Stampin’ Up! Making a Difference

Just cause it’s called “Tag It” doesn’t mean you can’t use it on a card!

I took a page right out of Pam Morgan’s stamping demonstration at convention and just used the image – no coordinating framelit – to keep it simple. The images in this set are VERY versatile – it’s awesome if you have the framelits, but you DON’T HAVE TO HAVE THEM to use the set. (I KNOW. What a SHOCK.)

I inked the image twice – once with Gumball Green (my new fave green) and once with Primrose Petals. I cut the Primrose Petals image up to get the “Celebrate” flag and the accent balloon, then added the Summer Starfruit Dahlia with a glue dot.

That eyeball is begging for embellishment but I held back. Make a note – that doesn’t happen often with me.

Of course, the stamp set is called TAG It. In my book that mean’s it’s just begging to be a tag, and while I was at it I tossed in the coordinating Chalk Talk Framelits for good measure (you knew I had them – when I said you didn’t need them I meant it in the most hypothetical sense. Of course you need them.)

This little tag just makes me happy. Same color scheme with a little bit of Soft Suede, cuz now we’re talkin’ dirt. And take a closer look at the pearls in the middle of the flowers:

Yellow Sharpie Marker to the rescue! Had to be done.

I used the negative of the Chalk Talk Framelit to create an opening in this tag. If you jumped on the Magnetic Cutting Pad bandwagon before we sold 13 weeks of inventory in 3 weeks (Yes Ma’am!!) it will be a snap to get that tag image cut squarely in the center of the Gumball Green tag. (If you didn’t jump on the bandwagon, don’t worry, they are coming – you just have to be patient. I’m not good at that.)

Layer a piece of Very Vanilla card stock behind with some dimensionals to keep it floating and you’re good to go:

It’s a special priviledge to feature the Tag It! stamp set for this month’s RemARKable blog tour. This set is the 2013-2013 Ronald McDonald House Charities fundraiser stamp set. For every set sold, Stampin’ Up! donates $3.00 to RMHC in support of the good work that organization does to support families in crisis. Learn more about the Stampin’ Up! giving program and RMHC.

Your next stop on the tour is the Trinity Design Studio – I know Robin has a treat for you!

Here are all the tour participants should you want to make your own itinerary:

Nancy Amato             http://stampinallnight.blogspot.com
Melissa Bolinger         http://www.stampinup.net/blog/2089191
Jackie Bottomley         http://www.jackiebottomley.blogspot.com
Susan Carlson             http://stampinmomoffour.blogspot.com
Tamra Davis                 http://www.thecardladies.com
Connie Deibler            http://www.conniestamps.com
Danielle Denhardt http://www.purrfectlycreative.com
Sherri Eddleblute       http://www.sweetestdesigns.blogspot.com
Crystal Kondo             http://www.card-ed.com
Deb Lehigh                 http://thestampinhut.typepad.com
Anne Matasci   http://www.MauiStamper.wordpress.com
Robin Merriman    http://www.trinitydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Audra Monk        http://thecraftyyogi.blogspot.com
Maria Pane       http://www.stampinandscrappinwithriri.blogspot.com
Andi Potler    http://www.absolutekreations.com
Michele Reynolds      http://www.inspirationink.typepad.com
Vicki Soni    http://www.paperinkle.com
Pam Staples               http://www.sunnygirlscraps.com
Jeri St. John               https://jerrisgemtastics.blogspot.com
Jeannette Swain http://www.stampsnwhatnot.com
Janet Wakeland http://www.remarkablycreated.com

Ever wanted a totally unique stamp? Meet Undefined.

You can make any image you want. You carve it yourself.

NOW STOP. I know what you are saying. “I’m not artistic”, you say. “I can’t draw”, you say. “It looks hard”, you say.

It’s just like when you began stamping and you weren’t sure if you were holding the stamp right, or if you had enough ink, or whether you had stamped with enough pressure. You do it. You learn. Crystal and I did!

See! I’m smiling! I’m calm! This was taken BEFORE I ~~threw~~ firmly placed the cutting tool on the counter and said “THIS SUCKS.” The wonderful SU staff member behind the counter did for me what I have done for countless customers. She immediately came over and reassured me that I could do it and showed me how to hold the cutting tool. Turns out I was holding it sideways. Cutting with the cutting tool held sideways does suck. Cutting with the cutting tool held correctly is awesome! Here’s how it works:

Step One: Sketch your design true to size in pencil, and go over the design so that there is plenty of graphite on your paper.

Step Two: Transfer your image from the paper to the rubber by placing one against the other and rubbing firmly with your finger.

Step Three: Cut out your design with the cutting tool. It’s kinda hard to do this AND take a photo 🙂

Step Four: Apply the self-adhesive foam to the back of the rubber and cut out the your shape.

Step Five: When it’s all trimmed out, and before you adhere the rubber to the back of the wood block, ink up your image with Staz-On and stamp it on the front of the block.

Step Six: Adhere the rubber to the back of the wood block.

Step Seven: Stamp and ADMIRE!!

Don’t think you can come up with an original idea? Each kit comes with multiple templates for you to begin with – just trace and carve. Or you can use one of these ideas from The Home Office:

Notice that the letters are carved out, but the stamp doesn’t have to be too closely trimmed out around the outside.