Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Snowman Builder Punch

December 13, 2021December 12, 2021 ~ Karen Young

As we are now in December, it is time for Christmas card projects at Card & (Your) Cuppa.

Last Week's Card & (Your) Cuppa - Snowman Builder Punch. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

These cute snowmen are from the Snowman Builder Punch, with images from the coordinating Snowman Season Stamp Set.

Coastal Cabana and Basic White is my main colour combination, with Basic Black, Soft Suede and Pumpkin Pie for the additional items.

The design of this project is similar to a project from last year. For this one I have used squares with the snowmen at various angles.

Each of the squares has snow stamped with Wink of Stella accents. Behind the squares, I’ve stamped snowflakes and used Sponge Daubers to add a touch of colour too.

The full snowman is attached using Dimensionals. Matte Black Dots are added to the full snowman for eyes. Eyes and buttons on the other snowmen are drawn on.

Finally, some coordinating Holiday Rhinestones are added to add some more sparkle.

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 – Woodland Scene with Iconic Dies

November 29, 2021November 26, 2021 ~ Karen Young

Last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project continued with the autumnal theme.

Last Week's Card & (Your) Cuppa - Woodland Scene with Iconic Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

It uses the Picture This Dies and the Iconic Dies.

The base card and die-cut layer are both Soft Sea Foam. Leaves are cut out in Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive, with the toadstools in Very Vanilla.

Last Week's Card & (Your) Cuppa - Woodland Scene with Iconic Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Using Sponge Daubers, the background Very Vanilla piece is given a mottled effect.

Then, the toadstools are coloured with Real Red and Crumb Cake, and the edges of the leaves with Pear Pizzazz. Again, the colouring is with Sponge Daubers.

A sentiment fom the Ornate Thanks Dies is then raised up on Dimensionals.

Finally, some of the gorgeous Matte Decorative Dots are added to the project.

Last Week's Card & (Your) Cuppa - Woodland Scene with Iconic Dies. 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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Countdown to Christmas 2021 #8

November 20, 2021November 19, 2021 ~ Karen Young

The next project in my Countdown to Christmas 2021 series is another project from my recent Crack Your Christmas Cards Class.

Well, in fact it’s actually 3 projects as I’m sharing the rest of the projects from the class. I’m concentrating on this one, but the other two are at the end of this post.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #8. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

We’re still trying to decide if this is a reinguin, a pendolph, or something else!

All the projects from the class used the Penguin Place Bundle (Penguin Place Stamp Set & Penguin Builder Punch) from the Mini Catalogue.

This project uses Cherry Cobbler.

The penguin is stamped, punched and the feet are added. Then, the antlers are stamped near to the top of the circle, cut using the Layering Circles Dies.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #8. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

A length of Glittered Organdy Ribbon is then added. With the circles layered, these then sit over the end of the ribbon to make it look like a hanging bauble.

Next, a bow made from the ribbon sits at the top.

A sparkly red nose, from the Holiday Rhinestones are then added.

Finally, a few more coordinating rhinestones are dotted across the project.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #8. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The next project is this cute penguin with a Coastal Cabana flare created with a Sponge Dauber. You could also use a Blending Brush. He sits on a pretty snowflake.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #8. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

And finally, this cute penguin who is wrapped up warm in the snow. It uses Shaded Spruce as the main colour.

Countdown to Christmas 2021 #8. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Last week’s project is here. Do you have a favourite from the class.

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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Extra items for Snowflake project

Extra items for Snowy Scene project

For National Black Cat Day

October 27, 2021October 26, 2021 ~ Karen Young

As today is National Black Cat Day, I couldn’t not share these cute kitties! National Black Cat Day. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs Using a Basic Black, Mango Melody and Pumpkin Pie colour combination, I set about creating these fun felines.

First, the background is stamped tone-on-tone using the star image from the Penguin Place Stamp Set. These are then given some sparkle with some Wink of Stella.

Next, the top Basic Black layer has holes cut in it using the Picture This Dies. This is turned into a wall using the Brick & Mortar Embossing Folder. I have given it some extra depth using a White Ink Pad and a Sponge Dauber.

National Black Cat Day. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The new Halloween Punch from the July-December Mini Catalogue provides the cat faces. For the tails, these are cut using the Cat Punch and stuck behind the holes.

Each cat is then stuck to the back of a hole to allow it to peep through.

Using Dimensionals, the whole black piece, with the attached cats is then added.

A bow made from Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack is popped into one of the smaller holes.

National Black Cat Day. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, In Color Jewels make the cat eyes and some additional sparkle within the holes.

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.

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

Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Going Vintage with Meadow Dies

October 25, 2021October 21, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project, we went vintage.

Going Vintage with Meadow Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I chose a classic colour scheme of Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry and Very Vanilla for a vintage feel.

For the background, the Timeworn Type Embossing Folder is coloured with Sponge Daubers in Crumb Cake, with some areas of Rich Razzleberry too.

The focal flowers and butterfly are cut using the Meadow Dies with them given extra depth again using Sponge Daubers.

Also, the main flower is coloured in both Crumb Cake and Rich Razzleberry.

Make sure you check out my Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video on using Spong Daubers.

Going Vintage with Meadow Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs To assemble, a length of Scalloped Lace Trim is looped and adhered to the background piece.

Then, the leaves are stuck down.

Happy Birthday is from the Artistically Inked Stamp Set and cut into two pieces before being stuck onto the flower stem.

