So, there are a few changes coming with the transitioning to the new catalog!  I wanted to let you all know the changes and the dates so you can see all the exciting things to look forward to very shortly!!

• the CURRENT Idea Book & Catalog ENDS on May 31 (therefore the NEW Idea Book & Catalog begins JUNE 1st!  An entire month earlier than usual.)
  • the NEW Catalog will be smaller and printed on lighter weight paper
• RETIRED LISTS!
  • The Retired STAMP list will be available April 15th (next month!!!)
  • The Retired ACCESSORIES list will be available April 25th  (as usual, with the accessories, once the accessories retired list is released these items are sold until the run out.  There is no guarantee that any accessories will be available thru the end of May.)
• Seasonal (mini) catalogs
  • these will be reduced from three a year to TWO a year
  • the HOLIDAY Seasonal catalog will run from August 1 – beginning of January 2013
  • the SPRING Seasonal catalog will run from beginning of January 2013 – May 31, 2013
  • these Seasonal catalogs will be larger in size and in page count! (that means MORE goodies in these catalogs!)

And just because you took the time to read all of the above here is a sample card for you too.

Well stranger things have happened, right?  Like 80 degrees in NH in March!  Yup, that's how our weather has been lately.  I'll take it!

Tonight was the first meeting of my Christmas Card club, so yes, we made Christmas cards on the first day of Spring!  Ahead of the game this year…. that's my mantra… we'll see if I can stick to it and maybe, just maybe, apply that mantra to other parts of my life.

Here's one of the cards they made tonight…

This one has a nice vintage, oh-so-me, feel to it!  I wish I could take a lot of credit for it but I really can't.  Here's why…

The layout came from Mojomonday.blogspot.com… it was sketch #227.  I loved the sketch so went searching for fun samples.  There were plenty to choose from but the one below caught my eye.

So as you can see I didn't change too much.  The color scheme of course is different completely.  Where this stamper used Calypso Coral, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and Pool Party, I used Read Red, Early Espresso, Confetti Cream and the Berry Bouquet DSP from the last Holiday mini.  I also used Very Vanilla seam binding instead of the Crumb Cake one.  I believe this stamper has another oval punch and put on the designer frame where I just stamped inside the designer frame.  But clearly, the inspiration lies here and I'm so grateful because I really love both cards!  Hope you do too.

I can't get enough of the Apothecary Art Stamp set and the coordinating Labels Framelits so here's another sample for you!

Colors used include Soft Suede, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz (for the banner), Lucky Limeade (for the markering).  The DSP is from the In Color Stack.  Love.  And I used a couple different types of ribbons, some I put rhinestone brads on, others had pearls in the corner.  Just little touches here and there.  Love playing with all the doodads. I don't know if you can see it but I also put a dab of Dazzling Details in the center of all the flowers and used the Color Spritzer tool with the Peach Parfait marker on the main image just to shabby-it-up a little more.   Oh and if you look closely, the one with the Crumb Cake ribbon I put the Vintage Wallpaper embossed image "raised side up" and on the other card I put the embossed card stock "raised side down."  It's fun to play and change things up a bit here and there!

Hope you like!

How often do you check your snail mail?  6 days a week, right?  How often do you get something other than a bill or a catalog or junk?  Not often enough!  Back in January I made some cards and sent them out to a few people for no real reason than to say 'hi' and thank them for being a friend, on my Stampin' Up! team, themselves, or all of the above!  I heard back from many of the recipients saying how nice it was to get a card out of the blue.  I need to do this more often.  I mean, I love making the cards, right?  So why not send more??

These cards use the Apothecary Art stamp set from the Occasion mini  (I do LOVE this set!!) along with Sweetly Said.  I used the Labels Collection framelits as well.  I cut out around the edge of the first layer with my paper snips then popped this up with dimensionals on a label of the same color.  The designer paper is also from the Occasions mini, Attic Boutique. 

