Category Archives: Christmas

Four Easy Christmas Cards With Toile Tidings

Surprisingly I hadn’t even played with the Toile Tidings Designer Series Paper in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog, so I thought I would make an assortment of Four Easy Christmas Cards with Toile Tidings. They are all the basic design of easy cards, put in one orientation or the other, using the Real Red side of the paper or the Garden Green side, full front layer of just one paper pattern or a split layer using two patterns of paper. A greeting is added and a bit of ribbon. That’s all!

The Toile Tidings Designer Paper coordinates with Real Red and Garden Green Cardstock along with Very Vanilla. I made two cards with the Real Red card base and two with the Garden Green. The paper with the toile scene has the same toile scene in the opposite color on the other side so that makes it easy!

On two of the cards, I used a sheet that has the houndstooth check pattern, red on one side and green on the other. I used a small strip of the check pattern underneath the toile pattern, in both orientations, portrait and landscape. This adds a little bit of interest and has a ribbon covering the junction of the two pieces.

On these cards, I used the Garden Green 3/8″ Double-Stitched Ribbon and also a retired Real Red ribbon. If you want the current ribbon, which I don’t have, you can use the Real Red 3/8″ Cotton Ribbon. You might even have something else that would work.

For the greetings, I just chose some from several stamp sets. The “Season’s Greetings” stamp is from the Still Scenes Stamp Set with the globe. I used the pretty “Merry Christmas” stamp on two of the cards. It is from the Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set. And finally, the “Wishing You Peace….” stamp is from the Merry Christmas To All Stamp Set.

You can use any punches or dies to cut out your greetings and layers for them. I’m going to add some designer paper to the inside Very Vanilla layer since the card stock is colored. I may even add some colored rhinestones or dots to some of these cards…maybe. This is a simple card design and depending on your designer paper, you can leave your card as simple or as embellished as you want to. Just have fun with it because Christmastime only comes around once a year!

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Christmastime Is Here Paper on Gold Mini Pizza Gift Box

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Projects like this one are difficult to photograph because of the glare, but you won’t find it difficult to work with when you choose some or all of the products in the Stampin’ Up! Christmastime Is Here Suite! This paper is beautiful with the roses and the gold foil accents. It is just stunning and I think you will find uses for it long after the holidays are over!

We’ve been using the Mini Pizza Boxes for a while now that Stampin’ Up! sells, but these are extra special GOLD Mini Pizza Boxes! They are hardly for pizza, though, unless you had a very, very small pizza! But the box is designed almost like a pizza box so that’s how they got their name! You could actually reverse these boxes and have the gold on the inside as an elegant surprise to the recipient and decorate the white side on the outside! You will find these Gold Mini Pizza Boxes in the Holiday Catalog on page 13.

Gold Mini Pizza Boxes are small gift boxes that are just the right size for a cookie or 3″ x 3″ note cards. Also perfect for small gifts and other treats!

8 shiny gold boxes
Folded box size: 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ x 1″
Food safe

There are infinite ways to decorate these gold boxes, and of course, they are perfect for the holidays when you really want something special. This box just has a layer of Cherry Cobbler designer paper from the Christmastime Is Here Specialty Designer Series Paper. Then a square portion of the rose pattern in the paper is layered on a piece of Mossy Meadow Card Stock that is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals®. This way once the gift is placed inside, a piece of the Gold 1/4″ Shimmer Ribbon can be slipped under this popped up layer and tied on the side to hold the lid shut and add a nice embellishing touch. You could even add a little greeting on there somewhere if you wanted to.

These Gold Mini Pizza Boxes come flat so they are easy to store until you need them. At that time they are easy to fold on the score lines and assemble. Then decorate to your heart’s content!

Get a package or two of the Gold Mini Pizza Boxes to have on hand for any gift-giving occasions, especially the holidays! Use the Christmastime Is Here Specialty Designer Paper with roses to decorate the Gold Mini Pizza Box with a special gift or treat inside for one of your gift-giving occasions!

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Have Fun Making Holiday Gift Tags With Paper Pumpkin!

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This November Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin’ Up! makes 24 holiday-themed gift tags of 4 various sizes and designs. The coordinating colors are Early Espresso, Pool Party, Poppy Parade, and Shaded Spruce. We are all going to need gift tags when the holidays get closer and we are wrapping gifts, whether for our family, neighbors, co-workers, teachers, etc.

