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.
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 Challengehere 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.
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If you’ve been crafting with me for a while, you know Free as a Bird is one of my all-time favorite retired Stampin’ Up! stamp sets. This week, I dusted it off for Throwback Thursday and gave it a fresh twist with the 2025–2027 In Color Designer Series Paper, the 2025–2027 In Color Flat Pearls, and the crisp White ¼” Ribbon.
To bring it all together, I reached for the Spotlight on Nature Dies and created a pretty circular focal point for my sweet bluebirds. The color combo of Darling Duckling, Poppy Parade, and Pool Party comes straight from the Global Design Project #509 color challenge – and it’s perfect for a bright, happy friendship card.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Cut a Basic White card base (4 ¼” x 11”, scored at 5 ½”).
Cut a Darling Duckling DSP layer to 4” x 5 ¼”.
Add a 1 ¾” x 5 ¼” strip of Pool Party cardstock across the card front. Stamp the sentiment in Memento Black.
Tie a piece of White ¼” Ribbon and make a bow on the right hand side. Adhere this DSP/ribbon layer to the card base.
Die cut a circle from Basic White using the Spotlight on Nature Dies, adhere to the card front using Dimensionals.
Stamp the bird image from Free as a Bird in Memento Black on Basic White and color with Pool Party, Poppy Parade, and Darling Duckling Stampin’ Blends. I also used a little bit of light Crumb cake for the branch. Fussy cut.
Adhere the birds to the circle with a bit of glue in the center and Mini Dimensionals on the two branch ends.
Finish with Darling Duckling 2025–2027 In Color Flat Pearls for a cheerful touch.
Stampin’ Tip: If you don’t have the Free as a Bird stamp set, you can substitute any branch-and-bird image for a similar look – the key is in the color palette and layout.
The DSP and dots are also on sale this month!! Make sure to grab all the In Color items during this sale – you can find ALL the products on the In Color Sale Special page ( or click the image below).
Don’t forget – you’ll earn Stampin’ Rewards on your purchase too!
I love revisiting my Paper Pumpkin kits, especially when they coordinate so perfectly with current products! This week, I pulled out the Nests of Christmas Paper Pumpkin kit from October 2024 and created three brand-new alternative cards using the coordinating Nests of Winter 12×12 DSP and the stunning Gold Striped Mesh Ribbon.
Die cut a Basic White and a Shaded Spruce Everyday Arch that can layer together. Glue them together and then glue to a Pool Party layer ( either a piece from the Paper Pumpkin kit or a 4″ X 5-1/4″ layer of Nests of Winter DSP).
Tie a piece of Gold Striped Mesh Ribbon around this layer and attach to a Thick Basic White card base.
Stamp the sentiment using Shaded Spruce Ink on one of the extra labels from the kit ( or cut your own with Stylish Shapes dies). Attach to the card front using Dimensionals.
Fussy cut a bird on a branch and an extra branch from the Nests of Winter DSP and glue to the card front ( tuck the ends under the sentiment label).
🧵 BONUS: I have TWO full Nests of Christmas Paper Pumpkin kits available — directly from me (not Stampin’ Up!). These are $35 CAD each (+ shipping if needed). If you’re in Canada, contact me directly to arrange local pickup or mailing.
In addition to this sweet winter card, I created 3 other alternatives. Each of these uses bits from the Paper Pumpkin kit added on to a card stock base rather than creating the cards as intended. Let’s take a look at each of the new cards!
Don’t forget – you’ll earn Stampin’ Rewards on your purchase too!
This month’s Card Class To Go features the adorable Jar of Joy stamp set – a brand-newOnline Exclusive that coordinates perfectly with the Sweet Jar Builder Punch. It’s festive, fun, and ideal for holiday crafting!
I’ve paired it with:
Nests of Winter 12×12 DSP
Real Red & White Baker’s Twine
Real Red & White Adhesive-Backed Peppermint Dots
This class includes everything you need to make four festive cards, and the Make ’n’ Take kit + PDF tutorial are FREE with a $60 order (before tax/shipping) in Canada.
⛄ Card 1: Snowman in the Snow A snow-dusted background with an Everyday Arch to frame the happiest little snowman. Finished with twine and the sentiment “Sending a jar full of cheer”, this card brings wintry warmth with its cool blues and cozy textures.
🎁 Card 2: Jar of Ornaments Joy Bright and bold with a Real Red background, this card features stamped ornaments inside a jar, twine-wrapped layers, and a sweet sentiment: “May your heart be filled with joy.” Perfect for mass-producing with a pop of cheer!
🍬 Card 3: Gingerbread Peppermint Delight A sweet treat of a card! The jar is filled with gingerbread, peppermint candies, and stars. With a plaid embossed background, an icy Pool Party DSP and sentiment “Wishing you the sweetest Christmas,” this is a standout for candy-lovers and bakers alike!
🌲 Card 4: Rustic Snowman Scene Layered with corrugated Gray Granite cardstock and birch-print DSP, this rustic design is modern yet warm. The offset stitched circles and Secret Sea accents give the snowman jar center stage!
Here’s how to get your kit: Place a $60+ order (before tax & shipping) in my online store between July 2–9, 2025, and I’ll send you all four card kits (1 of each design) as a thank-you gift. See below for a full list of supplies used to create these cards.
Whether you’re making cards to send or prepping handmade holiday gifts, this Jar of Joy Card Class To Go is designed to help you craft beautiful, layered cards that are easy to recreate but full of wow-factor.
