Author Archives: Karen Fontinelle

New Bloomin’ Bouquet Project Kit from Stampin’ Up!

It's not quite May, but if April showers bring May flowers, the rain and flooding we had in Houston on Saturday have brought a nice flower surprise from Stampin' Up! a little early this morning! It's a new flower kit! The Bloomin' Bouquet Project Kit #134542 $12.95 will be available starting at 3:00 pm MT this afternoon (that's 4:00 pm Central Time)…while supplies last!

Kit contents:

2 sheets of preprinted and precut flowers on 12" X 12" cardstock; makes 13 flowers using Pool Party, Gumball Green, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, and Rich Razzleberry
13 Vintage Faceted Buttons
13 green floral wire stems

Adhesive not included. (Glue gun recommended.)

You actually get a "baker's dozen" of flowers….that means you have one extra to give away! That means the number 13 is a lucky one here! Lucky for the person you share your handmade flower with!

Just add this kit to your order of retired and current items! Just remember, it's not available until later this afternoon! The link is not available yet, but here is the link to my Stampin' Up! Online Store.

Here again is the Stampin' Up! retired stamps list.

Here is the current retired list of Stampin' Up! accessories.

Zoom in to the page so you can read it!

Stampin’ Up! Offers Coming to an End

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You may be as surprised as I am to realize that April is soon coming to an end! What happens to these months?? And now with all the hoopla over the Stampin' Up! retirement lists, I thought we could use a reminder about some things ending on Tuesday, April 30. You can add them to the same order with retiring items!

Epic Day This and That Bundle…15% off thru April 30. Items available only separately after that.

(Clips not included in bundle.)

131268	Epic Day This and That Journal	$10.95
130814	Epic Day This and That Designer Series Paper	$10.95
130133	Remember This and That Rotary Stamp	$5.95
131271	Epic Day This and That Designer Stickers	$4.95
131269	Epic Day This and That Designer Washi Tape	$4.95
133350	Epic Day This and That Bundle Includes the five This and That products listed above. Only available in a bundle until April 30.	$32.08 15% Off Retail Value!

Sent With Love Special Offer …. Buy stamp set or designer paper…or buy the bundle and save 20%.

131847	Sent with Love Stamp Set (clear-mount; English only)	$17.95
132182	Sent with Love Designer Series Paper	$10.95
132851	Pretty Bundle Includes the Sent with Love Stamp Set, Sent with Love Designer Series Paper, and Calypso Coral Baker's Twine	$25.50 20% off retail value!

The Sent with Love Stamp Set and Sent with Love Designer Series Paper are only available during this special offer. After April 30, they'll both fly away!

In addition, you may purchase the Sent with Love Digital Kit (item 132914; $9.95). Please note that the digital kit is not included in the bundle.

For all your Stampin' Up! needs, please shop at my Stampin' Up! Online Store here.

Make an Easy Card with the Print Poetry Paper Stack

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Today I found the Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack on my desk underneath a bunch of stamping stuff, so I thought why not use this somehow? I realized I hadn't used it much, but gee, the paper inside is beautiful! This green print on the bottom of my card is from the other side of the top design! So easy to coordinate!

If you want to make an easy card, this layout is the simplest ever! The card base is made with a 5.5" x 4.25" piece of Very Vanilla card stock folded in half. Next I cut two pieces of the Print Poetry paper and adhered together. At that point, I should have wrapped a strip of the ribbon around just the designer paper….but I forgot and glued it down to the card base! Since there are no mistakes in stamping(!), I just wrapped the 3/8" Primrose Petals Stitched Satin Ribbon around the front of the card and attached a separate bow.

For a little greeting, I stamped the word "friends" from the stamp set Sweet Essentials and layered it on the Ticket Duo Punch #126883. You could use any greeting and any coordinating punch and you have an easy to make card for any occasion!

For these great Stampin' Up! products, visit my Online Store here!

Stay Tuned!! RETIRED LISTS coming this Wednesday,

April 24!

