Monthly Archives: April 2014

Make a Card Like Carolina Jasmine

Everything Eleanor Jasmine Card

If you wonder how we get inspiration to make cards and other projects, sometimes it doesn’t take any more than going out in the front yard!  Our Carolina Jasmine is blooming right now and oh my, I wish this blog had “Smell-O-Vision”! That flowering vine has the most amazing fragrance! The scent must waft into the air easily because often we can smell it better being away from it, like back in the driveway, than standing right next to it. Those beautiful little white flowers really smell GOOD!

Carolina Jasmine

Here’s one bunch of it. It used to be a ground cover around a pine tree, which was diseased and we finally had to cut it down.  No more worrying that the tree could come crashing into the dining room during a bad storm! We love it when the jasmine blooms and smells so sensational!

On my card, I used the vine in Everything Eleanor. This is a stamp set that is NOT retiring so you should be able to order it easily. The vine is stamped in Pear Pizzazz ink on Whisper White card stock.  The little piece of designer paper at the bottom is from Gingham Garden. I loved that pack of designer paper and it is on the Retiring List so be sure and get it if you want it. The little flowers were punched with the one little punch in the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch PackThis is also on the retirement list. I’ve used those little punches a lot. The greeting is from Happy Watercolor in the Occasions Catalog. The punch I used is the versatile Decorative Label Punch.

Here’s how to make the little flowers pop up a bit to look like the jasmine on my vine. Use the Paper- Piercing Tool and Stampin’ Pierce Mat. Just use the opposite end that you would use for piercing and push down in the center of the little flower on the mat. Color in the center with a marker or use a little jewel or Candy Dot in the center.

Making Flowers Pop Up with Paper-Piercing Tool

For any of these great stamp sets or supplies, please visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store!  Be sure you check the Weekly Deals, the Clearance Rack, the Retiring List, and more!

Stampin’ Up! Clearance Rack Updated Today!

Clearance Rack Banner

The Stampin’ Up! Clearance Rack was updated today!  You might want to check it out!  Remember, you can order Clearance Rack products, Weekly Deals, Retired products, New Arrivals, anything you want on the same order.

For easiest viewing, click the “SHOW:  ALL ” dropdown choice so that you can see it all on one page rather than clicking the next page all the time.  Otherwise you might miss out on some things on the last pages.

Remember, products are only available while supplies last and you know some will go fast.

Shop at Stampin’ Up! Online Clearance Rack! Go there now!

 

 

Circle Thinlit Makes the Cutest Birthday Card!

Birthday Thinlits Circle Card

I’ve loved this Circle Card Thinlit Die from the time I got it after the Stampin’ Up! Convention last summer!  That’s where the thinlits dies were introduced! I think it makes the best cards yet is so easy! It just uses a half sheet of card stock for the base and then you can embellish any number of ways!

This is a card I made for our great-niece’s first birthday! She got her first plane ride on her first birthday and spent her first birthday in Texas! We were thrilled we got to meet her and spend her first birthday with her over the weekend all wrapped up in one trip! Of course she had more fun playing with the gift bag and tissue paper than the gift, but that’s fine, that’s how it is supposed to be with little ones!  All they need is the bag or the box the gift came in! She was such a cutie!

Birthday Thinlits Circle Card Inside

Here is the inside of the card when opened up. I used the Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper which I have always LOVED! I think it is still available as I am writing this, but it is on the Retirement List, so if you want some, you better not procrastinate any longer! The cupcake on the front is stamped with the Create a Cupcake Stamp Setwhich at this moment is available in wood-mount (clear-mount sold out) but is on the Retirement List for Stamps. The stamping is punched out with the Cupcake Punch.  The greeting is stamped on the inside of the circle with the stamp set Memorable Moments. That’s a great set because you can make it say what you want with the choices of stamps!

Don’t forget, if you want any of the Weekly Deals, that ends tonight for this past week!

