Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Rain Boot Dies

April 4, 2022April 4, 2022 ~ Karen Young

Last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project used the Rain Boots Dies to create a card perfect for those with green fingers.

Rain Boots Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

My colours start with Fresh Freesia, taken from the strip of Heart & Home DSP.

Cinnamon Cider, Evening Evergreen, Daffodil Delight, Blushing Bride, Old Olive and Basic White complete the combination.

The flower pot, watering can and boots are all cut out using the Rain Boot Dies from the Mini Catalogue.

Each piece was then given a touch of extra depth using an inkpad and Sponge Dauber. As the colours are fairly dark, I was able to use Daffodil Delight for all of them.

For the flowers, I used the retiring Strawberry Builder Punch, with the Flowers & Leaves Punch for the leaves.

Rain Boots Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

A length of the Windowpane Check Ribbon was stuck across the join of the DSP.

Wink of Stella was added to the flowers with a centre for each from the Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack.

The pieces were the layered together to create one large piece which was stuck to the project using Dimensionals.

Finally, a flat bow was added to project.

Rain Boots Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I chose to leave my project sentiment free as it’s perfect for any occasion.

Don’t forget that products on the Last Chance List are only available until 2nd May, 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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Abstract Beauty DSP Meets Stampin’ Blends

March 16, 2022March 15, 2022 ~ Karen Young

I’m loving the Abstract Beauty 4″x6″ DSP from the Mini Catalogue.

Abstract Beauty DSP Meets Stampin' Blends. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

As one of the pieces has a black and white design, I reached for my Stampin’ Blends to add some colour.

Using Poppy Parade and So Saffron for the flowers, Granny Apple Green and Old Olive for the leaves, and only colouring a few of the pieces, it allows them to really pop.

I’m a fan of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and I think this is a little nod to his style.

Abstract Beauty DSP Meets Stampin' Blends. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Three pieces of Simply Elegant Trim in Gold are added to coordinate with the Gold foil elements in the DSP.

Next, I took some hexagonal cut outs from the Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack, also in Gold.

These had a sentiment from the Hello Beautiful Stamp Set stuck to them, with the edges cut to meet the hexagonal shape.

Due to the bulk of the Gold Trim, the hexagon and sentiment piece sits over it using Dimensionals.

Abstract Beauty DSP Meets Stampin' Blends. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

As well as the current range of colours, make sure you take a look at the new early release skin tone Stampin’ Blends.

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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Countdown to Christmas 2021 #5

October 30, 2021October 29, 2021 ~ Karen Young

It’s time for project 5 in my Countdown to Christmas 2021 series and I’ve created this poinsettia Christmas Card.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #5. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Many of you will know that I love a poinsettia project for Christmas.

In fact, it has become tradition that there is a poinsettia project at my annual Special Christmas Cards Class.

This card uses a traditional Real Red and Old Olive colour combination.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #5. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

For the background, I’ve used a Blending Brush to create a red area behind the poinsettia.

A couple of lengths of the pretty Gold Shimmer ribbon create the present effect. This then has a tag cut from the Tailor Made Tags dies, stamped with a sentiment from the Penguin Place Stamp Set. It’s attached at the outer end using Dimensionals.

The Poinsettia Dies provide the focal piece. These pieces are layered together in an offset way. Using Tear & Tape, this is stuck to the project.

Finally, a touch of Wink of Stella and a sequin from the Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack add some sparkle to the centre.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #5. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I hope you’ve enjoyed this project. Don’t forget to pop back for the next in my Countdown to Christmas 2021 series.

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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Expressions in Ink for a 50th

September 28, 2021September 24, 2021 ~ Karen Young

Today I’m sharing a card for another 50th Birthday being celebrated this September.

Expressions in Ink for a 50th. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I thought it was the perfect time to take inspiration from the project on the front cover of the Annual Catalogue.

It uses the Expressions in Ink Suite Collection. The two pieces of DSP create a background.

