Sisterhood of the Traveling Stamps

New Clear Mount Rubber Stamps from Stampin' Up!

 

Starting with the 2010 Occasion Mini Catalog, Stampin' Up! now offers repositionable, clear mount rubber stamps--in addition to our award-winning wood mount rubber stamps! These new clear mount stamps are designed to maintain the unbeatable image quality you love about traditional Stampin' Up! stamps, while at the same time offering the flexibility, ease of use, and storability associated with repositionable rubber stamps.

Clear-Mount Rubber Stamp Features

• Nine different sizes of clear blocks available individually or as a discounted bundle.
• Blocks have ergonomic grooves on all four sides for easy grip and traditional wood-mount feel.
• Stamps and blocks are durable and easy to clean with your Stampin' Scrub and Stampin' Mist.
• Tight die-cutting for easy image positioning.
• Large clear blocks can be used to create collages or spell words with alphabet sets.
• Stamps store easily in standard, DVD-type cases with artwork on front and spine, making organization easy.
• The same quality orange colored rubber you find with our wood mount rubber stamps. (Clear rubber has quality and image inking issues.)
• Optional image labels on stamp backs let you decide if you want to see the image through the block or not. (Sheri's tip: I recommend applying the image label.)

To see this clear mount rubber stamp design in action, come to a class, book a workshop, or schedule some one-on-one stamping time with me.

New My Digital Studio Downloads Available February 2010

These are the latest digital downloads for My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up!

Item Number	Name	Price
120170	Corduroy Buttons - Digital Download	$3.95
120169	Sending Love Epoxy Brads - Digital Download	$1.95

Click on any of the images to see them up close.

To get these downloads and/or your copy of My Digital Studio, shop at my website:

Here are the Instructions for Digital Downloads once you have placed your order.

Watercoloring Technique Part 1 with Stampin' Up! Stamps

Press the closed lid of a Classic Stampin' Pad down against the ink pad, creating a small pool of color in the lid; then open the lid. Use a Blender Pen, an Aqua Painter, or a damp watercolor brush to lift the ink from the lid and apply to the stamped image. 

Sheri's tip: Use a "gentle hand" when applying color. You can always add more, but can not take darker areas away. You can also use this technique on your scrapbook pages.

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!

New Punch Design from Stampin' Up!

 

Starting with the new 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog and continuing with all new punch designs going forward, Stampin' Up! has adopted a new body style for our punches!

A few features of the new punch style:

• Low-profile, rectangular punch body allows for easier stacking and storing
• Punches lock shut for easier storage and transport
• Dual labels on top and end allow for easy identification and selection when stored
• Available in three sizes: small, medium, and extra-large
• New punches allow for larger punched images and more intricate designs while providing greater ease of use.
  • Extra -large punch images also allow for two-step designs like the Two-Step Bird punch in the Occasions Mini Catalog
• Corner punches allow you to punch a corner design along the inside edges of a page, not just corners
• larger, whole-hand handle design provides better leverage for easier use
• Available in an exclusive Stampin' Up! color

To see this new punch design in action, come to a class, book a workshop, or schedule some one-on-one stamping time with me.

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!

Relief for Haiti Donations to American Red Cross from Stampin' Up! I {Heart} Hearts Stamp Set

 

Who doesn't {heart} hearts? Especially the hearts in this delightful set. You'll love them even more when you discover they coordinate with our heart punches!

Available in both wood-mount and clear-mount.

Also, I {Heart} Hearts is available in English, Spanish, and French.

Stayed tuned to Sisterhood of the Traveling Stamps for samples using this stamp set.

In addition, if you purchase this set, you will be receiving a special set of step-by-step instructions for projects I created.

To purchase this stamp set and make a difference in the lives of those in Haiti, shop at my website:

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!

My Digital Studio New Downloads Now Available from Stampin' Up!

Here are the newest My Digital Studio downloads available from Stampin' Up!

Item #	Item Name	Price
118120	Calendar Basics stamp brush set	$9.95
121143	Calendar Grid Basic stamp brush set	$3.95
118169	Recipes By Design digital kit	$9.95
119978	My Sweet Pea digital kit	$9.95
120884	You're Invited digital kit	$9.95
120882	Textured Card Stock kit	$4.95

Click on any of the images to see them up close. As a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, I chose the Calendar Basics kit for free from Stampin' Up at Christmas time!

