Category: Cards

Day 29 – Pinecone & Poinsettia Elegance Meets Cocoa & Company

A Floral Favorite + Cozy Cocoa = One Beautiful Winter Card

When I started today’s challenge, I’ll be honest—I had no idea where I was going. The themes Pinecone & Poinsettia Elegance and Cocoa & Company felt so different, and I wasn’t sure how they were going to come together on one card. But poinsettias are one of my absolute favorite holiday flowers (yes, I buy a new one every year!), so I knew I wanted to start with the retired Poinsettia Petals Stamp Set (#153475) and Dies (#153522).

From there… the magic started to grow.

A handmade winter greeting card featuring vibrant poinsettias and holly leaves, a cup of cocoa topped with whipped cream, and a gold circular frame. The sentiment reads 'warm wishes from our home to yours' in red lettering, with colorful sequins adding sparkle.

🌺 Watercolored Poinsettias & Layered Florals

I began by cutting a bunch of pieces from the poinsettia and pinecone dies. I wanted a soft water colored look, so I stamped the poinsettia outlines in the darker shade and then water colored with the Water Painters (#168253) using the lighter shade.

Color Choices:

  • Flowers: Cherry Cobbler + Real Red
  • Flower Centers: Crushed Curry
  • Leaves: Mossy Meadow + Old Olive

I also cut additional small flowers in both Real Red and Cherry Cobbler, layered them together, and added Gold Metallic Enamel Effects for the centers. The dimensional layered look was gorgeous.

🌲 Pinecones & the Perfect Focal Element

For the pinecones, I used:

  • Pecan Pie cardstock
  • Early Espresso cardstock

I was arranging all my pieces when something caught my eye: the retired Large Gold Hoops (#166004). Suddenly, the card clicked into place. The hoop became the perfect wreath-like frame to build my poinsettia cluster around.

A close-up of a handmade winter card featuring vibrant pink poinsettias, green leaves, a cozy cocoa mug with whipped topping, and decorative sequins against a soft, watercolor background.
Close-up view of a handcrafted card featuring a pink poinsettia flower, green leaves, and a cozy mug of cocoa with whipped topping.
Close-up of a festive winter card featuring a watercolored poinsettia, a mug of cocoa topped with whipped cream, and a decorative sentiment that reads 'warm wishes from our home to yours,' arranged around a gold hoop.

☕️ Bringing in the Cocoa Theme

Next challenge: how do I incorporate cocoa into a poinsettia & pinecone card?

I had two great current product options, and ultimately went with the Weekend Adventures Stamp Set (#167318) for the mug. For the whipped topping, I used the More Than Autumn Stamps (#164228) and Dies (#164075).

Details:

  • Mug stamped in Secret Sea
  • Interior washed with Cloud Cover
  • Whipped topping sparkle added with Wink of Stella

The greeting was stamped in Cherry Cobbler, fussy-cut, layered onto Real Red, and fussy-cut again for a bold double-layered sentiment.

I tied a small Real Red Baker’s Twine Bow (#164051) to the mug for a cozy finishing touch.

🎨 Soft, Vintage-Inspired Background

I didn’t want a stark white background, so I used Watercolor Paper (#149612) and did a soft wash using Cloud Cover and my Aqua Painters. Then I roughed up the edges with my scissors and bent the corners slightly for a worn, distressed look.

This gave the whole card a warm, handmade, winter-cozy feel.

A festive card interior featuring a 'Merry Christmas' greeting in red script, surrounded by colorful sequins and a red poinsettia flower on a white background, all framed by a green border and a red card base.
Graphic for the 'Card a Day in November' challenge featuring the theme 'Pinecone & Poinsettia Elegance,' with a wintery blue background and decorative snowflakes.
Graphic announcing Day 29 of the 30 Day Christmas Card Making Challenge, themed 'Cocoa & Company', encouraging designs of cozy mugs and winter comfort.

✨ Assembly & Final Touches

With all the pieces ready, I began arranging and adhering everything around the gold hoop—
using lots of Dimensionals and Mini Glue Dots to secure every element and build incredible depth. Bonus water coloring the paper adds automatic depth by warping the paper. I did use a bone folder to add a bit of a curl to the petals.

I finished the front with the Traditional Sparkling Sequins (#165875), using a variety of colors to add softness, shine, and movement.

