Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Alternatives to Basic White and Very Vanilla

October 28, 2021October 27, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For this week’s Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video, I’m sharing a tip on using alternatives to Basic White and Very Vanilla.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Alternatives to Basic White and Very Vanilla. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Click on the link below to watch my video on this subject

My colour combination is Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Early Espresso for this project.

I’ve used the Flowers of Friendship Stamp Set and Flowers & Leaves Punch Bundle from the Annual Catalogue.

The background flowers are given a touch more colour using a Blender Pen. Their centres are given a touch of sparkle using Wink of Stella.

Corners are then rounded using the Detailed Trio Punch.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Alternatives to Basic White and Very Vanilla. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

A length of the Gold Shimmer Ribbon goes across the project. It works really well with the colour combination.

Using the sentiment from the Flowers of Friendship, this is cut out using the Tasteful Labels Dies and attached with Dimensionals.

Separate flowers and leaves are then added to this.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Alternatives to Basic White and Very Vanilla. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, some Brushed Metallic Dots, in coordinating Gold are dotted around the project.

Join me at one of my online classes. Head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store. Items available while stocks last.

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Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Random Stamping

October 7, 2021September 28, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For this week’s Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video, the topic is random stamping.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Random Stamping. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Click on the picture below to watch my video all about this technique.

Today’s project uses the Forever Fern Stamp Set Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent and Pear Pizzazz, with Very Vanilla.

Once the background is created, it’s just a matter of adding the relevant sentiment on top.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Random Stamping. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I chose to round the corners of my project using the Detailed Trio Punch.

This mirrors the layers for my sentiment that are cut using the Layering Circles Dies.

The sentiment then sits on top of a length of coordinating In Color Ribbon.

A few In Colour Jewels are added as a finishing touch.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Random Stamping. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video. Pop back next week for the next one.

Join me at one of my online classes. Head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store. Items available while stocks last.

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SAB Birthday Circles

September 15, 2021September 14, 2021 ~ Karen Young

The fabulous Textures & Frames Stamp Set makes another appearance with this simple Birthday card.

SAB Birthday Circles. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

It uses just two stamps from the Stamp Set to create the background in Misty Moonlight and Mossy Meadow. Combined with Very Vanilla, this colour combination is great for those more masculine projects.

The central piece is cut using the Layering Circles Dies, with a sentiment from the Nuts About Squirrels Stamp Set. As I wanted the sentiment on two rows, I used a Stampin’ Write Marker to ink up each part separately.

Find out more about inking up stamps with Stampin’ Write Markers at my Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques Series.

SAB Birthday Circles. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

As I was using circles, I used the Detailed Trio Punch to round the corners to match.

A length of the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack in coordinating Very Vanilla is wrapped around the project.

SAB Birthday Circles. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, the sentiment piece is raised up using Dimensionals.

I really love this stamp set and am going to miss it when Sale-A-Bration is over. Make sure you don’t miss out on getting your hands on one.

Why not earn this stamp set for FREE and make your own versions in lots of different colours. Remember, items are only available until the end of September, while stocks last.

Join me at one of my online classes. Head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

To order any of the supplies shown below, head to my Online Store. Items available while stocks last.

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Orange-Tip Butterfly Inspiration

May 29, 2021May 28, 2021 ~ Karen Young

On one of our recent walks, we saw some Orange-tip butterflies.

I wasn’t quick enough to grab a picture of them. But, with their distinctive look, I chose to make a project using them as inspiration.

If you haven’t already done so, check out my recent Top Tips, Tricks and Techniques video where I talk about taking inspiration from the world around you.

Orange-tip butterfly inspiration. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

This project combines quite a lot of products. New in the Annual Catalogue, the Butterfly Brilliance Stamp Set and Dies and Quiet Meadow Stamp Set. Plus, from the January-June Mini Catalogue, the Vine Design Bundle, Twine Combo Pack and Double Oval Punch.

I’ll miss the Vine Design Stamp Set and Die Bundle when it retires at the end of June. If you want to get your hands on this Bundle, make sure you grab it while you can as items are only available while stocks last.

For my colour combination, I chose Pear Pizzazz and So Saffron. The orange tips are coloured using Watercolor Pencils and a Blender Pen.

Orange-tip butterfly inspiration. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

After stamping in Basic Gray and cutting and colouring the butterfly, I turned my attention to the background.

As you know, I love ‘splat’ stamp images, and the new Quiet Meadow Stamp Set was just perfect for this project.

Also, as I was using more rounded shapes, I used the Detailed Trio Punch to round the corners too.

A sentiment from the Vine Design Stamp Set is raised over a length of twine from the Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack.

The butterfly then sits on a die cut that I have coloured using Sponge Daubers.

Finally a few Gold Metallic Pearls are popped around the card.

Orange-tip butterfly inspiration. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Don’t forget that the JOIN+ offer ends on Monday. Find out more about this fabulous offer and how to join my team.

For full details of my 2021 Classes, head to my Class Timetable.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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

An Elegantly Said In Color Happy Birthday

May 19, 2021May 17, 2021 ~ Karen Young

This bright card is the perfect way to say Happy Birthday.

An Elegantly Said In Color Happy Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

It combines two of the new In Colors, Polished Pink and Fresh Freesia, with the also new Elegantly Said Bundle (Elegantly Said Stamp Set and Elegant Tag Punch).

These items can be found in the Annual Catalogue where you can find my inspiration for this project on Page 69.

