HSS493 – A Sweet Birthday Card with Caring Animals

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It’s time for another fun challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments , and this week we’re featuring a beautiful Colour Challenge HSS493!

When I first saw this colour combination, I immediately thought of creating something soft, sweet, and perfect for celebrating a birthday. The adorable lion from the Caring Animals stamp set seemed like the perfect choice!

I started with a Barely Blush card base and added lots of subtle texture using the Fern & Flora 3D Embossing Folder. I love how embossing adds interest without competing with the focal image.

For the background strip, I used a piece of Beautiful Ordinary Life Designer Series Paper in Lost Lagoon, but I wanted to give it a little extra personality. I stamped the leafy images from the Caring Animals stamp set directly onto the DSP using Lost Lagoon ink for a subtle tone-on-tone effect. It’s a simple technique that adds depth and ties the background in beautifully with the embossed botanical theme.

To create a little extra dimension, I stamped the lion and sentiment in Lost Lagoon on my die-cut circle first, then stamped the lion again in Black Memento Ink on a separate piece of cardstock. After colouring and fussy cutting him, I popped him up with Stampin’ Dimensionals so he extends beyond the edge of the circle. It’s an easy technique that really helps the focal image stand out. To finish the focal point, I wove Linen Thread through the stitched openings around the Spotlight on Nature circle and tied a bow in the bottom left corner. I love the soft texture it adds and how it draws attention to the beautiful stitched detail of the die. To finish the card, I added a few gems for sparkle from the In Color 2026-2028 Dots.

One of my favourite things about colour challenges is seeing how everyone interprets the same palette in completely different ways. This combination felt soft and elegant while still being playful thanks to the adorable lion.

I hope you’ll stop by Hand Stamped Sentiments to see what the rest of the Design Team created, then join us with your own interpretation of these beautiful colours. I can’t wait to see what you make!

Want to grab the supplies for this card? Shop the links below or head to my shop.


SHOP HERE

Looking for even more inspiration and more ways to enjoy stamping? Join my Stampin’ Up! Ink Pad Pals team!

The join process has changed a bit (sign up for $135 and get a $170 coupon) and you now get a fantastic Welcome Box too. The perks once you’ve joined remain the same.

  • Save 20%+ on your orders.
  • Get free access to my monthly card class tutorials.
  • Enjoy our monthly team meetings with stamping fun and collaboration.

Contact me to find out more or see the details on my website.

Join Now!


HSS492 – A Bold Floral Birthday Card

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Hello, friends!

It feels so good to be back! If you’ve noticed I’ve been a little MIA lately, you’re absolutely right. Life has been wonderfully busy with home renovations and family commitments, which has meant my crafting (and blogging!) has taken a bit of a back seat. The good news is things are finally starting to settle down, and I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll have my craft room back up and running very soon. I can’t wait to get back to creating and sharing with you more regularly!

Today I’m excited to share my latest project for the Hand Stamped Sentiments Inspiration Challenge HSS492!

The inspiration board immediately caught my eye with its vibrant pinks, warm sunset oranges, bold black accents, and beautiful florals. Rather than recreate one specific image, I pulled inspiration from the overall colour palette and modern floral feel.

For my card, I blended Melon Mambo and Timid Tiger together using a Blending Brush to create a bold ombré background. I absolutely love how these two colours melt into each other—it reminds me of a gorgeous summer sunset!

To keep the focus on the colourful background, I heat embossed the label and birthday greeting from the Exciting Times stamp set in white. The crisp white sentiment really pops against those vibrant colours.

The finishing touch was adding the gorgeous black Floral Flight Accents. Their bold outline design creates such striking contrast and frames the sentiment beautifully without hiding too much of the blended background. A few 2026–2028 In Color Butterflies add just the right amount of sparkle and movement to complete the design.

One of my favourite things about inspiration challenges is that everyone sees something different. Whether it’s the colours, patterns, florals, or overall feeling of the inspiration board, it’s always amazing to see the variety of projects our design team creates.

