Category Archives: 3-D, Gifts & Things

Many Merry Stars Simply Created Kit Boxes

Yes, I know star boxes from the Many Merry Stars Simply Created Kit were supposed to be made before Christmas, but much as I wanted to, it just didn’t happen! I frequently do Christmas things AFTER Christmas – like bake cookies, make decorations! I could have saved the whole kit for next year, but for one thing, I’m in the mood now to make these, I’ve been looking forward to making them since I first heard of them, and by next Christmas there will be something new and shiny I am interested in! So better to just make them now and have them ready next Christmas! What a joy that will be!

There are tons of supplies in the kit and the star boxes really were quite easy to make. They suggest starting with a medium size star box to get the hang of it on an easier size. I also followed someone else’s directions to make two of the boxes into boxes with a lid and bottom so that next year perhaps I can use them to put something inside. Otherwise you are just adhering the back on to the bottom of the sides of the box and the whole thing is closed up. Still cute and you can string a ribbon through at the top in the beginning of assembly to make an ornament. I haven’t tried all the variations yet!

Really, you could made some of these stars for just any occasion or for a birthday, not everything is Christmas-themed in the kit!

Just want to let you know it is okay to make Christmas things AFTER Christmas, in case you want to!

And at this moment you can still purchase the Many Merry Stars Simply Created Kit on the Year-End Closeouts Clearance Rack HERE. Only available while supplies last.

Hope you had a happy New Year’s Day yesterday! It seems like the holiday goes on and on with this weekend after! Time for a little more holiday stamping and then on to spring and the new Occasions Catalog and the start of Sale-A-Bration on January 6th! If you do not have a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and would like the new catalogs, I have some extras I can mail to you. They will also be available online January 6th when the catalogs and promotion go live! If you are a customer who regularly receives catalogs from me, I think you should have received them already, so hunt through that Christmas mail you might have put aside and find them!

Finishing a Houston Marathon Squash Book Photo Album

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Back in January 2004 (uh, yes, that would be almost 11 years ago! ) my son Eric ran in the Houston Marathon. I immediately made this “squash book” photo album as it was called, very popular back in my earlier days of Stampin’ Up! I made the album, put the photos in it, and I see now never did any journaling in it! There’s not one date in it! Very bad! I also never got a cover made. But for 11 years, “any minute now” I was going to finish that album by making a cover (and presumably doing some journaling inside!). So it laid around here all these years, probably got dusted a few times, and finally landed who knows where. But this Christmas it resurfaced and by golly, I was going to decorate the cover! I didn’t know exactly what I would use, but immediately I spied a new Sale-A-Bration stamp set, coming January 6, called, appropriately, Best Day Ever. I thought that saying was so right for this project and stamped that on the top layer. As I’ve always said, stars are great for so many occasions, so I used the Many Merry Stars Stamp Set, which is still available in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Supplement on page 8 and is discounted on the Year-End Closeouts Clearance Rack (while supplies last!). (If you missed out on the Many Merry Stars Simply Created Kit that was so popular, at this moment it is available too at a discount! You can still make the kit and save the stars for next Christmas – or use them for another occasion with different greetings.) I also used Glimmer Paper and the Star Framelits Dies to decorate the cover of the squash book.

I don’t have any directions at my fingertips for making the squash book, but I did use 12 x 12 card stock. You can make it as long as you want. I put photos on both sides. The trick is getting it to fold correctly, but once you do that, you’ve got it made. I’m sure you can google “Squash book” and find some details if you need them. Here are some photos of the inside so you can get an idea of how it is assembled and folded. I see I should add some dates and journaling before I let him take it home!

Here are some photos of the inside so you can get an idea of how the squash book folds and looks.

Usually I finish all my stamping projects I start, which I consider one of the advantages of the rubber stamping craft, but this project just didn’t quite make it! I’m glad I finally was able to finish this Houston Marathon Squash Book Photo Album for a Christmas gift, even if it was about eleven years overdue! Try your hand at making a small album for a special occasion!

Don’t forget, the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog is coming to an end January 5th! Even though we are excited about the new Occasions Catalog and Sale-A-Bration event coming up, don’t miss out on anything you wanted from the Holiday Catalog or Holiday Supplement before they end! Lots of items are on the Year-End Closeouts as well, so you might get a bargain!

