Category Archives: Scrapbooking

Stampin’ Up! Convention Make & Takes

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We got lots of Make & Take projects at Convention plus the four stamp sets and a wheel to do them with!  I'm sure everyone loved getting so many things to stamp, but it was a little too much to do in the time allotted.  However, I didn't mind because after stamping a couple of things, I opted to just save mine to do at home…..and instead I went to stand in line for Memento Mall to open so I could buy my Stampin' Up! Bear!!  So I had the best of both worlds!  The stamp sets we received were:

  • Hello Again  p. 114
  • Sweet Season  p. 29
  • Things I Love  p. 54 
  • Tree Trimmings  p. 28 
  • Retro Remix Stampin' Around wheel p. 114  

Here are the projects: 

CONVSBpage
A scrapbook page with some Direct to Paper White Craft ink, a grommet on one of the flowers, and notice a little end of the Modern Label punch sticking up above the bow at the top where the photo would go. (sorry, the photo is a little blurry!)

CONVM&T tags
Christmas tags made with the Big Shot Two Tags die.  Very cute!  You could slide a candy cane through the folded one.

CONVtreatbox
The new Treat Boxes, page 159…more like a bag than a box, but very nice.  The ribbon is polka dot on one side and plain on the other.

CONVcellobagnotes
Cute little cello bag of 3×3 note cards and envelopes.  Perfect for a little gift!

CONVnotes
Notes out of the bag.

CONVhellobox
Cute, cute  little box!  Just two scored pieces of cardstock, glue one flap onto the bottom so it opens.

CONVboxopen
The box opened.  The back flap of the top is glued to the bottom left side.

CONVgatecard
Kind of a gate fold card where the two front flaps open and a belly band around.

CONVgatecardopen
The card opened.

CONVhellocard
Cute and easy card and stamped envelope!  New color Crushed Curry.

CONVorncard
Easy Christmas card, although you have to cut out the ornaments by hand!  Love the new ribbon!

How's that for fun?!  Don't forget about the Specials going on now to become a Demo if you want to go to Convention next August!!  Click on that link or the image on the sidebar of my blog…….then go to my website to join…and use the password "karenstamps" (no quotes).  Or contact me with any questions!

Stampin’ Up! Stamps Earn Readers’ Choice

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Stampin' Up! has announced with pleasure that their stamps were the Readers' Choice winner by the readers of Scrapbooks, etc. in the stamps category!!  They also received recognition in the following categories:  card stock, eyelets, ribbon, markers, and ink.

This is the first year Scrapbooks, etc. has held a Readers' Choice award. For more information, see the August/September issue of Scrapbooks, etc. (pages 34-38).

 

Tip: Designer Series Paper Coordinating Colors

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This is something I have been doing for awhile but just realized it might be a tip worth sharing.  When I go to work with my Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers (DSP), I like to know what colors coordinate with each pack.  Stampin' Up! now provides that information under each DSP item in the catalog (did you notice that?).  Usually I also have a list that another demo somewhere has compiled of all the papers and colors that I try to keep handy.  But sometimes you want it even handier!  So I write the coordinating colors on the back cardboard of the DSP pack, right above the name of the paper.  That way the information is right at hand!

This photo shows the selections for the new "Tall Tales" Designer Series Paper that coordinates with the stamp set "Animal Stories".

ColorsDSP 

And when the paper retires, I still have that information handy, as long as I have that cardboard in the back of the package and still have some paper left……and we all know we wouldn't want to use up ALL of our paper!  :)  Better to hoard extras just in case we need it!!

If you need some of the NEW Designer Series papers, please contact me at KSFontinelle@gmail.com or order online at my store at www.karenfontinelle.stampinup.net.  Click the "Shop Now" button!  You KNOW you need it all!

Flower Frame Project with Spencer Willis

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I came across this video this morning of Spencer Willis of Stampin' Up! doing a project on a TV show.  It is essentially a scrapbook page but put in a photo frame.  I've seen Spencer demonstrate at Stampin' Up! conventions, and he is great! (a good singer, too, although unfortunately he doesn't break out in song after this demo!).  The project is done with a retired set, Big Blossoms, so you will have to change the flowers a little bit.  Enjoy!

