Although the art of Letterpress has been around for a long time, today’s Letterpress Printing Plates, from Lifestyle Crafts (formerly known as Quickutz), feature fresh, contemporary designs that can be mixed and matched in limitless combinations. Each Printing Plate set is sold in themed packs to enable your creativity and capture your favorite lifetime events. Although the Printing Plates are categorized into five events, most of the designs can be used for a variety of projects-the more Printing Plate sets you have, the more versatility you will enjoy! Lifestyle Crafts printing plates are truly an elegant way to dress up an invitation or card.

New CHA Releases are due to arrive April 1st! These include: Nautical, Botanical and Petals Printing Plates!

What Is Letterpress Printing?

The Letterpress from Quickutz’s Division Lifestyle Crafts (L), sets the standard for easy to use, affordable letterpress printing that’s practical for any home crafter. The standard letterpress process involves printing words, letters, or designs with ink while simultaneously debossing it into a thick, soft paper. Over the past several years letterpress has seen a resurgence in popularity, evolving into a modern art form that epitomizes class and high quality.

Letterpress as an upcoming trend among everyday crafters

Letterpress printing has seen a revival in the past few years, particularly due to the interest created by the use of letterpress for wedding invitations in contemporary magazines and websites. The popularity of this form of printing has continued to grow and become one of the most sought after looks for stationery, invitations, cards, gifts, and much more. Because of the size, price and lack of accessibility to a traditional letterpress machine, this art form has yet to become available to the everyday home crafter…until the release of the Quickutz Epic Six Die-Cutting Tool.

Letterpress printing from Lifestyle Crafts

The Letterpress from Lifestyle Crafts, or L, sets the standard for easy to use, affordable letterpress printing that’s practical for any home crafter. With the L Letterpress product line you can create handmade letterpress projects like cards, invitations, gifts, stationery and more. From simple day-to-day expressions and correspondence to momentous occasions like weddings and babies, the L Letterpress enables you to creatively celebrate every event in life.

L Printing Plates feature fresh, contemporary designs that are divided into 5 categories:

• Everyday
• Baby
• Celebrations
• Wedding
• Holiday

I hope that this has answered many of your questions about the Letterpress Printing Plates! This is a great technique to learn and lots of fun!

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Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

For all of you who are stampers, or who would like to be stampers, we would like to bring to your attention JustRite Stampers! I think you will be very  impressed with their products!I know that I am!

Now, I will admit that I have dabbled with stamps here and there, but never really knew what to do with them, so they have been a tiny bit intimidating! Since bringing on a couple of stamp companies, I am finding that I really want to do more with stamps! There are so many beautiful stamps out there!

For starters, JustRite are grooved on the back of the stamps which fit perfectly into the grooved surface of their coordinating stampers! This is great since you can mix and match borders, centers and fonts and they will match up perfectly to make your stamp unique to its purpose!

They offer wood stampers in different sizes, as well as clear stampers, which help you to see exactly where you want to place your image or sentiment. They also coordinate with some Spellbinder dies, Marvy Uchida Clever Lever Punches and even a few EK Success and Stampin’ Up punches!

They also offer a line of Cling Stamps and acrylic blocks that you can mix and match also!Mix and match with a variety of themes, verses, sentiments and alphabets!

I did a little playing last night with the JustRite Stamps to show you some examples.

For my chocolate kiss vase I used JB-09500 1 5/8″ Clear Stamper with the JB-09720 Romantic Sentiments Centers for the flower centers. For the main center I used my I-Top Tool and a large Brad-Daddy. The flowers are Petaloo- Love You  Flora Doodles. I placed the main flower on a back made from S5-027 Labels Twenty One, which I cut out on my Cuttlebug.

My card was as easy as can be! I stamped two images using the Cling Stamps CL-02075 You Inspire Me in two different shades of blue, punched the bottom with a scalloped punch, cut by hand the top image then used adhesive foam to stack them. The center was stamped and punched with  a circle punch. I used Martha Stewart border punches for the edges.

Of course I have to do a scrapbook page, so I started with paper from DCWV Nana’s Nursery 12 x 12 paper stack. The stamps are from JB-09265 The Greatest Joy Set. I used #4 die from Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large, then #4 die of Classic Scalloped Ovals Large and #4 Beaded Ovals die. The butterfly is from the new Fanciful Flight Set ( I love this set!) and Petaloo Love You Flora Doodles.

