Join us for this month's stamp camp where we will create a 3-drawer chest (yes, the drawers work), a 3-part caddy (magazine-holder style) and 4 coordinating cards! We will be using the Walk in the Park designer series paper and retiring In Colors like Baja Breeze and Pacific Point.

This project is perfect to organize your office desk, stamping/scrapbooking/craft desk and makes a wonderful gift for many different occasions.

Note: paper patterns/colors may vary.

Date: Friday, 6/26 –or- Saturday, 6/27

Time: 6:30p-9:00p (Fri) –OR- 10:00a-12:30p (Sat)

Cost: $20.00 (includes chest of drawers, 3-part stationery caddy and 4 coordinating cards/envelopes)

RSVP by June 18^th.

Want to make your scrapbook buddies jealous?  While they are still organizing their photos, you can have a completed album in hand.  By the time your friends start their albums, you can have multiple albums done and ready to give as gifts.

It's here! 30 pages long with over 50 photographs!

This tutorial contains step-by-step instructions and color photos for completing the Top Note Mini-Scrapbook Album.

Included is a section on various options (e.g. you can still make this album without a Big Shot and Top Note die!) and pictures of additional albums using other color palettes/kits.

Price: $6.95

So, are you ready to create a cute, unique scrapbook without a lot of time or work?

Are you a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator? 
While this is an instructional tutorial, it can be used for holding your own classes. I’ve already had some demonstrators schedule multiple class times because their customers are so excited about this fun project!

Please refer to my policy on teaching my projects for classes.

Top Note Accordion Mini Scrapbook Album Stamp Camp

May is National Scrapbooking Month and we're celebrating by creating this adorable mini-scrapbook album in an afternoon using the Big Shot and the exclusive Stampin' Up! Top Note die. Does the thought of scrapbooking intimidate you? Then you will love this class using Stampin' Up!'s ® Simply Scrappin' Kits, which take all of the guesswork out of creating your albums.

This album makes a wonderful gift for anyone who enjoys giving unique handmade gifts of love. This would make a great gift for Dad made from the Tailor-Made Simply Scrappin' Kit, or use the 2 Sweet Simply Scrappin' Kit as shown above for your best friend, Mom, Grandma, end-of-school teacher gift, etc. The size is perfect for keeping a little family album right in your purse to share your photos at a moment's notice! Personally, I am making a couple of these to give to my friends, capturing memories of our monthly Girls' Afternoon Club.

In this class we will be using the Stampin' Up!® Big Shot Die-Cut Machine and the Top Note die to complete an eight page album, which includes a 4-page accordion pull-out section (see bottom of the photo above) and 2 pocket pages! This project features a fun color combination that is both trendy and timeless, and appeals to many tastes! You will be so surprised how easily you can create this album using the Big Shot and Simply Scrappin' Kit!

Can't make my scheduled class? Schedule your own class with your friends (minimum 4 people)! Bring together a group of friends and I'll show you how each guest can make their own personalized album while enjoying each other's company.

This class will fill quickly, so register online now:

Add a touch of elegance and class to your Mother's Day gift this year with this gorgeous Fifth Avenue Floral card set! The card set includes four trendy card designs packaged in a unique window box. Don't need a Mother's Day gift? This set makes a wonderful gift for birthdays and just to say – I'm thinking of you. This is a great set to keep for yourself as well – beautiful cards ready to mail (or hand deliver) at a moment's notice.

Date: Saturday, 25-April

Time: 1-4p

Cost: $20.00

Location: Kari's Stamp Room

Click here to sign up online - or - email me to register and pay with a check – class size is limited, so sign up early!

I mentioned in a previous post that my friend Melanie brought an adorable, miniature scrapbook with her when we got together for a monthly crop night a couple of weeks ago. She took a class at a local scrapbook store to make the book and she was working on making more for friends of hers. I loved her little book so much that I just had to make one for myself, using Stampin' Up! products.

Here's the front of my miniature scrapbook using the Top Note die for the Big Shot machine:

I used the Secret Garden Simply Scrappin' Kit (sadly retired), for the entire album and then coil bound it using my Bind-It-All. (Sneak peek: this is going to be one of the upcoming classes for May, which is National Scrapbooking Month).

This is the inside look, a couple of pages in. It's difficult to see since I don't have the pictures in yet, but this page on the right is actually a pocket. How cool is that?! There are a couple of pockets, quite a few blank pages, and then there's this fold-out, accordion style page that I just love. This is the first page of the accordion pagelet:

And this is what one side looks like open (remember you can click on any picture to bring up a larger view):

The accordion pages are double-sided, so you can load up on pictures, journaling or whatever you choose! *Love it!* (Can you tell I'm excited about this project? LOL.) I was so pleased with myself that I could take Melanie's project and re-invent it using the Top Note die and Stampin' Up! products.