I’d love to hear what inspires you most from this challenge board. Is it the tropical sunset, the bold black-and-white patterns, or those gorgeous bright florals?

Be sure to hop over to Hand Stamped Sentiments to see the rest of the Design Team’s beautiful creations, and I hope you’ll play along with us this week!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and thank you for sticking with me while life has been a little hectic.

Want to grab the supplies for this card? Shop the links below or head to my shop.


SHOP HERE

Looking for even more inspiration and more ways to enjoy stamping? Join my Stampin’ Up! Ink Pad Pals team!

The join process has changed a bit (sign up for $135 and get a $170 coupon) and you now get a fantastic Welcome Box too. The perks once you’ve joined remain the same.

  • Save 20%+ on your orders.
  • Get free access to my monthly card class tutorials.
  • Enjoy our monthly team meetings with stamping fun and collaboration.

Contact me to find out more or see the details on my website.

Join Now!


🌊 Scenic Coast MEGA Stamp Camp – Registration Now Open!

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If you love soft coastal tones, shimmering sunset skies, and relaxing creative time, you are going to absolutely LOVE what we have planned this summer! 🌅✨

I’m so excited to invite you to our upcoming Scenic Coast MEGA Stamp Camp—a two-day online creative retreat filled with inspiration, connection, and 10 beautiful stamping projects you’ll create right along with us.

This is one of my favourite kinds of events because it feels like a full weekend getaway… without ever leaving your craft room 💙

During this creative weekend, we’ll walk through 10 stunning coastal-inspired projects together.

Your Stamp Camp experience includes:

  • 🎁 10 Make ‘n Take kits (pre-cut cardstock, envelopes & select die cuts)
  • 🎥 10 video tutorials (live + recorded for replay anytime)
  • 📄 10 printable PDF tutorials + BONUS 5-project tutorial
  • 💬 Access to an exclusive Facebook group
  • 🎲 Mystery stamping session
  • 🎁 Entry into prize draws

Everything is designed to make your crafting experience easy, fun, and completely stress-free.

Your hosts—myself, Kim Kroeker, Gill Long, Ange McKay, and Lori Willcox—have created an unforgettable experience to spark your creativity.

Here are the beautiful new online exclusive products we will be crafting with:

This is more than just a class—it’s a weekend of creativity, inspiration, and connection with fellow crafters who love stamping as much as you do.

If you’ve been looking for a creative reset or a fun summer crafting event, I’d love to have you join us 💙

👉 See the details and reserve your spot now:

https://form.jotform.com/leahdixon41/scenic-coast-mega-stamp-camp

We can’t wait to stamp with you!

Click here to shop my online store.
Click here to access & view the current catalogs.
Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity!
Click here for more information about joining my Online Monthly Technique Club. Earn even more goodies by joining a club!
Click here to learn more about joining my Ink Pad Pals Team. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products!
Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook!
Please subscribe to my newsletter, too! Click here and enter your email. When you include your birthday you will even be added to my birthday card mailing list 🙂

GDP #543 | Pattern Challenge

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This week’s challenge at Global Design Project is all about pattern—and it’s such a fun one to play with!

For my card, I started with the Forever Plaid Embossing Folder on Basic White cardstock to create a subtle but beautiful textured pattern. I then added bold Lemon Lime Twist stripes to bring in some bright, playful contrast.

To build my focal point, I cut a circle and created a scalloped edge for added interest and layering. The flowers from the Round of Hellos stamp set were stamped in Fresh Freesia, paired with Secret Sea leaves and Lemon Lime Twist centers to tie everything together.

I love how the mix of texture, colour, and repetition really highlights the theme this week!

✨ Be sure to join the challenge over at Global Design Project and share your patterned creations!

✂️ Card Details:

  • Stamp Set: Round of Hellos
  • Embossing Folder: Forever Plaid
  • Colours: Basic White, Lemon Lime Twist, Fresh Freesia, Secret Sea and Coastal Cabana

Want to stamp with me?

