Stamping 101: Big Shot Die Brush

If you've looked through the new Occasions Catalog, perhaps you have noticed a new tool called the Big Shot Die Brush. This tool is used with some of the more intricate dies and your Big Shot machine. It comes with a foam pad. After you run the die through your Big Shot, lay it flat on the foam pad, with the paper touching the pad and the die side up. Roll the brush over the die, and it will push all of those little pieces out. You can see it in action in this 5-minute video from Stampin' Up!, which features the Bloomin' Heart Thinlits Dies.

This is the die that I tried the brush with, and it did help with getting all of those little pieces out. If you have lots of intricate pieces to cut out, the Big Shot Die Brush will definitely make your work go much faster! Make sure to add it to your shopping list today!

I am holding a Sale-A-Bration Kick-Off Party on Facebook next week. Click here to join the fun! There will be lots of project ideas featuring new products, door prizes, and ordering incentives!

Purchase your 3-month prepaid Paper Pumpkin subscription on sale by January 10 and add it to your account to get this month's kit. PLUS, pick a FREE Sale-A-Bration item with your purchase!

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Stamping 101: Tips for Using the Festive Flower Builder Punch

The Festive Flower Builder Punch doesn't look too impressive when you first see it. But what it can create is just beautiful! When you order the punch, here is what you'll get:

This punch can also be bundled with the Reason for the Season stamp set, getting you a 15% discount!

The punch creates a beautiful poinsettia flower, perfect for topping Christmas gifts, adding to holiday banners, or creating a really special 3-D card. Today I'm going to share a few tips I learned while trying the punch out.

First of all, I highly recommend viewing the video that Stampin' Up! has created about this punch. In the video, you are shown how to put the poinsettia together, as well as some alternate color schemes to create flowers for other seasons. Take a look:

If you don't have time to watch the video, here is a picture showing the pieces you will need to punch out to create a basic poinsettia. You will need 8 of the large petal, 4 of the smaller petal, and 2 of the double piece.

Depending on how you want to finish the middle, you may also need a few pieces of the x-shaped piece. I used pearls to finish the middle of the first flower that I made.

Isn't the poinsettia just stunning with the Red Glimmer Paper? I love the sparkle! Of course, regular cardstock will work just fine too. For the second one, I used Cherry Cobbler cardstock, with Daffodil Delight cardstock for the middle.

When you are putting the poinsettia together, the video suggests using the 3/4" or 1" circle punch to punch out a base that you can attach the petals to. I don't have those sizes of circle punches yet, so I just cut out a very imperfect circle, and it worked very well. You don't see it in the finished product, so it's not a necessity to have the extra punch.

My final tip when using the Festive Flower Builder Punch is to plan ahead! I used Tombow Multipurpose Glue to attach everything together, as suggested in the video. I do think this is probably a good choice, but it takes a very long time for everything to dry together. So make sure that you leave yourself plenty of time to let the poinsettia dry before adding it to the rest of your project. If you have tried a different adhesive that worked better, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

The coordinating stamp set, Reason for the Season, can also be used to stamp on the petals. I haven't tried this yet, but I've found a gorgeous example to share with you today from Dawn Tidd. I love looking at her blog for all of her creative ideas, and the poinsettia she created is just beautiful!

Want to know where my poinsettias ended up? I'll be posting those projects in the near future. Thanks for stopping by today!

Nutty Notecards Class to Go

 

 

Stamp Out Breast Cancer with Paper Pumpkin

 



Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Stamping 101: Paper Pumpkin

If you've been reading my blog for any period of time, you know that I love Paper Pumpkin. Even though I've written about it before, I thought I would give a refresher course today, and share why I love it so much. Plus, if you want to try it, now is a great time because you will get May's kit if you sign up by May 10!

What is Paper Pumpkin?
Paper Pumpkin is Stampin' Up!'s monthly kit subscription. It comes with paper, stamps, ink, accessories, and more to complete a project every month. The only thing you'll need to have are scissors, and maybe some adhesive (although that is usually included too!). Here are some pictures of the past few months' kits.

