My Paper Crush

 Been a while since I've updated my blog.. Shown are some recent makes in 2026. 

 Recently watched a video on YouTube from Inkhill Revival about starting a card inventory to figure out one's crafting style - which will help save money (or reallocate funds for other purchases) B-U-D-G-E-T is a 6-letter word! So, here goes!!! Here's a recent sample of newest cards I've made:

Stampin' UP! "Love Cats" Recent birthday card made with Stampin' UP! supplies: card stock (Memories and More), rainbow glitter banner/pennants, Love Cat stamp and sentiment punched from a Memories and More card. Full-panel shaker pieces are from Simon Says Stamp.   

Lighthouse Birthday Card Fussy cut sea scape from Stampin' Up! High Life (retired) and sentiment from The Ton Stamps-Easy Expressions. Background paper and card stock (Pool Party) also from Stampin' Up! 

 Birthday card with a "rocker" vibe. Out of shaving cream, so used foam soap and black Momento ink for the blended gray background on thin watercolor paper. Heat embossed silver splatters. Die cut star in SU's silver side of mercury glass acetate, stacked with CS in Pool Party and adhered with silver thread "wispies". Heat embossed sentiment from TheTonStamps ("Easy Expressions" stamp and die).

Snow and frigid temps is perfect weather for dreaming of berry season! This pair uses Stampin' UP! products - Thick WW panel dry embossed with Subtles TIEF adhered to Pool Party CS. Sentiment and DSP from SAB '21 "Berry Blessings". Accented with gold shimmer ribbon, rhinestones and Wink of Stella for extra pop.

Never like to make a sympathy, let alone a pet sympathy card :(  Made this card using some current (Nine Lives) and retired Stampin' Up! product. Card base was from a retired watercolor kit. 2.5" circle punched from Blushing Bride CS. Cat stamped in Basic Gray on Whisper White CS and used cat punch. Colored enamel heart (retired) with Melon Mambo Blendable alcohol marker. Enamel bow, also retired. Gray/white twine (retired) and paper doily (also retired).

My oldest great-niece loves to dance. Made this ballerina card using Stampin' Up! Work of Art (retired set), with some pinky-inks (Flirty Flamingo, Watermelon Wonder, Blushing Bride and Crushed Curry) and added sparkle to the dress with Wink of Stella. TFL!

Finished making and sending cards last week. Been cleaning up the stamp area this week. Onto Valentine's Day & misc. birthday cards. Sputnik-approved samples (see his paws at upper/right).

Sometimes I draw inspiration from random order of how my ink pads are stacked. Here's such example:

Wood-mounted rubber stamps for sale: These sets come from a smoke-free, pet-friendly (though, the cats don't stamp) home. Paypal only. Prices include shippingShips U.S. (contiguous states only). Won't split up bundles (punch/stamp; die/stamp), but will combine shipping for multiple sets purchased. Most sets are gently used.  Drum roll, please... Pennant Parade & Pennant Punch  - $35/bundle Perfect Blend - $20 Bliss (former Sale-A-Bration set) - $10 Love is Kindness - $8 Afterthoughts (former Hostess set) - $8 Clearly for You Best Blossoms (former Sale-A-Bration set) - $10 Elizabeth - $5 Gratitude - $15 Bunny Hugs - $15 Big Deal Alphabet - $30 If interested - send email to sherryselgrad@gmail.com

Recent cards created and sent:

Needed a kick of inspiration, so I joined a card swap with the SU group to which I belong. Theme is using products from Stampin' Up! new holiday catalog. I'm a sucker for kitschy images, so when I first laid eyes on "Signs of Santa" stamp set and coordinating framelit/dies and Designer Series Paper, I knew I had to place an order ASAP! My card's inspiration came from " Double Triangle Fold " tutorial on SplitCoastStampers.com Supplies : Paper - Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Whisper White, Santa's Workshop Specialty DSP Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black Stamps - Signs of Santa Photopolymer Framelits/Dies - Santa's Signposts, Stitched Shapes, Layering Ovals Accessories - Blends (alcohol markers - Pool Party, Poppy Parade, Ivory, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral); Santa's Workshop Enamel Shapes, Poppy Parade 1/2" textured weave ribbon; adhesive Happy Stamping!

Sometimes, the "generic" milestone birthday sentiment won't do.. Instead, I scoured the internet (ok, mostly Pinterest) and found some funny sentiments. Not a fan of stamping with alphabet fonts..but sometimes, whatcha gonna do? Here are 2 cards I made this week for a "60th" birthday: and this one's a little larger, sized at 5" x 7":

Some New Years cards using new, current & retired Stampin UP! Products:

Wedding card and gift bag made for our nephew's Country-themed wedding this month: All supplies from Stampin' Up! (unless otherwise noted) Card measures 5.5" x 4.25" - Serene Scenes background paper on thick Very Vanilla CS. Champaign glitter paper (retired) adhered on burlap ribbon (retired) underneath a Very Vanilla doily. Sentiment from So In Love stamp set, stamped with Early Espresso ink. Gift bag measures 6"W x 7"H x 3"D - assembled from two 12x12" sheets of Falling in Love DSP (retired). Sentiment stamped in Blackberry Bliss (retired In-Color) with Big News stamp set. Die cut butterfly adorned with rhinestones and Layering Ovals. Sweet Sugarplum glitter ribbon (retired) bag handles with teeny-tiny flower charm (retired). Found assembly instructions on YouTube.com. Paper crafting.. it's cheaper than therapy!

New year, make space..that's an annual resolution for sure! *LIST coming soon*

Love this Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set - so versatile! Inspired by Pinterest and my own imagination. Dimensions: 4.25" x 4.25" Mostly Stampin' UP! supplies used. Stamps: Endless Birthday Wishes, Stylized Birthday CS: Watermelon Wonder, Black, Whisper White, Pop of Pink! DSP Ink: Momento black, Craft White Etc.: colored with alcohol markers (old Blendabilities), silver metallic thread, pop-dots, adhesive, white embossing powder, small flower punch (retired), rhinestones, 2.5" circle punch (retired) Happy Stamping!

Some cards I've been working on as of late.. For a fellow gambler - part of the #imbringingbirthdaysback campaign I participated in earlier this year. He put a "like" on my fb post..so I made/sent this card. Inspired from a sheet of Karen Frost stickers I'd found in my scrapbooking stash. Also used gold metallic thread (behind the Royal Flush sticker) and my own scribble ("hey..."). Remembered this funny quote from a dish towel I'd seen in a gift shop. Thought it'd make a good sentiment for this birthday card. Haven't decided on its recipient yet.. may have to make more! Mojo (our tabby-mix) turns 5 next month! This is his birthday card to his 4 siblings (biological). They're city cats and live with my cousin. Created Mojo's "likeness" from Stampin' Up!'s Fox Builder Punch. Added finishing touches with a Sharpie and sponged SU's Soft Suede ink around the edges.