stamping – MakingMyWay

The Laminated Series: Gifts, Remembered

This little run of cards felt like it needed to be made.

I pulled out the laminator to laminate a document, and while I had it out, I decided to laminate a piece of florist paper I’d been saving. That one small experiment led to another, and soon I was looking through the house for more papers worth preserving.

Each piece ultimately began as part of a gift, something already wrapped with intention before I ever touched it. As I worked, I found myself asking a simple question: what if the wrapping becomes the keepsake I could gift forward?

Card One: Gold from a Pear

The gold foil background on the first card comes from the wrapping on a pear my dad sent me because he thought I needed more Vitamin C as I had been sick. It was one of those unexpected gifts that arrives without fanfare and somehow means more for it.

I laminated the gold to preserve the crinkle and light-catching texture. I then die-cut a simple evergreen silhouette from deep green cardstock and used some gold gilding flakes (I was inspired by a holiday card someone had sent us!). The gold peeks through the tree like light caught in branches, irregular and organic. No embellishments, no sentiment on the front. The material carries the meaning.

Card Two: Florals from a Gift Shop Bouquet

The second card uses a floral paper from a gift shop bouquet my partner gave me, soft pinks and muted greens printed on thin tissue. Laminated, the paper gains just enough weight to stand on its own without losing its delicacy.

I kept this one minimal: a winter white Stamp Market botanical die-cut placed slightly off-center, with a few clear embellishments scattered like dew. I’m not sure I nailed the combo of the die cut with the paper, but I still like it. And I got to use this die cut that I got on sale a few years which has sat patiently in my stash waiting for me to notice it!

Card Three: Green from a Friend

The final card uses green tissue paper from a present given by a dear friend. The paper had a subtle, mottled texture that really came alive once laminated. I let that surface be the star.

A white botanical die-cut anchors the lower corner, with a narrow strip of gold at the edge as a quiet nod back to the other cards in the series. I originally had this as an A2 card and I had replaced the card cover front with this laminated panel instead, but it ended about an inch short of the panel. After looking at it for a day or two, I decided what it really wanted to be was a square card so the panel lined up. It’s probably my favorite, though I always say that about the last card I finish.

Hot Tip: Laminating Delicate Pieces

When laminating smaller or irregular pieces, I learned the hard way that they need a little help going through the machine. I now tuck a narrow strip of cardstock along the leading edge inside the laminating pouch. That extra bit of structure keeps everything feeding straight and prevents the pouch from getting pulled in or crunched.

Ask me how I know. Twice. Including one memorable moment that involved taking the laminator apart to rescue a stuck pouch.

A small scrap of cardstock is much easier to deal with than a dismantled machine.

Why Laminate?

Laminating these papers did more than protect them. It gave them permission to be used.

So many gift papers feel “too special” to cut into. Lamination changes that relationship. Once laminated, these fragile, found papers could actually enter my card-making practice instead of hovering on the sidelines, saved but unused. The lamination stabilized them, gave them structure, and made them workable alongside cardstock and dies.

This isn’t about perfection or symmetry. It’s about honoring where the paper came from while letting it move forward into something new. These pieces still carry their original stories, but now they’re doing some work.

This series is also a quiet exercise in using what I already have. Not pristine supplies, not newly purchased materials, but found objects that passed briefly through my hands and could easily have been discarded. Laminating them allowed me to extend their life and purpose in a way that fits how I actually make cards.

It’s a reminder that creativity doesn’t always begin with a blank sheet. Sometimes it begins with paying attention to what’s already there.

And sometimes, the wrapping really is the gift.

Heart Cover Dies- 4 Ways

The Cards…

White-on-White, Popped for Dimension

The first card is all about light and shadow.

A white heart cover panel, popped up on a white card base, creates dimension without adding color or embellishment. The hearts become texture rather than theme, and the raised panel gives just enough depth to keep the design feeling intentional and finished.

This is often where I start when revisiting an older die. Before adding anything, I like to see what it does on its own.

A Subtle Heart Flat Shaker

For the next card, I leaned into movement.

By backing a heart cover panel with acetate and adding a small amount of confetti, the design becomes interactive without becoming busy. Keeping the palette soft allows the shaker to feel like a surprise rather than the main event.