4th of July Fireworks Scrapbook Page

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July4thSBpage 

Just made this 6×6 scrapbook page….very quick and easy!  You wouldn't think you could use a flower stamp to make fireworks, but I did!  I stamped the top of the flower from the stamp set "Kind and Caring Thoughts", a Level 3 Hostess Set from the new Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog.  I just used Versamark ink for both the watermarked (bluish) fireworks and also to emboss with the gold embossing powder.  That provided the background.  Then I wanted to use the Sizzlit Die "Sparkle" with my Big Shot to make the 3-D fireworks!  The center needed something, so I punched some of the flowers from the Boho Blossoms Punch and inserted a large rhinestone brad in each.  Now if only I had taken pictures!!

The fireworks were great, as they are every year!  We go to the display put on by Stafford, TX which is always quite good, especially considering they are a small community in the Houston area.  We like the smaller crowds and enjoy meeting our friends there in "our spot" every year.  Traffic usually isn't too bad getting out….and we can even spot fireworks from other areas like Sugarland too!  Hope you had a happy 4th!

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Stamping Fun with the Girl Scout Hobby Badge

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On Saturday I had the pleasure of working with a group of thirteen Girl Scouts from a troop in Sugarland, TX to earn their "Doing Hobbies" badge.  It was a fun day, and all of the girls did an excellent job on their projects!  It's a great testament to how easy stamping is, even for beginners.  In no time, these girls were putting their own touches on their projects.

***If you are in the Houston/Sugarland area and need help doing your Hobby Badge for Scouts, please contact me at KSFontinelle@gmail.com .  I can personalize projects for your group and ages!

We started with an easy little gift for someone….Peppermint Patties decorated with stamping and the Scallop Circle punch.

BirdcandybagGS 

Next we tried a technique of coloring directly on the stamp with markers to get multi-colors on one stamp.  This was a fun and easy card to make and most girls immediately started writing a note inside to send to someone.  They really had fun decorating the envelope!

BirdCardGS 

The mother hosting the event presented an interesting history of the hobby of scrapbooking.  Did you know Mark Twain was a scrapbooker?!  Here is the scrapbook page the girls made:

FriendsSBgs 

As part of the badge requirements, we talked about how stamping and scrapbooking could fit into a person's life.

And for one last project, all the girls decorated this composition notebook.

NotebookGS 

It was a fun day and I hope the girls enjoyed learning a new hobby!

Baby Scrapbook Page on the Wall

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KellySBcovered 

I was asked to do another scrapbook page, essentially, with some baby photos just like THIS post.  Again, I forgot to photograph the page before putting on the photo so I had to obscure the child's photo.  I wish you could see it because the expression on her face is so cute!  I wanted her expression to be the focal point of the page and had to hold myself back from adding too much to the page. 

It's funny how you build a page like this (or at least I do!)….try this, try that, what about this color, photo placement, and then what embellishments.  The base paper is from Tea Party Designer Series Paper and the base card stock is Pretty in Pink.  Since she is holding a ball, I wanted some circles on the page.  For the left hand scallop border, I just punched out lots of circles and placed them partly underneath the cardstock.  Then I covered that "seam" with the turquoise DSP from Rainbow Sherbet.  It matched her cute little dress and a color on the ball she is holding.  The scallop edge underneath the photo is made using the Stampin' Up! Scallop Edge Punch and I added some white dots with my Signo Gel Pen.  I wanted to add some chipboard letters for her name.  The On Board Timeless Type worked for that, and they were covered with some Raspberry Tart DSP (which matched a color on the ball and in the bow in her hair) using Stampin' Up! Glue Sticks.  I used the Flower Assortment Brads along the side of the photo, which added a little something without being too distracting.  I added the beautiful Whisper White Organza Ribbon across the bottom underneath the "adorable" from "Warm Words".  I'd played with adding flowers, especially the "Fleurettes", but they didn't seem quite right.  Finally I thought of adding the white bows as they are and that seemed to be the finishing touch!  It just shows that all you need to do is play around a little bit with scrapbooking and finally everything will come together!  This could be a scrapbook page but I put it in a 12×12 frame to hang on the wall.  I hope the recipient likes it!

