Take Your Pick Tool - The Maine Stamper

Beauty of Tomorrow in Soft Succulent

October 27, 2021

Card using Beauty Of Tomorrow Bundle featuring Soft Succulent.

In Color: Soft Succulent Part II

As I began another color journey with Soft Succulent, I noted the color pairing with Soft Suede and Old Olive. My thoughts turned to fall colors immediately. But it was not an autumn themed stamp set that caught my eye as I started to design!

Instead, I chose the flora and fauna of the Beauty of Tomorrow Stamp Set and Beautiful Leaves Dies. The blue-green of the Soft Succulent blends so nicely with the warm brown of Soft Suede. Old Olive, almost a spring-time green, seemed like the odd man out here. But, once I tucked some Old Olive in, I discovered that I not only like these colors together…I love them together!

Big and Beautiful Leaves Dies

The largest die in the Beautiful Leaves Dies measures a whopping 6-1/4 x 4″. I needed a good sized piece of Old Olive Cardstock to use this background fern with my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. One pass thru, and you will have a lot of foliage to work into your own project too!

Large fern die from Beautiful Leaves Dies using Old Olive Cardstock.

You may be wondering how one would fit “all” of that green on one card front! I simply chose to chop mine up a bit. I wanted a little Old Olive peeping out from behind my focal point. With my Paper Snips, I trimmed this die cut apart. There was plenty left over for other card use, too.

Using Paper Snips to trim the large die cut from the Beauty of Leaves Dies.

Small Shimmery Leaves Dies

Not everything needs to be oversized! In fact, the Beautiful Leaves Dies feature four smaller dies for foliage too. Because I wanted my leaf color to vary, I chose to create the smaller leaves in Soft Succulent. For immediate and easy glimmer, I pulled out my 2021-2023 In Color Shimmer Vellum. A small piece of this fantastic vellum was all that I needed to die cut these leaves.

Die cutting smaller leaves from the Beauty of Leaves Dies, using 2021-2023 In Color Shimmer Vellum in Soft Succulent.

Beauty of Tomorrow Bouquets

One of the beautiful things about the Beauty of Tomorrow Stamp Set is that the sprig-like flowers are stamp and go. You don’t need to two-step stamp, or color the leaves and flowers in. They are simply gorgeous stamped once. And that is just what I did.

Stamping the sprig stamp from Beauty of Tomorrow Stamp Set in Soft Suede Ink.

I chose to stamp the larger sprig-like stamp from the Beauty of Tomorrow Stamp Set using Soft Suede Ink on Basic White Cardstock. For the smaller floral bouquet, I stamped the image using Soft Succulent Ink. After my stamping was complete, I used the coordinating dies from the Beautiful Leaves Dies and ran them thru my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine.

Stamping the floral bouquet from the Beauty of Tomorrow Stamp Set using Soft Succulent ink.

Tastefully Stamped and Embossed

One of my favorite techniques to do is use a sentiment stamp as a background image. The large sentiment stamp from the Beauty of Tomorrow Stamp Set reads, “the changing of the leaves reminds us that new wonders are just around the corner”.

I chose to stamp this image using VersaMark Ink on a piece of Soft Succulent Cardstock. The effect of the watermark ink is subtle. I varied the placement of the stamped words, and although the image is not “readable”, one only has to look to see that there is a hidden message.

Stamping the sentiment stamp from Beauty of Tomorrow Stamp Set as a background stamp in VersaMark ink.

After my sentiment stamping was complete, I embossed my Soft Succulent Cardstock. The Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder leaves a barely discernible texture. The softness of this embossing adds to the richness of this card without being overpowering. Lastly, I used my Blending Brush and Soft Succulent Ink to deepen the outer edges of my cardstock.

Embossing with the Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder and sponging Soft Succulent Ink with a Blending Brush.

The Beauty of Assembly

Now it’s time to take a look at the layers of this card. I began with a Soft Succulent card base. Next, I added a layer of Soft Suede Cardstock. My third layering piece is Soft Succulent in nature, but comes from the Tidings of Christmas 6 x 6″ Designer Series Paper. This pattern worked wonderfully with my card, and did not lend itself to Christmas tidings at all.

