About Stampin' Up!'s New Cling Mount Stamps

Over the past few years, there has been enormous demand from our customers for a line of repositionable clear-mount rubber stamps.

Well, you asked for it, and now you have it! Starting with stamps in the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog and the 2010 Sale-A-Bration Brochure, Stampin' Up! now offers our exclusive stamp art in both traditional wood-mount, and the new clear-mount option.

Our new clear-mount rubber stamps are the result of extensive research with the intent to maintain the very best image quality in the stamping industry, while at the same time offering the ease-of-use and storability inherent in repositionable clear-mount 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.


• Optional image labels on stamp backs let you decide if you want to see the image through the block or not.


• 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.

Our blocks are available in the following sizes:
118487 Block A (1-3/16" x 1-1/4") $3.95
117147 Block B (1-5/8" x 1-15/16") $5.95
118486 Block C (2" x 2-1/4") $6.95
118485 Block D (2-7/8" x 2-11/16") $8.50
118484 Block E (3-7/16" x 4-7/16") $11.95
118483 Block F (4-7/8" x 6") $16.95
118489 Block G (3/4" x 2-1/2") $4.50
118490 Block H (1-5/8" x 4-7/16") $8.50
118488 Block I (2-1/4" x 5-7/8") $11.95
118491 Block Bundle (Blocks A-I) $69.95

Eager for Easter - Chocolate Bunny

One of the things that I love about being a demonstrator is being involved in swaps with the other demonstrators in my upline’s group. These swaps are a great way to learn new techniques, see more products firsthand, and it always gets my creative juices flowing again. Of course, it usually serves to enable me…more than once, I’ve ordered a product simply because what they had done with it was so cute.

One swap card I received recently was from my fellow demonstrator, Gayle Klingelhoets, did just that. She sent me this scrumptious chocolate bunny card. I had previously overlooked that simple stamp but fell in love when I saw her yummy green and chocolate brown version. And, at $7.95, the price is just right!

So I promptly ordered that stamp and came up with the card you see at the top of this post. By stamping it in chocolate chip ink on close to cocoa cardstock, I really accentuated the texture on the bunny – just like a real chocolate bunny. Then I carefully cut it out using paper snips and then adhered it with Stampin’ Dimensional to add some depth to the card.

Please click HERE to order 24/7!!! Supplies used on this card:
Paper:
Shades for Spring Designer Series Paper - #117160
Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper - #117161

Cardstock:
Whisper White (#100730 for 8.5"x11"' or #106529 for 12"x12")
So Saffron (#105118 for 8.5"x11" or #107088 for 12"x12")
Close to Cocoa (#101341 for 8.5"x11" or #107101 for 12"x12")

Stamps:Chocolate Bunny stamp - #11690
Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set - #115370

Tools: Paper Snips (for cutting out the bunny) - #103579
Inks: Chocolate Chip Classic - #100908

Other: 5/8" Pretty in Pink satin ribbon - #117289
Adhesives: Stampin' Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots) - #104430
Snail Adhesive - #104332 (refills #104331)
Sticky Strip I find this works really well on ribbon - #104294

Simple St. Patty's Greeting

This week’s challenge in my stamping group was to create something using the cute little Love Notes, available for a limited time in our Occasions mini catalog. The love notes are little die cut sheets of cardstock that fit into sheer glassine envelopes. I think either size would be great for gift tags, the large size would be a cute book mark, and they both make great additions to cards and scrapbook pages. I even thought they would be cute decorated and then slipped into the lunch bags of those you love.

This card was really simple to create…I used the shorter, wider hearts from the heart-to heart punch and clustered them together on the love note to form my shamrock. I used my large circle punch to punch out a circle and then circle punched a sliver off that circle to create the stem. For added depth, I put the love note on some Stampin’ Dimensionals, and adhere that to the textured green background…the texture, by the way, comes from our new Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions embossing folder, which is so versatile and adds lovely texture to any project. I felt like the shamrock was missing something, so I added a little gemstone from my stash, but I think a brad, button or other cute little embellishment would also do the trick.

All in all, it’s a simple card to create and still packs a “punch” (pun intended)!

Please click HERE to order 24/7!!! Supplies used on this card:

Cardstock:
Whisper White (#100730 for 8.5"x11"' or #106529 for 12"x12")
Garden Green (#102584 for 8.5"x11"or #107096 for 12"x12")

Adhesives:
Stampin' Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots) - #104430
Snail Adhesive - #104332 (refills #104331)

Tools:
Big Shot Machine - #113439
Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions embossing folder - #117335

Other:
Love Notes Kisses - #118779
rhinestone from my stash

Eager for Easter - A Good Egg

For a long time, A Good Egg was my only set of Easter stamps, and I loved the versatility that it afforded me. It’s easy to create a variety of Easter eggs, cute little chicks or a combo of both. The polka dots, circles and flowers also work really well as background stamps on any paper crafting project – not just the Easter ones. While this card wasn’t hard to create, it was a bit more time consuming due to the hand cutting. However, our paper snips do a terrific job of making even that task easier.

