AWH Heart of Christmas Blog Hop #12

Christmas with Jolly Delivery

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the 12th Art with Heart Team Heart of Christmas Blog Hop for 2025. We are sharing Christmas inspiration each Monday evening until the end of November. Wow, where have the last few months gone??? Our last Blog Hop for 2025 is next week. 

I so missed sharing with you last week but health issues and other commitments made it difficult. Recently, I have been thinking of creating a Joy Fun Fold card so decided to create one this week and also feature the Jolly Delivery bundle and North Pole Delivery Speciality Designer Series Paper.

Time was limited this week so rather than stamp and colour some festive animals from the stamp set I used the pop out images from the DSP to decorate the card. This DSP is brilliant as the pack of pattered paper includes 2 sheets of 12” x 12” of pop outs. The critters are all so happy and make me smile.

Using a Basic White card base, half of the front was cut away on the diagonal. The underneath section of the card was covered with a panel of the Pool Party design of the DSP. The top half front was covered with a triangular panel that had been stamped randomly in Secret Sea ink  using the 4 smaller stamp images. A little Pool Party blending had been added around the edges.

A folded piece of Pool Party card-stock was cut with a Branching Out die. Two smaller die cut labels were prepared in Basic White card-stock. The folded Pool Party label was adhered to the back of the card inner with the fold to the right. This will allow the front section of the card to slot between the folded label. Photos of opening the card come shortly.

The front panel of the label was decorated with some of the pop out images and a sentiment from the Jolly Delivery stamps was white heat embossed on Secret Sea card-stock. A few Traditional Sparkling Sequins added a little shimmer.

The photo below show the card opening by lifting the top section of the label.

And here is the open card ready for a personal message to be added.

Another sentiment was stamped in Secret Sea ink and a couple of extra pop out images were used to decorate. The back flap or a C6 Basic White envelope was decorated with some of the Pool Party DSP.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around the Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. I know I am a bit of a dog tragic, but I do have fun creating with the happy North Pole Delivery Speciality Designer Series Paper.

There is more Christmas creativity, so do continue with this blog hop. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the lovely Kate Morgan. I always look forward to checking out Kate’s creation(s). I do love seeing everyone’s' projects - there is so much inspiration.

Also, many of us participate in the Colour Creations Insta Hop on Instagram. The hop goes live every Wednesday night where we showcase one of Stampin’ Up!s colours each week. We would love you to also check in on us for more creative inspiration.

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself.

Andrea 💕🐾

If you find a broken link or would like to view the full list of participants go to Sharon Davern’s blog @ Rhapsody in Craft. Sharon is our amazing Art With Heart Team Heart of Christmas Coordinator.  Check out her delightful creation while you are there.

If you live in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of the Stampin' Up 2025-2026 Annual Catalogue and or the September-December 2025 Mini Catalogue, then let me know and I will be delighted to send them to you.  Please don't hesitate to make contact with any queries about this project or Stampin' Up!. 

#heartofchristmas  #heartofchristmas2025 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #artisandesignteam  #artisandesignteam2025  #jollydelivery  #branchingout  #northpoledelivery

CASEing the Catty #546 CASE a Punch or Die Project

CASE a Punch or Die Project meets Notes & Totes with a Twist

Hello, welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea & #546 Challenge with CASEing the Catty.

I am so glad you have dropped by. You may have come from Kathryn Mangelsdorf, as you take this week’s Blog Hop or perhaps arrived directly here; either way I am delighted you are here. At the end of my blog, I have linked to Monique Fielder so you can continue with the Blog Hop.

At CASEing the Catty we love to use the samples from the Stampin' Up! Catalogues and On-Line Exclusives as inspiration and each week we have a different theme to guide our CASEing. To CASE is to "Copy And Selectively Edit" or some say "Copy And Share Everything". This week we are CASE-ing projects featuring a punch of dies. There is so much to choose from. Here is the card I CASEd from page 26 of the September-December Mini Catalogue:

I have CASEd the layout, but used different Speciality Designer Series Paper and a different bundle, that is the Notes & Totes bundle, but created it to be a Christmas card. Here in the South Pacific, Christmas arrives during our summer and in Australia it is often associated with the beach - so the gorgeous die cut Tote, filled with a water bottle, sun protection cream and sun glasses is perfect. Here is my card - 

Must admit, as I am writing up this blog and seeing the photos, I think the background layer of SDSP makes the card too busy so plan to replace it with a Basic White embossed panel. What do you think??? I'd like to know your thoughts. There is no time to do that now, but hope to make the changes tomorrow and re-photograph.

