Stamping with Karen

Red Mini Milk Carton

Here's the first mini milk carton I made.  So cute for Valentine's Day in red or any time!  You can add any kind of decorations to them that you like!  I used the beautiful Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper, the Butterfly Punch, some flower stems from the Pretties Kit for its antennae and a Library Clip to hold the box closed.  Check out the Mini Milk Carton Die (#117310) in the Occasions Mini Catalog!

 

Valentine Mini Milk Carton

Valentine colors are red and pink, but sometimes it is nice to change it up a little.  I love this Mini Milk Carton Die for the Big Shot (#117310) that is available in the new Occasions Mini Catalog on page 23.  The milk carton is made with Almost Amethyst card stock.  The medallion is a stamp from the set Love You Much (#113756) and punched out with the Scallop Circle Punch (#109043).  The center is stamped twice on Whisper White card stock, the center punched with the 1" Circle Punch and then the little heart colored in and cut out with a scissors.  After mounting the medallion on the side with Dimensionals, run a ribbon around the carton and tie a knot on the side.  Very easy!  Close the top with a Library Clip or maybe a brad so it can be opened by the gift recipient.  You can also open the top like a real milk carton!

 

 
 

Stampin' Up! Haitian Disaster Relief

 

From Stampin' Up!

On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving in its wake devastation so overwhelming that the Haitian people and their leaders can only look for help from the outside to cope. 

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set sold will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. 

Product Name	Item #	Price
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount  (block D recommended)	118571	$18.95
I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount	117010	$26.95

 

In the past, Stampin' Up! has also made charitable donations when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers, when a tsunami struck Indonesia, when a hurricane destroyed New Orleans, and when wildfires ravaged Australia.

Not only has Stampin' Up! made a commitment with this $2 donation from the sale of these stamp sets, but in addition, Stampin' Up! bought supplies for 5000 hygiene kits.  You can read about these and how the Stampin' Up! employees all pitched in to assemble these kits in one day on Shelli's blog HERE.

 

 

Fabric Flowers

I had great fun making the Simply Adorned Charm inserts, but I also had a ball once I made my first Fabric Flower with the Big Shot Bigz XL Flower Folds Die (#115970). Shelli Gardner made these at Convention last August and people are making them like crazy!  Bet you can't make just one......as you can see from my table!  Once I dug out by box of fabric out of my stash in the closet I went crazy cutting fabric with my Flower Folds Die.  These are so easy because you don't have to be perfect and the die makes it so easy.  Depending on your fabric, you may be able to cut several layers at one time, which really speeds things along.  I usually chose 3 of the 4 flowers, but not the largest one.  You need four flowers of the same size for each layer,  They can be four different fabrics or four of the same, thin, thick, whatever you want.  There is a certain way to assemble the four flowers, which I can take photos of another day, and then you just sew or glue the flower layers together, put a button in the middle and a pin on the back.  I also enjoyed getting out my collections of buttons....a tin from my mother-in-law from years ago, handy for craft projects...old buttons my mother and grandmother saved.  I think people used to save buttons, even from old clothing, in the "olden days".  These flower pins are very easy and every one can look different.  You can also attach them to headbands, hats, jackets, barrettes, etc.  Enjoy my mess!

 

 

 

 

 

If you need a Big Shot and the Flower Folds Die, just visit my online store!  You'll have so much fun with your Big Shot!!

And there is no better time to make a large purchase than during Sale-A-Bration!  Get your FREE products now!
 
 
 
 
 

Simply Adorned Charms

Now THIS was SO MUCH FUN this weekend!!!  I made two inserts for the Simply Adorned Charms, available in the Occasions Mini. We've been waiting patiently for these charms and chains to become available since we saw them in person at the Stampin' Up! Convention last August.  Shelli Gardner even make a bunch of them and the Prize Patrol gave them out to the lucky winners one morning at Convention.  Talk about a hit!!

