Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Majestic Mountain Dies to Create a Winter Scene

December 14, 2020December 12, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Our penultimate Card & (Your) Cuppa session of 2020 used Majestic Mountain Dies to create a winter scene.

With a colour combination of Night of Navy, Seaside Spray and Whisper White, the scene began to take shape.

The shapes are all cut using the Majestic Mountains Dies.

Attendees could choose to create a Night of Navy background, or leave it White. They could also add a snowy top to the mountains too.

Using the top of the mountain shape, the outline is traced and cut out to create the snow, with a freehand curvy line for the bottom of the snow. Wink of Stella adds some icy sparkle before it is stuck to the top of the mountain.

Instead of the straight bottom for the forest, the forest snowline is created by using the bottom of the mountain as an outline.

Everything is then layered to create the scene.

A loop of the Playing With Patterns Combo Ribbon is then added.

Three trees at the front, with the solid one coated in Wink of Stella are stuck together. The solid tree hides the glue used to stick them all together!

These are then stuck on top using Dimensionals.

Finally, some Champagne Rhinestones are dotted across the sky to resemble stars.

Perfect to use as a Christmas Card, or for a Winter Birthday.

Make sure you take a look at the retiring list for the August-December Mini Catalogue, along with the weekend’s announcement regarding Whisper White.

My schedule for classes for the first part of 2021 is now live. Head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store

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Waving Goodbye to Whisper White

December 12, 2020December 12, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Due to COVID-19, the supplier’s mill producing the fabulous Whisper White cardstock has permanently closed.

Stampin’ Up! weren’t given much notice on the closure and it means the technology unique to this particular supplier is now not available, meaning Whisper White and related products can no longer be produced.

This affects Whisper White Cardstock, Thick Whisper White Cardstock, Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes, Whisper White envelopes etc. All of which will sadly now be retiring.

Please note, no other cardstocks are affected, this only affects Whisper White.

Our new cardstock will therefore be Basic White.

SU have worked hard to find the best replacement possible and have dedicated many hours to source and test alternative cardstock options from several suppliers to find the perfect fit that still maintains the Stampin’ Up! quality you know and trust.

The short video below shows a quick overview of Basic White and how it compares to Whisper White across a few techniques.

Basic White products will become available to purchase as soon as they are in stock. This means that some Whisper White and Basic White products may be available at the same time. Additionally, due to the nature of sourcing, some Basic White products may not be available before the Whisper White products sell out.

These following items are now available while supplies last with an order limit of 2 per item per order.

Whisper White 12″ x 12″ (30.5 x 30.5 cm) Cardstock (124302)
Assorted Memories & More Cards & Envelopes (149710)
Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes (131527)
Whisper White 3″ x 3″ (7.6 x 7.6 cm) Envelopes (145829)
Whisper White A4 Cardstock (106549)
Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock (140490)
Whisper White C6 Envelopes (106588)

I wanted to share this news with you as soon as I could (it was only announced to Demonstrators yesterday).

I’ll share any further information on Basic White availability etc as soon as I have it.

Basic White will become our new staple before we know it. I can’t wait to try it as soon as I can.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

Head to my Online Store to place an order.

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Countdown to Christmas #11

December 11, 2020December 10, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Countdown to Christmas #11 is all about the Tag Buffet Project Kit.

This fabulous kit isn’t just great for tags, it’s perfect for making cards too.

What’s even better is that it is half price in the Year-End Closeout Sale. Not only that, but the co-ordinating Tag Buffet Stamp Set is on offer too. Grab a bargain while you can.

I finally had some time to sit down and make my own Christmas cards, so I grabbed the Project Kit and a few hours later I had 30 cards.

The kit contains all the items to make 30 tags (5 each of 6 designs), plus there are five additional Christmas trees too. As there are Cardinal Birds in the set, I chose to use the extra Christmas trees instead.

Adding Thick Whisper White Cardstock bases and Real Red, Shaded Spruce and some Whisper White layers made the pieces co-ordinate.

My sentiments are from the Tag Buffet Stamp Set, again in Real Red and Shaded Spruce.

Each tag has a pretty DSP layer, a white and gold layer, a pre-printed shape, a shape for the sentiment and some Gold thread. Plus is has a fabulous box they can go in, or you can re-use it and gift it on.

As the kit comes with full instructions, each design is quick and easy to put together.

I decided to keep two of the designs as tags with those stuck onto a card. For the others, I cut the backing pieces into different shapes and sat the shapes on top.

