Monday Blues....

Hello Stampers!

Wow... I think this is the latest I've ever posted, but I have a really good excuse! John gashed his hand at the YMCA this morning and we spent the afternoon at Urgent Care, getting it patched up. No worries... he'll be fine since he got a tetanus shot and some antibiotics.  I'm determined to write a post today, so despite the late hour, here is Monday's installment of The Classic Card.  No, in case you were wondering, I don't have the Monday Blues... that title refers to the card I have to show you!  As a side note, we are momentarily experiencing a burst of sunshine here in Sherwood--- what a treat to have a break in the gray, low-hanging clouds and see the blue, blue sky above!  Sometimes it is hard to remember that above all the gray, there is blue sky and abundant sunshine. 

I mentioned earlier that the cards I'll be showing for the next couple of weeks will be featuring retiring stamp sets.  The card today is a bit of an exception, in that it shows off some fabulous designer paper that is retiring called Paisley Petals.  You can see this gorgeous paper on page 184 of the big catalog. The last time I checked, it was still available, but don't wait because it won't be around for long.
Here is the card...

You could probably make this beautiful card in less than 10 minutes, since there is minimal stamping.  Let me list the supplies I used to put this card together.

Stamps:  Four Frames (not retiring!)
               Teeny Tiny Wishes  (not retiring! )

Ink:  Baja Breeze
         Not Quite Navy
      

Paper:  Whisper White
              Baja Breeze
              Not Quite Navy
              Paisley Petals Designer Paper  (only available while supplies last)

Accessories:
              Framed Tulips embossing folder for the Big Shot
              Decorative Label Punch
              Baja Breeze Seam Binding

So stampers, get out some pretty blue paper, some pretty shades of blue ink, and stamp something that reminds you of blue skies, because I'm afraid that's the only way you're going to see blue for the next week or so!  I don't know about you, but I'm so thankful to be able to turn on the lights, pull out my stamps, and create my own sunshine.  Hope your Monday was a good one!
Susan
I'll be off babysitting on Tuesday, but be sure to come back on Wednesday for another classic card.
Thanks for stopping in today!
Susan

A Classic Combination

Hello stamping friends!

It's finally Friday and I'm gearing up for a big event this weekend... my Stamp-a-Stack.  I've got 18 stampers coming over in two different sessions to stamp 8 cards each.  Let's do the math... that's 144 cards that will be made here on Saturday!  Not to worry... the card stock is all cut, the ribbon is ready to go, and this evening I'll be making some yummy snacks for you! 

For the next several weeks, I'm going to be showing you some retiring stamp sets that I have loved, in hopes that you will love them too.  Today's card combines brown and blue... a classic color combination.  There are so many shades of brown and blue that look great together... Crumb Cake and Night of Navy, Early Espresso and Bashful Blue, Soft Suede and Baja Breeze... I could go on and on.  (Speaking of blue, we haven't seen that color in the sky lately!  I think we need to see some very soon!)

My card for you today combines two of my favorite Stampin'Up! colors... Early Espresso, the best brown of all time and the lovely Pool Party.  So grab your cup of coffee and meet me by the pool.





This card was one we made a while back at one of my technique classes.    The stamp set shown here is called Upsy Daisy and can be seen on page 116 of the big catalog.  It is one of the "oldies" that's only available in wood, but it is definitely a "goodie."  The technique is called Striped Wipe.  First let me give you the supply list, then I'll tell you how to create the background.

Stamps:
Upsy Daisy-- retiring
Happiest Birthday Wishes-- this is a hostess set, so it is also retiring, as all hostess sets will be gone.
Note:  There is still time to receive some of this year's wonderful hostess sets absolutely free when you host a stamping party before the end of May.  Send me a quick email and we'll reserve a date for your party!

Ink:
Early Espresso pad
Pool Party refill
So Saffron refill
Certainly Celery refill

Paper: 
Very Vanilla
Early Espresso
Pool Party
Glossy White Card Stock

Accessories:
Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder for the Big Shot
Scallop Circle Punch
1 3/8 inch Circle Punch

OK, now that you have all the ingredients, let me tell you how to cook up this pretty card.
Tools you'll need: 
Baby Wipes
stiff cardboard
Clips or clothespins (I use binder clips... those metal clips that hold multiple pages together)
scrap paper

First, cut the glossy card stock to the size you need.  Put a small piece of double stick tape on the back of it and attach it to the scrap paper, as you don't want it to move while you're working on it.

