals from my mom, and the rest of the family indulges us!)

On a the crafty side, there are so many different techniques used on this layout!  We curled up the flower petals with a bone folder and random stamped flowers on the Cloud Cover hexagons.  These subtle details really add to the pages while keeping the photos and journaling at the forefront.

I used a four flip flaps to show off all of the phots I wanted to share.

You can still purchase the 2026 Virtual Album Retreat, Happiness Is Here, and receive an extra $25 in Stampin' Rewards as a thank you gift from me?  Just click HERE!

Virtual Album Retreat 2026 Layout #3: Southampton, Portland, and Weymouth

To prepare for making the layouts in the 2026 Virtual Album Retreat, I sat down with the instructions (which included suggested photo sizes) and my phone.  I took note of which layout best matched my photos and what size photos I needed.  (I use a free app called Live Collage to resize my photos/print several to a 4"x6" canvas.). I'm sharing them with you how I created them, not necessarily the order of the instructions or the order in which they were taught live at Virtual Album Retreat.  (I didn't participate live.)

We took a train from London to board the Regal Princess in Southampton.  We absolutely loved having a balcony!

When we stopped in Portland, we took a little hike in the afternoon to the top of a hill for a spectacular view.  (I love that the included 4"x4" flip flaps helped me photo journal more of our trip.)

That morning, we visited the quaint town of Weymouth on the River Wey.  It was absolutely darling!

Again, a 4"x4" flip flap helped me tell more our story.

I love how this analogous color scheme of the blues and greens with the neutral browns helps my photos POP.  You don't have to match your photos exactly to create a lovely layout.

Did you know that you can still purchase the 2026 Virtual Album Retreat, Happiness Is Here, and receive $25 in Stampin' Rewards from me?  Just click HERE!

Virtual Album Retreat 2026 Layout #2: London

The first stop on our British Isles anniversary trip was London, and the 2026 Virtual Album Retreat is the perfect backdrop for our photos and memories.

Everything you need to complete this album is included except for ink, tools, adhesive, etc. (An additional supply list was provided, and I had most everything on it.)

To personalize the album, instead of using the precut tiles to stamp/spell SMILE, I cut my own to stamp London instead.  I also added 3"x3" flip flaps to be able to include my most important photos and my stories.  After all, the stories are the most important thing!

On the right page, I added 3"x4" flip flaps to incorporate more photos.

"Look, kids, Big Ben!" (Name that movie in the comments!)

The soft triadic scheme of red (Calypso Coral), yellow (Crushed Curry), and Blue (Hydrangea Hue) makes my photos POP, don't you think?

You know that you can still purchase the 2026 Virtual Album Retreat, Happiness Is Here, and receive $25 in Stampin' Rewards (only from yours truly, in addition to the $25 in Stampin' Rewards you'll receive from your purchase)!  Just click HERE!
 

Virtual Album Retreat 2026 Layout #1

This year's Virtual Album Retreat 2026, Happiness Is Here, was so good!  I treated myself to it to scrapbook our 30th anniversary British Isles cruise last year, and it has not disappointed!  Yes, it is an investment, but it is worth every penny.  (You can still get the kit HERE and watch the videos on replay like I've done.  Anyone who orders it from me will receive an extra $25 in Stampin' Rewards as a thank you.) 

Layout 1 can be used as a two-page spread or as a front title page and back closing page (which is what I've chosen to do.)

The journaling is in a pocket behind the smaller photo.  I will cut my page protector to be able to access that little gem.

Everything you see came in the Virtual Album kit except ink, journaling pen, and adhesive (plus tools like a paper trimmer).  It was really easy to create this page following the directions.

Remember, the Virtual Album Retreat kit is still available HERE, plus you'll receive a thank you gift from me!