Stampin' Up! Retiring Wish List - Treat Yourself!

Do you have a Stampin' Up! wish list?  Are many of the items on the 2012 retiring list?  Well now is the time to treat yourself!  That's right...the day after Mothers Day gift to yourself.  I love to treat myself to what I really wanted the day after a holiday.  Now remember...keep that to yourself.  I don't think my boys ever visit my blog. :)

Today's card is my version of several cards I have seen on the web recently.  They all have used the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder which I really liked and kept.  I made my changes with the flowers using some of my favorite punches.  Some of which I am sad to say are retiring.   

The center of the middle flower uses the retiring 5-Petal Punch.  This one is going to be sadly missed by everyone.  Besides being used for flowers it is a "go to" punch for many of the punch art projects.  If you don't have it order by May 31.

The two end flowers were made using the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch which is also retiring.  This is a fun punch that punches five different shapes plus what I like to call watermelon seeds. I use it often when I make different types of flowers.  It's listed at a 40% discount...Wow!

I'm happy to say that the colors used for the flowers are the In Colors that will be with us for another year.  They are Pool Party, Calypso Coral, and Lucky Limeade.  

Stamp Set: Happiest Birthday Wishes (Hostess Set - C122617, W122615)

Ink: Chocolate Chip (100908), Crumb Cake (121030)

Paper: Card Stock - Pool Party (122924), Calypso Coral (122925), Lucky Limeade (122926)

Tools: Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (121809), Finial Press Embossing Folder (115963), Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch (122464), Fancy Flower Punch (118073), 5-Petal Punch (119880), Boho Blossoms Punch ( 119858), Big Shot (113439), Stampin Sponges (101610) 

Accessories:  Designer Printed Brads (122940), Bright Brads (119740) 

Check out the Retiring Stamp List and the Retiring Accessories List and place your orders by May 31.  Remember that supplies are on a first come first serve basis and some items are already gone!  I did just check and the two punches featured in today's card are still available as of this morning.  Order now...don't wait!

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Happy Mothers Day - Stampers!

Today I would like to share the card and gift box I will be giving my mother on this very special day!

The card is one I cased from pictures of swaps from last year's convention.  I made a box to match from the Box #2 Die that is retiring this year.  There's a pretty pair of earrings in the box, dark raspberry chocolate in the bottom package and I also have a devotional book not seen in the picture. 

I wish you all a Happy Mother's Day!  I hope yours will be a wonderful day full of happy memories!

Imagine the Possiblities - Stampin' Up!'s New In Colors

I'm soooo excited that my Stampin' Up! shipment arrived!  It came on Tuesday but I had to be gone all day yesterday and didn't get to open the box until this morning.  The new in colors...you are going to fall in love with them.  They're hot and trendy and I couldn't wait to show them to you. Oh!, and you all know how I feel about cute birds.  Isn't he the cutest. This is from the new set Betsy's Blossoms.

The new in colors are:  Raspberry Ripple, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Primrose Petal, and Summer Starfruit.  Don't hey even sound like fun. :) You will be able to order these products beginning June 1, 2012.

I also want to tell you about the new foam stamp pads.  I love them!  They really do stamp clean and clearer.  The solid bird stamp looks awesome and no need to fill anything in with a blender pen.  I so much want to replace all my ink pads.  Not right away though - there are too many awesome new stamps sets on my wish list. lol 

Have you checked out the Retiring Accessories List!  Are your Stampin' Up! favorites still available?  There are great deals on select items but you need to place your order ASAP.  And that's because Accessories are Only Available While Supplies Last.  Items marked with an "X" are already gone.  

Stamps Sets on the Retiring Stamp Set List I'm sad to say Goodbye to are - Medallion, Vintage Vogue, Upsy Daisy, Inspired by Nature, Ornate Blossom, and Short and Sweet.  How about you...what are your favorites that will no longer be with us? 

Stop back tomorrow for more sneak peeks from the new 2012-2013 catalog that will be available June 1.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great day!

