Having some Fun with Retiring Goodies

Hey there! Have you had a chance to take in the retiring product list? If so, have you been able to absorb it all? I know, it’s a lot to take in. It’s also sad to see so many go to favorites leaving, but, let me just say, I have had the opportunity to see the new catalog (one of the MANY benefits of being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator) and there are SOOOOOO many new and wonderful things coming! So, my point, don’t be sad. Get what you want now before it’s gone, but rest assured, there will be LOTS of great stamps and embellishments that are so awesome, you won’t even remember the stuff that is missing! I promise you that.

Anyoo, today, I wanted to share a card I made for the sketch challenge taking place over on my Facebook page. I used one of my go to retiring stamp sets and lots of retiring product for this card and I am really pleased with the outcome. So, what do you think? Leave me a comment below and let me know what your thoughts are.

Supplies:

Summer Silhouettes Stamp set

Basic Black Card Base 8.5” x 5.5” scored at 4.25”

Botanical Garden DSP 5.25” x 4”

Basic Black layers 2.5” x 3.75”, 4.25” x 2.25”and 4.5” x 2.5”

Hello Honey 2.25” x 3.5”

Very Vanilla 4” x 2” and 4.25” x 2.25”

Cajun Craze .5” x 2.25”

3 Cajun Craze Candy Dots from the Regals collection

Ink Pads: Cajun Craze, Mossy Meadow, Mint Macaron, Hello Honey, Basic Black Archival

Snail Adhesive

To begin, I layered the DSP onto the card base and added the Hello Honey to the Basic Black layer and adhered that to the front of the card. I then stamped the lattice design onto the 4” x 2” Very Vanilla piece using the Cajun Craze ink and adhered that to the Basic Black layer and added that to the card base. I then stamped the foliage stamp using the Mossy Meadow ink twice and added flowers using the Hello Honey and Mint Macaron ink. The sentiment is NOT a Stampin’ Up! Stamp. It actually comes from a Stamps of Life stamp set by Stephanie Barnard and I stamped that using the Basic Black Archival ink and layered that onto the Basic Black layering piece and adhered that panel to the card base and added the small strip of Cajun Craze just to pop on the card. As a final step, I added three candy dots.

If you would like to see the sketch used to inspire this card, please join us on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/snsfromtheheartWe are having lots of fun over there and we would love to have you join us. Whether you choose to join the sketch or not, we would love to have you stop by and say hello, and if you do want to join the challenges, just jump right in. We have a no judgement zone and all of the ladies are extremely encouraging and supportive. We learn from one another and we just have a great time. So come on by and take a look around!

Now, back to the retiring list. As you know, the retiring list of items are “while supplies last”, only stamps will be manufactured until May 23^rd. After that date, once they’re gone, they’re gone too. I don’t want you to miss out on anything you really have your heart set on, so I want you to know, these things will sell out quickly, so if you want it, I advise getting it sooner rather than later. In addition, I have set up a hostess code for you to use should you choose to place an order. By using this hostess code, if all combined orders total $150 or more, it will qualify as a “party" and will be eligible for Hostess Benefits. If that is the case, I will put EVERYONE that places an order using that code into a drawing to receive those benefits when I close the party. If you happen to be the winner, I will contact you to select your FREE product. It could be $15 or more in product depending on the final sales. I will close the party out on 5/5/16, so good luck and happy stamping!

Hostess Code: T9Q4A39S

Katrina 

Summer Silhouettes Wood-Mount Stamp Set
$12.75

Summer Silhouettes Clear-Mount Stamp Set
$12.75

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$4.80

Hello Honey 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$10.50

Cajun Craze 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$7.00

Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper
$11.00

Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad
$10.50

Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad
$6.50

Hello Honey Classic Stampin' Pad
$10.50

Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad
$7.00

Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad
$6.50

Regals Candy Dots
$6.00

Snail Permanent Adhesive
$7.00

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The Retiring List Has Posted

Retirement List

Well, it's that time of year again, the retirement list has been released and it's huge! Lots of wonderful items, and much of it marked down up to 50% off! If you have had your eye on anything now is the time to get it because once it's gone, it's gone forever! Yes, as sad as it sounds, it's the way it works. Once an item sells out, it's gone forever (insert sad face) For one, if you love the 2 way glue pen, stock up because that made the list! So did Crystal Effects....I'll be stocking up that's for sure!