As I mentioned, this will be an upcoming hands-on class, as well as a kit or instructions for those of you who aren't in the Northern Colorado area. (Note: I will be re-making this using current product and will share that as soon as I have it done.)

I am going to make a couple more of these to share with 2 of my dear friends. We get together monthly for a girl's afternoon out, and last week I decided that we had to take pictures to immortalize our outings. Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so my best friend brought hers and now we just have to get the pictures transferred from her computer to mine (after we get back from our Spring Break trip). You probably already figured this out, but there are no pictures in my album right now, because I don't have the pictures. I can't wait to see what it looks like with pictures and journaling.

Well, I have to get this posted before we leave (we have to get up very, *very* early in the morning), so I'd better sign off.

I hope you enjoy my little book as much as I do!

- Kari

I know, I know – it's been forever since our last technique class, but they are back and better than ever!

I am so excited about this month's techniques – they are fun, elegant and oh so useful!!

One of my very favorite techniques is velvet debossing. Yes, you read that right – debossing. That's when you take a stamp image and with a material that has a nap (like velvet) and you impress the stamp image into the loft of the material – gorgeous!

I love to read, so a couple years ago, I made this green velvet debossed book cover using the Hostess set – Haute Couture. I'm not sure how well you can see the picture – here's another view (remember you can click on the pictures to bring up a larger view):

Do you see how shiny the faces look? That's the way the velvet debosses. How cool is that?!

Debossing is just one of the techniques we will be learning this month. The techniques we will cover include:

• Caught in Cristal – this is a great technique to turn to when you want a really vibrant look, or when you want that look of being caught in a liquid (e.g. fish) or in a crystal (like a fossil)
• Log Cabin Quilt – fabric quilting is all the rage right now, so let's take advantage of this trend by making our own paper "quilts"
• Faux Metal – make your own faux metal embellishments with a few layers of embossing powders (and some tips & tricks)
• Velvet Debossing – velvet, velveteen, even velour are such luxurious fabrics; learn how to create "debossed" impressions in these high loft materials to give your projects a touch of elegance

In this class you will create four 2-page spreads to add to your 6x6" album. One side will contain the step-by-step information about the technique; the other side will hold your sample project.

When: Friday, Mar 27 – 6:30p- 9p –or- Saturday, Mar 28 – 10a-12:30p
Cost:    $20
First class: $40     Includes 6x6" Natural Linen Album – you are saving almost 20% off the cost of the album!
Where: Kari's Stamping Room - 358 Holladay Ct., Loveland

Extra! There will be specials available only to class members that you won't want to miss out on!

Register online: Click here

View and print registration form: click here

Remember seating is limited and these classes fill quickly, so sign up early.

Not in the Northern Colorado area? No problem! Starting with this technique class, I will be offering these as eClasses – where you can order the instructions for the entire class (all 4 techniques) or any of the techniques individually. I will offer these classes online after I hold the class the end of this month, so be sure to check back frequently.

- Kari

I wanted to share the rest of the Christmas Card we made at this month's Stamp-a-Stack. Everyone had a great time and got all of their cards done with plenty of time to spare. I wish I had thought to take some pictures during the class, because I love what some of the ladies did with my designs – it was awesome!

I finally indulged myself and purchased the Winter Post stamp set from the Holiday mini catalog. This is such an elegant stamp set that can be used for much more than just Christmas. I'm picturing a scrapbook page using those skaters as an accent for winter-themed pictures.

Anyway, I started playing with the set and created this card originally:

I couldn't decide if this was "the" card, so then I created this one:

My family decided that the second one was the card, but I still wasn't sure, so the ladies got to make whichever once they wanted (or one of each if they so chose). This was easy stamping – we stamped with Chocolate Chip Craft ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. We sponged all of the Very Vanilla edges and used the Color Spritzer with a Chocolate Chip marker to add some more "age" to the layers. Unfortunately the second picture doesn't look as good as the first (blame the photographer – me!), but hopefully you get the idea.

The next project was the gift card holder that I mentioned in this post, but we used different stamps and changed the colors a bit:

We used both the Winter Post and To You & Yours stamps on this cute little gift card holder. I still used the same materials in the Handmade Holidays Simply Sent kit, just changed them around a bit. We added Dazzling Diamonds to the "Do not open" image, so it didn't photograph too well. I like the subtle tone-on-tone stamping of the Mellow Moss background with the Post Card stamp set from Winter Post.

Here's a picture of the inside both with the envelope flap closed and open (remember you can click on a picture to see a larger view):

I shared these last 2 cards before, but I thought it would be nice to see all of the projects in one place. This is a very elegant card in blues (Bordering Blue and Not Quite Navy) using the To You & Yours, Lovely as a Tree and Many Merry Messages stamps:

And last but not least is the fun and cute Santa hats card. One of my customers did some really cute work with the Liquid Applique on this one – she made star bursts on the pom-pom and zig-zagged the paint on the brim – it looked fabulous!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the Holiday Extravaganza deals from both Stampin' Up! and me!

