Some Further Information about Retiring Accessories Being Reconfigured

Some of the accessories appearing on the Retiring Accessories List will be reconfigured for the upcoming catalogue year (as indicated by an asterisk in the Retiring Accessories List), and we wanted to clarify how this transition will work.

- classic stampin pads will be retired and will be replaced with new firm foam classic stampin pads.

- stampin spots, both classic and craft are being retired and discontinued.  The only spots that will be available in the June 1 catalog will be the 'getting started collection.

- 12 x 12 smooth cardstock will be available going forward in the collection packs by colour family and then for a few select colours on their own, but this size cardstock will not be available on its own for all colours in each family

- the same is true for stamp write markers...they will be available in packs by colour family and then a few select colours on their own.

- the heat tool, stamp & scrub, paper piercing tool and paper cutter are all being reconfigured.  The current version is being retired and a new version will be available June 1!

One Last Twitterpated Project... and O Canada

A co-worker became a Canandian citizen last week so I wanted to make her a card.  I purchased this Canadian Pride stamp out of last summer's mini, so it is no longer available...that is the sad part about when mini's end and catalogs retire.  I was sure glad I had it when I sat down to make this card...i love how the body of the image is made up of our national anthem.  I paired the image with a piece of ridinghood red that I cutout with a framelit and a couple of strips of twitterpated dsp (which retired today).  I also used the snowburst texturez folder for the whisper white background...it is unfortunately on the retiring list of May 31.  The cardbase is basic grey and the ribbon is white taffeta.

Flip Card

Today is the for the Occasions Mini (and for the Summer Smooches sneak peek) and so it should be no surprise to you that I used the twitterpated paper on this project, I'm going to miss it!

I also used some ridinghood red cardstock and some whisper white, and the stampset is the Apothecary Art and I also used the coordinating label framelit dies.

Here is a link to how to make a flip card.

One Last Summer Smooches Card...

This might just be one of my favourite Summer Smooches cards:)  I used a strip from most of my favourite patterns in the dsp pack and layered them on some crumbcake cardstock which I matted on a baja breeze cardbase.  The greeting comes from the Blessings from Heaven stampset, which I inked using markers, and the ribbon is my favourit, the ruffled riboon and the colour is island indigo.

If you haven't ordered your Summer Smooches Sneak Peek or if you have something you still want from the Occasions Mini, contact me today as they both end tomorrow!

Summer Smooches Sneak Peek...coming to an end...

There are just 3 more days left in the Summer Smooches Sneak Peek...(and ONLY 3 more days left to the Occasions Mini for that matter too!)....as they both end on April 30th!

I made this card combining a bunch of patterns from the summer smooches dsp pack AND the NEW blossoms punch from the Occasions Mini. The sentiment I stamped comes from the Word Play stampset in the Idea Book and Catalog.

Timeless Portrait Keepsake Box Class

In this class we will be making a gorgeous keepsake box using the timeless portrait suite of products and the framelit label dies. We will also make 3 notecards to fill the box and use the forever young stampset.

The timeless portrait designer series paper is one of the items on the retirment list unfortunately, so it is only available until May 31 (or while quantities last).

When:   Thursday May 10th at 7pm (RSVP that you are coming by May 4th)
Cost:      $16 (FREE with a $75 order); discount of $5 on class fee to anyone who signs up for my fall club.

Sign up soon if you are interested as there are only a few spots left!  (and as above, May 4th is the deadline for signing up!)

Leave a comment, call me or email me to register for this class.

Retiring Accessories & Decor Elements - **ONLY AVAILABLE WHILE QUANTITIES LAST!

Today, Stampin Up announced the list of retiring accessories and it is a whopper!  But the good news is that there are several items on this list which are discounted by 25%, 40% and more!!!  ...including some of my favourites such as:  *mini clothespins (25%), *trinket keys (25%), *filigree brads (40%!), *doily & blossom layer punches (40%!!!!!!!), several of the *fabrics from former minis (70%!), the *crop-a-dile (25%...if you're starting out crafting and don't have one of these, this is a GREAT deal!), there are also several products for the big shot with a discounts and even some ribbon and punches!.

