Monday, February 23, 2026

Sweet Bugs Mini Slimline Card For Craft Roulette Episode 307




If you love a creative challenge, you know I can’t resist playing along with Craft Roulette! Episode 307 had such fun parameters, and I was excited to dive in.

Craft Roulette airs live on YouTube every Friday evening at 6:10 PM Central Time with host Mary Gunn. The spin of the wheel dictates the parameters — which means every week is completely different. That’s part of the magic!

Episode 307 Parameters

  • Project: Mini Slimline Card

  • Size: 3 1/2" x 6"

  • Colors: Fungi 

  • Element: Fruit

  • Random: Two-Toned

My Mini Slimline Card

Mini Slimline cards are one of my absolute favorites — and this one measures 3 1/2" x 6". One of the best things about this size is that it fits perfectly in a standard #6 envelope (3.63" x 6.5"). These envelopes are available almost anywhere envelopes are sold because they’re such a standard size. Easy and practical? Yes, please!

Colors – Fungi

For the “Fungi” color prompt, I incorporated:

  • Red

  • Yellow

  • Rust

  • Purple

  • Green

All beautiful mushroom-inspired tones that worked perfectly together!

Element – Fruit

My Designer Series Paper background features blackberries and strawberries, which satisfied the “Fruit” requirement beautifully. The sweet berry pattern adds just the right pop behind the focal elements.

Random – Two Toned

To meet the “Two-Toned” parameter,  the leaves, ant, and caterpillar were all two-toned. I love how that subtle detail adds extra dimension and visual interest.

Supplies & Details

I used the adorable Sweet Bugs Bundle (such a delightful set!). The ant, caterpillar, and mushrooms were cut directly from the coordinating Cute As A Bug Designer Series Paper. I always enjoy a paper with matching die cuts — it lets those cute images shine!

For the sentiment, I used a strip from Simple Stories that I had in my stash. It paired perfectly with the whimsical feel of the card.

Why I Love Mini Slimline Cards

Mini Slimline cards are:

  • A unique shape

  • Easy to design

  • Perfect for showcasing patterned paper

  • Compatible with standard #6 envelopes

One of my most popular YouTube videos shows my take on making Mini Slimline cards. Hop on over and take a look at this!


 



Craft Roulette is such a fun creative outlet because the wheel spin pushes you to think outside the box. I hope you’ll join us one Friday evening and play along — you never know what the wheel will decide next!

Happy crafting! 💛







 

Friday, February 20, 2026

Hop Into Spring Card Making Class






Spring is right around the corner, and I’m so excited to share a peek at the two cards we’ll be creating in our upcoming Hop Into Spring Card Making Class! These projects are full of cheerful colors, sweet critters, and whimsical details that are sure to make you smile.

For both cards, I used the beautiful Easter Basket Bundle paired with the coordinating Easter Joy Specialty Designer Series Paper. The paper is absolutely gorgeous and adds the perfect soft, springtime touch to each design.

Card One – Easel Card

Our first project is a fun Easel Card! I just love interactive cards, and this one really shows off the playful elements in the bundle.

The adorable little bee and watering can are from the Sweet Bugs Bundle — such sweet additions that bring even more personality to the scene. All of the critters are mounted on a piece of Basic White cardstock that I embossed using the Beautiful Panels Embossing Folder. The texture adds wonderful dimension and really makes the images pop.

Be sure to check out the cute embellishments along the bottom of the card! They’re from the Easter Assortment pack and add just the right finishing touch. Those tiny details make all the difference!

Card Two – Whimsical Spring Fun

Our second card continues the spring theme and is just as delightful. With layers of the Easter Joy paper, sweet stamped images, and thoughtful embellishments, it’s another project filled with charming details. Both cards truly capture the joy and freshness of the season.

These designs are perfect for Easter greetings or simply celebrating spring with someone special.


✨ Class Details:
🗓 Saturday, February 28
⏰ 10:00am – 12:00pm
📍 In my home

I currently have two openings available for this class. If you’re local and would like to join us for a fun, creative morning, please message me! I would love to have you craft along with us. Please RSVP by Monday, February 23rd.

