Love, Hope & Joy — A Year-End Make (and Something New ✨)

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As the year comes to a close, I’ve been taking time to reflect, create, and gently clear space; both in the studio and on the shelves. This card felt like the perfect way to capture that moment.

The Card Design

This project features the Timeless Tulips press plates, paired with the Love · Hope · Joy sentiment (also press plates), inked in Wild Indigo Velvety Dye Ink. The rich, calming purple tone brings a sense of quiet elegance and feels especially fitting for this time of year.

To create the shaker window, I used the Bellezza Frames Nested Dies – Stand-Alone Dies, die cutting it several times and stacking the layers for the added dimension. I then added acetate to form a clear window, turning the center into a soft, interactive shaker element.

Inside the shaker, I added a mix of sequins from our latest sequins collection — thoughtfully curated shades that complement the purples beautifully, with subtle metallics that catch the light just enough to add movement and interest without overpowering the design.

For the background, I used the Art Deco embossing folder, which adds a refined texture and elevates the overall look. The combination of clean lines, soft florals, and layered details gives the card a timeless, elegant feel. Press plates and die cutting are easy to work with, and adding a shaker element turns them into a beautifully finished card. I hope you’ll give it a try!

New Sequin Collection Now Available ✨

Alongside this project, I’m excited to share that a brand-new collection of sequins has just been added to the website.

This collection includes a range of carefully selected colors. From soft neutrals to moody metallics, designed to work beautifully for shaker cards, accents, and mixed-media projects. These are the same sequins used in today’s card, and I loved how effortlessly they tied the entire design together.

Year-End Sale 🎉

To help clear out some inventory and make room for what’s coming next, I’m running a year-end sale for a limited time! ✨ Use code YEAREND30 at checkout to save 30% Off Site-Wide! ✨

Whether you know a friend who wants to pick up something they’ve had their eye on, stocking up on essentials, or exploring the new sequin collection, please let them know that this is a great opportunity to do so!

Thank you for creating along with me this year and for supporting my small business. Every order, message, and shared project truly means more than you know. Here’s to ending the year with love, hope, and joy, and stepping into the next one inspired 💜!

Warmly,

Sharon for Sunbird Spark

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Magnolia Beauty & Grace

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Two stunning inspirations + Early Black Friday Sale details!

Today I’m excited to share two beautiful card projects featuring Sunbird Spark goodies — created by Ann and Eileen, featuring a mix of our floral stamps, dies, and stenciling tools. With our Early Black Friday Sale starting this Thursday at 6:00 a.m. Pacific, it felt like the perfect time to bring you fresh inspiration while you plan your crafty wishlist.

Magnolia Beauty Foiled in Gold ✨

Our first project is a breathtaking card made by Ann, featuring the Magnolia Beauty – Press Plates foiled in rich, glowing gold.

Ann began by foiling the Magnolia Beauty Press Plates on smooth white cardstock using a sheet of gold foil slightly larger than the design. By doing this, she could save the leftover foil and give it a second life.

Using that leftover piece, she placed it over the Solid Rectangle Foil Plate and ran it through again on fresh white cardstock, creating a solid, beautifully smooth gold panel. From this panel, she die-cut various circle shapes using circle dies — turning what would have been waste into striking, dimensional accents.

Each gold circle was then popped up with foam tape and layered over the delicate magnolia outlines. The combination of bold metallic shine against the fine floral linework gives this card such an elegant, modern feel!

Strength, Beauty, and Grace 🌸

Second Inspiration: A vibrant stenciled background

For this next card, Eileen played with a full suite of Sunbird Spark favourites — the Magnolia floral stamps and coordinating dies, paired with the Zen Vibes 360° stencil to build a vibrant background full of movement.

She ink-blended through the stencil using layers of soft greens, warm corals, and subtle yellows to create a lively dotted pattern. Then she deepened the edges with a rich blue blend, adding contrast and drawing the eye toward the centre. A few white splatters brought in extra texture.

To finish the design, she layered the florals in the middle and added the sentiment:
“You represent strength, beauty, and grace.”
The soft pink tones of the flowers pop beautifully against the bold, dotted background — a perfect balance of elegance and energy.

Early Black Friday Sale ✨

We’re starting our holiday savings a little early this year!
Our Early Black Friday Sale goes live this Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Pacific and runs through next Monday.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

SAVE 25% on EVERYTHING – use code BLACK25

(Yes — even items already on sale!)

And great news:
Our popular Stencils 360+™ is officially back in stock!

It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up our new Embossing Folders, Press Plates, stencils, dies, inks, tools, accessories, and all the crafty essentials you’ve been waiting for! Sale ends Monday Dec 1st 11:30 p.m. PST., so don’t miss our biggest sale of the year!

A Warm Thank-You

I hope these two projects spark ideas for your next crafting session! Thank you so much for being here and supporting my small business. Your creativity, your enthusiasm, and your kindness truly mean the world. 💛

Sharon for Sunbird Spark

Supplies:

plaid floral fun

Autumn Gratitude with Stencils 360°+™ – Cozy Colors & Layered Dimension

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Today I’m sharing a pair of bright and cheerful cards created using our Stencils 360°+™ system, and these might be some of my favorite seasonal blends yet! 🍂✨
Created by the talented Mimi Lo, these cards combine bold rotation-blended wreaths with charming accents for a look that’s both modern and warm.

A Radiant 🍁 Thanksgiving Wreath

The first card features a stunning sunset-inspired wreath using our Stencils 360°™ tool. Mimi blended warm tones, layering the stencil at different rotation intervals to build this mesmerizing geometric burst.

A few festive splatters add playful energy, while the center stays bright to frame the focal point:
🌼 Hand-colored florals from Petals & Positivity.
🖤 A bold, modern sentiment: “gratitude” from Dots In Harmony.

