Stamping with Karen

Happy Easter!

Copyright Stampin' Up! 2010-2011

Made with My Digital Studio

Stampin' Up! Easter Card

Easter is almost here, and I've been lucky enough to get a couple of Easter cards!  This one is a handmade one, of course, from my downline, Priscilla. It's made with the beautiful stamp set Easter Blossoms in the Occasions Mini.  If you click on the photo to enlarge it, maybe you can see some of the fine detail.  She applied a tiny bit of Crystal Effects and color to the eggs and the girl's hair bow as well as the little flowers in the bouquet. A beautiful Stampin' Up! Easter card!!

The Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini Catalog is only current until next Saturday, April 30th so you don't have much time left to shop for the wonderful products in this catalog!  Check it out online and put in your order whenever it is convenient for you!  Contact me if you have any questions.

This Teddy Bear is Ready for Easter!

Here's my Stampin' Up! teddy bear all ready for Easter! She has on her Easter bunny headband ears, a big flower decorating her headband, and her Easter basket in hand! And when she wants to stop hunting eggs and start stamping, she has her wooden stamp in her hand ready to go!

This is the teddy bear we were able to purchase at the Stampin' Up! Convention two years ago, when Stampin' Up! was introducing the Build-A-Bear product line. The bears were too cute to pass up!  Stampin' Up! always seems to know what we will love!

If you've been considering becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, sign up right away and join us at Convention this summer in Salt Lake City for the time of your stamping life! I'd be happy to help you get your rubber stamping and scrapbooking business started! Just think what you could do when YOU are the boss!!

Shop 24/7 for stamping supplies and accessories at my

Online Store, even over the Easter weekend!

Easter Bonnet with Lace Trim

Easter Parade 

In your easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, 
You'll be the grandest lady in the easter parade. 
I'll be all in clover and when they look you over, 
I'll be the proudest fellow in the easter parade. 
On the avenue, fifth avenue, the photographers will snap us, 
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure. 
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your easter bonnet, 
And of the girl I'm taking to the easter parade.

---Irving Berlin

 

Doesn't that song just take you back to another time?  When I was a little girl ladies always wore hats to church.  I always had a new hat, white gloves, dress, shoes, and maybe a coat for Easter Sunday.  I still remember getting into my grandma's closet and looking at her boxes of hats. Now some of them are in my closet as a keepsake.

To make your own representation of an Easter bonnet with lace trim, just find or make your own template for the hat and cut on folded cardstock. Just place your template a little above the folded line so you won't cut it.  I ran this hat through the Lattice embossing folder to give it the look of a spring straw hat.  Originally I planned on some Melon Mambo flowers, but then I went for a simpler look with some Crochet Trim lace, a Vanilla Rosette, some leaves punched with the Bird Punch and a few pearls along the band!  Make yourself an Easter bonnet and see what you come up with!

 

Easter Eggs the Stampin' Up! Paper Way!

Easter eggs are fun to make, especially when you use beautiful Stampin' Up! paper!  These eggs are very simple to make and a great way to use up some paper scraps.  I used the Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper #121782 for this one and some 1/8" Marina Mist Taffeta Ribbon #119257.  Get out your Extra-Large Oval Punch #119859 and some adhesive and you're ready to go!

I simply punched lots of ovals from the Springtime Vintage paper and folded in hang lengthwise with my bone folder.  Then you just glue one side of an oval to the side of the next oval.  I put about nine ovals together. You can do whatever number you like.  Before you glue the last sides together, insert your ribbon as far to the center as you can so you will have something to hang the egg by....if that is what you want.  They would also look cute as a bunch of eggs all sitting in a bowl or basket.

Have fun making some cute Easter decorations with these paper eggs! If you have any questions, just ask!

Shop for your papercrafting supplies at my Online Store!

A Paper Bag Easter Basket

This is a fun and easy project, maybe even a fun craft idea for kids. Just take a regular paper bag, a lunch bag, and cut as you see in the photo below.  Decorate the front and back of the remaining bottom of the bag however you like.  

I adhered a piece of the Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper #121782 to the front and back of the basket, and cut out a flower pattern from the paper and adhered that for an embellishment.  Add a little glitter as I did!  You could also cover the handle with paper before glueing together.

 

Use your basket for an Easter basket, Easter decoration or just a spring decoration!  Just have fun making it!

Let me know if you have any questions or need help ordering supplies.

Easter: Fun Handmade Card

Easter is fast approaching, especially if you want to make some homemade cards to send to friends and family.  Here is one I had SO much fun making!  In fact, maybe I had too much fun...sometimes you have to know when to stop!  But I love this Easter card!

First I used the Big Shot to cut a basket with the Baskets & Blooms Die #113484.  It really cuts two and you can put them together to make a 3D basket...but I just wanted a flat one for this card.  I also embossed the die cut with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder #119976 to make it look more like a basket-weave.  To fit on my card a little better, I cut off the flap on one side of the basket and then scored 1/2" on both sides to fold back.  That way I could attach the basket to the card with Sticky Strip and still have an opening at the top.  To make the chick and the eggs in the basket I used my cute set "A Good Egg" #114974.  The eggs are first punched out with the Extra-Large Oval Punch #119859.  The small eggs in the grass are just punched out of designer paper and card stock with the smallest Oval Punch #119863, some cut in half to make then shorter.

