Simple Stamping is something that Stampin’ Up! talks a lot about. I look at this from a different lens. Instead of cards being simple in presentation I think Avid style can be made simple by simple steps. Anyone can be an AVID stamper! I think the secret to success when creating avid style cards with lots of layers, techniques or embellishments is to break things down to smaller manageable steps. Start with your base and work upwards add in the layers one step at a time! Dimensionals can work wonders to add space and dimension between each layer. They are a craft room staple!

Top Tip #2

If you have stamped with see in person then you have definitely tried to ‘flicking’ technique! The little splash of color that this adds to your projects is sometimes all it needs! It can take away ‘white space’ without over powering anything and it a great way to play colors off each other either in gradients or contrasts. If you are right handed, simply hold the Stampin’ Write marker LID in your left hand then taking the tip of the marker in your right and ‘flick’ it off of the lid. It should spray a mist of ink across your project. If you are finding you are not getting enough of a spray, add a couple drops of re-inker to your marker. Pull out the marker nib and drop 2-4 drops in and let the marker sit horizontally for a few minutes to absorb the ink. And don’t be afraid to use some force when flicking too. I have never had one break!

Top Tip #3

Do you ever struggle with using ribbon on your projects? I love to use ribbon and thread on my cards and scrapbook pages. I start by flipping my base over (whether its a flower, a circle, a strip of paper) and cover it with adhesive. You want to start by leaving a ‘tail’ hanging off the edge and then zig zag the ribbon back and forth (like a z) ending with a tail on the other end. You can then flip the base over and attach to your project.

Top Tip #4

I will never forget being at a Stampin’ Up! event way back at the start of my career and Shannon West was up on stage. She was going to do some colouring with the Stampin’ Write markers and pointed out the two lines on each end of the marker. Now to you this might have been obvious, to me it was not. And I had been stamping for a couple of years by this point. She mentioned how the ‘skinny’ line indicated the marker tip and the ‘wide’ line indicated the brush end of the marker. Well my mind was blown! I had always just pulled off one end of the marker to see what side I had. This is something I always share with people, especially those new stampers. And I appreciate Stampin’ Up’s attention to detail! They are masters at this!

Top Tip #5

Did you know that the proper way to use our embossing folders is insert them seam side first into the die cutting machine? This allows the folder to move slightly through the open end while being squashed through the machine. This will prevent your seams from cracking if you have been experiencing an issue with that.