Top Note Package Chalkboard Tag

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I got this idea from one of the many store ads I have gotten in the mail recently, and I thought it was so cute! The chalkboard style is still “in”, which I love, so I made a package tag with the Top Note Die to look like a chalkboard! Hasn’t the Top Note Die been just about the most versatile die to ever use?! I wrapped the package in the Stampin’ Up! Festive Designer Kraft Paper Roll (on the Clearance Rack!) and tied the Cherry Cobbler 1″ Sheer Linen Ribbon around. Then I die cut the Top Note tag and wrote on it with my White Stampin’ Chalk Marker. Easy, fun, and works for anybody. If you don’t own the Top Note Die, just use a piece of Basic Black Card Stock that’s not die cut! The kraft wrapping paper you can use any time.

This morning Stampin’ Up! added new items to the Year-End Closeout Clearance Rack so be sure to check those out!

And here are the new Stampin’ Up Weekly Deals for this week Dec. 23 – 29, 2014.

GIFT CERTIFICATES

If you need last-minute help with your Christmas shopping (or better yet, your husband or family does for you!) I offer gift certificates that I can email and they can print out, wrap up beautifully for you, and you’ll be all set to order from the new Occasions Catalog coming January 6th!

Christmas Fudge! It’s a Joke!

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This is actually from a post from last year, but I thought “Christmas Fudge” was appropriate at this point in time, so close to Christmas! If you need a little funny something for somebody, this idea has been around for many years but is still good….and handy! Just print it out and wrap some card stock or designer paper around one of those very large candy bars and you’ve got a gift! Of course once you read the words you will recognize it as a take-off of “Jingle Bells”!

You can read my previous post HERE.

Quick and Easy Tiny Christmas Tags

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We’re all rushed for time, but if you find yourself short on tags for wrapping presents, just make some quick and easy tiny Christmas tags like these! The Soft Sky card base is cut at 2″ x 4″ and scored at 2″. The Whisper White layer is cut at 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″. Just find some small images to stamp easily. The first one is from the stamp set Many Merry Stars and the other two are from the Project Life stamp set December Wonder. The monochromatic look is easy and you don’t even have to think about colors! Add a tiny rhinestone or pearl for a little something on your tag or gift card! Super simple to make! At most it took five minutes! And it was fun! You won’t be able to buy such cute gift tags at the store!

How close are you to finishing your Christmas shopping and preparations?!

In all the holiday hubbub, don’t forget the Year-End Closeout on the Stampin’ Up! Clearance Rack! Everything is available while supplies last so products can change at any time. There are several Christmas products you could use now or put away for next year!

Scalloped Tag Topper Punch Candy Treat Holder

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If you need a little candy treat holder for Christmas, try this Scalloped Tag Topper Punch Candy Treat Holder. It’s made with the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, but if you didn’t have that punch, you could also just make the card stock strip plain and punch holes in the top. The Tag Topper Punches make it easy!

I wanted to be able to enclose two Ghirardelli chocolates inside so I made the spacing for the bottom a little wider and the strip a little longer. I cut my cardstock for the candy holder 7″ x 2″. It does need to be exactly 2″ or a tad narrower for the strip to fit inside the punch. Score at 3 1/8″ and 3 7/8″. Punch each end with the Tag Topper Punch. Fold on the score lines and decorate the treat holder! I put a little bit of SNAIL Adhesive inside just to help hold the candy. Tie with some ribbon at the top.

To decorate the candy treat holder, I cut a piece of Whisper White for a background layer and stamped with Soft Sky ink the very little snowflakes in Holiday Home. The tree is from Festival of Trees and punched with the Tree Punch. Of course I had to punch out a little star from the Glimmer Paper and I even had to add a little bit of bling with some Pearls and Rhinestones.

This is an easy and fun project to make! Make it a little smaller if you want to just add one chocolate inside!

Shop Stampin’ Up! HERE.

Make a Gift Card Holder

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Shopping time is about over before Christmas (not that I have barely started mine!) so gift cards might be an easy solution for your gift-giving at this point in time! Make a pretty gift card holder with some card stock and designer paper and maybe a stamp or punch or two! My friend and I made a bunch of gift card holders yesterday for her husband’s office, but that version was a little more complicated, although they turned out beautiful. This gift card holder is very easy to make and so versatile.

