Lily-by-Gilly

The first ever stamp set I bought was a sentiment set from Stampin’ Up!® – it revolutionised my card making.  Up to that point, I had been a “cut and stick” type of crafter and looking back now my cards then were quite primitive.

But when I was introduced to the wonderful world of rubber stamping,

I was immediately hooked!

I loved the way stamping transformed my cards, giving them a professional looking finish with ease; and when I discovered Stampin’ Up! I was impressed by how beautiful their stamp images are, how versatile their stamp sets are, how they offer great value for money, and how their colour co-ordinating range of card, ink and accessories makes card making and papercraft so easy.

So, this is my list of top 10 must-have stamps that I couldn’t live without…

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1)  Sentiments

Whilst you can make a card or gift tag without a sentiment, to me a card just doesn’t look complete without one. One of the reasons I was blown away with Stampin’ Up stamps right from the start was that their beautiful sentiments use elegant cursive scripts, traditional classic fonts, but also the more modern fonts which appeal to the old and young alike.  They look fabulous on any project.

The sentiment is such an important part of the card and it’s often where I start my design and then build the project around it.

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2)  Swirls and flourishes

Stamp images come and go, change with the season and fashions, but swirls and flourishes are timeless.  Whilst they may not be the focal image on the card, they are very much a must-have in my stamp repertoire.

Whether used to make a background or add as a supporting image, swirls and flourishes are a mainstay of any stamp library.

This thank you card has been one of my most popular, being viewed over 1300 times on Splitcoast Stampers and picked as favourite 35 times. la

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3)  Background stamps

Now I realise I’ve not got to the good stuff yet, but I had to mention background stamps as they can take your card making to the next level.

They add an extra layer or texture to give your card that certain something, or used with heat embossing and ink, can transform a plain card or paper to give a real wow factor making the recipient of the card think “how was that done?”

Here I stamped a background stamp onto a piece of designer series paper, heat embossed with clear embossing powder, then inked over with ink using the direct to paper technique.  It gave a wonderful velvety feel to the paper and made the card really special.

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4)  Christmas

I don’t know about you, but I send more Christmas cards per year than any other type of card, so I make sure I have lots of different Christmas stamp sets in my stamp library to help me, from cute to traditional, with plenty of different sentiments and sayings too.  Even traditional images can be given a modern look with the use of bright colours.

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5)  Florals

Whilst flowers may not be the first ‘go to’ stamp for masculine cards, for most other occasions they are just perfect.

From birthdays to get wells, to thank yous and congratulations, floral stamps are one of the most versatile stamps to have in your stamp library.

They can be used for backgrounds, focal images or embellishments – a real must have.

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6)  Trees and foliage

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Tree images and foliage patterns are so useful.

Great for masculine cards, and perfect for seasonal cards too – especially Christmas and autumn.

They can be used for condolence cards, thank yous, birthdays, and are also great for scene building and pattern making too.

Don’t forget they can also be used for backgrounds – a great all round stamp to reach for.

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7)  Symmetrical  pattern

Great for pattern building, or for use on their own, symmetrical pattern stamps are so versatile as they can be used for anyone of any age.  Just one symmetrical pattern stamp can be used in lots of different ways.  Try thinking outside the box – don’t just see an image as one thing – if it’s stamped at a different angle, or over and over, it can really change the look.

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8)  Balloons and bunting

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Balloon shapes and bunting can be used in different ways, as well as the intended purpose.

Turn them on their sides and they become fish, petals, vases – let your imagination run wild.

They can also cover a variety of occasions, particularly good for birthdays, but also for congratulations, births, and lots more – and if you use them together you have a real party started!

Stampin’ Up also have a matching bunting punch, making stamping and cutting out bunting easy.

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9)  Fauna

Anything from butterflies to birds, bees to cute animals, creature stamps, just like florals, can be used for lots of different occasions.  They can be used for masculine or feminine projects depending on the colours you choose.

Here I’ve stamped animal images in blue for a new baby boy card, but change the colour and it could be for a little girl, or use neutral colours and it could be for a boy or a girl.

Whilst butterflies might be a bit girlie for a male card, birds images are great for either, and for all occasions – birthdays, thank  yous, new home, congratulations – the list is endless.

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10)  Alphabets

And last, but not least, Alphabet stamp sets are great for personalising cards and projects.

Who doesn’t like to receive a card personalised with their own name?  Children especially love having a card that’s been made just for them, but I find people of any age love to receive something handmade and personalised.

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With these stamps in my stamp library I have plenty of images to choose from for any card or project I want to make.  Of course, I love to change them up a bit, mixing and matching stamp sets, and I always love getting new sets with fresh images to inspire me.

So, why not take a look at the stamps in your repetoire – which are your favourites?

Thanks for dropping by today

Posted on January 1, 2013 at 10:00 pm in Card making   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL