CAS Thank You Note for Sketch and Color Challenges

I made this CAS Thank You note for a couple of challenges this week and it's a design that I will replicate for gift sets.  

I'll be entering this in the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and in honor of its very own new blog, the good folks at SSSC have given us the freedom to choose our favorite sketch for SSSC259.  I chose Sketch #154 to use for this layout:

My color palette was guided by a new challenge for me, the Color Throwdown Challenge. For CT332, I chose Tempting Turquoise, Strawberry Slush, Night of Navy and Sahara Sand.

The stamp in this project is a Sale-a-Bration *freebie*.  Read more about Sale-a-Bration {HERE}. The set is called Simply Wonderful and it has a set of seven different sentiments in a variety of fun formats and fonts.  Click on the Sale-a-Bration catalog on the right side of your screen to see more (it's on page 16).

To achieve multiple colors, I used my trusty Stampin' Write Markers to ink the stamp in Strawberry Slush and Tempting Turquoise.  After coloring all of it, I give it a huff of air before stamping.

I love the stripes in the "Thanks" of this sentiment, so I echoed those with the Stylish Stripes TIEF. I put the pieces of card stock in the folder together and ran them through my Big Shot.  Simple and yet it really adds to the card (I started without the stripes and found I needed more oomph -- I freely reserve the right to revise my projects!).

The sentiment punches perfectly with the Decorative Label Punch and I made a quickie flagged end in my Night of Navy card stock using my Paper Snips.

Sale-a-Bration lasts for three more weeks, so take stock of what you need and for every $50 in merchandise ordered, you can earn some terrific freebies! Combine your order with friends and you can earn even more! Contact me for no-pressure, high-yield strategies to maximize your Sale-a-Bration freebies!

New {Weekly Deals} from Stampin' Up!

Hello, Studio Visitors!  It's Tuesday and Stampin' Up! has given us new Weekly Deals!  Check them out below and click {HERE} to shop!

Crisp Cantaloupe Ruffle Stretch Trim, (130021), originally $8.95, but on sale this week for $6.71!

Grad Party Digital Download, My Digital Studio, (129877), originally $9.95, but on sale this week for $5.97!

In Color Boutique Details, (130938), originally $8.95, but on sale this week for $6.71!

**Click {HERE} for a Paper Pumpkin post using these sweet details (includes a video tutorial)**

 

Pewter Stampin' Emboss Powder ("EP"), (124114), originally $4.75, but on sale this week for $3.56!

Scallop Trim Border Punch, (118402), originally $15.95, but on sale this week for $11.96!

Silver Glass Glitter,  (120995), originally $3.95, but on sale this week for $2.96!

Tempting Turquoise Stampin' Emboss  Powder, (122950), originally $4.75, but on sale this week for $3.56!

Vintage Trinkets Accents & Elements, (118764), originally $5.95, but on sale this week for $4.46!

I've been super busy in the Studio and I'm catching up on blogging to share it all with you.  Stay tuned this week for more project posts!  We are within two weeks of the end of Sale-a-Bration (March 31)!  Here's a link to the {BROCHURE}!  Combine orders with friends to max out your Sale-a-Bration freebies and Hostess Benefits.  Got a question?  Please drop me a line!

Bright Spring Sunshine with Cottage Garden

We need a little spring sunshine in the Pacific Northwest, as we're getting treated to the liquid variety this week...  I love the stamp set, Cottage Garden and I'm sad to report that it'll be retiring in a little over a week's time (May 31, to be exact).

The 5-Petal Flower Punch likewise retires at the end of May, so I thought I'd pay homage to them both in this project.  The colors I used were Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White.  

The tone-on-tone flowers in the Melon Mambo piece are courtesy of VersaMark ink...

If you're lovin' Cottage Garden and you'd like to see another project, click *here*, *here*, but page down a bit, *here*, and the sentiment is used *here*.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Cottage Garden (W117068, C120003)

Paper:  Melon Mambo (115320), Tempting Turquoise (102067), Daffodil Delight (119683), Pretty in Pink (100459) and Whisper White (100730) card stocks

Ink:  Melon Mambo (115656), Tempting Turquoise (100814), Daffodil Delight (119667), and Pretty in Pink (101301) Classics and VersaMark (102283)

Accessories:  Large Tag Punch (119876), 5-Petal Flower Punch (119880), White Baker's Twine (124262)

Ode to Medallion...

