Category Archives: Christmas

The Snowflake Showcase of New Products Is Here!

Snowflake Showcase Banner

Image © Stampin’ Up! 2018

Today is the first day you can order products in the Snowflake Showcase!  This is a group of exclusive products that you will love that are only available during the month of November! It’s hard to believe we have now passed Halloween and are on the slippery slope to Christmas!!

We did not have a fun Halloween in Houston yesterday!  We knew there was a possibility of rain during the day with a cool front coming through seemingly late at night, looking like there would be plenty of time for trick-or-treating. But it rained lightly all day until late afternoon when the rain got heavy and funnel clouds were sighted and tornado warnings were issued, including one near my area. Then it all let up just long enough for dinner and a bit of trick-or-treating, but I only had 12 kids come by!  So sad! There was a Trunk-or-Treat event, moved indoors, down the street so hopefully, a fair number of kids got to participate in that and have fun.  Now we are all wondering what to do with all the leftover candy!

So now it is November already, but the good thing is you can check out this Snowflake Showcase stamp sets, paper, dies, and velveteen paper. It isn’t even just for the holidays! You can get lots of use out of these products!  I urge you to order as soon as you can just in case any sell out.

Enjoy this Stampin’ Up! video with Shannon West from the Home Office!

SHOP THE SNOWFLAKE SHOWCASE FROM STAMPIN’ UP!

Now Available! Timeless Tidings Project Kit from Stampin’ Up!

Timeless Tidings Project Kit

If you were interested in this kit when you saw it in the Holiday Catalog, you will be happy to know that after being so popular it completely sold out, the Timeless Tidings Project Kit from Stampin’ Up! is available again!  Along with the Timeless Tidings Stamp Set, you can use this kit to make holiday cards quickly and easily!

The Timeless Tidings Project Kit makes 20 cards, 5 each of 4 designs.

Kit includes:
* 20 printed card bases
* 20 printed envelopes with gold foil edges
* Cardstock
* Gold foil
* Printed die-cut accents and backgrounds
* 80 green and champagne rhinestone jewels

Watch the Stampin’ Up! video and find out more about the kit:

Whether you are a new stamper or crafter or an experienced one, you might like to have this kit on hand to easily make 20 cards to have on hand even if you have made some cards of your own designs. We often need “just a few more cards” at the last minute and this would solve that problem.

Timeless Tidings Project Kit Finished Cards

If you love the watercolored look, you will love this Timeless Tidings Project Kit. Be sure to order it now in case it sells out again!  You never know!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! TODAY!

 

 

 

Get On My Stamping With Karen Mailing List!

JOIN MY STAMPING WITH KAREN MAILING LIST!

Stamping With Karen Mailing List

Join my Stamping With Karen Mailing List and get a FREE GIFT!  Well, besides that, I will keep you up with the latest Stampin’ Up! news and offers and send you free projects complete with supply list and instructions every Tuesday!  You know with the holidays coming, there are bound to be some special offers!  Just sign up in the red box on my blog!

Right now, every Wednesday, I am sending out a FREE holiday email, The 12 Weeks of Christmas, with a new holiday project each week leading up to Christmas!  This is a free gift to my subscribers only!  These projects will not be on my blog, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  They are exclusive to my Mailing List! We start with holiday card ideas, then gift ideas, and also gift wrap/gift bags/gift tags!  Everything you need for the holidays!

Sign up right now in the box below or in the sidebar on my blog or in the pop-up box! No matter where, you will be signed up! If you do it before Tuesday, you will receive my Tuesday newsletter and Wednesday you will receive my 12 Weeks of Christmas email!  I hope you will join us!

Don’t Miss Out! Are You On My Stamping With Karen Mailing List??

Christmas MailboxJOIN MY STAMPING WITH KAREN MAILING LIST!

Join my Stamping With Karen Mailing List and get a FREE GIFT!  Well, besides that, I will keep you up with the latest Stampin’ Up! news and offers and send you free projects complete with supply list and instructions every Tuesday!

AND…..especially right now, every Wednesday I am sending out a FREE holiday email, The 12 Weeks of Christmas, with a new holiday project each week leading up to Christmas!  This is a free gift to my subscribers only!  These projects will not be on my blog, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  They are exclusive to my Mailing List! We start with holiday card ideas, then gift ideas, and also gift wrap/gift bags/gift tags!  Everything you need for the holidays!