Make sure to sign up for my newletter (link below) to learn about upcoming classes. I am in the middle of moving right now – so no classes in April or May. I can’t wait to host you all in my new studio once the move is complete.


Coast to Coast Creators – April 2026 | Retiring In Colors

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This month for our Coast to Coast Creators hop, we’re celebrating the beautiful retiring 2024–2026 In Colors—and I couldn’t resist using all five on one cheerful card!

For my project, I started with a Summer Splash card base, which really makes everything pop. I paired it with the gorgeous Soft Waves 3D Embossing Folder (sadly on the Last Chance list!) to create that soft, flowing texture in the background.

The star of the show is the adorable upcoming stamp set Caring Animals (coming May 2026!). I stamped the sweet birds and sentiment image and coloured them using the retiring In Color Stampin’ Blends:

  • Petunia Pop
  • Peach Pie
  • Summer Splash
  • Pretty in Pink
  • Shy Shamrock

I love how each little bird brings a pop of colour while still keeping the design clean and simple.

To finish it off, I added a torn strip of Summer Splash cardstock behind the sentiment for a bit of texture and dimension, along with a few soft Pretty In Pink Flat Pearls.

This card is a perfect reminder to grab your favourite In Color products before they’re gone!

✨ Be sure to hop along and see how the rest of the team is using these gorgeous colours!
Click the link below to continue the hop and see what everyone else created for this month’s sketch challenge.


Want to make this card?

You can! I have a full list of supplies below and a printable recipe card.

🛒 Ready to shop the current supplies? Head to my store: https://www.stampinup.ca/?demoid=2189587 or use the items links below:

NOTE: Caring Animals stamp set (167804) not available until May 2026 (or NOW – if you join my team).


Here is a printable recipe card – with supplies and instructions:

Apr 2026 C2C hop cardDownload

When you place an order with me, you’ll earn Stampin’ Rewards on your purchase, a $65 order with get you the Crafty Collaborators PDF Tutorial and a $100 order qualifies you to purcahse the Product of the Month ( for just $5) and I will send you a 12 card Creative vault Tutorial featuring project made with the Product of the Month too!

Shop Here

👉 Looking for other ways to stamp with me?

You can watch my You Tube channel – new videos coming after my move is complete.

You can find tutorials in my Payhip Shop.

If you are local – join my in person card class!

CLASSES WILL RESUME AFTER MY MOVE IN MAY

Looking for even more ways to enjoy stamping? Join my Stampin’ Up! Ink Pad Pals team!

  • Save 20%+ on your orders.
  • Get free access to my monthly card class tutorials.
  • Enjoy our monthly team meetings with stamping fun and collaboration.

Contact me to find out more or see the details on my website.

Join Now!

➡️ Subscribe to my newsletter at https://mailchi.mp/f1809c680508/subscribe-to-stampin-with-leahs-newsletter

HSS486 – Zooming into Inspiration!

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It’s time for a new challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments , and this week we have a fun Inspiration Board for HSS486!

From race cars and checkered flags to sports and action-packed scenes, this board is full of energy, movement, and bold colour—and that’s exactly what inspired my card.

I was immediately drawn to the race car and checkered flags, which led me straight to the Ready Set Go stamp set. I wanted to capture that fast-paced, high-energy feel, so I designed my card with strong diagonal layers to mimic speed and motion.

My base is Coastal Cabana, with blended panels to create a racetrack-style background. The repeated “ZOOM!” stamping adds to the sense of movement, while the angled design keeps your eye travelling across the card.

The race car is coloured in Timid Tiger and Poppy Parade—inspired by the bold, vibrant tones from the board. I popped it up for dimension and added a few enamel dots for a playful finishing touch.

🏁 Inspired by the board:

  • Checkered flags → stamped accents
  • Race car → focal image
  • Action/movement → diagonal layout & “ZOOM!” background
  • Bold colours → bright, high-contrast palette

This card would be perfect for anyone who loves cars, sports, or anything fast and fun!