For this autumn-themed wreath, the stencil was rotated at 45° throughout the design:

  • Solid triangles inked with Mustard Seed Distress Oxide
  • Outlined triangles inked with Festive Berries Distress Oxide
  • Outlined heart shapes inked with Gathered Twigs Distress Oxide

Finishing Details

  • Splatters: Festive Berries Distress Ink + Gansai Tambi Red Gold for a festive shimmer
  • Frame: Dots to Dashes large die for a stitched perimeter

The combination of gold splatter and earthy florals makes this card perfect for Thanksgiving or any gratitude-themed project!

🎄 Christmas Wreath

From cozy autumn to joyful holiday themes, rotational blending brings magic to any project. The Christmas version uses the same rotation (45°) and the same alignment marks as the fall wreath, but with a fresh winter palette.

Finishing Details

I love how the golden speckles truly bring the wreath to life!

These two projects show how simply adjusting color choice can transform the same stencil into completely different seasonal looks. Whether you’re crafting for fall gatherings or holiday celebrations, the Stencils 360°+™ system helps you create eye-catching wreaths with perfect symmetry and effortless blending!

We hope today’s inspiration sparks new ideas for your own seasonal crafting.
Feel free to share your creations and tag us. We love seeing what you make with Sunbird Spark supplies! 💛🧡💚

Sharon for Sunbird Spark

Supplies:

🍂 Autumn Spark Mega Savings – October 6–12 Only!

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We’re kicking off fall with something truly special – our Autumn Spark Mega Savings event! For one week only, from October 6–12, enjoy 25% OFF all new arrivals and clearance items!

This is your chance to stock up on everyday essentials and snag brand-new products at prices we rarely offer. Whether you’re prepping for the holiday season or refreshing your craft stash, this event is designed to give you mega value while fueling your creativity.

🎨 Card Inspiration: Joy to the World

To celebrate this sale, I created a cheerful holiday card using soft, bokeh background in festive hues. This look was made effortless thanks to our Stencils 360+™ tool, which makes layering and rotating stencils quick and precise, no complicated measuring required.

For this design, I used both barrels from the Magical Bokeh set to achieve the effect. The colors come from our Winter Glow Palette of Velvety Dye Inks. I used all six shades in the palette, and since it’s pre-curated, there’s absolutely no guesswork in matching colors. Everything blends together beautifully for a cohesive, wintry look.

The sentiment came directly from our Winter Glow Sentiment Strips – Festive Collection — a full A2-sized sheet packed with versatile greetings, all color-coordinated with our Velvety Dye Inks. It’s the perfect time-saver for cardmakers: just snip, adhere, and you’ve got a crisp sentiment that ties perfectly into your design.

I love how the layered colors in the background create a dreamy, modern look that’s both playful and elegant. A few sparkling embellishments finish off the card for a festive touch.

This kind of design works beautifully with blending inks and stencils – just layer your colors lightly and let the magic happen.

🛒 Don’t Miss Out

📅 Sale Dates: October 6–12
✨ Offer: 25% OFF all new arrivals & clearance items — including items already on sale!
📦 Note: Orders placed Sept 26–Oct 8 will begin shipping Oct 9.

Note: Some sale items are available in limited quantities and will not be restocked. In the rare case that an item oversells, we’ll promptly issue a refund to your original payment method.

Your chance to save big starts right now!

Sharon for Sunbird Spark

Supplies:

Sunbird Spark Joyride and Giggles

Joyride & Giggles Inspiration with Kary and Mimi

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There’s something magical about the sound of laughter on a carnival ride. That mix of excitement, a little fear, and pure joy shared with friends. The Joyride & Giggles stamp and die set was created to capture that exact feeling and bring it onto paper!

🌟 A Playful Stamp & Die Set

This set celebrates fun and friendship with whimsical images: a drop tower called Stardrop, kids with joyful expressions, and even a sweet little bunny companion. The coordinating sentiments are lighthearted and encouraging, perfect for letting someone know they bring laughter and joy into your life.

🎨 Cardmaking Inspiration

Kary’s Carnival Scene

Kary’s card feels like a day at the fair. With the Stardrop ride as the centerpiece, bright colors, and layered details, she created a scene full of life and movement. The background was given extra depth with the Diamond Dusk 3D Embossing Folder, adding a textured, almost architectural look that beautifully frames the playful images. Her sentiment, “Sending thrills & giggles your way!”, perfectly matches the spirit of the design.

Mimi’s Ride-or-Cry Card

Mimi took a playful approach, highlighting the characters’ expressive faces on the tower ride. Her witty sentiment, “You’re my favorite ride-or-cry! Screaming with joy just thinking of you!”, adds both humor and heart, reminding us that joy always feels bigger when it’s shared!

✨ See the Ride in Action!
One of the most delightful parts of this set is how it can be brought to life with an interactive element. With a simple pull-tab, the Stardrop ride goes up and down, just like the real thing! 🎢 We filmed a short reel to show the movement, because sometimes, seeing the ride bounce and drop brings the giggles to life even more than a still photo can. 💛

🎡 Cardmaking as a Way to Relive Joyful Moments

Crafting with Joyride & Giggles is about more than creating pretty cards. It’s about remembering the little things, the thrill of a ride, the giggles of childhood, the way laughter can connect us. Sitting down to stamp and color these characters feels like reliving those moments, and sharing them in a handmade card passes that joy on to someone else. Whether you build a full carnival scene or keep it simple with one smiling character, each project becomes a tiny celebration of fun and friendship.

This stamp definitely invites us to craft with playfulness and heart, reminding us that even the smallest creations can carry big joy!

Thanks for stopping by, happy crafting!

Sharon for Sunbird Spark

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