TODAY, Nov. 10th, is the LAST DAY to SIGN UP!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY TO GET YOUR NOVEMBER KIT!

Even if you don’t need gift tags, make them as tags and then add one to the front of a cardstock card base and make a card! Maybe you need more cards than tags! You can do this with any tag. Just use it as the focal point on your card front! Add a greeting on the tag or on the card front.

Don’t run out to the store and buy the cheap tags at the dollar stores to stick on presents! Make your own with this Paper Pumpkin Kit! Remember, presentation is everything! Making a plate of cookies or treats for a neighbor or holiday party? Place a tag on the top over the plastic wrap or lid. Hang it on a wine bottle you are taking as a hostess gift!

Everything you need for the project comes in the kit! If you are a new subscriber, you will also get a clear acrylic block on which to mount your stamps. That’s why these Paper Pumpkin Kits are so good for new stampers and crafters or those who do not have many supplies….or don’t WANT many supplies!

In each Paper Pumpkin Kit you will receive an exclusive stamp set, an ink spot (1″ x 1″) (great to use on the Stamparatus to ink up stamps!), and a package of materials to make the project! And the presentation is everything of course! You will love receiving this gift to yourself!

Treat yourself to a present in the mail once a month! And if some months you are too busy or traveling or don’t care for that upcoming kit, just skip a month! If Paper Pumpkin really is not for you, there is no obligation to continue. Simply go into your account and cancel or ask me to take care of it for you.

In fact, if you want to add a Paper Pumpkin subscription to your Stampin’ Up! order (maybe to reach Hostess Rewards??), just choose which length of time is good for you and add it to your order. Stampin’ Up! will send you an email with directions on how to set up your Paper Pumpkin account and put in the special code showing that you ordered a series of kits in the Online Store. Even if you already have a monthly subscription to Paper Pumpkin, you can purchase a Paper Pumpkin subscription in the Online Store and your account will use those first and then go back to your monthly subscription. Just ask if you have any questions.

The deadline for signing up for the November kit with materials for making holiday tags is today, November 10, 2019.

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY!

Have Fun Making Holiday Gift Tags With Paper Pumpkin!

Paper Pumpkin Oct 2019 Christmas Card

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I hate to tell you that you can’t get this Paper Pumpkin Kit any more because it makes a beautiful Christmas card. I just made this one card exactly like the kit directions but I wanted to try out some other alternate ideas that I will find online or maybe think of myself! The Paper Pumpkin holiday season kits are always extra special!

This photo really doesn’t do this card justice. The evergreen trees you see are on the base card front. Then the snowflakes at the top of that part of the card are stamped with the Night of Navy ink from the snowflake stamp included in the Paper Pumpkin Kit.

Next, the white trees are punched out of the die-cut. They are on white glimmery paper to look like snow. This piece includes the snow base for the bottom with a tree on each side. This piece is adhered using Stampin’ Dimensionals to pop it up. This gives a 3D effect to the front of the card. It is a little tedious to stick on the little dimensionals, some cut in half for the tree branches.

The cute little redbirds are die cuts so all I had to do was punch them out and stick them on with glue dots (included in the kit) onto the tree branches! They really “pop” on this card!

For a little more bling, there are snowflake sequins included to stick on the card background with the mini glue dots. If you have the Take Your Pick Tool it would be handy for picking up the tiny snowflake sequins, but if not, use your Paper Snips.

The greeting is included in the stamp set of the kit and is stamped on the die-cut banner piece. This is popped up and layered on the woodgrain die-cut piece and that is all adhered to the bottom front of the card.

Inside I will stamp another greeting and the card will be ready to go. It also came with silver foil trimmed envelopes! That makes it all look luxurious!

In spite of the fact that no extra kits are available after the October Kits were sent out (that’s how popular it was!), it might give you a glimpse into the November Paper Pumpkin Kit. That kit “coordinates” with this October Kit. I don’t know what that means, exactly, but I’m sure it will be a good kit.

Kit details: Makes 24 holiday-themed gift tags of 4 various sizes and designs.

Coordinating colors: Early Espresso, Pool Party, Poppy Parade, and Shaded Spruce

The October and November kits coordinate; however, each kit is all-inclusive and can stand alone.

Supplies may be limited toward the end of each subscription period so don’t delay!

