Stamping with Karen

Stampin' Up! Leadership 2012 Display

Here are just a few of the beautiful displays Stampin' Up! had up at Leadership! Each one is creative, beautiful and exquisite!!  You can probably click on the photos to enlarge them.

All images copyright Stampin' Up! 2012

 

Back Home from Stampin' Up! Leadership 2012

Oh my!  It's hard to come back down to earth after a Stampin' Up! event, especially one like Stampin' Up! Leadership 2012!  The withdrawal was eased a little bit yesterday when my new Stampin' Success, the magazine for Stampin' Up! demonstrators, was in the pile of mail!

I've been looking through my photos and decided to start with one of my favorite displays.  These were in the room where we did Make & Takes the first night.  We used the Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit #125410, in the Occasions Mini Catalog, which is a cute set of double-sided, printed, die-cut flowers on textured paper PLUS an assortment of pink rhinestones to add some bling! You have to put it on your next order!

Enjoy!

All images copyright Stampin' Up! 2012

This one is a little blurry, but I loved the braided fabric for a flower stem!

And DON'T FORGET........Sale-A-Bration begins tomorrow, January 24th!! With a $50 purchase, you can choose a free product in the new Sale-A-Bration Catalog!  Check back tomorrow for more information!

Stampin' Up! Baby Card - Animal Stories

Time to check that Stampin' Up! retiring list of stamp sets and accessories!  If you do, you will see that this cute Animal Stories stamp set #116716 is on the list, and that's a shame because it is so useful for baby cards, children's cards, scrapbooking, and gifts.  The stamp set has images of an owl, a whale, an elephant, and this giraffe.

I got the idea for this baby card from the Stampin' Up! catalog on page 94.  You should also consider the Photo Corners Punch #119878, a retiring accessory...which at this moment was still available to order online, but accessories can run out at any time.  This punch is good for making a focal point on a card or scrapbook page or as an embellishment and of course good for framing photos.

Stamps:  Animal Stories, Tiny Tags

Ink:  Baja Breeze

Paper:  Baja Breeze, Peach Parfait, Whisper White, Designer Series Paper Pack - In Color (Hostess - Level 1)

Accessories:  Gold Brads #104337, Linen Thread #104199, uni-ball Signo Gel Pen #105021, Stampin' Dimensionals #104430, SNAIL Adhesive #104332, Scallop Edge Border Punch #119882. Color Coach #121620

 

More Baby Scrapbook Pages 6x6

Here are some more pages from the baby scrapbook I made.  Some materials and stamps may be retired but you can easily substitute something similar.  You can copy the layout ideas or just get your creative juices flowing! These smaller albums are so much fun to make! Just slip the pages you make into the clear page protectors in the album.

Use the Pinking Hearts Corner Punch #118072 to make a decorative corner.

Make your own designer paper by stamping...and this stamp even comes from what could be considered a Valentine stamp set! (I think it is a retired stamp set)

Designer paper from Nursery Suite Specialty #117165.  I don't remember where I got the punch art giraffe idea, but you can google it and probably find one to your liking.

These are die-cuts from an old Simply Scrappin' Kit but you can find something similar in the current catalog.  Love the Simply Scrappin' Kits!

Might be retired stamp sets but you can use the idea!  The hearts are cut with the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die #117332 and the Full Heart Punch #119883.

I usually like to make the last page in a baby album something about sleeping!

Even though this is a 6x6 album, to make a larger page, just take the same layout ideas and make them larger!  There's probably always a little something extra you can add, too!  Have fun with it!

Contact me if you have any questions!

Stampin' Up! Baby Scrapbook Album

Baby scrapbook albums are so much fun to make!  I've made them for gifts and as special orders for other people. Whether you start with just a generic baby theme or choose something special, such as nursery colors, you just need to start, and as you play around with your pages and layouts, creativity will come! You can get many Stampin' Up! ideas for layouts just by looking at the Idea Book & Catalog. This scrapbook is made with the 6x6 Natural Linen Post Album #104515 (it also comes in a Ring album if you prefer). Some stamp sets and materials I used are retired, but you can easily substitute something similar.

For the album cover decoration I usually like to just tie some ribbon around the cover and attach a tag of some kind.  This one is the 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon laid over 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon.

I used the Scallop Trim Corner and Scallop Trim Border Punches to this photo mat....best to just start with a piece of paper and punch, not expecting a certain size.  I added tiny Pearls in between the scallops.  The flower is made with the Daisies #2 Die and the Big Shot.

I think these pieces are from a retired Simply Scrappin' Kit (which are fabulous for making scrapbooks!).

Stamps from Animal Stories #116716 and designer paper from Nursery Suite Specialty #117165.

I made my own designer paper by stamping randomly on Whisper White card stock with Fox & Friends.

The baby's name is stamped with the Broadsheet Alphabet set.

More pages tomorrow! Click on the photos to enlarge.

Stampin' Up!: Baby Shower Gift

Another baby shower gift idea might be something like this:   A decorative tin, notebook and pen.  It is decorated for the nursery and is a handy way for the new parents to write quick notes about the baby and later add them to the baby book.  We parents know how harried the first weeks (and years!) are, and yet you want to remember all those special, fun, and funny moments.  I've also used new paint cans wrapped with designer paper or cardstock in a similar fashion.