Cut a piece of card stock 10″ x 4 1/2″. Score at 3″, 4″, 5″ and 8″. Fold and decorate.

That’s pretty much it!!

Here are the steps since you probably want the details!

Fold on all the score lines using a Bone Folder to crease them well. Make sure your folds are going like this.

Apply adhesive as seen in the photo above. I used Sticky Strip (and took off the red liner before I took the picture! I like using adhesive on both sides that meet up so it holds well, just in case. In this case, put the adhesive very close to those fold lines because the gift card is going to be inserted in the top part, where the fold is now.

Pinch that fold together where you have put the Sticky Strip (or Mono Multipurpose Glue). You are eventually going to slice off the top fold to make an opening for the gift card, so don’t worry!

You can add a greeting to the inside and adhere some designer paper where you like. Using the Paper Trimmer, trim off just a slight bit of the top of that fold line where you will insert the gift card. You could use a framelit or punch that opens up that fold to fit the gift card. In the photo, you can barely see the opening I have after trimming off just about 1/8″ or whatever slight amount of the fold.

Insert the gift card (not a plug for Office Depot, I just grabbed a card that would fit in the slot!). Make a belly band (mine is 1 1/4″ wide) to fit around or tie a ribbon or whatever you like!

Easy gift card holder! Unless you choose to make it more complicated!

Today may be the last day to order Stampin’ Up! products and have them arrive before Christmas. Of course it all depends on where you live and weather conditions and road conditions and all that! Did you know Stampin’ Up! offers Expedited Shipping?? Warning: You can become addicted! It does cost extra, on top of regular shipping, and you can get 1- or 2-day shipping. There is a time deadline for it to ship out the same day. But if you are in a hurry, it’s great! Like my Occasions Catalog pre-order that is arriving today!!!

Shop Stampin’ Up! HERE!

Festival of Trees Christmas Tags

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It is crunch time for sure so I plan to show you quick and easy Christmas projects you can make at the last minute this week! Here are some Festival of Trees Christmas Tags you can make with scraps and just a little bit of stamping and embellishing. I cut the tag 2 1/4″ x 4 1/4″ with the Whisper White layer 2″ x 4″. You can use any colors you like. I stamped the trees with the Festival of Trees Stamp Set and punched out with the Tree Punch. That punch is so handy! If you want, you can save 15% by buying the bundle with the stamp set and punch together. You don’t even need to stamp, you can punch out a tree from designer paper or Glimmer Paper! Super Simple! And then if you like, but not necessary, you can embellish the trees with some bling, like rhinestones or pearls or Candy Dots!

Have fun making some easy Christmas tags!

Last day for Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals! Order before midnight tonight!

Christmas Tree Triangle Box

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One of the easiest projects to make for any occasion is the triangle box. This Christmas Tree Triangle Box is one I made for Christmas, to look like a Christmas tree. After cutting and scoring the card stock, I embossed the front half with the Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder to make it look something like a tree. I tied the top of the box together with the 1/8″ Gold Ribbon. Then I was ready to decorate! I thought the ornaments on the Nordic Noel Designer Series Paper were cute so I just cut them out by hand with my Paper Snips. They are adhered to the tree with Stampin’ Dimensionals. The Gold Glimmer stars are punched with the star punch in the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack and adhered with Glue Dots.

Here’s how the Triangle Box is made:

Cut card stock in half lengthwise: 4 1/4″ x 11″
Score at 5 1/2″.
Mark the center of the strip on both ends at 2 1/8″ with a pencil mark.
Score with Stampin’ Trimmer at an angle, putting that center pencil mark on the track on the Paper Trimmer while also lining up the middle score line on that track.
Score both sides of paper and both ends of paper. That will make two triangles, one on each half of the paper.
Fold all the score lines and put the box together.
At the top point of the box punch holes for ribbon to go through.

You can make these triangle boxes any size you like. Just follow the basic idea. Put a candy treat or small gift inside.

For any stamping and papercrafting supplies, please visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store!

Making a Christmas Card and Tag With Paper Pumpkin

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I’ve been saying that Paper Pumpkin has been getting better and better every month! I think the November Kit hit it out of the park! Paper Pumpkin is the papercrafting kit that comes to you in the mail, all wrapped up in a cute red box, for your crafting pleasure! This kit contained contents to make a 3D Christmas card with snowflakes, rhinestones, silver baker’s twine, and washi tape and a coordinating tag for packages! There is so much included in the kit! You can follow the directions and make the exact project provided or you can change it up or make something completely different with the materials.

