The first set I ordered...

...when the current Idea Book and Catalogue was released last summer was actually a hostess set called Faith in Nature.  There was just something about the images that spoke to me and it was first on my list.  As we near the end of the life of this catalogue, we prepare to say good-bye to all of the wonderful hostess sets, this one included.  Today's post features one of the beautiful images from that set...

Thank you card featuring the Faith in Nature hostess set.  Sentiment is from Just Believe

Another product that will likely disappear with the new catalogue is the Mocha Morning DSP (though we won't know for sure until the Retiring Accessories list posts next week!).  I have to say I just love that paper!  The neutral palette and elegant patterns are so versatile!  I used it on this card as both the background layer and for the scalloped layer as well.  I think I may just have to stock up on that stuff before it goes away!
As for how to put this card together, the only part you likely can't see in the photo is the focal image.  I heat embossed it on watercolour paper, using gold embossing powder, and then coloured it using my aquapainter and more mustard, cherry cobbler and lucky limeade ink pads.  So fast and easy!   The other layers are more mustard and soft suede.  Hope you have a happy Sunday!

A Fond Farewell...

The publication of the Retiring Stamps list is always bittersweet.  There is sadness to see some favourite stamp sets go, but also excitement as we wait to see what will replace them in the new catalogue.  Over the coming days I will feature projects that use some of my favourite retiring sets as my final farewell to them.  Today's project features two retiring A La Carte stamps:  Fine Flourish and Ornate Blossom, as well as the Sincere Salutations sentiment set, which is also retiring.  It also uses a cool technique:  emboss resist.  Have a look...

Multi-occasion card featuring Fine Flourish and Ornate Blossom A La Carte stamps with sentiment from Sincere Salutations

This design would work for  a weddding, anniversary, birthday...any other ideas?

I originally designed this card for a techniques class and then decided to go in another direction.  I don't often make square cards because of the additional postage costs, however, it is fun to work with a different shape now and again.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the emboss resist technique, here is a quick how-to:
Starting  with a square of whisper white card stock, I stamped the Fine Flourish image using concord crush ink.  I then inked the Ornate Blossom with Versamark and stamped it right over top of the first image, taking care to try to centre it.  I then heat embossed the blossom using clear embossing powder.  Then I inked up my  brayer with concord crush ink and covered the entire square with ink.  The embossed image  will resist the ink and the stamped image underneath will show through.  The final touch is to wipe any excess ink off of the embossed image using a tissue.  Simple, yet elegant. 
Another retiring set I'll miss a lot is Sincere Salutations:

Sincere Salutations (Item # 115068)

Such a versatile set with pretty fonts.  If this little gem isn't yet in your stamp collection you need to order it before May 31st or you'll  miss the chance for good.

Acrylic Distress for Mom

This month's issue of Stampin' Success, our demonstrator magazine, featured an article on the Acrylic Distress technique.  This is one that  I have often thought "Oh, I should try that" and then never actually did.  Well, that changed last week when I decided to do the technique with one of my monthly groups.  Check out the card we made...

Soft and pretty Mother's Day card featuring the Acrylic Distress technique and the Mixed Bunch stamp set.  Sentiment is from the Family Reunion set.

Pretty, eh?  I love how soft the colours are on this card...a huge change from all the brights I've been using with all the Summer Smooches products of late!  I especially love this technique!  So easy to do!!  Simply paint a piece of card stock with acrylic paint.  I used some white that I had bought at our local dollar store and then tinted it using my baja breeze reinker.  Allow the paint to dry completely and then run the card stock through the Big Shot with an embossing folder.  Using a sanding block, sand the paint off the raised pattern, revealing the original cardstock colour beneath.  For this card I used crumb cake card stock, which shows through the blue where I sanded off the paint.  So cool and such a neat look.  I foresee more of this technique in my future!

No Stamping??

Today's post has no stamping on the front of it!!  I know...you're thinking what's up with that, right?  Well, at this month's meeting for my Tri-City stampers team we focused on the brayer and a did two make-n-takes that featured that handy-dandy tool.  The card that follows is one we made.  Now before you think I'm a genius or something, let me say that this card is a complete CASE of Michelle Zindorf, Goddess of the Brayer.  She creates the most unbelievably beautiful work with ink and that little rubber roller.  You have to check out her blog and you'll see exactly what I mean.  In the meantime, check out this beautiful, if somewhat unusually-sized card:

9" x 4" card (fits in standard business letter envelope) featuring my brayer and the bird builder punch.

Inside of card with little birds from Clearly For You (another one that's on the Retiring List!) and sentiment from Pursuit of Happiness.