Once I had my layering pieces adhered, I began to place my leafy die cuts. I started with the Old Olive snippings, and dry-fit them beneath my Soft Succulent embossed piece. When I was happy with the placement, I used Tear & Tape Adhesive to attach my greens to my card base. I am always careful to place the tape in a position I know will be covered up as I continue to build my card.

After my Old Olive leaves were in place, it was time for me to add in the shimmery Soft Succulent leaves. Again, I took care to place them in a peeping manner. I used more Tear & Tape Adhesive to secure these small leaves as well.

Beautiful Embellishments

Every beautiful card needs some beautiful embellishments! For this card, I chose an elegant ribbon- the Very Vanilla Scalloped Laced Trim Ribbon. First, I placed my stamped and die-cut bouquets on the embossed Soft Succulent cardstock. Next, I wrapped a small piece of lace across the width, securing the lace in the back.

Using Very Vanilla Scalloped Lace Trim Ribbon on the card front.

From there, I created a small lacey bow, and attached that over the front. For an adhesive that really holds ribbons well, I recommend the Tear & Tape Adhesive. Once completed, I placed my entire assembly over the tape that is securing my leaves!

A bow in lace trim is added using Tear & Tape Adhesive.

I am loving the Brushed Metallic Adhesive Backed Dots! I chose 3 in the gold tone, and placed them in a row along the open space at the bottom of my card front. If you struggle to line up embellishments in a straight row, try doing this: use some Grid Paper (or graph paper) and a ruler as your guide. I also find the Take Your Pick Tool so helpful in lifting the adhesive embellishments off their backing paper and onto my project.

Using the Take Your Pick Tool to add Brushed Metallic Adhesive Backed Dots.

Nothing As Beautiful

This card featuring the Beauty of Tomorrow Bundle, along with Soft Succulent, Soft Suede and Old Olive, came together beautifully! As I worked with this color combination, I discovered that I really enjoy this mix. In fact, I could see myself creating some beach themed cards with these three colors.

If I have inspired you and you need some of the supplies I used to create this card, stop by my online store anytime. Need more Soft Succulent inspiration? Check out this card and an unusual color combination that may put you in the holiday spirit, by clicking here. And be sure to come back for the final installment of Soft Succulent and a new color combo that is sure to please!

Perfectly Plaid In Evening Evergreen

September 10, 2021

Combination of products used to create a Perfectly Plaid card in Evening Evergreen.

In Color: Evening Evergreen, Part I

First, let me say that green is my favorite color. And I love dark green tones even more. As I continue my 2021-2023 In Color exploration, we are moving on to a beautiful shade. In fact, Evening Evergreen is so dark, I think it could be considered a neutral color.

For this card, I am pairing Shaded Spruce and Crushed Curry with Evening Evergreen. And what a challenge this color combo was for me! I didn’t know if I could pull off two strong green tones on the same card…but in the end it all worked out quite nicely.

Creating Something Perfectly Plaid

When I first thought about what type of card I would make with these colors, plaid instantly came to my mind. I could picture this color combo on a Scottish tartan! And, I also wanted to create something with Christmas trees to represent the great greens. I pulled out some supplies…and instead of a hit, I had a couple of misses.

Paper weaving wasn’t quite what I was looking for. But I did have fun playing with strips of Evening Evergreen, Shaded Spruce and Crushed Curry. Since I didn’t adhere my paper strips, I can save them for another day.

Evening Evergreen, Shaded Spruce and Crushed Curry Cardstock, woven together

I love the Designer Series Assortments that Stampin’ Up! offers in their color families. This paper makes it so simple for me to coordinate to my ink and cardstock. However, after I punched a few trees with the Pine Tree Punch, I knew I wasn’t headed in this direction either.

Family Color Designer Series Paper punched with the Pine Tree Punch.

Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set

The Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set features a variety of pine tree stamps that coordinate with the Pine Tree Punch. In fact, there are 3 different tree stamps. Since I wanted to create a tree for each color of my combo, this was perfect. I just needed to decide which tree and which color belonged together artistically.

