Category Archives: 3-D, Gifts & Things

Holiday Christmas Ornament

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I've been wanting to try using the Icicle Rub-Ons (#116804) in the Holiday Mini on a clear glass Christmas ornament.  Then as I was reading the December 2009 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine I saw this cute idea!  Just stick some greenery and berries into a clear ornament and add a ribbon and greeting!  I also added the Icicle Rub-Ons and just cut off some greenery and berries I already had in my Christmas decorations.  I decided to sprinkle a little White Chunky Essentials Glitter (#108797) in the bottom for a snowy look!  The greeting is from Berry Christmas (#116509)  Fun and easy project for your Christmas decorating!

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A Pottery Barn Look-a-Like

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While shopping at Pottery Barn, I saw some monogram ornaments with silver glitter and I thought…"I could make that!"  So I went home, found a round coaster (or I could have used chipboard), covered the back of the coaster (that was printed) with Stampin' Up! Specialty Night and Day Designer Paper.  The Pottery Barn monogram was larger, but I stamped my initial with the Lovely Letters Alphabet, an alphabet I just love.  After applying the Tombow Multi Glue around the edge of the front (and then the back later) I adhered the Silver Chunky Essentials Glitter.  Wouldn't this be a quick and easy gift or tag on a gift for someone?!

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Serene Snowflakes Peppermint Patty

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Always love these quick and easy Peppermint Patties made with the 1 3/8" Circle Punch and the ever-popular Scallop Circle Punch!  Stamp a Serene Snowflake (in the Holiday Mini) on Whisper White with Bashful Blue ink.  Punch out with the Circle Punch.  Punch two Bashful Blue Scallop Circles for the top and bottom of the Peppermint Patty.  Adhere the snowflake to one Scallop Circle.  Attach to the candy with Mini Glue Dots.  Cute!!

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A Nugget Purse

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It's been awhile since I have made one of these, but they sure are fun little things to make for party favors or little gifts.  You can use card stock or stamped card stock or designer series paper.  You might want to use the heavier weight designer series paper, but I think this one will be fine.  I used the Thoroughly Modern DSP, but of course you could use anything.  A Hershey's Nugget is what I used for the candy on the inside, hence the name, Nugget Purse!

Cut a 1 1/4" x 3" piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) to wrap around the nugget. Just put adhesive on both ends of the "wrong side" of the DSP, sticking one end to the bottom of the nugget and wrapping the other around.

For the purse:  DSP  1 3/8" x 4 1/4"

Score at 3/4", 1", 2 1/4", 3 1/4"  Put a piece of Sticky Strip in between the 3/4 and 1" score lines.  Fold on all the score lines and see how the purse will go together.  If you want, use your Tag Corner Punch or your Corner Rounder Punch on what will be the front flap of the purse to cut off the corners.  Take a 4 1/4" piece of grosgrain ribbon to match or just a strip of card stock for the purse handle.  Remove the red liner of the Sticky Strip and attach the ends of the ribbon (or card stock) together over the Sticky Strip, forming the handle of the purse.  

For the little decoration on the purse flap, in a coordinating color of card stock, use the 1/16" punch to punch a hole and then punch out with the Trio Flower Punch (or the 1/2" Circle Punch).  (It is pretty hard to punch the flower first and then add the hole, unless you use your paper piercer….so punch the little hole first, then center in your flower punch).  Hold your purse together (without the flower decoration) as if it were assembled and use the 1/16" punch to punch through both the flap and the purse.  Now insert a brad into your punched flower and then into the purse to hold together.  Reach inside to spread the legs of the brad.  You could always use a little piece of velcro or even just glue the flap down with a mini glue dot.  Now insert your wrapped Nugget into the purse, perhaps using a bit of SNAIL or a mini glue dot on the bottom to hold it in the purse.

All of these supplies can be purchased at my Stampin' Up! Online Store of course!

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I wish I had more Hershey's Nuggets!  I'm in a Nugget Purse kind of mood!

Papercrafting Ideas from Stampin’ Up!

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Image copyright Stampin' Up!

Don't forget about the wonderful resources for papercrafting ideas right on the Stampin' Up! website!  Just click HERE to see many projects which by changing card stock color or different designer series paper you can change into Christmas or holiday gifts if you want.  Click on each project picture to see a list of supplies.  Go to my website HERE and click the Shop Now button and you'll be able to place your order!


Packaging is Everything!

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While I thought the Halloween candle I made yesterday was very cute and Halloweeny, I was giving it to someone for a little gift and I thought just handing it to her made it look a little blah.  I just stuck it in a Stampin' Up! Cellophane Bag, tied some beautiful 1 1/4" Striped  Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon around and made a little tag with the stamp set Eat, Drink & Be Scary.  I punched a hole in the tag with my Crop-a-Dile and attached the tag with some Natural Hemp Twine.  Probably took just 5 minutes and the gift went from good to great!

