Collage Curios - Petite Pocket with Bookmarks

I made this little petite pocket using a sheet of dsp from the Fan Fair Collection and then I embellished it with Collage Curios (which will no longer be available after the end of the spring catalog at the end of the month - I'm sad about that!).  I also used the 'good life' sentiment from this month's Paper Pumpkin kit!  I then made 2 coordinating bookmarks for inside the pocket also using Collage Curios and I added the Eiffel Tower image from Artistic Etchings which retires at the end of the month.  I have stamped the tower in island indigo ink (which thankfully has moved from being an 'in color' to part of the regals collection) and then clear embossed it.

Ribbon & Accessory Doorprize

Just a little gift packaging I created for the doorprizes at yesterday's retirement workshop.  I had everything much more neatly in the cellophane bag before I tried to close it up, and I guess I overfilled because there was no way to keep it neat afterward...oh well, I'm sure the ladies will like the retiring ribbon, brads and buttons that they won!:)

I used mostly retiring colours on this project (Baja breeze, ridinghood red and bravo burgundy), but there's also a little bit of summer starfruit to tie it all together...and the stamped image is a sneek peek for you from the upcoming new catalog!  (Label love and hint hint it comes with a coordinating punch!!)  I stamped the image in bravo burgundy (as I said the other day, this was the first stamp pad I ever bought, and it is showing a fair bit of wear, but I knew I had to use it again before it retired!).

Make & Take 2 from Yesterday's Retirement Workshop

These 3x4 notecards are the 2nd make & take from yesterday's workshop.  We used the Morning Cup stamp set which is retiring along with the Comfort Café dsp which is also retiring.  The buttons (from the brights and neutrals collection) are also retiring.  I also coloured the kettle and the coffee pot in this projects with more mustard and Baja breeze markers as these 2 colours are among those that are also retiring.

To make these little 'to go' cup cards  you cut a piece of cardstock (I used crumbcake) to 8" x 3", then score it at 4".  Fold on the score line, then line your folded cardbase on your trimmer with the folded edge at the cut line and the open edge at 1/2" and trim a notch out (and repeat on the other side).  The belly band is 1" wide and the sipping lid is  1" wide as well with an extra 1/2" strip on top (bottoms rounded on the 1" strip).

Retirement Workshop - Make & Take #1 - Petal Cone Die

This is one of the make&takes for the retirement workshop I'm hosting today.  It uses the petal cone
die which is sadly retiring....but the good news is, it is on for 40% off!!

The stamped images come from the Elements of Style and Kindness Matters stampsets which are also retiring May 31st.  I also used retiring colours on this project:  pretty in pink and Baja breeze.  The stitched pretty in pink ribbon used on this project is also retiring.

 Instead of candy treats in this project, this time I used decorative pencisl which I found at Michaels (Mary Engelbreit collection)...I just felt that they coordinated so well and were something a little different:)

There are lots of things you could do with this project.  It could be a perfect favour at a wedding or baby shower.  It could be adorable at a ladies night at church or would make a nice gift for the girls at the office...or how about a child's birthday party.  Change up the colours or the images and the possibilities are endless!

Artistic Etchings Bookmark

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Artistic Etchings is my absolute favourite all-time Stampin Up stamp set, and, it is retiring!:(  It is the stampset with the Eiffel Tower image featured on my bookmark above.  I don't think I will ever part with this stampsets, it is so beautiful.

 

I also used the Established Elegance stamp set on this bookmark (also retiring as I said yesterday) and the En Francais background stamp (and the already retired from last year eyelet border unch:)

 

One other retiring item I used on this bookmark is this champagne shimmer paint...I mix it with alcohol in a spritzer bottle and spray at least half my projects to get a little shimmer, so I'm going to have to stock up because it's no longer going to be available.

 

I also used some retiring colours on this project - bravo burgundy and pretty in pink classic stamp pads.  Bravo burgundy was the first stamp pad I ever bought from Stampin Up, so it's a bit of a sentimental favourite on my part:)

 

Today is my retirement workshop, so if you want anything before it retires, be sure to contact me before supper time or you can place your order online (click my link under 'shop now' on the right sidebar of this site --> and use the following hostess code:  RJXHUMRM )

Can you believe Established Elegance is retiring??

I'm sorry, but that just seems wrong, but it is true.  This is one of my favourite sets and is where most of the images for this simple bookmark came from.  But this stampset will only be available until May 30th.

I couldn't resist making this simple bookmark so I'd have the images in front of me regularly.  Love, love, love that crown (so much I put a rhinestone jewel on it;)

I also finished this project (as I do many projects) using my spritzer tool.  It's retiring too!  What are people going to splatter with??!