This reminded me that shaker cards don’t have to be loud to be joyful.

A Minimal Row of Hearts

This card using a row of hearts rather than a full panel.

A soft gray layer behind the hearts adds contrast while keeping the overall look calm and restrained.

This ended up being one of my favorites. It’s a reminder that you don’t always need to use an entire cover die to get a strong design.

Turning the Card Inside Out

This card was the turning point for me.

Instead of using a heart cover die on the front of the card, I moved it to the inside and let the exterior stay almost completely bare. Just a single, softly stamped Love on the front, nothing else.

Opening the card becomes part of the experience. The texture and pattern are there, but they’re revealed quietly, only after you interact with the card. It changes the pacing. The outside is calm and restrained, while the inside carries the visual weight.

I love how this approach rethinks what a “feature” has to be. The cover die isn’t hidden, it’s simply waiting. And the card feels more intimate because of it, like something meant to be discovered rather than announced.

Final Thoughts

Even though these cards use four different heart cover dies, the process was the same for all of them: slow down, look closely, and let the supplies I already own guide the design.

Revisiting older tools like this helps me make more intentional choices and keeps my creative practice grounded in curiosity rather than accumulation. There’s often more range in a single category of supply than we remember.

If you have a cover die that hasn’t seen much use lately, this is your invitation to pull it out and see what else it might have to offer. My next step is to do something with all the hearts I have saved from cutting out these cover dies!

Supplies

Assorted heart cover dies from my stash (including Hero Arts Heart Confetti Cover Die)
Neenah Classic White (card bases and panels)
Papertrey Ink Soft Stone Cardstock
Clear acetate (for shaker cards)
Confetti
Foam adhesive strips from Amazon
Gray ink (Catherine Pooler Pebble)
Hero Arts Heart Confetti Cover Die
- Used for the inside-of-the-card reveal and white-on-white texture.
Trinity Stamps Row of Hearts Dies
- Used for the minimalist linear heart designs on the front panels.
Poppystamps Confetti Hearts Panel
- Smaller, scattered heart pattern for a soft white-on-white look.
Simon Says Stamp Chunky Hearts Panel

Rescuing the Unchosen Card

One of my favorite creative rituals isn’t starting something new.
It’s going back.

I give away almost all of the cards I make. I’m known for my kraft box of cards. When seasons change, like now as I put away Christmas and holiday cards, I go through what was left from the last cycle. They’re finished, technically, but no one picked them. And that tells me something important: the card isn’t bad, it’s just unresolved.

I pull those cards out and put them in a pile, saving them to revisit in a different light when I have a moment.

This card lived in that pile for a while.

The original problem

The original version had all the right ingredients:

a cheerful yellow sunburst
a simple “hi”
a little sparkle

But everything was polite. Centered. Careful. The colors were pleasant, the design was tidy, and yet nothing invited the eye to linger. It was the kind of card you don’t dislike, but also don’t reach for.

And that’s usually the clue.

The first change: commitment

Instead of trying to tweak the card in place, I made a more decisive move and cut the entire focal element into a circle. Looking at it more critically, I realized the stitched panel was fighting with the fantastic sunburst die cut.

That single change gave the design a sense of confidence. Of course, it also meant die cutting through four layers of paper, which ultimately resulted in me carefully separating the top layers that did cut from the card base that very much did not.

But the result was worth it. The sunburst stopped behaving like a background detail and started acting like a focal point.

Sometimes a card doesn’t need more.
It needs a clearer decision.

The second change: contrast

Next, I mounted the circle on a soft blue card base. This was the turning point. I was very consciously channeling a sky.

The warm yellow finally had something to push against, and the sparkle in the center suddenly felt intentional instead of decorative. The card shifted from neutral to expressive simply by letting warm and cool colors do their natural work.

The final change: air

The finishing touch was a thin vellum shadow behind the circle, with two smaller circle die cuts layered underneath to create a little space between the vellum and the card base.

That quiet layer made all the difference. It added separation without weight, softness without distraction. No extra embellishments, no added noise. Just a little breathing room so the focal element could sit comfortably on the card front.

This was the moment the card felt finished.

A note about the inside

The original card had “brighter days ahead” stamped on the inside.

