Today I'm going to share with you The Little Known Secret of Shimmer! The reason I say "little known" is because during the past 2 weeks I've been showing some new samples using this product and no one seems to remember that it is a current tool we can use!

The Shimmer tool is the Shimmer Paint we have in the Stampin'Up! catalog--we have two colors

*Frost White (#147046)
*Champagne Mist (#147044)

As you would expect...the Frost White leaves a beautiful frosty sheen to the surface which you can view below in this card using the new Evergreen Forest Folder (#153577) with an over lay of the Frost White shimmer paint...

Then I used the Champagne mist on a sun being prepared for a class...you can see how it really adds pizzazz to that "sunshine"

I'm going to show you a couple of ways to apply this paint depending on the size of the area you want to cover and whether you want a total coverage or just bits of it....

First, let's work on the large area like the sun above...this is approximately a 3" circle..so I want to choose a tool that covers a large area quickly...a sponge....

Shake the paint bottle, upend it on the sponge and WIPE off excess--less is better. You can always add another coat but if you add too much it may streak and not give you optimal results. Now using circular motions--small circles, cover the area completely. If you find you need more shine, repeat until you get the effect you like. Here's a picture comparing the champagne color (top) with the white frost (bottom).

Second, I'll explain how to cover a smaller more precise area like the trees on the above card. We'll want to use a smaller tool so we can control the paint better...so grab a sponge dauber. Shake the paint bottle and place the sponge part of the dauber over the opening, upend the bottle and wipe off excess just like with the sponge.

Now you can highlight the image with the dauber--remember if you use the sponge part flat you will get a larger broader coverage. If you use the edge of the sponge you can get a more precise coverage.

Now, third, if you need lots of control or want to add the paint to a very specific precise area you can use a paint brush...just upend the paint so there is a bit in the lid--dip your brush in the lid to grab a bit of paint and begin applying to your project. Again, less is better. You can alway add another coat but it's almost impossible to remove too much paint.

Now if you need to order these wonderful paints to add more shimmer to your projects, just click on the Shop Now button and you'll be in my store!

Today I'm going to show you step by step How to Turn Clear Mount Stamps into Cling Stamps.

You probably have several great stamp sets that are called "Clear Mount"--these are red rubber stamps that have a label that is shiny plastic--but this shiny plastic does not stick well to the clear blocks...they fall off easily. There are several ways to make them stick but these are usually temporary and require re-doing from time to time.

There's a very easy way to convert these Clear Mount stamps into "Cling" stamps with a label that sticks like glue to the clear blocks. Cling stamps are red rubber stamps that have a plastic label but these labels stick very very well to the clear blocks. 

I'm going to give you directions to convert your Clear Mount stamps into "cling" stamps that will stick very well to the clear blocks.

1. Take the excess label sheet from a Cling Stamp Set--this is the sheet from which you have labeled the stamps in your stamp set....it looks like this:

Or you can purchase a packet of the Cling Adhesive Sheets (#152452)--there are 168 cling labels in each pack ($8). Here's what the labels look like in the package--

2. I'll explain the process using the excess cling material on the label sheet

    *Cut a small rectangle from the extra unused label sheet

Here's the rectangle

3. Lay this on a hard surface with the 'shiny' side up; with the tip of your paper snips score a line down the center:

4. Peel off the backing starting at the score line...

5. Then apply the sticky surface (uncovered by removing the backing) to the Clear Mount stamp label

6. With the tip of your paper snips, score the backing

This is your new "cling" stamp with the cling material adhering to the Clear Mount label

7. Now you can adhere this to a clear block and it will stick just like a Cling stamp

If you use the Cling Adhesives labels (#152452) they are already cut into rectangles  (see below--a single cling label is outlined in black and it is scored horizontally....just peel the backing from the cling material...just stick this onto the Clear Mount labeled stamp, peel off the backing layer (on which the label is mounted)...and you are ready to mount on the clear block.