Most of the ink colours used on this project are also retiring - namely pretty in pink an Baja breeze...and most of the cardstock etc. in these colours are already sold out...so hurry and check if there is something you want in a colour that is retiring before it is gone!  (The stamp pads were still available last I checked!)

I am having a retirement workshop tomorrow, so if there is anything you want that is retiring, be sure to contact me by tomorrow morning, or you can go online using this hostess code:  RJXHUMRM

(To place an online order, you just click 'shop now on my sidebar' and then 'shop now' on the top right hand side of my Stampin Up website that opens)

More Tea Shoppe

Today I have another card for you using the Tea Shoppe stampset that is retiring.  I paired it this time with the retiring dsp from the Fan Fair collection and the retiring Baja breeze seam binding ribbon.  Also, the doily and the right hand side of the background on the crumbcake cardstock are stamped with the Gossamer Lace stamp which is sadly also retiring.  I love that stamp and used it a lot as the perfect finishing touch on cards!

Be sure to contact me if I can help you place an order for any of your retiring favourites. Remember that retiring stamps and accessories are only available until May 31st, and accessories are only available while quantities last between now and then, so hurry if you don't want to miss out!   You click here to place an order online or contact me directly.  Please use hostess code:   RJXHUMRM 

 Also, for those of you in Saskatoon, I will be holding a Retirement workshop on May 18th at 1:30 pm.  Today is the deadline to RSVP me if you want to attend on the 18th.

Tea Shoppe - Retiring

In today's card I did a collage of images using the Tea Shoppe stampset which will also be retiring May 31st.  I love this stampset!  Today's card is super simple and just uses 3 colours of ink, sahara sand, early espresso and Baja breeze (which is sadly retiring...one of my all time favourite SU colours!)  The heart was cutout with the hearts framelits out of Fan Fair dsp which is also retiring, and the blow is the stitched ribbon which is also retiring.

Breaking up is hard to do...or should I say, saying 'goodbye'.   Be sure to contact me if I can help you place an order for any of your retiring favourites.  You click here to place an order online or contact me directly.  Please use hostess code:   RJXHUMRM 

 Also, for those of you in Saskatoon, I will be holding a Retirement workshop on May 18th at 1:30 pm.  RSVP to me by May 9th if you'd like to attend!

Retiring Stampsets - Keep Calm....

For the next little while I'm going to be featuring some projects using some of my favourite stamps and accessories that will be retiring May 31. 

Today, I'm starting with the 'Keep Calm" stamp set that was available for hostesses in the current year catalog.  You can still earn this set for free plus a few other free goodies if you host a workshop or place an order totalling $200 or more.  I just love this stamp set and am sad to see it go!  I've also paired it with a few other retiring items that I'm going to miss:  the summer smooches dsp and the vintage wallpaper embossing folder.

 

And I've also used the Ciao Baby stampset and coordinating punch.  This stampset is in the Spring Catalog which will also end of May 31.

 

Oh, goodbye's are hard.  Be sure to contact me if I can help you place an order for any of your retiring favourites.  You click here to place an order online or contact me directly.  Please use hostess code:   RJXHUMRM  

 Also, for those of you in Saskatoon, I will be holding a Retirement workshop on May 18th at 1:30 pm.  RSVP to me by May 9th if you'd like to attend!

Retiring Lists Available Today

Stampin Up released it's retiring stamps and retiring accessories lists today.  You can click here to see them online on my SU website.  Products are only available while quantities last, and there are some great deals (discounts of 40-60% on some of the digital products and accessories)!!

Smash Book - THIS & THAT - Epic Day!!

Smash books are all the rage these days and that is why SU has introduced 'This & That' which will be a new line in the new catalog coming out in June, and they've given us a sneak peek with a preview of the EPIC day suite through the end of April with a discount only available until April 30th if you get the bundle.

 

I decided to make my first journal be about all the things I'm learning...and a little of 'this & that'.  Above is my cover, which I'm not sure I'm finished;)  The dsp from the bundle is so vintage, I love it.  I know you can't completely tell from the instagram photo above but the pool party piece I used above has all sorts of words that mean something to me an I popped a few of those that mean a lot up on my cover:)

 

This is page one of my journal.  Entry 1 is all about 'Don't try so hard'...these are actually the lyrics to a brand new Amy Grant song that have so hit my heart, so I wrote them out on this page along with an instagram photo I took driving in the snow a few days ago....nothing about this page is perfect, and that's just what it should be...not perfect..gotta learn not to try so hard..."God gives you grace & you can't earn; don't think that you're not worth it..." 