So if you find it enticing to get a cute winter-themed box in your mail in just over a week with a fun project inside making gift tags (if for some reason you don’t need handmade gift tags to make your gifts extra special, just put them on the front of a card instead!). Get an extra kit and have fun stamping with a friend! The deadline to sign up is November 10! Don’t delay!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY!

Christmastime Is Here Specialty Designer Series Paper Florals and Gold Card

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You will fall in love with the beautiful paper in the Christmastime Is Here Specialty Paper (specialty always means there are gold accents or some special texture or design to the designer paper) but until you have your own paper, you’ll have to get the idea from my Christmastime Is Here Specialty Designer Series Paper Florals and Gold Card. Even the sides of the paper that do not have the gold foil accents are still pretty, like the one I used on this card.

The base of my card is Cherry Cobbler Cardstock with a layer of the Christmastime Is Here Paper. The floral centerpiece is hand-cut from another sheet of the paper and layered on top of a piece of Gold Foil. Instead of a greeting, I wrapped around a piece of the Elegant Gold Shimmer Ribbon. To make it easier than tying a bow and hoping it doesn’t come out crooked, I just tied a separate bow and adhered it to the ribbon with a couple of Mini Glue Dots.

The cut out floral piece is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals. For a little extra bling, I added three of the Gold Glitter Enamel Dots. I hadn’t used these yet and I couldn’t put it off any longer!

This card was difficult to photograph because of the glare of the Gold Foil and the gold foil accents on the flowers. If I want to, I can still add a greeting underneath the bow, but really, I think it looks pretty as it is.

Remember, this Christmastime Is Here Suite has the stamp set, dies, paper, ribbon, and dots and they can ALL be purchased at one time or you can get whichever pieces you want. I would just suggest not to delay because these products are only available while supplies last! And the stamp set and paper are really pretty! It will all be beautiful for holiday cards or even after-holiday notes, birthdays and other occasions.

If you aren’t sure, I would for sure suggest getting the designer paper because you will love how beautiful it is! Then if you want the stamp set or accessories after that you can make even more projects!

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Christmastime Is Here Rose Card

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If you purchase the Christmastime Is Here Suite or at least some of the products, you will see how easy it is to make pretty cards like this Christmastime Is Here Rose Card. I wanted to post this yesterday but something was wrong with my blog and I couldn’t post any photos. SO frustrating when something goes wrong with our technology, right?! Today I finally got on a Live Chat and the guy fixed it! I am so relieved!

I confess I haven’t purchased the entire suite (not yet, anyway) but that is the great thing that you can pick and choose and don’t have to buy it all to have some of what you want! I chose to get the designer paper, ribbon, and glitter dots. However, the stamp set is beautiful and the die cuts make cutting out this big rose pattern in the designer paper and the stamped image a lot easier. But even Demonstrators can’t have EVERYTHING!

The Christmastime Is Here Specialty Designer Series Paper I have to say is gorgeous! The floral prints are beautiful and CAN be cut out by hand if you don’t hate cutting with Paper Snips. You don’t have to follow every single image accurately, just cut somewhat around them leaving a slight margin. This method makes it so you don’t have to be perfect and makes it look die-cut!

The floral images have gold foil accents which you can figure out in my photo but the shine doesn’t come through. The gold foil really makes the paper look festive and rich for your cards.

This card uses a base of Cherry Cobbler, one of the coordinating colors. I love this Cherry Cobbler cross-hatched designer pattern with the gold foil for a background. I wrapped a piece of the Elegant Gold Shimmer Craft Ribbon around it. After cutting out the floral piece, I popped that up with Stampin’ Dimensionals®. I did not add a greeting since I don’t have that Christmas Rose Stamp Set although I will use another greeting later on.

You will find that the Christmas Rose Stamp Set comes with one Cling stamp (the large floral image) and then the rest are Photopolymer stamps to add depth and richness. Those stamps are the Distinktive stamps that Stampin’ Up! developed to make stamping look photorealistic. I do love the sentiments in the stamp set and the font style. If you purchase the stamp set and dies together in the Christmas Rose Bundle, you will save 10%.

If you are really interested in some or all of the products in this Suite, I would not delay in purchasing. You know how some popular items go like hotcakes at Stampin’ Up! There are many holiday stamp sets and accessories to choose from, but if this slightly different look appeals to you, go for it because it is really beautiful!

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The Christmastime Is Here Suite…Is Here! And the New Paper Trimmer!

