GraniteStateStamper - Michelle Ide, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, Laconia, NH

Which are better to use : Classic Stampin' Pads® or Craft Stampin' Pads®?

I’ve had quite a few of my customers ask what the difference is between the Classic and Craft Stampin’ Pads and which I think are better.

Classic Stampin’ Pads :

• Our Classic inks are dye based inks that are water soluble
• Dye inks are transparent and absorbs into the paper;
• Dye Inks dry quickly on all types of paper making them easier to work with.
• Dye inks are not waterproof and the colors will bleed if they get wet.
• Classic inks are safe for scrapbooks but will fade over time.
• Works well on coated papers (Glossy Cardstock) but tends to run or bleed on highly absorbent papers.

Craft Stampin’ Pads :

• Craft ink is pigment ink which is a dry, powdery agent that uses a binding agent to help it adhere to paper.
• Craft pad contains natural binding agents that are safe for use in scrapbooks.
• Pigment ink sits on top of the paper and does not absorb.
• Pigment ink is often preferred for scrapbooking because pigment inks are more resistant to fading than most dye inks, so you will get the longest-lasting color with Craft pads
• Pigment Inks take longer to dry and are a good choice to use as an embossing ink.
• Pigments are more light and heat stable than most dyes, which makes pigment inks a good choice when your finished art will be displayed
• If heat-set, Craft inks will resist all but the most deliberate efforts to smear them (such as wetting your finger and rubbing the ink).
• Heat-setting and air-drying produce the same color results.

All this being said, I prefer to use the Classic Ink.  I have used them almost exclusively since I started to stamp and scrapbook and in 6+ years have never seen any signs of fading.  I love that they dry almost instantly, I don’t want to have to wait for my ink to dry before I can finish my projects.  I have used the Craft Inks and for certain projects they are the best choice.  You should try both to see which is right for you.

Creepy Crawly Gift Set

With Halloween just days away I wanted to create a fun, yet easy gift set for my Stamp Club members to make during class this month.  The set consists of a small gift bag with handles, a candy filled sour cream container and a gum holder.

I wanted to make the bag using 8½" x 11" cardstock and I wanted it to have handles but when I tried to find a pattern online I couldn't find what I was looking for so I made a pattern up myself.  I am very happy with how it came out! 

During the class each Stamper chose which pattern of Creepy Crawly Designer Paper they wanted to use and all three of these projects only used ½ sheep of 12" x 12" paper.

To make the bag I started with a sheet of Really Rust cardstock that I cut and scored and then assembled with Sticky Strip (this is the perfect choice for projects like these as the bond is so strong that you never have to worry about it falling apart).  A matting of Basic Black and Creepy Crawly DP were attached to both the front and the back of the bag and then to finish I stamped the spider image from Batty For You onto Whisper White cardstock and then punched it out with the 1¼" Circle Punch and layered that onto Really Rust punched with the 1 3/8" Circle Punch and then layered that onto Basic Black that was punched with the new Scallop Circle Punch and attached it to the front.

The Sour Cream Container was made using a 6" x 6" piece of DP.  To glue this project together I again used Sticky Strip for its holding power and then sealed the ends with the Crimper. To finished it I added the stamped image created exactly like the one on the gift bag. 

The gum holder started with a ¼" sheet of Really Rust that was scored and folded and finished with layers of Basic Black, Creepy Crawly DP and the Scallop Punch tag I used on the gift bag and sour cream container.

If you liked these projects and would like join us for the next class email me or feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter.  The link is to the right.

Have a wonderful day and keep stamping!

Simple Halloween Card

Halloween is such an exciting time.  The children that I watch have been talking almost non-stop about their costumes, the decorations at their homes and all the candy that they are going to get.

To get into the season, I came up with this card for one of my stamp classes.  It is created using various shades of orange ink and by using a technique called "Masking".

The pumpkin images were stamped on Whisper White Cardstock with Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie and More Mustard Classic inks using the Carved and Candlelit stamp set.  I then layered this onto Basic Black.  To cerate the corners I used the Ticket Corner Punch on each layer before attaching them.  It is simple but festive.

If you would like to find out how to use the Masking Technique email me.

Have a wonderful day and keep stamping!

Stampin' Up!® Updates their Angel Policy

Starting November 15th we will be able to sell hand stamped items in permanent retail locations and on the internet.  For more information check out this post.

