Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I notice that several people responding to this post have trouble using patterned paper - so do I, and I have tons of the stuff! Not too long ago, though, I ran across onlinecardclasses.com, which Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner run. They have a fabulous class on using patterned paper and it was worth every penny: https://www.onlinecardclasses.com/product/pattern-play/
I've gotten a lot of use out of my pattern papers since I took the class - there are a lot of videos and variations, and you can keep going back to them as much as you like if you get stuck. I have no affiliation with the site, but I've taken several of their classes and they are excellent, so I highly recommend this pattern-play class to those of you with more patterned paper than you know what to do with, but aren't sure how to best use.
__________________ Diana B
-We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all. ~John Hughes
OT I so agree, Diana. Their classes in general are more valuable to me at this point than new products, not that getting new "stuff" isn't fun. If you can catch a new "live" class, there's interaction with instructors and classmates. But I'm taking a couple that have been around a while and they're outstanding too. (I think it would be fun for some of us to take their classes and talk about them here.)
The website chats with instructors that Lydia moderates are neat too. Sometimes something someone (like Laura Bassen) has said has stuck with me and changed how I approach things.
My kids told someone the other day that I was a cheapskate but I prefer the moniker thrifty soul. I always stay one electronic device behind so I can buy things for less for example and that extends into my card making in many ways. I do love to try new techniques though so I sometimes venture into the latest media using coupons to pick up supplies. When I was a demo I quickly learned that I was wasting my precious craft dollars when I purchased things simply because they were "in " Some oldies that I still use are: retired colors, my CM oval and wavy border cutters, wheels (though I did unmount some) and punches,
I don't get rid of much and like fashion everything old becomes new again eventually! Stencils from bygone days have been revived with my Gelli plate, Mixed Media trends have me pulling out bg stamps or wheels to layer in partial images, ef's used are now used for inked embossing or stamping etc.
mamasix, that comment made me think. A few years ago, indeed it was applauded if you were thrifty- made your own stuff, made stuff last longer. Nowadays, unless you throw money at the latest 'in' thing, you are a cheapskate! And people wonder we have a problem with landfill!
Being unemployed and disabled, I can't afford new items, can barely afford older items from cheaper places, ebay, or used sources, like yardsales. So no, I am not going to get the latest out there (I did get the Minc and Cricut Air Gold when they came out on HSN...but now, I am slightly regretting it, as now I have a card I can't make payments on). But I do love seeing things out there, made with both old and new.
I think a lot of the "trend" thing happening, is obviously for companies to make money. So they have to develop the newest "have to have". Design Teams obviously are out there to develop the newest items. A lot of bloggers get stuff, for working with the new items...and even if not, they still want to do it, to keep visitors returning to their blogs. So, the 'on trend' is mainly business driven. Of course, there is always nicer, newer innovations...i.e. I drool a *LOT* over Tattered Lace dies...but i doubt i could ever afford them. Of course, that is the way stuff goes...companies make us go through different things...and then, eventually, it comes back around...how many of you would *love* to have some vintage fabric, or doilies, or jewelry your mother/grandmother wore, or a vintage purse, or whatever...even things that we "regret", like avocado kitchens, came back, or is back or something (maybe it's already gone again. *laughs*).
However, with the development of Social Media, I think things now are able to come back, and "stay"...I really don't think many things will really go out of style. It depends on if you are a trend follower, or are easily swayed by what you see, in your creations...or if you are able to look at things, and make what you like. Honestly, I think the best thing, is to keep your old, and look at new items...If I had the money, and the creativity myself, I would hold a challenge something like "for every new item that you buy, see what you can make with the oldest item (or make a limit, obvoiusly, or else it would all be boring, with that last item you bought) in your inventory. Newest die with oldest stamp. Newest ink color with older papers. Newer papers with older embellishments, or old glitters. I realize a lot of people believe in paring down, and donating...but even perhaps, before you take the box...look back through, and challenge yourself. Not so much for "keep" it, but keep thing mind going, put another creation out there for those who search Pinterest for "how to use x item" or "x stamp set". Who knows...maybe you will find a renewal for an old product, not need that newer one...and can save it for an even bigger "want" later. *laughs*
I still use a lot of the "old" stuff I started with---eyelets, brads, ribbons, clips, decorative scissors and heat embossing (when did this become dated???) I have the original Cuttlebug, mostly for basic shapes and dry embossing textures, and have no desire for electronic cutters. The "trend" I will never follow is using no stamps just die cut images, shapes, greetings and embellishments, or maybe only a stamped sentiment on a card. My hobby of nearly 25 years has been stamping, so the predominate part of my card or art project is stamps!!!
