Tip Tuesday

CLEANING YOUR STAMPS

Different rubber, different cleaners.  Most of us have stamps in red rubber that you can use on wood or clear blocks, and photopolymer rubber that is used on clean blocks.   I have been a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for over 10 years and here are the ways I found best for cleaning my stamps:

My favorite cleaning tool is Stampin' Scrub.  I use it with my liquid cleaner to get into the small crevises, and the soft bristle-like material helps dry your stamps.  This tool has 2 sides.  One for spraying your liquid cleaner on and the other side for drying your stamps.  Gently rub back and forth, up and down to clean your stampn then use the other side in the same way to dry.

*I always stamp on a piece of scrap paper before stamping in another color or putting my stamps away to assure they are completely dry.  This applies to my red rubber and photopolymer stamps.

Red Rubber 

1. Stazon cleaner for Stazon and permanent inks
2. Stampin' Mist for water based inks
3. Baby wipes - I use baby wipes on my red rubber stamps when I use dark ink or large stamps to remove the excess ink.   I still use the Stampin' Mist and my Stampin' Scrub because the Stampin' Mist protects the rubber).

Rinse carefully under water in the sink for background and wheels ( be careful not to get too much water when using a wood block as not to warp the wood).  Dry block thoroughly.

Photopolymer Rubber

1. DO NOT use Stazon cleaner on Photopolymer as it will damage this rubber.
2. Stampin' Mist and the Stampin' Scrub
3. Baby Wipes and Stampin' Scrub or paper towel to dry
4. Rinse under water in the sink and dry with paper towel

Supplies:

Masculine Monday

I love animals.  Stampin' Up! has adorable animal stamp sets.  Bella and Friends and Pretty Kitty are two of  my favorites, along with the stamp set I used today - The Wilderness Awaits.  This set is great for the guys in your life.  I used the designer paper Serene Scenery for my background.  I love this designer paper.  Some pieces are great for simply stamping greetings on because they have such beautiful nature scenes.  Others, like the one I used here make wonderful backgrounds.

Measurements:

Soft Suede -  5 1/2 x 8 1/2
Early Expresso - 4 x 5 1/4
Designer Paper - 3 3/4 x 5
Very Vanilla Inside - 4 x 5 1/2

Supplies I used:

Coming Soon

New Stitched Framelits.  Round, Oval, and Square shapes with stitching!



h

Thanks for visiting!

Tip Tuesday

Today's Tip is how I store my stamp sets and thinlits.  

Stamp Sets with matchingThinlits

1. I put the thinlits that match the stamp set inside the stamp case.  
2. I put them in one of our 6 x 8 Clear Bags.  
3. First I put them on a magnet piece that I purchase at a craft store on a roll.  I cut them to about 4 3/4" x 6".  I mark at the top of the magnet the name of the thinlits, and how many there are in the set.  I cut the information cover that comes with the thinlits to the same size and put it in the bag behind the magnet to keep for future reference.
4. After both pieces are in the bag, I fold the side and tape it just to give enough room for those  items to slide in and out.  I cut the top of the bag leaving about a half inch over the magnet.  This allows easy access in and out when you need them and is a perfect fit for inside the stamp case.

*The thinlits such as Circles, Squares, Boxes, etc., I keep in the envelopes the same way.  They are alphabetical and kept in a small square basket.

Storing my Stamp Cases

I store my Stamp Sets alphabetically and seperate them by groups.  My groups consist of:

1. Children
2. Men
3. Flowers
4. Misc.
5. Words
6. Holidays ( I separate them by name, such as Christmas, Halloween), and I they are alphabetical also
7. Backgrounds

Labeling my Stamp Sets for easy matching with thinlits and punches

If you look close, you can see I put a sticker with  a specific color marker that says either thinlits (so I know they are enclosed), or the punch that goes with the stamp set.  This lets me know the coordinating punch, and if I have written it on the case, that I have purchased it.  On this sample the words Holly Berry are the name of the punch so I just underlined them.

I hope this helps you if you are looking for ways to organize.

Masculine Monday

Hi and thanks for visiting my blog today. This is a simple, but cute anniversary card using the Hostess stamp set Love You Lots.  Aren't these hedge hogs too cute!   I used the Rose Red marker for the rose and the crumb cake The Soft Suede ink pad was used for the greeting. with a touch of Wild Wasabi marker for the leaf of the rose.  You can use your finger nail or paper snips to rough up the card stock for a rigid look.

Tip Tuesday

I am soooo happy that Stampin' Up! has decided to bring back the Stampin Trimmer Replacement Cutting Mat!

I don't do videos (yet), but another super SU demonstrator Dawn Griffith has a video on how to clean you cutting matby clicking on this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMTdBNybEYU

Place an order with On Line order with me before Oct. 30th and be entered in a drawing to win Hostess Benefits for the month.  
HOSTESS CODE FOR OCTOBER:  DU9QC6SK

Masculine Monday

Hello and welcome to my blog.  Today on Masculine Monday I have a card for the boys.  The stamp set I used is No Bones About it.  This set is so adorable!  It has foot prints, leaves, dinosaur bodies as well as their skeletons, party hat, and 2 greetings.  There are also dots to use for sand or what ever you choose.  I made a template with a piece of cardstock, tore it to have a rough edge and sponged for the sand look.  I used Stazon ink on the window sheet.

