Sailing With The Punches

I find it so hard to believe that the year is coming to an end today and 2022 is just hours away!!! Jim and I will end the year tonight, first with church and then celebrating with dear friends while watching – can you guess??? Football of course! LOL!! And knowing us, we will ring in the New Year with the east coast so we can head to bed soon after. How do you celebrate the arrival of the New Year??? Maybe more exciting than ours, but I would guess most of you “ring out the old, ring in the new” similar to how we celebrate.

***Another favorite color combination of mine – Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight, and Basic White!*** ***Crisp, clean, and refreshing!*** ***And I love the little sail shadow included in the set!***

Creating Backgrounds With Blending Brushes And Masking!

I created this card with two new stamp sets from the upcoming January-June Mini Catalog going live on January 4. The water below was created with a portion of the stamp set Gentle Waves. This is a large background stamp, but by masking off the top of the card I was able to just stamp the bottom section of my card front. The Sailboat and greetings were from the Let’s Set Sail Punch Bundle.

After stamping Night of Navy, I used the blending brushes to add Night of Navy color to the water. I punched out a circle from a sticky note and using the negative first, I added the sun color with first Daffodil Delight, then Mango Melody with another blending brush. Finally, sticking the circle onto the sun, I added the final layer of blending color with Balmy Blue for the sky.

**I rarely show the inside of a card, but I want you to see the water image that was included in the stamp set!**

How Well Do You Know Photopolymer Stamps????

I love the photopolymer stamps that Stampin’ Up! creates where I can see through the block and stamp – it makes placement so much easier, and two step stamping is much more precise. If you are new to stamping and photopolymer stamps. click on this link for a short demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPi53Cwi89o This is an older video, but the info is still good!!

How To Store Your Photopolymer Stamps!!!

Store your photopolymer stamps by matching the image to the inside insert and stick directly to the case! WARNING THOUGH! IF you like to store the coordinating die sets inside of the case with the stamps, I DO KEEP the heavier acetate page and place it between the dies and the stamps. I’ve learned from experience that the stamps will also stick to the paper of the dies and is easier to lose. With the acetate page acting as a barrier the stamps will stay in place!

Starting this year, Stampin’ Up! did away with the stamped images on the window window sheet in the photopolymer cases, and went to printing the images on the INSIDE OF THE PAPER CASE COVER! Now, you do not have to put the stamp back inside those acetate pieces, making storing easier!

Put The Block On The Stamp, NOT The Stamp On The Block!

***For best results, place the stamp on a paper surface, and then lay the block on top!***

Photopolymer stamps are very pliable and flexible, making them easy to manipulate. When you have a die cut or punch though, you want the placement to be very precise. It’s best to start with the photopolymer stamp resting on paper, then bring your block to the stamp so that it will be perfectly lined up for die cutting or punching! This flexibility in photopolymer stamps ALSO allows you to change the alignment by curving greetings, etc. making stamps even more versatile!

Final Thoughts For 2021….

As we come to the end of this year I wish each of you a safe New Year’s Eve – however you celebrate!!! May 2022 be a year of rich blessings for you and your family, and I will see you again NEXT YEAR!! (Tomorrow! LOL)

Until then, keep stamping, keep crafting, and God Bless my friends!!!

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