April 2020 - The Maine Stamper

Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set Part II

April 30, 2020

Use And Care Of Your Share Sunshine Digital Stamps

As a rubberstamper, you are aware of the use and care of your physical stamps, red rubber or photopolymer. You know what inks and techniques work best for flawless images. You understand which cleaner to use for a specific application. And Storage 101: please keep those photopolymers out of the direct sunlight!

If you are new to digital stamps, as I am, then you may be wondering where to start and what to do. How will I put my printer to best use? How will I store all the bits and pieces of my digital stamps? I have answers!

Your Share Sunshine Digital Stamps

Purchase Share Sunshine Digital Stamp PDF Download

In Part I of this series, I provided a link to purchase the Share Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, part of the Making A Difference program thru Stampin’ Up!. This digital stamp set is a charity fundraiser for COVID-19. After purchase, you may instantly download the digital file and print out your stamp collection.

Print Tips For Share Sunshine PDF Download

This collection is 15 pages of stamps with images and sentiments both funny and thoughtful for social distancing. Pages 1 and 2 are instructional and list coordinating products for use with the digital stamps. I recommend printing these first 2 pages on regular copy/printer paper (don’t waste good cardstock on them!).

You will want a printer with color ink in addition to black. All of the images come in black options as well as pre-determined color options. This provides a great mix of both.

I printed out 2 copies immediately. If you have the cardstock and ink, this could be a future time-saver. With so many images on hand, I won’t need to start my computer, search my files, start my printer, etc to use one sentiment on a card.

As with any printer, you can choose a specific page to print instead of the entire document. If you fall in love with a particular digital stamp this is a great option. And you will save printer ink too!

Keep in mind, if you use a different brand of cardstock for printing (perhaps a cheaper one, like I do) and intend to use this digital stamp with your premium cardstock (like I did), the colors may be off. You will need to print on the good paper, or use the cheap paper (as needed) on your card. Lesson learned by me!

Binder Storage Solution For Share Sunshine Digital Stamps

I am a keeper of binders. Storage at my fingertips. I have a vast collection of white binders on hand, and lots of sheet protectors. The continuity of white in my craft room keeps things beautifully in order.

I placed pages 1 and 2, the instructional sheets, back to back as the first page in my 3-ring binder, using 1 sheet protector. Next, I placed the fully intact digital stamp pages 3-17 in their own sheet protectors individually. The Share Sunshine Digital Stamps have page numbers on the bottom that coordinate with specific products per pages 1-2.

As the images and sentiments are cut apart, I place the unused stamps in the page protector on the backside of the full coordinating page. As your full page of digital stamps dwindles, you may want to add a slip of paper with the page number into the protector. Or, you could add a sticker to the front of each page with the corresponding number as well. And lastly, there is always the option to print more pages from your digital stamp file!

My binder will need a gorgeous index label and colorful front cover insert. This will be on my list of things to do, and soon! Meanwhile, I have been busy creating cards with the Share Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, and here are my latest efforts:

So…I Finished Netflix

This card represents what many of us have been doing to pass the time of social distancing. Couch potatoes, happily entertained by Netflix and the like.

I thought this important announcement should be broadcast in cinema style. So, I reached for the retired stamp set, Marquee Messages. I used the Night Of Navy sentiments, and that made my card base choice easy. Bright and bold colors, Poppy Parade, Call Me Clover and Daffodil Delight round out the team.

Designer Elements in gold give this card a red carpet, award winning style. In fact, the circular pieces used here evoke movie reels of old. And I took advantage of the new Black Dimensionals when lifting my sentiment outlined in Night Of Navy to the card front. White Dimensionals would have stood out, in a bad review kind of way.

Wish This Were A Real In Person Hug!

This adorable pink dinosaur wants to share hugs. In fact, many of us want to share hugs. We can’t wait for the opportunity to do so. Let’s not make hugging extinct!

The Dino Days Stamp Set and coordinating Dino Dies are current Stampin’ Up! products. Often times, we see use of these dinosaurs in blues and greens. In my card, I fancied a pink dino. Blushing Bride and Flirty Flamingo met with Old Olive and Soft Seafoam.