Be sure to check out the full inspiration board and join us for the challenge—I’d love to see what inspires you!

Want to grab the supplies for this card? Shop the links below or head to my shop.


SHOP HERE

Looking for even more inspiration and more ways to enjoy stamping? Join my Stampin’ Up! Ink Pad Pals team!

  • Save 20%+ on your orders.
  • Get free access to my monthly card class tutorials.
  • Enjoy our monthly team meetings with stamping fun and collaboration.

Contact me to find out more or see the details on my website.

Join Now!

Be sure to visit the Hand Stamped Sentiments blog to see all the gorgeous inspiration from the design team—and then join us by creating your own project using this colour challenge.


Rainbow Tulips for GDP #542 – Sketch Challenge

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This week I’m playing along with Global Design Project #542, and it’s a fun sketch challenge! I love using sketches because they take the guesswork out of designing a layout while still leaving plenty of room to get creative.

For my card, I kept things clean and simple, letting a row of colourful flowers do all the work.

The flowers and sentiment come from the Woolly Friends Stamp Set. I stamped a neat row of blooms across the top of the card and coloured them in a cheerful rainbow of Stampin’ Blends. The bright colours instantly bring the card to life and perfectly match the sentiment “Sending Flowers & Sunshine.”

To follow the sketch, I added a sentiment banner across the card front and wrapped a bit of gold and white baker’s twine around the layer for a soft, handmade touch. A few Iridescent Foil Gems finish it off with just a little shine. Both of these items are on the Last Chance list – so grab them asap.

The flowers were coloured using Stampin’ Blends in:

  • Strawberry Slush
  • Poppy Parade
  • Timid Tiger
  • Peach Pie
  • Daffodil Delight
  • Summer Splash
  • Azure Afternoon
  • Fresh Freesia
  • Petunia Pop

The leaves were coloured with Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends.

I layered the stamped image onto a sunny piece of Beach Boardwalk DSP and then onto a Coastal Cabana card base to keep the card light and simple.

Sketch challenges are such a great way to spark creativity, and this one was especially fun to interpret!

Be sure to check out the beautiful inspiration from the Global Design Project designers, and consider joining the challenge yourself, use the hashtag #GDP542.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Want to stamp with me?

Make sure to sign up for my newletter (link below) to learn about upcoming classes. I am in the middle of moving right now – so no classes in April or May. I can’t wait to host you all in my new studio once the move is complete.


April 2026 Product of the Month – Eyelet Blooms Die

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April’s Product of the Month is a tool that instantly elevates your projects with elegant texture and beautiful detail — the Eyelet Blooms Dies (167984).

Why You’ll Love Eyelet Blooms

The Eyelet Blooms Die is the finishing touch you didn’t know you needed. Whether you’re creating a handmade card or designing a scrapbook page, this die transforms your background with soft texture and refined detail.

Its intricate eyelet pattern fills a large space beautifully, giving your project a polished, handcrafted look in one easy cut.

Perfect for crafters who love:

  • Elegant backgrounds
  • Quick card designs
  • Adding texture without bulk
  • Simple projects with a big impact

Run the die through your machine and you instantly have a stunning background ready to build your card design around. You can even run it through with our new Impressions Mat or your Silicone Mat to get an embossed look instead of a die cut.

Perfect For

  • Card backgrounds
  • Scrapbook pages
  • Wedding or anniversary cards
  • Elegant birthday cards
  • Clean and simple designs with texture

Because the pattern is so versatile, it pairs beautifully with florals, sentiments, die cuts, or even minimal embellishments.

💚 April Special Offer

You can get the Eyelet Blooms Dies (167984) for only $5 when you place a $100 order in April.

And there’s an extra bonus for my customers!

When you place your $100 order with me, you will also receive my exclusive 12-project Product of the Month PDF tutorial featuring this die.

