Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – Introducing Secret Sea

July 14, 2025July 13, 2025 ~ Karen Young

At last week’s Card & Cuppa class, we continued our theme of introducing the new In Colors for 2025-2027. This time, I was introducing Secret Sea.

I decided to make a more neutral project, so combined Secret Sea with Balmy Blue, Blueberry Bushel and Basic White.

The Elements of Text Stamp Set from the Online Exclusives Range provides the splats for the background. This stamping covers one side of the project, leaving some white space on the other side.

Leaves from the Terrific Toadstools Stamp Set are stamped onto a separate piece and then a bit of fussy cutting was needed.

A sentiment from the Simply Said Stamp Set is stamped onto a shape cut out using the Heartfelt Hexagon Punch.

Using a Stampin’ Blend in Secret Sea, a length of Woven Ribbon was coloured before being added across the centre.

The leaves are stuck to the sentiment and this piece is then raised up over the ribbon.

Finally some coordinating Flat Pearls were added.

For information, the picture below shows how Secret Sea compares to other colours in the current Stampin’ Up! range.

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. Items available while stocks last.

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Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – Beautiful Butterflies Bundle and Stampin’ Blends

June 16, 2025June 15, 2025 ~ Karen Young

Last week’s Card & Cuppa project used the Beautiful Butterflies Bundle and Stampin’ Blends to create this pretty Birthday Card.

My colour combination was Melon Mambo, Flirty Flamingo and Calypso Coral, with Pecan Pie and Basic White.

The background was created using ‘splats’ from both the Beautiful Butterflies Stamp Set and the Elements of Texture Stamp Set.

Next, the various butterfly shapes were cut out using the Dies from the Bundle in Basic White cardstock.

They were then coloured using Stampin’ Blends. The body in Pecan Pie and the wings in Melon Mambo, Flirty Flamingo and Calypso Coral. For the ‘half’ butterfly, this was coloured on both sides before being folded in two.

Each butterfly was then given a light coating of Wink of Stella.

For the two main butterflies, the back piece was curled before the middle layer was folded to create a spine and attached. Next, the body piece was stuck to the centre to complete the butterfly.

Only using glue down the centre gives the project a more 3D feel.

These two butterflies were stuck to the project using Mini Dimensionals.

The folded butterfly was attached to the sentiment and stuck to the project.

Finally, Rhinestones were added for an extra touch of bling.

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. Items available while stocks last.

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Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – A Trio of In Colors

May 26, 2025May 25, 2025 ~ Karen Young

Last week’s Card & Cuppa project used a trio of In Colors to create this pretty Birthday card.

I chose Petunia Pop, Pretty in Pink and Shy Shamrock from the 2024-2026 In Color Collection. These were combined with Basic White.

To begin, a sentiment from the Simply Said Stamp Set was added in Petunia Pop.

Next, a line was masked using a strip of cardstock. ‘Splats’ from the Elements of Text Stamp Set were then stamped in Pretty in Pink on the bottom part of the background. This Stamp Set is in the Online Exclusives range.

The join was concealed with a length of Silver Trim from the Gold & Silver Trim Combo Pack.

A circle was cut using a Circle Punch, also from the Online Exclusives range. This had three stems from the Bee My Valentine Stamp Set added in Shy Shamrock.

Using a Blending Brush, the edge of the punched circles was coloured, alson with strips of cardstock.

Heart shaped petals were cut out from the strips using the Bee Builder Punch, 5 hearts for each flower.

These were assembled using 1 heart for the base and sticking the other 4 petals onto it.

The flowers were then stuck to the stems using Glue Dots.

Tear and Tape was used to attached the circle of flowers to the project.

Finally, a Rhinestone was added to the centre of each flower.

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. Items available while stocks last.

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April Card Making Class – Project 3

April 23, 2025April 10, 2025 ~ Karen Young

This trio of purple butterflies is the third project from my April Card Making Class.

The attendees made four projects on the theme ‘All creatures great and small’.

For this design, my colour combination was Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather and Fresh Freesia, along with Basic White.