I punched out the Share Sunshine Digital Stamp sentiment using the Everyday Label Punch. To create the green layer behind it, I punched again in Old Olive CS and cut it in half. I then adhered each section, top and bottom to the back of the sentiment, letting the color peek around.

The sweet checkered pattern paper is from the Subtles 6×6″ DSP Collection. I added the Woven Threads Sequins using glue dots left over from a Paper Pumpkin Kit. Those particular glue dots are smaller than the typical ones, and work so well with sequin application.

I Can’t Wait To Social UN-Distance With You

Perfect sentiment for those ready to end social distancing. I searched my stamp stacks to look for cute critters who are enjoying each other’s company. Runners-up in selection but not used were groups of assorted animals gathered in the stamp sets: From The Herd and We Must Celebrate.

But, retired stamp set, Bella & Friends, won the So Cute It Had To Be Used On This Card award. When I chose the sentiment from the Share Sunshine Digital Stamp Set in color, Mint Macaron and Pretty Peacock were natural go-withs.

I liked the embossing folder, Mosaic 3D, as it brought to mind the turtle’s shell. The checkered pattern DSP from the Subtles 6×6″ Collection was die cut using the Nested Stitched Labels Dies. White Perfect Accents and White Bakers Twine round out the embellishments.

Everything Will Be Okay

Everything Will Be Ok card with Share Sunshine Digital Stamp Set

Not all of the stamps in the Share Sunshine Digital Stamp Set are funny. Some are poignant and thoughtful. This sentiment is a perfect example of one (of several) that can be used at any time.

I wanted to mimic nature in neutral colors for this card. I pulled out the stamp set, Peaceful Place, and stamped the trees and leaves from it. Crumb Cake, Early Espresso and Highland Heather combine to keep this card calm.

As I choose embossing folders for my cards, I like to add to my card’s story. Pinewood Planks 3D with its wood grain was the perfect choice. I punched the sentiment out using the Story Label Punch. A hint of Linen Thread and retired Enamel Dots do not distract on this reassuring card.

The Digital Fun Continues

It is always exciting as a papercrafter to try something new. I am enjoying my experimentation with the Share Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, and I hope that you are able to learn with me as well.

If you are inspired by any of my projects and need Stampin’ Up! supplies, please stop by my online shop, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net, at any time. And be sure to follow up with me as I continue to share tips, techniques and samples in this ongoing 3 part blog series. I would love to know which card is your personal favorite!

Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set Part I

April 29, 2020

Making A Difference: COVID-19 Giveback

The World Of Digital Stamps

Have you ever heard of a digital stamp set? As a papercrafter who loves to stamp, the idea of printing off “stamped” images and using them instead of mounting a physical stamp onto a physical block and putting physical ink on it seems like an odd idea. I am a do-it-myself kind of girl.

Or, are digital stamps normal? After all, digital stamps are not new to Stampin’ Up!. As late as June 2, 2015, Stampin’ Up! offered My Digital Studio (MDS), digital designing software, artwork and print services. I never tried MDS, so I can not say whether or not it is similar to the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set. But I have purchased this new digital product, and have insight on it to share!

Making A Difference Stamp Set

On April 28, Stampin’ Up! announced its Making A Difference Stamp Set. Every year with the Annual Catalog Release, we wait to see what stamp set is ear-marked for fund raising toward a worthy cause. Stampin’ Up! takes a percentage of sales proceeds from a specific stamp set and donates the raised money to an honored named charity.

For many years (up until May 31, 2018) we supported Ronald McDonald House Charities. Then, with the past 2 annual catalogs, Stampin’ Up! simply encouraged customers to give back and make a difference by creating and sharing or donating cards to hospitals, churches, retirement communities or organizations.

With the 2019 Holiday Catalog, we saw the return of a fund raising stamp set, Nature’s Beauty. With this stamp set, $3 of every sale continues to go toward Mental Health Organizations.

Nature's Beauty Stamp Set — Nature’s Beauty Stamp Set, item #150528

With the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, you get to choose between 2 charities. One is The World Health Organization’s COVID-Solidarity Response Fund. The other is United Way Worldwide’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund. For the first time as well, you can split the difference between both charities. And, most importantly, 100% of the proceeds are going to these specific organizations.

Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set

Enter COVID-19 and the world-wide pandemic. Stampin’ Up! is encouraging card makers to “share sunshine” by sending paper hugs (cards) to others, in an attempt to brighten the days of social distancing.

Along with social distancing, is the disruption of the production of goods and their delivery, as the world stays safe and practices new measures. This means back-orders and delays, items out of stock or not available. How can we share sunshine without products to use to do so?

This is the beauty of the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set. After you purchase it, you have instant access to the “stamps” in the set. No back-orders, no shipping fees, no 10-14 day wait. Instant. Print and go.

Digital Stamps Print And Go

So, I jumped right on board first thing, and ordered the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, which costs $12 plus tax. It is not available on any demonstrator website, as it does not count toward sales and is non-commissionable. To order yours, click here.

After purchase, you have the ability to immediately download the digital stamp set file. You will receive an email confirmation with your order details. You also get a separate email with your download link, which I recommend you keep as back-up. Please don’t share your file, as that would take away from charity support in a time of need.

Unlike traditional stamp sets, you do not get to “pre-view” everything you are getting in the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set file. I will tell you that there are 15 full pages to print (as many times as you like). Each “stamp” image or saying is offered in black, as well as color versions. You will be printing @2- 4 of each image, so this gives you a lot to work with!

And talk about fun! These stamp sayings are relevant to social distancing, and while many poke at sarcasm or light-hearted attempts to be cheerful in a world of crazy, there are also poignant and thoughtful phrases. I find that several are perfect for ordinary times (remember those?) and will continue to be valued when “normal” returns.

Let’s Just Roll With It

This was the first Sharing Sunshine Digital “stamp” that I was compelled to work with. I chose the color version instead of the black image, which per the included direction and indexing pages, has coordinating colors Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, and Granny Apple Green.

This is an expensive and valuable card, as there is real toilet paper involved! But just one square, to be fair. You might even consider this card for a survival kit. Maybe stuff more tp inside, in lieu of cash, and mail it off.

I used a Bermuda Bay card base and some Granny Apple Green checkered DSP from the 6×6″ Brights Collection. The Calypso Coral CS was embossed with the Coastal Weave 3D Embossing Folder. Embellishments include Glitter Enamel Dots and toilet paper. I die cut my digital stamp with the Stitched Rectangles Dies, coordinating product per the included index.

Night To Day Pajamas

Party Pandas Night To Day Pj's using Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set

I really got a kick out of the play on “night and day pajamas”. So, I wanted some cute critters to be fashion models for me. I chose the retired stamp set, Party Pandas, and my stand-up panda came complete with card ready to mail!

Both the night and day pajamas were crafted in the same way. I stamped my panda image using Memento Black Ink on Sampler 6×6″ DSP (small DSP images will work better for this instance), and fussy cut the “tummy” pj’s out. I glued each pair of jammies on to two more stamped pandas, then colored the heart postage stamp with my Dark Poppy Parade Stampin’ Blend.

Again, I chose the color version of my Sharing Sunshine Digital stamp. This time, the card base is Balmy Blue, with Granny Apple Green stripes DSP. I embossed Pacific Point CS with the Scripty 3D Folder, with a play on “writing” to coordinate with my mailing-a-card theme. To add bright pops of color and blend the orange verbage on my sentiment, I also added Pumpkin Pie CS.

Additional retired products that would work well with this saying include Postcard Pals, with a playful platypus holding a card next to an open rural style post mailbox; or For The Birds, with an image of a small bird atop a classic rounded official mail collection unit, the blue metal variety, seen outside post offices. Consider either of them if you have these stamp sets on hand.

Quarantine And Chill

What is more chill than a bubble bath? Or to add on to luxury, a bubble bath with a bubbly beverage?? For this specific stamped quote from the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, I pulled out the retired set, Bubbles and Bubbly.

To make this card as girly as possible, I chose Flirty Flamingo as my card base. Not to be outdone in pink, this water featured card needed some Pool Party. I embossed that in the Swirls and Curls Embossing Folder.

A bit of coloring from my Stampin’ Blends was completed in no time. And as an embellishment, Frosted Epoxy Droplets, give the illusion of bubbles popping out of the bath. This card implies chill in a great way!

Let’s (Digitally) Party!