All things 2014-2016 In Colors are also going away by May 31st, and those will be the first things to sell out so don't wait on those items if you need to get anything. In colors are always the first things to sell out. I absolutely LOVE Blackberry Bliss and will be stocking up on all thing BB that's for sure. 

Now, I don't want you to be too sad over the retirement of all these great items, because I will tell you, I got a sneak peak of the new catalog coming out and OMG! Can we say UH MAY ZING! I can NOT wait to be able to begin the pre-order and share sneak peaks with you! AWESOME stuff. So awesome, you will forget all about the wonderful stuff going away. And we all know, in order to make room for new and wonderful stuff, we have to let go of some old wonderful stuff. It's all good. 

Well I've gone on long enough, you need to click the link above and see for your self and leave me a comment below and tell me which retiring item you will miss the most?

Happy Stamping,

Katrina

Exciting Times

It’s that time of year again. Demonstrators from all over the US and Canada will be converging onto Salt Lake City Utah for Stampin’ Up! On Stage celebration. Unfortunately, I am unable to attend this year. Maybe next time. But with this time of year, and the coming of the new catalog go-live in June, we’re all gearing up for the release of the retirement list that will come out  on Monday (insert sad face) but with that comes the excitement of what new things we will have to look forward to. And that is what I focus my energy on, being positive regarding all the wonderful NEW things that will be available rather than focus on what we will be losing.

But on that note, I do want to remind you that we will, without a doubt, lose the 2014-2016 In Colors and all of the DSP and embellishments containing those colors. And if you are anything like me, you will have to admit that some of these colors are the absolute most gorgeous colors ever developed and I am so sad to see them go away. These are extremely popular colors and if you need or want to stock up before they’re gone, you need to do it now. I can’t tell you how many times I have had costumers and myself included miss the opportunity to replenish a color supply because once something is on the retirement list and it sells out, it’s never to be seen again, EVER. Trust me, I missed out on stocking up on my beloved Pistachio Pudding cardstock last year (insert sad face, a few tears and a banging head) I thought I had time and waited for the retiring list to come out and figured I would put in one last order for all of the few things I wanted at once and it turned out to be a bad idea and I missed out. I am telling you this because I don’t want that to be you.

Another thing going away after Monday is the Weekly Deals program.  Stampin’ Up! has decide to go to a new, less frequent program, “Special Offers”. With this, they will be able to offer greater discounts due to the decrease in frequency of the program and offer more product during the offers. We should be seeing these Special Offers every few months , so, keep your eyes and ears open for when these promotions begin. In the meantime, be sure to check out the final weekly deals for this week. They have some fantastic offerings and this is the perfect opportunity to take advantage.  Just click here or click the photo and it will take you to the weekly deals page of my on line store.

 

Well, that’s all for now. Have a great day and happy stamping,

Katrina

Mixing It Up with Sketches and CASEing!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all are getting in some crafty time? I spent my Sunday in my craft room getting ready for Thursdays class and just playing around. I know I have mentioned before that we have a weekly sketch challenge over on my Facebook page, and I fell in love with a card design that fellow demonstrator Tami White had done, so I CASE’d her card changing up the layout and stamp set. You can see her original card here. And this is what I came up with.

I love these colors together. And I love this sketch.

You should visit my FB page and see all of the wonderful designs the ladies have come up with. So much creativity! It’s amazing! And so much fun! (Anyone is welcome to join us! So feel free)

I hope you all have a wonderful week and I will see you again here soon!