Here are all the contents of the kit!

Looks like fun, right?! Read about Paper Pumpkin HERE. You can either do a monthly subscription, which you can pause or cancel at any time (so no risk!) for $19.95 a month (which includes shipping!!) OR you can add a subscription to your regular Stampin’ Up! order. You can see those subscriptions HERE. These are paid with your order. Either way, you get a kit in the mail once a month, it is almost always a surprise, and being a subscriber allows you access to past kits or refills (when available) if you want to make more or if you want a kit that you missed.

You can gift Paper Pumpkin subscriptions as well so consider that as you look over your people you have to buy for. Someone on your list might be the perfect person to receive a Paper Pumpkin Kit in the mail!

Be sure to check the Stampin’ Up! Online Store for the Year-End Closeout on the Clearance Rack! Great Deals! Even Christmas products! While supplies last so don’t wait!

Iridescent Ice Snowman Coaster Magnet

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You’ll never guess where I got inspiration for this Iridescent Ice Snowman Coaster Magnet! I found it on Pinterest but what I thought was an outdoor Christmas decoration actually was a Snowman candy pop on a stick! So even if you see something cute to eat, you can also make it into a stamping project!

When I went looking in my stash for some round coasters to make an ornament, perhaps, I found these much larger 5″ cork coasters from a craft store, which I thought were great. When I turned them over, here they all had a magnetic strip on the back! So this is really a magnet! Cute to stick on the fridge for sure!

I traced around a piece of Whisper White card stock to cut out, but ended up gluing the coaster to the card stock and trimming off the edges, but I think it would have been better to just cut out the circle in the first place. As I was getting ready to glue on the embossed cap, I remembered I had thought to stamp Versamark ink all over the card stock face of the snowman and emboss with Iridescent Ice to get the glittery sparkly snow look. THEN I glued on the cap, the band at the bottom, and the tassel at the top. I think I should have sponged some Craft White ink on all the pieces to make them stand out a little better. Then I punched out black circles for the eyes (1/2″ Circle Punch) and circles to form the mouth (Owl Punch) and just hand cut his carrot nose. The little highlights on his eyes are with the Chalk Marker. You should always put a little highlight in eyes.

If you need any stamping supplies, please visit my Stampin’ Up! Online Store!

FYI: TOMORROW, Dec. 5, Stampin’ Up! is adding new items to the Clearance Rack so be ready to check it out and order your favorites right away. You know they are only available while supplies last!

Shop the Stampin’ Up! Clearance Rack HERE!

Christmas Candy Bar Wrapper Ideas

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For a fun and delicious Christmas craft project, get some candy bars (regular size) and wrap them in paper and decorate. If you are looking for Candy Bar Wrapper Christmas ideas, here are three for you! I swear I only bought these Hershey Bars with Almonds for the purpose of crafting and creating! You will have to measure your own candy bars, but for mine, I cut the card stock at 6″ x 4 1/2″ to wrap around the candy bar. You could also use designer paper. Then just decorate! It’s a good way to use up some of your scraps!

For the snowman, I just used three circle punches in different sizes for his body, a scrap of designer paper for his scarf and the 1″ Square Punch and Word Window Punch for his hat! Plus a little flower punched out with the Boho Blossom Punch with a little Rhinestone for an accent. I just drew on his face with markers.

For the Santa candy bar, just tear a strip of Whisper White on both sides after wrapping the candy bar in Real Red card stock. Punch some black buttons with the 1/2″ Circle Punch. The belt buckle is Gold Foil punched with the Curly Label Punch and a square of Basic Black in the center to make it look like a belt! And of course the belt itself is a 1″ strip of Basic Black.

The elf legs are made with strips of designer paper from Nordic Noel Designer Series Paper. The shoes are fashioned out of the Curly Label Punch trimmed down to look like shoes. The wrapper still needed something so I glued on a strip of Real Red around to look like shorts and a belt around the middle. See, you can just play around and see what you come up with!

Remember the Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza is still going on through Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014. Be sure to double-check the Doorbusters on Monday! Are the Blendabilities calling your name??!

