Time to Scrapbook Those Christmas Photos Easily With Project Life by Stampin’ Up!

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We all have those photos on our phones and cameras from the holidays, so let’s get those printed (doesn’t have to be all of them!) and do something with them that we and our family can enjoy and SEE! Put them in some kind of album and do a little journaling (YES, in your OWN handwriting!) while you remember the dates and stories. I promise you will appreciate having this in a few years and your family will really appreciate this years from now when they look back! The easiest system to use is Project Life by Stampin’ Up!!

You can do traditional scrapbooking and make it as fancy as you want, and if that’s what you like and have time for, do it! But if you feel intimidated by that, then just print out some photos, slip them into the Project Life Photo Pocket Pages  and add some cards for decoration and/or journaling. Project Life by Stampin’ Up! makes it so easy! And the card kit and accessory packs make it so easy and fun!

Becky Higgins is the founder of Project Life and has partnered with Stampin’ Up! with products that coordinate with our colors. Even Becky Higgins, the famous scrapbooker, advocates just getting some photos into an album, don’t fuss over it. You don’t have to even add the embellishments and make it all fancy, JUST slip some photos in the pockets, add some journaling….DONE. Just do it! Just do something simple.  You will be glad you did.

You can probably find sales on photo printing at your local drugstore right now or other places so we should all pause and get those photos printed.  Once you’ve done that, then just slip them into the pockets. Becky even really pares down her photo choices, which is something I would have to work on because I love to use ALL the photos! It’s too difficult, too many choices that way! Just choose a few. Before you know it, you will have an easy album of your holidays or your December, or your year!  Whatever you want!

You might already have some Project Life supplies in your stash, but if you don’t and would like to order some, just click HERE for the main page to start selecting your items!

While you are sitting around today waiting to get ready for that New Year’s Even party, or better yet, if you are staying home and relaxing, either get some photos printed or go through a box you already have. Becky says to start with what you are the most excited about.

Watch this video of Donna from the Stampin’ Up! Home Office show you how to use Project Life! It will give you lots of ideas!

Have a safe, happy and fun New Year’s Eve!

Falling in Love Designer Paper Lacy Wedding Card

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Falling in Love Designer Paper Lacy Wedding CardI’m calling this a lacy wedding card made with the Falling in Love Designer Series Paper because of the lacy patterned paper, but really this card could be for lots of occasions. The Falling in Love Designer Series Paper has lots of beautiful patterns in the pack, but the one that really catches my eye is this lace pattern. It’s one of those papers that you hate to cut into! The lace made me think of a wedding dress so this is theoretically a wedding card, but it could be birthday or any of a number of occasions.

This designer paper coordinates with Very Vanilla so I used that for the card base with a layer of Basic Black. Behind the paper I have Silver Glimmer Paper.  The greeting is from the upcoming stamp set, sure to be a hit, Beautiful You. If Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator reaction is any indication, I would say this stamp set will be very popular.  The beautiful silver metallic ribbon is a Sale-A-Bration item, called the 3/8″ Metallic Ribbon Combo Pack. You get both white ribbon woven with shiny silver and vanilla ribbon woven with shiny  gold accents.

Remember, the new Stampin’ Up! Occasions Catalog begins January 4th as well as the annual favorite Stampin’ Up! promotion called Sale-A-Bration.  During Sale-A-Bration, for every $50 Stampin’ Up! purchase you make, you get to choose a FREE Sale-A-Bration item in the special brochure!  These catalogs will be available online January 4th. If you are interested in Stampin’ Up! products and would like complimentary copies of the catalogs, send me your contact information via email at Karen@KarenStamps.com.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the Stampin’ Up! Year-End Closeouts Sale going on now through January 3rd and make sure you get everything from the Holiday Catalog that you want!

Shop Stampin’ Up! Online HERE!

End of the Year Stampin’ Up! Reminders!

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Stampin' Up! Closeout Sale Banner 2016The Stampin’ Up! Closeout Sale goes a little bit past the end of the year, until January 3rd, but since you have been busy with the holidays, you want to be sure to check this out, or check it out again and see if any of these deals are for you!  Be sure the drop down box on the right of the Closeout page shows:  “ALL” so you don’t miss anything.  Other wise you have to click for the next page and the next.