To start, I stamped the chick on the patterned green paper (which served as my background), the patterned purple paper (which became my eggshell), on a small scrap of orange patterned paper (for the beak) and a scrap of so saffron cardstock. From there, I started cutting things out…I cut the beak out of the orange, the chick out of the yellow and eggshell out of the purple polka-dot. And then I adhered it all together, using the green stamped image as my foundation. By pre-stamping the green, the chick still has a few little wispy “hairs” on his head and his feet, and I didn’t have to try and cut around them! From there it was just a matter of layering cardstock and patterned papers, and then adhering the ribbon and button. Isn’t that button perfect, by the way? I love that flower on it and the combination of sheerness and opaqueness all in one button!

Please click HERE to order 24/7!!! Supplies used on this card:

Cardstock:

Whisper White (#100730 for 8.5"x11"' or #106529 for 12"x12")
So Saffron (#105118 for 8.5"x11" or #107088 for 12"x12")

Adhesives:
Stampin' Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots) - #104430
Snail Adhesive - #104332 (refills #104331)

Sticky Strip - #104294 (used to adhere the ribbon)

Tools: Paper Snips - #103579

Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic (Happy Easter) - #100908

Patterned Paper: Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper - #117160

Stamp Sets: A Good Egg - #114974

Other: Button from our button latte designer button pack (#114333), 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon in so saffron (#113882)

Eager for Easter - Lattice Die

Have I mentioned how much I love tulips? I didn’t get enough of my tulip-making fun the other day, so I got out my XL Two-Step Bird Punch and my Lattice Die and started playing again. I’m pretty pleased with the results, though now I’m curious to see what it would look like in other colors.

The so saffron die cut “medallion” was made by cutting out two lattices from our exclusive Lattice Die. Then I adhered them together, with the top lattice rotated 45 degrees from the bottom lattice, and then I cut off the “tips”. The center of the medallion is a one of the cool Vintage Labels from this year’s Sale-a-bration catalog, stamped in old olive, and then punched out with our scallop punch. That is one thing that really sold that Vintage Label set to me is how they coordinate so well with our punches to make great card decorations, scrapbook page embellishments and even cool gift tags and labels. Then I created the tulip using the bird’s wing and stem cut from punches made with the XL Two-Step Bird punch, adding Stampin’ Dimensionals to give the card some lift. I also punched, then trimmed, multiple branches with that bird punch to create the leafy wreath around that scallop punch. The final touch is the simple Easter greeting taken from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Please click HERE to order 24/7!!! Supplies used on this card:

Cardstock:
Whisper White (#100730 for 8.5"x11"' or #106529 for 12"x12")

So Saffron (#105118 for 8.5"x11" or #107088 for 12"x12")

Old Olive (#100702 for 8.5"x11"or #106544 for 12"x12")

Kraft (#102125 for 8.5"x11" or #107070 for 12"x12")

Adhesives:

Stampin' Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots) - #104430

Snail Adhesive - #104332 (refills #104331)

Tools:

Scallop Circle Punch - #109043

Lattice Die - # 115958

Big Shot Machine - #113439

XL Two-Step Bird Punch - #117191

Ink:

Chocolate Chip Classic (Happy Easter) - #100908

Old Olive Classic - #102277

Patterned Paper:

Sweet Pea designer series paper (scraps used to punch tulip petals)- #117161

Welcome Neighbor designer series paper (rose red background) - #118401 - this paper is available only through the Sale-a-bration promotion...the good news is it can be yours, FREE, with any $50 purchase.

Stamp Sets:

Teeny Tiny Wishes - #115370
Sale-a-bration set: Vintage Labels - #119122 for the wood mount set, #118392 for the cling mount set -you can earn this set free with any $50 purchase.

Speaking of Punches!!! About Stampin Up's New Punch Design

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


• New punches allow for larger punched images and more intricate designs while providing greater ease of use.


• Corner punches allow you to punch a corner design along the inside edges of a page, not just corners


• Our new larger, whole-hand handle design provides better leverage for easier use

Part of Stampin' Up!'s commitment to providing customers with the very best crafting tools includes the belief in what we call continuous improvement. Essentially what this means is that even if something works very well, but we see a chance to improve it, we will work to make it even better. While new punch designs will be in the new body style, existing designs will remain in the existing body style for now. We will communicate any further changes as those decisions are made.

Peace Dove

There's nothing like Christmas in....March? Yeah, well, I was on a roll with Stampin' Up's awesome XL Two-Step Bird Punch and couldn't resist fast-forwarding nine months to the most wonderful time of the year.

This punch immediately reminded me of a dove and olive branch...the symbol of peace and so I thought it would make a beautiful Christmas card. And the punch would make this an easy card to mass produce....the only catch is that the punch is only available until April, 30th so if you want to use this idea, you'll have to grab it now!

The textured background was made with the Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder from last fall's Occasions catalog. If you missed it last fall/winter, you're in luck! It's one of the items they've made available again, while supplies last.