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The Hoppers Masculine Blog Hop Starts Today

Today begins the Hoppers Blog Hop for May.  The theme is Masculine cards! That's right - no pink or flowers today - these are all cards that would be great for the men in your life.  So if you are one of the many that struggles when you have to make a "man" card this is the perfect hop for you.

Visit each blog in the hop and leave a comment.   This will automatically enter you in a random drawing.  We will announce the winner on May 28, 2012.  A list of links to the other blogs in the hop are at the bottom of my post.  Have fun and good luck!

Lovely As A Tree is a great stamp set for a masculine card.   This is just one of the trees in the set.  Using markers the tree was colored with Certainly Celery and then thumped with Old Olive and Lucky Limeade before stamping. 

Isn't this a fun Father's Day Card?  It's a good thing I had boys and a husband who travelled or I would have never been able tie this tie.  I saw this idea years ago on Mary Fish's blog and thought it would be a great card for our hop.  My version is definitely clean and simple.

Now for the prize.  Look at all these great Stampin' Up! products in our Prize Pack this month.  Remember all you have to do is leave a comment on each blog in the hop.  I hope you enjoy the hop and come away with some great ideas the next time you need a "man" card!

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Stampin' Up!'s Triple Treat Flower - Bleaching Technique

I've been under the weather this past week and just haven't felt like being in my stamp room.  I know that's hard to believe...but is't true.  All week long I have had Hand Stamped Sentiments' colors on my table with the Mojo Monday Sketch and it's still sitting there today.  I've decided to put it all away and later today take a look at this week's challenges.  I encourage you to enter a challenge this week and leave me a comment with the link to your entry.  I would love to take a look.

Today let me show you a project that my Club will be doing this month. We will be stamping and removing color with bleach.  Yes it's an old technique but many of my club members are new to stamping.  And...I remember how in awe I was the first time I applied bleach to my card stock.  Plus some of them haven't embossed yet either.  It's going to be a fun class.

• Stampin' Up!'s Triple Treat Flower has been a favorite this year.   It is an al a carte stamp that is being retired.  :(  If you haven't purchased it yet you might want to think about adding it to your "retiring must have list" and make sure you order it before the end of the month. 

• The Triple Treat flower was heat embossed twice on Rose Red card stock using versa mark and black embossing powder.  You could also get the same effect using black craft ink and clear embossing powder. 

• The first flower was then punched with the Fancy Flower Punch and put aside.  The second flower is where the bleach was used.  Using an Aqua Painter ( or you can use a tiny paint brush) I carefully applied everyday bleach to the inside petals.  Like magic it removes the color.  When dry I punched the flower with the 5 Petal Flower Punch and added it on top of the full flower with a dimensional. The 5 Petal Flower Punch is also on the retiring list but it's a keeper for me.  

• When you work with bleach you need to test it on your card stock to see what color you end up with when the color is removed.  When I tested it on three colors of green I got a different color each time.  Old Olive turns yellow, Certainly Celery a creamy color and Lucky Limeade more of a gray. It's a fun an interesting technique.

If you live in the area (45 to 60 minutes from Jasper Ga)  and would be interested in stamping with us this month either contact me by phone, text, or email or click on my club/class tab at the top of the page for more information and to register.

My order of new catty products will be arriving tomorrow!  I am so excited to begin creating and sharing with you.  Stop back soon...I'll be here since I'm feeling better!

If you are a club member or place a $50 online order by May 31 you will receive a Free 2012-2013 Catalog.  It will ship separate from your order. 

Have a marvelous Monday!

Stamp Sets: Triple Treat Flower (122909) Retiring - order by the end of the month, Friendly Phrases (C126151) (W126149)

Ink: VersaMark (102283)

Paper:  Rose Red (102544), Lucky Limeade (122926), Basic Black (121045), Very Vanilla (101650)

Tools & Accessories: Fancy Flower Punch (118073), 5 Petal Flower Punch (119880) Retiring - order by the end of the month, Black Embossing Powder (109133), Aqua Painter (103954) or small paint brush,  Basic Rhinestones (119246)

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Stampin' Up! $99 Starter Kit, Your Way!

