Watercolor Winter Simply Created Kit Cards

Watercolor Winter Pieces

I was surprised when I finally opened up the Watercolor Winter Simply Created Kit package and saw ALL the pieces that come in it!  It took up half my kitchen table to lay everything out to show you! The kit has enough materials to make 20 cards and includes envelopes. You DO have to have some reinkers with which to watercolor the pieces, adhesive, and a couple of clear blocks for the stamps. I have to be honest and say I wasn’t pleased with the directions they put in the kit, and I think they should put color photos of each card so you have a better idea what to do.  I made one of each of two of the cards for today exactly like the directions say, which you will see below. I think when I strike out on my own making similar cards but not following the directions I will enjoy it more. I think it helps to lay everything out on the card before adhering parts to see if it all fits and see if you like it and which kind of adhesive you want to use. At the very end you will see a Stampin’ Up! video that helps in seeing how to make the cards.

Watercolor Winter Pieces2

Watercolor Winter Pieces3

Watercolor Winter Trees and Sled Cards

Watercolor Winter Tree Card closeup

Watercolor Winter Sled Card Closeup

I love the look of these cards, but you do need more things than come in the kit. You also need a Bermuda Bay ink pad and a greeting, like the Watercolor Winter Too stamp set that coordinates. But with a little patience and the right supplies, you can make a set of beautiful Christmas cards out of this Watercolor Winter Kit,whether following the directions or going out on your own!

Happy Labor Day!

Labor Day

This Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer. Some people go on trips this weekend, some go to the beach, some shop the sales, and some like us just relax and try to catch up on some things we need to do. I hope that whatever you are doing, you are enjoying yourself!,

Now that it is September, don’t forget about the ongoing Paper Pumpkin promotion. Until September 10th, you can get two months of Paper Pumpkin, the papercrafting kit in the cute red box that comes to you in the mail, for half-price! Just use Promo Code: HALFOFF2. Each kit normally costs $19.95 a month, which includes shipping, so basically you can get two kits for $10 each month during this special. That is WELL worth it as the kits have been getting better and better each month!  Chances are you will have some materials left over after you make the project to make other things.  You can follow the Stampin’ Up! directions for the project in the box or you can change it up however you like.  Everything is included except adhesive (and sometimes you even get glue dots or dimensionals in the kit anyway!).

Labor Day marks the start of another “stage” in the year, whether it means the kids are all back in school, summer is over, or it is time to get back to a “regular” schedule for us. Why not treat yourself to something new, just for you?! It’s time to take about 30 minutes for yourself for a little creative time without having to come up with a plan, a design, or dig out your materials! If you want to, you CAN do all of those things even with your kit, but you can keep it simple, too.  Paper Pumpkin kits are great for new crafters, non-crafters, people who don’t have a boatload of supplies, stampers WITH a boatload of supplies, crafters who never tried stamping and papercrafting, kids, grandmas, aunts, nephews, sons, you name it! Send a kit to your new college student for a little break in studying!

No obligation, no risk! Cancel your subscription if you need to OR just “pause” it for a month or two and then restart.  Order extra kits if you want to share one with a friend or someone special or for a gift. Just make your decision by the 10th of any month to take effect that month. And if you are ever not happy with a kit, please call Stampin’ Up! and speak to one of the delightful support people and they will try to make things right for you.

To order your Stampin’ Up! Paper Pumpkin Kit, just click HERE! On the sign-up page, just enter the Promo Code HALFOFF2 in the little box! Each month is a surprise (although I do know what the September kit is, so if you must know in order to make a decision, email me and I can let you know). It’s not always cards and it’s not always “not cards”.

Go ahead and sign up today  for the Paper Pumpkin Special so you don’t forget before September 10th! Get your first two months at half-price with this code HALFOFF2.

Paper Pumpkin 50% Off Special

Click to Get Your Kit!

Last Day of August! Last Day of Big Shot & Bundles Promo!

Big Shot Promo

Ends Today! Click to Shop!

If you have been wishing for a Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, you shouldn’t pass up this offer! Buy a Big Shot and choose one of these Bundles FREE!  Then buy more if you like at a 15% discount! You will really want the Bright & Beautiful Stars Bundle for the holiday season, if you would like a suggestion!