Cheerful Critters Digital B-day Party using Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set

Birthday celebrations (like all celebrations) are so difficult right now. A fun card can help lighten the mood. Laughing is better than crying, right?

This stamp from the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set screamed signage to me. For this card, I called on the retired Cheerful Critters Stamp Set, as any of the 3 images (bunny, bear and chick) are holding up ready to fill in signs.

As seems to be my nature with this set of cards on display today, I picked the color version of words, in Mango Melody. Because I wanted this card to be bright as well as cheery, I chose Poppy Parade to coordinate. I used this color as the card base, as well as some DSP from the 6×6″ Brights Collection. Bermuda Bay tones it down. It is used as a CS layer, in retired enamel dots, and a Stampin’ Blend color on Bear’s shirt.

After stamping Bear and his sign in Memento Black Ink, I die cut the Whisper White CS he was stamped on, using the Stitched So Sweetly Dies. Because the digital stamp saying was slightly bigger than my sign, I trimmed it as small as possible. Next, I added some black CS behind it, and adhered it to the sign’s stamped outline. Bear holds all of this up very nicely.

Digital Fun At It’s Finest

I hope you enjoy my versions of cards using the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set as much as I am enjoying trying out this new product from Stampin’ Up!.

While I have been using a lot of retired product, I find value in all my craft supplies. The hunt thru my on-hand stash is always fun in an effort to pick out the perfect go-togethers.

Don’t forget to pick up items that are on the current retiring list, by shopping my online store, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net. My blog post, Retirement List: You Will Be Missed, showcases my top picks in handy tools and products that will be gone before we know it!

And please, come back to see more cards made with the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set. I will continue to share additional tips and techniques on printing, using and storing this new style “stamp” collection in this 3 part blog series. Feel free to drop a comment and let me know which of these cards you like best!

Inspiring Iris In Highland Heather

April 27, 2020

Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be

Monday’s are hard, but in this card making series, I will show you that stamping shouldn’t be. In fact, it’s quite easy. And with minimal supplies and minimal efforts, you can get fabulous results! To see last week’s Monday Card Tutorial, click here.

Today’s Monday Card features the stamp set, Inspiring Iris. This great stamp set is made up of 16 photopolymer stamps, with 3 different kinds of flowers. That’s right…not just iris.

Inspiring Iris has two-step stamping capability. Two-step stamping involves stamping an outer image, and them stamping the filler, or inner, image(s) separately. It is a fast and easy way to add instant color, but this does not limit us to using it as intended, and soon you will see why!

So with just one stamp set, Inspiring Iris, two colors of ink, Memento Tuxedo Black and Gorgeous Grape, and two colors of cardstock, Highland Heather and Whisper White, we are creating an easy Monday card. Let’s put this one together!

A Monday Card

The Card Recipe

Highland Heather CS: 5 1/2 x 8 1/2″, score at 4 1/4″ for card base.

Highland Heather CS: 1 1/2 x 5 1/4″, 2 1/4 x 3″

Whisper White CS: 4 x 5 1/4″ (inside)

Whisper White CS: 2 x 5 1/4″, 2 x 2 3/4″, 3/4 x 1 7/8″

Stamp And Assemble

This Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be Card starts out with the typical “fold in half” and score with your bone folder to get a great crisp card base. Let’s not break tradition.

However, my TIP to you is to score once, invert the fold and score again. Your inner crease is now as crisp as the outer one. This makes for a professional looking card base!

Highland Heather cardbase, bone folder scoring

Create Your Own Designer Series Paper

With the minimal supplies used in this card, we are not adding designer series paper to it. We are making our own! This great background pattern can be used with any stamp sets you own, and every Monday I am showing you how to incorporate this technique into your projects.

For our Inspiring Iris card, we are stamping backgrounds, times 3! Once in black ink, and twice in purple, one with lighter images and one with darker images from the same purple ink pad.

Background #1

Starting with the card base you just folded and scored so nicely, stamp the ‘mystery flower’ (rose? begonia? peony?) leaf filler using Gorgeous Grape Ink that is stamped off. By stamping off (releasing ink) and using the second generation ink, you will get a lighter stamped image. I was able to get 5-6 images in the center of my card base from top to bottom, inverting the stamp orientation each time to vary the look.