This card uses the Modern Christmas SDSP, well 2 different designs from that pack. I have fallen for the way it features Black, White and Gold. It is so gorgeous.

The Notes & Totes dies were used to cut the tote bag from DSP and it was trimmed with die cut Gold Foil pieces. As you can see, there is a little stamping using stamps from the coordinating stamp set. Isn't the hibiscus gorgeous either stamped in Secret Sea ink (that I used instead of black), or gold heat embossed.

While one sentiment was stamped from the Notes & Totes stamp set, "Merry Christmas" came from a Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera pack. I found a bow on my workstation that was perfect to adhere to the tote's handle and a number of the gorgeous gold Traditional Sparkling Sequins were scattered around.

Thank you so much for calling in on your way around the CASEing the Catty Blog Hop by members of the Design Team to launch Challenge #546. I so appreciate your visit with me.

Don’t miss any of the inspiration from this creative CASEing The Catty Crew. The next blog in the hop is by the lovely Monique Fielder. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to her blog. I wonder which project she has CASEd - I am sure her project will be something special.

Join In The Challenge: We would love you to share a project that you have created for this Challenge which has been inspired by Stampin' Up! projects featuring punches or dies. To share, all you need to do is go to the CASEing The Catty Challenge Group on Facebook. If you aren't a member, it’s easy to request to join and once anpproved all you need to do is upload a photo of your project to the main section. You can click on the graphic below to be taken to the group on Facebook. We would so love to see your creation.

 

#ctc546 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations  #notes&totes #greetingsforyoumix&matchephemera  #caseingthecatty #artisandesignteam2025  #artisandesignteam

AWH Heart of Christmas Blog Hop #10

Christmas with Nutcracker Tags

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the tenth Art with Heart Team Heart of Christmas Blog Hop for 2025. We are sharing Christmas inspiration each Monday evening until the end of November. I do hope you are checking in with us as often as you can.

While Stampin’ Up! Kits are wonderful as they are designed and bring a simple crafting experience, it is also fun to use the products in different ways. This week I am sharing the tags from the Nutcracker Tags Kit and have used two of the tags to swing on the front of a fun fold card. Here are my cards:

There are 4 different tags in the Tag Kit and you can create 3 of each design. The photo below shows 2 of the tags that didn’t make it onto a card in this crafting session.

I saw Sue Campfield, a USA Demonstrator, create a swinging element on a fun fold a couple of years ago, so when I saw the cute Nutcracker Tags Kit I remembered Sue’s swinging star and thought the tags would make a wonderful swinging feature on a card. I created a set of 4 tags by following the kit instructions. Sue’s dimensions were converted via a guess-a-mate to something that would be suitable for a standard Imperial size card.

Both cards were created in the same way, apart from choosing a different tag design and colours that went with the chosen tag. The card above has a Bubble Bath card base and Bubble Bath Two-tone card-stock as a background layer while the card below has a Pool Party card-stock base and a background layer of Pool Party Two-tone card-stock.

The card base was scored and burnished and Two-Tone card-stock was cut to size (ie a little smaller than the card base sections to allow a small mount to show). The 4 panels were laid one next to the other and stuck to the glass mat with removable tape at the end that would not be coloured. Ombre blending was added to these panels, layering Bubble Bath, Pretty in Pink and Strawberry Slush Classic inks, with the darker colour going down to the bottom. Water droplets were sprinkled over the ombre panels and Craft White ink also was splattered over the panels. They were left to dry.

The Pool Party Two Tone panels were ombre coloured with Pool Party, Coastal Cabana & Summer Splash Classic inks in the same way as described above. Once the water & craft ink splatters had dried the panels were dry embossed using the Jolly Holly Embossing Folder. A large card-board nail file from a Chemist was used to sand the embossed edges to bring out some of the white core.

