Favorite Tip

[pryor208]

I use the glossy pages of sale ads that come in the newspaper to do my embossing over. The extra embossing powder slides right back into the container when I'm done.

[Bagpuss]

Accidentally bought Triple Track blades for your non-Triple Track Fiskars cutter? (or vice versa) The blades are actually made in two parts and, if you're careful, you can prise out the blade section and insert it into the correct base part.

[Pveem]

Just a couple of tips:

When your punches begin sticking instead of cutting cleanly, punch several times into tinfoil to sharpen them. Also, punching onto waxed paper lubricates the punches.

I have unmounted several of my woodblock sets - so to see the image through the acrylic block, I stamp on the cling foam first before mounting the stamp on it. You could use Staz-on, but I use an archival black & it works fine. When storing them in CD cases, it is easy to see what is in the set & sure makes it easy to stamp with them. (I trim the rubber stamp first, then the cling to approximate size & don't have any trouble with them matching up)

Hope these help someone. Thanks everyone for the great tips!

[dentedhalo]

Swiffer Dusters work great to clean your work surface with, I've seen everyone talk about the swiffer cloths, but not the dusters, I keep a special one in my work area all the time.
I also use a piece of wire to pull ribbon through slots in cards, or beads. You just fold it in half and thread it through whatever you are working on with the ribbon in the "bend" of the wire and pull it through!
Alcohol wipes are a necessity!! I use a CM cutting pad as a work surface when I'm crafting, and the alcohol wipes are great for any inky spots I get on anything, and it gets rid of any adhesive that gets off the edge of my cards, or photos!(also cleans scissor blades wonderfully!)

[ScrapsaDaisy]

I use vintage hankie boxes to hold my small metal embelishments on my desk. They are pretty, have little dividers inside, and I've found all of them in antique and thrift shops for around 3.00 each.

They are usually quilted satin, about four inches wide by 16-18 inches long and in yummy colors. Inside they have individual sections where I put my book binding rings, spiral clips, mini clothes pins and other frequently used embellishments.

Another tip... Wood Cigar boxes are exactly the right size to hold the sets of Making Memories foam stamps. I decoupaged the outside with my favorite papers, Then Stamped an Example (ABC) in one corner of what set is inside. They stack nicely and look real pretty on the shelf.

Tiffany

[ShirleyIsStampin]

[QUOTE/]********DOES ANYONE HAVE A TIP ON KEEPING CRYSTAL EFFECTS FROM DRYING IN THE DISPENSING TIP? I keep using a needle to clean it out, but what a pain!********************************************* *[/QUOTE]

I keep a straight pin in the dispensing tip of my CE. You have to store it right side up, but when you're ready to use it, just pull out the pin and you're golden!

[Lisa62]

HERE'S a new tip if you have a lot of left over blocks from unmounting your stamps.you can use them as building blocks for little ones.or Paint them and use them as a bg then add small chipboard letter to mount to them making words.like create,live,inspire.etc etc.use them to decorate around your stamping room.The bigger blocks are great for this.

[Lisa62]

another tip for anyone who owns SU punches.DO NOT DO THIS I DID AND BROKE MINE.I punched my square steps punch thru 2 sheets of cardstock and the little level snaped off and broke there's no way to even punch this ever again.

Just a word of caution when using them.

[Lisa62]

Baby wipe technique...Use rubbing alcohol on paper towel folded.if you don't have baby wipes.just add your alcohol inks and stamp in the ink then onto paper same look every time.

[ShirleyIsStampin]

Nail polish remover is cheaper than Goo Gone to clean your scissors with, and works perfectly.

I am so thrilled with the tip of setting eyelets with a 1/16 hole punch! Too fun! Now I'm using those eyelets that have languished in the bottom of the drawer for years! (I'm just too lazy to drag out a hammer, eyelet setter, and setting mat!)

[MSBetsyZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShirleyIsStampin

Nail polish remover is cheaper than Goo Gone to clean your scissors with, and works perfectly.

I am so thrilled with the tip of setting eyelets with a 1/16 hole punch! Too fun! Now I'm using those eyelets that have languished in the bottom of the drawer for years! (I'm just too lazy to drag out a hammer, eyelet setter, and setting mat!)

Shirley, just don't forget that this tip works with "softer" eyelets. Some, like Making Memories, are made of a harder material and you'll have little to no luck with those. Also, the gold/silver and other metallic ones are more likely to be harder as well....

Other than that, yeah! It is very nice to be able to just squish 'em with the hole punch, lol!

[xochitl6]

Get your primas cheap and easily. Buy silk flowers at Michaels and take them apart. Also white ones are easily sponged with any color.

[marciad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocForHelp

I just took pics of the little pill boxes I use for my eyelets and punched flowers... Thought I'd post them here to inspire any eyes who are seeking....

I just found this thread and am loving it. I also recently purchased the SU punch with the three flowers and was having trouble figuring out how to save all the little flowers. Thanks for this great idea.
I have one for the very small alpha stamps that someone shared with me. Order small plastic ammuniton boxes. They have compartments that will hold the small stamps. If you go to a store, take a stamp and fit to the box.

