My blog has been moved over to this new WordPress site and now the work begins! I’m slowly trying to get it set up how I want it, and so far, so good! This is my first post to see how it works.  I’ve added my Mailing List sign-up box, my Online Ordering button, and fixed the link for the catalogs. I heard of another demonstrator who worked all day and stayed up ALL NIGHT to work on hers!  I don’t think I will be doing that, but I am having fun so far!

If you are new to my blog, please join us by signing up for my Mailing List and I’ll keep you posted about these last couple of weeks of the current Stampin’ Up! catalog and the transition to the brand-new Stampin’ Up! Catalog! Hopefully you will see the Mailing List Sign Up Box in the right sidebar!

Feel free to email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com or if you have any trouble with that, use my regular email KSFontinelle@gmail.com.

It will probably take me a little while to get this all figured out, but thanks for your patience in the meantime!

Spring seems to be the best season for remodeling and sprucing things up.  We just had the outside of our house painted and next is some dirt to fill in the low spots in the yard.  Then maybe some repairs to our wood floor in the kitchen…and maybe I’ll get my kitchen table and chairs all painted up instead of looking at the old chipped paint. There’s always something else to be done in a house!

Likewise, it is time to do some remodeling on my blog! It’s time for a fresher, more modern look and that’s going to be happening. So if things look a little messed up and out of the ordinary, don’t worry!  I’ll get it figured out!  Another new learning curve, I’m sure!

Sign up for my Mailing List in the form here on my blog in the upper right and you’ll be kept up to date on all the latest news and information from Stampin’ Up!

And I can’t believe I missed this yesterday!!  In telling you about the new MDS Downloads, I completely missed that one download, Packed For You, is FREE!!!

Just go HERE to my Stampin’ Up! Online Store and “purchase” this download as you would any Stampin’ Up! product….but the price will be FREE!  And no shipping on MDS downloads!!  Then you’ll be able to download it to your computer and use it!

Download includes:
* 2-page décor template (8-1/2″ x 11″)
* 7 punches

Features:
* Digital exclusive
* Show all the teachers in your life that you care and appreciate them
* Fill the backpack with their favorite treats or a gift card
* Coordinates with the You Are So Nice Kit

Colors:
Apricot Appeal, Blushing Bride, Dusty Durango, Island Indigo, Pool Party, Rich Razzleberry, Wisteria Wonder

And now when you click on “Digital Downloads” in my Online Store, you’ll be able to shop by “Occasions” to find the downloads you want or need to purchase!

See you on “the other side” if my blog remodeling goes as planned!  Feel free to email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com if you have any questions or anything!  You can still order anytime at my Stampin’ Up! Online Store HERE.

Are you getting my stamping newsletters? I send out a main email newsletter at the beginning of every month and another mid-month just as a reminder of whatever Stampin' Up! special offers are available or expiring. The main newsletter has plenty of papercrafting projects you can try or be inspired by to create something yourself.

Sign up to be on my Stamping With Karen Mailing List for my newsletters and notification of any extra news I feel is important during the month.  And at Christmas we have the "12 Weeks of Christmas" with ideas to help you with your holiday crafting and gift-giving. You can fill out the form at the top of my blog or you can click here for the form.

After you sign up, within minutes, you should receive an email asking you to confirm your subscription.  Please open this and click on the link inside immediately so you won't forget!  Then you will get a Welcome email with a link to your Free Gift!

My mid-month email will be going out next week!  Who knows what Stampin' Up! news there will be by then in this 25th anniversary year?!  You don't want to miss a thing!  Be sure you are on my Mailing List!

Please contact me if you have any questions!  Let's stamp together via my newsletters!

***If you signed up for my newsletters but you aren't receiving them, perhaps you did not confirm your subscription.  In that case, your name may automatically be taken off my list.  Please just sign up again or contact me if you have a problem!

Images copyright Stampin' Up! 2013

If you like seeing the list of Stampin' Up! products that are retiring, then today is your day! The Stampin' Up! Retired List is here! In order for Stampin' Up! to make room for wonderful new products, some older ones have to go! And you have to get them before they are gone! Retiring stamps will be available during the entire retirement period because Stampin' Up! makes the stamps themselves…..but retiring Stampin' Up! accessories will only be available while supplies last!  Don't delay! Get what you want now! Just shop here at my Online Store or email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com  with your order!

Here are the Stampin' Up! Retired Lists!

Click here to see the list of Retired Stamps!  Retired stamps will be available through June 3, 2013.  Click here to see the Retired Stamps in my Online Store.

Click here to see the list of Retired Accessories!  AND some are discounted up to 60% off! Retired accessories are only available WHILE SUPPLIES LAST or until June 3. Click here to see the Retired Accessories in my Online Store.

Be sure to scroll all the way down when you click on those lists!

You can also buy current, MDS, and Clearance Rack items on your retirement order!

Enjoy the lists….and let me know if you have any questions!

It's already mid-April and that means my mid-month Stamping With Karen newsletter will be coming out this week with up-to-the-minute Stampin' Up! news. This year is Stampin' Up!'s 25th Anniversary and boy, are they celebrating! There has been one new offer or product or news item after the other! In order not to miss anything, please check my blog often AND subscribe to my newsletter! Not only will you receive my free gift (once you confirm your subscription), but you will be on my list to receive my monthly and mid-monthly newsletters plus some extras as warranted.  You don't want to miss a thing from Stampin' Up! THIS year!!  And with the new Stampin' Up! Annual catalog coming out soon (and the current one going out!) you will want to be in the know!

