Unfrogettable Stamping!

In the spotlight: Awash with Flowers

  At my stamp-a-stack last week I wanted to feature retiring stamp sets and accessories for all the cards.  I always like to find inspiration for color combinations in every day items and this Awash with Flowers card was inspired by a note pad that my Mom had by her phone....

   I love the whimsical color combination of basic gray, whisper white, basic black and real red, don't you?!  This two-step stamp set is so fun and it is available in both clear mount (#120549, $27.95) and wood mount (#1117062 , $39.95):

   Here are a few more samples to inspire you with this set:

There are just a few days left to get your hands on this fun and versatile stamp set... don't miss your chance to purchase it before it is gone!!

In the spotlight: Medallion

  This time of year is always bittersweet... saying good-bye to stamps and accessories that I have loved and anticipating a brand new catalog with lots of new stamping goodies to explore!  I want to continue to share with you some of my favorite past projects and swaps I've received featuring these retiring items as the current catalog comes to an end on May 31st.  If you see something that is a must-have, please be sure and place your online order through my Stampin' Up! store so that you know if it is still available or not.  As a thank you, I will send you a hand-stamped card and if you spend $50 or more you will get to choose a tutorial from my Get Creative with Rachel & Debbie series for FREE!!

  All of the cards I'm sharing with you today feature the Medallion stamp (#115223, $17.95) - isn't it beautiful?!  When I attended Founder's Circle back in 2009 we were told that it was the #1 selling stamp set that year... I would not be surprised if that didn't hold true for several years.  The top card was one I used to teach the emboss resist technique - I had stamped the image on some Designer Series Paper with Versamark and heat embossed it with clear powder.  To achieve that look I then used a brayer and elegant eggplant ink to cover the entire piece - the image that was embossed resisted the ink so that the patterned paper showed through, neat huh?!  The Christmas card was a swap I received that year at Founder's Circle from Jill Olsen - it is so glittery in real life, absolutely gorgeous!  

 

   And did you know that this same image can be purchased in our Decor Elements vinyl line in three different sizes?  These are retiring also, so be sure and get them before they're gone!

This card was designed by my friend and downline Sherri Gough for one of our Mega stamp-a-stack events.  I love the partial image of the Medallion!

Here is another sample - I CASE'd this one and used sponge daubers to apply the two different colors to the image.

  This is another stunning Christmas sample that I CASE'd from Kari Metzger.

One last card - this was a CASE of one designed by Sherri Gough (clearly a favorite set of hers, too!!)

Thanks for stopping by - I hope you can see what a fantastic stamp set this Medallion is and that you think about adding it to your collection!

 

In the spotlight: Build-a-Bear product line

   The exclusive Build-a-Bear product line carried in our current Idea Book & Catalog will be retiring on May 31st so I wanted to spotlight some of my favorite projects featuring this line to inspire you.  I purchased my bear above at the Stampin' Up! Convention a few years ago when this product line first debuted.  We have an assortment of stamp sets along with coordinating Big Shot dies - order them now while they are still available!  Remember, it is easiest to order these retiring products online via my website here.

These projects were from a Mom & Me class that I did a few years ago.

I created this card as a Fabulous Friday project for the Sisters in Stamping blog.

This was a project featured on a display at Convention... what a cute idea!

Here is one other sample showing two card ideas.

If you love this product line, be sure and purchase your Big Shot dies and stamp sets before May 31st!!

 

 

 

Easy Gift Card Holder with tutorial

  This month my downline swap theme was to make gift card holders.  I wanted to design one myself and one of the requirements was to provide instructions so I thought I would share it with you all, too, and just share my blog post link with my team.  I created this easy gift card holder with a pocket to hold the gift card - I just love this retiring Beau Chateau DSP and will miss it!  My card base is pink pirouette card stock and I also used very vanilla, soft suede and marina mist to complete the card... all pulled from the DSP.  I apologize for the darkness of my pictures... for some reason my camera does not like photographing this light pink.

