It's a Stampin' Up! Color Refresh! Colors Discontinued, Old Favorites Out of Retirement!

It's that time again...  Stampin' Up! has reintroduced old favorites, such as Soft Sky and Blushing Bride, while retiring colors like Pretty in Pink, Baja Breeze and More Mustard.  See the chart below for the new colors in the 2013 Color Refresh:

Just in the Color Renovation a few years ago, the Discontinue Colors (at the bottom of the above chart) will only be available as supplies last...  This applies to card stock, ribbon, reinkers, ink pads, etc.

Here's a {video} from the lovely Carrie Cudney telling us all about it...  Hooray!

{12 Weeks of Christmas} Week 5 -- KISS: Keep It Simple, Santa!

Keep It Simple, Santa!  For this week's installment of my {12 Weeks of Christmas} series, I thought I'd show you a quick and simple card made with the Merry Minis set, its coordinating Punch Pack and the darling Seasonal Sayings sentiment stamp (which can be purchased singly {here}).

I started with the Merry Minis stamps, which I inked in Pink Pirouette and Certainly Celery.  For some of the images, I stamped directly on the Whisper White card stock.  For others, I stamped off.  I'm submitting this card to the 365 Cards Stampin' Saturday challenge, which requires us to stamp with two different stamps and four different colors.  I'm counting the lighter Pink Pirouette and Certainly Celery as Colors #3 and #4. 

Next, I punched the stars from the two pieces of Soft Suede card stock using the Merry Minis Punch Pack.  By punching the stars first, it's easier to then center the sweet little 1-1/4" Scallop Circle punch around the star.  For the middle circle, I just punched a Scallop Circle and then adhered an Old Olive star on top.  The Pink Pirouette (sorry about the blurry pic) is actually visible through the negative of the punched image in the Soft Suede.  For more on using the negatives of a punch, click {here}.

This color scheme was brought to you by my Color Coach...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Merry Minis (2012 Holiday Catalog W127916, C127919), Seasonal Sayings (2012 Holiday Catalog W128006, C128009)

Papers:  Whisper White (100730), Soft Suede (115318), Pink Pirouette (111351), and Old Olive (100702) card stocks

Accessories:  1-1/4" Scallop Circle Punch (2012 Holiday Catalog 127811) and Merry Minis Punch Pack (2012 Holiday Catalog 126882)

Stampin' Up! Supplies Basket for Preschool Donation

Tonight's the Spring Sing at my child's preschool and for the silent auction that accompanies this performance, I prepared a basket of card-making supplies.  I've cut, punched, stamped and prepared items that one could use to create a dozen cards.  I've also used My Digital Studio to create some sketches of ideas for possible layouts.

Here's a variety of punched shapes to use as embellishments.  I've also stamped a few sentiments and punched them out...

Finally, here are three "spools" of ribbon, wrapped and ready for use as well as the card bases, envelopes and pieces of cut Designer Series Paper from the Subtles Patterns Stack.

Since I used the Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack, I wanted to use colors that one could find in those papers.  I've included Marina Mist, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, and Pretty in Pink.  For added interest, I've included Early Espresso (it's not visible -- I ran pieces of that through my Big Shot, using the Vintage Wallpaper and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folders).

I hope someone has a lot of fun with this!

Stay tuned -- last weekend was my son's First Communion and I've got the invitation and Thank You notes to share with you... 

{Monday: Mise en Place (Organization)} -- Getting Scrappy

And we're back... After a necessary hiatus from the studio, I'm back! We're finished with school for the year, my daughter's Girl Scout troop is on summer break and I completed my teaching job. Phew! Now it's time to get back on-track!


To start, I thought I'd use up some of my scraps of soon-to-be retired Designer Series Paper (DSP). For this card, I chose to use Kaleidoscope. Doesn't take much DSP to make a "chic" statement, does it? I love this set, Chic Boutique. Most of what I've created lately has used a retiring set, but I'm happy to report that I broke from that trend to make this card. Chic Boutique is in the next catalog!

Speaking of the next catalog, mine arrived last week and woo-wee! What fun! I'm lovin' it!



Now for the deets on this project:

--Get scrappy with your DSP, ribbon and card stock! I used little strips of
DSP, two-inch pieces of ribbon and a morsel of card stock for the flower (under
the pearl). I didn't even have to use a piece large enough for the entire Modern
Label Punch (with "merci!")!

--Retiring items = "graduating". Our "graduates" are: Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper, Pretties Kit (pearls), and Pixie Pink card stock.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Chic Boutique


Paper: Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper (graduating!), Tempting Turquoise, Very Vanilla and Pixie Pink (graduating!) card stock


Ink: Tempting Turquoise Classic


Accessories: Scallop Edge Border, Modern Label, Word Slot and Itty Bitty Shapes Punch, Pretties Kit pearl (graduating!), Certainly Celery and Pretty in Pink 1/4-inch Grosgrain and Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Mini Glue Dot
Graduating Class: Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper, Pixie Pink card stock (ink, and etc), Pretties Kit

"Merci!" for joining me today! It's SO good to be back!