The New Starter Kit is here and it's only $99!  And...you can customize YOUR WAY!

The Choices Are Yours:  Purchase the kit at $99 and you get to choose up to $125 in current Stampin' Up! products.  That's right...any products you would like.  You will also receive a business supplies pack valued at $65. The total value of the kit is $190 and it ships for FREE!  This is a fabulous deal, whether you are a hobby stamper or want to be a business demonstrator.

Not only will you fill your Starter Kit with your favorite Stampin' Up' products but you'll also enjoy Stampin' Up! demonstrator discounts and benefits.  Join my team and know that I will support you whether you are joining for fun and discounts or to build a business.  No pressure to sell or hold workshops.  And if you choose to drop at any time there is no penalty.  

Click here for additional information and to sign up now. 

Since I have been talking about the Starter Kit and becoming a member of my team I wanted to share with you some projects from two members of my team.  Though both of them have done a little paper crafting in the past they both have learned so much in the past six months and stamp and share all the time.  Both are hobby demos that joined for the discounts and do not do workshops.  Neither of them have blogs...yet, but I am hoping that is something they might like to do in the future.

Joyce created the first two cards.  The first was inspired by a card we did in club where she is also a member.  She changed the colors and used the butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die.  It is such a beautiful card in gorgeous colors.

This card Joyce says she cased exactly from one she saw on Dawn Olchefske's site.  I encourage my new team members to case cards they like when they are first starting out.  Coping projects exactly often helps someone new to stamping understand the thought behind a design.  You will then find you begin to be inspired by someone else's work changing many of the elements.  And eventually you will be surprised how you just come up with your own designs.  

Besides our own team meetings Leishman attends PAWS meetings with me. This is a group of demos that meet about 45 minutes from where I live.  We have been challenged to start a creative journal.  It is an idea that was introduced at the Stampin' Up! Regionals this year.  I have to say I haven't started mine but Leishman's is complete and AWESOME.  

This is the cover.  She did the entire journal in SAB Everyday Enchantment DSP, which we all loved.  Isn't it gorgeous.  

Most of the demos have left the inside of their journals completely blank in order to do some of the creative exercises that were given to us at regionals.  Leishman's is more like a scrapbook album with blank pages in the back.  I told her she should also add pictures to her's since it is so beautiful.

She has included quotes about creativity on some pages.

Other pages have flaps and pockets like the ones above and below.

In this pocket she has included the list of creative exercises.

I better get creating my journal because I have a lot to live up to now. :)

These are the cute bunny baskets Leishman used as place cards this Easter.  

Cute girl and boy bunnies! 

So if you have additional questions about joining Stampin' Up! and My Team please don't hesitate to contact me by email or by phone.  I would be happy to talk with you about this great opportunity.

Have a wonderful day and stop back tomorrow!

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Take a look at the retiring lists.  Items are being checked off the accessories list as they become unavailable.  I have already had some disappointed customers because items are gone.  Don't let that be the case for you.

Stampin' Up! Candy Wrapper Die

Busy day today but I did want to stop by with a quick share.  But before I do I want to announce the winner of the Hoppers April Blog Hop.  Congratulations Helen Gullett!  The May Hop will begin next week and will be featuring Masculine Cards.


Now that the Occasions Mini and the Summer Smooches Promotion are over it's time to really think about the retired lists.  I placed an order this week end so I could order the individual markers that I still don't have and found that Regal Rose was already gone. :(  So if there are products on the lists that you really need or want make sure you don't wait too long.

We made these cute Candy Wrapper treat containers at my last downline meeting.  I just purchased this die and was so happy to find that it actually wasn't retiring.  The ends look a bit complicated but I was pleasantly surprised thaall it took was  just a little turn as you opened them out.  Actually very simple.

The colors are Pool Party (such a favorite of mine) and Calypso Coral.  Both are part of the 2011 - 2013 In Colors.  I'm really excited to find out what the new In Colors are going to be.  I can hardly wait.  How about you? 