If you are new, what does that mean? Each year around this time, Stampin' Up! retires stamp sets and accessories in order to make room for NEW products in the NEW catalog coming out soon! It's an exciting time and a time to stay in touch with me so you can purchase any retiring products you really want but haven't gotten yet. This won't be the time to procrastinate! In fact, I would suggest not waiting for the list, but getting the products you really want NOW before there is a run on them. No one can predict what will be retired and what won't…or what will sell fast and what won't. Just fair warning!

If you have any questions, please email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com…..and make sure you are on my Mailing List here!

Using Epic Day This and That Designer Washi Tape

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My camera is broken at the moment so I thought I would just post some ideas I have seen or had for using the great new Epic Day This and That Designer Washi Tape. You can order this tape as a separate item #131269 from my Stampin' Up! store….but the better idea would be to purchase the entire Epic Day This and That Bundle before the end of April so you can get a 15% discount on the whole package.

Of course the obvious use for Washi Tape is to adhere, decoratively, your photos and memorabilia to your album or journal or whatever. But you can also use the tape itself as a decorative item. Here are a few ideas:

Wrap washi tape around a tea light base (use a battery-operated one).
Decorate plastic cups, straws, plasticware for a party with washi tape.
Wrap washi tape around a gift box or gift bag as decorative borders.
Use washi tape on a card or scrapbook page just placing it as lines of tape on the project, as borders or stripes or small banners.
Wrap washi tape around a glass jar as a decoration or even as a identifier of the contents.
Before making a rosette, place a long strip of washi tape on the strip of paper and you'll have a design on your rosette after you fold it!
Tape pieces of washi tape in long or short strips down or across a notebook cover to add color and design.
Adhere washi tape around a glass votive holder to decorate your candle.
Adhere washi tape on clip clothespins to decorate. Add a magnet to the back.
Decorate a plain file folder with washi tape.

So there you have a FEW ideas to get started!

Get your Stampin' Up! Washi Tape here at my Online Store!

New Dolled Up Birthday Kit from Stampin’ Up!

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Images copyright Stampin' Up! 2013

If you like kits, I'm sure you will love this brand new Dolled Up Birthday Kit Stampin' Up! just released today! It was designed by another demonstrator and then Stampin' Up! made it into a kit! You know anything with the Vanilla Flower Trim is going to be gorgeous!

The Dolled-Up Birthday kit includes the following:

Dolled-Up Birthday Clear-Mount Stamp (1)
8-1/2" x 5-1/2" Crumb Cake Cardstock (6 pieces)
2" x 4-1/4" Very Vanilla Cardstock (6 pieces)
Very Vanilla Medium Envelopes (6)
Tea Lace Paper Doilies (6)
Dress Up die-cuts (6)
Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Spot (1)
Vanilla 5/8" Flower Trim (6 pieces)
Sponge Dauber (1)

Get everything you need to make six cards for only $15.95 (item 133913)!*

*Adhesive not included.

To assemble one card, follow these simple instructions:
1. Place the stamp rubber side up and ink with the Soft Suede Classic Stampin’ Spot.
2. Stamp “Happy Birthday” at the bottom of the card front.
3. Ink the Sponge Dauber with Soft Suede ink and gently antique the doily and the edges of the dress form.
4. Adhere the pieces to the card front in this order:
1. Doily
2. Very Vanilla Cardstock
3. Dress form
4. Flower

I think this one is a winner if you like kits and a "girlie" one at that! And nothing says you can't change it up a bit to follow your own creativity!

Find the Dolled Up Birthday Kit in my Stampin' Up! Online Store.

De-Stress on Tax Day—Make a Pop-Up Posies Card!

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Today is Tax Day, so if you have paid your taxes, maybe it is time to de-stress by making a card! Or in my case, maybe I will make another card to de-stress from having my post I just wrote disappear! Anyway….the Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit can make it easy for you! You get all the materials pictured above in your kit PLUS a "Just for You" stamp. Add some card stock and put something together and you will have a beautiful card!

After I took the photo above, my camera decided to act up….maybe it's going to be "one of those days"!! Here is a photo of the card I made, although it's not very good. Maybe I just need new batteries.

