Stamps:  You’re Amazing (p. 33)

Ink/Color:  Not Quite Navy*, Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red*

Paper:  Riding Hood Red* or Cherry Cobbler, Naturals Ivory, Not Quite Navy*, First Edition Designer Series Paper*, Very Vanilla

Other:  3/16″ Regals Brads*, Big Shot, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Window Frames Collection Framelits, Sponge Daubers, 7/16″ Trim (Natural), Stampin’ Dimensionals

*Discontinued

This one, however, was inspired by Kristin Moore.  Her card had Little Leaves die cuts (or perhaps Bird Builder punchies, I’m not sure) adhered to colored squares.  My version is emboss resist using Secret Garden.  I preferred ink on my fingers rather than adhesive, I guess!

With this card I say a sad farewell to the 1¼” and 1⅜” square punches — not too sad, however, as I’ve seen what’s replacing them in the new catalog!

Stamps:  Secret Garden, Sweet Essentials (p. 140)

Ink/Color:  VersaMark, Old Olive, More Mustard*, Island Indigo

Paper:  Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Bravo Burgundy*

Other:  Heat Tool and Stampin’ Emboss Powder (White), 1¼” Square Punch*, 1⅜” Square Punch*, 3/16″ Metallic Brads*, Stampin’ Dimensionals

*Discontinued

This is an easy page made impressive because of the use of an overlay.  Think of overlays as pre-printed transparencies.  This one I used as a page layer that was a background by itself.

The original photo had so many colors and patterns that were impossible to work with:  orange stripes on his shirt and the bottom of his shoes, a plaid chair, and a pink floral pillow!  So I changed the photo effects on both the photograph and the overlay to sepia and it worked perfectly!

We had a beautiful spring here yesterday — I’m always happy to have stampers who make camp part of their Mother’s Day celebrations.  The highlight of my day was a little boy with a heart-shaped balloon, a card, and a hug and kiss for his Gwamma.

I hope your day was beautiful, too!

Welcome to Stampin’ Addicts‘ latest blog hop, saying “so long and farewell” to stamp sets retiring from the 2012-2013 Stampin’ Up! annual catalog.

Perhaps you’ve just come from Debbi’s blog featuring Word Play.  It was all I could do not to use that on my own projects here!  A great sendoff, Debbi — I love that card made with block stamping!

My featured set is You Are Loved (page 24).  I confess that I bought this set when it was introduced in a mini catalog — then never used it.  Gulp.  I was happy it appeared in the next annual catalog and I promptly inked it up!  My challenge for this set was to use it for occasions other than Valentine’s Day.

I recently heard another stamper extolling the virtues of Pool Party Stampin’ Up! Embossing Powder on black, so I tried it here.  I cut out the image with one of the Hearts Collection Framelits, then adhered punched circles around it.  (I enjoy that kind of detail work!)  I don’t ever seem to be able to capture the true color of Pool Party, so please try this for yourself and be prepared to be stunned!

I haven’t made a rosette in … I can’t even remember when.  So when I saw one atop a Stampin’ Up! embellishment container, I knew I wanted to make my own version of a little gift box.  Lots of retiring product here, but the concept is easily executed no matter what you use.  Don’t throw those containers in the recycle bin — they have more life in them!

This card is a You Are Loved version of a card I did for a blog hop last year.  That card has been pinned and re-pinned a lot, perhaps because it’s so simple and fast to make.  I think this makes an excellent sympathy card — pretty, but restrained.  The true color is Not Quite Navy.  I will really miss this ribbon!

I didn’t start out seeing how many gray cards I could make, it’s just that I really like working with Basic Gray and now (or soon!) Smoky Slate, which is the card base here.  And Crisp Cantaloupe?  Yummy!  Look closely and you’ll notice that the Cantaloupe panel has been stamped with the heart image from this set.  So subtle and pretty.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this fresh look at You Are Loved!  You’re now on to the first blog in the loop to see Yapha’s creations using Build a Blossom at Rubber Stamping & Card Making with Yapha.  I appreciate her work (check out the fish bowl!), as this is a set I resisted buying.

Please come back next week to learn the details of these projects — now enjoy the rest of the hop!

(Remember, the blog hop is a loop.  Just follow the link at the bottom of each stamper’s post to get to the next blog; eventually you’ll end up back where you started.  And if you ever lose your way, come back here and click on the banner above to see the complete lineup of blogs.)