It wasn’t wrong, but it felt a bit like making a promise I couldn’t fully keep. I’ve realized I don’t love sentiments that tell someone else how to feel or what’s coming next. It’s the same reason I shy away from cards that say “smile.” I don’t want to instruct or predict on someone else’s behalf.

What I can do is offer something that’s within my control.

So I’m redoing the inside sentiment as “sending sunshine.” It’s more personal and more active, and it mirrors exactly what the front is doing visually. It’s not a directive or a forecast, just a small offering.

Sometimes the fix isn’t just structural.
Sometimes it’s tonal.

Why I love doing this

Redoing unchosen cards teaches me more than starting from scratch:

I learn why something didn’t work
I practice restraint instead of accumulation
I use what I already have

It’s low-stakes, deeply satisfying, and surprisingly instructive. Often the card doesn’t need to be remade. It just needs to be listened to.

This one is finally ready to go back in circulation.
And the orphan pile just got a little smaller.

Supplies

Die: Memory Box Circle Burst
Sentiment: The Stamp Market “hi” word die (now discontinued)
Center circle: Yellow glitter cardstock (brand unknown, from stash)
Cardstock:
- Yellow cardstock for the burst (Papertrey Ink or similar weight)
- Soft blue card base (likely Spellbinders, exact color unknown)
Vellum: Heavyweight vellum from stash
Adhesives: Standard tape runner and liquid glue

Merry and Bright and All Things Light

Sometimes I make a holiday card with a particular person in mind. This one is for two friends who do important work in a counseling and advocacy setting that supports queer and trans folx and their families. What they offer is care, acceptance, and a place where people can show up as themselves. In their honor, I wanted to make a queer Christmas card that still felt seasonal.

I reached into my stash of pre-cut rainbow arcs from The Stamp Market Little Rainbow Die. They are leftovers from other projects, all in soft sherbet shades, and the palette came together almost on its own. It is not a traditional rainbow, but it felt right for this card, a little gentle and a little hopeful.

For the sentiment, I stamped Merry and Bright from Simon Says Stamp Simple Holiday Greetings in a clear, bright red. I tried adding a small heart embellishment, but it pushed the design in a direction that did not fit the intention. Instead, I added a light touch of Wink of Stella on the red arc. It gives just a hint of shimmer when the card moves in the light.

Inside I stamped Love and Joy. That felt like the message I wanted to send to them this season.

I love this card.

A Botanical Holiday Tag Kit (Made From My Stash- Mostly)

This year, instead of buying a Thanksgiving host gift, I decided to make one. I’ve been thinking a lot about using what I already have, and with so many stamps, dies, and bits of ribbon tucked away in my craft room, it felt like the right moment to create something special without starting from scratch. To be honest, the entire project was sparked by a tiny new addition to my stash — a bag of miniature wooden spools I ordered from Amazon. I was so tickled by them that I knew immediately they needed to be part of a gift. Around the same time, I watched a Stamp Market video about putting together little curated boxes, and that idea stuck with me. Once I lined up those little spools wrapped in twine and ribbon, the whole concept for a holiday tag kit began to take shape.

It turned into one of the most joyful creative afternoons I’ve had in a long time.

Hand-Stamped Botanical Panels

I started by pulling out Paper Tray Ink’s Floral Fantasy: Christmas stamp set and stamped three different botanical panels in soft greens, a blush pink, and a warm Cashmere brown. I forgot how much I love building my own patterned paper, especially since I seriously expanded my ink collection this past year. These panels ended up becoming the foundation for the tags.

The Tags

For the actual tags, I used The Stamp Market’s Circle Tags Die — it’s the one with forty-nine different shapes (well, it feels like it), and every time I use it I wonder why on earth I have forty-nine tag shapes… but then I fall in love with it all over again.

I cut both patterned and solid tags and added reinforcers (my AI muse told me I should take the extra step and do this even though it is so tedious!). I also stamped a simple “to/from” on the backs.

It already felt like a little collection.

Curating the Accessories

Then came the fun part: building out the little compartments in the box.

In the lower left, I added sprigs cut from two sets:
– The Stamp Market – Sprigs (the clean white and green botanicals)
– Frantic Stamper – Wreath and Swag Components (smaller greenery to tuck in)

I wrapped tiny wooden spools with baker’s twine and fancy satin ribbon from May Arts and nestled them into their own section lined with kraft crinkle shred. They look like miniature treasures.