You could use the other stamps from the set to add extra images, or some extra bling with Wink of Stella or gems.

I was more than happy with the sparkly thread behind each piece.

Here are the designs I made.

Don’t forget to check out all the items in the Year-End Closeout, and also the items that will be returning in a future catalogue.

If you want to join me for my classes, then take a look at my Class Timetable as my 2021 classes are now OPEN for booking.

Join me next week for my final weekly Countdown to Christmas project.

Happy crafting

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store

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Two Cards For a Pair of Teenagers – Card 2

December 9, 2020December 3, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Yesterday, I shared a Birthday card I’d made for a teenager.

Here is the second project that appeared from the first.

Obviously, it uses the same colour combination of Mango Meloday and Basic Black.

This project uses the cut out from the words from the first card to create the ‘HAPPY’ outline for this one.

It just needed a curve cutting into it, again using the Home Together Dies. If I’d thought earlier, both curves could have been cut at the same time from one piece.

Once again, the sentiment is from the Well Said Stamp Set with shaping on the end using the Banners Pick a Punch.

I love it when things like this happen in crafting.

Here are the two projects together.

Happy crafting

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Two Cards For a Pair of Teenagers – Card 1

December 8, 2020December 7, 2020 ~ Karen Young

I mentioned previously that November is a busy month for Birthdays.

Here is the first of two cards for a pair of teenagers I have recently made. They were born within a few weeks of each other, so I normally create the same design for them.

When I had the idea for the project, I didn’t realise that it was going to form a second project too. A kind of 2-for-1.

I choose a Basic Black and Mango Melody monochrome colour scheme.

As the design is for a teenage boy, I chose to make it slightly abstract.

‘HAPPY’ is cut from the Playful Alphabets Dies, with the curved line from the Home Together Dies. These dies are in the Year End Closeout Sale that begins today. Make sure you take a look at all the discounted items.

The Basic Black curved piece is stuck on top of the Mango Melody layer.

Then, ‘HAPPY’ is carefully glued along the curve using wet glue.

Finally, a sentiment from the Well Said Stamp Set with ends shaped using the Banners Pick a Punch is added.

This Punch will not be available from 5th January, but will be back in May as it is carrying over to the 2021 Annual Catalogue. Check out all the items that will be taking a short break.

Pop back tomorrow to see the second project.

Happy crafting

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store

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Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Home Together Dies

December 7, 2020December 4, 2020 ~ Karen Young

On this day in 2015, I held my first Card & Cuppa session in a local cafe. Fast forward 5 years and they are still running (currently remotely), with some attendees from those first few weeks still joining me.

For last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project I used the Home Together Dies.

I’d made this project for one of my regular attendees and they mentioned that they wouldn’t mind making one like it.

It’s a project that can be a New Home card, or a Christmas Card, depending on how it is finished.

The colour combination is Just Jade and Bumblebee In Colors, along with Mint Macaron and Whisper White.

First, a length of the Metallic Mesh Ribbon is added across the back of the project. I love using this ribbon in this way. It’s great for adding texture, especially as I’m currently unable to send stamped images.

Then, each house is assembled with the relevant heart or star insert.

These houses are then attached to the strip using Tear & Tape. As the ribbon has holes in it, the Tear & Tape manages to bind to the cardstock underneath.

Using Dimensionals, the car is aded between the houses, again with the adhesive sticking to the cardstock.

If making this a Christmas Card, the tree is popped on top of the car.

The sentiment sits on a length of Basketweave Combo Ribbon with a cut out from centre of the house.

Finally, a few Rhinestones are added for an extra touch of sparkle.

Keep an eye on my Class Timetable as my 2021 schedule will be going live very soon.

Happy crafting

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store

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Special Christmas Cards – Poinsettia Dies

December 5, 2020December 1, 2020 ~ Karen Young

My final project for my recent Special Christmas Cards class uses the Poinsettia Dies.

It’s become tradition for me to include a Poinsettia project in this class, so this year couldn’t disappoint!

This stunning project is made in Real Red, Old Olive, and Very Vanilla, with Bumblebee flowers and Gold Foil Sheets.

The fabulous Poinsettia Dies not only cut, they emboss a beautiful pattern too.

Each section is firstly made up of two pieces. These are then layered together using Dimensionals to make the Poinsettia.

Using Gold Foil Sheet for a layer co-ordinates with the gold leaf pieces and the loop of Metallic Edge Ribbon.

The centre is filled with Metallic Pearls, there are handy little indentations that the pearls sit in perfectly.