To get these downloads and/or your copy of My Digital Studio, shop at my website:

Here are the Instructions for Digital Downloads once you have placed your order.

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!

Techniques Using Stampin' Up! Pastels

Technique A: Chalking

1]   Apply Stampin' Pastel color to your card stock or paper with a sponge-tip applicator, cotton swab, sponge dauber, or stiff paintbrush.
2]   Blend the colors as desired with the applicators or Blender Pen. When using blender pens, just touch the pen directly to the corner of the chalk to pick up the color. 

Sheri's tip: I like to use Eye Tees make-up applicators to apply Stampin' Pastels. You can find them in grocery stores, pharmacies, discount stores, and on-line. Eye Tees are pointy on one end and flat and rounded on the other. Excellent for coloring with pastels.

Technique B: Poppin' Pastels

1]   Stamp the image with a white Craft Stampin' Pad or VersaMark^® ink pad.
2]   Use Sponge Daubers to apply the pastel color directly to the ink.
3]   Blow off any excess powder. (Repeat this process if you are using this technique with a Two-Step Stampin' set.)

QUICK TIP To avoid smearing, gently dab the chalk rather than rubbing it across the image.

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!

Marker Techniques Using Stampin' Up! Stamp Sets

Technique A: Multiple Colors

1]   Use a marker to apply ink only to the desired parts of the image.

2]   Add other colors if desired.

3]   Breathe on the inked image to remoisten the ink with your breath before stamping onto paper.

Technique B: Omitting

1]   To omit a certain part of a stamp image, use a marker to apply ink only to the desired parts of the image.

2]   Breathe on the inked image to remoisten the ink with your breath before stamping onto paper.

 Let me know what other techniques you want me to post about. Leave me a comment below.

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!

Rock n Roll Technique Using Stampin' Up! Stamp sets

1] Ink stamp on light-colored ink pad.

2] Press edges of stamp in a rolling motion on darker ink pad, being careful not to ink the center of the stamp.

QUICK TIP
Always use the lightest colored ink first to avoid getting dark ink on your light ink pad.

Sheri's note:

This technique works best with bold, solid images and stamp sets.

Leave a comment below to let me know what other techniques you are interested in seeing.

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!

Wrapped Christmas Gifts with Two Tags Die Using Big Shot and My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up!

Today I delivered my last Christmas Wish List items purchased by a husband of one of my customers. She is one LUCKY lady! She's getting lots of goodies, including some items for free since the order qualified for hostess benefits.

I have been taught by my husband's family to not only wrap Christmas gifts, but to decorate them as well. So here are all the packages wrapped and decorated in a very special way.

For the gift tags-

• I used Two Tags die with Old Olive card stock in the Big Shot to make the base of the gift tags.
• I also used My Digital Studio to print out the snowflake scallop design from Sweet Season stamp set to punch with the Scallop Circle punch.

BTW, I don't own Sweet Season, an $18.95 stamp set, but it comes in My Digital Studio - along with 60 other stamps sets - a value over $1100.00 for only $79.95!!! (I'll explain how to print the stamped images in another post.)

 

^ The obligatory curling ribbon. I vowed to only use it on one package.

 

^ I like using yarn. It gives texture to your packages.

^ Elegant and Classic

^ Notice I dove-tailed/duck-tailed the ribbon on the ends. You can make a pretty star-burst design in the center of your package with this decorating technique.

^ This one is my favorite package decoration. I took the inexpensive bows from the store and jazz them up a bit with curling your ribbon on top of the package between the two bows! Love it!

 

^ This is a Treat Box from page 159 in the catalog. I used ribbon from the 2U Simply Sent Card Elements. Super simple to wrap a small gift.

 

^ This one is decorated with ribbon in the shape of a "D" for Debbie.

^ Here are all the packages boxed up for delivery. I coordinated the item on the receipt with a sticky note, just in case the items were being given by other family members. The hubby told me they were all from him. Like I said, one lucky lady! (Enjoy your goodies Debbie!)

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Now get those packages wrapped AND decorated. Contact me if need more decorating tips, advice, or inspiration!

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Stamp creatively!