Check out the Retiring Stamps and Accessories HERE in my Stampin’ Up! Online Store. Some are already sold out and more will be. Even the stamps are only available WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Last Day Free Shipping!! Don’t Miss It!

Stampin' Up! Retired Lists and Free Shipping April 21 - 25

Can you believe how fast this week of FREE SHIPPING from Stampin’ Up! has flown by?!! Today is the last day so be sure to get your order in! Just imagine what busy bees those employees in the Stampin’ Up! Distribution Center must be! I’ve seen the Distribution Center at the Home Office in Riverton, UT and it is really something! Wouldn’t it be fun to work there and see all the products on the shelves and see what people are ordering?!

Here’s how your order starts by choosing the correct size box or boxes!

Stampin' Up! Distribution Center

You can order any current product from Stampin’ Up! and get the free shipping!  It’s not just about the retiring product!  Be sure to check the Weekly Deals for this week and the Clearance Rack, the Occasions Catalog, the Annual Catalog, the extra items listed in the categories of the Online Store! It’s such a thrill not to pay for shipping!  Take advantage of it while you can! 

Retiring Stamps List

Retiring Accessories List

Some items have already sold out!

FREE SHIPPING ENDS Friday, April 25 at 11:50 pm Mountain Time! But of course you don’t want to wait that long!

I will be a little “out-of-pocket” Friday but if you need me, I’ll be checking email or you can text or call 713-306-1191. I’m happy to help!  Don’t want you to miss out! If you place the order yourself at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store, you can set up your account and put in your payment information yourself. I can also place it for you with your credit card number.

Stampin' Up! Distribution Center

Can’t you picture your order sitting on these shelves just waiting to be “picked” as the box goes sailing by?!

Don’t miss it!  Free shipping doesn’t come around very often!  Last Day – Friday, April 25!

Go to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store and shop around!

Paper Pumpkin Prepaid Kits

Paper Pumpkin Subscription Flyer Ordering

Now you can add a Paper Pumpkin prepaid subscription to a Workshop Order or to your own Customer Order and get credit toward Hostess Benefits! The Paper Pumpkin Kit can be for yourself or a gift for someone.  Mother’s Day is coming up, don’t you think this might be a unique idea for someone special?

Choose a 1-month, 3-month,6-month or 12-month prepaid subscription for someone (or yourself!). Shipping is already included in the Paper Pumpkin kit price so you won’t pay additional shipping, but there will be tax. Just enter the appropriate Item # as shown below on your Stampin’ Up! order.

Paper Pumpkin Price Chart

If Paper Pumpkin is all that you are ordering, then just go to my Paper Pumpkin site to sign up!

Paper Pumpkin is a monthly papercrafting kit, always a surprise, that comes in your mailbox in a cute red box!  It won’t just be cards or scrapbook pages – it can be any papercrafting project they can fit in the box! It makes your day just to open this lovely box just for your own 30 minutes of crafting “ME” time!  No risk, no obligation!  Sign up and cancel or “pause” your subscription at any time. All you need when you receive your kit is adhesive!!

Read more about Paper Pumpkin Prepaid Subscription Kits HERE. 

(Scroll down on the page.)

Don’t Forget the Retiring Lists of Stampin’ Up! Stamps and Products (while supplies last)!

Retiring Stamps

Retiring Accessories

Remember, the availability of any products can change at any time!

Free Shipping from Stampin' Up! April 21 - 25
April 21-15, 2014 ONLY

Lovely As a Tree Is Still Around!

Lovely As a Tree Card

Every year at Retirement List time, we all hold our breath and wonder if the Lovely As a Tree Stamp Set will finally meet its demise! Thankfully, not yet this year!! I’m not sure I know of another stamp set as well-loved as this one.  Even Shelli Gardner, at the Stampin’ Up! Convention one year, on stage, said “Isn’t Lovely As a Tree retired yet??”  Everyone gasped because we dare not consider that possibility. It just is such a useful set, often for a masculine card, but not necessarily. The images are beautiful and the cards and projects you can make come out with a special beauty and elegance about them.

