Sneak peek... New colors! New Stamps!

Hi there!

Happy Monday and Happy Memorial Day!  I know that my customers are smart people, so I'm sure I don't need to remind any of you about Memorial Day.  As we all know, Memorial Day is not just a day for shopping some good sales, or having a barbecue with friends, but a day to remember those who died in service to our country.  I hope each of us will take some time out today to contemplate the sacrifices that were made to keep our country free.  

Today I've got a fun sneak peek for you. With just a few days left before the new Stampin'Up! catalog goes live at noon on June 1st, I thought I would show you a card I made with two of my favorite new colors, Granny Apple Green and Mango Melody.  In addition, I used a wonderful new stamp set called Abstract Impressions (page 129 of the new catalog).  I know you cannot look this up in your new catalog just yet, but be assured that you will be getting your catalog on June 9th when you attend my big garage sale at Kelly Bauman's house in Sherwood.

Check out this clean and simple card...

I just love the flowers on this card,  and these are just a few of the many flower images that you'll get in the Abstract Impressions set. I'm sorry it doesn't show up better, but the Granny Apple Green card stock is embossed with the Basket Weave embossing folder.  The leaves are stamped in Lemon Lime Twist and the flowers are stamped in So Saffron and Mango Melody.  Because this is a photopolymer set, it is easy to line up the two layers of the flowers.  Aside from all of the flower images, this set also has 5 sentiments, making it even more versatile.

I'm going to close out the May Host Code order on Wednesday, May 30th at 8pm, so if you'd like to be entered into the May Host Code drawing for a $25 gift certificate, please use this code YAAWUDKD.  An  online order of any amount gets your name in the drawing.  BUT WAIT... if you place an online order of $50 or more using the code, you'll get FREE SHIPPING.  I will mail you a check to reimburse you for your shipping, but you must use the code to qualify for free shipping.  

Enjoy the holiday today and may the week ahead bring only good things your way!
Susan

Sailing away with Swirly Bird

Hey there, stampers!  

Another week is beginning, bringing us closer to the launch of the new Stampin'Up! annual catalog, which will be coming our way on June 1st!  

Summer is definitely on the way, so I've been making some summery cards that will be great to send for summer birthdays.  In our family, there are tons of summer birthdays, so I need to be prepared!

Swirly Bird is a fun stamp set (#141749, $25, p. 171 of the current catalog).  The good news is that it is continuing in the new catalog that's coming out in June.  This set has images of flowers, a bird, and a cute little sailboat.  The matching framelits (Swirly Scribbles Framelits, #141497, $27, p. 216) has some "water" that makes a great surface for the sailboat to sail on.  Check out this card and you'll see what I mean.

I stamped the sun in Daffodil Delight ink.  The sailboat is stamped with 4 separate stamps.  The striped sail is Night of Navy, the smaller sail (sorry I don't know the technical names of these sails!) is stamped in Marina Mist, which is one of the colors that is being discontinued, and the boat is stamped in Crumb Cake.  The little flag at the top is Real Red.  

Let me tell you how to adhere a die cut like the water in this card.
It would be difficult to run a bead of glue along those skinny lines of card stock.  And then when you pressed it down on the white panel, glue would ooze out and make your card look messy.  There's a very simple way to avoid the stress and the mess!  

Check page 203 of your current annual catalog.  You'll see Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets (#144106, $10).  Simply peel the printed liner off the sheet, discard it, and adhere the sticky sheet to your card stock.  Run through the Big Shot with the die of your choice.  Once it is cut, peel the backing off and apply the die cut to your card.  Easy and there's no mess, no oozing glue!  These sheets make it so very easy to adhere detailed die cuts.  The glue is strong and once pressed into place, the die cut is there to stay!

The sentiment is from the Birthday Banners stamp set (#141506, $17, p. 85), another great set that will be carrying over into the new catalog.  

The week ahead here in Woodland is for sun and temperatures in the 80's.  I checked the Portland forecast and it looks like you'll have some sun, some clouds, and maybe thunderstorms later in the week.  One thing is for sure, though.  If you are a stamper, you can always create your own sunshine, just by getting out your stamps, ink, and paper.  Being creative is a way to bring happiness and a sunshine-y glow to your day, no matter what is happening outside.

Thank you for reading today and if you'd like to place an online order, the May host code is YAAWUDKD.  You will have your name placed in the May Host Code drawing for a $25 gift certificate when you place an order of any size using the host code.
To reach my shopping site, just click on the "shop now" button at the top of this blog.  

