Finishing Up Friday – Aspen Tree Dies

September 9, 2022September 9, 2022 ~ Karen Young

This week’s Finishing Up Friday uses pre-cut pieces from this Card & (Your) Cuppa project.

The tree cut out and embossed leaves are from the Aspen Tree Dies from the July-December Mini Catalogue. Other leaves are cut from the Forever Flourishing Dies and Poppy Moments Dies.

Splats from the Quiet Meadow Stamp Set are stamped tone-on-tone onto the rear Crumb Cake piece to create a background.

I then used a Sponge Dauber and added some colour to the trees and also to the leaves.

When sticking the tree piece to the background piece, I only used glue around the edges. This then shows more depth through the trees.

Three of the leaves are tied together with a piece of coordinating Baker’s Twine from the Essentials pack, with the other two leaves stuck to the side.

A sentiment from the Nuts About Squirrel Stamp Set is again stamped tone-on-tone and this is attached to the leaves.

Finally, the whole leaves and sentiment pieces is raised up on Dimensionals.

Which pre-made items are you going to use from your desk?

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

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Aspen Trees Dies

July 4, 2022July 3, 2022 ~ Karen Young

With the new Mini Catalogue and SAB offering, last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project used the new Aspen Trees Dies.

This masculine project used the dies to create the tree backgroun and some of the leaves. Other leaves came from the Poppy Moments Dies and the Forever Flourishing Dies.

I chose Sahara Sand, Old Olive, Mossy Meadow, Garden Green and Basic White for my colour combination.

The leaves were arranged behing the sentiment, taken from the new Soft Seedling Stamp Set, also in the Mini Catalogue.

Lengths of the Ribbon Combo Pack, in Sahara Sand and Old Olive sit behind the sentiment.

Finally, the whole piece, including the background cutout is raised up on Dimensionals to give some extra depth through the trees.

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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Saying Hello – In Color 2022-2024: Parakeet Party

May 25, 2022May 24, 2022 ~ Karen Young

The next In Color I’m saying ‘hello’ to is Parakeet Party.

Parakeet Party. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I think this is one of my favourites of the new In Colors from the new Annual Catalogue.

Following on from the Orchid Oasis project, here is another monochrome card in the same design.

I love using monochrome designs to show off a colour. You can see how vibrant and zingy this one is.

Again, this project uses the coordinating In Color DSP stack for the diagonal strip, following the pattern line for the angle.

Parakeet Party. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The In Color Metallic Woven Ribbon hides the join.

A square, cut using the new Stylish Shapes Dies sits in a diamond shape, once again following the lines of the DSP.

This has a leaf from the Forever Fern Stamp Set cut out with the Greenery Dies sitting on top.

Finally, coordinating In Color Matte Decorative Dots are added.

Parakeet Party. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Being sentiment free, this card can be used for any occasion. It could also have a sentiment added just before it is sent.

Here is a quick reference of how this new colour compares to the other Stampin’ Up! colours.

Parakeet Party. 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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Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Making a Ribbon Swoosh

December 2, 2021December 1, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For this week’s Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video, I’m sharing how to make a ribbon swoosh for your projects.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Making a Ribbon Swoosh. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs Click on the link below to watch my video on this subject

My colour combination is Flirty Flamingo and Very Vanilla, with two In Colors, Evening Evergreen and Soft Succulent.

I’ve used the Forever Fern Stamp Set and coordinating Forever Flourishing Dies from the Annual Catalogue.

The background splats are stamped and the leaves are stamped and cut out using the Stamp Set and Dies.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Making a Ribbon Swoosh. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

A length of the Evening Evergreen Open Weave Ribbon creates the swoosh.

Using the sentiment from the Stamp Set, this is cut out using the Double Oval Punch and attached with Dimensionals.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Making a Ribbon Swoosh. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, some In Color Jewels are dotted across the project.

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

Happy crafting

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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Lots of Green Greenery

July 10, 2021July 9, 2021 ~ Karen Young

With the arrival of new products, we often forget about the items we loved before the new ones came along.

Lots of Green Greenery. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs For today’s project, I’m sharing some love for the neglected Forever Fern Stamp Set, Forever Flourishing Dies and Greenery Embossing Folder.

They are, however, mixed with new In Colors of Soft Succulent and Evening Evergreen, plus Very Vanilla.

First, I used a Sponge Dauber to add a very delicate touch of colour to the Very Vanilla piece. It’s barely visible, but it makes a very subtle difference.

Lots of Green Greenery. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Then, I stamped and die cut the various leaves. These were in a variety of first and second generation stamping. Be sure to check out my Top Tips video if you’re not sure what that means.

After I’d stuck the leaves down, I embossed a piece of Soft Succulent. This was stuck over the edges of the leaves, leaving a thin strip of Very Vanilla showing.

For the sentiment, the Many Messages Stamp Set and coordinating Messages Die were a perfect fit.

Lots of Green Greenery. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

It sits on a length of Evening Evergreen Chevron Weave Ribbon for a finishing touch.

I really love this project and think it would look great in a variety of different colours. Blues and purples spring to mind.

Don’t forget to spend time with your forgotten products!

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 – Embossed Circles

October 5, 2020September 29, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project, I made a non-stamping version of a recent project.