On this tin, I used designer paper from Nursery Suite Specialty Paper #117165 (the bunny paper in this package is SOOO CUTE!), some Eyelet Border #119853 punched Melon Mambo cardstock for trim, Ice Cream Parlor Buttons #123529 from the Sale-a-Bration catalog, a little stamped medallion on top and ribbon tied on the handle.  I've always had good luck with our Stampin' Up! Anywhere Glue Sticks #104045 on projects like this.  I apply the glue to the paper as well as to the tin.

And here is the cute little notebook, just covered with some matching paper and ribbon.  The pen is an RSVP Pen....just unscrew the top, pull out the ink cartridge, wrap a 1"x3" piece of designer paper tightly and stuff down into the barrel of the pen.  You'll have to shove it the last little bit but you can get it in there.  Insert the ink cartridge into the center of the wrapped paper and replace the top.  Very cute!

Baby Shower Gift

Want to incorporate scrapbooking and Stampin' Up! in a nice gift for a new mother?  Instead of an entire baby scrapbook, how about just one scrapbook page....and put it in a frame to hang on the wall!  It can be both art for the nursery as well as documentation of a new baby's early days. Photos and journaling can be put in the blank spaces or journaling box and the rest can fit the theme of the nursery.  On this 12x12 page I used animals from various stamp sets as well as other embellishments just to decorate the page.  You can find scrapbooking ideas right in the Stampin' Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog as well as plenty of supplies and embellishments to make one page or an entire scrapbook.

You can see some other baby scrapbook pages I made for framed gifts HERE and HERE.  It's a unique gift idea for a new baby and something the mother will appreciate.

Baby Shower Favors

Recently I was asked to make favors for a baby shower!  I had complete creative control...I could make anything!  There are lots of fabulous ideas to use for baby showers so it was fun to consider what exactly to make! Here is the final project!  Those are little teddie grahams in a cello bag that fit perfectly in the box.

 

The stamp set with the baby is a retired one, "Baby Firsts"...one of those that nothing else can quite replace it.  Of course you can use other images and create an equally cute favor.

Before settling on the final project with the hostess, I used the same stamps, colors and materials several other ways:

This is just card stock wrapped around a small candy bar.  So easy!

Here is the Top Note Die #113463 used as a bag topper on the small cello bags with the Hershey Nuggets wrapped in stamped address labels (one of my favorite things to do!).

And here is the same box with chocolate nuggets wrapped in the stamped address labels:

I used the Matchbox die #114890 to easily make this box with Bashful Blue and Chocolate Chip card stock.  The lid is embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder #117335.

See how handy the Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine #113439 is for lots of projects?  It's my go-to machine, that's for sure!

If you are needing a Big Shot or any new dies and embossing folders, remember that Sale-A-Bration begins TOMORROW, Jan. 25.  With every $50 you spend on product, you get to choose a free item from the special Sale-A-Bration Mini Catalog!  Shop HERE tomorrow!!

Scallop Baby Carriage Card

After seeing these cards around, I finally tried making one!  Just use your Big Shot and Scallop Circle Die #113468!  Use a piece of card stock or designer paper (I used a retired paper). Actually I used Whisper White for the card base and also the designer paper so I would have a white inside.  Cut your paper twice as large as the scallop on the die and fold in half.  Place the fold just inside the scallop edge, omitting about 4 scallops. When you do it, you'll see.  After the scallop is cut, you will need to make your own template, but basically you are just going to cut into the middle of the scallop from the open edge and cut out a section to make it look like a baby carriage.  Then decorate away!

Teddy Bear Baby Shower

A few weeks ago I was asked to make some centerpieces for a baby shower.  As I was about to go on vacation, it became a "rush" job, but I knew it would be fun to tackle this project!  Since it was a teddy bear theme, I knew the Stampin' Up! Build-A-Bear would be perfect!

After getting some ideas, I decided to make a "diaper cake" for the main centerpiece.  I suppose there are several ways of making diaper cakes and this was my first, but I just added the diapers sideways around in a circle to make the layers of the cake and then decorated with "Build-A-Bear".  For the cake, I used the boy bear in the stamp set Beary Best Friends and cut him out.  The teddy on top of the cake is smaller than he looks in the photo and just a cute little one I picked up to fit on top of the cake.

 

 

And then for the table centerpieces, I just used new paint cans, filled with a diaper, a bib, and baby wash cloths and decorated with bears from the Stampin' Up! Bear die in the Build-a-Bear Collection.  If I'd had more time I probably would have done them up even a little more, but I think they turned out pretty cute as is.

If you are interested in starting or adding to your Stampin' Up! Build-A-Bear Collection, just email me and I'll help you decide what you'd like to start with!  Of course, you need it all!

Easy Baby Card

Here's an easy baby card to make with the new stamp set "Animal Stories".  You can change the color combinations easily and make it for either a boy or a girl, a shower card or a card for the birth.  I used Bashful Blue and Gable Green.  Not sure what color combination to pick?  Use Stampin' Up!'s Color Coach wheel!

