Stampin' Up! had some organised swaps on our Alaskan Cruise for which we prepared 26 identical cards before we went, handed them in to the Stampin' Up! staff in the Stamper's Base Camp when we got onboard Explorer of the Seas, and on day 4 or 5 of the cruise we able to pick up a bag of "swapped" cards to take home, containing 26 cards designed and created by other Cruise Achievers.

I used a few different tools and products for my swaps including the Tailored Tag punch for punching the elongated hexagons of Share What You Love Designer Series Paper.

The base layer of the card is pretty straight forward. Punch 7-8 hexagon shapes with the punch, then starting from the bottom of the card front, layer them up the card with a tiny 1-2mm gap between each one. I used the grid paper and a clear plastic ruler to make sure they were lined up straight.

Die cut flowers and border were attached with Fine Tip Glue Pen and Velvet Trim stuck down with Tear'n'Tape.

The Stamparatus got a workout next.

By cutting the A4 card in half lengthwise (10.5cm x 29.75cm) I was able to use the Stamparatus and it's magic 1" step markers to stamp 4 of the jar of paintbrushes images on each piece of card (remember, I had to make 26). I stamped 2 one way, then flipped the card around and stamped 2 more at the other end facing the other way - you'll see it in another photo further down :)

I had to make sure there was enough space between each one to cut out with the oval Stitched Shape framelit, so using the Stamparatus was perfect.

Having stamped the images in Black Stazon, leaving the stamp in exactly the same place on the Stamparatus, I then inked it using the Stampin' Spots (Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, Berry Burst and Soft Suede) and gave it a very heavy spritz with water. Not just 2 quirts but 5 or 6 squirts. You can see in the photo how wet it is.

One of my downline team members Karen Lincoln showed this technique at our team night many months ago after she learnt it from (I believe) Tandra Boyers.  It's a really fun technique that really appeals to my creative, love of wet-on-wet watercolouring, messy side!

In google searches the technique has been named Stamparatus Slap technique, though for some reason my brain keeps calling it Stamparatus Splat technique, so excuse me if I mix and match the two . . . I meant the same thing!

After spritzing, you then want to bring the plate up to vertical, then give it a good slap (or splat) down onto the cardstock. Not so that you break it, but let's just say it may not be a good technique for 2am if you co-habit LOL.

Your images won't quite look like mine above, because the original Stamparatus Slap technique does not have the Stazon stamped image underneath. I stepped it up to include the black outline as I wanted a little more definition underneath, knowing that I was going to make my coloured part really wet. And the Designers Series Paper includes black, so I wanted them tonally closer rather then the pot of paintbrushes looking a bit wishy washy (no, not Washy Washy LOL).

This one possibly wasn't quite wet enough for my liking, as you want to get little splatters or splashes across the card. I made them wetter and wetter as I went along.

At this point, I decided to add more colour to the pot the brushes are sitting in, and like any good old fashioned kids water colouring books - you know the ones with the lines of colour already on the image and all you needed was a brush and a jar of water, and you spread the colour as you wet it - you can do the same here. Just drag the colour that's already on there. Or if you are like me, and want some intensity and love the blobby wet on wet look, scoop up some extra Soft Suede ink from the lid of your inkpad using the Aquapainter and swoosh that on.

I also touched up the tips of the paintbrushes on some of the images.

Now I just want to point out for the benefit of my team members that LOOK!!! I used the magnet! I used one of the magnets that comes with the Stamparatus! I said I was never going to use them, as they are not needed every single time you stamp, and I'm definitely not using 2 of them so I don't break them, but here is my witness! I used one LOL!

After setting these aside to dry for a while, it was time to cut them with the oval Stitched Shape Framelits.

These closeups give you a much better view of the splats and splatters from the technique.

Layered onto a Blackberry Bliss scallop oval from the Layering Ovals Framelits - really makes it pop! Then layered onto the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I really love how these came out, and I have to also take a moment to heartily thank Jenny Wren and Alisha Watson for spending hours with me on the Saturday night before the cruise, punching, sticking and trimming so I had these finished to take with me.

I think the Share What You Love Designer Series Paper with it's pearlescent finish on several of the sheets is one of my favourite paper packs from Stampin' Up! in the nearly 11 years I've been using their paper.  If you would like some of your own, or to buy any of the other products I have used on this fun project, click on the thumbnail below and it will take you right to that item in my online store. 

Product List

Crafting Forever Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143958] $35.00	Stamparatus [148187] $85.00	Jet Black Stazon Ink Pad [101406] $15.75
Uninked Stampin' Spots [141822] $15.75	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [115663] $6.50	Aqua Painters [103954] $20.00
Share What You Love Specialty Designer Series Paper [146926] $47.00	Tailored Tag Punch [145667] $31.00	SNAIL Permanent Adhesive [104332] $10.00
Mint Macaron A4 Cardstock [138344] $14.75	Petals & More Thinlits Dies [145655] $59.00	Blackberry Bliss A4 Cardstock [133682] $14.75
Rich Razzleberry 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Velvet Ribbon [147016] $14.00	Fine-Tip Glue Pen [138309] $12.00	Tear & Tape Adhesive [138995] $9.00
Layering Ovals Framelits Dies [141706] $58.00	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $50.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $6.00

And Sweet Storybook Card Swaps

Our 2nd day on the Incentive trip was a full day at sea, cruising north on the Pacific Ocean on the outside of Vancouver Island.  How does one fill a day at sea?

