Getting Started

Getting Started Challenge – Bride & Groom 3-28-14

April 6, 2014March 28, 2014

Another in my Getting Started Challenge. Stampin’ Up! has border punches and Edgelits to make beautiful borders, but the challenge uses minimal supplies. I used the Decorative Label Punch to create this border.

I also show how to stamp just part of the greeting with either a marker or a stamp pad.

This card works well as a gift card holder. Just cut a slit and finish the ends of the slit with a hole punch. There is still room for signing the card!

Click here to learn more about the Getting Started Challenge.

(Sorry this video went a bit long. I need to learn how to edit!!!)

Click below for free directions and supply list.

Getting Started Sample – Bride and Groom

Getting Started – Thinking of You 1 3-21-14

March 21, 2014March 21, 2014

This card goes together fast. The Daffodil Delight and Whisper White card stock and Pumpkin Pie ink will cheer up anyone or stamp with another of the greetings in Sweet Essentials for a thank you or birthday card… even a card for a baby or wedding shower.

This is one of my Getting Started cards. For more information on the Getting Started Challenge,click here or for the video click here.

Click below for a free printable supply list and directions

Getting Started Sample – Thinking of you 1

Getting Started Introduction Video

February 28, 2014

My husband suggested I make one video to explain the challenge so I don’t need to repeat it on each video. That sounded like a good idea! Here it is.

Getting Started Sample – Joy Fold Thanks

February 26, 2014February 25, 2014

We all need thank you cards and I think this one is just the ticket! The fancy fold is called a Joy Fold. Perhaps it’s called that because it brings joy by being pretty thrifty and easy.

When you open up the top layer, a little bird peeks out the window and the bird is still there when the second layer is opened.
It will take some precision stamping to get the bird to sit perfectly on the branch, but Stampin’ Up! has a tool with a funny name, a Stamp-a-ma-jig, to help you. I know… my Getting Started Challenge is all about minimal supplies. Don’t worry. Here’s a link to show you how to make your own. It’s not quite as good, but it will get you through until you are ready to buy the real thing. In the picture with the bird in the window I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig and took a picture and forgot to press the stamp down. The Stamp-a-ma-jig is so great, I was even able to stamp again. If you look very closely you might be able to see those tiny bird toes are not precisely lined up. That was with my home-made tool, so perhaps if I’d used the real one it would have been perfect. The bottom picture shows a close up of the bird precisely on the branch (only stamped once).

Click here for free printable supply list and directions.

Getting Started Sample – Joy Fold Thanks

Getting Started Challenge

February 26, 2014February 12, 2014

I challenged myself to make as many projects as possible with a minimum of supplies. Send me your samples and I’ll share them here too!

First, the supplies I used:

Whisper White Card Stock, $8.50 for 40 sheets, #100730 Add it to my bag.
Whisper White Medium Envelopes, $6.50 for 40, #107301. Consider buying 2 packs. Add it to my bag.
Everything Eleanor Stamp Set, $36.95 in wood-mount, #131987 Add it to my bag.
Sweet Essentials, $19.95 in wood-mount #132085 Add it to my bag.
8 1/2″ x 11″ Brights Collection Card Stock, $6.95 2 sheets of 10 colors, #131190 Add it to my bag.
Stampin’ Write Markers Brights Collection, $28.95 for 10 markers, #131259 Add it to my bag.
Classic Stampin’ Pad in Basic Gray $5.95, #126981 Add it to my bag.
White 5/8″ Organza Ribbon, $5.95 for 15 yards, #114319 Add it to my bag.
Candy Dots, $5.95 for 100 pieces, #130931 Add it to my bag.
Decorative Label Punch, $16.95, #120907 Add it to my bag.

Total cost $122.35 plus shipping and tax. That might sound like a lot, but this will make 40 beautiful cards at $3.06 each, mostly limited by those 40 envelopes. If you buy 2 packs you will double that to 80 cards at $1.53 each. Now consider how much you spend for cards at the store and the time it takes you to drive to the store. I think it sounds like a bargain! Next year, after you’ve sent a birthday card and maybe a Christmas card or Thank You to everyone, buy a different stamp set. You will probably still have plenty of supplies on hand for more cards.

Alternatives you might prefer to save money.

To see how to get started with even fewer supplies, click here.
Buy Note Cards with Envelopes instead of the White Card Stock and Medium Envelopes. I use layers for my card samples and you would either need to sacrifice a card or eliminate the white layers.
Individual Markers, $3.50 each Real Red, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry.
Everything Eleanor in clear-mount and clear blocks C and E.
Buy one or two stamp sets for now and add more later. They are $5.95 each. Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise. Or buy the whole collection and save $10. Click here to see everything in the Brights Collection.
A different color collection and/or stamp set… your choice. Here are some suggestions.

Supplies I consider essential, but can be substituted with things you most likely have. I think you’ll find the Stampin’ Up! easier to use and perform their functions better than the alternatives, but the alternatives can get you through until you’re ready to upgrade.

