Tag Archives: cards

LAST CHANCE MAUI STAMPER FAVES

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It’s almost bedtime here on the Valley Isle, but I can’t rest until I share these favorites that are on the Last Chance list. Take a look and tell me if you agree!

Branching Out is a classic, year round set. It can be evergreens, or florals, or a wreath…don’t let this one slip by.

I personally think Wishing You Joy is a sleeper. It hasn’t gotten a lot of attention, but it should! 4 classic sentiments, expressed in 4 classic fonts – you’ll reach for it year after year.

The Traditions of Christmas DSP is a fabulous mix of florals and neutrals that will give your holiday crafting a quick boost. BONUS: the coordinating Christmas Greenery dies cut out multiple images from this DSP. If you want the companion stamps, order the dies and stamps as separate products. The bundle isn’t discounted, but the individual products are. IYKYK!

I was pretty sure Petal Arrangements would be on this list as it is a red rubber cling set. If you love tropical flowers, check this one out – the 6 images can be assembled as shown and stamped, or can be separated and used individually. I’m sad to see this one on Last Chance.

Our card and envelope sets are a great value. Design with the Christmas Greetings Cards & Envelopes and your cards will be done in a flash!

Awww…I really wanted these guys to stick around. Sigh. Pick up Long Time No See while you can and think of me when you make a card, ok?

LOVE LOVE LOVE the 6″ x 6″ Traditional Wreath 3D embossing folder! The card-front-sized Peaceful Greenery 3D Embossing Folder is also on Last Chance.

There’s so much more on the list…Stampin’ Up! really cleaned house this time. Take a look and see if your list is different from mine. Either way, you’ll find it all in the Online Store.

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Leaf Collection

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How many ways do I love thee, Leaf Collection? This versatile background stamp can be used in many ways, but first and foremost it’s a background!

  • Stamps: Leaf Collection, Sweetly Scripted
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Summer Splash, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Deckled Circle dies, 24-26 In Color DSP, Rhinestone gems, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Stampin’ Up! really hit the DSP Color Family patterns out of the ballpark this year! They’re versatile and varied. Those color packs are a great value – the In Color packs have 4 sheets of each pattern (5 colors) and the Classic Color packs have 2 of each pattern (10 colors).

This layout is quick and easy, and Sweetly Scripted has a sentiment for just about any message you want to send. Whip up a few of these and leave off the message – you can add it in a jiffy and be ready for anything!

And if you don’t have Leaf Collection, shop the Online Store.

The 24-25 Annual Catalog is full of inspiration. New stamps, dies, tools, and gorgeous new In Colors!! Shop HERE. And now more than ever, don’t neglect the Online Exclusives – you’ll find more beautiful products that never appear in a catalog.

Painted Petals is the July Paper Pumpkin kit. It includes everything you need for 9 cards and envelopes, and features a gorgeous floral box. An exclusive set of dies coordinates with all 3 third quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by July 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

Just a few more days to save on Stamp & Die bundles AND BOTH Stamp Cut & Emboss Machines! Shop HERE.

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Flight & Airy: The Fussy Cut

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I do love my birdies, and the Flight & Airy Sale-a-bration Designer Series Paper set my heart to fluttering the moment I laid eyes on it. If fussy cutting isn’t your thing, well, sorry, not sorry! This paper begs to be cut out and used.

  • Stamps: Lovely & Sweet, Notes of Nature
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Boho Blue, Lemon Lolly, Fresh Freesia, Soft Sea Foam
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Softly Sophisticated Embossing Folder (SAB 24), Deckle Circle dies, Flight & Airy DSP (SAB 24), Paper Snips, Linen Thread, Tinsel Gems, Stampin’ Dimensionals

You can fussy cut as much or as little as you choose, but I decided that More Is More and trimmed pretty thoroughly. (Can I just say I adore that fat little birdie belly???)

I used some of the collage style stamps from Notes of Nature to add texture to the Lemon Lolly Deckle Circle. I tried Versamark Ink, but there wasn’t enough contrast to suit me. This card is really all about texture: the embossed panel, the tone-on-tone stamps, the fussy cutting, and the layers.

While I had my Snips out, I trimmed out the sentiment too. That allows it to stand out on the Basic White embossed panel without being overpowering. The embossed panel is a separate layer placed on top of the card base. I think that’s easier than embossing a card front.