Using Glue at the bottom of the flower and Mini Dimensionals at the top, the flower is then attached.

Finally, the butterfly is added with a Mini Dimensional.

Going Vintage with Meadow Dies. 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.

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

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Using Sponge Daubers

October 21, 2021October 20, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For this week’s Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video, I’m sharing tips on using Sponge Daubers.
Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Using Sponge Daubers. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Click on the picture below to watch my video demonstrating how to use these very useful little tools.

If you’re wondering why the toadstools have made an appearance in this project, it’s because it was National Mushroom Appreciation Day earlier this week!

They, and the leaf are from the Iconic Dies in the Annual Catalogue.

My colour combination is Pear Pizzazz, Real Read and Crumb Cake, with Basic White.

The tops of the toadstools are coloured with a Sponge Dauber, and the leaf is given extra depth too.

Using the Gorgeous Leaves Stamp Set to create the background splats, the edges are then softened with some more green, again using a Sponge Dauber.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Using Sponge Daubers. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

A piece of Crumb Cake is cut using the Layering Circles Dies and then embossed with the Bark Embossing Folder to give some extra texture.

These all sit over several lengths of coordinating Baker’s Twine from the Essentials Pack.

Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques: Using Sponge Daubers. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

This project would be great for a fun guy (sorry, couldn’t resist!)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s Top Tips, Tricks & Techniques video. Pop back next week for the next one.

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.

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

Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Bloom Hybrid Embossing Folder

September 13, 2021September 10, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa project, the Bloom Hybrid Embossing Folder came out to play.

Bloom Hybrid Embossing Folder.Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

This embossing folder is only available as part of a very clever Bundle.

What is clever about it is how you can emboss AND cut at the same time. It’s a great time saver.

My main cardstock colours are Old Olive, Soft Sea Foam, Calypso Coral and Basic White.

Bloom Hybrid Embossing Folder.Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

The back embossed piece is from the same Embossing Folder. Where the flowers cover, is where they are cut out from. You don’t have to cut them out if you don’t want to.

As I was using Calypso Coral for the small flowers, I decided that the centre of my larger flowers should be the same.

Using a Sponge Dauber, the colour was added. I then used So Saffron to add the outer colour. The colouring really makes them pop.

I then arranged the leaves, cut using the coordinating Bloom Dies, and stuck those down, before adding the large flowers with Dimensionals.

A sentiment from the coordinating Art in Bloom Stamp Set, inked using a Stampin’ Write Marker to select only a small section of the wording is then added.

Bloom Hybrid Embossing Folder.Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Wink of Stella coats the smaller flowers. Adding these using Glue Dots is the finishing touch.

Don’t forget that Sale-A-Bration is running until the end of September. A FREE item for every £45 spend, 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.

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

Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Going Grunge with Art Gallery Dies

August 23, 2021August 19, 2021 ~ Karen Young

For Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa Class project, there was the opportunity for the attendees to get their grunge on.

Going Grunge with Art Gallery Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

I recently made this project and thought that it would be a good design to recreate for class.

My colour combination is Pool Party, Misty Moonlight and Basic White.

The layer is set at an angle to add to the grunge feel.

For the Basic White piece, this is first embossed using the Painted Texture 3D Embossing Folder. I’ve then used a Sponge Dauber to ink over patches of it.

Using an emery board, I’ve taken this to the edges to distress them, and also over the top of some of the texture. It’s then set at an angle.

Going Grunge with Art Gallery Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs The circles, cut using the the Layering Circles Dies have a touch of ink added to the edges before they are layered together.

Floral Gallery Dies provide the sentiment that is stuck onto the circles.

This central piece is stuck on top of a swoosh of Pool Party Striped Grosgrain Ribbon.

Finally, some coordinating In Color Square Gems are added.

Going Grunge with Art Gallery Dies. Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Attendees could grunge as much or little as they liked. When I design a grunge project, there is always the opportunity for those who don’t like the style to keep theirs clean and simple.

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.

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

Last Week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa – Sea Life Dies – again!

July 26, 2021July 21, 2021 ~ Karen Young

At last week’s Card & (Your) Cuppa, we used the Sea Life Dies – again!

Sea Life Dies - again! Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

From the previous week’s project, there were some leftover pieces from the Layering Diorama Dies. It seemed silly not to use them in another design.

So, rather than just fish, this design uses the seahorse.

Once again, I’ve also added a shape from the Smooth Sailing Dies, the seaweed.

The colours are also similar to before with Balmy Blue, Coastal Cabana and Pool Party for the water.

Seaweed and coral are in Calypso Coral and Old Olive, with the fish in Pumpkin Pie.

My sentiment is from the Art Gallery Stamp Set. I would love to change it to ‘Best Fishes!’

Sea Life Dies - again! Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

After adding the sentiment and positioning the water pieces, seaweed and coral. It was time to concentrate on the seahorse.

Using Sponge Daubers, Pumpkin Pie and So Saffron, I coloured the seahorse while it was still in the piece it was die-cut to. This die-cut shape is slightly different as it doesn’t cut all the way out, to allow you to use it in a variety of ways.

Once I had coloured it, I cut through the different points to release it. I then attached it using Dimensionals to raise it up, with the tail wrapped around a piece of coral.

The small fish are then placed at the top, by the sentiment.

Sea Life Dies - again! Project designed by Karen at HIPPOFROG Designs

Finally, some clear shapes from Silver & Clear Epoxy Essentials are dotted around to look like bubbles.

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.

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

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