Sign up right now in the box below or in the sidebar on my blog or in the pop-up box! No matter where, you will be signed up! If you do it before Tuesday, you will receive my Tuesday newsletter and Wednesday you will receive my 12 Weeks of Christmas email!  I hope you will join us!

Coming November 1st: Snowflake Showcase!

Snowflake Showcase Flyer

Coming soon!  The Snowflake Showcase is coming November 1, 2018 through November 30, while supplies last!  The Snowflake Showcase is a  suite of products with which you can make beautiful winter and holiday cards and projects – just in case you didn’t see enough beautiful products in the Holiday Catalog to tempt you!

The Snowflake Showcase has two stamp sets, white velvet paper, dies and Snowflake Trinkets. Think of the beautiful snowy wonderland projects you can make with these products!

Snowflake Showcase Stamps Etc

If you want these products right now in October, you can buy the Stampin’ Up! Starter Kit and put them on your list and become a Demonstrator! Otherwise, just wait until November 1st and order your products right away to beat the rush!  You will actually be able to use some of these products to make designs other than snowflakes.  Use your creativity!

SHOP The Snowflake Showcase Beginning November 1st!

Joyous Noel Thinking of You Card

Joyous Noel Thinking of You Card

This Joyous Noel Thinking of You Card is made with one of those basic, classic designs that works well almost any time. It’s just the card base, a layer or two perhaps wrapped with ribbon or a strip of paper across the card, and the greeting layered to the side.  So simple, just fine!

I only recently ordered this Joyous Noel Specialty Designer Series PaperHonestly, I didn’t care for it just looking at it in the catalog.  Then I started seeing some samples of projects that other people made and I started to like it. And of course, we all know it is a fact that ALL designer series paper looks way better in person than it does in the catalog!  So I ordered it and  wow, was so pleased when I opened the package!  It is REALLY pretty paper!  These are the coordinating colors if that helps you to imagine:   Copper foil, Gray Granite, Merry Merlot, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede, Tranquil Tide, Whisper White.  This card is a little difficult to photograph because it has the copper foil accents on one side of the paper, plus I added some Copper Foil.

To make this card, I used a card base of Merry Merlot Cardstock.  The designer paper has a layer of Copper Foil underneath.  I have to admit, I cheated and cut out the center of the Copper Foil piece leaving about a 3/4″ margin so that I wouldn’t waste the copper underneath the paper that wasn’t going to show anyway.  I could also have punched or die cut some pieces out of it to use some of the foil.  The ribbon tied around is the Merry Merlot & Copper 5/8″ Reversible Ribbon.  It’s very pretty!

The greeting is stamped in Merry Merlot Ink on Whisper White Cardstock and die cut with a Layering Ovals Framelits Die.  The greeting is from the Winter Woods Stamp Set. It is layered on a scalloped oval from the same die set.  I adhered it over the ribbon with two Stampin’ Dimensionals. I finished off the card by just tying a knot with the ribbon on the left side of the card.  You could also do a bow.

Check out the pretty designer series paper in the Holiday Catalog!  All of it is beautiful!  And don’t forget the World Card Making Day Sale going on now through October 7 (Sunday!).  Save 10% on select products!  Even if you don’t have this Joyous Noel paper, you can use this basic design that I used on my Joyous Noel Thinking of You Card because it works with almost any paper and greeting!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE!

My 12 Weeks of Christmas Holiday Emails Begin Today! Sign Up!

12 Weeks of Christmas Begins Today

My 12 Weeks of Christmas holiday emails begin today, Wednesday, October 3 at 1:00 PM! Be sure you are signed up for my Stamping With Karen Mailing List TODAY before 1:00 PM so you don’t miss a single week!  Just add your name and email in the red box on the side of my blog or just below!

Each Wednesday from now until right before Christmas, I will send out a fun holiday project with a complete supply list and instructions. First we start with Christmas cards, then gifts, then ideas for wrapping – bags, tags, and wrapping ideas.  You may copy the idea or get inspired to make something of your own.  The holidays are the best time for stamping and crafting and we should enjoy it!

