Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – Painted Poppies Stamp Set & Dies

April 3, 2023March 31, 2023 ~ Karen Young

Last week’s Card & Cuppa project uses the Painted Poppies Stamp Set and coordinating Dies.

It’s a CASE of two projects I’ve made previously, here and here, and takes elements from both designs.

This one uses the colour combination of Highland Heather, Balmy Blue, Basic Gray and Basic White.

First, the sentiment from the Sending Smiles Stamp Set is stamped, followed by the ‘splats’ across the background.

If you are going to stamp your sentiment straight onto the project then it is a good idea to stamp it first, just incase you need to use the emergency side!

Next, using a Blending Brush, a flare of colour is added.

The main flower and leaves from the Painted Poppies Stamp Set are stamped onto a separate piece of cardstock and are again given some colour using the Blending Brushes.

Each one is then cut out using the Painted Labels Dies.

The leaves are then arranged on the cardstock, with the flower then raised up on Dimensionals.

Finally, some small Opaque Adhesive-Backed Gems are used to give a touch of understated bling.

Although this is a poppy, I think by using this colour combo it looks more like an anemone.

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

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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A Pretty Poppy in Shades of Blue

September 21, 2022September 16, 2022 ~ Karen Young

This pretty poppy in shades of blue uses the Painted Poppies Stamp Set and the coordinating Painted Labels Dies.

My colour combination is the In Color Starry Sky, along with Balmy Blue and Basic White.

For the background, I’ve stamped some of the block flower shapes, along with the splat-type stamp down the edge of the card.

The flower and leaves are stamped in Starry Sky and cut out using the dies, with the poppy then given a coat of Wink of Stella.

A sentiment from the Lovely & Lasting Stamp Set is stamped to one side of the shape, also cut from the Painted Label Dies.

This allows the poppy and leaves to be set to the left.

The whole sentiment piece is then raised up on Dimensionals.

Finally, some coordinating Solid Faceted Gems in Balmy Blue are dotted across the project.

This would be a great design to recreate in other colours too.

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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Blessings of Home Birthday Card

September 10, 2022September 8, 2022 ~ Karen Young

A friend, who is also a Stampin’ Up! fan celebrated their Birthday earlier this week.

For their card, I chose to use the Blessings of Home Bundle (Blessing of Home Stamp Set and Flowers of Home Dies).

They are a fan of Rich Razzleberry and Crumb Cake, so they were my starting colours.

Using one flower image from the Blessing of Home Stamp Set, I stamped it multiple times down the side of the project using Basic Gray ink. It was then stamped again onto a separate piece. This additional image was then cut out using the coordinating Flowers of Home Dies.

Each image was then coloured using Watercolor Pencils, with the lines smoothed out using a Blender Pen.

A touch of Wink of Stella was added to the centre of each flower.

Using the Painted Labels Dies, I cut the shape that sits behind the flower in Rich Razzleberry.

The sentiment is stamped tone-on-tone and cut out using the Sending Dies.

Both the flower and sentiment sit in the centre of the project on Dimensionals.

Finally, as my friend like a bit of sparkle, Opal Rounds provide a sprarkly finishing touch.

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: Basic White or Very Vanilla

June 24, 2021June 23, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For this week’s Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video, I’m sharing a tip on deciding how to use Basic White or Very Vanilla.

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

Click on the picture below to watch my video about how to decide.

Along with Basic White or Very Vanilla, the design uses Highland Heather, Mint Macaron and Old Olive.

Here is the Very Vanilla version.

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

This flower is from the Art Gallery Stamp Set, cut out with the Floral Gallery Dies.

Don’t forget that these are available as a discounted Bundle until the end of June as the Bundle is on the January-June Retiring List. From July, if you wanted both items, they will be full price in the Annual Catalogue.

Poppy Moments and the Painted Labels Dies provide my background stamping and the frame the flower sits on.

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

A swoosh of coordinating ribbon and the centre of the flowers coloured with Wink of Stella, add a touch of sparkle.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Basic White or Very Vanilla. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs Finally, some Pastel Pearls, also in Highland Heather, finsih off the design.

Which version do you prefer?

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Basic White or Very Vanilla. 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.

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

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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Introduction to In Color Class – Soft Succulent

June 15, 2021June 10, 2021 ~ Karen Young

Today I’m back to sharing last week’s Introduction to In Color Class projects.

We have now reached Soft Succulent, the 4th project from the class.

Introduction to In Color Class - Soft Succulent. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I love this colour with Mint Macaron and Rich Razzleberry. Very Vanilla accents and Basic Gray stamping complete the mix.

This is a version of a previous project I have made. However, as the class was online without access to shared stamps, the kit contained die-cut and embossed shapes instead.

First, the background is given a texture using the Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder.

Introduction to In Color Class - Soft Succulent. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Next, shapes are cut using the Elegant Tag Punch, Symmetrical Stems Border Punch and the Painted Labels Dies.

A bow from the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack in Very Vanilla is wrapped around the tag.

A sentiment from the Ornate Thanks Stamp Set is stamped onto pieces shaped with the Treasured Tag Pick a Punch.

All of the pieces are layered together, along with a length of coordinating ribbon.

Finally, coordinating In Color Jewels are scattered across the project.

Introduction to In Color Class - Soft Succulent. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Pop back tomorrow for the next project from the class.

Head to my Class Timetable for full details of my online classes.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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Pantone Painted Poppies

December 22, 2020December 22, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Earlier this month, Pantone announced their Colour of the Year for 2021. There are two for 2021 – Ultimate Gray and Illuminating.

Today I’m sharing a project in the Stampin’ Up! equivalent colours of Basic Gray and Daffodil Delight.

Here’s my SU version of Pantone Painted Poppies…

Using the Painted Poppies Stamp Set and co-ordinating Painted Labels Dies, this is a great any occasion project.

The background uses first and second generation stamping in Basic Gray, with Daffodil Delight highlights added using a Sponge Dauber,

Both the flowers and leaves are stamped in Basic Gray onto the Basic Gray and Daffodil Delight Cardstock. These are then cut out with the dies.

The centre of each flower is given a touch of sparkle with some Wink of Stella.

These are then arranged on top of the background using Dimensionals.

I love how these colours work so well together. The brightness of the yellow seems to lighten the grey, whereas the grey appears to knock back the brightness of the yellow.

I have a feeling these colours might be making more appearances here in 2021!

Don’t forget to take a look at the current special offers, plus my classes for 2021.

Happy crafting

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

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Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Whale meet again!

August 10, 2020August 7, 2020 ~ Karen Young

It was definitely a case of Whale Meet Again for last week’s Card & Cuppa project.

The attendees have been asking for a project that uses the Whale Builder Punch so here it is. As I used it for the Children’s class the other week, it’s getting a fair amount of use!

Purple Posy, Coastal Cabana, Night of Navy and Whisper White create this project. My colour combination is taken from the Playing with Patterns Ribbon Combo Pack, and I’ll explain a bit more on why this is in a bit.

At a previous session, the attendees liked the Purple Posy Ribbon from the Playing with Patterns Ribbon Combo Pack. I was also able to show them the other two ribbons in the pack, so thought I would use them and the colours on this project.

The Coastal Cabana piece is embossed using the Old World Paper Embossing Folder, a new item in the Annual Catalogue. I thought it looked like the sea in this colour with the ripple shape cut by hand.

Using the Painted Labels Dies and cutting out the centre piece, the swirl is threaded with the ribbons. I’ve also added the Crinkle Seam Binding Ribbon in Whisper White here too.

For the whale, they are made two-tone by using a belly piece in Purple Posy. I gave the attendees whales in both colours, so they could choose to make either Night of Navy or Purple Posy. Or even both.

This sits across the centre of the swirl and the water spout is then added.

Finally, an eye and three bubbles from the Elegant Faceted Gems Pack add a little bit of sparkle and fun.

To join us for a future session, head to my Class Timetable for full details.

Happy crafting

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Highlighting the Ornate Style Stamp Set

July 3, 2020July 2, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Whoops! Another project using the Ornate Garden Suite. I told you I couldn’t put it down! It’s a great suite from the new Annual Catalogue.

Here I’m highlighting part of the Ornate Style Stamp Set with Stampin’ Blends.

