A few tips and tricks

1).  Have you ever said, "I wish the baby paper cutter was wider so I can cut paper 5 1/2 inches or 14.9 cm."

Make your own extender to help accomplish that. 

Measure 4 3/8 inches from the right paper edge and mark the point of the edge of the cutter (4 3/8" or 11.1 cm). Next make a mark on the paper measuring 5 1/4 (14.4 cm) another at 5 1/2 inches or 14.9 cm.

You can place the cutter on top of the cutter even with the edge of the cutter. I laminated the paper and I keep it with my cutter on my desk at all times. 

2) "I wish my paper trimmer didn't catch every time I lower the arm. I want it to open easily from the arm center like the other trimmer did. "

     If you look at the top and bottom of the trimmer, you will see a small plastic raised bubble of plastic the same color as the trimmer. That is what is catching the clear plastic arm at the top and bottom. The purpose of them is to prevent the trimmer arm from flopping open when you travel with it or move it off your desk. I seldom ever move the trimmer from my desk top nor do I ever travel with it. I got a course emory board and easily filed the little bubble down on both the top and the bottom. It now never catches and I can easily open and close the clear arm. If I see that I will be traveling with one, I will purchase another trimmer; they are only about $25 dollars and would be well worth having one that opens easily for frequent use and one that latches closed for traveling. 

3) "My Big Shot plates and/or my Stampin' Cut and Emboss machine plates warp after a few uses"

 

     On new plates (#3 plates) mark each corner with a letter; I used A, B, C, D.  A and C on the front and B and D on the back. Label both the top plate and the bottom plate the same. Match the letter A in the top left corner when you make your sandwich and do you cut. Before you cut again, flip the plates so B is in the top left corner. Next time, flip them again and match C in the left upper corner, and then again for your next cut using D. 

4) "The cutting card stock or DSP for fun folds, I cannot always see the measurements on the clear plastic arm to drop my cutting blade accurately."

     Cut a 1/4 inch piece of computer paper and glue it with glue dots or glue into the right most grove on the underside.

5) " I cut a lot of Cardstock or DSP at either 5 1/2" 4 1/4" or 5 1/4" x 4""

      With two colors of Sharpie, premark the trimmer to those measurements at the top or the bottom. 

The Sharpie can easily be erased with an alcohol pad if you need to. Mine have been marked ever since I purchased my trimmer. 

I hope these tips will help you enjoy your crafting experience more!!

        

Slim Line card and Paper Pumpkin alternative

 

How cute is this little guy? He is a stamp from the December Paper Pumpkin that I colored with a combination of Cinnamon Cider, Crumb Cake, and Flirty Flamingo blends. I fussy cut the image and cut a slit behind his arm so I could tuck the bouquet of flowers. The flowers are also a stamp from the kit. I stamped the image with Early Espresso ink, Soft Seafoam,and Calypso Coral markers and roughly cut out the image. I adhered them with a glue dot after tucking them in. There is precut image of the bear and the flowers that came in the kit, but I had already used them on other projects. 

The DSP is from Garden Lane, a favorite from the 2019-2020 catalog. I used the Quite Curvy stamp set for the sentiment and the coordinating dies to make the hillsides. The clouds stamped in Balmy Blue and are from another past Paper Pumpkin kit. I keep the Paper Pumpkin stamp sets in one case; I keep that on my desk so if I need a sentiment or image in a hurry, I can go there first rather than get up and go all the way over to my book shelves and look through the other stamp sets. (sounds LAZY but it works for me.) When I receive my Paper Pumpkin kit, I use the enclosed in color and stamp every image from the set onto an index card, label it accordingly,  and place it into a small file case. I keep the case in my desk drawer. If I need an image or sentiment, I look through the file and find the year and month stamp set....VIOLA....

I store the left over products in a large plastic file envelope sorted by dates. When I see the stamp set, I immediately know what the projects were and decide if I want to use any of the other left over goodies.

I had to start a new file for the 2021 sets I will receive. The spiral index cards worked very well, but I wanted something that I didn't have to fiddle with dodging the spiral part.  

The gems are the Elegant Faceted gems. The color worked well with the bear.

