7/6/26 - Sparkling Celebrations Paper Pumpkin alternatives

Alison Culliver
5 days ago
11 min read

Three alternatives made with just one card base & envelope! Check them out!

Hello & welcome to my blog. I hope you are all well.

My name is Alison & I live in beautiful Melbourne, Australia & I am an independent Stampin' Up® demonstrator.

I love to create beautiful things to share with people that I love but I also sell me creations. I have been creating things in one way or another for most of my life - knitting, sewing, cooking, card making, gardening, scrap booking & hand made gifts & in 2020 after joining Stampin' Up® I decided to share my passion in a blog (craftedbyalison@blogspot.com).

In 2025 I retired & decided to spread my creative wings a little more by combining my blog, products that I had been selling on FaceBook & launching a newsletter. Some of these things I had already been doing but this time they are all in the one place. (All previous posts can be found at my blogspot address above if you would to read any of them.)

And here we are at my new site!

Last week I shared 3 cards made with the May '26 Sparkling Celebrations Paper Pumpkin kit. The cards were made using the instructions & supplies from the kit. This week I have 3 different cards, alternatives, that I created with just one of the card bases & one of the envelopes from the kit. I added different inks, some heat embossing, a variety of stamps & dies & even threw in a fun fold with some of the scraps! Plus there's even a tip on how to extend special DSP by cutting out the inside. I'll explain when I get to that card. Here are the 3 cards I created. I hope you like them.

My supplies for the three cards were the following card base & envelope.

I cut the card in half to give me a lovely starry sky section & one with a sunset type of scene with the string of lights. The envelope had the edges trimmed by lining up the edge with the grey section next to the cutting track in my Trimmer & also taking the same amount from the bottom of the envelope.

For my first card I used the starry sky piece & trimmed it to 9.5cm x 13.85cm. On this piece I stamped some ferns from the Fern & Flora stamp set using Versamark & heat embossed the image in silver. I matted it with some of the beautiful Shimmering Stripes specialty DSP. Now here is a special tip for you. The DSP is so beautiful & there are only 4 sheets in the pack. To save some of the paper I cut out the centre using new Phrases & Frames dies. Here's a picture of the frame after i cut it along with the two pieces from the centre that will be used for other projects.

The embossed front was then added to a Night of Navy card base.

The sentiment & frame is stamped in Night of Navy & are also from Fern & Flora. It was then diecut with the matching dies. The final step was to adde some of the embellishments from the kit.

I love the silver elements of the card & how simple it was to create.

Now onto my second card.

This card came about after seeing something similar on Stamp Your Art Out with Rachel Tessman.

It uses two elements from my supplies - the string of lights section & part of the envelope.

I started with another Night of Navy card base & cut the envelope to fit the front. I also trimmed the card front down to 10cm x 7.5cm then cut that down into 2.5cm squares. These were spaced evenly across the yellow matte & the cut sections were set aside to use on the 3rd card.

The sentiment is from the kit stamp set, stamped in Night of Navy on one of the banners from the kit. I backed it with a Night of Navy scrap & trimmed to the shaped pattern of the banner before adding it with dimensionals.

No embellishments on this one.

Now for card number 3. This one is a little more involved, being a funfold & was created on the fly using the leftover pieces I had on my desk plus a few other supplies.

I trimmed down 3 pieces of scraps from the envelope & card front to 11cm x 4.5cm, 10cm x 3.5cm & 9cm x 2.5cm.

Next was to cut a piece for the front card using Secret Sea measuring 20cm x 11.5cm It was scored at 5cm & 10cm, folding the front back on itself & using the larger of the scraps for the front panel.

To mount the two smaller pieces I created 2 boxes. The first one measures 13cm x 10.5cm & is scored at 4cm, 8cm & 12cm. The second measures 10cm x 9.5cm & is scored at 3cm, 6cm & 9cm. The DSP is added to the second panel of both pieces.

To add them to the card I applied liquid adhesive to the left panel of box 1, aligned it with the score line of the front & folded the panel down to adhere the two together.

The small panel on the right is then tucked under & adhered to the base of the card. The same was repeated with the smaller box so that there are now two boxes inside the front section of the card. It is important at this stage to make sure you fold the left side of the card down onto the boxes so that you can be sure that it will close properly when folded.

