Rubber stamps are not just for cardstock!

Try stamping on some of these surfaces, and you'll quickly see just how versatile rubber stamping is!

Clockwise from top left: molten embossing powder, chipboard, royal icing,
Designer Series Paper, paper gift bags, balsawood, candles

40+ surfaces to stamp on:

1. canvas
2. tissue paper
3. cello bags
4. fabric/calico
5. ribbon
6. envelopes (front and/or flap)
7. serviettes/napkins
8. Royal icing (cake decorating)
9. shrink plastic
10. acetate
11. vellum
12. candles (tissue paper method)
13. skin (kids' 'tattoos')
14. DSP (patterned paper)
15. tiles (trivets)
16. twill tape
17. metal
18. wood/balsa
19. printed invitations
20. stationery/writing paper
21. printable CDs and DVDs
22. slip (for stamping on pottery)
23. polymer clay
24. stampbord clay finish
25. molten art wax
26. chipboard
27. soap
28. molten embossing powder (faux metal)
29. paper flowers
30. foam
31. paper gift bags
32. Address labels
33. Aluminium foil
34. calendar entries
35. walls
36. chocolate (seriously! It's been done…)
37. vinyl tiles
38. clothing (think.. silk scarves, etc)
39. furniture
40. fingernails
41. paper mache

Any others? Add them in the comments section below.

Not all of these surfaces can be stamped on with our fast-drying, dye-based Classic Stampin' Pads. Some may require a solvent ink (like StazOn), pigment ink (like our Whisper White craft ink), chalks (like Stampin' Pastels), embossing inks (like Versamark), paint or even a special treatment technique. Some surfaces even need to be heated slightly first (yep, the chocolate again!). You'll need to choose the correct medium for your choice of stamping surface, which of course is half the fun.

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Happy stamping,

It's Father's Day today here in Australia, so today's tips are about one of our blokey stamp sets: Totally Tools. There are 5 stamps in this set, each with a different tool and witty sentiment.

Sometimes I like to use my image stamps separately from the words, and although there are a few techniques that enable you to do that quite easily (such as masking), sometimes I like to split-mount my stamps. GASP! Yes, I cut them! It's ok, they don't feel a thing. 😉 

Split mounting simply means that you cut the image and the words apart, so you end up with 2 pieces of rubber stamp not one. The pieces are adhered to different parts of the wood block, so can be used separately.

And yes, I know it would seem like it won't work being stuck on the curvy edge of the block (I thought it wouldn't work too and it was kind of an experiment!),  but it does actually work and the words come out crystal clear. Where possible, I would normally adhere the word to the flat end of the block, but this particular set had very long sentiments.

So now we have 10 stamps for the price of 5!

How to make the tools:

1. Stamp tools with jet black Stazon ink.

2. Colour the images as desired. I used the Basic Gray and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers. Then apply Crystal Effects, our clear craft lacquer which you can find on p144 of the NEW Idea Book and Catalogue (it's only $11.95 for a bottle, and is acid free).

3. Leave your images overnight and then cut them out. Use as handy embellishments on your cards, scrap pages or OTP (off the page) projects.

Crystal Effects looks great on the buttons Sizzlits die-cuts (p152 IB&C), on vase and glass images, as dew drops on leaves and flowers and plenty of other uses too!

Happy stamping,

P.S. Non Stamping Related: A big thank you to so many of you – customers, team members and demonstrator friends – who've contacted me over the past 24 hours about the floods we've had here in our little town. We've very grateful that our house is on high ground so we are ok, but it was a surreal experience seeing our main street totally flooded and heartbreaking knowing that so many people here in our own community have lost everything. 

Hi there! I'm back today with a great little technique to use with outline stamps when you don't feel like colouring. This is Paper Piecing!

It's an effective technique…. simply stamp your image once on the base card and again on DSP, cardstock or other decorative paper (hey, you could even make your own with stamps and ink!). Trim the second piece carefully on – or just inside – the line, and adhere this to the base card.

I made a whole bunch of these last week to send to the demonstrators on our EurekaStampers team forum, and it was so much fun!!

Here is a brunette version of Tess.

And if you want to see how she was put together, here it is in just a few simple steps!

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

I added heels to this Tess 😉 

And here is Tess's wardrobe. DD6 and I mixed and matched her outfits.

And some of the finished cards…

Tote-ally Tess is one of the stamp sets now available in the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalouge in your choice of wood-mounted OR clear-mounted! If you are a customer of mine you should have received your own copy of the Mini by now – if not just email me and I'll pop one in the post for you.

And finally (phew, this is a long post!!) here's a close up of the tags which were punched out with the super cute new Jewelery Tag punch.

Check back over the weekend to have a look at some fabulous cards that I received from our team card swap. Soooo many great ideas!

Till then, happy stamping!

Today I’m sharing some cards made with the Faux Silk technique, which was our focus this month at Stamp Club. Faux Silk is a deceptively simple technique that uses very few extra supplies: tissue paper and a glue stick is all you need. I LOVE the effect!!!

Here is a brief How To:

1. Stamp your image in StazOn Black ink onto tissue paper. Water colour as usual.
The cards above feature the Level 2 Hostess Set Echoes Of Kindness, watercoloured with Kiwi Kiss, Pale Plum and Perfect Plum inks using a blender pen.

2. Scrunch the tissue paper! Yep, screw it up into a ball (very therapeutic!)

3. Gently open the tissue paper to flatten it. There will be creases all over the tissue paper.

4. Cover a piece of cardstock using the Stampin’ Up! glue stick (it has square edges which makes it very easy to reach right into the corners).
The cards above use Whisper White as the base cardstock.

5. Stick the tissue paper to the cardstock. Trim and layer to your card front.

If you’re keen to get the Echoes of Kindness stamp set, don’t forget the fantastic Hostess Promotion for June and July. With qualifying workshop orders of $600 or more you could earn yourself this set for FREE plus at least $110 worth of Stampin’ Up! products of your choice (it’s usually $70 but for now you can grab an extra $40!). 

Contact me to organise a workshop, OR if that’s not your style why not host a catalogue party? Your own purchases plus orders you collect from your stamping buddies combine, and you keep the hostess benefits! Very easy.

Happy stampin’ (and faux silk-ing),

Well, the answer is simple and it’s something I’ve done many times, because my stamping mojo frequently disappears, let me tell you! I grab my Stampin’ Up! Idea Book & Catalogue and flick through it until I see a design that catches my eye. Force yourself to NOT look at the stamp sets (yes, I know it’s hard… but you can do it 🙂 ) Just look at the layouts. Don’t worry if you don’t have the same stamp set, or the same coloured cardstock, or rub ons, or the right ribbon. Trust me, that’s not important for this exercise (and you can always order them from me later LOL  *big grin*).

Now, make up the card by swapping the stamps and supplies for what you have available but try to follow the card design/layout as best you can. It’s heaps of fun, and saves you having to ‘think’. It’s just like following a recipe. Within no time at all, you’ll have created something new and your stamping mojo will be back!

Now, just for fun… who can tell me which page I CASEd (Copy And Share Everything) these cards from? (Check the current Australian Idea Book & Catalogue). Leave a comment when you’ve worked out which page. 

Your turn to have a go! Email me a card that you CASEd/adapted from the IB&C and let me work out where the inspiration came from.

Tomorrow is Australia Day, but I’ll be back on Tuesday to announce an exciting venture for papercraft lovers in the Creswick & District area, to help get you stamping, scrapping & creating, and to enjoy some ‘me time’.

Till then, happy stamping!