Plus a few pearls are scattered around the poinsettia too.

All the projects in this class had a matching handmade box to make too. This one has an Old Olive base and Real Red top. I’ve decorated mine and the attendees were able to do the same with theirs too.

Here are all of the projects from the class. Do you have a favourite?

Remember to place any orders by the end of 9th December for pre-Christmas delivery.

Happy crafting

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store

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Countdown to Christmas #10

December 4, 2020December 1, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For Countdown to Christmas #10, I’m sharing the final project from my Crack Your Christmas Cards Class.

As with the other projects from this class, the card used the Tag Buffet Stamp Set.

Again, Garden Green, Real Red and Whisper White is the colour combination.

This project uses the paper piecing technique and fussy cutting.

By stamping the stocking onto two different pieces of cardstock and cutting them out, the white stocking pieces were stuck onto the Real Red main piece.

The stocking has also been stamped multiple times in Real Red to the right of the Whisper White piece.

Using a Blender Pen, these have been coloured slightly to match the paper pieced stocking.

A length of the Braided Linen Trim is looped behind a punched circle shape. This shape is raised using Dimensionals before the stocking is added to it.

Finally, some red Wonderful Gems add a touch of festive sparkle.

Pop back tomorrow for another Christmas project. Plus, my Countdown to Christmas series continues next Friday.

Here are all four class projects together. Do you have a favourite?

Keep an eye on my Class Timetable as details of 2021 Classes will be released very soon.

Don’t forget to place any orders by 9th December for pre-Christmas delivery.

Happy crafting

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store

Online Shopping Club Code Join my team Current Products Special Offers Book a Class

Special Christmas Cards – Sweetest Borders Dies

December 2, 2020November 27, 2020 ~ Karen Young

This candle project is another design from my recent Special Christmas Cards class.

It’s a nod to the project on Page 21 of the August-December Mini Catalogue.

Pear Pizzazz and Crumb Cake provide the base card and layer, with Garden Green and Real Red for the holly.

The candles are made from Copper Foil Sheets, with flames from the Perennial Flower Punch.

I think the attendees are talking to me again after this project, as it was a little bit fiddly!

Using Tear and Tape on the back of the holly, leaving the backing on, each of the pieces was infilled with the opposite colour piece on the front.

Then, Real Red pieces were added to the back to fill in for the holly berries.

I’m not sure if you can see it very well as the Copper Foil Sheets are shiny, but I have embossed the candles using the scoring blade on my Paper Trimmer.

The flames have a Wink of Stella sparkle added to them before the candles are stuck to the Whisper White layer.

A length of Ribbon from the Basket Weave Metallic Ribbon Combo Pack is attached to back of the holly piece.

This piece is then attached using lots of Dimensionals to raise it above the candles.

Finally, Wonderful Gems are added to some of the berries for some extra sparkle.

All of the projects for this class included a box to be made too. This one had a Crumb Cake base with a Pear Pizzazz top that I have decorated.

Pop back soon to see the final project from this class.

Happy crafting

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store

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Special Christmas Cards – Polar Bear Shaker Dome Card

December 1, 2020November 30, 2020 ~ Karen Young

As we’ve now reached December, I’ll be sharing Christmas projects on each post this week.

My regular Special Christmas Cards took place remotely a few weeks ago.

At the class, the attendees make three Christmas cards for the special people in their lives.

One of the projects is always more tailored towards children, and I’m sharing it with you today.

I’ve wanted to make a shaker card at class for AGES, and this year I did it, thanks to the fabulous Shaker Domes.

My colour combination is Seaside Spray, Night of Navy, Shimmery White, Whisper White and Silver.

The Snow Globe Scenes Dies provide the correct size hole for the the Shaker Dome, along with the polar bears and stand pieces. There are lots of other shapes in the dies too.

I coated my bears in Wink of Stella and cut a rough outline of snow for them to sit on before adding my Sequins for Everything shaker pieces.

These were then all sealed very carefully into the dome, ensuring it was firmly in place.

The Shimmery White layer was then sealed on top before attaching the whole piece to the base and layer.

A Night of Navy and Silver stand is then added to the front.

The attendees also had the word SNOW cut out from the Playful Alphabet Dies in their kits, plus some Rhinestones too. They could choose to use these if they wanted. Mine is still blank as I haven’t make a final decision on those yet!

Finally, a box was made for the finished Polar Bear Shaker Dome card to sit in. It has a Night of Navy base and Seaside Spray top.

I’ve stamped mine to add some decoration.