• This flower was made with the 5 Petal Flower Punch.  I'm really going to miss this punch. Not only can you create small flowers with it I but you can also layer it on top of larger flowers or use it in punch art.

• The  Designer Series Paper and brads are items that are no longer available.  Just choose one of your favorites.

• The DSP can be applied before or after you make the wrapper.  I find it easier before. 

Need to run!  Call or email me if you have questions.  

Spring Inspired With Summer Smooches?

Today's card is one that I made for my Card Buffet this month.  I had the Hand Stamped Sentiments (#115 - Spring) Challenge in mind when I created it.

When I think of spring I think green. It's beautiful living in the North Georgia Mountains and I love to watch all the trees and plants sprout green in the spring.  And then of course all this greenery comes alive with beautiful flowers.   I had to laugh though when I realized I used the Summer Smooches Designer Paper for "Spring Inspired".

• Using a bold pattern like this one can be a bit of a challenge.  I met the challenge by using only two colors, and breaking the pattern up with the solid colored strip across the center of the card.

• I also wanted to keep the focal point simple but then I love clean and simple designs.

• The 5 Petal Flower Punch is one of my favorites.  It's retiring and will only be available until supplies last.  If if you've been thinking about adding this punch to your tool box order it now!

• The Summer Smooches Fabric Brad is gorgeous.  Oh please Stampin' Up! let big fabric brads be in our future this year. :) 

Stamp Set:  Short and Sweet (115060) Wood Only

Ink: Basic Black (101179)

Paper: Summer Smooches DSP (125409), Lucky Limeade (122926), Whisper White (100730)

Tools: 5-Petal Flower (119880), Scallop Trim Border (118402)

Accessories:  Summer Smooches Fabric Brads (No Longer Available)

Tomorrow is the last day to place an order for the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper and the other products in this suite. If you haven't ordered them by the end of the day you will need to wait until June 1. The Petite Purse is so cute for little gifts and candy. Don't wait...order now. :)  

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Summer Smooches and More About the Retired Lists

Busy, busy, busy this week.  Here it is Friday and I'm finally getting around to posting the card I created for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  What a fun card!  When I first saw the Summer Smooches DSP I thought wow this may be too bright and colorful for me.  But I have to tell you I have fallen in love with this paper!  Remember there are only 4 days left to order this Summer Smooches DSP.  After that you will need to wait until you can order from the new catty in June.

• The squares are 1-1/4 inch.  Using a 1-1/4 inch square punch is the fastest way to cut them.  Of course if you don't own that punch you can always cut them with your paper cutter.
• You will notice the sketch shows the squares with space between them.  It made me crazy trying to line them all up so I chose to butt them against each other.  (Remember, you don't have to follow the sketches exactly.)
• The fabric brads are gorgeous and I am so going to miss them.  If you haven't heard yet they are gone and no longer available!  I hope you ordered yours before they ran out.      
• I only had a small piece of the baker's twine left and thought it made the perfect antenna.

Stamp Set:  Fabulous Phrases

Paper : Summer Smooches DSP (125409), Daffodil Delight (119683), Tangerine Tango (111349), Very Vanilla (101650)

Accessories:  Summer Smooches Fabric Brads (No Longer Available), Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Calypso Coral Bakers Twine (125573)

I changed the card some and made it part of my I Love Cards Buffet last night.  I wasn't sure everyone would have the patience to glue on all the squares. :)  Same big beautiful butterfly and brad.  I'm not sure which one I like better.  How about you?  Which is your favorite?  

Additional information about the Accessories Retired List

• You will notice that all the ink pads are on the retired list.  Like I said the day the list came out...not to worry...the colors are not changing.  The ink pads are getting a make over and it's exciting.  New firm foam pads will offer better ink coverage and therefore better stamped images.

• The Craft Ink Pads and Refills will be discontinued except for black and white.

