📸✨ Say Cheese… It’s Time to Capture Some Smiles! ✨📸

 

I’m hosting an Advanced Card Class on April 18th, 2026, and you’re invited to be in the picture!

We’ll be creating THREE advanced-level cards using the adorable Capturing Smiles stamp set & dies by Stampin’ Up! — and the best part? The bundle is INCLUDED in your class fee! 🎉

That means you’ll leave with:

📷 The Capturing Smiles stamp set

📷 Coordinating dies

📷 3 beautifully layered, embellished, technique-filled cards

📷 New skills that are totally frame-worthy

These cards won’t just be “point and shoot” — we’re zooming in on:

✨ Creative layering

✨ Fun techniques

✨ Eye-catching embellishments

✨ Details that truly focus on the wow-factor

💲 Class Fee: $80

📅 Class Date: April 18th, 2026

⏰ Registration Deadline: March 23rd, 2026 (Prepaid to reserve your seat!)

Spots are limited, and trust me… you’ll want to be in this snapshot of crafty fun! Don’t let this opportunity fade to black. 😉

📩 RSVP Today to reserve your spot and secure your bundle!

Let’s capture smiles, one card at a time! 💕📸

Just Say Cheese!

Tracie 💛.

Capturing Smiles Masculine Birthday Card

📸 Sneak Peek Alert! 📸

Today’s share is an exciting first look at a brand-new stamp bundle launching March 2026 — Capturing Smiles — and I think you’re going to love it!

The star of this bundle is the fabulous camera image, perfect for both cardmaking and scrapbook pages. Since I’m not much of a scrapbooker myself, I turned it into this fun masculine birthday card… but with a simple swap of Designer Series Paper, it would be just as lovely for the ladies too!

One of my favourite details on this card is the Paper Piecing technique. I stamped the camera image on several different pieces of cardstock and Designer Series Paper, then carefully cut and layered the sections back onto the base image. It’s a simple technique that adds amazing depth and detail — and it’s so satisfying to do!

You’re also getting a peek at another upcoming product: Lunar Lustre Specialty DSP. I used it on the top, middle, and left sections of the camera, and the subtle shine is absolutely stunning in person ✨

I hope this project sparks some inspiration and gets you as excited as I am for the Capturing Smiles bundle! 📷💛
👉 Be sure to keep an eye on my online store in March so you don’t miss out — and feel free to reach out if you’d like to be notified when it goes live!

Happy stamping 💕

Darling Dinosaur Arch Flap Card

 Well.... never say never!  That is today's lesson for me.  I vowed that I was not going to invest in the darling dinosaur bundle because my initial thought was this was pretty much a bundle geared towards kids.  Guess I was wrong. I think it was Jan Wakeland that said something during a video that it could be used for "older" people by combining it with the sentiment from One More Year ~ "You're How Old?"  So that is what I did!

Technique design inspired by Janet Wakeland

So now these cuties are part of my stamp library looking for more love - which will be coming soon!
This idea came at the perfect time as a close friend turns 60 this month and I think they will get a good chuckle when the open the card.

Making the card involves lots of die cutting - arches, dinosaurs, cake, gift bag, bottles & balloons. But in the end, the time spent was well worth the effort. Honestly, I can't get enough of the Everyday Arched dies. They are so versatile! 

My second "never say never" lesson is the Timeless Plaid DSP. Initially I was not sure I loved the colours, and for that I didn't think I would buy it. But, in all honesty, it is really hard to get the real perspective when you are viewing it online.  It just doesn't do it justice. I am so glad I bought a package of this DSP. My only criticism is, Stampin' Up! continues to make 6" x 6" packages of paper and for a demonstrator that is running classes it is just kind of useless and a waste of paper.  I wish they would come out with both a 6" x 6" for crafters and a 12" x 12" for demos.

I hope you have a "dino-mite" day!  Be sure to follow me on Facebook!

