I'm here, I'm here!

Hi followers!  Sorry for the over 6 month absence.  Life got crazy in the fall of 2013.  We moved overseas to Japan.  Just a *little* move ;)  With packing, waiting 2 months to get out things, holiday, unpacking, playing with my stamps just wasn't an option.  We have now been in our new home for 4 months and unpacked for about 2.  I am now at a point where I can start making things again.  So, without further adieu, this is my first project in a loooong time:

I did mix it up a little and used some non-Stampin' Up! supplies. It just goes to show how well it all works together.

Supplies
Cardstock:  PTI Sweet Blush, SU Real Red, SU Whisper White
Ink:  SU Real Red, Pink Pirouette,  SU Whisper White
Stamps:  SU Hearts a Flutter, Tags 4 You, and Gorgeous Grunge, CTMH D1548
Accessories:  SU BigShot, Envelope Punch Board

Happy Stampin'

Quatrafancy Friday

First, A HUGE Thank You to everyone that came out to my Open House last week!  It was fun.

Today is my monthly hostess club and I decided to use the Mosaic Madness stamp set, coordinating punch and embossing folder.  This set and accessories are so much fun!  The possibilities are endless with all the little pieces fitting together like puzzle pieces.  Awesome set to showcase the new 2013-2014 In-Colors.

This is the first card we made, and my favorite.  I love the Coastal Cabana and Strawberry Slush color combo.  It's just so summery.  I CASE'd this from another demo (sorry, I do not remember your name), and changed up the arrangement of quatrafoils.  The banner is from the new Hostess sets in the new catalog, Banner Greetings.  So cute, so versatile, and a steal at just 8 hostess dollars.  The Strawberry DSP, comes from the Specialty Designer Series Paper, "Quatrafancy,"  It's a great pack of paper for summer.  We did find my Strawberry Slush ink pad to be very juicy.  This presented a little problem with the Banner Greetings because the writing is so fine.  It didn't take much ink to seep into the words, blurring them :(  After some trial and error, we found if we just laid the stamp on the ink pad, did not tap, and then picked up the stamp, it worked.  As I use this ink more it will dry up and shouldn't cause any more issues. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Feel free to leave a comment :)

It's Here! The 2013-2014 Annual Catalog & A Sale!

Sorry I've been lax in updating the blog again.  I was doing so well, but then May came.  May is the when the kids get out of school here in Alabama.  That means all the fun end of year activities, which means, mom, ME is running to field trips, end of year parties. . .Anyway, in the middle of all this was the Stampin' Up! catalog transition time.  Out with the old and in with the new!  I don't know about you, but by the time April/May rolls around, I am more then ready for some new crafty supplies and inspiration.

Here is the new catalog that went live on Friday.

You can find the on-line version on my blog to the right, along with supply list for the projects inside :)

Now, I also mentioned a sale!

Sale: 25 percent off three of our greeting sets!
No limits and get them on any order type (workshop, customer, demonstrator, or online).
Dates: May 31-June 30, 2013

Sale Price	Retail Price	Description	Item
$17.96	$23.95	Sassy Salutations Wood-Mount Stamp Set	132070
$13.46	$17.95	Sassy Salutations Clear-Mount Stamp Set	126707
$14.96	$19.95	Sweet Essentials Wood-Mount Stamp Set	132085
$11.21	$14.95	Sweet Essentials Clear-Mount Stamp Set	126457
$21.71	$28.95	Petite Pairs Wood-Mount Stamp Set	128706
$15.71	$20.95	Petite Pairs Clear-Mount Stamp Set	122497

Great sale!  My favorite of these is Petite Pairs.  It works well for some many occasions and plays nicely with many of the punches.

Well, gotta run.  My Annual New Catalog Open House sale is on Friday and Saturday.  I have to finish getting ready.  Hope to see you there!

The Retirement List!