Using Gold Foil Sheets, the ’50’ is cut from the Playful Alphabet Dies, with the leaves from the Artistic Dies from the Suite. This coordinates with the gold foiling running through the DSP.

The flowers from the Artistically Inked Stamp Set are stamped in Polished Pink to coordinate with the DSP, with the leaves in Pear Pizzazz. These are all cut using the Dies.
Expressions in Ink for a 50th. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Each piece is then layered together, along with a length of Gold Shimmer Ribbon. A sentiment then sits on top of the roses.

Finally, a touch of Wink of Stella is added to the centre of the flowers, with sequins from the Ephemera Pack dotted around the project.

Expressions in Ink for a 50th. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

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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Summery Sweet Strawberry

July 24, 2021July 23, 2021 ~ Karen Young

The colour combination may look familiar on today’s project.

Summery Sweet Strawberry. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

It’s the same colour combination I used yesterday. While the colours were on my desk, I made another card and created this summery project.

This time it uses the Sweet Strawberry Bundle (Sweet Strawberry Stamp Set and Strawberry Builder Punch).

This Bundle is discounted in the Annual Catalogue.

The bottom section is stamped multiple times with the flower shapes, both the inner and outline images.

Next, strips of Magenta Madness, Mango Melody and Calypso Coral are added. Any overhang is cut away before it is added to the layer.

Summery Sweet Strawberry. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

As with yesterday, the sentiment is stamped and then shaped using the Banners Pick a Punch.

Then, a stamped and punched flower in each colour is added to the sentiment. Each flower has a sequin from the Ephemera Pack in the centre.

The sentiment and flowers are attached using Dimensionals.

Summery Sweet Strawberry. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, a few more sequins are dotted around the bottom section.

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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Marvellous Mango Melody, Calypso Coral & Magenta Madness Marbling

July 23, 2021July 22, 2021 ~ Karen Young

How fabulous is this marble background?

Marvellous Mango Melody, Calypso Coral & Magenta Madness Marbling. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Would you believe that it is actually stamped? The Artistically Inked Stamp Set is just amazing.

As a DISTINKTIVE set, it provides even more depth and intensity to the images, making them even more realistic.

It really is one of the ‘must have’ stamp sets from the Annual Catalogue.

Using a colour combination of Mango Melody, Calypso Coral & Magenta Madness, the marble image is stamped multiple times. Each one is stamped off at least once to begin with to soften the tone.

If you’re not sure what I mean by stamping off, check out my Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques Video on the topic.

Marvellous Mango Melody, Calypso Coral & Magenta Madness Marbling. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

With the beautiful background created and stuck onto a Thick Basic White base card and Magenta Madness layer, it didn’t need much else.

A sentiment from the Stamp Set, with the ends shaped using the Banners Pick a Punch, is stuck onto a shape from the Ephemera Pack. Gold leaves, also from the pack, are then added.

Marvellous Mango Melody, Calypso Coral & Magenta Madness Marbling. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, sequins from the Ephemera Pack are dotted around to add a touch of sparkle.

I love how stylish this card looks. It would be great in other colours too.

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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Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Stitched Greenery Die

July 12, 2021July 2, 2021 ~ Karen Young

When I showed my Card & (Your) Cuppa attendees this recent project, they asked if they could make a version.

Stitched Greenery Die. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Not wishing to disappoint, I recreated it in different colours and orientation, for last week’s class.

My colour combination for this version is Polished Pink, Soft Sea Foam and Basic White, with Gold accents.

The Stitched Greenery Die creates a beautiful pattern that is great for backgrounds.

Stitched Greenery Die. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Die cut shapes from the Artistic Dies provide the intricate floral outline. Plus the shape for the sentiment and the tiny Polished Pink flowers too. The tiny flowers are given a Wink of Stella coating.

Using a Polished Pink Stampin’ Write Marker, I was able to ink up each word from the Art Gallery Stamp Set sentiment separately to allow it to fit into the shape.

The Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack provide the gold leaves and a swoosh of coordinating In Color Open Weave Ribbon sits behind the sentiment.

