Tips & Tricks - Getting more Use out of your Stampin' Write Markers

All markers run out of ink with use and it's great that the Stampin' Write Markers can be reinked with the Classic Stampin' Ink Refills.  But even though we can reink them it's still a job that's better to only have to do every so often.  

In my early Stampin' Up!® days when I only had a few markers it seemed that the best way to store them was in a mug with the rest of my tools. 

I think most of us have something like this that we store our 'need to have in reach' tools in.

However most of those markers now have tons of ink still in the brush end and very little ink, if any, in the journalling end. 

After finding out this was not a great way to store my Stampin' Write markers I stored them flat in a plastic cutlery tray until I moved them to the Clear Mount Stamp Cases when they were released.

Since then my markers have kept their ink at both ends.  Store your markers in their Clear Mount Cases flat like in the photo above or sitting on the spine. Don't be tempted to make them fit nicely with your clear mount stamp sets which will mean storing the markers standing up.

I hope this helps you get a lot more use out of your Stampin' Write Markers.  If you have any questions feel free to Email me.

Tips & Tricks - File Folder Card

This card could be landscape or portrait, it could have one side shorter than the other, it could be a journalling pocket or a gift card pocket.  Once you've got the basics below sorted I'm sure you'll find all sorts of ways to use this technique.

Start with a standard folded A5 card base.

Insert the corner of your card base into the punch board as shown & punch.  The edge should be up against the inside edge of the score guide.

Move the punched edge along to the 3" mark and punch again.

Align the punched edge in the paper trimmer as shown with the groove along the bottom of the punched shape.  Trim to remove the card to the top of the punched shape.

 
Flip your card and repeat on the opposite side.

Finish your card as you choose.

I used: -
 - Teeny Tiny Sentiments Stamp Set - 130042 (wood), 120024 (clear)
 - Gorgeous Grunge Stamp Set - 130514 (wood), 130517 (clear)
 - Smokey Slate Cardstock - 131291
 - Midnight Muse Cardstock - 127546
 - Whisper White Cardstock - 106549
 - Smokey Slate Classic Stampin' Pad - 131179
 - Midnight Muse Classic Stampin' Pad - 126860
 - Envelope Punch Board - 133774
 - Word Window Punch - 119857
 - Stamping Sponges - 101610
 - Basic Grey Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon - 126879 

Tips & Tricks - How Important Is Your Stamping Surface

I was reminded quite by accident just how important the surface underneath your card stock layer is.

I'd had a fabulous morning out with a friend and came home and decided it was time to make up some spare make & take kits to have on hand for thank you cards.  The afternoon had turned cold and I found myself moving everything I was doing closer to the heater and ended up with my cutting mat, topped with grid paper on the carpet in front of the heater.

I stamped away as usual and this is what happened.  You'll always get some halo effect (gaps in a stamped image across layers) with the Triple Time Stamping technique but wow this was huge.

Realising my error and cursing a bit because I should have known better I moved over to my glass topped coffee table.

Still some halo effect because of the layers but a big difference having a solid surface.

 

Having the layers hides the missing part of the image and creates the Triple Time Stamping technique popularised by Dawn Olchefske.

Everything used to make this project can be purchased through me. Click on the 'Shop 24/7' button below to place your order. 

Tips & Tricks - Changing a Snail Refill

What's the first thing you pack when you go out crafting?  For me it's my Snail tape runner and a refill.  Even if it was a brand new unused snail I'd still pack a refill.  I think if I ran out of snail my crafting would just grind to a halt.

So how to you change the refill?

With your thumbs pull the snail apart at the point indicated by the arrow. 

Throw the clear piece away.

Take the new refill out of it's packaging and remove and throw away the piece of yellow spacer card.

 Snap it back together and you're done.  All ready to use again.