Q & A, PART TWO

Waaay back in May I had offered some blog candy. To enter, readers could ask stamping related questions. I addressed some of the questions in THIS POST, and here are some more ...

Q. Are you attending the Stampin' Up! Convention at the end of the month in Salt Lake?

A. Unfortunately, no ... I won't be attending this year's convention ... just couldn't swing it, financially. Hopefully, I'll make it to convention next year! I will be there in spirit through many of my stamping/blogging friends, and can't WAIT to see all their blog entries with convention highlights!

Q. What you are hoping to see in the new Catalog & Idea Book coming out in August?

A. The release of a new Stampin' Up! catalog is always an exciting time! As far as stamp sets go, I'm never really sold or excited about a stamp set until I see it in action. I would love to see more "useful" sentiments appropriate for the inside of cards, especially with birthday themes. I'd also love to see more stamp sets similar to Merry & Bright and Tart & Tangy ... versatile, useful, and affordable.

I can't WAIT to see the new Designer Papers ... I'd love to see a dp package with a Black & White color scheme! I hope to see more Simply Scrappin' Kits similar to Crew Kids Girl and Winter Bright, and more embellishments like Flower Fusion. It would be so cool if Stampin' Up! came out with something similar to Nestabilities too! WHITE brads would be nice too!

Demonstrators were informed recently that all the NEW stamp sets appearing in the new catalog will be die cut. Stampin' Up! is also coming out with a new scallop punch for scallop borders, among other sneak peek products!

Q. How in the world were you able to get 200,000 visitors to your blog in less than one year?

A. That number boggles my mind too! I don't have any "formula", but here's a few things I do that I think contribute to my blog's success, and may be helpful to others thinking about starting a blog ...

1) I do ALOT of linking! If there's a tutorial out there for something I'm showing, I link it. If my card was inspired by or cased from someone, I link their original. If I'm showing a card created from a challenge, I link it. What goes around, comes around!

2) When I post my artwork on splitcoaststampers.com, I always give a brief description, and say something like "For more details, see my blog, iSTAMP"... and link to the POST (not the blog). If someone looks at your card on SCS months down the road and wants to go to your blog for more details, you don't want to make them search your blog for that card. By linking directly to the POST, you're making it more convenient for the reader.

3) Leave frequent comments for others on their blogs and on SCS. For me, comments are incredibly motivating, and a fantastic way to start a rapport with readers and other bloggers. Again, what goes around, comes around!

4) Try not to ramble on about non-stamping related things. I will occasionally throw in some family related/personal things, but don't ramble on and on about my boring day.

5) Provide a recipe for stamped projects/cards with a consistent format, and describe supplies accurately and detailed (a great way to learn the names of supplies!). When I first started my blog, I would have to pull my catalog out every time for the correct name of a stamp set or product. Now, I rarely have to open the catalog for that purpose! Listing a detailed recipe is a great way to learn SU products!

6) Provide a subscription service like Feedblitz to make it easy for readers to return.

7) Creating an extensive blog roll with links to related blogs is a great way to build a resource for readers. Most bloggers will link you in return.

8) Participating in challenges from splitcoaststampers.com and other blogs also brings in new traffic. Here are some of my favorite blogs for challenges ...

Great Swaps Girls, Poetic Artistry, i{heart}2stamp, KWernerDesignBlog, Taylored Expressions, Our Creative Corner

Q. How did you get the courage to start your blog, and how did you pick your blog name?

A. I don't know if I'd call it "courage", but was completely inspired by other bloggers ... it looked like so much fun! It was a huge learning curve, but through alot of trial and error I think I finally got it down.

The name, iSTAMP, just came to me one day while pondering the thought of starting a blog. I think there were new iPODS being purchased in our family around that time ... shows where my mind was! To me, it made sense because that's what I do ... I stamp!

One piece of advise for new bloggers ... use the name of your blog in the address for your blog ... something I wish I would have done from the start.

Q & A, PART ONE

I've been a bad blogger this week. It's just been busy with the kids finishing up the school year, coordinating summer plans, graduations, etc. What little stamping time I've had has been spent designing cards for three different swaps, then mass assembling them. I got two of them mailed out today, and am finishing up the third swap cards within the next couple of days. I can't wait to show them to you, but want to wait until the swappers see them first!

Remember the iCANDY I offered a couple of weeks ago, and I offered the opportunity to ask me any stamping related question? I'm FINALLY getting around to answering a few of them ....

Some of the challenges with lots of layers are difficult to make a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card. Do you ever make a 5" x 7"? I can't say that I've ever made a 5" x 7" card, but do frequently make the 5 1/4" square.

Other than Splitcoast, which forums do you visit? None really ... Splitcoast and MANY other blogs are my source of inspiration. In case you've never visited Splitcoaststampers, you can find it HERE.

What is one of your favorite blogs that you visit for inspiration? I couldn't possibly choose ONE favorite blog for inspiration! There are so many fantastic bloggers/stampers out there, and my favorites are on my sidebar. Check them out!

