Huge Thanks — Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge #HSS476

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Stampin’ Up!’s brand new Big Little Things Stamp Set (released November 4th, 2025) is full of charm and heart. I couldn’t resist using the sweet manatee image for this week’s Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge. It’s perfect for thank-you cards, birthdays, or just-because notes — and it pairs beautifully with subtle seaside tones.

Design Tip 💡

To get this soft ombré look on your background, lightly blend Lost Lagoon ink over your embossed panel using a Blending Brush. It highlights the raised areas and brings the waves to life.

Join the Challenge

I’d love for you to join this week’s Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge! Use the sketch as your starting point and share your creation with us. Whether you go bold or subtle, it’s all about having fun and getting creative.

Here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.


HSS476Download

Save this card idea to your Stampin’ Up! Sketch Inspiration board — it’s a fun layout you can reuse for so many themes.

When you shop with me – you also get a bonus Tutorial with an order over $65 ( before rewards, shipping and taxes).

Don’t live in Canada? You can still get this tutorial in my PDF shop: https://payhip.com/b/dya8j

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💌 Bright & Happy Christmas Wishes – #GDP522 Card Sketch Challenge

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Card sketches are one of my favourite ways to kickstart creativity — and this week’s Global Design Project #GDP522 sketch was the perfect excuse to play with the Jolly Holly Bundle from Stampin’ Up!®.

For this cheerful holiday card, I went with a fun non-traditional colour combo:
🎨 Strawberry Slush, Granny Apple Green, Pool Party, and Coastal Cabana.

The background is embossed with holly leaves for a soft texture, and I added White & Gold Baker’s Twine for a touch of sparkle. The Strawberry Slush Gems finish the look perfectly — just the right pop of shimmer to balance the playful colours.

I love how this card turned out — bright, modern, and full of Christmas cheer! 🌿✨

Play Along!

Want to join the fun? Create your own project inspired by #GDP522 and share it on social media – facebook.com/GlobalDesignProject
👉 Don’t forget to tag @stampinwithleah and use #GDP522 so I can see your creations!

📌 Save this post for your next cardmaking session — or share it with a crafty friend who loves non-traditional Christmas cards!

If you’d like to recreate this look, here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.


GDP522Download

Want to Stamp With Me?

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RSVP now for the December 6th class

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I HAM So Proud of You – Global Design Project #GDP521

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I’m so excited to share my very first project as a new member of the Global Design Project Design Team! 🎉

This week’s challenge is a beautiful colour combination for #GDP521, and I couldn’t resist using the adorable Party Piggy bundle (on the Last Chance list 🐷). I paired it with the Beautiful Bokeh 6″x6″ Designer Series Paper and the Dotted Circle 3D Embossing Folder, each layered on Calypso Coral mats for a bright, playful look.

The sentiment, “I HAM so proud of you,” is heat embossed in white on a strip of Granny Apple Green cardstock, adding a crisp, bold contrast to the soft piggy tones. I finished the card with Traditional Sparkling Sequins and White & Gold Baker’s Twine for just the right touch of shimmer.

You can visit the Global Design Project on Facebook to see the rest of the team’s creations and join in this week’s colour challenge!
👉 facebook.com/GlobalDesignProject

If you’d like to recreate this look, here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.


GDP521Download

Want to Stamp With Me?

Join my November Card Class to learn new techniques and create beautiful projects. Spots are limited, so reserve yours today!

RSVP now for the November 8th class

Don’t live nearby? You can find many PDF Tutorials in my shop:
👉 https://payhip.com/StampinWithLeahCardCardClassestoGo

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

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Merry & Bright for HSS Color Challenge #475

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This week’s Hand Stamped Sentiments Colour Challenge is a gorgeous one — featuring Cherry Cobbler, Secret Sea, and Pool Party. These colours come together beautifully for a rich, festive look that’s perfect for holiday cardmaking.

