Monthly Stamp Classes - All Occasion Card and Christmas Card

We'll be creating two adorable cards in October during my monthly stamp classes - Just Because card (inspired by Mary Fish) and a Christmas card (CASE'd from Jill Olsen).  When I saw both these cards, I just knew my stamping friends would love to create them!  (I had the honor of meeting both these ladies during Founder's Circle a few weeks ago and what wonderful people they are!  I even included a picture of Mary and I!)

Isn't this card just adorable?  I love the colors - Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight and Strawberry Slush - together!  Such an interesting color combination.

The leaf really "pops" because it is heat embossed with white embossing powder.  The sentiment "Just Because" comes the stamp set A Dozen Thoughts.  It's a very versatile set!

This next card I received from Jill Olsen during the largest swap and pajama party I'd ever been to!  During Founder's Circle, we swapped 120 cards.  The line started in the lobby of the hotel (thank goodness the entire hotel was booked with just Stampin' Up! people), wound down the hallway through the restaurant and seating area and finally finished in the conference room.

Getting ready to swap our cards!  Us first-timers had to stick together!

 Here is the swap card I received from Jill.  Is that cute or what?

What a fun month of stamping it's going to be!  If you live in the Dallas Fort Worth area and would like to attend one of the monthly stamp classes, simply email me and let me know.  I'd love for you to come stamp with me!

How Stampin' Up! Ink Pads Are Made

I never would have guessed how the Stampin' Up! ink pads are created and put together!  (And I bet once you read this, you'll be just as surprised as I was.)  This was part of the Kanab factory tour that I went on this past week during the Founder's Circle retreat.  And just like how stamp sets are made, the ink pads are also put together by people (and not just machines).  I've got a whole new perspective when I use my stamps and ink pads now.  When I think of a factory, I generally think of lots of machines and a few people.  This process of making ink pads is all about lots of great people utilizing machines to help them get the work done!

So, the next time you order a stamp set or ink pad, just think!  An actual person took the time to put that together for you!  Awesome!

The first step in making the ink pad is to get a gigantic mixing bowl!  Add in 100 firm foam pads, the ink color and mix!  Isn't that a hoot?

The scale that they use in the process knows exactly how many foam pads are in the bowl and then it also tells them how much ink to pour in.

 

Labels are put on the outside of the plastic case.

While the ink pads are mixing, others are working to attach the top lid of the ink pad to the bottom lid as well as add adhesive so the pad sticks to one side.

Is that fun or what?  Even though there are machines to help, it still takes people to make it happen!  It was an amazing process to watch how the Stampin' Up! ink pads are created.

Check out all the ink pads on my online store.

How Stampin' Up! Stamp Sets are Made

One of the highlights of the Founder's Circle retreat this past week was touring the factory in Kanab and learning all about how the Stampin' Up! stamp sets were made.  What a fascinating process!  Not only did I watch the process, I actually got to have a hands-on experience!

Keep in mind that this is just an overview from what I remember (the longer I wait to write something down, the less I remember.  Anyone else have this trouble?).  I'm sure I'm leaving out something or maybe not getting things in the right order, but each step of the process is so interesting and it was like, "So that's how they do it!".  So I hope as you read the steps and see the pictures, you, too, might think this is a pretty cool and amazing process.

One BIG thing I did not realize or even think about before the tour, was how many steps in the process are still done by hand!  Yes, there are machines to help with the job but it still takes a live person to make it all happen!

First, a plastic "plate" or "mold" of the stamp set is created (I don't know how the plate is made so it must be magic!) and they create a die cut so the images can be easily cut out (I'll explain more when we get to that step).

Next, the rubber is cut into the size sheets needed for the stamp set.  This machine helps with keeping the rubber straight as it comes off the spool.

 

I was a little slow in cutting the rubber (I think I was more concerned with getting my fingers out of the way of blade).  When the guy above cut the rubber, he was flying!

 

My friend, Gen, getting a turn at cutting.

 The rubber is then placed face down onto the molds and put into an oven (4 plates and 4 pieces of rubber are baked at one time).  The oven "bakes" and pressurizes the rubber so it "melts" into the molds.  If I remember correctly, it only stays in the oven a few minutes.  The picture below shows the rubber once it's finished "baking" in the oven.

Once it's finished "cooking", the melted rubber with the attached plates is taken to a large work table where it is cut apart using a box cutter.

 

The rubber can then be pulled away from the plate and the excess along the edges is trimmed off.

Next, the stamp set is placed on a cooling rack for a few minutes and then it's ready for the sticky back to be applied.

 

Once the sticky back is applied,  the stamp set is ready for the die cut machine where the images are cut out perfectly.  I just pushed the buttons on the machine and in 2 seconds, the stamps are punched out.  Now that's power!

 The final step is packaging - putting the stamp set in the box along with the sticker sheet and the label for the outside.  (Don't ask me why I have my mouth open again!  Too much excitement for one day, I guess!)

Whew!! I think that's it!  What did you think?

What a process, huh? 

I will never forget this tour and all that I have learned about how stamp sets are made from the plastic molds to the melting rubber to packaging it all together.  It takes people - wonderful, dedicated people - to make it happen and I'm blessed to have seen firsthand how stamps are made!