Day 25 – Yule Be Amazed – Color combo

Playful Woodland Critters + Witty Wordplay + Color Challenge #5

Today’s challenge brought together two fun themes: Yule Be Amazed—full of playful woodland critters and witty wordplay—and Color Challenge #5 using the Concord & 9th palette of Wildberry, Lakefront, and Harbor.

To match this with Stampin’ Up! colors, I chose a bright, cheerful combination of Lost Lagoon, Balmy Blue, and Melon Mambo. At first, I wasn’t sure how to bring both themes into one card. Woodland critters made me think browns and greens… not exactly what this color combo offers!

So I turned to my wall of retired stamp sets in search of inspiration—and that’s when the answer practically jumped off the shelf.

⛄️ When Snowmen Become Woodland Critters

I spotted the retired Spirited Snowmen Set (#148072) and instantly thought of one of my favorite children’s books—
“Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner.

In the story, the snowmen come to life and play outside in the woods after dark. And that’s when it hit me:
If snowmen can play in the woods at night… why can’t they count as playful woodland critters?

With that little spark, everything fell into place.

A handmade card featuring a whimsical snowman skating on ice, surrounded by a soft, snowy background with blue hues. The snowman is wearing a colorful scarf and a hat, and there is a sentiment that reads, 'your friendship warms my heart.' The card is adorned with a sheer ribbon and decorative elements inspired by a playful woodland theme.

A greeting card featuring the phrase 'winter cheer' in bold red text on a light blue banner, surrounded by decorative snowflakes.

🎨 Coloring the Scene

To get a soft, playful look, I stamped the snowman in Black StazOn (#101406) on Watercolor Paper (#149612).

Then I used my Water Painters (#168253) and the ink pads in my three challenge colors to bring him to life. Watercoloring gave the image a gentle, whimsical feel—perfect for the theme—and made it easy to blend shadowing under him so it looks like he’s skating on ice.

For additional details, I used:

Pumpkin Pie (nose)
Pecan Pie (arms)
Basic Gray (skates)

A touch of Wink of Stella on the snowman and skates added the perfect shimmer.

❄️ Building the Background

To create the snowy nighttime feel, I used the Snowy Delights Decorative Masks (#165808) with a blending brush. The soft Balmy Blue and Lost Lagoon inks blended beautifully behind the snowman and tied the entire color combo together.

🎀 Finishing Touches

The final details pulled everything together:

Balmy Blue Sheer Ribbon (#165767)
Three Banner Punch (#167050) for the sentiment
A soft matting layer in challenge colors

The finished card is sweet, whimsical, and full of playful charm—perfect for sharing a little holiday cheer.

A whimsical snowman with a pink and teal scarf and a carrot nose, smiling while skating. The image is outlined with glitter for added shimmer.

A promotional image for the 30 Day Christmas Card Making Challenge, featuring color challenge #5 with swatches of Wildberry, Lakefront, and Harbor.

👉 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

📺 YouTube
📘 Facebook
📸 Instagram
📌 Pinterest

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

November 25, 2025

CandiceLeave a comment

Day 23 – Elfie Time!

Fun Fold Gift Card Holder + Sketch Challenge #5

Today’s theme was Elfie Time, and the moment I read it, I knew exactly which stamp set I had to pull out—my beloved retired #Elfie (#150509). Pairing it with Sketch Challenge #5 inspired a playful twist: a Fun Fold Gift Card Holder!

This design is so easy to create and perfect for the holidays—because who doesn’t love receiving (or giving!) a cute handmade gift card holder?

I shared the full tutorial during a live in the Card A Day in November 2025 group as well as on my YouTube and Facebook pages. If you missed it, no worries—you can still catch the replay. And huge thanks to Kevin for inviting me on to share this project!

🎁 How to Make the Fun Fold Gift Card Holder

This fold comes together quickly and can be decorated for any theme or season. Here’s the basic template:

Card Base

Cut: 9-1/2″ x 5-1/2″
Score at: 3-1/2″ and 7-1/2″
This creates:
A 3-1/4″ panel (the main front)
A 4-1/4″ panel (the inside)
A 2″ flap (perfect for the pocket)

Belly Band

Cut: 1-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ (or longer depending on embellishments)
Wrap loosely around the card so it slides easily.

Gift Card Cutout

You’ll need circle punches or dies:

1-3/4″ for the pocket opening (#119850)
2″ for the decorative circle layer (#133782)

Interior Layer

If you’re using a different color inside:

Cut 2-1/2″ x 5-1/4″
Make sure it extends past the punched opening for a clean look.

