Celebration Tidings, Poinsettia Place, Christmas Card, 2020 Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog

I had gotten a packet that contained one of each of the sheets of Designer Series Paper (DSP) in the "Poinsettia Place" 12" x 12" pack.  I didn't buy any stamp sets that would go with it and I had set it aside. As I was going through the papers to add to yesterday's 3-D Christmas ornament tutorial, I wondered if I could cut some poinsettias and make a pretty card without the poinsettia stamp set. The answer is yes, you can!

The base of my card is a folded half-sheet of Very Vanilla card stock.  This card opens on the right and the fold is on the left.

I had actually gotten two packets so I cut two poinsettias from one of the sheets and used the other for the front of the card.  One of my poinsettias (the top one) had one of the petals cut off, so I had trimmed it up to make it look whole. Now when I fussy cut, most of the time I will take a marker and use the belly part of it and move it along the cut edges.  This does two things, it will define the edges more and it will also make it look like you are an excellent paper cutter!!  I am a messy cutter, mostly because I know I'm going to use a marker to make me look good.  So with that said, the mistake was hidden. And if you must know, it's on the top flower at about the one o'clock position.  

I took my other piece of DSP and cut it to 3" x 4" and taped it to the lower part of the card base.

Then I set the larger poinsettia that I cut over to the left so I could see where I needed to stamp the words.
The words are from the "Celebration Tidings" set. I used Old Olive ink to stamp them.

I set the large poinsettia in place using double-sided tape and then I set the smaller poinsettia in place using Dimensionals.

I added a little Wink of Stella to the center of the small poinsettia. It didn't show up in the photo but it's there, it's subtle and just enough to make the card look elegant.

And that was it. It's super simple and quick and I didn't need the poinsettia set to play with the DSP.

Thank you SO much for taking the time to stop by today,                                                                  Wanda

Boo to You, Stamping Tip

Today I'm going to share with you the cover of my "Boo to You" stamp set.  A week ago I had made some cards using each of these characters (and the words too!).  Yup, I used every stamp in the set.  I can't say that about most of my stamp sets!  

When I colored my cards I also colored the character. I used the colors that I liked the best and knew I would want to make more that color.  The colors are not as dark on the covers as they are on card stock.  The cover is shiny and the card stock was not.  So what I also did was I wrote down what colors I used on each character so I don't have to hunt the card down on my blog to see what was used.  I also did this with the "Back on Your Feet" set but I can't share that cover with you yet. I have not found a color I like for the sloth.  But once I do I will share my cover.  I did not write up what colors I used on that set, so when I get the sloth figured out I will have to go back and figure out my colors and write them down.  

I LOVE how the cover looks when it's colored in.  It makes me want to use it again!!  Stop back tomorrow to see if I did!! LOL

Thank you for stopping by today,
Wanda

Back on Your Feet, Stamping Tip

Today I'm going to share with you something I did to my stamp set.  It's not only fun but it serves a purpose.  

I had made some fun card using this "Back on Your Feet" set.  I liked the colors I chose and often referred to them by going back to prior posts to see how I did it.  Well, I decided to just color right on the cover sheet of the stamp set.  I added a note inside to let me know what color Blends Pens I used on which animal.  I didn't color in the sloth yet. I wanted to wait and take the photo so you could see how pretty it looks and it is also serving a purpose.  

It only took a few minutes to do and I did it at the same time I was making a card using the critter.  I did have to refer to an old post to see what Blends Pens I used.  Then I wrote it all down and slipped it inside the cover so it can be seen when I open up the case.  Now all I need is inside the case.  I'm not sure I'm going to do with with all of my sets but for the ones that I know I have a favorite color, I will be coloring it in.  

This is a fun little project that doesn't take much time and is SO worth it.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,

Wanda

A Peaceful Pines Christmas Card Corner Fold Technique

I love this Corner Fold Technique.  It's not hard to do but you have to be "serious" when you are cutting.  Your cutting needs to be precise.  It's easy enough to do though, so don't let that scare you.  Get your background paper and cut it according to the instructions that you can find here.  It's just two cuts and if you follow the instructions it's no big deal at all.  I made 18 of them and didn't mind the cutting at all.  On a couple of them I cut a hair or two past the end and that didn't matter either, the fold hid it! So why not go for it?? 

