The content of this blog is my sole responsibility as an independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator and the use of, and content of, the classes, services, or products offered on this blog is not endorsed by Stampin' Up!
If you would like to get in on the fun of being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, why not join now? You will start with a brand-new catalog that everyone is excited about AND you can take advantage of the new promotion just announced for new recruits! Not to mention you will be starting your own stamping business to provide a source of income for yourself or your family while having fun being part of Stampin' Up!
The Take the Cake promotion runs from June 1 through June 30, 2012. Join the Stampin' Up! family during June, and not only will you get to choose up to $125 worth of products from the brand new catalog for your fully customizableStarter Kit, but you'll also get select products from our brand-new Patio Party Suite-all for the low price of $99! Plus, it still ships for FREE!
Page
Item
Description
Retail Value
44
126740
Make a Cake Set (wood-mount)*
$14.95
44
126742
Make a Cake Set (clear-mount)*
$11.95
165
126916
Patio Party Designer Series Paper
$10.95
199
127215
Patio Party Digital Collection DVD
$22.95
*Choose wood- or clear-mount; clear-mount set does not include clear blocks
For more information about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, just click HERE.
To join, just sign up online on my website HERE by clicking the JOIN NOW button in the left column.
If you have questions or want to talk about this great business opportunity, just email me at Karen@KarenStamps.com anytime!
To view a flyer with more information about this offer, click HERE.
Orders must total $450 or more (excluding tax and shipping) to qualify.
Hostesses may use their additional hostess free merchandise on any regular catalog/mini catalog merchandise. However, hostess dollars cannot be applied to 50 percent-off items.
Orders larger than $450 are not eligible for additional hostess free merchandise dollars. For example, a $900 order will not receive an additional $100 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
This offer good through July 31, 2012.
To view the flyer about this promotion, please click HERE.
Keep checking back everyday to see what else is new in the wonderful world of Stampin' Up!
Today is the day we have all been waiting for! The new Stampin' Up! 2012-2013 Catalog will go live today at Noon Mountain Time (Stampin' Up! Time). There will be no ordering from midnight MT until noon MT.
Click image to go to Stampin' Up! Catalogs page
New Celebrando Creatividad 2012-13
Click image to go to Stampin' Up! Catalogs page
So while you're waiting, and while I'm driving back to Houston after helping my son move out of his apartment for three days, please enjoy this video from Stampin' Up! about the new firm foam ink pads by Shannon West, one of our many favorite Stampin' Up! employees!
This is it! Last day to order from the current Stampin' Up! Catalog! Click the image above to take one more look through! You have until 11:50 pm Mountain Time (Stampin' Up! Time) tonight to place your last order! Go here to place your order! Don't wait until the last minute!!
While I am in Austin packing up stuff in one son's apartment to move to the other son's apartment (on the third floor no less!!) and figuring out how to get a futon and desk and who knows what else moved to the apartment or put in storage....there should be a way to shrink big things down in size so they fit in your car and then restore them to proper size when you arrive at the destination!...I thought perhaps you would like to take another look at all the retiring Stampin' Up! products. Tomorrow, May 31, will be the last day to order.
The easiest way is to go to my website here at the Online Store and click on whichever (or all) or the retiring categories you want to see. Click Show: ALL to save having to click to the next page if you want. Don't forget to check the Clearance Rack (left sidebar at the store) because you can only order Clearance doing an Online Order.
I hope you had a fun and relaxing Memorial Day weekend! It's Tuesday so that means new downloads for My Digital Studio today! My Digital Studio is the Stampin' Up! software for digital papercrafting and scrapbooking. You will love it if you try it!
It's hard to believe that our beloved current Stampin' Up! catalog is just about over.....although we all are certainly excited for the brand new Stampin' Up! catalog to make it's debut on Friday, June 1st!
But now is the time to take action, if you have been waiting! This is the last few days of being able to purchase any of the retiring stamps or accessories. This retired list will come to an end on Thursday, May 31st. You can place your own order online HERE or you can call or email me (Karen@KarenStamps.com) with your order and I can do it for you.
Here are some items to take note of in case they interest you. Remember, anything other than stamps (which Stampin' Up! manufactures themselves) are only available while supplies last.
All of the Definitely Decorative line is retiring. (click the Show: ALL option to easily view all the items). This is mainly the vinyl decor elements to put on walls and many other places BUT it also includes products like the Decor Blocks #116829, the Simply Adorned jewelry (but not just for jewelry!) line, some trinkets, and stencils. Be sure to check the whole listing.
My Digital Studio Content Discs: These are priced at 60% off so they are a great deal. If you are considering getting My Digital Studio any time in the future, you should get these now because nothing on My Digital Studio really retires! You will have tons of extra artwork to play with! Even at full price, the collection was priced at 10% less than purchasing the downloads separately. Note: Purchase My Digital Studio NOW and when the new version comes out, you will get it FREE!
The Build a Bear line is retiring! Be sure to get it while you can. Some items are even discounted!
