Yipee-Skipee!

Today's card includes some retired/retiring products.  I thought that was appropriate since we are in the midst of saying goodbye to retiring products from the current catalog.  Some of the products used to make this card were previously retired and are not available in the current catalog.

The retired stamp set was called Yippee-Skipee! as the sentiment reads.  The Sweetheart Punch and Small Oval Punch (previously retired) were used to make the paw print; and the Word Window Punch and Small Heart Punch were used to make the bone.  The Word Window Punch is retiring with the current catalog, so if you don't have that absolutely indispensable punch yet, order it today!  I use it so often for small sentiments and for LOTS of punch art projects.  In my opinion, it is definitely a MUST HAVE punch for your craft room!  I used the previously retired Small Heart Punch for the ends of the bone, but you could also use the little heart from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack instead.  That punch pack is also retiring, so grab it while you can!

I made this card for my son and it accompanied a sweet little toy box full of puppy toys for his new puppy.  Inside the greeting read:  "Congratulations on your new baby!"  That is exactly what new little puppies are:  A special baby addition to your household.  He named her Layla and she is such an adorable sweetheart!  I used the now retiring Brights Candy Dots to accent the inside sentiment, giving it just the right amount of pop.  The little bow was made with the Bermuda Bay 1/8" Stitched Ribbon on page 35 of the Occasions Catalog.

Place an order today using Host Code GUTCWECC and I will enter your name into a drawing for a FREE gift!  Don't delay placing your order for your favorite retiring products before they are gone forever!  Some items are already sold out!  For a complete list of what is retiring, click HERE.

Here is sweet baby Layla!

RETIRING LIST POSTS TODAY

Hello!  The Stampin' Up! Retiring List posts today at 2:00 p.m. Central Time.  Some items may be discounted!  Get your lists of your "must haves" together so you can check to see if they will be retiring and going away for good.  Stamp sets should be continue to be manufactured until about mid-May, but punches, ribbons, buttons, dies, and other items that are manufactured overseas could sell out sooner.  So don't delay--order your retiring favorites right away!

I have opened a new host code for these orders.  To shop please log in to my online store HERE.  Before you begin filling your shopping bag, log in with your personal password.  This way if the system gets overwhelmed and freezes on you, the items you have placed in the shopping bag will be saved.  Should it freeze on you, simply log out and then log back in again.  Remember, there are thousands of other shoppers logging on at the very same time and that may very well overwhelm the system.

When you have finished shopping click on "view shopping bag" and you will see a box in the lower left corner for a host code.  Please paste GUTCWECC in the box and click "apply."  Make sure you have checked "allow Demonstrator contact" and I will then enter your name into a drawing for a FREE gift.  I really appreciate each and every order, and this is my way of saying "thank you."  If your order is over $150, do not use the host code and you will receive FREE Stampin' Rewards with your order.  Check "allow Demonstrator contact" with this order as well, or I won't know who you are so I can thank you.

If you have never placed an online order before, just log in to my online store HERE and click "create account" and follow the prompts.

In The Meadow

Today's card is made with a stamp set called In the Meadow from the Spring Occasions Catalog.  The images in that set are so lovely and peaceful!  I thought this sentiment from Suite Sayings (also in the Spring Occasions Catalog) fit this scene perfectly.

Everything was stamped in Archival Black Ink and color was sponged on using a Sponge Dauber and Blender Pens.  Soft . . .subtle . . .serene.

I got my inspiration for this lovely scene from Stephanie Fischer in Sydney, Australia.  You can see her original card here.  Thanks, Stephanie!

Please leave me a comment below and let me know what you think of my card.

2016 RETIRING LIST COMING SOON!

It's almost time for a Retirement Party!  Yep!  It's that time of year when Stampin' Up! posts the list of all the items in the current catalog that will be retiring.  Every year, hundreds of items have to go in order to make room for all the fabulous new goodies Stampin' Up! has to offer.  The 2016 Retiring List posts on Monday, April 18, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time; so be sure to check back to see what will be retiring this year.