Next, take a couple of baby wipes and fold them in half.  Attach them to the stiff cardboard so that they are covering the edge of the cardboard.  Using the ink refills, apply a stripe of each color along the edge of the baby wipe.

Pull the baby wipe over the glossy card stock to create the striped background.  You can go over the glossy card stock more than once to make the color darker.  Just be sure te re-align your stripes each time.  You can create all sorts of effects this way... an ocean scene (Crumb Cake for the sand, Baja Blue for the water) a sunset ( Tangerine Tango at the bottom, then maybe a little So Saffron, fading up to Pink Pirouette).  Experiment with this... it is easy and fun! Then when I was finished with the striped background, I just inked up my Upsy Daisy stamp and stamped over it in Early Espresso.

Well, stamping friends, I must go and tackle my list... it's a pretty long one today.  Enjoy your Friday and I'll see you back here at The Classic Card on Monday.

Happy Weekend!
Susan

A sad farewell to many old friends...

Hello Stampers and Welcome to Wednesday!

For the next few weeks, I'll be focusing on saying a proper farewell to lots of my favorite stamp sets which are now leaving forever.  I've had many of these sets in my stamp collection for several years and I'm sorry to say that some of them haven't seen the light of day for a while.  The new stamps come out and I get all excited about them and forget some of my old buddies which are languishing in my cupboards.  Do you do that too? 

Before I get to today's card, let me remind you that I just sent out the Retired Accessories List in an email.  You will notice that it is LONG... 12 pages to be exact!  At the beginning of the list are two and a half pages of discounted items, so definitely check those out!  If you are needing In-Color refills for the retiring In-Colors (Blushing Bride, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade, or Peach Parfait), get those right away.  I just placed an order and unfortunately, the Peach Parfait refills are already gone! 

OK... now to the card

Remember this set, Awash with Flowers?  I still love this set and it is one that I'm really sorry is retiring.  I love the whimsical flowers.  No, they aren't very realistic, but that is what makes them charming!   You can find this set on page 110 of the big catalog. 

This bright card was made by one of my downline members, Janet Jones. Whenever we swap cards, I always love Janet's, possibly because Janet and I see eye-to-eye on card design.  We're both big fans of the clean and simple style of stamping, but that doesn't mean our cards are boring---far from it!  Here's a quick list of what Janet used to create this summery card:

Stamps: 
Awash With Flowers  (retiring)
Friendly Phrases
Ink:
Melon Mambo
Tangerine Tango
Chocolate Chip
Pear Pizzazz (for sponging around the sentiment)
Pear Pizzazz Marker (for coloring the stems and leaves)
Paper:
Poppy Parade (retiring)
Pear Pizzazz (retiring)
Very Vanilla
Accessories:
Pear Pizzazz Poly Stitched Ribbon (retiring)
Scallop Oval Punch
Elegant Lines Embossing Folder for the Big Shot
Dimensionals

I'm off to Curves for the Wednesday Workout!  After that I'm going to be busily preparing for my big Stamp-a-Stack coming up this Saturday.  The morning session is full, but I still have 4 openings in the afternoon session from 1-4pm.  Why not get a group of friends together, go out for lunch, and then afterwards come over to my house and stamp away the afternoon.  You'll make 8 cards (with envelopes) for only $15 and I'm giving away door prizes AND a stamp set at each session.  Email me to save your spot(s). 
Thanks for stopping in today!  Please come back on Friday for another classic card.
Susan

Onward and Upward!

Hello stampers!

The weeks are flying by at warp speed and soon the school year will be over.  Then it will be time for graduations and graduation parties and you know you're going to need some cards.  So let's get started on them now, while there's still plenty of time.

Today's card features a cute little birdie that is flying the nest and moving onward and upward to new adventures.  What a perfect card for a boy or girl graduate!  Don't forget to use their school colors for your card... that will make it much more personal.

Check it out!

Isn't that owl the cutest ever?  I received this card as a swap at a recent demonstrator meeting. Unfortunately, the creator of this card didn't add her name to the back of the card.  I think Virginia
Mattfield was the demonstrator that made this, but I'm not sure.  Let me give you a quick run through of the colors and supplies used.

