Double Vision Sunflower Card

Have wanted to make a card using the Double Vision technique on a card front and when I shopped the Scrapbook Expo in Fredericksburg, VA this weekend I picked up a 6x6 paper pad "Summer Sunshine" from the "Crafty Stamp Co" booth. I really like this card stock and it is easy to work with. I have seen different ways to make the Double Vision look on a card front but I will explain how I made this card:

To start with I looked through my stash of cut and scored coloured card stock bases and pulled out a golden yellow card base. For the front of my card I did not want a border to show around the sunflower front so I needed to make my panel for the card front. I cut a piece of white card stock 4" wide x 5 1/4". This would be the base I would use to build the card front on. I pulled out a sunflower print from the 6x6 pad and I cut that down to a height of 5 1/4". Then I took this to the trimmer and I turned the paper over. On the backside of this sunflower print is a plaid. I cut this paper every 1/2" and as I cut the strips I used a black Sharpie and numbered each strip as I cut them into 1/2" pieces - when done I had them in numerical order:

As you can see in this photo I numbered all the strips at the bottom - for two reasons. First having them numbered my print will be in order and line up. Secondly having them numbered at the bottom of the strips reminds me when I glue them onto the white card stock base that all numbers will be at the bottom so again that helps with the floral pattern. Here is how I made my card front. First I laid my strips onto the white card stock base:

I used liquid glue to put every other strip onto the white card stock. This one is glued on and the second strip is just laid onto the white card stock base next to the first glued one:

Third strip I glued on and fourth I did not and I continued this all the way across the white card stock base:

Every other strip that was not glued down I put foam dots behind those and the high and low of this technique on the card front gives you that look and dimension:

Laid this technique card front onto the card base and decided which way I wanted it to be on the card front and then using liquid glue I put this onto the yellow card stock base.  Again I used the sentiment hot foil plate with matching die set from Pinkfresh for my sentiment.  With this card front already being dimensional I did not want to use foam tape behind the sentiment so I used liquid glue to put this onto the card front:

Added three clear gold gems from the stash to the card front for some sparkle and shine. Laying down all the strips onto your white card front as you glue and assemble this card front keeps all your strips spaced correctly and it is easy to keep it all in order by numbering the back of the strips as you cut them. I also found it easier to cut the length I would need my strips to be and then to cut them into the 1/2" strips rather than to have the strips longer than the white card stock I was using as a base for them. Fun card to make and all you need is a trimmer - no dies needed! Really like this card stock from this new to me company -- craftystampco and happy I was able to shop their booth at the show!

Sunflower Card

For this card I used the "Shatter Background Die" I picked up at the Scrapbook Expo show in Fredericksburg, VA from the TallMouse booth for $10.00:

The card stock I used for this card is from the "Summer Sunshine" pack of 6x6 card stock that I bought at the "craftystampco" booth:

This card stock is double sided so lots of options for prints on a card front. Here is my card and as you can see I made my card front upside down from the way their die is as I wanted my larger print of sunflowers to be the focal print on the card front:

I went through my stash of coloured card stock bases that are already cut and scored at the top and I found this green card stock base that would go with my sunflower prints. First I cut out a piece of white card stock using the base piece in the TallMouse die set for my card front. I cut out all four of my printed card stocks using the layering pieces in the die set. Used liquid glue to put all the prints onto the white card stock base. Used liquid glue to put the card front on the green card stock base. Set this aside. 

Looked through my hot foil sentiments and pulled out the Pinkfresh "Celebrating You" hot foil plate with matching die. Hot foiled this plate using matte gold foil on a white card stock. Die cut that out using the matching die. I die cut out a second layer of white card stock and put this blank white card stock piece behind my sentiment to make it more sturdy on the card front. I put the "thinking of you" sentiment on the card front using pop dots. Added three clear gold gems to the card front.

Easy card to put together and using a pack of 6x6 themed card stock made putting prints together for the card front simple. I had never heard of "craftystampco.com" before but happy I shopped her booth at the show as this printed card stock is very nice. Will be ordering from her online I am sure.....

Another Road Trip for Scrapbook Expo

Each year my PIC (stamping Partner In Crime) and I plan what stamp/scrapbooking shows we would want to attend during that year. In the past each year would start with our first show being in Columbia, SC and that is the Stamp and Scrap Art Tour show (SSAT). Two years ago we shopped that show and there were no sales, vendor coupons, or booth deals so this year we skipped that show. With traveling 3+ hours one way to a show having coupons or deals helps off set time and gas getting there.... In the past we have attended the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo show in both Chantilly, VA and Duluth, GA which were great shows but for us we would have to reserve hotel rooms for the night since the drive to these cities is a 6+ hour ride..... but last year we did go to the Duluth show and it was really good -- lots of vendors, lots of coupons/deals/sales and a fun show all around.... usually at these shows when you are waiting in the line to enter vendors walk the line and have "hand outs" which are coupons or a small flyer with their booth sales and deals.... PIC and I were all set to attend the Duluth show again this July until....

