The Stamp Spot

Random Alpha Stickers and Thickers

Do you have a bunch of left over Alpha stickers or Thickers, not just the less used letters of the alphabet but random letters?

I can honestly say I have never ever used every single letter in any Alpha or Thicker set .... ever.

Usually all the vowels go first along with the most common consonants, the 3's get used as a substitute for the letter E/e, occasionally a 5 (depending on how curvy it is) as a substitute for the letter S/e, then I cut up letters - the ascender on the d to create an a, the descender on the q to again create an a etc .... still I invariably end up with some random letters and also numbers.

 

One way to stretch those Thicker sets just a smidge further and before you have reached that random leftovers stage, is to do what Design Team Member Bernii Miller has done in this layout -

 

 

 

Gorgeous layout hey?

Bernii has cleverly used a variety of alpha sets (I think I count 6 in this layout) to spell out the words to the quote she chose to scrap. They are of varying sizes, colours and fonts and boy do they look good all tied together in this beautiful quote. Love it Bernii!

Visit Bernii at her blog - Weekend at Bernii's

 

If the right letters in your Alpha or Thickers sets  are missing and you can't do a clever substitute then perhaps consider die cutting some (assuming you have a Big Shot or similar and some alpha dies). You can easily make die cut alphas look like Thickers simply by cutting from foam sheets - I get mine from the Dollar Store. Another alternative is to cut either from traced letters or freehand to make up your words. Yet another alternative is to stamp the word using alphabet stamps. Something like this from Studio L2E -

 

Love this set because you can colour in the centres, one last set remaining click here to grab it.

 

To help you along your way of starting an alpha/thickers collection or to increase your existing so that you too can make a layout like this one inspired by Bernii, I have a link to my store where you can purchase a variety of sets at 25% off the usual price. This special runs from today March 10 2015 to March 16 2015.

 

Cheers

Michelle x.

Stenciling with Photo Paper

I have discovered another use for my ever growing stack of Epson 4x6" glossy Photo Paper.

 

With all these discoveries I am pleased to report the stack is decreasing, and this surplus is providing the materials for experimenting with ways to use it up.

 

Glossy photo paper stencils like a dream!

 

Let me show you how I stencil on Epson Glossy photo paper -

1. Gather some supplies. My work mat of choice is the new Heidi Swapp Silicone Crafting mat, embossing paste, texture paste, stencils, photo paper and something to apply the paste with (I use scraps of cardboard boxes cut up to the size of a credit card, an old credit card, and I have been known to use cooking implements such as spatulas!)

 

 

2. Using 1 4x6 sheet of glossy photo paper, place stencils over top and secure to work surface - I choose to use washi tape as I have so much of it but painters tape and post it note paper works equally as efficient.

 

 

 

This next pic shows how I used a 12x12 stencil across 2 4x6 sheets of photo paper. First secure the photo papers to your work surface ensuring there is no gap between the 2 sheets. Then secure the stencil over top. Double lot of securing but 2 sheets stenciled in one go = win win and those 12x12 stencils in my stash get used even more now.

 

 

 

 

3. Get busy!

 

 

4. When happy with the coverage of paste I carefully remove the stencil.

 

 

Sometimes they turn out perfectly awesome, sometimes an epic fail. For the fails I use a round 1" or 2" punch depending on how much awesome I can find and punch out circles to use on projects.

I usually end up with 2 3x4" size cards perfect for slipping into my PL album or in the case of these gold and silver stenciled pieces, these will find their way into my December Daily albums (yes plural as I usually do 4 different/separate albums).

For those pieces that are otherwise awesome save for a smudge of paste - if you work quickly enough and lightly enough using a baby wipe those smudges can easily be removed - total plus of working with glossy photo paper! I utilise this time to clean up my work surface - dried embossing paste is really hard to remove, though much easier on this silicone based mat. I totally destroyed a Ranger Craft Mat due to embossing paste.

 

Ta-daaaah the smudged embossing paste is gone!

 

This cut down to a slightly smaller than 3x4 card and I will remedy that with backing it with coloured cardstock.

 

5. Admire end results and enjoy crafting with them.

 

We Are Family... why yes we are!

A recent trip to our local Strawberry Farm resulted in lots of photos.

I wanted to scrap a particular one, a very special one. I am holding my second borns' second born (and I am a second born and so is my Mother, we have a 4 generations of second borns' photo which was taken Christmas just past).