I know it's always sad to say goodbye to old favorites, so stock up on those items now before they are gone for good.  Remember, even though we are sad to say goodbye to the old, the new items will soon have us doing a happy dance with all the exciting inspiration they bring!

FINAL WEEKLY DEALS

This is the last week of the Weekly Discount Deals!  Stampin' Up! will continue to provide Special Offers periodically, but they will not be available on a weekly basis anymore.  Don't miss out on your last chance to get these great items at a fabulous discount!

These items are available at these prices from April 12 - 18.  Click HERE to see all 17 items.  They are all great products to have in your craft room!  These items will be available at this price while quantities last.  Once you have finished shopping, click on "view shopping bag" and you will see a box in the lower left corner for a host code.  Please paste F4GCMFEH in the box and click "apply."  Anyone who places an order using this code will have their name entered into a drawing for a FREE gift.  If your order is over $150, do not use the code and you will receive FREE Stampin' Rewards with your order.  Be sure to click "allow Demonstrator contact" and then click "apply," so I know who you are to enter your name into the drawing.  If you do not allow Demonstrator contact I cannot see who you are and you will not be included in the drawing.

Here are a few items that were made using some of these products:

Flowering Fields Sympathy

Sympathy cards are great to have on hand.  This card is an easy one to duplicate to have ready to send.  The flower images are from Flowering Fields from our recent Sale-A-Bration catalog and the sentiment is from Rose Wonder.  The sentiment was also cut out with a die from the Rose Garden Thinlits Dies.  I used Blender Pens to add a bit of color to the main image and then gently kissed each flower with the Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush.  Three simple Basic Pearls are the only accent this card needs.

Would you like to make cards like this one?  If you are local to the O'Fallon, Missouri, area, you can join us for Simple Stamping Class on the third Saturday of the month or Stamp Club on the first Friday of the month.  I also have classes in Union, Missouri.  Check my calendar for more details and come stamp with us!

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my card!  

Weekly Deals Are Ending Soon!

Stampin' Up! has been bringing us Weekly Deals for a long time and we have gotten so used to anxiously looking forward to Tuesdays to see what will be the next bargain items.  Well, those regular Deals will be ending soon.  The last Weekly Deals will be posted on Tuesday, April 12th, and will end on April 18th.  So be sure to check and see what the last fabulous Deals will be!

Does this mean no more discount deals ever?  Of course not!  There will still be some Special Offers and surprise bargains for you in the coming year.  Just check back on a regular basis to see what specials await!

Request my newsletter HERE to receive updates on everything Stampin' Up! has to offer, as well as local events I sponsor.  

Spread A Little Kindness Today

Today's card is sweet and simple.  I used the Kinda Eclectic stamp set, which is one of my favorites, for the sentiment.  Honestly, I love everything about that set!  The spray of flowers is from In The Meadow, and the butterfly is from Flowering Fields, one of the Sale-A-Bration sets from this year.  This card is a perfect example of why you can't have too many stamps!  Mixing and matching images from different sets helps you create a completely new card!  Remember when you are stumped for an idea, go to your favorite images from different sets and see what you can create.

Coloring directly onto the rubber with Stampin' Write Markers is the technique used for the flowers.  I colored in the stamped butterfly with the markers as well.  

This is a great card to quickly assemble and send to a friend.  I got this idea from a card I found on the internet somewhere; but, unfortunately, can't remember who was the original creator.

Please leave me a comment below to let me know you have visited my blog today.

Guy Greetings Birthday

Today's card is a simple, but masculine birthday card.  I used the Guy Greetings stamp set and the retired Adventure Bound DSP stack.  I just love that old car and it makes such a great card for any guy!  This one was made for a special 80th birthday celebration.  It just seemed to need something when I was finished, so I put a single Basic Rhinestone on the bottom of the Basic Black piece.  Perfect!

I CASED this card from Janet Holmes.  You can see her original card HERE, along with several other masculine card ideas.  Thanks for the inspiration, Janet!

What do you think?  I love to hear your comments!