Day 342: Christmas Postcard

Tonight I was inspired by a card I viewed on Splitcoaststampers and made this card using Stampin' Up!'s Christmas Postcard stamp. I changed it up a little bit.  I used red card stock from Recollections by Michael's.  I also did not have the floral embossing folder so used a scallop one I had. I colored the card in with Stamp 'n' Write markers.

Day 341: Surfing the Net

Tonight I was looking at a variety of cards on the Internet so I could gain some inspiration for ideas for Christmas cards.  Do you ever buy a stamp because you like it, but then you don't know how to use it and make a great looking card?  That is when I find it is time to be inspired by other people's creativity.

Day 340: Ornament Stamp and Punch Card Day 2

Today I spent some time tweaking this card.  I did not like the design I originally had at the top of the card, so I used some ribbons to make a border.  I like it so much better.

Day 339: Ornament Stamp and Punch Card Day 1

I keep all the handmade Christmas cards I get each year and file them away so I can have inspiration when I make Christmas cards.  Tonight I pulled out one my sister had sent me and decided I could use up some scraps of Christmas paper to make a card with the ornament stamps and punch from Stampin' Up!

Day 338: Dreamweaver Cameo Silhouette Embossed on The Big Shot

Today I used a core'dinations "white wash" collection paper with a black core and a Dreamweaver brass cameo stencil to create the cameo silhouette below.  I cut it out using the ovals die by Sizzix and my Big Shot. I embossed the image before I cut it out, so I accidentally cut off some of the design on the right side.  I will probably just save it and use it in a collage where I can hide the mistake under another image. I used a thick emery board to sand off the white wash to show the black core of the paper.  I wanted to use black because traditionally a silhouette is a black image on a white background, but I think this would be pretty in a variety of the core'dinations colored papers.

If you would like to emboss using your Dreamweaver stencils and your Big Shot, check out the site I used to find out how to make the "sandwich" for my Big Shot.

Day 337: Cleaning Badly Stained Stamps with StazOn Stamp Cleaner and Remounting with Jim Stephan's Stamp Cushion

I attended a first Sunday flea market today and found a lady who was clearing out some of her unwanted stamps.  Several of them were like new, but one was a "K" initial, and even though it was badly stained, I decided to buy it. When I got home, I realized that not only was it badly stained, but there was no cushion underneath it.  I decided I would take the image off the wood block to clean it and then add new cushion. I saturated the rubber with StazOn stamp cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes, and then used an alcohol wipe to clean the ink off.  I did that three or four times before the image was clean.

(You can buy alcohol wipes in a convenient container at most local pharmacies; I love them for cleaning ink off my hands or the acrylic stamping square that goes with my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig. You really should not use alcohol to clean your stamps, but this one was so badly stained, a little alcohol wasn't going to ruin it.  I was mainly using the wipe to help remove the StazOn cleaner and the old ink.)

After that I used some cushion from Jim Stephan's Rubber Art Ink Stamps Store (ebay) to remount the stamp. If you are looking for cushion to mount stamps, I highly recommend Jim's.  He makes his own, it is black, with adhesive on both sides, it is a nice thickness, and I have used it for years.

To keep your stamps from becoming badly stained, clean them after each use.  If you are trying to clean a badly stained stamp, I highly recommend saturating your stamp with StazOn Stamp Cleaner (available on the internet, at box craft stores like Hobby Lobby and Michael's, and most independent stamp stores), waiting a few minutes, and then cleaning it off.  This has worked for me 99% of the time if I purchase a stamp that is badly stained.  And remember, just because a stamp is badly stained, often the stamped image looks fine, so if there is a stamp you love, and the price is right, take a chance and buy it.  Or use the stained condition as a way to bargain with the seller and get the price reduced; at least if it doesn't clean up, you won't feel like you totally wasted your money.

Day 336: Skating Snowman: Boy Card

I made this card for my son for Christmas.