This page uses Echo Park Papers We are Family Collection.

 

 

My background sheet is an American Crafts 12x12 piece of textured cardstock called Moss.

 

The photo mat is the plain red from the We Are Family 6x6 paper pad - with the extra part of a 6x6 paper pad where the hole is happens to allow a 4x6 photo to be matted, you just need to place the 'hole part' somewhere where you know it will be covered/concealed with embellishments or other layers of papers. For this photo I ensured it was on the left side and up about one third from the bottom corner.

 

Here is the full page layout - the orientation of this page is on the right in my album, a divided page is before (and after). My grandsons identity has been deliberately concealed, just in case you were wondering.

 

 

Some close ups:

 

 

 

I had a hard time deciding the background paper, so many in the Collection pack would have been equally perfect. I went with the arrows as they will direct the eye to the divided page protector to the left.

 

The colours in this We Are Family by Echo Park Paper Company are perfect for our sunny winter days, especially those afternoons spent at the local Strawberry Farm. Generally speaking, I do not gravitate to Collections which include red unless they are Christmas type collections - the teal, navy and greens in this one were what swayed me.  So happy with my purchase. This is an easy collection to create with, definitely bright and cheery with solid graphics. Fantastic Value too....plus, I do believe any bits and pieces that may be left over will easily be used up in my December Daily albums - I am attempting 4 again this year.

 

Stacked glossy diecuts using Photo Paper

On my bench sat my Big Shot die cut machine, a Lawn Fawn hello word die (deliberately placed there to remind me to cut this die), an Echo Park Collection Pack - We are Family (simply not put away yet from yesterdays scrapping), a few photos and last but not least on the bench some unused photo paper - Epson 4x6" glossy.

I seem to always have several sheets of photo paper left over from each ink/paper pack for my PictureMate 235 photo printer. With each pack I buy I accumulate even more spares!

 

I have, in the past, stamped on and painted these sheets, with varying success.

Still, the pile of 4x6" Glossy Photo Paper grows.

 

As I have been wanting to try the stacked word die look for sometime, hence why this Lawn Fawn hello word die was clearly visible, I figured I might as well try the photo paper to die cut.

 

What an AHA! moment this turned out to be.

 

 

I cut 5 hello words from 1 sheet, yes one sheet, of 4x6" photo paper.

I did successfully cut 2 sheets at a time, though I did need to run it through forwards and also backwards to get a clean cut. The result of cutting double sheets was that the words stuck together and did not require glue, I suspect the pressure onto the glossy paper 'stuck' them together.

Using Tombow Mono Multi adhesive I glued the 5 die cut words on top of each other.

The added bonus of using glossy photo paper is that the end result is (obviously I know) glossy.

As in so glossy no glossy accents required to achieve the glossy look.

(I apologise for the overuse of the word glossy but no other word captures the result!)

5 layers of diecut Lawn Fawn hello words is approximately the height of a standard cardstock thicker.

Certainly not too thick to slip into divided page protectors for memory keeping Project Life style.

 

Right after I snapped this shot the next AHA! moment arrived....

here is the result of that AHA! moment...

 

I die cut the photo, placed that diecut on the top of the stack, adhered it with the Tombow and placed this new stack in the recess.

and soon after many more AHA! moments arrived.

My creative brain was skipping along at a crazy pace, so much so that I had to write down my ideas as they were arriving thick and fast... the possibilities for die cutting words and images and photos is endless.

I will share the results of those AHA! moments very soon.

Heat embossing meets watercolour paper and paint

I am participating in an online class called Stretch Your Stamps 2, with many different types of stamps being featured and 'stretched'.

Considering I have been on a bit of a watercolour fad of late, see my Ampersand fun here, I decided to combine a background stamp with watercolouring. This stamp is one that I particularly like but don't use often.

It's this one, it's called BG: Highline Chalkboard Background. I have yet to use it as it's name implies - as a Chalkboard Background.

 

I used this paper, Distress Watercolour Cardstock by Ranger -

 

and this Watercolour Paint Set -

 

and I tried these watercolour paints by Reeve -

 

 

Here are my finished sheets - the first is using the tray with watercolour cakes (Simply Art):

 

The second using the watercolour paint from the tubes: (Reeves)

 

Here is my process.

I heat embossed a few sheets of Distress Watercolour Cardstock using Versamark Ink and Hero Arts White Embossing Powder. This is what the sheets looked like after heat embossing...