- Kari

We had so much fun at my Card Organizer class last weekend! These organizers are so much fun, easy and make such great gifts that everyone made multiples and some of the ladies even made five (yep, 5) organizers each!

We all loved looking at the different papers everyone chose, and some of the papers were so beautiful that we agreed the catalog just doesn't do them justice.

Check out these awesome organizers these talented ladies made.

The first picture shows all 5 of the organizers made by Christy (way to go Christy!):

She used Banberry, Prestwick, George Peach, Manchester and Windsor Knot Designer Series Papers - aren't they gorgeous!

And these are ones made by Cristal:

Above: Georgia Peach DSP

Above: Bella Rose DSP

Above: Parisian Summer DSP

Above: On this one, Cristal used some retired Office DSP (sadly I cannot remember the actual name of the paper, but doesn't it make a great organizer?!)

Want to get in on the fun and get some Christmas gifts made early (and easily)? Check out my Class Kit to Go option here.
- Kari

I saw a similar card somewhere (wish I could remember where to give the designer appropriate credit), and just had to tweak it to make it my own. I really love how these turned out! So much so, that I used them for my swaps for my downline team meeting last weekend. Hopefully my team liked them as much as I do.

These are also one of the cards we will be making at this month's Christmas Card Stamp-a-Stack. There is still some room left, so be sure to register before it's full!

Here's a close up of the card – not sure if the picture does justice to the Liquid Applique and Dazzling Diamonds glitter:

These would make great cards for your Christmas wishes. Simply stamp the sentiment on the Whisper White card stock (4" x 5.25") in Real Red. I used a Jumbo wheel on the Old Olive card stock and then distressed the edges by tearing. The hats are made using the 1 3/8" square punch, cut in half on the diagonal. The pom-pom and hat brim are made from the 1/2" circle and Word Window punches respectively. I did a trick with the Word Window punch to make the brim smaller – I'll try to take some pictures (or perhaps a new video?!) later. I attached them to the red hat, then added white Liquid Appliqué and sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. You are "supposed" to wait 24 hours for the Liquid Applique to set, but I am never quite patient enough (LOL!), so I just used my heat tool after I squirted it on. I'm sure they would have better "puff-i-ness" if I waited, but who will know besides me? (Oh, and now you too.)

I hope you can join me for this month's stamp-a-stack! We are going to have a lot of fun!!

Happy holiday stamping!

Editor's note: I will be placing DSP orders on Nov 6 and then again on Nov 21.  Kits (or completed organizers) will ship out starting on Nov 14 for orders received before Nov 6.  I will leave this post at the top for the week, scroll down to see newer posts.

I really enjoy making these card organizers/portfolios. They are a 12-pocket portfolio, 1 pocket for every month of the year (Jan-Dec). They are designed to hold your cards for any given month – e.g. birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

These organizers are very easy to make – you just need a package of designer series paper (DSP), some extra card stock for printing the months and cover detail (if you want) and a way to bind the whole thing. (You can even get 2 organizers out of 1 pack of DSP - if you add in some additional card stock). The only "downside" is that you need a way to bind the organizers – I love my Bind It All for that! I use the 1" coils so that you have plenty of room to put cards in for every month of the year.

I am holding a class this month where we will be making these organizers. They make fabulous Christmas gifts, especially if you give the recipient some handmade cards to go with your organizer! There is still room left in the class, so please sign up soon (I have to order the DSP, so registration ends on Thursday, Nov 6^th).

Not in the Northern Colorado area, or the timing isn't right, but you'd still like to make these organizers? I have a class to go kit available! For only $20 (includes shipping), you will receive an organizer (already bound), with the months and cover decoration ready to assemble at your house. Please indicate your choice of DSP (pgs 168-171 in the main catalog, or you can also choose papers from the Holiday Mini Catalog). I will be taking orders through Nov 6^th and shipping all orders out within 3 days after I receive the DSP order.

Or, would you prefer to have your organizer finished, without any work needed on your part? I will be happy to make the organizer for you! For just another $5, I will fully assemble your card organizer and ship it direct to your house.

I prefer to use the 1" coil binding so you can easily fill your organizer with lots of cards for every month – here's a side view:

Do you have your own Bind It All?  Then you will love how easy these are to make!  Simply fold your 12x12" DSP at 4" (leaving a piece that is 8" x 12") - this will create the "pockets".  Then fold that in half - at 6" - the other way (so the pockets are on the outside).  Make 6 of these, one for 2 months (e.g. January & February).  I use the chipboard that comes in the package of DSP to create the covers - cut 2 covers 6"x8" and cover with another piece of DSP if desired.  Bind with your Bind It All.  Print and add the months (you can create your own as I did, or use the one from SCS here.)

Happy stamping!