Since the card base is Cherry Cobbler, I made sure to decorate the inside as well. I added a Merry Christmas sentiment, tucked in a few small poinsettias, sprinkled more sequins, and mounted the whole inside layer onto Old Olive cardstock for balance and contrast.

This is definitely not your typical flat card—it has layers, depth, movement, and dimension and doesn’t exactly fit within the confines of a standard mailable design. But it is perfect for that special someone you want to hand-deliver a card to… the kind of card that truly shows how much you care. The pictures don’t do it justice. I made a quick video to help showcase the texture and depth to this card.

❤️ Final Thoughts

I love how this card evolved from “I have no idea where I’m going” to one of my favorite designs of the entire month. The mix of elegant florals, rustic pinecones, and a warm mug of cocoa created such a charming, heartfelt winter masterpiece.

👉 You can shop current Stampin’ Up! supplies and tools here:
Shop with Me Here

A beautifully crafted Christmas card featuring a window scene that displays a peaceful nativity setting on one side, while the inside is adorned with cozy holiday elements like hanging stockings and warm colors.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Contact me today to place your order!
435-232-2655 Cell ( Call or Text)
andersoncandice@hotmail.com

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

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#StampinWithCandice #StamperCandi #ACardADayInNovember2025 #30DayChristmasCardMakingChallenge #ChristmasCards #HandmadeCards #CreativeTechniques #HolidayCrafting #cardmaker #cardmaking #christmascards #handmadecards #papercraft #StampinUpKits #christmaschallenge

CandiceLeave a comment

Day 28 – Cardinals in Winter with Silent Sparkle

A Peaceful CASE of GDP524 Inspired by Cordula De

Today’s themes were all about the quiet beauty of winter—the hush of falling snow and the peaceful stillness it brings. When I saw the prompt, I immediately thought of the Global Design Project #GDP524, where we were challenged to CASE a gorgeous winter design by Cordula De. It was the perfect layout and technique for today’s soft, serene inspiration.

I’ve admired so many beautiful samples created for this challenge, and I wanted to keep my version simple and close to the original. The result is a calm, snowy design with just a touch of sparkle and one bright, cheerful pop of cardinal red.

❄️ Snowflakes & Soft Winter Hues

For the snowflakes since I don’t have the current set, I reached for the retired Joyful Flurry (#159804) stamp set. It was just the right style—delicate and elegant—for a peaceful winter card.

Color combo:

  • Pool Party
  • Lost Lagoon

Soft, icy, and perfect for silent snowfall vibes.

To build the background, I used a sneak peek of an upcoming product—
the Lovely Stripes 3D Embossing Folder (#167179).
It added gorgeous texture without overwhelming the design.

🟥 Adding a Subtle Cardinal Touch

The cardinal element turned out to be trickier than I expected—I realized I don’t have many bird stamps! But tucked deep in my stash, I found the perfect tiny cardinal in the very old Jolly Bingo Bits set. It was just the right size for a small pop of color without taking over the card.

I colored the little bird using my Stampin’ Write Markers (hot tip: these are on the Last Chance List, so make sure you grab yours before they’re gone!). I fussy-cut the cardinal and popped it up with a Mini Dimensional.

A card featuring snowflakes and a cardinal with the text 'IT'S A SEASON OF magic & wonder' in elegant calligraphy. The design showcases soft winter hues and a serene aesthetic.
A promotional graphic for a card making challenge titled 'Card a Day in November' featuring 'Day 28 Cardinals in Winter' with a snowy blue background and text overlay.
A promotional graphic for the '30 Day Christmas Card Making Challenge' featuring a soft blue background with snowflakes, displaying the text 'Silent Sparkle' along with a reminder to keep designs soft, subtle, and sophisticated.

🎨 Masking, Texturing & Sparkling

For the main technique:

  1. I cut a piece of Masking Paper (#155480) to 1″ × 2-3/4″.
  2. I placed it where I wanted my sentiment to be, then stamped my snowflakes.
  3. For the two larger snowflakes, I stamped off first to soften the look.
  4. The smallest snowflake was stamped full strength for contrast.
  5. A little Wink of Stella added the perfect bit of winter sparkle.

To add texture to the focal panel, I lightly distressed the edges with the side of my scissors. It gives such a soft, handcrafted look.

And while the card didn’t need ribbon… I really loved the gentle touch it added.
I tucked a strip of the retired White Woven Ribbon (#164634) behind the focal piece and tied a tiny knotted embellishment with a Mini Glue Dot.

