Why did I start #ShopYourCraftStash?

I am going to be a trailblazer and start a hashtag – #ShopYourCraftStash!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are like me you already have a lot of products – a craft stash – and also have a budget that you’ve established for your papercrafting pursuits.  Knowing that it would not be a good idea to order whatever I see whenever I see it, I want to use what I have with minimal investment on new items other than those things that are on trend, totally new to the market or replace items that I have used up.

And – honestly – many “new” products are throwbacks from previous versions. To me it just does not make sense to order a stamp set that contains images I already have.  Yes, some of the new styles of things are totally adorable or a better size or may contain other images I don’t have. If that’s the case – I get it! But I am not one to buy new just because it IS new.

Thus was born the #ShopYourCraftStash series!  I thought it would be a great idea to share how to use product I already own with a few select new products.  That means I am making more informed decisions as I now look at new product and think what do I already own that I could pair with it that is new and will give a fresh look to an old favorite.  Since I was already doing this personally, and since I am known for being a sensible, not salesy, not a Crafting Enabler I thought you could also benefit from this idea.

I actually tested this concept with a small group and they went NUTS! They LOVED #ShopYourCraftStash projects and loved that I was able to show them how to get their “I love new stuff” fix but do so with an eye toward spending SMARTLY and getting even more value out of their previous investments. Feedback was that they all felt more joy and less guilt in their crafting, felt a greater confidence in buying new things and knowing HOW they would be using them and loving the idea that they could use “old” things and still create new and fresh and fun projects.

So watch for my projects branded with my new #ShopYourCraftStash hashtag and feel free to share your OWN projects using the same hashtag so we can go and tell you how awesome you are!

Now that you understand my new series how about a fun card for it.  For my #ShopYourCraftStash today I am again using a piece of the Feels Like Frost designer series paper.  The pattern I chose reminded me of the spray from Jar of Love.  I pulled it out and began creating.  The paper I chose to use paired well with Highland Heather so that is the one I used.  I cut a panel of the paper and mounted it onto a piece of Highland Heather card stock.  The dsp had bokeh dots on it so I pulled out the Beauty Abounds stamp set and added some to the Whisper White card base staying to the top as the designer series paper will be on the bottom.  The dsp panel was attached to the bottom of the card front.  On scrap paper I used Highland Heather ink to stamp the sentiment and the image.  The image also has a second and third generation stamps to add some interest to the background to mimic the dsp.  For the image I use a 2 1/4″ circle punch to punch it out.  It was mounted onto a 2 1/2″ circle of Highland Heather.  This element was then added to the center of the card front using dimensionals.  the sentiment was punched out using a 1″ circle punch and mounted onto a 1 1/4″ circle punch.  It was added to the upper left hand corner of the card front using dimensionals.  Here is the completed creation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

inside of card and envelope

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stampin’ Up supplies used for my creation