 

 

Next I prepped the watercolour paint in the tubes:

 

A small blob of paint into its own well - this is actually an ice cube tray, I used a 2nd tray for water.

 

Next, I added water to the paint to make a colour wash...

 

I wanted a gradient of colour so I began with the orange first and covered 2/3's of the sheet beginning in the very centre then going up a third and down a third. The red will be overlapping part of the orange on the top side and yellow will be overlapping the orange on the bottom side.

The watercolour painted piece:

Thinking I could just blot off the excess, I was left with a very washed out looking result. Most of the paint was on the paper towel!

 

Back to painting I went and repeated what I had just done, this time leaving for quite some time before drying with my heat tool. The result is not at all impressive, however it does look better after a buff with a paper towel.

I then got watercolouring with the other paint set.

 

Even the water looked quite pretty.

 

I highly recommend using an ice cube tray for rinsing your brush between colours.  I picked this 2 pack up for $2.50 today at my local Dollar Store. Previously, I have only ever used a cup and once I have dipped in and out several times the brush is not completely free of colour. Because I go back and forth adding colour in no particular order (once the first layer/wash is down) I find the cup rinsing ineffective and definitely translates onto my finished project.

Here is the finished sheets again (save you scrolling back up):

 

I think I will cut them down to use in my Project Life spreads, not much of a card maker these days and the cardstock with embossing I think is too thick to use on a traditional Scrapbook page. I am really enjoying the current revival of watercolouring, super hard to stop at just one sheet of watercolour paper!

I also recommend being rather organised with all supplies handy, rinse water included before you even wet your brush!

Today I used for the very first time my new Heidi Swapp Silicone Craft Mat. Considering I totally destroyed my Ranger one, so far I am very pleased with how this one performs. Its a nice slightly cushioned surface to work on, it stays flat (I had to washi tape down the Ranger one) and clean up was a breeze, I used a few baby wipes and I was done. Also, its a very generous size - 18 x 24 inches, its a super mat in more ways than one.

 

 

I hope this inspires you to give watercolouring a go (if you haven't already), do try the heat embossing technique for a fun twist.

What I did with those Ampersands

Recently I watercoloured a bunch of paper in blue and green hues - more or less an ombre effect.

I used these papers (dollar store bought watercolour paper and 4x6 Project Life Lined Journaling cards)  and a new die-namics die by My Favorite Things - Ampersands and die cut almost all that I had watercoloured.

 

I shared my process in this blogpost from about 2 weeks ago.

Here is what they looked like on white cardstock with the ampersands attached:

 

 

Here is what it looked like after I finished creating with it:

 

 

Some close ups:

 

 

Not one piece of patterned paper went into this layout! Not one!

This is a first for me... and one that wont be a last. I very much enjoyed the creative process, in fact when I started watercolouring the paper I didn't have a project in mind, I didn't even have the die set.  When I started die cutting the ampersands, again, I didn't have a project in mind.

Some time toward the end of diecutting, in my head I thought it would look effective to put them on white cardstock (I used American Crafts Textured Cardstock white) in the same ombre effect that I had painted in. Yellow green (bottom)to light green to blue/green to blue (top).

From the first paintbrush stroke to the last sequin (I used Studio Calico sequins in blue/aqua and greens) glued on, a span of a few weeks was involved.

Each step was enjoyed for what it was, nothing more nothing less.

Creativity for creativity's sake.

Highly recommend it.

Especially if you can only spare small pockets of time to dedicate to being creative.

This 12x12 layout now sits in my Project Life album with the facing page a divided pocket page  (Project Life Design J) filled with other special moments from this occasion.

One lonely ampersand was put to good use, as was the very small amount of watercoloured paper that was left over. I had enough to cut a 3x4 size piece (in the middle 3x4 pocket) which became backing for a vellum piece that I had stamped on.

The stamp used is this one by Technique Tuesday -

using this Black Licorice hybrid inkpad by My Favorite Things (my new fave so much so that I haven't touched any other black inkpad since it arrived!):

The 4x4 pocket with the lonely ampersand got changed after this photo was taken.

I decided to make a sequin shaker heart - will share this in an upcoming post with a mini tutorial on how to machine stitch shapes and create shaker pockets out of page protectors.

This has been a longer than intended post, if you are still reading this far a big thank you for your time. So much to read and be inspired by in Blogland and I am grateful for your company, Michelle.

