Author Archives: Karen Fontinelle

Cherry Cobbler Language of Love Valentine Card

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Cherry Cobbler Language of Love Valentine Card

It’s just four days until Valentine’s Day! Are you making some valentines?  Better get started! Here’s one I had cut the pieces for and had partly ready the other day, but when I went to make it, I forget what my idea was! But I got out the Language of Love Stamp Set and went to work. Just stamping the heart with the words onto the Very Vanilla card stock didn’t look that great on this card so I stamped it again, punched out with the Full Heart Punch. Then I mounted that heart on a die-cut scalloped heart cut with the Hearts A Flutter Framelits Die. I really liked that. I also stamped the two banners in the Language of Love Stamp Set, cut them out, and adhered them to the top of the card.  For the greeting, I used the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp, placed perfectly with the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig!

I used a Cherry Cobbler theme here, although I think I prefer Real Red. The embossed strip is made with the hearts folder in the Adorning Accents Embossing Folders with a Silver Glimmer Paper edge peeking out made with the Scallop Edge Border Punch. The Silver 1/8″ Ribbon was in the Holiday Catalog but also in the new Occasions Catalog.

  • Don’t forget!  Sale-A-Bration is going on through March 31!  Spend $50 on any current Stampin’ Up! merchandise and earn a FREE Sale-A-Bration Brochure!
  • Today is the last day to sign up for a Paper Pumpkin subscription and receive a FREE set of 2012-14 In Color Stampin’ Write Markers. Paper Pumpkin is a monthly papercrafting kit from Stampin’ Up! that comes in your mailbox! No risk and no obligation!
  • Today is the last day to order the current Weekly Deals from Stampin’ Up! Just go to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store to check them out!

Make a Valentine for someone today!

Hurry! Sign Up for Paper Pumpkin and Get a Kit in the Mail!

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Stampin' Up! Paper Pumpkin Welcome Kit

Don’t get so caught up in the Winter Olympics that you forget about the special offer from Stampin’ Up!, the papercrafting kit that comes in the mail, Paper Pumpkin!! Tomorrow is the last day – Monday, February 10th – for the special offer!  Subscribe to Paper Pumpkin and get a FREE set of 2012-14 In Color Stampin’ Write Markers!

2012-14 Markers

If you like a craft project with no muss, no fuss, easy and quick to do, and a surprise in your mailbox about mid-month, Paper Pumpkin is for you! When you first sign up, you receive the Welcome Kit pictured at the top of this page. This kit makes four cards and comes with stamps, ink, the materials you need plus a free Clear Block to mount your stamps and to use in subsequent kits. All you need to provide is adhesive. Use the ones you have already at home or I can suggest some quality ones from Stampin’ Up!  After the Welcome Kit you will begin receiving the same kit all the subscribers receive.

No risk, no obligation!  Sign up and cancel your subscription in a few months if you need to. Better to just “pause” your subscription (yes, you can do that!) so that you can continue on when you are ready.

The cost for Paper Pumpkin is only $19.95 per month, which includes shipping! Stampin’ Up! has even IMPROVED the kits since January! In fact, our January kit even came with an extra surprise in it! If you like to get mail like I do and if you like a surprise just for you, you’ll like Paper Pumpkin.  You can even order more than one kit if you have a friend, daughter, mother, niece, son, someone special you would like to craft with or treat.  Change quantities every month! Or better yet, have your friend sign up for her own subscription by tomorrow and you each get the free markers! The magic date to make ANY changes in your subscription is always the 10th of the month!

Here are photos of a couple of the projects I have received in my kits. You can follow the supplied instructions exactly or break out on your own and do your own thing!  Whatever you want!  It’s YOUR kit!

Paper Pumpkin Kit Jan 2014

August Paper Pumpkin Kit Extra Cards

Paper Pumpkin Leadership Incentive

You won’t find Paper Pumpkin in the Online Store.  You must go to this Paper Pumpkin Link to sign up! Once to get to that page, click on the “JOIN” button in the upper-right corner.  Let me know if you have any questions or need any help signing up!  Just email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com.