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 🙂
Welcome back to Festive Friday! This week’s card features the Everyday Arches Dies, Greetings of the Season Stamp Set, and the Nests of Winter DSP for a soft, wintery holiday look. ❄️ The background, embossed with the Snowflake Sky 3D Embossing Folder and brushed with White Craft Ink, adds the perfect snowy effect. Plus, I’ve added a touch of shimmer using the FREE Sale-A-Bration Night of Navy & Gold Glittered Ribbon! ✨
Let’s take a closer look at this week’s festive design! 🎄
The Card Design
This design showcases elegant winter birds, layered with the Everyday Arches Dies to frame the delicate branches from the Nests of Winter DSP. The cool tones and subtle texture create a calm and cozy holiday feel—perfect for sending warm winter wishes!
Card Highlights:
Dies & Stamps: Everyday Arches Dies & Greetings of the Season Stamp Set
Designer Series Paper: Nests of Winter DSP
Embossing: Snowflake Sky 3D Embossing Folder (with White Craft Ink for added depth)
Color Palette: Gray Granite, Night of Navy, Basic White
Embellishments: Neutrals Adhesive-backed Sequins & FREE Night of Navy & Gold Glittered Ribbon
Create the Card Base: Cut Gray Granite cardstock to 5-1/2” x 8-1/2”, score at 4-1/4”, and fold.
Emboss the Background: Run a 4″ X 5-1/4″ Gray Granite panel through the Snowflake Sky 3D Embossing Folder, then lightly brush with White Craft Ink for contrast.
Die-Cut the Arch Frame: Use the Everyday Arches Dies (3rd and 4th largest) to cut Night of Navy and DSP layers, adhere together and attach to the embosssed layer.
Tie it all together: Tie a Night of Navy & Gold Glittered Ribbon around the embossed layer and make a bow on the right side. Adhere this layer to the card base.
Stamp the Sentiment: Stamp “Merry” and “Christmas” in Night of Navy ink on the left side of the largest Basic White Stylish Shapes banner. Use Mini Dimensionals to attach to the card front, then trim the right edge off of the label.
Embellish: Attach 3 white Neutrals Adhesive-backed Sequins for a snowy finish!
Why I Love This Design
This card has sophisticated elegance with minimal effort! The Everyday Arches Dies create a beautiful frame, and the embossed snowflake background gives a subtle, frosty effect. Plus, the Nests of Winter DSP provides a soft and serene winter scene, making this card perfect for the holidays!
Love this look? Don’t miss out on the FREE Night of Navy & Gold Glittered Ribbon—available during Sale-A-Bration with a qualifying purchase! 🎁
📌 Pin this post for inspiration & share it with your crafty friends!
See you next week for another Festive Friday creation! 🎄✨
A perk to ordering with me in the month of February is that with any order over $75cdn, you will receive a FREE SAB item and I am emailing out an amazing 37 project Tutorial Bundle. Just use the host code below. As a member of my team you get free access to this Tutorial Bundle.
Let’s Craft Together!
I’d love for you to join one of my in-person card classes:
These classes are perfect for all skill levels and are a great way to learn new techniques, try out Stampin’ Up! products, and connect with other cardmakers. Spots fill up quickly, so be sure to register early!
Also, don’t forget to sign up for my Stampin’ With Leah Newsletterto get all the details on upcoming events, promotions, and creative tips. You won’t want to miss out!
Live in Canada, don’t have a demonstrator? Contact me to get a catalogue or find out why right now is a great time to join my team.
You can see all the benefits of joining my team (the Ink Pad Pals) by clicking the image below. Right now there are even more perks to joining during Sale-a-bration!
Click here to shop my online store. Click here to access & view the current catalogs. Click here to subscribe to Thanks for hopping by! Make sure to pin this post for future reference and share it with your crafty friends.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 🙂
This week’s Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge is a unique Sketch Challenge. I used the Nests of Winter DSP and the Winterly Treetops stamp set, both from Stampin’ Up! The rest of the design team have also created beautiful cards using the sketch below. Hop over to the Hand Stamped Sentiments page to view them all and then join the challenge.
Here is my card created using this sketch. It was so quick to create since the DSP did all the hard work for me.
You can find a full list of materials used below, as well as a printable recipe card for making this Nests of Winter card. You can order any of these supplies from me here: https://www.stampinup.ca?hostcode=A9SH9NWC
In addition, when you use my host code this month I will also send you the link to a fantastic 39 project Tutorial Bundle as a thank you!
Looking for some more fun stamping experiences in person or online?
If you are local to Port Coquitlam, join me in person for Coffee and Cards on November 9th or contact me to book your own card class. Check out my calendar of events at my website.
Yet another FABULOUS way to stamp with me is to join my team. It is a great deal on your supplies, plus you get 20% off your future orders. The best part though is that you get free access to my monthly card class to go tutorials, my craty collaborations MEGA tutorial each month and we have monthly team meetings where we stamp together. So much fun!
Finally, there is a great kit sale – and boy do we have some good ones! Check it out on line!
To make sure you learn about all my upcoming events and don’t miss any sales join my newsletter or check out everything at linktr.ee/stampinwithleah. You can also sign up for my newsletter (link below) so you don’t miss out on any of my events.
Live in Canada, don’t have a demonstrator? Contact me to get a catalogue or find out why right now is a great time to join my team.
Please leave a comment below and make sure to follow this blog for more great inspiration!
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 🙂
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![Multipurpose Liquid Glue [ 110755 ]](https://assets1.tamsnetwork.com/images/EC042017NF/110755s.jpg "Multipurpose Liquid Glue [ 110755 ]")
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![Iridescent Foil Gems [ 162842 ]](https://assets1.tamsnetwork.com/images/EC042017NF/162842s.jpg "Iridescent Foil Gems [ 162842 ]")
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Stampin With Leah 