Who got you interested in stamping? I'm not really sure WHO, but I did attend a Stampin' Up! demonstration with a friend back in the 90's when I was heavy into scrapbooking and had absolutely NO interest in stamping ... thought the demonstration I attended was a complete waste of my time! I know ... can you believe it?! (btw .. I used to be a Creative Memories Consultant and taught scrapbooking classes!). I remember how awkward the stamps were in my hands, and couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about among all the other participants! Anyway, years later, I decided that I'd like to give stamping another try, and had a friend who stamped. I told her that if she ever had another stamp party, I wanted to be sure to be there. The rest is history!

What do you find most exciting about stamping? So many things! ... 1) The stuff! I've always loved paper, craft items, and do-dads. (I can't go to Walmart or Target without going down the office supply aisle!). Stamping supplies fulfill that need!, 2) You can see an end result in a short amount of time. For me, that's why I get frustrated with scrapbooking because I think there's no end to all the photographs that need put into albums. With stamping, a card can be made in a matter of minutes!, 3) The cards and projects I've made for others (and have offered as projects at my classes) bring alot of joy to people. A handmade card is so much more personal than a store bought card!, 4) the obvious ... it allows me to be creative!

How do you store/reuse your paper scraps? See my system for storing and reusing paper scraps HERE, along with storage for 8 1/2" x 11" Cardstock and 12" x 12" Designer Papers.

What product(s) would you most like to see come in August in the new catalog? Die-Cut Stamp Sets! I'm crossing my fingers! I'm always up for new Designer Papers and Embellishments too!

I'm horrible at cutting, it seems I never get things straight. Any tricks you can share? Yes, Stampin' Up!'s Tabletop Paper Cutter! Couldn't live without that wonderful tool ... straight cuts every time!

I'm a beginner - when do you get over the fear of stamping and start enjoying it? I feel I will mess everything up. Remember, it's just paper! If you do mess up, just re-do! Practice makes perfect! I really do believe that the more your hands are familiar with the tools and mediums, the more skilled you will be with them.

From where do you get your ideas? Are you just a naturally wonderfully creative person? This question is so funny to me, as I really don't consider myself "creative". Growing up on the farm, IF I did have any creativity in me as a child, it certainly wasn't nurtured! Creative people were "city people"! I don't think I did a single creative thing until finding scrapbooking in my 30's! Still, to this day, I don't consider myself "creative" and am rarely satisfied with my own creations! I'm a very visual learner, and spend alot of time looking at other stampers' creations ... I'm simply copying what they're doing with my twist to it!

Do you have any tips on how to organize all the stamps and supplies? Yes, please see THESE POSTS showing how I organize my stamps and supplies in my studio (or go to Labels on my Sidebar ... check out "ORGANIZATION").

I've been thinking of purchasing the Stampin' Up! Scallop Punch. I have the Marvy yellow and blue scallop punch. Is the Stampin' Up! Scallop Punch size in between these two punch sizes? I don't know anything about the Marvy punches, but can tell you that the Stampin' Up! Scallop Punch is 1 3/4" in diameter ... AND I couldn't live without it!

What helps you get in "the mood" to stamp on days you don't feel like it? Sorry, but I'm ALWAYS in the mood for stamping ... no problems there!

Any chance you will move to Seattle as my neighbor? Is the economy better in Seattle than it is in Phoenix? LOL!

Any chance of you coming to Colorado for demonstrations? If anyone would like to foot the bill for that business trip, I'd definitely consider it! It would be fun to take this stampin' gig out on the road!

How many stamp sets do you own? Gol' ... I just did a quick count and came up with approximately 170 sets, including background stamps. MANY are retired. I've also sold MANY retired stamp sets in the six years I've been stamping!

What is your favorite technique? I'm not much of a technique style stamper. I guess what I mean by that is ... embossing and glitter are probably my least favorite things to work with ... they are so messy and I only do them if I have to! I prefer non-messy techniques, and paper piercing is probably the technique I use the most. It's very easy and adds so much to a design!

What stamp set do you reach for most often? That varies, but lately I've been reaching for Tart & Tangy and Enjoy Every Moment most often.

With two busy kids, how much time do you get to stamp each week? That varies too. Some weeks I get almost NO time to stamp (like this week). Other weeks I can really close the door to my studio and crank out some designs, swap cards, and class projects. The challenges on Splitcoast and other blogs are so addictive, and I wish I had time to do every single one of them!

Do you have a stamping purchase that you have regretted later? Yes, I purchased several of the SU retired large monogram stamps when they first came out, and never used a single one of them. I still have the "N" and the "R", and they look really cool standing up on top of my stamp shelf as decor in my studio!

I'll be back another day to answer more of the great questions readers left for me! I cleaned out closets most of the day and am pooped! Off to bed ... thanks for stopping by!