Hugs and happy stamping! Tracie

Delightful Wishes and Everyday Arches

Continuing on my journey with the Delightful Wishes bundle and not using shades of yellow.  My colour choices (which I think is really pretty) are shades of blue (Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Summer Splash & Pretty Peacock). 

I did find it challenging at first to line up the Delightful Wishes images, but, once I figured it out, it has been easy to get the perfect 2 step stamp every time.  My advise to you if you purchase this bundle is to practice, practice, practice on scrap paper first and once you figure it out, then stamp your project.

Lastly, I used an old (to me) technique on the leaves - Rock & Roll - an oldie but a goodie!

Happy stamping! Follow me on Facebook.

Hugs, Tracie

Fluffiest Friends Heart Shaped Thank You

Heart Shaped is free with a qualifying order. It is quickly becoming one of my favourite SAB items!

Here I have used the Wildflower Birthday DSP (love the Pretty in Pink plaid) for the backdrop for my card which I layered onto Pretty In Pink cardstock and then a white base.

The plaid layer was die cut with the largest circle from Stylish Shapes and layered onto white so that I could add the heart die cut in the middle. The kitty is one of the images from Fluffiest Friends. I am disappointed that this bundle is already on the last chance product list. It is not often that Stampin' Up! comes out with really (IMHO) cute characters. It would be nice if it stayed around longer than a year.

Happy stamping! Follow me on Facebook.

Hugs, Tracie

Starstruck Embossing Folder Review

Hello crafters!  I am back with another review of a new 2025 Sale-A-Bration product from Stampin' Up! If you haven't tried the new Starstruck embossing folder, let me give you my perspective on this folder. (Disclaimer - everyone is entitled to their own thoughts.... this is just my personal opinion and some may not agree with it, and that is ok).

First off.... it's free with a qualifying order during the Sale-A-Bration event that runs from Jan to the end of Feb 2025. Who doesn't like free?  So no complaints here! That being said, I find the impression it gives is a bit too intense for my liking. A little bit goes a long way.

Because of the intensity of the impression 2 things happen when you run it through your embossing machine. First, it will warp the embossing folder (yes I tried many different sandwiches - so in all honesty it could just be the calibration of my machine). Secondly, it curls the cardstock, which makes it a bit challenging to adhere down and have if not lift up unless you add adhesive to every inch of the outer edges - which is doable.

It wasn't until I decided to, after running my cardstock through with the folder, run the embossed cardstock back through the embossing machine on its own - sandwiched between 2 acrylic plates.  This then flattens the embossing while leaving a really nice background.  Doing this not only reduces the intensity of the folder but also solves the "curling" of the cardstock problem.  Now that is a win!

All that being said, on its own I give the folder a 6.5.  I don't see a lot of use for this folder  other than (likely) birthday cards, even though I stretched the use to make a card with the Delightful Floral & Bright Border bundles.

I will follow up this post with the alternate use of this folder as described above.

Happy stamping. Follow me on Facebook

Hugs, Tracie

Delightful Wishes Window Fun Fold

Hey crafters! Here is another installment of the Delightful Wishes bundle. This time I have created a fun fold card using the Everyday Arches dies.   

  

Using the arch dies I cut out a section along the fold for the window. After having done this, I realized that the Gold Brushed card base was pretty flimsy. So, in retrospect I should have done a partial die cut. No worries.... because I layered the back half of the die cut arch onto the back of the card to give it a bit more stability. There are no mistakes in card making!

The inside of the card is layered with a piece of Floral Delight DSP. This is really pretty paper, but, you really need to like yellow if you are going to add this to your supplies. 😉 There are hints of Pool Party and Old Olive along with 2 sheets of linen texture in Pecan Pie.  

Looking forward to sharing more cards with this bundle and DSP in future posts. In the meantime, be sure to check me out on Facebook!

Happy stamping!