Stamp and Scrapbook Expo sent out an email that this year they would not be holding their show in Chantilly, VA but rather in Fredericksburg, VA in June. I spoke to my PIC and we were fine to cancel our hotel reservations for the Duluth show in July and instead drive the 3 1/2 hours to Fredericksburg to attend this show..... DH said he would drive us there and back so we were set.... I went to the website for the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo and signed up for show coupons/specials so before we went to the show we would know what deals were offered. First to start with on our way....

and a photo of the Convention Center:

DH dropped us at the door at 8:30AM with the show starting at 9:00AM. We got in line to wait for the show to open and there already were shoppers ahead of us in line. 

Admission to this show was $12.00 EACH... I think the highest we have paid to attend one of these shows in the past was maybe $8.00 for our admission. In the past when we attend SSAT shows we usually receive a post card a couple of weeks before the show with a dollar off coupon for our admission.  Also at the Duluth show we were all given a large black Stamplistic/Spellbinders tote bag to use for shopping with our admission ticket. At this show $12.00 got us in and that was it....  no tote bag.... Last week I did receive an email from the Scrapbook Expo with a link to print out coupons/deals at the show in Fredericksburg. I printed them out and had them ready with my shopping list. Here is the show guide you get with your paid admission and it has a list of vendors inside as well as a floor map of the vendors so you know where everyone is set up:

Tall Mouse, Eyelet Outlet, and Scrappy Boy Stamps all walked the line and gave us hand outs and told us about specials at their booth, etc.. Before I left for the show I had made a list of 5 products I wanted to shop for at this show. First being the American Flag die set from Scrappy Boy Stamps that was sold out in their online store when I looked for it and I was hoping they would have it at the show. When Sean (ScrappyBoy) walked the waiting line I asked if he had the flag die with him at this show and he said he did so happy me to go to his booth first and pick that die set up. I also picked up his plastic storage envelopes in a size I wanted and his Box Making die set as well. He had a coupon for 15% off all his stamp and dies so that was nice to have a savings offered:

Also on my list was a stop at the Bee Creative booth for their special on Stickles all their Sizzix products were 30% off. I bought the Diamond Stickles and a 3D embossing folder:

This next booth/products were at a vendor I have never heard of or shopped before. She is the "Crafty Stamp Co" and her website is: "www.craftystampco.com" and her booth was really nice. I bought two packs of her 6x6 card stocks - there are 48 sheets in each pack AND she has a plastic envelope/sleeve in the package to store your card stock in. Here is a photo of the card stocks and stencils I picked up from her:

Nautical card stock, sunflower card stock, one stencil is here "Yikes and Frights" Halloween background stencil and her "Forest Tree Line" stencil. She also gave us a code for a discount on an order from her website. Here is a photo of the card stocks in the plastic envelope/sleeve she includes in the package:

Off to the Elizabeth Craft Design booth. They had show specials where you buy a certain amount of dies and get one free. She also had flower dies for $5.00 and a sentiment stamp set for $2.00. They gave you a free "handmade" stamp with your purchase:

Now to Tall Mouse. Their die sets were $10.00 each and if you bought a certain amount you again got one for free:

I picked up a cover plate die and two die sets for piecing card fronts together. If you spent $30.00 at their booth they gave you a free tote bag and a free button. I also bought mini magnets from them:

Off to the Stamplistic booth where they were selling Spellbinder dies and hot foil plates:

At the show last year in Duluth Stamplistic had specials on Spellbinders dies and products but not this year. I picked up two die sets and one Simon Hurley hot foil set for $10.00. At KeepItSimplePaper.com I picked up their show special of Sprinkles and a large pumpkin die set:

Now for the items I bought at Brass & Bliss. Last year at the Duluth show I shopped their booth and they had lots of show specials but this year NONE. No coupons, no buy this many to get one free, zip...

These three items I had on my list so I bought them anyways knowing at least I would not have to pay for shipping if I bought them at the show and not from their online store... But I was disappointed that they offered no show specials or coupons or anything for us shoppers...... 