Remember, if your order reaches $150, you get Hostess Rewards and get to shop with $25 in Hostess Dollars! Don’t get close and then miss out!

Shop HERE at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store! Just because it is a holiday weekend, doesn’t mean you can’t buy that Big Shot you’ve been wanting!

You will be so happy to own a Big Shot! And getting a Free Bundle is a good way to get started!

Learn to Use the Stampin’ Up! Gift Box Punch Board

One of my favorite new items in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog is the Gift Box Punch Board. At first glance I didn’t think I “needed” it, I’m not even sure why I put it on my order! But I did, and I like it! I think this Stampin’ Up! video will help you see how to use it because there are some steps involved – but once you get the idea, it isn’t hard. If you can fit your gift or treat inside without gluing the flaps down inside the box, it is really super simple. Otherwise, you can add some glue or glue dots or Sticky Strip to make the inside neater and more structured.

Use the new Under the Tree Specialty Designer Series Paper, cardstock-weight kraft sheets with a colored design on one side and white printed design on the other side to make sturdy boxes – but other kinds of paper are fine, too! Wait until you hear what Holly Linford from Stampin’ Up! says you can do with this paper!

Under the Tree Specialty Designer Series Paper

 

 

 

 

 

To purchase any of these exciting new products from Stampin’ Up!, please visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store or contact me with your order and I’ll be happy to put it in for you!

Motley Monsters Halloween Treat Box

Motley Monsters Halloween Treat Box

It’s fun playing with the new Gift Box Punch Board to make a Halloween Treat Box with the Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper.  To make the tag, I stamped the bird from the Freaky Friends Stamp Set. The words are from the new special set Good Greetings that you can get FREE with a $300 party or order.  I added a little Linen thread to tie the tag on to the box, a strand of the Burlap ribbon for some interest and some Gold Sequin Trim. The box itself is made with the new Kraft 12″ x 12″ Card Stock in the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog. It’s a little bit heavier than regular card stock.

It’s going to be fun playing with the new goodies in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog! What do you think?  Is it the best one yet??

To purchase any of the Holiday Catalog products, please visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store!

It’s Time For the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog!

Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog 2014

Did you wonder if this day would EVER get here?!  The day the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog goes live?! Let the ordering begin so you can get on with your holiday cards and projects! Not just Christmas, but fall, Thanksgiving, Halloween and other fun things! Lots of kits for those who don’t have time or supplies! New products, such as a Gift Box Punch Board!

Here’s a little gift tag card I made in minutes with the Festival of Trees stamp set, some Brights Candy Dots, Silver 1/8″ Ribbon, and a greeting stamp called Good Greetings that you can earn FREE! Just host a $300 party or place your own $300 order!

Festival of Trees Tag Card

Don’t miss the Festival of Trees Bundle with the stamp set and NEW Tree Punch!

Good Greetings Free Stamp Set

Contact me if you want to have a Christmas card party or other fun night or day out with your friends! Now go enjoy the brand new Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog! If you are one of my regular customers and didn’t receive a catalog, please let me know.  And if you don’t have a demonstrator and are interested in Stampin’ Up! products, please contact me at Karen@KarenStamps.com.  I would be happy to get a catalog to you!

Today is the LAST DAY for the Short & Sweet Offer:  Become a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator by purchasing the Starter Kit for $99 and choose an EXTRA $25 in product!  Get $150 in product of your choice for only $99 (regular offer $125 in product)! Click HERE for my link to get started!  It only takes minutes to purchase your Starter Kit online and become a Demonstrator. Then you will be emailed a password to get in to the Demo Site and begin your training and look around and see all the resources available to you to start your own business! Choose items from the Holiday Catalog for your Kit if you like!

Shop my Stampin’ Up! Online Store for all your stamping needs!

Color Me Autumn Hello Fall Card

Color Me Autumn Hello Fall Card

The Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog goes live tomorrow, August 28th, and one of my favorite products in the whole catalog is this gorgeous Color Me Autumn Designer Series Paper. I really love the colors of fall and all the traditional autumn sights:  colored leaves, pumpkins, scarecrows, hay bales, acorns, just to name a few. That’s why this pack of designer paper really appeals to me. It’s not all leaves and acorns, though! Most pages have very pretty softly colored designs that all coordinate.  Remember, you can find the names of coordinating colors on the back of every pack of designer series paper these days! It’s on the back label.

