Category Archives: cards

Imagine the Possibilites

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It’s a new Stampin’ Up! year, and I LOVE a fresh beginning.  What could make a better start than this?

Imagine the Possibilities Island Indigo

  • My Friend, Fabulous Florets and Word Play stamp sets
  • Island Indigo and Whisper White card stock; White Vellum paper
  • Island Indigo and Basic Black Classic ink pads
  • Black 1/8 inch Taffeta ribbon
  • Rhinestone jewels

 

I’m warning you, I’m on a vellum kick for some reason.  There are things stamped on vellum all over my desk!  I’m a little over-stimulated right now with all the new goodies, and as a result I’m big on starting but not so very big on finishing projects.  I’ll get there, though.

I’m looking forward to sharing the new catalog with you, and to dreaming new dreams together.  I CAN imagine the possibilities!!

Just some birds and bees

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It’s been another busy day.  As much as I love to travel, and as much as I love to come home, the first week back always seems so frantic.  It feels like a combination of herding cats and trying to stick Jello to the wall.

The new Stampin’ Up! catalog is just a few hours away from its public debut, and that’s part of the reason my week has been so intense.  There’s a lot of tension between the things I NEED to do and the things I WANT to do!  I already have my Sneak Peak order in house – matter of fact, I had my Sneak Peak copy of the new Idea Book and Catalog shipped to the log cabin we stayed at in South Dakota.  I’ve been through it cover to cover, left, right and forward, but I’m still struggling with what to order when the whole catalog is available.  I’m sure I’ll make good choices when the time comes 🙂

In the meantime, I have a few cards to share with you.  These are all retiring sets, so I’m not going to give you the itemized supply list.  If you desperately need to know something, leave a comment and I promise I’ll respond.

Last Chance for Always

This is the Always stamp set in Pear Pizazz and Marina Mist.

Last Chance for Just Buzzin By

Oh, the sweet bees from Just Buzzin’ By!  I am going to miss these sassy little buzz-bombs.

Last Chance for Cheep Talk

And my silly Cheep Talk birdies are retiring too! I’ve done so many things with this stamp set.  I know it’s time to move on, and there just isn’t room in my studio for heaps of retired stamp sets, but I’ll be sorry to see Cheep Talk go.

Last Chance for Eastern Blooms and All Holidays

Eastern Blooms is yet another set I’ll miss, but there are so many gorgeous new floral sets that I’ll surely find a new favorite.  All Holidays may be another story.  Stampin’ Up! hasn’t created a sentiment anything like “My Dear Kind & Wonderful Friend” at least not one that I’ve seen.  Correct me if I’m wrong!  I may hang onto All Holidays for a while.

It’s a bittersweet time of year, but the longer I’m a demonstrator the more I come to look forward to the change.  I do keep a few retired sets, but I find after a year or so I’m ready to let go of most of them.  Some people enjoy going back to old favorites, but I guess I just have a short attention span.  I love seeing new, fresh ideas!  Check back early in the morning for a link to the new catalog, and sweet dreams.

A Last Chance for Simply Said

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I’m home!

When we travel and people discover we’re from Maui, we often get a quizzical look.  People seem to think that living on Maui means you never want to go anywhere.  While it’s a wonderful place to live, there are good reasons to travel!  I’ll share some details and photos later, but for now here’s what I did today:

Last Chance for Simply Said

  • Simply Said stamp said (Last Chance)
  • Whisper White, Pirouette Pink, Regal Rose and Certainly Celery card stock
  • Certainly Celery, Pirouette Pink and Regal Rose Classic ink pads
  • Pretty in Pink Stampin’ Write markers
  • Certainly Celery 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon (Last Chance)
  • Big Shot and Beautiful Wings Embosslit
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

This is my favorite image of all the stamps in Simply Said.  Can’t quite tell you why, but it is.  I really love it stamped on colored card stock in Craft White ink, but it was fun to color in those little blossoms for a change.  I spent a lovely few hours in my studio this afternoon, enjoying some of the Last Chance stamp sets one final time.

Time has almost run out for these Last Chance stamps!  Many of the Last Chance accessories are discounted, and some have sold out, so visit my Online Store to put in that Last Chance order just under the wire!  If you’re on Maui, a $50 online order will earn you an invitation to an exclusive New Product class on July 9th.

What are you waiting for?

Three little monkeys

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Three little monkeys, all lined up so nicely…how long can this last?