Have a great week!
Hugs and happy stamping!
Susan

There's something Fishy Going on Here!

Hi stamping friends!

Hope you all had a great Mother's Day yesterday!  Thankfully, the hot weather that was supposed to happen, didn't!  I think we only made it up to the mid-eighties this past weekend, and that's just fine with me!  I hear you Pacific Northwesterners had a sunny and warm weekend too. You certainly deserve some sunshine after all the rain you've had to endure!

There's something fishy going on here today. Take a look and you'll see what I mean...

This card is made with one of my favorite retiring stamp sets, Seaside Shore (#141625, $21.00, page 53 of the almost-gone 2017-2018 catalog).

The card stock colors are Calypso Coral, Mint Macaron, and Whisper White.  I'm so happy that Mint Macaron is back (or will be on June 1st when the new catalog goes "live").  

The ink colors are Dapper Denim (almost gone!) Calypso Coral, and Mint Macaron.  The Seaside embossing folder (#141481, $8.50) adds a sea-weedy look to the background.  The sentiment is from a 2016 Paper Pumpkin kit, so that's not available for purchase.

I used the new Tailored Tag Punch (#145667, $ 18.00, p. 45 of the Occasions Catalog) to punch out the sentiment.  I used a strip of drywall tape across the bottom of the card, under the sentiment.  I love using this on nautical cards, as it gives the feeling of fish netting.  You can pick up a roll for very little cash at Home Depot and it will last forever, unless you decide to make thousands of fishy cards.  The sparkly air bubbles are sequins from the Sequin Assortment (#144212, $5.00, p. 197).

I didn't photograph the inside of the card, but it says "Hope your day goes swimmingly."  This would be a perfect card for anyone with a summer birthday, male or female, young or old.  It's always good to have a stash of general birthday cards on hand, so why not get out some stamps, ink, and paper and stamp up a few?  You'll have fun and you'll be prepared when you need a card in a hurry.

Enjoy the sunny week ahead!  Oh, and if you'd like to order some of your favorite retiring stamps, the May Host Code is YAAWUDKD.  An order of any amount will enter you in the May Host Code drawing for a $25 gift certificate.  

Happy stamping, everyone!

Susan

More cards with the Share What You Love suite

Hello stampers!

Hope it is a sunny day where you are!  It is always wonderful to start the week with sunshine.  We have a warm week ahead of us here in the Sacramento area... the low 80s to start the week and then 96 by next Saturday!  Does this mean that summer weather is here early??  I hope we have a little more time before the heat hits!

If you read my blog last week, you know that Stampin'Up! has a pre-order special, where you can purchase things from the Share What You Love Suite in advance of the new catalog.  I hope the samples that follow will inspire you to do some stamping this week!

This pre-order opportunity goes until May 31st, so you still have time to get the bundles!  To order, just click on the "shop now" button at the top of this blog, then choose "share what you love suite."  

The cards in the foreground measure 2 1/2 by 4 3/4, so they are too small to mail.  But they are just right to slip under the ribbon of a gift as a gift enclosure.  The lining for the top of the envelope is just a circle of the DSP, punched with the 2 1/4 inch circle punch.

It's so easy to do, but adds a nice touch!  These Narrow Note Cards will be carried over to the new catalog from the Occasions catalog and I'm so happy about that.  This size card holds a gift card too, so you'll find them to be a "must-have" item.

The ordering number is 145583.  You get 20 cards and envelopes for $8.00.  

It is a bit hard to see, but the full-sized card in the background has an amazing embossed design.  This is the new Lovely Floral embossing folder that is part of the largest bundle.  You will be able to order this one separately once the new catalog goes live on June 1st, but right now it is only available in the Gotta Have it All bundle.

As promised, here is the winning name in the "Guess How Many Stamp Sets I'm Pulling from my Shelf" contest.  Eighteen people participated in my little guessing game and no one really came close to the number of retiring sets I had.  The astounding number this year is 63 sets!  Can you believe it?  That leaves me with just 59 sets remaining on my shelves!  The guess closest to the actual number was Nanci Stauffer's guess of 47 sets.  Congratulations, Nanci!  I will send you the list of retiring stamp sets by email. Choose one and if I have it, it will be yours!

Thank you to everyone who participated!  I'm sorry I can't send you each a free set!

May the week ahead be a great one!  

Sending happy thoughts your way!

Susan