Kitten,
1) I agree that trends are how a company makes new money; gets people to buy new product.
2) I've never seen a tattered lace die. Who makes them?
3) I just demolished my avocado kitchen last year.
Kitten,
1) I agree that trends are how a company makes new money; gets people to buy new product.
2) I've never seen a tattered lace die. Who makes them?
3) I just demolished my avocado kitchen last year.
Below is the link for Tattered Lace Dies....I am sorry for the enabling this may cause :grin:8-)
I thought of a few, I am old school to a T.
Heat embossing, I embossing everything
Masking
Bleaching
Use metal and wood on projects
I still use my decorative edge scissors from the mid '90s on stuff now and then!
Mary Beth
I still use a lot of the "old" stuff I started with---eyelets, brads, ribbons, clips, decorative scissors and heat embossing (when did this become dated???) I have the original Cuttlebug, mostly for basic shapes and dry embossing textures, and have no desire for electronic cutters. The "trend" I will never follow is using no stamps just die cut images, shapes, greetings and embellishments, or maybe only a stamped sentiment on a card. My hobby of nearly 25 years has been stamping, so the predominate part of my card or art project is stamps!!!
Who says embossing is dated? It's inner than in! I recently took a new, on-line class (Heat Wave at onlinecardclasses.com) and think it's very on trend. Even if it wasn't, I'd emboss everything that couldn't run away. My fave technique of all.
Who says embossing is dated? It's inner than in! I recently took a new, on-line class (Heat Wave at onlinecardclasses.com) and think it's very on trend. Even if it wasn't, I'd emboss everything that couldn't run away. My fave technique of all.
I didn't know it was even old school, until I read some of the previous posts that had it listed as such. I use it all the time, but we were supposed to say what old school things we still use, so I did. I hope it is not out of style, but even if it is, I will continue to emboss away!
One mark of a good Q to me is it makes me think. Not just for a day either. This is one those. I have been thinking about this and not to get too cerebral about it or rah rah, but I dont like people feeling left out when they shouldnt.
What exactly is a "new trend" for us? Are we talking popular images like flamingos and foxes at the moment?
If we are talking actual product...not so sure how "new" it is really.
ie: We like the Nuvo drops, but they are not a truly new product. There were others before them. They are just a new line of that same product.
As much as I respect the MISTI-it really is just an updated-and terrific version-of Thingamajig or more closely an acrylic block with the foam feet (whose name escapes me pre-2nd cup of caffeine)
New tools imho, are generally getting to the same place-just easier. Heat guns, dies, lasers, etc.
Maybe it's colors. Maybe it's concept-there has been a big push towards kindness type of cards...
Of course I get the companies are trying to sell-that's their job. That kind of thing always triggers the Sneetches in me though. (whoever said Dr Suess isnt a life guide needs to go back and read them again lol)
I say: Do what you do with clothes, provided you dont hate the new thing. Hot pink in fashion? You get a hot pink scarf and throw it over your fav jean jacket and keep going. You dont need a closet full of it.
Get ONE X stamp and punk it all over for whatever, a year, and move on. We dont need ten flamingos in all different sizes, facing different directions, etc.
When kids color we dont stop them and say "oh honey-you have to put a flamingo in there". No. It just flows from them and it should from us.
Unless you hit the jackpot and a trend is something you LOVE...then whoot and stock up and keep up your trademark look!