   Here is how the card opens up - it is a tri-fold and the pocket on the right will hold the gift card.  It starts with a piece of card stock that is 11" x 4-1/4" so you can get two from a single sheet of card stock (great for when you're making more than one!).

Score the long side at 3", 6" and 8-3/4" using a Simply Scored scoring tool.  Mark the short side of the card stock with the 2-3/4" width as shown below at 1",

Using a paper trimmer, cut the card stock at an angle from the score line down to the mark.

Attach a piece of sticky strip along the bottom edge of the card stock and close to form the pocket (this should be on the right-side of the card when opened up).  Use a bone folder to make your folds nice.

Cut a piece of coordinating card stock (I used Very Vanilla) to 4" x 2-3/4".  Stamp a sentiment if you like.  I used the retiring On Your Birthday stamp set with soft suede ink.

Cut a piece of DSP to 4" x 2-3/4" and attach to the front of your card.  I also cut out one of the flower images from a piece of scrap to embellish the inside pocket of my card, attaching it with a 2-way glue pen.

To keep the card closed you can either make a belly band or attach a length of ribbon.  For this sample I used the retiring 1/4" marina mist grosgrain ribbon and tied it into a bow.

I wanted to embellish it just a little more so used the Tiny Tags set with coordinating punch to add a tag with linen thread.

And you're done!

Thanks for stopping by!  I will be sharing the swaps with you in a few days... we are waiting on just one more.  Have a great weekend!!

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!

In the spotlight: Fox & Friends

   What a cute set Fox & Friends is... so perfect for baby cards, kids projects and so much more as you will see in the samples I am sharing with you today.  Don't miss out on this fantastic solid image set before it's gone... you have until May 31st to order it.  It is available in both clear mount (#118565, $14.95) and wood mount (#117020, $18.95).  The set above was one I designed for a Mom & Me birthday class a while back.

Here is a cute Valentine card featuring the monkey from this set.

I love this owl - it fits well in the xl oval punch!

How cute is this chocolate bar cover?

This was a card created for one of our monthly swaps and features the whale - notice that it fits in the tag punch!

Darlene Crockett made this card for a catalog CASE swap - what a cute baby card.

Krid Sennett created this card for our shoe box swap last July featuring the Fox from this set.

 
A candy favor with the monkey hanging from the "vine" created with the image from the retiring Baroque Motifs.

This card was also for a swap and features many of the different images from the set.

   If you love this set, be sure to get it before it's gone for good!  Thanks for stopping by today and have a wonderful rest of your weekend!!

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.

   

 

Happy Birthday, Gerin!

   What birthday gift do you give to a friend who has it all?  You make her something unique and pretty!!  I made this fun fabric flower pin for my friend and downline Gerin using my Big Shot and the Flower Folds Bigz XL die with a matching center step card.  It is very similar to my Fabulous Friday project from last week (see that here).  The "happy birthday" sentiment is the 1-line large text stamp that I had custom-made by Stampin' Up! and I use it a lot!

   Here is another view of the card... rather than attaching the flower pin like I did with my card last week I decided to use baker's twine to hold it onto the card so that after removing the pin  she could add a photo to the card front (thanks, Melody, for that idea!).

   This card is sized oddly so doesn't fit in a regular A2 envelope... luckily, I still had a few of the chocolate chip envelopes that came with the carousel notecards (remember those?) from a couple of years ago so it worked out great to hold the card and flower pin.  I just wrapped it with some pretty in pink striped grosgrain and added a tag.

   Believe it or not, when I took the gift to Gerin yesterday she was wearing a pink shirt with brown accents and a white cardigan... the flower had the perfect fabric to match her outfit!!  Who knew?!?  So the next time you have a gift to give, think about what you have in your craft room and try making it!  The recipient will love that you put so much thought and love into your gift!!

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!!!