Stampersjoy

Hate tieing bows?

Download Bows 

Many of us hate to tie bows.  There are four types of bows that are great to add to our cards.

The classic knot.  This type of bow is very simple.  You take a piece of ribbon around five-six inches long.  Hold each end and then wrap the left end over the right end, pull through.  Pull gently to avoid twisting  or wrinkling.  This is the most simple bow to make.

The classic bow.  Fold the ribbon back and forth to form 2 loops (bunny ears).  Tie the two bunny ears together, left over right.  Pull gently.  Trim the ends.

Tiered Bow.  Choose two  to three ribbons of different widths and types of ribbon.  Cut the widest ribbon the longest.  This is to be cut the size you want the bow to be.  Cut the next size around a half inch shorter on both ends and lay on top of the widest bow.  Trim the ends as desired.  Layer this on top of the widest bow.  Tie the stacked ribbons with another piece of ribbon in the center of the two long pieces.  Conceal the tie behind the bow and trim so it will not be seen.

Tailored Bow.  This can be done with paper strips or ribbon.  Cut the ribbon twice as long as you want the length of the bow to be.  Form a loop and secure the two ends together in the center.  Wrap another piece of ribbon around the center and adhere the ribbon on the back in the center of the bow.

I have enclosed a document showing you the bows and how they are made.  These are easy bows to make to add to your card.  Give them a try.  Most can be made with scraps you have laying around your work area.

Happy stamping, Joyce

Don't know which Punch to Use?

 

Do you have a problem deciding what punch will fit a certain phrase or if what shape will fit where you want it?  I have wasted minutes trying to decide which shape will fit the verse I want to use.

You can solve this problem with a business card wheel.   You can find these at different business supply places.  The purpose is to keep important business cards organized and easy to find.  Why not use this to keep negatives of you punch shapes.  The holder has plastic sleeves to slide business cards in.

Cut your cardstock the size of a business card.  Punch your shape out.  Use the negative to slide in the sleeve.  When needed, you can lay the negative over the verse to see if it will fit, or the shape at different places on the card to see where it would fit best.

If you do not want to purchase a business card wheel, you can always use a key chain holder, cut cardstock pages and punch the shape out.  Then punch a whole at the top of the card and place it on the key ring.  Always mark the name of the punch on the card.  The problem with this is, the cards can get dirty and the edges bent.  With the business card wheel, the punched cards are protected.

Stampin'Up has a wide variety of great punches to use with your verses and this card wheel will save you time on finding the best one to use.

You can view and purchases this great punches by checking out the catalog.  The punches are located near the back of the book.  View these by clicking on the catalog button or at my online store at Shop Here.

Happy Stamping, Joyce

Beats Me, What is the difference between a Framelit and a Thinlit?

Beats Me, So What is the Difference

So often my customers and students ask me, so what is the difference between a Framelit and a Thinlit?

Framelits has an open center so you can place them anyplace you want on a stamped image.  You can use two of the same shape in different sizes to make a frame.  The magnetic plate is wonderful when working with these since it will hold the Framelit in one place.  These are very useful and come in a wide variety of shapes.  They are grouped so each is a smaller or larger size that the one next to it.

Thinlits are detailed dies.  These have very detailed patterns and usually need to be run through the Bog Shot several times.  Often, they are word dies where the letters connect with each other.  It is best to use the Precision Plate with this type of die.  This gives a more precise cut.  The very detailed dies can often hard to remove the sections that are to be open.  The Precision Plate gives a sharper cut and helps avoid picking out those unwanted pieces.

Some thinlits such as those for boxes and other 3-D shapes do not need the Precision Plate.  This type of thinlit or framelits may warp if used with the Precision Plate because they are made of a much thinner metal.  Use the Precision Plate only with the heavier, detailed dies.

In some of our Stampin’Up dies, there may be both Thinlits and Framelits in the package so it is important that you know the difference.  You can usually tell by the thickness of the metal.

Both are wonderful and have many uses.  A Big Shot and these dies can take your creativity a step higher.

manufacturer of plastic mold and products

Dear Sir/Madam,

Very glad to emailing you, I am Judy from plastic mould manufacturer in China. We make a wide range of plastic injection moulds as following:

-auto part mould
-electrical appliance part mould
-daily used mould

Please feel free to contact me for further details or send us your drawings for a quote.

Looking forward to receiving from you.

Warm regards,
Judy Liu
King Mold / Business Dept
Tel: +86-755-89472535

Add some "Zing" to your cards!

PEARLS, RIBBONS, AND RHINESTONES!

What lady doesn’t like a little accessorizing?  Pearls, ribbons, and rhinestone add a little zing to not only your outfit, but they are a necessity in the card making and crafting world.

As a card maker, I could not do without many colors of ribbons to dress up my card.  Color can be added to your pearls and rhinestones with a Stampin’Blends or alcohol marker.  These items can change your card from a plain, simple card to a “WOW” card.

Not only do they dress up your card, but they are great for covering little “bobos”.  In many cases, a rhinestone, pearl, or ribbon can cover up those last-minute mistakes.  When you accidently get a smudge of ink on your finished work, look at it carefully and see if you can cover that up with a little “Zing”.  In most cases, you can cover up that mistake using one of these fantastic products.

Check out the Stampin’Up Creativity Your Way Idea Book and Catalog.  You can go to www.stampersjoy.stampinup.net and view the wonderful line of accessories to step up your craft projects.  Better yet, contact me about receiving your own copy.

Happy Easter Everyone

Here is wishing each of you a Happy and Blessed Easter.

How to stamp on a budget!

