Category: Featured Product(s)

I have been a crafter from a young age, often trying a new project or medium after finding inspiration, such as a magazine or catalog (this includes cooking, sewing and gardening, too).  I would read everything I could find to learn about my new-found passion and then go about looking for the tools and supplies needed.  It was probably around 1999 when I was first invited to a Stampin’ Up workshop (the name of a party or presentation in a host’s home).  Prior to this workshop, I had been scrapbooking rather plain pages with photos, card stock mats and stickers, including alphabet stickers to make titles for my pages.  My eyes grew big at that first Stampin’ Up workshop and my head spun with the creative possibilities!  I ordered an alphabet stamp set and ink pad, and I purchased a catalog from the demonstrator (Never again would I run out of a particular letter sticker in a particular color)!  I poured through the catalog, overwhelmed with my choices…until I decided on my first project.  I would stamp my annual Christmas cards. This narrowed my wish list and I was finally able to figure out where to begin.  If you are similarly overwhelmed about how to get into stamping, let’s start at the beginning with the basics you will need:

1. Stamps – Perhaps too obvious, but you will just need to narrow that list and make a decision on your first set.  Come up with your first project…at least an occasion or inspiration that gets your ideas flowing.
2. Acrylic Blocks – Years ago, the rubber stamps came with wooden blocks in just the right sizes to which they were mounted and stored.  Today, the stamps are either “cling” or photopolymer and they are mounted only temporarily and then stored separately from the clear acrylic blocks, which will be used with other stamps.  You NEED blocks in order to stamp.  These can be purchased as a set in a variety of shapes and sizes, or a-la-carte (one at a time).
3. Inks – Stampin Up’s Classic Stampin Pads are made with vibrant water-based, dye inks and are available in our core collection of 40 colors PLUS 2 collections of 5 “In Colors” that are available for 2 years at a time, or 10 more colors.  Also, there is the Memento ink pad in Tuxedo Black, plus a few other special ink pads.  (Watch for a blog post and video all about different stamping inks!)