Stampin’ Trimmer $29.95, #126889 It cuts a straight line and scores to help fold a clean line. Use scissors or a ruler and a razor knife for cutting. Score by putting your card stock on a magazine and use something thin and round (like a paper clip, washer like you’d use with bolts, or maybe even a dime.) and a ruler to create the score line.Bone Folder $6.95, # 102300 Add it to my bag.
A Bone Folder , $6.95. #102300. It helps you crease your score line for a crisp fold. Use a finger nail or the side a smooth pen.
Paper Snips $9.95, #103579 I went for years without Snips. When I finally bought some, I found they really did cut a lot better than my regular household scissors.
Snail Adhesive $6.95, #104332 and refills $4.50, #104331. Use any 2 sided tape.
Multipurpose Liquid Glue $3.95, #110755. Use any white glue, but be careful of buckling.
Stampin’ Dimensionals $3.95, #104430. They are only about a penny apiece and add a lot to your projects. I have used foam carpet tape in the past, but if you’re going to buy something, by all means, buy the Dimensionals.
Stampin’ Mist $4.50, #102394 and Stampin’ Scrub $16.95, #126200. The mist cleans and conditions your stamps. Spray it on one side of the Scrub to clean and dry on the other side of the Scrub. You could buy the Mist and spray it on a painter’s edger pad refills or you can use alcohol free baby wipes to clean your stamps.
Stamp-a-ma-jig $11.95, #101049. See a home-made version here.

Send me photos your Getting Started Samples!

Email Me a picture and I’ll share them here.

Getting Started – Next Steps

February 7, 2014

Next Steps

Once you have white card stock and markers you will want to add colored card stock and stamp pads.

Card Stock All of our basic card stock comes in color family assortments or single color packs, 80 lb. weight, and is the same color all the way through.. Both single color and assortments come in 8 1/2″ x 11″ or 12″ x 12″. I make primarily cards and the 8 1/2″ x 11″ works best for me. If you like to make a lot of 3-D projects or you want to try scrap-booking you might prefer the 12″ x 12″.

8 1/2″ x 11 single color $6.95 for 24 sheets

12″ x 12″ single color $5.95 for 12 sheets

8 1/2″ x 11″ assortments $6.95 for 20 sheets, 2 of each color

12″ x 12″ assortments $9.95 for 20 sheets, 2 of each color

I would get the same colors of card stock that you got in markers. These links should take you to the 8 1/2″ x 11″

Real Red or Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive or Pear Pizzazz, Basic Black, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Smoky Slate, Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry, Crumb Cake, and Night of Navy.

Classic Stampin’ Pads come is all the colors except Whisper White and Very Vanilla. The ink is dye-based and cleans up with water. The Basic Gray and Basic Black inks are a bit more water resistant and are better when you want to fill in outlines with water and ink. If you might do a lot of painting you might also consider Stazon Ink because it really is permanent. There is a Whisper White stamp pad in Craft ink that is more like paint. The ink pads are long lasting, but if you use up all the ink refills are available. I’ll let you cruise through the online catalog here.

Stamps There are so many! It’s hard to decide where to start. All of our stamps are high quality and come unmounted to help keep down the cost. We used to have to cut them off sheet of rubber, but they come trimmed ready to pop out. Here’s help for mounting. You need to decide on wood-mount, clear-mount, or the new photopolymer that are clear, stick to the block well, but because they are so new there’s a limited choice. I like wood-mount for sets that I use a lot and have small pieces. I like clear-mount for everything else because they take less room on my shelf and cost less. If you get clear-mount you will also need blocks. Clear Block D works for most sets $8.50 #118485. If you are shopping from a printed catalog the images are the same size as the stamps. Cut a hole in a piece of paper that is 2 7/8″ x 2 11/16″. If the whole image in the catalog fits in the hole, then Block D will work.

I suggest one with images that would look good for a lot of different events and then a greeting set that is also flexible. I know it’s not cheep at $36.95 in wood-mount #128748, but I find myself using Teeny Tiny Wishes a lot! It has 24 greetings for everything from Hello, Baby to Happy Retirement. If that’s too pricey try Sweet Essentials with 8 greetings at $19.95 #132085 in wood-mount.

For image stamps?

Consider these.

Blooming with Kindness $22.95 in wood-mount #131961 or $16.95 in clear-mount 126422. The greetings in this set may be sufficient to get you started.

By the Tide $27.95 in wood-mount # 131910 or $19.95 in clear-mount #29120

Everything Eleanor $36.95 in wood-mount #131987 or $26.95 in clear-mount #124164

Lovely As a Tree has been around forever! I think there would be riots if it was discontinued. $27.95 in wood-mount #128655 or $19.95 in clear-mount #127793

For the Birds provides another way to go. There are 8 stamps with greeting and image. $32.95 for Wood-mount #132001 or $24.95 for clear-mount #126407. You can use a marker to color just the image, stamp, clean the stamp, then stamp just the greeting. Some people eve cut them apart and mount them separately.

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