StampsNWhatnot

Beautiful Wings & Vintage Vogue Meet the Big Shot

Here is a card I made for one of the recent swaps I participate in.  I've fallen in love with the new Stampin Up Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die and the Vintage Vogue stamp set in the Stampin' Up! Occasions mini catalog.  The Embosslit is a great one to have as it's got 4 butterflies that are embossed and cut out.

Want to know what I used to create it?  Here are the details. 

All products are Stampin' Up!

Stamp Sets:  Vintage Vogue #117690, $23.95, pg. 26

Cardstock:  Kraft, Taken with Teal, Rose Red, Holiday Lounge DSP, Vellum Paper, Vellum Cardstock

Ink:  Sahara Sand, Rose Red, Basic Black

Accessories:  The Big Shot, Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate, Beautiful Butterflies, Scallop Envelope, Two Tags, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Bone Folder, Snail Adhesive, Two-way Glue Pen, My Way Punch

 

 

 

A Couple of Tips:  I used Snail Adhesive on the Vellum envelope and you could barely see the adhesive.  It worked great!

Also, when using the Texturz plates, I spritzed the cardstock with rubbing alcohol, then put the silicone rubber pad and the Texturz Impressions Pad on top of it, then ran it through the Big Shot.  This gives a very detailed impression.  You can use water as well, however, it takes longer to dry. 

So, whatcha think of this one?  Would love to know.  Feel free to post a comment here on the blog :o)

Thanks for stopping by!

Jeannette
 

Sweet Centers by Stampin Up - Halloween

It's day 2 of the Blog Tour and I've still got Fall on my mind!  Today I'm going with Halloween.  I've never gotten into halloween cards much until recently.  I'm loving the sets and Sweet Centers by Stampin Up is no exception!  This one is even more fun because you can put treats in the plastic cups.  So, not only do you give a greeting card, but also a little gift. How fun is that!?!

This set is very versatile.  You can use it for Halloween as shown, for everyday occasions, Valentines Day, and Christmas.  The possibilities are endless!

To make my card, I used the ink pads to color different sections of the stamp, then stamped it.  This is an easy technique to do on large solid image stamps.  Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Stamp Set:  Sweet Centers #116521, $29.95, pg.6

Cardstock:  Basic Black, Perfect Plum, Whisper White

Ink:  Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Perfect Plum

Accessories:  Sweet Treat Cups, Striped Ribbon, Candy (don't you love the bat shapes?), 1 3/4" Punch, 1 3/8" Punch, 1/16" Punch, Thread

Here are some detail shots for you.  If you click on the photos, you'll get a closer look.

 

Hope you enjoyed this. 

Now for todays questions Mini Catalog Challenge Questions so you can enter to win my blog candy...

Make sure you send me your answers so you can earn a ticket:

1.  What new product makes your paper look shimmery?

2.  How many under $10 products are listed in the Holiday Mini Catalog (excluding hostess sets)?

3.  How many new Big Shot products are introduced?

Make sure to send me your answers.  I look forward to hearing from you! 

Thanks for stopping by.   See you tomorrow!

A Tag to Die For - A Bloggers Challenge

Here's a tag I made for my customers.  I was vendoring at a crop and wanted to play with my Big Shot.  This is what I came up with.

Whatcha think?

Here's what I used to make it.  All supplies are from Stampin Up.

Stamp Set:  Taking Care of Business #115090, $25.95, pg. 147

Ink:  Night of Navy Classic Stampin pad

Cardstock:  Sage Shadow, Night of Navy, Brocade Blue, More Mustard, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Handsome Hunter, So Saffron

Accessories: 3 Flower Punch, Boho Flower Punch, Tab Punch, Big Shot, Scallop Circle Die, Bird w. Leaves and Flower, Texture Plate - Stampin Up Backgrounds 1

Tip:  To get the texture to show up even more, lightly sponge the design by wiping your inked sponge across it.

Just Ask Jeannette

I'm starting a new feature. It's called "Just Ask Jeannette". 

I've gotten some questions about stamping, scrapbooking and the Definately Decorative line so I decided to answer them for you here. 

 

 

This week's Question:

When I ink up a stamp and stamp it, the image comes out blotchy.  Why does this happen and what can I do to prevent it from happening?

 ACK! Just look at that blotched image!

Answer: 

This happens when you are using a solid image stamp.  That's where a lot of the image is going to be inked.  It usually happens when you are using a relatively new stamp or one that hasn't been conditioned.

To condition your stamp, basically what you want to do is give the rubber some tooth or a surface that will grip the ink when applied.  To do this, take your sanding block or superfine sandpaper and gently sand the surface of the stamp.  Sand it in different directions.  This will remove the shiny smooth surface.

 

Make sure to blow off the rubber dust and clean your stamp with your Stampin Mist and Scrub, then ink up your stamp.  Remember to tap your stamp in the ink like you're knocking on a door.  Tap, tap, tap.  This will give you the best coverage.  No need to push the stamp hard into the ink pad.