Three Little Monkeys

  • Sock Monkey stamp set
  • Whisper White, Basic Black, Pear Pizazz, Poppy Parade and Tempting Turquoise card stock
  • Chocolate Chip and Tempting Turquoise Classic ink pads
  • Pear Pizazz, Poppy Parade and Tempting Turquoise Stampin’ Write markers
  • Aquapainter
  • Small and medium oval punches; Spiral border punch
  • 1 1/4 inch and 1 3/8 inch square punches
  • Certainly Celery 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
  • Big Shot and Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing folder

Well, it’s not going to last much longer because Sock Monkey is on the Last Chance List.  Poor Sock Monkey…and I think Sock Monkey is a he, he just has that look about him.  But being Sock Monkey means always having that goofy grin on his face, and so he puts on a brave front and waves that sock arm and lines up to have his photo taken.

Back to the Last Chance List:  I can’t imagine the process it takes to determine which stamp sets stay and which ones go.   How long does it take?  Is it agonizing?  Do personal opinions count, or is it strictly by the numbers?  For example, Lovely as a Tree has been in the catalog since the first catalog I saw (that would be 7 or 8 years).    It’s a nice enough stamp set, but that’s a long time in Stampin’ Up! years.  There are a lot of trends in stamping, and stamp sets that I knew I would always love suddenly start looking dated – I get that.  I would just like to sit in on that process and watch it unfold.

Then again, I would probably start shouting and get thrown out.  It’s best the way it is.

Happy Birthday, Sara

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My Sara turned 21 last month…in Spain.  I’m sure it was wonderful, although not quite the thrill it is to turn 21 in the U.S.   It was a little challenging for her dad and me since we didn’t feel confident sending her birthday gift through the mail – a 21st birthday present should be something to remember, and entrusting such a gift to the Spanish postal system made me nervous.  So Sara has to wait until she’s back in the U.S. before she gets her gift, and we sent this card to let her know we were thinking of her:

Sara - Birthday Bliss

  • Bliss (SAB 2011), Charming and Well Scripted (retired mini) stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Pear Pizazz and Baja Breeze card stock
  • Pear Pizazz, Marina Mist and Night of Navy Classic ink pads
  • Vanilla Smooch Spritz; Stampin’ Sponges
  • Pear Pizazz Seam Binding
  • Pearl jewels

My little point-and-push doesn’t pick up the Smooch Spritz but trust me when I say it’s there.  I’ve discovered that if you want a nice, even Spritz you need to press the plunger with complete authority.  No hesitation here, my friends.  If you hesitate, you get blobs.  This isn’t such a big problem with Vanilla but it doesn’t work for me with Gold and Log Cabin.  Bloppy.  Blech.

The flourish stamp was inked in Marina Mist, then sponged with Night of Navy around the edges.   The butterfly is cut out and attached with a glue dot for just the tiniest bit of lift.  Yes, you guessed it; this is a One Stamp Card.  When the stamp costs $.98 (International rate) one should be enough – and we don’t want to give the Spanish post office any excuses for delaying these birthday greetings.

Sweet Cherry Blossom Birthday

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I’ve gone through my shelves and pulled all the sets that are on the Last Chance list.  There’s a decent-sized stack, and they’re sitting rather forlornly together in a basket on the floor of my stamp studio (the Room Formerly Known As Sara’s Bedroom).  I’ve got plans for those stamps this month, and since I’ll be away for a bit in June I thought I’d better get cracking:

Cherry Blossom Birthday

  • Eastern Blooms and Sincere Salutations stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Early Espresso and Pink Pirouette card stock
  • Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose Stampin’ Write markers
  • Early Espresso Classic ink pad
  • Pretty in Pink 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
  • Pearl Jewels
  • Crop-a-dile
  • Frost White Shimmer paint and the Aquapainter

I cased this card from Alli Ohran, making a very few minor changes.   I don’t use a lot of Crystal Effects because in Hawaii it seems to take an eternity to dry, and I’m not a patient person so I stick my finger in it and smudge it and get all cranky about it.  Well.  There’s a self-disclosure for you!!  Anyway, I used Frost White instead and although you don’t see it well in the photograph I assure you it is there.

Cherry Blossoms are such romantic flowers, appearing in almost misty pink clouds that linger briefly on the trees and then begin drifting away.  I think pink is a very romantic color, too, so this card really gets my “awww gee whiz” feeling going.   To me, it fits to keep such a romantic image simple, although it would be easy to imagine this dressed up with lots of layers, background stamping, vintage lace and bling.  Another time.  Maybe.