Realistic Pine Tree

I wanted to use the stamp that looks most like a real pine with Shaded Spruce. This brighter dark green is even named for a type of pine! But when I went to stamp my image, the color was over-saturated and resulted in a blurry image. This comes from too much ink on the surface of the ink pad (also known as a juicy ink pad).

I have a quick fix for this exact situation! All it takes is a plastic spoon. I use the back of the spoon and “frost” the ink down into the foam pad, away from the surface. When I am done, I simply clean the spoon off with a baby wipe and set the spoon aside until I need it again for another juicy ink pad. After I re-stamped my image, the quality is so much better!

Pushing ink back into the ink pad with a plastic spoon for better stamped images on the tree stamp from the Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set.

Fill In Fir Tree

I just knew a pine tree made up of only Crushed Curry would look odd. But the fill in fir tree was a perfect solution for my green and yellow combination. I stamped the tree image in Evening Evergreen Ink first. Next, I stamped the “fill in” with Crushed Curry Ink. This is also known as Two-Step Stamping. I find the photpolymer stamps so useful when lining up images!

Two-step stamping with the Perfectly Plaid stamp set.

Plaid Pine Tree

And, I saved the best for last. Of course, I thought that the plaid pine tree stamp worked best with our star color, Evening Evergreen. With some simple punching of each image, I was ready to work my trees into my card.

Stamping with the Perfectly Plaid stamp set and punching image with the Pine Tree Punch.

Stitched Triangles Dies

We all know Christmas trees are triangular shapes. So, I pulled out my Stitched Triangles Dies and Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine to capitalize on the trees for my card. I chose the dies I thought would size up nicely and paired them with Evening Evergreen, Shaded Spruce and Crushed Curry Cardstock. In the end, I did not use the Soft Suede die cut.

So Very Merry

While I was arranging my card parts and pieces to determine the final design, I realized I didn’t have a lot of room for a sentiment. The images in the Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set were a little too big. Instead, I settled on a very simple word “merry” chosen from the Time Of Giving Stamp Set.

I stamped my sentiment in Versamark Ink on a strip of Evening Evergreen Cardstock. After adding White Embossing Powder, I heat set the word with my Heat Tool. I think you will agree that the white sentiment really pops, and coordinates with the white outlines of my tree images on this card.

Putting It All Together

Do you remember earlier when I tried my hand at weaving cardstock strips in Evening Evergreen, Shaded Spruce and Crushed Curry? And how I played with the family assortment of Designer Series Paper? When I combined those concepts with my Christmas tree theme, I had a winner.

I selected different designer styles of paper using my color combo, and adhered them to a piece of Soft Suede Cardstock. Next, I layered on my ink-sponged cardstock strips. By adding like color ink to the edges of my cardstock, I was able to sharpen the contrast of colors.

With my focus on Evening Evergreen, Shaded Spruce and Crushed Curry, I was able to keep my card true to the chosen colors. I kept the Crushed Curry designer paper and cardstock together, but swapped the same color placement on the Evening Evergreen and Shaded Spruce designer paper and cardstock.

Triangles, Trees And Trinkets

From here, it was easy to add on the last elements in a layering fashion. First, I added the stitched triangle die cuts, alternating the orientation. After that, I place the stamped and punched trees over the triangles. To finish off my card, I added three gold Brushed Metallic Adhesive-Backed Dots, using my Take Your Pick Tool. These embellishments are comprised of bronze, copper and gold, and the gold best paired with the yellow tone of Crushed Curry.

Brushed Metallic Adhesive-Backed Dots and Take Your Pick Tool

Perfectly Plaid In Evening Evergreen

The color combo of Evening Evergreen, Shaded Spruce and Crushed Curry is not one I would have ever thought of pairing together! In the end, I am so happy with my final result. I must admit, I don’t know that I will ever put these thee colors together on another project…but knowing I accomplished what I set out to do is enough for me.

If you are enjoying my In Color journey, be sure to see previous posts on Fresh Freesia and Polished Pink. And check back soon, there is still more to come with Evening Evergreen as I cover three different color combinations with each of the five new In Colors.

Stop by my online store at any time to add any of the featured Stampin’ Up! supplies to your cart. There are so many great options available, so explore and remember… all colors are always in style!