✨ Quick, Easy, & Peacefully Wintery

This card came together so quickly—and I absolutely love the gentle, snowy look paired with that tiny burst of cardinal red. It’s amazing how a simple design can carry so much quiet charm.

👉 You can shop current Stampin’ Up! supplies and tools here:
Shop with Me Here

A beautifully crafted Christmas card featuring a window scene that displays a peaceful nativity setting on one side, while the inside is adorned with cozy holiday elements like hanging stockings and warm colors.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Contact me today to place your order!
435-232-2655 Cell ( Call or Text)
andersoncandice@hotmail.com

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

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#StampinWithCandice #StamperCandi #ACardADayInNovember2025 #30DayChristmasCardMakingChallenge #ChristmasCards #HandmadeCards #CreativeTechniques #HolidayCrafting #cardmaker #cardmaking #christmascards #handmadecards #papercraft #StampinUpKits #christmaschallenge

CandiceLeave a comment

Day 27 – Farmhouse Holiday: Ready to Jingle & Mingle

A Little Red Truck, a Christmas Tree, and the Perfect Thanksgiving Crafting Day

Happy Thanksgiving!
I honestly can’t think of a better way to celebrate than spending time doing what I love—crafting! And when today’s theme brought together Farmhouse Holiday + Jingle & Mingle, I knew exactly what I wanted to play with.

Because if you know me (or if you’ve ever stepped foot into my home during the holidays), you already know I’m obsessed with the little red truck hauling a Christmas tree. I have plenty of decorations to prove it! So when Stampin’ Up! released the Road to Christmas Kit (#166227), I knew immediately it was coming home with me—and I’ve been saving it all month for today’s challenge.

Two holiday-themed cards featuring vintage red trucks filled with Christmas trees, surrounded by festive decorations and cheerful sentiments.
Graphic announcing Day 27 of the 30 Day Christmas Card Making Challenge, featuring a light blue background with decorative snowflakes and a call to create a festive party or celebration vibe.
Graphic promoting a card making challenge themed 'Farmhouse Holiday' for Day 27 of a November event, featuring snowy background and festive text.

Of course, I started by making the cards exactly as instructed (because the kit is adorable!), but then I wanted to get creative. Today’s featured card is my all-out farmhouse holiday spin with one of my favorite fun elements…

A pop-up arch!

🚚❤️ Building the Pop-Up Arch Feature

To transform the kit pieces into something extra special, I started with the Everyday Arches Dies (#164629).

Layered Arch Design

  • I cut the background piece from the kit using one of the arch dies.
  • Then I cut a slightly larger arch from kraft cardstock.
  • To create the pop-up mechanism, I folded a piece of kraft cardstock in half and cut the arch again—but this time leaving the top edge just over the fold line, so it didn’t cut all the way through.
  • I scored the top of that folded arch at 2-1/2″.
  • Then I attached the full kraft arch to the lower part of the folded piece.
    This allows the entire arch to pop up beautifully when the card opens!

It adds such a fun, dimensional farmhouse feel.

📨 Modifying the Kit Elements

🎄 Card Base Details

To build the card base:

  • I cut the card front from the kit in half.
  • Trimmed it to 5-3/8″ x 4-1/8″.
  • Mounted it on a Cherry Cobbler base cut to 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″.

💬 Sentiments & Envelope Magic

Instead of using the English phrases from the kit, I grabbed one of the greetings in a different language and layered my own sentiment on top using the Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack (#166208).

Then I pulled out one of the kit envelopes (which are WAY too fun to use only as envelopes!). I cut it open and:

  • Trimmed the center to 5-1/4″ x 4″ for another project.
  • Used the leftover side strip as a perfect decorative layer behind my sayings—both outside and inside!

Tip:
You don’t need to put the entire strip behind the whole sentiment—just enough to peek out. That allowed me to stretch the piece for both front and inside sentiments.

For the inside, I layered the sentiment on Cherry Cobbler and Lost Lagoon cardstock so the pop-up arch had something sturdy to catch on when standing.

A bit of red baker’s twine finished the front perfectly.

A handmade Christmas card featuring a little red truck loaded with gifts, surrounded by pine trees, and embellished with a pop-up arch design.
A pop-up Christmas card featuring a vintage red truck carrying gifts, with a backdrop of green trees and a sentiment that reads 'Happy Christmas.' The card is designed in a farmhouse style.
A pop-up card featuring a layered arch design with a festive sentiment 'From Me to Yours' on a colorful background.

