Happy New Year's Eve!

On the Stampin' Up! calendar this is it - the end of another creative year!

If you need something from the Spring Mini catalog or the 2006-2007 Idea Book use the email link on the left hand side of this page to get your order in and processed before the close of business Saturday. (Bye, Bye Crab & Company. Farewell Au Chocolat paper...)

If you have cardstock, ink and refills on your wish list consider ordering now. Classic pads are going up by 30 cents, classic refills by 25 cents, the 24 sheet cardstock packs are increasing by 55 cents and the 36 sheet assortments are going up by $1.00 in the new catalog.

I'm placing one last order for this business year Saturday night and then let the NEW YEAR begin!!!

My Bags are Packed, I'm Ready to Go...

And guess what's going with me? That big, beautiful new Stampin' Up! Catalog! Mr. Brown delivered them just in time for me to begin packing for our weekend excursion. I've spent less than 5 minutes with it and can't wait to be trapped on I-95 Thursday so I can sit and read and dream!

If you live in the Delaware Valley, I'm bringing it for you! If you are joining the new Stamper's Club yours is ready and waiting! And if you are curious about packing "outfits" in plastic bags in the suitcase -- it's a trick we learned from "Tex" -- and she knows a thing or two about outfits!

Going for Baroque

This is my first run with the brand new Stampin' Up! set Baroque Motifs (109403). I wasn't sure it was my "style" until I started to see all the fabulous samples in the gallery at Splitcoaststampers. To get my toes wet I copied a card by a stamp artist named Jeanne S, whose work is simply beautiful. My favorite part of this card is using the monochromatic ink to create a shadow effect. I've got several other ideas in mind for this set now. And I'm so glad that sentiment set, Holidays & Wishes (109431) matches exactly -- it makes it that much more versatile!

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs
Cardstock: Always Artichoke, River Rock, Purely Pomegranate, Very Vanilla
Ink: Always Artichoke, River Rock, Purely Pomegranate
Accessories: Vintage Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals
Link to original

Crazy for these new In Colors!

Here's a little card I put together while working with the brand new In Colors. Of course all stamping will stop the second I get my hands on that big, beautiful new catalog. But for new I am occupied with my new toys from the Stampin' Up! Preview ...

"Please, Mr. Postman look and see... is there a catalog, a catalog for me??????"

Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky
Stamp Sets: Year after Year (109347) Hugs & Wishes (109383) See You Around Jumbo Wheel (109687)
Accessories: Black Grosgrain (not retiring, thankfully!), Stampin' Dimensionals (on the flowers)

Email me (button on the left side) and get the July newsletter with the merchandise special on the In Colors Collection......

Heading out to Craftier Pastures....

Stampin' Up! has released the list of retiring accessories. Some things (cord and metal tags among them) are disappearing from the catalog. Others (grosgrain ribbon, 12 x 12 individual packs of cardstock) are being repackaged and sold in different quantities. You can check the list HERE -- items in red are already no longer available.

As you know, all this change just means more room for fabulous new stuff! There's been a catalog sighting or two in Southern California. Here in Raleigh, don't be alarmed if you begin to hear reports of a Stampin Up! Demonstrator stalking her letter carrier to get her hands on that brand new Idea Book and Catalog.. ahhhh the suspense....

More Petals....

It seems like the Stampin' Up! world is on fire with just a few "new" sets in circulation while we wait for the brand new "Big Book". I am seeing so many wonderful examples of Pick a Petal (109445) in so many places -- I am going to need an idea notebook dedicated to Petal ideas!

In this case petals work as petals and as leaves. And the little flower in the set (minus one petal) is transformed into a butterfly. Repeat after me ... must own this set... must own this set.... must own this set....

Stamps: Pick a Petal, Warm Words
Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Groovy Guava, Black Stampin' Write Journaler
Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Apple Grosgrain, Dazzling Diamonds with 2-Way Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals, Blender Pen (for stem)

Change is Good!

So much change as we end the Stampin' Year. This is a link to the list released today of the accesories that are retiring June 30th.

It's a little confusing because some of the "retiring" items will be in the new catalog -- just packaged in different ways. (12 x 12 cardstock, embossing powders, grosgrain ribbon and tiny takeout boxes.)

So stock up on the In Colors you love -- they will be gone forever. And keep hoping the new catalogs are here any minute now!

