A Box of Birthday Balloons

November 21, 2020November 20, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For my Niece’s recent lockdown 18th, I made this box of birthday balloons.

I haven’t made a pop-up box for a while, so I thought it was the perfect occasion.

These lay flat for postage with the box flaps up, then, when the recipient opens it, the flaps fall down and the box takes shape.

My colour combination is from the dotty Playing With Patterns DSP I have used. It’s Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Purple Posy and Whisper White.

Coastal Cabana is the main colour for the box. Using the Detailed Trio Punch, I rounded the corners of the box and the DSP.

The balloons, cut using the Balloon Bouquet Punch are embossed. Tasteful Textile and Wrapped in Texture Embossing Folders create the fun patterns.

Attaching the balloons to the strings I made from the Hippo & Friends Dies was made easier by sandwiching them between the embossed ballon and a plain balloon shape.

This also means that when it lays flat, the balloons don’t stick to each other.

I popped three strips across the inside of the box. This not only gave me something to attach the ballons too, but provided some extra rigidity.

As I attached the balloons to the strips, I was carefully checking they wouldn’t foul each other, or overhang the edge too far when folded.

Once I was happy with the positions, I sandwiched the bottom of the strings in with another piece of Coastal Cabana Cardstock.

There had to be an ’18’, so using Silver Foil Sheets, this and the sentiment were cut out. Playful Alphabet Dies for the ’18’ and Well Written Dies for the sentiment.

Finally, a length of matching Playing With Patterns Combo Ribbon is stuck around the box, along with some Playing With Patterns Resin Dots.

I also made an envelope too, but didn’t take a picture of that!

Happy crafting

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Card & (Your) Cuppa for Children – A Wave of Balloons

August 29, 2020August 28, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For my final Card & (Your) Cuppa for Children class of the summer, I designed this wave of balloons project.

It uses mulitples of the same shape in shades of blue and purple to create a fabulous card. Using the same shape multiple times is really effective. It also saves a lot of time and effort!

For my purples we have my go-to trio of Purple Posy, Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape. My blues are Pacific Point, Balmy Blue and Seaside Spray. As there are lots of colours, they are all mounted onto a Thick Whisper White basecard. This allows each colour to pop.

The Lovely Labels Pick a Punch creates the ends of the strips and the sentiment, with the balloons cut using the Balloon Bouquet Punch.

Once everything is cut, it’s time to start arranging the pieces how you’d like them. My project has the lighter colour strips and darker balloons in the centre for a contrast. I also made the centre strip and centre balloon in the opposite colour to the others.

A couple of pieces of the Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon create a cross in the middle.

With the centre balloon attached with Dimensionals, the ‘Happy Birthday’ is from the Timeless Tulips Stamp Set is added. This sentiment works really well with the narrowest setting on the punch.

Finally, some Rhinestone Birthday bling was added.

My young students have been brilliant and have created some fabulous projects.

Card & (Your) Cuppa for Children will be returning in the October Half-Term. Dates will be announced soon, so keep an eye on my Class Timetable for full details.

If you’d like to join me for other classes, my Class Timetable has all the information you need.

Happy crafting

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BYO Stamps – Balloon Bouquet Punch

July 28, 2020July 26, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For last week’s BYO Stamps Class, all three project designs were about using ‘splat’ stamps and drawing the eye.

The first project is this bright Birthday Card.

Balloons cut using the Balloon Bouquet Punch are coloured with Sponge Daubers. They are then given some extra tone-on-tone definition using the ‘splat’ stamp from the Forever Fern Stamp Set.

This ‘splat’ stamp then creates an outline around the area of the Daffodil Delight circle. Again all of the colours are used.

Using Linen Thread, tails are stuck to each balloon. Two balloons are stuck directly onto the project.

A sentiment from the Many Mates Stamp Set has the words coloured using Blender Pens to pull the ink. This sentiment has the final balloon added to it and is then stuck to the card using Dimensionals. The balloon tails hang behind this raised piece,

Using a short piece of Linen Thread to tie all the balloon tails together, these can then be arranged as needed. I have stuck the knot to the project using a little bit of Multipurpose Glue to hold it in place.

Finally, some Rhinestones add some Birthday bling!

