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Hello ladies. I had my first ever Stampin Up party last night and LOVED IT!! (You will all be shocked I am sure!! ) Anyway, I now am faced with WHAT TO PURCHASE!! I don't have much money to spend and am only getting the $20 free, plus the level 1 stamp set for free.
So my questions are -- do I have to use Stampin Up markers on the stamps or can I use *gasp* Crayola?
How in the WORLD do I decide which stamp set to get? My main purpose is wanting to make Thank You cards (to thank hostesses for my home-based biz) but I would also like to be able to do general ones too. But I can't afford to buy more than one set and the catalogue is sooooo overwhelming!!
Please help a beginner with some ideas on what I need to have right off the bat. Thanks in advance!!
This stuff can be totally overwhelming. My first sets that I bought were huge mistakes. Some I never use at all. The ones that I use the most seem to have flowers in them. They can be used for thank yous like you want, birthday, sympathy, get well. Almost everything that you can think of. My favs that I pull out would be All the Best and In Full Bloom. They just seem to stamp out nice and add a lot of color. All the Best is filled in so you can either stamp it out in a color or use your markets and color the stamp directly. The In Full Bloom, I stamp in black and color in with whatever I am using. Or ask your demonstrator for a suggestion, based on what you want to use it for. And for markers, I don't have the Stampin Up but I'm saving up to buy them. I use a different kind of marker and they work just fine, the color goes on just as good as the Stampin Up ones that I have used. But the more I stamp and see work that I like, the more I try to match colors better. Buying the Stampin Up paper, inks and colors is something that I am trying to do now because I really like how they all coordinate and it really makes the finished product appear so much better. But doing that would depend on how much you are going to use the stamps and products. The markers that I have I got at Michael's, can't remember what they are called, but they come in different shades in a pack. But I think by the time I bought the three packs I have, I could have almost bought the same in Stampin Up, they weren't all that cheap. But use what you have and if you find that you are doing more and more of this, start investing. Buy a set of Stamp Spots at each party (that's what I use and then I get all of the colors without spending too much money), buy some paper (I buy the assorted pack that corresponds with the pads that I have). Buy a blender pen and then you can use the pen with the spots and color in your stamped images. I can't buy everything at once so I take my time. I also make a list and try to work off of that because I talk myself into buying things and then find that its not what I realy wanted and then never use it. Good luck and have fun with this. Mary
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I would wait to buy the markers, since it is such a big investment. I use the 50 pack of Crayolas and a package of colored pencils. I also have the SU! chalks.
I do buy assorted cardstock from SU! and have alot of their ink pads. But the spots are great.
Also, make sure you get a set that you love, and not one that you think you could use for any occasion. I bought sets like that (like Nice & Easy notes and All Occasions) when I first started and have only used them once or twice ever.
I hope this helps. Happy stamping.
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~ * ~ * Michelle * ~ * ~ President of the Gutter Girls Poster Child for the Peachies Peachie Keen Cards
I prefer RoseArt brand markers and colored pencils as far as coloring mediums go, but everyone has their own preference. ;) I also just use the multi packs of cardstock from Michaels (usually 2 for $5...) since I am also just starting out.
My favorite stamp set is one that I never ever thought in a million years that I would get or use...which is contrary to the stuff that I bought and hardly ever use....so yeah, pick one that you love. Don't rule out sets because you don't like thme at first glance...check out cards made with them in the gallery before you decide. ;) ;) ;) That's how I ended up with my favorite set.
I recommend the Stampin' Pastels (chalks) and blender pens. This way you get all 48 colors and neutrals. Also a versa mark pad is great, you can stamp and accent with the Stampin' Pastels. You should get a technique booklet from your party to show you how...
OK so the markers are not a must then? Good to know. Didn't know they had chalks!! I am sure there are a ton of techniques I know nothing of!! Thanks, any input is so appreciated!!
