Posted on February 15, 2019 by thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
Hi friends! Back in December when I did my year-end craft room declutter I came across 4 flamingo stamp sets I have purchased over the past year and a half that I had not used! I bought them and couldn’t wait to use them so why do they sit uninked in their packaging?
I also found a pack of bleeding tissue paper that I had-to-have last year and only used once so that had to get used, as well as washi tape because honestly I went a bit off the rails with washi tape over the past few years but it all “sparks joy” so I better use it! I’ll also show you how to mirror a stamp like I did with the flamingo below!
I decided it was time to use it or lose it and so I decided to make big fun tropical colorful batch of cards! Watch the video to see how!
Don’t feel shame if you have supplies you bought and have not used, just use them! Supplies are made to be used. I’ll be honest, it is easier to collect supplies than to use them but the joy you get from creating will far outlive the high you might get from finding and buying them. I can’t wait to use these stamps again!
Some of the products are from Simon Says Stamp, they have a great selection but rarely ever have a sale BUT they are having their 17th anniversary sale and offering 17% off sitewide with coupon code SANV783 through 2/17/19. They also ship worldwide!
I hope this inspires you to ink up an unloved stamp and have fun!
It always makes me feel good to play with my supplies! Happy crafting!
Posted on January 12, 2019 by thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
Hi friends! Have you ever saved small scraps of fabric but you have no idea what to do with them? How about using them on a card?
It adds such a lovely texture and a touch of homespun charm. You can even stamp on it too! I’ll show you how I stamp on ribbon (do the same for fabric) and create this sweet card in today’s video!
This video is sponsored by Rubber Stamp Tapestry Use coupon code: LINDSAY and receive 15% off your retail order of $10 or more of peg stamps, peg stamp sets, and unmounted stamps! Coupon expires a week from this video publication. Continue to receive great deals by becoming a PegStamp VIP here. As a PegStamp VIP you’ll get a weekly deal via email plus links to fabulous tutorials by me, Lindsay the Frugal Crafter and other designers.
“Love” or other bold sentiment stamps, this set has the love stamp and other nice ribbon options: *When stamping on ribbon or fabric choose bold designs with less detail
Bust into that fabric stash and use up those scraps and then bless someone with a handmade card. Sharing the love is what this hobby is about. Happy crafting!
Posted on January 5, 2019 by thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
Hi friends! Since Christmas I have been going through all of my art and craft supplies and seeing what I have, use and need to let go of. As you know I have a home based business and over the year things can accumulate. Plus I get asked to review a lot of products that turn out the be the same as other stuff I already have. I tend to have a bit of a hoarding tendency (I think all crafters do because we see potential in everything but this optimism can be out downfall sometimes LOL!) So I called a teacher that runs a drama program and she is taking some unneeded leftover paint, fabric and yarn off my hands and I feel good that my excess will get used. While going through my huge totes of yarn I found all of my embroidery floss and craft thread. It was in a large ziplock bag with copies of crochet patterns for little flower and butterfly patterns I used to like to make for embellishments for cards and scrapbook pages. I would haul this bag of supplies with me everywhere and crochet up a storm. I realized when I did my huge Konmari clean out of 2017 I never touched the yarn totes. I guess I decided that the totes “sparked joy” as is and there was no need to open them (HaHa! What a naughty cheater I was!) but I did go through them last weekend and found lots of treasures! Both for me to keep and use and some to give away. I almost didn’t open the floss bag, I figured they were “organized enough” right were they were but then I thought I’d probably use them more if they were organized by color and I had a couple empty clear tackle boxes in storage so I decided to get to work!