There are many things at the beginning of the Retired Accessories List that are discounted 25% or more! Be sure to check those out.
Here are the lists! Be sure you make them a part of your weekend reading!
Remember, if you have an order of $150 or more, be sure you go to the link above where you will see my name in the upper right corner so that you receive your Hostess Rewards. The order should prompt you when it is time to enter your free Hostess Rewards. DON'T go to www.stampinup.com and choose me as your demonstrator...you won't get the same benefits. Also, if you order online, you can check and order from the Clearance Rack! Don't miss it!
If you have any questions or problems, let me know! Last day to order is Thursday, May 31st! New catalog starts Friday, June 1st!
And here's another cascade birthday card like yesterday, this time with cake and ice cream! The cascade design is made the same way....I used Pool Party card stock as the base and added the Sweet Shop Specialty Designer Series Paper (if you have some in your stash!)
The ice cream cones were fun to make. I punched the cone with the Petite Pennants Builder Punch #122361 and made the ice cream topper with the Cupcake Builder Punch #121807. The "sprinkles" on the vanilla ice cream cones come from the Cupcake Punch. The "strawberry" ice cream cones have dots of glitter plus a Red Glimmer Papercherry punched with the Cupcake Punch (I think that Cupcake Punch is mighty handy!) The greeting is from the stamp set Bring on the Cake. I used markers to color in the stamp and added my own little squiggles and dots around the border with the thin end of the marker.
These cascade cards are really fun to make and hopefully make a great impression with the recipient! Aren't cupcakes great for a birthday card?! They fold flat for mailing but then they can be unfolded and placed on display if the person wants to. I saw a card similar to this one online somewhere and thought it would be so cute to make. I used Pool Party card stock but added the cute Sweet Shop Specialty Designer Series Paper (which I don't think is available any longer since it was in the Occasions Mini Catalog).
Come back tomorrow to see another birthday cascade card I made!
Don't forget.....lots of Stampin' Up! stamps and accessories are retiring on May 31st....which is next Thursday! Don't miss out on something you want! Stamps will be available since Stampin' Up! manufactures them; however, accessories are only available while supplies last and some are gone already! Check your list today before the last minute rush hits! Order Online HERE!
It is graduation time and certainly the new graduates are going to need to write some thank you notes for the gifts they receive. Did you know Stampin' Up! sells Note Cards #107311 that are just the right size and even come with envelopes? All you have to do is fold them on the scored line and decorate how you wish. The card size is 5" x 3 1/2".
Plenty of room on the inside to write a nice note to the gift-giver! Or if you don't want to do the fancy edge, you could paste the paper on the front flap of the card. Then stamp a "thank you" on the front....or a monogram with one of the Stampin' Up! alphabet sets!
Who can resist these downloads??! Just in time for summer travels is the World Traveler Photobook Template! Gotta have the Soft Blooms flowers! Be sure to check out this week's downloads for My Digital Studio either by clicking on the images above or by going HERE to view the latest downloads for digital papercrafters!
When your son is graduating from college and you make cards, you want to make an extra-special graduation card for him! After thinking about many different designs, I decided on this tri-shutter card. I love how it opens up yet is simple to make. This card is a combination of current and retired stamps, wheel, paper, and embellishments...even paper from the school bookstore scrapbook package. Oh, and let's not forget using My Digital Studio to print some images for the card!
For the basic card, cut a piece of card stock 5 1/2" x 12". With your Simply Scored Scoring Tool, score the card stock at 2", 4", 8" and 10"with the card stock horizontal (12") in your scoring tool.
Using your Stampin' Up! Paper Cutter(retiring) or a hobby blade, with your card stock long ways (vertical), measure in 1 1/2" and cut a slit between the 2" and 10" score marks. Do this also on the other side.
Fold as you see in the photo (a little tricky to get it going but it will work!) and then decorate with designer paper, stamping and embellishments to your heart's content!
When you have a child graduating as we did this past weekend, it will be a momentous occasion, and if you are the family photographer you will undoubtedly be taking photos to document every second. Perhaps you will want to make a traditional scrapbook for the graduate or even a digital album or swatchbook with My Digital Studio for a quick and easy way to save and share your memories. Check out my graduation photography tips below.
Here are my photography tips for graduation to ensure you HAVE those photos!
Think ahead about taking pictures at graduation, preferably at least a day ahead. Four or five years of college tend to sneak up on you and even with a year's notice you may find yourself unprepared for picture-taking at graduation.
Search your battery stash for a package of extra AA batteries, making sure you don't grab AAA batteries.
If there is no new package of AA batteries in your battery stash, stop all tasks and go to the store immediately to purchase at least one if not two (and maybe three) packages of batteries. It's really more important than having laundry done or the right pair of shoes packed.
Have an extra package of new batteries for your camera easily accessible in your purse before the big event.
If no new package of batteries is available in your stash and you don't really stop to think through how important it is to go out and buy new batteries right now, then grab a ziploc bag of loose batteries which perhaps are new ones taken along, but not used, on vacation or something recently. Surely they are brand new and will work.
If you suspect that your camera batteries may be close to wearing out during the graduation event, change the batteries in your camera during a boring speech while seated. Do not wait until your camera flashes "Change Your Batteries" during the singing of the school song and moments before the fireworks display to conclude the fabulous graduation ceremony.
If you are forced to change batteries in your camera, in the dark, while standing during the grand finale of the whole graduation ceremony, quickly take notice of which ends of the batteries are up and which are down before taking out the old batteries, then quickly insert the new batteries from the ziploc bag trying not to mix up the two groups of batteries.
If it turns out these spare batteries were indeed brand new, hooray for you! If not, just the act of changing the batteries will probably make your camera work for a few shots.
If after a few shots, these replacement batteries do not work because they weren't actually new batteries after all, quickly remove at least two and rub each end vigorously on your clothes and be assured that you will probably be able to get a few more shots out of this technique.
Always keep an extra package of batteries for your camera on hand because you never know when you might have a child graduate from college.
If you are over the age of 30, (and you probably are), during the graduation speeches learn how to find and use the camera function on your cell phone, just in case. Did you know you can take video?? Learn how to slide the thing back for still shots so not everything is video.
Hope that someone with a better lens on their camera got a clear shot of your child receiving their diploma on stage because even if every other photo you took is perfect, that one will be blurry and unrecognizable.
And here are all the pieces you saw a few days ago all assembled into a graduation announcement for my youngest son! The striped paper is from a scrapbook pack I bought in the university bookstore a few years ago....you may notice it on a lot of my graduation projects you've seen! I dug out some retired Really Rust card stock to come close to matching the Burnt Orange for UT. Our current Cajun Craze is a pretty close match also. I've also been used some retired stamps as well as printing out a few things here and there from My Digital Studio, which is great for LOTS of things other than scrapbooking! I have some projects in mind on My Digital Studio after all the graduation hoopla is over!
If you are making graduation cards or gift card holders for someone, just google the name of their school and you probably will be able to find out the school colors. If not, gold, silver, black, and white are always good, as are stars and "Congratulations"!
It certainly is graduation time, and here is one card I made with the Labels Collection Framelits Die. I've been pulling out a lot of retired stamps and paper for just the right things I needed for this graduation project. This "Happy Graduation" stamp is one of the a la carte ones we had called "Happy Grad". If you don't own the stamp, you can purchase the download in My Digital Studio and print it out! I just did that with a few other graduation projects going on with another graduation stamp brush set! The background is embossed with the polka dot embossing folder on the Big Shot, and I also used the Big Shot to cut out the letters. I love the Antique Brads on this card! The paper is Shimmery White...perhaps if you click on the photo to enlarge it you will be able to notice the shimmer! Love that paper!
I hope this gives you some ideas if you are making some cards for those special graduates! If you need any stamping supplies or digital downloads, you can shop at my Online Store HERE!
Click on the images above to see a closer view of the new downloads offered this week by Stampin' Up! for My Digital Studio. On the pdf you may want to zoom in or enlarge your page to see them a little better. You can also look at them in my Online Store HERE. Just click on "Newest Downloads" and then choose the date you want to look at.
Don't forget the 30-Day Free Trial of My Digital Studio Express! There is nothing to lose! Just try it....after 30 days it will just shut down. If you want to purchase it, you can do that! Let me know if you have any questions. You don't always have to be making scrapbooks and albums...sometimes it is handy to use My Digital Studio just to print out a sentiment for a traditional card or scrapbook page you are making if you don't own the proper stamp set....as in the "Seriously Awesome" stamp brush set above!
Stampin' Up! has developed a fantastic digital papercrafting program in My Digital Studioand I hate for you to be missing out!
These cascade cards seem to be the popular thing right now in the stamping world so I finally gave it a try by making this Mother's Day card using the Mixed Bunch stamp set. This stamp set was in the Occasions Mini but is one that is being carried over to the new catalog and Stampin' Up! is keeping it available in the meantime! So you can order it even now! It is available in wood-mount or clear. And of course you must have the Blossom Punch to match these Mixed Bunch flowers! The paper I used on this card is Everyday Enchantment (some of the most beautiful paper ever....I hope you got some!), from Sale-A-Bration, as are the brads. I punched the leaves with the Blossom Petals Builder Punch #121808 and stamped the leaves with the Build a Blossom stamp set.
Here's what the cascade card looks like from the side.
And this is what I stamped on the backside.
And what's great is that the card folds down nicely for mailing....as long as you watch how you place things that stick out on the sides!
My Digital Studio just keeps getting more and more exciting! Stampin' Up! has announced that they will be releasing a new version, MDS 2, later this year! It will have some great new features to make this digital papercrafting software even more magnificent!
Watch the video below to hear Sara Douglass (Shelli Gardner's daughter) tell us about MDS 2! Think about starting with the free 30-day trial offer of My Digital Studio Express going on right now....and then purchase the software! From May 8th forward, if you purchase the current version of My Digital Studio, you will receive the upgrade for free! No reason to wait! Listen to Sara!