Pay special attention to the Bundles, because even if the items are carried over, they won’t be in a bundle and you won’t save 10% like you will now.

Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog 2016Don’t forget!  The Holiday Catalog is retiring January 3rd!  I HATE to say that!  I loved this catalog, as I usually love the holiday catalogs the most!

Here is the list of Retiring Products from the Holiday Catalog. Be sure to get them while you can!

Holiday Carryover List Banner

Here are the Holiday Catalog items carrying over, that will still be available, although not in Bundles.

You can click on any photo to go to my online store for more information or to order!

 Happy Shopping!

Coming January 4th ! New Stamps & Framelits in the Stampin’ Up! Occasions Catalog!

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Now that Christmas is over, we can look forward to the new Stampin’ Up! spring catalog, the Occasions Catalog and Sale-A-Bration! I loved the Holiday Catalog and hated the thought of it going away.  By New Year’s though, I think we will all be more than ready for fresh new products!

One of the new Bundles coming in the Occasions Catalog will be the Special Reason Bundle. When you purchase a Bundle, you save 10% on the products over buying them separately. This Bundle contains the Special Reason Stamp Set with flowers and greetings and the Stylish Stems Framelits Dies. When you watch the video, you will see the new design of these particular dies! I have to admit, when I first saw this stamp set and framelits I did say, “More flowers!” but after watching the video,  I know I will have these on my list for sure!

If you are new to Stampin’ Up!, Sale-A-Bration is a special annual promotion from Stampin’ Up! With EVERY $50 you spend on Stampin’ Up! products, you get to choose a FREE Sale-A-Bration item in the special brochure.

If you are a regular customer of mine, I ordered these catalogs for you from Stampin’ Up! and hopefully you received them in your Christmas mail (unless the mail lady is reading them first in the back of the post office!). If you don’t receive them by January, let me know.  If you are new and would like the hard copies of the catalogs and do not have a Demonstrator you are working with, then email me at Karen@Karenstamps.com and I would be happy to send you some catalogs. They will be online when the Occasions Catalog goes live and Sale-A-Bration begins on Wednesday, January 4th.

Watch the video above with Holly from the Home Office explaining how to use these new framelits and stamp set!

Hit the Christmas Sales….At Stampin’ Up!

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After Christmas Stampin' Up Year-End Closeouts Sale

Time for the After-Christmas sales today – but don’t forget the Year-End Closeouts Sale at Stampin’ Up!  Go ahead!  Pick anything you want!  You’ve worked hard to make Christmas good for everyone else, now it is your turn!

Want to know what will be retiring from the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog?  Be sure to get what you want before the last day, January 3, 2017.

Holiday Catalog Retirement List

Shop the Holiday Catalog HERE!

Happy Festivus! Last Minute Christmas Ideas!

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Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Gift Bag

Click for Information!l

If you were a Seinfeld fan back in the day (and still are!) as we were, you must know that December 23 is Festivus! Festivus is a non-commercial holiday celebration with a Festivus dinner (meatloaf), an unadorned aluminum pole, the “Airing of Grievances” and more. My only “grievance” today is lack of time before our kids arrive this evening!

Since many of you probably feel the same way, I thought I would pull up some past Christmas ideas from last year that might help with tags and bags for wrapping gifts at the last minute (I haven’t started!). Maybe you have these stamps and paper as opposed to some newer ones from this year. Just click on the photo to go to the blog post if you need the instructions and information!

Tree Punch Christmas Tree Tag

Embellished Ornament Christmas Card

Easy Christmas Tree Punch Gift Bag

Festival of Trees Christmas Tags

Christmas Candy Bar Wrapper Ideas

Snowman Christmas Tags

Christmas Fudge Candy Bag

Hope these last minute Christmas ideas give you some inspiration for today! If you are celebrating “Festivus” today, just “air your grievances” for a minute and then get back into the holiday mood!  Do what you can and let the rest go! If you need more ideas from my blog, just click on the drop down box in Categories and select Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

 

 

 

A Couple of Things About Paper Pumpkin by Stampin’ Up!

