Sep 9, 2020 | Cards |
For my You Are So Special card, I used the Tasteful Touches stamp set and one of my favorite neutral color combinations. Quite a few years ago, I discovered how well Crumb Cake, Whisper White, and Basic Gray went together. I’ve been meaning to make another card with this color combo ever since, and this stamp set seemed perfect.

All the stamping is in Basic Gray except the greeting. Also, I sponged the edges with Crumb Cake, and added Wink of Stella in the middle of the flower. The lighter background stamps are just “stamped off” before stamping so that you’re stamping at half the darkness of fully inked stamps. I designed this card at my last retreat for one of my July stamp club cards. Here’s a close up.

Colors: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Basic Gray
In Good Taste designer series paper: 2″ x 4″ strip
Supplies:
Happy Stampin’

Aug 26, 2020 | Cards |
I gave my husband this Straight Up You’re the Best birthday card for his 60th birthday. His preferred drink is whiskey, so I knew I’d be buying the Whiskey Business stamp set as soon as I saw it in the catalog. I also adapted a version for my stamp club to make in August.

I used crystal effects to make the decanter, glass, and ice shiny. It’s been a while since I used that on anything, so I forgot how awesome it looks. The current version of this product is Shimmery Crystal Effects, so it’s probably even shinier. Here’s a close up.

The whole card is heat embossed…I even did some embossed images inside from Whiskey Business, Game On, and an old set called Classic Pickups.

The World of Good Specialty Designer Series Paper looks great with this set, Stampin’ Up! used it on their sample in the catalog too.
Colors: Cinnamon Cider, Brass, Gold, Basic Black, Whisper White
Happy Stampin’

Jun 2, 2020 | Craft Retreats |
I hosted a weekend stamp retreat with my team last weekend. We timed it to play with all the items we pre-ordered from the new annual catalog. Stampin’ Up! limits us to a specific list for our pre-order, so I can’t wait until tomorrow when we can order whatever we want from the catalog (along with customers). The limited offering for pre-order is tied to what Stampin’ Up! ordered as extra inventory for all of us demonstrators ordering. Anyway, I had several new suites of products to play with and fun down time with friends. I now have lots of samples to show off at my Open House this coming weekend. All in all, it was a wonderful time.
Before the retreat, I made a pillow gift for each of them. It’s a Tea Tin that I copper embossed the sunflower images on from the new set, Celebrate Sunflowers. I filled them with goodies and embossed the lids too. The ribbon is new too (Bumblebee Gingham).


I also made towel tags to hang on our towel hooks. I used retiring paper for these and put matching hearts on the back before laminating them. I got some wrinkles on the back, but I like how they turned out.


Here’s most of our group (one couldn’t make it and one had to leave early). But, we also had two awesome ladies that booked the house with us (Kim & Kellee). It was great to chat and hang out with them too all weekend (Thanks Kim for taking our photo).



I got there a day early and watched Star Trek Voyager on my laptop. The rest of the time we listened to music and talked while working on our projects. See my dark chocolate bar tucked under my computer…definitely a retreat essential.

Here are most of the sample cards I made for upcoming clubs, classes, and my Open House this weekend. I have at least a dozen more that aren’t in the photos.


I’ll post more details for some of these samples in upcoming post after I’ve had more time to photograph them better. This retreat was at our favorite spot, Moments Retreat. I can’t wait for the next one!
Happy Stampin’

May 22, 2020 | Cards |
One of my favorite sheets in the Pressed Petals Designer Series Paper is this one with flowers on burlap. Since this paper is retiring and I hadn’t used it yet, I decided to feature it on a card for my May Stamp Club. I designed this easy little get well card with a few hearts added from the Stitched Be Mine dies. The sentiment is from the Dandelion Wishes stamp set.

Here is a close up of the card.

I noticed that the designer paper was a little thin to handle the ribbon taped with Tear & Tape to the back. So, on the ones I made after the initial sample here, I added a piece of Crumb Cake card stock on the back of the designer paper to give it some extra strength and put glue dots in all 4 corners too.
Colors: Rococo Rose, Merry Merlot, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Note: The littlest heart is from the center bottom of the scrolled heart die.
Tools and Stamp Sets:
I love using the ribbon this way to make a textured scalloped edge border.
Happy Stampin’

Apr 22, 2020 | Announcements |
Stampin’ Up! posted the retired lists today for the 2019-2020 Annual Catalog and the 2020 January-June Mini Catalog (the Spring mini).

Here are the links to the lists:
Annual Catalog – Excel
Annual Catalog – pdf
Mini Catalog – Excel
Mini Catalog – pdf
Check out what retired and don’t miss out. Some items will run out right away:
- All retiring items are only available while supplies last and will be discontinued after June 2.
- Due to high demand, retiring stamp sets will have guaranteed availability until May 22, 2020; all other products are not guaranteed and are only available while supplies last.
- Stampin’ Blends aren’t retiring, but will only be offered as a combo pack in the new catalog. If you need a single (light or dark), please order before the singles retire.
- Snail and snail refill are retiring, but the new catalog will have new and improved replacement adhesive on June 3rd. If you need refills before then, you should order some to tide you over.
- Don’t forget to order your favorite coordinating products from the retiring In Colors especially the ink refills and card stock.
Stampin’ Up! has lumped all the retiring items together in the store here.
Happy Shoppin’

Apr 14, 2020 | Cards |
I love how my cute Under My Umbrella card turned out. I couldn’t wait to stamp and color in the little rain boots. Not to mention how perfect the Lily Impressions designer series paper mimics a rainy day background. I made several of these cards so I could color the boots in different colors to match my umbrellas. Since I ordered the Pleased As Punch paper too, I had several styles of fun umbrellas to punch out. If you own this paper, the best way to cut it for punching is to cut the paper in diagonal strips to separate rows of umbrellas.
I also punched out the folded umbrellas on some of them for the inside of the card.


My favorites are the purple ones.


The cloud is the Pretty Label punch…I love punches! The boots and flowers, however, are fussy cut. And, I used Granny Apple Green Textured Weave ribbon under the cloud. I used this cute Spring card for an in-home party last month and my clubs in February. That was back when we were all not so nervous to leave the house or on lock-down. I hope everyone is enjoying time to create in their own stamping/crafting room or space.
The Pleased as Punch paper was only offered in February and March, but if there is any left, it might show up later in the clearance rack. In the meantime, new items were added today to the clearance rack with some discounted as much as 60%, so check it out.
I also noticed that we don’t have Blushing Bride Stampin’ Blends (I used a little water coloring in the pink boots since I don’t have that color in Blends). I’m hoping we have more colors (like all the rest of the colors) available in the new catalog in June. Us demos will get a chance to see the catalog in eight days…I’m so excited! Stampin’ Up! even has a counter counting down the days, hours, minutes for us on our demo website.
Happy Stampin’