🎄 Quick, Easy, and Kit-Friendly

One fun thing to note:

There is NO stamping on this card!

Using the kit + ephemera + a few dies made this pop-up card fast, unique, and perfectly on-theme. This is exactly why I love Stampin’ Up!’s kits—they make it so easy to elevate a project with a few added touches.

❤️ What Do You Think?

I love how farmhouse and festive this turned out—and that little red truck makes me happy every time I see it. If you’re a farmhouse Christmas fan too, you will love the Road to Christmas kit.

Would you try a pop-up arch card like this?

✨ Bonus Project!

Remember that extra piece I trimmed from the envelope? I couldn’t resist turning it into another card! I pulled out my beloved retired Trucking Along Set (#162299) and created a fun bonus project using that piece.

I love when a single kit piece inspires multiple cards—and this one came together so easily with that adorable little truck!

A festive handmade card featuring a red truck with a Christmas tree, surrounded by pine trees, and accented with red embellishments on a patterned background.
A festive card featuring a little red truck carrying a Christmas tree, surrounded by green pine trees and a celebratory message.
An inside view of a greeting card featuring a simple design with a silver surface and a red checkered border along the bottom.

Want more details on how I created this bonus card?
Let me know, and I’ll be happy to post a full tutorial! 🚚🎄✨

👉 Want to recreate it? You can shop current Stampin’ Up! supplies and tools here:
Shop with Me Here

A beautifully crafted Christmas card featuring a window scene that displays a peaceful nativity setting on one side, while the inside is adorned with cozy holiday elements like hanging stockings and warm colors.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Contact me today to place your order!
435-232-2655 Cell ( Call or Text)
andersoncandice@hotmail.com

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

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#StampinWithCandice #StamperCandi #ACardADayInNovember2025 #30DayChristmasCardMakingChallenge #ChristmasCards #HandmadeCards #CreativeTechniques #HolidayCrafting #cardmaker #cardmaking #christmascards #handmadecards #papercraft #StampinUpKits #christmaschallenge

CandiceLeave a comment

Day 1 – Creative Christmas Cards with Paper Pumpkin Kits

For Day 1 of my Christmas card challenges, I decided to reach for my Paper Pumpkin kit! I love how quick and easy these kits make it to get crafty — especially when time is short and creativity is flowing.

Three crafted Christmas cards featuring traditional holiday designs, including an ornament with 'Deck the Halls,' a card stating 'Merry Christmas,' and one proclaiming 'Joy to the World,' adorned with festive decorations in red and green.

This month’s kit was the perfect way to jump into the holiday spirit with some traditional red and green cheer. I wanted to see if I could stretch the kit a little further, so I challenged myself to create one card that worked for both of my Christmas card challenges — plus fit the #GDP520 challenge, too!

To round it out I couldn’t resist adding in a fun scrapbook layout using some of the leftover pieces, too!

A festive scrapbook layout celebrating Christmas with photos of a family, decorated with a 'JOY TO THE WORLD' title and seasonal embellishments in red, green, and gold.
A scrapbook layout featuring festive holiday elements, including photos of a child with a Christmas tree, decorative accents in red and green, and a 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' message.

Here’s what I took on today:
✨ #ACardADayInNovember – Day 1: Traditional Red & Green Cheer
🎅 #30DayChristmasCardMakingChallenge – Day 1: Merry and Bright Beginning
💚 #GDP520 – CASE the Designer: Sue Mohr

It’s amazing how versatile these Paper Pumpkin kits are — you can create cards, tags, gift packaging, or even add them into your memory-keeping projects. My scrapbook page features the same theme as my card — bright pops of red and green, festive accents, and a cozy, cheerful vibe.

Paper Pumpkin is a monthly craft kit delivered to your door—perfect for quick, beautiful projects. Subscribe by the 10th to get next month’s kit

Promotional image for Paper Pumpkin kit featuring festive crafting supplies, including tags, treat boxes, and a Christmas stamp, all set against a green background.

