5 Things I Learned While Working With The Wondrous Wreath Stamp Set And Framelits

Have you ever admired a particular stamp technique and drooled over the many cards on Pinterest made using it? When there are so many wonderfully executed cards being displayed, surely the technique is an easy one, right? Not necessarily.

Ever since purchasing the Wondrous Wreath stamp set and matching framelits, I have been itching to try them out. I thought I'd sit down and knock off a few different card versions in no time.

Uh, no.

Stampin' Up! designed these stamps and framelits a little differently from other sets in an effort to make lining things up a little easier. Each of the wreath pieces and the matching framelits (except for the small one) have a tab that is supposed to be oriented up, or at least in the same direction for each piece used.

Since it can be a bit tricky to cut out the wreath and its centre, Stampin' Up! advises us to

1. Use a framelit to cut out the centre of the wreath
2. Stamp the wreath itself (and any of its additions . . . extra leaves, berries)
3. Cut out the wreath itself.

My first problem occurred when I tried to stamp the wreath after removing its centre. The outer part of the framelit left an indent in the paper. Due to this indent, there was a bare spot where the stamp couldn't stamp. I was NOT a happy camper!

I researched online and found that some other demonstrators were also plagued with this indent. However, one enterprising demo, Diane J. Ouellette, found a work-around for this problem.

First she cut the wreath and its centre out of vellum card stock, being sure to mark the top of each piece. She kept the outer part of the vellum, rather than the wreath itself, and the centre piece.

To use these vellum pieces first she would stamp the wreath and any of its additions. Next she put the stamped wreath on the Magnetic Platform and arranged the vellum frame and inner piece over the wreath, using temporary adhesive to keep the pieces in place. Lastly she added both framelits and cut out the wreath. No more indent!

One problem solved! However, my second issue was the stamping itself.

When I stamped I made sure to apply the lessons I learned about photopolymer stamps from 3 Things To Know Before Using The Flower Patch Stamp Set. However, when I stamped the second set of leaves, they didn't look right! It took me a bit to realize that the extra leaves were meant to totally overlap some of the existing stamped leaves! Once I knew that, I had to practice, practice, practice to get the extra leaves placed correctly on my wreath. This is where scrap paper and a lot of patience can be a good friend!

One other frustrating problem occurred while using the Joy framelit included in the set. The two words, Joy and Noel are very intricate and thin. Removing them intact from the framelit can be a real challenge! In order to save my sanity, I resorted to putting a layer of waxed paper between the die and my glimmer paper. This enabled me to carefully remove my die cut word with the help of my paper piercer. I was able to get under the waxed paper and carefully push the glimmer paper out of the framelit.

So, if you are going to be working with the Wondrous Wreath stamp set and matching framelits, remember these things:

1. Cut a vellum template to use with the stamps/framelits.
2. Use the tips for photopolymer stamps I shared in 3 Things To Know Before Using The Flower Patch Stamp Set.
3. Practice, practice, practice stamping and lining up the additional stamps for the wreath.
4. Use a piece of waxed paper between your card stock and the intricate word dies.
5. A ready supply of patience!

Now here are a few shots of my card from different angles and a couple of close ups to show you the sparkle of the Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper and the twinkling Rhinestones.

I hope you will try working with the Wondrous Wreath set—it is truly beautiful! Drop me a comment below with a link to your creations.

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