Did You Know? May 2025 Edition!
Hello crafters, it’s Shari Carroll here with you! I have a new edition of our popular Did You Know series today!
If it’s your first time seeing this feature, each month, we bring you fun facts, creative tips, and even crafty hacks about your favorite supplies and brands; you can then use these awesome tips that you learn in your next crafting projects! Are you ready to learn some fun tricks? Keep on reading!
We’ve been adding Quick Tip videos to our library to help you learn more about our products. I’m highlighting a few of them today.
EMBOSSING FOLDERS WITH COORDINATING DIES
I happen to think our embossing folders are the best! They are 3D and some even come with coordinating dies. They are easy to use, just die cut the shape first, set it into the folder and run it through your die-cut machine. The detail is exquisite!! Nina put together a Quick tip video below to show you how to use them.
PETAL BUILDER DIES AND PETAL PATTERN STENCIL (and die)
A unique design for the stencil and die lovers! The Petal Builder is a die set that you can cut out your favorite cardstocks and papers to create a petal shape. The stencil is designed for use with your favorite color inks. You can get the coordinating die to use with it which has embossing lines to help you follow that pattern. I have a video for you below on the many ways you can use these designs.
I keep a stack of Triangle Trays close at hand. They are so handy and I use them all the time! These are perfect to hold small die-cuts, sequins, gemstones, or other small items. I use them to sort my items before placing them onto my projects. The Quick Tip video below with show you the many ways to use them.
SIMON SAYS STAMP REVERSE TWEEZERS
Some people call these Squeezers! You squeeze the sides to open the tips. Use them while heat embossing small papers, or to hold small items while gluing them to you projects. Caly has a very detailed video below to show you the many benefits of this handy tool!
I hope these tips have helped you learn a few tricks about our products. Thanks for tuning in today and spending some time with me!
SUPPLIES:
|
Mark Your Calendar!
Join us live Wednesday May 14th at 12 PM ET! Click or tap the bell by ‘Notify Me’ to be notified when we begin on Wednesday May 14th at 12 PM ET!
Zip it Up Organizer featuring the Tim Holtz Green Palette Fabric Collection
Hi friends! Happy Monday! Please join me in welcoming back Richele Christensen back to our blog as a special guest! If you’d like to purchase the pattern she used to make this organizer, click or tap here. Read on to learn all about how she created this great piece and enjoy!
Hello friends, Richele here with another Palette fabric project. Palette is a year long collection of fabric with a new color every month designed by Tim Holtz for FreeSpirit Fabrics. There are 12 designs unique designs each month. This months color is beautiful shades of GREEN!
I wanted to make something that would be good for holding my ephemera when going over to a friends house, a crop or just to organize for a project. I love how you can see through the pockets to view what’s in them. The Zip It Up 2.0 would also be great for your tools, accessories and gadgets. It comes in 2 sizes and when you open it it lays flat for easy access.
Choose your favorite Palette fabrics. I’ve used the Green Ticket for the main fabrics, Green Map for the inside, Green Typography, and Green Tapestry for the accents and the binding is Green Vintage.
Cut out all your pieces as instructed. I utilized the little labels that come in the pattern to help keeping things organized.
Layer and quilt the main pieces and outer pockets as desired. I used a 1” crosshatch which is always a favorite of mine for bags.
Trim the quilted pieces to size using a rotary cutter.
Outer Pockets – Sew the outside zippers and binding to the outside quilted pockets.
Attach the outer pockets and handle to the main piece.
Inner Pockets – Sew the inside zipper and binding to the vinyl pockets. Sew the pockets to the main piece.
Trim corners with template included in the instruction. Attach the inside middle piece and then add the zipper closure. Attach the binding and zipper end.
Add zipper pulls if desired and fill it up with all your goodies.
This project is for a more experienced beginner to export. The pattern is written very well and there are a few videos for the trickier sections. I can’t wait to make another one in a different color of Palette. I love being organized!
SUPPLIES:
|
Thanks so much for stopping by, and thanks to Richelle for being our guest!
Mark Your Calendar!
Join us live Wednesday May 14th at 12 PM ET! Click or tap the bell by ‘Notify Me’ to be notified when we begin on Wednesday May 14th at 12 PM ET!
Primula Artist Trading Cards – so fun!!
Hi friends! Happy Sunday! Please join me in welcoming back special guest Anna-Karin Evaldsson for a fun share of 3 artist trading cards! Read on to learn more and enjoy!
Hi everyone! Spring is here and flowers are appearing everywhere. I am happy to be back on the Simon Says Stamp store blog with a tutorial. Today, I made three Artist Trading Cards, with easy techniques. If you have never made an Artist Trading Card before, I hope you will do so.
Sometimes it is fun to make projects in a different size than what you normally do, either larger or smaller. Artist Trading Cards are 2.5 x 3.5 in and it is such a fun surface to work on. ATCs are also great if you want a small design, such a small stamp or a small die, to be the focal point of a project. On a small surface, the small design looks bigger. I really like the new Simon Says Stamp Poised Primula flower die set, from the You Are My Favorite release. It is a fairly small flower, which made me switch from the art journal page I planned to make first, to ATCs.
I decided to use mainly inky scraps for this project. Most of these were made with Distress Ink and, in some cases, also Distress Oxide Ink. Some of the papers are watercolored. I love digging into my pile of colorful scraps.
Die cut the Poised Primula from scrap papers and from Simon Says Stamp Ice Vellum. If you don’t have enough inky scrap papers, you can easily make some by smearing Distress Ink on a non-stick craft sheet, misting with water and pressing watercolor paper or Ranger Heavystock paper into the ink.
Shape the flowers and leaves with Tim Holtz Shaping Tool Kit.
I used the pretty Simon Says Stamp Petal-Tipped Labels on two of the ATCs. One of the labels was die cut from Ice Vellum and the other one from old book paper.
Stamp the Ice Vellum die cut with Simon Says Stamp Old Letter Background and white emboss. Don’t worry about perfection, we are just aiming for a nice, distressed texture.
Cut three ATCs from the scrap papers (2.5 x 3.5 in).
I stamped two of the papers with texture stamps. The first stamp is from Tim Holtz Tiny Textures and the second from Tim’s Ultimate Grunge. The stamps were misted with water before stamping.
Ink the edges of one or two of the cards and then distress.
Mix a little water into Winsor & Newton Permanent White gouache and splatter on the backgrounds using a paint brush. Tap the brush to create the splatters.
For the first card, I used only flowers die cut from Ice Vellum. Glue the stems to the background and then arrange and glue the flowers. Add the centers.
Since the flowers and leaves were shaped, the card has dimension.
The Ice Vellum is really pretty, with a sparkly, pearlescent look. I am fond of vellum and this version will be a new favorite. The words were cut from an old book about flowers.
The second ATC uses the brown background and the label die cut from Ice Vellum.
I added Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Dazzling Peachy Gems to each flower center.
The sentiments at the bottom of each card come from Tim Holtz Tiny Text.
The third ATC uses a label die cut from a page in an old book about flowers describing Primulas. I like such little details.
I used a mix of blue and Ice Vellum flowers for this card, with Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Dazzling Gold Gems as flower centers.
Splattering adds texture without overwhelming the background.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it inspired you to make Artist Trading Cards. However, if you don’t want to make an ATC, you can of course turn it into a small folded card instead, by adhering the ATC to a folded card base. Thank you so much for looking! Happy crafting! –Anna-Karin
SUPPLIES:
|
Thanks so much for stopping by, and thanks to Anna-Karin for being our guest!
Sale alert! This weekend ONLY!
