Author Archives: Karen Fontinelle

Cutting Your Patterns

When you find a pattern that you like for a project, do you usually place it on your cardstock, trace around it, and then cut it out?  Here is a way to make that process easier!  This was a tip in our demonstrator magazine, "Stampin' Success" and is a way I have been using patterns.

1. Print your pattern, but rather than cutting it out and tracing around it, just lightly adhere the whole pattern page to the cardstock you will be using.  Dotto is good for this or if you must use tape, stick it first onto your clothing to take off some of the "sticky" and then use it.  Adhere it also within the pattern area so it won't move as you cut.

2.  Cut out both the pattern and the cardstock at the same time.

3.  Leaving the pattern on, score both sheets if you need to using your bone folder or other scoring tool.

That's it!  Take the pattern off carefully and your project is ready to assemble!

Sign up to be a Demonstrator and get the "Stampin' Success" magazine FREE every month (let me tell you how we all look forward to receiving our magazines!) as well as access to a special pattern and template area on the Stampin' Up! website on the "Demo side"!

 

Get Stamping on Earth Day!

TrendyTrees

                       Trendy Trees and Walk in the Park Designer Series Paper

Today, April 22, is Earth Day, a day to think about how we take care of the planet.  If you would like to celebrate Earth Day with some paper crafting and stamping, here are some ideas:

  • Recycle a tin can by covering it with Designer Series Paper and using it for a desk accessory. (See page 151 in the Idea Book & Catalog!)

  • Use some soda cans as the cutting material in your Big Shot and see what kinds of projects you can come up with.  Yes, you can cut open Coke cans (use your Craft and Rubber Scissors)  and flatten and run through your Big Shot with the steel rule dies.

  • Cut an empty cereal box into the shape of a magazine holder you would buy at the store and cover with cardstock or Designer Series Paper.
  • Stamp a beautiful nature card and send it to someone.
  • Use plastic containers maybe from a restaurant carryout order  to store your glitter or embossing powder.

    Have fun with this!  You're bound to think of many other ideas.

  • Get Ready for National Scrapbooking Month in May

    Someone asked me to make a picture frame as a gift for a friend with a new baby.  That idea evolved into making a scrapbook page that could be framed.  There are 12×12 scrapbook page frames available in the stores.  Here is the project; I should have photographed it before attaching the photos, so I just covered them with paper!

    May is National Scrapbooking Month so think about what scrapbooking projects you could work on!

    NateMadisonpage 

    This page uses paper and ribbon from Sale-A-Bration, but you can substitute something current that suits your photo colors or theme.  The chipboard letters are from On Board Timeless Type.  You can find a selection of chipboard on pages 182-3 of the Idea Book & Catalog.  Really fun to work with!  I embossed the little "Baby" tag with silver.  The name "Madison" was spelled out with the die cut letters from the Big Shot die "Naturally Serif".  If you need any of these supplies to make a similar project, just go to my website and click on "Shop Now".

    Window Sheet Cards Are In!

    These "Clearly Thanks" Printed Window Sheets in the Occasions Mini on page 10 are so popular right now!  You must get yours so you can play, too!  You get two sheets with four printed images……just cut them apart in fourths for cards or smaller pieces for whatever kind of project and you're set to go!  Here is my version of the card shown in the mini:

    FabFriendWindowSheet 

    Recipe:

    Stamp sets:  Oval All and Great Friend (both Occasions Mini)

    Ink:  Baja Breeze, So Saffron

    Paper:  Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Walk in the Park Designer Series Paper (Occasions Mini)

    Accessories:  Scallop Oval Punch (Occasions Mini), Large Oval Punch, Printed Window Sheets, Button Latte Designer Buttons

    Tip:  Purchase the Oval All stamp set, the Scallop Oval Punch, the Walk in the Park Designer Paper, and the Printed Window Sheets from the Occasions Mini and you will have a $40+ purchase from the mini with which to take advantage of the "Get Connected" Promotion and choose a free stamp from page 208 of the Idea Book & Catalog…..and those are great stamps!

    Flowerpot Card

    These cards are all the rage now!  Pull on the flowers and your greeting goes on the tab inside.  This sample was made with the stamp set "Petal Pizzazz", which required lots of cutting, but was fun nonetheless.  The bird adds a cute touch, made with the Birds and Blooms die cut.