Stamps:
Word Play
Note:  the star wheel she used for the background is no longer available.  There is a builder wheel called "So Many Stars,( #118620) that you could use for the background of stars. Or maybe you have a star stamp somewhere in your stash. 
Ink:
Basic Black
Paper: 
Cherry Cobbler
Daffodil Delight
Basic Black
Whisper White
Pumpkin Pie (for the owl's little tiny feet)
Accessories:
Owl Builder Punch
Scallop Circle Punch (cut one circle in half for his wings, so it looks like he's flying)
White Signo Gel Pen  ( for his eyes and buttons)
White Baker's twine to hold his diploma closed (dye it by swiping it over the ink pad of your choice.  Hint--- use a sponge to hold it down onto the pad as you pull the twine over the pad.  That way your fingers will stay clean.)

Hope you like this card as much as I do!  Have a great Tuesday and don't forget to stamp something pretty today!
Susan

Sunny Monday!!!!

Hello Stampers!
Isn't it a welcome change to be starting off the work week with a sunny Monday?  I can't count the number of Mondays that I looked out my stamp room window and what greeted me was a cold, wet, wind-whipped scene.  This morning, through my open window I see blue sky, green leaves, a tree covered in pink blossoms, some gorgeous red tulips, and sunshine!  All I can say is hallelujah!

I've got a friend coming over today to do work on this blog.  There are some things that need changing, so I just wanted to warn you that The Classic Card will be "under construction" in the next couple of days and I may not be posting.  So if I don't show up here tomorrow morning... no worries! I'll be back soon!

I think we all know that this glorious weather is not the start of our famed Northwest summer, but just a short break to keep us sane until summer arrives.  So today, in honor of our sunny weather, I've got a summery card for you.  Check it out...

If you haven't done so already, maybe it's time to eat an ice cream cone before the sun hides his face again.  I love sitting on the porch in the evening just watching the world go by and what could improve that experience more than a yummy ice cream cone?    I received this fun card as a swap at a demonstrator meeting I attended recently.  This cute card was made by the very talented Linda Sullivan.  Let me give you a quick list of the products Linda used to create her summery card.

Stamps:
Create a Cupcake (for the sprinkles on the cupcake)

Ink: 
Early Espresso

Paper: 
Calypso Coral
Wisteria Wonder
Whisper White
Early Espresso
Pink Pirouette (for the ice cream)
Crumb Cake (for the cone)
Berry Blossoms Designer Paper

Accessories: 
Wisteria Wonder ruffled ribbon
Stripes Embossing Folder for the Big Shot
Square Lattice Embossing Folder for the Big Shot
Cupcake Builder Punch
Dimensionals

I know you have plenty of things on your "to-do" list for today, but I'd like to add a couple of things to it... #1  Get out in the sunshine... even if just for a few minutes
           #2  Stamp something pretty and send it off
           #3  Eat some ice cream
          
Happy Monday everyone!
Susan

Friday Flowers

Happy Friday, Stampers!
Welcome back to The Classic Card!

It is going be be a full weekend of stamping for me... my "Designing the Perfect Card" class on Saturday and then a party on Sunday afternoon.  It will be busy, but that's the way I like it!  I have had one cancellation for my card design class, so email me at sjrstamps@gmail.com if you'd like to take that one spot.  You'll get a wealth of handouts, ideas, and tips-- plus you'll make two great cards which illustrate what you learned. The cost is $15 or free with a $40 purchase.
I hope all of you have a busy, fun weekend planned too! 

If you get a minute, you might want to sit down with your catalog and make a list of those accessories you'd like to get before they are gone.
 On April 25th the retired accessories list comes out.  After that, you might only have a couple of days to get the Designer Paper, ink refills, ribbon, button, etc. that you want before Stampin'Up! runs out.  We know for certain that all of the Designer Papers will go... they discontinue everything each year.  We know that all of the retiring In-Color products will be gone (Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Peach Parfait, and Poppy Parade), so don't wait to get these.  If there is ribbon you like, please get it now, as that will disappear quickly as well.  In short, my message to you is that if you know you want a particular accessory, please order it before the 25th.  Once the list comes out, people go into frenzy mode and I cannot guarantee that you'll be able to purchase what you want.  Every year I have customers that are so disappointed that they missed getting a favorite designer paper or other accessory.  The discontinued stamp sets are guaranteed to be available until May 30th, since Stampin'Up! manufactures their own stamps,  but the accessories are "only while supplies last."
OK, now that those details are out of the way, let's get back to the reason you came here today!
Today's card focuses on a classic stamp set "Fifth Avenue Floral" that will soon be gone forever.  This set makes great collage cards which are so easy to create and turn out so pretty.  I'll show you one of those in a future post.  But for now,  please check out this beauty...



