Hippo Birthday to my Husband

March 26, 2021March 23, 2021 ~ Karen Young

As you may have guessed, with a name like HIPPOFROG Designs, there is a leaning towards both creatures at Chez HIPPOFROG! I’m obviously the frog fan, and my Husband likes hippos.

Hippo Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs It was the hippo fan’s Birthday last week, so it only seemed right that I should use the Stamp Set and Dies in the Hippo Happiness Bundle to wish him a Hippo Birthday. Surprisingly, it’s favourite set in the Catalogue!

As HIPPOFROG is grey and green, I chose a colour combination of Gray Granite and Mossy Meadow, with White.

I stamped the sentiment from the Hippo Happiness Stamp Set multiple times in both colours, before darkening the centre slightly using a Sponge Dauber.

Layers for the central hippo to sit on are cut from the Hippo & Friends Dies. The sentiment shape is from the Tasteful Labels Dies.

Hippo Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Strings are stamped in readiness for the three die cut balloon shapes.

As I stuck the layers together, I used a length of Mossy Meadow Braided Linen Trim and a short length of Gray Granite between them.

Hippo Birthday. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, a few small Pearls, coloured using Stampin’ Blends in Mossy Meadow add a touch more texture.

NB: I’ve used Whisper White in my project, which has now been replaced with Basic White. See this post for full details while I work through my supply.

Join me for a future class. Head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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Hippo Happiness to celebrate a 6th Birthday

November 17, 2020November 16, 2020 ~ Karen Young

My friend’s son celebrated his 6th Birthday last week, so it seemed the perfect opportunity to play with the Hippo Happiness Stamp Set and Dies Bundle.

This is another version of this project. For this new one, I’ve used the two In Color blues of Misty Moonlight and Seaside Spray.

I also stamped some of the hippos upside down for some extra fun!

Using one of the matching dies, the hippo was cut out. Then ‘hippo birthday’ from the Stamp Set is stamped.

Layers of Misty Moonlight Ribbon, Seaside Spray Cardstock and the sentiment are added to the project. Each with the end cut at an angle.

Finally, the hippo is layered onto two punched circle shapes and attached using Dimensionals.

This is a quick and easy project, but it’s also fun and great for all ages.

November is ‘one of those months’ when it comes to Birthdays. I’ve definitely been keeping busy making Birthday cards!

Happy crafting

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Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Hippo & Friends Dies

November 9, 2020November 5, 2020 ~ Karen Young

At Card & (Your) Cuppa, I regularly ask the attendees to suggest projects they would like to make.

One of the recent responses has been a unicorn. So for last week’s card, we entered into a fantasy world.

All of the pieces are cut using the Hippo & Friends Dies, apart from the sentiment.

Quite a number of colours, Purple Posy, Highland Heather, Blushing Bride, Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight and Soft Sea Foam make an appearance in this project. I wanted it to be colourful, yet not too brash.

As the unicorn horn is a rather fiddly piece, wet glue was my preferred choice for sticking it to the body. It’s easier, and less messy, to pop some glue on the body, then add the horn.

This is then repeated for the balloon string.

With the layers stuck together with the unicorn on top, it was time to finish the project.

I chose to use the sentiment from the co-ordinating Hippo Happiness Stamp Set in Highland Heather Ink. The end is shaped using the Banners Pick a Punch.

The large piece, with the unicorn on top, is attached using Dimensionals to raise it off the page. Another Mini Dimensional attaches the balloon.

Three flowers, coloured with Wink of Stella are then scattered around using Glue Dots.

Finally, a tiny Gold Glitter Enamel Dot creates the eye and adds a touch more sparkle.

There aren’t many more Card & (Your) Cuppa sessions left for 2020, so make sure you book your place to join me. Head to my Class Timetable for full details.

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

Happiness is… Hippo Happiness

September 11, 2020September 11, 2020 ~ Karen Young

It had to happen sooner or later! I finally got to play with my Hippo Happiness Stamp Set and Dies Bundle.

This cute project just uses the hippo parts of the Stamp Set and the co-ordinating Die to cut it out.

I used Smoky Slate to stamp the hippos all across the background. Then using Smoky Slate again, stamped the three pieces to make the die-cut hippo. First the darker body piece, then the features, then finally, the full piece I used for the background, this time stamped off first.

As my new Cut & Emboss machine has arrived, I used it to cut out the hippo. I’m adore this machine already. You definitely need one in your life.

It comes with the plates you need to get started – 1 Base Plate, 1 Die Plate, 2 Cutting Plates, and 1 Specialty Plate. No receiving the machine and not being able to use it straight away. Just assemble the handle following the easy instructions and off you go. The plates are all numbered too and have information on which ones to use for cutting and embossing.

As I knew I wanted to use a green colour to go with the grey (well, I am HIPPOFROG Designs after all!), I couldn’t decide which one to use. Then, my eyes fell on the gingham ribbon in the Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack. This ribbon gives the project a fun look, so using co-ordinating cardstock and ink in the same colour, made Just Jade the perfect choice.

Using the Banners Pick a Punch to shape the end of the sentiment strips, these were stuck together, along with the piece of ribbon.

Finally, the hippo was stuck on a punched circle layer which was attached using Dimensionals.