Where Have all the Flowers Gone?

Hey there, stamping friends!  It's Friday! And it is May! Is anyone out there happy about that besides me?

Here we are again, talking about great stamp sets that are retiring and today's set is Field Flowers.  This was the very first stamp set I purchased from the new catalog back in 2012, so it has been around for two catalog years.  You can see this great set on page 67 of the current annual catalog.

This last card also shows two more retiring items... the Framed Tulip embossing folder and the background stamp "Hello Doily."  I just love the curving stems and the blossoms in this stamp set and the fact that it is a two-step set so you can choose to use two colors of ink and come up with super-detailed blossoms if you want to take the trouble.

I've got a lot on my list today, so I'm off and running!  Enjoy your Friday. everyone!  Oh, and have a great weekend as well.  I'll hope I'll  see you back here on Monday for more stamping inspiration.
Hugs and Happy Stamping,
Susan

Who Named this Stamp Set???

Hello there, stampin' buds!
What a gorgeous day this is shaping up to be!  Break out the sandals, the capris, and the sunglasses!  Not to mention the sunscreen!

As I mentioned on Monday, I'm going to be doing a little series here on favorite retiring stamp sets... ones that I'm going to have a hard time putting in my garage sale.  Here's another one that may not find its way into the garage sale pile, which has already grown to alarming proportions...

Ah, yes!  The lovely, yet strangely named Papaya Collage stamp set, found on page 62 of the annual catalog.  I will agree that this stamp sets makes great collage-style cards, but where in tarnation is the papaya?
Oh, unless the bird is a papaya bird???  Silly me, I always thought that a papaya was a tropical fruit.
I just "googled" Papaya Collage and found a set on eBay for 99.95.  I'm not joking, people.  This is what happens when stamps retire.  That was for a new set in clear mount.  The price in the Stampin'Up! catalog is $23.95 for the clear-mount set.  If you are a lover of "artsy" cards, a lover of collage cards, a lover of vintage-style cards, or even a lover of birds, this set should be calling out your name!  Again, this is a set of images that I love, from the ornate frame, to the butterfly, to the fern frond, to the rose, to the bird... it all works together so beautifully.  There's even a vintage party had to dress up the bird if you wish.
I hope I've convinced you that you cannot live without this amazing stamp set.

Enjoy your Wednesday, everyone.  Get out there in those golden rays and make some vitamin D the old-fashioned way!  But don't get so distracted by the sunshine that you forget to come back on Friday.  I've got more retirees for you to meet!
Hugs and Happy Stamping!
Susan

Farewell, Old Friends!

Hello stampers and Happy Monday!

Where has the month of April gone?  It's hard to believe that today is the 28th and that there are just a few more days left in the month.  But time marches on and we need to try to keep up.  I'm so excited that the weather guy says we are going to have some warm and sunny days this week.  Are you ready for some 80 degree days??  I'm certainly ready... thinking of porch time with a tall glass of iced tea, or maybe coffee on the back patio under the umbrella.  Nothing is more beautiful than Oregon in the sunshine!
Now that May is almost here, it means it's time to say goodbye to some old friends... retiring stamp sets from past catalogs. .  I know that I can keep all of my retired stamps if I want to, but then we'd have to add on more storage space to make room for them.  So keeping retired stamps is really not an option.  I must be strong and bid a fond farewell to many stamp sets that I love.  Each year I allow myself to keep one or two very favorite sets, and this year I might just keep this one...

Betsy's Blossoms is one of my all-time favorite sets. I love the flowers, the leaves, and the bird.  This set (page 87 of the annual catalog) makes the cutest cards!  I loved this square scalloped die for the Big Shot as well, but it retired last year. If  Betsy and her blossoms don't already reside at your house, you might want to consider inviting her over to live with you before she is gone forever.  Once stamps retire, the only way to get them is to try to snag them on ebay, an expensive proposition indeed.

Over the next few days I'm going to introduce you to more of my retiring faves. Giving these sets a moment in the spotlight is the least we can do, as soon they will drive off into the sunset, retired forever!
Hope your week is off to a great start!  Enjoy the sunshine and please come back on Wednesday, when I'll have more stamping inspiration for you.
Hugs and happy stamping!
Susan

Inspiration is everywhere!

Welcome back to The Classic Card!
I don't know about you, but I'm happy it is Friday!  I'm always ready for the weekend, even though I'm retired!  I just wish the weather report was a little more encouraging, (insert big sigh here!).  I would love to sit out in the back yard or on the porch in the sun with a good book, but any reading I do this weekend will have to be done indoors, I'm afraid.