Some White & Gold or Black & Gold twine was looped through the little holes at the top of the tags. The height of a standard card in Australia (or in the UK) does not give much room for a label to be used to hide the swing mechanism so I decided to try something different. Two holes (one above the other) were punched in the centre at the top of the card. The twine was pushed through the card (front to back) and then through the top hole (back to front). A bow was tied with the twine and bow loops were tied in a knot to hold it in place. Test … and it swings. Yay.

Some Strawberry Slush and Pretty in Pink Gems were added to the pink card, while Frosted Iridescent Dots were added to the Pool Party card to give the cards a little extra glimmer.

The card inner of Basic White card-stock was stamped with a sentiment from the Jolly Holly stamp set. A thin strip of Gold Foil was tucked under the inner edge of the 4th embossed and coloured panel and both were adhered to the white card inner. A Basic White C6 envelope was stamped with holly from the Jolly Holly stamp set.

Below is a top view of how the card can stand for display.

Thank you so much for calling in on your way around the Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. I am looking forward to checking out everyone’s Christmas creations. Do take the Blog Hop to see everyone’s projects. They will be great. 

There is more Christmas creativity, so do continue with this blog hop. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the Art with Heart Team leader, the wonderful Claire Daly. I always look forward to checking out Claire’s creation(s). I do love seeing everyone’s' projects - there is so much inspiration.

Also, many of us participate in the Colour Creations Insta Hop on Instagram that goes live every Wednesday night where we showcase one of Stampin’ Up!s colours each week. We would love you to also check in on us on Instagram for more creative inspiration.

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself.

Andrea 💕🐾

If you find a broken link or would like to view the full list of participants go to Sharon Davern’s blog @ Rhapsody in Craft. Sharon is our amazing Art With Heart Team Heart of Christmas Coordinator.  Check out her delightful creation while you are there.

If you live in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of the Stampin' Up 2025-2026 Annual Catalogue and or the September-December 2025 Mini Catalogue, then let me know and I will be delighted to send them to you.  Please don't hesitate to make contact regarding any queries about these projects or Stampin' Up!. 

#heartofchristmas  #heartofchristmas2025 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #artisandesignteam  #artisandesignteam2025 #jollyholly   #nutcackertags

CASEing the Catty #544 CASE An Embossing Folder Project

CASE Stampin’ Up!s Annual Catalogue meets A Project Featuring an Embossing Folder.

Hello, welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea & #544 Challenge with CASEing the Catty.

I am so glad you have dropped by. You may have come from the lovely Julia Quinn, as you take this week’s Blog Hop or perhaps arrived directly here; either way I am delighted you are here. At the end of my blog, I have linked to Rochelle Laird-Smith so you can continue with the Blog Hop.

At CASEing the Catty we love to use the samples from the Stampin' Up! Catalogues or On-line Exclusives as inspiration and each week we have a different theme to guide our CASEing. To CASE is to "Copy And Selectively Edit" or some say "Copy And Share Everything". This week we are CASE-ing projects using Embossing Folders from either the 2025-26 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue or the 2025 September-December Mini Catalogue.

The project I am CASEing is this one from page 25 of the 2025 September-December Mini Catalogue:

I had planned to CASE a different project but then changed as I started creating. Here is my card:

I love the Most Wonderful stamp set but haven’t used it much this year so thought it deserved another go. The wreath stamp was gold heat embossed onto Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper and then the leaves were coloured in Granny Apple Green and Old Olive Classic inks. I do enjoy using 2 colours when colouring leaves. The wreath was fussy cut both inside and out.

A B-side from the Traditions of Christmas Speciality Designer Series Paper was layered over a Secret Sea card base. Pine leaves from the Christmas Greenery dies were die cut from Basic White card-stock. A Basic White panel was embossed with the Dotted Circles 3D Embossing Folder and the de-bossed side was used. Some Real Red Shiny Ribbon was tied around the white embossed panel ending in a bow. The water-coloured wreath was popped up on Dimensionals and the pine tucked underneath.