Let me know if you have any questions.....and if you need any supplies for Easter cards, just put in your order at my Online Store!  And don't forget to check the Clearance Rack while you are there!

HAPPY EASTER FROM THE BUNNY!!

 

This card was made with My Digital Studio.  I started with a Designer Page, Sunny Day, moved the colored papers down, added the bunny (made with punches!), added the flowers with "Petal Pizzazz", and the Easter eggs with punches!  So fun!

I hope you all have a very Happy Easter today!

 

My Digital Studio Easter Card

 

I just made this Easter card using My Digital Studio (#118108) I started with a designer template included in the papercrafting software and deleted the "thank you" and other embellishments on the top half of the card.  I kept the hearts you see, the ribbon and the bottom Designer Series Paper.  I changed the top half to Pink Passion and used the Holiday Blitz Stamp Set included in the software for the bunny. I put a layer of Whisper White behind the bunny and a layer of Tempting Turquoise behind that.  You can make a project like this in a matter of minutes.....the only extra time it takes is usually you find yourself playing around with all the elements in the software more than you anticipated! Today I even discovered a Search feature so I could easily find the "Easter Wishes" sentiment without looking through all the stamp sets!

If you purchase My Digital Studio during Sale-A-Bration (ends March 31st) you will also earn free products from the Sale-a-Bration Mini Catalog!

Contact me with any questions!  I'll be available to help you learn about My Digital Studio after the sale as well!

Cute Little Stampin' Up! Chocolate Bunnies

Today I was looking online and saw where someone had made templates of Easter bunny shapes, and you could use that template to draw and cut out bunnies that would stand up as a card.  However, Stampin' Up! already has a really cute stamp in the Occasions Mini, sold as a single stamp, called "Chocolate Bunny" (#116980)!  It's been very popular and fun to make things with.  So I decided I could do nearly the same thing by just stamping the bunny on a piece of card stock, putting his "rear" on the fold, and cutting out the shape!

 

I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig (#101049) to get the right placement on the fold.

Cut out around the shape of the bunny leaving the fold intact.  This is what the little bunny card looks like opened.  I love using my Paper Snips (#103579) for cutting like this.  Believe me, they are a great investment! 

Next I put a little bling on my Chocolate Bunny with the self-adhesive rhinestones in the Eggscellent Eggs Kit from the Occasions Mini and a little "love" tag from the Tiny Tags stamp set (#118592 clear mount), tied on with some Linen Thread (#104199).  The tiny tag is punched out with the new Medium Jewelry Tag Punch (#117190).  Unfortunately, the Eggscellent Eggs Kit is sold out and no longer available!  Next time you see a seasonable item you really like, be sure to purchase it right away!

Now if my other craft supplies were better organized, I would find a little pom pom to put on the bunny for his cottontail.  Maybe later!

If you want to add this little Chocolate Bunny stamp to your Sale-a-Bration order, be sure to get it in as soon as possible!

 

Easy Easter Basket

Easter is coming soon so I thought it was time to make a little Easter basket!  I found this template on the Stampin' Up! website for demonstrators.  It has been around for a long time.  I remember making this same basket many years ago, but it is easy and useful.  Basically, all you need is a square and then scored in thirds on each side.

 

Cut on the score lines as shown so you can fold your basket.  This paper is from the Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack (#117161) in the Occasions Mini .  If you want,  round the corners, as shown, but you don't have to.

Then fold up the sides  to form your basket.  You have a little leeway on how you position your sides.  I glued with Tombow Multi.  You could use Sticky Strip or you could use some kind of brad to hold the sides together.  Cut a strip to make a handle, then decorate your basket!

If you have any questions about making this little basket, leave me a comment or email me! 

Little Easter Card

Just made a quick and easy little Easter card!  It's just 3x3!  I used the Eggcoutrements Stamp Set in the Occasions Mini.  You can choose either the wood-mount or clear-mount stamps.  I stamped the little border with Green Galore Ink on Whisper White card stock and then punched it out with the Scallop Edge Punch (#112091).  I stamped the tag with Pixie Pink and used the Small Tag (#108264)and (large) Tag Punches (#105934), the Crop-A-Dile (#108362) to punch a hole, and the beautiful Whisper White Organza Ribbon (#114319).  It was time to use the Bold Brights color family again for a change!

 

Mini Milk Carton Birdhouse

Here is my first attempt at a little birdhouse made from the Mini Milk Carton Die (#117310) for the Big Shot.  It was so fun to make and there's lots of room for creativity!  I punched the hole with the 1" Circle Punch (#109046), the bird and branch with the new Extra-Large Two-Step Bird Punch (#117191), and the little flower with the Trio Flower Punch (#109183).  For the roof you can use any of the new border punches in the Occasions Mini or the Scallop Edge Punch.....or leave it plain.  Try it, you'll love making one!

 

  

  

 

In Your Easter Bonnet

                            Easter Parade

In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.