When you are finished stamping, be sure to clean your stamp with Stampin'Mist, peel gently from the clear block and store in the stamp case. If you leave the stamp mounted on the clear block for a long period of time it will stick very securely. Be very careful to gently peel the stamp from the clear block so you will not tear the foam mounting material. Using the spatula on the Take Your Pick Tool will help release the label from the clear block.

Enjoy your new 'cling' stamps..if you have any questions call me at 410 836 8016 or email me at [email protected]

Today I'm going to show you Three Ways to use Blender Pens. These are not "Blends" --the alcohol markers...these are the Blender Pens  (#102845) and come in a box of 3 pens that looks like this...

These pens have a clear liquid that we can use in a couple of fun ways...

First, let's use it to "blend" watercolor pencils....

    *Stamp your image in Stazon Jet Black ink--this is a permanent ink that will not bleed into your coloring when exposed to liquid like that in the Blender pens.

    *Color your image with Watercolor pencils.

    *Then use your Blender to "blend' the color --it will become slightly more vivid and smooth out the coloring "lines."

Note: When you are finished coloring one color, wipe the tip of the Blender Pen across a scrap paper until it runs clear so you do not mix your colors.

The second use of Blender Pens is for coloring when you do not have a marker in the color you need but you DO have an ink pad with that color..

    *Stamp your image in Stazon Jet Black ink

    *Place a drop of ink from your reinker in the lid of that same color ink pad

    *With the tip of the reinker bottle, smear the ink a bit in the lid so that it is not quite so dense.

    *Now with the tip of the Blender Pen, pick up a bit of ink in one of the lighter inked areas and color your image.

When you are finished with the purple (Gorgeous Grape), wipe the tip of the Blender Pen along scrap paper until it runs clear.

Now the third way  to use the Blender Pens is to create a new color. For example, in our grapes image, let's say we do not have a green ink pad with which to color the leaves....

    *Take one of your clear blocks (that you use for stamping), and ink one half of it in yellow

*Turn it 180 degrees and ink the other half in Balmy Blue

Set the inked block on the table and with your Blender Pen mix the blue and yellow together forming a green color...now you can color in the leaves with your new green color...

Now, what fun is that---you can now experiment to create your own colors and blends of colors to suite whatever image you are stamping!

Enjoy!

Hi, Stampers...today I'm going to show you How to Convert Wood Stamps to Cling Stamps & Save 3/4 of Your Current Storage Space! One of our long time stampers, Sandy Zinkhan (aka Sandy Z) has been kind enough to explain to how she accomplishes this.

This process, as Sandy Z describes it for us, is sooooo easy that even I can do it....so if I can do it, I know you're going to love its simplicity because the faster we get them converted to Clings the faster we can get to stamping!

Plus there's an added benefit of opening up 3/4 of the space currently dedicated to those stamps on wood blocks...those blocks take tons of space!

Sandy Z's Process:

We all probably have several stamps still on wood blocks that we'd love to use but we can't see through the wood so we tend not to  pull those out, right?

Grab one of your stamps on a wood block. Carefully pull up at one edge of the stamp with your fingers--be sure to grab under the foam layer so you pull it up along with the stamp--here are a couple of samples:

Note: if you find one of your stamps is a bit resistent to pulling it up from the wood, try microwaving it for about 5-10 seconds at a time--you don't want to destroy the rubber--just soften the glue a bit to remove the stamp/foam intact.

The residual stickiness on the foam will usually be enough to adhere to the inside of a standard stamp case (Item #119105) and to your clear blocks when you are ready for stamping.

If you find that your foam is not sticking to the case or to the clear blocks, you can use 1) leftover cling labels from your Cling stamps or 2) use the new Cling labels (Item #152452) in the new catalog. Either of these will provide all the "cling" you need to stick to the case and to your clear block.

Here are a couple of pics that show how she is labeling her cases. Cut a piece of copy paper 7 X 10 1/2...slide this under the outer plastic cover of the standard stamp case.

To indicate what's in the case you can

    *Cut pictures from old catalogs
    *Lay your wood blocks label side down on a copier and photocopy the set
    *Do a Google search for your specific set and print out the pictures of the set

Attach these to the copy paper that is inserted between the plastic layer & the case itself

To conserve space (so we can get more stamps in our stamp space) Sandy Z puts 2 stamp sets in one standard stamp case--you can see above how she labels the spine to indicate the names of both sets.

