by Susan Itell | Sep 27, 2016 | Tips and Tricks!!!, Uncategorized |
Good Tuesday to all….before we get to the topic today….I want to let you all know that the Paper Pumpkin refills for the September Kit are available now – I say a big WOOT-WOOT because I was super happy with the kit and I truly plan to use many to make cards and also save some of the fun tubes for a project for Christmas! CLICK HERE to see the post that I did highlighting these gems!
Now onward to a chat that I hope gets a bunch of comments going…because we all have been there and the bottom line is…IT IS FRUSTRATING!
I have been with Stampin’ Up! for over 4 years and I can clearly remember when the first Photopolymer Stamp Set came out….I thought to myself – this will never stay…..well was I wrong!!!!
I admit, photopolymer is my stamp of choice as I love the ability to “see through” to stamp BUT…I get frustrated in loosing these little guys…am I on that “island by myself” – I do not think so!
The best tip that I can give to you (and please….I am no expert but this is how I feel) I think that it is important to stamp (even if it is on scrap paper) to color/stain the stamp so it is easier to find on your work surface. I can clearly remember that when these stamps came out….my first objection was that I did not like the way they stained as I thought ...”they looked dirty” but that is GOOD….that is what a good quality photopolymer stamp does...it stains.
It is clear that Stampin’ Up! is coming out with more and more Photopolymer Stamps and I think that is very positive. When you are working with these stamps…try to get in the habit after you clean it….TO PUT IT BACK….
One habit that I do before I close the stamp set is to COUNT the number of stamps that are to be in that stamp set and if they are not there….EVERYTHING STOPS….I look and look as these little guys are like MAGNETS and they STICK to just about everything !
Here are my top 3 culprits of where they go! (please let me know if any of these are familiar to you)
- The bottom of a Stamp Pad
- The bottom of my Stampin’ Trimmer
- Stuck on an Acrylic Block because “Silly Susan” forgot to pull it off!
The moral of the story is….just try.
I know that even though I try my best, I have lost some stamps BUT….there have been time that I found it MONTHS later and squealed even louder than Daisy can with joy! (and trust me, she has a healthy set of lungs)
I leave you with a question….where is the strangest place you have ever found a MIA stamp?…..here is mine…
On the bottom of a Tervis Tumbler AFTER it went through the dishwasher! (I was drying off the water on the end of the cup and thought – what is this…..YIPPEE, my stamp!!!!)
What is your tale of the missing stamp!
I hope to see you back tomorrow….I think that it is a super simple card that will make you smile! To me, simple works and simple is effective! I can’t wait to hear how you lose your stamps….where you find your stamps….and what are your best tips in keeping them straight!
Here is a quote that I found that I loved….not that I follow it all of the time – but it is a keeper! Have a great day…see you tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | Sep 20, 2016 | Tips and Tricks!!!, Uncategorized |
Good Morning! This is a short post but one that I hope that will help you and also reaffirm to me that I am the not only one on this misplacing Island!
What am I talking about?
Do you ever lose a framelit?
(or should I say misplace one?)
Well….hopefully I am not the only one on this island but to me, it is soooooooo frustrating to be working with the big shot and you are really in a groove and then you go back to cut another shape out and say ~
Where did that framelit go?
We have so many framelits now that are very small pieces and even though I keep my framelits on a magnetic chip board to store them…I find that when I work I take them off….use them….get excited to see how it works ~ then turn around and say….where did it go?
Well…this is my solution and I will say…it works! A super simple Magnetic Bowl – and yep….Amazon to the rescue ~ here is your enabling link! (this was a tip that I learn from Jennifer McQuire’s Blog)
I keep it right beside my Big Shot and the minute I run it through, I plop them in this magnetic bowl! If you are a demonstrator this is also a great this to have during a class or a workshop.
This has been a frustration relief to me! It has saved me so much time in not having to do the “search and rescue” to find these precious framelits that we buy! It seems like Stampin’ Up has been coming out more and more with larger framelits offerings with many more smaller and intricate shapes so the last thing we need to have happen is playing “hide and seek” (especially with just ourself!) 🙂
This bowl will help you and you will think of me every time! Hope this little tip helps – you know me….I love to share little things that help!