These holiday emails each week are my annual gift to my mailing list subscribers.  It is ONLY available to them so you MUST sign up for my Mailing List to get these exclusive ideas.  You won’t find them later on my blog or Instagram or Facebook.

Please join us and get inspired and in the mood for the holidays!  We’d love to have you!

Only 24 Hours Until the “12 Weeks of Christmas” Begins!

12 Weeks of Christmas 2018 Is Coming Santa

Tomorrow is the first day of my 12 Weeks of Christmas holiday emails! Can you believe it?!

Once a week, for the 12 weeks leading up to Christmas, I’m going to be sending you an email with a wonderful holiday project that you can make or be inspired by to create something of your own. Each email will have one holiday project, the list of supplies and complete instructions to make it.  You can copy it or use the idea to create something of your own.

There will be cards, gifts, bags, tags, and wraps over the course of the 12 weeks. We will start with cards for the first few weeks. This is absolutely free and I love to share it with you!

This is a special gift to my mailing list subscribers, so in order to receive these holiday emails, you must be on my mailing list. Be sure to sign up by Wednesday, October 3 at 1:00 PM Central Time so you won’t miss the first one!  These projects won’t be shown anywhere else.

Just sign up in the box below or in the box in the upper-right corner of my blog.  You will get a free gift just for signing up!  We’d love to have you!

Check Out These Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog Products

Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog 2018 CoverEnjoy these Stampin’ Up! videos about some of the new products in the Holiday Catalog!  If you are interested in Stampin’ Up! products and would like your own copy of the catalog,  have a few extras right now that I would be happy to send you.

Note:  If you are interested in the Timeless Tidings Project Kit 148028 order it today (or at least by Monday, October 1st). It has been very popular and is now on backorder for at least 30 days. On Monday it will become unorderable until Stampin’ Up! replenishes the stock.

For more videos, you might like to check out another blog post of mine HERE.  The Holiday Catalog is really awesome this year (yes, we say it every year!) as evidenced by a few backorders, unfortunately!  When there are backorders, you know the products are extremely popular!

CHECK OUT ALL THE GREAT HOLIDAY CATALOG PRODUCTS AND SUITES (SAVE 10%!) HERE!

The 12 Weeks of Christmas Is Coming!

12 Weeks of Christmas 2018 Is Coming Santa

In one week we’re going to start our “12 Weeks of Christmas” email campaign!  For those of you who don’t know what this is, once a week for the twelve weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday, I’m going to be sending you for FREE a fantastic holiday project idea that you can make.  There will be cards, gifts, tags, bags, and wrap ideas over the course of the twelve weeks, complete with a supply list and instructions each week.

This is absolutely FREE and I’m excited to share these project ideas with you! This is my annual gift to my mailing list subscribers, and I love sending out these weekly emails!

The 12 Weeks of Christmas is ONLY for members of my mailing list, however.  Therefore, you need to be on my mailing list by next Wednesday, October 3rd at 1:00 PM Central Time in order to receive all of these fun holiday emails and information. (If you are already on my mailing list, you don’t need to do anything!)

Just sign up in the box below or in the box in the upper-right corner of my blog.  You will get a free gift just for signing up!  We’d love to have you!

All Is Bright Happy Holidays Card

All Is Bright Happy Holidays Card

This All Is Bright Happy Holidays Card is fun and easy to make with just a bit of designer paper and the greeting die cut with the Big Shot. This card could be made a little plainer if you wanted even quicker and easier or you could jazz it up even a little bit more. Most cards are like this, that they can be made very simple and easy or they can have lots of embellishments and bling.

I started with just a card base of Real Red (which I have a hard time remembering that it is not in the “Brights” color family anymore!) and a strip of the Christmas stockings cut from a piece of paper in the All Is Bright Designer Series Paper.  I layered the strip of designer paper on a piece of Garden Green cardstock. The greeting is die cut from Gold Foil Paper with the word dies in the Merry Christmas Thinlits Dies.  Had I been able to find my Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets I would have used these on the back of the Gold Foil Paper before die-cutting. That way no glue is required on the very narrow letters. But since I didn’t have the Adhesive Sheets at hand, I did just use very tiny dots of the Multipurpose Liquid Glue.

