Thursday, April 16, 2015

Casing New Stamp Sets Using Old Stamps

When you have been paper crafting as long as I have, you begin to notice a lot of repeats.  Which, is understandable, as there are only so many images and ideas to go around.  One thing I notice over and over again is how many of the new stamp sets are very similar to the ones I already own.  For example, I saw this note pad cover HERE, and thought, "Hey, I already own a stamp set very similar to that one!".  I really liked Debbie's design, so I cased her cover and made a card, using my old stamps and not the new version, and came up with this:
 My main images are from retired Stampin Up! "Definitely Decorative Pines".  It's uncanny how similar the images are to the new "Northwoods 2" designs.  But really, how many different ways can you make a pine tree or a solid bear image?  The biggest difference I see between the two sets is the size, and the Stampin Up! pines are fuller.
 To make the card, I stamped the pines with Always Artichoke ink onto Kraft card stock.  I then stamped a bunch of other pines separately, cut them out, and put them up on dimensionals over the other trees.  I added grass using an unknown grass stamp, then colored in some dirt hills with a Copic Marker.  I liked Debbie's extra touches of string and stars, so I added those as well using hemp from my stash and punched out paper stars.  I inked the edges of the stars with Chocolate Chip ink to make them stand out more.

The bear was stamped directly on the Kraft panel and I also colored in a little dirt hill for him to stand on as well.
The sentiment is from PTI  "Through the Trees".

Paper crafting can be an expensive hobby.  Most of us already own more stamps, paper, and dies than we could ever even use in a life time, and because we have so much 'stuff' we often have to create and devote entire rooms in our homes to house it all.  I know I do!  It is hard to resist the temptation of always wanting to buy the 'new stamps' or the 'latest images'. The next time a new stamp set comes out and the divas start to creating fun new cards you want to case, instead of rushing to buy the new stamps, look at your old stamps first and see what you have that could possibly replicate that look.   It's better for your pocketbook and the environment,  because you using what you already have instead of buying new.

Have a great day!  Amy

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful CASE-D card! I completely agree with you about repeated stamps. Even though I've only been papercrafting for 7 years, I've already noticed repeated stamps from different stamp companies. Like you said the only real difference is the size and sometime it's an outlined image instead of a solid image. I have been ordering from Stampin' Up for a long time so I've really notice something from them. For eample, their designs from their 2007 catalog and their current catalog, some images are tweaked a bit and added different sentiments or they change the font of the sentiments. So now if I REALLY like the images in a set, I always check my stamps first. It sure save me TONS of money. Have a wonderful day!

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  2. Great card Amy! Have a nice weekend, Ageeth

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  3. Your card turned out beautifully! Such gorgeous stamps! I looked at the card you cased, and I agree, the stamps do look so similar! I was just saying to my husband the other day, I don't know how stamp companies can keep going, because there really are only so many ways one can draw a snowman, etc. But then there are always new stampers, and that's what probably keeps them in business. I am one that doesn't have a large amount of stamp sets from SU or other, probably because back then when I bought SU I was working more and had very little kids, so not much time for stamping back then :-)

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  4. Wow ! love the design of this card, a real beauty !
    xxx

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