Firstly we dashed back down to the Stamper's Base Camp to spin the wheel for the day and see what goodies we could spin up, then later in the morning all the demonstrators and their 1st guest were invited to attend the General Session in the theatre where Stampin' Up! staff members spoke to us on business matter, the Holiday Catalogue was launched, we received a copy of that and there were prize patrols and gifts for the guests too.

Sporting our nice Friday Night Pillow Gift jackets, and happily receiving goodies from the new Holiday Catalogue.

Stamping presentation by gorgeous Shelli Gardner, cofounder of Stampin' Up!

Specialty Designer Series Paper with beautiful foil embossing.

After lunch the South Pacific Achievers group (Aussie's and Kiwi's) got together for a group photo and afterwards exchanged swaps. Lovely Jackie Noble from NZ had organised a theme of "Friendship" with an unusual colour scheme of Blueberry Bushel, Gray Granite, Mango Melody, Pineapple Punch, Whisper White, Basic Black - (Colours of the Best Route Memories and More Card set).

What a good challenge!!

Here is what I came up with using the Sweet Storybook Stamp set and Framelits.  And LOTS of stamping with the Stamparatus.

Using the Stamparatus to stamp the toadstool outline in black, then stamping the top in Mango Melody was amazing. All 24 of them lined up perfectly!

Lots and lots and lots and lots of cutting with the Big Shot. In fact if you had called into the kiosk at Chirnside Park on the Friday before I left, you would have seen me stamping and stamping and cutting and cutting, turning that handle, turning that handle, turning that handle . . .

Ribbons and leaves . . . luckily the vine stamp and die is designed so you get 2 pieces at once. Makes it easier!

The mice were a bit challenging to stamp - because I was in a hurry and stamped all the outlines before I thought of using the Stamparatus! Derrrr! It would have been easier if I had used the Stamparatus from the start, but as it was, I had to line up the coloured stamp looking through the clear block and the photopolymer stamp . . . so not all of them were perfect!

I also embossed the Blueberry Bushel layer with the Lots of Leaves Deep Impressions embossing folder, and then lucky for me my dear friend and team member Alisha Watson came over and helped assemble all the cards, sticking all the layers with Dimensionals and mini glue dots.

Here they are all packed up ready to swap. And swapping was such a great way to meet and say hi to our fellow Aussie and Kiwi demonstrators on the cruise. I received back such a lovely variety of swaps from them too, I can't wait to show you!

Come back soon and see them! 

Hey there!

How are you going? If you are like me in Melbourne today, you are probably rugged up inside with the heating cranked up, two jackets and a beanie on, as well as thick socks and slippers, and I'm still freezing!!

Terrific weather for stamping - if you can get your frozen fingers to work!

I have had a busy month or so in the lead up to our Stamping Retreat last weekend, so I'm pleased to be finally back with another Making Merry Monday post.

This past week or so, a customer has been asking me all about the Envelope Punch Board. It's a great tool, and you don't just make envelopes with it!

Apart from making SIXTY SIX different size envelopes, did you know you could also make Christmas Bon Bons with the Envelope Punch Board?

You can make them in various different sizes, and we always have some on display at our Christmas in July events that are coming up soon. If the bon bon in this photo looks familiar to you - I made this one in December 2013 when I was in Tasmania with my sister after a tragic accident took the life of her partner. The funeral was only a few days before Christmas, and we took some time out to make some thank you cards for the well-wishers, and I was asked to show them how to make the bon bon.

Did you notice the matching card has the punched out pieces (the leftover scraps) from the envelope punch board, arranged as Christmas baubles? So clever!

That year we also used the Envelope Punch Board to create cute little snow-men gifts / placeholders.

See how the indent punch from the punch board shapes the snowman's neck as well as the hat? And the leftover pieces have become his big happy smile.

These hold one Ferrero Rocher each - a very cute treat to decorate your Christmas in July table!

I'm so pleased after all these years that Stampin' Up! still has the Envelope Punch Board in their range and carrying over into the new annual catalogue.

BUT . . . did you know . . .

We also have two other punch boards and one of those is retiring and won't be available after Wednesday when the current catalogue finishes.

That's right, the Gift Box Punch Board, which makes boxes up to 4" square will no longer be available after this Wednesday, 31st May.

You can see it, plus all the other retiring products in my online store here.

We are really coming to the end of a great annual catalogue now - just a couple more days to go and some of my favourite stamping items will no longer be available. If you have been sitting on the fence holding off from buying something that's retiring, please don't be the person to email me on Thursday and ask me if you can order one of these or one of those? Or a Gift Box Punch Board. If they are not sold out before, their item code will be switched off at midnight on Wednesday and they will be gone forever.

Check the retiring list here to make sure you don't miss any favourites.

I'll be back with a reminder on Wednesday for those who are happy to order online.