For this card, after I cut my corner flip part, I stamped my tree and used the die cut to cut it out.  I sponged the edges to define the tree a bit more.  

Tip here:  I used a little trick with the snowflake.  I needed some help with it because it was one of those images you  had to ink and stamp and ink and stamp.  I kept getting the edges of the acrylic block on the card stock.  So what I did was I cut a little piece of vinyl to fit the smallest block.  Then I stuck a dimensional to it and trimmed around the Dimensional.  Then I exposed the other side of the Dimensional and stuck that part to the center of the piece of vinyl that was cut for the block.  Then I stuck the image to that little vinyl covered Dimensional.  I was to be able to ink and stamp quickly and cleanly!!!  It didn't work as well as I wanted it to.  SO I ended up taping the vinyl to my block.  I folded over my scotch tape on each end for easier removal.  It worked perfectly.  Without the tape the vinyl moved too much on the block.  Now I was able to ink and stamp so quickly and the image was up high enough to not catch any edges while I stamped. I was happy and my stamping sure went a lot faster!  It may work for other small images, but all I have tried it on was that tiny snowflake.

I set the tree in place using Dimensionals.  I also set the layered words in place with Dimensionals.  

I had made this card for my sister for her swap card.  She was out of town and didn't have time to make her cards before she left.  She owes me BIG time!!! LOL

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

A For the New Two Wedding Card

I LOVE red and white cards and what a better occasion to make them than for a wedding!!  Well, and for Valentine's Day too but that's a long time away!!

I borrowed my sister's "For the New Two" set.  I had stamped a few images from it the last time we were together stamping and I misplaced them.  I did find them, it turns out I had actually put them away. I can never find anything once I've put it away!!! LOL I like to leave my stuff sit out, I know where it is!!! It kind of reminds me of my dad.  He had the most messiest workbench but he knew where everything was on it.  He even knew if you borrowed a tool and put it back because it was not in the exact place he had set it!!  I think that messy habit has rubbed off on me!!! UGH!!!  Though my worktables are not that messy!!

Okay, let's talk about this card.  It's a pretty simple card to make.  I used an embossing folder for the background.  I stamped the words and I layered everything.  That pretty much sums it up.

The base of the card is a folded half sheet of Whisper White card stock. I don't have very many background texture folders so you will see the same ones quite often on my cards.  I added it on top of a piece of Real Red card stock.  I added a piece of ribbon to those two layers before I taped them onto the Whisper White. The words were layered on top of a piece of Real Red and set in place using Dimensionals.   I tied a bow and used a large pop up glue dot to set it in place on the card.

I will share with you a little trick I use when adding color like I did here on the heart.  I stamped the words using Memento black ink. Then I took my blender pen and removed the color on the heart.  Next I took my Real Red marker and colored in the heart.  I huffed on the words and then stamped them.  The heart was not as dark as I wanted it so I colored it in a little with the drawing tip of the marker.  For me, adding color this way is a lot quicker than using a marker on the whole piece.  Plus it keeps your markers from getting wore down too!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

A Clean Stamp is a Happy Stamp

I have a love hate relationship with the clear mount stamps.  I love them because I can see where I'm stamping.  They are cheaper and they are easier to store.  They don't take a lot of room.  I hate them because they don't stay on the block when I'm trying to clean them.  

I read on someones blog to go to the fabric store and get some clear vinyl.  The kind of stuff you use for tablecloths.  They suggested they suggested the medium thickness one.   So I made a note to get some next time I was at the fabric store.  The other day I was stamping and I had left one of the measuring marker vinyl cling things on my stamping block.  I took my stamp and stuck it on the vinyl side and stamped my card.  Then when I went to clean it I was amazed.  The stamp stayed on the vinyl covered block.  So I crossed off the vinyl from the fabric store because my problem was solved.  I could use pressure when I was cleaning the stamp and even the thinner stem part didn't come off!!  The solution was in my workroom all along!  So these vinyl stamping guides not only help with getting things lined up right but they help to keep the stamp on the block when you are cleaning it!  What a great find!  Just make sure you put the stamp on the vinyl side of the block!!

Updated 2-7-13
The vinyl  measuring marker clings are called "Clear Mount Perfectly Placed Guides".  They are on page 7 of the 2012-2013 catalog.  You can order yours here.  