Until tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | Sep 6, 2016 | Tips and Tricks!!!, Uncategorized |
Here is a tip for your Tuesday that will make you say…why didn’t I think of that! I think that this is a first for me…just 1 picture today but you know me – I will have lots of comments and also links for you to get these goodies if you wish!
I think that you know me by now in the fact that I love to find ways to make things easier and then I also like to share them with you. Why in the world would I want to hold them inside and not share…we are all on the same boat…love to craft but that “time thing” gets in our way! Perhaps you like my tips, perhaps you have another solution – if so…please share!
There is nothing more frustrating that not being able to “pick up” a small object that we are working with ~ it could be a small punched out heart, a sequin etc…
Here you can see 3 ways that I like to “pick up”…
#1 – The Quickstik – I love this….and I can say that I do reach for it often. On the one end there is a putty that is a great way to “pick up” things but I mist say…..I get SUPER FRUSTRATED in getting more putty to advance forward soooooooo if anyone can give me a tip on this….I would appreciate it!
In the opposite end there is a great “pointy thing” that also is helpful. I will say that I do “reach for this” often.
I bet that you can get it at a Big Box Store and use a coupon for it but I know that you can click away and have it come right from good old Amazon. (I really am an Amazon junkie…shopping on line is the best!)
#2 – Microbrushes – These are gems….they are made for eyelashes (now that is WAY OUT OF ANYTHING I CAN COMPREHEND) – I’ll stick to using them for crafting!
I do buy them from Amazon and I use them in 2 ways~
- To dap into green glue and place on hard to get things….like sentiment die cuts, little edges that flip up (that make you mad) 👿
- I let the green glue “set up” on the end of the brush and then it is a perfect sticky piercing weapon!
#3 A good old fashion toothpick and green glue – This seems rather simple and yep…it is ~ this tip came from a blog reader and I am soooo happy as it works, it is easy and wowza – it can’t get any more affordable than this….I “stuck” it into a foam block to let it “set up & do its thing” and then when it was set – works like a charm!
Well as the saying goes…..
I hope that you learned something and if you have some tips….please share as we all know – this is how we learn, we grow, tips simply make our life easier….
Enjoy the day!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 16, 2016 | Tips and Tricks!!!, Uncategorized |
Good morning! I know that many of you enjoy when I share a great tip or trick with you and I think that this one….you will be doing the happy dance. If you are having your morning coffee, put on your “to do list” for the day to go to the store and get a couple of these products and then have fun getting started!
I find we are all so different in what inspires us…who inspires us and then when you think about it, why do they inspire us. Well, Jennifer McGuire is an inspiration to me. She is not a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator but she is one sharp and smart cookie that always leaves me feeling inspired.
A couple of weeks ago, she had this video on her You Tube Channel. I went bonkers over it as it was like “SOMEONE HIT ME ON THE HEAD” and I immediately knew that this system would be a HUGE help to me. I have a TON of cards and many times when I make a card I make several….sometimes up to a dozen if it is one that I adore.
I cannot tell you how many time I have gone to look for a card (that I know I have) only to go through this…and that….and then this… and then that – DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANYONE or am I on an island by myself?
Well….here you go – look at this beauty! The sky is the limit as to what tabs you want. In the video you saw that she used clear envelopes to keep her cards stored and clean. I also did this ~ now I know that you are thinking, THAT IS A WASTE…but hear me out!
I adore our clear envelopes and I think that this is a wise move to put them in the envelopes as it keeps them clean and you can reuse the envelope again as you send and make cards! Also, if you are a person that “sells” cards, the clear envelopes are a perfect way to tuck your business card in with the card.
Here is a side view….“Isn’t it JUST BEAUTIFUL” – For a crafter you will know exactly what I am talking about when you see a “thing of beauty” like this. We put so much love and time into our cards….they deserve an effective way of being organized!