To get this Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit in your hands, just go to my Stampin' Up! Online Store and order! It is #131395 and you might like some Very Vanilla, Calypso Coral, Pool Party and Summer Starfruit card stock to coordinate with your flowers and kit! You can find the Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit in the Stampin' Up! Spring Catalog!

Sign Up for My Mailing List!

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It's already mid-April and that means my mid-month Stamping With Karen newsletter will be coming out this week with up-to-the-minute Stampin' Up! news. This year is Stampin' Up!'s 25th Anniversary and boy, are they celebrating! There has been one new offer or product or news item after the other! In order not to miss anything, please check my blog often AND subscribe to my newsletter! Not only will you receive my free gift (once you confirm your subscription), but you will be on my list to receive my monthly and mid-monthly newsletters plus some extras as warranted. You don't want to miss a thing from Stampin' Up! THIS year!! And with the new Stampin' Up! Annual catalog coming out soon (and the current one going out!) you will want to be in the know!

Click HERE to sign up for my Mailing List!

Once you fill out the Mailing List form with your name and email, you will almost immediately receive an email with the subject line "Confirm Your Stamping With Karen Subscription". Open and read it, then click on the link inside.This makes sure we have your permission to send emails to you. After you click on that link, you will receive a "Welcome" email that will contain the link to your free gift.

New Products to Organize Your Stamps and Craft Storage!

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Stampin' Up! is introducing their new storage cases for the wood-mount stamp sets that will be available in the new catalog! Not only will the wood-mount stamp sets be packaged in these, but empty ones will be available for purchase for your other crafting storage needs! They will fit with the stamp cases used for the clear-mount stamps. The stamp images and stamp set name will be on the spine, just like the clear-mount cases. If you like everything to match, you can purchase the new empty cases and transfer your current wood-mount stamps into those. But Stampin' Up! has made a video with all kinds of uses for these new stamp cases! Enjoy!

*Translated stamp sets are only available in clear-mount.

All Dressed Up Belated Birthday Card

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Do you have trouble getting birthday cards sent out on time? I can know a birthday is coming up for weeks and then still not get the card mailed on time or in enoughtime! That's why I like the greeting in the stamp set All Dressed Up. That's not exactly what it says, but I used parts of it to make the greeting I wanted. The stamp set All Dressed Up is really fun to play with, especially to use the Dress Up Framelits Dies with it and save yourself all that cutting time. There are lots of ways to play with these dresses,whether you are using the stamped dress or making your own with the Dress Up Framelits DIes.

To make the necklace, I just used a piece of Baker's Twine and a Rhinestone Jewel.

For any stamping supplies you may need, please visit my Stampin' Up! Online Store!

New Bombs Away Birthday! Photopolymer Stamp Set Available

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Stampin' Up! has released a new photopolymer stamp set called Bombs Away Birthday! Photopolymer means they are completely clear and are to be mounted on the clear blocks. They're very sticky so they stay put on your block.

Click here for more information!

Then shop HERE at my Online Store!

Click here to see the first Stampin' Up! photopolymer stamp set, Designer Typeset.

Paper Pumpkin….Time to Join!

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If you've heard about Paper Pumpkin from Stampin' Up!, you know it's a monthly subscription papercrafting kit you receive in your mailbox! A kit will arrive every month…you can continue as long as you like…pause it when you need to…or cancel if you must. In order to get in on the mailing of the kit on the 15th of the month, you need to sign up for it by the 10th of the month….and that's tomorrow!! So if you want an easy and quick project to show up in a very cute box, just like a present, you need to subscribe by tomorrow, April 10th, by midnight!

Click HERE: MY PAPER PUMPKIN

https://mypaperpumpkin.com/en/

Check it out and if you like it, just sign up! When it asks for your Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, please put in my name: Karen Fontinelle

Scallop Envelope Baby Gift Card

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This is the little card I made with the Scallop Envelope Die to go with my baby shower gift in this post. I didn’t photograph the back of it, unfortunately, but the scalloped flap of the envelope in folded in and the bottom up and the side flap in to form the pocket. The other side flap is left open, as you can see.