Background #2

On the 1 1/2 x 5 1/4″ Highland Heather CS, stamp the carnation leaf filler (this one resembles a tulip silhouette on a stem) using Gorgeous Grape ink. This time, do not stamp off, use the fully inked stamp to create a darker image in a random pattern. I like to have my flowers peeking inward.

Stamp from Inspiring Iris and Gorgeous Grape Ink

Background #3

Our last background technique involves the 2 x 5 1/4″ Whisper White CS and Memento Black Ink. To get my lines as straight as possible, I took advantage of my grid paper (you could use graph paper or make your own grid if need be).

You can use a post-it note to hold the white cardstock in place, or washi tape. If using washi, be sure to remove some of the “stick” first to avoid tears on your paper during its removal. Simply dab the sticky side of the tape on your clothes to lesson the stick factor.

I carefully lined up the background stamp that resembles circles with diamonds in the middle, and starting from the bottom, worked my way up. On my card, I tried to stamp a full circle each time on the same edge of my paper to make a uniform design. Grid lines keep the tendency on the straight and narrow side.

Floral Details

The theme of our card is Inspiring Iris, so let’s stamp the iris! First, take the iris outline stamp and use Memento Black Ink on the 2 x 2 3/4″ Whisper White Cardstock. Leave a little blank room at the top, and stamp the lower leaves off the bottom of your cardstock. Don’t crowd your iris, give them room to grow!

Inspiring Iris stamps with Memento Black Ink

While my Memento ink was out, I stamped the sentiment for this card on the 3/4 x 1 7/8″ Whisper White Cardstock. It is easier for me to line up my saying on a small paper. Somehow using larger pieces just leaves room for larger errors, plus do-over’s don’t waste valuable cardstock when minimal scraps are used.

Next, we color our flower. Using the iris flower filler stamp and Gorgeous Grape Ink, stamp over the black flower outline. This stamp is designed to give you high and low color saturation, so it appears that you worked ‘extra hard’ to create this look, without the ‘extra hard’ work.

Lastly, it is time to stamp the leaves. Normally one would use green to create realistic leaves, but this card with minimal supplies gives us the option to use purple or black ink. So purple it is. I created the leaves in a lighter purple by stamping off the Gorgeous Grape Ink first. As well, this creates a variation in color from the flower and leaves.

Iris flower stamping from Inspiring Iris Stamp Set

Finishing Touches

I like to assemble my layers before I add them to the card front. For this card, adhere together the white cardstock stamped with black circles and the purple cardstock stamped with purple flowers. Place this assembly to the far left of your card front. You should be able to see the stamping we did on the middle of the card base peeking out.

Next, adhere the stamped iris on white cardstock to the 2 1/4 x 3″ Highland Heather CS. This layer will overlap the first, longer layer on your card front, and become the focal point of the card.

For the final step on the card front, add your sentiment. There should be room toward the bottom right for it to fit perfectly. This is helped by the longer layers positioned previously to the far left, and the sentiment piece being as tiny as possible.

The Insider Job

Your card is beautiful on the outside, now lets make it pretty inside too! I like to mimic some of the outer stamping into a corner of the inside card. This way the card has continuity and there is still lots of room to add your own sentiment or written thoughts.

Here, I used the same technique from the stamping of the iris image to add that inside interest. I stamped the iris lower on the inside corner, with the flowers just over the bottom of my cardstock. I also added the fun circle background stamp in black to create edging on two sides.

Step It Up!

Any card can have more! If you have ribbon or bling lying around, it would look fantastic with the beautiful Inspiring Iris card. I chose to add some Stampin’ Up Tri-Color Ribbon, item #149708, as it constitutes 2 out of 3 colors used in this card today: Gorgeous Grape and Highland Heather.

Keeping with our purple and white theme, I added a bow using the Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon, item #151326. And pearls and purple were meant to be together, so onto the card they went!

I hope you enjoyed making this easy card on a hard Monday with me. My video tutorial can be found on my FaceBook page, as well as my YouTube channel. If you need any supplies for this card, please feel free to visit my online store, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net, at any time. See you next Monday for another installment of:

Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be!

The Maine Stamper

Julie Makson Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Month: April 2020