I finally decided that the Real Red card base was a little plain, so I embossed it with the Tufted Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I thought this folder gave an elegant look to the card and kind of went with the stockings since sometimes Christmas stockings have that quilted, tufted look. This is one of the “dynamic” folders that is thicker and heavier so it is best to just spritz the cardstock with a bit of water before embossing.  That softens the paper fibers so you get the best embossing.

After embossing the card front and adhering all the pieces, I thought why not add a little bit of Garden Green & White Baker’s Twine to the stocking on the designer paper for a little embellishment.  And that’s all there is to the card!  Like I said in the beginning, the card could have been made with just the plain card front, the greeting and the designer paper and layer adhered to the card front and it would be done and look fine. Certainly if you were making a lot of the same card it would be easier to keep the card simple.

Remember that if you earned any Bonus Coupon Codes in August, you can use them on any purchase in August. And be sure to check out the Clearance Rack since more items were added the other day.  Some are already gone, but get what you can while supplies last!  There are plenty of products on there that you could be using right now for the holidays, maybe with adding new designer paper or new cardstock colors to freshen things up!

Check out this other Christmas card I made using the All Is Bright Designer Series Paper.  This paper has those photographic images as the design which makes it so pretty.  I plan to make more of this card!  I like to make lots of different designs since we have so many great stamp sets and papers to use for Christmas cards, so I make a few cards of each design.  And yes, then it is hard to decide who to send which card to at mailing time!

Be sure to order your supplies early so you won’t have backorders to deal with if you want to make a card like this All Is Bright Happy Holidays Card.

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE!

 

Are You On My Stamping With Karen Mailing List??

Stamping With Karen Mailing List Sign Up Mailbox

Are you on my Stamping With Karen Mailing List? I do love to invite anyone who is interested in stamping, papercrafting, memory-keeping, and Stampin’ Up! to join my Mailing List and keep up with any Stampin’ Up! news and get exclusive detailed tutorials.  I love to have new subscribers at any time!

But I’m going to give you a hint that you REALLY want to sign up soon so that you will receive my annual free gift to my subscribers, The 12 Weeks of Christmas  weekly newsletters!  Believe it or not, we will be starting that pretty soon!  Each week you will receive a special email with one holiday project. We will do cards, gift ideas, and gift bag & tag ideas. You won’t find these ideas on my blog or Facebook, they will only be for my subscribers!  If you are not on my list, you will miss out!

Feel free to invite your friends to sign up, too!  The more the merrier!  I always have a great response to these holiday emails and I enjoy sending them out!

It’s not time yet, but it won’t be long!  And in the meantime, you will want to keep up with any news about the new Holiday Catalog or any other offers and news from Stampin’ Up!

Current subscribers do not need to sign up again to get the 12 Weeks of Christmas!  You are already on my list!  And my Holiday List!

Just put your name and email in the red box on the right side of this blog page or click HERE.

Thanks for joining us!  Be sure you get your FREE Gift for signing up!

Making Christmas Bright Christmas Card

Making Christmas Bright Christmas Card

This Making Christmas Bright Christmas Card is one copied from a sample in the new Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog. Look at the sample on page 6.  Those cards on that page and this Making Christmas Bright Stamp Set were some that really caught my eye the first time I looked through the catalog!  One of the things that says “Christmas” the most are pretty Christmas lights!

Don’t let all those little bulbs scare you off!  It just took me a minute with my Stampin’ Blends markers to color those in. They practically only take a dot of marker!  I’m not sure what it is that is SO relaxing about coloring with those Stampin’ Blends but I love it!  You can also use the regular Stampin’ Write Markers, like Real Red and Crushed Curry.  The Stampin’ Up! sample colors in the white bulbs with the Wink of Stella Brush.  I colored with the Call Me Clover green.

I used Call Me Clover Cardstock for the card base and used Real Red plus Whisper White and a piece of Sparkle Glimmer Paper.  The circle around the greeting is Crushed Curry.

There are lots of possibilities with this stamp set.  You can purchase the Bundle, which adds the Christmas Bulb Builder Punch.  Bundles save you 10% over the full price!

