1. Determine and plan your cardmaking schedule. Do you want to set aside a few hours or just 30 minutes at a time? Pick a design suitable for the available time. Make a simple “assembly line” schedule to maximize the time you have to spend on the project.

2. Work on individual elements, individually. It may sound silly, but working on one element of the cards will retain the “look” of the cards while creating a “unity” among them. Start by stamping all of the impressions, then work on cutting out all of the backgrounds, folding all of the paper, tearing all of the sheets simultaneously. You don’t want to spend too much time on any one card.

3. Have a party! Kids and relatives love to involved. Make the work fun and don’t be overly concerned about the smaller details of the project. You will ultimately put all of the individual components together, giving you plenty of time to add any special touches. Working together with other people will also add a new level of uniqueness to your cards.

4. Stop writing. One of the most frustrating tasks of mass producing cards is hand writing messages. Find “handwriting fonts” available online, at your nearest craft supply store, or your local computer store. Sign the finished card or pen in any details or RSVP information as you would with a store purchased card.

5. Use a paper trimmer. If you need a fast way to make background frames or trim down embellishments, scissors just won’t cut it! Stacking paper in 5-10 sheet groups and trimming all at once will provide perfect multiple shapes. Often, your scraps can be stacked in such a way to trim them into useable pieces with a trimmer. Rotary trimmers will also allow you to add perfect “scalloped” edges to the base of the card(s).

6. Punch It. Remember your time is valuable. Whether it’s a heart, circle, flower, even a fork and spoon, your local craft store will have a perfect punch for the card. Cutting out shapes by hand is tedious and rarely looks well. Circles can be particularly difficult.

7. Stamp, Stamp, Stamp. When placing stamped images on a card, use one stamp at a time and make as many impressions as needed. Don’t clean stamps or switch colors until all of the cards have been stamped. This keeps your ink pads from becoming “mixed” and makes the impressions uniform.

8. Avoid difficult embellishments. I am sure that rows of bows, lines of brads, or glued dots would look wonderful on each card. Finding a simpler alternative will save you hours. Paper tears, taped bows, even stylish stickers can be just as attractive without the hours of difficult handy work.

9. Customize backgrounds. If you absolutely must have a “look” provided by a stamped background, make a “master” copy on white paper EXACTLY how it should look. Scan the paper design into a computer at 300 dpi. (If you’re already confused, spend a minute with the scanner manual.) Print onto colored cardstock or paper. When done properly, no one will even notice!

10. Have fun…with a budget. These are the two biggest factors when mass producing cards. You don’t want to get partway through the project only to realize you have far overspent your intended budget. That special patterned paper and those cute hologram stickers can max out the cost of the cards. Alternatively, when the project simply becomes a duty, it is unlikely you will ever finish. Remember to always plan lots of time. After all, this is by far the greatest hobby in the world!

Kathy Williams is a rubber stamp addict! She writes informative rubber stamp articles that focus on techniques, trends, and styles. From chalking, antiquing, crimping, trimming, inking, and even shadowing, her ideas are sure to inspire hours of stamping creativity. Find more of her great ideas, stamping articles, and favorite rubber stamps at http://www.rubberstampingfun.com

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Texture #1: Sandpaper Paradise

For this technique, you will need a small square of sandpaper. One great idea is to save old scraps of “used” sandpaper since they will each provide a unique look to your stamped project. Heavy cardstock will work best for this project since you will be “buffing” away and don’t want to tear a hole in the paper. Stamp your image on the cardstock using a dye based ink. Highlight the stamped image with chalks. Taking your sandpaper, gently scrub the paper until the desired “distressed” look appears. Once finished, it is usually best to cut out the image from the sanded paper and affix the image to the project. This simple technique can add a pleasantly aged look when used with walnut or dark brown pigment inks!

Texture #2: Baby Wipe Blur

To get this unique texture you will need water based markers or watercolor pencils and a package of baby wipes or damp paper towels. Using your rubber stamps, stamp your project with the desired image or lettering. Taking your markers or watercolor pencils, fill in the center and highlight the edges of the stamp image accordingly. Allow the pigment to set without completely drying. With your baby wipes, gently “dab” the image. The moisture from the cloth will cause the coloring to soften and blur resulting in a beautiful finished texture. Allow to dry and place on remaining project!

Texture #3: Wax Mask

For this rubber stamping texture technique you will need a white crayon or a piece of wax. Using your rubber stamps, create the stamped image collage on the chosen piece of paper. Using your wax, gently “color” the areas where highlighting would occur. Taking a marker or stamp pad, gently fill in the inner, unstamped area with the color of choice. Allow the ink to dry. After the ink has dried, gently rub the image in small circular strokes over the “wax” covered area. The ink will rub off of the wax and the highlights will remain.

These three simple rubber stamping texture techniques are great ways to make unique cards and scrapbooking pages. Using these tips, you will be able to make special projects with all of your rubber stamps that others will admire. For a truly unique textured project, blend all three textures together in by utilizing sandpaper, wax, and markers!

Kathy Williams writes about rubber stamping and rubber stamps and loves to use them for card making, scrapbooking, and other paper craft projects.

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The most popular trimming and cutting tools are the guillotine table top trimmer, mini personal paper cutter, and the rotary trimmer. Paper punches, scoring blades, T-squares, and shape cutters are important to have on hand as well before starting your project.