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Paper Pumpkin December 2016 Kit

In case you haven’t heard, Paper Pumpkin is the papercrafting kit that comes to you in the mail once a month! Each month is a surprise, and as you can see by the December 2016 kit it is not always cards!  This December kit is designed to be made into a mini scrapbook of sorts, or whatever you would like, but you could make cards with the pieces as well. Usually you receive an ink spot and an exclusive stamp set, but for the first time, they are instead including in the kit this rotary stamp and a black marker with which to ink up the words on the rotary stamp.

Now, it is too late to subscribe for the December Kit, but if you subscribe for the January 2017 Kit, you can go back and purchase any of the past kits or refills that are available. And right now Stampin’ Up! is offering the full December kit, #143596, so you don’t have to wait, but you do have to subscribe!  Past kits are only available to current subscribers. So join Paper Pumpkin HERE and then put the December 2016 Kit on your order! You’ll also find more information at that link. Please choose me as your Demonstrator.

Paper Pumpkin Subscription Flyer

If you need a last minute gift for someone, consider the Prepaid Subscription to Paper Pumpkin. Add your choice to your order and you will receive an email from Stampin’ Up! telling you how to activate your account, plus a printable Gift Certificate! You can forward this to your gift recipient if you like.

Or maybe it is for YOU! Just show your husband or mother or daughter or son or whomever the link, either for joining month by month or for the Prepaid Subscription. Let them purchase it for you and print out the gift certificate!

Here’s a video showing how to assemble the December Kit!

Here is Carrie from the Home Office telling more about the kit and showing alternative ideas for the kit if you don’t want to make the album.

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN TODAY!

Easy to Make Suite Seasons Christmas Gift Bag

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Easy to Make Suite Seasons Christmas Gift Bag

Today is the first day of Winter and only four days until Christmas!!  Are you ready??  If not, maybe it is because you need a few more gift bags! When you need a few more gift bags and wrapping for your last minute gifts, don’t run out to the store, just look in your collection of bags you know you have. Find a plain bag or even one with the store’s printing that you can cover up and decorate as simply or as elaborately as you like!

For this bag, I found one in my utility room (You can also buy a bunch at the craft store!) and covered the store label with my card stock. I used a piece of Real Red cardstock, covered with a layer of Candy Cane Lane Designer Series Paper (sold out).  This is often a good time to use up some of your older designer paper you are hoarding! Stamp a greeting, as I did from Suite Seasons, punch or die cut and add a layer underneath!  I used the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (coming back in mid-January!) and layered on a scalloped circle from the Layering Circles Framelits Dies.   The ribbon is a lovely retired one that I happened to have out on my table. Now you could add even more things to decorate your bag, but I was keeping it simple and last minute.

Don’t forget the Stampin’ Up! Year-End Closeout Sale! Unless you expedite, it’s too late for Stampin’ Up! ordering, but you can always make up a gift certificate or “IOU” if you want to gift someone!

Go make some easy Christmas gift bags so you will have some ready for those last minute gifts!

Santa’s Sleigh Double Z Fold Christmas Card

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Santa's Sleigh Double Z Fold Christmas Card

Wow!  This Santa’s Sleigh Double Z Fold Christmas Card is a masterpiece!  I’m not bragging on myself, though, because I copied nearly exactly another Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator’s card!  I had been seeing a lot of Demonstrators, in a group I’m in, making some really pretty double z fold Christmas cards of various styles. Somehow I picked this particular one to copy and decided to make 4 cards all at the same time! So it was a little time consuming, but so much fun to see how pretty it would all turn out! Actually, I think I chose this one to copy because she used a window sheet rather than cardstock for that z fold strip that makes this type of card so interesting.