I did purchase the bin at Bed Bath & Beyond and yep….used a coupon for it! I NEVER go to that store without a coupon. You also can purchase them from amazon but with the coupon they are $5.00 less than Amazon (just trying to help you out) 🙂
I will say that I like the ones from Bed, Bath & Beyond better because there is a lip on the front. That makes it easy to pull off my shelf (but that is a minor detail)
Do you remember a past Tuesday Tip that I shared with you cutting up the plastic vinyl folders? CLICK HERE to see that post. NOW is the time to go and buy them with Back To School sales….at Walmart I found them for 10 cents a folder….now that REALLY MADE ME HAPPY as they are so handy to cut up and label away!
Also….remember the “cube” that I use to put my 6″ X 6″ paper in…..They are at Walmart in FUN colors for $1.00 a piece and Target had them in Black and a Dark Grey for the same price. These cubes are great to have for not only your DSP but for projects that you are working on and want to stay organized. Each month when I do my Stamp of the Month kits…this is how I stay organized through the sorting process.
Still a MUST HAVE, a P Touch Label Maker….Amazon BY FAR is the best deal!
There you go my friends…I hope that this HIT you like it HIT me and I am so happy that I have my cards organized so it is a cinch to find something to send out. John asked me yesterday for a baby boy card and a sympathy card for some clients….I even think he was amazed that I was able to POP upstairs and be back in a jif with some options for him! (you will see the baby card tomorrow….it is super cute)
Now go get going so you can join me in doing the HAPPY DANCE!!!! See you tomorrow…. 🙂
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by Susan Itell | Jul 26, 2016 | Tips and Tricks!!!, Uncategorized |
Good Tuesday to you and today we are going to have a chat about the Big Shot. I think that we all can agree that this one amazing tool. I call it my “main man” in my work area…and truth be told, I have 2 of them so I guess you can say that I have an affair with (2) main men 🙂
At the end of the post I will share with you a “funny” and then a “great story” which happened to me last week with one of my Big Shots.
I can remember that when I first started Card Making I kept hearing about the Big Shot…I had NO CLUE what it was and then when I saw it I thought…well I’m not impressed ~ it looks like a black crank thing….nope, I did not need it!
Quickly as my obsession with making cards grew I figured – I need to buy this black thing….(still not really know what to do) as I was your “Simple Susan” ~ stamp, ink and cardstock kind of gal.
I finally bought something to use this black thing with, I think it was the Top Note Die (darn I missed that gem) and I put my big girl pants on and attempted to use it…I thought that I BROKE IT – I heard all of this crickty-cranking noise….I thought for sure it was a goner and then when I saw that the clear cutting pads were all scratched – I can remember saying to myself….“Now this is just silly – why in the world would something be so expensive to break on the first try!”
Today is a 2 cup of coffee day as you need to watch this super video that the Home Office put together. Now I can hear all of you right now….I do not need to watch this as I know everything I need to know about the Big Shot….well, you are probably correct BUT I will say…they do a FABULOUS job in describing why each of the different accessories for the Big Shot work in a specific way…
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BIG SHOT!
Because we have many different accessories now for the big shot, it really is important to know the ins and outs so you can make your product work in the best possible way that they are intended to do! (hopefully that makes sense)
Did you learn something? I do think that it is a great video and I want to touch on the accessories. All of the accessories will be in the store at the end of the post and I am sure that many of you are thinking…I do not need all of them…you may be right as they are meant to do different things so maybe you do not need them but my guess, you have the products… so you need to make sure you have the right tools 🙂
I have all of the accessories and I will say that I use them….actually use them very hard and appreciate the end results. Do you remember before the magnetic platform we used to use post it tape to hold the framelits in place?
One thing that I will suggest…always have an extra set of cutting pads….WHY? – well when you need them you will smile because you have them on hand. I like to keep a separate one that I just use for embossing folders (and yep, I use my label maker and mark it) so it stays nice and clean (no scratches)
I also like to keep a separate one for using the precision base plate as it will warp a bit with this base plate. By having it separate…I also know to only use it for the precision plate.
