Stamp storage (Part II) - photopolymer stamps

I LOVE OUR PHOTOPOLYMER STAMPS!

• They are totally clear! Say "goodbye" to crooked greetings! Say "hello" to the perfect alignment of alphabets! Didn't use enough pressure when you stamped/image didn't stamp completely? - You can almost always line it up again perfectly and stamp again(!)

• They are super sticky! No more having to use to 2-way glue on the backs so that they stick well to the clear blocks!

•They are really affordable! When all three stamp types are offered (wood, clear, photopolymer), photopolymer are always the least expensive!

But the issue is always having to contend with them being "sandwiched" in between two sheets of plastic when stored. I don't know about you, but I always found it a chore, albeit a small one, to put them back after use... Does it go this way? Does it go that way?

When SU! first started to sell this kind of stamp they were only available online (we still introduce a new photopolymer stamp set on the first Tuesday of every month, online only). But then when our new catalog arrived, we began to see more and more of these of this type of wonderful stamp being offered! In fact I've noticed that if the stamp set requires careful placement of images, it's only offered in the clear photopolymer.

I was so happy to see that the stamp sets were packaged in a clear case now too, and not just the two sheets of plastic!

But they still were sandwiched between two sheets of acetate even though they were in the plastic case! Ugh! It sounds like a small amount of work, but it was a royal pain-in-the-you know what... open case, peel off top layer of plastic, stamp, put stamp back on plastic sheet, replace top sheet, close case.

Then I watched a video by Mary Fish (http://stampinpretty.typepad.com/) and my world changed forever!

Let me explain how I now keep my photopolymer stamps....

First, notice that one sheet of acetate has the printed image on it and one is blank. 

Peel off the one that has the printed image on it, adhere a glue dot

 to each of the four corners, and stick it on the outside of the case (but underneath the plastic liner). When the case is open you should be looking at the printed images backwards! This is easy to see when you have words in the set:

(This is a view of the back of the case and so you can easily see  if you have a complete set, however, when you open the case the images will appear backwards.)

Next, peel off the stamps from the second clear plastic window sheet. You will stick the flat side of the stamp against your plastic DVD case. The image will match that of the other window sheet that you glued to the jacket inside.

Now they are ready to be stored! Everything is in its place and I don't have to fiddle with extra window sheets! 

I keep my extras as just that - extras. Window sheets are always great for shaker cards or other techniques!

Maybe you'll want to place that extra sheet on top of your stamps inside the case. That's up to you. I was happy to bid them adieu!

Aaahhh! I sleep well at night knowing that I took care of this situation!

A card for my son!

Those of you who come to my classes or are friends with me know that my youngest son recently had to have surgery. 

He was hit in the face with a pitch while up at bat during one of his games two weeks ago tomorrow. He suffered a broken cheekbone, with fractures in three places.

( ...love the tongue depressor-contraption for the bleeding nose...)

As a testament to his toughness, he got hit with the pitch and he didn't drop to the ground - instead, he tried to go to first base! (Normally, when you get hit with the ball you automatically go to first.)

Thank goodness his coaches stopped him and sent him out of the game!

We ended up taking him to the closest emergency room where they did a CAT scan and discovered his fractures.

Poor baby!

It could have been a lot worse. I am thankful that he didn't hurt his eye or get hit in the head!

Needless to say, he had surgery to repair it this week, complete with titanium plates and screws to put everything back in place.

So, now he spends his last month of summer recuperating.

This all seems too familiar....

Last summer it was the same kid who had knee surgery in August!

That time the sport was ice hockey, and the injury a torn meniscus.

Geesh!

I always say that "this one should live in a bubble"! He's always the one who gets hurt. If can happen to someone, it will happen to him. (I mean, the kid had to get stitches from tripping while BOWLING for goodness sake!)

Lord, give me strength!

So, with all this going on with him (and also a high school reunion trip to Pittsburgh), I haven't done a blog in a couple of weeks!

Sorry!

But now, things are getting back to "normal".

We are all catching up on sleep we missed during our time away to PA and the hospital stay!

I finally headed down to my stamp room tonight. I thought I would cheer him up by making a "Get Well" card for him. I didn't put any money in it though - that was Grandma's thing! (Can you believe he got $20 for having surgery? And the older one got 20 bucks too because he had poison ivy! Aaah... Grandmothers are the best!)

I told her recently that, since I had a stroke, that should trump all, so where's my card with $100? She just laughed. Guess daughter-in-laws don't rank as high as grandchildren.

Oh well.

I tried.