Let’s hop into spring together! 🌷🐝








 

Monday, February 16, 2026

Forever Florals Flip Flap Card






Last Friday night I played along with Episode 306 of Craft Roulette on YouTube—and what a fun creative stretch it was! 🎡✨

If you’ve never watched Craft Roulette hosted by Mary Gunn, it airs every Friday evening at 6:10 PM Central Time. Mary spins the wheel to reveal four mystery parameters, and participants create a project based on whatever the wheel decides. It’s always surprising and definitely pushes you outside your comfort zone!

Episode 306 Parameters

Here’s what the wheel gave us:

Project: A7 Card (5" x 7")
I started with a 5" x 7" base but added a standard A2 card front layered on top. I love how the extra dimension gives the card more presence and interest.

Colors: Summer Desserts
I interpreted this as bright, refreshing sorbet shades—orange, pink, and green. They instantly make me think of citrus and fruity summer treats!

Element: Chalkboard
For this one, I heat embossed my sentiment in white on a black background to create that classic chalkboard look. The contrast really pops against the vibrant summer colors.

Random Element: Bottom Border
My bottom border includes a ribbon detail along with a punched border accent. It anchors the design beautifully and adds texture.


This was actually one of the cards I created during the recent Stampin’ Up! Card Making Retreat. We used the Forever Florals Bundle, which will be released in the upcoming March Online Exclusives. It’s always exciting to work with products before they officially launch!

One of my favorite features of this card is the inside. I added two 3" x 3" Flip Flaps. These are typically used for memory keeping, but they work beautifully on cards. They add interactive space for extra messages, photos, or embellishments—such a fun surprise for the recipient!

This card was definitely different from my usual style, but that’s what I love about Craft Roulette. It encourages creativity, spontaneity, and thinking outside the box.

I hope you’ll join us for Craft Roulette sometime. You might be surprised at what you create when you let the wheel decide! 🎡💛








 

Friday, February 13, 2026

Card Making Retreat Friend Card




I’m excited to share the final card from the recent retreat — and that means I have officially completed all 15 cards from the Stampin' Up! Card Retreat! 🎉

Today’s card is definitely outside my usual Clean & Simple style, but that’s one of the reasons I loved making it so much.

A Little Weaving, A Little Stitching

This design has such a beautiful organic feel. We started by weaving 1/4" paper strips through a panel that had evenly spaced holes. The weaving alone created wonderful texture and dimension, but we didn’t stop there!

Using strands pulled from Linen Thread and threaded through a needle, we stitched through some of the holes to add even more detail. That bit of hand stitching really elevates the card and gives it a handcrafted, almost textile-inspired look.

While the original design included three stamped leaves, I chose to substitute die-cut leaves instead. I love how they add a bit more depth while still keeping with the natural feel of the card. Everything else, I kept true to the retreat design.

Finishing Touches

To tie everything together, we also stamped the inside of the card and the envelope. I always appreciate that extra detail — it makes the entire project feel complete and thoughtfully coordinated.

This card has such an earthy, organic vibe. It’s full of texture and detail — definitely something special. I’m sure I’ll find just the right person to send it to… someone who will truly appreciate all the work and love that went into creating it.

This was another creative stretch for me, but I’m so glad I embraced the challenge. It’s good to step outside our comfort zones and try techniques we might not normally choose. That’s where growth happens — and sometimes, that’s where our favorite projects come from.

Thanks for following along with my retreat journey. Fifteen cards later, I can honestly say it was worth every minute!









 

Friday, February 6, 2026

Forever Florals Card From Card Making Retreat


 


Two weeks ago, I had the chance to participate in Stampin’ Up!’s Virtual Card Making Retreat, and it was such a fun and inspiring experience! I’m almost finished with all the projects—only two cards left to make, which I’ll be wrapping up soon.

During the retreat, they demonstrated 15 truly over-the-top cards, packed with layers, details, and techniques. The kit itself was amazing and very generous. It included two stamp sets, one coordinating set of dies, designer paper with cut lines, pre-cut elements, a full pack of Basic White cardstock, envelopes, and embellishments. Everything was thoughtfully prepared, making it easy to focus on creating and learning.

One of my favorite parts of the retreat was revisiting techniques—some were brand new to me, while others were great refreshers. As a clean and simple card maker, stepping outside my comfort zone was a bit of a challenge, but I committed to making the cards as directed, and I’m so glad I did. It was refreshing to slow down and embrace all the details.