How do I know what the kit will include every month?
You won't. It's a surprise each month, and the anticipation is half the fun! If you are worried about whether or not you will like it, there are always tons of alternate ideas on Pinterest. Plus, Stampin' Up! offers a satisfaction guarantee on Paper Pumpkin kits, so they will make it right if you are not happy.

How much does it cost?
Paper Pumpkin kits cost $19.95 per month. This is a GREAT value, because the stamp set alone is probably worth $10-15.

When will I be billed?
Your credit card will be billed as soon as your Paper Pumpkin kit ships, usually between the 11th and 16th of the month.

How can I save money on Paper Pumpkin?
Stampin' Up! periodically runs sales. However, you can always get a $1-2 discount per month by purchasing a 6-month or 12-month prepaid subscription. With a 12-month prepaid subscription, you also qualify for hostess benefits!

Do you offer other options for prepaid subscriptions?
Yes. We offer 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month prepaid subscriptions. These make great gifts too!

How do you redeem prepaid subscriptions?
When you make your purchase, you'll be emailed a redemption code. Visit www.mypaperpumpkin.com and enter your redemption code.

What if I want to skip a month?
You can! Simply login to your account on www.mypaperpumpkin.com and click on Manage My Account to skip a month. When you want to resume your subscription, just login again and turn it back on.

What's to love about Paper Pumpkin?
Everything! I love the amount of product you get for your money, the fun projects, and the surprise every month! Just ask my husband - I stalk the mailbox every month around the 15th, hoping for my red-orange box!

Are there any perks to subscribing through you as my demonstrator?
Of course! When you sign up with me, I will send you a little thank you gift, pictured below, and a case to hold your Paper Pumpkin stamps. I like to spoil my subscribers, so you'll also receive gifts once you've subscribed for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and every year after that.

Paper Pumpkin is like a class in the mail every month. It's one of my favorite things that Stampin' Up! offers, and I hope you'll consider trying it. I have a personal goal of 6 new subscribers by June 2. If you are one of those 6 people*, you'll not only get one of the thank you gifts above, but you'll also receive a free copy of the new annual catalog which begins in June, and a set of cards featuring the new In Colors. *must be a brand-new subscriber*

Click here to sign up or visit the links above to purchase a prepaid subscription.

Any other questions? Comment below or email at the address listed above.

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Stamping 101: The Big Shot

This week's post is going to be short and sweet. Well, at least as short and sweet as I can make it. It's been a busy week.

Today we're going to talk about the Big Shot. This is one of the spendier items in the Stampin' Up! catalog, but it is well worth the purchase. It can do many different things, and I think the best way to learn about it is to watch this 6-minute video by Stampin' Up! It will give you a quick overview of the Big Shot and all that it can do.

Impressive, right? There are a few great ways to get this tool.

• You can purchase it by itself.
• Host a party and get it for free or half off with your hostess dollars.
• Purchase it and add $50 of coordinating products to earn your own hostess dollars.
• Buy the starter kit and choose this as part of the contents of your kit. You'll spend the $99, but then you'll get to pick an extra $25 of items for free!

I love the versatility of this machine, and it really does make it easier to cut out and frame images, not to mention the neat look of dry embossing. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can visit my online store here. If you would like to know more about hosting a party or buying the starter kit, please contact me and I would be happy to assist you.

I'll be back tomorrow with this month's Paper Pumpkin kit. You won't want to miss it!

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Stamping 101: Stampin' Up!'s Color Families

I have a fun post for you today! It's all about color! One of my favorite things about Stampin' Up! is that all of the products coordinate, and a big part of that is the colors. Have you ever gone to your local craft store and tried to match paper to ink, or even just patterned paper to a solid color of cardstock? It can be frustrating, because the colors are just a little off. Stampin' Up! has solved that problem by providing inks and papers that match!

Part one of this lesson: Stampin' Up! has four color families - Brights, Neutrals, Subtles, and Regals. The colors in these color families pretty much stay the same. Every once in awhile, Stampin' Up! does a color refresh and switches things up, but they have promised us not to do that more than once every few years. The last color refresh was two years ago, so who knows? Another one may be on its way soon!

Each color family includes ten colors.

