Unfrogettable Stamping!

Fabulously Inspired by Nature

  This week on the Sisters in Stamping blog we are featuring our favorite retiring stamp sets for our Fabulous Friday projects.  I wanted to use my favorite Inspired by Nature set for my card... this card was inspired by the insert for the Simply Adorned charm that I CASE'd for my Diva Day last week (see that post here). 

  To create the sunset I made a mask by punching a 1-3/8" circle out of a Post-It note and stuck it on a piece of naturals white card stock and then used real red, pumpkin pie and daffodil delight to sponge the background.  After removing the mask I used jet black StazOn ink with both large images for the silhouette.  I then used the direct-to-paper technique and edged the whole piece with the black ink.  Pretty easy, just messy!!  The butterfly was cut out with the Big Shot using the Beautiful Butterflies die and embossed with the retiring Finial Press impressions folder.  I finished the card off with a knot of retiring 1/4" whisper white grosgrain ribbon and attached it to a base card of basic black.

  Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you hop on over to the Sisters in Stamping blog after Noon to get even more inspiration with our retiring stamp sets!!  Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!!!!

In the spotlight: Vintage Vogue

  Vintage Vogue is a stamp set I will miss very much when it retires at the end of this month.  I love the solid images - they make for very quick and easy cards!  This photo is from a class offering I had with this stamp set a year or so ago.  It is amazing how changing the color palette with this set gives the finished projects such a different feel.

   This stamp set is available in both wood mount (#117690 , $23.95) and clear mount (#118598 , $17.95).  If you love it, make sure you purchase it before May 31st!  Here are some more projects to show you the versatility of this set...

 

Last hurrah for the Occasions Mini catalog

   I hope you have enjoyed the products offered in the Occasions Mini catalog as much as I have!  Isn't this Big Shot Elegant Bird die great?  If there is anything left on your wish list, please be sure and order it TODAY since the catalog will be ending at midnight.  Some of these products will appear in our new catalog that will be debuting on June 1^st, but we are not told which ones… why take a chance?  Get those items now while you still can!!  The best way to order is through my online store here.  While you are there, be sure and check out the retiring products and the Clearance Rack for even more savings!  Your combined order will ship directly to you and if you spend $50 or more you will earn a free single tutorial from me (choose one here) as a thank you.  If you reach $150 in product you will get to choose an additional $25 in Stampin’ Rewards merchandise for FREE from Stampin’ Up!

Here are some samples featuring Occasions Mini catalog items to inspire you…

Mixed Bunch stamp set and coordinating Blossom punch

 
Apothecary Art and Loving Thoughts stamp sets with Big Shot Labels Collection Framelits

 
Sweet Cake stamp set and Sweet Shop Specialty Designer paper

Paper Doily Die and Candy Conversations stamp set

Blossom Builders designer flower kit and blushing bride pleated satin ribbon (card by Jennifer Rawlings)

You're My Type stamp set (CASE of card by Rachel Yurkanin)

Don't delay... order these today!

Fabulously inspired layout with Inspired by Nature

   I can't tell you how sad I am that the Inspired by Nature stamp set is retiring.  I really love this solid image set, especially for scrapbooking!  This week on the Sisters in Stamping blog we are featuring projects made with retiring stamp sets as our theme for Fabulous Friday.  I created this scrapbook page, which I used as one of my Scrapboook Club projects earlier this week.  I love the color-blocking style for my pages and I was inspired by my fellow "Sister" Karla Anders when she suggested I use the Paisley Petals DSP and pull my colors from it for my page.  Isn't it great to have a friend help you work through creator's block?!  Thanks, Karla!!!  The base of the page is always artichoke and the card stock and ink colors used are river rock, whisper white and bravo burgundy.

   Here are some close-ups of the stamped images... in addition to this stamp set that is retiring, both the Paisley Petals DSP AND the 1/4" bashful blue grosgrain ribbon (currently reduced to $3.71 per roll!!) are going away... get them now since they are on a "while supplies last" basis.  The best way to order any of the retiring accessories is to use my online store here.  Some items are already gone so rush on over and check it out!  You can also purchase items on the Clearance Rack while you're there for even more savings and if your order reaches $50 you get to choose a single tutorial for FREE from me as a thank you.  If you reach $150 you will get to pick $25 in stampin' rewards merchandise from Stampin' Up!

  For more projects featuring retiring products, be sure to hop on over to the Sisters in Stamping blog after Noon EST today.  I'm sure you'll find plenty of inspiration!

  Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to check out my online store for those retiring products on your wish list!!!