The card I’m sharing today is one from the retreat and it’s full of texture and interest. We embossed the background, ink blended over it, and then stamped right on top, which created so much depth. Even the envelope received special attention—ink blending over the cutout pieces made it just as pretty as the card inside!

This retreat reminded me how much I enjoy learning, experimenting, and sometimes pushing past my usual style. Be sure to stay tuned, because I’ll be sharing more cards from this virtual retreat very soon.

Thanks for stopping by and crafting along with me! 💕






Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Mini Slimline Card for an Instagram Hop






I’m so excited to share a Mini Slimline Card I created for an Instagram Hop! This was my very first hop, and I had so much fun that I’m planning to join in every month. Each month, we’ll be creating and sharing mini slimline cards, and I can already tell this is going to be a favorite card size for me.

So… what’s a mini slimline card?
There are a couple of ways to make one:

  • Some of us start with a 6" x 6" piece of cardstock and fold it in half.

  • Others use a 6" x 7" piece and fold it.

No matter which method you choose, all of these cards fit perfectly into a 3.75" x 6.5" envelope. It’s such a fun size to work with—different from standard cards but still super easy to mail.

For my card, I used the Boardwalk Fun Bundle, which felt perfect for this playful format. I started by ink blending directly onto a Thick Basic White card base using Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, and Berry Burst. Blending right on the base gives such a soft, dreamy background.

To add a little magic ✨, I used an Aquapainter dipped into White Craft Ink Refill to splatter some sparkly stars across the background. It’s a simple technique, but it adds so much interest and texture.

The roller coaster was stamped in Memento Black, and I added the die-cut cars and ferris wheel to really bring the scene to life. The sentiment—Happy Birthday—is heat embossed in white and popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals for a bit of dimension.

To ground the scene, I added a small strip of Berry Burst cardstock along the bottom, and I finished everything off with a few Shimmer Star Foam Stickers for extra sparkle.

This Instagram Hop was such a great experience, and I loved seeing how everyone interpreted the mini slimline format. If you’d like to follow along and see what others created, join me on Instagram at @jeanspaperjewels. I can’t wait to share more mini slimline cards with you next month!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy stamping! 💖







 

Monday, February 2, 2026

Drop Down Card Fun! - Craft Roulette Episode205





I’m back with another Craft Roulette creation, this time for Episode 304, and this one was an absolute blast to make! 🎉

Craft Roulette Parameters

  • Project: Drop Down

  • Colors: Mahjong

  • Element: Go Wild

  • Random: Hand Drawn Border






The Design

For this challenge, I created a three-panel drop down card using the Sweet Bugs Bundle—because when “Go Wild” is the element, cute bugs are basically mandatory! 🐞🐝 The playful critters are going wild across the panels, and yes… the mushrooms totally count as wild too.

The Mahjong color palette came together beautifully with Poppy Parade, Granny Apple Green, Old Olive, and Crushed Curry. These bright, bold colors really pop and give the card such a fun, energetic feel.

To satisfy the Random: Hand Drawn Border, I added black dashed lines around the card base. It’s a small detail, but it adds so much character and helps frame the whole project.

Measurements

  • Poppy Parade Card Base: 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

  • Poppy Parade Layer: 5" x 3 3/4"

    • Embossed with the Lovely Stripes Embossing Folder

  • Crushed Curry Fold-Down Panel: 9 3/4" x 3 1/4"

    • Scored at 3 1/4" and 6 1/2"

    • Accordion folded

  • Basic White Panels (3): 3" x 3" each

Details & Finishing Touches

Each Basic White panel was ink blended with Balmy Blue using a retired cloud stencil to create a soft sky background. To ground the bugs, I added a 3" x 3/4" strip of Old Olive DSP along the bottom of each panel.

All of the images were colored with Stampin’ Blends, which really brought the bugs to life and tied the whole color palette together.

Final Thoughts

This was certainly a fun card to make! Craft Roulette always pushes me to stretch my creativity, and I love how it encourages using supplies in new and unexpected ways.

If you haven’t watched yet, Craft Roulette airs every Friday evening at 6:10 PM Central Time. It’s inspiring, unpredictable, and such a great way to get crafty with what you already have.

Thanks so much for stopping by—happy crafting! 💕✂️








 

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