[uggentoo]

So where do you get the ammo boxes? I've looked at Walmart, and they don't have them. Any suggestions?

[marciad]

I had DH order mine from hunting catalogue. Try a sporting goods store like Cabelas(sp). They also have cattys so I'd try a google search if you want them online.

[Stampin Wrose]

Ammo boxes! Wow. Interesting!

I do have five plastic "fishing" boxes full of brads and eyelets and even stuff I've punched out. Each has 24 compartments. I remember one day when DH was in the local sporting goods store, and I was just wandering around and spotted these. They were only $4.99 each!!!!!! I only got two back then, but got more thru the years.

[uggentoo]

Great tip! Thanks

[Scrapfever2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by prchvs

updated list to this point!

Thank you for this! It's awesome!

[asnow]

this is a fabulous resource for new and experienced stampers alike!

I wanted to add something about organizing your stamp sets -sorry if it's already been added here...

I find the index picture of the SU stampset in the gallery and copy the full size image to a folder on my computer. I have an Excel spreadsheet with all my stampsets categorized by current and retired and by right-clicking in the cell containing the stampset name, and selecting Hyperlink from the drop-down menu, you can link directly to the image.

Select Link To Existing File or Webpage on the left and then browse to the image in your folder.

Sorry if this is too "techie" for some of you, but I am an IT person, so I love to use the technology to get organized If I can explain further, just let me know.

You can also print off the image to use in your binder of stampsets. These images were a great help to me when I was trying to determine exactly what holiday images I had without having to go through all my stamp sets.

HTH,

Alison

[cmayk]

These are fantastic tips!! Thanks for sharing. :-)

[Scrapfever2]

I just came across a tip from another stamp blog (gasp) and I tried it and it really does work. I thought I would share....Use a piece of aluminium foil under your paper that you are heat embossing on to prevent the paper from curling up.

[DocForHelp]

You know I am wishing for a copy of that excel file! I did a similar thing and actually took pics of all my stamp sets... but the problem is that I did it in a table in Word. But when I tried to convert it to excel, I didn't have it in me to redo everything because there is no quick way to bring the data over from the Word table to the excel file in the different cells! Argh, I say!

Anyway, thanks for the tip... and if you are willing to share... wanna pm me?

Quote:

Originally Posted by asnow

this is a fabulous resource for new and experienced stampers alike!

I wanted to add something about organizing your stamp sets -sorry if it's already been added here...

I find the index picture of the SU stampset in the gallery and copy the full size image to a folder on my computer. I have an Excel spreadsheet with all my stampsets categorized by current and retired and by right-clicking in the cell containing the stampset name, and selecting Hyperlink from the drop-down menu, you can link directly to the image.

Select Link To Existing File or Webpage on the left and then browse to the image in your folder.

Sorry if this is too "techie" for some of you, but I am an IT person, so I love to use the technology to get organized If I can explain further, just let me know.

You can also print off the image to use in your binder of stampsets. These images were a great help to me when I was trying to determine exactly what holiday images I had without having to go through all my stamp sets.

HTH,

Alison

[denidill]

subscribing! Great thread!

[icmad]

Read these tips yesterday but not today. Hope this one is new. Want a brad to match paper but don't have it. Use your craft ink pad of the color you need -ink up brad with craft ink color-then dip inked brad into clear embossing powder -then heat set. This works really well if you have a white brad. It also works well if you use encore ink and clear embossing powder. I have lots of different color brads but from now I am going to buy mostly white. I have also tried this with eyelets but embossed eyelets do not retain the color when you put them on

[mkirkwood2002]

I colour my brads too except I only buy silver now - they're easier to find!

I use coloured embossing powder but will try the craft ink and clear next time!

Thanks for sharing all these great tips!!!

[DocForHelp]

Brilliant~ thanks for such a useful tip... I can use up all those other color brads I never use... perhaps some glitter or some crystal effects...

Quote:

Originally Posted by icmad

Read these tips yesterday but not today. Hope this one is new. Want a brad to match paper but don't have it. Use your craft ink pad of the color you need -ink up brad with craft ink color-then dip inked brad into clear embossing powder -then heat set. This works really well if you have a white brad. It also works well if you use encore ink and clear embossing powder. I have lots of different color brads but from now I am going to buy mostly white. I have also tried this with eyelets but embossed eyelets do not retain the color when you put them on

[etsdas]

This is as much a question as a tip. I just put postage on all the Christmas cards I need to mail. This year's Madonna and Child stamp has a tiny gold scalloped (sticky) strip separating the stamps. I am sure it would look great in just the right place on a card. At least, I am saving it. Any ideas?

[Lisa62]

bumping back to top for others who haven't seen it.looking for some new ideas also.

here's a tip in the ORnamasortment stamp set the hook for the ornaments can also be used as a fish hook.

[alana23]

Just a word of caution. I tried using my fiskars 1/16" hole punch to set eyelets (don't remember which brand) but it actually ruined my punch by bending and mis-shaping the hole portion of the punch. They were brand new, too. Very sad.