Using Secret Sea I created a regular card base of 21cm x 14.85, scoring at 5.25cm & 10.5cm. On the front two panels I added a strip of Darling Duckling measuring 4.75cm x 14.35cm. I added a Basic White matte to the inside back panel of the card.

As a focal point & an area for writing your message I added a 9.2cm x 11cm Darling Duckling matte & a 8.7cm x 10.5cm matte with some trimmed fireworks diecuts from the kit.

Next step is assembling the two cards to create a whole card.

Holding the front card closed I aligned it so that it was level with the writing matte on the inside. Glue was applied to the area on the front left panel only where the top card would sit once it was placed to cover the inside writing panel.

The sentiment for the front of the card was created by stamping some fireworks in Melon Mambo, Timid Tiger, Pool Party, Golden Glow & Highland Heather as a background then heat embossing the sentiment itself in silver over them. I diecut it with one of the Forever Florals dies & added a slightly larger shape behind it in Secret Sea.

Last but not least, a little bling & the card was complete. Of course, while I was stamping the fireworks I added some to an envelope to match.

As I said, this card took a little more time & focus to put together but I love the result.

Now, let's check in with what else is happening in the Stampin' Up® crafting world.

Stampin' Up® have many ways of shopping with a physical catalogue, online shopping & in person events. When items are about to be retired or are running low they are put on the 'Last Chance' list which means that there is limited stock & when it runs out, it's gone.

Stampin' Up® 's Annual Catalogue has now retired! Stampin' Up® used to have a large annual catalogue & then release two mini catalogues during the year. As of the 5th May, they have launched a new system of presenting their products & will have 3 catalogues a year but they will all be of similar size. They will still be a similar format - sectioned to have Beginners, which is a step by step collection of materials in kits, then there is Quick & Easy where you select base materials & packs of pre-printed or diecut materials plus some stamp sets then there is Create your way where you choose all the materials, stamps etc yourself & Create Your Way! In the Quick & Easy section Stampin' Up® have also provided some inspiration with a colour wheel & information of various ways to use colour combinations. The other cool feature is that they provide card sketch & scrapbook layout ideas for you. This is great for any times that you need a little inspiration.

If you'd like to browse the catalogue online then click here. If you'd like a copy to hold in your hands, leaf through & put little notes all over it of what's on your wish list then shoot me an email at craftedbyalison@gmail.com or message me on my facebook page at craftedbyalison.

Stampin' Up® also have loads of additional products available only online. These are called Online Exclusives & have no end date, when the stock is sold out, that's the end of it.

Stampin' Up® have a great range of Kits including crafting, card making & gift giving. There are brand new kits added to the collection every month. Click here to check them all out in my online shop. As Stampin' Up® have so many beautiful kits available I feature a different kit in each

Sunday blog so that you can see the range.

This week the feature kit is called Everyday Day Beauty & is on the Last Chance list. It's a gorgeous stamping kit with gorgeous pre cut images including gold accents, an ink spot, stamp block & adhesives plus a stamp set, faux wax seals & printed envelopes. Enough supplies to make 9 beautiful cards.

Here's how Stampin' Up® describe it...

Create the perfect card for any occasion using the all-inclusive Everyday Beauty Kit. This kit comes with everything you need to make three unique card designs: printed card bases and coordinating envelopes with lovely botanical patterns, precut paper pieces, timeless faux wax seals, shimmering metallic thread, and a versatile stamp set that you can use on countless other projects.

If you feel that you need to add this to your list then click here to purchase one from my online store, but be quick as this kit is on the last chance list!

If you shop with me then there are some changes last year to the rewards program that you should know about. In the past we were able to create a host code & group together individual orders & pass on the 'hostess' benefits to customers with qualifying orders. This has now been replaced with a 'Rewards' program that gives all customers who place an order with a qualifying amount a credit of 10% of their order to use on future orders. This will be displayed during the checkout process or your order. Stampin' Up® feel that this is a fairer way of rewarding all customers.

There are some great ways to craft on offer at the moment which I will go through one at a time.

Ready?

1.Stampin' Up® has now held 3 Online Craft Classes with the Traditions of Christmas craftalong & Brushed with Beauty class. The current classes that are available are Lovely Blossoms & the brand new Paper Mixer craft class has just been released. They are both available in my shop by clicking here or on the links above. They are a great way for you to learn from the professionals & a load of fun.