<<–Previous blog . . . . . . Next blog –>>

The next Stampin’ Addicts Blog Hop starts this weekend, featuring products from Stampin’ Up!’s Retiring Stamps List.  So far thirteen demonstrators are participating, each of us showing three or four projects using our chosen set.  I’ll be showing off You Are Loved (page 24).  It’s not just for Valentine’s Day, you know!

The hop begins Friday, May 10, at noon EST and continues through Sunday, May 13.  As usual, you can start here and progress, because the hop is a big loop.  You can see the entire list of blogs by clicking the banner, above, or here.

In the midst of all the springtime weekend busyness, I hope you’ll have some time to enjoy our projects and leave with lots of inspiration!

The layout comes from the work of Heather Summers and Kimberly Van Diepen, superstars in the world of My Digital Studio, in my opinion.  They post a challenge every Monday on their Simply My Digital Studio Challenge Facebook page.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to save 25% off select My Digital Studio content and print products until June 15.  (You’ll see the sale price when you add the item to your bag.)  Digital content includes ensemble, calendar, photobook, and swatchbook digital content.  (See it here.)  Print products include all photobooks, swatchbooks, cards, tags, individual pages, and calendars.  (See it here.)  What better gift for a grad or dad than a photobook full of memories!

It’s hard to see some of my favorite products leave.  I can accept the stamps moving on (there are always fab new ones around the corner), but I love this taffeta ribbon and the Jewelry Tag Punch a lot.  OK, I get it, I’m in the minority — I should be used to it!

Stamps:  Cherish Friendship* (p. 93), Fabulous Phrases (p. 133)

Ink/Color:  StazOn Jet Black, assorted Watercolor Wonder Crayons* and Stampin’ Write Markers

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy*, Naturals Ivory, Watercolor Paper

Other:  Big Shot, Designer Frames Embossing Folder, 3/8″ Taffeta Ribbon (Not Quite Navy*), Jewelry Tag Punch*, Vintage Trinkets, Lace Ribbon Border Punch**, Stampin’ Dimensionals

*Retiring June 3 (stamps) or while supplies last
**Already retired

And you’ll find plenty of this Moroccan-inspired design element in the new 2013-2014 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog, too, in the suites Easter Elegance and Quatre Fancy.  The set I’ve used here, Mosaic Madness, is one demonstrators can get before the sales period for the new catalog begins May 31.  I wasn’t so sure about it … if it had been a luscious floral set, maybe … but I went ahead and ordered it, anyway.  The designers at Stampin’ Up! know what they’re doing!  This layout is adapted from one of the samples in the catalog.

(Did I say yet how much you will love the new catalog?)

The card base is one of the fabulous new In Colors — Coastal Cabana.  In real life, it is much more green than the photo here shows.  The embossed panel is Crumb Cake, and the little quatrefoil images are in another In Color, Baked Brown Sugar.

Stamps:  Mosaic Madness*, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink/Color:  Coastal Cabana*, Baked Brown Sugar*

Paper:  Coastal Cabana*, Crumb Cake, Whisper White

Other:  Big Shot, Modern Mosaic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Mosaic Punch, Bitty Banners Framelits, Pearl Basic Jewels, Stampin’ Dimensionals

*2013-2014 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog

In the studio, all of my 2013-2014 Annual Catalog pre-order is neatly filed away, all the color paper files and inks are re-ordered, and nearly all of my retirement items are inventoried and priced.  Based on my own bins of goodies, the sale tables at Super Saturday on October 12 will be loaded!

Not so sure now when when we’ll be moving, but I’m visualizing where I want to be stamping and holding classes.  Although I’ve loved working in the basement here (especially when the sun pours through the south window), I’ve always been mindful of the potential for water.  My husband hates that there is so much furniture down there, but I see one idea after another of what I’d like and keep dreaming.

Anyway, when the tables were clear enough, I did get some good work done this week.  This card was inspired by a swap card someone got from someone.  (Super Saturday swappers, see why we like your name on your work?)  All the card stock here is retiring — but I’ll say again that you will love the new In Colors and the returning colors that are “joining the family”!  I’d love to remake this card then.  I think this card is suitable for a guy — do you agree?

Stamps:  By the Tide*, French Foliage**

Ink/Color:  Lucky Limeade**, Bashful Blue**, Baja Breeze**, VersaMark, Tempting Turquoise

Paper:  Baja Breeze**, Certainly Celery**, Bashful Blue**

Other:  Big Shot, Ovals Collection Framelits*, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder*, Heat Tool and Stampin’ Emboss Powder (Pewter), Sponge Dauber, Stampin’ Dimensionals