Stamping with Karen

Veterans Day 2009

2009-11-11T08:17:45-06:00

This is a swap card I received at the Stampin' Up! Convention this summer, made by Julia G. from California. I thought it would be perfect to showcase today on Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor military veterans.

This card uses the stamp set Courage for the main image, the set Service & Sacrifice for the sentiment, and in the background on the Brilliant Blue the wheel Hero. You can find all of these stamps on page 67 of the Idea Book & Catalog.

You can read all about Veterans Day by clicking HERE.

Robot Gift Card

2009-11-10T12:27:20-06:00

It's been awhile since I have used this template...usually I think people put a tea bag or a chocolate candy in the little pocket. But since I needed a quick birthday gift for a young teenage boy, I thought it would be fine to hold cash! I thought of my Lots of Bots stamp set, a good one for boys, and stamped that image for the front. After I had it all colored in and mounted on Brushed Silver card stock, I thought it needed a little more silver.....and since I am apparently into silver glitter these days, why not a little silver glitter, Chunky Essentials, for the robot! I just applied a thin line of Tombow Multi Glue around the edge and sprinkled on the glitter. I think it looks kind of jazzy now! The Designer Paper I used is the retired Jersey Shore, a good set of colors for a boy. You could also use any color of card stock and perhaps embellish it with some designer paper. Lots of opportunity for creativity in this easy project! Email me if you want more information or ideas!

A Pottery Barn Look-a-Like

2009-11-09T13:26:35-06:00

While shopping at Pottery Barn, I saw some monogram ornaments with silver glitter and I thought..."I could make that!" So I went home, found a round coaster (or I could have used chipboard), covered the back of the coaster (that was printed) with Stampin' Up! Specialty Night and Day Designer Paper. The Pottery Barn monogram was larger, but I stamped my initial with the Lovely Letters Alphabet, an alphabet I just love. After applying the Tombow Multi Glue around the edge of the front (and then the back later) I adhered the Silver Chunky Essentials Glitter. Wouldn't this be a quick and easy gift or tag on a gift for someone?!

Serene Snowflakes Peppermint Patty

2009-11-08T09:38:41-06:00

Always love these quick and easy Peppermint Patties made with the 1 3/8" Circle Punch and the ever-popular Scallop Circle Punch! Stamp a Serene Snowflake (in the Holiday Mini) on Whisper White with Bashful Blue ink. Punch out with the Circle Punch. Punch two Bashful Blue Scallop Circles for the top and bottom of the Peppermint Patty. Adhere the snowflake to one Scallop Circle. Attach to the candy with Mini Glue Dots. Cute!!

A Nugget Purse

2009-11-07T14:55:32-06:00

It's been awhile since I have made one of these, but they sure are fun little things to make for party favors or little gifts. You can use card stock or stamped card stock or designer series paper. You might want to use the heavier weight designer series paper, but I think this one will be fine. I used the Thoroughly Modern DSP, but of course you could use anything. A Hershey's Nugget is what I used for the candy on the inside, hence the name, Nugget Purse!

Cut a 1 1/4" x 3" piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) to wrap around the nugget. Just put adhesive on both ends of the "wrong side" of the DSP, sticking one end to the bottom of the nugget and wrapping the other around.

For the purse: DSP 1 3/8" x 4 1/4"

Score at 3/4", 1", 2 1/4", 3 1/4" Put a piece of Sticky Strip in between the 3/4 and 1" score lines. Fold on all the score lines and see how the purse will go together. If you want, use your Tag Corner Punch or your Corner Rounder Punch on what will be the front flap of the purse to cut off the corners. Take a 4 1/4" piece of grosgrain ribbon to match or just a strip of card stock for the purse handle. Remove the red liner of the Sticky Strip and attach the ends of the ribbon (or card stock) together over the Sticky Strip, forming the handle of the purse.

For the little decoration on the purse flap, in a coordinating color of card stock, use the 1/16" punch to punch a hole and then punch out with the Trio Flower Punch (or the 1/2" Circle Punch). (It is pretty hard to punch the flower first and then add the hole, unless you use your paper piercer....so punch the little hole first, then center in your flower punch). Hold your purse together (without the flower decoration) as if it were assembled and use the 1/16" punch to punch through both the flap and the purse. Now insert a brad into your punched flower and then into the purse to hold together. Reach inside to spread the legs of the brad. You could always use a little piece of velcro or even just glue the flap down with a mini glue dot. Now insert your wrapped Nugget into the purse, perhaps using a bit of SNAIL or a mini glue dot on the bottom to hold it in the purse.

All of these supplies can be purchased at my Stampin' Up! Online Store of course!

I wish I had more Hershey's Nuggets! I'm in a Nugget Purse kind of mood!

A Card from My Digital Studio

2009-11-06T10:06:33-06:00

Here's a 6x6 card I made on My Digital Studio. I really like how this one turned out. I can use it for a card, a scrapbook page, or frame it!

All images Stampin' Up!

Papercrafting Ideas from Stampin' Up!

2009-11-05T13:36:37-06:00

Image copyright Stampin' Up!

Don't forget about the wonderful resources for papercrafting ideas right on the Stampin' Up! website! Just click HERE to see many projects which by changing card stock color or different designer series paper you can change into Christmas or holiday gifts if you want. Click on each project picture to see a list of supplies. Go to my website HERE and click the Shop Now button and you'll be able to place your order!

Learning New Things with My Digital Studio

2009-11-04T15:02:53-06:00

When we got to watch our son's wushu demonstration at college a couple weekends ago, I took a few photos but mostly I took video. With My Digital Studio I can (and I did!) incorporate that video into an "interactive photo album" so that he will be able to see the pages I designed plus watch short videos of the demonstration. I was surprised how easily I was able to do that with my limited computer skills! But I also wanted more photos for the pages. Luckily, I was able to figure out on my computer how to capture individual frames from the videos and save them individually as photos. Not sure how clearly they will print out, but for now, it suited the purpose.....and I learned a new computer skill! Here is one of the scrapbook pages I made with My Digital Studio using all these extra photos I was able to extract. If you click on the link above, you can watch a short video from Stampin' Up! about My Digital Studio.

Fun & Fast Notes

2009-11-03T11:39:50-06:00

I felt like I needed to get back to some simple, versatile stamping today and decided to pull out my Fun & Fast Notes stamp set. This set covers about every occasion and is easy and fun to use. Here is a birthday card I made, adding some brads on the side and a little Dazzling Diamonds on the cake (flames and middle layer of frosting!). After that I decided to add a little something to the background so I used the Retro Remix wheel and Versamark ink. I used our Stampin' Up! Watercolor Paper for the cake and colored in with In Color Markers and my Aquapainter. If you don't own this set, you can go to my Online Store and order it!

Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Extravaganza!!

2009-11-02T12:52:40-06:00

Happy November! Once Halloween is over we know the holidays are not far behind at all! Why not make Stampin' Up! your one-stop shopping destination for all the family and friends on your list?! What could be more appreciated than a handmade gift from you?

Stampin' Up! has just announced their Holiday Gift-Giving Guide! Click HERE to see all the wonderful ideas for kids, teens, neighbors, teachers, scrapbookers, and more!

And that's not all!! From Nov. 1 to Jan. 4, receive a FREE Decor Elements piece (up to $16.95 value) when you spend $50 on products in the Holiday Gift-Giving Guide. NO LIMIT! Click HERE to browse the Definitely Decorative Catalog or click on the banner below!