The little window is punched with the cute Petite Curly Label Punch. The little greeting is stamped with the Ciao, Baby! stamp in the Stampin’ Up! Spring Catalog. The pink ribbon is Melon Mambo 3/8″ Striped Organdy Ribbon. The blue is the 1/8″ Taffeta ribbon in Marina Mist.

Shelli Gardner, Founder and CEO of Stampin’ Up!, made this project on a local TV show! You can buy this Scallop Envelope Die at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store! It’s one of those cute and useful ones!

Baby Shower Gifts Handmade!

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A few weeks ago I needed a baby shower gift and kind of reverted back to something that was popular to do when I first started stamping. It was popular way back when (and still a good idea!) to buy a new paint can, decorate it and attach a certain poem someone made up. The idea was the new parents would be busy with the new baby and might not have time to write everything down they wanted to record in the baby book, so perhaps they would jot a quick note and throw it in this can and enter it in the baby book later.

Instead of a paint can, I used a white tin I had in my stash. It's decorated with Twitterpated Designer Series Paper and also a strip of Patio Party Designer Series Paper. It's easy enough to wrap two sheets of paper around the bottom of the tin (start at the back first). I like to use Stampin' Up! Anywhere Glue Sticks for a project like this, but you could also use the Multipurpose Glue or some like Sticky Strip tape. Rather than work around the handle at the top, I chose to just make some flowers with punched and distressed scallop punches and Glimmer Brads.

I also covered a little notebook with some Patio Party Designer Paper and inserted some matching paper into an RSVP pen to decorate it.

And a few baby thank you cards for the new mom to use (using a retired baby stamp set, but one of my favorites!)

And here's everything on the inside of the tin. You can read the poem I attached to the inside of the tin. Just click on the photo to enlarge. I used the Labels Collection Framelits Dies.

I also made a card with a picture of the "real" gift that the expectant mom would receive but I will post that another day!

Don't forget, today is the last day for FREE SHIPPING from Stampin' Up! That doesn't come around everyday, so if you need some stamping supplies, please browse through your catalogs and online and see what you need! We all know we "need" more!!

Order TODAY at my Online Store for FREE SHIPPING! TODAY ONLY!! LAST DAY!

Stampin’ Up! Color Refresh!

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Stampin' Up! announced the other day their "Color Refresh" in preparation for the new annual catalog coming soon. Some current colors are being taken out, some moved around to different color families, and some past In Colors are being reinstated! This is all to keep our Stampin' Up! colors on trend and coordinating together. I know sometimes we hate to see change, but we always seem to get used to the new colors and combinations and end up loving them!

Watch this Stamin' Up! video with Carrie Cudney and you'll understand the Color Refresh a lot better!

Cross-Stitch & Papercrafting: Sweet Threads Simply Sent Card

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If you like making cards and papercrafting, and you also like cross-stitching, then this cute Sweet Threads Simply Sent Kit from Stampin' Up! is for you! My friend Sally was visiting recently and ordered this kit when she was here. The kit makes 8 printed cards, each of 2 colors. The needle holes are prepierced and the kit comes with embroidery floss and needles. It was a really pleasant surprise to receive this card in the mail from her the other day! She had also ordered the Scallop Trim Border Punch after playing with mine here and you can see her punching on this card! The greeting is from the Friendly Phrases stamp set.

Sally said there was plenty of thread for the designs and that even though she pulled her stitches tight, she didn't break any of the pierced holes! So she thought it was fun to make!

If you want to add something extra to your card-making, please try this kit! You can also purchase the Essentials stamp set with the words "Thank You" and "Happy Birthday" to go with it….better yet, purchase the Sweet Threads Bundle (the stamp set and the kit) for a 15% savings!

Order it this weekend when Stampin' Up! is offering FREE SHIPPING April 6-8, 2013! Everything is available for FREE SHIPPING so take advantage of this great deal!! Just click that link to go directly to my Stampin' Up! Online Store!