Tools That Help

Bone folder (#102300)
Tear & Tape (#154031)
Mini Glue Dots (#103683)
Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals (#144108)
Circle punches/dies

And then… decorate to your heart’s content!

🧝 Elfie Samples

Of course I made more than one! Here’s what I used:

Elfie Cards

Color combos:

Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Summer Splash
Others:
- White Baker’s Twine (#155475)
- Real Red & White Peppermint Embellishments (#164050)
- Strawberry Slush and Pretty in Pink Gems (#165615)
- Forever Plaid Embossing Folder (#164049)
- A Little Cheer (#166121)
- Stylish Shapes Dies (#159183)
- Wink of Stella (#141897)
- Blending Brush (#160518)
- Masking Paper (#155480)
- Blends – Poppy Parade, Summer Splash, Pool Party, Pecan Pie, Petal Pink, Pretty in Pink

Both versions turned out adorable and festive!

A handmade holiday gift card holder featuring a playful elf design, with a red and teal color scheme and a greeting saying 'A Holiday Hello'.

A Fun Fold Gift Card Holder featuring a playful elf design with a greeting that says 'A Holiday Hello' on a light blue background.

❄️ Additional Sample – Christmas Cuties

I also made a version using the retired Christmas Cuties (#139787) paired with the Need for Tweed Designer Series Paper (#166144) for a quick, textured background.

Color combo:

Mossy Meadow, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler
Others:
- Real Red Baker’s Twine (#164051)
- Shimmer Star Foam Stickers (#166202)
- A Little Cheer (#166121)
- Perennial Postage Dies (#162607)

A different look but just as charming!

A handmade gift card holder designed for the Christmas season, featuring an elf illustration, festive patterns in red and green, and the greeting 'Happy Christmas.'

A festive handmade card featuring a cheerful elf character, surrounded by red and green decorative elements. The card includes the text 'Happy Christmas' and is embellished with twine and stars.

🎄 Do You Love This Fun Fold as Much as I Do?

I adore how quick and adaptable this Fun Fold Gift Card Holder is, and I can’t wait to see what you create with it!

If you try this fold, please share your photos—I love seeing everyone’s creative twist on the design.

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

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

📺 YouTube
📘 Facebook
📸 Instagram
📌 Pinterest

November 23, 2025November 26, 2025

CandiceLeave a comment

Day 21 – Santa “Don’t Stop Believin’”

Rockin’ Santa & Snow Globe Dreams (with a Grinch-Inspired Twist!)

Today’s challenge theme was Santa — Don’t Stop Believin’, and my mind went in a dozen different directions before I landed on the perfect idea. Those of you who know me well know that I am a huge Grinch fan. (Yes… he even has his own dedicated section of my Christmas décor!)

There’s a classic image of the Grinch holding a Christmas ornament, and I thought, How perfect would that be for this theme? So I decided to recreate that scene using our amazing Stampin’ Up! products.

Once the idea hit, the wheels started turning fast.

To really bring the magic to life, and because I love pushing the boundaries of our products, I decided to take it up a notch and turn it into a snow globe shaker card using my Flip Flap Technique (which I’m still claiming as my own unless someone can show me otherwise 😉). This time, I added an extra twist — slimline card, giving me plenty of room for the full Grinch-inspired scene.

And yes… the moment you step outside the “intended use” of our products, things get creative fast. This card is no exception! Let’s just say… this card was an adventure!

🎄 Creating the Ornament

The ornament was actually the easy part!

Stylish Shapes Dies (#159183) for the circle
Gold Foil Sheets (#132622) for the topper
Topper from Ornamental Christmas (#166000)
Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine (#164051) for the hanging string

Simple, classic, and instantly recognizable.

💚 Crafting the Grinch’s Hand

This was where things got… creative.

No die gave me exactly what I wanted, so I sketched the Grinch’s hand by hand (pun intended 😉) and cut it from Lemon Lime Twist cardstock.

To add the Grinch’s signature “fur,” I stamped one of the leaf images from the Cheers & Sips set (#165588) in Granny Apple Green. The texture was perfect!

Then I added:

Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends for outlining
Blending Brush for shading
A hand-cut “Santa sleeve” in Real Red, brushed with black ink
And the perfect finishing touch — Fluffy Trim Ribbon (#165849) for the cuff

This combination brought the Grinch’s hand to life exactly the way I pictured it.