The slimline card base is Early Espresso ( 7" x 7", Scored at 3 1/2 inches, folded in half); the layer is Soft Seafoam measuring 6 3/4 x 3 1/4". I didn't have an envelope to fit so I had to use the envelope Punch Board. I used a piece of  9"X9" Crumb Cake.  

I encourage you, whether or not you are a beginner stamper or even an avid stamper to subscribe to Paper Pumpkin. You will not regret it. The projects in the kit are only a small portion of the possibilities the kits can offer for a long time to come. 

Left over cards that I made during the year, I sorted and gave a mixture of cards as Christmas gift  to family and friends for them to use through the coming year. 

Check out the link on the right for more information and how to subscribe. 

Thank you and God Bless You!

The NEW Mini (Occasions) Catalog is here ready for your service and SALE-A-BRATION # 1

 Yes, I said Sale-a-bration #1! There are some changes with the Sale-a-bration rewards.....wait for it.....there will be 2 Sale-a-bration reward seasons in 2021! We deserve 2, don't you think?? The other will take place starting this summer.  How awesome is that? BUT for now, the reward season is finally here! Sale-a-Bration #1 will run from January 5th through February 28th. The time frame is shorter than previous years so jump on this while you can. 

How do you earn rewards? 

1) You can order from the BRAND NEW Mini catalog for Spring (link is also found in the right column) 

2) You can order from the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog

3) You can order pre-paid Paper Pumpkin subscriptions

4) a combination of all of the above

For every $50 you spend, you can earn something from the Sale-a-Bration catalog/brochure at level 1. For every $100 spent, you can choose either 2 level one rewards or one level 2 rewards. Just add the product code associated with your choice to your order when it shows you your earnings. The items will ship with your regular order. 

Check out the video below for information and inspiration about the Spring (January - June) Mini Catalog.

I had the opportunity to attend a wonderful Stampin' Up! exclusive virtual event called On-Stage recently. We used the Dandy Garden Suite featured in the new Mini catalog. Now, granted, I am not fond of bugs to say the least. Truthfully, if they had not recommended this set as one they were going to work with doing the event, I would not have had it even on my wish list, much less as the first purchase from the catalog. The Designer's Series Paper is the real hero in the suite. The colors, the foliage, and the details in the images are nothing less than stunning.Here are a few examples of the projects we made during the On Stage event. 

The wonderfulness doesn't stop with the new Mini catalog and Sale-a-bration....what could be next you ask? 

The Mini Stampin Cut and Emboss machine! It cuts paper/card stock with dies like butter and embosses card stock like a powerful Mac truck! Here are some details. 

     Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. Item number 150673.  

                                                                               Cost $60 USD/$82 CAD

This cute machine has a compact footprint for easy storage and travel. The 3-1/2" (8.9 cm) platform works with many of Stampin’ Up!’s smaller dies and smaller embossing folders. Dies and embossing folders that are compatible with the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine are indicated in the product description in our catalogs and online store. Includes 1 Mini Base Plate (Plate 1), 2 Mini Cutting Plates (Plate 2), 1 Mini Embossing Plate (Plate 3), and 1 Mini 3D Embossing Plate (Plate 4). 

Wait,  there's more!

As you probably have heard, Whisper White is a but a precious memory. BUT the long awaited Basic White is now available! There are several options available now. 

If you would rather have a paper copy of the Mini catalog and/or the Sale-a-bration catalog than look at it online, please let me know. My contact info is included in the right hand column. I'll be happy to send you a catalog. 

       During this time in our world of constant quarantine somewhere, by someone we know and love, if not by our own household, we need an outlet that allows us to take a step back from reality and express our imagination, our creativity, and our feelings. In that same light, people in quarantine need to know that people care and understand their world as they knew it  has come to halt.

What we are doing in our craft, serves both purposes. Send the cards you make to others to let them know, that in the time it took to make the card and put postage on it, you were thinking of them and what they are going through. 

Do you feel quilty when you spend money on your card making supplies? I know you do, because I do. I have to say, it's is a lot cheaper than psychiatric therapy and it serves a need of others. I am really serious when I say that. Think about it.