I

div>

MASCULINE MONDAY

Thank you for visiting today.  It seems most of my customers and friends tell me they have trouble finding, and creating Masculine cards and projects.  I have decided to make my Monday posts MASCULINE MONDAY to share some ideas for the men in your life.

Here is a card I just created for my son's birthday last week.  

Sorry the card is not cut off at the right bottom, it's just my poor photography. 

This is also one of the cards that my Stamp Club will be making in our Oct. class.  Sign up for my newsletter for photos of  my Sept. class and information on attending or receiving the class in the mail with an instructional pdf including photo.

Last day for 25% off Specials

Tip Tuesday

Do you remember when Stampin' Up!  had Versamark Markers?  Take one of your Blender Pens and designate it for Versamark only.  Ink the tip with the Versamark reinker.  Use it to emboss small areas.

Updated Clearance Rack and Final Special Offer week 25% off

 Use the Hostess Code 4ZR34SHV when placing an order with me through Sept. 30th and be entered in the HOSTESS BENEFITS DRAWING on Oct. 1st.

Thanks for stopping by! 



The top listing of items below are from the Updated CLEARANCE RACK.

The second listing of items are the Final week of the Annual Catalog Special Offers with products 25% off.

Tuesday Tip

I know it's Wednesday, but I wasn't able to get On-line yesterday so here is a TUESDAY TIP


When I make cards, I make at least two at a time.  The more you make, the more time you save.  This tip saves a little time, and every minute counts right!  Score your 8 1/2" by 11" cardstock entirely at 4 1/4" or 5 1/2".   Then cut it in half.  If you score at 4 1/4", cut it at 5 1/2" .  If you score it at 5 1/2", cut it at 4 1/4".   Now you have to cards ready to go.  One could also be your sample to keep for reference.

On this Tangerine Tango cardstock I scored at 4 /14", then cut at 5 1/2".  This gave me two 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" cards.

Have the top of the your cardstock (as seen in the sample below) where your score line indented  on the outside before folding.  This will give you a more crisp fold.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sneak Peak

Here is a sneak peak of one of the cards for my Stamp class this month.  For details on my local classes, click  Contact Me at the top of  my blog.  You can also see my Events Calendar from there with more information.  This month's classes are not on the Event's Calendar because I had to move the date from the third week of the month to the last week of September.  This month's classes are Tues. Sept. 27th 6:00-9:00 PM and Wed. Sept. 28th 10:00AM -1:00PM.  Go to the  "Oct"  Event Calendar to see more information regarding the monthly classes.

Thanks for stopping by

Weekly Specials

Hello stampers.  Thank you for visiting my blog.  I have been AOL for some time due to "other things in life" shall we say.  I am happy to be back and I am looking forward to sharing my love of stamping with you.

Here are the specials for this week from Stampin' Up!  Save 25% each week on these selected items!
These products will be on sale from Sept. 8th through the 14th.  Click on any of the items to place order or click on "shop Online".  Be sure to use the HOSTESS CODE:  4ZR34SHV for this month to be entered in a random drawing for the Hostess Benefits.

One of my Favorite Bundles in the Occasions Catalog

Botanical

This is such a gorgeous two-step stamp.  It has beautiful tropical flowers and leaves, AND coordinating Designer Paper AND Washi Tape AND Botanical Jewels!  Oh my gosh.  You'll be seeing lots of cards and projects from me on this one.  You will find all the Botanical items on pages 26 & 27 of the Occasions catalog.

Sorry I missed getting the top of the card in.  I wish you could see the shimmer on the flowers.  I covered the smaller flowers and outlined the larger one with our new shimmer glitter product called Wink of Stella.  My new favorite glitter embellishment.  You're going to love this new product.  It works like an Aqua Painter and it comes in either clear or gold shimmer.  It's on page 24 of the Occasions catalog.

Here is the lined envelope and inside of the card with the matching Botanical Designer Paper which you can find on page 27 of the Occasions catalog.

Here is a video on the Botanical Bundle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti4hhOYAoC0

Let the Sale-A-Bration Begin

Happy New Year Stampers!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Now to the beginning of the biggest sale of the year - Sale-A-Bration!

Click on the catalog to view.  Click on Shop Online at the top of my blog to order, or contact me and I will place the order for you.

The HOSTESS CODE FOR THIS MONTH IS 3BX2F63H.  When the order reaches $150.00 or more, I will have a random drawing and the winner receives the Hostess Benefits.



Here is the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  You can't order any product from this book.  That's correct - because with each $50 you order out of the Occasions and/or the Annual catalog, you get to pick one FREE item from this catalog.  If you do not have these catalogs, but are interested in placing an order with me as your demonstrator, please contact me and I will be happy to send them to you.

Thank you for visiting today.