Brights:

Neutrals:

The neutrals family also includes Whisper White and Very Vanilla, not pictured here.

Regals:

Subtles:

Now comes part two of the lesson - our In Colors. In Colors come in groups of five colors, and there is a new group of In Colors introduced every year with our new Annual Catalog in June. The In Colors stick around for two years, so there are always two groups of In Colors to choose from. These colors often include current trends.

The five colors that will be retiring this year are just beautiful. I will really miss them!

These colors will be around for another year, and I really like them too!

All of our colors have fun names too, like Blackberry Bliss and Wild Wasabi. Like I said, everything coordinates. All of the patterned paper (Designer Series Paper) that Stampin' Up! sells includes colors from these color families, and when you look through our catalogs, you'll see a list by each one that tells you which colors coordinate with it.

We also have a helpful tool called the Color Coach. The Color Coach helps you come up with beautiful color combinations for your cards and projects. You can buy the new In Color cards to add to it every year.

So... which Stampin' Up! colors are your favorites? I love Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay, and Coastal Cabana (and so many more)!

Any guesses on what the new In Colors this year will be? I can't wait to see them! Demonstrators get their first look at the new Annual Catalog on April 30, and I am so excited! The new catalog is available to customers at the beginning of June, but I'm sure you will see some previews before then. If you want an early look, join my team! I'd love to have you, and I won't even tell that you just joined for the sneak peek. ;-)

Saturday is the last day to place an order for my Stamp Camp to Go. Don't miss out!

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Stamping 101: Choosing the Type of Stamp That's Right For You

Welcome back to my Stamping 101 series! This week, I'll be sharing lots of information about the three types of stamps that Stampin' Up! sells - wood mount, clear mount, and photopolymer. If it already seems overwhelming that there are three choices, don't worry! Keep reading, and hopefully you'll feel much more comfortable when choosing what type of stamps to buy.

First, a little background information. The majority of Stampin' Up!'s stamps are sold in either wood mount or clear mount, and you get a choice of which one you would like. Stamps that are sold by themselves (single stamps) are offered only in wood mount. The majority of the photopolymer stamps are sold only in that option. However, in the 2015 Occasions Catalog, some stamp sets were offered in all three options, which is awesome! I'm hoping that continues in the new Annual Catalog in June. One more note - all of our alphabet stamp sets are offered only in photopolymer.

Here's a little more information about each type of stamp:

Our wood-mount stamps are probably the type of stamps you're used to seeing in your local craft store. They are rubber stamps permanently mounted on maple wood blocks. Pros: I think these ink up nicely, and I like the look of them. You don’t have to worry about finding a block to put the stamp on when you want to use it. Cons: They take up more space on your shelf. You can’t see exactly where you are stamping (but we have a tool to help with that – the Stamp-a-ma-jig!).

If you choose to purchase wood-mount stamps from Stampin' Up!, there is some assembly required. The rubber part comes in a punch-out sheet, and you attach the rubber part and the sticker picture yourself. This helps to keep your costs down.

Clear mount stamps are still rubber, but they mount on clear blocks. You can buy different sizes of the blocks, and use them with all of your clear mount stamps. The rubber part is removed from the block after you are done stamping. Pros: It is easier to see where you are stamping. They take less room to store. The stamps are less expensive than the wood option. Cons: Sometimes the stamps have trouble sticking to the clear blocks. (My solution? Put a little of our SNAIL adhesive on the stamp to attach it to the block. It will stay in place while you stamp and is still able to be removed when you are done. It does leave some residue on the stamp and block, but the block can be cleaned, and it does not affect the quality of the stamp.)

Here's a video by Stampin' Up! showing how the clear mount stamps work. The video is a few years old, but all of the information is still current.

 

 

 Photopolymer stamps are completely clear and really sticky. They are also used with our clear blocks. I love this option because it is SO easy to see where you are stamping! Pros: You can see right through the stamp for perfect placement every time. They are also less expensive than wood mount stamps. They too take less room to store. Cons: Only a selection of our stamps are offered in this type of stamp.

There is also a video by Stampin' Up! showcasing the photopolymer stamps. One correction to the video - our photopolymer stamps now come in the same DVD-style cases as the clear mount stamps.