Please click HERE to order 24/7!!!
Supplies used on this card:


Cardstock:
Whisper White (#100730 for 8.5"x11"' or #106529 for 12"x12")
Old Olive (#100702 for 8.5"x11"or #106544 for 12"x12")
Real Red (#102482 for 8.5"x11" or #106545 for 12"x12")

Adhesives:
Stampin' Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots) - #104430
Snail Adhesive - #104332 (refills #104331)
Sticky Strip I find this works really well on highly textured papers - #104294

Tools:
XL Two-Step Bird Punch - #117191
Big Shot Machine - #113439
Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder - #116824

Stamps:
Four the Holidays (retired)

Ink:
Basic Black Classic Ink pad - #101179
Basic Black Stampin' Write - #100082

Bird Punch - Tulips

I had a fun time making this card...tulips are one of my favorite flowers: they are elegant and happy and such a welcome promise of what's to come each spring! So I couldn't resist making this card.

Two special things I'd like to point out here...the first is that the tulips are made from the bird's wing from the XL Two-Step bird punch that is available until April 30th. The purchase of the punch would put you on your way to earning a free stamp set with every $50 you purchase!

I just punched three wings for each tulip and then pieced them together in threes. The top-most petal of each is adhered with a Stampin' Dimensional to give it some lift. I also used the branch from that punch to create the greenery in the bouquet and just cut the stems and leaves so that they laid the way I wanted them to.

The other thing I wanted to point out was that I created the background (the spotted, so saffron paper behind the tulips) using the leaves stamp from the Branch Out set. Unfortunately, that stamp set is retired, however, you can create a similar effect with markers, sponges, or I CHALLENGE YOU to look through your own stash and find a way to use one of your stamps as a background. After all, the more mileage we can get out of our supplies, the better right? And the easier it becomes to justify our addiction, I mean, hobby, right? ;)

Happy Stamping!!!

Please click HERE to order 24/7!!!
Supplies used on this card:

Cardstock:
Whisper White (#100730 for 8.5"x11"' or #106529 for 12"x12")
So Saffron (#105118 for 8.5"x11" or #107088 for 12"x12")
Old Olive (#100702 for 8.5"x11"; #106544 for 12"x12")

Adhesives:
Stampin' Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots) - #104430
Snail Adhesive - #104332 (refills #104331)

Tools:
XL Two Step Bird Punch - #117191 (from the Occasions mini catalog only availabe until April 30th)

Patterned Paper: Sweet Pea designer series paper (#117161)

Stamps:
Whimsical Words - Sale-a-bration set (earn it free with any $50 purchase) - available in wood mount (#118386) or cling mount (#119119)

Branch Out (retired) - used it to make the spotted so saffron background for the tulips

Ink:
Old Olive classic (#102277)
So Saffron classic (#105213)

Other: 5/8" satin ribbon in pretty in pink (#117289)

Sunflower Thank You

My upline challenged us to use our our new punches, and I got carried away, so come back this weekend to see what else I've come up with. Today's post contains a sunny thank you, perfect for just about anyone in your life!

I actually used the poinsettia stamp from a Christmas stamp from last fall's Occasions catalog to create the sunflower. Unfortunately this stamp set (Berry Christmas) is now retired, but perhaps you can dig through your stash to find a similar stamp that can be repurposed. I just stamped it on and cut it out by hand.

The white scallop is one of our new border (scallop trim border) punches being offered only during Sale-a-bration...you can earn it free with any $50 purchase. A coordinating corner punch is available in the Oocasions mini catalog until April 30, 2010.

A couple other items to note: the strip of patterned paper is more yummy paper from the Sweet Pea collection (I told you I couldn't get enough!!!), as is the felt leaf on the sunflower. For some added interest and depth, I stamped the sunflower image repeatedly on the so saffron cardstock using so saffron ink for a watermarked look, and I also ran the chocolate chip background through the Big Shot machine with an embossing plate.

Please click HERE to order 24/7!!!
Supplies used on this card:

Cardstock:
Whisper White (#100730 for 8.5"x11"' or #106529 for 12"x12")
So Saffron (#105118 for 8.5"x11" or #107088 for 12"x12")
Old Olive (#100702 for 8.5"x11"or #106544 for 12"x12")
Chocolate Chip (#102128 for 8.5"x11" or #107102 for 12"x12")

Adhesives:
Stampin' Dimensionals (double-sided foam dots) - #104430
Snail Adhesive - #104332 (refills #104331)
Sticky Strip for securing the ribbon - #104294

Tools:
Scallop Trim Border Punch - #118402
Top Note Die - #113463
Big Shot Machine - #113439
Standard Texturz Impressions Pad - #114614
Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber - #114615
Texturz Plate - Stampin' Up Backgrounds 1 - #114512
Paper Snips for handcutting the sunflower - #103579

Ink:
Chocolate Chip Classic (thank you) - #100908
So Saffron Classic - #105123

Patterned Paper: Sweet Pea designer series paper - #117161

Stamp Set: Sale-a-bration set: Happy Moments (used the thank you sentiment repeatedly) - #118664 for the wood mount set, #119125 for the cling mount set -you can earn this set free with any $50 purchase.

Other:
1/4" grosgrain ribbon in old olive - #111368
Designer Buttons - Button Latte - #114333
Sweet Pea Felt - #117266