I don't know why these pictures are so blurry but I can't take anymore because like I said, these went out in January!

Maybe the picture below can show better the dimension and the various patterns of DSP I used, the various banner colors, and flower colors!

Yesterday I had an Open House to celebrate Sale A Bration.  (Thank you to the wonderful ladies who attended!)  At the end I realized I hadn't taken a picture of the fancy favor boxes I had made… so here are the few that were left next to some flowers my husband bought for no reason. )

To make these I used 12" x 12" Crumb Cake card stock (you can get 2 boxes out of 1 sheet).  I ran it through the Big Shot with the Fancy Favor box die.  Assembled it, layed it flat, then ran it through the Big Shot again with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  The flowers feature the new Attic Boutique designer paper featured in the current Occasions mini catalog.  I ran that DSP through the Big Shot with the Fun Flowers die.  I then spritzed the flowers with water, crumpled them up, let them dry, and uncrumpled.  I then layered them on top of each other and secured them all together with an Antique brad.  Then I spritzed the flower with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz and let that dry.  I attached the entire flower to the box with sticky strip.  For the banner I used Regal Rose card stock and the Petal Cone die with the Big Shot.  The "So Grateful" sentiment came from the Apothecary Art Stamp set (again from the Occasions mini catalog).  I placed a few yummy Hugs Kisses in the boxes and hopefully everyone enjoyed the chocolate and the Fancy Favor box! 

I really love the style of these boxes!!  It's very me. 

The more I use the Peach Parfait color the more I love it!  I love warm autumn colors and this Peach Parfait can certainly be that.  But it can also be a fun, bright spring color or a subtle yet playful color.  It's quite versatile!  And of course pairing it with Soft Suede is a no brainer!

Supplies Used:

Bordering on Romance stamp set (Occasions mini)
Everyday Enchantment DSP (Sale a Bration)
Labels Collection Framelits
Adorning Accents Edgelit and Embossing Folder
Stampin' Sponge
Peach Parfait card stock
Soft Suede card stock
Jet Black Stazon ink
Pumpkin Pie ink (to watercolor in the flowers)
Old  Olive ink
Aqua painter
Smooch Illuminate Top Coat

Here's another example (albeit VERY subtle) of changing up a card…

This card is actually something I did NOT CASE!  It seems for a long time now I haven't had a lot of time to stamp; or when I do have the time to sit and stamp I don't have energy left to create a card totally from scratch.  So, imagine my surprise when I came up with something myself the other day!  Now granted, it's not a difficult card or over the top by any stretch.  But it uses some new stuff that I'm SUPER excited about.

Here's the card…

See that key stamp?  Isn't it cute?  It's another one from an upcoming Sale A Bration stamp set.  The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from the same set! The one that is SO me that I referred to a few days ago.  It's called "Elementary Elegance" – you'll have to look it up once Sale A Bration starts on the 24th!
Other new things here… "Bordering on Romance" stamp set and the Adorning Accents embossing folder (See the hearts on the bottom of the Real Red CS?).  Both of these items can be found in the current Occasions mini.  And what about that shape?  The frames?!  Did those jump out at you?  Those are also in the Occasions mini and called "Labels Collection Framelits." They are SUPER easy to use with your Big Shot.  They come in a set of 6 and are $26.95.  So, if you purchased the "Labels Collection Framelits" ($26.95) and the clear mount "Bordering on Romance" stamp set ($21.95) and the Adorning Accents Embossing Folders (it's a set of 3 for $8.95)  you'd qualify for the Sale A Bration freebie "Elementary Elegance"!!!  PERFECT!!!  (Your total spent would be $57.85 plus s/h for two stamp sets, 6 framelits and 3 embossing folders!

If you want to get these items be sure to check out a class or club of mine or schedule a workshop or come to my Sale A Bration Open House (to be scheduled)!!!

