BellaRu Boutique

Masculine Card - with an unexpected element!

My Dad had minor surgery on his hands last Friday - and I needed a quick card to get sent off to him. My current on hand stock of cards is zero right now. This was a great card, because I made several of them up and can just add my sentiment when it's time to give it away! I love cards like that - that are versatile and especially when you get a versatile masculine card! 

All that being said - my favorite part of this is that I used the Tutti-frutti Adhesive-Backed Sequins  as some added interest. Bling makes cards better- but I cannot add a rhinestone to a card for my Dad - I just can't, so this gave me the boost the card needed - and they don't look like sequins - but rather geometric shaped "things"! I'm going with it anyway!  

Unfortunately the stamp set I used is now retired, but I bought it specifically for Dad - so I was going to use it! But don't worry - Stampin' Up! has other wilderness options. In the annual catalog, there is a beautiful Christmas stamp set called Nature Sings, it is beautiful. It has an Elk as well, as some pine trees and some very lovely sentiments. I used this set a lot during the Holiday season and think it would be a great addition to anyone's set, as the animals, and trees can be used year round.

 

Let's talk about that Elk - I used the new blends to color him in - it took about 1.5 minutes and that included the rock! They are just a treat to color with. I used the crumb cake duo and then I added a little Daffodil Delight to his Antlers to add some dimension and color to those. On the rock I threw in the bronze color to really highlight the crevices. If you are really good, you could certainly spend some time and really make him life like, I don't generally have the patience - so I like how with little skill or time, I can have something that looks like I spent much longer on it! I threw some 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon in Garden Green, but it just didn't seem enough, even with the tilt on the layering of the circles so, that is where the idea to put sequins on a masculine card came in to my head. I used the pale blue and you can see that the overall effect is added interest without being "bling". 

This is a standard A2 card base in Early Espresso with a mat of 5.25 X 4 popped up on Stampin' Dimensional's. On the inside I have a mat of the same size with the head of the Elk coming in at the bottom right - stamped in Early Espresso to finish the card off nicely.

Let me know how you add interest without "bling" on your masculine cards!

 

Thanks,

Michelle with BellaRu Boutique

What's In Your Tool Kit?

Whether you are new to Stampin' or just looking to reconnect with budget friendly ways to enjoy crafting and Stampin' Up - This is a peek into my tool kit. 

1. Baby wipes. I use them for ensuring my hands are clean, my stamps are clean, my piercing mat is clean and I haven't even gotten to using them for different stamping techniques. I don't have kids, so I buy in bulk the adult version, and split between my bathrooms and my craft room. However, for these, brand doesn't matter. Buy the cheapest you can find, because later on, you can use those extra pennies where it will matter. 

2. Scissors. I have lots, but I use my small snips 98% of the time. So if you are not sure the best route here, I recommend a smaller pair that is only ever used for your paper and card stock. Use your kitchen scissors for opening packaging, ribbon or washi tape. Stampin' Up's are perfect, they have a nice sharp point and come with a protective cover. That cover is handy- it keeps dust and other stuff off your blades, and of course you don't have to worry about those nice sharp points stabbing anything they shouldn't! 

 

3. Paper trimmer. I have had several but my favorite is the Stampin' Up trimmer. You can measure down to the 16th of an inch, and you can cut or score. Quality matters here- you want the ability to swap out blades and you want those blades to be sharp, because you are going to work the socks off them! I had what I thought was a nice one but after about a year I noticed that my cuts weren't straight, and the blades dulled quickly. Since getting the SU version, I haven't had any warping, so the only time my measurements are off, is when I just measure wrong- which I do on an all too regular basis! The other thing- I haven't used my score board since getting the trimmer.  I do have the envelope punch board, which I call out, because if you are making cards, you will either need to purchase envelopes or make them. If you make them, you will need a score board or  the envelope punch board. The trimmer will not be enough.

 

 

4. Adhesives. This is a big one, and everybody will have their own preferences.  Quality matters here too, and most options serve a unique purpose, but some do the same thing just differently. This is the area where I have tried everything it seems, but once you understand the differences, then you can try and pick the ones that work best for you. SU offers the following adhesive options: Snail, FastFuse, Tombow All Purpose Glue(APG), Glue Dots,Tear and Tape and Dimensional's. I use- Snail, Dimensional's, Tear and Tape and Glue dots. APGlue has its place, but I usually end up spending more time removing it from me and my work surface than it's worth- I am hopeless this is not the glues fault, so I prefer tear and tape, it's cost effective and is a strong adhesive. I find if I just wet it slightly I get enough "wiggle" time before it adheres that I can usually get things placed correctly. And since I could do an entire blog just on adhesives, I'm going to leave it at that. Budget friendly- you could do the Tombow APG  OR tear and tape AND Dimensional's though and be able to make anything you wanted with just two options, it just might take a bit longer, but quality of your craft will not be compromised.

5. Piercing tool and mat. If you use photo polymer stamps, you will want to use the piercing mat to stamp on. Oh, and it's good for shaping your flowers too. I really like the photo polymer stamps, so I tend to gravitate to them, so I use the mat a lot. The piercing tool I use mostly to peel up my tear and tape backing, my glue dots and really just anywhere I need a small finger to do the job. I use it a lot, as my nails are often too short to help. On a budget? Start with the mat, get the tool later, it's only $4 though, so it's a good filler on any order.

 

6. Bone folder. I personally use the one from my envelope punch the most, but regardless if you buy a separate one or choose to get the punch board and then use it's tool, you need one to ensure your folds are nice and crisp.

 

We made it to the end! Hopefully if you are new to stamping or to Stampin' Up, this has helped you in deciding which tools you will need to make great projects now and in the future!

Please add your thoughts, ideas and comments so we can go on this journey together! I'd love to know your top tools! 

Thanks! Michelle