You’ve really got to give these stamps a try! They are great to use! Easy clean-up too! I’m sure that you will come up with some great projects!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

I’ve heard it said about crafters that 90% are copiers and 10% original designers. I wonder why the majority are copiers. Do we not feel comfortable with our own talents? Are we not adventurous with wanting to try new things?

I think that maybe a lot of it stems from time! With our very busy schedules, we are not able to spend the time it takes to really relax and experiment! At least that is the case with myself! It takes much less of my time to copy an idea, and just make a few changes to make it mine!

If you have ever watched a child playing, they are totally absorbed in what they are doing. The world around them fades away and they are in a world completely made up of their imagination! Everything is possible! They think big! Time does not exist for children at play!

At what point do we lose this ability to become totally immersed in play? We surely seem to immerse ourselves when it involves family and work!

I challenge all copiers, including myself, to take more time to play and try something new! Be original! Learn a new technique and try it a different way! Take back your creativity and make something completely your own! Let somebody want to copy you! Be a kid again (okay, so it will only be in spirit), but remember to think big!

Everything is possible when creating. Let mistakes be opportunities! Let your imagination run wild! You can do it!

I am anxious to begin this challenge! I hope my creative journey lasts a long time because I want to have fun! I hope you will join in!

Tomorrow I’ll be introducing one of the new product lines we are carrying! Stay tuned!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

Do your eyes sparkle when you see bling? If so, you are going to be dazzled by  Nestabling! Created by Want2Scrap, this line of rhinestone designs coordinate perfectly with the Spellbinder Nestabilities die templates! Customers will have the luxury of choosing Nestabling styles to go along with popular Spellbinders’ designs as well as some of the brand new 2011 CHA releases! Offered in a variety of colors. Make your projects sparkle! These awesome rhinestone designs are fun and easy to work with! Want2Scrap will start shipping the new releases April 1st! See video below:

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You will also want to use their Bling, Baby Bling, Rhinestone Gems, Pearls, Strips Bling, Brackets, and Swirls! You’ll want to add a little bling to everything! These items will be arriving soon!

I was introduced to Nestabling using the 2011 release that coordinates with S5-030 Fancy Tags Two!  Here are a few quick projects that I used them for!

For my first project I used paper from DCWV 12 x 12 Whimsy Paper Stack, S4-311 Labels Nineteen, S5-030 Fancy Tags Two with coordinating Nestabling!

This card was unbelievably easy using DCWV 4.5 x 6.5 Whimsy Mat Stack, S5-030 Fancy Tags Two with coordinating Nestabling! Fast, easy and pretty! It looks like I spent hours using glitter and rhinestones! NOT!!!

I love to scrap my granddaughter! She may be little, but she cracks me up with her big personality! She is already showing off like a “Little Clown”, so I decided on Graphic 45 Le Cirque 12 x 12 paper pad. The colors are as vibrant as she is, so it is perfect! I also used LF-246 Grand Labels Eleven and, of coarse, S5-030 Fancy Tags Two with Nestabling! After all, the Big Top has pizazz!

I can’t wait until the new Nestabling arrives! It is such a quick and easy embellishment and adds so much to your project! I am sold!

Keep watch for these items coming soon!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’

Carrie

Many of you are anxious for the release of the new Graphic 45 Le Cirque and Curtain Call Collections. Understandably so! The exquisite artwork that the designers at Graphic 45 present in the latest of their incredible line of scrapbook paper is definitely something to be excited about!

You can really be thrilled because they are now on our website in both 12 x 12  and 8 x 8 paper pads! You will want to get your order in now! Graphic 45 is shipping next week, and we will begin shipping orders as soon as our shipment arrives!

Le Cirque captures the vivid excitement and kaledescope of color at the Big Top from the early 20th century. It will bring back childhood memories of  the circus as you let your creative character shine through the projects you create!

Curtain Call is timeless, with its glamorous creams and blacks! Very Romantic! You may have to put on an old movie as you let your imagination dance with this collection!

I will have some examples to show you from this new Graphic 45 release  in the upcoming week! So keep an eye on our BLOG!

Thanks and Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

The Cut@Home girls had a great time at the Scrapbook USA Expo in Sandy Utah on Friday.  For those of you who have never been, this event is really a lot of fun. The vendors are set up around the perimeter of the room and in the middle are tables where people bring all their scrapbook supplies and gather as friends and family to crop ’til you drop! There is food, music and prizes to keep you going all day and night!