If you need to order any of the supplies to make a page like this just go to My Website and click on the Shop Now button.  Or contact me if you have any questions about how to make this page or something similar.

One DSP Sheet Mini Album

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Have you watched this video yet on my Stampin' Up! website?  It's right there under "Featured Project" and I'm sure you will enjoy it.  Click HERE to see the Stampin' Up! video.

SBVid  

And here is a mini album I made using one of the techniques in the video. I used the Sale-A-Bration Designer Series Paper called "Delicate Dots".

MiniAlbumHearts 

MiniAlbumHearts2 

MiniAlbumHearts3 

MiniAlbumHearts4 

While you cannot still get this same paper, you can use any of our Designer Series Paper.  Choose any papers in the package to use because they all coordinate!  And during the month of May, if you purchase three packages of Designer Paper, you get one free!  Read all about this special offer for National Scrapbooking Month HERE.

Scrapbooking for the Wall

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Scrapbooking isn't just for albums!  You can make what essentially is a scrapbook page and turn it into a decorative item for your home.  Here is a gift I made.  It is a 12×12 page with 2 1/2" squares of both designer paper and plain or stamped cardstock.  I opted to make room for a large photo in the bottom corner.  She can add small photos on the other squares or leave some or all of them as is for decoration.  It was framed later with a 12×12 frame from the craft store.  The designer paper I used is the beautiful "Parisian Breeze Specialty".  Some other things I used on this page are "Felt Fusion Flowers", half-pearls from the Pretties Kit, the "Friendly Words" wheel, the "Great Friend" stamp set in the Occasions Mini, Texturz Plates for the Big Shot, and the beautiful Whisper White Organza Ribbon.  You can click on the photo to hopefully get a closer look.  If you need any of these supplies, just go to my website and click on the "Shop Now" button.

SBweddingpageJan

Have You Started Scrapbooking?

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"Not every page has to be a masterpiece."

This is a quote I saw somewhere, and I think it is one we should all print out and hang in our stamping area.  I think worrying about whether or not we can produce a fantastically creative masterpiece of a scrapbook page is what keeps a lot of us from even starting.  We think it has to look like a sample we saw in a magazine and if we can't produce that, well, then we shouldn't even bother.  Not everyone even likes the very busy, "cluttered" style of some scrapbook pages featured in magazines, so don't feel that yours can't be something very simple….just the photo, some journaling, maybe a little stamping along a border or a strip of designer paper.  It's even a good idea to just start with a small scrapbook page, 6×6 for example, or even a card size, and then build up from there.  That often gets you started and more ideas will come as you work.  Make it easy on yourself!

Be sure to check out the May scrapbooking specials from Stampin' Up!

Check Out These Scrapbooking Specials from Stampin’ Up!

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I'm away from my own computer, so I am going to make this quick and easy!  I know you will want to check out the fabulous offers from Stampin' Up! for May:

***Buy three packs of Designer Series paper and/or 12" x 12" textured card     stock, and get one pack free!

***New "Jumble Alphabet" set at 20% off

***Start your own business for as little as $75 with the limited-time Scrapbooking Starter Kit.

To read the details about these offers, just go to my website HERE.

Also, click HERE to go to my homepage and see a new Stampin' Up! video about scrapbooking with designer paper.  It's a great video!

National Scrapbooking Month Starts Today!

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May is designated "National Scrapbooking Month"….not that every month isn't good for scrapbooking!  Will you be scrapping some photos this month?  Stampin' Up! offers lots of products that can make this an easy and fun project for you.

Check my website HERE or the Stampin' Up! website HERE for more information on scrapbooking!

Here is a selection of some of our beautiful Designer Series Paper to help you get started!

DSPMay

Get Ready for National Scrapbooking Month in May

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Someone asked me to make a picture frame as a gift for a friend with a new baby.  That idea evolved into making a scrapbook page that could be framed.  There are 12×12 scrapbook page frames available in the stores.  Here is the project; I should have photographed it before attaching the photos, so I just covered them with paper!

