Be Inspired - Feeling Festive

Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

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

I saw this fold created recently by Sue Campfield, a US Demonstrator. Sue created this fold for her November Crafternoon and I just had to give it a go. I converted the dimensions to suit A4 card-stock and as the card developed I made some other changes as well. This card features the gorgeous Traditions of Christmas Speciality Designer Series Paper.

Sue called this Fancy Fold the Tuck and Pop card as the left flap of the card tucks in when the card is closed, but when it opens two panels inside the card pop up.

Some of the panels were decorated with pieces of Basic White card-stock that had been embossed with the Traditional Wreath 3D Embossing Folder. I love this EF so much. Two different designs of the Traditions of Christmas SDSP were used to cover some of the panels. Some coordinating Traditional Sparkling Sequins added some beautiful glimmer.

As the front and inside of the card display beauty a panel needed to be added to the back of the card for writing a personal message.

To open the card, you just need to slip the belly band off.

The belly band is a strip of Basic White card-stock and the gorgeous Real Red Shiny ribbon was tied around the band ending in a bow. A couple of die cut Basic White pine fronds and gold holly leaves were tucked under a sentiment and die cut label from the Traditional Labels bundle.

Here is the card opened. It could easily stand open for display like this.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around the Be Inspired Blog Hop. I so appreciate you.

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

The full list of those participating in this Blog hop is:

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Heather Thomas

Stesha Bloodhart

Angela Meiritz-Reid

Annette Elias

Andrea Sargent  <This is me

Lynn Cheesmur

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

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

AWH Heart of Christmas Blog Hop #4

Christmas with Traditions of Christmas & North Pole Delivery

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the forth 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 will check us out as often as you can.

I am sharing 2 fun fold cards this week using the same fun fold but different DSP and bundles. I missed finishing a third card - just ran out of time - sorry. I am thankful to Emma Goddard, a very talented UK Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, for her inspiration. I saw her demonstrate this fold at her weekly Card & Cuppa.

CARD 1:

The first card features the Traditions of Christmas suite. The gorgeous Traditions of Christmas Speciality Designer Series Paper was used for the background, cut a tad smaller than a standard 1/4 A4 card-stock base. 

The card base was cut from Pool Party card-stock. A piece of Basic White card-stock was cut at 7.5cm across the width of the card-stock ie 21cm. Another piece of Basic White card-stock was cut to 7.5cm x 10.5cm that formed the easel.

The gorgeous bunch of flowers, leaves & pine from the Christmas Greenery stamp set was gold heat embossed on Basic White card-stock. The image was water-coloured using Old Olive, Strawberry Slush and Pool Party Classic Stampin’ inks. There are coordinating dies to cut the image out. A couple of pine fronds were die cut from Basic White card-stock. A different sprig of leaves was cut from Gold Foil. This die came from the Charming Day dies.

The top front panel was dry embossed using the Pressed Flowers Embossing Folder. Gold Striped Mesh Ribbon was tied around the easel base and the top panel was notched to allow the knot of the bow to sit on the card front. Some Strawberry Slush & Pretty in Pink Gems provide a little shimmer.

As shown earlier in this blog, the easel section stands against the sentiment that acts as a stopper. A sentiment from the coordinating Traditional Labels stamp set, was white heat embossed on Pool Party card-stock and then popped up on Dimensionals. Before adding the sentiment, the poinsettias arrangement from the stamp set was gold embossed on the bottom of the centre section.

CARD 2:

This second card was created in the same way, but Pool Party card-stock was used as the card base together with the North Pole Delivery Designer Series Paper and the Falling Snow large stamp for the background. The base was decorated with one of the DSP designs. Various images were fussy cut and adhered directly or with Dimensionals. 

The sentiment, from the Jolly Delivery bundle, was white heat embossed on Pool Party card-stock. Iridescent Facetted Gems provide some shimmer. They are gorgeous and currently on the Last Chance List with a little discount. The small area inside the card & above the sentiment stopper could be used for writing a brief message. If more space is needed, a message could be written on the back of the card.

Thank you for dropping in on your way around this week’s Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. I so appreciate you. 

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 Blog Hop that goes live on Instagram 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 new 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 this project or Stampin' Up!. 

#heartofchristmas  #heartofchristmas2025 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #artisandesignteam  #artisandesignteam2025  #traditionsofchristmas  #northpoledelivery  #christmasgreenery  #traditionallabels  #pressedflowers