The guillotine trimmer is the traditional paper trimmer you can find any office supply store.  A long sharp blade (often curved) is hinged at the base and is lifted above the paper and down directly on top to make a straight cut. Please keep in mind that not all guillotine trimmers are made well. You’re going to need a solid, sturdy guillotine trimmer with tight fittings. Make sure the handle doesn’t flex at all or you will be consistently frustrated by crooked cuts. Another great feature is a detachable blade which can be sharpened or replaced.

Rubber stamping projects often require simple cuts to mattes and small pieces of stamped card stock. The personal trimmer is the perfect tool for the routine trimming and can fit inside your desk drawer. Small paper trimmers usually have safety features that make them especially suitable for trimming small items held by hand close to the blade. This allows you to crop small pieces of hand stamped card stock, trim tiny wallet photos, and matte stocks. Personal paper trimmers are not suitable for long straight cuts because they are usually made of lightweight plastic.

Rotary trimmers are the newest of the bunch and have become favorites for many different reasons. For rubber stamping and scrapbooking projects, the rotary trimmer excels because you can purchase many different styles of artistic cutting blades. Need to make a straight, curvy edge? Want to perforate a homemade envelope? With the rotary trimmer, this is no problem. You’ll want to find a model that has easily interchangeable blades. In addition to table top trimmers, many rotary trimmer systems also come with handheld trimmers that use interchangeable blades and allow you to cut shapes like circles and flowers. Handheld rotary trimmers use a self-healing cutting mat. You’ll find many different sizes in the craft section of your local department store or fabric store. The unique cutting surface is specifically designed to allow you to cut any shape with your rotary cutter and can be used many times without showing wear.

Shape cutting tools have come a long way and are quickly become a favorite tool for scrapbooking enthusiasts. Because they allow you to cut many different shape styles with one inexpensive tool, they are much more inexpensive than individual paper punches. One thing to look for when purchasing a shape cutter is the quality of the pivoting head. You should be able to cut in one smooth motion without the blade catching on any part of the template.

Paper punches are the easiest way to make sure your shape is perfectly cut every time. Your paper punches should be easy to use and have no trouble cutting through card stocks. If your paper punch becomes difficult to use, it could be a result of glues or adhesives getting into the die mechanism. Usually a spray of a silicone lubricant will solve this problem.

T-squares and the scoring blades are tools that can be very helpful while stamping and scrapbooking. Durable T-squares that will last many years can be purchased at your local hardware store. Cheaper styles can be purchased at a craft store. Buy a quality T-square that has a tooled edge for making perfectly straight lines and cuts. You will be able to line up corners and make perfect mattes. Scoring blades are used to make straight tears and folds along the corner edges of handmade greeting cards. Designer scoring blades allow you make decorative tears on scrapbooking paper and card stock.

You should get at least one version of each of these cutting tools to enjoy all of the benefits. Having the right trimming and cutting tools saves time and makes your finished paper craft project look much better. Buying high quality tools that will last for many years will insure inexpensive overall costs and usually a much better look. Give them a try today and see how they improve your work!

Kathy Williams loves working in Rubber Stamping Fun, her online stamping  store, and enjoys writing informative articles about rubber stamps and scrapbooking.

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Rubber Stamping Pads: Rubber stamping pads come in a variety of shades and colors. Stamp pads can be used to tint and colorize embellishments as well as distress paper and chipboard. Dye based stamp pads are great for projects where you need a fast setting ink. Have some time on this project? You’ll love the brightness and brilliance that pigment based stamp pads provide—just allow plenty of time for the drying process.

Stickers: Sticker options available are endless and you’ll be excited to find unique types and styles including velvet, gel, and even three-dimensional brands. If you’re very creative, you can even make your own stickers with any one of the commercially avaible sticker adhesive machines. Why not recycle those adorable magazine pictures as stickers in a timeless scrapbook album?

Ribbon: Scrapbooking and rubber stamping ribbon comes in a variety of widths from 1/8” to 2” or more depending on what you need for your project. Color coordinated spools of ribbon can be purchased at almost any craft and hobby store. Today’s scrapbooking ribbon is especially designed with the current styles and trends in mind.

Buttons, paper clips, and staples: Embellishments for stamping and scrapbooking include buttons, paper clips, metal fasteners, eyelets, paper clips, colored staples, rivets, and dried flowers. Once plain items have now become necessities for any scrapbooking room. To create coordinated sets, purchase plain white embellishments and colorize with a stamp pad or acrylic paint. You’ll love having embellishments that perfectly match your paper and albums.

Card stock: Card stock can be handmade, hand dyed, and you may even purchase printable fabric stock paper. Acid free paper, which will keep your memorable albums in perfect shape for the longest time possible, is an important item to use throughout your scrapbook album.

Scrapbooking Albums: You’ll want to make sure that your memories last many lifetimes and finding a good album is very crucial. The standard album sizes are 6x 6, 12 x 12, and 8.5 x 11. These sizes are perfectly suited to the most common sizes of scrapbooking paper. They can also be found in smaller sizes, however, and can even be custom-made for special projects.

Don’t Panic! You’ll only need a handful of supplies and your creativity to enjoy scrapbooking and stamping. All of these supplies will eventually find their way into your creative space and will make your rubber stamping and scrapbooking exciting and enjoyable.

About The Author

Kathy Williams loves scrapbooking and rubber stamps. She operates an online rubber stamping store at http://www.rubberstampingfun.com.