This was a great opportunity to use the Mossy Meadow In Color card stock for the card base. And I was really drawn to using the Gold Foil Sheets as an accent on this card with this beautiful paper. The stamping is from the For All Things Stamp Set, coming in the Holiday Catalog. Love that stamp set as well! It has that soft watercolor look to it. For the centerpiece, I die cut the shapes with the Labels Collections Framelits and the Big Shot.  (You can purchase the Apothecary Art stamp set and the Labels Framelits as a Bundle in the Annual Catalog.)

With the summer heat, a lot of us are anxious to be able to say “Hello, Fall!” like on this stamp! Using the Color Me Autumn Designer Series Paper and the For All Things stamp set can get you in the mood for fall!

I have no link today for the Holiday Catalog tomorrow, but to put in your order tomorrow, just go to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store and you will see where to click for the Holiday Catalog somewhere!

Gift Box Punch Board Gift Box and Blossom Punch

Gift Box Punch Board Gift Box Side

Soon you will be able to make your own gift boxes with the new Gift Box Punch Board #135863 when the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog goes live on August 28!  That’s in only a couple more days! Yesterday I finally got a chance to play with the new punch board and just grabbed a retired piece of designer series paper, Urban Garden, to use in case I messed up. So in this project you are seeing the new with the old!  You may find the punch board a little confusing right at first, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t have any problems. After all, I did make that box myself and didn’t even mess up! This post isn’t about how to use the Gift Box Punch Board, but just a sneak peek at something you can make with it and an idea for the Blossom Punch, on the Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals this week!

Here is the 4″ x 4″ gift box before I decorated it. This is the largest size you can make with the Gift Box Punch Board.

Gift Box Punch Board Gift Box

Here is a view of the partially open box. You can see the little clasp closure on the points of the top of the box. You can use the Gift Box Punch Board to make these. If you do not like all the folds of the box being pushed to the inside of the box, there are a couple things you can do to change that to adhere those sides.

Gift Box Punch Board Gift Box Inside

Here is a close-up of the flower decoration I made with the Blossom Punch. First I wrapped the box with the Pear Pizzazz 3/4″ Chevron RibbonI thought it matched pretty nicely! With the Blossom Punch, I punched three flowers from the Urban Garden DSP.  One pattern is different from the other two and is layered in the middle. The layers are all held together with a Silver Mini Brad, which is later covered up by the button.  I spritzed the flower with water and gathered the layers up toward the center and mooshed them together to get a little texture. The Very Vintage Designer Button is threaded with the Gold Baker’s Twine with a little bow and adhered with Glue Dots. Do you know you can color the buttons with the new Blendabilities?!

Gift Box Punch Board Gift Box Top

Even though this box was my first attempt with the Gift Box Punch Board, coming in the Holiday Catalog, and even though I didn’t even like this pack of designer paper very much, I was VERY pleased with my first little box! Especially after I so easily decorated it!

When you place your Holiday Catalog order later this week, check the Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals and get the Blossom Punch if you don’t already own it.  It is a punch I have used a lot. It coordinates with the Mixed Bunch Stamp Set, too! Everything is available at my Online Store!

Don’t Forget! It’s a Busy Week!

Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals — Last Day! — Order Before Midnight!

Stampin' Up! Weekly Deal Aug 19 2014

Click to Shop! Last Day!

Become a Member of Stampin’ Up! Great Deal on the Starter Kit!

Join Stampin' Up!

Click for Details!

Want to be a part of Stampin’ Up! and start your own business? You become a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator by purchasing the Starter Kit! The Stampin’ Up! Starter Kit is only $99 and you get to choose $150 worth of products, only until August 28 this week! Normally you get to choose $125 in product so you will get $25 extra if you sign up by August 28.  It’s quick to do online; you’ll be a demonstrator in minutes!  Choose your own products or click on suggestions from Stampin’ Up! Enjoy the perks of being a Demonstrator – a discount when you order, income when you sell to others, early preview of new products and catalogs, and more. Set your own goals and run your stamping business in a way that works for you.

Click HERE for more information and a video and then email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com if you have questions.

Big Shot & Bundles Deal Ending August 31st!