I should also mention I watercolored these images with my Watercolor Wonder Crayons on Shimmery White cs and then added a touch of Smooch Illuminate Top Coat (love that subtle sparkle!).

I have a last minute offer for you!

Do you have the Northern Flurry embossing folder?  You should!!  Check out these cards we made the other night at our final Christmas Card Club meeting.  Not only did members make 3 each of the following cards but they also received the Northern Flurry embossing folder for free with a a $50 order.  Now all of them loved the folder so much that they each took advantage of the free Northern Flurry embossing folder deal!  So I thought I would pass the same deal on to you as well!  This special is a 24 hour only special and will end Tuesday, December 13 at 8:00 EST.

Spend $50 on any Stampin' UP! merchandise and receive the Northern Flurry embossing folder (or another of equivalent value) for FREE!

On this card we added a little Smooch Illuminate Top Coat to make the snowflakes stand out even more.

A little bling anyone?

I wish I could take full credit for this cutie patootie but I cannot.  I found him on our Demonstrator Web site!  Here the snowflakes are the background, not the main focus.

And I don't know if you can see it but the snowflakes here were embossed on Shimmery White card stock.  So pretty!  In case you can see it better here's a closeup.  And a few pearls is just enough to finish these snowflakes.

Wow it's been a long time since I've posted anything!  Life has been busy!!

So, here are some Christmas cards my Christmas Card Club members made this month…

So most of these cards were inspired by or CASEs of cards I found on our Stampin' Up! demonstrator web site. 

Some of my favorite items used on these cards are:

Real Red and Silver Glimmer Paper both as gifts and the single star.

The Triple Treat Flower punch was used to make the bows on the gifts. 

Good old Lovely as a Tree stamp set was used to make the Christmas Tree branches. 

The Big Shot was used three times to create three different embossed backgrounds – the Stripes on the "star" card, the poinsettias, and the background behind the single tree.

The Cherry Cobbler baker's twine.

The Merry and Bright stamp from my new favorite Christmas set "Merry & Type".

The list goes on and on… hopefully you see some of your favorite items on these cards and find some inspiration as well!

So, just so you know… just because there aren't posts here on my blog doesn't mean I haven't been stamping!!  I've actually been able to do quite a bit of stamping lately, just not a lot of blogging!

So, I have a few minutes before I run out for the evening so I wanted to share one of my most favorite cards right now.  I just LOVE it! It uses a bajillion new things from the Holiday mini and it makes me happy!  I hope it makes you happy too!

I actually had this card as one of the Make and Takes at my last Team Meeting.  Do you see all the NEW things?  Check out the supply list below.  And because it's been a while, I included all the dimensions and some tips on how to make the card as well!  Hope you enjoy!

•Base cardstock: Confetti Cream (8.5” x 11”)

•2nd layer: Early Espresso (5 1/8” x  3 7/8”)

•3rd layer: Garden Green (5” x 3 ¾”)

•4th layer: Holly Berry Bouquet DSP (4 ½” x 3 ¼”)

•Stamp Set: Warmest of Wishes

•Inks: Early Espresso

•Embellishments: Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine, Jingle Bells mini, Very Vanilla  Velvet Ribbon

• Accessories:  Stocking Builder Punch, Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, stampin’ sponge,  mini glue dots, paper piercer, dimensionals

Tips:
Run some scrap Early Espresso Card stock through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder. Punch out with the Stocking Builder Punch.
Punch out the stockings from the embossed Early Espresso.
Punch out the toe, heel, and trim from scrap Cherry Cobbler card stock.
Sponge the edges of the Cherry Cobbler CS and Garden Green CS.
Adhere the DSP to the Garden Green CS.  Use the piercer to pierce all along the edges.  Adhere to Early Espresso layer.
Wrap the ribbon around the layers with mini glue dots.
Finish assembling card. 
Stockings get attached with dimensionals..
Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine gets attached with a mini glue dot.