As soon as I started running my fingers over the smooth colorful threads I knew I wanted to use them! Any new skeins I sorted by color in flat open clear boxes and any open skeins I untangled and wrapped around cardboard bobbins and put in a divided tackle box by color. I will look first to the bobbin thread and if I don’t have the color I need I’ll go to a new skein and wrap the excess on a bobbin. When I crochet flowers I try to use up a whole skein in one go making about 3 mini flowers. One of my first ever YouTube videos was of me making the crochet flowers LOL! Remember that old camera that made me sound like I had a lisp? I redid a flower tutorial in my Crochet Basics video that might be better if you are brand new to crochet. I started thinking about how stitching was really popular right now in the cardmaking world and about all of the specialty products (stamps and dies) sold to incorporate stitching in your cards. These cards are pretty but I know I wouldn’t probably do it a lot so it would be foolish to invest in something so specific so I used what I had and made these cards:
The stamp set I am using is Apple of my Eye by Stampin up. It seemed to be retired soon after it was released but I really liked it. I sometimes wonder if stamps get discontinued because they are unpopular or because they are trying to urge people to buy now. Stampin up keeps some stamp sets around for years so maybe it was unpopular, who knows? If you don’t have this set you can use any stamp you like that has a bold image. It doesn’t have to be fruit but I think fruit is fun for this technique because it reminds me of vintage embroidered tea towels. The technique I’ll show you today is satin stitch and backstitch. It is just like embroidery but when working on paper there are a few things to keep in mind so it doesn’t tear through. Watch the video to learn more!
Supplies: (Keep in mind many supplies may be discontinued. As always feel free to substitute. You will get truly original cards that way! I have tried my best to find all the supplies I used and affiliate links may be provided.)
Stamps (Apple of my Eye by Stampin Up) *This set is retired but used sets can be found on ebay or Etsy
Embroidery floss or craft thread *I recommend craft thread if you like to crochet with it as the threads are wounds together like yearn as opposed the floss where you can split the skein into smaller threads but either will work equally as well for this project.
It feels so good to use what you have. You can erase any guilt associated with a purchase by using it. Then you can feel good again by mailing your creation off to a friend or family member! Remember, you bought these supplies to USE them! Besides, I’m pretty sure consumable supplies like embroidery floss multiply when you are not looking so don’t worry about running out LOL! I don’t know what goes on in my craft room when I leave for the night! I hope you found this post inspiring and if you have suggestions for older supplies you would like to see used and made new again let me know in the comments below. Happy crafting!
Posted on December 1, 2018 by thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
Hi friends! I spent the morning teaching a workshop making DIY kissing balls, it was so fun! I wish I took a photo because you would not believe how lovely all of the Christmas kissing balls looked hanging in the greenhouse as my beginner students put the finishing touches on them. Now I am enjoying a hot cup of tea before climbing into the attic to fetch our Christmas decorations. We decorated the porch last weekend when the weather was nice and it has been so cheerful to come home to. I enjoyed the decorations on my porch so much that I thought it would be fun to create cards inspired by them!
We still have a few finishing touches to add like icicle lights at the roof and greenery in the ice skates but all in all I really like it! We have a small ranch style home so I think it is enough to look nice, classic and cozy.
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Inspiration is all around you! If you feel a spark of creativity in your surroundings make a mental note and use it to fuel your next craft idea! Watch the video to see how I made my decor inspired cards!
This video is sponsored by Rubber Stamp Tapestry Use coupon code: LINDSAY and receive 15% off your retail order of $10 or more of peg stamps, peg stamp sets, and unmounted stamps! Coupon expires a week from this video publication. Continue to receive great deals by becoming a PegStamp VIP here. As a PegStamp VIP
you’ll get a weekly deal via email plus links to fabulous tutorials by me, Lindsay the Frugal Crafter and other designers.
Have a look at other stamps you own and ask if that can be combined with peg stamps for new looks.
Draw a line or circle if needed to help you placing your images. You can erase it later with a soft white eraser after your stamping ink is dry.
Peg stamps are great for adding little touches to tags and envelopes so leave a few holiday themed stamps and ink pads out when you are addressing Christmas cards or wrapping gifts so you can make tags and envelopes extra special!