Why not join us for a future BYO Stamps Class. They run fortnightly. Head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

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Doggy Duo Saying Happy Birthday

June 25, 2020June 24, 2020 ~ Karen Young

I recently shared two of the three Birthday cards I was asked to make for a regular class attendee. Well, here’s the final one for this special commission, and it’s this cute doggy duo.

The other projects can be seen here and here.

Doggy Duo saying Happy Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

As they are a huge dog lover, I just knew I had to include them on one of the cards. I’ve made these dogs, cut from the the Dog Builder Punch to look like the doggy duo they have at home.

This punch has carried over to the new Annual Catalogue, so if you’re a dog lover, you would be barking mad not to have it (sorry!) It is also a great companion punch to the new Playful Pets Suite too.

The white dog has a mottled effect by using Sponge Daubers with Soft Suede and Smoky Slate ink. The collars are from Rhinestones.

Doggy Duo saying Happy Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Using colours from the Brights Collection, the balloons are cut with the Balloon Bouquet Punch. These are then glued together in bunches with a length of Linen Thread from the bottom balloon to the tails.

Rather than tying the other end to the tails, I made separate bows and added them afterwards.

The Happy Birthday sentiment is cut from the Well Written Dies and very carefully added across the balloons with Fine-Tip Glue. This, along with the background layer use Silver Foil Sheets.

Doggy Duo saying Happy Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Using Dimensionals, everything is then added to the card.

As this is a square card, so I also made a matching envelope using Designer Series Paper.

Why not join me for one of my classes. Head to my Class Timetable for full details and booking information.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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Mystery Pack – Lots of Balloons

April 23, 2020April 23, 2020 ~ Karen Young

This are the contents of last week’s Mystery Pack Kit. It contained lots of balloons.

I used the colours from the In Color 2018-20 Collection that will be retiring very soon. The combination of Lovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Pineapple Punch and Call Me Clover are so bright and fresh together, especially when paired with Whisper White.

Everyone who receives the kit has to create a card using any number of the items in the kit. Adhesive, scissors, Wink of Stella and a sentiment were also allowed for this project.

Here is the project I made. A video of how I made the project can be found here on my YouTube Channel.

As you can see, I didn’t stick with the balloons! I turned the Hot Air Balloon Punch shape into a vase and the other balloons into petals.

What was interesting is that one of the recipients of the kit also used the Hot Air Balloon Punch shape as a vase, and put the Rhinestones in exactly the same place I had.

I used the ribbon for the stem and the Baker’s Twine to wrap around the ‘vase’. Wink of Stella made an appearance as it was added to the centre of the flower.

The Hot Air Balloon Punch, Circle Punches and Baker’s Twine I used have just appeared on the retiring list, so make sure you grab these and other favourite items while stocks last.

If you’d like to take part in one of my Mystery Pack Kits, or any of my other classes and packs I’m providing at this time, then head to my Social Isolation Classes page for full details and booking deadlines.

Happy crafting

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

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Punch Art Easter Eggs

April 11, 2020April 9, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Here is the second project from my Children’s Easter Card Making Kits. Today it is punch art Easter eggs, to go with the Easter lamb I shared the other day.

As we can’t hold face-to-face Children’s Card & Cuppa sessions during the school holidays at the moment, I put together this Children’s Card Making Kit with an Easter theme instead.

These cheerful (calorie-free) Easter eggs begin life as balloons from the Balloon Bouquet Punch and are then decorated. The eggs can be decorated in a number of different ways, using lots of different mediums. You can let your imagination run wild.

As you can see, I chose to use punched shapes. I’ve used the 1/2″ Circle Punch and Classic Label Punch for my spots and stripes, in a range of colours from the Brights Collection.

I’ve put together a craft-along video to accompany this project kit. Grab your kit, click on this video link and have some fun.

Take a look at the other Classes I have available, from live Zoom sessions, to Mystery Packs and also non-crafting options too.

Happy crafting

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

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Punch Art Easter Lamb

April 9, 2020April 8, 2020 ~ Karen Young

How cute is this punch art Easter lamb? It’s one of the projects from my Children’s Card Making Kits.

I designed two Easter cards for the kit and this is the first. These Children’s Card Making Kits are part of my Social Isolation Classes offering, currently replacing my regular face-to-face Card & Cuppa for Children Classes I would have been holding during the Easter holidays.

Although the project is designed with children in mind, it’s a perfect project for anyone to create!

Balmy Blue Sky, Garden Green Grass and a Daffodil Delight sun are joined by a Basic Black and Whisper White lamb.