Merriest Moments in Polished Pink

September 1, 2021 2 Comments

Finished card in Polished Pink using the Merriest Moments Bundle.

In Color: Polished Pink, Part III

Merriest Moments should come in bright and fun colors. And the new In Color, Polished Pink, provides just that! I have been exploring this sweet shade of pink, and created a card using the Merriest Moments Bundle. If you would like to see my last card featuring Polished Pink, click here.

The Merriest Moments card in Polished Pink also features Blushing Bride and Smoky Slate. This color combo isn’t just for Christmas cards! I also picture spring and summer flower cards, perfect for birthdays, Mother’s Day and thinking of you. Let you imagination run wild!

Merriest Moments Bundle

Merriest Moments Stamps Set, Merriest Frames Dies and Merriest Frames Hybrid Embossing Folder

There is so much to the Merriest Moments Bundle, it is more than the typical “stamp set and set of dies”. In fact, it is a trifecta of amazing products! Let’s break it down:

Merriest Moments Stamp Set

There are 16 photopolymer stamps in this set. Two of the images are poinsettia flowers of different sizes and style. You can layer them together or use them separately. You will also enjoy 3 sizes of holly style leaves, as well as 3 different sprig stamps. Besides Season’s Greetings and Joy, there are 3 additional sentiments for merry cards.

Merriest Frames Dies

The Merriest Frames Dies come as a set of 16. But there is more to die cut than just the flowers and leaves from the Merriest Moments Stamp Set. I love the stitched rectangle die, and I can see myself using it for a variety of projects to frame up a sentiment. There are also two large dies, designed to work with…

Merriest Frames Hybrid Embossing Folder

Yes, this is the third part of this amazing bundle. The Hybrid Embossing Folder is something very new to Stampin’ Up!. These special embossing folders are designed to hold a die and your paper at the same time. In this manner, you are die cutting and embossing in one pass thru your die cutting machine. So cool!

To Hybrid, Or Not To Hybrid

I have to admit, my first play with the dies and embossing folders was not quite as expected. It can be a little tricky to line up all three. The die needs to sit just right in the embossing folder’s nooks. And, after 1 pass thru my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine, I took my sandwich apart in anticipation of perfection.

Perfect it was not. Some of the Polished Pink Cardstock did not cut all the way thru. I needed to reassemble it and run it thru my machine again. Then, once more for good measure. In the end, I still needed to use my Paper Snips to remove some of the stubborn paper.

But…it doesn’t have to be used this way either. Fortunately, the embossing folder and die can be used individually. For my second attempt, I embossed a piece of Polished Pink Cardstock (no die in the embossing folder). After that, I added the large outline die around my embossed image. When I ran it thru my die cutting machine, it was still embossed and perfect. Two steps, but worth the effort!

This may also save with wear and tear on your embossing folder. With multiple use as a duo, the die may damage your folder over time.

Merriest Stamping and Die Cutting

All of my stamping on this card also included die cutting. When they go hand in hand, cardmaking is easier! I started by stamping both sizes of flowers from the Merriest Moments Stamp Set, using Blushing Bride Ink on White Cardstock. I wanted 3 finished flowers, so I repeated this process three times.

I also stamped a combination of sprigs and leaves. For the evergreen style, I stamped Smoky Slate Ink on Smoky Slate Cardstock. For the decidious looking leaves, I stamped Smoky Slate Ink on White Cardstock. There are dies for each of these stamps, so I was able to quickly cut them out.

The sweet berries on this card add the perfect pop of Polished Pink! I stamped them in Polished Pink Ink on Polished Pink Cardstock before die cutting them. This is another process that I did 3 times in a row.

And a merry card can not be merry without a wonderful sentiment. There are 3 choices to pick from in the Merriest Moments Stamp Set, but I chose mine based on size. I wanted to be able to add my beautiful pink poinsettias in a sweeping style around the stitched rectangle frame. By choosing a shorter sentiment, there was more room for my floral arrangement.