 

Ampersands & such

I recently purchased (yes I know that seems odd as the owner of The Stamp Spot but ever so occasionally I add a die, a stamp, a paper collection to my cart that really catches my eye) a set of ampersand dies by My Favorite Things.

I paired it with a love of watercolouring. It's much better to show you visually I think...

I do have a project in mind, most likely all tacked down on white cardstock as a background, which will most likely be stitched also.

I haven't got to that part yet.

I will be sure to share when I do.

 

 

 

Party Favours using Project Life Minikit Styleboard by Maggie Holmes

It's Thursday and once again the conversation in my head picks up where it left off probably last Thursday....  gosh its Thursday again, where did this week go, why does time feel like it's flying by?, hmmm another week of not getting everything crossed off my work TO DO list......

 

I have come to accept that this is life right now. It's the season I am living.

It is what it is.

 

 

I am reminded of time flying by as the following party favour idea was created earlier this year in late March - so that they were ready for my Birthday get together on Sunday 6 April.

I had planned a beautiful afternoon of a Wine Tasting Tour at a local Winery, followed by eats and drinks with a bunch of near and dear women. Here is where I admit how uncomfortable it was when I initially invited everyone, normally I organise get togethers and birthday type celebrations for others... never for myself. I decided it would be worth the uncomfortableness (best description I could think of) I was feeling. Some couldn't make it but it would go ahead ... of this I was determined.

I knew, though my guests did not, that I intended for it to be about all of us, not just about my birthday. Hence the party favours using Maggie Holmes Mini Kit - Styleboard.

So long ago (that's how it feels) that I have had to go back and look at all the process photos to remember what order I did everything in so that I can at least offer some guidance should you wish to create similar.

Lets begin at the end:

Here is how I got there:

Gather supplies - I used generic brown paper bags, seam binding, twine,  inkpad (Avery Elle after trying a few others like Colorbox and Stazon - basically you just need a pigment ink not a chalk or dye ink), embossing folder (I used Maggie Holmes doily folder), Big Shot (or similar that will emboss), a Styleboard Project Life Mini Kit by Maggie Holmes (I did use the best part of this kit purely because I didnt think that I would use it for much else and because I made so many booklets), something to punch holes to tie the twine through (you could simply use washi tape to seal the bags shut), doilies (for prettiness), letter stamps to personalise (you could use letter stickers).

Begin by faux letterpress embossing the paper bags - swipe the inkpad across the embossing folder (I did one side only so that the back side was uninked, but you could easily do both sides).

Next place bag on top of inked side of folder and close the folder.

Run through your Big Shot (or machine of choice) following the guidelines for embossing.

Set bags aside to dry. Being a pigment ink it doesn't take that long - 20 mins on a warm clear day, allow extra for cooler temps, high humidity or rainy weather.

 

I then pulled out the contents of the mini kit - did a head count of guests plus one and divided that into the 3x4 cards. I used 8 3x4 cards and one 4x6 card (this acted as the cover) for each booklet.

Assemble in a pleasing to you order. Because there were duplicates of each design of 3x4 card I needed to shuffle a few around to ensure no 2 booklets were exactly the same. I also alternated picture cards with journaling cards.

Choose a cover for each from the 4x6 cards in the kit.

Wrap the 4x6 card around each mini stack of 3x4 cards.

Punch a hole through the whole lot in the top left corner.

Thread ribbon (I used seam binding) through the booklet.

 

I then set about journaling in each one to personalise each guests booklet.

Each journal card I wrote something that was relevant to each recipient. All those women (save 1) at the table I had known a very long time, some have known me my entire life, some I have known theirs. Fond memories, funny memories, quirky statements and a whole bunch of love went into those words. For the guest I haven't know very long I asked her mother in law (my Aunt) all the things she loves about her... and I wrote those. When I handed her her's I explained this.

Yes these women were there to help me celebrate my birthday, I received beautiful gifts and had a wonderful afternoon... but I planned for it to be a commemoration of gratitude that they are in my life.

To celebrate the contributions they have made toward who I am today.

To acknowledge our woven lives and to thank them.

even

To congratulate them for doing the good, the bad and the ugly with me as we journey through life together.

 

It was the THE most amazing feeling to watch each one unwrap their gift of a small, handmade minibook and read the words I wanted and needed to say to them, to record some memories, to remember, to laugh and yes.... to cry.