Make a Card for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi

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Winter Olympics 2014 USA Card

Are you excited that the 2014 Winter Olympics is about to officially begin in Sochi? I know we will be watching many hours of the competitions over the next two weeks or so. The Olympics Opening Ceremony will be tonight. I always think it is interesting to watch the Opening Ceremony where we really don’t know that many of the athletes as contrasted to the Closing Ceremony where many have become celebrities and familiar to us.

So in honor of the Winter Olympics, I have made a red, white and blue card for the USA team! For the banner, I stamped an image from the first photopolymer stamp set Stampin’ Up! introduced, Designer Type, which is sold out now, but of course you could use something else. The “Dare To Dream” sentiment is from the stamp set Loving Thoughts. The stars were punched with the Small Heart Punch. Also, the banner has a little paper piecing on it.  That means I stamped the banner image on a piece of Brights Designer Series Paper Stack, cut out the pieces to fit on the stamped banner and adhered them. The banner is cut out and mounted on the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals with little Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine bows.

While the Winter Olympics games are going on, get out some red, white, and blue paper or maybe gold and silver and make something in honor of the Olympic athletes and games! Need any supplies? Just click the Online Order button on the right to go to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store.

 

 

Do You Want a Trendy Alphabet Stamp Set?

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Sans and Stripes Birthday Project

At the Stampin’ Up! Leadership Conference, Sara Douglass introduced us to a new upcoming photopolymer stamp set called Sans and Stripes. And now it is available for purchase! If you are looking for a new, trendy alphabet stamp set, maybe this one will appeal to you!  Here are some of the samples Sara made and shared in her presentation (and we always love her stamping presentations on stage!):

Birthday Gift Card Holder

Sans and Stripes Sunshine Card

Sans and Stripes Photopolymer Stamp Set

Sans and Stripes

Sans and Stripes Love You Tag

If you would like to try out this newly released Sans and Stripes Photopolymer Stamp Set, just go to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store! Remember, photopolymer stamp sets are entirely transparent so you can align them perfectly. That’s certainly great with an alphabet set!

Tags 4 You Valentine Card

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Tags 4 You Valentine Card

Do you ever just reach into a bag of card stock scraps and see what you come up with? That’s how this Valentine came to be!  I spotted a Melon Mambo card base in my bag and thought, “Wow, I haven’t used Melon Mambo in a while!” The tag is also made from Melon Mambo and punched with the new Scalloped Tag Topper Punch. Cut your strip of paper exactly 2″ or a sliver narrower to fit into the punch.  Make sure it is pushed all the way to the back. Then make the length anything you want! I found a scrap of Silver Glimmer Paper already scalloped so I added a piece to the bottom of the tag.  The greeting is from the stamp set Tags 4 You, a carryover stamp set from the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog that you can still order. The greetings in that stamp set fit the Bracket Label Punch perfectly. I thought the tag needed something so I stamped it with Melon Mambo ink and the row of hearts from the Language of Love stamp set.

The Whisper White card layer is first embossed with the Adorning Accents Embossing Folder, the little hearts!  So sweet! Again, I thought the card needed a little something so I stamped the row of hearts above the embossing.  The Stamp-A-Ma-Jig comes in handy for that although you can carefully eyeball it! And of course the little hearts are punched with the Small Heart Punch.

Back to the tag! I tied a bow with the Silver 1/8″ Ribbon, available in the Occasions Catalog after making its debut in the Holiday Catalog. And then for a bit more, I picked up a Tea Lace Paper Doilie on the table. It was too large, but I cut off a section and then folded it back and forth and adhered to the top of the tag.  Then the tag was ready to go!

I hope you are getting inspired to make a few handmade Valentines for your friends and family! Only nine more days until Valentine’s Day!

Shop for any Valentine supplies at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store!

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

Stampin’ Up! has just brought back the Gift Bow Bigz L Die that was in the Holiday Catalog! Great idea because we can use it year-round for all kinds of gifts and projects! It has been added to the Holiday Catalog Carryover List HERE.  You can purchase it in my Stampin’ Up! Online Store HERE.    Gift Bow Bigz L Die    #129977   Price $32.95

Gift Bow Die

 

Stampin’ Up! Circle Monogram Stamp! Hot Off the Press!