I made two washi sample cards using a Stamp Market tag that I covered in packing tape first and then die cut. My only hot tip is to put a piece of copy paper underneath it when you die cut as it will cut out more cleanly. These add just the right amount of shine.

I also created a tiny packet of holographic stars and taped it to the inside of the lid, which adds a little sparkle when the box opens.

Finally, I tucked in a few foiled sentiment strips that I added tape to on the back so they could be easily used from my stash — “Comfort & Joy,” “Happy Christmas,” “Cheer,” and “Season.” They fit the botanical palette beautifully.

The Final Touches

For the top of the box, I added a single pine branch cut from The Greetery’s Big Branches: Pine die. It’s simple, clean, and matches the whole tone of the kit.

A Meaningful, Handmade Gift

All told, it took me about two and a half hours, some of that spent making decisions, but it’s exactly the kind of gift I love to give. Something useful. Something handmade. Something beautiful. Something that reflects the time and thought that went into it.

I’m so happy with how this turned out, and I already want to make another.

Supplies Used

Stamps
• Paper Tray Ink – Floral Fantasy: Christmas (for the stamped botanical panels)

Dies
• The Stamp Market – Circle Tags Die
• The Greetery – Big Branches: Pine Die (the sprig on the outside of the box)
• The Stamp Market – Sprigs Die (white and green botanical sprigs)
• Frantic Stamper – Wreath and Swag Components (additional greenery pieces)

Embellishments & Accessories
• Mini wooden spools (½ inch, Amazon)
• Assorted baker’s twine (cream, brown, red/white stripe)
• The Stamp Market – Foiled Tree Washi
• The Stamp Market – Pink “Merry Christmas” Washi
• Small holographic stars (from my stash)
• Narrow foil sentiment strips (from my stash)

Packaging
• Kraft crinkle shred
• Printed masking tape
• Small glassine or paper envelope (for the holographic stars)

A Cheerful Penguin and a Chorus of Fa La Las

Some cards happen all at once, and some take a more winding path.

This one sat on my desk for a week, slowly telling me what it wanted to be — and in the end, it turned into one of my favorite holiday cards thus far this year.

It all started when I did something that didn’t work.

The First “Fa La La” That Didn’t Quite Work

Back in the 2022 Black Friday sales, I picked up the Love, Santa set from The Stamp Market. There’s a little stacked “Fa La La La La La” stamp in there that I’ve always liked, so I snipped off the “yum!” part (don’t judge) and heat embossed it in clear glitter powder.

And then…hmmm. Eh. It just wasn’t doing what I wanted. It sparkled, but it didn’t show up enough on the cardstock. Instead of being special, it just looked faint.

So I did what any reasonable crafter does.

I went digging through my stash to see how many fa la la pieces I already owned. Evernote reports twenty-four, counting stamps, word dies, and foil plates!

If part of my goal is using what I have, this seemed like a very good place to start. It also says a lot about the range of my Christmas craft collection.

And then I didn’t know what to do with it.
So the panel sat on my desk for a week.

Enter the Memory Box “Cheerful Penguin”

A few weeks ago I bought this adorable new penguin die from Memory Box — the Cheerful Penguin — because every year I make a penguin card for a friend. I had been waiting to open this one, and when I finally did… what a delight.

Some die sets are fiddly.
This one isn’t.
It cuts cleanly, layers easily, and comes together fast.
And he’s absolutely adorable (read: I already have two more from the series sitting in my cart for Black Friday sales).

I tried placing him over a vellum panel, but the vellum dulled that central glittered fa la la, and that sparkle was part of the whole point. So I got brave and adhered him directly onto the stamping.

Giving the Penguin a Role

Once I committed to placing the penguin directly on the fa la la background, I realized he needed a role on that busy panel. A speech bubble felt like the right way to give him presence and make him part of the scene instead of something sitting on top of it.

Adding the Sparkle

Once the layout was in place, I wanted to echo the glittered fa la la in other parts of the card. I added a little Wink of Stella to his scarf and scattered a few clear sequins across the panel. I love sparkle, so adding a little more shine felt like the right direction.

But when everything was finished, I realized the white speech bubble wasn’t standing out enough. That’s when I swapped it for a red one embossed in white, and it tied the whole design together.