Happy Stampin’

Katrina

In The Meadow Clear-Mount Stamp Set
$20.00

A Dozen Thoughts Clear-Mount Stamp Set
$19.00

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.50

Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$7.00

Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
$7.50

Have A Cuppa Designer Series Paper Stack
$8.00

Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad
$6.50

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad
$6.50

Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad
$6.50

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Getting Birthday Ready for April

Happy Saturday! I'm getting ready to send out my April birthday cards. As you can see, April is a busy birthday month for me as I have lots of family and friends with April birthdays. I think April and December are my biggest months for birtday cards. I will definitely need to replenish may birthday card supply after this that's for sure. Of course I knew this so I did plan my April class themes around birthdays. I mean really, who doesn't need birthday cards? 

So, that's how I'm spending my Saturday. How are you spending yours? What month is your busiest Birthday Month? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Stamping,

Katrina

Faux Tearing

Hi there! Tonight, I played with a technique I saw recently on line using the faux tearing technique and this is what I came up with:

Card #1 uses Calypso Coral and Whisper White cardstock along with Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzaz and So Saffron inks sponged between 2 pieces of torn copy paper masks. The stamped image is from the Into the Meadow stamp set found in the Occassions Spring catalog using the Basic Black Archival ink.
Card #2 uses Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla cardstocks with Crumb Cake ink sponged on using a torn piece of copy paper as a mask and stamping the sentiment and flowers from the Birthday Blossoms stamp set. I also stamped and sponged 3 additional flowers and punched them out using the coordinating Pansy Punch and added them to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals. I added the Crumb Cake satin stitched ribbon.
So, what do you think? Leave a comment below and let me know what your thoughts are on this technique. Give it a try, pull out some inks, sponges and copy paper and see what you come up with.
Happy Stamping,
Katrina

Sad News about Weekly Deals

Yes, sadly, the weekly deals will be leaving us forever come April 18th. So, my advice, don't miss out! I have never seen this many current items on sale as this week! Click here to see these amazing deals!
I'm sure you're wondering where I was Saturday since I missed my post and I'm much later than normal today getting my post up. Well, I spent the weekend Spring cleaning with my husband. He had the last 2 weeks off and for the last several days, he got a dumpster for us to do some serious cleaning out. He went to town in the basement while I went to town in my craft room. I think my craft room lost 100 lbs! But I am so glad I had this opportunity to clean things out and organize my supplies. It's once again my happy place!

I have also been prepping for my class tomorrow evening. We're going to be working on the Shaving Cream technique. So FUN! If you haven't tried this technique, you need to try it out. You get some of the most beautiful marbled backgrounds using this technique and everyone is always different, no two are ever the same.

We're making 3 each of 3 designs for a total of 9 cards each. I'm so excited to show these ladies how to do this fun technique. There's something about getting all inky that just screams fun!

Well be sure to check out this weeks deals and I will check back in Thursday. In the meantime,
Happy Stamping,
Katrina

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Hi there! I do hope you are getting an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful Spring like weather we are having? Winter is going to make a come back this weekend…yuk! But, it will be short lived and Spring will be back to stay hopefully.

Anyway, I wanted to remind you that today is the FINAL day of Sale-a-Bration 2016! It won’t be back for another year, so, if you want to earn that cool stamp set you saw and haven’t done so yet, now is your last chance. Remember, for Sale-a-Bration, for every $50 you spend before shipping and tax, you get to choose an awesome FREE Sale-a-Bration item. I love Sale-a-Bration, I love the FREE items you can earn and it’s a great time to join Stampin’ Up!® too! During Sale-a-Bration, if you sign up to be a demonstrator, in addition to all the normal perks, you get to choose an additional $30 in product FREE for your starter kit! This is by far the BEST deal imaginable. You choose a total of $155 in product and pay only $99; and on top of all that, you get free shipping! If you find that to be intriguing, visit the Business Opportunity page to learn more. I would absolutely love to have you join my team.

