Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Well Written Dies

November 30, 2020November 26, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project, I reached for the Well Written Dies.

This set of dies has crept to the back of my dies box and it was time to bring them to the front.

A range of different blues, Pool Party, Balmy Blue and Misty Moonlight work really well together with the Whisper White.

It is a bit of a fiddly project, but the finished card is worth the effort.

My Take Your Pick Tool Brush attachement came in useful for removing all the little bits from the Well Written Dies cut outs.

The project being with lengths of Pool Party Shimmer Riboon creating a stripey background.

Then, the centre leaves and flower pieces are attached.

By drawing around the ‘birthday’ shape, a layer is cut out for it to sit on. If you have the die, you can draw around the edge of that instead. Either way is fine.

Raising the birthday above the centre pieces gives the project more depth.

I chose to use a ‘wishes’ sentiment to go with birthday, stamping it in the darker blue of Misty Moonlight.

Before the smaller flowers are added with glue dots, these are given a coat of Wink of Stella. This co-ordinates well with the shimmer of the ribbon.

Finally some Silver Metallic Pearls are added to the centre of the tiny flowers.

Happy crafting

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Mostly Men – Garage Gears Dies

November 10, 2020November 3, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Today I’m sharing the final project from my Mostly Men Papercrafing Class with you.

I really like the colour combination of Cinnamon Cider, Cajun Craze, Real Red and Very Vanilla for this project.

Once all the Garage Gears Dies pieces are cut out, this project is really quick to put together.

My sentiment is from the Well Said Stamp Set in Real Red ink that I’ve stamped onto a separate piece.

Dots of Multipurpose Glue attach the cogs. I have layered some behind others and left one of the cogs to use on the sentiment.

The car is attached using Dimensionals to raise it up off the project.

Finally, the sentiment is stuck down with the final cog added to it.

I hope you have enjoyed the projects from this class. All six are shown below, do you have a favourite?

I’ll be publishing my 2021 Class Schedule soon, so make sure you check out 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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Engagement Congratulations

October 10, 2020October 3, 2020 ~ Karen Young

When I designed this project, little did I know I would need to send Engagement congratulations to friends.

I made this slightly different version for the newly engaged couple using Whisper White and Gray Granite.

The Ornate Borders Dies are again give a subtle background. As the orientation is different, I’ve actually cut out one of the flowers in the middle to make the piece slightly shorter. You can’t see this as it is covered by the sentiment.

Gray Granite flowers are then added to the piece using Glue Dots.

A sentiment from the Well Said Stamp Set is cut out using the Tasteful Labels Dies.

This is then stuck on top using Dimensionals.

Finally, three small Rhinestones are added to the centre of each flower to give a touch of sparkle.

Happy crafting

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Fabulous Florals – Poppy Moments Dies

September 25, 2020September 24, 2020 ~ Karen Young

Earlier this week I held an evening online Papercrafting Class. The subject was Fabulous Florals and this is one of the cards from session.

It uses the Poppy Moments Dies, with a sentiment from the Well Said Stamp Set.

The black and white background really sets of off the red and green colours of the flowers.

I chose Cherry Cobbler and Real Red for the flowers, with Granny Apple Green and Old Olive for the leaves.

The shapes layer on top of each other to create depth and it’s a really lovely effect. A bud sticking out the side just adds a touch more interest too.

The centres are in Basic Black, coloured with Wink of Stella to add some sparkle.

With everything assembled, the leaves, sentiment and bud are stuck directly onto the card.

Finally, the flowers are attached with Dimensionals to raise them off the page.

This is a great project that would suit a number of occasions, from happy to sad. It would also look fabulous in other colour ways too.

Pop back soon to see more projects from this class.

I only have three Papercrafting Classes left for 2020, so why not book a place. Head to my Class Timetable for full details and booking information.

Happy crafting

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

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A Bright Flowering Frame

September 12, 2020September 11, 2020 ~ Karen Young

This bright flowering flame in Magenta Madness is today’s project.

I was flicking through the Annual Catalogue and stopped at Page 69. This is my version of the project on that page.

It’s no secret that I use the catalogues for my inspiration. I change the colours, change the stamp sets or change the design slightly.

My colour combination is Magenta Madness, Granny Apple Green and Whisper White. Magenta Madness is one of the five new In Colors for 2020 and this combination really zings.

For my version, I began by stamping the large rectangle image from the Swirly Frames Stamp Set in Whisper White ink.

Then, using Magenta Madness, I stamped flowers from the Blossoms in Bloom Stamp Set tone-on-tone onto a separate piece. I also added a few leaves to the background too. I used a Blender Pen to draw the colour onto the petals.

The larger flowers are cut using the Small Bloom Punch, with the smaller ones needing fussy cutting. For the leaves, the Sprig Punch gives us the two longer pieces, with the smaller leaves again stamped tone-on-tone, this time in Granny Apple Green.

Using Glue Dots for each item, I firstly built layers of leaves, adding the flowers on top.

‘For You’ comes from the Well Said Stamp Set and is added using Mini Dimensionals to raise it up off the background.

Finally, Epoxy Droplets make the centre of the large flowers, with Rhinestones for the rest of the sparkle.

Even though I’m not a lover of pink, this bright flowering frame design really pops and is a great project for any occasion. I now have an idea for another design!

If you would like 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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All About the Blooms

September 5, 2020September 4, 2020 ~ Karen Young

This project is all about the blooms. It uses the Basket of Blooms Stamp Set and the co-ordinating Small Bloom Punch.

Recently, I shared this project with you. This is another version using the pot from the set, instead of the vase.

The colour combination is again Bumblebee, Terracotta Tile and Old Olive. Two of these are from the In Color collections.

In the stamp set, there are various flower and leaf stamps. This project uses one of the bloom images that co-ordinates with the Small Bloom Punch. Each bloom uses two images stuck together offset from each other.

Using a Blender Pen, I gently pulled the ink from the stamping to colour both the leaves and the flowers. A sentiment from the Well Said Stamp Set provides the sentiment, suitable for a number of occasions.

For a slightly different look, some lengths of ribbon from the Ornate Garden Combo Pack are stuck behind the white piece. The whole white piece is then attached with Dimensionals to raise it off the ribbons.

Finally, some tiny Gold Glitter Enamel Dots are added to the centre of each flower.

If you want to join my Fabulous Florals Online Class on 23rd September. Make sure you’ve booked your place by Wednesday 9th September.

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

Happy crafting

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

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Basket of Blooms

August 28, 2020August 27, 2020 ~ Karen Young

I’ve been using my floral stamp sets, and this is a project using the Basket of Blooms Stamp Set.

Basket of Blooms. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

This Stamp Set has flowers, recepticles for flowers (including a basket!), stems, and leaves. 14 stamps for just £16. Plus, some of the flowers co-ordinate with the Small Bloom Punch too.

For this project, I’ve used Bumblebee, Terracotta Tile and Old Olive, with Whisper White.

Stamping the small flower multiple times tone-on-tone creates a background. Strips of the Ornate Garden Ribbon Combo Pack in Old Olive and Terracotta Tile are then added. Basket of Blooms. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

One of the leaf images is stamped onto the Whisper White. It’s coloured with a Blender Pen and then cut out using the Tasteful Labels Dies.

The vase is stamped onto co-ordinating cardstock and cut out by hand, before being stuck onto the shape. A tiny flower is stamped onto Whisper White. It is again coloured with a Blender Pen and cut out by hand.

A sentiment from the Well Said Stamp Set is cut out by hand and placed across the vase.

Using Dimensionals, the shape is added to the card.

Basket of Blooms. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, a small Gold Glitter Enamel Dot is added to the centre of the flower for a touch of sparkle.

I’ll be sharing more projects using this stamp set over the coming weeks.

If you’d like to make projects like this one, why not join me for a class. Find out more at my Class Timetable.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

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

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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

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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Last Week’s Card & Cuppa – In Color 2018-2020 meets Swirly Frames

March 2, 2020March 1, 2020 ~ Karen Young

For last week’s Card & Cuppa project I decided to use the In Color 2018-2020 colours.

In Color 2018-2020. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The Swirly Frames Stamp Set from the Annual Catalogue is used to create an abstract pattern in the 5 different colours, with the Grapefruit Grove circle only used the once to highlight the sentiment.

Using the 2″ Circle Punch and the Classic Label punches, the sentiments were layered. A selection of sentiments from the Well Said Stamp Set and the Well Written Dies were available for the attendees to use.

They could also choose their contrasting colour, I’ve used Call Me Clover for the layer, circle, ribbon and sentiment stamping on mine.

An assortment of adhesives were needed, especially for the die-cut sentiment, as it requires Fine-Tip Glue.

I really like this project as it is perfect for a teenager, or can be easily changed for a ‘thank you’ or other ocassion.

Don’t forget that these In Color 2018-2020 colours will be retiring in June to make way for five new ones. I can’t believe that they have been with us for almost two years already.

Now is a great time to stock up on these colours, especially during SAB.

If you want to join us at a future class, then visit my Class Timetable for more information and booking details.

Happy crafting

Karen Young HIPPOFROG Designs

To order any of the supplies used, click on the product images below to go to my online store.

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