You can find all these Stampin' Up! supplies in my online store HERE

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Halloween Stamped Candle

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After getting out my Halloween decorations yesterday and some candles, I remembered this old technique from several years ago of how to stamp on candles!  Actually you stamp on tissue paper and then heat and melt it into the candle.  Pretty easy, really.  Here I have taken you through the steps.

Stamp on tissue paper that will fit on the candle….best to cut your tissue paper as close to the stamped image as possible. (I forgot that part!)

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"Stick" the tissue paper onto your candle….I used a bit of glue stick to hold it for these photos.

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Wrap a piece of wax paper around the stamped tissue paper, best to have extra in the back to grab and hold to keep your hand away from the heat gun.

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Heat with your Stampin' Up! Heat Tool (a very good quality product…others will konk out sooner) until the wax melts a bit…..you'll be able to see it.

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I did the sentiment on the back with a separate piece.

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What a fun project and great gift!  Just think what you could do for the holidays!!

Stamp sets used:  Pumpkin Patch (in the Holiday Mini) and Holiday Best, Level 1 Hostess set

Teddy Bear Baby Shower

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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.

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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.

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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!

Halloween Decor Element….Toil and Trouble

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ToilandTroubleDixie 

Isn't this the CUTEST Halloween frame???!!!!!  If you were thinking Stampin' Up!'s Decor Elements were for walls only, think again!  My demo friend Dixie and her friend Gerrie got together to make these the other day for a play day! Don't we all need to just stop and play once in awhile?  They used the Old Olive "Toil and Trouble" Decor Element in the Definitely Decorative catalog on page 7 in this frame and decorated with "Cast-A-Spell" Designer Series Paper around the edges, a little sponging with black ink, some other little stick on "jewels" and some "real" plastic spiders!  It is SO CUTE, I wish you could see it in person!  (sorry for the glare from my flash)

You can order these Stampin' Up! items and any other Halloween or fall products tonight in your pajamas at my online store and have them in time for Halloween!

And if you are interested in "My Digital Studio" there are some new Halloween downloads available today!

Item # Product Name Price
118114    Cast A Spell Designer Series paper – digital download  $4.95
118115    Night & Day Designer Series paper – digital download  $4.95
118124    Medallion stamp brush set – digital download   $1.95
118126    Circle Circus stamp brush set – digital download   $5.95
118116    School Days II stamp brush set – digital download  $9.95
118121    Great Moments II stamp brush set – digital download  $9.95
118122    Pumpkin Patch stamp brush set – digital download  $5.95

Stampin Up! Growth Chart Special

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Dates: August 1 – September 30, 2009

Promotion Details:
Purchase the brand-new Décor Elements Growth Chart, only available August 1-September 30, and as an added bonus, receive a free applicator tool with your purchase (a $1.95 value).

 Item # Description  Price 
117519 

Décor Elements Growth Chart 

 $24.95 


  • There is no limit to the number of Growth Charts a customer may order. A free applicator will automatically be included on each order.

The Growth Chart is only available through September 30, 2009. Any future availability will be announced at a later date.

You can order online anytime!



Senior Year Journal

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The kids are back to school here in Houston and many other places around the country.  I was reminded of a journal I made for each of my children during their senior year of high school.  Just get yourself any notebook…..I used these Composition notebooks that you can pick up on sale now….and every night write an entry about your senior's day.  It is supposed to be positive.  The more often you write in it, the more valuable it will be to them in the future.  It's very easy to do if you put it beside your bed or wherever a good spot for you is to see it and remind yourself to do it!  My kids did seem to show at least a smidge of appreciation for it when I gave it to them as one of their graduation gifts, but what I really intend is that someday when they are middle-aged adults they will come across this notebook and have some fun reading what went on in their life when they were 17-18.


Just start with a plain notebook like this:

Composition Notebook Journal

And when it is time for graduation, just decorate the cover with cardstock and stamping…..that's why I like this composition notebook because it is easy to decorate.  


Here is the one I made for my son back in 2007.  You can decorate with school colors or whatever you like.