Hugs, Tracie

To The Point - Alternate Punch Use

Hey crafters! Do you ever buy something and then wonder why you bought it? Maybe you see something online that someone made with the product and think.... hmmm I need that!! And then "poof" your credit card has been charged and it is on it's way to you.

Then it arrives and you look at it thinking..... why did I buy this?  Where is that one project I saw and  wanted to recreate?  If you are like me, you forgot to save it and you think your memory was as good as it was when you were a teenager and now you can't remember or find it.  Yep! That is what just happened to me. 

So ok.... stuff happens and that's ok.  It is an opportunity to really stretch yourself and come up with something no one else has thought of (yet 😊).

The To The Point Punch (coming Jan. 7, 2025) in all honesty is quite pretty. I think it is versatile in that it can be used for many occasions. Also, I really like that Stampin' Up! will be offering 2 different stamp sets that will coordinate with the punch Bright Borders & Hugs for Love (SU is offering this as a stamp/die bundle).  I give this punch an 8.5 out of 10. 

But what else can you do with the punch besides stamp the border and punch it out? Well, that's where my brain kicks into gear. I realized that I can use the punch to create a fancy border. For the card I made, I cut a piece of 4" x 1 3/8" strip of Blueberry Bushel cardstock. I placed the cardstock horizontal in the punch and lined up the bottom edge of the cardstock even with top corners of the punch - so that the "squiggle" is cut from the cardstock. I moved the punch to the far right of the 4" strip of Blueberry Bushel and repeated the same step. Then I removed the cardstock, flipped it over and repeated the same 2 punches into the cardstock - voila! A new fancy boarder and an alternate use for the punch!

Coming up with alternate uses for products really stretches the value. What can you come up with for this punch?

Here is what I have used to make my card

• Bright Border stamp set.
• Wildflower Birthday specialty paper pack.
• Heart Shaped stamp/die bundle (level 2 SAB product).
• Gold foil.
• Purple adhesive backed sequins (level 1 SAB).

Happy crafting!  Follow me on Facebook.

Hugs, Tracie

 

Wildflower Birthday Product Based Class

 

Wildflower Birthday - Greetings For All

Hi crafters! I have really been enjoying my time off work and being able to just create. Work is always so busy that I don't get time for myself. Once again I find myself drawn to the Birthday Celebration suite and in particular the Wildflower Birthday specialty paper pack.

When I first began to assemble the card. I layered the cake directly on top of the DSP but when looking at the card I thought it was missing something and that I needed to separate the ephemera from the DSP. So, I die cut a piece of vellum using one of the dies from Linked Together and popped the cake up on dimensionals.

Looking at the cake, I again thought it looked like it was missing something. So, I added 3 tiny gold candles to the cake to complete the look. And of course I had to dive into my old retired stash of products to find the candle punch. Sometimes it is a good thing not to get rid of things.😉 This little punch is a Stampin' Up! punch from years gone by.

I have used one of the sentiments from the Greetings for All Mix & Match Ephemera. I like that this pack of ephemera has some black with white text. However, as mentioned in a post below I wish that this pack had some white with gold text.

Enjoy your day and happy stamping!

Find more inspiration on my Facebook page

Hugs, Tracie

Everyday Arches - Arched Shaped Cards

Hey stampers!  If you haven't seen my previous posts (here and here ) on the Everyday Arches dies (coming Jan. 7, 2025) then let me tell you just how happy I am to finally see Stampin' Up! release there own version of arch dies. Honestly.... it's about time IMHO.

For many of us we want to get the biggest bang for our precious "bucks" when it comes to investing in crafting products. Let me tell you I can envision several ways to use these dies. This time I am making arch shaped cards using the Everyday Arches dies.

Here is the first one I have created. Using the largest of the arches I layered the die on the fold of the card base (Pebbled Path - a colour that I seldom use - for which I have no idea why - it is a really great neutral colour).