The base of this project is Purple Posy and Highland Heather. Corners are rounded with the Detailed Trio Punch. This mirrors the cut outs of the centre shape.

Two shapes are cut from the Painted Labels Dies with the Whisper White one trimmed along the stitch line to create layering. By placing this Whisper White shape onto the Whisper White layer, the image is stamped on top using Smoky Slate.

Then, the cut out is taken away and coloured using Stampin’ Blends. I’ve used the same colours for the Blends, along with So Saffron, Granny Apple Green and Rococo Rose. Make sure you have your Colour Lifter to hand incase of any mishaps!

By layering this onto the larger Highland Heather piece, the whole piece is then carefully lined up and stuck on top of the the non-coloured stamped section.

Finally, three pretty Frosted Epoxy Droplets just add a finishing touch. They capture the light beautifully.

Make sure you check out July’s Bonus Days offer.

Head to my Class Timetable to join me for one of my online classes.

Happy crafting

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Creating the Gap at BYO Stamps

June 23, 2020June 23, 2020 ~ Karen Young

At a recent BYO Stamps Class, all of the projects were about gaps. This one was creating the gap using the diagonal slash method.

The main image from the Painted Poppies Stamp Set is stamped all over the piece of Whisper White cardstock. Using the fill-in stamps stamped-off to give a lighter look is a quick way to colour the flowers. I’ve only used a Blushing Bride Ink Pad on this project.

Some more poppies are stamped onto a separate sheet and cut out using the Painted Labels Dies, the other part of the Painted Poppies Bundle. Did you know that you could receive a FREE Bundle of your choice just by joining my Stampin’ Up! Team this month. Take a look at the details here.

You can see this and all of the available Bundles in the new Annual Catalogue.

The background piece is then cut it in half on a diagonal, and the two pieces stuck onto the Rich Razzleberry layer. When you are creating the gap, how you cut the pieces in half is entirely up to you.

You can then do lots of things after creating the gap, from stamping in the gap, to leaving it blank. The choice is yours!

As I wanted to put something over the gap, the extra poppies are stuck onto two Stitched Shapes Dies. One with the stitching cut away to layer on top of the other. To create depth, Dimensionals are used to attach this piece.

Instead of a sentiment, three Clear Epoxy Droplets fill the gap to the right.

Diagonal slash cards are great if you want to be a bit more frugal with your cardstock. As you can create the gap as wide as you like, you can get a few more backgrounds from your sheet of A4 or DSP.

Pop back tomorrow where I’ll show you the final card from this class – covering the gap.

Why not join us at a future class. Visit my Class Timetable for full details of all the classes I have running.

Happy crafting

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

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Painted Poppies and Floral Essence for a Special Birthday

June 21, 2020June 20, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Today I’m sharing another special commission with you. I created this card using Painted Poppies and Floral Essence, plus a few punches.

It a special Birthday card for one of my regular class attendees and is based on this card I made previously.

The marble effect background is from the only Ink Pad I used on the project, Melon Mambo. The image is from the Painted Poppies Stamp Set, part of a 10% discounted Bundle with the Painted Labels Dies. Take a look at the Annual Catalogue to see all the available Bundles.

One of the dies from the Bundle, also cut in Melon Mambo is underneath the flowers. Highland Heather Sprig Punch shapes are also behind the flowers.

Floral Essence and the matching Perennial Flower Punch create the pretty flowers. A Blender Pen colours the flowers slightly by dragging the ink from the centre.

Well Said provides the sentiment and these are cut using the Classic Label Punch, then placing them in the ‘wrong’ way and creating a banner end. For the layers, these are cut using the Triple Banner Punch.

As the card was being hand-delivered, there were a lot more layers than I would create for regular post.

My favourite ribbon to colour, the Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding has the colouring treatment with a Highland Heather Stampin’ Blend.

Finally, Wink of Stella is added to the centre of the flowers and a few Rhinestones for some sparkle.

Take a look at the various classes and kits I have available at my Class Timetable. Or, if it ‘isn’t your thing’ and you’d like me to create something for you instead, then take a look at my handmade cards page.

Happy crafting

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

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