Make sure you check out my new Tips, Tricks & Techniques videos, where my first tip was all about CASE-ing Stampin’ Up! publications, as I’ve done here.

Again, Polished Pink is outside of my comfort zone, but I know the recipient of this card likes pink.

I think this is my last very pink project for a while!

An Elegantly Said In Color Happy Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

First, the corners are rounded using the Detailed Trio Punch.

The background is a mix of tone-on-tone stamping with the flower image. Then, using the White Ink Pad, the larger image is stamped over the top.

An Elegant Tag Punch shape has the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Vine Design Stamp Set added. Don’t forget about this and other items in the January-June Mini Catalogue!

Using Fresh Freesia, the tag also has tone-on-tone stamping added.

A bow using the Silver spool from the Simply Elegant Trim brings a touch of glimmer.

With a loop of the In Color Ribbon stuck onto the project, the sentiment is layered on top using Dimensionals.

An Elegantly Said In Color Happy Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, In Color Jewels add a touch more sparkle.

Why not join me at one of my online classes? Head to my Class Timetable for full details and to book your place.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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Butterfly Brilliance Bundle Birthday

April 3, 2021April 1, 2021 ~ Karen Young

This pretty butterfly from the Butterfly Brilliance Bundle flew to one of my Nieces for her Birthday.

Butterfly Brilliance Bundle Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I chose a soft colour combination of Petal Pink, Pear Pizzazz and Gray Granite, with Very Vanilla

With the corners rounded using the Detailed Trio Punch, it was time for the stamping.

The leaves and splatter images from Forever Fern Stamp Set create the backdrop for the butterfly.

Butterfly Brilliance Bundle Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs Using the items from the Butterfly Brilliance Bundle, the butterfly is stamped and cut out. To add a touch of colour, I used Stampin’ Blends, using the darker blend on the darker patches of stamping and the lighter blend for the rest.

The Vine Design Stamp Set from the January-June Mini Catalogue provides the sentiment, cut out with the Double Oval Punch. Butterfly Brilliance Bundle Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, some Elegant Faceted Gems in co-ordinating Petal Pink add a subtle touch of bling.

This fabulous bundle is available as an early release product, before it joins us from May in the new Catalogue.

As there is a new Catalogue on the way, make sure you check out the Retiring List and get your hands on them while you can.

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

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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Quite Curvy Bundle Birthday Card in Bermuda Bay

December 26, 2020December 17, 2020 ~ Karen Young

This pretty monochrome Bermuda Bay Birthday card uses the early release Quite Curvy Bundle from the new January-June Mini Catalogue.

It also uses a new item that will be available in the upcoming SAB too. The fabulous Oh So Ombre 6×6 DSP Pack is an item you’ll be able to earn for FREE during January and February 2021.

The wavy line is cut using the Curvy Dies. This piece is then stuck to the DSP.

A sentiment follows the curve, with a few leaves stamped in the corner.

The corners are given a round shape with the Detailed Trio Punch to match the curvy details.

Leaves are then cut from the dies using the different parts of the DSP to create varying shades of Bermuda Bay.

These stuck behind a Whisper White flower cut using the Small Bloom Punch.

Finally, Metallic Pearls coloured with a Bermuda Bay Stampin’ Blend are added to the project.

Make sure you keep an eye out for when the Mini Catalogue goes live on 5th January.

In the meantime, take a look at the special offers.

Don’t forget to check out my online class timetable for 2021 too.

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

Christmas Packaging

December 19, 2020December 18, 2020 ~ Karen Young

If you’re in the middle of wrapping presents, then this box is perfect for Christmas packaging.

It’s a great size for chocolates, toiletries etc.

The box slides out from a belly band to reveal the contents.

My main box is made using Pear Pizzazz Cardstock. It’s a lidless box and can be made to your own dimensions. It is a stamp free project, but you can decorate the box and tag as you require.

Make sure you use a Paper Folder to make those score lines nice and crisp. Plus, use a strong adhesive such as Multipurpose Glue, Tear & Tape or SEAL+ to ensure the box doesn’t fall apart.

For the belly band, I used the box dimensions and added 1mm to each measurement when I scored. This allows the belly band to fit over the box and slide nicely, without being too tight or too loose.

For the tag, the Fancy Tag Topper Punch and the Detailed Trio Punch gave me the shape.

Then, I punched a circle from matching Real Red Cardstock and a Pine Tree Punch shape from the offcut of DSP.

These were stuck together then attached with Dimensionals. As I popped a Rhinstone at the top of the tree, I made sure a tiny piece of Dimensional was stuck behind that too.

Finally, a piece of Real Red Braided Linen Trim is threaded through the tag to attach it.

I love making boxes and hope to make many more of them in 2021. Watch this space!

Make sure you check out the offers on the Great Year-End Closeout Sale.

Happy crafting

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

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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

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

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A Floral Thank You

October 28, 2020October 22, 2020 ~ Karen Young

I recently redesigned my Craft Room, and mentioned in passing during one of my online classes that I thought it needed some plants.

This floral thank you is for one of my class attendees who kindly provided me with two plants that are now sitting in my room.

The plants were an Anthurium and an Aloe Vera.

As the Anthurium has red flowers, this is why my colour combination is Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz, with a Terracotta Tile pot.

The corners are rounded using the Detailed Trio Punch, before adding the sentiment and stamped flowers.

‘a little note’ is from the Butterfly Gala Stamp Set and sits in the bottom corner.

Although the images from the Field of Flowers Stamp Set aren’t exactly like the Anthurium flowers, using the two colours allowed me to give a general impression of them.