Medallion, one of my *favorite* Stampin' Up! stamps, retires at the end of this month.  I thought I'd dedicate my banner and buttons to this forgotten favorite (I haven't used it in a while)...

Be sure to click *HERE* to read about my FREE ANNUAL CATALOG offer.  You can expect to get yours around the third week in May (but it's first come, first served!).

And now, a word about our banner...  I created this card for a challenge a few years ago, back when Bermuda Bay was one of the In Colors.  It's not available anymore, but one could achieve a similar look with Tempting Turquoise or maybe in a softer version, with Pool Party.

Speaking of In Colors, the stock of retiring 2010-2012 In Colors is quickly depleting, so don't delay in ordering if there's something you still need.  Remember, Retiring Accessories are available only as supplies last.

Medallion and all of its Retiring Stamps friends will be available until May 31.

Button, button, I've Got a Button!

Recently, while clearing out my stampin' stash, I discovered a slew (and I mean a SLEW) of samey buttons. Thought I'd combine some with a few fun buttons (Real Red, Chocolate Chip and Tempting Turquoise). They're all retired buttons, but there's a whole collection of new colors available on page 186 of the Idea Book and Catalog.

--To add some pop to the card, I thought I'd use my scoring blade on my paper trimmer and score borderlines for each button. Simple to do, and adds a fun and inexpensive detail to the card (you've already got a trimmer, right?!).

--To add further "punch," I used the Word Window Punch on a piece of Real Red (stamped first with Teeny Tiny Wishes, because that's so much easier than lining up the stamp on the punched image, remember!).

--I also used my Big Shot and the Perfect Details Texturz Plate to mimic the scoring of the Pumpkin Pie piece. I lined up my Early Espresso piece just so on the plate so that only the front half of the card body caught the texture, leaving me a smooth surface on which to write.

--Speaking of Early Espresso, I used little slivers as "thread" and gently tied knots in my buttons. With a gentle touch, this is an easy, fun and inexpensive way to add to your project. Linen Thread is what I used to tie off the other buttons. All of them are easily adhered with Mini Glue Dots.

--Finally, this color scheme is brought to you by the fabulous Color Coach! Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Real Red (and I added Tempting Turquoise)... Thank heavens for a little help!

Thank you for your visit today!

{Catalog Countdown: Day Six}

Welcome to the Studio! It's been a nuthouse around here, lately, as I prep for the launch of the new catalog... I wanted to spend the next few days sharing some projects created with retiring stamp sets and colors.

Here are the details:

• Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper is retiring this year and I used one-inch squares ("inches") to jazz up this card. What a great way to eat up scraps!


• Holiday Blitz is one of my g0-to sets and I'm sad to see it go (though there's a cute new set with lots of pint-sized images which will fit the bill). The flip-flops stamp is going to have its rubber worn bare, I use it so much!


• Gable Green, Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange and Pixie Pink are also retiring as Stampin' Up! introduced its Color Renovation...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Holiday Blitz

Paper: Tempting Turquoise card stock and Kaleidoscope DSP

Inks: Whisper White Craft

Accessories: Tempting Turquoise 1/4-inch grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, paper trimmer, white embroidery floss,

Retirees: Holiday Blitz Stamp Set, Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper, Yoyo Yellow, Pixie Pink, Gable Green and Only Orange card stocks

Stay tuned all week for more Catalog Countdown posts. I'll be highlighting stamp sets, accessories and colors which are retiring as of June 30 (less than a week away!)...

Contact me now to preorder your copy of the 2010-11 Idea Book and Catalog! Cost is $9.95 (with free shipping -- Priority -- saving you $4.90). Get it for free by placing a merchandise order for $150 or for hosting a workshop (or catalog party)!

{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!

Welcome Home, Daisy!

Dear friends of ours suffered the loss of a dear dog earlier this year. She'd been with them for over 16 years and is a cherished member of the family.

We just received the happy news that they've welcomed a new (lucky!) puppy into their home, named Daisy. Here's the card I made to send to them:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: All in the Family and Short and Sweet sets

Papers: Very Vanilla and Pink Passion card stocks, Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper

Inks: Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise and Basic Black Classics and VersaMark

Accessories: Scallop Oval, Scallop Circle, and Word Slot Punches, Tempting Turquoise Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon

Thanks for looking!