Will say these stamp shows need to realize all us crafters do not live across the street and many of us will travel an hour or a few to attend these shows so any coupons/show specials help us justify driving to support them. This was the first year we had to print out our own coupons/show special ads and hand outs for the waiting line were few. At then entrance of the show there was a display rack with all these buttons for sale and I bought one:

I usually buy a different button each year for the shows and this button cost $4.00..... When we left the show we stopped at a booth in the lobby where if you showed your combined receipts that totaled $150.00 or more you received a really nice lanyard with a Scrap Book Expo show button and another "shopped the Expo" button for free:

DH picked us up and we went over to Wegmans which we could walk to it is so close to the Convention Center:

We all ordered a sub for our late lunch and ate it there and did some shopping and headed home for the day. DH said when he dropped us off to the show he left and went to IHOP for breakfast. When he came back the parking lot at the Convention Center was full so he pulled in the Wegmans parking lot to park and wait for us. He said he saw a lot of  people pull into the parking lot at the Convention Center and then drive over to Wegmans to park and they walked over to the Convention Center to shop. At every booth we shopped there were a lot of shoppers -- lines to check out at all the booths so happy to see so many paper crafters and scrapbookers at this show. A lady that works for Scrapbook Expo said they plan to return to Fredericksburg next year and that show will be held in April so happy about that as we will attend again.

Long day but happy we did not have to reserve a hotel and spread the trip out over two days. Always happy to see products in person at the shows and all the displays and samples at the vendor booths. Just wish that Scrapbook Expo offered a coupon for admission as I think $12.00 for admission is high.....

Cupcake Liner Rosette Embellishments

Dug out some Fall cupcake liners from the stash to make these rosette embellishments:

Here is a photo of the cupcake liners:

For each rosette I used two of the checked liners and two of the printed liners. I stacked them on top of each other and made sure all the peaks and folds in the liner lined up. Using scissors I cut every four peaks up to the center circle of the liner. Here is a photo to show this - the largest liner is cut the size it is, the second liner is cut and trimmed so it was not so wide, as is the smaller liner. When trimming these liners I keep them stacked so they will be trimmed to the same size all at once:

Using a 2" punch I punched out two circles from cream card stock. One of the circles is for the front and one of the circles is for the back. I took the stack of 4 liners apart and I put a checked liner down with the printed liner on top of that, staggering the clipped lines. I used hot glue to keep these together and then put a checked liner on top of that and then finished the stack with another printed liner. Used hot glue to put the cream circle on the top of the stack. I used glittered tulle from the stash and cut that into a 2" circle using scissors for the center of the rosette. Added the tulle circles to the cream circle for the front using hot glue. 

I used cream card stock scraps and I stamped "Happy Thanksgiving" using the stamp from a Trinity Stamps stamp set "Autumn Sentiments".  I used a small banner die from a Pink & Main banners die set to cut that out. Set this aside. For my pumpkins on the front of the rosette I used a 1 1/4" circle punch and scrap card stocks. Punched out three circles for each pumpkin and used three older background stamps to add a design to each circle. Sponged ink on the edges of these circles.  Stacked these into a pumpkin shape and used liquid glue to keep those together. Used scissors and scrap green card stock to cut out a stem for the pumpkin. Sponged the edges of that for dimension. Used foam squares on the back of the pumpkin for dimension. Used hot glue and put the pumpkin on the center of the rosette. I used liquid glue to add the sentiment across the front of the pumpkin. This photo shows the stacked cupcake liners and the height of the pumpkin in the center:

Happy to get some use out of the cupcake liners in the stash and to make a few embellishments for Fall projects ahead.

Bead Storage

Long ago I had seen a video on YouTube by the Hometalk channel and they do a lot of DIY's for the home for storage/organization and such. They had used the acrylic drawers and bamboo cutting boards from the Dollar Tree and made a small countertop storage item for the bathroom to hold cotton balls/Q-tips and other small items. I liked that idea but did not make one then.... Recently "Crafting to Cope" on YouTube shared her video using this idea for bead storage in her craft room. Great idea for bead storage as the system I had now was not working. . .

