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

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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plaid floral fun

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

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:

SUNBIRD SPARK JULY2025 BLOG GIVEAWAY

🎉 It’s Launch Day! Let’s Celebrate with a Giveaway!

We’re so excited to finally share our brand-new release, a beautiful collection of floral stamps, coordinating press plates & layering stencils, 3D embossing folders, and of course, the upgraded Stencils 360°+™ tools you’ve been hearing about!

To celebrate, we’re hosting a special Launch Day Giveaway right here on the blog!

🌟 What you could win:

One lucky winner will receive a Crafty Bundle including:
💐 1 Clear Stamp Set
🖨️ 1 Coordinating Press Plate Set
🎨 1 Set of Layering Stencils

How to enter:
✨ Simply leave a comment below telling us which product from the new release you’re most excited to try!
⏳ Giveaway closes: Saturday, August 3, 2025
🏆 Winner will be announced: Monday, August 5, 2025

💖 Ready to be inspired? Scroll down to explore the stunning creations by our amazing Creative Team and Guest Designers, all made with goodies from our brand-new release!

🎈 But wait — there’s more!
We’re also having a celebratory Instagram Hop today, and yes, there’s another giveaway there too!

👉 So don’t forget to hop over to Instagram and join the fun:
Follow the hop here → @sunbird_spark

Thanks for celebrating with us, we’re so grateful for this community. Let’s make it a launch to remember! 💖 Below is a quick snap shot of our new release! Our upgraded Stencils 360°+™ tools, 8 new stamp sets & coordinating dies, 4 press plates, 5 layering stencils, 4 embossing folders, 4 new stand-alone dies, 9 sets of new 360°™ stencils, are now available at sunbirdspark.com!

If your favorite local craft store doesn’t carry Sunbird Spark products yet, we’d love your help in getting the word out. Let them know about us, we’d be thrilled to connect!

Sharon and the Sunbird Spark Team

Supplies:

July 2025 New Release

Guess what’s blooming? Our New Release is on Pre-Order! 🌼

We’ve got something exciting blooming at Sunbird Spark and we couldn’t wait to tell you!

Our upgraded Stencils 360°+™ tools have already been making waves, but now the rest of our brand new release is up for Pre-Order! Think floral stamps, coordinating press plates, layering stencils, and some gorgeous 3D embossing folders, all ready to bring your next project to life!

💛 Whether you’re into stamping, foiling, ink blending, or all of the above, this release has something just for you, and your crafty bestie, too!

Early bird perk: Get 10% off pre-orders from now through July 28 (no code needed)
📦 Orders ship Tuesday, July 29, the day our full release officially goes live!

So if you know someone who loves to get first dibs on new supplies (or just wants to treat themselves), send them our way!

🛍️ [Browse the collection + pre-order now →]

Be sure to us on July 29 for a fun-filled launch celebration! We’ll be hopping along Instagram with giveaways, inspiration, and a whole lot of creativity. Don’t miss it!

Thanks again for being here and for sharing our little corner of creativity with your friends. We can’t wait to show you what’s next 💫

Sharon & the Sunbird Spark Team

damask stencils 360

Happy Mother’s Day to All Moms Out There

Mother’s Day doesn’t have to look picture-perfect. Whether it’s enjoying a cup of coffee with your mom at a quiet coffee shop, going for a walk, a joyful family celebration, or being physically far apart but keeping your mom in your heart, everyone has there own story and to me, there is definitely no right or wrong way to spend this special day.

However it is you’re spending Mother’s Day, you have the right to spend it in your own terms. Just remember that Mother’s Day will always be different for everyone. If you find this holiday an unbearable reminder of a painful past, you’re not alone. I hope you find strength on this Mother’s Day and consider sharing your feeling and thoughts to those who are there to support you.

To my mom, you are my rock and you’ve taught me so much. I love you with all my heart. Happy Mother’s Day!

Sharon for Penguin Palace

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