Shop the Online Store for the basic supplies for this card, and then choose your Sale-a-bration bonus – free with a qualifying purchase. I hope you like these birdies. 💕

The February Paper Pumpkin kit makes 9 projects – cards and gift boxes – that celebrate Easter and Spring. An exclusive coordinating set of dies is available to subscribers and coordinates with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by February 10th. You can also purchase a fixed term 1, 3, 6 or 12 month subscription in the Online Store, and subscriptions of 3 months or more earn Sale-a-bration rewards. Win-win!

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

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Ice Cream Swirl Tags

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Sometimes I just stare at the dies in a set and try to figure them out. The Ice Cream Swirl dies had me scratching me head for a bit until the proverbial light bulb went on: It’s a tag!!!

  • Stamps: Lovely & Sweet
  • Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Petal Pink, Flirty Flamingo, Pecan Pie
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Ice Cream Swirl dies, Stippled Rose DSP (SAB 24), Blending Brushes, Ombre Matte Decorative Dots

I cut multiple versions of the “swirl” part and played mix and match with the accents. The Petal Pink solid card stock on the darker cone got a little texture from the Lovely & Sweet stamps, but everything else is Stippled Rose DSP from this year’s SAB promotion. (Don’t you love all the DSP options???)

The Ombre Dots are perfect for little sprinkly accents, but if I was putting one of these on a package I’d make a hole at the top and use a coordinating ribbon. (And then maybe I’d add some Ombre Dots anyway!)

This is the tag die – you add the cone part to the top edge when it’s folded over. There’s also an insert piece that creates the cone texture. Quick and easy!

Shop the Online Store for the Ice Cream Swirl bundle or anything else your heart desires – and then be sure to take a look at all the luscious Sale-a-bration options you can choose for free with a qualifying purchase. 💕

The February Paper Pumpkin kit makes 9 projects – cards and gift boxes – that celebrate Easter and Spring. An exclusive coordinating set of dies is available to subscribers and coordinates with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by February 10th. You can also purchase a fixed term 1, 3, 6 or 12 month subscription in the Online Store, and subscriptions of 3 months or more earn Sale-a-bration rewards. Win-win!

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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Looking back, looking ahead

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I know I repeat myself…certain persons in my household have accused me of it on multiple occasions just to be sure I’m aware of that flaw.  Guilty as charged.

There are some sets on the Stampin’ Up! Dormant List that will retire in January which I will be very sorry to see leave.  One of the challenges of being a demonstrator – yes, we DO have challenges – is when a stamp set retires, we have to decide if we will allocate precious storage space to stamps we can no longer demonstrate.  If you’ve followed this blog at all, you know I don’t often do a very good job of letting go of retired things.  It’s partially because I get attached to the images, and partially because I’m something of a pack rat.  Eventually, I have to let go to make room for all the wonderful images being released.  It’s that time of year.

Wonderful Watercolors SC 260

  • Wonderful Watercolors and En Francais stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Regal Rose, and Pretty in Pink card stock
  • Mellow Moss Designer Series Paper from the Hostess Prints Pack III
  • Mellow Moss and Regal Rose Stampin’ Write Markers and Ink Refills
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and Aquapainter
  • Mellow Moss taffeta ribbon and Mini Glue dots
  • Scallop Trim Border (SAB  sneak peak) and Stamp-a-ma-jig
  • Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die and Elegant Bouquet Embossing folder

This is a SplitCoastStampers Sketch Challenge layout, SC260.  I’ll add the sentiment later when I’m ready to sent the card.  The little flowers look like the flowers on what I only know as Butterfly Bush, although I think the originals only come in lavender.  Artistic license! There’s Shimmer Paint mixed in with the Regal Rose ink refill on those little flowers.

The crazy Mainland weather has created some chaos in our household.  My middle daughter had an epic journey home from university in Boston, and her dear roomie who was to spend Christmas with us will instead arrive Christmas night.  They’re laughing about it now, in agreement that it will be one of their best college memories, but on Sunday as they dealt with cancellations, delays, and planes that loaded and de-planed without going anywhere, none of us were laughing much.

Safe travels.

Best Mail Call Ever!