Hodgepodge Sketch

When the sketch challenge on Splitcoaststampers first started I made sure to participate every week and really feel that it helped me grow as a stamper. Now I'm so busy that I very rarely participate but need to get back at it.   Here's a card I made for a class next week based loosely on Sketch Challenge #140. The base layer is Really Rust with Chocolate Chip as the next layer that is just peaking out behind the new Outlaw DP. The Pumpkins were stamped on Very Vanilla with Timber Brown StazOn and then colored using an Aquapainter and Classic Ink Refills (Creamy Caramel and Really Rust). They are layered over Creamy Caramel and Chocolate Chip over two strips of Chocolate Chip. When I was adding the sentiment I really wanted to use some of my Hodgepodge Hardware but the colors were just off. I really wanted it to be dark brown so I inked it up using my Chocolate Chip Craft Ink and then embossed it with Crystal Clear EP.  It turned out like poop.  The EP didn't give me a nice even coat with one application and I didn't want to add layer upon layer. It was going to be too bulky. Then I had the idea to try and ink it up with my StazOn and it worked perfectly. It's hard to tell in the photo but it is a warm brown and not at all as dark as it looks. I finished it off by punching the saying with my Oval Punch and attached to the card with brads that I had also colored with my StazOn.

Layout Inspiration from the Fall/Winter Catalog

This card layout came from page 97 of the Fall/Winter Collection Catalog.  The color combo is Always Artichoke, Rose Red and So Saffron.

To create the main image I chose to use the set True Friend and to ink up the larger flower with markers, excluding the leaf on the right and stamped it at an angle, centering the stem and putting the flower in the upper right corner. I then inked up the smaller flower image with markers and stamped it so the stem touched the stem from the first image. The saying was stamped in Rose Red and after it had a few minutes to dry I colored it in with a So Saffron marker making sure to not bleed the colors together. The So Saffron layer was cut ½" wider than the main image and I folded this extra over and stamped the stitching in Always Artichoke with the All in a Row set. The ribbon is White Taffeta ~ I love this ribbon. It is so easy to tie it into a simple knot and have it look perfect. To finish off the card I added a yellow Circle Rhinestone Brad.

Anything But a Card Class

At least once each month I try to have a class were we make 3-D projects. These are the three projects that we made at the last "Anything But a Card" class. All of these projects only used ½ sheet of Petals & Paisleys Designer Paper. For the notebook we took a 9" x 6" piece of DP and cut it into a 4" x 6" piece and a 5" x 6" piece and used one side for the top and the other side for the bottom. The top piece was a little challenging. We uncrimped one end of the wire coil and unwound it out.  After we glued on the DP we used the 1/8" hand held hole punch to create the holes for the wire to be inserted back in. A piece of Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon hides the seam. We used a 2½" x 2¾" piece of the DP layered with Tempting Turquoise and topped with the saying and image stamped on Whisper White. For the Post-It Note holder we started with a 7 ¼" x 3 1/8" piece of Old Olive and scored it at 1½", 1¾", 5" and 5¼". We then layered Tempting Turquoise with a 2½" x 2½" piece of DP that had been stamped with the saying.  Another piece of Turquoise Grosgrain ribbon completes the front.  To keep it closed we used a Velcro Dot. For the Candle we crimped 2 piece of 2½" x 7" and attached them to the jar with Sticky Strip.  Then we layered on 2 pieces of 2" x 7" Chocolate Chip cardstock. We stamped a 1½" x 4" piece of Whisper White and then layered it with Cameo Coral to create the main image. We added a tag that was created with the Tag Punch and the Small Tag Punch. The last project was a beaded RSVP pen. We stamped the flower images on an address label and then cut it down to 3¼" x 1½". We stuck this onto the pen and then covered the entire image with strips of the the Sticky Strip and removed the red liner, taking care not to touch the sticky part. Dirt and oil from fingers will reduce the hold of it and some of the beads won't stick. We then rolled it in Micro Beads and then rolled them between our hands to set the beads in. I hope that this isn't all as clear as mud. If you have any questions just ask.

Fabulous Flower Card for SUDSOL Swap

When I saw this stamp set, Fabulous Flowers, I knew that it would be part of my first order from the new catalog but when it finally arrived I just went blank. The large flower was overwhelming on the first few cards that I came up with but when I paired it with the new In Colors I loved it. The base of the card is River Rock with a 1" x 5½" strip of Groovy Guava. Both of these layers were stamped tone on tone with the smallest two flower images from the set. The main image is a 2½" x 3¾" piece of whisper white that has the flower images stamped with Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, River Rock and Wild Wasabi.  There was too much blank space for me so I used Itty Bitty Backgrounds with Groovy Guava and River Rock to fill it in a bit. I then layered this with Purely Pomegranate. I have an insane need to put ribbon on all of my projects. They just don't look finished to me without it and this card was no exception. I could have just wrapped the Wild Wasabi Double Stitched Ribbon around the image and tied it but wanted something a bit different.  I used the Horizontal Slot Punch so I could thread the ribbon through the main image which I attached to the front of the card with dimensionals. Last but not least I stamped the Dare to be Fabulous saying with Purely Pomegranate. I used this card for the COTM Swap for September on SUDSOL (Simply Unique Demonstrators Sharing OnLine).  You sign up for 1, 2 or 3 partners and then swap cards with them.