Yesterday was Earth Day and it made me think of Lovely As a Tree. I found a piece of Very Vanilla already die-cut with the Labels Collection Framelit and thought this single tree would be perfect on it.  I colored the stamp with Stampin’ Write Markers rather than an ink pad (Early Espresso and Wild Wasabi). It needed something so I punched an oval with the Scallop Oval Punch and used that to sponge onto my tree piece for sky!  I even used Soft Sky ink.  I LOVE the way that turned out! And at the bottom I just sponged a little Wild Wasabi ink for a suggestion of green grass. The Thinking of You greeting is from Four You. The background paper is embossed with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

Lovely As a Tree Stamp Set

If you don’t already own this Lovely As a Tree stamp set, you might want to put it on your list for this week! Remember, the retiring stamp sets and products are going fast AND Stampin’ Up! is offering FREE SHIPPING through Friday! Free Shipping doesn’t come around too often so be sure not to miss it!

Free Shipping from Stampin' Up! April 21 - 25

 

Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deal April 22 2014

Stampin' Up! Weekly Deal April 22 2014

Here are the new Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals for the week of April 22, 2014 through Monday April 28. Here’s your chance to get some of the retiring items at a discount!

Remember, there is FREE SHIPPING on any order from Stampin’ Up! this week only!  Only until Friday, April 25. Then the free shipping ends! Free shipping applies to current Stampin’ Up! products in the Annual Catalog and Occasions Catalog, retiring products, Clearance Rack, everything! Don’t miss out!

If you can’t think of everything you want today, go ahead and place your order for what you are sure you want and place another order later in the week, both get free shipping!

Check out all the retiring products HERE in my Stampin Up! Online Store!  In the dropdown box for “Show:” click on ALL and then you can scroll through all the items on one page.  It’s easier than going page by page!  Remember, products are only available WHILE SUPPLIES LAST and this applies, this year, even to STAMP SETS! Don’t delay!

Have fun shopping!  Enjoy the FREE SHIPPING!  It doesn’t come around often!

Visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store for all the best in papercrafting products!

(Need any help?  Just ask! Email me at Karen@Karenstamps.com)

Stampin’ Up! 2014 Retiring Lists and FREE SHIPPING April 21-25

Stampin' Up! Retired List Free Shipping Banner

AND—-

 FREE SHIPPING ON ALL STAMPIN’ UP! ORDERS!  

Monday, April 21 – Friday April 25

Use it more than once! Use it all week! (Expedited shipping excluded, of course!)

Retiring Stamps List (Click HERE!)

Retiring Accessories List (Click HERE!)

You will have to up your ZOOM to read these lists probably!  Usually up in the right hand corner of your browser somewhere is a drop down list including the zoom function.

See all retiring items in my Stampin’ Up! Online Store HERE

(For easiest viewing in my store, click the “Show:  ALL” dropdown menu. You can also sort by alphabet and price there right underneath “Sort By -“)

ALL Stampin’ Up! products get Free Shipping this week, not just retired stamps and accessories!  Order away!! Anything that is real important to you, I suggest ordering AS SOON as possible to avoid disappointment.  You can always come back and order again by Friday if you want more or forget something! Free Shipping!!

I will try to update you on things that are sold out, if needed.

Or you can contact me to place your order if you would rather not do it online! Just email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

Go SHOP right now at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store!