Would you love to start stamping, but feel you can not afford another hobby?  Here are some tips to help you stamp on a budget.

Crafting and stamping are a lot of fun, and are very satisfying creative outlets, but let’s face it, they can also be expensive! Here are some ways to help cut that craft budget down to a manageable size. 

1.  Set your $$ budget.
2.  Make a list of what you’d like to have by categories: tools, cardstock, inks, accessories, embellishments, etc.
3.  Decide if you want to stay in one color family or more than one. Coordinate your purchases by color.
4.  Prioritize each category into sections: must have, good to have, not needed immediately. I usually put the emphasis on tools, because so many projects rely on basic tools, like a trimmer, to get the best result in your finished project.
5.  Check around your house to see if you have substitutes for some basic tools, as an example, you might have a pair of scissors that will serve until you can purchase a better pair, or, in a pinch you can sub a pushpin for a paper piercer.
6.  Look at ways to get more out of your cardstock: a)   After cutting your cardstock or designer series paper layers, die cut shapes out of the center of any layers that will be covered by another. Not only will you have some die cuts for a future project, but no one will ever know that you used the center of a layer. b) Tie a bow BEFORE cutting the ribbon, thread, or baker’s twine off the spool. You won’t waste as much! c) If part of a die cut will be covered, let the framelit or thinlit hang off the edge of the cardstock or paper and cut a partial die cut. d) Punch shapes from cardstock scraps. e) Use left over ribbon scraps to create a design on a project.
7.  To avoid duplicating supplies, keep a list of what you have and as you use it, convert that list into a shopping list.
8.  Store your cardstock and Designer Series Paper in file drawers or another dark area. Sunlight and heat are paper’s worst enemies!
9.  If your state has an annual back to school sales tax break, take advantage of it to stock up on adhesives and other items that may be covered.
10. 10. Have fun

Remember, when you are making a card, you are saving money instead of going out and buying one.  Most decent cards run from three dollars and up.  Also you have your gas mileage to take in consideration.  So, make your own for one dollar or a real great one for about two dollars.  You are saving money this way.

Shimmery White Embossing Paste

I finally got around to trying the new Shimmery White embossing paste in this Occasion Mini Catalog that opened in January.  Loving embossing paste, it was one of the first things I ordered.  Well, only recently I got around to opening it and playing.  I have been like a kid at Christmas that received to many toys and did not know what to play with.  With this great Hostess Benefit that is going on with Sale-A-Bration where with a $250 order you receive a bonus of  $25 extra above your hostess credits when you have a qualifying party.  With all of my orders, being a demonstrator that I received, I hosted my own parties and got loads of new toys.  Hard to find time to play with all of them since you have a tendency to get stuck on one set (favorite toy for the time).  Oh My, Oh My, the hardships of being a Independent Stampin'Up Demonstrator!

                                             

I chose to use some Bermuda Bay re-inker mixed into the embossing past. You only need two or three drops. Then, I used the brick stencil and applied the Shimmery embossing paste onto white cardstock.  This only takes a few minutes to dry.

In the meantime I stamped the tennis shoes and head phones on white scrap cardstock.  The set is from the Sale-A-Bration set Epic Celebrations.   I fussy cut these out.  By then, the embossing paste was dry.  I stamped the greetings in Real Red ink.  The shoe were attached with dimensionals.  The head phones were glued on.  The little stars were from the Epoxy Embellishments.

The card is mounted on Bermuda Bay cardstock and then on to a Real Red card.

This was a fun card to make.  The Epic Celebrations is a Sale-A-Bration set which will not be available after March 31.  All items making this card can be found in the Stampin'Up store.  Just click on "Shop Now" on the right hand side.

All good things must come to an end.

                                                 

I hate to see Sale-A-bration end.  We only have six more days.  This is one of my favorite sets, Amazing You.  You can get the set with a $50 purchase or get the bundle including the set and the Framelits with the words with a $100 order.  These are free for you to choose with your qualifying order.

As some of you know, Black, Red, and White is one of my favorite color combinations.  The flowers were stamped in black on the white cardstock.  The word you was stamped above the flowers.  The word "amazing" is cut out using the framelit in black cardstock.  The white is mounted on red and the card is black.

The center of the flowers are the Faceted Gems in clear and I painted the red using the Stampin'Blends.  

You still have six more or until March 31 to get in on the once a year, Sale-A-bration sale that Stampin'Up has.  Just go to shop now and place your $50 merchandise order and select your favorite free set.

 

How to Cure A Creative Block.

Cure that Creativity Block

When you can not come up with an idea for a card or scrapbook page, pull out a card sketch for your layout.  Then all you have to do is decide on your cardstock, colors and which stamp set you want to use.  Bingo, your card is finished!

 

Card Layout with Samples

 

 

This Sketch can be a jumping point for your creativity. You can create your card exactly with elements in the sketch or you can make adjustments to the orientation, move the elements or add more details to your card.

 

 

Stamps:

Background Bits (Host)(Wood: 144026 or Clear: 144029)

 

Ink:

Old Olive (126983)

Calypso Coral (126983)

 

 

Paper:

 Whisper White Cardstock (100730): 5-1/2 x4-1/4 (card base) and piece for image

Calypso Coral Card Stock (122925): 2-1/8 x 5-1/4”

Old Olive Cardstock (100702): Should measure 1/8: great than image piece

Delightful Daisy Designer Series Paper (144137): 2x5-1/8”

 

Accessories:

Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)

Fast Fuse Adhesive (129027)

Stampin’ Trimmer (129722)

Bone Folder (102300)

 

Some additional variations:

 

Stepped Up Version