Anyway, I just got this new photopolymer set Dear Heart, and couldn't wait to use it!

It is the male counter-part to the popular Sweetie Pies photopolymer set from Stampin' Up!

You won't see either set in any catalog. You can only view them on the online store, under "photopolymer" stamps. Just go to my website and click in the upper right-hand corner where it says "shop".

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/dandyspandy/

You'll see the word "stamps" in the far left-hand column. Once you click on that, you'll go to the "photopolymer" icon.

Unfortunately, the Sweetie Pies set has sold out! Hopefully we will see it again in a future catalog!

For my card tonight, here are the "players":

I also got a lot of use out of my Big Shot and magnetic platform! I used the Circle Collection and Banners framelits and the Circle Card thinlets:

The Circle Card thinlet comes with several elements besides the "flip card" itself. I used the "xoxo" for the inside of the card and the chevrons for the baseball stitching.

The colors of cardstock I used were: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, and a piece of my favorite retired color - Ballet Blue.

I used Night of Navy ink for the baseball background, and the same color marker to touch up in a few spots where I had applied uneven pressure.

See, there's always a way to hide or fix our mistakes!

You've heard me sing the praises of this glue:

The fine-point tip end really comes in handy when I have small pieces to work with! Where would I have been without it when it came to placing all those "stitches" on the baseball or the "XOXO" sentiment?

I used my new Blendabilities skin-tone marker assortment to color the boy. (Of course, I used the recommended Memento ink pad). I used the shades of Nude, Ivory, and Natural in order to achieve his tanned book - my son's current skin tone!

His hair was colored using the Blendabilities as well. I used the Mocha from the skin tones, and the "dark" shade from the Daffodil Delight set.

The final touch was a red Candy Dot on the banner!

The perfect card for this situation!

It's always fun to make your own cards!

Let me show you how!

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Dandyspandy@sbcglobal.net

Set sampler Saturday! - Age Awareness

Tomorrow is our 23rd wedding anniversary!

Tonight my husband and I went out to dinner in order to celebrate.

Since our morning was filled with a baseball game for our younger son, and my afternoon was making graduation cards for our older son (he has parties to go to this weekend), I had no time to do my set sampler cards!

I was bound and determined to keep it "set sampler Saturday" and not Sunday!

When we came home, I decided I would do some really quick cards.

Isn't that what we just need sometimes? Quick cards?

You know, when you're in a hurry and you say, "Oh no! I need to make a card!"

Well, if it's a birthday this is your go-to set!

It's called Age Awareness and it's new this year! 

As you can see it has lots of different stamps! What I like most about it - it's photopolymer, so it's clear all the way through for easy placement! Plus, they just STICK to the clear block without any fussing around. (I am starting to prefer these over the regular clear-mount stamps that we sell...)

I consulted my vast file of Pinterest cards... (like I said I needed quick cards - quickly!) 

Mostly CASEs with some tweaking...

Colors: Lost Lagoon and Whisper White

Extras: 2 1/2" circle punch,  sponge daubers, white gel pen, linen thread, marker in Lost Lagoon

Paper: Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, Sweet Taffy DSP (don't forget July SU! special: buy three DSP, get one free!) I love the colors in this pack so much I may just buy three more and get a fourth one free!

Ink: Blackberry Bliss

Extra: Tangelo Twist ribbon

Colors: So Saffron, Pool Party, Calypso Coral and Whisper White

Extras: Pool Party ribbon (from last year's Sale-a-bration), dotted scallop ribbon border punch, Dotty Angles photopolymer stamp set

Quick and easy!

And I can officially say that I got this done in time to qualify for "set sampler  Saturday!" Phew!

If you are interested in purchasing Age Awareness, Dotty Angles, or any other Stampin' Up! product, please visit my website, and click "shop" in the upper right-hand corner:

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/dandyspandy/

While you're there, don't forget to stock up on your favorite Designer Series Paper! This month only: Buy 3, get 1 FREE !

new personalized stamps from SU!

Round, photopolymer stamp that coordinates with 1 3/8" circle punch. (Clear block B recommended)

Be creative! It doesn't have to be just for your address!

Here are some ideas:

Address stamp Thank you From the classroom of (for a teacher gift) From the kitchen of Made with love This book belongs to From the desk of Just married Save the date Promote your business (add your name, website, and contact info)

Check out our newest offering:

Item	Description	Price
132852	Circle Monogram Stamp	$23.95

Order yours today!
Visit my website and click "shop" in the upper right-hand corner: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/dandyspandy/