Free Shipping from Stampin' Up! April 21 - 25

April 21 – 25 2014

 

Burlap and Blooms Spring Wreath for Easter

Burlap and Blooms Spring WreathIt was nice to have a kit with everything needed except hot glue to make this Burlap and Blooms Simply Created Wreath Kit. I thought it would make a nice wreath for Easter and spring by my back door where my Be of Good Cheer Curly Paper Wreath was still hanging! My favorite flowers on this wreath are the fringed ones. I didn’t seem to have much of a knack for making the other ones! And I’m not sure I got the flowers placed in the best positions, but, I did get the wreath finished! And didn’t burn my finger on the hot glue until near the end!  Be careful pushing the flowers down onto the wreath! And have a glass of cold water nearby just in case! It still turned out pretty and was an interesting new project. It’s nice to have a kit and not have to think about all the supplies! It’s available in the Occasions Catalog.

Speaking of supplies, the Stampin’ Up! retired list comes out on Monday! And Stampin’ Up! is offering FREE SHIPPING (excluding expedited shipping) on all orders Monday, April 21 through Friday, April 25! When you get a chance this busy Easter weekend, be sure to start making out your list of anything you might want or that you think might retire so you will be ready to take advantage of this free shipping opportunity!

Free Shipping from Stampin' Up! April 21 - 25

Free Shipping from Stampin’ Up! April 21 – 25, 2014

Be a FAN on my Stamping With Karen Facebook Page where I can try to keep you updated and what’s available and what’s not and what’s going on during this busy time at Stampin’ Up!

Chocolate Egg Easter Card with Punch Art Bunny

Chocolate Egg Easter Card with BunnyThis gigantic chocolate Easter egg on this Easter card is really making me hungry! I think the Easter bunny even looks a little surprised at the size of the Easter egg! The egg is the oval I cut out of THIS Easter card the other day! I knew I wanted to use it in another way on another card and here it is. Of course I used the Ovals Collection Framelits Dies. It was already embossed with the Fancy Fan Embossing FolderI just decorated it with a little bit of Daffodil Delight 1/4″ Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon and a few punched out flowers accented with Rhinestone Jewels. The strip of grass is cut with the Fringe Scissors in the Occasions Catalog.  They are just fun!

You can make the punch art Easter bunny with whatever punches you like. Just play with it and make something! Use some circle punches or ovals and see what you come up with.

The greeting on this card is from the Four You stamp set and I stamped the “Thinking of You” on the inside.

Don’t forget about the Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals available until Monday night!

Happy Easter!

Make a Punch Art Bunny Easter Card

Punch Art Bunny Easter Card

There are so many cute ways to make punch art Easter bunnies. Here is one you can make easily with the Oval Collection Framelits Dies and just trim to fit on your card! I used three sizes of the framelits and for the Easter Bunny face and ears and the Small Oval Punch for his cute little nose! I drew in his eyes and whiskers by hand with a black marker. His rosy cheeks are made with Blushing Bride Ink and a Sponge Dauber. For the inside of his ears I used a Melon Mambo gingham pattern in the Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper. The layer on the card is a piece of the pretty Coastal Cabana pattern in the Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper. The Easter greeting is stamped with the Easter stamp in Teeny Tiny Wishes, one of the handiest stamp sets you can own! It is cut out with the Bitty Banners Framelits Dies.

Try your hand with your punches or framelits and see what kind of cute Easter bunnies you can make for your Easter cards or Easter decorations!

Shop for all your Stampin’ Up! supplies at my Online Store HERE.

Project Life by Stampin’ Up! and Becky Higgins!

Stampin’ Up! made an exciting announcement this morning!  Stampin’ Up! has partnered with Becky Higgins to bring you Project Life by Stampin’ Up! Becky Higgins is famous in the scrapbooking world and has developed the Project Life concept of using scrapbook pages with pockets into which you can slip photos and designed cards to simply and quickly record the moments of your everyday life….or any occasions! Now you will be able to purchase Project Life products in Stampin’ Up! colors and designs!

Beginning May 1st you will be able to purchase a selection of Project Life products and with the launch of the new Stampin’ Up! catalog on June 2nd you will be able to order the complete line of Project Life products!