You Know You Want It....

You might as well just work Pick a Petal(109445) into your new Stampin' year budget because it is so fun to work with and so versatile. This time I stamped the petals in the new In Color Purely Pomegranate (with a stamp that isn't even pictured in your Preview Catalog) Then I used an Aquapainter (103954)and more of the ink to watercolor the petals. I cut them out and added centers and propped it all up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

The cardstock is Soft Sky (also a brand new In Color) along with Close to Cocoa. The sentiment is stamped in Chocolate Chip -- it's from the New Holidays & Wishes (109431) set. It's all finished with a touch of Chocolate Grosgrain ribbon.

Now let me get back to stalking my nice UPS man -- I know those new catalogs will be here ANY MINUTE now!

Happy Father's Day!

To the Father who raised me and the Father in the family who buys all these stamps (!) and to the Father who raised him and my "little" Brothers who have become such great Fathers themselves. We appreciate you!



***This card is done in Basic Black, Old Olive and Almost Amethyst Card Stock. The Background Stamps are Print Pattern and Canvas. The shirt is folded from Designer Series Paper in the Palette O'Prints according to Cambria's Blog Tutorial and the Brads are from the Earth Elements Assortment.

New Stuff!

I am test-driving some brand new Stampin' Up! stuff and I feel like the kid in a candy store! Demonstrators have been able to order limited quantities of the merchandise in the Preview brochure (didn't get it from me? send me an email with the button on the left)and some of it has arrived for me!




This card is loaded with "new" -- new colors and new stamps! It's made with River Rock, Soft Sky, and Groovy Guava cardstock -- three of the In Colors for 2008 (more on them in a moment). The stamp set is Pick a Petal (great set!) and the sentiment stamp is from Hugs & Wishes. I can already tell that Pick a Petal is going to be one of those sets I just wear out.

Now -- more about the 6 limited edition In Colors '08. Regular readers of this forum know that Cool Caribbean from last season may go down in history as one of all-time favorite Stampin' Up! colors. And yes, I am hoarding cardstock and reinkers of this fabulous shade. But I must say the six new colors are loads of fun and on trend when it comes to color in fashion and home decor. I may just fall in love all over again!




Here they are -- Classic Ink Pads and matching cardstock -- from the top left, Blue Bayou, Purely Pomegranate, River Rock. On the bottom from the left, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava. Watch the newsletter for a special on this collection in July!

A Tin Full of Memories

I love a mini-album. It gives me such a sense of scrapbook COMPLETION. I often feel like I'm drowning in photos and memories and then I craft up a single mini-album and all is right with the world! As I finish them I add them to a large basket on a bookshelf where they are easily accessed and enjoyed.


This little album is made from the Little Reminders tin in the Stampin' Up! Spring Mini Catalog. The tin comes with 140 self-adhesive die-cuts -- and many of them found their way into this project. It's a little different from the tin we made this winter as this is an accordian style with the one edge glued into the tin for complete "pull-out" effect. It uses my very favorite Cool Caribbean cardstock for the pages along with accents in Certainly Celery and So Saffron. The album has a small amount of stamping inside with the Office Accoutrements set that matches the die-cuts. I also used one of the stamps to heat emboss the outside of the tin.

I am using mine for a "Remember when you were 2" album for my youngest daughter. It will just be a compilation of random photos of the past year. Of course after I finished it I thought it was so darn cute I would probably have to order up two more tins to make "remember when you were 3" and "remember when you were 4" for the other girls. I'll have to order the tins soon as they disappear when the Spring Mini Catalog is finished June 30th. Let me know if you need a tin or two or three. And send me an email if you want to get in on the class that will be making them together later this month.

Creativity Note: I knew from the moment I saw this tin in the catalog I wanted to make it an album. After I saw Amy Celona's sample my project was kick started. Thanks Amy, as always, for sharing your beautiful projects.

Tooth Fairy Tins

Those of you who have been crafting with me since I first discovered the cult (!) known as Stampin' Up! may remember that tooth fairy tins were one of the first fascinations. It's the reason I bought "Pretty Princess" in the first place. Now my go-to girly set is retiring at the end of the month and I'm making these tins for the final time. The newsletter with the class details is in progress and should be in an inbox near you soon.

And if you need "Pretty Princess" or any of the other retiring sets let me know before the last day of June....