Variations on Easels

Today I have a trio of cards that are all variations on easel cards.  While it's fun to use new things, sometimes we need to use up our current stash, and that's what I'm doing with these cards.  So, many of the items are discontinued, but you can find plenty of pretty papers, stamps & dies to use to make similar cards here. Where materials are still available as of this writing, I'll provide links to them.  Please note that all Stampin' Up! images © 1990–2026 Stampin’ Up!®

 

Materials Used - all from Stampin' Up! unless otherwise indicated  

• Designer Series Paper (DSP): Countryside Inn designer DSP. 
• Cardstock: Basic White, Misty Moonlight, Night of Navy, and the discontinued Boho Blue. 
• Stamps: Flower stamp: Sentimental Rose kit and sentiments: Sentimental Rose kit and Mixed Labels 
• Cutting Dies: For shapes: Mixed Labels & Countryside Corners, and for sentiment: Wanted to Say 
• Inks: Misty Moonlight, Night of Navy 
• Adhesives: Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals and/or Mini Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Adhesive backed Velcro dots - approx. 1/2-inch size (not from Stampin' Up!) 
• Embellishments: Iridescent Adhesive-backed Discs, Iridescent Faceted Gems, Night of Navy Linen Thread, 
• Equipment: Paper Trimmer, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine or Mini Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine, Detail Scissors, Stamping Blocks,  

 

Card #1 - Vertical Easel:

This card structure is made identically to a standard easel card.  The main difference is the "hinges" on either side of the fold that serve to hold the focal in place.  For this card, I used the "plate placing trick" to create longer versions of the regular die cut which is the rabbit patterned paper piece.

 

Card #2 - Twisted Easel:

This card really isn't much different from a standard easel either.  You simply score the card front in half on the diagonal instead of parallel to the fold.

 

Card #3 - Double Twisted Easel with Belly Band:  

There are many styles of these - some with both panels facing each other when displayed, some with both panels facing away from each other when displayed.  I made mine both facing the same way.  If they aren't facing the same way, you need to be careful how you decorate it so it looks good when closed as well as open!  I made this as a 3 7/8" x 9" slimline card to fit in a business sized envelope.  I  made the belly band with a small dot Velcro enclosure for easy opening & closing.

Another Gatefold Spread

 

I am really jazzed about using Stampin' Up! supplies for scrapbooking.  I understand they just started carrying scrapbooking supplies shortly before I started as an independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, but I only recently realized all that they now have for memory keeping! 

One of the biggest challenges I have had with scrapbooking in the past is the time it takes to find papers that coordinate with my pictures.  With Stampin' Up! products, I know at a glance what colors will go well with my photos and can quickly see what papers contain those colors.  As always, it's nice to know that I have coordinating markers and inks and cardstock to make my task easier!

I've also had a challenge with figuring out how to embellish my pages without just throwing flowers willy nilly.  Sometimes flower embellishments fit the theme - but sometimes they don't!  Stampin' Up!s stamps and dies are great for creating some of those embellishments.    

And THEN, there's Stampin' Up!s scrapbooking workshop kits which make the whole process easier still!  With papers, cardstock, and embellishments that all go together - plus step by step instructions for building the pages.  I look forward to using some of those scrapbooking kits as I get them in the future, but for today, I'm just using some older Stampin' Up! papers I had left over - and also older Stampin' Up! cutting dies for embellishments (when I didn't find something pre-made in my stash that would work!).  Though I love to use the newest things, some days I just have to do with what I have!

Advent Calendar 2025

This year, my DD, knowing I love paper crafting, gave me the 2025 Spellbinders Advent Calendar.  What fun!  I saw folks opening them last year and thought it would be so much fun.  It is! :D  

This is what the box looks like when opened and Day One calendar piece is opened:

Here's a look at what came in it: