Monthly Archives: September 2011

Stampin’ Up! Top Ten Tools 2011

 

Those of us who are familiar with Stampin' Up! know there are many things to love about the company and its products. But if you want proof……here it is!  Creating Keepsakes magazine has named Stampin' Up!'s wood- and clear-mount rubber stamps as one of its Top Ten Tools for 2011!

To quote Stampin' Up!: "While Stampin' Up! has long been recognized in the stamping and crafting industry for producing high-quality rubber stamps and exclusive images in a variety of artistic styles, being recognized by Creating Keepsakes is just another validation that when your customers choose Stampin' Up! products, they are choosing the best!"

Would you like to be associated with a company that produces such high-quality products and is so highly regarded in the papercrafting industry? Stampin' Up! is always looking for new demonstrators!  With the holidays approaching, selling Stampin' Up! beats working tons of hours in a store in the mall.

For more information on becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, just click HERE to watch a short video and find out more about the Stampin' Up! business opportunity. Then email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com to get all your questions answered.

Simply Scored Paper Flowers

Paper flowers have been "in style" for awhile now, but now with the new Stampin' Up! Simply Scored scoring tool this accordion-folded style is so easy to make!  It's another one of those "bet you can't make just one" things!  Here are some of my most recent paper flowers, often called lollies!

Spice Cake Accordion Flower Antique Brad close up

Made with Spice Cake Designer Series Paper #124003 with an Antique Brad #117273 in the center.

Accordion Flower close up

This one is tied with Baker's Twine Early Espresso/White #123124.

Accordion Flower adhering dowel

This one I adhered a wooden skewer to the back of the flower.  I used Multipurpose Liquid Glue #110755 to attach the stick, then put Stampin' Dimensionals #104430 (two stacked together) on each side of the stick to attach the large circle punch to hide the stick.

Spice Cake Accordion Flower Back

Spice Cake Accordion Paper Flowers

It's fun making paper flowers…or should I say lollies?!

If you need a Simply Scored Scoring Tool, doen't hesitate, order one today!  You'll be glad you did!  Don't forget some designer series paper!

Go shopping HERE now!




12 Weeks of Christmas Is Coming! Are You Signed Up?

12 Weeks of Christmas Banner

Images copyright Stampin' Up! 2011

My "12 Weeks of Christmas" is coming next week, October 5.  Are you signed up on my Mailing List? Get started on Christmas stamping and papercrafting ideas! This is an exclusive benefit for my mailing list subscribers!

My "12 Weeks of Christmas" is a weekly email with a Christmas project to inspire you!  Each email will have a photo of a new project, a supply list and directions.  These projects will not appear on my blog, only in this special 12 Weeks of Christmas email.  Projects will include cards, gift ideas, and bags & tags for gift-wrapping time!  I know most of us have not really thought about Christmas yet, but we know right well it comes up very quickly….and next week is October already!!  Get a head start on your beautiful handmade cards and gifts by receiving the 12 Weeks of Christmas email.  I might even throw in some bonus projects….you know how excited I get over all the creativity in stamping and papercrafting!

(If you are already one of my newsletter subscribers, you don't have to do anything…..you will automatically receive these special emails!)

If you want to join in on the fun and inspiration and are not already on my newsletter mailing list, please sign up NOW in the box in the top left of my blog!  Please tell your friends about it also so they don't miss out!

Remember, I always tell my new customers there is nothing too difficult to do in stamping….you just have to have the materials…so if you are a beginner or brand new to stamping, you can still do these projects!

Join us for the "12 Weeks of Christmas" weekly newsletter of exclusive holiday inspiration!  

Sign up now for my Mailing List!

(You can even click the Facebook Like or Tweet button at the bottom of this post to share!)


Button Buddies Snowman Cards

The new Stampin' Up! Button Buddies stamp set is really fun to play with!  In the newest edition of Stampin' Success, the Stampin' Up! publication for demonstrators (and one of the many reasons to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!) the Button Buddies stamp set was featured.  I loved the card with cherries on it but I liked the snowman stamp featured on a little box.  So I decided to make this card, somewhat copying the cherry one in the magazine. (You don't even need to be creative to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator….this magazine gives you more ideas than you can use!)

Stampin' Up! Snowman Button Buddies Christmas Card

But I didn't like it so much!  I thought the Certainly Celery layer behind the snowman would give the card that soft look, but when I had to cover up the messed up stamped greeting right on the card in the lower right with the punched pieces, I guess I should have used Certainly Celery again for the scallop punch.  I didn't like the red down there and the light green up above.  Anyway, I just didn't like the card.

So I made this instead:

Stampin' Up! Button Buddies Snowman 3x3 Card

It's just a little 3"x 3" card but I loved it!  So cute! (I think that particular button is a retired one.)  You could make it as just a tag for Christmas gifts or make a large size card with a greeting.  Fun to make and easy to do!

To order the Button Buddies stamp set in either wood-mount or clear, just go to my Online Store by clicking THIS LINK.  Don't forget to order some buttons, too….lots of them, because once you start making Button Buddies, you probably can't stop!

First Day of Fall! Here’s an Autumn Splendor Card to Celebrate!

It MUST be fall now because there was a tinge of coolness in the air this morning….and it's usually hot and humid forever here in Houston.  But it is actually only about 74 this morning and perhaps will stay below 90. Now that's FALL! It's great that it feels a little like fall on the first day of fall!

Autumn Splendor First Day of Fall Card

Here is a card made with the stamp set Autumn Splendor. I love the design of these fall leaves in this stamp set I stamped with Black Stazon and colored in with Blender Pens and Classic Ink. Nothing properly artistic about it, just filling in with color to make them look like fall leaves and acorns….it was so relaxing!  The card base is River Rock (which you can barely see due to the background) with Spice Cake Designer Series Paper. The ribbon is Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon ruffled with some Sticky Strip and an Antique Brad (gotta order more of those beautiful things!).

When I finished this card, I absolutely LOVED it! (if I do say so myself!) The leaves in this stamp set are so beautiful…I bought it after our fall trip to New England two years ago.  You can't go wrong with the Spice Cake paper or fabric.  As I added the embellishments, it all just seemed to come together.  Stampin' Up! products always "come together" eventually, but this one was one of the extra-easy ones!

If you would like to learn about these techniques and others in stamping or scrapbooking, contact me at Karen@Karenstamps.com to set up a workshop with your friends!

Enjoy your first day of the fall season!

Halloween Coaster Treat Cup Ornament

Halloween Coaster Treat Cup Ornament

Halloween Ornament Treat Cup

I told you I had fun making the Halloween ornament the other day out of the coaster and that I would make more!  Here is another one I made today with a coaster covered with Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper.  I added a Circle Treat Cup to the front, covering a piece of the designer paper with a spider web on it, and filled with my own handmade confetti, glitter and the new Mica Flakes.

Here's how I made my Halloween confetti.  I simply punched pieces from the Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper with the little circle punch in the Itty Bitty Punch Pack (you get three Itty Bitty punches!). If you look at the designer paper, you'll see some pages are filled with little ghosts, spiders, bats, etc. and they just about fit in the itty bitty punch.  I also just punched some colors from the paper, added the new Mica Flakes and some Silver Glass Glitter.

Have fun making some Halloween decorations for your family!  If you need some supplies, Stampin' Up! has plenty of them!  Just click HERE to do Online Ordering or email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com.

Make a Fall Paper Pumpkin Ornament!

Paper Pumpkin Ornament

Do you want to make an easy paper pumpkin for a fall decoration? You can easily make a pumpkin ornament to hang on your fall or Halloween tree perhaps or anywhere.

This pumpkin is about four inches in diameter and is made with a coaster! Just take a coaster you might get at a restaurant or buy at a craft store and cover with paper.  I cut a square of Pumpkin Pie card stock and adhered the paper to the coaster using a Stampin' Up! Anywhere Glue Stick (I put the glue on both the paper and the coaster). Then I just cut off the excess card stock with my Paper Snips….not that you can't use any scissors, but the Stampin' Up! Paper Snips are really the best for certain cutting jobs.  If you need to smooth the edge, just use a Designer Sanding Block.  Before adhering paper to the back of the coaster, I used a Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write Marker on the side of the brush end to color the side of the coaster….not absolutely necessary, but it covers the color of the coaster. Then, if you want, cover the back side of the coaster.

I decided to add extra layers to make my pumpkin more lifelike.  If you make a small one, you can punch oval shapes for this part, but of course this coaster is too large.  So I just folded a piece of paper in half and drew freehand the smaller pumpkin layers….much like you would draw half a heart on a folded piece of paper to make valentines that were equal on both sides.  I didn't worry about the top and bottom….they extended past the coaster, but I just cut those off later with my Paper Snips.  Before adhering, I sponged the edges with some Cajun Craze ink.

For the top of the pumpkin, I used the Round Tab Punch to punch a piece of Lucky Limeade card stock and folded in half.  You can just run your string or ribbon underneath the folded tab or you can punch a hole with a Crop-A-Dile.  I even inserted an old retired green eyelet.

For the pumpkin vines, I used my Big Shot and the Swirls Scribbles Sizzlit Die.  You could add leaves if you wanted or omit the vines.

This is an easy project to add to your fall decor.  It's time to be decorating for fall and then decorating for Halloween!  Start making some new decorations right now to add a little seasonal pizzazz to your home! I think I'll go make another one!

For paper and supplies, you can conveniently order from Stampin' Up! online HERE.

Blast from the Past: Old Stampin’ Up! Calendars!

There was some period of time when Stampin' Up! had some kind of promotion with calendars. I don't remember what it was or when it started….probably with a certain amount of purchase you got a free calendar. While cleaning out kitchen cabinets this weekend I came across mine…..no, I didn't throw them out when the year was up….well, of course I wouldn't since they were Stampin' Up!….but also I've found it helpful to have a calendar to look back at if you need to doublecheck dates or something.  So yes, I have a stack of old calendars….only back to 2000.

So I thought as long as I had them out (and should find another place to keep them) I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the past years of Stampin' Up! style.

2005 Stampin' Up! Calendar

2005

Calendar Page 2005

A 2005 calendar page….I remember this stamp set so well!

2004 Stampin' Up! Calendar
2004

Calendar Page 2004

A 2004 calendar page….oh, how I loved this stamp set!

 2003 Stampin' Up! Calendar

2003

Calendar Page 2003

A 2003 calendar page…you can see the old style stamp pads!

2002 Stampin' Up! Calendar

2002

Calendar Page 2002
 
A 2002 calendar page…..I loved that stamp set with the little Santa!

Okay, enough of the nostalgia!  Look through your new Holiday Mini Catalog…all the trendiest, newest, up-to-the-minute gorgeous stamp sets and accessories and order what you need for the holidays…and beyond. It only takes a few minutes!  Then years from now you'll be able to look back at that catalog with nostalgia, remembering your favorite products and projects you made!  Click HERE now to go Shop Online and place your order.

 


Stampin’ Up! Hispanic Opportunity Call

Celebrando Creatividad 2011-12

Hispanic Heritage Month, September 16 to October 15, 2011, is observed by Americans to honor Hispanic culture and history. It celebrates the independence of five Central American countries as well as Mexico and Chile declaring their independence during the month of September.

Stampin' Up! has developed a wonderful Hispanic product line of Spanish language stamp sets and accessories for your rubber stamping, scrapbooking, and papercrafting pleasure!

In addition, Stampin' Up! is looking for people who would be interested in the business opportunity. As an independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator, you would be selling the high quality rubber stamps, paper, inks and accessories that Stampin' Up! is known for by holding workshops with your friends and other new customers who often also become your friends. It's easy to teach anyone to stamp and a whole new world opens up to them!

Stampin' Up! is offering US Hispanic opportunity calls.  You just call in at the proper time and listen to a 15-minute message about the company's history, learn about the products and the benefits of becoming a demonstrator, and hear more about the Hispanic market opportunities. You'll be able to ask questions and there is always an invitation to join the Stampin' Up! family!

The calls are held every Wednesday in both English and Spanish:

  • 11:00 AM (MT) for English
  • 4:00 PM (MT) for Spanish

To participate, simply call 877-787-7226 (toll free) at the appropriate time.

There will probably also be a special incentive to those who call in and become demonstrators within two weeks of the call!

To read more, please click this link HERE.

Hispanic Heritage Month Begins! Take a Look at Celebrando Creatividad!

Celebrando Creatividad 2011-12

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, 2011, so now is the perfect time to take a look at the Hispanic product line that Stampin' Up! has developed.  Celebrando Creatividad is the supplemental Stampin' Up! catalog with Spanish language stamp sets, hostess sets and accessories.

Click HERE to look at this beautiful stamp set you could use for a Quinceañera!

There are so many occasions to have fun making your own cards, invitations, decoration or gift items. If you would like to learn about rubber stamping and would like to purchase Spanish language stamp sets, please email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com. I can answer any questions you have.

Check back tomorrow when I tell you how you can find out about a business opportunity with Stampin' Up!.

Just click on the photo above to view the Celebrando Creatividad catalog!




Have You Seen the Price of Bacon Lately??

Maybe I missed the price of bacon slowly creeping up. Maybe I already had a stockpile of bacon and hadn't bought any recently. I don't know what happened, but I was shocked to discover that the price of bacon had skyrocketed to $7.00 a package!  It didn't seem any cheaper even at Walmart or any other grocery stores. So even I did not buy a package of bacon at that price…but then I hadn't run out yet.  Finally I found one brand on sale to tide me over.  I think an alarm would go off on my refrigerator if there wasn't bacon in there!

So speaking of bacon, have you seen the Stampin' Up! stamp set Button Buddies that you can stamp and then add a button?! It's really cute but I hadn't gotten to use it yet.

What on earth does bacon have to do with stamping?  Well, until there is a bacon stamp, I'll just have to make this connection with the little pig in Button Buddies!  Here's a little card with the pig and a button!

Button Buddy Pig Card

In doing some research on this issue, I found that the price of pork bellies did skyrocket, due to high corn prices forcing hog farmers to pare their herd because of the high feed costs.

So if you find a sale on bacon, you better stock up so you'll have bacon available for those BLTs!  There are other bacon flavored products out there, but you can't fool me. Nothing like the real thing!

And nothing like the best stamping inks, papers, stamps and accessories either from Stampin' Up!  Stock up now on your favorite stamping supplies!  You never know! Shop HERE today!



Spooky Bingo Bits Halloween Card

Spooky Bingo Bits Halloween Card

Using the Spooky Bingo Bits stamp set from Stampin' Up! is so much fun I might have to go make another Halloween card like this one!  I also used two kinds of designer series paper….Pick Your Poison in the Holiday Mini Catalog and Frightful Sight in the Stampin' Up! 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog.  The greeting is from Wicked Cool, another very popular and fun Halloween stamp set!

Here is the inside I stamped!

Spooky Bingo Bits Halloween Card Inside

Do you have your Halloween stamp sets and paper to make your Halloween cards and projects yet?  If not, you better go order some! Please visit my Online Store and check out all the great Stampin' Up! products you can use!

New Clear Block Cleaning Cloth

IMG_8420

I finally tried out my new Stampin' Up! Clear Block Cleaning Cloth as long as I was cleaning everything else in my new kitchen!

First of all, I have to say I love the color of the cloth!  Not that that has anything to do with anything, but I like it!  We should all have a jacket or something made out of that fabric!  :)

It is a microfiber cloth, 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" inches, designed to clean off fingerprints, ink and dust from the Clear Blocks. When you feel the cloth itself is dirty, just handwash and dry flat.

I don't even know what some of that dirt was on my clear blocks, but it is gone now, thanks to my new cleaning cloth!

Be sure to put one on your next order! It's a great addition to your stamping tools and accessories.

A Gently Falling Gift Bag for Fall!

Gently Falling Gift Bag

This is what you call "tearing into the new Spice Cake Fabric"!  I started out planning to use more of the beautiful Spice Cake Designer Series Paper, but I see I didn't use any of it! But I did stamp with the Gently Falling stamp set, a 2-step stamping set.  That means you stamp the "inside" of the stamp and then use another stamp over it that provides the outline of the leaf and the veins.  You can also just use each kind of stamp separately….I almost just left the solid image of the stamp alone because it looked pretty enough that way.  I could have used the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig tool to get perfect placement, but I just "eyeballed" it….close enough!

After layering the stamped Very Vanilla card stock on Pear Pizzazz, I wrapped a piece of torn Spice Cake Fabric around like you would do ribbon…and after a few attempts, just tied a separate bow and stuck it on to the piece of fabric to get it how I wanted it.  The top and bottom border of More Mustard is made with the Lace Ribbon Border Punch, just partially hidden under the card stock.

I finally decided the bag was fine as it was, easy to add a greeting if I want when I know what gift I am going to use it for.  I considered stamping and cutting out some leaves and either using Stampin' Dimensionals to pop them up over the stamped leaves or use them as tags hanging from the bow or handle.  But time was up, so this is the finished product!

Save those cute little bags you get at the stores sometimes and then decorate to personalize your gift! Stamp some tissue paper to match!