{Sunday: Sketchy!} Easter Tulips

Hello and Happy Easter! Here's the sketch we were to follow at 365 Cards for the Super Sunday Sketch Challenge:

And here's my take on the challenge:
Have you seen my tutorial video about tying a simple knot? I used that technique here in the ribbon embellishment of this card...
A little sueded paper and watercoloring add to the softness of this card:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: A Flower for All Seasons, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Papers: Melon Mambo, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery and Whisper White card stocks

Inks: Basic Brown Classic

Accessories: Melon Mambo grosgrain ribbon, Whisper White and Pretty in Pink 1/4-inch grosgrain ribbons, Whisper White Designer Hardware, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pens, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

Hope your week is a good one! We're on Spring Break around here, so we'll be having PJ Days and lots of scrapping and Easter fun... Thanks for your visit! Please drop me a line and let me know you were here!

Wanted

Happy Friday! Here's a card I made for a sketch challenge, using the Stampin' Up! set, Wanted. I used my Color Coach to come up with the color combination (my biggest challenge in papercrafting is coordinating colors)...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Wanted

Papers: Rose Red, Certainly Celery and So Saffron card stocks and So Saffron and Rose Red Designer Series Paper (from a retired Hostess Patterns Pack)

Inks: Rose Red Classic and So Saffron Craft

Accessories: Scallop Circle, 1-inch, and 1/2-inch Circle punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Thanks so much for looking! Have a great weekend!

Sketch Challenge Entry

Whew! Is it ever good to be back stamping! The yard is much better; I'll upload pics soon... I was so anxious to start stamping again that I've left the laundry that I'd mentioned in my previous post in baskets in my bedroom. I promise I'll get it put away today! :)

Here's the sketch I followed and the card I made for the Sunday Sketch on 365 Cards:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Warm Words

Papers: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Rose Red and Almost Amethyst (from a retired Pattern Pack Hostess item)

Ink: Certainly Celery Classic

Accessories: Certainly Celery twill (retired from '09 Sell-A-Bration), Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4-inch and 1/2-inch Circle Punches, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensional

It's such a pleasure to be back in the Studio! Thanks so much for looking!

Inspired by an Ad!

This card was inspired by the following ad:

This challenge was a lot of fun (to create a card using the above ad as inspiration)!!

I tried a new technique for this card. Using the Sizzix Texturz Backgrounds I Plate (a Stampin' Up! exclusive), I ran it through my Big Shot and then applied Black Craft ink to the back of the textured piece. I let it dry overnight (I could have heat-set it with my heat tool).

I applied two rhinestone brads to the piece of Basic Black card stock (I was thinking of the permanence of diamonds and how they symbolize the longevity we hope to have in our relationships).

Finally, while it doesn't come out clearly in the picture, I used my Certainly Celery Classic ink pad and dyed the flower from the Pretties Kit. I let that dry overnight, too. I layered it over a white flower (I *LOVE* the flowers pictured in the top center panel of the ad).

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Baroque Motifs

Inks: Certainly Celery Classic and Basic Black Classic; Basic Black Craft

Accessories: Flowers and rhinestone brads from the Pretties Kit, Sizzix Big Shot, Texturz Plate (Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I), brayer, Stampin' Dimensionals

I really enjoyed this challenge. Thank you for looking!

Soft Summer and Scallops Birthday Card for Dear Sister

This final design for our card making class allowed us to get all of our pent-up scallops out (I CASE'd this; thank you for the inspiration, LeeAnn Graff!). I actually made this for my sister first, then thought the class members would enjoy it, too.

This pretty Soft Summer flower stamp is available until June 30 (it's from the Occasions Mini Catalog).

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Soft Summer and Oval All

Papers: Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, So Saffron, Whisper White

Inks: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, and Basic Black

Accessories: Scallop Edge and Scallop Oval Punches, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig

**The floral image is Two-Step Stamping; using the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig takes the guesswork (and stress!) out of lining up the insides of the flower with the outline. It's also easiest to color the flower with two Stampin' Write Markers, as opposed to using ink pads.**

Finally, when using the Scallop Edge Punch to do an entire side as I have here, punch first in the middle and then work your way out. Whenever I start at the tippy-top or bottom, I end up with a scalloped diagonal because I get off-course. Keeping one "bump" that you've already punched out in your "sites" as you punch helps keep you straight.

Happy Birthday, Mobes! I love you!

Thanks so much for looking!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Brian!

Here's a birthday card I made for Uncle Brian for his birthday. I CASEd the design from Mary Ellen Scheiber. I'm going to be futzing (sp?) with this one to see what else I can do with the base of this card...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

• Stamp Sets: Lovely as a Tree; Fundamental Phrases


• Inks: Chocolate Chip


• CS: Certainly Celery; Chocolate Chip; Very Vanilla


• Accessories: Vanilla grosgrain; Linen Thread; Sizzix Big Shot; Top Note Bigz Die; Handheld rectangle and 1/16-inch punches; Word Slot punch

Happy Birthday, Unc!

Thanks for looking, everyone!