Showing posts with label retiring stamps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retiring stamps. Show all posts

Friday, June 10, 2011

Retirement Stamps are Happy Together

I'm on a creative roll here!  Seems like the past few weeks I haven't been too inspired with my stamping.  But the past few days, I'm stamping up a storm.  Trying to get a bunch of the retirement stamps made into cards so I can give them away to a few lucky people out there.

Yesterday, I pulled out Happy Together.  I got this stamp set during Saleabration for FREE!!  That's always a good price in my opinion.  It is a happy little stamp set and makes me smile when I use it!  If you like it, you can purchase it now for only $14.95.  Just make sure you place your order before July 1!!

In this first card, I used the Designer Label Punch which is also retiring so if you want it, get it now!

 RECIPE:
Stamps:  Happy Together, Swirls & Curls Verses
Paper:  Crushed Curry (retired), Choc Chip, Real Red, Whisper White, red DSP
Access:  non SU sequins, Eyelet Border Punch, Eyelet Corner Punch, Designer Label Punch. Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool


 RECIPE:
Stamps:  Happy Together, Define Your Life
Paper:  Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point, Beyond the Garden DSP
Access:  Sweet Stitches Designer Brad; Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch, Pinking Hearts Border Punch. Top Note Die, Big Shot

Here's a close up of the stamped area:


Thursday, June 9, 2011

Baby, It's Hot Outside!

Are you getting any relief from the heat where you live?  I know the hot weather is breaking records all along this area.  I think I saw where some schools in the northeast were cancelled today because of the heat.  We had another scorcher today but I think a thunderstorm is coming tonight.  Maybe it will cool things down but more than likely, it will just make it muggier tomorrow!  

Yesterday the Golden Boys had their annual Progressive Dinner.  Some friends came by on their boat and picked us up.  We all (100+) rafted up together in a cove for a couple of hours before we headed over to the Bomze's home for dinner.  It was so hot that most people stayed in the water the whole time during the raft up.  That doesn't usually happen.  Last year there were only a handful of people who got in the water.  It's funny because this event is usually held later in the summer but they changed it this year so it wouldn't be so hot!!  Well, that didn't quite work out!  The Bomze's have held this event in their home for the past 3 years.  They are braver than me .... how would you like to have 150 people at your house for dinner???  Of course, the meal is catered but Suze was still gracious enough to make a delicious rum punch for us!  

After a couple of lemonade and sweet tea vodka drinks during the raft up and a rum punch at the dinner coupled with the heat, I had a splitting headache when we got home.  That's why I didn't post anything last night!!  Plus, I had another reason ...... the new SU catalog arrived about 30 minutes before we left the house.  So, when I got home, I quickly took my shower and sat down to pore through the catalog.  I always make a Wish List as I'm going through the catalog.  It's fun to look back at the end of the year and see how many things I've gotten from my wish list or if I still feel the same way about the items.   This year I have about 18 stamps sets on my list plus ribbon, embossing folders, Decor Elements .....  I can't wait for you to see it in July!!  

Now, on to the retired sets.  I've made a few more cards for my giveaway (see details HERE).  This time I used All Holidays and Define Your Life stamp sets.


 This card has very little stamping on it.  The "Merry Christmas" sentiment is from All Holidays and it is white embossed.  I will miss this set because it is always a "go to" set for the holidays.  The DSP is from a pack that was available a few years ago.  It pairs really good with the retired Taken With Teal.  I always like the Teal card stock but I am down to 1-2 pieces now.  The little dew drops are non SU as is the ribbon.

This card uses Define Your Life stamp.  I didn't use this set enough although I've had it a long time.  The circles are Nestabilities.  The ribbon, DSP and card stock are all retired.  The DSP came in a big 12" x 12" pack and I still have bunches left.  The card stock is Bermuda Bay (retired) and Rich Razzleberry.  I love the butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die.   I used non SU sequins in the center of each butterfly.