 

You can make multiple inserts and change them out whenever you want to match your outfit or holiday or season.  This Simply Adorned Charm I have is 1" x 1 1/4" (#116798) plus the 24" chain (#116800).  I used both the Charming stamp set (#116519) from the Holiday Mini (which is still available for order due to the delay in the charms) and the new Tiny Tags stamp set in the current Occasions Mini.  The charm has two sides....one side has beveled glass and the other side is plain....so you can have both sides decorated if you want!  I also used our new punches, the Pinking Hearts Border Punch and the Scallop Trim Border Punch (which is available FREE in the Sale-A-Bration catalog!).  My initial was stamped with the beautiful Lovely Letters Alphabet and cut out.  I was in a Razzleberry Lemonade DSP mood as you can see in the background!  Really fun to use these punches, paper, and stamps!!  Wouldn't this make a beautiful gift for someone?!

Home Tweet Home Decor

While looking through the new Occasions Mini catalog for the millionth time, this little framed project on page 11 jumped out at me.  I needed a birthday gift and thought I probably had a frame in my "stash".  Well, I didn't have a wooden frame but I had this clear glass 6"x6" frame held together with clips, just the right size!  I should have taken my photo BEFORE putting under the glass frame, but I didn't so you may see some glare.

 

 

 

 

This project was relatively easy to make except for stamping the words!  I did use my great Stamp-Ma-Jig and some lightly drawn pencil lines to keep the letters straight and lined up.  Even then I didn't do a perfect job (so I suggest a practice run!).  This would probably be a perfect thing to make the words and print on My Digital Studio.  Then you could add on the other embellishments with your paper and punches to finish the project.  Somehow the word "tweet", even though it has one more letter, takes up the same space as "home" so you have to think of that as you are lining things up.  Not too hard, but does take a little thinking to make a neat project.

After stamping the words, I used my brand new Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch (#117191) on page 11 of the Occasions Mini.  If you just punch once, you will have all your pieces the same color.  So you will have to punch several different times to get a certain color of card stock for the branch, the leaves, the bird, maybe the wing.  But the new punch is so great you won't mind!  I used card stock for the branch, but then a piece of Designer Series paper for the leaves and textured Bermuda Bay for the bird...and another piece of DSP for the wing.  I think most, if not all, the DSP used in this project came from the FREE Sale-A-Bration Designer Series Paper Pad "Welcome Neighbor". (a really cute selection of paper!)

Due to my type of frame, I couldn't use a regular button next to the bird, so I used my Big Shot (#113439) and the Buttons #5 Sizzlits Die (#113440) to make a paper button and threaded in some white floss.

For the little pieces of DSP decorating some of the letters, I just stamped the letter "e" on the DSP and then cut out the area I wanted to use.  For the centers of the "o"'s I found the 1/2" circle punch to be the correct size.

The alphabet I stamped with is "Contempo" in Melon Mambo, Soft Suede and Old Olive.  You can find the list of supplies used in this project from Stampin' Up! right HERE.  To order any supplies, just click the "Shop Now" Button HERE.

 

Jackpot Designer Series Paper

I've owned this Jackpot Designer Series Paper (#113995) for awhile but used it very little. However, as I making come cards for a friend's birthday gift the other day I came across this paper and thought it was perfect for her and this was what I should use!  While I started off looking online for ideas, once I got stamping I started to come up with my own ideas.  And you will, too!

Here are a couple of the cards I made.

 

 

This Jackpot Designer Series would be good for a lot of your masculine cards....you know, the ones we usually have a little bit of trouble coming up with ideas for!

You can order this paper and other products any time, either directly through me or on your own at your own computer through my online store.  Click HERE for online shopping!  Remember, with a purchase of $50 in product, you get to choose a Sale-A-Bration product FREE.

 

Easy All-Occasion Card

This isn't a new stamp set or new paper or anything, but just an easy card to make with beautiful colors.  Hope you like it!

  

Stamps:  Friends 24-7 (IB&C p. 100 #113218)

Paper:  Melon Mambo Card Stock, Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper (#115675), Whisper White Card Stock

Ink:  Melon Mambo

Accessories:  Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon
 

Tote-ally Tess Card

And here is Tote-ally Tess made up into a card WITH the little card SHE made!  There's a lot to be done with this stamp set, especially for any stampers, scrapbookers or crafty people because the stamps are lots of cute accessories all of us use!  Be sure to check it out on page 41 of the Occasions Mini (#117076) (wood) or (#118595) (clear-mount).