I thinks creating this journal will be a good journey:)

Photopolymer Stamps...not the same as acrylic!

I have been hesitant to look at the new completely clear photopolymer stamps that SU has introduced 2 sets in.  Over the years I have tried different kinds of acrylic and other clear stamps and have not liked the quality (or lack there of) of the image.  That's why photopolymer, I've learned is different and that is why SU did not even try to introduce anything like this before...it had to pass their quality specifications.  So maybe I need to take a closer look.  How about you?  Click 'shop now' on my right sidebar to see what SU if offering in new photopolymer stamps:)

Paper Pumpkin April! SERIOUSLY!!

So this month's Paper Pumpkin arrived last night and it was a complete surprise.  I had not seen or heard what this month's kit was and it was SERIOUSLY, a surprise!!  Loved that!  And I love that one of the stamps in this month's kit was this great 'seriously' image!!  Below is the card that the kit is designed to make:

 

 And below are the other cards I made with it!  You know, it is so much fun to colour outside of the lines, isn't it?!;)

The card above, was my second attempt with this month's kit.  I loved the pattern on the card base, so I wanted it to show more!  And aren't the buttons darling?!  (They are in the current spring catalog if you want some to play with but haven't signed up for Paper Pumpkin:)

 For the card above, I had an extra dress framelit cut out in vanilla sitting on my workspace and that's where this idea came from.

 For the card above here, I decided to get out my dress framelits and cut out the dress form in the patterned paper included in the kit.  This card was inspired by the current 'all dolled up' kit Stampin Up is offering.  You can see here for details.

 I had extra patterned paper and stickers, so I made a fifth card even out of a very vanilla base (just using a half sheet of my stash of cardstock).

And below, you can see all 5 cards I've made with this month's kit...which was SERIOUSLY fun!  I love getting these...takes lots of the work out of cutting and measuring for me and I can just create & play!!

If you haven't signed up yet for Paper Pumpkin and you would like to, just click here and sign up (and please specify me as your demonstrator:))...a surprise kit will arrive for you each month (starter kit will be the same as the kit I showed you last month and will include a FREE gift of an acrylic block!)

Earn More for FREE When You Hostess (Through May 31st)

Colour REFRESH! ...and free shipping April 6-8th!

With the new catalog that comes out May 31, 2013 there will be a colour refresh to SU's four colour families.  The colours added to the colour families (many of which are former in colors) are pictured in the banner above.  The table above shows what the new colour colour families will look like and which colours are sadly being discontinued.  As a result, if you love any of the colours that are being discontinued (like I love ridinghood red, more mustard, Baja breeze and not quite navy), you'll need to order your cardstock/ink pad(s)/reinkers/markers etc before May 31st.  (And see below for free shipping coming up this weekend!!)

Here's a video explaining the new colour families after the colour refresh:


And now for the details about FREE SHIPPING which will be available on ALL orders from April 6th - 8th (3 days ONLY!) on ALL orders whether they be online or workshop.  So if there is some cardstock or something you want of the retiring colours, you can place your order without having to pay for shipping between April 6th & 8th  OR if you've been wanting to try the new THIS & THAT product line you can get it with free shipping during this period (I just got mine today...so excited!!)  OR if you've been wanting the Sent With Love bundle, you can get it with free shipping OR anything else your heart desires.  Click here to place an online order (and click shop now once you reach the link)  or contact me by April 6th!!

More details about THIS & THAT and Sent with Love can be found on my SU website.  Just click here.

Sent with Love

Today, I'm posting 4 quick cards I made with the Sent with Love bundle!  I created these in a snap using the quilting technique I previously showed with some valentine cards (and the more amore suite).  I absolutely adore the Sent with Love bundle of products and, as you can see, I can't resist decorating my envelopes too to coordinate with the cards:)

If you haven't ordered your Sent with Love bundle (or just the dsp paper or the stampset if you didn't want all of the coordinating products), then click on my right sidebar on 'shop now' to order yours today or contact me directly to help you place your order.  Sent with Love is only available until April 30th!

Paper Pumpkin - Welcome Kit Alternatives

Just thought I'd show you a couple more ideas of what you an do with the first month's Paper Pumpkin kit...  These are 2 of the cards I made with mine.  On the top card I also used one of the paper doilies in the spring catalog and in the bottom card I used a bit of ribbon from the free ribbon I got in sale-a-bration.

What are you making with your paper pumpkin this month?  If you haven't signed up yet, be sure to do so.  You'll receive the same welcome kit as I did with a free block too!  Just click here and be sure to specify me as your demonstrator!:)

1st Paper Pumpkin

My first Paper Pumkin box arrived this week and so I got to play with all the goodies!  First I made this card from the instructions included in the box!  (For the welcome kit they even included a FREE acrylic block D!)

