Hi, I love how you 'use what you have.' I watched your video on not buying more 'stuff'. I'm like you were, an impulse buyer and I used to subscribe to all the card making YT channels and I would 'need' everything they used. 😒 Then, I unsubscribed to all the newsletters and YT channels . . . but then went off card making (it turns out the real hobby with me was buying 'stuff'.) However, after watching your videos I have gotten some of my enthusiasm back (I have still bought some 'stuff', but only what I needed.) Thank you for giving me the joy back! 👍💖
Wowza!!!! I love this!!!! I had no idea how amazing these blocks are….I’m now rushing to google search where I can buy them🤣 Thanks so much for sharing…so glad I found your channel and have now happily subscribed. 🙌🏻😎
wow! I LOVE this video! I really love the galaxy, too! I love that vegetable bag, as well as the floral piece you used. goodness, I love your creativity!
Hi beautiful, I feel you may already know about this trick, but just incase, I wanted to let you know that u can just put a hardcover book or something similar that will fit and do the job,under the canvas and when you push in , it will be firm! Just make sure that it fits inside the hollow part and doesn’t go over the wood edges/frame and you can press as hard as your heart desires 💕 Also thank you for this video ! I’m just now learning about any of this , however something pulled at me to watch this specific video first, and I’m so GLAD because I have lots of acrylic paint and only have alcohol inks. Now instead of letting that be a hindrance and having to wait until I can afford everything, I NOW SEE AND KNOW, I can just invest in these blocks and I’m good to start my new journey for now! PRICELESS 💕
I have these, packed away since I was to have moved several months ago. I am still excited to do this, loved them all, particularly placemat and triangles.
Hey, Laurel, thanks for the tip on the Fexispot table. I have had mine for several months now. I promised myself that I would not make cards in 1 square foot on my ironing board in my new craft room. I bought the biggest Flexispot I could squeeze into my craft room-30” x 60” thinking it would be large enough to raise and use for a cutting table, too. I’m still crafting in 1 square foot because all my stuff is piled around me but I love it. By the way, I have measured and the IKEA Alex on casters will fit under it at the lowest point on my table.
I love these videos where you just let loose with whatever is around. Love the idea of household objects for texture. How about some bubble wrap? corrugated cardboard? even a scrubbing brush? I think the placemat prints were my faves. I'm a sucker for any kind of swirl (koru design)
Wow this is amazing! I would go outside and do tree bark, grass, leaves, a tire, the sidewalk, a fence ect. I could go all day. I definitely need to get a package of this stuff.
I was gifted some of this foam and have been trying lots of things with it, layering the leftover paper from my favorite die cut to get a stamp of the die cut, small almost flat jewelry charms, and opposites of my pattern stamps. When you store them, make sure they're on top because they will get compressed and can be restored with heat, but it can damage impressions you want to keep.
I have these foam blocks. Have only used one but 9t worked great and I've used it a lot. I like your background ideas. Gonna look around my house for something to do like yours. The impression stays forever. I love the 1 I made. Thx for video. Austin,TX USA
Thanks so much for sharing! I got mine for Christmas and haven’t played with them yet. Now I’m inspired! Looks like I could make stamps of some of my favorite stencils. Can’t wait to try it. 💕💖✨
Laurel, this tutorial is priceless! I've had these blocks tucked away myself. Why? I'm getting them out TODAY! I needed this inspiration! You are amazing! (Love how your mind thinks out- of- the- box! ♥️) You're the bestest! 😁 Thank you!
Pretty cool backgrounds never heard of these foam blocks but don’t get out much. For real 😢. No craft stores nearby 1 - 2 hours away darn it. That’s ok May save me from over doing it. Although do my share on Amazon not the same as in person. TFS loved your work. Hop3 you got your desk and chair back. Silly hubby!