 

 

Clear-Mount Stamps Tutorial

It's time for an old dog to learn new tricks!  I'm not familiar with these other type of stamps except for regular wood-mount like Stampin' Up! has always offered so I thought I would carefully go through the steps of how to get started stamping with the new clear-mount option offered in the new Occasions Mini!

Here is a new set called Tote-ally Tess in the new skinny DVD-like case.

 

Here is what you get inside!  Directions, stamps, and label sheet.
 

Here is the new label sheet, which appears to be all covered up!  How do you get the label??

Punch out the die-cut stamp.  This is what the backing looks like.

Peel the backing off to reveal the "cling" side of the stamp.

On the label sheet you will notice little slits on the paper.  Start peeling there (easier than starting at the edge of the label), leaving the label on the sheet.  It will be sticky-side-up and sometimes a little tricky to get the label to stay put there!

Here is the label fully exposed.

CAREFULLY place your stamp, cling side down, on the sticky label.  It should "fit" right in the space.  If you mess up, yes, you can peel the label off and do it again but it is probably better to get it right the first time!  Also, you do not HAVE to have the label adhered to the stamp....you will be able to stick the stamp to the block without the label, it is a guide and an option.

Now peel your stamp up off the label sheet, turn it over, and you have....Tess!  You can see in the photo my sheet of stamps from which I removed Tess, the paper I peeled off the back of Tess (don't forget this step before attaching the label....don't ask me how I know!), and the two halves of paper I peeled off the label sheet.

 Place Tess on an acrylic block (the closest size possible for best results).  You don't want to just stick it on and stamp.  Take a few moments to press the stamp onto the block or even look on the other side and notice the change as the stamp fully clings to the block.  Be sure to press on all areas of the stamp.  This will ensure that the stamp is well adhered to the block for stamping and cleaning.

This is what the stamp looks like through the acrylic block.  If you do not use the label, you will just see the outline of the rubber stamp, which might be just fine for you.

Now stamp!  You can use Stampin' Mist to clean the stamp and your block as always.  It is recommended that you do not use Stazon Cleaner on your block as it may have an oily residue and cause your stamp not to adhere well.

Tess stamped!  Same as wood blocks.  These acrylic blocks have grooves on all four sizes making them easy to grip.

When finished stamping, just place your stamps back into the DVD case.  Some people recommend saving the "negative" rubber and inserting the stamps back into that to hold them more securely or to know quickly which stamp is missing and keep this in your case.  So many options with these new stamps!  This set is called Fox & Friends.

The other side.

 

Images copyright Stampin' Up! 1990-2010.

You can find these stamps and blocks in the new Occasions Mini.  Be sure to contact me if you have any questions or if you do not have a demonstrator and would like an Occasions Mini mailed to you!  Or click on the link to see it online.

Sweetheart Treat Cups

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Stampin' Up! is offering these Heart Treat Cups to use on your Valentine and other projects along with the Full Heart Punch....and they both coordinate with the Sweetheart Stamp Set.  You can choose the Sweetheart Stamp Set in either wood-mount or clear-mount!

Full Heart Punch

113693 $15.95

IB&C page 186

Heart Treat Cups* (12)

120435 $2.95

Sweet Treat

Padded Envelopes (3)

116911 $2.95

Occasions Mini page 21

 

Contact me with any questions or to place your order!

Lots of fun projects to make with these products!!

 

It's a New Year and New Stamping Products!

Happy New Year!!  I hope you all had a fun, happy, and safe New Year's Eve!  And now it is time to look forward to a new Stampin' Up! year......with a sneak peek at the upcoming mini catalogs! There has been a slight delay in mailing out the new mini catalogs so Stampin' Up! has posted them on the website so you can view them in case your catalog arrives a little late.  Probably your Sale-A-Bration Catalog will arrive soon and your Occasions Mini a little bit later.  Keep in mind that these products cannot be ordered until Jan. 5th even though you get to see them now!  But that should be fun entertainment for the New Year!!  AND keep in mind that the outgoing specials and products (Holiday Mini, Holiday Gift Guide) are still in effect through Jan. 4th.....so you have the best of both worlds.....you can double-check if there is anything else you wanted to order before Jan. 5th and start planning what you want to order starting Jan. 5th!  Don't forget the Dormant List as well.....those stamp sets not in the catalog but that have been available for order.

Go take a peek!!!