Merriest Details

For a layer of depth and frosted interest, I enhanced my die cuts with some sponged ink. With the large Polished Pink die cut, I sponged on Craft White Ink. This gives an opaque look and dulls the sharpness to a more muted tone. This ink takes some time to dry, and I applied more than one layer.

My pretty pink flowers also got some additional sponged ink. For these, I edged the outer petals in Polished Pink Ink, a very dark contrast to the Blushing Bride Ink. This really helped them to pop.

Did you notice the fantastic Designer Series Paper on this card? I chose a selection from the Peaceful Place Specialty pack. The tiny snowflakes and silver sparkle on this Basic Gray piece created a gorgeous backdrop for all my pink and white. I layered it behind a piece of Smoky Slate Cardstock to help transition the pink to gray color scheme.

Bringing Home the Merriest

In order to complete my card, I began by dry-fitting all my leaves, berries and flowers. That way, I was able to move pieces around until I was happy with the overall design. Once I was finished with this, it was simply a matter of gluing everything down, a little at a time.

You may notice that my finished poinsettias have a third layer to them. I die cut the top flower from Blushing Bride Cardstock, using the Merriest Frames Dies. And don’t you agree that flowers as pretty as these should be finalized with a Pearl Basic Jewel center? The Take Your Pick Tool is my favorite for working with tiny adhesive backed items like this.

Add Some Merriest Moments

This amazing card using the Merriest Moments Bundle completes my exploration of the 2021-2023 In Color, Polished Pink with my online club. When I think of merry, I associate Christmas. But that doesn’t have to mean only red and green. This pink card is proof of that.

If you enjoyed my picture tutorial and cardmaking directions, check out my other blog posts regarding the new In Colors. All of the supplies used to make this card are found in my online stamping store. Be sure to stop by and find just what you need today!

Nature’s Harvest In Polished Pink

August 13, 2021

Card made with Nature's Harvest Stamp Set in Polished Pink, Mango Melody and Mossy Meadow.

In Color: Polished Pink, Part I

Nature’s Harvest evokes thoughts of fall colors, and Polished Pink does not fit in that category. But anything is possible in cardmaking, as you may know.

Last month, I explored color options in Fresh Freesia. This month, I am exploring another 2021-2023 In Color by Stampin’ Up!: Polished Pink.

I love this bright, cheerful pink. For my featured card, I am pairing it with Mango Melody and Mossy Meadow.

Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set

Are you a nature lover? Even if you’re not, I bet you can identify the flower called Black-Eyed Susan. And the newly released Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set honors that very flower.

The focal flower for my card is naturally yellow and black. As such, the color Mango Melody, a deep yellow, was the perfect choice for my petals. My other color selection, Mossy Meadow, is a gorgeous rich green for the foliage.

Black-Eyed Susan

I began making my card using the Black-Eyed Susan stamp from the Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set. First, I inked it in my Mossy Meadow Ink Pad onto a piece of 2 1/2 x 4″ paper. The image of this awesome stamp has three uniquely facing flowers.

Next, I used a Blender Pen and colored in my stamped image. For the petals, I used Mango Melody Ink. I continued with Mossy Meadow Ink for the leaves and stems. And for the center of the two larger flowers, I used Early Espresso Ink. Between each color, I simply scribbled the old ink off the tip of my Blender Pen, and moved to the next ink pad.

Coloring the Black-Eyed Susan Stamp from the Nature's Harvest Stamp Set using ink pads and a blender pen.

Design Some Paper/Designer Series Paper

When it comes to sentiment stamps, the Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set has some lovely ones. And one of my favorite things to do with a sentiment stamp is create a background paper.

For my card, I worked with a piece of Polished Pink Cardstock, 3 1/8 x 4 3/8″ in size. I used Polished Pink Ink and stamped my chosen sentiment from the Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set in a random pattern from top to bottom. Be sure to have scrap paper behind your cardstock, as your stamping will spill over the sides.

Background stamping using a sentiment stamp from the Nature's Harvest Stamp Set.

To compliment my Polished Pink Cardstock and pull my other featured colors into this card, I turned to Designer Series Paper. I love that every Stampin’ Up! color is represented in 6 x 6″ assortments. I pulled out the Brights Collection for Mango Melody, and the Neutrals Collection for Mossy Meadow.