What i did at first is choose one stamp set with images that I love and one set with different sayings. For example, the two sets I use the most are All Natural and Sincere Salutations. Then as for cardstock and inks I started with the ink spots and assorted cardstock in the color family that most appealed to me. That way you have lots of variety and you can easily build from there. If you are looking for something economical as a colouring medium, I too would recommend the Stampin' Pastels and the blender pens, they are great!
Oh, I personally love the Heartfelt Thanks set, it is $29.95 I think, but so versatile! I love sets that have an image and a saying in it, it makes it so much easier to coordinate. Stay away for the little stamps for now as I made a mistake in getting them as my first set. They were so tiny that I hardly used them. :( If you are really watching your budget, go for an inexpensive set and a black ink pad. Which level 1 one are you getting? The new ones are adorable. I am so excited for you!!! !
I agreewith cuteypickle. Get a a set with all your "greetings" and a set with images that you love. Sincere Salutations is great for greetings and there a LEVEL 1 hostess set with all the greetings that is terrific. I love flowers so for me Mixed Bouquet or Petal Prints have great and versatile flower images. I agree with cuteypickle on the paper and ink. Pick a color family and buy the assorted cardstock and stampin spots. You will have 12 ink colors. You can't beat that. By the way, I am not a big fan of the SU markers. Try your own markers first. Michael's has cheap watercolor pencils that blend beautifully with a blender pen. Try that and remember your Michael's 40% off coupon.
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Best advise I have for you is to not load up on stamp sets and then not buy anything else.
My very first SU order, I purchased 3-4 stamp sets. I didn't purchase any paper or ink so I had all these nice stamp sets and nothing to stamp them on. I agree with the posters above, get a versatile greeting set and an image set that you love (Florals always do it for me). I've found that I've become a SU snob as far as the exclusive colors and cardstock goes. I've purchased chalks, inks, markers and cardstock in the past from some of the hobby stores and all I can say is that I wound up spending more money eventually buying the SU stuff (so the purchases from the hobby stores became a waste of money). The SU cardstock is of a high quality and really does make a difference. The cardstock purchased from M's or A's just goes to my two boys (ages 3 and 4) to color on.
Other must haves are the rubber scissors (you'll see the value in these once you cut using regular scissors the first few times and then switch over....you'll ask yourself 'Why did I wait?' so I'm just trying to save you the hassle) as well as the stampin scrub and mist (the SU scrub beats anything that you could find at the craft store hands down).
I do encourage you to buy things like Versamark or Staz On from craft stores as it is the same exact product, but you can typically use a coupon (which makes it the cheaper way to go).
All I can say is 'baby steps' and enjoy your new addiction!
Any of the flower sets are awesome!! You can use them for birthday, sympathy, get well, wedding etc. I love my In Full Bloom and use it more than any other set that I have. I would also purchase several classic stamp pads and coordinating paper; my favorites are any of the bold brights. They are always bright cheery! Good luck!
Have you thought about getting the Stampin' Spots instead of markers? They're mini inkpads, about 1" square, and you can buy an entire SU color family of spots for $21.50. Your free product allowance would cover them nicely, and then you can get a matching 8.5x11 cardstock assortment (3 sheets each of all 12 colors) for $7.50. Then add a stamp set or two, and you're all ready to go, knowing your inks and cardstock match and coordinate well. If you have a little extra to spend, I'd suggest a pack of white or vanilla cardstock to stamp your main images on.
After you've made a bunch of cards you'll start finding that you use some colors more than others. Next time you order, you could get full-sized stamp pads and single-color cardstock packs of these colors.
My biggest "starting out" mistake was to buy three stamp sets, thinking "I'll get the inkpads and cardstock at Michaels." The cardstock was so thin it made flimsy cards, and none of the ink colors matched to the cardstock well. At the next SU party I attended, I didn't order any stamps - just cardstock and inkpads!
__________________ Stamping with a cat - Fur is a fiber | Ribbon is a cat toy |Eyelets are for batting | Glitter is a fashion statement My Photography
Oh man I am overwhelmed again!! My consultant went out of town for the day that is why I am not asking her. I have no idea about blending pens and versamark? I see it in the book but have no idea who to use that. I plan to attend some of her workshops so I can learn more!!