Another card using the All Holidays stamp set.  This was probably my favorite sentiment in this set.  I think it will be missed by many!!  The DSP is from the current catalog - Greenhouse Gala. If you like it, you'd better order it before the end of the month or it will be GONE.   I used Nesties for the circles.  The polka dots are from a retired SU background stamp.  The flower is a pleated flower that is really easy to make.  I am sharing the directions with you.  Check it out:

I used 2 punches to make the different sized flowers - the 2 3/8" scallop punch and the 1 3/4" scallop punch.  Punch 2 scallop circles with each punch.



 Next, using a scoring tool, score all 4 of your scallops between each scallop.  See below - the black marks would be the score marks:


Your next step is to cut each of the scallop circles on one of the score lines as seen below:

Fold - accordian style - on each fold line, using your bone folder to crease well.

Then you will adhere each pleated circle to the other one.  Use a glue dot or something a little more durable than a glue stick or SNAIL adhesive.  Line up the larger scallop with the other large scallop and then the smaller scallop with it's mate.  So you will end up with 2 flowers.  
 Next you will adhere a button, or brad in the hole in the middle of the flowers and adhere to your project.

Which card is your favorite today?



Monday, June 6, 2011

The Winner Could Be YOU!

I received some good news today from Ashley.  She may be coming home a little earlier than she thought!  Of course, with the Army nothing is written in stone so I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch!  But, she may be leaving Iraq the first of August instead of the end of the month to set up the clinic at Ft. Hood.  I've got my fingers crossed!!

Yesterday I had a really nice day.  Sonny and I started out by taking the boat out for breakfast to a restaurant on the lake.  After a little bit of a ride around, we headed for home before the lake got too crowded and the sun got too hot!!  In the afternoon Marianne and Mom came over and we went down to our neighborhood pool to "veg" out.  It was pretty warm so we ended up staying in the water most of the time but it was a lot of fun.  My mom is like a kid in water so there was a lot of splashing around and playing.  It was good for her.  One of her good friends had died the night before and this helped to get her mind off of that.  A storm came up around 5 so we headed back to my house to get dressed.  We met the rest of the family in town later for dinner.

I have made a few more cards using my retired sets - Chic Boutique and Eastern Blooms - to share with you. 

I've decided to have a drawing at the end of the month for the cards I am making using retired sets.  A few of them will be used for my Monday Mailers but the rest could be sent to YOU!  Just leave me a comment and July 1, I will put all the names in a hat and draw one .... or two .... out and send them to you!!

RECIPE:
Stamp:  Chic Boutique
Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy
Accessories:  SU Markers, 1 1/4" Striped Navy Ribbon, Oval Punch, Embossing Folder

 RECIPE:
 Stamps:  Eastern Blooms, Swirls & Curls Verses (hostess)
Paper:  Marina Mist, Early Espresso, White
Access:  Pearls, Markers, White Taffeta Ribbon, Corner Rounder, Polka Dot Emb. Folder

RECIPE:
Stamps:  Priceless, Eastern Blooms
PAPER:  Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango, Beyond the Garden DSP
Access:  Rhinestones (non SU), Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool

I don't know if you can tell but I've been photographing my cards in a little better light.  After I cleaned out my retiring stamps, I had an extra shelf so I set up a lightbox area in it.  Here's what it looks like:

 I have an Ott-Light that clamps to a table (thanks to Margaret) so I clamped it to the top of the shelf and hung it upside down to shine onto my card.  I just have cardstock behind the card but I can change it out to a dark cardstock if I need to for a white card.

Guess I need to tack that cord up but the switch is midway down the cord and I need to be able to reach it.  So far, it's not bothering me draped down to the outlet that way.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Where Does The Time Go?

Sorry - didn't realize I hadn't posted in several days!  I get to doing stuff at night and next thing I know, it's midnight.  So, I turn off the computer thinking I'll post something the next morning.  But, the next morning, I get distracted blog surfing, playing mindless games of Hearts and Spades, and who knows what else I'm doing.  Then I realize it's lunch time!   Most of the time, I just don't know where the hours in the day go.  