Off to Dollar Tree with my plan to make this countertop storage idea for my craft room with a list of items I would need to make my holders. Not so fast..... went to two Dollar Tree stores looking for these acrylic drawers and bamboo cutting boards and NO LUCK.... WHY  all the Dollar Tree stores do not sell the same products is beyond me......  Third try was the charm and happy me they had all the drawers and cutting boards I would need in stock. Here is a photo of my bead holder and my holder is 4 drawers high:

I like not only can I see all the beads in the acrylic drawers but I can easily remove a drawer of beads to take to the work table to use:

I also bought 4 extra acrylic drawers and stacked those and that stack will be for the head pins, lobster clasps, and other items I need to use:

This can sit on top of the other holders or since it is free standing it can stand on the countertop for easy access. Here is a side view of this one:

In the Hometalk video they used a hot glue gun to assemble their unit but I have the Surebonder hot glue gun and mine is not a low temp glue. I did not want the hot glue to melt the acrylic drawers so I used E6000 to assemble mine. These acrylic drawers are wider in the front and taper back to a narrower size in the back so keep that in mind if you should make one. I put the E6000 on the bottom of the drawers along a thin ridge they have and I used a thin line of the glue on them. E6000 is very strong so you do not need to glob it on and it stays clear once dried. I also put E6000 on the side of the drawer that sits next to the drawer next to it. The glue container says after 72 hours this adhesive is its' strongest so I worked on my holders over a period of a few days rather than trying to do all the steps at one sitting. It is a strong smelling adhesive as well so do this in the garage or maybe outside where you have fresh air while you are using this glue. 

Before I had all my beads in clear plastic bags for storage but it was not easy to not only remember what beads I had in the stash but also to find them when I was wanting to make something with them.... Happy Crafting to Cope uses this Hometalk idea for her bead storage and thanks to her for making her video and showing her how-to's as she makes one. And thanks Hometalk shared this idea for countertop bathroom items! Another project off the list and new storage that works in the craft room.... 

Holographic Halloween Die Cuts

franticstamper.com   is closing the doors to their store on July 31, 2026.  She carries many brands from Altenew, Tim Holtz, Memory Box, Lawn Fawn, and many more... She also sells her own brand of dies and I have many of those. This die set is what I was working with this week:

I did some die cutting using scraps and also using the holographic sticker sheets that I used on the butterflies for this card and it was inspired by Heidi the Yorkshire Crafter on YouTube:

I used two ghost dies from my stash along with the Frantic Stamper "Fun Happy Halloween" set of 2 dies for the words on my samples:

and the ghost with the words:

These holographic sticker sheets give your project the sparkle and shine without having to use glitter or glittered card stock for your projects.  As usual hard to capture the holographic sparkle on the die cuts with the camera:

Franticstamper is having different specials as she gets closer to her closing date the end of July so many good deals to be had and she has a large store so many things to look at. As with using the holographic sticker sheets I was not sure with the "Happy Halloween" word dies having so many cut outs if the dies would cut the sticker sheets well or not, but as all her brand dies do, these easily cut the sticker sheet and the card stock it was on with one pass in the machine. Sad to see yet another online store close it's doors but she has many specials going on her sight so a good time to shop .....

Seas the Day Card

Last fall I shopped the Customer Yard Sale at Enchanted Cottage in Lewisville, NC and for this card I used two of the items I bought for a dollar each. Here is the card:

Fun card to put together for summertime. For this card I used blue card stock cut and scored at the top. I used a light speckled gray card stock in the stash for the card front panel. I used liquid glue to put the gray card stock piece on the blue base. I used two new-to-me die sets for this card. The first one is from Spellbinders and the red "1" on the front was the price I paid:

The packaging says this was part of the Crate of the Month offering that Spellbinders holds and this was from June 2025. Cute and very easy sailboat to assemble and another good use of scraps.... the second die was also one dollar and it is from Stamps of Life:

Very good deal for one dollar since this is a two piece die set - words and shadow dies included. I cut the shadow out of white card stock and the words out of the matching blue card stock to match the base of the card. Used liquid glue to put those together. I wanted to use a nautical embossing folder for the front of the card but I was not sure what I had in the stash. Looked through my embossing folders and found this folder by Lifestyle Crafts which was bought out by We R Memory Keepers and they are We R Makers now:

I put a piece of black card stock in the folder to show this pattern. I wanted my embossed piece to be white but I did not want it to be a rectangle shape so I used an oval die and cut out an oval. Then I put the oval inside the embossing folder and embossed that. Using two different oval dies I cut out a blue card stock frame to go over my embossed oval piece. I put the frame on the embossed piece using liquid glue.

For the boat I used different card stocks for that and put that together using liquid glue and I also cut out one more boat base piece to put the boat on to give it some dimension for the front of the card. I used foam tape behind my framed oval piece and put that on the card front. Added pop dots behind the "Seas the Day" sentiment for dimension. Here is a side view of this card to show the dimension the foam tape and pop dots give it:

This photo shows the embossing behind the boat:

Easy card to assemble and happy to use more of the stash for the card with the two one dollar additions to the craft room.....

With the completed card I looked through my clear gem stash and found the star gems so I used two red ones with two small red gems for the card front. Always happy to find used items at great prices to add to the stash......