Sure Way to Ease the Handcrafted Card-Worthy Debate

By | May 8, 2017
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Just Stamp Flower Patch Birthday

This handcrafted card-worthy debate often surfaces at my crafting table: Do I know anyone worthy of this handcrafted card?

Sadly, stampers often create a beautiful card, but never send it. Why? Because most card recipients don’t appreciate all that went into crafting the card, they say. “She’ll (or he’ll) just read it and toss it.”

A two-step solution/project to ease the handcrafted card-worthy debate

  • Step One: Stamp
  • Step Two: Crop with Framelits

The rest is just assembly. A sturdy cardbase of solid cardstock, pretty patterned paper and two small rectangles.

Which adhesive?

My go-to, cost-effect Multipurpose Liquid Glue.

It doesn’t get any easier. This card takes just a few minutes to create. The result? As my favorite first grader Junie B. says: Wowie. Wow. Wow.

It beats any store-bought card and costs less to produce than you’ll fork over at the card store.

Just Stamp Flower Patch Detail

 

Cards should be created to be shared. While all recipients may not study and appreciate a stamper’s showpiece, everyone should be handcrafted card-worthy. Who knows. They may have the handcrafted card lovingly displayed at their desk or on the refrigerator without the creator even knowing it.

What do you think? Should crafters let go of their handcrafted cards? Or keep them in a box to stay forever pretty? I invite to share your opinion by leaving a comment.

If you would like to recreate this project, here is a list of some of the supplies used. Many are on discount.

 

Eastern Palace Suite Available Today!

By | May 1, 2017
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Brilliant colors, creative shapes—the beautiful Eastern Palace Suite is available beginning today! This exotic suite will be featured in the new Stampin’ Up!® catalog, but you can beginning enjoying it a month early with a special sneak peek offer. It’s one of the most beautiful from the new catalog and it includes three of the new In Colors! PLUS, the bundle offers come with some free gifts! Who doesn’t love freebies, right?

You have two options to purchase:

The Starter Bundle

Eastern Palace Starter Bundle

The Premier Bundle

Eastern Palace Premier Bundle

 

Free Project Tutorial with Purchase

To help you get the most from this trendy bundle, I have a special gift with your purchase of either bundle — a project tutorial with three beautiful cards. Honestly, you will want the Premier Bundle since it includes the Eastern Medallion Thinlits, which are perfect for cropping and more. It is the ultimate! Use the host code below and your tutorial will be delivered to your email box.

Host Code JWP6GSNA

Click HERE to shop.

Add Color by Watercoloring with Pencils and Blender Pens

By | April 24, 2017
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Just Stamp Watercoloring with Pencils and Blender Pens

Watercoloring with pencils and blender pens is one of my favorite ways to add color to outline stamps. The results are magical, bringing out the artist in those of us who think we have no artistic talents.

It’s also the solution for crafters and stampers who don’t have a huge stash of ink colors. The Stampin’ Up! set of Watercolor Pencils, priced at only $16, includes 13 pencils in the Stampin’ Up! colors. Use with the Aqua Painters or Blender Pens and you have the perfect watercoloring tools to create and blend infinite colors.

How To Watercolor With Pencils and Blender Pens

Get set right! Stamp your image on the right cardstock with the right ink. I love Shimmery White cardstock. It accepts moisture without pilling and it’s less bumpy than Watercolor Paper. Plus, it has that special shimmer to it.

Next, choose the right ink. I choose either StazOn Jet Black or Archival Basic Black. I must say I have more success with StazOn not bleeding when moisture hits it.

Begin watercoloring. Use a Blender Pen to pick up pigment and add to your art. Or use the pencil tip to scribble inside your outlined image, then use the Blender Pen to pull the color throughout the area. For bolder color, continue to add color from the pencil. Remember: Be mindful of the amount of moisture you add. The paper will pill with too much.

Don’t Forget Your Card’s Purpose

Today’s card was built with Helping Me Grow, a 15-piece set on the Retirement List, and One Big Meaning, a 7-piece set. Together these two sets create cards that convey kindness and gratitude. You will want to mail this beauty!

Stampin' Up! Helping Me Grow    Stampin' Up! One Big Meaning

 

Just Stamp Watercoloring with Pencils and Blender Pens

 

Just Stamp Tips

  • Watercoloring with pencils and blender pens was only one of the techniques I used.
  • Sponging created the background. I snipped a 1/4 wedge from a Stamping Sponge and dipped it into a Tempting Turquoise ink pad. Next, I applied it to the cardstock in circular motion. Remember: Add color in small amounts, continuing to add ink to your preference.
  • Add a greeting. I masked off the Thank You from one stamp image using a Post-It Note. After inking up with the VersaMark Pad, I removed the Post-It and stamped a 3/4 x 4 inch Basic Black cardstock scrap that was pre-treated with the Embossing Buddy to avoid random white flecks.  I sprinkled White Emboss Powder and heat set. Voilà

To view a how-to video and more cards created by watercoloring with blender pens and ink pads, click here.