Nature’s Harvest Sentiment

Do you remember the sentiment stamp from the Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set that I used to create my background imagery? I used the same stamp for the focal sentiment too.

This time, I stamped the sentiment using Early Espresso Ink onto a piece of white cardstock that measured 3/4 x 3″. Next, I stamped off using Mango Melody Ink and the “splotch” stamp from the Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set, to add a little yellow to my sentiment piece.

Stamping the focal sentiment from the Nature's Harvest Stamp Set.

Polished Pink (And More) Layers

I typically build some of my card layers by adhering them together before I add them to my card front. For my sentiment, I added a back layer in Mossy Meadow. After I centered my Polished Pink stamped cardstock onto the Mango Melody DSP, I attached the stamped flower piece, placing this toward the bottom and left.

I chose a card base in Early Espresso Cardstock because it is a deep, neutral color that helps to anchor the combination of Polished Pink, Mango Melody and Mossy Meadow. To my base, I adhered a 2 x 5 1/2″ strip of Mossy Meadow DSP, then built my card layers upon it.

Nature’s Harvest Finishing Touches

Before I placed my sentiment layer on my card, I added a 7″ piece of Polished Pink Open Weave Ribbon. I attached my ribbon with a small piece of Tear & Tape Adhesive, which I later covered with my sentiment.

Adding Polished Pink Open Weave Ribbon to the card front.

I wanted to give my sentiment some lift, so I applied Dimensionals to the back of it. In this case, the pre-cut dimensionals were already used, so I snipped off some of the edging instead. Even the outer shell is useful, so don’t ever throw it away!

Applying Dimensionals to the back of the sentiment piece.

Once my sentiment was attached to my card, I played with the ribbon a little bit. I tied a small bow around the top of the Polished Pink ribbon using Linen Thread. Then, by adding a couple of Mini Glue Dots beneath my raised sentiment, I was able to loop the dangling bottom Polished Pink ribbon pieces up and under. For this, I found the spatula end of my Take Your Pick Tool most helpful!

Nature’s Harvest and Polished Pink

Finished card with the Nature's Harvest Stamp Set. — At the beginning of this color challenge, I wasn’t sure if I could pull off one card that contained Polished Pink, Mango Melody and Mossy Meadow. By choosing the Nature’s Harvest Stamp Set with the Black-Eyed Susan stamp, two of my colors immediately made sense. From there, I just needed to add in some Polished Pink!

I hope you’ll agree that these colors on this card work well together. If you are looking for any of the supplies that went into the making of this card, head over to my online store. And be sure to come back for Polished Pink Parts Two and Three, as I continue to explore this fun In Color with new cards this month.

How To Organize Those Stampin’ Blends

August 13, 2020

Do you have a growing collection of Stampin’ Blends from Stampin’ Up? If you do, you may be wondering how, exactly, to organize those Stampin’ Blends.

Stampin’ Blends

Stampin’ Up! currently sells 39 different combo packs of the Stampin’ Blends, plus the single “Color Lifter”. Each combo pack consists of a light and a dark shade of one of Stampin’ Up!’s particular colors. The color lifter (white cap) helps to add highlights and dimension, and minimize coloring outside the line done in error.

I use these alcohol based markers for the majority of my coloring needs on stamped projects. They provide instant ink coverage and make blending colors a breeze. And because I am reaching for them all the time, I need to be able to find them quickly and easily.

Organiztional Tools

When I started collecting my Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Up! did not sell a specific storage solution for them. The one I purchased is from a company called Stamp -n- Storage. It is natural wood, and holds 90 Stampin’ Blends total. My storage unit holds some retired Stampin’ Blends colors, and is almost full!

Stampin' Blends assortment ready for organization

Soon, I will have to make the decision to purchase another Stamp -n- Storage organizer, or move on to the organization provided by Stampin’ Up!. The Stampin’ Blends Storage Trays (item #149169) are a set of 5 white plastic trays, each storing 6 blends. I have similar storage from Stampin’ Up! for my ink pads and markers, and I love that they are white and appreciate that they stack well.