I am thinking for Level 1 of getting Warmest Regards -- it is basically the words. Not a font I love, but it has all the sayings I want. I am not typically a flower person, so I am not sold on the flowery stamps. Though we used In Full Bloom last night and it looks great. I am thinking of getting the Fishy one because I LOVE fish!! Is a fish card with Thank You on it weird??
Is getting their paper REALLY important? I also cannot find the price of the Stamp Spots ANYWHERE in my (Canadian) catalogue. Am I blind?? I would like to get the spots, a picture stamp set (fish, flowers??) and maybe the paper if it is that important. She also got two bookings at my party last night so I know I will be attending more parties soon!! Oh oh, I see an addiction starting!! LOL!!
What are the scissors and why will I love them??
Thanks again, I am in love with this board now!! :-D
I am a demonstrator so let me see if I can help you out here. It isn't bad to buy the cardstock at your local hobby store or Walmart, however, they will not match any of the colors of stamp pads that you may purchase from SU. If I were you each month I would purchase one set of stampin spots to start with. They are smaller versions of the large stamp pads but work just as well for a fraction of the price. Stampin Spots are found on page 202-203 of the new catalog. They are at the bottom of each color family and sell for 21.50 for a set of 12 pads. You can purchase each color family ie: bold brights, earth elements, rich regals and soft subtles. Along with a set, I would also purchase a package of asst. paper in the same color family as the stamp set that you choose. Ok, the versa mark pad works two ways. One you can use it on colored paper to stamp an image without ink--this will make your image a shade or two darker than your paper color. Two, stamp with the versa mark and then apply glitter or embossing powder and heat with your heat gun. The scissors are a must!! In fact, last night at our stamp club a couple of the gals talked about how they waited to order them because they thought they could just use their everyday scissors and get by just fine. They told me at the start of our next club that I NEED to push the SU scissors. They work excellent when cutting your stamps for assembly and work great for ribbon etc. I don't know what it is about them but they are awesome! Ok, the blender pens are a must have but not until you purchase the SU watercolor pencils which are 19.95 for the pencils and 9.95 for a set of 3 blender pens. These are a must!!! You can color your stamped images with the pencils and then use the blender pens to blend the color and make it look almost like a washed watercolor painting. They are very neat! The stampin pastels are chalks and they are very cool too though I personally do not use them very much. The markers are nice to add color to your stamped images and they match the ink pads as well as the paper however, if I had my choice I would purchase the colored pencils and blender pens before the markers. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.
Nancy--
Welcome to the stamping world! I've only skimmed the other responses, so this may repeat what others have said.
If you are just starting out, I would recommend getting one color family of spots and the matching assorted cardstock along with a package of white cardstock. Choose one versatile set (maybe All Through the Year, which is a brand new set) and one word set (Warmest Regards is a good choice for that!) You'll also need a good paper trimmer. Even if you end up getting full-sized pads later, spots are a good way to start economically, and it will help you discover what colors you like best. HTH!
I'd get a set of spots in the color family of your choice, a pack of assorted card stock in the same color family, a Basic Black or Basic Brown Classic pad, a pack of white or vanilla, and a flower set like In Full Bloom, Heartfelt Thanks, or a nature set like Touch of Nature or Natural Beauty. For your free Level 1 set, I'd get Warmest Wishes.
With these items on hand, you'll have everything you need to create some beautiful cards for every occasion until you can add to your stash!
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
I guess I should have read the very last post before mine! I could have pretty much said, "Ditto"![IMG]//www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/images/icons/icon7.gif[/IMG]
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
OK I am getting less overwhelmed!! Thank you ladies so much!! I don't think I can afford to get all of your suggestions just yet, but I now know how to narrow it down!!
Nancy,
Which of the fish sets are you thinking of? Fishy Friends (pg 140) or Silly Sealife (pg141)? Or is there another one I am missing? Both are very cute and I don't see a problem with using them for a Thank You card.