The sentiment from the Most Wonderful stamp set was gold heat embossed onto Basic White card-stock and fussy cut, then added to the centre of the wreath with Dimensionals. Some of the beautiful Delightful Decorative Dots were scattered around the wreath and sentiment.

A couple of thin strips of the background SDSP were layered onto a panel of Basic White card-stock that had been partially gold heat embossed with the stamped wreath.

A Basic White C6 Envelope was also heat embossed with part of the stamped wreath. I do like some simple coordination with the card it will hold.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around the CASEing the Catty Blog hop for Challenge #544 where we are CASEing a project featuring an Embossing Folder.

Don’t miss any of the inspiration from this creative CASEing The Catty Crew. The next blog in the hop is by the wonderful Rochelle Laird Smith. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to her blog. I wonder which project she has CASEd - I am sure her project will be something special.

Join In The Challenge: We would love you to share a project that you have created for this Challenge which has been inspired by the a current project featuring an Embossing Folder. To share, all you need to do is go to the CASEing The Catty Challenge Group on Facebook. If you aren't a member, it’s easy to request to join and once approved all you need to do is upload a photo of your project to the main section of the group. You can click on the graphic below to be taken to the group on Facebook. We would so love to see your creation.

 

#ctc544 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations  #mostwonderful  #traditionsofchristmas #caseingthecatty #artisandesignteam2025  #artisandesignteam

Be Inspired - Patterned Paper

Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the October Be Inspired Blog Hop where we are focusing on projects using Patterned Paper in some way. However you have arrived here, whether from Annette Elias or directly here, I so appreciate that you are here.

Pattern paper can be used in so many ways in your paper crafting. Whether creating a simple card that shows the beauty of the designer series paper designs or using it along with other products for a more detailed card it always adds a special touch. I love to use patterned paper when I am creating a fun fold so that is what I am sharing in this blog hop. While planning to create a different fold to the one shown, part way through I realised the dimensions I had found on line had some issues so had to change tac.

This card features a speciality Designer Series Paper that has a Basic Black, Basic White and Gold colour combo. I love this Modern Christmas DSP so much. I have used 2 different designs within the pack - one with a black background, white circles and gold diamonds. Not wanting black to dominate, a layer of this DSP was used across the bottom third of the card. 

Dry embossing with the Waves 3D Embossing Folder was added to the top 2/3rds of the card. The panels had been cut to size before being embossed. A fine strip of Gold Foil was tucked under the lower edge of the middle panels. Two circular discs were die cut using both the Basic Shapes dies and the Spotlight on Nature dies. Trees from one of the DSP designs were fussy cut and added to the layered labels with Mini Dimensionals.

The decorated labels were adhered to the central panel with Dimensionals. A second Basic Black die cut disc was adhered behind the central panel, creating a gap that the top and bottom card panels, from the other side of the card, can slip through to hold the card closed.  A sentiment from the coordinating Ornamental Christmas stamp set was white heat embossed on Basic Black card-stock. A thin strip of Gold Foil was added to the sentiment to link to the gold in the DSP.

The finishing touch was the addition of a sprinkling of Gold Low Profile Dots.

Above is a photo of the card slightly open. Below the photo shows the inside of the card. It shows a further Christmas message and some trees. As this area is decorative, a personal message can be written on the back of the card.

Some of the gorgeous patterned paper was adhered to the flap of a Basic White C6 Envelope. I love to simply decorate the envelope so it coordinates with the card it will carry.

Thank you so much for calling in on your way around the Patterned Paper Be Inspired Blog Hop. I hope you found something to inspire your Christmas crafting preparations.

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created for the Patterned Paper Blog Hop.  Next in line is the amazing Lynn Cheesmur. Just click on the graphic below to head over to Lynn’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this hop is:

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Angela Meiritz-Reid

Annette Elias

Andrea Sargent  <This is me

Lynn Cheesmur

#beinspired  #beinspireddesignteam  #stampinup   #stampinupofficial  #stampinupaustralia #valleyinspirations  #artisandesignteam #artisandesignteam2025  #christmasgreenery  #stampinupofficial #traditionallabels