When I started this card I had another idea in mind but then realized by pairing it with the Countryside Birdhouse dies I could create a window sill with an array of pretty flowers!  This card is not for the faint of heart. There is tons of die cutting involved so be sure to set aside about 45 mins to 1 hour just for die cutting, layering, adding touches of ink and then punching the centers with a tiny circle punch and adding them to each flower. Phew!!

I finished the card with some Tiny Bee Trinkets - another must have. Super cute and the perfect size! The only draw back is that they do not have an adhesive backing and you will need glue dots to adhere them to your project. All in all I give these trinkets a 9 out of 10. 

Cardstock colour palette for my card includes:

• Pebbled Path
• Peach Pie
• Whisper White
• Bubble Bath
• Lemon Lolly
• Granny Apple Green
• Lucky Limeade
• Gold Glitter paper

I would love to hear your thoughts on my arched shaped window card. Leave me a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by and happy stamping!

Be sure to follow me on Facebook

Hugs, Tracie

Birthday Celebration Suite - A Must Have

My oh my!  How pretty is the Birthday Celebration Suite? Not to mention, a good value, IMHO, for the amount of product included. The suite is listed for $100.75. My 2025 prediction is that this suite will be one of the first to sell out!

The suite comes with a stamp set, dies, adhesive backed dots, ribbon & the Wildflower Birthday specialty paper pack. 

So the colour palette of this suite is "totally up my alley." Pastel colour base that has hints of bright colours like Blueberry Bushel and Daffodil Delight!!!  LOVE IT!!

I can't say enough about this suite. I love everything in it and will be planning a product based class soon. I give this suite 10 out of 10!

Here is one of the many cards I have created so far with this suite (cased from the catalogue). The only item not part of this card is the ribbon, but, I used a bit of everything else. 😜

Here are the details for making this card.

• Base is White with Wildflower Birthday DSP layered on top.
• The "pocket die" is cut from Pretty in Pink cardstock and the sentiment has been embossed with white EP.
• The die cuts are from the ephemera included with the Wildflower Birthday specialty paper. 
• Finally some of the Party Dots (Pool Party) which are also part of the Birthday Celebration Suite.

This suite will be available on Jan. 7, 2025. Shop here to snatch up this suite before it sells out!!

Follow me on Facebook 

Happy stamping!
Hugs, Tracie

 

Everyday Arches Frames and Flowers

Hi crafters!  I am back with another card using the Everyday Arches dies from the 2025 mini catalogue. If you are like me, you are looking for as many ways as possible to get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to the items we buy for our paper craft needs. 

Well here is another use for these dies. Use the dies to make frames for your projects.

This may have taken a bit more time to create as I had to run the cardstock arches with 2 different sized dies to make the frames, but I think the outcome was worth the effort. This creates focal points for the Frames and Flowers ephemera pieces. Admittedly, the colour scheme of the Frames and Flowers specialty pack isn't quite "my cup of tea" but I managed to challenge myself to use this product that has sat on my shelf for the better part of 2024!!!  (Side note, if you don't already know, I am pink/purple/blue kind of gal 😉).

My next challenge was using the Thoughtful Moment hybrid die/embossing folder. I have struggled with this for quite some time and it is not for the lack of trying that I am feeling frustrated.  My dislike with the folder is that adding the ink to the folder can be a bit messy but also you don't get a nice crisp solid stamped image.  I find that the impression of the ink on the paper is "spotty" and for me that "bugs" me. I like a crisp look - but that is just me. Others are probably fine with this but this is my OCD issue- haha. Any-who..... for the purpose of this card, I did my best and am "happy-ish" with the outcome of the stamped/embossed sentiment.  😕

The recipe for my card is as follows:

• Card base is Petal Pink with a layer of Pretty Peacock followed by a layer of white that I embossed with the Starstruck embossing folder (free during the Sale-a-bration promotion). 
• The Everyday Arches are die cut from Soft Seafoam (another colour that I hardly ever use).
• Layered the ephemera with dimensionals over top of the arches.
• Embossed/die cut the sentiment using the hybrid Thoughtful Moments and Soft Seafoam ink).
• Final touch is the "glitz & glam" of the sequins.

