Sunday 21 February 2016

How Do You Catalogue Yours?


I thought I would share with you how I have started to catalogue my stamps, dies and punches.  I am using the Kraft Project Life albums with card cut to 21cm x 17.5cm to fit into the albums.  I then print some text with space to add details of the stamp/die/punch, make a note if it has a co-ordinating stamp/die/punch, and then if it is retired I can mark that on the page too.

 
I then stamp the stamps, die cut the dies and punch the punches!  I stick the die cuts and punches onto the card, and add the name of the set and the first catalogue it appears in (if I know the catalogue - I have some catching up to do with my collection!)  Then I colour in the circles where appropriate - the green circle denotes a matching stamp/die/punch and the red circle means it is retired.

As you can see from this next photo the coloured circles match the stickers I put onto the cases of my stamp sets.  What I am not showing you here is how many stamp sets I own that have red circles! :-)

I do find that if I catalogue my crafty goodies like this I am a) more likely to remember what I have and b) can sit on the sofa while I am watching TV, flick through the pages and think about what I can make with all my lovely crafty stash and therefore c) will make stuff!

I hope you find this idea inspiring, and if you have other ways of cataloguing all your crafty goodness please share them! If you want to buy any of the current Stampin' Up! items that I have used please click here.

Happy crafting!
Mandy x



Sunday 14 February 2016

Happy Valentine's Day!


Wow!  I certainly hadn't realised it had been so long since I posted on this blog!  What can I say except that sometimes life gets in the way of crafting (and other things!)

But here I am, and would like to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day with a card made with a couple of stamp sets - both in the current annual catalogue which you can buy here.

I heat embossed the stamped images with white embossing powder, then used some ink pads with water to add colour around the stamping.  This is a technique that I have seen a lot on YouTube and Pinterest and wanted to give it a go - and I will definitely be doing it again! 

Materials Used:
Stampin' Up! - Watercolor Words stamp set, Crazy About You stamp set, Rose Red and Melon Mambo ink pads, watercolour card, white embossing powder
Simon Says Stamp - irridescent sequins