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Today, November 1st is the day you can finally purchase this beautiful suite of new Stampin’ Up! products, the Christmastime Is Here Suite! If you are looking for something a little different for Christmas but still lovely, these roses with gold accents will be perfect for you! I can tell you the designer paper is gorgeous! No doubt you will make beautiful cards and projects with these new products.

You can purchase the WHOLE suite or if that is too much for you at one time, you can actually purchase products individually! It’s great! There is even a bracelet in the mix with a rose and a Stampin’ Up! charm.

Christmastime Is Here Suite Flyer — Click for full version.

Christmastime Is Here Suite Flyer2 — Click for full version.

Watch the Stampin’ Up! video below for more information!

These products are only WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! To avoid disappointment, I would order whatever you really really want as early as you can! I have no idea how things will sell, but this Suite may be pretty popular. It is SO pretty!

SHOP THE CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE SUITE IN THE ONLINE STORE HERE!

ALSO!!!

The new Paper Trimmer is also here!

You’ll find it under “Tools” in the list of categories! Check it out! It cuts great! I like mine!!

Buy the Stampin’ Up! Paper Trimmer!

Are You Getting My “12 Weeks of Christmas” Holiday Emails?

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Every week for the past four weeks I have been sending my mailing list subscribers a free holiday project that you can use to make your holiday preparations easier! This is a thank you for my mailing list subscribers that I like to do every year. Just like in my regular weekly email, I send a photo of a project, a list of supplies needed, and all the directions to make it.

In the first 4-5 weeks, I send card ideas since it’s likely that is the first thing most of us will work on at this point. Next, come a few weeks of gift ideas and finally, as we are doing Christmas shopping, some ideas for gift wrap, bags, and gift tags.

These are exclusive projects that I won’t be posting on my blog or anywhere else. You may copy directly, take inspiration from the idea and come up with your own project, or simply enjoy seeing another stamping idea! I know I am all about seeing as many ideas as possible.

However, the only way you can get these special 12 Week of Christmas emails is to be on my Stamping With Karen Mailing List! You have already missed the first 4 weeks, but you can get the rest, beginning Wednesday! All you have to do is sign up in the red box in the upper right of my blog or in the form below.

Subscribe to My Mailing List!

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Snowman Stamped Christmas Card

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On this Snowman Stamped Christmas Card, I made my own snowman designer paper! This stamp set is so fun to play with and will make many wonderful Christmas cards for you to send to family and friends.

I love that I am finally using Real Red again on Christmas cards after Real Red got demoted to the Regals color family! I liked it better in the Brights family where it had always been. LOL! But nobody asked me! Anyway, the card base is Real Red Cardstock and instead of designer paper layered on the card, I made my own designer paper! I simply stamped the snowman throwing snowballs up in the air from the Snowman Season Stamp Set in black ink randomly on a layer of Whisper White Cardstock. I think it gives the card a subtle fun feeling!

Next, another snowman is stamped with Memento Ink and then die-cut with one of the Layering Circles Dies and layered on a larger scalloped circle die in the same set. That snowman piece I colored in with Stampin’ Blends Markers. For some embellishment, I used the Multipurpose Liquid Glue and sprinkled on some Ice Stampin’ Glitter. You could also use the Dazzling Diamonds Glitter. This snowman centerpiece is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The greeting is stamped on a Real Red banner with a “Merry Christmas” from the Snowman Season Stamp Set also. This card is one that just makes me happy! Sometimes you make a card that gives you that feeling. And, I have to say, it is always a good feeling to repeatedly stamp an image randomly on cardstock. There is something about holding that block and stamp in your hand and stamping over and over! I always like it when I do it!

You CAN stamp a greeting on the inside of the card in black ink and have it show up on the Real Red, but you might want to consider adding a Whisper White inside layer with a greeting stamped and maybe another little coordinating image. For this card, I stamped the other greeting in the Snowman Season set, “Hoping this season builds heartwarming memories” and then stamped the same snowman tossing snowballs in the air down in the corner. I just colored in the orange carrot nose and added a tiny bit of blue as shading on the snowman. The inside of the card looks almost as creative as the outside of the card! You can also stamp the envelope before you send the card with one of the snowmen. How cute would that be?!

Remember to try this technique of stamping an image randomly on a piece of cardstock to make your own designer paper as I did on this Snowman Stamped Christmas Card.

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Need Christmas Tags For Gifts? Make Them With Paper Pumpkin!