For my project, I pulled out the Merry Christmas stamp set — I just love that elegant, bold font! I paired it with the sweet poinsettia image from the Jolly Holly stamp set for a touch of classic Christmas charm.

The background layers showcase the Regal Distressed Designer Series Paper — that subtle pattern adds just the right amount of texture and warmth. To finish off the design, I tied on some Secret Sea ribbon for a soft pop of colour and shimmer.

A few stamped poinsettias and low profile sparkle dots complete the look for a simple yet stunning holiday greeting card.

If you haven’t yet, hop over to the Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge Blog to see the rest of the design team’s creations — and play along with us this week!

Here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.

Product List
HSS475 TutorialDownload

This cheerful card is perfect for holiday giving—and so much fun to create!

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Right now we also have 2 great starter kits deals to choose from! This is too good to pass up.

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Cozy Fall Inspiration with Amber Autumn – HSS #474

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As soon as I saw the Hand Stamped Sentiments Inspiration Challenge #474 board, I knew I wanted to feature the Amber Autumn Bundle. Its classic pumpkins, gourds, and foliage perfectly capture the cozy, layered textures and rich colours of fall shown in the challenge images.

This card combines the Amber Autumn bundle with the soon-to-be-released Vellum Basics (available November 1st — or you can get it early by joining my Stampin’ Up! team and adding it to your starter kit today!)

The background features the textured Need for Tweed DSP, and the metallic leaves are die-cut from the Earthen Tones Metallic Specialty Paper — a subtle shimmer that complements the soft fabric look perfectly.

🍂 Why You’ll Love the Amber Autumn Bundle

  • Perfect for creating elegant fall cards and Thanksgiving projects.
  • Gorgeous line art images ideal for colouring, blending, or embossing.
  • Versatile sentiments that work beautifully for gratitude, friendship, and seasonal celebrations.

Here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.


thesearemystamps.com_cards_print_hss474Download

If you love this bundle as much as I do, don’t miss my Amber Autumn PDF Tutorial — available now in my shop:
👉 https://payhip.com/b/5lef9

You’ll find step-by-step instructions for multiple cozy fall cards — perfect for crafting during those crisp October evenings.

💛 Join the Inspiration

Head over to Hand Stamped Sentiments and play along with Challenge #474! Use the inspiration board to spark your next fall creation and share your work with our creative community.

Want to Stamp With Me?

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RSVP now for the October 25th class

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GDP518 Sketch Challenge – Nests of Winter & Misty Moonlight Magic

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There’s something so elegant about a cool winter palette, and today’s card for the Global Design Project #518 Sketch Challenge captures that perfectly! I paired the Nests of Winter Designer Series Paper with Misty Moonlight, silver-edged ribbon, and rhinestones for a frosty, festive feel.

The sentiment from Jolly Holly was stamped in Misty Moonlight and layered on a Spotlight on Nature circle for the perfect focal point. This simple but striking design really lets the patterned paper and soft shimmer take center stage.

If you’d like to recreate this look, here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.


thesearemystamps.com_cards_print_gdp518Download

I love how the sketch challenge layout gave me the perfect framework to build a clean and elegant holiday card that’s quick to assemble but still full of detail.

👉 Check out all the amazing inspiration from the Global Design Project #518 Challenge here and try the sketch yourself!

💙 Tip: If you love this colour combo, stock up on Misty Moonlight cardstock and ink before the holidays—they’re perfect for winter crafting projects.

Want to Stamp With Me?

Join my October Card Class to learn new techniques and create beautiful projects. Spots are limited, so reserve yours today!

RSVP now for the October 25th class

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👉 https://payhip.com/StampinWithLeahCardCardClassestoGo

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There are two great ways to join right now and so many reasons to be a part of my Ink Pad Pals team!

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Throwback Thursday – Baby Steps

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It’s been a little while with a busy September – but I am back and it’s time for another Throwback Thursday. This week, I couldn’t resist pulling out one of my favorite retired wooden block stamps: Baby Steps! These sweet elephants are timeless, and they pair perfectly with today’s Peach Pie Designer Series Paper, matching ribbon, and a few gems for a subtle sparkle.