Bottom line: imho, We are all on trend, all the time! Whether you stamp, die cut, or layer...that's the same as people who wear pants or prefer skirts. It's all clothes. It's all card making. It's all creativity. Do I really have to have the EXACT tone of blue or my aqua is close enough? Unless I am sending cards to Anna Wintur, I think I'm fine-and so are you!
Just sayin'. Doesnt mean I wont ever be curious about what's out there. Of course i will still buy things.
One mark of a good Q to me is it makes me think. Not just for a day either. This is one those. I have been thinking about this and not to get too cerebral about it or rah rah, but I dont like people feeling left out when they shouldnt.
What exactly is a "new trend" for us? Are we talking popular images like flamingos and foxes at the moment?
If we are talking actual product...not so sure how "new" it is really.
ie: We like the Nuvo drops, but they are not a truly new product. There were others before them. They are just a new line of that same product.
As much as I respect the MISTI-it really is just an updated-and terrific version-of Thingamajig or more closely an acrylic block with the foam feet (whose name escapes me pre-2nd cup of caffeine)
New tools imho, are generally getting to the same place-just easier. Heat guns, dies, lasers, etc.
Maybe it's colors. Maybe it's concept-there has been a big push towards kindness type of cards...
Of course I get the companies are trying to sell-that's their job. That kind of thing always triggers the Sneetches in me though. (whoever said Dr Suess isnt a life guide needs to go back and read them again lol)
I say: Do what you do with clothes, provided you dont hate the new thing. Hot pink in fashion? You get a hot pink scarf and throw it over your fav jean jacket and keep going. You dont need a closet full of it.
Get ONE X stamp and punk it all over for whatever, a year, and move on. We dont need ten flamingos in all different sizes, facing different directions, etc.
When kids color we dont stop them and say "oh honey-you have to put a flamingo in there". No. It just flows from them and it should from us.
Unless you hit the jackpot and a trend is something you LOVE...then whoot and stock up and keep up your trademark look!
Bottom line: imho, We are all on trend, all the time! Whether you stamp, die cut, or layer...that's the same as people who wear pants or prefer skirts. It's all clothes. It's all card making. It's all creativity. Do I really have to have the EXACT tone of blue or my aqua is close enough? Unless I am sending cards to Anna Wintur, I think I'm fine-and so are you!
Just sayin'. Doesnt mean I wont ever be curious about what's out there. Of course i will still buy things.
The line regarding Anna Wintur had me rolling. Thanks for the morning
laugh!
I like the clean and simple look sometimes, but not always. That seems to be a big focus right now. I'm hoping to see more detail come back into play just because I love seeing what people create and getting inspiration from it
As for what's out there, sometimes new things come out simply because people want to use something else for a while. Lets not bash companies because they try to provide these things or strive to do so at profit.
At the moment, I'm making things solely to share with others (it's not a business for me right now). Once I've used an image a ton and shared cards with others, I often sell them so that I can purchase new images. So I need for companies to keep creating images
I still love brads and buttons and ribbons and use them on my cards. I have plenty of fancy dies but still tend to reach for my basic shaped dies eg: circle, square & then layer then on a matching scalloped one. I also use Dew Drops and my old Fiskars border punches - which I bought a reallllly long time ago.
I never got on the band-wagon of using Copics because they are $10 each here in Australia - and I just KNOW I would want every-single-colour because I have "full set syndrome" . I am probably old-fashioned in still enjoying colouring with Prismacolor pencils & Odourless Mineral Spirits (similar to Gamsol) using the "Magic Coloured Pencil" technique - and I use watercolour pencils alot too. Some of my favourite cardmakers moved to Copics from the MCP technique & I miss the softness in their colouring.
I take an interest in new trends - but find that if I have to buy alot of stuff to even try it eg: foiling - or if the outlay is expensive eg: Chibitronics to make a light-up card - I just give it a miss. The trend of sequins I like because they are cheap and they are not limited to just cardmaking. And I find that if I have to try & figure out how to use something or try to read an instruction manual, I couldn't be bothered. Sequins are easy because you just glue them on.