Below you can see 2 Wood Stamp sets now converted to Cling stamp sets ready for storage in about a quarter of the space they took up when they were in separate cases on wood blocks!

Thanks to Sandy Z for sharing with us!

Questions?  Contact me at 410 836 8016 or email me at [email protected]!

Have problems to solve or solutions to share-- let me know so we can find an answer or share your solution with our sister stampers.

Sign up to be one of Sandi's Sister Stampers on Facebook...go to Facebook.com, search for Sandi's Sister Stampers in the Search box (or click Sandi's Sister Stampers Group) - hit the JOIN button...show your work and share our fun!

Today I'm going to share A Seret trick to "not stick" stamps! Let me ask you a question...with the new Stampin'Up! Cling stamps with those awesomely "sticky" labels that stick like glue to your blocks---do those same awesome labels also stick to your plastic stamp cases?  Today I'll share a secret trick with you to help you out with storing those stamps with cling labels.

Here's how I like to store my stamps---once I trim & label them (be sure to follow the directions printed on the inside of the case to put those labels on correctly or you're going to have a real mess)---I like to put them right back in the rubber sheet they arrived in so that at a glance I can see if all my stamps are in the case...looks like this:

But then when I try to use one of the stamps, sometimes those super sticky labels also stick to the back of my case & it's a real challenge to gently pick them up to use without damaging the foam in between the rubber stamp & the sticky label.

I must give credit to one of my awesome stampers who shared this secret tip with us on one of our biweekly Show & Tell Zoom calls..Tish Lathroum was telling us how she prevents her cling labels from sticking to the case "like glue."  She recommends using baking parchment paper...you can find this with the foil & wax paper in your grocery store:

Cut a piece of parchment paper 5 X 7--I used my paper cutter--gives a nice clean edge & I can get the measurement just right..

Then lay this parchment in the back of the stamp case & near the edge of the paper use about 3 small pieces of scotch tape to hold it to the plastic case at top &bottom...the shiny spot there is the tape--I need a class in photographing clear shiny tape! LOL  That's a tough one.

Now either put your rubber layer of stamps or your individual stamps back in the case with the cling labe side toward the parchment---there is absolutely "no stick." You can press down on the stamp & still no stick!

What an easy inexpensive way to really enjoy those cling stamps without having to pry them up from the stamp case & possibly damage the foam between the label & the rubber!

Thanks to Tish for sharing her secret with us---I guess it's no longer a secret since now so many of us know, right? LOL

If you have a 'secret' you'd like to share or if you have a problem you'd like some help solving, let me know...email me at [email protected] someone of us has an a secret solution for you.

Did you notice I mentioned that Tish told us about this on our biweekly Show and Tall Zoom call...every 2 weeks we get together in a zoom call for a very informal sharing session...if you've created something or you've been cleaning/organizing or if you just need some inspiration--join us on Monday or Tuesday (yes we have 2 calls) & just enjoy some fellowship & chatting while we share our stamping lives with each other...if you'd like to join the next calls on Monday June 29th or Tuesday June 30th, email me at [email protected] - I"ll make sure you are on the list to get the link..we have a blast & the calls last about 30-60 minutes depending on how much chatting we do along the way--we'd love to see you then

Today I'll show you an Easy Way to Use Stampin'Up! Blends for Good Results!  

Here's the finished product...

Just follow these easy steps:

First, stamp image in Memento Ink (this ink is for alcohol markers = Stampin'Up! Blends); let ink dry before beginning. Use heat tool to speed drying.

Second work in one small area at a time to make sure your colors remain wet to blend. Usually I work on one large or a couple of small petals at a time...then repeat the process for each other petal. Lay down a layer of the Light color first over the entire petal,

Then moving quickly (you don't have to break your neck but don't dawdle either) lay a very narrow layer  (a narrow line) of Dark color near the inner part of the petal (that's where I want the "darkness" to appear).

