Simple Stamping ft. Flourishing Phrases

Stamping or papercrafting in general does not have to be over the top or use a ton of different products to create a simple yet beautiful product.

Stampin' Up! has been reminding us of this lately by challenging us to create cards using limited products.

March's challenge was to create a card with a theme of wedding/ funeral or baby. Basic products: stamps, ink, paper. Bonus item: ribbon

I like taking up this challenge because it makes me think about keeping it simple. I chose sympathy to go with the funeral theme.

I used Whisper White cardstock, Highland Heather Ink, Granny Apple Green Ink and Memento Black Ink. I couldn't resist using the bonus material and selected the Granny Apple Green ribbon in the free Sale-A-Bration ribbon pack which I earned by placing a qualifying $60.00 order.  The stamp set used for the card is Flourishing Phrases. This set is great because the sentiments cover a multitude of occasions and it includes a few simple images as well.

Do you prefer simple stamping or do you like the challenge of layers and textures and a variety of embellishments?

Until next time!
Margaret 

Puppy Tails - Sympathy

We are enjoying a beautiful sunny day here in Southwestern Ontario, helping us to realize not only has the calendar signaled that spring has begun but that nature is also reflecting this new season.


With the sun shining and the temperatures trying to creep above zero, I enjoyed a couple hours of stamp time in my stamp room over the weekend. I decided it was a good time to put my new stamp set Puppy Tails to use, along with it's coordinating punch. Today's card is a reflection of a conversation I had with my husband.

We had been reflecting on the dogs we have had over the years and the impact they have on our health and well being. The unconditional love a dog provides is truly a lesson we need to be reminded of often. Many of us consider our pets as part of our family.  They become an integral part of our lives and when their time comes to an end, the pain we suffer is just as difficult and real as when we suffer the loss of another human being.

In moments such as this, a kind and simple gesture as sending a card to a friend to show your love and support, to acknowledge the loss they have suffered can mean the world to them. I must say that this stamp set is the first of its kind that I have ever purchased to be able to create cards for those who have lost a dog. I am thankful that I will now have the opportunity to appropriately share my heartfelt thoughts with others during the loss of a furry friend.

Until next time~
Margaret 

Stamping on Mugs

I began my stamping journey a little over 15 years ago. It was not long after that I became a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.  This July will mark my 15th anniversary with Stampin' Up! I look back on the product line offered then vs now and it is remarkable to see how far the industry has come. While I love all my fancy dies and tools to create projects, sometimes it is nice to take a step back from paper and play about with stamping on other products.

Today we look at stamping on mugs.  Typically when stamping on surfaces other than paper I like to use Staz On as it is a permanent ink, however while researching stamping on mugs I discovered that I could use an alternate... the retired Archival Ink.

You may ask why on earth I would use this since it is not permanent. Well, simply because it is forgiving!  Mugs can be tricky to stamp on between the shiny surface and curvature.  Stamping on a flat surface can be difficult so why would you want to risk stamping wrong on a curved surface and not being able to correct the mistake.

Using Archival Black Ink on my mugs allowed me to stamp repeatedly until I was happy with my result. Each time I stamped and was not happy, I simply used a baby wipe to clear off the ink and a paper towel to dry it before stamping again. Once the image and words were just right, I popped the mugs into the oven at 175° for 30 minutes to heat set.

This is a great way to use your stamps to create custom gifts for family and friends.

Until next time!


Margaret