Here is a link to the RETIRED ACCESSORIES LIST.  You will want to carefully review it because the items on this list are ONLY AVAILABLE WHILE QUANTITIES LAST!!  I know several of my favourite punches (like the *eyelet border punch*) and several of my favourite Big Shot Dies and embossing goodies (like the *matchbox die* and the *box #2 die*) are on the list.

In addition to retiring accessories, Stampin Up is also retiring the DECOR ELEMENTS line.  Here is a list of RETIRED DECOR ELEMENTS.

Also, as a reminder, here is a list of the RETIRED STAMPS too which were announced last week.

Note that these products are ONLY available until May 31, 2011 when the current catalog ends AND the RETIRED ACCESSORIES and DECOR ELEMENTS are only available while supplies last so they could sell out early.

If you would prefer a visual list, here is a link to my website, where you can look at RETIRING PRODUCTS by clicking shop now (top right corner) and then selecting RETIRING PRODUCTS from the left side bar.

To place an order you can do so ONLINE at this LINK and click SHOP NOW....or....you can contact me....or you can come to my RETIREMENT WORKSHOP on MAY 19th at 2pm!!  There will be 2 FREE make & takes and 2 DOORPRIZES (one a retiring stampset and one a retiring accessory).  RSVPs deadline is May 11th!


Also there is still bit of room left in my Timeless Portrait Keepsake Box Class on May 10th at 7 pm.  Contact me for details and RSVP by May 4th!  Cost and other details can be found on my Stampin Up Website  -- see the bottom right sidebar:)

Rue Des Fleur Card

I love how the umbrella image in the 'rue des fleurs' stampset has these old fashioned watches dangling from it...very vintage!  This card also uses the mocha morning dsp and the ridinghood red pleated satin from the Occasions Mini... (The mini ends on April 30th as does the summer smooches sneak peek...place your order online today if you don't want to miss out, just click here.)

Rue Des Fleurs Gift

I made this little gift by creating a box using the big shot box #2 die and then wrapping it with some mocha mornign paper.  The stamped images all come from the Rue Des Fleurs stampset in the Occasions Mini (the Occasions Mini is only available until April 30th).  I coloured the stamped image with my regal watercolor wonder crayons and a blender pen.

Another Summer Smooches Petite Purse

This time I used some basic black cardstock and the red dotted pattern from the summer smooches dsp and a black brad.  The trim on the purse is several hearts punched out of whisper white cardstock.  The texture on the purse comes from the snowburst textured impressions plate.

Make & Take #2 - Summer Smooch Petite Purse

Well you knew I'd have to include a petite purse in the make & take's for yesterday's workshop didn't you?!  Afterall it is my favourite item that is part of the 'summer smooches' sneak peek available until April 30th!!

This purses is made out of rich razzleberry cardstock and summer smooch dsp.  The trim is from the 'blossom bouquet' punch, some ruffled ribbon and a flower button from the brights designer button pack.  The little tag was made with the tiny tags stampset and coordinating punch.

Make & Take #1 from Summer Smooches Workshop Yesterday

This was the card make & take from yesterday's 'summer smooches' workshop.  When I came up with this card I was deliberately trying to use the summer smooches dsp in a different way than I had seen it used.  I've seen it mostly used in bold or modern applications and I'm more of a vintage-y girl, so that is what inspired me on this.

Also, I wanted to use my 'rue des fleurs' stampset some more.  The Occasions Mini comes to an ends on April 30th (just like the summer smooches sneak peek does), and I love this stampset but hadn't had a chance to use it as much as I intended to yet.

Twitterpated Petite Purse

The twitterpated dsp is so pretty I just had to make a petite purse with it using the sneak peek die in the summer smooches promotion:)

I also used the beautiful pleated satin ribbon from the Occasions Mini to trim this purse.  I love love love this ribbon!  I really hope that it isn't gone forever once the Occasions Mini ends at the end of the month.

If you have an order from the Occasions Mini or the Summer Smooches Sneak Peak (which both end April 30th), contact me today and I can put it in on today's workshop order, or alternately, you can place your order directly online by clicking here.

Twitterpated Bookmarks!

The Twitterpated Suite of Products in the Occasions Mini is another line of products that will only be available until April 30th when the Occasions Mini comes to an end.  There is a chance a few of the stampsets could (hopefully) get picked up in the new catalog June 1, but it's a gamble.  Based on prior experience though it is very unlikely that the twitterpated designer series paper will carry over as dsp's generally retire wihen their catalog does.