Then I decided to mix it up a bit as I made the other 3 cards with the contents of the box.  Below is another version of what you can make and I'll share 2 more ideas tomorrow!

Did you receive your Paper Pumpkin this week?  If not, what are you waiting for, why don't you sign up.  Just click here and be sure to specify me as your demonstrator:))

LAST DAY OF 2013 SALE-A-BRATION!

Today is the last day of this year's SALE-A-BRATION and so I couldn't resist sharing one last card using my favourite FREE stamp set from this year's sale-a-bration, Feeling Sentimental.  If you haven't gotten yours for free yet, click here and choose 'shop now' to place a qualifying order online today because tomorrow it will not be available!

I stamped the bicycle image from this stamp set 3 times to create the shadow and feel of motion.  I also used the That's the ticket stampset for the ticket embellishments on this card, and I also used the argyle embossing folder for the background and some first edition dsp.

Sale-a-bration ends TOMORROW!

There are just 2 days left in this year's SALE-A-BRATION, so just 2 days left to get the Sycamore Street DSP and the coordinating embellishments pack for FREE with your order.  If you haven't gotten your free sale-a-bration goodies yet, click here and choose 'shop now' to place your online order!!

 

Today I'm showing you 2 chalkboard cards, one of which (the friendship one) uses the sycamore stree dsp and the coordinating ribbon embellishments.

 

The stampset used for these cards is From My Heart which is in the Annual Catalog, and as with the other chalkboard cards I've posted, the stamping was done with whisper white CRAFT ink.

For a tutorial on how to make cards like these, you can visit Becky's site.  She, like me, saw this idea on pinterest and couldn't resist making her own, and she did a great job of creating a tutorial on how to make the card shape/base too!:)

Club Project 2 - Petite Pocket Mini Album

The second project I did with the ladies at this month's club was this mini album which is made out of 3 petite pockets (using the dye by that name).  To get the variation in sizes I cut 3 pockets out of sahara sand card stock and trimmed one down by 1/2" and one down by 1".

The pockets were decorated with the gossamer lace stamp and the sycamore street (free during sale-a-bration) dsp.  The album was tied together with the sycamore street ribbon (also free during sale-a-bration), and then the focal point is a 1/2" bottle cap with images from the collage curios stampset.  That same stampset was also used for the pulls for the pocket inserts which were made out of dsp also from the sycamore street pack.

Stampin with Sherri Club - Chalkboard Technique

Tonight is our last club of this session and Sandy is the hostess.  It's also just about the end of sale-a-bration, so I was sure to plan this month's projects using exclusive sale-a-bration goodies.

Project 1 tonight will be this card using the chalkboard technique.  We'll be using the vintage verses stamp set and the sycamore street dsp which you can earn for free if you place an order before sale-a-bration ends of March 22nd.  We'll also be using the designer build a brads from the spring catalog and the embossing on the card base is from the tulips embossing folder.

I made a card similar to these earlier in sale-a-bration and decided to do another take on it for the club girls since the chalkboard technique is so popular right now.  One of the keys to doing the chalkboard technique is using white CRAFT ink.  The card base is made out of rich razzleberry which I picked because purple is this month's hostess's favourite colour.

Sale-a-bration - Get your free products before it all ends March 22nd!

There is just a short time left in this year's sale-a-bration.  If you haven't placed your sale-a-bration order to earn your free goodies, contact me today or click on 'shop now' on the right sidebar and place an online order.  The sale-a-bration flyer is also available for clicking on the right side bar.

I have a workshop order going in on Thursday March 14th if you need anything!:)

Paper Pumpkin - March deadline is TODAY:)

Sign up by March 10th (today!)  to receive your first Paper Pumpkin in March.  Orders after March 10th will be shipped in April.

Click here to order OR to find out more!

March's Exclusive Best of 25 Year's Stamp Set

Click on flyer above to see in more detail!

Vintage Touches...

This birthday card I made for my daughter has several vintage touches...  The first I want to mention is the background.  It is made from a piece of tinfoil that I embossed with the vintage wallpaper embossing folder.  It has the effect of an old tin ceiling almost.  Next, I used the dress form framelits and cut the dress form shape out of some crumbcake, which Is tamped on with images from the Established Elegance stamp set.  Then I created the skirt for the dress form out of several of the paper doilies from the Spring Catalog.  I tied some lace from the Artisan Embellishments Kit around the waist and then added a flower from the flower trim also in the Spring Cattalog.  The birthday banner was made with a greeting from the Apothecary Art stamp set.