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Kim Bolzenthal did the kindest thing you can imagine – she sent me her stash of Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain ribbon.  I am so touched by her generosity that I’m still floating around the house a couple of hours after bringing in the mail.  I’m overwhelmed and delighted!

And look at her beautiful card…

That Winter Post stamp set is so charming, and I struggled long and hard over whether or not to purchase it.  It didn’t quite make sense here in the tropics, but I know it suits Kim’s corner of the world.

Make someone’s day…send them a note they’re not expecting.

Trendy Little Birthday Trees

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I saw a card posted the other day that made me stop and think.  The creator of the card said she didn’t think it looked like a birthday card, but since it didn’t seem to suit any other occasion, she chose a birthday sentiment.   I’m sure there are exceptions, but in my opinion just about any card is a suitable birthday card.

  • Trendy Trees and Upsy Daisy Stamp sets
  • Not Quite Navy, Real Red, Soft Sky (retired) and Whisper White card stock
  • Retired Designer Series paper
  • Real Red, Not Quite Navy, Soft Sky (retired) and River Rock (retired) Classic ink pads
  • Riding Hood Red (retired) taffeta ribbon, Scallop Border punch, and Stamp-a-ma-jig

I have to admit that it took me a while to find the right sentiment for the birthday greeting.  It wasn’t so much the words as the font that I struggled with.  I also confess to struggling with retired colors.  I get really attached to some of them!  River Rock was one of those colors that I didn’t especially care for until I started using it.  If Stampin’ Up! revises their standard color palette, I really hope River Rock gets a permanent slot.  Oh, and Baja Breeze.  And Kiwi Kiss.  And Riding Hood Red.    I guess I have some issues to deal with, don’t I?

Forgotten favorites

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How quickly one set of images is forgotten on the shelf!  When Eastern Blooms appeared in the Fall 2008 catalog, it sat on top of my craft table and saw regular use.  It was a bold companion for Embrace Life – one with bold images, one with line images – and it suited our Asian influenced culture here in Hawaii.  Seems like ages since it’s seen a bit of ink, and when a customer asked me to re-design a card using a floral image instead of cupcakes, I reached for these two old friends.

  • Eastern Blooms, Embrace Life, and Dotted (retired) stamp sets
  • Close to Cocoa, Cameo Coral, Bashful Blue, and Very Vanilla cardstock
  • Close to Cocoa, Cameo Coral and Bashful Blue Classic ink pad
  • Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Aquapainter

It’s fitting to reflect on how much we have this week of Thanksgiving, to be grateful for our abundance.  As a good friend said to me recently, “I’m thankful that my needs are met, and a few of my wants as well.”   I wish the same for you.

Happy Thanksgiving

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Every day is Thanksgiving Day…sometimes we just forget to say thanks.  I’m grateful for so many things, large and small, significant and insignificant.  I hope your day will be filled with things that make you feel thankful.

  • Autumn Days, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Inspired by Nature and Woodgrain stamp sets
  • Dusty Durango, Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron and More Mustard Classic ink pad; Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write marker
  • So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, Pumpkin Pie and Very Vanilla card stock
  • Chocolate Chip corduroy button; latte button assortment
  • Dusty Durango grosgrain ribbon; Linen thread; Stamp-a-ma-jig

Happy Thanksgiving.

Who’s that in my Pear Tree??

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Yesterday I had a big ol’ lightbulb go on.  I was playing with Cheep Talk and thinking about some submissions I’d seen in response to this week’s Color Challenge at SplitCoastStampers.  One card in particular kept coming to mind – I liked the geometry and the color balance.  Suddenly, it got really, really bright inside my head:

  • Cheep Talk and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Old Olive, Pretty in Pink and Bermuda Bay Classic ink pads; Encore Gold ink pad; Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint
  • Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive and Bermuda Bay card stock
  • Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon, Clear Embossing powder and heat tool, and the Stamp-a-ma-jig

I gotta tell you, there is no way I could have done this without the SAMJ.  I ruined my first attempt because I stamped a pear the wrong color and that was enough for me.  It makes me cranky to make a mistake like that at the end of the process, which of course is the logical time for that to happen.  It’s just paper though – I say that often.  Stamping is so forgiving that way.  Make a mistake and start over.  No big deal.