LDRS Creative | Scallop Gift Tote Dies

Handmade gift packaging is one of my favorite ways to make a gift feel extra special! Today I'm sharing how I put together an adorable purple gift tote using the Scallop Gift Tote Dies, along with a few coordinating products to add some fun personality.

Products used -

Scallop Gift Tote Dies

Dots Cover Plate

Tiny Tote and Tassel Charm Dies

Charms Layering Hearts Dies

Charms Layering Flowers Dies

With Love Script Die

I start by die-cutting and assembling my Scallop Gift Tote, using purple cardstock for the main body and striped patterned paper for the handles. To add a little extra interest, I use the Dots Cover Plate to cut a dotted pattern into both the front and back panels of the bag. It's such a fun way to give the tote a little texture and detail!

Now for the really fun part: embellishing! I use the Tiny Tote and Tassel Charm Dies, Charms Layering Hearts Dies, and Charms Layering Flowers Dies to create the sweetest little accessories. Cutting the pieces from patterned paper adds a playful mix of color and pattern that really brings the simple purple tote to life. I love how these little details turn an everyday gift bag into something truly special!

Experiment with different cardstock colors, patterned papers, cover plate designs, and charms to create a tote for any occasion. Whether you're gifting handmade cards, a small present, or a little treat, it's a thoughtful way to share something special.

Watch the video for my step-by-step assembly tutorial, and then have fun creating a gift tote of your own!

Oh So Inspired October 2026 | Easy Paper Tearing Technique

Ready for an easy peasy paper tearing technique? I was inspired by Vicki's torn paper card for the October video hop and got a jump on my Christmas cards using the Festive Holiday Paper Pack from LDRS Creative.

Here's our inspiration piece. You can find Vicki's card here!

The best thing about this technique is it's a great way to shop your stash! Dive into your bin of patterned paper - come on ... we all have one! I went with a Christmas theme, but I'll be keeping this in mind for birthdays, babies, everyday, etc. 

I mentioned it in my video, but one of the reasons I chose the Festive Holiday Paper Pack is because it has a white core. I love that effect when you tear the paper. It gives a perfect distinguishing border without any extra effort. 

I had paper left over, so I created the same card in a vertical format. Just grab a sentiment die or stamped sentiment and your'e good to go! 

LDRS Creative | Easy Holiday Cards & Gift Tags in Minutes!

If you love creating coordinated holiday projects without spending hours at your craft desk, the Festive Holiday Card Kit and Festive Holiday Gift Tag Kit from LDRS Creative are for you! These kits make holiday crafting quick, easy, and fun, and the best part is that they coordinate, so you can make gift sets in minutes!

Products used - 

Festive Holiday Card Kit

Festive Holiday Gift Tag Kit

Festive Holiday 5x7 Paper Pack

The gift tags come together in just three simple steps: choose your tag base, pick a grommet color, and add a topper! That's it! I made two tags in less than two minutes. The Festive Holiday Card Kit is just as easy to use. Simply grab a foil-framed topper, a die-cut sentiment, and a few pieces of ephemera to create a festive card in no time.

I added patterned papers from the Festive Holiday Paper Pack to bring in extra color and texture, then created a quick Tag Bag to bring everything together. A coordinating card, gift tag, and cute gift bag make such a lovely presentation for holiday gifts!

If you're looking for an easy way to create beautiful, coordinated holiday projects, these kits are a wonderful place to start. Watch the video to see just how quickly everything comes together, and get ready to make your holiday crafting a little easier!

LDRS Creative | Scenic Christmas Cards

Ready to make some holiday cards in a snap? I always find myself falling behind during the holiday card rush, but I was able to whip up 3 cards in just a few minutes!

Products used - 

Christmas Time AquaInk Transfer Sheets

Holiday Vertical Sentiments Stamps

Diamond Postage Collage Dies

Pinpoint Ovals Dies

Hand Torn Ovals Dies

Mixed Postage Rectangles Dies

8.5x11" Watercolor Cardstock

I love how easy it is to maek a whole bunch of cards at once! Each one is a little bit different. Just switch up your colored cardstock and dies and no one will get the same card as another! 