Big Shot & Bundles Stampin' Up! Promo

Click to Shop!

Don’t miss out if you don’t own a Big Shot!  Buy a Big Shot, Get a Bundle Free!  And then buy more Bundles if you like for a 15% discount! I use my Big Shot all the time, don’t know what I did without one! You’ll enjoy having one, too!  Buy a Big Shot, get a Bundle FREE, purchase another Bundle or other accessories to reach $150, then choose $25 in free product with Hostess Dollars!

For everything you need in stamping supplies, please visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store!

Are You On My “Stamping With Karen” Newsletter Mailing List?

email_clipart_computer

It’s time to join my “Stamping With Karen” Newsletter mailing list! Don’t wait another minute! The holidays will soon be upon us, believe it or not, and receiving my monthly stamping newsletter plus my mid-month reminder is the best way for you to stay on top of the latest news and offerings from Stampin’ Up! plus get project ideas and inspiration with full supply lists and instructions. One of the best parts is (besides the FREE GIFT!) the upcoming 12 Weeks of Christmas emails you will receive from me, free of charge, if you are on my mailing list! Once we get to that point (I know, it CAN’T be time!!), I will send you a weekly email with a new project to make or use for inspiration, from cards to gift ideas to packaging ideas!

I know you don’t want to miss a single thing from Stampin’ Up! – and you know they have had more news, new products, specials recently than ever before! It’s hard to keep up!

Just fill out the Mailing List Sign-Up Box you see here on my blog, BE SURE to look for another email to confirm your subscription (be sure to click the link inside that email) and then you will receive the link to your FREE GIFT. That’s the way of the internet world so we are in compliance with sending you emails you have requested and not being a nuisance! It should arrive most likely within a few minutes, but if you don’t see it, try again or let me know. Be sure to check your spam folder or your other Gmail tabs just in case.

I’ll look forward to visiting with you with each email and sharing stamping ideas and news and tips!

Join Stampin’ Up!

Join Stampin' Up!

Click to Find Out More!

It may be “Short & Sweet”, but you will love being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator for a long time! Any day is a good day to sign up with Stampin’ Up!, but this short time, until Thursday, August 28, is your golden opportunity!  To become a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and start your own business, all it takes is purchasing the Starter Kit for only $99. Normally, for that $99 you will choose $125 in products, which is a good deal in itself!  But this week, until August 28th, for that $99 you will choose $150 in products! You will also receive a business supply pack valued at $65.

Stampin’ Up! offers loads of resources to get you started with your business and I have over ten years experience as a demonstrator as well to help you. You don’t even have to be “creative” to run a profitable stamping business. Where else can you start your own business for only $99 and have so many options in how you want to go about it? Whether you just need a little extra cash or have a bigger goal in mind, there are opportunities for everyone in Stampin’ Up!

I suggest clicking the link below, visit the Stampin’ Up! website and click all the links to find out as much as you can.  Then email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com with any questions you may have or if you want more information.

It only takes minutes to join online, and Stampin’ Up! will email you a password to enter the Demonstrator website where you will find all kinds of training and ideas and information!

Click HERE for information on JOINING STAMPIN’ UP!

Festival of Trees Snow Card

Festival of Trees Snow Card

The Festival of Trees Stamp Set is coming soon in the new Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog beginning Thursday, August 28. That’s less than a week away! Here is a simple card I made with the cute tree stamps in the set and the really cool Tree Punch!  All will be revealed in the Holiday Catalog soon! It’s a Bundle so you’ll be able to save 15%! After kind of laying out the basic card, Soft Sky and Whisper White card stock on a Pear Pizzazz card base, I thought maybe it needed snow in the background. And I’m not usually the one who thinks up alternate uses for things, but today I thought of using the tree stamp that has just dots on it to make snow flakes randomly across the front of the card! I stamped with Versamark, turning the dotted tree stamp this way and that so each bunch wouldn’t look like a triangle.  Then I embossed with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder using the Heat Tool. It’s handy to use the Embossing Buddy to rub across your paper before applying the ink so that stray flakes of embossing powder don’t stick where you don’t want them.

This what the card looked like after I stamped with Versamark. The torn strips of Whisper White representing snow are sponged with Soft Sky ink.