Another great Sale-a-Bration sale going away after today, is the Paper Pumpkin pre-paid subscription sale! Yes, insert sad face here. Right now, you can get a 3 month subscription to Paper Pumpkin for only $55 AND you can select a FREE Sale-a-Bration item! Now, doesn’t that make you smile? And, by subscribing now, you meet the April 10^th deadline for subscribing and will receive the April kit which will contain the EXTRA exclusive stamp set being included to celebrate 1 million kits being mailed as of the March mailing! Paper Pumpkin is only 3 years old! What an amazing accomplishment! And think about this..1 million people LOVE Paper Pumpkin! How can 1 million people be wrong? Of course, what’s not to love? You get an all inclusive craftiness package in the mail. It contains a great project, whether it be cards or a décor piece, an exclusive stamp set(you can only get it in the designated kit) an ink spot (mini ink cube) detailed instructions and all of the materials you need to make the project and enough materials for you to allow your imagination to go a little crazy too. And, if you try it out for a 3 month pre-paid subscription and find that you love it (and I know you will) you can then change your subscription to a monthly subscription for $19.95/month and keep the happiness coming. And, if you need to hold off on getting your subscription, you can put your membership on hold if need be, you can also cancel at anytime should life circumstances necessitate. So, really, you have nothing to lose.  If this has you interested, just visit myPaper Pumpkin page to learn more.

If you have any questions or I can be of any help to you, please feel free to reach out to me at any time. Leave any comments or questions below and I will get back to you.

Have a great day and Happy Stamping!

Katrina

A Quick and Easy Baby Shower Card

Hi there! We are heading into that season of needing baby shower and bridal shower card ideas, so today I decided to share an adorable baby shower card that can be whipped up in no time at all. I did mine in blue for a boy, but of course you can easily change out colors to suit your needs.

I began with a 1/2 sheet of Pool Party cardstock cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored and folded at 4 1/2". I then took a piece of DSP from the Sweet Li'l Things collection cut 5 1/4" x4" and wrapped a 6" piece of 1/4" Cotton Pool Party ribbon around the center running length wise and adhered each end of rhe ribbon to the back of the DSP. I adhered that to the card base using Snail^TM  adhesive. Then, using the 5th Circle Framelits counting from the center out, I cut a circle from Very Vanilla cardstock and adhered that to the center of the card using Dimensionals. I took a 2" piece of the ribbon and tied a knot around the 6" piece, creating a faux bow and trimmed the ends to make it nice and neat. I then stamped the onesie from the Made with Love stamp set using Memento Tuxedo black ink and the "made with love" sentiment from the same stamp set and colored the words with the Pool Party Stampin Write marker and the heart with the Real Red Stampin Write marker. I then ran that through the Big Shot with the coordinating Baby's First Framelits and added the onesie to the circle with Dimensionals.. To finish the look, I cut another piece of the DSP with the envelope liner Framelits and added it to a medium size Very Vanilla envelope.

Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$7.00

Sweet Li'l Things Designer Series Paper
$11.00

Pool Party 1/4" Cotton Ribbon
$6.00

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
$8.50

Pool Party Stampin' Write Marker
$3.50

Real Red Stampin' Write Marker
$3.50

Made With Love Photopolymer Stamp Set
$25.00

Baby's First Framelits Dies
$25.00

Circles Collection Framelits Dies
$27.00

Envelope Liners Framelits Dies
$27.00

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
$6.00

Snail Permanent Adhesive
$7.00

Stampin' Dimensionals
$4.00

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A Very Special Birthday Card

Happy Easter! What are your Easter plans? I'm making dinner for hubby and I since this is his first Easter off in 11 years. As a nurse, I have always worked Easter, then once I entered the world of management and was able to have weekends and holidays off, hubby entered the world of Corrections, working weekends and holidays. Oh well, it just makes us appreciate the ones we do get to spend together.
Anyhoo, today, I want to share a very special birthday card created by a friend of mine, Nancy Woeltje, for her mom; and she agreed to allow me to share it with all of you. She used the Number of Years stamp set from the Spring Occasions catalog.

I love how she incorporated the photos into the card. Talk about a personal touch! I can only imagine the sheer joy her mom felt when she received this beautiful card showcasing special moments throughout her life. And what a great way to showcase this awesome stamp set!

Thanks so much for stopping by and having a look. Please feel free to leave a comment below and let Nancy know how terrific this special card really is. In the meantime I want to wish you all a very blessed Easter and I will see you back here on Tuesday!

Happy Stamping,

Katrina