Stampin' Blends Storage Trays, perfect for organizing Stampin' Blends

Detailed Organizing

I love having my blends in rainbow color order, stored in the proper horizontal position and ready to pull out for action. But, I couldn’t tell which blend was Real Red, Cherry Cobbler or Poppy Parade from the end cap color! Instead, I had to pull out each blend individually to read the color name listed on the barrel.

Along came a brilliant idea from a fellow Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, Cindy Johnson. She shared her version of coding the end caps with initials to help determine Real Red (RR) from Cherry Cobbler (CC) from Poppy Parade (PP). Working from her idea, I initiated my own brand of organizing Stampin’ Blends!

Labeling Stampin’ Blends

Step 1

First, I created and printed a word document with the capitalized initials of each of my Stampin’ Blends color names. I only used 2 initials for each, so Granny Apple Green became GA, for example. I enhanced the letters to bold, and used font size 11.

Later, I realized the MM’s were too wide for my circle punch, so I re-created them in font size 8. This kept the finished size of my punched circle the same, and the font size difference is not overly noticeable.

Step 2

In order to make the mini initial circles stick to the Stampin’ Blends end caps, I took advantage of my Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets. I still have small remnants from when Stampin’ Up! carried them a few years back. I cut my initials by long rows and added adhesive strips. They were prefect for this job!

Adhesive Sheets for instant stickers — The latest version is called Adhesive Sheets (item #152334), and does the same thing: creates a “sticker” for easy adhering.

Step 3

Next, I needed a circle punch to cut out each of my blends initials. I started with my office hole punch, but it is old and wasn’t cutting thru the paper nicely. So, I searched thru my punch collection to find one that was just right in size. I wanted the labels to be visible on the end caps, but not overpower the color of the cap itself by being too large.

Choosing the proper size circle punch can be a challenge

I ended up using the small circle from the combo circle/oval mini punch. It was 1 of 4 included in the Bitty Blooms Punch Pack from the Stampin’ Up! 2019 Spring Catalog, now retired.

Handy Tip:

If your punch is not giving you a clean cut, try “sharpening” it by punching thru aluminum foil repeatedly.

Step 4

Let me tell you, those tiny punched circles are super…tiny. I used the spatula from my Take Your Pick Tool (item #144107) to aid in removing the back of the adhesive paper from the small circles. It was also super handy in getting the circles centered on the blends caps.

Using the Take Your Pick Tool to help center the labels on the blends caps.

Organization Off The Chart!

After all of my Stampin’ Blends were labeled and nestled in their designated holder, I realized I would never remember the order in which they were so perfectly displayed if I took them out to use them. Therefore, I decided I needed a handy reference chart so I knew what order to return them to.

I typed up the name of each color in the order of my organization (size 12 font, bold) and after printing my list, adhered it to a piece of Balmy Blue Cardstock. I added this handy chart to the side of my blends holder using Tear & Tape. Now, I can quickly refer to the color order when putting my blends away.

Organizational Thoughts

Yes, organizing can be hard work, but so rewarding when the job is done! Here are some pros and cons and thoughts on this particular blends organization:

Pros

I can quickly find the color I need at a glance, knowing the names of the colors to begin with.
By keeping the labels to the same end of each blend, I know which end is the smaller tip and which end is the brush tip.
If I need to replace my Stampin’ Blend when it runs dry, I can swap out the end cap without needing to make a new label.

Cons

Making tiny labels can be frustrating and time-consuming.
The paper labels have the potential to get dirty. (You could combat this by adding a layer of clear tape over the initials before punching them out.)
Many of the labels have identical initials. You need to know your Calypso Coral from your Cinnamon Cider! But generally speaking, if you are looking for Misty Moonlight in the blue section, you won’t be bothered by Mint Macaron in the green section.

Organize Those Blends Today

So, whether you have a few Stampin’ Blends, or a lot, get started on organizing them today! And if you need some additional storage (or additional blends), be sure to check out my online store anytime!

Now that my Stampin’ Blends are so organized, I think it is time to stamp and color. Not only am I confident that I will be able to find the color I want instantly, I will be able to put it back just as easily in the right location. I can stamp happy! Your turn…