If you haven’t opened your kit yet, this is your reminder: pull it out, play along, and see how far your creativity can go! ✂️✨

If you’d like to join in the fun and play along check out my Facebook group for links to both groups.
And Remember to share your own creations — I’d love to see how you use your Paper Pumpkin this season! 💌

This week’s project is my little tribute to a retiring favorite — the Beside Me stamp set. I used the #GDP490 layout as inspiration to create a heartfelt farewell card. Swipe to see how it turned out! #lastchancelist #stampinup #handmadecards

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Order online
Contact me today to place your order!
435-232-2655 Cell ( Call or Text)
andersoncandice@hotmail.com

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Spooky Fun with Global Design Project #GDP511

This week’s Global Design Project challenge was all about using letters or numbers in our creations, and I couldn’t resist having a little spooky fun! 👻

I decided to make a playful Halloween card with a hidden surprise inside. On the front, I kept it creepy-cute with a mummy-style design, complete with googly eyes peeking out and bold letters spelling “BOO.” The little spiders and ribbon detail added just the right finishing touches.

But the real magic happens when you open the card! Inside, a bright and cheerful monster pops up, showing off big eyes, sharp (but friendly) teeth, and a touch of candy corn for good measure. It’s such a fun way to combine the challenge theme with a seasonal project.

That’s what I love about these challenges—they push me to think outside the box and come up with designs I might not have tried otherwise.

Here’s a closer look at the details:

  • Front of the card: spooky letters + mummy bandages + spiders
    • #166191 Spooky Sweet 12 x12 Specialty Designer Series Paper
    • #166106 Fright Night Dies
    • #166103 Fright Night Stamp Set
    • #166203 Petunia Pop Iridescent Ribbon
    • #166202 Shimmer Star Foam Stickers
  • Inside: colorful monster made with die cuts and stamped background
    • #164629 Everyday Arches dies (face)
    • #166115 Tractor & Co Dies (hair)
    • #166191 Spooky Sweet 12 x12 Specialty Designer Series Paper (cutouts for nose and mouth)
    • #166106 Fright Night Dies (spider)
    • #159183 Stylish Shapes Dies (eye – inside)
    • #163580 Spotlight on Nature (eye – outside)
    • #162722 Trusty Tools (eye – center)
    • #166793 Sweet Halloween Stamp set (coming Sept 20205)
  • Theme tie-in: letters used both in the “BOO” and background sentiment
    • Colors used:
      • Basic black
      • Daffodil Delight
      • Granny Apple Green
      • Petunia Pop
      • Pumpkin Pie
      • Early Espresso
      • Pecan Pie
      • Crumb Cake
      • Very Vanilla

👉 Want to make your own spooky creations? You can order the products I used at www.candiceanderson.stampinup.net.

I had so much fun with this one, and I hope it inspires you to try a Halloween-themed card of your own! 🎃🕷️

If you’d like to join in on this week’s challenge, head over to the Global Design Project and play along with #GDP511.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

This week’s project is my little tribute to a retiring favorite — the Beside Me stamp set. I used the #GDP490 layout as inspiration to create a heartfelt farewell card. Swipe to see how it turned out! #lastchancelist #stampinup #handmadecards

Order online
Contact me today to place your order!
435-232-2655 Cell ( Call or Text)
andersoncandice@hotmail.com

CandiceLeave a comment

Fun Fold Graduation Card

If you are like me you’ll notice that it’s that time of year again and while I don’t have one of my own children graduating this year I have plenty of family and friends celebrating this awesome achievement. I wanted to create a unique card for them and loved how it turned out so much that I wanted to share it with you. I had actually seen this technique before and went searching for it. However; what I found wasn’t quite what I was looking for so I took what I found and tweaked it a bit to make it work for me.

You’ll notice that I have two different styles for you. The first set are the second ones that I made when I wanted to make ones that were more generic and to create a video for you. The first ones I made for my nephew and good friend who were graduating from Utah State University who just happen to have the colors of blue. I will say that the tassel was easier to make out of bakers twine than it was out of the gold cord. As I mention in the video the adhesive strips make this project a lot easier to apply the double layers of letters.

These are the measurements that I used when creating this card. I will mention that when I put the card in a regular size envelope it did end up just a tiny bit larger that the 5 1/2″ of a standard card, so you may want to trim it down to 9″ with the card section that opens to 5″. It did fit fine in a clear envelope though.

One of the cards I was giving away was for one of my employees and I wanted to have more room for people to sign the card for her. This was easily solved by attaching it to a regular card front. I stamped the front of the card before attaching the graduation card since you would be able to see the top corners. You could also use this technique and instead of having the section on the card open you can design something flat and then attach to a standard size card.

I hope you enjoy the video and please share it with your friends. If you have any questions or need additional information please feel free to contact me. Remember you can purchase any of the items you’ve seen by going to my website at www.candiceanderson.stampinup.net.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

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or book your party!
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