Making Christmas Bright Christmas Card Closeup

When you are stamping the strings of lights, if one is too long and going to run into an area where you don’t want it, just put down a piece of scrap paper where you do not want it to stamp.  If you don’t want to do the coloring of the bulbs, you could make a monochromatic card by just stamping everything in red or green.  I might try that!

This is a good time to get started on holiday cards while we are so enthused with the new products and stamping will be so much fun, instead of rushing at the last minute!  But I say that every year!  Maybe this year I will really get an earlier start!

Remember to use your Bonus Coupon Codes if you have one or more!  Directions are in this post of how to add your Coupon Codes.

If you are a kid at heart with Christmas lights, I think you will enjoy this stamp set or Bundle when you make a card like my Making Christmas Bright Card!

Today Is the Day! The Holiday Catalog Is Here!

Today marks the official start of the holiday season (for crafters!) with the release of the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog 2018!

You can view the Holiday Catalog Online HERE!

Enjoy a few Stampin’ Up! videos that will really get you “in the mood” if you aren’t already!

SHOP THE HOLIDAY CATALOG ONLINE TODAY! USE YOUR BONUS COUPON CODES!

Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog 2018 Cover

Santa’s Workshop 2-4-6-8 Treat Box

Santa's Workshop 2-4-6-8 Treat Box

This little Santa’s Workshop 2-4-6-8 Treat Box with a little elf on the front is easy and basic to make. We will need lots of basic and easy holiday cards and items to make in the coming months because you know how fast the holidays sneak up on us!  Happy September!

I think the 2-4-6-8 box is one of the first things a stamper learns to make. You can vary the height of the bag or make a lid and make it a box. Or make tabs on both ends and make it a small box. This little box is made with just a half sheet of cardstock, 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″. Just score it at 2″, 4″, 6″ and 8″ going across.  Turn the paper lengthwise and score at 2″. That short area will be the bottom of the box.  Cut on the score lines just up to the 2″ score line going across. Cut off the narrow little tab area. Apply a strong adhesive, like the Multipurpose Liquid Glue or the Tear & Tape, to the narrow tab on the end, then fold the other side of the box over to adhere.  It’s easier to do this flat than to try to hold the box. Fold in the flaps for the bottom and add a little glue to hold them in place.  Leave the top open or pinch to close, whatever you like.

2-4-6-8 Box

For my little box, I just pinched the top closed by pushing in on the sides a little bit and punching holes in the top for a bow made with the Garden Green Baker’s Twine, coming in the Holiday Catalog.  Be sure you put your treat inside first!  You could also use a clip of one kind or another to hold it closed.

To decorate my box, before tying it closed, I added a small banner of the Santa’s Workshop Specialty Designer Series Paper. Maybe I had read it and forgot, but several sheets in this package of paper have white flocking on some of the areas! Very nice! Mind you, it was very difficult to cut into any part of this lovely new paper to make this banner and punch out the little elf!  But it had to be done!  The little greeting is from Itty Bitty Greetings, a suitable replacement for the retired Teeny Tiny Wishes, one of my favorites.

Here is another 2-4-6-8 box I made that is taller. It’s a fun project to know how to make!

Beginning today, September 1st, Stampin’ Up! has a new promotion, and it goes along nicely with the advent of the Holiday Catalog on September 5th. If you gather some orders together with some friends or go crazy with the Holiday Catalog (it doesn’t take much effort, I assure you!) and have your own large order of $250 or more before shipping and tax, of course, you will get FREE this Dashing Along Designer Series Paper!

Dashing Along Designer Series Paper Promo

Stampin’ Up! decided to use a mix of old favorites and new patterns to bring you beautiful, traditional Christmas paper. This collection of patterns has an eclectic feel and is perfect for layering, and while the newsprint design isn’t Christmas-themed, was selected for its versatility and popularity with customers.  This promotion ends on September 30.  This paper is in addition to your Stampin’ Rewards.  Do remember that if you use any Bonus Coupons you earned in August, that reduces your order total (so you get to order a couple more things to reach $250!).

September 5th is the date the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog goes live! After you receive your order (or should I say your FIRST order because you won’t be able to resist more than one!), you can start on your holiday cards and projects. I urge you to try something like this Santa’s Workshop 2-4-6-8 Treat Box for one of your holiday projects as it may come in handy!

 

Santa's Workshop 2-4-6-8 Treat Box closeup