I hope you have something fun and crafty planned this weekend. I’d love to know what your favorite holiday decoration is, let me know in the comments below! My favorite decoration from my childhood was a scene of ice skaters on a pond from the 1970s. There were white plastic snowbanks surrounding a mylar mirror-like pond and the ice skaters were brightly colored clear plastic. I used to skate those around the plastic pond all season long. I wonder if my parents still have that old decoration in their basement LOL! I am sure it is worse for wear with all of the skating I made those figurines do! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
Posted on November 28, 2018 by thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
Hi friends! Do you have stamp sets that have several related characters? Today I’ll show you how to combine them using the masking technique so you can turn a solo stamp into a party!
I have seen many cute stamps recently that will have a gaggle of characters grouped together like this but with those stamps you only get one option but if you have a set of single characters you can group them however you want giving you more bang for your stamping buck! Watch the video to see how and remember to save any masks you cut for future cards.
This tutorial is sponsored by Top Flight Stamps! SAVE 10% off your next order with coupon code: thefrugalcrafter10 *USA orders of $50+ ship free!
The round sentiment is a moldy-oldie from my stash from Stampin Up
Variations on a theme…
Draw or die-cut a Polaroid frame and use this technique to make a “selfie” themed card.
Use this technique when you are making a card from a group of people, such as “Happy retirement from the gang!” or anytime you are going to have a group of people sign a card. People will have fun matching the stamped critter to the person in the office LOL!
You can get a more elegant look by using butterfly stamps and coloring the with jewel tones.
Whether you like cute or quirky, elegant or sassy you can get more bang from your stamping buck with this masking technique. Give it a try on your next card and til next time happy crafting!
Posted on November 10, 2018 by thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
Howdy friends! As I write this I am suffering with my first cold of the season. It’s snowing outside too and I have been convalescing by watching lots of Christmas DIY decorating videos on YouTube and lots of HGTV. When I feel better I am going to knock down some walls and shiplap everything LOL! Just kidding:) I will say though, that I have the christmas decorating bug big time right now. It is an odd feeling for me that returned to me last year about this time. I say odd because I used to absolutely dread seasonal decorating and I think it was because my house was so cluttered but ever since the “big declutter of 2017” I have found joy in holiday decorating and entertaining again! Why am I bringing this up you might ask. I’m not entirely certain but I think when we stamp we can do a trial run of ideas on a small scale. It’s kinda like a “vision board” when you gather ides on color, texture, layers and design elements. We can play and pretend. We can arrange a space to see what we think and try colors together with no consequences and we have a cute card to mail when we are done!
All sorts of problems can be worked through when we create whether we are painting or stamping, knitting or sewing. Stepping into the “right brain” whimsy can leave the logical side of the brain to work through whatever it is it needs to fester on while we enjoy being in the zone and creating. Remember that anytime you feel like you are being too indulgent or just “wasting time” as you create. It’s not a waste if you enjoy it. Take 3 hours to make a card if you want to, it’s your card, it’s your supplies. Supplies are only wasted if they are never used. You have my permission to get out your supplies and play, who know what it will lead to?
This video is sponsored by Rubber Stamp Tapestry Use coupon code: LINDSAY and receive 15% off your retail order of $10 or more of peg stamps, peg stamp sets, and unmounted stamps! Coupon expires a week from this video publication. Continue to receive great deals by becoming a PegStamp VIP here. As a PegStamp VIP
you’ll get a weekly deal via email plus links to fabulous tutorials by me, Lindsay the Frugal Crafter and other designers.
To fill in a spot in a stamped image where the ink skipped simply press a inkpad (if a dye pad) on a clear block and pick up the ink with a blender pen and color it in. If you are using an archival pad scribble a matching memento marker on the clear block and do the same.
I really had a fun time making these cards! I hope you try some of these ideas out on your next card! Happy crafting!
