2018.12.23....Holiday Cards 4 of 5.....

More holiday inspiration....

2018.12.22....Holiday Cards 3 of 5...

Three more Christmas beauties:

2018.12.27....All About Stamps....old and new....

The Beginning...

When Stampin’ Up! First started, the only option for stamps was wood-mount stamps came in a clam shell case with a sheet of rubber stamps, labels, and wood blocks. We had to trim the stamps from the rubber, mount them to the stamps, and then add the label. Then came another option for many of the sets was foam stamps. The rubber was mounted to a foam base. You did not have to assemble anything; the stamps were ready to go. This option was a little less expensive than wood-mount, but because it was foam, it didn't always offer the best image.

Clear-Mount Stamps and Die-cut Rubber...

Somewhere along the way, Stampin' Up! started offering Clear-Mount Stamps.  This was a price-saver option, because there were no blocks included in the stamp sets. You simply punched out the stamp (it was already die-cut), added a label, then mounted the stamp to an acrylic block while you stamped, then removed it when you were finished. Sadly, however, the labels didn't stick well to blocks, and many stampers were frustrated when their stamp fell off the block in the middle of a project. I stopped adding the labels to the stamps, because they stuck to the blocks better without labels. This was frustrating to stampers who stamped upside-down images, however.

Photopolymer Stamps...

After years of hearing Shelli Gardner, Stampin' Up! Co-Founder and (then) CEO say, "Stampin' Up! will never sell clear stamps," Stampin' Up! introduced Photopolymer Stamps, and Shelli had to "eat her words," so to speak. (Never say, "Never!" right?) Photopolymer stamps are clear, so you can see exactly where you're placing them. Photopolymer stamps can also be manipulated on a block so you can change the shape (instead of a straight line, stamp a sentiment in an arc, for example). While I love our red rubber stamps - and they give a wonderfully detailed image - I'm a huge photopolymer fan as well.

Introducing Cling Stamps...

When you get your new Occasions Catalog and Sale-a-Bration Brochure, you'll see something different. There are cling stamps. Cling stamps are red rubber stamps that look exactly like Clear-mount stamps at first glance. But the labels are super, super, SUPER sticky, so they will not fall off those blocks any more. "YAY!" 

Beginning with the 2019 Occasions Catalog and Sale-a-bration Brochure, all new stamps will be either Cling or Photopolymer, and the transition will be complete with the 2019-20 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog. All my new red rubber stamps are Cling - and I love them! 

You do need to be careful when you take the stamp off the block. Because the label is so clingy, you can damage/rip the foam if you just grab and go like the clear-mounts. But it's easy to remember to simply lift from a corner and gently remove the stamp from the block, and they stick so very well to the block. I'm in love!

For all you wood-mount lovers out there,we won't be offering any more wood-mount stamps. The market just didn't support it. But you will love the clings, I promise! 

One word of caution: Many of us stored stamps in the cases with the label down (stuck to the bottom of the case). The clings are so clingy, you may not want to do that. I haven't had problems, but I've heard reports of the stamps sticking to the case. (You can use the spatula from the Take Your Pick Tool to remove them, of course.) I reccommend you store them rubber side down, and leave the label sheet over the labels.

2018.12.21....SNEEK PEEK VIDEO.... Occasions Designer Series Paper by Stampin Up

2018.12.21....Holiday Cards 2 of 5....

Here is a gift card holder and a couple more cards: 

2018.12.20....Countdown To Christmas- Holiday Cards 1 of 5

 Here's a few of the holiday cards I made this year: 

2018.12.18....Good Tidings...

I was short on Christmas cards, all needed for men,  so I whipped up eight of these beauties last night. 

I can honestly say this is the first time I have ever made a brown Christmas card....but I really like how they turned out. 

The greeting is from a retired stamp set (gasp!)

The card base is Early Espresso, the accent colors are Real Red and Whisper White. 

And that designer series paper...SO GORGEOUS!  It is the All Is Bright dsp.  LOVE IT!!!!

2018.12.18....Retirement card for a friend....

I forgot to post this card I made for a friend who retired from nursing in November.  

I know....it is not Stampin' Up! products....but when I saw this stamp set and die set there was no way I could not purchase it.  Way to cute and versatile. 

2018.12-17....Busy time of the year....

It is such a busy time of the year for all of us.  

 I wanted to take a quick moment to share with you some of the gift wrapping I have been doing. 

  Now these pics are not the completed wrapping.....but you will get the jist of it.....

Too cute not to share! 

Now you know why I was frantically searching for solid color wrapping papers....LOL. 

Thank heavens for my Stampin' Up dies and punches!  

2018-12 01 Ombre Technique with Blow Out The Candles and Happy Birthday Thinlet....

 Happy December my friends!  

I thought I would start off December by sharing a bright and cheery birthday card.  

This card features the Ombre Technique and I taught this in my November Card Making Techniques Class.  

The stamp set featured on this card is the Blow Out The Candles set from page 77 of the Annual Catalog.  

The greeting was cut from the Happy Birthday Thinlet die found on page 217 of the annual catalog. 

Coloring was done with the Stampin Blends alcohol markers found on page 205.

Card stock colors are Pineapple Punch, Real Red and Whisper White. 

14.11.2018....Love, Live and Share It Today by Stampin’ Up!

13.11.2018....Cling Mount Commercial

12.11.2018....BREAKING NEWS

NEW Cling Stamps In & Wood Mount Stamps Out!

Stampin' Up! announced at On-Stage that NEW Cling Stamps are coming with the Occasions Catalog!  

Cling Stamps are just like the current Clear Mount Stamps, but they have an extra-sticky vinyl sticker, so the stamp will STAY on your clear block!  

You'll see the stamps from the NEW Occasions Catalog will be available in either Cling Stamps or photopolymer styles only.  

Wood mount stamp sets will officially be phased out with the 2019-2020 Annual Catalog.  The only exception will be background stamps, which will continue to be available in wood mount.