 

April 2012 Kiss Them Good-Bye stamp-a-stack

  I held a "Kiss them Good-Bye" stamp-a-stack class tonight and all five card designs featured items that are on the retiring lists.  If you like anything that you see here that is retiring, please be sure and order it from my online store because they are going F-A-S-T and you don't want something to sell out before you can order it!!  This card above is a wedding card that is based on a scrapbook layout I CASE'd a few months ago (check it out here for more details)... I really loved it and am so sad to see the Best Friends Forever stamp set retiring.  The Bordering On Romance stamp set is from the Occasions Mini catalog which is ending on April 30th...  it may or may not make it into the new catalog so get it while you can!   Isn't this a gorgeous color combination of very vanilla, crumb cake, soft suede and blushing bride (this is an In Color that is retiring!)?  And who can't resist having fun with the color spritzer tool... the splashes of color are from the soft suede stampin' write marker - it is one that will no longer be sold individually so if you want it be sure and purchase it now.

  This masculine birthday card is a CASE of one by Terri Chadwick and features the retiring Uncharted Territory and On Your Birthday stamp sets.  The retiring accessories featured are the Moonlight Smooch accent (for the moon of course), the silver brads (sorry, sold out already) and the 1/4" basic black grosgrain ribbon.  I am so happy that the DSP Stacks are sticking around - this black DSP is from the Neutrals stack.

   This card features the Summer Smooches DSP that is part of a Sneak Peek promotion this month... I had every intention of using my Bright Blossoms stamp set that coordinates with it for my card but misplaced it in my stamping studio (does this ever happen to anyone else?!).  So I went with Plan B and used the retiring Charming and Thank You Kindly stamp sets along with the eyelet border punch and 1/4" real red grosgrain ribbon that are also going away.  This card is a CASE of one by Michelle Reynolds.

  I wanted to include a Mother's Day card in my selection since it is coming up - I chose to use the Flower Fest and Curvy Verses stamp sets along with the Berry Blossoms DSP.  I love this paper because if features the newer In Colors of calypso coral, wisteria wonder and lucky limeade.  The flower looks blurred, but that is a technique that I learned from my friend Karla where you bounce the stamp several times to give it a more 3D effect, and then it was colored with a blender pen.  I love that so many of the flowers in the Flower Fest stamp set can be cut out with a coordinating punch. I will miss this set!!

   And last but not least I had to include a Christmas card... you can never start too early and I will dearly miss these snowflakes!  I knew I wanted to do a card with the Serene Snowflakes so I CASE'd this card because I loved the simplicity of it.  The colors I used are naturals white, baja breeze and not quite navy... the sentiment is from the retiring Short & Sweet stamp set and on the inside I used the Christmas Greetings stamp set.  I will surely miss all three of these sets!!  To finish off the card I added some dazzling diamonds for bling using a 2-way glue pen.

  Thanks for visiting!  I will be sharing my Fabulous Friday project tomorrow featuring yet another one of my favorite retiring stamp sets... Inspired by Nature.  Be sure and check back!

In the spotlight: I {heart} Hearts

I wanted to share some of my favorite projects featuring the I {heart} Hearts stamp set that is retiring next month... even though this set features a bunch of hearts, it isn't just for Valentine's Day as you will see!  Enjoy! 

If you would like to purchase this set (available in both clear mount and woodmount), please contact me or place your online order here.

   

 

I'll miss you, Medallion!

I *LOVE* big background stamps and Medallion (#115223, $17.95) is one of my all-time favorites!  I wanted to share some cards created using this awesome stamp... if you want this one, be sure and get it before May 31st!

Card by Jill Olson

CASE of card by Kari Metzger

Card by Gwen Goulder

Card by Sherri Gough

Bookmark card

So wouldn't you agree... this stamp is awesome and I will certainly miss it!!!

 

Retiring stamp set inspiration

I wanted to share more of my past favorites (some made by me, others received in swaps and stamped by my downline or received at SU! events) with you over the next few weeks featuring stamp sets on the retiring list... I think you'll agree that these sets will be missed!  Order yours before it's too late... you only have until May 31st to place your orders!!  In case you missed it yesterday, click here to view the retiring list (scroll down to the bottom of the page).