I can’t wait to give this card to my friend this holiday season!

Supplies Used

Dies and Stamps
• Memory Box “Cheerful Penguin”
• The Stamp Market “Love, Santa” (2022 Black Friday) — original fa la la
• SSS CZ “Tabbed Sentiments Holiday” — “SO JOLLY” sentiment
• Assorted fa la la stamps from my stash (Penny Black, The Stamp Market, Papertrey Ink)
• Poppystamps “Word Balloons” dies (speech bubble)

Cardstock and Papers
• Neenah Classic Crest Solar White (cover weight)
• Red cardstock from my stash

Inks and Embossing
• Brutus Monroe Clear Glitter Embossing Powder (center fa la la)
• Brutus Monroe Alabaster White Embossing Powder (speech bubble)
• Assorted dye inks in soft greens, blues, and red (various brands)

Embellishments
• Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush Pen (scarf)
• The Stamp Market Clear Sequins (small size)

A Long-Awaited Treat: My Just Desserts Series

Finally playing with a set I admired back in 2016 from Papertrey Ink.

There is a particular joy in finally getting your hands on something you’ve wanted for years. When Papertrey Ink released Just Desserts by Lizzie Jones in March 2016, I remember admiring it instantly: the clean lines, the playful toppings, the thoughtful layering. At the time it was outside my budget, and it slipped into that familiar category of “maybe someday.”

This month I found the set secondhand from another PTI fan, and it felt like a little message from my 2016 self: you get to play with this now. And now that it’s mine nearly a decade later, I’m discovering how well it fits the way I create today. Minimal, intentional, with small touches of sparkle and a few new tools I didn’t have back then. It turned into a fun Just Desserts Series full of experimentation and joy.

Here are the three cards in the order shown in the photo.

Card 1: Chocolate Berry Cake
This one is bold but still very clean. The chocolate layers add natural contrast, and the berries bring in color without making the card feel busy. I added a few soft sparkle dots with a Jelly Roll glitter pen, one of my favorite ways to finish a minimal card without overwhelming it.

The cake stand isn’t part of the Just Desserts set; I borrowed it from another Papertrey Ink set, I believe Imitation Basics. The scale isn’t perfect, but the embossed white-on-white look keeps it subtle, and it supports the design without drawing attention to itself.

Even with the deeper palette, the card stays minimal thanks to the open layout and calm spacing. It’s a nice reminder that bold color can still feel quiet and intentional.

Card 2: Kraft Cake With the Glitter Heart
This card became the heart of the series. I embossed the frosting with Brutus Monroe Alabaster Sparkle, which adds a fine shimmer that’s subtle but lovely in person. At first the cake felt a little ungrounded, and I tried adding a heart between the cake and the sentiment. That didn’t quite solve it.

The breakthrough came when I moved the heart onto the cake itself. Suddenly it felt intentional rather than corrective, and it became a focal point that tied everything together.

This one ended up modern, warm, and just a little bit sweet.

Card 3: Floral Sprinkle Cake
For this one, I wanted the stamped image itself to be the focal point. Lizzie’s three-layer sprinkle stamp is so well designed, and I used pink, soft green, and yellow inks to build those layers. The look is cheerful and light, and it doesn’t need much else. I added tiny drops of Stickles to the flower centers for a bit of sparkle. Each card in this series has some hint of shimmer, and here it feels especially playful.

What This Series Reminded Me Of
Working with this set that I admired years ago reminded me of a few things:

• Delayed gratification can be truly delightful.
• Minimal layouts let the designs shine.
• I don’t always need something new to feel inspired. Using what I have, or finding something secondhand, invites discovery.
• Older stamps don’t limit me. They give me room to explore.
• A touch of sparkle goes a long way.

This set was worth the wait.

Creativity From What’s Already Here: A Three-Card Holiday Study

I’ve been watching Cathy Zielske’s recent videos featuring her new Tree Plate wafer die, and it immediately caught my eye. It’s beautifully simple: a crisp 3×3 grid of tree silhouettes that feels modern and elegant. If I didn’t already own a similar die, I would buy hers in a heartbeat.