Happy stamping!  Follow me on Facebook

Hugs, Tracie

Delightful Wishes Review - A Cute Fun Fold Card

Hello crafters!  Today's review is on the new Delightful Wishes Bundle from the 2025 Stampin' Up! mini catalogue.

A pretty stamp/die bundle but definitely a tricky little bugger to line up the layering stamps!

I must have spent a good 5 minutes trying to figure out exactly where to place the base flower stamp on the stamped branch. Honestly, I tried several times on scrap paper before getting it right and then stamping on my project.  Next is the top layer for the flowers....... UUGGG! another good 8 minutes trying to line the flowers up. 😖But I have to say, once I got them lined up the result is gorgeous!💕

I dislike having to spend that much time on something and it will be interesting to teach my stampers the proper way to line them up - that's if I can remember.  This bundle may not get as much love as others from the 2025 mini catalogue because of my struggles. But I will continue to try to master it 😏. I give this stamp/die bundle an 8 out of 10 for looks and a 4 out of 10 for the time it took to figure out.

My card includes some of the Floral Delight DSP. I do like the colour palette of this DSP - Daffodil Delight, Lemon Lolly, Old Olive, Peach Pie, Pecan Pie and Pool Party. I will likely use up most of the paper in the pack, but like most DSP, there are always some sheets that "don't tickle my fancy". I am pretty sure that I am not alone here. For the DSP I give it a 7.5 out of 10. 

If you are looking for a "Springy" suite, this fits the bill!  The suite includes the stamp/die bundle along with 1/8" satin ribbon, 12" x 12" Vellum paper, 12" x 12" designer paper and some teeny tiny bee trinkets. That being said, be prepared to spend $122.25 for everything in this suite. 

Leave me your thoughts on my review below.

Happy stamping.

Hugs, Tracie

Linked Together Stamp/Die/Mask Bundle Review

Hello stampers! Ready for another new bundle review? The bundle is Linked Together. The focus of this post is the review of the dies and masks.

This bundle includes 4 masks that add depth and dimension to your projects along with a stamp set and dies. These masks are a great way to add an extra layer of design. With versatile chain link and floral designs, you can use one mask to create a background feature, or you can pair your favourite masks together using different inks to create an even more intricate design. I used 3 of the 4 masks to create the ombre background for my card. Easy to use and quite effective. I like the mask quite a bit but I need more time to play with them to see what else I can create. I do like that Stampin' Up! has marked the upper left corner of the mask to help the crafter know which direction to place each layering mask. This is a first for Stampin' Up! I think this will be helpful to gain perfect alignment.  

The mask are sold separately for $18 or a part of the bundle with the stamps and dies for $81. I really like the idea of layering masks but honestly am patiently waiting for Stampin' Up! to bring out layering masks that you can add additional tones to images like flowers and leaves.  From what I see so far, these masks are somewhat limited and not for those who are in a rush to make a card. You need patience and practice to master layering the colours. For now I give these a 6 out of 10.  That may change as I use them more.

I used the vines (Granny Apple and Old Olive) and flowers (Bubble Bath & Fresh Freesia) for the focal point of the card. I like that Stampin' Up! included layering dies so that you can create depth and dimension to the flowers.  These could be used on many different projects.  My opinion of these dies are quite positive. I give them a 8 out of 10 (see reason in post that follows). I think for the price of the dies, they could have included one additional flower a bit larger than what is shown above. 

I finished the card with a tiny bee trinket.  These are gold in colour and are the perfect accent for any project with flowers!  I really like these trinkets. You get 40 trinkets for $12.25 ~ with shipping and tax ~ about $0.40 each. One might want to use them sparingly!. I give these tiny bee trinkets a 9 out of 10.

Well, that's all for now on the Linked Together review. I hope you got some insight into this bundle.

Happy stamping,

Hugs, Tracie