 

A card for Kellie

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Did you notice the card in Kellie’s hand the other day?

Robbie's tulip card

Those are Robbie’s beautifully manicured fingers, btw, because SHE made the card (and my fingers look like I gnaw on them, which I don’t, they just LOOK that way.)

Robbie put a lot of love into this card and it shows.   I want to tell you a little story about Robbie.  When she first started coming to classes (before she was a demonstrator) she would always come with her friend Frances.  The two of them would sit together at the table, and Robbie would carefully follow whatever Frances did.  One day she shared with us that in junior high school she’d been in an art class, and at the end of the first term, Sister put her arm around Robbie’s shoulders and said “I think we’ll move you to Home Ec class, dear.”  Oh, those Sisters!   I told Robbie that Sister meant well, but she was Wrong.

So don’t let anyone tell you you’re not creative!  I’m sure Sister is gliding around heaven these days, looking down with love and saying “I’m so sorry, dear… I was wrong!” 🙂

Sunny, happy yellow

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All this yellow is guaranteed to bring a smile:

5th Avenue Flowers

  • 5th Avenue Floral and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Wild Wasabi and Daffodil Delight card stock
  • Ice Cream Parlor (SAB) Designer Series Paper
  • Early Espresso Classic ink pad; Versamark ink pad
  • Daffodil Delight and Peach Parfait Classic ink refills
  • Early Espresso Stampin’ Write marker
  • Wild Wasabi Embossing powder, Embossing Buddy (A MUST), heat tool, powder pal
  • Aquapainter; Piercing tool, template and mat
  • Subtles and Filigree brads
  • Early Espresso 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
  • Big Shot and Petal Cone Bigz L die
  • Large oval punch

I love this flower from the 5th Avenue set.  It’s one of my favorite to watercolor because of all the sections there are to play with.  I don’t have any training in watercoloring and I think it shows, but that doesn’t keep me from doing it!

Vintage sailboat

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A successful experiement:

Vintage Sailboat

  • Sail Away, Wonderfully Worn and Occasional Quotes (Level III Hostess) stamp sets
  • Naturals White, Naturals Ivory and Soft Suede card stock
  • Soft Suede and Poppy Parade Classic ink pads
  • Stampin’ Sponges
  • Antique buttons and Linen thread
  • 1 1/4 inch square punch

I was afraid this would be too boring.  Instead, it makes me think of an old fashioned sepia photograph.  The sailboat is stamped on Naturals White cardstock and I used Stampin’ Sponges to brush just about every surface except the sails so that they would pop out.   The banner and background are Naturals Ivory, which makes the white stand out even more.  The perfect “V” at the end of the banner is made using the corner of the square punch.   There’s a little tiny flag at the top of the mast, and I colored it with the Poppy Parade marker, but I didn’t get the proportions right and so the banner covers it up.  Shoots, it’s only paper.

Tango Bird Day

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I was looking for a birthday card recently but every card I picked up seemed to say “Thank you” on the front of it.  Either I need to stop making so many thank you cards or just send more of them out.   I went on a birthday card binge:

Tango Bird Day

  • Cheep Talk, A to Z and Crazy for Cupcakes stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Tangerine Tango and Marina Mist card stock
  • Marina Mist Classic ink pad; Versamark ink pad
  • Tangerine Tango and So Saffron Stampin’ Write markers; Blender pen
  • Tangerine Tango Embossing powder, Embossing Buddy (A MUST), heat tool, powder pal
  • Subtles brads and Rhinestone jewels
  • Big Shot, Petal Cone Bigz L die, Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing folder
  • Circles #2 Originals die; 1 3/8 inch circle punch
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig

When I embossed the A to Z alphabet I was REALLY impressed with the Tangerine Tango Embossing powder.  Every single letter is perfect!  I’m crossing my fingers that Stampin’ Up! has more colors of embossing powder in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog.  (This is the time of year when I let my imagination run wild.)

That Cheep Talk birdie is so sassy, and I needed just the right sentiment to go with it.  I found the curved greeting from Crazy for Cupcakes and knew it was the one.  I stamped it in two parts and used the SAMJ to align them, because the curve of the message was a little too round for my circle.   Now that so many of my stamps are clear mount I don’t use the SAMJ as much as I used to, but there are times that it’s the only thing that will do the job – and this was one of those times.

Today is my daughter’s 21st birthday.  I’ll share her card later as I don’t want to spoil her surprise.

Sara

Happy birthday, Sara!  I hope you get to wear a crown today.