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Stampin' Up! Circle Monogram StampThe new Circle Monogram Stamp is now available, as of this afternoon, from Stampin’ Up! It’s a photopolymer stamp and can be customized with your information (font styles and images are set). It doesn’t have to be just a return address stamp – use your imagination! Use it to personalize gifts, notes, labels –whatever you can think of! We saw this stamp at the Stampin’ Up! Leadership Conference. Here are some samples they showed:

Circle Monogram Stamp

Some of the stamps say:

“From the Desk Of ____”

“This Book Belongs To ___”

“Awesome    Excellent Work!”

“Thank You (Thanks)  It Was So Sweet of You”

Here’s a project Sara Douglass made on stage at Leadership with a Circle Monogram Stamp:

Personalized Stamp Tag

 

Go check it out in my Stampin’ Up! Online Store! These stamps come from a third-party vendor, are shipped separately from anything else in your order, and are nonrefundable.

If you use the left sidebar in my store, you’ll find it under Stamps — Personalized Stamps — on page 2.

The Circle Monogram Stamp is ready for your personalizing!  What will you come up with?!

 

 

 

Deals for You at Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deal & Paper Pumpkin!

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Stampin' Up! Weekly Deal February 3 2014

Today is Tuesday and that means new Weekly Deals from Stampin’ Up! So many things going on at Stampin’ Up! these days! Add some of these discounted products to your order, reach $50 or more and earn a FREE Sale-A-Bration product (for EVERY $50 you spend!)!

Paper Pumpkin

Don’t forget about Paper Pumpkin! Sign up and start getting your fun papercrafting kit in the mail every month! Not every kit is cards either! Be surprised!!  If you sign up by Feb. 10th, you will receive a FREE pack of 2012-2014 In Color Markers! The 10th of every month is the magic date to sign up by or change your order so that you receive the next kit. The first kit every new subscriber receives is called the Welcome Kit.

Stampin' Up! Paper Pumpkin Welcome Kit

In the Welcome Kit you receive all the materials (except adhesive) to make four cards PLUS a free clear block on which to mount your stamps to use with future kits! I have to say, when I received my Welcome Kit I thought the cards were cuter in person than I thought they were going to be. You can follow the directions from Stampin’ Up! for making your cards or you can strike out on your own! It’s up to you! No rules!

At Leadership we were treated to a sneak peek of the upcoming kits and EVERYONE agreed that Stampin’ Up! had stepped up the kits to make them even better. They are good for new crafters, non-crafters, young, old, friends, family, kids, college students, etc. Order two and make one kit with your friend every month! It’s just fun to get a package in the mail once a month in a cute red box and have a surprise about what is inside!

The cost is $19.95 per month, which includes shipping! You can be flexible in the monthly orders – order an extra kit, pause your subscription, cancel your subscription if you must. Just make any changes by the 10th of the month.

Go to my Paper Pumpkin page NOW and get signed up so you won’t forget! Then your Welcome Kit will be in the mail on its way to you around the 15th of the month.  You won’t be charged until your kit ships! And you’ll get the cutest email letting you know Paper Pumpkin is on its way!

Fresh Prints Hearts Geometrical Valentine

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Fresh Prints Geometrical Valentine

Do you need an easy Valentine to make? Use the Hearts Collection Framelits to cut out the pretty Fresh Prints Paper Stack papers into hearts. Glue them on a card, stamp with some arrows from the Geometrical Stamp Set and stamp a little banner with one of the greetings in the set. The banner is popped up with a couple Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Now this is the simple version of this card.  You could “jazz it up” a bit more maybe with some bling:  some Rhinestones or Candy Dots, maybe some extra punched small hearts scattered around. Card-making is easy when you start with Stampin’ Up! coordinating designer papers and card stock!

It’s Sale-A-Bration, so with every $50 Stampin’ Up! purchase in current products (you are NOT limited to the bundles in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure! Those are suggestions!) you earn a FREE product from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure.

Don’t forget the Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals that end tonight!

Go visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store for any products you need for Valentine’s Day! Take advantage of Sale-A-Bration as well!