First, the background is stamped using the Elements of Text Stamp Set and Fresh Freesia using 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation stamping to create a mottled look. This Stamp Set is from the Online Exclusives range.

Next, each of the butterflies was stamped and cut out using the Sketched Butterflies Stamp Set and Dies Bundle. The largest is stamped in Gorgeous Grape, with the smaller ones in Highland Heather.

These items are on the Last Chance Products list, so grab them while you still can.

A sentiment from the Labeled with Love Stamp Set (also on the Last Chance Products list) is stamped in Gorgeous Grape.

Each of the butterflies has their wings curled using a Paper Folder. They are then stuck to the backround using a line of glue down their bodies only. This allows their curled wings to stand out.

Using Mini Dimensionals, the sentiment is raised up across the centre of the large butterfly.

Finally, Rhinestones are use to add a touch of bling.

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. Items available while stocks last.

NEW Stampin’ Rewards Join my team Current Products Offers & Promotions Book a Class

Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – Stippled Roses Stamp Set & Dies

March 24, 2025March 20, 2025 ~ Karen Young

Last week’s Card & Cuppa project was this sepia-toned any occasion card.

It uses the Stippled Roses Stamp Set and Dies, along with the Elements of Text Stamp Set.

My colour combination is Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Basic White and Very Vanilla.

To begin, the background is stamped with images from the Elements of Text Stamp Set. These are in a combination of first, second and third generation stamping to create the different depths of colour. The Stamp Set is from the Online Exclusives range.

Next, a Blending Brush is used to give the background a vintage feel.

The main roses image is then stamped onto a separate piece of cardstock. It is cut out using the matching dies.

More Crumb Cake cardstock is given a touch of extra colour in places with the Blending Brush before the leaves are cut out. Once they are cut, they given deeper colour as needed.

A White Watercolor Pencil, pressing quite hard, is used to colour the roses. Using a Blender Pen, areas of the white are then quickly blended to create a softer look.

The leaves are coloured by using the Blender Pen to pull the colour from the stamping.

Each of the die cut leaves are stuck to the background before the main rose piece is raised up using Dimensionals.

Some Antique Pearls are added for a fabulous finishing touch.

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. Items available while stocks last.

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March 2025 Card Making Class – Project 1

March 12, 2025March 11, 2025 ~ Karen Young

Last weekend I held my first in-person monthly Card Making Class of the year. It was my first in-person monthly class since before the pandemic started.

At the class, the attendees made 4 projects.

My first design was this kissing technique card, inspired by a project on the Stampin’ Up! website. It uses the Kiss of Texture Stamp Set, a new product in the Online Exclusives range.

I chose to use a colour combination of Basic Beige, Calypso Coral, Balmy Blue, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla.

To being, ‘splats’ from the Elements of Text Stamp Set, also in the Online Exclusives range are stamped tone-on-tone on the background.

Each of the shapes are then stamped using the kissing technique, where you ink up both stamps and use one as an inkpad for the other. Rather than using different colours for this, I chose to use stamping off for each colour.

The only exception was the sentiment from the Simply Said Stamp Set which was stamped in Early Espresso to allow it to stand out.

The shapes were cut out using the Stylish Shapes Dies.

Lengths of Very Vanilla Baker’s Twine were then laid across the background and the shapes were stuck down. The circle was tucked behind the twine, while the other shapes were stuck together and raised up on Dimensionals.

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. Items available while stocks last.

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Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – Elements of Text

February 17, 2025February 13, 2025 ~ Karen Young

At last week’s Card & Cuppa class the design used a new Stamp Set from the Online Exclusives range.

The project is based on this design I created back in 2020.

I have used Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla with two In Colors, Peach Pie and Pretty in Pink. This colour combination creates a vintage feel.

To begin, two of the images are stamped second generation on the background piece and then given a more vintage feel using a Blending Brush and Stampin’ Pad.

Next, six circles, three in Crumb Cake and 3 in Very Vanilla were cut out using Circle Punches, also from the Online Exclusives range.

Images were them stamped onto the Very Vanilla circles in each of the colours.