Last Friday I joined a Newcomers group at the firehouse near me to play Hand and Foot.  I had never played before but caught on pretty quick.  The game is a version of Canasta.  I played Canasta a lot when I was a teenager in college.  Also many years ago, my sister, Debra and her husband, Jack, got hooked on playing Canasta.  Whenever the four of us were together, we spent just about every waking moment playing games - hearts, canasta, spades, Oh Hell .... you name it, we probably played it.   I have some great memories of our get-togethers and wish we could all be together just one more time.  Once when we lived in Alabama, Jack & Debbie came down (from west Texas) for their vacation.  We had a den in our basement.  I don't think we ever came out of that den the whole week except to eat and sleep.  We spent the whole week playing card games while our kids played outside or in their playroom.  It was great since our kids were the same age and sex and they got along great.  Another time, they came to Alabama and we drove to Gulf Shores for our vacation.  It rained every day that we were there except for one day when we drove to Mobile to a water park and to see some battleship.  We didn't let that rain stop our fun though.  We were camping - the adults in our pop up camper and the kids in the tent (and that's another story!!).  So every day we drove to the state park where there were covered picnic shelters.  We sat at the picnic tables playing cards while the kids played in the sand.  Whenever there was a break in the rain, we'd run down to the beach and take a swim!  Our kids still talk about that trip but mainly because we put their tent in an ant bed!!

I don't have any sneak peek items to share with you.  I actually haven't ordered anything yet.  I think I am going to wait until the catalog is released to buy any of the stamps.  So far, the ones that we can buy haven't thrilled me except for one which is a snowman one.  I may get it early so I can use it for Convention swaps.  I am also going to order the new In Color package.  But my new catalogs arrive next Wednesday!!  I am super excited.  If you are in my club or are a regular customer, I have a catalog for you.  If not, let me know that you want one and I will save one for you ($10).

I am going to concentrate in the next few weeks making cards with some of the Retiring Stamp sets.   Also, that is the theme for June's Monday Mailers - Old or New stamp sets.  There are a few of the sets that I am sad to see go - Party Hearty, Always, Pun Fun, Cheep Talk, Great Friend, Priceless, Pick a Petal.  I took a pretty good hit on stamps that are going away - lost about 25 not counting the hostess sets which I know won't return each year.  I'm anxious to see which sets from the past Mini Catalogs will make it into the new catalog. 

So today I used Chic Boutique to make a couple of cards.  Wouldn't you know it - I just got this set at the Used Stamp Sale.  Luckily, I didn't pay much for it so I'll be holding on to it and using it in the future.

 RECIPE:
Paper:   Blushing Bride, Pear Pizazz, DSP (from hostess pack)
Accessories:  Pear Pizazz Taffeta Ribbon
The dress forms are paper pieced using the DSP

RECIPE:
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze, Newsprint DSP
Stamps:  Chic Boutique, Autumn Days, French Background, Sanded Background, Bliss
Ink:  Cajun Craze, Basic Gray, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Versamark
Acces:  Clear Embossing Powder (on leaves in corner)
I sponged gray and crumb cake around the edges.

Let me know if you want to order any of the retiring items before they are all gone!!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Retiring Stamp Sets – January 4

Stampin’ Up is retiring the following stamp sets.  They are currently listed in the Dormant stamp list.  They will be discontinued as of January 4, 2010.  So if you have your eye on any of the sets, now is the time to order them!!  Just e-mail me or give me a call!

Item Number Stamp Set
113407 Back Woods
114492 Beautiful Baby
114486 Birthday Wish
113200 Branch Out
114496 Celebrations
113732 Central Park
113206   Classic Sketches
113226 Classy & Fabulous
114498 Flowers in Silhouette
113405 Font of You
113216   For the Bride
114494 Forever
109425   Friend by Definition
114488   Fun Flowers
113716   Garden Greetings
114490   Glad Friends
111580   Grand Soiree
113242   Hit the Road
113710   Lexicon of Leaves
113236  Man's Best Friend
114423   Ocean Commotion
113728  Playful Petals
109276   Polka Dot
111544   Putt Putt
113240   Quilt Quips
113754    Really Retro
113403   Sip by Sip
113726   Sweet Stems
113250   That's Funny
113688   Wonderful Watercolors
114028    Para la novia
114032   Acuarelas Maravillosas