August INK & Go Kit | Easy Cardmaking Ideas for 8 Handmade Cards

August INK & Go Kit: Four Cards, Four Different Looks

One of my favorite things about the INK & Go Kit is that you don’t have to start with a blank sheet of cardstock and figure out what to make. I’ve already done that part for you.

Want to Make These Cards?

The August INK & Go Kit includes everything you need to create 8 cards, two each of four designs. You’ll provide your own ink and greeting stamps, and everything else is included.

$25 for local porch pickup or $30 shipped in the U.S.

Order the August INK & Go Kit on Payhip

Each month, I design four different cards and prepare the pieces you need to make two of each design. You provide your own ink and greeting stamps. Everything else you need to make the eight cards is included in the kit.

No searching through your Designer Series Paper.

No trying to decide which colors work together.

No wondering what to make.

Just open the kit and start creating.

And the August kit is a great example of how different four cards can look when you start with the same basic idea: make cardmaking easier.

The Silly Old Bear card is probably the most playful of the four. I used the map-style Designer Series Paper as the background and added the little characters and a stamped sentiment in Golden Glow.

The layered label gives the card some dimension, while the characters bring it to life.

It’s a cheerful design that could work for a birthday, a “thinking of you” card, a baby card or simply a note to someone you enjoy spending time with.

The Violet card has a completely different feel.

The rich Gorgeous Grape card base frames three panels of floral Designer Series Paper, with ribbon tucked behind the greeting to add another layer of interest.

It looks more involved than it actually is. Most of the pieces simply go flat onto the card, with Dimensionals used for the greeting and ribbon.

This is one of those cards where a few simple pieces come together to create a finished look that feels special.

The Lily of the Valley card is a little different again.

The Coastal Cabana pieces are folded on the pre-scored lines to create the unique fold, and the Designer Series Paper and die-cut lily of the valley pieces add plenty of detail.

Even though it looks like there are a lot of layers happening here, the assembly is straightforward. Fold the two pieces, attach the pieces flat, add your greeting, and you have a beautiful card ready to send.

And then there’s the balloon card.

This one is clean, simple and happy. The bright Azure Afternoon and Coastal Cabana balloons stand out against the white background, with just a few embellishments to finish it off.

Sometimes simple really is the best choice.

It’s also a great example of why I like creating four different designs for each INK & Go Kit. You might love the detailed Lily of the Valley card, while someone else would choose the simple balloon card every time.

You get to make both.

Cardmaking without the creative overwhelm.

That’s really the idea behind INK & Go.

I know that coming up with a card design can sometimes be the hardest part of cardmaking. You may have plenty of stamps, cardstock and Designer Series Paper, but sitting down and deciding what to do with all of it can stop you before you even begin.

I want to eliminate that creative overwhelm.

So I make the design decisions for you.

You still get the fun of stamping, assembling and creating something handmade, but you don’t have to figure out the whole project from scratch. Your supplies are already cut, coordinated and ready to go. You just need your ink and greeting stamps.

And when you’re finished, you have eight cards ready to send.

Because that’s the part I really love about cardmaking. It isn’t just about making something pretty and putting it in a box. It’s about having a handmade card ready when you want to tell someone happy birthday, say hello, let them know you’re thinking about them, or simply send a little love.

Make the card. Send the card.

That’s what the August INK & Go Kit is all about.

Four designs. Two of each. Eight cards.

Everything included except your ink and greeting stamps.

And a whole lot less creative overwhelm.

Ready to make some cards?
Get your August INK & Go Kit on Payhip

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4 Handmade Card Ideas | Stampin’ Up! August Stamp-a-Stack Inspiration

A Little Bit of Everything at This Month’s Stamp-a-Stack

This month’s Stamp-a-Stack was a fun one!

Once a month, I get together with my local stampers for a couple hours of creating. We make eight cards — two each of four different designs — and I always try to give them a little variety.

This month we had balloons, fall, back-to-school and flowers. And each card had a little story behind it.

Stepping Outside My Usual Style

Let's start with the balloons.

I'll admit, this card was not my typical style. I created it using the Balloon Festoon Bundle, found in the May–August Mini Catalog, and when I finished it, I wasn't quite sure if I had gone a little overboard.

So I did what I often do when I'm on the fence about a card: I asked my Facebook friends what they thought.

And wow, did you all have an opinion!

There were a few suggestions for changes, but the overwhelming response was to leave it just as it was. So I did.

Sometimes it's good to step outside your usual style and see what happens. And apparently this one was a hit!

A Little Fall Fun

I couldn't resist making a fall card, especially with fall weather right around the corner.

This little scarecrow was made with the Fun for Fall Bundle, one of the products available in the July Online Exclusives, and I think he's just so much fun. He's definitely ready for a change in the weather!

When I asked my stampers Friday night and Saturday morning which card was their favorite, every card received votes. But I think the scarecrow may have been the winner.

He's hard not to like!

Back to School, With a Twist

Kids around here are heading back to school this week, so I couldn't resist making a back-to-school card.

I used the Learn & Grow stamp set, also part of the July Online Exclusives, for this one. But I wanted to keep it useful even for stampers who don't have a child or teacher to send a back-to-school card to.

That's something I try to keep in mind when designing my Stamp-a-Stack cards. A theme can be fun, but I also want the cards to be useful for the people making them.

A Card That Can Become Whatever You Need

I also like to include a card that isn't tied to one particular occasion.

For this birthday card, I used the Framed Violets Bundle, another of the products from the July Online Exclusives. But the finished card could easily become a sympathy card, a happy anniversary card or another occasion simply by changing the greeting.

And that's why I always have an assortment of greetings available for my Stamp-a-Stack. You can personalize your card to say exactly what you need it to say.

The card design doesn't have to dictate the occasion. You get to decide what the card becomes.

Four Cards, Lots of Possibilities

That's really what I love about our Stamp-a-Stack weekends.

I get to come up with four different card ideas, and my stampers get to spend some time creating without having to figure out what to make from scratch.

And when they leave, they have eight handmade cards ready to send.

This month's four designs gave us a little bit of everything — a card that pushed me outside my comfort zone, some fun fall inspiration, a back-to-school idea and a versatile floral card that can be used for all kinds of occasions.

As always, we had a great time creating together.

And now that I've shared all four, which one would be your favorite?

The balloons, the scarecrow, the back-to-school card or the violets?

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