When I first started cardmaking many years ago, everything was heat-embossed (started by using my toaster until hubby got sick of the smell of burnt toast crumbs & bought me a heat-gun!) - so it's funny how it went out-of-fashion but is now back in. Nonetheless, I don't feel the need to have embossing powders in a gazillion colours - just white, black, gold, silver and a couple of others. Trends sometimes make me feel like I should get every colour of something or the whole kit & caboodle! I was still making Shaker cards when they weren't trendy & now they are everywhere!
Last edited by JoBear2; 10-09-2016 at 03:30 AM..
Reason: fixed my grammar
Great question! I guess I don't really care what's "in" if I like it, I use it, wear it, or whatever... I've never been a trendy type person...which is probably why I've had basically the same hair style since high school! (and that was a long time ago! ;))
I love lots of layers, textures, color, ribbon, brads, etc on my cards and pages. I have a much harder time creating something simple...which seems to be more "in style" right now.
I guess that's why its so great that there are such a vast amount of different products out there...something to appeal to every taste. Variety is the spice of life as they say.
Use whatever makes you happy and helps your creativity flow.
__________________ My Blog Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Brault
hahaha! I still like brads and eyelets! I think they add texture and I am absolutely nuts about texture! I love burlap, corrugated cardboard, brads, eyelets(especially if they are used for lacing), flowers, textured papers such as co-ordinations. I love touchy feely cards and almost anything goes. Layers, layers, layers. Love all this stuff!
I still love brads and buttons and ribbons and use them on my cards. I have plenty of fancy dies but still tend to reach for my basic shaped dies eg: circle, square & then layer then on a matching scalloped one. I also use Dew Drops and my old Fiskars border punches - which I bought a reallllly long time ago.
I never got on the band-wagon of using Copics because they are $10 each here in Australia - and I just KNOW I would want every-single-colour because I have "full set syndrome" . I am probably old-fashioned in still enjoying colouring with Prismacolor pencils & Odourless Mineral Spirits (similar to Gamsol) using the "Magic Coloured Pencil" technique - and I use watercolour pencils alot too. Some of my favourite cardmakers moved to Copics from the MCP technique & I miss the softness in their colouring.
I take an interest in new trends - but find that if I have to buy alot of stuff to even try it eg: foiling - or if the outlay is expensive eg: Chibitronics to make a light-up card - I just give it a miss. The trend of sequins I like because they are cheap and they are not limited to just cardmaking. And I find that if I have to try & figure out how to use something or try to read an instruction manual, I couldn't be bothered. Sequins are easy because you just glue them on.
When I first started cardmaking many years ago, everything was heat-embossed (started by using my toaster until hubby got sick of the smell of burnt toast crumbs & bought me a heat-gun!) - so it's funny how it went out-of-fashion but is now back in. Nonetheless, I don't feel the need to have embossing powders in a gazillion colours - just white, black, gold, silver and a couple of others. Trends sometimes make me feel like I should get every colour of something or the whole kit & caboodle! I was still making Shaker cards when they weren't trendy & now they are everywhere!
I never thought of heat embossing as a trend, I just use it when I have more time to create a card and want to color with inks that might run outside the lines.
I know what you mean about "full set syndrome"- the copics are expensive here in the states too, and I couldn't bring myself to buy any. But when I got into water color pencils, I purchased the largest set I could afford.
I still have eyelets, and look for ways to use them up... won't purchase any more. I found that a lot of them I purchased were cheap I guess, or I am using my Crop-a-dile wrong. I love that thing, but don't find uses for it much. I, like many of you, have purchased a lot of pattern paper , single sheets and pads of them when on sale, but rarely use it.
same with ribbon -- I have tons of it, purchasing every color and width when on sale (of course), but rarely think to use it. I've been card making for over 15 years, and finally came to the realization (maybe 5 yrs ago) that I need to stop buying and "shop at home", which makes it hard when I see a YT video or card picture where some cute new stamp or die is being used. Also, I like punches (although harder to store) better than die cuts, since I have to pull out the Cuttlebug to use them, but when I do, I cut out extras and store them in a zip lock bag.
I never thought about seaquins looking a bit cheap until it was mentioned in this thread, but actually they kinda do.... I have purchased those and will probably use them less now.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