• The Stampin' Write Markers are on the list because in the new catty only select markers will be available individually.  They will still be available in color collections

• 12" x 12" Textured Card Stock will no longer be offered

• 12" x 12" Smooth Card Stock will only be available in select individual colors and color collections.
• Two items were put on the retired list in error.  They were the Craft Scissors and Paper Snips.  Because they were included in error they will not be offered at a discounted price

I hope this clears up some questions you have about the retired lists.  If you have further questions please feel free to contact me by email or phone.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Stampin' Up! Retiring Accessories List 2012 & Big Discounts

Grab yourself a cup of coffee and a pad and pencil...the list is long!

Don't panic when you see the list of stamp pads and markers.  The Stampin' Up! colors are not changing. 

I know you can't wait to check it out.  Besides the actual list make sure you check out the amazing discounts on many of the products.  If you have questions please leave a comment or send an email.  I'll get right back to you.

Click HERE to view the Stampin' Up! Retiring Accessories List.  Retiring accessories are only available while supplies last.  Order your favorite items before they are gone.

Check out the Retiring Definitively Decorative List HERE.  These are also only available while supplies last.

Click HERE to view the Stampin' Up! Retiring Stamp List by Catalog Page Number.  Or view an Alphabetical Listing of the Stampin' UP! Retiring Stamp List HERE.  They will be available for purchase through May 31, 2012.

If there are still some items you would like to order from the Stampin' Up! Summer Smooches Collection remember to do so by April 30th.  The gorgeous fabric brads and the Decor Stencil will not be in the new 2012-2013 Catalog so get them now before they run  out!  Don't forget the Occasions Mini Catalog also expires on April 30th.

Item

125495

 Bright Blossoms Wood-Mount Set

$16.95

 125497

 Bright Blossoms Clear-Mount Set

$12.95

 125409

 Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper

$10.95

 125583

 Daffodil Delight 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon

$6.95

 125411

 Summer Smooches Designer Fabric

$9.95

 125589

 Summer Smooches Fabric Designer Brads*

$6.95

 125626

 Summer Smooches Décor Stencil*

$7.95

 125606

 Petite Purse Bigz L Die

$32.95

 129919

 Summer Smooches Photobook Template

$17.95

 129601

 Summer Smooches Digital Kit

$9.95

Inspired By Nature

Hey Stampers!

Wow it's freezing in the North Georgia mountains today!  I didn't mind when it got a little cooler and breezy the other day but this feels too much like winter again for me.  Looks like the temps will be going back up later this week...yes!

Today's card is one I created for one of our make and takes at yesterday's downline meeting.  It uses a stamp set that I am sad to say is on the retired list and will only be available until 5/31/2012.  Click Here to view all the stamp sets that are heading for retirement on that date.  View Inspired By Nature has two great large images.  These gorgeous flowers and then the grasses that can be used in so many ways.

• The image was colored with Stampin' Write Markers.  I find that it is much easier when I am coloring on a stamp this size to put the stamp on the table, rubber side up, ink with markers and lay the paper on top of the stamp.  Then press down.
• The Early Espresso layer was run thought the Square Lattice Embossing Folder before tearing.  It gives great texture to that layer.  To get a controlled tear hold the paper with your thumb and index finger (I use my left) and tear forward with your dominant hand (my right) keeping it very close to the paper.
• The word "beautiful" is from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set.  On the inside I stamped the word "you" (also from the set) on Very Vanilla and then punched it with a 1" Circle Punch.  I layered a 1-1/4" Daffodil Delight Circle behind it and mounted it on the bottom right.

Recipe:

Stamp Sets:  Inspired by Nature (W111656), Fabulous Phrases inside of card (not shown) (C 120501) 

(W 117002)

Ink:  Early Espresso (119670)

Markers:  Daffodil Delight (119677), Old Olive (100079), More Mustard (100076)

Card Stock:  Daffodil Delight (119683), Olive Olive (100702), Early Espresso (119686) Very Vanilla (101650)

Tools & Accessories:  1/8" Early Espresso Ribbon (119959) 

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