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If you would like to do at least “a little” crafting for the holidays, the Paper Pumpkin Kit for November is your answer! Maybe you are new to crafting and stamping or maybe you only like to stamp and make things occasionally. Paper Pumpkin is for you! And for those of us who have oodles of stamps, paper, and craft supplies Paper Pumpkin is fun to have an already designed project with all supplies included that we can just sit down and make!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY TO GET YOUR NOVEMBER KIT!

I would hazard a guess that even if you didn’t want or need that many tags, you could make cards with the tag on the front as the focal point. Every month creative people make alternate projects with the supplies in the kit and post them on the internet so you will be able to find other ideas if that is what you want. Sometimes I do a little of both…..make the project as designed and also save some pieces to make other cards or projects.

Our family likes to have LOTS of packages under the tree and I have often found myself running out to the store to buy more tags, especially after the kids arrive and want to wrap their gifts. These are usually cheap tags to slap on in a hurry on the gift. Wouldn’t a handmade, pretty tag look a lot better on your gift?

Now if you missed the coordinating October Kit that had to be signed up for by Oct. 10th, if you subscribe NOW to Paper Pumpkin, there is a chance in a few days that Stampin’ Up! will have extra kits that they will put in the Online Store, only available to Paper Pumpkin subscribers. You can order whatever is in the Paper Pumpkin Past Kits category with your regular Stampin’ Up! order.

The deadline for signing up for the November kit with materials for making holiday tags is November 10, 2019. Supplies may be limited near the end of the subscription period. You may think you will remember, but it’s easier to just do it today and then look forward to mid-November when those kits go out!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY!

(This is my personal link so you don’t have to put in my name as your Demonstrator. You can also sign up at www.paperpumpkin.com and choose me, Karen Fontinelle, as your Demonstrator.)

Holiday Catalog Let It Snow Snowman Christmas Card

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We always say if you need some inspiration, use the Stampin’ Up! catalogs, so that is what I have done with this Holiday Catalog Let It Snow Snowman Christmas Card. You will find a card on the cover of the Holiday catalog that I mostly copied except for the snow.

The Let It Snow Specialty Designer Series Paper is beautiful to use for Christmas cards and projects. This paper is 12″ x 12″ so you have plenty to use. One side has images with bits of glimmer and the other side has more generic images that you can use for non-Christmas projects or after Christmas (if you have any left after using the glimmery sides!).

This card has a Real Red base and is stamped with some Real Red snowflakes with the Snowman Season Stamp Set. Next, there is a piece of the non-glimmer side of the designer paper with the snowmen that I used for the background to look like snowflakes. On the bottom, instead of the way Stampin’ Up! did their card on the catalog cover, I cut a piece of Sparkle Glimmer Paper for the snow. Stampin’ Up! used the new Snowfall Accents Puff Paint on their card but I didn’t own that yet. (As I write this, the Puff Paint had been unorderable but it is back in stock right now so go order it while you can!) On the sides of this layer are strips of the Real Red Glimmer Paper to set off the layer.

The snowman is punched with the Snowman Builder Punch and the trees are all cut by hand with Paper Snips from the Let It Snow DSP. This is the kind of paper that you hate to cut into for any reason, even for making a great card! But it is made to be used so don’t hoard it! Except for one tree adhered directly to the layer, the rest and the snowman are all popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals and Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals. The Minis save you from cutting the regular size Dimensionals into smaller pieces! (Did you know there are also Black Stampin’ Dimensionals Combo Packs which have both regular size and mini dimensionals in black, which for some projects “hides” them a little more on your project!)

The greeting is stamped with Versamark Ink and then heat embossed with White Stampin’ Embossing Powder. The greeting is also from the Snowman Season Stamp Set. The cardstock is Shaded Spruce. The Stampin’ Up! samples on the catalog cover also used some Red Rhinestones on the hat.

When you use dark cardstock for the card base, you may need to put a layer of Whisper White or Very Vanilla or some coordinating lighter color inside the card so that you can stamp a greeting or write a personal note. In addition, you can also add some decorative stamping. See the inside of this card below.

Holiday Catalog Let It Snow Snowman Christmas Card Inside

It’s time to get an early start making Christmas cards so we won’t be rushed when it gets down to the wire! If you need Christmas card ideas, be sure you are signed up for my Mailing List because I will be sending out Week 3 of my 12 Weeks of Christmas holiday emails. You still have time to get another few weeks of card ideas, then we move on to gift ideas and finally gift-wrapping ideas with tags, bags, etc. Of course, I will also have Christmas card ideas on my blog and Facebook page.