Super Bowl Scrapbook Page Idea

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Super Bowl 2014 Scrapbook Page

Today is Super Bowl Sunday! Perhaps you are having a party or going to a party. Wouldn’t it be great to take some photos of your friends and put them on a scrapbook page to remember the day?  This scrapbook page was made easily in My Digital Studio, the digital papercrafting design software from Stampin’ Up! My Digital Studio is about way more than making scrapbook pages, though. You could have designed matching party invitations, table decorations, banners for house decorations, and more! The best way to learn to use My Digital Studio is just to get in the program and play. You can start with pre-designed pages or projects and just add your photos, or change the color of the paper but keep the design.

You can try My Digital Studio FREE for 30 days if you like.  But at a price of only $19.95 for the full program, why not just purchase My Digital Studio from the start and you are ready to go with the software and TONS of content! I recommend the download so you have immediate access and can always access it rather than keeping track of the disc.

Enjoy the game and enjoy the parties!

Making Valentines with the Fresh Prints Paper Stack

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Fresh Prints Coastal Cabana Geometical

Valentine’s Day is going to sneak up on us in just two weeks! Since I almost forgot I owned the Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack, I thought it was time to play with the papers! The coordinating colors with the stack are Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake, Real Red, and Whisper White. I cut out a bunch of hearts with the Hearts Framelits and then just played around with them! This is the card I came up with, very simple and easy. I had it made in minutes! And then for a greeting, I decided to try the Geometrical Stamp Set. I really loved it after I stamped it. You can purchase the Geometrical Stamp Set and Triangle Punch in a Bundle and save 15%.

Make a couple Valentines this weekend and you’ll have a head start!

Also, don’t forget the Stampin’ Up! Valentine products are still available while supplies last!

Birthday Basics Easy Birthday Card

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Birthday Basics Easy Birthday Card

Do you ever need to make a quick and easy birthday card for someone? Here’s one! You can jazz it up even more or you can even make it simpler than this one is!  All you need is the basic idea – maybe some designer paper, card stock and a stamp!

I got out this Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper to make a different birthday card but after I cut a strip of the balloon piece and saw it next to the Crumb Cake card stock I had this idea. Just adhere it to the side of the card base and stamp a greeting right on the card base, perhaps in Early Espresso.  Well, that would be the most basic, and I ended up doing a little more. I’m even looking at it today and thinking what more I could have done to it! But there’s nothing wrong with simple. I put a scallop edge on a piece of Gumball Green card stock for a little contrast next to the designer paper.  Just use the Scallop Edge Border Punch.

For the greeting on the card, I used the birthday stamp from Label Love. I colored the stamp with Stampin’ Write Markers – Gumball Green, Raspberry Ripple, and Bermuda Bay. After stamping, I did punch out the greeting with the  Artisan Label Punch but I ended up trimming around it with my Paper Snips to make it smaller. That way I could punch out another label from Gumball Green that would fit as the layer underneath.

Want to “jazz it up” some more? Maybe add a strip of Gumball Green on the left side of the designer paper.  Tie a ribbon around the designer paper with a knot or bow. With Versamark ink (or same color ink as paper) stamp some birthday images on the card front so they are subtle. Texturize the front of the card before adding anything else with an embossing folder and your Big Shot. Add a little bling to the greeting with small rhinestones or Candy Dots or Dazzling Diamonds Glitter. You get the idea!

It’s Sale-A-Bration time at Stampin’ Up!, so if you would like to make your own bundle to make simple cards like this one, here’s a suggestion:

Those items will give you a merchandise total of $52.60, which earns you one FREE Sale-A-Bration product! Check out the Stampin’ Up! Sale-A-Bration Brochure! I’d probably suggest the Banner Punch, the Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper, the See Ya Later stamp set (greetings) OR the Good As Gold Card Kit (to make even more cards!).

With Stampin’ Up! products, you’re always set for lots of card-making!  Have fun!

If you need any stamping supplies, please visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store.

Sale-A-Bration Free Stamp Set and Free Paper

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Sweet Sorbet Sale-A-Bration Teabag Holder Inside

Sale-A-Bration has started at Stampin’ Up! and you can earn this Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper for free plus the Petal Parade Stamp Set I used. Spend $50 on any current Stampin’ Up! product and choose one free product from the special Sale-A-Bration Brochure! No limits!

Sweet Sorbet Sale-A-Bration Tea bag Holder

I’ve made many tea bag holders similar to this one over the years and I always think they are the cutest things! It’s such an extra special way to send a greeting to someone with a card, write a little personal note inside and give them one of your favorite teas!