Cool, eh?  I fell in love with this card when I saw it on Michelle's blog and knew I had to do it for my team meeting.  Michelle takes the time to post detailed tutorials with her projects so recreating it was easy.  Head on over to her blog and check it out.
In case you missed it yesterday the Retiring Stamp Sets list was posted by Stampin' Up!.  I have SEVENTY sets that are going bye-bye, so I am going to make the most of them while I still can and feature as many as I can on this little blog over the next month or so.  If you see something that you just have to have, make sure you order it by May 31st...after that it will be gone for good.

Going, going, gone!

Click HERE to view the online PDF of the list of retiring stamp sets.  Then get shopping to order those sets you want before May 31st!

With the approach of the launch of the new Annual Catalogue each year, Stampin' Up! must make the difficult decision to retire several beloved stamp sets to make way for new and exciting products.  Today, SU released the list of retiring stamp sets from the 2011/12 catalogue.  The list is a little longer than in past years because of the change in the catalogue system.  While it is always sad to have to say good-bye, it is also very exciting because I know there will be even better NEW designs to come!  I plan to spend my afternoon pulling retiring sets from my collection and rearranging those that remain in anticipation of my new additions.

One of the sets that is retiring is Inspired by Nature (111656).  This beautiful set is one I have had for quite some time but don't often use!  I did pull it out last week as I was preparing for my monthly techniques class, as it lends itself very well to the chalkboard technique.  Have a look...

Birthday card featuring the Chalkboard technique using the Inspired by Nature stamp set and sentiment from Apothecary Art.

It was fun to pull out my chalks for a change!  I haven't used them in ages, so I had a great time colouring those beautiful flowers.  For those of you who aren't familiar with this technique, here is a quick how-to:
Start by stamping the flower image using white CRAFT ink on basic black cardstock.  Allow the ink to dry completely or use your heat tool to speed it along (that's what we did at my class, as we didn't have time to wait for it to dry on its own!).  Using Stampin' Pastels (120692) and a cotton swab, apply colour to the stamped image as desired.  For this card I used more mustard for the centres of the flowers, pretty in pink, perfect plum and elegant eggplant for the petals and then wild wasabi and garden green for the stems.  The result is a cool, luminous effect that appears to glow.  Such a fun technique...I can't wait to see what new stamp sets will appear in the upcoming catalogue that lend themselves to this technique!  In the meantime, if you like this set be sure to order it before May 31st...after then it will be gone for good!

There's something about Mary...

...Mary Fish that is!  She  is one talented lady and her blog is on my regular reading list.  A while back she featured a birthday card that I loved and it prompted me to create today's project.  Check this out...

Masculine birthday card featuring sentiment from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.

I kept all of the essentials of Mary's design, including the colour scheme and layout.  What I changed was the focal image.  To create it I cut several different colours of DSP and cardstock (including pool party, always artichoke, old olive and lucky limeade) using my Tasteful Trim die with my Big Shot.  I then glued the little strips of rick-rack onto an island indigo panel on a diagonal and then ran the whole thing through the Big Shot again with the lattice embossing folder.  The result is kinda funky, but perfect for a masculine birthday card. 

On another note...tomorrow is the day the retiring stamp sets list is published.  We will learn which of our treasured stamp sets will not carry over to the new Annual Catalogue...a bit of a sad day, but also exciting because it means Stampin' Up! has something new and even better in store!  Check back here tomorrow to view the retiring list...I'll have a link to the PDF for you right here!

Doilies for Mom

Today's post is a quick and easy card I made for our monthly team meeting swap.  This month's challenge was to create a Mother's Day card using at least one of the many doily products in the Stampin' Up catalogue.  My thoughts immediately turned to the beautiful Flirtatious DSP and this card practically designed itself!  Have a look...

Mother's Day card for HSS113 featuring Flirtatious DSP with sentiment from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.

Super simple, eh?  Clearly the DSP is the star of the show on this card, but there were a  few little details you might have missed.  Firstly, I cut and then embossed the scalloped edge on the bottom of the melon mambo mat behind the pink focal piece.  LOVE  those Edgelits and coordinating Adorning Accents embossing folders!  The flower was created by layering two five-petal-flower punches one on top of the other.  Before doing so, I scored a line down the centre of each petal to add interest and texture.  The leaves are two petals from the same flower punch done in lucky limeade.  The white doily in the centre of the flower is cut from a strip that I had punched using the lace ribbon border punch...I just trimmed out the little flower in the pattern.  The final detail on the flower is one of the fabulous fabric covered brads from the Summer Smooches promotion...so fun!  Its hard to believe the only stamping on this card is the sentiment from the Delightful Dozen set...such a great set!  Now, as it turns out, this card works for this week's challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  Head on over and check it out and then play along!

On another note, in case you missed the news on Tuesday, Stampin' Up has added several new items to the online Clearance Rack...including the 5-petal-flower punch (among MANY others)!  You can get it now for just $13.79 (CDN)...what a deal!  Click HERE to check it out and see the other bargoons to be had!