The October 2026 Virtual Card Retreat is a chance to spend time making cards, learning techniques, and crafting alongside other people, all from home. Stampin’ Up! has planned 15 card projects and will show you how to make them during a two-day online event.
One of the things I like about a retreat like this is that you don’t have to sit down and decide what to make or which products to put together. The projects and instructions are ready for you. Once you have prepared your supplies, you can follow along, make the cards, and enjoy the time you have set aside to craft.
When is the October 2026 Virtual Card Retreat in New Zealand?
The live retreat takes place on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October 2026, beginning at 9 am New Zealand time each day. Stampin’ Up! will demonstrate the cards in a private Facebook group, with sessions running for up to seven hours a day.
You are welcome to craft along live, but you don’t need to be available for every session. The videos will be recorded and available in the group afterwards. You can pause while you finish a step, go back over a technique, or make some of the cards another day.
You could enjoy the retreat at home on your own, invite a friend with their own kit to craft beside you, or join the conversation with other card makers online.
What is included in the retreat kit?
The 2026 October Card Retreat kit costs NZ$347. It contains coordinating Stampin’ Up! products and materials for the 15 projects, including stamps, dies, patterned paper, cardstock, envelopes, and embellishments.
Buying the kit also gives you access to the retreat. There is no separate event registration. Inside the kit, you’ll find a card with your link to the private Facebook group. I suggest requesting access when your kit arrives, as approval can take a few business days. Stampin’ Up! also provides project instructions and a preparation video to help you get ready.
There will be giveaways during the live event, and Stampin’ Up! says customers who buy their kit before the event are entered even if they cannot attend live.
What extra supplies will you need?
It is important to check your equipment before ordering, as the kit does not contain every tool needed to make the cards.
You will need a Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine with plates 1–4 (or similar machine), including the Specialty Plate (Plate 4). This retreat kit includes Impressions Dies, and using those also requires an Impressions Plate, which is sold separately. The Impressions Plate and Specialty Plate are two different items. The standard machine comes with plates 1–4, but it does not include the separately sold Impressions Plate.
You will also need other card-making supplies, such as inks, adhesives, and basic tools. Stampin’ Up! provides an additional-supplies list with the retreat information and in the Facebook group.
Is this retreat right for you?
At NZ$347, this is a purchase to think through. I think it would particularly suit someone who enjoys guided card-making projects, would like to learn some new techniques, and expects to use the stamps and dies for other cards after the retreat.
It may also suit you if you have been wanting some dedicated crafting time but find that choosing a project is often the part that stops you getting started. Here, you have 15 projects planned for you and demonstrations you can revisit whenever you need to.
If you are newer to card making, the extra equipment is the main thing to consider. You don’t have to work that out alone; send me a message, and I can help you check what you would need.
How to order the October 2026 Virtual Card Retreat kit
Would you like to join the retreat? You can order the 2026 October Card Retreat kit here though my store.
The kits are available while supplies last. If joining the live sessions matters to you, allow time for delivery and for admission to the Facebook group. If those dates don’t work for you, you can still enjoy the October 2026 Virtual Card Retreat through the recordings and make the cards at your own pace.