Stitched Greenery Die. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, sequins, also from the Ephemera Pack are added to the centre of the tiny flowers.

I really like this design and have a feeling I’ll be using it quite a lot!

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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Hybrid Daisies

June 8, 2021June 7, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For today’s project, I sharing these hybrid daisies with you.

Hybrid Daisies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

These are a hybrid of the Flowers of Friendship Stamp Set for the stems and leaves, with the Medium Daisy Punch creating the flowers.

As the daisies cover the flowers in the stamped image, you wouldn’t know they were there.

A colour combination of Daffodil Delight, Just Jade and Basic White give this project a fresh summery feel.

Hybrid Daisies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Using a Blender Pen, the leaves are given a soft hint of colour.

Next, a strip of Just Jade Ribbon from the Flowers For Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack lays down one side. A strip of Daffodil Delight stamped tone-on-tone sits on top.

This is topped with a sentiment from the Stamp Set and cut out using the Label Me Fancy Punch.

For the daisies, two shapes are layered and given a yellow centre using a Sponge Dauber.

Finally, after these are attached, the centres have a touch of sparkle using sequins from the Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack.

Hybrid Daisies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Why not 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

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Stitched Greenery Meets Artistically Inked

June 5, 2021June 4, 2021 ~ Karen Young

The new Stitched Greenery Die has been sitting in my ‘use me’ pile for a few weeks now.

It was time to have a little play…

Stitched Greenery Meets Artistically Inked. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

My colour combination is Soft Succulent and Rich Razzleberry, with Very Vanilla.

Using the Stitched Greenery Die on Soft Succulent makes a lovely background for my focal flowers.

Stitched Greenery Meets Artistically Inked. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The main floral outline shape is cut from the Artistic Dies. This sits on the background, before Gold leaves from the Ephemera Pack are added.

Both the Stitched Greenery Dies and the Artistically Inked Bundle are new products in the Annual Catalogue.

Using a Stampin’ Blend, a length of Crinkled Seam Binding is coloured. Stampin’ Up! don’t have Rich Razzleberry Blends, but running the Light Blackberry Bliss Stampin’ Blend over the ribbon a couple of times made it a very close match.

Stitched Greenery Meets Artistically Inked. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, the sentiment and flowers from the Bundle are stamped and cut out before being added to the project.

I really like how this project came out. It’s likely a similar project to this will appear at a future Card & (Your) Cuppa Class.

Why not book a place on 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

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Sweet Strawberry Buttercups

June 1, 2021May 29, 2021 ~ Karen Young

What on earth are Sweet Strawberry Buttercups I hear you ask?

Well, they are buttercups made using the Sweet Strawberry Bundle (Sweet Strawberry Stamp Set and Strawberry Builder Punch).

Sweet Strawberry Buttercups. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

There are lots and lots of buttercups around at the moment and this inspired me to create a project. My most recent Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video on YouTube talks about taking inspiration from the world around you. That’s just what I did here.

I just had to use the Expressions in Ink Specialty DSP again and this helped me to choose Just Jade and Mint Macaron for my colours. Daffodil Delight is the colour I chose for my interpretation of buttercups.

Sweet Strawberry Buttercups. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The Sweet Strawberry Bundle provides the flowers and sentiment and the Layering Diorama Dies create the shaped pieces. I’ve used them in a non-layering way here, choosing to rotate one 180 degrees.

Leaves are from the Symmetrical Stems Border Punch. I know they are nothing like buttercup leaves, but it’s inspiration, rather than precision for this project!

Sweet Strawberry Buttercups. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

A length of gold Simply Elegant Trim is looped between the layers before the top layer is raised using Dimensionals. This coordinates with the gold running through the DSP beautifully.

Finally, sequins from the Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack add a touch of sparkle.

Are you a fan of this DSP? I think it has to be one of my favourites from the Annual Catalogue.

Why not join me at one of my classes where we use a variety of products, including DSP. Visit 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

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