Are you excited that we are moving on from the online class of the last couple of weeks?  Did anyone follow along?  Send me a quick email (sjrstamps@gmail.com) with an attached photo of your masterboard cards and I'll put your name into a drawing for some fun SU merchandise!

Last night at our demonstrator meeting, the challenge for our swap card was to find an 'inspiration piece" and then use it to create a card.  Some of the inspiration pieces that people found to base their card on were:
a flowered umbrella, a paint advertisement, a Ritz Cracker ad, a Talbot ad, and some art that was in the Grandin Road catalog.  If you've never seen the Grandin Road catalog, I encourage you to check it out.  I usually find more than one item that inspires a card idea in this home-furnishings catalog.  There are all sorts of pillows, rugs, and art pieces that are easy to turn into a card.

Here's a photo of the art that inspired my card

and here's the card

The colors I chose are a little more vivid than the colors in the artwork, but I wanted a brighter look.
I used some post-it paper to mask off my card stock, then I used sponge daubers to apply Soft Sky ink to the top of the paper.  For the ocean, I used Bermuda Bay ink.  The wheat stalks (from the Wetlands stamp set) are stamped in Baked Brown Sugar... such a warm brown!  The sentiment is also from the Wetland set (so happy this set is not going away!).  For texture, I used the Square Lattice embossing folder, one of my very favorites that is, unhappily, being retired.  If you don't already own this fabulous folder, order it before it's too late, as it is only available "while supplies last," and who knows how long that will be???

As you are out and about this weekend, look around for card-making inspiration.  You might see a pretty print blouse, a leather belt with silver trim, a rug, or towel, or pillow that could be an inspiration piece for a great card. If the rain keeps you indoors, page through some catalogs or magazines looking for color combinations and objects that inspire you.  Once you start looking, you'll find card-making inspiration everywhere!

Happy Friday and happy weekending everyone!
Reminder... Friday is the last day for FREE SHIPPING from Stampin'Up!  Your order needs to be finalized before 10:59 pm, our time, as Stampin'Up! is located in the Mountain Time Zone that is one hour ahead of us!
Susan

The end!

Hello stampers and a happy Wednesday to all!

If you have been following the Masterboard class, you are probably very happy that this is the last installment and that we'll be moving on to something different on Friday.  I hope that a few of you followed this all the way through and that you have some nice cards to show for your efforts.  The simple layouts that I used for the cards will work with lots of different stamp sets, so keep them in mind when you are stumped for a card design.

Before we go any further, though, I need to clarify.  Friday's post showed a little 3 by 3 gift card.  That is made with the 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 square which is labeled card #6.  Sorry for the mixup!  So today's card really is the last card, but it is card #4 on the cutting diagram (a panel that is 3 by 3)

OK, the last of the 6 cards I made with my masterboard...

The completed size of this card is 4 by 4 inches.  The card base is 4 inches by 8 inches, folded in half to make a 4 inch square card. The Real Red panel is 3 1/4 by 3 1/4.  The masterboard panel is 3 by 3.  I cut a strip of card stock 3/4 inch by 1 1/2 and flagged the end with my hexagon punch.  I stamped the saying from A Dozen Thoughts ( page 59 of the annual catalog) in Real Red, then added a Tangerine Tango button with a piece of Real Red 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon threaded through the holes.  I'm happy to say that A Dozen Thoughts, the buttons, and the ribbon will be in the new catalog!  Yay... finally some things that are NOT being discontinued!  As you can see, I used the Square Lattice Embossing Folder to emboss both the white card base and the masterboard panel.  If  you've taken a close look at the discontinued list, you'll see that this great embossing folder will not be in the new catalog.  Sooo sad to see it go... it was definitely one of my favorites.  I'm hoping for an equally versatile folder in the new catalog.

Thanks for stopping in to read today's post.  I'm grateful for the few, the proud, and the brave (no, I'm not talking about the Marines) who are my blog readers.  If you know any stampers, please share my blog with them.  I could sure use about 2-3 thousand more readers!

Have you taken advantage of the free shipping offer yet?  Only a few of my customers have.  I encourage you to take a look at the list of discontinuing stamps and accessories and place your order, as everything is on a "while supplies last" basis this year and the free shipping offer is only good until Friday at 10:59 our time.