 

To jazz the background up a bit, I used the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds Texturz plate with the dots.  For the sentiment I used the new set "Teeny Tiny Wishes", the Word Window punch and the new Modern Label Punch plus a couple of Bashful Blue brads.

If you need any or all of these supplies to make this card, just go to my online ordering store and place your order this weekend!

Baby Scrapbook Page on the Wall

 

I was asked to do another scrapbook page, essentially, with some baby photos just like THIS post.  Again, I forgot to photograph the page before putting on the photo so I had to obscure the child's photo.  I wish you could see it because the expression on her face is so cute!  I wanted her expression to be the focal point of the page and had to hold myself back from adding too much to the page. 

It's funny how you build a page like this (or at least I do!)....try this, try that, what about this color, photo placement, and then what embellishments.  The base paper is from Tea Party Designer Series Paper and the base card stock is Pretty in Pink.  Since she is holding a ball, I wanted some circles on the page.  For the left hand scallop border, I just punched out lots of circles and placed them partly underneath the cardstock.  Then I covered that "seam" with the turquoise DSP from Rainbow Sherbet.  It matched her cute little dress and a color on the ball she is holding.  The scallop edge underneath the photo is made using the Stampin' Up! Scallop Edge Punch and I added some white dots with my Signo Gel Pen.  I wanted to add some chipboard letters for her name.  The On Board Timeless Type worked for that, and they were covered with some Raspberry Tart DSP (which matched a color on the ball and in the bow in her hair) using Stampin' Up! Glue Sticks.  I used the Flower Assortment Brads along the side of the photo, which added a little something without being too distracting.  I added the beautiful Whisper White Organza Ribbon across the bottom underneath the "adorable" from "Warm Words".  I'd played with adding flowers, especially the "Fleurettes", but they didn't seem quite right.  Finally I thought of adding the white bows as they are and that seemed to be the finishing touch!  It just shows that all you need to do is play around a little bit with scrapbooking and finally everything will come together!  This could be a scrapbook page but I put it in a 12x12 frame to hang on the wall.  I hope the recipient likes it!

If you need to order any of the supplies to make a page like this just go to My Website and click on the Shop Now button.  Or contact me if you have any questions about how to make this page or something similar.

"Beautiful Baby" Card

Have a beautiful baby in your life to whom you need to send a card?  This stamp, "Beautiful Baby", is one you can get free with a $40 order on the "Get Connected" Stampin' Up! Promotion from the Occasions Mini.  This selection of stamps can be found on the last page of the Idea Book & Catalog.

 

This card is 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 but you could make it any size.  Even smaller with just the words would be fine, perhaps a 3x3 with just the words stamped for a gift card.  The cute elephant is from "Nursery Necessities", cut out and adhered with Dimensionals.  I thought about putting little stars on the sides of the elephant or little blue buttons, but decided I liked the plain and simple look.  You could also just stamp the elephant on the card and not have to cut out.  Our paper snips scissors are perfect for intricate cutting like this.

This is the last few days for this promotion, so contact me soon if you want to place your order and get something FREE with "Get Connected"!

Get Ready for National Scrapbooking Month in May

Someone asked me to make a picture frame as a gift for a friend with a new baby.  That idea evolved into making a scrapbook page that could be framed.  There are 12x12 scrapbook page frames available in the stores.  Here is the project; I should have photographed it before attaching the photos, so I just covered them with paper!

May is National Scrapbooking Month so think about what scrapbooking projects you could work on!

 

This page uses paper and ribbon from Sale-A-Bration, but you can substitute something current that suits your photo colors or theme.  The chipboard letters are from On Board Timeless Type.  You can find a selection of chipboard on pages 182-3 of the Idea Book & Catalog.  Really fun to work with!  I embossed the little "Baby" tag with silver.  The name "Madison" was spelled out with the die cut letters from the Big Shot die "Naturally Serif".  If you need any of these supplies to make a similar project, just go to my website and click on "Shop Now".

New Baby Girl Card

I needed a baby card so I used the brand-new Hostess set "Goody-Goody Gumdrops".  It's a very cute stamp set if you are fortunate enough to have a big workshop and earn it for free.  Lots of creativity potential with this set!

 

1. Use Whisper White card stock for your card base.
2. Stamp Pink Pirouette layer with the little heart in Goody-Goody Gumdrops using Versamark or Pink Pirouette ink and punch with the Scallop Edge punch.
3. Stamp three ducks using Black Stazon ink and color in with method of your choice (I used Stampin' Write Markers).
4. Do paper piercing along edges of Barely Banana.
5. Draw a line for "string" connecting the duck toys with a marker.
6. Tie pink taffeta ribbon around pink layer before adhering.
7. Tie a little pink button onto end of linen thread (this one has retired).
8. Poke a hole into the front of the duck toy and insert linen thread to short length to create a little pull for the toy.
9. Use Signo gel pen to make some extra white dots on scallop edge.
10. Stamp "Sweet little one" with Pink Pirouette from set "Holidays and Wishes".