As you can see, this version uses embossed circles and die-cut leaves.

Pumpkin Pie, Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride and Early Espresso, along with Very Vanilla are once again my colour combination.

Sponge daubers and ink create a vintage look across the Very Vanilla cardstock. The attendees were free to use Sponge Daubers and their own inks for this. They also provided a sentiment of their choice.

Forever Flourishing Dies provide the Pumpkin Pie leaves as the first part of the various layers.

Next, the three embossed circles are stuck down. These have been given texture using the Wrapped in Texture Embossing Folders and Greenery Embossing Folders.

The sentiment, mine is from the Blossoms in Bloom Stamp Set, then has a strip of Scallop Lace Trim stuck to the back of it.

Using Mini Dimensionals, the sentiment is raised off the project.

Finally, three Champagne Rhinestones add some bling. They co-ordinate really well with the colours of the card.

Happy crafting

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Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Essential Tag Punch: Take Two

September 14, 2020September 12, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project, it was take two for the Essential Tag Punch.

I previously made this project at one of my recent Papercrafting Classes. The Card & (Your) Cuppa attendees liked it and wanted to make one, hence the reason for Essential Tag Punch: Take Two.

For this version, I’ve chosen Just Jade as my main colour.

Once again, it uses the Forever Greenery DSP, cut out with the Essential Tag Punch from the Mini Catalogue. I chose three pieces of DSP and cut two from each, in different orientations. This is so they could be used for either the top or bottom row.

It’s easier to start with the middle two shapes and work out, as you can decide your distances between the shapes. The shapes overhung the edges on mine, so I trimmed them down.

A sentiment from the Lovely You Stamp Set is stamped in co-ordinating Just Jade onto a punched circle.

This is layered onto a length of Just Jade Ribbon and a die cut from the Forever Flourishing Dies.

By make some small changes, using different sheets of DSP, using Just Jade and adding a sentiment, you can see the differences.

The previous one is below (right). Which do you prefer?

Don’t forget to take a look the latest offers from Stampin’ Up!, plus the Cut & Emboss Machine (Standard) is now available to order.

To join me at one of my classes, 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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Abstract/Shapes Class – Essential Tag Punch

August 18, 2020August 17, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Here is another project from my Abstract/Shapes Papercrafting Class. This uses the new Essential Tag Punch from the Mini Catalogue.

When I saw a similar project on page 61 of the new Mini Catalogue, I knew I had to make a version.

I chose the Forever Greenery DSP and cut out 6 shapes, 2 each from 3 different pieces from the pack. By rotating the paper 180 degrees for the second shape, I was able to have two orientations of the images.

Using one of the colours from the DSP, Pretty Peacock as my main colour, it ensures everything co-ordinates.

My shapes are too large for the layer they are stuck onto, so I have cut the edges off to make them fit.

Rather than add a sentiment, I chose to add a die cut shape instead. The shape is a leaf cut from the Forever Flourishing Dies and attached to a punched circle. These are stuck with Dimensionals over a piece of the reversible Pretty Peacock Ribbon.

It makes this a great card for any occasion.

I can’t wait to make more of these using other DSP packs.

If you’d like to join me for a future craft class, head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

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Birthday Blues for a Crossover Gatefold Card

August 5, 2020August 4, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Last week, it was the Birthday of one of my regular class attendees. This Crossover Gatefold card is the card I sent.

At my recent Fancy Folds Class, the attendees made a ‘standard’ Gatefold card, a post on that is coming soon. It is taken to a Crossover Gatefold through the addition of the interlocking (crossover) pieces at the front.

The recipient is a fan of blues, so I chose Misty Moonlight and Seaside Spray for my colours. Each one is from an In Color Collection.

Beautiful panels for the front are from the co-ordinating Flowers for Every Season 6×6 DSP. As they also like a bit of grunge, so I used a Sponge Dauber around the edges of the DSP panels to add some shading. The pretty DSP did a lot of the work, so I didn’t need to add too many extra items.

Both of the words for the sentiment are from the Well Said Stamp Set and stuck onto the top and bottom strips. The other strip is stuck on the opposite way. Do make sure you pop your adhesive in the right place, or you could end up with a card that doesn’t open!

To make the ‘lock’, a leaf made using the Forever Fern Stamp Set and Dies Bundle is stuck across both parts of the sentiment. A butterfly from the Butterfly Gala Stamp Set, cut using the Butterfly Duet Punch is stuck to the other strip. This then creates the crossover.

A light coating of Wink of Stella on the butterfly gives a touch of Birthday bling.

Why not become a class attendee. Head to my Class Timetable for full details and to book your place.

Happy crafting

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BYO Stamps – Fabulous Forever Fern

July 31, 2020July 30, 2020 ~ Karen Young

The final project from my recent BYO Stamp Class uses the fabulous Forever Fern Stamp Set and Dies Bundle.

It’s just so versatile that I had to use it – again!

My colour combination is Just Jade, Shaded Spruce and Old Olive. I like how the Old Olive adds a more yellow tone of green. Using Whisper White, and a Thick Whisper White base card, the greens really pop.

All of the stamping, apart from the sentiment, uses images from the Forever Fern Stamp Set. Some of these are then cut out using the co-ordinating Forever Flourishing Dies from the Bundle.