If you are looking at getting one of these sets, I would recommend getting a classic black ink pad to stamp the image in, and then using either markers or watercolor pencils to color them with. I personally think watercolor pencils are the easiest to work with (especially when you are new to this) and give a nicer effect than markers. The blender pens are absolutely wonderful, but if you can't afford them this time around, you can always use a paint brush (the cheap kind that come in a 10 pack at the dollar store are fine).
I purchased my watercolor pencils at Michaels years before I ever went to a SU party. I compared them to the SU pencils, and 18 of the 24 colors in each set were identical, so I don't see the need to buy the SU set. The Michaels set cost the same as the SU set (before coupon) so it is really up to you which one you get. Both are very nice.
The SU paper is very nice, but can get pricey if you are making a lot of cards. I personally buy my paper at AC Moore. They get in bulk packs of paper (one color per pack) that are really nice and are just as heavy as the SU paper (heavier in some cases). The assorted color paper packs tend to be of a thinner paper however, so if you buy some of that, only use it for layers and make sure you have the heavier stuff for card bases. If you are buying SU paper, then get yourself a pack of the white, and then either an assorted pack in the color family of your choice OR a pack in a single color of your choice (blue or green would look nice with the fish stamps).
When I was starting out, I waited until I had gone to a couple of parties and had a better idea of what colors I liked before buying ink pads other than the basic black. I'm glad I waited because the color family I ended up purchasing and love to use isn't the one I would have bought if I had selected one at my first party. You said your friends will also be having parties, so you will have a chance to experiment with the different products and figure out what are your must haves. Get the basics this time around and save the rest for next time.
Just my 2 cents worth. Hope it helps.
Melissa
I made a lot of mistakes when I first started buying Stampin Up products. If you aren't ready to buy a family of spots--and prices are higher in Canada, just in case nobody points that out--buy the basic black pad and use your Crayola markers or a big set of Rose Art colored pencils (about $5 US) for now.
So this month, buy your fishy set, a black pad, and a pack of assorted paper. Then choose your hostess set for words. You can get decent white cs at Walmart (it's not nearly as good as Stampin Up, but adequate to begin, I think).
Next month, pick a color family of spots and blender pens.
The scissors *are* awesome because they are made specifically to cut the rubber. I have them and love them. BUT, I waited almost a year to buy them and I was fine. ;-)
I started buying SU about 2 years ago, and just this week finally signed up to be a demo--might as well get a discount on my addiction! :-) I think it's overwhelming to think of all you "need" to get started. Buy one or two things and see what makes you happy. There is plenty of time to buy more in the future.
When I first started off I decided I wasn't a "flowery" type person, but now as the years go on, I am finding myself drawn to these sets more and more, as they make wonderful cards, and while *I* may not be a flowery type person, others are..lol. I waited to purchase Lovely As A Tree and regret that, I think that is one of the most versitile sets you can get, for birthday, thank you, sympathy, etc. I agree with purchasing a set of stampin' spots, but get a full size black pad or staz on black. A pack of the papers is nice. Walmart has the Georgia Pacific brand of paper, and it works just fine for cards. I compared the two and don't find that much of a difference to make it worth the price of the SU white for the number of cards I make with white card bases. The SU scissors are great for cutting your sets, but find out if you can use your demo's scissors to cut out your sets, or if your demo will cut them out for you and mount them. If you are doing them alone, then the scissors are a great investment. I too use the crayola colored pencils until I could afford prismacolor. I got some watercolor pencils from the craft store as well with a coupon, got my versamark there, with a coupon, but the SU colors and papers are the best for matching value. In the beginning you think, who cares if it matches, but once you start making the cards you find that you want them to match so your cards look *handmade* not home made. I find as I upgrade my supplies I pass on my other supplies to someone else just starting out to get them started.
When deciding what colors of stamps and paper, make sure you take into account what season is coming up, what type of cards you will be making mostly and your favorite colors.
Hope this helps!