We found some great deals on paper from DCWV and embellishments at Basic Grey! Imaginisce was there with their great little tools, the I-top and I-Roc and we saw the new Sizzix TIEF’s – sooo cute!

The highlight was visiting with our friends Emma Lou and Richard from Heartfelt Creations! As you know, Heartfelt Creations is our very first rubber stamp company here at Cut@Home. We chose to lead off with them because of their stunning designs, superb quality and the coordinating Spellbinders stamps and exclusive dies.  Emma Lou is always so gracious and fun to work with.

From left to right is Tauna, Emma Lou, Janeth and Shaylee (my granddaughter!) and Carrie. We are a happy bunch!

Happy Scrappin!

Marcie

Many of you have expressed confusion about how to use the new Cuttlebug Embossing Folders Plus! We have posted a “How to” video on our site to help you as the instructions on the packaging are not very clear.

The most important thing to remember before beginning is to remove the cardboard backing by removing the two green tabs at the top! DO NOT TRY RUNNING THE FOLDER THROUGH YOUR MACHINE BEFORE DOING THIS! You could break your plates or your machine!

Once these are removed,  you can take the folder off of the backing and follow the instructions on the backing.

These are so fun and easy that we want you to have fun too!

Happy Scrappin’!

Carrie

Here at CutAtHome.com we have provided some helpful Scrapbooking and Card Making videos on many of the products we carry.  We specialize in carrying only the best Die Cutting Machines, Scrapbooking Dies or Die Cuts, Embossing Folders, Rubber Stamps, Embellishments, and unique Scrapbook Paper Pads on the market! With over 3000 products, we are committed to bringing you the best in online shopping and the best in customer service. If you don’t find what video you are looking for you can go to our YouTube Channel as well: CLICK HERE!

Die Cutting Machines – These videos show some of the different scrapbook die cutting machines that are out there on the market and their distinguishing features of each machine to help you decide which scrapbooking tool is right for you.

Letterpress with Die Cutting Machines – Brief videos on how to letterpress with the different die cutting and embossing machines out on the market.

Scrapooking Dies  and Die-Cuts - These videos show some different types of scrapbook dies that are out there on the market and their distinguishing features of each. These videos will give you a better idea of how to better use these scrapbook dies for your scrapbooking or card making projects before purchasing. Videos include those of Spellbinders,Sizzix,Provo Craft, and Quickutz/Lifestyle Crafts.

Spellbinders – These videos show all the different dies that Spellbinders offers including the famous Nestabilities. Stacey Caron demonstrates all dies in the Wizard and how to use them correctly and create beautiful scrapbooking pages and cards.

Scrapbook Embellishments – These videos show different kinds of scrapbook embellishments and how to use them in your projects.  There are many kinds of embellishments to accent a card or scrapbooking page!

Scrapbooking Paper – These videos show some of the different paper lines that we carry in 12×12, 8×8, 6×6, and 4.5×6.5. We carry many of the best paper and scrapbook paper pads from Basic Grey, My Mind’ Eye, Graphic 45, and Die Cuts With A View, Teresa Collins, First Edition, and Tim Holtz paper.

Inspired Crafts – This video shows some of the different products that you can use to clean and preserve your die cuts, die cutting machines, scrapbook punches, and so much more.

Scor-Buddy – This video shows a demo of some simple folds done with the new mini version of the Scor-Pal, but mainly just shows how small and portable this scoring tool is. It is a card makers dream!

Scor-Pal – This video is a quick demo at CHA 2011 of how simple it is to do paper folding and fun cards with the Scor-Pal if you are interested in the bigger tool. Both the Scor-Buddy and Scor-Pal are high quality card making tools.

Imaginisce I-Rock Tool – This video demo shows some of the products that you can use with the I Rock tool and also a short demo on how to use the tool. The i-rock will permanently affix rhinestones, jewels, pearls, or mirrors to paper, fabric, or even furniture.

Heartfelt Creations and Spellbinders EXCLUSIVE Dies – This video is of Emma Lou of Heartfelt Creations demonstrating how to use their Rubber Stamps with the new Spellbinders Dies.

Heartfelt Creations Spellbinders Card – This 5 min video shows how to make a gorgeous card in only a couple of minutes with the posy patch stamp & die cut set. Also with the angel trumpet stamps and decorative oval frame die.

No More Shims Embossing Mat – This is a quick video showing Scor-Pal Embossing Mat designed to be used in the Cuttlebug,Big Shot, and Other Die Cutting Machines.