My tips: you can refill markers by dropping ink refill on to the tip (probably even with a versamarker). Also, you can create markers for SU!'s In Color with three blender pens...just drop 5 drops of ink refill on to a tip for each color. With just 3 blender pens, you get all six colors in marker form!

[jutta]

Two tips that I have learned in the last year are these:

1.If you have an aluminum roll pan ( you know, the disposable pie pan type) you can stamp on it with Staz On and cut or punch out a shape in the smooth space on the bottom. I bought some oven liners at WM, two for $2 to get the largest amount of smooth space to stamp and punch. I used this technique to make some title letters on a page that had to do with water - the smooth shiny metal looked very "watery" when done.You could probably use your dry embossing tool to make patterns and then rub ink into the lines to highlight the design.
2. If you receive an envelope with a colored metallic liner, you can do the same thing. Stamp with Staz on and cut or punch out a shape. This gives you small pieces of very cool gold silver or red matallic paper for nothing.
Check out the Creating Keepsakes website for their tips and tricks. They have all kinds of nifty ideas! ;)

Jutta

[JRT]

Just found this thread.

-My favorite is to put the Embossing Powders that I use all the time in a square plastic container with a spoon inside. And then the powder just goes back in the container. And of course label the top or side of container.

-I know these are little but another is to use a Clothespin holding cardstock when using my heatgun so I don't burn my fingers. Or you can use the squeeze tool that comes in the SU toolkit to hold small pieces.

-I would like to know how you ladies store your cardstock? I was thinking about in FileFolders in a file but I didn't want my paper to curl. Any suggestions would be great.

-Oh yeah, I read when someone had put a pin in there Crystal Effects, I did that and hadn't used as often and the pin rusted inside.:(
------------
Joyce

[its_kristy]

Subscribing

[alias]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kittypaws

When I get a new stamp set, I stamp each image on an 8 1/2 x 11 paper (you can get more than one stamp set on a page) and then label the name of the set on the page, then put this in a 3-ring binder. I can usually remember the large pieces, but this is particularly useful for some of the small images that come in a set that you might want to use as a background, etc. It's a lot easier to go through a 3-ring binder than rummaging through stamp sets. Works for me.

You are bloody brilliant! I am always shuffling through stamp boxes for inspiration, what a waste of time. I was even considering busting up a catalogue to make some sort file, but this is way better.

[blizlady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alias

You are bloody brilliant! I am always shuffling through stamp boxes for inspiration, what a waste of time. I was even considering busting up a catalogue to make some sort file, but this is way better.

I also use a binder to hold images of all my stamp sets. But rather than stamp each one, I just photocopy the label sheet before I start to mount the stamps. I do the copy because I don't always have time to mount every stamp in a set all at once, especially if I'm only using one or two for a particular card. But at least I have an image of all the stamps in each set.

I actually make 2 photocopies - one goes into a 3-ring binder, and the other set is placed in the box that the stamp set comes in. That way if I'm working on a project with several different stamp sets, I'll know at a glance which box each stamp belongs.

[TinaT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blizlady

I also use a binder to hold images of all my stamp sets. But rather than stamp each one, I just photocopy the label sheet before I start to mount the stamps. I do the copy because I don't always have time to mount every stamp in a set all at once, especially if I'm only using one or two for a particular card. But at least I have an image of all the stamps in each set.

I actually make 2 photocopies - one goes into a 3-ring binder, and the other set is placed in the box that the stamp set comes in. That way if I'm working on a project with several different stamp sets, I'll know at a glance which box each stamp belongs.

ok who told you that you could steal my idea :mrgreen: I do that too. 2 photocopies, one for the notebook one for the box. It works great!!

[blizlady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinaT

ok who told you that you could steal my idea :mrgreen: I do that too. 2 photocopies, one for the notebook one for the box. It works great!!

Lol!! Quick and easy, isn't it!

[RestlessSmiles]

If you are gluing something, or using something that is sticky on one side, and it is overlapping the edge of your card, to avoid getting your fingers sticky or having it stick to something else, you can use a cue tip dipped in baby powder. Just dip the cue tip in baby powder and spread on the sticky part that is over the edge. Hopefully this is clear.

Judy

[cathylea]

When I send a greeting card I write the message on a piece of paper and put it inside the card. I include another envelope (the clear ones from SU work great) inside the envelope that I mail the card in. That way the card can be reused by the person receiving it. It's like sending a gift and a card. Also, don't forget to sign and date your cards. I always scan them before mailing so I don't send one of my favorite cards twice to the same person.

[SilverDragoness]

I can't remember if this has been shared before or not. My fave new tip is using rubber scraps to stick the clear plastic extra sleeve covers of the stazon ink to the top of the lid. That way I get to keep the protection from drying out but I don't go crazy with having to take the extra lid on and off.

[purplewinkle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRT

-Oh yeah, I read when someone had put a pin in there Crystal Effects, I did that and hadn't used as often and the pin rusted inside.:(
------------
Joyce

Joyce, that happened to me too.
I just made a little flap or pocket with tape on the bottle of my crystal effects and keep a pin in it. Then it is handy to unclog the bottle and no rust.