Let’s take a look at another Stampin’ Up! stamp set that is due to retire at the end of this month – Pretty Postage. I also used the Friendly Phrases and the Circle Circus stamp sets on this card, which are retiring this month, too. Can you find where I used the Circle Circus stamp set on this card?
To create the colorful birthday cake I colored the stamp with markers before stamping. All the details are here.
Here’s an “Andy Warhol” thank you card with a matching envelope made with the Pretty Postage set. The details for this one are here.
Looking for other samples from a specific stamp set? Try the search bar in the far right sidebar.
I really like watercolor cards with unexpected color splashes so I thought I would experiment with the technique and I ended up with the inky fingers to prove it! I used Shimmery White cardstock and the Just Believe stamp set for this experiment.
I stamped the label with Midnight Muse and embossed it with clear embossing powder. Then I stamped ‘friends’ with Primrose Petals. After trimming out the label I layered it on a Silver Glimmer paper label. I used Primrose Petals and Silver Glimmer cardstock to create and layer the butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits die.
I squirted the background cardstock with water before splattering Primrose Petals, Midnight Muse and Always Artichoke reinkers which allowed the ink to spread. I put a few dabs of Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details glitter adhesive and spread it with my finger on the background. I also added a couple of dots of the glitter to the butterflies and the flowers on the label. Finally, I added a few rhinestones.
Stampin’ Up! traditionally was a wood-mounted-stamp-producing company. Their wood block stamps were and are the very best in the business with high-quality wood shaped for comfortable stamping. What makes Stampin’ Up!’s stamps so very special is not the quality and shape of the wood but the high quality, deeply etched rubber for a fabulous stamped image every time. And the wonderful artistry is unmatched in the stamping world!
The exceptional experience and art produced by using Stampin’ Up! stamps is the same whether you use wood-mounted stamps or clear-mounted stamps because the deeply etched rubber and artwork is the same on both.
I was stamping with a new stamper recently and I realized that when you are new you don’t know what wood-mount and clear-mount stamps are. Wood-mount stamps are permanently mounted to a wood block and stored in a plastic case. Clear-mount stamps are stored separately from the block and are specially made to cling to an acrylic block. So you will attach your stamp to an acrylic block each time you use it.
I was a die-hard wood-mount fan. I loved the convenience of having the stamps mounted on a wood block.
So what made me convert to clear-mount?
cost: after the initial investment of purchasing a few acrylic blocks, I save money ordering the less expensive clear-mount stamps, which means I get to buy more stamps!
storage space: clear-mount stamps are come in a DVD case for easy storage that takes up very little space on my shelf (which also means I can have more!)
positioning: because the rubber is mounted on a clear block it’s easy to see where you’re stamping
versatility: I can include more than one stamp on a block and stamp all at the same time (great for stamping words or collages)
clear-block: yep, that’s right, the Stampin’ Up! clear acrylic blocks are AWESOME and have the same comfortable shape as the wood blocks
clear-block storage: I discovered if I would leave the handful of my clear blocks I use all the time right on my stamping desk it was quick and easy to get to stamping right away
Here’s some more on acrylic blocks including samples and videos:
What is your choice in stamps, clear-mount or wood-mount? Whether you choose clear-mount or wood-mount, order your favorite retiring stamps today before they are no longer available. Only 10 days remain to order from the retiring list or the spring catalog.
If you have been a visitor here for a while, you probably know how much I love the Just Believe stamp set. I love the words and the images and the versatility of this set. Above is a sneak peek of a card I will be sharing with all the details next week.
Below are some samples from this set. Find out which card is the most popular and which is my personal favorite. Click on the links for more details on the techniques and supplies used to make each sample.
Just For You CAS Card - my most recent just believe card with a vibrant, happy feel. This card is included in my stamp camp kit which is still available. (More details about the stamp camp kit below!)
DO YOU NEED SOME BIRTHDAY CARDS, SOME RELAXING CRAFT TIME OR SOME NEW IDEAS? Order your stamp camp kit today and you’ll receive all the precut pieces, accessories and envelopes to create three birthday cards for just $15 - you add the stamping and assemble! This price includes shipping and tax and is only available to those in the continental US. You can order your stamp camp today by emailing me with your address and requesting your bundle. Then watch for a paypal invoice in your inbox.
Happy Birthday Stamp Camp Kit $15 includes tax and shipping Order today by emailing Julie@stampingjulie.com
I fell in love with this set when it was introduced in the spring catalog. I loved the little butterfly – I’m a sucker for butterflies, as you know! But I also loved the clever crossword puzzle greetings. I like crossword puzzles; not challenging crossword puzzles, just the easy ones that can be completed in a 15 minute break. I don’t do crossword puzzles for the challenge, I do them for the entertainment.
Even though a cute cupcake comes with the set and is a perfect pair for the happy birthday greeting, I still used the butterfly, because I LOVE butterflies! (Have I mentioned that?) And even though the crossword greeting has a whimsical feel, this card has a more sophisticated look I think because of the colors, the die-cut doily and the Natural Composition music paper. My paper snips made easy work of clipping out the crossword.
The layout was inspired by the mother’s day card I showed you Sunday.