May is National Scrapbooking Month so think about what scrapbooking projects you could work on!

NateMadisonpage 

This page uses paper and ribbon from Sale-A-Bration, but you can substitute something current that suits your photo colors or theme.  The chipboard letters are from On Board Timeless Type.  You can find a selection of chipboard on pages 182-3 of the Idea Book & Catalog.  Really fun to work with!  I embossed the little "Baby" tag with silver.  The name "Madison" was spelled out with the die cut letters from the Big Shot die "Naturally Serif".  If you need any of these supplies to make a similar project, just go to my website and click on "Shop Now".

Fun Explosion Box

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Do you need a fun little gift?  Make this easy Explosion Box and either add some photos yourself or let the recipient add their own!  This one is for my niece.  I love the "Lovely Letters" monogram to use on notecards and gifts such as this.  The Designer Paper I used is Candy Lane.  Love that paper!

ExplosionBox 

ExplosionBoxopen 

If you add photos to this you can add journaling on the blank corners.  Or just stamp some pretty things or embellishments to make a decorative item.

Here is a tutorial on Splitcoast that will give you some instructions on how to make this explosion box:  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/explosion_box/

It's very easy to make.  You must kind of "squeeze" the box to fit into the lid so that it will "explode" when you take the lid off.

Crafting in This Day and Economy

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Here is an excerpt of an article about crafting and the economy that I found interesting: 

Crafting: A Silver Lining In A Tough Economy

by Laura Tiffany, Entrepreneur.com

In economic times like these, the urge to hunker down in your house, limit spending and jump off the merry-go-round of shopping, credit and consumerism can be strong. And one way for people to step outside the system, if just for a few hours a week, is crafting. Rather than being a consumer, a crafter becomes a manufacturer; the end result of a night on the couch isn’t three hours of empty Tivo space, but a scarf, toy or handmade holiday ornament that one can give away, keep or sell.

While data are still being compiled for 2008, the Craft and Hobby Association reported that in 2007, craft sales in 39 categories reached nearly $32 billion, and nearly 57 percent of U.S. households engage in crafting. Online handmade goods site Etsy.com reported $88 million in sales in 2008, a significant increase over 2007 sales of $26 million. With 1.9 million members and more than 200,000 sellers, Etsy enjoyed $9.9 million in sales in January alone.

Like most retail sectors, it’s likely that craft sales may decrease in the coming months. But all signs point to more and more people diving into this market, both as consumers of supplies and handmade gifts, and as entrepreneurs selling their own items and supplies.

At the January CHA show, spirits were high as manufacturers and retailers recognized that the economic climate creates more folks ready to put needle to fabric and stamp to paper to join a crafting revolution that’s been in the works for more than a decade.

Some of the big crafting trends present at the show, which featured more than 900 exhibitors, include:

  • Scrapbooking. This is the most robust craft category that CHA tracks, and scrapbooking companies had by far the strongest presence at the show. While paper still rules scrapbookers’ supply cabinets, many crafters are taking skills such as stamping, painting and decoupage into other media for jewelry making–like sandwiching tiny art between glass slides for a pendant or stamping blank wooden bangles.
  • Crafts for kids. Kid-specific kits and products are hotter than ever, even in this tough economy. “Unfortunately, the schools cut a lot of creative areas, so it’s up to the parents to do it at home. And I really think [crafts have] become an important part of the American family,” says Jenny Lowe, design director of Moorestown, N.J.-based Sbar’s Inc., a 50-year-old supplier of family-friendly crafts that has lived through its share of recessions. “Kids are just so eager to accomplish something. And let’s face it–crafting gets them away from the computer.”

Some companies foresee growth in this area because of parents wanting to craft with their kids. Parents can purchase a $15 kit and have a fun evening at home, rather than pay $50 to take the family to the movies. There are also ancillary customers, such as church camps and Scout troops. And of course, there’s always the need for kids’ birthday gifts, too.

Tough times tend to spur creativity. As an entrepreneur, there are few better ways to channel your creativity than in a crafts business. Whether you start to find your artistic voice or you do it to sell personalized gifts, crafting makes the most out of your creativity–as an artist and as an entrepreneur.

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