The card I copied was made by a Demonstrator in Australia, I believe, named Chloe.  I am going to give you the link to her YouTube video because she did such a good job explaining how she made this card.  The video is long, but you’ll really learn how she made the card.  You might choose to do your card in a slightly different way, but at least you’ll know all the steps she took to make this beautiful card.  I did use the evergreen tree in Lovely As a Tree rather than the one she used, and I used Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper for the moon rather than Silver Foil.  I put a tree in my sleigh!  The next time I might not bother adding the trees on the acetate that she adds in the center. And I only gave a red Jingle Bell to Rudolph and a silver bell to the reindeer on the front.  She put bells on each reindeer.

Santa’s Sleigh Double Z Fold Card Link

I’m keeping one of the four cards I made for my own Christmas decoration!  So if you have all your Christmas preparations done, or if you want to wait until a quiet day after Christmas, make a Santa’s Sleigh Double Z Fold Christmas Card for yourself for next Christmas!

 

Saturday at the Stampin’ Up! Movies – Watercolor Pencils!

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The Occasions Catalog for spring and the Sale-A-Bration Brochure will start arriving, if they haven’t already, in mailboxes showcasing all the new, exciting products from Stampin’ Up! for January!  January 4th to be specific!  Don’t throw them out with your store catalogs and junk mail over Christmas!

One of the first products I am most excited about are the Watercolor Pencils!  Stampin’ Up! used to have watercolor pencils when I first started stamping and I loved using them – but they were not in Stampin’ Up! colors.  These are!!  You can use them as is or you can add water, since they are “watercolor pencils”. If you don’t already own the Aqua Painter and some Shimmery White or Watercolor Paper, I would put those items on your order with the Watercolor Pencils. You can also use a watercolor brush if you like, but I love my Aqua Painter. (You actually get two, a thinner one and a thicker one in the package.)

Watch this video with Shannon West from the Home Office demonstrate various ways to use the Watercolor Pencils!  I’m sure you will want to put them on your list! And remember, during Sale-A-Bration, with every $50 you spend, you choose one FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration catalog!  This starts January 4, 2017!

If you need a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, I would be happy to be yours! If you would like the new Occasions and Sale-A-Bration Catalogs, just email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com and I will send you complimentary copies. If you are a regular customer, yours should be on their way already.

Shop Stampin’ Up! Online 24/7

How About a Quick and Easy Christmas Card Anyone Can Make?

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Washi Tape Christmas Tree Card

How about a quick and easy Christmas card anyone can make? I know you have a stash of washi tape, and if you don’t, just substitute strips of designer paper or cardstock for the washi tape. Just cut or tear strips of washi tape and place them on the card front, straight or crooked, it doesn’t matter! Make a little tree trunk, add a greeting, maybe put a star on top and you’re done!

For this card I used the Candy Cane Lane Washi Tape, now on sale in the Stampin’ Up! Year-End Closeout Sale.  I cut the ends with scissors to make them straight, but you could just as well just tear the tape off and have irregular edges. For the star on top I used the smallest die in the Stars Framelits Dies. For a little extra pizzazz I added a few of the Metallics Sequins. On the greeting strip (greeting from Santa’s Sleigh Stamp Set) I added a couple Brights Enamel Dots.

Doesn’t that sound like a quick and easy Christmas card to make now that we are getting down to the wire?!  And a good way to use up excess washi tape!  You know you have it!

Floral Thinlits Dies 40th Anniversary Card

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Floral Thinlits Dies 40th Anniversary Card

When you’re kids and growing up, you probably can’t imagine that someday it will be years, and years, and years since you used to play together and be part of each other’s everyday lives. I recently made this Floral Thinlits 40th Anniversary card for the “boy” who lived next door to us and was best friends with my brother. When he met his future wife, she would sit in a lawn chair on the carport while my brother and his friend would fix a car or a lawn mower or go cut a neighbor’s grass or whatever they were up to. They eventually got married, 40 years ago, and my husband and I got engaged the following weekend if I remember correctly. How can we “kids” be celebrating forty years of marriage??!