Note: it's always easier to add more darkness later than to try to lighten too much darkness.

Next, moving quickly starting at the base of the petal (at the line of dark) brush upwards to the outer edge of the petal...do this along the entire base of the petal (always working from the dark line to the outer edge of the petal). As you go be sure you are smoothing out the edge of the dark line (this is why you want to start with an overall wet light base--to keep the inks wet so then will blend well).

When you have smoothed out the dark line your petal you look like the ones in the above picture.

This is not a difficult process-- you may want to practice a couple of times on scrap paper. I was amazed the first time I tried this technique how quickly & easily the process becomes after you do it a couple of times.

Let me know how you did when you tried this (leave a comment or send me an email: [email protected]).

The complete directions are below to make this card followed by the supply list to order supplies you need. If you use this month's host code (H64J4PR9) when you place your online order you'll receive $5 in Stampin'Up! product select by me for each $50 in product that you purchase.

Directions:

1. Cut Shaded Spruce cardstock 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, score long side at 4 1/4 (card base).

2. Cut Soft Seafoam 4 1/4 X 2 1/2, adhere to card front with glue

3. Cut Mint Macaroon 3 1/2 X 3 1/2 adhere to card front with glue

4. Cut Shimmery White cardstock 3 X 4

    *Stamp image in Memento ink--dry well
    *Follow above directions for coloring using Shaded Spruce and Flirty Flamingo Blends

5. Stamp dots in Soft Seafoam ink

6. Stamp verse in Versamark, sprinkle with gold embossing powder, heat with heat tool until shiny gold

7. Add this layer to card front with dimensionals.

Your card is ready for sending!

Supplies: Click on a product image below --you'll be in my store--order your supplies now:

So Much Love Cling Stamp Set (English)
$20.00

Shaded Spruce 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.75

Soft Sea Foam 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.75

Mint Macaron 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.75

Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$10.00

Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends Combo Pack
$9.00

Versamark Pad
$9.50

Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder
$6.00

Soft Sea Foam Classic Stampin' Pad
$7.50

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
$6.00

Stampin' Dimensionals
$4.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue
$4.00

Shaded Spruce Combo Pack Stampin' Blends
$9.00

 

Today I'll show you how to create Easy and Quick Beautiful Secret Silver Ribbons! Check it out...

Here's a closer look...

Haven't seen these silver ribbons in the catalog? Well, the secret is that it's not really ribbon--it's silver embossing powder! See how straight the sides are...it's super easy to lay a strip (in this card two strips) of Tear and Tape, sprinkle on the powder and heat with the Heat Tool until the powder turns shiny silver!  It can be done quickly, easily and it looks professional.

The base of these cards are the Notecards and Envelopes. There are 20 in a pack for $7--a really great deal and makes it easy to start without any cutting or scoring. You can simply start stamping.

The stamp set, Queen Anne's Lace, is brand new in the annual big Stampin'Up! catalog. It's a sweet little set with some terrific greetings that you don't find frequently such as "and I'll be right by your side" and "I know you have the strength to get through this"-check out  all the others below.

I'll give you the simple directions to create these cards followed by the list of Supplies you'll need to create this card...remember, if you place your order online using this month's host code (H64J4PR9) you'll receive $5 in STampin'Up! product for each $50 in product that you order.

Directions:

1. Cut Magenta Madness cardstock 3 1/4 X 4 3/4; adhere to Whisper White notecard front with liquid glue.

2. Cut Whisper White cardstock 4 1/8 X 4 5/8; stamp flower in black ink (e.g. Stazon).

3. Stamp flowers in Magenta Madness; add Wink of Stella---be sure to dab only and not drag the brush--dragging will lead to bleeding (especially pinks and reds).

4. Stamp "Hello Friend" in Magenta Madness

5. Lay two parallel strips of Tear and Tape--leave the a bit longer than the cardstock so they can be wrapped around the back;remove paper backing from tape &  sprinkle liberally with silver embossing powder, heat with Heat Tool until shiny silver.