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Upsy Daisy Bleaching Technique

One of my fellow DIVA's, Julianne made this card.  The theme for this swap was to either make a gift card holder card or a flower card.  I LOVE how the bleaching turned out on here.  With the bleaching technique you never really know what you are going to get. Some papers you use will bleach differently than others.  I had black card stock bleach and leave an orange color behind.  It was great if you were making a moon!

You do have to be careful when doing this so you only get bleach on the things you want it on though!  I do love the look of this technique but I do find it dries out the rubber on my stamps.  It makes the rubber seem a lot more firm.  So what I do is when I am done stamping with it, I was the bleach off with soap and water.  Then I ink up the stamp with VersaMark.  The glycerin in the VersaMark helps to rehydrate that rubber.  I like to leave it on there overnight and then I wash it off with soap and water and the stamp is as good as new!  One more thing to remember with the bleaching technique, always clean the stamp off immediately after you are done with it. Never leave it set overnight.

There, now you got a fun technique to play with and some tips on what to do to take care of your stamps after!

Thank you Juliann for letting me share your beautiful card with everyone!

And thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Color Mix and Matching Site

While I was blog surfing I ran across this wonderful gem. A while back there was a site that allowed you to pick a color or colors of Stampin' Up! card stock and it would mix and match for you to give you a perfect color scheme! Well, there is a site up and running that is doing just that. It's called My Create Ink Color Lab. I have downloaded the link to the Color Lab. It is posted on the side bar on the right. Just scroll down and you'll find it. Click on it and have fun mixing and matching colors for your next fabulous card or scrapbook page!

Have a GREAT day,
Wanda

Cleanliness is Next to Impossible!!!!

LOL It's difficult to keep your stamps 100% clean without spending a lot of money on cleaners that you have to be SO careful with. It's good to be on the careful side with any cleaners but when they require rubber gloves I tend to back off from them. If rubber gloves are needed for my skin, should I be wearing a mask so I don't breathe in any fumes??? Red flags fly there and I look for an alternative.

Here is one of my stamps I just recently stamped with Staz-on ink.

I used this fabulous cleaner that I got for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree. I sprayed it right on the Stamp and Scrub pad and rubbed the stamp in it. And as you can see it got it extremely clean. Not brand new clean but pretty darn close. But there is one more step I take after I get it cleaned. I spray my stamps with the Stampin' Up! Stampin' Mist. I don't feel it cleans off the Staz-on very well but it does keep my stamps from drying out. I use it on all of my rubber stamps, including non-Stampin' Up! ones. It's important to keep that rubber from drying out. Once that happens your stamps are no longer any good. You can not bring the stamp back to life either. SO it's best to take care of them from the beginning.

Here's the stamp cleaned up. Not 100% but pretty close!

Take care of those stamps, they are an investment! Plus when you go to sell them, if they look wonderful, clean and not dried out you'll get a decent price for them.

Thank you for visiting today!
Wanda

Color Selector is Updated

Be sure to check out the color selector at Scraptitude. They've added the 6 new "in colors." Though I wish they would have removed the last 6. But you just have to work around them if the come up in your search. It's a fun place to experiment with new color combinations. It's amazing what colors actually go together! Give it a try!

Make Your Own Matching Stamp

I saw this tutorial done awhile ago and I thought it was a great idea. I need to give this a try. But I had tossed out the excess rubber and couldn't give it a try. While cleaning (shocker on the cleaning) in my workroom I ran across a piece of rubber that I had left over from cutting out a larger stamp and I dropped everything and dug out a punch. I wanted to give that technique a try before it totally slipped my mind!

First you take the excess piece of rubber and carefully remove the foam backing. Then you take your punch and punch out the rubber piece. Adhere the punched out piece back on to the foam piece and trim the foam piece.

(Stamping Tip) I use rubbing alcohol on my rubber stamp scissors to keep them from getting sticky and gummed up while cutting out stamps. It also makes cutting the stamp easier too.

Once you have finished trimming the punched out design you are ready to mount it on wood or acrylic and it's all set to use. Now you can stamp your image and punch it out afterwards for some fun and unique cards!

Save that excess rubber and have some fun!!