The Paper Mixer class is designed to show you how to mix in the new Paper Medley DSP with other Designer Papers.

Once you purchase any of the Craft Classes you will receive an email with a link to an exclusive Facebook group when the event is hosted. Can't wait to craft along again & see what designs the team come up with!

2. Stampin' Up® held their first ever Virtual Card Making Retreat over two days earlier this year. It was designed for experienced or advanced crafters in mind but also had a heap of tips & ideas for those wanting to explore more detailed card designing. You can still be a part of this event! But be quick as it is on the 'Last Chance' list. To participate you just need to purchase the Retreat kit ($288AU) & this provides you with all of the materials you need & access to an exclusive FaceBook group where the videos from the event are stored. It sounds like a bit of expense but from past experience, what you take away from these type of events is well worth it. You can also download & print the pre event cutting instructions as well as having a cutting video & recordings of all of the cards that were made.

Here's some more info on how to join this retreat.

To craft along with the Stampin' Up® presenters and make 15 beautiful, all-occasion cards, you’ll want to purchase the 2026 Virtual Card Making Retreat kit. Everyone who purchases a kit will receive a link to the exclusive Facebook group where the live event will stream. We only have a limited number of kits, so make sure to order yours ASAP!

3. Starting last December, Stampin' Up® introduced a special 'Product of the Month' item that is only available with eligible purchases. There is a new item every month with details released just before the new item will be released. Each month it's a surprise what it could be - stamps, dies, papers - a complete surprise every month. You will be able to receive each month's product for just $9 when you spend $125 in one order. I have been able to order all of the products so far. December was some lovely blue toned DSP & January was a very versatile stamp set. February was a stunning DSP pack filled with Beautiful water coloured patterns and whimsical designs that make beautiful projects. I featured some creations in one of my midweek post earlier this year. The March Product of the Month was a lovely, whimsical stamp set & April's offering was a gorgeous background die with a pretty eyelet pattern. May featured some stunning printed Vellum DSP which is just gorgeous. June is a whimsical animal themed stamp set that is so versatile - friendship, hello, kids, baby cards - you name it! I will share my creations once I receive mine.

If you would like to add any of these products (that are still available) to your collection, get your shopping list out & place a qualifying order & you will be prompted before checkout to add it to your shopping trolley. Each product requires a minimum spend to be able to purchase them & it is only while there is stock available.

The new May - Aug '26 catalogue is now available & is full of lots of gorgeous new product along with some carry over items. One of the major changes that will be rolled in is that the stamp pads are being changed from fabric pads with a fold out opening to a felt pad & magnetic case. The new pads will be introduced with the new In Colours & more colours will be changed over gradually.
Paper Pumpkin! It's officially available to order in the South Pacific after only be available in the North American market. Paper Pumpkin kits are similar to the crafting kits available in the shop but are a surprise each month & come with everything you need to complete the kit. There are also add ons that can be used to stretch the supplies in the kit. Many people also make the suggested projects with half of the supplies then use the remaining products with some extra supplies to create alternative projects.
You can purchase the kits as an individual order or subscribe for 3, 6 or 12 months. Subscriptions are dispatched from the 11th day of each month & you can change or cancel your subscription at any time as long as it is done before the cut off date.

The latest Scrapbook Virtual Retreat has wrapped up. It is called Happiness is Here & has supplies to create 10 double page spreads (20 pages in total) including inks, stamps, papers, gel & shimmer pens, embellishments, flip flaps & page protectors. There are also detailed instructions & recorded videos that you can access for at least a year. To access the videos there is a private FaceBook group that you can access via a QR code when your kit arrives.
If you are interested you can purchase your own kit by clicking on this link.

Lastly, there have been lots of great items added to the clearance rack which is now called Last Chance items so make sure you check them out using this link to my online store as there are some great discounts.

If you would like to purchase any of my creations that I feature in my blogs they can be found in my shop along with lots of different designs including feminine, masculine, special occasions, everyday events, something for the juniors or you can order something unique.

I hope you've enjoyed today's post.

My next post will be on Wednesday & in it I am sharing a card sketch that I find very useful.

In next Sunday's post I will be CASEing a card from the catalogue.

I hope you can join me for both of them & come back for more.

Til next time, take care & keep creating.

XX Alison

Here are some links to the products that I used today & some craft room essentials.

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