Are you visiting Just Stamp? I’d love to read your comments. Click on Comment at the top of this post to leave your thoughts and suggestions. TFS!

Manly Tools Plus Snappy Sentiments Make the Best Cards for Everyone

By | April 10, 2017
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Just Stamp Nailed It Screwdriver

Nailed It Bundle: Manly, Yes! But Perfect for Everyone

If you’re a cardmaker like me, we’re always in search of manly tools plus snappy sentiments that make the best masculine cards. The 16-piece Nailed It stamp set with coordinating Build It Framelits Dies does that and more! It can make the best cards for everyone.

The set’s hammer, wrench, saw and screwdriver reek of testosterone. The bonus of the set, however, are the darling sentiments.

Sorry I Screwed Up is my daily mantra at home and at work. Here I feature it on my belated birthday card. How apropos. I’m always late sending out birthday cards.

Just Stamp Tips

  • Designer Series Paper makes it a snap to choose a color palette. The neutrals in Urban Underground Speciality Designer Series Paper are a score for a manly card. For the lassies, Melon Mambo hits the nail on the head. For the kiddos, try bright Real Red and Pacific Point.
  • Snipping the tools is a breeze with the Build It Framelits Dies. I stamped and cropped the screwdriver four times to ease building the screwdrivers with colored handles.
  • A short rule is easy peasy with one pass through the Big Shot using a 5″ x 1/2″  Silver Foil Sheet. It makes a perfect seam cover over the Urban Underground and Delightful Dijon panels.
  • The Basic Gray nut on the focal point tag was also cropped with a Framelit.
  • Add thematic texture with the 3D Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Hexagons.
  • Dimensionals prop up the tag to present the sentiment.

More Manly Tools Plus Snappy Sentiments

The elements of this tool set have endless possibilities. Take the saw and coordinating phrase I Knew I Liked You When I Saw You. How perfect would it be to gift that to a significant other or child? A treasure indeed, as are all handmade cards and gifts.

Here’s my punful card. Notice the saw cuts on the patterned paper.

Just Stamp Nailed It Saw Detail

Here are a few more possibilities.

 

Nailed It Girly

Source

Nailed It Happy Father's Day

Source

Nailed It Best Guy Ever

Source

Nailed it Number One

Source

Nailed It is a must-have and a keeper for the cardmaker who wants one versatile set that can make the best cards for everyone. If it’s one for you, hop over to my store to order today. The set will be available only only through May 31, or sooner if supplies run out. Click HERE to shop.

Remember: You save when you bundle the Nailed It stamp set with the Build It Framelits Dies.

 

 

Final Week To Earn FREE Sale-A-Bration Gifts

By | March 24, 2017
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Sale-A-Bration Final Days

Sale-A-Bration ends March 31st

Sale-A-Bration has flown by! The bad news is only seven days  of Stampin’ Up!’s biggest promotion of the year are remaining. The good news is that additional FREE gifts were recently added to spice up the selection. While some of those items are no longer available, there are still plenty of great choices to pick from for every $50 you spend.

 

Ordering On-Line?

Enter your FREE gift choice(s) after you enter your purchase selections. No need to enter numbers. Just click in the Special Offers box, enter the quantity for your choice(s) and click SELECT at the bottom of the pop-up box. Remember, Sale-A-Bration ends Friday, March 31.

Paper Pumpkin Easter Bunny Treats

By | March 20, 2017
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Every month Paper Pumpkin delivers a welcomed surprise. This month the kit includes all the supplies to make 9 adorable bunny treat bags and gift cards. Good News! The Bunny Buddies Kit Refill is already available, but you must be a current Paper Pumpkin subscriber to order.

Don’t Miss the April Paper Pumpkin

ASaraThing

 

If you haven’t tried Paper Pumpkin yet, here’s a great reason to sign up now, or at least by April 10. There’s a big surprise coming in April. I don’t know what’s inside the kit, but it was inspired and designed by Stampin’ Up! CEO Sara Douglass. Her style is “bold, vibrant, and artistic—with a little bit of sass.” AND she’s including a FREE GIFT in every box!

Every Paper Pumpkin Offers

  • All the supplies you need to make a creative project.
  • Photopolymer stamps that keep creating long after your Paper Pumpkin project is completed.
  • Delivery right to your door. No extra shipping fees.
  • A chance to escape and create in just 30 minutes.

More Great Reasons To Sign Up Now

You have lots of choices. Try it out month by month and pause or stop your subscription anytime.

Here’s a better offer: Through March 31, a 3-month subscription is on sale for only $55 (reg. $59) PLUS it qualifies for a FREE Sale-A-Bration pick.