When you come back on Friday, I'll have a card with a whole different look for you... no more reds, yellows and oranges!  That will be a nice change!  See you on Friday!
Susan

We're almost there... card #5 in the Masterboard Class

Hello Stampers and Happy Monday to all!
Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Easter yesterday!
Today is an exciting day in the world of stamping.   First of all, Stampin'Up! has released the list of discontinued stamps today! Be sure to check your inbox for an email from me,which will have the list attached.  This year is a bit different, so be sure you understand that all discontinued stamps are on a "while supplies last" basis.  In previous years, Stampin'Up! guaranteed that all discontinued stamp sets would be available until the last day of the Stampin'Up! year... May 31st.  This year, that is not happening, so please order anything you'd love to have as soon as possible, because if you wait you could very well be disappointed.

Here's a second exciting announcement from Stampin'Up!

Yes, you read that correctly!  From today (Monday April 21st until Friday April 25th at 10:59 pm our time, shipping is free!! No worries about paying the minimum shipping charge of $6.95 when you place a small order.  You can order several times during this week and there will be no charge!  Your goodies will arrive right at your door via UPS.   To order, go to the "shop" button at the top of my blog or go to my business site at www.susanrodgers.stampinup.net.  You can also add Clearance Rack items to your order.  Be sure to order the outgoing In-Color items ( Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green and Midnight Muse) before they are sold out.  Ink refills in Raspberry Ripple are already gone.  If you aren't comfortable ordering online, please give me a call and I will put your order in for you!

OK, with those details out of the way, let's get to card #5 in our ongoing masterboard class.  For those of you who are sick, sick, sick of this--- please hang in there for one more day!  On Wednesday we'll be finished with the class and we'll be moving on to new territory on Friday.   Here is card #5...

This panel is cut from very bottom of the masterboard sheet and measures 5 1/4 by 2 1/4.
Check out the cutting diagram again to see where this panel is cut...

See it there in the lower-left corner?  
I started out with a half sheet of white card stock folded to make a card base.  On top of that I layered a Crushed Curry panel measuring 5 1/4 by 4.  I stamped this panel all over with the daisy in the Simple Stems set in Crushed Curry.  I then layered the masterboard panel onto a strip of Real Red card stock measuring 5
1/4 by 2 1/2.  Next, I stamped the saying from Really Good Greetings (page 38 of the annual catalog) in Real Red in the bottom right-hand corner of the Crushed Curry panel.  Last, I adhered the stamped panel to the Crushed Curry panel to the white card base.  Quick and easy and bright and sunny... a perfect card for a busy Monday!

I hope that one or two of you are playing along with me!  Once you get into the groove of making cards this way, you'll go back to this method again and again.  It is a great way to create a coordinated set of cards. Thanks so much for stopping in today!  I appreciate you!
Susan

More masterboarding coming right up!

Hello stampers and welcome back to the Classic Card!

Today we're on day 5 of our Masterboard class and today I'm going to show you card #4.  I hope you aren't getting sick of looking at the masterboard you created.  I love the bright flowers on my masterboard, so I'm not tired of looking at them yet.  When you're going to create 6 cards out of the same stamped paper, it helps if you love the colors and images to start with.  So I guess that's rule number one.  If you don't love your initial attempt, trash it and start over.  It is only one piece of card stock, not a yard of expensive fabric.

Are you ready for today's card?  It is a tiny little 3 by 3 gift card, just perfect for attaching to a wrapped gift. I can remember buying little cards like this back in the day at the Hallmark store for 50 cents (make that waaaay back in the day).  Do they even sell these anymore?  I guess it doesn't really matter, since they are so very easy to make.  Here's the card...

And here's the diagram of the bottom half of your masterboard, showing where card #4 is cut

OK, now that we have that out of the way, here's what to do next.

Start with a card base that is 3 inches by 6 inches.  Fold it in half to make a 3 by 3 card.

Next, cut a piece of solid card stock that is 2 3/4 by 2 3/4 and adhere it to the base.  Then cut the masterboard piece down to 2  1/2 by 2 1/2.  Run it through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  Wrap some Real Red Stitched Grosgrain ribbon around the textured panel and adhere it to the Real Red panel.  Stamp the sentiment (from Bring on the Cake, page 14 of the annual catalog) on a scrap of white card stock in Real Red and punch out with the 1 1/4 circle punch and layer it onto a Real Red circle punched out with the 1 3/8 inch circle punch.  Adhere the sentiment to the card with dimensionals. Voila!  You are finished!  

If you have the fabulous Envelope Punch Board, you can make a cute little envelope for your cute little card.  But if not, Stampin'Up! sells envelopes that are perfectly sized for these tiny cards.  You can find them on page 162 of the annual catalog and you get 40 of them for $7.50 (item # 107309).  

That's a wrap for today, stampers!  

May you enjoy a wonderful Easter with family and friends!  

Susan