I used these papers in my Tea for Two projects and class and I just love them so much I pulled them out today to make these thank you gifts...3 bookmarks made with the twitterpated dsp and coordinating cardstock.  The tags were made with the Tiny Tags stampset and the coordinating punch.  The flower centres were made with the beautiful filigree brads from our current Idea Book & Catalog.  I'm a little nervous that they might retire this year since they have been around for a couple of years now.  We should have the retiring accessories list around April 25th and I'll be sure to post a link for you all once I have it.

In the meantime, if you don't have your twitterpated dsp or any of the other goodies you like from the Occasions Mini, contact me today to place your order.  I have a workshop today and will be placing an order shortly afterward OR alternately you can also place an order directly at my online site by clicking here.

Summer Smooch Cards

Tomorrow is my Summer Smooch workshop and these are just a couple of birthday card examples I made using the summer smooch designer series paper.  On the first I love how the dsp echos the tulip shape border on the baja breeze cardstock matt which was created with the Framed Tulips embossing folder.  The greeting I used on the first card comes from the Occasions Alphabet stampset which is SO versatile!

On the second card, I used a number of our punches:  2 1/2" cirle, decorative label, 1 1/4" square and postage stamp unches.  The greeting comes from the Pretty Postage stampset and I finished off the card with some lucky limeade ruffled ribbon and a coordinating button from the bold brights designer pack.  And, as you can, see I made a coordinating envelope with our new diagonal plate for the Simply Scored tool.

The summer smooches sneak peak products are only available until April 30th.  If you aren't coming to tomorrow's workshop but want to place an order at it so you don't miss out, just call or email me by tomorrow:)  OR you can always place an online order by clicking here.

Happy 10th Anniversary Stampin Up! CANADA!!

Yes, that's right, April marks the 10th year that Stampin Up! has been in Canada...and I'm so thankful...it was about 10 years ago that I gave birth to a 7 year old daughter and so my life changed forever in lots of ways. One was learning all about being tied down more, particularly since my husband worked shiftwork. I remember him encouraging me to learn to take some time for myself in those early years and me not feeling like I could possibly do that...well a couple of years later he came home from a shopping trip to Costco with a scrapbook kit for me...he knew that I had wanted to start scrapbooking but never seemed to find the time, and that, is where papercrafting started for me. On nights when he was working, after I got my living dolly all tucked into bed, I would sneak into the computer room and pour whatever creativity I had into a scrapbook page. It would take me all of my time just to finish a page! When I look back now, those pages were not all that good, but they are precious because they are full of memories of my new little family and of a valuable lesson I learned: ...to be a good wife and mother I have to also take care of myself and with the way God wired my heart, CREATING is a wonderful way to do that!

Flash forward a few more months and a member of my Bible study invited me to a Stampin Up workshop, and to be truthful I hadn't ever heard of Stampin UP and wasn't even sure I wanted to stamp, but it was a night out with the girls and my hubby had it off so could take care of our daughter, so I was SO there! I remember that first workshop well, the demonstrator demonstrated some techniques (emboss resist really impressed me) and then led us through a make and take and I learned that I could create a card in a few minutes (rather than a scrapbook page that took me a few hours). I was hooked...I could now find new ways to create with smaller bits of time that I had! I booked my first workshop that night...and after that I joined a monthly Stampin' Club and then ultimately about a year and a half ago became a demonstrator myself...and guess who my upline is? ...that's right that first demonstrator at my first workshop (Shawna, you still inspire me!)

As a demonstrator I have an excuse to create all the time, and I'm so thankful that I get to share it all with you. Who knows what I would have done if I hadn't been introduced to Stampin UP, but one thing is for sure, I know my life is enriched for the fact that I was...so a BIG happy 10th anniversary to Stampin' Up in CANADA...I'm so glad you came!!:)

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**Just a reminder that I will be placing an order on Saturday (Apr 21st) after my Summer Smooches workshop, so be sure to contact me if you have anything you want to order, and don't forget, the summer smooches preview items are only available until April 30th AND see my previous post for the link to the retiring stamps list...those stampsets are only available until May 31st!

Retiring Stamps - only available til May 31st!

The retiring stamps list was released by Stampin Up today. Here is a link to the pdf of the list. Also if you go to my Stampin up website (click here) and click on 'shop now' you can browse 'retiring products'.

