Stamping with Karen

Flower Folds Fabric Flower

I think that is almost a tongue-twister!  I have really been enjoying making these fabric flowers with the Big Shot and the Flower Folds Die!  The Big Shot makes it so easy to cut out your  flowers, so I've been using my Big Shot like crazy!

If you want to purchase the Stampin' Up! supplies to make these lovely flowers, please contact me today!  It's a great deal during Sale-a-Bration! 

Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (#113439)

Extended Cutting Pads (#113478)

Stampin' Up! Flower Folds Die (#115970)

"I Heart Hearts" Valentine Treat Bag

Splitcoaststampers puts out a tutorial every week and this treat bag cover was from last week.  It's very easy and you could vary the dimensions according to whatever your own treat is.  I cut the Real Red card stock at 3 3/8" x 10 1/2" and scored at 4", 4 1/2", 5", and 9".  Then just accordion-fold what will be the base of the treat holder and fold the top flap over.  Fill your cello bag with your treat, attach with a little SNAIL to the inside, punch some holes for some ribbon to tie through if you want, decorate the front and you are done!

 

To decorate the front of my Treat Bag I used the I "Heart" Hearts Stamp Set in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  If you want to know you are doing some good while you are stamping, purchase this stamp set and Stampin' Up! will donate $2.00 to the American Red Cross for Haitian Relief. Already 6694 stamp sets have been sold as of a couple days ago.

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!

 

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.

 

Shelli Gardner's Christmas Ideas Using the Big Shot on TV in Utah!

Shelli Gardner, Cofounder and CEO of Stampin' Up! recently appeared on a local news TV show in Salt Lake City to demonstrate the Big Shot and Basket and Blooms die.  Wait until you see the clever way she used the Basket shape of the die and also incorporated the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit in the project.  The Simply Scrappin' Kits aren't just for scrapbooking anymore!  Enjoy!  I love watching these videos!

Don't forget......there is a Big Shot Gift Pack in the Holiday Gift-Giving Guide, which would also give you several FREE Decor Element pieces (each up to a $16.95 value) as a special.  AND in the 12 Days of Holiday Sales, from Dec. 11-22 only, you can purchase the Basket and Blooms Die on sale....as well as many other dies (you gotta have the Matchbox Die!).  You can even expedite your order for an extra charge!

A Glitter Mess!

Yesterday I was working on these albums for someone for their Disney pictures and autographs, and while I know glitter is messy, I added to it by seeming to spill or knock over everything I touched, from a container of eyelets to every jar of glitter!  But it all came out fine in the end!  I made these monogram tags to go on each album and put a border of Chunky Glitter on each one.  That worked fine, but when I did the chipboard stars, the glitter looked a little sparse.  Then I found the Fine Cosmo Glitter in my drawer and sprinkled (or spilled!) that on to fill in the tiny spaces.  That did the trick!  Never can have too many jars of glitter around!  Here are some photos of my mess and the albums!

 

   
    

Stampin' Up!'s 12 Days of Holiday Sales!

Here it is!  The 12 Days of Holiday Sales!  Find great deals on select Big Shot dies and some supplies.  This sale is for 12 days only, beginning today and ending Dec. 22nd.  Discounts are between 15-25% on these items!

Click HERE to go to my website and see the products that are on sale now!  Remember to order by Dec. 15th for best chance of delivery by Christmas!  

See something you like but want to be surprised for Christmas?  Want more Stampin' Up! products??  Send me your long Wish List and the people to contact, and if they like, they can order from your list!  They will be happy not to wander around the mall looking for something for you!

To take advantage of this sale you can email me at KSFontinelle@gmail.com or shop online yourself at your convenience by going to my website HERE and clicking the SHOP NOW button in the upper right.  Then click on "12 Days of Holiday Sales" in the left column or any other category you are interested in.

Wrapping Paper Idea

I know we are all dashing around with a thousand tasks to complete everyday as I have been!  Today I wanted to get a little gift mailed out to my niece but couldn't find a small piece of wrapping paper.  If I could have grabbed a piece of white tissue paper quickly, I would have stamped on that and used that for wrapping paper, but I couldn't find that either.  Then I had an idea!  I grabbed a piece of retired Designer Series Paper and used that for wrapping paper!  It was the perfect size and I tied it up with a piece of retired ribbon.  So if you need some wrapping paper for a small package, think about your Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper and ribbon!