Friends Never Fade stamp set

Messages for Mom stamp set (card by Sherri Gough)

Vintage Vogue stamp set

Flores Suaves stamp set (found in the Celebrando Creatividad catalog)

Awash With Flowers and Curvy Verses stamp sets

Look Who's Turning stamp set

Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set

To purchase any of these stamp sets you can place your orders online here or contact me and I will be happy to take care of that for you!  Don't forget that you get a Stampin' Rewards punch for every $50 you spend (receive a $25 gift certificate when you complete 10 punches) and ALL online orders over $50 get to choose a single tutorial from my Get Creative with Rachel and Debbie series for FREE as a thank you from me.

Kiss them Good-Bye!!!

   Stampin' Up! released the Retiring Stamps list today and there are some that I am sure are on your wish list... be sure to get them while you can!  These are available only through May 31st so please plan your purchases accordingly.  You can click on the links below and be taken directly to my online store to purchase or if you would like to contact me to place your order I will be happy to do so! 

If you'd like to print out a list for cross-reference you can click on the links below.

Click on the photo above to go to my online store or click here

 Download PDF file here

Download a sortable Retired Stamp List in Excel here

   If you decide to place your order online, you'll also be able to take advantage of the Clearance Rack!!  There are new items that have been added and you can ONLY buy these online!  You can combine these items on your order with retiring stamps and regular catalog merchandise.  How cool is that?!  Check it out here or click on the photo below.

   I will be featuring many of these retiring stamps in my upcoming classes.  My next two monthly stamp-a-stacks will be themed "Kiss Them Good-bye" and there will be a Christmas card as one of the designs each month (it's never too early to get started for next Christmas!).  Contact me to sign up for any of these classes.

In the meantime, here are some past favorites featuring some of the retiring sets... enjoy!

 
Sweetheart and Borderline stamp sets (card by Gerin Martin)

 

Ornate Blossom, Friends Never Fade and Sincere Salutations stamp sets

 

Flores Suaves (Celebrando Creatividad catalog)

 

Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set

 

C is for Cat stamp set

 

Nature Silhouettes and On Your Birthday stamp sets

 

Uncharted Territory stamp set

 

Plant Hope stamp set (card by Sherri Gough)

 

Crazy for Cupcakes (card by Michelle Arthur)

 

Fox & Friends stamp set

 

Spring is in the air and it is Fabulous!!!

Spring is my very favorite time of the year - maybe because I was born in the Spring, but most likely because it is when life is coming back with flowers blooming, the leaves on the trees turning green - fabulous color everywhere after a long, drab winter!!  This week on the Sisters in Stamping blog we are featuring Spring-themed projects.  My Aunt Eileen recently purchased a new townhouse and I wanted to give her a gift card to Lowe's so she could pick up something new for her home and this is the card I designed for her.  It is a larger card designed to fit in a #10 business sized envelope so it is 8-1/2" x 4" when closed.  I used some of the flowers from the Blossom Builders Designer Kit found in the Occasions mini - what a great deal at just $9.95!!  You get so many different die-cut flowers to mix and match and the self-adhesive pink rhinestone jewels are the best!!  If you look closely at my flowers, you'll see that there are two different sizes - larger ones  and some really tiny ones.  There are a wide variety of colors of flowers in this kit, but I used only the ones that included blushing bride and baja breeze.

Here are some close-ups of my flowers - I achieved the cinched ribbon look by cutting my baja breeze seam binding ribbon twice as long as I needed it to be and anchoring it with tape on one side of the very vanilla card stock on the back side.  Next, I pulled two of the tiny strings from the middle of the ribbon on the untaped side and just cinched it as tight as I could, working my way to the side that was anchored down.  I taped down the end when I was done so the cinching wouldn't come undone behind the very vanilla card stock and used a few glue dots to hold the cinched ribbon in place on the front of the pane.   Easy-peasey!  The very vanilla card stock was just a bit too plain so I jazzed it up by running it through my Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots impressions folder... the card stock was longer than the folder so I ran it through once and then aligned up the polka dots on one end and ran it back through to embellish the whole piece.  Worked like a charm!

On the inside of the card I created a pocket from baja breeze card stock using my Simply Scored Scoring Tool (love it!) to hold my gift card and embellished it with the scallop trim border punch, some pear pizzazz 1/2" stitched-poly ribbon and one more little embellished flower from my kit.  Since I plan to hand-deliver my card along with a potted plant I didn't have to worry about all the dimension on my card - there must be dozens of stampin' dimensionals all over this card!!

If you haven't had a chance to check out the Blossom Builder kit, be sure and do so before our Occasions Mini catalog ends later this month!  It's a great value at $9.95!!  Want to order it?  Contact me or place your order via my online store here.

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure and hop on over to the Sisters in Stamping blog after Noon EST today to get some more spring-themed inspiration!!