It's one of the many things I look forward to around this time each year.  The Stampin' Up! retirement list.  It was released yesterday.  Stamps and accessories.  It's long, it's good, it's sad, but there are great things around the corner.  So grab a cup of tea or coffee, sit back and take a look.  Oh, and many thing are on sale.  Up to 60% off sale.

Click HERE to go directly to my website and check out the list.  It will be the most up to date with availability there.

FREE SHIPPING!!!

That's right folks, FREE SHIPPING this weekend!!!  Did you scream with excitement?  I did when I found out.  Head on over to my website this weekend and stock up on those retiring inks, reinkers, cardstock, and discounted sneak peek bundles.  You could save $6.95 + on shipping alone.  The bundles are on sale so check them out too.

Best Of Butterflies Clear-mount Stamp Set	133345
Price: $14.95
Did you know that every year Monarch butterflies migrate from Canada to Mexico, and that the migration might span multiple generations of butterflies? Impressive. Of course, you can just stamp a butterfly from the Best of Butterflies Stamp Set on a card and mail it ANYWHERE in the WORLD. Take that, Mr. Monarch butterfly! Every month during 2013, we’re combining some of our all-time-favorite stamps with a new, never-before-seen stamp to create a monthly “Best of” stamp set. Best of Butterflies is our April offering, but don’t forget to check out the sets from previous months as well. They’re available all year! Note: Clear-Mount Blocks B, C, and D needed for this set.

Best Of Butterflies Clear-mount Stamp Set

133345

Price: $14.95

Did you know that every year Monarch butterflies migrate from Canada to Mexico, and that the migration might span multiple generations of butterflies?

Impressive.

Of course, you can just stamp a butterfly from the Best of Butterflies Stamp Set on a card and mail it ANYWHERE in the WORLD. Take that, Mr. Monarch butterfly!

Every month during 2013, we’re combining some of our all-time-favorite stamps with a new, never-before-seen stamp to create a monthly “Best of” stamp set. Best of Butterflies is our April offering, but don’t forget to check out the sets from previous months as well. They’re available all year!

Note: Clear-Mount Blocks B, C, and D needed for this set.

 So now you are all caught up with what is new.  Thanks for stopping by!

Secret Garden

Today I am sharing a card I made for swap group I am part of.  Each month we are given a different technique or color combo.  This month we were given a technique.  Fussy cutting.  I have a love/hate relationship with this technique.  I love the effect, but it is tedious.  I find that I use it less and less thanks to all the wonderful framelit dies and punches that Stampin' Up! offers.  Anything to make my life easier :)

I used the Secret Garden set and coordinating framelit dies in the Spring mini.

A double bow was made with Soft Suede ribbon.  It was my first attempt.  I made several and this is as good as it got.  I need some more practice.  I took the large flower image and stamped it on several patterns of DSP that coordinates with this set.  I then cut the various layers of the flower and glued them using 2-way glue.  The leaf was cut out with the coordinating framelit.  The middle flower was popped up using Stampin' Dimensionals.  My tip for paper piecing/fussy cutting, a really good pair of fine tipped scissors.

Color Refresh

WHAT THE REFRESH LOOKS LIKE.

Q: What are the new core colors, and what are the In Colors that are returning as core colors?
A: The one new color is called Smoky Slate. The nine returning In Colors as core colors are Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry, Island Indigo, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Soft Sky, and Wisteria Wonder. Check out these colors displayed in their new collections!

THE REASON FOR THESE CHANGES.

Q: Why are colors being discontinued?
A: We retired colors based on sales history and focus group feedback. We also looked at our overall color offering and determined what colors were not working with others. We sent out surveys, looked at trends, and determined what colors are out of date, etc.
Q: Why have some of the carryover colors changed collections?
A: With the changes, we found that a few colors fit better in a different collection. We also organised our colors to be more complementary within each collection.

So there you have it.  I am SO EXCITED about this change.  How about you?  What colors will you miss and what colors are you happy to see return?  Leave a comment below.