Now for a “funny” – each month when I am working on my kits, it becomes a family affair with who is at the house. John and James always find the Big Shot to be fun and I get all of my papers cut…..give them their “to do’s” and they go to town! That is their limits….BIG SHOT and they are done! They always say…this is amazing what this can do! 🙂
Here is a great story…last week I was noticing that my Big Shot was not embossing as usual…i called Stampin’ Up! and asked what to do to make the impression correct and you know what…??? They said, I am sorry – we will send you a new one. I then told them that I use it hard….SUPER HARD and I was not looking for a new one, but on the other end….they said – We want you to be happy and of course we will send you a new one”
In 2 days I received a NEW one…with the NEW Platform!!! YEP, when you order a Big Shot, no need to order the NEW Platform as it comes with it! Thank YOU STAMPIN’ UP! for great customer service!
Please feel free to share your thoughts about the Big Shot and the accessories…this is how we learn….from one another!
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by Susan Itell | Jul 19, 2016 | Thinking of you, Tips and Tricks!!!, Uncategorized |
Happy Tuesday and today is our day that we chat about tips and try to learn about different topics that revolve around stamping, organizing and basically “whatever” for this wonderful habit we have, STAMPING!
Today lets get some chatter rolling on Cardstock and I have for you some tips about what I think is a GREAT way to get a taste of our cardstock paper!
Before I get to my #1 tip for you…I want to say that I only use Stampin’ Up! Paper and let me explain why. One of the things that I adore about Stampin’ Up! is the fact that everything coordinates. For this reason, it is just simply easy to stick with what we have as I know it will always match!
Years ago when I was a Creative Memories Consultant I would have customers call me and say, “Can I come by and get a couple of sheets of the blue paper that I always use….I am in the middle of doing a project and I ran out”
Then this would happen…..she would come over to the house with a scrap of the blue that she needed and it was not a CM Paper….it was something that she purchased somewhere else! She would be frustrated and there was nothing that I could do as how would I know where she purchased it?
Now let me say, I understand that there are sooooo many great choices out there from other companies etc…but it is just easier to stick with what I know we have and what we will always have to match up! (I hope that this makes sense) 🙂
Here you go! I think the BEST way for you to get the FULL FLAVOR of what we have is to purchase the individual color collections in the sample packs. Below you will see the BRIGHTS COLLECTION and in the store line up at the end of the post you will see them all.
Why I like this is the simple fact that you will get (2) sheets of every color and then you will quickly discover which colors you gravitate towards and then perhaps you might want a full pack of that certain color.
In the catalog where the paper is (pages 169 – 171) you will see in the boxes to the right of the collections, the 2nd down is the 8 1/2″ X 11″ assorted sheets for just $8.00. This works out to be .40 per sheet.
I just want you to know….YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY EVERYTHING….because the truth of it is, YOU WILL NOT USE EVERYTHING! When I first stated with Stampin’ Up!, this is exactly what I did. As I learned the product and I decided to take my Stampin’ Up! love to a bigger step, I did order the colors in packs but you do not need to!
Next….I want to get to the next great and SUPER SMART thing that Stampin’ Up! did. When you look at the DSP Paper Collections (pages 172 – 174) you can see the DPS Papers and then look to the right and you will see the Cardstock Pack that coordinates to the DSP. Below you will see what I mean….I am showing you the Blooms & Bliss DSP and then the next picture you will see the Pack that works with it!
You get (8) sheets of each of the (3) colors offered. True, it is a bit cheaper (per sheet – .34) than the above but you are getting more and you are the one that needs to decide if you need that much paper! (again, hopefully this makes sense) 🙂
Well….there you go – my thoughts on how you can be a SMART SHOPPER and get a feel of the great offerings that we have. If you remember when I went away this winter….I did not take all of my paper bins….I purchased these assorted packs so I could have a little of everything and then when I returned home….I just shelved the sheets away that I did not use.
I hope that this has helped you decide a great strategic plan in how to build your paper inventory! Paper is a KEY and in my opinion a necessary part in making clean and simple cards! Paper adds so much…layers add so much!
Hopefully I was able to teach you another option in getting your supplies in order – have a fabulous day and please feel free to let me know how you love our cardstock!
Coordination is KEY and Stampin’ Up! has NAILED IT!
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