 

Now stamp your image.  Much better than before!  Click on the photos to get a closer look.

  

As you can see, the conditioned stamp makes a much better image.  Clean and perfect!

Do you have a question you need answered?  Send it to me at StampsNWhatnot@aol.com.  I'll do my best to get you your answer.

Okay, So I Can't Wait to Post this Card - "From the Crypt" by Stampin' Up!

When I got my new catalog and started going thru it, I fell in love with the stamp sets on pages 20 and 21.  I had to laugh out loud because I'm really not a Halloween gal, but these were too cool and very on trend!  Here is a card I recently did for a swap I participated in.  This is also one of the cards I'm going to be featuring in the Spooktacular Halloween Stamp Camp I've got planned for you the first weekend in October.

Whatcha think of my creation!  (Feel free to post a comment below (wink!))

Enjoy!

Jeannette

 All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Stamp Sets:  From the Crypt #115460,  $22.95, pg.21; Baroque Motifs (One of the most versatile stamp sets around!) #113490, $27.95, pg.131; Holiday Best #115364, FREE - Hostess Level 1 set, pg. 13

Ink:  Stampin Up Basic Black

Cardstock:  Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Gray, Whisper White

Accessories:  Pumpkin Pie 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Stampin Sponge.

Tip:  Tap your sponge on the black ink and then flick the edges of the Whisper White and Pumpkin Pie cardstock with it.  It distresses the edges a bit and draws the eye to the stamped images.

Scene in a Garden by Stampin' Up! Take One

Well, Viva Vienna was even more fun this year than it was last!  It was good to see familiar faces and I was next to a couple of girlfriends so that made the days go by easily.  I sold quite a few handstamped cards and other handmade items that I'd been feverishly working on for the past several weeks.  (That's why I haven't posted much, I'm sure you understand!) I'm going to be posting some here and some on my facebook page this week and next so be sure to check both places.  Tonight this blog is getting the post!

I went to visit my folks a couple of weeks ago and Mom and I stamped and played with Stampin Up's award winning Watercolor Wonder Crayons.  I love these crayons!  They are my favorite medium to watercolor with.  They blend so easily and the color stays true to all the the colors that Stampin Up offers so the final image always goes with the cardstock.  No guessing involved!  How cool is that? This is just one of the cards that were designed that day. 

 

Stamp sets:  Scene in a Garden #113246, $21.95, pg. 7 in the Occasions Mini Catalog;  Sincere Salutations #115068, $23.95, pg.135 in the 2009 Spring Summer Idea Book and Catalog

Cardstock used:  Baha Breeze, Basic Black, Stampin Up's Watercolor Paper

Ink:  Stazon Jet Black

Accessories:  Stampin Up's Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aquapainter, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch

Like this image?  It's available thru the end of June so order yours today before you put it off and forget.  Ordering is easy!  Just click the "Order Online" button at the top left hnd corner of the page.  It will take you to my Stampin Up website.  From there, you just click "Shop Now" in the right hand corner and you're on your way to getting the Stampin Up products that you love!

Thanks for checking in.  Until next time, Happy Stampin!

Jeannette Swain

Okay, So I'm Lovin' the Flower Daisies #2 Sixxiz Die from Stampin' Up!

I'm having WAY too much fun with this die.  I had some orders come and and decided to make some tags for the ladies.  I got the Flower Daisies #2 die from the New Stampin' Up! catalog and decided to use it.  Boy, am I glad I did!

First for the tags, I used two of each of the daisies and glued them together.  What I discovered when doing this is that if you press in the middle, it gives it more dimension.  LOVE it! 

I've created a photomerge to show you all the steps so you can create your own:

Now, as if THAT wasn't enough, I decided to make some flowers that I can put on the table at my New Catty (means catalog for those who didn't know) and Sale-A-Bration Kickoff on Saturday in Chantilly, Virginia. (Want to come?  Shoot me an email to RSVP) What I did this time was use 4 daisies of each size, glued them together as before, but this time, I used my bone folder to curl the petals.  Here's what I came up with:

  Here's a closeup of the flowers.

Want one of these fabulous dies of your own?  Then click on the "Order Online" button on the upper left corner of this page.  It will take you to my Stampin' Up! website.  From there, all you have to do is click on the "Shop Now" button that is right under my name.  The die is called Flower Daisies #2, item code 114520 and is $19.95.

Until next time,

Stamp Happy!

Jeannette Swain

www.StampsNWhatnot.com

 

 

The Different Sizes of Stampin' Up!'s Scallops

Several of you have asked me what the sizes are of the various Scallop Circles that are available from Stampin' Up! As you know, we have the Carousel Notes which are the largest, the 2 Bigz Sizzix Dies (Die #2 has 2 Scallops) dies from the Bigz XL Pennant Die, the Scallop Circle Punch, and lastly the Birds & Blooms Sizzlets.  Well, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words so here you go!  Click on the image to get it in pdf.  It's much clearer that way.