Graduation Notebook Journal Hand stamped


Stampin’ Up! Convention Make & Takes

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We got lots of Make & Take projects at Convention plus the four stamp sets and a wheel to do them with!  I'm sure everyone loved getting so many things to stamp, but it was a little too much to do in the time allotted.  However, I didn't mind because after stamping a couple of things, I opted to just save mine to do at home…..and instead I went to stand in line for Memento Mall to open so I could buy my Stampin' Up! Bear!!  So I had the best of both worlds!  The stamp sets we received were:

  • Hello Again  p. 114
  • Sweet Season  p. 29
  • Things I Love  p. 54 
  • Tree Trimmings  p. 28 
  • Retro Remix Stampin' Around wheel p. 114  

Here are the projects: 

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A scrapbook page with some Direct to Paper White Craft ink, a grommet on one of the flowers, and notice a little end of the Modern Label punch sticking up above the bow at the top where the photo would go. (sorry, the photo is a little blurry!)

CONVM&T tags
Christmas tags made with the Big Shot Two Tags die.  Very cute!  You could slide a candy cane through the folded one.

CONVtreatbox
The new Treat Boxes, page 159…more like a bag than a box, but very nice.  The ribbon is polka dot on one side and plain on the other.

CONVcellobagnotes
Cute little cello bag of 3×3 note cards and envelopes.  Perfect for a little gift!

CONVnotes
Notes out of the bag.

CONVhellobox
Cute, cute  little box!  Just two scored pieces of cardstock, glue one flap onto the bottom so it opens.

CONVboxopen
The box opened.  The back flap of the top is glued to the bottom left side.

CONVgatecard
Kind of a gate fold card where the two front flaps open and a belly band around.

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The card opened.

CONVhellocard
Cute and easy card and stamped envelope!  New color Crushed Curry.

CONVorncard
Easy Christmas card, although you have to cut out the ornaments by hand!  Love the new ribbon!

How's that for fun?!  Don't forget about the Specials going on now to become a Demo if you want to go to Convention next August!!  Click on that link or the image on the sidebar of my blog…….then go to my website to join…and use the password "karenstamps" (no quotes).  Or contact me with any questions!

The Stampin’ Up! Convention

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Will I ever get tired of talking about the Stampin' Up! Convention??  I don't think so!! There was so much good information, so many IDEAS, so much fun, so much friendship….even extra treats at lunch!…..popcorn, ice cream, candy!!

Shelli Gardner has a fabulous presentation at Convention!  She literally walked out on stage carrying ALL of these boxes in which she had handmade gifts that are so easy to make.  Who wouldn't want to receive (or make!) one of these gifts?!  Think how much easier your holiday shopping would be if you got started now at your kitchen table or desk, enjoyed what you were doing, and wouldn't have to fight the crowds at the mall come holiday time!  A substantial savings in money for you and a gift with more meaning for the recipient!

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Notice how she just used plain boxes and then tied our Stampin' Up! ribbon around.  She even used the wide twill tape and attached Stampin' Up! buttons, apparently like they do at expensive stores.
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An easy little triange box Shelli made:
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A little lip balm holder:
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A tag:
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A coaster stamped with the new Medallion stamp!
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Earrings made with the metal edge tags!
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More earrings:
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More earrings:
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A beautiful brooch to wear, fabric cut with the Big Shot!  Loved it!
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A headband covered with fabric cut with the Big Shot!
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I think this was a card with a bookmark inside or you could put a gift card:
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Shelli made these with her relatives at a family reunion out of sheet metal, covered with Designer Series Paper…..so they can't be too hard!
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A similar magnetic board but enclosed in a picture frame:
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One of the new magnetic boxes you will find in the Holiday Mini:
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One of the new Simply Adorned Charms that is in the upcoming Holiday Mini.  Shelli made a bunch of these for the "Prize Patrol" to give away, signed on the back!  I dare say it was one of the highlights of Convention, for those who won one.  Unfortunately, it was not me!  They called out "Yellow…. (and I had a yellow wristband!)….Swirls!"  Darn!  So close, yet so far!  But I will be ordering one (or more) because they are beautiful and you can change the artwork inside any time you want.
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Another charm:
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Wedding gifts:
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Back to Convention: More Photos!

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Here are some more random photos from Convention!  I think you can click on the photos to get a larger version.


A magnetic board made with the Build-A-Bear die cuts.  Just use magnetic sheets and make your own paper dolls!
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A display board with red, white, and blue!
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A class about using Decor Elements:
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Ways to use Decor Elements besides on the wall:
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So cute for a child's room!  But I think all of us stampers could use this saying in our craft rooms!
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A beautiful sample on display!!

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Some Build-A-Bear samples:

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An album made with "My Digital Studio", one of the new pieces of jewelry, "Simply Adorned Charms" in the Holiday Mini (wait until you see these in person!), and the calendar in the Holiday Mini:
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Another gorgeous project on display.  Love those display boards!!
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What a cute card!!
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All Images © Stampin’ Up! 1990-2009

That's all for today but I have more!!!