Awesome ideas! I’d love to see you do this with the 4 sides of the blocks if possible; I’m picturing the long narrow printed strips being used as washi tape, small bookmarks, labels, signatures, etc. Thanks for the inspo!
I tried to do all sides but the nozzle of my heat tool is wider so the heat would smooth out the sides. Back and front were not a problem but when you add in a size, it starts to loose its shape due to my heat nozzle
Did you think about imprinting the back of your heart gun? 💚 Thank you so much for the idea. The nearest craft store where I live has very little selection for paper crafters.
I get a kick out all of the videos when I see these blocks being demonstrated because there is nothing new under the sun. I remember these from back in the late nineties. I used to belong to a scrapbooking group back in the days in independently owned scrapbooking stores, where they would have classes to demonstrate new products. It was before there was ever Pinterest. It was when out laptops were as heavy as a cement block…lol. Yes, I have been around the block a few times when it comes to fads that came, went, came back, went…and here we are again! Lol. What I do like about this version though is the size. The other ones were blue and smaller. I still have mine. Anyway, I remember the demonstration and the eagerness of everyone as we walked around the store looking for thing to imprint. One if the “finds” was to take the thin side of the block and pressing it into the bottom of border punches. You would have thought that we had just landed on the moon…and it was worthless because it was near impossible to get the block into that tiny space…and when we succeeded, it was near impossible to line the block up for continuous stamping…a straight continuous line. We were mad women as we tried to make “ the first to discover” discoveries. I miss those silly days. We were adults with kindergarten attitudes and the paper craft market was new territory with lots of new discoveries…now decades old…so there is nothing new under the sun except for the new generation discovering old things…but it is new for them. Boy do I envy them now because discovering new things is do much fun! Enjoy!!!….before it gets old!! 😁
Love all the great backgrounds you made with the stamping foam. Can't wait to see them made into cards!! Could you please tell me what the brand and name of the embossing folder with the dots and stars that you used? Love it!!! Thanks for always making me laugh and learning new techniques!!
Yes, that embossing folder is amazing. As is this technique that Laurel shared!!! I had these blocks on my shopping list but forgot why I thought I needed them and didn't order them. Now, I think that I really need to!!
because most of the time, when you add water to non water color cardstock, it pills and cracks. I was using minimal water so I didn't use my watercolor cardstock, which is generally more expensive than plain cardstock.
I cannot get over the paw prints! My baby passed and I wanted his paw print so bad and we used ink from a pen….do not recommend. I love these thank you so much for sharing
Thanks for showing all these different ways to use this foam. Technically you are still stamping…because the foam becomes the stamp. I would love to see the backgrounds used in completed cards.
I finally treated myself to a set but have found myself trying to figure out what to use for prints. I think it's possible I'm too Type A brained for it lol
Wow that is so fun! Question, after making your prints, if you still have ink in the wells can you reheat the block to bring the ink to the surface, spritz with water, and get a negative pint?
I have to laugh..... this stamping foam has been around for quite a long time. The 2 I have are blue and I think I bought them in a stamp store about 15 years ago. You don't even have to buy "special" foam....any old thick generic foam from a craft store will work...it's a property of the foam - any craft foam. I'm sorry to say that Simon Hurley did NOT come up with this. My two pieces have been sitting neglected in a drawer in my basement for years, the last impression I made still on them. I heated them up and they work as well today as they did 15 years ago. Everything old is new again!! lol. Save yourself some money...buy the cheap stuff first to see if you like it. If you do, then go ahead and buy the Ranger ones. The nice thing about the generic foam is that you can make them ANY size you want! And THAT'S cool!
Cable knit sweater, jewelry, apple cutter, heat vent, lace, buttons, a row of crayons?, a fist? Teeth?, ear?, corks, belt buckle, comb?, fancy knobs, belts? Embossed book spine, small picture frames, open faced clock, cassette tape, scotch tape, those little sewing scissors with the stork or others, a pen paintbrush ... I'll shut up now.