Personally, I use all three types of stamps in my paper-crafting. I like the look of the wood-mount stamps the best, and I feel like I sometimes get better images with them. The photopolymer stamps are my current favorite, because they are a bit more inexpensive, and they are really easy to stamp with! The clear mount stamps are my least favorite, but when I am needing wanting more stamps and my budget doesn't allow for the more expensive wood mount, I have been known to purchase clear mount.

Hopefully choosing the type of stamp that's right for you has become clearer after reading about each one. If you have any questions that I didn't cover, please comment below and I'll be happy to answer them for you.

Now is the perfect time to try any of the three types of stamps! FREE shipping continues through tomorrow, Friday, April 10!!!

Make a purchase using hostess code FZ9BB9VV and I will send you a little thank you gift! FREE shipping only comes around about once a year, so take advantage of this great deal!

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Stamping 101: Using the Stampin' Trimmer to Cut a Simple Card Base

Today I'm beginning a new series of posts called Stamping 101. I plan to post in this series on Thursdays, and share some basic tips and tricks for using Stampin' Up!'s tools, as well as for stamping and paper-crafting in general. I had high hopes of making this a video series, but my camera (and my children) have not been cooperating. Rather than drop the idea, I decided to go with it anyways using words and pictures. Maybe one day there will be videos. I hope you find these posts helpful, especially if you are new to stamping and paper-crafting. If you have suggestions for future posts in this series, please comment below or send a quick email. I am here to help you out!

I'm going to begin by sharing one of Stampin' Up!'s tools that I use ALL the time, the Stampin' Trimmer.

It is a lot like any paper trimmer you'd find at your local craft store, but it has a few things that set it apart.

• The measurements go all the way down to 1/16", which is really helpful for making accurate measurements and cuts.
• The measurements are on both sides, top and bottom.
• The cutting base is extra wide.
• The trimmer has a pull out ruler, which is a feature you'll find on many other trimmers. However, this one measures up to 14 1/2" instead of only 12", making it even easier to cut a 12" sheet of paper.
• The Stampin' Trimmer comes with two blades - a cutting blade and a scoring blade. The cutting blade is the darker gray and the scoring blade is the lighter gray. What's really nice about this is that you don't have to switch out the blades when you want to use a different one. There is enough room on either side to slide the one you aren't using to the end, and still have room to cut a 12" sheet of paper.
• There is a "secret" storage container on the backside of the trimmer to store things like extra cutting and scoring blades or a bone folder.
• The regular trimmer can be switched out to a rotary trimmer, with several different cutting designs.

So I guess I lied. There is a video today! Stampin' Up! made a video when the rotary trimmer first came out, and I think you'll find it helpful to understand the difference and see the features of the trimmer in action. Thanks, Stampin' Up!, for saving me in the video department!

Like I said earlier, I use this tool all the time! It's main use in my crafting is to cut paper for cards and projects, but it also works really nicely to cut apart those pictures of your kids you order from the photo studio or school pictures. Following are a few simple card bases that I use for most of my greeting cards. These measurements and pictures should help you get started if you have never made your own greeting cards before.

Of course there are many, many fancier folds and styles of cards that you can create. These are just the basics to get you started.

The Stampin' Trimmer is $29.95, and is a great investment. You can purchase it in my online store here. The following accessories are also available:

• Stampin' Trimmer Cutting Blades (set of 2)  $5.95
• Stampin' Trimmer Replacement Cutting Mat  $3.95
• Stampin' Trimmer Rotary Addition  $12.95
• Stampin' Trimmer Rotary Perforated Cutting Blade  $3.95
• Stampin' Trimmer Rotary Small Scallop Cutting Blade  $3.95
• Stampin' Trimmer Rotary Straight Cutting Blades (set of 2)  $5.95
• Stampin' Trimmer Rotary Tiny Wave Cutting Blade  $3.95
• Stampin' Trimmer Scoring Blades (set of 2)  $4.95

Stay tuned for next week's tutorial, when I'll be teaching you about our three different types of stamps.

Happy Stamping!

Rachel