__________________ Lisa C., Mom to 3 great kids, 3 super dogs and an cat that thinks she is a dog! My Gallery
Hi! I'm a demo and I usually tell my customers there are three things that you shouldn't get anywhere else but through Stampin Up!
1. Cardstock. - It's so heavy and nice to work with, you'll regret buying the cheap stuff. Besides you can turn mistakes over even on white and use the other side without wasting cardstock. (Bonus for me!):mrgreen:
2. Stamp pads. - The way they are stored makes them last really long. (I've had my first stamp pad for 4 years now and still haven't had to re-ink!) And all the colors coordinate.
3. Stamp Sets. - Versatile, sold in sets so more for your money, unmounted so you can cut and mount your own sets however you want, etc.
Anything else above and beyond is gravy... There are lots of great quality items you can get from us, but you want to start with the basics. If you like markers, I would get one or two different colors to play with instead of the whole kit and caboodle.
I usually recommend the pastels with the versamark pad with a Black Pad. So you have all our colors to start out with. Black is very useful for outlines of stamps and use the pastels to color images in. The versamark pad you can use to stamp in then take a q-tip and color over the versamark to give it a soft look.
I know this sounds like a sales pitch, but it's really how I feel. :mrgreen:
Lots of great suggestions for you! Mine would be to buy a pack of white cardstock from Walmart (found with the copy/printer paper). It is not too much different from SU's, IMO. However, I only buy SU colored cardstock. Once you start you'll never go back.
Also, as someone else suggested...a good paper trimmer is a MUST. I remember the disaster of measuring with a ruler, cutting with scissors or trying to crease and tear....ugh! I have a Fiskars rotary cutter for my main cutting and I just love it!! (it's about 14x18 with orange ruler strips on it). I got it at Michaels and used a 40% of cpn so it was about $17.
Good luck with your choices. It's overwhelming but just keep plugging away. I also borrow sets from friends so I can try new ones w/o buying them.
Okay, let me see if I can help. Pg 200 has a little pic of the stamps. They prices are at the bottom of the grids of each color family on pg 202 &203. Get the classic to start. I'm not sure how much they are CAN. The blender pens are on pg 225. You can just touch them to the spots and then color like a marker. I agree with the other gals that the cardstock to match your spots is a must. As far as stamp sets go, I'd recommend getting Warmest regards for your level 1 freebie. Lots of sentiments for lots of situations. As far as other sets go, it's really a matter of personal preference. I'd pick Simply Said (p89), Artfully Asian (p89), Heartfelt Thanks (116), Natural Beauty (p133), or All about U (176). They're all fairly versatile. Happy Shopping.
What I did on my first order was pick a card that I just loved and wanted to copy. Then I got all the stuff to go with it. Get one stamp set, some adhesive, one or two classic ink pad (they dry the fastest), and then an assorted pack of cardstock in one of the color families to coordinate with the colors of ink. That is the minimum to get started. You also need a paper trimmer... you can get a basic Fiskars one with a coupon from JoAnn's or Michaels. Good luck and have fun! The SU inks and papers are the best and are so easy since they are made to match.
All these suggestions are great. good luck deciding....oh...I use double face tape for a lot of card making...cheaper than the SU snail, and probably goes farther....it will stretch your stamping dollar to start off.....yes get white card stock at your local walmart or office store....don't skimp on the SU color cardstock....wow...you will notice the difference....have fun...(most important part).
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White craft ink
I always recommend white or vanilla craft ink (depending on the color family) to my new stampers. It is great for making backgrounds pop when you are limited to your ink colors.
And until you have lots of ink selection, stick with stamps that are colored in after rather than full images, you will be frustrated because you don't have the ink.
Black paper is also a good pick if you are drawn to the darker colors. It just finish a card nicely when it needs a little something.
If you are picking up watercolor pencils from Walmart or Staples, stay away from Reeves, or the other inexpensive student brands. You won't be happy with them, and will end up buying something else.
Plus what everyone else said
Definately make a Michael's wish list and them go and buy your tools with the 40% off coupon.
I'm a beginner, need help please!!