    FlowerPotCard

    Fun Lingerie for a Rainy Saturday

    You're probably wondering what that title could possibly mean!  Just sharing a card I made by request for someone who had seen my previous bra and panty card HERE.  These were popular on Splitcoast about a year ago, at least that is where I first saw them.  Just cut out the template on the fold of your card base, then use the template again to make the "fabric" however you want.  On this card I embossed stamping from "Doodle This" which makes it look like lace on the red cardstock.  This time we have the Eyelet Border punch which I used to make the lace on the top of the bra and some black grosgrain ribbon for the straps.  I used one of the "Fleurettes", the new crocheted-look flowers, and a Rhinestone brad from the Pretties Kit.  You could also easily use one of the Pretties flowers for your decoration.

    BraCardMichaela 

    And for the backside:  Again, embossing for the lacy-look, some black grosgrain ribbon, and a little heart "tattoo"!

    Bracardback 

    Have fun with this project!  Lots of different ways to "style" this one!

    For the Graduation “Star”

    I have to say I made this card up myself, this morning, so it can't be too hard!  The card is 4×4, so cut your base cardstock 4"x8" and fold in half.  Then your Whisper White layer is 3 3/4" x 3 3/4".  You could do this card in whatever colors match your school or personality!  After embossing the word "Congratulations" from the set "Hugs and Wishes" in gold, I just punched out some stars with our two star punches on pages 184-5 in the Idea Book & Catalog.  You can punch out the little star first, then place your Large Star punch around the small punched out star and punch and get the star with the little star in the middle.  Or you can layer the solid stars.  Just play with it!  You can even just stamp the Congratulations in black or another color rather than emboss.  Have fun!

    Graduation Congratulations Card Stars

    Fun Explosion Box

    Do you need a fun little gift?  Make this easy Explosion Box and either add some photos yourself or let the recipient add their own!  This one is for my niece.  I love the "Lovely Letters" monogram to use on notecards and gifts such as this.  The Designer Paper I used is Candy Lane.  Love that paper!

    ExplosionBox 

    ExplosionBoxopen 

    If you add photos to this you can add journaling on the blank corners.  Or just stamp some pretty things or embellishments to make a decorative item.

    Here is a tutorial on Splitcoast that will give you some instructions on how to make this explosion box:  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/explosion_box/

    It's very easy to make.  You must kind of "squeeze" the box to fit into the lid so that it will "explode" when you take the lid off.

    “Get Connected” Thank You Card

    Need an easy Thank You card?  Take advantage of the Stampin' Up! "Get Connected Promotion"  from now until the end of April and choose this "Thank You" stamp as your free stamp when you order $40 worth of product (believe me, it's easy to do in this mini!) in the new Occasions Mini Catalog!  Check the back of the Idea Book & Catalog on page 208 for the Under $10 page to choose your free stamp with this promotion!

    ThankYou

    Get Ready for Christmas!

    I know, I know!  We just had Easter!  But are you making a few Christmas cards each month so that when December rolls around you won't feel so behind??!  Just do a little bit at a time and it won't be such a big job!

    Here's a very easy card, not even using a Christmas set…..the little medallion is from "Priceless".  The designer paper is retired but certainly you can use another current pattern.  The greeting is from "Holidays and Wishes".  Try your own version!  Just make five cards!  You can do another design next month!  Although this design is so easy, you'll probably want to make more!  Have fun!

    PricelessXmasCard

    Birthday Cupcake Card

    BDCupcakediecut 

    How about just a simple, sweet birthday card?  This was so easy to make with the Big Shot and the Big Bold Cupcake die.  Great way to use up some scraps, also, as you can use any colors you want with the die.  You can even make the cupcake sprinkles and the candles with the die.  This card is very simple, yet you could also jazz it up a little if you wanted to with some glitter or Crystal Effects on the sprinkles or candle flames, or some ribbon and a bow across the top.  I wanted the plain cupcake bottom die cut to look like a cupcake paper so I just took a marker and lightly drew in the lines to resemble the cupcake paper.  So fun to play with!

    BDCupcakediecutinside 

    And for the inside, just a Whisper White cardstock layer against the dark Close to Cocoa card stamped with the "Happy Everything" stamp set.

    If you are looking for information on the Big Shot, just click HERE.

    In Your Easter Bonnet

    EasterBonnet

                                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!

    EnvBasketChick 

    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….

    EnvBasketLamb 

    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?

    Easterboxes 

    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. 

    Easterbasketpinkfront 

    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.

    Pinkbasketback 

    Here is the back side.

    And filled with Easter treats!

    Easterbasketpink