A “Happy Day to You” stamped in Melon Mambo ink from the Stampin’ Up! stamp set Friendly Phrases is the message of today’s card. A touch of pattern paper, three little butterflies and some background stamping make a simple birthday card extra special. These beautiful butterflies are quickly die-cut with the Big Shot and the Beautiful Wings Embosslits. You can never go wrong with these fabulous embossed butterflies!
And this is the third card from the Birthday Party stamp camp! You can order your stamp camp kit today and you’ll receive all the precut pieces, accessories and envelopes to create three birthday cards for just $15 - you add the stamping and assemble! This price includes shipping and tax and is only available to those in the continental US. You can order your stamp camp today by emailing me with your address and requesting your bundle. Then watch for a paypal invoice in your inbox.
In the center of the Melon Mambo cardstock butterflies I added a rhinestone or two. These are layered on Sunshine and Sprinkles designer series paper matted with Daffodil Delight cardstock. I like to use a dot or two of Multipurpose Liquid Glue to attach the centers of the butterflies so there wings are free to fly.
The card base is Whisper White stamped with playful Daffodil Delight rings from the retiring Circle Circus stamp set. I started to assemble this card without the background stamping and it was just lacking something. These stamped rings made all the difference. I love the Circle Circus stamp set because it is so versatile and I’m going to miss it. I’ve used it for Halloween, baby, Easter, Christmas and Valentine projects!
A Split Second Designer Template – Digital Download #132562 $2.95
This week my daughter announced her new baby due in November with these cute pictures of my granddaughter holding a chalkboard sign declaring her upcoming status as ‘Big Sister’! So cute!! And so exciting! And ’Big Sister’ has a new cousin coming in October, so this November baby will be grandbaby #5! Wow – I feel so blessed!
We all know it’s important to document family milestones. And we know that scrapbooking is a fantastic way to do it, but sometimes we don’t scrapbook these events because of our perfectionism. We don’t want to do it unless we can do it ‘right.’ I guess that’s one of the many things I LOVE about MDS. I can do it, do it ‘right’ and do it FAST!
With traditional scrapbooking I would have spent a couple of hours creating a layout for these pictures, but with MDS this layout took me 10 minutes!! I selected the Split Second Designer Template, dropped in the pictures, shifted the ‘arrow’ embellishment a little to fit the picture and added journaling – that’s it! Done!
Packed for You Designer Template – digital download #134687 FREEFaces I Love Swatchbook Template – Digital Download #134595 $12.95Because I’m The Dad Greeting Card Template – Digital Download #134685 $4.95You Are So Nice Kit – Digital Download #134688 $9.95
I love the note cards and envelopes for quick projects. Already cut and scored and a perfect size for easy crafting! This little card came together quickly with the retiring Stampin’ Up! Circle Circus and Perfect Punches stamp sets. I stamped the background with Regal Rose (going to miss that color!!) and Summer Starfruit. The tag is stamped in Basic Gray.
This card with matching envelope was part of my Birthday Party stamp camp on Friday night. And for the first time I’m making my card class available to my online audience while supplies last! You’ll receive the Birthday Party stamp camp kit with all the precut pieces, accessories and envelopes to create three birthday cards for just $15 - you add the stamping and assemble! This price includes shipping and tax and is only available to those in the continental US. You can order your stamp camp today by emailing me with your address and requesting your bundle. Then watch for a paypal invoice in your inbox.
After stamping the tag I punched it out with the Extra-Large Oval punch. The bitty flower is punched with the shape from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punches and the smallest rhinestone tops it off. Before adhering the tag to the card I tied a Summer Starfruit stitched ribbon knot around it and then added the tag with dimensionals.
I stamped the matching envelope flap with the same colors using a smaller circle stamp for the Regal Rose. To stamp just the flap, tuck a piece of scrap paper under it to cover the rest of the envelope which protects it from the ink, then stamp away.
The Whisper White Note Cards and Envelopes measure 5″ x 3-1/2″ of smooth card stock especially designed for stamping. And they are a terrific great value with each pack including 20 cards and envelopes for only $5.95.
Happy Mother’s Day! (This card is a featured Stampin’ Up! project and the complete details are here. ) I hope you are having a wonderful day today remembering mom. Our mom’s deserve to be observed and remembered each and every day of the year. Here’s my post last year honoring my mom, grandmother and great grandmother – The Tale of the $500 Bathing Suit.
Now for the rest of the humorous part! I know mother’s day can be difficult for some people for various reasons and if you are one that struggles with this annual event like I do, you know what those reasons are and how personal they can be, so here’s my how-to-survive-mother’s-day tip. LAUGH! Seriously, laugh! I’m sharing this VERY FUNNY video that is GUARANTEED to make you smile and has absolutely nothing to do with mother’s day! Enjoy!
Today I’m sharing a wonderful thank you card I received from Kristi B. Isn’t it lovely? Sending a handmade thank you card is special. And as a piano teacher the musical theme was an extra special feature.
This is what Kristi said about making this card, “I made the music paper with a stamp and then distressed the edges. It has been one of my favorites. I need to make some more of them.”
You can see after making the background paper that she then matted it with black card stock and off set that on the front of the card, trimming off the edges where it overhangs. I love this idea and the pictures really don’t do this card justice!
I also love the way she used the clip to hang the tag to the card front. So cute! I’ll definitely be using this card design for inspiration! Thanks, Kristi!