❄️ The Background & Final Touches

For the snowy scene, I used the gorgeous Silent Snowfall Specialty DSP (#166062) and added sparkle with a touch of Wink of Stella on the snowflakes.

A few Real Red & White Peppermint embellishments (#164050) tied the festive vibe together.

🌟 Creating the Slimline Flip Flap Shaker

This shaker section was the fun part!

How I Built It:

Cut Granny Apple Green cardstock to 7″.
Score at 3-1/2″.
Trim 1/16″ off one side.
Fold in half.
Layer the snowflake DSP on top.
Die-cut through all three layers at the same time using the Stylish Shapes circle.
- You may need to run it through more than once, but cutting all layers together guarantees perfect alignment.

With the leftover piece of cardstock, I scored it again at 3-1/2″, leaving a 1/2″ tab to connect both pieces.

For this card I used the 3×3 Flip Flaps (#166514). There are multiple different sizes and the one you use will depend on how big your cutout is.

Here’s a quick video of how to assemble it.

Shaker Fillers:

Loose Gold Sequins (#165267)
White hearts from the Loose Valentine’s Assortment (#167074)—a fun sneak peek from our January 2027 Mini preorder!

Everything was sealed together using Tear & Tape.

Important Tip:

Always plan what the interior will look like through the window.
Whatever you stamp inside becomes part of the scene!

💬 Interior Details

Because you definitely can’t put a standard “Merry Christmas” in a Grinch-inspired snow globe card… 😄

I used the Mini Alphabet Dies (#162934) to create my own custom sentiment. Pairing these dies with Adhesive Sheets (#152334) is a must — instant letter stickers for easy placement!

To finish the little interior scene I used:

Pine Tree Trimmings Stamps (#166040)
Pine Tree Trimmings Dies (#166046)
A Little Cheer (#166121)
Jar of Joy (#166176)
And to complete it all, a sweet little heart from the Darling Dinos Dies (#164734)

Many elements shows through the shaker window, adding a beautiful layered effect.

❤️ The Finished Look

This card was definitely on the advanced end of the crafting spectrum, but the result is exactly the whimsical, storybook look I hoped for. A little Santa magic, a little Grinch mischief, and a whole lot of creativity.

It’s playful.
It’s nostalgic.
It’s unexpected.
And it absolutely makes me smile.

Sometimes the “big idea” cards are the ones that make you stop, smile, and believe—and this one did exactly that for me.

A festive slimline card featuring a Grinch-inspired green hand holding a decorative Christmas ornament, decorated with a tree and red elements, set against a light background.

Graphic promoting Day 21 of a 30-day Christmas card making challenge, titled 'Snowglobe Dreams'. The background features a light blue color with snowflake patterns, indicating a winter theme.

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

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

📺 YouTube
📘 Facebook
📸 Instagram
📌 Pinterest

November 21, 2025November 26, 2025

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

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

📺 YouTube
📘 Facebook
📸 Instagram
📌 Pinterest

November 1, 2025November 9, 2025

CandiceLeave a comment

Fun Snowman Card

I’m participating in a Stampin’ Up! Boot-Camp right now and each week we have a Stampin’ Challenge. This week our challenge was to use a layout in the catalog and then change the colors and stamp set. I thought I would share the fun card with you. I love how it turned out and I think I will be adding it to my Christmas Card Crunch Class (be watching for details.)

Items used:

Colors-

Island Indigo
Pool Party
Cherry Cobbler
Tangerine Tango
StazOn Jet Black
Whisper White
Early Espresso
Wild Wasabi

Stamps
H-Frosty Friends #128117 W $11.95
H-Affection Collection
#127946 W $29.95
#127949 C $21.95
M-Snow Much Fun
#122560 W $27.95
#125562 C $19.95

H-Core’dinations Card Stock
Early Espresso #127848 $6.95
H-Stampin’ Sanding Block #129367 $3.95
H-Brushed Bronze Designer Buttons
#127833 $6.95
M-Scallop Edge Border Punch
#119882 $15.95

M-1″Square Punch
#124094 $15.95
M-Color Spritzer Tool
#107066 $12.95
M-Blender Pens
#102845 $9.95
M-Stampin’ Spritzer
#126185 $2.95
Shimmer Paint Frost White
#116854 $5.95
Baker’s Twine $2.95
Cherry Cobbler #123125
Island Indigo #125575

M- Main Catalog
H- Holiday Catalog
C- Clear Mount
W- Wood Mount

Order On-line anytime or contact me to place your order. Have a Stamptasic Day!