                                            ....Irving Berlin, 1933

                           Happy Easter!!!!

 

Easter Treats

A few more Easter projects!

 

Had to make another "envelope basket" like in this post, but I was ready for something different than bunnies, as cute as they are!  I got this chick idea from Mercedes Weber on Splitcoast....not sure I made it exactly like hers but it served the purpose.  I stamped the envelope with one of the "Wow Flowers" and added a little grass at the bottom with a piece of textured Kiwi Kiss paper.  The chick is punched from the large oval punch for the body, the Scallop Circle punch cut for the wings, and flowers from the Boho Blossoms punch for pieces of the feet and top of head.  I just drew in his eyes with a black marker (always add a little white twinkle of sorts with a gel pen for eyes to make them come alive!) and cut a little orange triangle for his beak.

And one more envelope basket....

 

This punched lamb is inspired by MariLynn on Splitcoast.  Again, I wasn't exactly sure how hers was made but this is close.  It's just fun to play with the punches!  The body is the Scallop Circle punch, the legs the Word Window Punch, the ears part of the 5-Petal Flower Punch.  The face is just drawn on.

Easter Boxes Instead of Baskets?

 

How about a little Easter box filled with candy?  This is what I made for my nephews to send for Easter.  Of course when you are mailing things, you are a little limited in size, so I decided to use the new Big Shot BigzXL Box #2 die to make these cute little boxes.  I chose the two In Colors, Tangerine Tango and Pacific Point, plus Kraft for the cardstock for the boxes.  These boxes are so easy with the Big Shot.....all you need is some Sticky Strip or Tombow Multi glue on one tab to make your box....the rest just goes together!  Stamp the little chick from "A Good Egg" and you just about have it!

Big Shot Basket and Blooms Easter Basket

We all know we can use the Basket and Blooms die to make round baskets and very cute ones.  Naturally, some creative demos saw that you can also make rectangular baskets with this Basket and Blooms die!  Here is my project using the basket part attached to some strips of cardstock.  I think you can vary the size to suit your project purpose. 

 

To decorate the front, I cut another basket shape out of Baja Blue, trimmed the bottom, and then used my new Eyelet Border Punch to punch the bottom border.  The flowers are from "Flower Fusion Too", a fun collection of three colors of felt flowers.  I used the Rhinestone brads to hold the flowers together and glue dots to attach to the basket.

 

Here is the back side.

And filled with Easter treats!

Big Shot Scallop Envelope Easter Basket

Looking for some small Easter treats to give as gifts or to mail?  If you have the Big Shot, you have so many possibilities!  And it doesn't take long to make something very cute!  In this project, I used the Scallop Envelope die and glued four of the envelopes together into a basket.  You can either leave it plain like that, or for a little extra strength or design, wrap some designer paper around your basket.  In this project, I used the beautiful new Parisian Breeze Specialty DSP which already has some extra weight to the paper.  Just put the bottom together by alternating the flaps (like you might on a box) and make yourself a handle.  I secured the handle with the new "Flower Assortment" brads on each side of the basket.  I used the oval punches to make the Easter eggs on the front.

 

 

Easter Big Shot Pillow Box

Love the Big Shot and all the cute things you can make with it!  Last night I used the Pillow Box die to make this little candy holder.  I made one with the new Medium Weight Window Sheets and it did work, but I felt that this particular project which needs a  little "mooshing" of the ends to close properly works a little better using a thinner transparency sheet.  Paper would really be easier than any window sheets, but the clear sure is cute when you get it made!  I used Mini Glue Dots and hid them with the belly band and the ribbon.  That's the secret to using adhesives on Window Sheets....just use something else to cover.  This bunny stamp is from the new set in the Occasions Mini "Eight Great Greetings" and it really is a versatile set!  I just colored in the bunny with our Stampin' Write Markers and used the circle punches plus the fabulous Scallop Circle Punch.

 

If you can't go another day without these great stamping supplies, just go to my website HERE and click on the "Shop Now" button in the upper right.

Easter Nugget Tin Candy Box....a Cute Easter Gift!

I just LOVE making these nugget tins!  They really are just rectangular tins but got the name nugget tins because Hershey's Nuggets chocolates fit so well inside and are so easy to decorate!

 

You can choose your "flavor" of Nuggets by what color paper you want showing....gold or silver!  Just cut 1" x 3" strips of Designer Paper and adhere to your nugget.  I like to put just a dab on SNAIL in the middle of the strip to hold it on to the candy and then either a mini glue dot or the Tombow Multi Glue (hold it for just a second until it sticks) as it wraps around the nugget.  Twelve nuggets fit in the box with a little room to spare.  Then you can get really creative!  I usually make a belly band by just wrapping some cardstock and/or Designer Paper around the tin.  Here I have used the DSP from Sale-A-Bration but of course you can use anything you like.  I stamped the chick from "A Good Egg", punched it with the 1 1/4" circle punch, layered on a 1 3/8" circle punch and then layered that on the Scallop Circle Punch.  I used the SU White Gel Pen to put the little dots on the scallops just for some extra fun!

Here is a link to where I purchased my tins:  http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=410

Happy Easter Week!