As I said, one of the many places you can get ideas and inspiration for holiday cards is to look in the Stampin’ Up! Catalogs. You can copy or you can just take part of the idea and add your own elements. Lots of times, just having some idea in front of you gives you your own idea as you begin working! Be sure to order your supplies early so something you want is not out of stock.

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How To Take a Feels Like Frost Plain Christmas Card To an Embellished Card

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While I thought I could do without this beautiful wintery designer paper, I found that I could not and started working on a card. Just layering the designer paper I chose on the card base I thought looked simple and beautiful enough, especially if you were just sending a personal note. Since the card was so pretty as is, I thought about taking it step by step from a plain Christmas card to an embellished Christmas card and showing you the steps.

As you can see, the first card was just a card base of Seaside Spray Cardstock with a layer of Whisper White under the Feels Like Frost Specialty 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper. I think the white helps the designer paper stand out even better. I just thought the card looked so elegant enough with just the designer paper that it barely needed anything else! I could see this paper being used to make a series of note cards or regular size cards for Christmas cards, holiday cards, or just cards for winter. Often when we have someone of a different religion who is not celebrating Christmas, we like to have a more generic card to send them during our holiday.

Feels Like Frost Christmas Card With Greeting

To step up the first card, I added a holiday greeting to this plain card. Since there was kind of an open area on the designer paper, I put the greeting in the upper corner. The greeting is in the Itty Bitty Christmas Stamp Set and is stamped with Seaside Spray Ink, one of the newest In Colors. I die cut it with one of the small circle dies in the Layering Circles Dies. I looked through my dies a little bit and decided to use this cute circle layer in the Stitched Labels Dies.

Feels Like Frost Embellished Christmas Card

Next, to step up the card, even more, I added the Silver 3/8″ Metallic-Edge Ribbon. I moved the greeting down to the lower corner of the card And for a little bling, I added the teeny tiny Snowflake Sequins to the card, three of the tiny silver ones and three of the snowflake ones. I just used the tiniest dot of Multipurpose Liquid Glue to adhere the sequins with the help (and I do mean HELP) of the Take Your Pick Tool. This is a great tool, no matter which end of the tool you use. I have used the pokey end and also the spatula for scooping up jewels off the sheet and applying to the project and today the sticky end for picking up and placing the sequins. Otherwise, you would go crazy without it, so put one on your next order!

Feels Like Frost Embellished Card Closeup

Check out this beautiful paper in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog and in the Online Store. Even though the photographic wintery images are beautiful, wait until you flip the paper over to the other side with the silver foil images! (As I write this, I see this paper and matching ribbon are backordered. The Feels Like Frost will be back in stock next week and the ribbon at the end of October.) (I must have gotten the last ones!)

If you are unsure about making a card, just start with something very simple like I did with just the designer paper. Then see what greeting you might want to add. Next see if you have some ribbon or jewels you want to add or a layer for the greeting, whatever it is. Sometimes it is good to stop before you overdo it! And sometimes it is good to jazz it up a bit! Anyway, check out the steps I took to take this plain Christmas card to an embellished Christmas card.

The “12 Weeks of Christmas” Holiday Emails Are Coming!

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Believe it or not, we are just over twelve weeks until Christmas so it is time for my 12 Weeks of Christmas Holiday Emails to begin! Tomorrow, October 2 is the date!

Every week for 12 weeks I will send my mailing list subscribers a free holiday project that you can use to make your holiday preparations easier! This is a thank you for my mailing list subscribers that I like to do every year. Just like in my regular weekly email, I will send a photo of a project, a list of supplies needed, and all the directions to make it.

In the first few weeks, I will send card ideas since it’s likely that is the first thing most of us will work on at this point. Next, come a few weeks of gift ideas and finally, as we are doing Christmas shopping, some ideas for gift wrap, bags, and gift tags.

However, the only way you can get these special 12 Week of Christmas emails is to be on my Stamping With Karen Mailing List! All you have to do is sign up in the red box in the upper right of my blog or in the form below.

Subscribe to My Mailing List!