Project Life Stampin' Up! Launch

 

Project Life Products List

 

Stay tuned!  I’m sure there will be a LOT more buzz about this in coming days!  You know it won’t ONLY be for scrapbookers either! Everyone can join in with various papercrafting projects using the materials! Just wait until you see the creativity! And–what a great way to spend your tax refund!!

Blessed Easter Oval Card

Blessed Easter Oval Card

I admit I was late ordering this Blessed Easter stamp, but it is so beautiful I eventually had to have it. It is just a single stamp so not expensive and can be used without the Easter greeting for many occasions!  Just think of what all you could use these tulips for – birthdays, Mother’s Day, sympathy, wedding, anything!

I used the Oval Collection Framelits Dies to cut the oval shape in the front of the card.  First I did adhere a piece of Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper on the front of the Whisper White card base and THEN cut out the oval. (Make sure you open the card first before running it through the Big Shot so you don’t cut out the back also!). I just loved the color of the paper, especially for Easter.

To get the flowers placed properly on the inside of the card, I could have used a Stamp-a-Ma-Jig but I just took the oval that had been die-cut, put it back in the oval space and lifted up the front o of the card so the oval shape stayed in place on the inside of the card.  I lightly put some pencil marks where the edge of the oval was so I could place my stamp within that oval. It worked great! I could have put an acetate window sheet in that opening in the front or a piece of vellum, but I decided to just keep it simple.

I stamped the flowers with Black Stazon ink so I could watercolor with my Aqua Painter and ink refills. First I colored mostly in the center of the tulips with So Saffron, since that is a coordinating color with the Retro Fresh paper and then added the Tangerine Tango as highlights (also a coordinating color). Don’t be afraid of watercoloring.  The beauty of it is that it doesn’t have to be perfect!  In fact, in lots of cases, you do NOT want to stay right inside the lines when you are watercoloring! So little slips here and there really only enhance your art!! For the leaves, I used Gumball Green with a little bit of So Saffron also added to the leaves  An artist friend years ago always said every green should have a little yellow in it. And for a little pizzazz, I added some Dazzling Diamonds Glitter with the 2-Way Glue Pen. (See my Facebook page today for a good use for the 2-Way Glue Pen – and “Like” me while you are there!)

For the front of the card, I wanted to do “something” else, but finally saw that a little Whisper White Taffeta bow would be just fine, nothing more. Sometimes you have to know when to STOP and today was one of those days!

Blessed Easter Oval Card Inside

Even if it is too close to Easter this year or past Easter, as I said this Blessed Easter single stamp is beautiful and you can still use it.  Just cut off the greeting and use it separately. Go to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store and place your order! It’s also available as a digital download for My Digital Studio!

Ears to You Oval Easter Card

Ears to You Oval Easter Card

Easter is fast approaching, next Sunday to be exact, and of course I am behind in making Easter cards! This “Ears To You” stamp set is no longer available from Stampin’ Up! but perhaps you already purchased it – or you certainly can use the same idea with something else stamped in the background.

I started out trying to just have an oval punch with one rabbit showing through but that wasn’t working out so I decided to punch out the whole oval with one of the Oval Collection Framelits Dies. It reminds me of chocolate bunnies!  And now I have the punched out oval shape to use in another project that looks like another big chocolate Easter egg. The front of the card is embossed with the Fancy Fan Embossing FolderI simply tied a piece of Pink Pirouette 3/8″ Taffeta Ribbon around the edge and punched out a little Pink Pirouette flower with the Petite Petals Punch in the Occasions Catalog using the scallop punch in the Punch Pack of 3 small punches. For a finishing touch I added a pink Candy Dot in the center!  Love those Candy Dots!

Speaking of the Punch Pack, it is one of the items in the Weekly Deals which end tonight! Just because the punches are small doesn’t mean they aren’t useful!  I use them often!

Here are the current Weekly Deals!  Place your order by midnight tonight!

Weekly Deal April 8 2014