Card stamping
Welcome to our card stamping page to accompany our tulip themed card making kit from Design by Della! You'll find tips and inspiration to continue your card making journey. Enjoy!
What is card stamping?
Stamps are a classic way to decorate homemade cards. They come in two main forms: rubber stamps fixed to a wooden block, and silicone stamps that you can attach to and remove from a clear acrylic block. Rubber stamps typically can be purchased individually, wherease the silicone stamps are often sold as a set.
You can use either type of stamp, depending on your preference! The end effect is very similar - you are coating the design on the stamp in ink and then pressing the stamp onto card or paper to transfer the image.
I have to admit that I found the silicone stamps a bit daunting in the past, but this kit has changed my mind! They print so cleanly, and are easier to position as you can see through the block. Plus, when you get stamps as a set then you can create different designs by using them together in different ways.
My experience with this kit
I have to admit that I'm no beginner when it comes to card making! I hardly ever buy cards, I always like to make them for birthdays and special occasions. However, I haven't done much in the way of stamping before, and I've been keen to do a stamped cards kit with Cosy Craft Club for a long time!
I was not disappointed - this kit was so fun to do, and the cards were easy to make and look brilliant. Della has written such clear instructions (as well as the detailed videos) that it makes the card making process really straightforward, so I hope that you find it as easy and fun as I did.
My main suggestion would be to practice using the stamps on the extra card included in the kit before you go onto the materials for the cards. This just allows you to learn how to ink the stamps so they print really well, and how much pressure to apply.
If you have small, sharp scissors then that is helpful for cutting out some of the more complicated shapes, but as it is just paper that you're cutting through, almost any scissors will do just fine. I used a glue stick for most of the sticking, but if you don't have one you could use PVA glue or double sided sticky tape instead.
Once you've made the designs in the kit, I would really recommend that you have fun using the stamps to come up with your own designs. The options are almost limitless and it's a great way of being creative in a controlled way!
Della has created a detailed set of video instructions for this kit, so I felt that there was no need to create an additional Cosy Craft Club video tutorial myself. Here is the link to her videos (the link is also in the instructions in the kit):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIeKf5nxD-o&list=PLBcQeIOrrjRHTK3qSVjKWp-pIwnHet4BR
Next steps
If you have enjoyed making your stamped cards and want to make more cards, then the world is your oyster! There are so many card making techniques to try, and simple designs that can be made with whatever you have to hand.
If you want to do more stamped cards, you can buy stamps from almost any craft shop in person or online! I particularly like the rubber stamps from The English Stamp Company (their Instagram feed is also very inspiring!). Stampin up is another option, with a wide range of card making supplies and tools (not just stamps!) - be warned though, there is an almost infinite number of supplies you can buy!
I have also created a Pinterest board of simple stamp making ideas, if you like the idea of making your own stamps as well :)
If you're more interested in general card making (not just stamping) then there are lots of simple ideas you can make with what you have, such as patterned paper, watercolour paints and felt tip pens. These are the kinds of techniques I use when I make cards! The Pinterest board below is one that I've created for myself over the years, with simple designs that look really effective. I thought I'd share it with you to inspire your own card making (click the picture to see the Pinterest board). Good luck!