6. Add three Magenta enamel dots to card front.

7. Cut approximately 9" of Magenta ribbon, tie in bow and glue dot to flower stem right above the silver ribbon.

8. Adhere stamped layer to card front with liquid glue.

Your card is ready for sending!

Supplies: Click on any image below and you'll be in my store--order your supplies now:

Queen Anne's Lace Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
$17.00

Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes
$7.00

Magenta Madness 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.75

Magenta Madness Classic Stampin' Pad
$7.50

Magenta Madness 1/4" (6.4 Mm) 2020–2022 In Color Ribbon
$6.00

2020–2022 In Color Enamel Dots
$8.00

Tear & Tape Adhesive
$7.00

Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder
$6.00

Mini Glue Dots
$5.25

Multipurpose Liquid Glue
$4.00

 

Today I'm going to show you a great Solution to the Problem of the Glue!

Does it annoy you when you pick up your glue bottle and have to wait for it to run down to the tip? When you lay it down, does it clog up if you leave it for awhile? If you answered yes to either of these questions I have your solution! And, it's cheap, it's easy and it's quick!

Here's your solution....

1. Grab the following:

    *Empty embossing powder container

    *Hot glue gun and about 4-5 glue sticks--heat up the glue gun---you want it really hot before you begin--makes this project much easier.

    *Bottle of Tombow liquid multipurpose glue (Item #110755); take the lid off.....leave the bottle of glue aside...grab the lid.

2. Lay a shallow layer of hot glue in the bottom of the empty container, while still hot, place the closed end of lid in the hot glue....

3. Keep filling the container around the lid with hot glue (even if the glue cools a little, when you add more glue it will soften up again)...fill the container around the lid with the glue til it looks like this...

It looks like this from the top:

4. Let this sit for a bit until the glue cools a bit so the glue hardens. While it's cooling, cut a piece of your favorite designer paper 5/8" x 5 1/2", place a strip of Tear & Tape (Item #138995) on the wrong side, remove the paper topping and wrap the paper around the sides of the container..

5. By now your glue is most likely cool, grab your glue and insert into the cap

    *If you are gluing, just set it in the cap and don't screw on the cap

    *If you are not gluing, screw on the top and leave the bottle upside down--this accomplishes 2 things

        *First, it keeps the glue at the tip ready to use next time, and
        *Since the glue stays in the tip, it means air is not in the tip and there's lots less possibility of it forming a small plug that keeps your glue from flowing freely!

You're ready to start your next project--without the annoying glue problem! Enjoy!

If you have a stamping problem, send me an email and let's see if we can figure out a way to solve those problems so we can spend more time card-making that solving problems!

Today I'm going to show you A Tricky Sticky Tip that was shared with us by one of my stampers, Barbara Howe. Barb, thanks very much for sharing this great tip!

Our tip is used when we create a card by stamping on separate pieces that make a whole picture and then separating them like this...

Here's the neat trick---the 4 pices of cardstock

...are turned to the back side and a couple of pieces of washi tape are used to form one piece (note we don't have  washi tape in the catalog--dig out your old supplies--if you really don't have any then use removeable scotch tape)

...turn back to front side and stamp image--press firmly

...then gently pull off the washi tape and adhere to the next layer of cardstock

It's a good tricky sticky technique that let's you get a perfectly stamped image with little effort.

I'll give you the full directions for creating this card followed by the Supply List...remember if you place an online order using this month's host code N2K4FHDC you'll receive $5 in Stampin'Up! products selected by me for each $50 of product that you purchases.

Directions: 

1. Cut Thick Whisper White cardstock 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, score the long side at 4 1/4 (card base).

2. Cut Whisper White cardstock 5 3/8 X 4 1/8, put through Old World Paper folder, adhere to card front with liquid glue.

3. Cut Basic Black cardstock 4 3/4 X 2 3/8; cut Seaside Spray 2 1/4 X 4 5/8; adhere together with liquid glue.

4. Cut Whisper White cardstock 4 x 2;

   *Cut into four 1" pieces
    *Adhere 2 strips of washi tape to the backside
    *Stamp birds in Memento ink; color with Light/Dark Seaside Spray, Light Shaded Spruce, Light Flirty Flamingo, Light Soft Suede, and Light Daffodil Blends. 
    *Adhere to Seaside Spray with liquid glue.
    *Adhere one of each of the three sizes of rhinestone in an approximate triangle
    *Adhere this layer to the black layer with liquid glue

5. Cut approximtely 15" Misty Moonlight twine, wrap around the multilayer and tie in a bow on the front; secure bow with a glue dot.