Here are the basic measurements and then you can layer it up, decorate it, embellish however you like!

  • Cut a piece of card stock 3 1/2″ x 11″
  • Score at 3 1/2″, 7″, and 7 1/2″.
  • Fold on score lines.
  • On the third section on the right, cut on a diagonal to form the triangle to hold the tea bag. Adhere to bottom with Sticky Strip.
  • Cut ribbon about 24″ long to wrap around tea bag holder.  Adhere in a few spots.
  • Decorate the tea bag holder your way!

If you have a favorite tea, leave a comment below.

Shop Stampin’ Up! and then choose your free Sale-A-Bration products!

Stampin’ Up! Sale-A-Bration 2014 Begins Today

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Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration 2014 Promotion

The snow and ice predicted for Houston today seems to be petering out, BUT there’s nothing delaying Stampin’ Up! Sale-A-Bration!! The biggest promotion of the year from Stampin’ Up! begins today! With any $50 purchase of ANY Stampin’ Up! current products (not just the bundles in the SAB brochure), you get to choose one FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure. Spend $100, get two free products.  Spend $150, get three free products PLUS $25 in Hostess Dollars!

Gather together some orders from friends and get the Hostess Rewards. With a $300 or more order or party, the hostess receives an EXTRA $30 in Hostess Dollars.

Join Stampin’ Up! and become a Demonstrator and start your own stamping business! New recruits get $150 worth of products in their Starter Kit for just $99. And a bonus – new recruits can go to the Stampin’ Up! Convention in July in Salt Lake City without paying the registration fee!

Click HERE to see the new Stampin’ Up! Sale-A-Bration Brochure and start planning your order! And click the image above for more information!

More excitement!

Texture Boutique Embossing Machine

 

If you are interested in a machine that JUST embosses, this is it! The Texture Boutique Embossing Machine will be in the next new Annual Stampin’ Up! Catalog but they received some early and this can be yours if you hurry. I personally recommend the Big Shot because it will also die-cut, but if you are looking for something smaller and less expensive (but does less) this might be the answer. Click the link above to go to the product page.

And New Weekly Deals!

You can view the new Weekly Deals at Stampin’ Up! but they are not updated yet in my Online Store.

Whew!  What a list!  Again, the online Sale-A-Bration Brochure is up.  Just click the link.  If you want your own hard copy, please email me if you do not have your own demonstrator. I’d be happy to mail you one!

Ready to order?  Just go to my Online Store or contact me with your order at Karen@KarenStamps.com.

Valentine Sweetheart Treat Bags–Last Day!

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Stampin' Up! Sweetheart Treat Bag

Late afternoon update from Stampin’ Up!  

While supplies last, these Valentine products are still available until February 14th! Great idea, Stampin’ Up!

Stampin' Up! Valentine Products

Today is the last day to purchase the cute Stampin’ Up! Valentine products. These Sweetheart Treat Bags are so handy to have on hand for occasions other than Valentine’s Day. Just stick a little treat inside or a note or gift card, do a little decorating on the outside and you’ve got something cute and simple! It’s a kit, with the Baker’s Twine, 12 little sacks, and 12 die-cut labels (the striped banner).  I added the Whisper White piece stamped with a saying from the Love You More stamp set.

After putting the treat inside, I just folded the top of the sack to the back, attached my little banner piece and tied the pre-cut Baker’s Twine around a few times and tied with a bow! Couldn’t be easier!

Get your Valentine products, including the cute Monster Hugs, at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store today before time runs out!

Hurry! Don’t Miss It!

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Stampin' Up! Valentine Products

Hurry!  Don’t miss these Stampin’ Up! Valentine products that are ONLY available until January 27th or while supplies last.  The Follow My Heart stamp set in clear-mount is already sold out, but the wood-mount is still available. And don’t miss those cute Monster Hugs valentines!  They are available in pink or blue, 18 to a kit! Really cute! And the Sweetheart Treat Bags are cute any time, not just for valentines! Use them as an envelope to slip in a note or gift card or use some other creative idea.

Valentine products end tomorrow, Monday January 27! Go to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store today!

And Sale-A-Bration begins Tuesday, January 28!