LDRS Creative | Quick and Pretty AquaInk Tutorial

There’s something so pretty about letting a few beautiful floral images do all the work! For this card, I combined the Royal Bouquets AquaInk Transfer Sheets with the Hand Torn Arch Eclipse Dies to create a simple purple-toned design with lots of dimension!

Products used - 

Royal Bouquets AquaInk Transfer Sheets

Hand Torn Arch Eclipse Dies

Watercolor Paper Pack

Arches Dies

Everyday Vertical Sentiments Stamps

I started by choosing a couple of floral images from the Royal Bouquets AquaInk Transfer Sheets and arranging them so they would transfer to the bottom left and top right of my card. I filled in the open space between the flowers with a few butterfly transfers. Once the transfers were in place, I used the Hand Torn Arch Eclipse Dies to create the focal point. I’ll show you a quick and easy way to do the Eclipse technique using an inlay method. The finished card is simple, pretty, and full of gorgeous purple florals!

I hope you’ll give this technique a try! The Royal Bouquets AquaInk Transfer Sheets and Hand Torn Arch Eclipse Dies make it easy to create a beautiful card without needing a lot of extra elements. Be sure to check out the video tutorial to see exactly how this one comes together!

Oh So Inspired September 2026 Collaboration Hop | Seamless Embossing Technique

It's time for the September Oh So Inspired hop! I love this month's inspiration piece. It features an embossed background with a portion of the background cut out, ink blended, and popped up for dimension. Right in my comfort zone! 

Products used - 

LDRS Creative Perfect Petals Embossing Folder

Scrapbook.com Collage I Die

LDRS Creative Watercolor Cardstock

I love the technique for this background. It's genius! I loved it so much, I decided to make three cards instead of one. I love rainbows and I couldn't decide on one color blend, so I just made all of them.

I love that these monthly hops allow me to reach into my stash and use things I love, but may not use otherwise. I used a new die, an older (favorite!) embossing folder, and an even older sentiment stamp set. I think I've had this stamp set for about 7 years and haven't used it! Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's available anymore, but I'm sure you're like me and have lots of favorite sentiment sets in your stash. 

Be sure to watch my video tutorial. I have links in the caption to this month's inspiration piece as well as to the YouTube playlist to see everyone's hop projects!

LDRS Creative | How to Add Dimension Without Adding Layers

I’ll be the first to admit that a one-layer card is a little outside my comfort zone! I usually love creating cards with lots of layers and dimension, but sometimes you want something that’s simple to create and easy to mail. This card was all about creating the look of layers and dimension without actually adding any bulk - and there are so many little tricks you can use to make a one-layer design feel anything but flat!

Products used - 

LDRS Creative Land & Sky Masks and Stencils

LDRS Creative Floral Sketch 5x7 Stamps

LDRS Creative Hybrid Ink Collection

Gina K Designs Masking Magic Strips

Ranger Glossy Accents

I started by adding 1/2" strips of masking paper around each edge of my card panel, then blended pink and orange inks through the largest moon stencil from the Land & Sky Masks and Stencils. I intentionally let the stencil hang off the top right and bottom left edges so the ink blending would be cut off by the edge of the card. Next, I stamped the large floral image from the Floral Sketch 5x7 Stamps, positioning it so parts of the image overlapped the ink blending. A few black ink spatters added even more texture and interest before I removed the masking paper.

To finish the card, I used a fine-tip black pen to outline the edges of the card panel, which really emphasized the areas where the ink blending was cut off and gave the design the look of an additional layer. I also added Glossy Accents to the flowers that overlap the ink blending for a little bit of shine and dimension. Between the masking, cropped ink blending, overlapping imagery, ink spatters, hand-drawn border, and glossy accents, there are lots of ways to create visual depth without adding physical layers.

I had so much fun stepping outside my usual style with this card! If you love the look of layered cards but want something that's easier to mail, I hope these ideas inspire you to try creating dimension without the bulk. Sometimes a few simple techniques can make a single layer of cardstock feel like so much more!