But I do have something close. The Pretty Pink Posh Tree Cover Plate cuts the same grid of nine trees and adds stitched details around each opening. The layouts aren’t identical, but the graphic repetition is similar enough that it inspired me to try a small creative experiment.

Could I make a series of cards using only what I already own?
And could I turn one die-cut into multiple distinct designs? That experiment became this small three-card study.

I also used the older PaperTrey Ink set, Tree Tops Glisten, for the inside sentiments on all three cards. It brought a subtle consistency to the grouping and matched the style of Cathy Z’s Holiday Trio One (which I have added to my Simon Says Stamp wishlist!).

Card One: Monochrome Green

For this card, I went monochromatic. I doubled each tree die-cut to give a little dimension and placed them on a deep green card base. A single small gold star sits over the middle tree, and a small gold embossed “peace” sentiment sits below. This one feels calm, modern, and a bit boutique.

Card Two: Playful Grid

For the second card, I used the nine tree die-cuts arranged on a white panel. Each tree is decorated with rainbow glitter dots in pink, purple, blue, and yellow. I love grid cards and Cathy Z really nailed this design with the colorful decorations on the tree. A simple sentiment strip reading “love • peace • joy” finishes it.

Card Three: Snowy Shaker

For the final card, I used the Pretty Pink Posh panel as a shaker as inspired by Cathy Z. I backed each tree opening with acetate and created small shaker windows filled with iridescent snowflake pieces. Just a light amount so the trees remain visible. I added a few tiny gold stars, which bring a little glisten and tie back to the interior sentiment. I left the front sentiment-free and stamped “Where the treetops glisten” on the inside. With the drifting snow, it felt right.

A quiet acknowledgment to May Calico, my creative muse here in this space powered by ChatGPT, for the idea of adding a few tiny gold stars to the shaker card. That little suggestion made a big difference.

Creativity From What’s Already Here

What I appreciated most about this project was the chance to work from my own collection and see how far one idea could go. One die-cut panel, a handful of leftover trees, and three different cards. Sometimes a smaller set of choices creates more creativity than new supplies ever could.

When I finished these three cards, I had three extra tree die-cuts left on my desk. Instead of sweeping them into my scraps container, I set them aside. They’re nudging me toward the next small project. Since I recently made The Stamp Market’s 4×6×1 divided tag box, maybe these remaining trees will end up as part of a tag set.

I’m grateful, too, for the creators whose work inspired me in the first place. Cathy Zielske’s Tree Plate die and The Stamp Market’s holiday videos were the push that sent me back into my own materials. Their openness and enthusiasm often become the spark that helps me see what I can make next with what’s already here.

The Scraps That Waited All Year

The Scraps That Waited All Year

Some scraps are too small to be useful, and too full of potential to throw away.

I keep two scrap piles in my craft room. One for the bigger pieces that can become backgrounds or layers. And one for the tiny scraps, the kind most people would sweep into the bin. Mine live in a small container near my desk, a jumble of cardstock corners, partial die cuts, and skinny slivers of color.

A year and a half ago, on vacation in Maine, I packed my tiny scrap stash and a handful of small dies. No stamps, no adhesives, no embellishments, just my die cutting machine and the quiet rhythm of cutting shapes. One of those dies was Newton’s Nook’s mug set. I cut out mugs to my heart’s content, challenging myself to see how many I could get from each piece of leftover scrap. They were bright and mismatched and delightful, and then I tucked them away in one of those plastic gum containers I nicked from my son, thinking I’d use them someday.

Someday turned out to be now.

This week, I pulled out those tiny cups and challenged myself to make a series of cards, all built from scraps that had been waiting more than a year. I started with a grid pattern because it felt natural, neat rows of mugs, small pieces coming together in harmony. But then came the real creative work, figuring out how to make each card feel distinct.

That’s where May Calico helped. I’ve started recording the ways I use AI to learn my craft, and this project felt like a good example. We talked about balance and repetition, how to shift a sentiment slightly off-center, and how to resist my usual impulse to add more. The constant reminder, less is more, helped me hold back when I wanted to keep layering. Sometimes all a card needs is one heart, or a quiet shimmer of foil, to feel complete. Each card stayed simple, but none felt the same.

What I love most is how these little mugs, once cast offs, now look intentional. They remind me that creativity often begins with what’s left over, and that even the tiniest scraps can hold a story if I give them time.