It’s April and also the first Wednesday in the month, that means it’s time for another IDEAS blog hop. I’ve been a little obsessed of late with the Sweet Bugs Stamp Set and coordinating dies, as well as the Cute As A Bug 12” x 12” Designer Series Paper (DSP). So before we get onto this month’s IDEAS Tutorial Bundle I want to show you this sweet “Love you lots” card. The red checked pattern reminded me of a picnic blanket and from there the project came together really quickly.

I began with the sheet of individual patterned panels from the Cute As A Bug DSP pack. First I cut out the 3″ x 4″ checked panel along with a 3-1/8″ x 4-1/8″ piece of Daffodil Delight Card. Using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) I mounted the DSP onto the card and set it aside.

Then I went back to the DSP pack and found the sheet with the same red checked design but slightly larger. From that I cut a 3/4″ x 5-1/4″ strip and glued it along the bottom edge of a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Basic White Card. After setting that aside I cut a 2-1/4″ x 6″ piece of the checked paper and glued that onto the flap of a Basic White Medium Envelope. Finally I trimmed off the excess paper with scissors, using the edge of the flap as a guide.

With that done I decided on Granny Apple Green Card for the A2 card base. I started by cutting a 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ piece of the card, then with the long side at the top I scored it at 4-1/4″. After folding the card along the scored line I sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder. Using liquid glue I fixed the prepared white layer on the inside of my card base. Then I glued the mounted DSP layer at an angle onto the card front.

TIME FOR A BUG OR TWO

Now I was ready for the Sweet Bugs Stamp Set. Using Mossy Meadow ink I stamped the sitting bug, the flying bee and the single flower onto some Thick Basic White Card. Then I cut them out using the coordinating dies from the Sweet Bugs Dies set.

To colour the images I decided to use Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. On the stting bug I used light and dark Granny Apple Green on the body, with light and dark Pumpkin Pie around the neck. Then I used dark Soft Sea Foam on the head as well as the wings on both insects. To finish the bee I stuck to light and dark Daffodil Delight. The flower was the final element and for that I just used dark Pumpkin Pie.

Before I could attach the bugs to the card front I cut a small slit between the bee’s arms. This allowed me to slip the stalk of the flower between them. With that done I added the bugs to the card using Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals.

For the sentiment I went back to the Sweet Bugs Stamp Set and chose “Love you lots”. Using Mossy Meadow ink I stamped it onto a 5/8″ x 2-3/8″ strip of Thick Basic White Card. Then with more Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals I added the sentiment to the card front. Finally I painted over the wings with a Clear Wink of Stella Glitter Brush and my project was complete.

MORE INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS

So now that’s out of the way let me tell you about the April 2026 IDEAS Tutorial Bundle. Our 40 page “Fun Folds” Tutorial PDF is full of inspiration with 13 projects from 11 designers. The collage below offers a little sneak peek of what’s inside with lots of great ideas for both beginner and advanced paper crafters to try. My contribution to the tutorial bundle uses more from the Cute As A Bug DSP pack. I wonder if you can spot it from the projects in the photo below?

If you’d like a copy of this IDEAS Tutorial Bundle for your own personal use, or even to use in your classes, there are three different ways to get it if you’re in Canada:

• Place an order via my online store for $45CAD (before shipping and taxes). But make sure to allow Stampin’ Up! to share your contact details so I can e-mail the tutorial to you.
• Join Stampin’ Up! and my Crafty Canadians team, and you’ll get this IDEAS tutorial for free.
• Buy the tutorial for $20CAD. Contact me at tutorials@papercraftwithme.com for more information.

The IDEAS Team has worked hard to provide these exclusive projects for your own personal use. So once you’ve received the bundle, please don’t share or distribute printed or electronic copies of our tutorials. However, if you know someone who’d like a copy of the tutorial bundle, simply ask them to contact me (if they’re in Canada) or another member of the IDEAS team. Thank you for your support.

And now for more inspiring projects from the rest of the team, click on the links below.

PRODUCT LIST

BUNDLE BONUS – I bought the Sweet Bugs Stamp Set and coordinating Dies using a single ‘bundle’ item number. This saved me 10% off the cost of buying the same two items separately. I’ve included a links for both options below in case you want to explore that option.