This tutorial includes:

  • 12 inspiring projects
  • A variety of card styles
  • Creative layouts and ideas
  • Inspiration to help you get the most from this beautiful die

It’s available exclusively to my customers as my thank you for supporting my business.

SHOP HERE

Inspiration Gallery

This die shines when you see it used in different ways, so I’ll be sharing a variety of samples to inspire you. Look for:

  • Close-ups showing the beautiful eyelet texture
  • Full card backgrounds
  • Layered designs with florals
  • Clean and simple layouts

Let’s Create Something Beautiful

The Eyelet Blooms Dies make it so easy to create elegant cards and layouts with minimal effort. One cut, endless possibilities!

If you have questions about coordinating products or would like help building your $100 order, I’d love to help.

Click here to shop my online store.
Click here to access & view the current catalogs.
Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity!
Click here for more information about joining my Online Monthly Technique Club. Earn even more goodies by joining a club!
Click here to learn more about joining my Ink Pad Pals Team. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products!
Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook!
Please subscribe to my newsletter, too! Click here and enter your email. When you include your birthday you will even be added to my birthday card mailing list 🙂

Ready, Set, Go! – GDP #541

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This Online Exclusive Ready Set Go! stamp set (167537) has been my go to stamp set in my limited crafting time these days.

This week I used it for a great colour challenge by Global Design Project.

This is a fairly simple card – just lots of cardstock layers.

I stamped the race car in Cloud Cover Ink all over the Basic White layer. Then I stamped it again in Secret Sea. I coloured it with Stampin’ Blends ( Daffodil Delight and Timid Tiger), fussy cut it and attached it to the cardfrot using Dimensionals.

Next the sentiment was stamped in Secret Sea on a layered banner. The flags were stamped in Secret Sea, fussy cut and glued down.

Finally, I embellished with some Timid Tiger Flat Pearls.

All of this got layered onto Daffodil Delight, Timid Tiger and finally a Cloud Cover card base.

I think this one has just a little bit of a retro look to it.

🏎️ Perfect For:

  • Kids’ birthdays
  • Teen birthdays
  • Masculine cards
  • Race fans

🛍️ Shop the New Online Exclusives

The Ready Set Go! stamp set (167537) is part of the Online Exclusives collection — available only while supplies last.

👉 Browse all the new Online Exclusives in my shop here:
https://www.stampinup.ca/?demoid=2189587

Don’t wait too long — these exclusive releases tend to zoom away quickly!

It would be great if you could play along with us. If you do, use the hashtag #GDP541 and tag me too!

Want to stamp with me?

Make sure to sign up for my newletter (link below) to learn about upcoming classes. I am in the middle of moving right now – so no classes in March. I can’t wait to host you all in my new studio once the move is complete.


HSS #485 | Unbridled Beauty Sketch Challenge

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This week’s Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge was a veratile layout! I found myself using the Unbridled Beauty set again to create this rustic card.

The center panel is stamped in Early espresso to create a full country scene. Then coloured with Stampin’ Blends.

I layered it onto a torn piece of Early Espresso cardstock and then onto the Country Woods DSP.

I tied a piece of twine around the whole layer before adhering to the Basic Beige card base.

My final piece was an embossed sentiment on the DSP – that in hindsight would have been easier if I had done it before gluing all the layers. Live and learn!

This card is actually part of a card class to go that I offering in my PDF shop. You can click below to grab it. I am not currently offering in person classes due to a move and home reno – I’ll be back in April or May.

Looking for even more inspiration and more ways to enjoy stamping? Join my Stampin’ Up! Ink Pad Pals team!

  • Save 20%+ on your orders.
  • Get free access to my monthly card class tutorials.
  • Enjoy our monthly team meetings with stamping fun and collaboration.

Contact me to find out more or see the details on my website.

Join Now!

Be sure to visit the Hand Stamped Sentiments blog to see all the gorgeous inspiration from the design team—and then join us by creating your own project using this colour challenge.