Money can't buy this kind of gift.

 

 I tear up even now just remembering this never to be forgotten afternoon.

 

Ok.. so back to the assembly steps ... I hand punched along the edge of each bag, I placed a booklet in each bag, folded a white doily over and then punched 2 holes in which to thread the twine through, then tied the twine in a bow. So that I knew which booklet belonged to whom I needed something on the outside - I stamped using Letter Stamps and Avery Elle Mint to Be ink their names along the inner circle of the doily.

And they were done.

 

So that I too could have some handwritten sentiments I made an extra booklet.

I invited each guest to write something in the minibook that I would keep to help commemorate the day.

I read these before our lovely afternoon came to an end...  more memories shared, more laughs and yes... a few more tears.

 

Priceless.

 

 

 

It's not just about paper and glue!

Visitors, friends and sometimes family don't get what I do.

They don't get why I do what I do.

And that's ok.

There are many, many people who do.

I am surrounded by paper and cardstock in all its' many forms.....

Project Life core kits and all the associated products, Simple Stories card sets, Mambi card sets, Elles Studio & Heidi Swapp & Chickaniddy Crafts & Amy Tangerine & Teresa Collins Collections, a thousand or more sheets of 12x12 cardstock, 6x6 paper pads, 12x12 paper pads & collection sets, stickers, labels, memory file folders, albums, wood veneer, albums, thickers, ephemera packs, 8x5 x 11 vellum, doilies, paper bags.....

Add to this punches, dies, stamps, twine, buttons, brads, inkpads, glue and adhesive, embossing powder, epoxy shapes, hundreds of rolls of washi tape.....

That is what I see when I look around me, literally.

I typed what my eyes saw as they scanned this workspace.

When I asked my better half - "when you look around this workspace of mine, what do you see?"

He replied "stuff, a lot of stuff, lots of .... paper stuff"

 

What our eyes saw in common was paper. That's all.

Paper.

End of story for my partner.

Beginning of a bazillion stories for me.

 

I see possibilities and potential creative and artistic expression. I see projects that will be a joy to create, cherished by their maker and maybe even by someone else. I see a vehicle for self esteem boosting, a spirit lifting adventure, a place to lose ones self possibly for hours on end allowing the troubles of the day to be forgotten (if only for the briefest of moments), a sense of accomplishment - I did that! I did it! I can and I did! I see creative opportunities that will capture precious memories and moments of significance that can be shared with generations to come, I see the preservation of memories for a time when the creative soul can no longer create....

It's not about paper and glue!

 

and it doesn't matter that my nearest and dearest do not see what I see.

 

I have a very long time friend who recently discovered quilling.

She has found her creative outlet. In the case of quilling it does involve paper and glue.

But....

Recently she told me about how much she is enjoying quilling, how addictive it is, how it provides relief from the everyday worries and stresses, how it's her thing, and when I said "it's not just about paper and glue hey?" she got it, she got me, she got what I have been saying for years.

Previously she had not.

And that felt awesome.

Because... I believe we all need a place to go, escape to if you like, that relieves us if only for a short time, from the everyday worries and stresses, a happy place with much potential.

My wish for you is that you find your paper and glue, because....

It's not just about paper and glue.

 

I would very much love to hear what papercrafting, in whatever form you enjoy, means to you. I invite you to leave a comment on this post and together we can share and acknowledge its importance.

A new blog is born.

Today marks the day that my store, The Stamp Spot and I, Michelle Hunter embark on a whole new blog. 

The dramas of the previous store blog have receded and no longer seem so big, nor important when a whole new chapter is beginning.

I have much to share, a whole bunch of projects and ideas I hope will inspire you to create along side me. I love to learn new techniques, adapt and modify already learned techniques and share my absolute bottom line passion of creating in the most affordable manner possible.

I totally get that often times the latest products are simply not within financial reach and it is my mission to help anyone start, continue, reconnect with their creativity and feel good about it. No guilt. No regret.

 

My mission is borne of my absolute belief that its not just about paper, to create means so very much more to so many, indeed in my own life it has been a sanity saver, a self esteem booster, I have derived much satisfaction in escaping to a world of paper. Whether you are a card maker, a memory keeper, a parent, of young or mature years this creative outlet is for all.

To the best of my knowledge and experience it is one of the most affordable..... and what can be gained can be truly priceless.