The sentiment panel is cut using the Peace on Earth Dies, which adds just the right touch of elegance to this playful design. I love how the pop of color and texture make this card feel fresh while still celebrating a bit of Stampin’ Up! history.

Whether you’re celebrating a new baby, a milestone, or any happy occasion — this card brings a smile every time.

🧡 What’s your favorite retired stamp set that you still reach for? Let me know in the comments below!

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RSVP now for the Oct 25th class
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HSS Sketch Challenge – Gingerbreadman Bundle

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I’m so excited to share my project for this week’s Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge #473. For this card, I featured the Gingerbreadman Bundle from Stampin’ Up! to create a whimsical holiday design.

This card is full of sweet details:

  • A gingerbreadman, heat embossed in white on Pecan Pie cardstock.
  • A bold red banner stamped with “Season’s Eatings”.
  • Bright, cheerful die cut gumdrops.
  • Candy stripes from the Turtle-y Cute DSP for extra festive fun.

This project combines playful colors with holiday cheer and is a perfect way to spread smiles this season!

Here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.


HSS473 card recipeDownload

This cheerful card is perfect for holiday giving—and so much fun to create!

Want to Stamp With Me?

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RSVP now for the October 25th class
Live outside of Canada? You still have time to register!

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Dino-Mite Fun for HSS472 + GDP514!

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This week I combined the sketch from Global Design Project #514 with the Hand Stamped Sentiments Colour Challenge #472. The colour combo of Darling Duckling, Timid Tiger, and Pretty Peacock was perfect for creating a playful fall card with a cheerful twist.

This card features the Darling Dinos bundle. I used masking to create the layered field of flowers behind the dino, giving extra depth and dimension. Paired with the embossed sunflower background and a bold sentiment banner, this layout came together beautifully and stayed true to the sketch.

This card makes me smile—it’s bright, fun, and perfect for a birthday surprise!

Here’s a full list of supplies used as well as a printable card recipe.


HSS472CCDownload

Want to Stamp With Me?

Join my October Card Class to learn new techniques and create beautiful projects. Spots are limited, so reserve yours today!

RSVP now for the October 11th class
See the details and register here!

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Global Design Project #513 – Autumn Colour Challenge Card

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This week I had the honour of being invited as the Guest Designer for the Global Design Project Challenge (#GDP513)! The challenge features a warm and inviting colour palette that instantly made me think of crisp fall days and colourful leaves. I reached for the Amber Autumn Bundle, the Gathering Together 12” x 12” Designer Series Paper, and a mix of rich Stampin’ Blends to create this cozy seasonal card.

The Global Design Project #513 challenge focused on three stunning colours: Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, and Pecan Pie. These earthy tones are perfect for fall cardmaking, especially when combined with warm textures and layered leaves.

Card Details & How-To

✨ Stamping & Colouring

  • I used the Amber Autumn stamp set to create my focal image.
  • The pumpkins and leaves were coloured with Cajun Craze and Pecan Pie Stampin’ Blends.
  • To achieve a softer Crushed Curry look, I blended Dark Daffodil Delight with Dark Darling Duckling.

🍂 Die-Cut Leaves

  • On a piece of Basic White cardstock, I blended Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, and Pecan Pie inks using Blending Brushes.
  • Once dry, I die cut the leaves using the coordinating dies from the Amber Autumn Bundle.
  • This gave the leaves a gorgeous mottled, realistic look.

🖤 Designer Series Paper & Accents

I finished the design with a sprinkling of Cajun Craze & Gold Dots for a little extra texture and shine.

The background features the Gathering Together 12” x 12” DSP, which tied the colours together beautifully.

Here’s a full list of the supplies used.


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If you love fall-inspired cards, don’t forget to save this idea to your Pinterest boards for inspiration later.

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