Apparently 40 years is “Ruby”, if anyone still goes by things like that for anniversary gifts and cards. I decided to make the card pretty fancy since it was for such a special occasion. I found a sample online that I liked and fashioned my card mostly after that one. The Floral Thinlits Dies are perfect for when you want to make a fancy card!  I used a Whisper White card base and die cut the Red Foil (retired). I only used the bottom piece, not the top piece. The card opens at the top so I could wrap the Whisper White 5/8″ Organza Ribbon around the card. To jazz up the ribbon, I also used a piece of Silver Sequin Trim and a piece of Silver trim that I just tied into the white ribbon.  The greeting is from the Floral Phrases Stamp Set and is embossed with Silver Emboss Powder  and the Heat Tool.  The little hearts are punched or die cut (I forget how I got those!) and just glued individually above the Floral die cut piece.

There are other ways you could make this same card.  You could use Gold or Silver Glimmer Paper for the die cut piece or a piece of cardstock and put some glimmer paper behind it.  You could stamp the greeting above the die cut piece rather than tie on the greeting on a tag. You could turn the card sideways, putting the die cut piece on the other side. For sure, the Floral Thinlits Dies can make any project look spectacular!

Notice the Floral Thinlits Dies are on SALE in the Stampin’ Up! Year-End Closeouts, so don’t miss it!

Shop Stampin’ Up! Online HERE!

A Couple New Occasions Catalog Products…Coming!

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Stampin' Up! Occasions Preorder Items

As Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators, we get to preorder from upcoming catalogs, one of the many perks of being a Demonstrator. I only ordered a very few things in my Stampin’ Up! Occasions Catalog Preorder and received it last night. I will wait until January 4th (most likely!) when the Occasions Catalog goes live and when Sale-A-Bration begins to order MORE!Beautiful You Stamp Set

From samples I have seen online that other Demonstrators have made, I would guess that this stamp set, Beautiful You, is already very popular. I love the sketched images and the greetings. The images will be great for coloring in in kind of a watercolored look or even left plain.

I ordered the Falling in Love Designer Series Paper.  It is so soft and beautiful!  Lots of the “bokeh” look (the kind of blurry circles background), plus other really pretty patterns. It’s difficult to tell what the paper REALLY looks like until you see it in person, but I took some closer shots to give you a better idea.

Falling in Love Designer Series Paper 1

Falling in Love Designer Series Paper 2

Falling in Love Designer Series Paper 2closeupFalling in Love Designer Series Paper 1closeup

This photo above is a close up so you can see the page with the beautiful lace pattern!  Love it!!

Falling in Love Designer Series Paper 3

Watercolor Pencils Open

I haven’t had a chance to play with these Watercolor Pencils yet, but if you are newer to Stampin’ Up! you might not know that years ago (when I started!) we had watercolor pencils, but they were not in official Stampin’ Up! colors.  These are! I think most people liked the watercolor pencils, I know I did.  Very easy to color with in different techniques using a little water one way or another to blend the color. Really fun!  You should put these on your first order! Especially with the adult coloring craze right now, these will fit right in!

Metallic Ribbon Combo Pack Sample

Even during our preorder, we were allowed to choose a free Sale-A-Bration item and I chose the Metallic Ribbon Combo Pack. You get two rolls of this beautiful ribbon, one with silver threads and one with gold.  They are both soft and pliable. You will love using them!

So there is a sneak peek of some new things that are coming!  Sale-A-Bration (beginning January 4th) is always a fun time because who doesn’t like to get FREE stamping things with our orders!

If you already have a Demonstrator you are working with, I’m sure you can ask her (or him!) for the new Occasions Catalog and Sale-A-Bration brochure.  If you do not have a Demonstrator you are working with and are interested in Stampin’ Up! products, I would love to be YOUR Demonstrator! I have a few extra catalogs handy for new customers, so just email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com with your contact information and I can send them out to you.  Let me know if you also want the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog.

My regular customers should be getting your catalogs in the mail that I ordered for you from Stampin’ Up! probably pretty soon.  Watch your mailbox and don’t lose them in the Christmas hustle and bustle!

And if you would like to be in on all the fun of being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, check out some information HERE at this link. Then contact me with any questions or concerns or excitement! you have and I can tell you how to get signed up!  Great Christmas present for yourself!!

In the meantime, check out the Stampin’ Up! Year End Closeout Sale going on!

Shop Stampin’ Up! Online HERE!