Retiring stamps will only be available until May 31st and then on June 1 the new Catalog will be released. A list of retiring accessories and decor items will be released as well later this month.

You can order retiring stamps online by clicking shop now as detailed above or you can contact me by April 21st (the date of my next workshop) and I will put your order in then for you OR you can attend my 'stamp retirement workshop' upcoming on Saturday May 19th. I will post more details on this workshop, but feel free to call or email me to register early for this event:)

Forever Young

Another card I made recently using the Forever Young Stampset and some papers from the Timeless Portrait dsp! And once again I tried my hand a the tapping technique with the Parlour Prints background stamp...tap, tap, tap... :)

Creative Elements Banner

Tonight I'm doing a little private class and we're making this banner which is adapted from one from convention last year. I love making banners and this one is made, in large part, with...the petal cone die...I kid you not:) Looking forward to crafting tonight and the Creative Elements stampset I used on this banner is one of my very favourites as is the First Edition speialty paper:)

Timeless Portrait

I love the Timeless Portrait Product Suite on page 78 of our current Idea Book and Catalog. I thought I better get using it more before the current catalog retires on May 31. I'm hopeful the stampsets will stay around but usually the designer series papers retire. Not too long though now until we know as the list of retiring stampsets comes out April 15th and the list of retiring accessories and supplies on April 25th. If you want to be one of the first to see the retiring stamp list, be sure to rsvp to come to my April 21st workshop. See details at this link.

This card was made with the Forever Young stampset and the Parlor Prints background stamp AND a new technique...tapping...you'll have to come stamp with me one day and I can show you:)

Beau Petite Purse

This little petite purse was made with some marina mist cardstock and some dsp from the beau chateau pack...and instead of just chocolate inside, it had some darling rhinestone brads like the one in the centre of the flower clasp pictured here.

And how did I get the scalloped border (on the curved edge no less) you may ask? Well, I simply punched out 8 or so hearts with the small heart in my heart to heart punch and adhered them to the underside...easy-peasy...and SO cute!!

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In other news...

If you are in the SASKATOON area, you are cordially invited to my SUMMER SMOOCHES Workshop!

When: Saturday April 21st 2-4pm

RSVP by: Friday April 13th (so I have time to prepare all the supplies

At this FREE workshop we will be making 2 make & takes using items from the SUMMER SMOOCHES sneak peek that is only available til April 30th...and one of these will be a Petite Purse which is so stinkin' cute!

This workshop will also give people an opportunity to order items from the Occasions Mini before it ends on April 30th!

AND at this workshop you will also be able to see the retiring stamplist as the current Idea Book and Catalog ends on May 31st and a new catalog will be out on June 1st. Retiring stampsets from the current catalog will be announced on April 15th and will only be available until May 31st.

Also there will be one big doorprize draw at this workshop for a darling stampset, so you won't want to miss your opportunity to win!!

If you can't make it but have an order this month, if you call or email me by April 21st I can include it in the workshop order and save you on your shipping costs!

I hope you can make it! Please remember to let me know if you are planning on attending the workshop by April 13th so I can prepare enough supplies!

Easter Petite Purses

I used colours that reminded me of spring and Easter for these petite purses which I made to fill with treats for the girls in my group at work. The rose on the clasp is a rolled rose which is made starting with a scallop circle punch. I used the blossom boutique punch to get the initial scallop. The leaves are from the bird builder punch. Cardstock I used was: wisteria wonder, lucky limeade and pretty in pink. I also used the 'perfect details' texturz plates to emboss some of them and the 'perfect polka dots' and 'vintage wallpaper' impressions embossing folders to do the others. I finished them all off with a spray of vanilla smooch spritz and of course a pearl jewel for the centre of the roses...two of my favourite products!

Summer Smooches SNEAK PEEK

From April 1 - 30th you can order these sneak peek products which will be debuting in the new catalog that comes out on June 1st!! The colours and patterns are bright an cheerful (and flirty!) and just make me feel like summer! Also there are some exclusive products here that won't be in the new catalog, like the SUMMER SMOOCH DESIGNER FABRIC BRADS...they are only available til April 30th!!

What is my favourite item in this sneak peek, you ask... Well, as may be obvious from my posts the last few days, the petite purse die of course! It is SO stinkin' cute!!