6. Adhere this unit to card front with dimensionals.

Your card is ready for sending!

SupplyList: Click on any product image below and you'll be in my store...order what you need to create this card...2 of these products are available June 3rd (from the new big catalog)--the Old World Paper 3d folder and the twine from Flowers For Every Season ribbon combo:

Free As A Bird Cling Stamp Set
$22.00

Old World Paper 3D Embossing Folder
$10.00

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
$6.00

Seaside Spray Stampin' Blends Combo Pack
$9.00

Daffodil Delight Light Stampin' Blends Marker
$4.50

Flirty Flamingo Light Stampin' Blends Marker
$4.50

Shaded Spruce Light Stampin' Blends
$4.50

Flowers For Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack
$10.00

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock
$8.25

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$9.75

Seaside Spray 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.75

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.75

Rhinestone Basic Jewels
$5.00

Mini Glue Dots
$5.25

Stampin' Dimensionals
$4.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue
$4.00

Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush
$8.00

Soft Suede Light Stampin' Blends Marker
$4.50

 

Today we have a Solution to the Stampin'Up! die case problem!

Last week I was vacuuming (I do this on occasion if it doesn't interfere too much with my stamping) and just before it got sucked up in the vacuum I saw a small die on the floor. Now I'm pretty careful about getting them back in the plastic case after using them but I have found that with handling them some of those small dies do slip out the slit in the case no matter how careful I am--that slit is where the lid tab should be inserted. 

Sometimes I even have a tough time getting the tab inserted because the dies are attached to the cardboard insert & the tab gets hung up on the dies. You can see the slit and the dies that are adhered to the cardboard insert & just where the tab tries to insert.

Soooo, I've discovered this awesome trick that works like a charm-
    *It prevents those dies from coming out of the tab slit
    *It prevents the case tab from getting hung up on the dies inside

First....let's  start  from scratch---here's a new set of dies--I just pulled it out the the plastic case & you can see the dies stuck on the cardboard by strips of tape--see it going through the center of the circle dies there:

Pull off all the dies from the cardboard...now you are left with just that sticky tape --this stuff always sticks to the plastic case when the dies are removed--can be quite annoying when you are trying to get the cardboard back in the case, right? Here's what's left..I know the tape is hard to see ---there are 2 lines of it approximatetly 1 1/2 from the top and bottom of the board here

Then, take a clear envelope (item #102619, 50 envelopes $6.00)*--leave the covering on the flap--you don't need to remove that....

and lay it on top of the cardboard with the flap laying flat on the cardboard & the opening of the envelope facing you...

Now, all the sticky tape is covered...it will not stick to the case ---it's completely covered by the clear envelope...you don't need to add any adhesive--that tape that's already there works just fine.

Then, slip all those dies in to the envelope -remember the opening is facing you...

And slip the whole thing back in the plastic case...

Now you can tuck in the case flap - it doesn't get caught on the dies sticking up there or on the tape that was previously exposed. Note that the envelope opening is above the slit--so  the dies will not inadvertently slip out of the slit.

On other side of the case you can see the labeling sheet with the name of the dies and other info...

It's a wonderfully quick & easy fix...all you need are the clear envelopes..that's it! I've been using this system for the past 2 weeks with the new dies from the new catalog & so far I've not had any problems...try it out--let me know what you think!

If you like this tip sign up for my newsletters--hit the Blog News Signup and the Subscribe to my Newsletter buttons so you don't miss any tips, tricks, product info, and class info.

Please share with your friends...I'd love to share more with new stamping friends!!

Click on this link and you'll be in my store to order the clear envelopes:

Clear Medium Envelopes
$6.00