Click HERE to sign up for my Mailing List!

Once you fill out the Mailing List form with your name and email, you will almost immediately receive an email with the subject line "Confirm Your Stamping With Karen Subscription". Open and read it, then click on the link inside.This makes sure we have your permission to send emails to you. After you click on that link, you will receive a "Welcome" email that will contain the link to your free gift.

Sign up NOW for my Newsletter Mailing List!  Use this link or the Mailing List Sign-Up Box at the top of my blog!

Stampin' Up! announced the other day their "Color Refresh" in preparation for the new annual catalog coming soon.  Some current colors are being taken out, some moved around to different color families, and some past In Colors are being reinstated!  This is all to keep our Stampin' Up! colors on trend and coordinating together. I know sometimes we hate to see change, but we always seem to get used to the new colors and combinations and end up loving them!

Watch this Stamin' Up! video with Carrie Cudney and you'll understand the Color Refresh a lot better!

Don't we all love the smell of a new box of crayons? The smell of a new car is legendary! How about the smell of cookies baking? Well, now you can enjoy the smell of your Stampin' Up! products and many things right over your computer!

Click on the image above to go to "Google Nose"….get in on the ground floor of Beta testing! Watch the video on that page and see how to use Google Nose!  Just type in what you want to smell…."Marina Mist" or "Cherry Cobbler" or "Early Espresso".  Find out what the Stampin' Up! colors REALLY smell like! How about "Pumpkin Pie"?! 

Just go to the Google page and try Google Nose!  Let me know how you like it!

OK………

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!!

Sign up for my “Stamping With Karen” Mailing List today….or you will miss my April newsletter next week!  It’s free and it’s fun! Every month I send you free project ideas to make or to inspire you and the latest Stampin’ Up! news (and during their 25th year, there’s something new almost all the time!), and you even get a free gift for joining my list! There’s nothing to lose and you can unsubscribe any time.  Just go to the red box at the top of my blog (or you may catch the pop-up box!) and put in your name and email. The only trick is to be sure you confirm your subscription when you receive the email that says “Confirm Your Stamping With Karen Subscription”. There will be a link inside to click on, so that I definitely have your permission to send the newsletter to you.

I hope I see your name on my list when I send out my April stamping newsletter!!

Or sign up here at this link!

Click image above to enlarge.

It's March and spring can't be too far off!  How about some flower stamps from Stampin' Up!? Three of these flower images are favorites from Stampin' Up! over the past 25 years…and one is brand new! This is another stamp set in the "Best of.." series to celebrate Stampin' Up!'s 25th anniversary.

Some things to remember:

• All Best of stamp sets will include 3-5 images, including a never-before seen image, and will be priced at $14.95.
• While we are releasing just one Best of stamp set per month (with a new theme each month), all of the Best of sets will be available until March 31, 2014.
• A new flyer will be released every month for each new Best of set.
• All Best of stamp sets are available in Clear-Mount only.

As a special incentive to collect the Best of stamps, we're including a collector's card and 25-year proof of purchase sticker with every Best of set. Collect six stickers, and send it in to redeem a FREE set of your choice valued up to $14.95! Free sets must be redeemed no later than April 30, 2014.

You can find this stamp set and others in this series in my Stampin' Up! Online Store.

To see all these special stamp sets, click here in my Online Store.

The question of the day is “What is Photopolymer?”  Well, apparently it is a new kind of stamp that Stampin’ Up! just introduced today!  Photopolymer Stamps!

I feel like we should play Jeopardy!  “A plastic that undergoes a physical or chemical change when exposed to light.”  “What in the world is photopolymer??”

Yes, a new month and a new kind of stamp!  Who would have guessed! Photopolymer stamps are clear and sticky to adhere to the clear blocks.  Clear stamp + clear block= perfectly placed stamped image!

Stampin’ Up! is excited to announce that we now have wood-mount, clear-mount AND photopolymer stamps! These new stamps are in addition to the usual stamps and are offered on a trial basis, based on popularity. There won’t be as wide a selection as the other stamps and will not be offered for any set amount of time…..so if you see something you like, don’t put off ordering.  They will come in a cello bag but you can purchase the stamp cases separately to keep them in if you wish.

From Stampin’ Up!:

What makes them so great?

• They’re entirely transparent for perfect placement every time!
• They are durable. The photopolymer material is designed to last.
• Can you say sticky? (Don’t worry; in a good way.) These stamps stick amazingly well to our clear blocks.
• They’re age tested. They won’t yellow or cloud up over time.
• They use FDA, food-safe material. How far can you stretch your stamping creativity?
• We could go on, but we’ll let you try them for yourself.

They are clearly a great choice.

Order these brand new stamps, photopolymer stamps, from Stampin’ Up! today!  Just go to my Online Store here. Add some other items to it (do you need clear blocks or stamp cases or the new foam ink pads?) and if you have $50 in product, you can choose a free product from the Sale-A-Bration brochure!

Click image above to go to page and then click "More Images"

Don't forget about the Sent with Love special offer! It runs until April 30, 2013.

What is it?

• It's a clear-mount stamp set:  Sent with Love  # 131847   $17.95
• It's a Sent with Love pack of Designer Series Paper   #132182   $10.95
• It's a Bundle:  Stamp Set, Paper, & Calypso Coral Baker's Twine   #132851   $25.50

Click on the image above for the full flyer or click HERE.

To do ALL your Stampin' Up! shopping, please go to my Online Store! With any orders of $50 or more you will get FREE Sale-A-Bration products, too!  Don't miss it!!