Something that I always try to do is help my customers to get the most from their crafting budget.  I let them know when there are special promotions from Stampin’ Up!, and I point out where they can save 10% by buying coordinating items using a special bundle code.  But something that is often overlooked by customers is the Host stamp sets.  So today I decided to use the Very Vintage Stamp Set from page 227 of the 2018/2019 Annual Catalogue to show you what you might be missing.

This feminine card started with a piece of Petal Pink Card wiped with an Embossing Buddy.  With the oils and static removed I stamped the large floral image several times using VersaMark Ink.  The sticky ink was then sprinkled with Clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder and the excess tapped off.  I checked the image for stray specks of powder and removed the ones I found.  Finally I melted the remaining embossing powder using my Heat Tool set on 2 (high).

PINK AND VANILLA LAYERS

With the background complete I then started to think about the other colours I wanted to use.  The pale Petal Pink was nice but I felt I’d also need something darker, and for that chose Flirty Flamingo.  For my base colour I decided on Very Vanilla as the warm tones would compliment the pinks.

Now I could use my Stampin’ Trimmer to cut and score a piece of Thick Very Vanilla Card.  I folded it along the scored line and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder.  Then on the front of the card base I used Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) to add a layer of Flirty Flamingo Card.  Finally this was topped with the embossed background piece using liquid glue.

THE SENTIMENT LAYER

The sentiment also comes from the Very Vintage Stamp Set and was stamped onto Very Vanilla Card with Flirty Flamingo ink.

Shh don’t tell anyone – When I stamped the background I ended up with a bit of a ‘mess’ where the images overlapped in the centre.  This meant that I needed my sentiment to be of a particular size to hide that section.

As I looked at the sentiment I realised that it was a little bare and needed something ‘extra’.  The large flower image was still mounted on an acrylic block so that’s what I decided to use.

Rather than an ink pad, I coloured the surface of the stamp with the brush tip of a Call Me Clover Stampin’ Write Marker (from the 2018-2020 In Colors).  Then I stamped a small portion of the image across the top right corner of the sentiment piece.  I repeated this process and stamped a portion of the floral image across the bottom left corner.

OK so the flowers on the sentiment were green, but that was an easy fix.

I cleaned off the stamp and then inked it up with a Flirty Flamingo ink pad.  Then I stamped the centre of the image onto a scrap of Very Vanilla Card.  I now had two large pink flower heads that I could cut out with Paper Snips.

The layering of the colours really worked on the card base, so I decided I would repeat this for the sentiment.  Starting with a layer of Flirty Flamingo Card I added a layer of Petal Pink with liquid glue.  This was followed by the sentiment layer, and then the two fussy-cut flowers were added with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

One final touch was needed though.

I folded a length of Powder Pink 3/8″ Shimmer Ribbon and attached it to the back of the sentiment layers with Tear & Tape Adhesive.

At last I was ready to add the assembled sentiment to the centre of the background layer with more Stampin’ Dimensionals.

FINISHING TOUCHES

I wanted to use the large floral image as my coordinating element for the project, and I had a plan for that.

I inked up the stamp on the Flirty Flamingo ink pad.  Then I used a Blender Pen to remove the ink from the leaves and stems on the surface on the stamp.  Next, using the brush tip of the Call Me Clover marker I coloured the stems and leaves green.

Now I could stamp across the corner of a layer of Very Vanilla Card to add the multi-coloured image.  With that done, I then fixed the layer inside the card base with liquid glue.

Finally I repeated the process to stamp the multi-coloured floral image across the bottom corner on the front of a Very Vanilla Medium Envelope.  Finished at last.

VERY VINTAGE STAMP SET AND MORE

I mentioned that the Very Vintage Stamp Set used today is a ‘host’ stamp set.  This means that it is available at below retail value, but it can only be purchased with Stampin’ Rewards.

To earn Stampin’ Rewards you need to host a workshop, or place an order with a value of at least $200 CAD (before shipping and taxes).  Then Stampin’ Rewards are earned at 10% of your order, so the larger your order, the greater the rewards.  If your order reaches $375 CAD you earn rewards at 12%.  Stampin’ Rewards increases to a maximum of 16% of the order value PLUS at that level you can also add one item to your order for half price.  I find the Big Shot is a huge favourite for the half-price item.

Most customers when they realise they have qualified for Stampin’ Rewards spend the money on regular catalogue items.  That’s perfectly fine, if that’s what you want to do.  But before you make your decision just spend a couple of minutes looking at the exclusive host stamp sets.  As well as the Very Vintage Stamp Set, there’s 5 other host stamp sets in the 2018/2019 Annual Catalogue (pages 226 to 229).  You’ll also find two additional host stamp sets on pages 54 and 55 of the 2018 Holiday Catalogue.  Do check them out.

If you want more information about host benefits and Stampin’ Rewards please contact me and I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.

If you want to see another project using the Very Vintage Stamp Set you’ll find it in my blog post Cutting corners.

Another host stamp set is Hand Delivered, and you’ll find examples of that in these previous posts.

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