Quite a collection of punches are used from Circle to Layering Circles Dies, there’s even Balloon Bouquet and Elephant Builder Punches used too. You’ll notice that it also uses the Small Bloom Punch from SAB that isn’t currently available. But, fingers crossed it will be making an appearance in the Catalogue again soon.

The project has an accompanying craft-along video that you can join in with too, where I take you through all the steps to make this punch art Easter lamb.

I hope you enjoy the project. Pop back soon to see the other card from this Easter Kit.

To join in with any of my classes, head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

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Bugs, Beasts & Butterflies – Lovely Little Elephants

April 2, 2020April 3, 2020 ~ Karen Young

This is the penultimate project from my Bugs, Beasts & Butterflies Class and it uses the lovely Little Elephant Stamp Set and matching punch.

Lovely Little Elephant. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I couldn’t run a ‘beasts’ class without including an elephant!

This project would be great for a new baby congratulations, or a Birthday with a change of sentiment.

The colours are Soft Sea Foam and Smoky Slate, combined with Whisper White.

The smaller elephant is holding a balloon of balloons, as I’ve used the Balloon Bouquet Punch to cut them out.

Fine-Tip Glue was used to stick the Soft Sea Foam ears to the Smoky Slate stamped elephants.

A length of Metallic Edge Ribbon has been coloured with a Soft Sea Foam Stampin’ Blend to co-ordinate the colours. Then a length of Whisper White Baker’s Twine has been wrapped around it.

SNAIL has been used to attach the larger elephants, but the smaller one has been made to stand out using Dimensionals.

Pop back soon for the final project from the class.

Have you seen the new products that have been released this month? Check them out here.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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DARK SOFT SEA FOAM STAMPIN' BLENDS MARKER

Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – Wiggle Worm Bundle

September 2, 2019September 1, 2019 ~ Karen Young

At a Card & Cuppa for Children recently, we used the Wiggle Worm Bundle. Well, it only seemed fair that the adult class should have a play with this fab bundle too!

Wiggle Worm Bundle. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

This project is similar to this one the children made, with a few tweaks.

The Artisan Textures Stamp Set in Granny Apple Green makes the grass, with Balmy Blue for the clouds.

Wiggle Worm Stamp Set images are stamped in Basic Gray and then coloured with Watercolor Pencils. They are then cut out using the fabulous co-ordinating dies.

An added leaf, the more detailed flowers and the sentiment are all in Call Me Clover.

Finally, the sentiment is cut out using the Balloon Bouquet Punch and attached to the worm using Baker’s Twine. This has been coloured with a Dark Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blend to co-ordinate the colours.

With this Wiggle Worm Bundle, you can be as realistic or as abstract as you like with the colours.

My favourite character in this set is the worm. It’s got a cheeky charm!

Why not join us at a future Card & Cuppa session. There are three venues to choose from. Book your place by 18:00 the day before.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

To order any of the supplies used, click on the product images below to go to my online store.

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Granny Apple Green Dark Stampin' Blends Marker

Four Little Elephants

April 25, 2019April 25, 2019 ~ Karen Young

I realised that I hadn’t shared this cute Birthday card with you. It was for the son of a close friend, so I made these four little elephants to celebrate.

Four Little Elephants. Project Designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

It was the first time I’d used the Elephant Builder Punch and I fell in love straight away. There are two sizes of elephant and these are the smaller ones.

I was reminded of the rhyme about little elephants balancing on a piece of string – I bet you’re singing it now aren’t you!

The elephants are made from Smoky Slate with Basic Gray ears, with the leader switched.

A banner from the Pick a Pennant Stamp Set in Balmy Blue created a fun celebration feeling to the card. This Stamp Set is on the Retiring List so make sure you grab it while you can.

Four Little Elephants. Project Designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The finishing touches were the balloon with the ‘4’ stamped using the Pick a Pennant Stamp Set, cut out with Balloon Bouquet Punch (also on the Retiring List). Plus, a Baker’s Twine string for the balloon, and eyes in Basic Black.

This fun Elephant Builder Punch comes in a bundle with the Little Elephant Stamp Set. Although it’s carrying over to the new Catalogue, it’s only available in this discounted bundle until 3rd June. That’s too good a deal to miss, order yours today.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

To order any of the supplies used, click on the product images below to go to my online store.

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