Even better: Take it to the next level and subscribe for a full year (only $215) to earn Hostess Rewards, and FOUR FREE Sale-A-Bration picks. Plus, you save $2 per month on your subscription.

You can subscribe with a pre-paid 1 month, 3 month, 6 month or 12 month subscription by clicking on any of the shopping icons at the bottom of this post.

 

Merci So Very Much

By | March 7, 2017
2 Comments

Stampin' Up! So Very Much

 

Three Sale-A-Bration Options for a Simple Thanks

Today’s card is all about two simple words: one French, one English.

I’ll start with the French. Never underestimate the power of thank you. In French, there’s only one word, still two syllables. Yet thank you in French sounds so much more charming. And wordly. The Merci was borrowed from the Sale-A-Bration stamp set So Very Much, which is available in French.

My second word is a favorite four-letter word in English: free. Today’s stamp was one of my free choices during the best Stampin’ Up! promotion of the year, Sale-A-Bration, when you get a free item of your choice for every $50 spent. It doesn’t get better than free.

Today’s card actually includes three free items: the So Very Much (French version), Delicate Details, and the 6 x 6 Glimmer Paper Assortment Pack.

Just Stamp Tips

Two Techniques

Heat Embossing has to be one of my favorite techniques. When I first spied it, I was instantly wowed. Not only can you see the shine and dimension of heat embossing, but you can also feel it by running your finger over the embossed image.

  • The good news is … it’s so easy to accomplish with the right tools: Heat Gun, a VersaMark pigment pad and Embossing Powder in your choice of color.
  • An Embossing Buddy is helpful. One small little pouch prevents extra powder or glitter from sticking to your project.
  • First I stamped, powdered and heat set the Merci, then I stamped, powdered and heat set the Delicate Details lace image.

Stamping Off or Second Generation Stamping is the second technique used on this card. It provides the sense of motion of a leaf blowing in the wind. Achieve it by inking once and stamping repeatedly without re-inking.

  • One 1/4″ sliver of Glimmer Paper goes a long way. The Sale-A-Bration pact coordinates with Sweet Sugarplum, the base of the card.
  • More gold. The small butterfly from Bold Butterfly Framelits was cut from Gold Foil using the Big Shot.
  • One lengthy strand of Gold Metallic Thread nests the butterfly on the strands of ribbon.

Stampin'Up! So Very Much

 

You can find any of these supplies and more by skipping over to my store HERE.

High Tide Inspiration

By | February 13, 2017
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SU! High Tide Inspiration

 

The Occasions Catalog has page after page of projects to fancy. High Tide, a 16-piece set, includes four inspirational sentiments that pair nicely with lighthouse, seagulls, sand and sea images.

Also pairing nicely with the nautical look is Floral Boutique Designer Series Paper and Burlap Ribbon.

Just Stamp Tips

  • Color Combination: Night of Navy, Sahara Sand and Real Red are the shoo-in colors for a marine-themed card. Whisper White finishes the crisp presentation.
  • Finishing Details: Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies add the detail that steps up a project with one easy pass through the Big Shot. I stamped the sentiment first, then cut the stitched square and completed the art with one inking of seagulls.
  • Easy Pairing: Layering Squares Framelits are the must-have mates for the Stitched Shapes Framelits. One simple Sahara Sand square makes the sentiment pop.
  • A Smidgen Goes a Long Way: I snipped four inches of Burlap Ribbon for just the right texture between the Sahara Sand and Whisper White squares.

 

SU! High Tide

 

The Occasions Catalog is packed with stamps, tools and supplies for the season. Take a peek by click on the image below.

Occasions Catalog 2017

 

Sale-A-Bration

The best time of the Stampin’Up! year is happening now!

Shop

Here’s the deal: for every $50 you spend (before tax and shipping), you get a FREE Sale-A-Bration product. That means it’s the perfect time to purchase those products you’ve had your eye on while earning more products for free!

Host

Need another excuse to get together with friends? Just host a qualifying party with at least $250 in sales during Sale-A-Bration and you’ll earn $25 more in Stampin’ Rewards! You can even apply your Stampin’ Rewards toward a Starter Kit and become a demonstrator yourself!

Join

It’s the best time of year to join Stampin’ Up! During Sale-A-Bration, you can become a demonstrator for just $99 and choose TWO additional stamp sets for your Starter Kit—any stamp set, any price! (Excludes Sale-A-Bration sets and bundles.) Plus, the kit ships for free!

Check out the free gifts in Sale-A-Bration by clicking on the catalog image.

Sale-A-Bration 2017 Catalog

Second Release Free Gifts

As if Sale-A-Bration wasn’t great already, more choices have been added  — more great to the greatness! Click on the image below to see the second release of free gifts.

 

Sale-A-Bration Second Release 2017

 

Shop my store here.