Snowflakes on Card

The stamp sets in the Holiday Catalog often have good sentiments to put on the front AND on the inside of the card, so after stamping the greeting on the front of the card that comes in the stamp set, I also adhered a Whisper White layer inside the card and stamped the rest of the greeting inside the card.  Then for a little extra decoration, I punched another tree out of the beautiful All Is Calm Designer Series Paper.

Festival of Trees Snow Card Inside

The Holiday Catalogs are arriving in mailboxes of customers this week, it seems!  If you do not have a demonstrator and would like me to mail you a catalog, please email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com. The Festival of Trees stamp set is going to be a fun one to use on Christmas cards this holiday season!

Visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store any time, and especially beginning August 28 to see the online Holiday Catalog!

Festival of Trees Christmas Tag

Festival of Trees Christmas Tag

Only a week and a day until the Stampin’ Up! 2014 Holiday Catalog goes live and you’ll be able to make this Festival of Trees Christmas Tag yourself! If you are a customer of mine, your catalog is on its way or maybe you have already received it!  The one I sent to myself came yesterday in the mail so yours shouldn’t be far behind. (Unless your mail carrier is reading it in the back room of the post office before she delivers it!)

Since I left on vacation right after my Holiday Catalog preorder arrived (a perk for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators!), I haven’t had a chance to play with my new goodies – and didn’t want to tempt you too much when it wasn’t time for you to order anyway! So here is a little Christmas tag I made with the new Festival of Trees stamp set (#135059) and the new Tree Punch (#135856) (both available in a Bundle #137640 and you save 15%!). I started out planning to make a card, but came up with this tag instead, getting an idea from a tag in the Holiday Catalog.

The Kraft 12″ x 12″ Card Stock was punched first with the Tag Topper Scalloped Punch and then with the Tree Punch  and a piece of the new All Is Calm Specialty Designer Series Paper #135823 is adhered behind the punched tree area.  I used Stampin’ Dimensionals to put the paper a little more behind the punched image. The greeting is stamped in Real Red from the Festival of Trees Stamp Set. The “To and From” is also in the stamp set! To jazz it up, I added some Rhinestone Jewels (and I could have colored them with my Cherry Cobbler Blendabilities Marker if I had thought of it beforehand!) Since I couldn’t find my new container of Frosted Sequins #135835, I used a star sequin from the In Color Sequin Assortment to top the tree. And for a finishing touch, I stamped a redbird from the same Festival of Trees stamp set, cut it out, and popped it up with a Dimensional scrap right on the side of the tree,  The tag is tied with the new Gold 1/8″ Ribbon in the main catalog.

Enjoy the last days of summer because the holiday are upon us! But it is fun to have new holiday products with which to make easy and personalized tags, cards and more such as my Festival of Trees Christmas Tag.

Another Great Year Happy Birthday Card

Another Great Year Happy Birthday Card

Just had to share a beautiful handmade birthday card I received last week in St. Louis from my friend Jan using the stamp set Another Great Year. I almost always forget this stamp set is retired – I really like it and it seems like it should be current! She used some pieces of Back To Black Designer Series Paper on each side, non-SU baker’s twine around the top and glitter and glimmer for bling on the cupcakes. The main image is embossed with Black Stampin’ Emboss Powder. The little heart at the bottom is punched out with the word “friend” stamped on a paper behind it. Also, I love how she decorated the envelope with some stamping and coloring! We always say you shouldn’t send a naked envelope,although I have to admit sometimes I don’t take that extra second to do it or maybe  I don’t think about it until the card is sealed in the envelope and sometimes that makes it too bulky to stamp on it and have the image come out clearly. Such a happy card, I think! Maybe you already own the stamp set or you can get an idea with some other current set we have.

Don’t forget:  Last day for Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals for August 12-18

Weekly Deal Aug 12

If you don’t already own a Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, now is the time to get one with the August Big Shot & Bundles Offer. Buy a Big Shot and choose one of the select bundles free!  And with this week’s Weekly Deals, you can purchase several items at a discount for the Big Shot and you’ll have lots to work with! Be sure to take advantage of it before you run out of time.  Offer ends August 31.

Big Shot Bundle Promo Ad

Click to Shop!

Shop at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store for all your stamping needs!