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Let It Snow Designer Paper Christmas Card

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Someone said three months from today it will be Christmas so you might want to start thinking about what Christmas cards you want to make, like maybe this Let It Snow Designer Paper Christmas Card. I would add, besides being three months until Christmas Day, I would add that in three months from today, it will all be over with! The cards made and mailed (hopefully!), the presents bought, wrapped and possibly given, church services attended, Christmas cookies baked (usually not until after at my house!), parties attended, Christmas meals planned and eaten, except for Christmas Day dinner. SO….we have way less than 3 months to work on all our craft projects and cards to send and give!

To help you out a little bit, beginning next Wednesday, one week from today, we are going to start the “12 Weeks of Christmas” email campaign! Every week for 12 weeks I am going to be sending you a FREE holiday project that you can use to make your holidays easier and more festive! Please note, however, the only people who are going to receive these FREE projects are the people who are on my Mailing List. If you are NOT on my mailing list, you will not receive these special holiday emails.

To get on my email list, just fill in the red box in the upper right corner of my blog or you can sign up below:

Subscribe to My Mailing List!

For this card, I used a card base of Pool Party with a layer of Real Red Cardstock. Laid over the top of the Real Red Cardstock, is a piece of the Let It Snow Specialty Designer Series Paper. It will almost kill you, but you can cut the designer paper sheet with the glittery snowman appropriately so that you get the snowmen that you choose on the paper. If this does kill you to whack your beautiful paper up this way, you might want to order extra!

The ribbon wrapped around the card (to hide the seam of the designer paper on the Real Red is the Real Red 1/8″ Curly Ribbon. It is fun to use on cards, of course, but you might like to order extra to use as real wrapping ribbon on your Christmas packages!

The greeting is one from the Snowman Season Stamp Set. It is stamped in Memento Black. The banner ends are punched with the Tag Punch. And finally, I added some red stick-on dots from the Toile Tidings Glitter Enamel Dots. And finally, I added only about three snowflake sequins from the Snowflake Sequins. When you get right down to it, this Let It Snow Designer Paper Christmas Card is pretty easy to make!

Remember to sign up for my regular mailing list in the top right of this blog, if you are not already on my mailing list, in order to receive these fun holiday emails starting next week! The holidays are coming fast!

Fun Stampin’ Up! Videos After the Houston Floods!

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Yesterday was a very wet day in Houston – actually, the third wet day in a row in Houston, which you probably heard about on the news. On Tuesday there was a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico which got named Imelda pretty quickly, which I did not take as a good sign that they named a storm! That means it reached certain criteria and that usually isn’t good!

We knew we would get rain, but we needed rain, so at least for the first day it would be good. It all would depend on where you lived and where this storm went how much rain anyone would get. Unfortunately, even the first day coastal towns and towns east of Houston got a lot of rain and flooding. The second day Houston thought the storm had moved on and we dodged a bullet….but then we got big storms late in the day from the heat. Then yesterday, or even the night before for lots of people, the city of Houston itself got plenty of rain, flooding highways and roads and houses. You saw all the pictures on TV. It’s a terrible situation but one we have seen often in all the years we have lived here. We’ve just been lucky, so far, that we haven’t been stranded somewhere on the road or had water get in the house. When Houston gets too much rain, this happens, and often it is difficult to predict or these storms have a mind of their own, no matter how hard the weather people work to get it right.

So for today, let’s just relax and watch some Stampin’ Up! videos for Holiday Catalog products!

You saw the fall birthday box I made for my husband for his birthday instead of a card yesterday in THIS POST. There are SO MANY ideas for these Mini Curvy Treat Dies Boxes, you won’t believe the cute ideas creative people come up with! I made one Halloween pumpkin one with my daughter but have to make some more here at home.

A great addition to our stamping supplies, I think, are these So Many Stars stamps and dies in the Holiday Catalog. You can purchase the So Many Stars Bundle and save 10%, which includes the So Many Stars Stamp Set and the Stitched Stars Dies. Stars are not at all just for Christmas! You can use them for any celebratory occasion like birthdays, graduations, and many more. The stars I have had in the past I have used a lot.

Be sure to notice the Mercury Glass Designer Acetate in the Holiday Catalog on page 33 at the bottom. You could easily overlook it. See in this video how they die cut the acetate and then layer it on a white background. I think this Mercury Glass is very interesting to use for lots of projects! Certainly something very different that we haven’t had before!

Enjoy your day and set aside some Holiday Catalog reading and browsing time for your pleasure and inspiration!