And any orders placed through Tuesday, I will send you a free PDF of some Christmas treat projects you might find easy to do!

Thanksgiving Wine Bottle Tag

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If you are going out for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and want a little something for your hosts, make a quick and easy tag for a wine bottle you are taking to them or some other beverage of choice! Or just make the tag portion to accompany some other hostess gift.

The tag is made with a base of Brown Sugar card stock, cut at 2 7/8″ x 8 1/2″ and scored at 2 3/8″. Punch a hole to fit over the bottle (sample uses 1 3/8″ Circle Punch) and if you like, also punch out a 1 3/4″ Scallop Circle to fit around the punched hole. Layer the tag with a piece of the beautiful Color Me Autumn Designer Series Paper. I also love the stamp set For All Things and stamped the images on the Deco Labels Framelits die cut piece and the greeting just on a scrap of Very Vanilla which I hand-trimmed in a banner shape and sponged with some Cajun Craze ink. The leaves are just cut out of some of the Color Me Autumn DSP!

Keep the Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza in mind that will be going on this whole holiday weekend and on through Tuesday, Dec. 2. Don’t forget the Doorbusters on Monday, Dec. 1st!

Click HERE to see the Extravanza PDF.

And for any order placed during the Online Extravaganza, I will be sending you a Bonus Gift, a PDF for some easy Christmas projects you will enjoy making!

You can also add a Paper Pumpkin subscription to your order! Just click HERE to see the Paper Pumpkin options that you can add to an order for varying lengths of time!

Click to Shop!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Top Note Thanksgiving Cello Bag Treat

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If you haven’t had time yet to make some kind of Thanksgiving treat or table favor, here is something easy. Put your candy or treat into a cello bag and decorate with a topper made with the always popular Top Note Die and Big Shot. Just fold it in half and decorate! I stamped some leaves from the Fall Fest Photopolymer Bundle and cut out with the matching framelits, both of which come in a Bundle so you can save 15% if you buy the stamps and framelits together. The words are from a stamp in the For All Things Stamp Set, only the words I wanted colored in with an Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker and punched out with the Extra-Large Oval Punch.

Here are the new Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals for November 25 – December 1:

Don’t forget, the Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza is ongoing! And more Doorbusters coming Monday, December 1st!

Sneak Peek!! Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza 2014 – Starts Monday!

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Get your Wish List ready because the Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza begins on Monday! Get Hot Deals Monday, November 24 through Tuesday, December 2, 2014. There will be discounts on select products and bundles, Plus DOORBUSTERS on the first day and again on Monday, Dec. 1st! You don’t want to miss them!

Click HERE to print out or view the Online Extravaganza List!

Don’t let the term “Online Extravaganza” scare you off if you don’t like putting your order in online. Just contact me and I can put it in for you!

Print out your list, think about it over the weekend and be ready to get your deals on Monday! Let me know if you have any questions that I can answer for you!

Stamping With Karen

Having Fun With Paper, Ink, and Stamps

Category Archives: 3-D, Gifts & Things

Many Merry Stars Simply Created Kit Boxes

Finishing a Houston Marathon Squash Book Photo Album

Top Note Package Chalkboard Tag

GIFT CERTIFICATES

If you need last-minute help with your Christmas shopping (or better yet, your husband or family does for you!) I offer gift certificates that I can email and they can print out, wrap up beautifully for you, and you’ll be all set to order from the new Occasions Catalog coming January 6th!

Christmas Fudge! It’s a Joke!

Quick and Easy Tiny Christmas Tags

Scalloped Tag Topper Punch Candy Treat Holder

Make a Gift Card Holder

Shop Stampin’ Up! HERE!

Festival of Trees Christmas Tags

Christmas Tree Triangle Box

Making a Christmas Card and Tag With Paper Pumpkin

Iridescent Ice Snowman Coaster Magnet

FYI: TOMORROW, Dec. 5, Stampin’ Up! is adding new items to the Clearance Rack so be ready to check it out and order your favorites right away. You know they are only available while supplies last!

Shop the Stampin’ Up! Clearance Rack HERE!

Christmas Candy Bar Wrapper Ideas

Thanksgiving Wine Bottle Tag

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Top Note Thanksgiving Cello Bag Treat

Sneak Peek!! Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza 2014 – Starts Monday!

Click Here: Karen’s Stampin’ Up! Online Store