Northwest Stamper

Tag: builder wheel

  • Last Hurrah for Wheel Stamps

    Last Hurrah for Wheel Stamps

    Wheel stamps are one of those things that have been around for YEARS!  Like, as long as I’ve been stamping, there have been wheel stamps.  In fact, when I signed up as a demonstrator with Stampin’ Up, you got a wheel handle and wheel stamp by default in your kit!  Over time, I’ve collected a few but like many people, didn’t use them very often for one reason or another.  But they are handy and definitely have their unique purposes. 

    For example, when my mom was decorating for a winter event, she bought white paper tablecloths and when walked up and down the table running a snowflake wheel with blue ink in the handle to create a customized and inexpensive festive spread!  Isn’t she clever?

    But now all things wheel are on the retirement list and going away at the end of the month, so I had to share a couple recent cards I made with my birthday Builder Wheels.

    I loved the idea of builder wheels because you could mix and match designs, or in the case above, leave the center part blank and have exactly enough room to tie a ribbon!  One run of the wheel and my stamping is done and perfectly spaced. Smile 

    It was also handy for mixing and matching designs for diagonal stamping.  In this case, the Happy Birthday, the candles, and the blue stripes were all in the wheel handle at the same time.  Then I just added a little washi tape to the top and bottom for some extra lines but I didn’t have to worry about stamping again and keeping things lined up. 

    You know I love the easy way out!

    I enjoy my wheel stamps, even though I forget to pull them out because they aren’t on the shelf next to my stamps.  The new catalog has new background builder stamps which will be photopolymer stamps that are like if you took a wheel stamp and unmounted them.  (So a long, skinny clear stamp).  I’m excited for these new styles of stamps, but I think I will miss wheels as well.  It is MUCH easier to stamp as 12×12 scrapbook page or photo mat for a picture frame when you don’t have to worry about lining up your stamped ends.  But for cards, I think these new stamps will be easy and fun.

    What do you think?  Will you miss the wheels?

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  • Take a Spin with Spinner Cards

    Have you seen one of the more unique stamp sets that has come out in a while – the Take a Spin set?  It’s a set of images that look like gameboard spinners, only with more “card-like” sentiments.  I have to admit, when I got a chance to look at it, I wasn’t sure how to use them; but after playing for a while I found it was actually quite fun.

    Take a look at my samples below and then I’d love it if you leave me a comment and let me know what you think of this set.  I’m curious to hear if it is a set you can see yourself using.

    Here is the first card I did using the Game Spinner Hands embellishments.  I wanted to make this card a more neutral card and discovered I really like this blue/brown/white combination.  It was also a good excuse to pull out my new builder wheel and spacer spindle and try out the candle wheel.

    Tip: I layered my spinner hand on my card in the following order: brad, spinner hand, washer, paper.  By placing the washer between the paper and your spinner hand, you allow the spinner to be moved.  Then, the “spin-i-ness” of the hand can be controlled by how tight you secure your brad.  Obviously you don’t want it too loose so that your brad is wiggling around, but you have some control if you don’t over tighten your brad.

    Then I started playing with the circle images.  I had used markers to color in one of the round designs but didn’t like how it turned out (I think it was my fault, not the fact that I was using markers on the stamp).  So, I took the bunk stamp image and cut out just the inner circle and one wedge.  Then I used that to trace the shape on a piece of scrap designer series paper.  This made for a fun viewfinder style layout when layered over a solid color image of the full stamp.  I used a glitter brad that I made from a 5/8” brad and Real Red Galaxy Fine glitter (see the details of how I made it in this post) for the center.  You could also use one of the new Glimmer Brads for a similar effect.  And yep, the designer paper wheel actually spins.

    So that is two of the images from the stamp set.  For fun, here are all the images from the set.  So you actually have quite a variety of options for cards and sentiments.  It’s a pretty unique set with a fun touch of whimsy.

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    I’d love to hear what you think of this stamp set.  Leave me a comment and let me know, do you like it? hate it?  Would you ever use it? I’m interested to get your thoughts!

    Its Your Birthday Spinner Card Recipe:
    Stamps:
    Take a Spin, Candle Crazy builder wheel
    Ink: Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip
    Paper: Soft Suede CS, Whisper White CS, Marina Mist CS
    Accessories:
    Builder Wheel spindle and spacers, Jumbo wheel handle, Game Spinner Hands, Watercolor pencils, Aqua Painter, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Early Espresso 1/8″ taffeta ribbon

    Happy Happy Birthday Viewfinder Recipe:
    Stamps:
    Take a Spin
    Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip
    Paper: Bashful Blue CS, Whisper White CS, Celebrations designer series paper
    Accessories: Galaxy fine glitter, Corner Rounder punch, Sponge Daubers, Neutrals 5/8” brads, Crystal Effects, Stampin’ Dimensionals