Aren't those lillies just gorgeous?  I received this fabulous swap at one of the recent demonstrator meetings I attended.  It was stamped by the very talented Cheryl Brown. 
Let me give you a list of what Cheryl used to create this beautiful card.

Stamps: 
Fifth Avenue Floral
Bring on the Cake (for the sentiment)

Ink: 
I'm guessing here, as Cheryl didn't provide a list on the back of the card, but I believe she used Rose Red for both the sentiment and the flowers
Rose Red Stamp Pad (for the sentiment and the sponging on the flowers)
Rose Red Marker (for the dots on the flowers)
Versamark Pad

Paper: 
Perfect Plum
Certainly Celery
Whisper White
 Pretty in Pink

Accessories:
Heat gun
White embossing powder
Little Leaves sizzlet for the Big Shot
Square Lattice embossing folder for the Big Shot
Scallop Border Punch
Sponge
Paper Snips (small, extremely sharp scissors that SU sells, perfect for detailed cutting)

To make the gorgeous lillies, here's what I would do.  First stamp two lillies on Whisper White card stock with Versamark ink.  Then sprinkle on the white embossing powder, tap off the excess, and heat until the image is raised and shiny.  Using a small sponge and the Rose Red stamp pad, drag some color along each petal.  Add the spots with the Rose Red marker. Then cut out each flower with the Paper Snips and adhere them to the card so that they are slightly overlapping.  Simple, but stunning!

The weather man has been promising us a nice weekend and I sure hope he hasn't changed his mind again!  For today, it looks like we're going to have to create our own sunshine, so pull out the stamps, turn up the lights, and stamp away the blues!  Happy weekend, everyone!
Susan

Peach Parfaits by the Pool

Hello stampers and welcome to Wednesday!

I'm busily getting ready for the Designing the Perfect Card class on Saturday, but wanted to take a few minutes out of my preparations to serve you a peach parfait by the pool.  You can rest assured that if I did have a pool, I would be serving you all sorts of things around it... iced tea, lemonade, and yummy snacks too.  Wouldn't it be fun to stamp outside on an umbrella table by a pool?  Then if we got too warm we could take a dip!  You can see where my mind is going.... ah, summertime! 

OK, let's get back to reality and back to today's card.  It really does have a connection to the above thoughts because it features the retiring color Peach Parfait combined with the continuing color Pool Party.  I apologize that some of you have seen this card before, as it has been used at a workshop.  However most of you haven't seen it, and since Peach Parfait is going away at the end of May, I wanted to show it to everyone.

Check it out....

Peach Parfait is such a nice warm color... I'm really going to miss it!  It is not as saturated as Pumpkin Pie and mixes well with colors in the Subtles family.  Try it with So Saffron and Pink Pirouette for a summery color scheme.  Or mix it with Pear Pizzazz and Not Quite Navy for a more masculine look.  There's a lot you can do with Peach Parfait and I'm so sorry to see it go.  Be sure to stock up on card stock, ink refills, and ribbon before it is discontinued.  Then you can enjoy Peach Parfait for many years to come.
Let 's go over what I used to make this card.

Stamps:
Mixed Bunch
Occasions Alphabet (Check this one out on page 171 of the big catalog.  It has great sayings for just about any occasion you can think of and the images fit easily into the Scalloped Oval Punch, the Extra Large Oval Punch, and the Decorative Label Punch).
The faint pattern on the Very Vanilla framelit panel was stamped with the Fresh Vintage stamp set that is no longer available, as it was a Sale-a-bration set.  You could use any background set instead. Just be sure to "stamp off" before stamping on the panel.
 
Ink:
Peach Parfait (for the faint background on the focal panel)
Early Espresso

Paper:
Very Vanilla
Peach Parfait
Pool Party
Lucky Limeaid

Accessories:
Finial Press embossing folder for the Big Shot
Peach Parfait ribbon
Blossom Punch
3/4 inch Circle Punch
Label Framelit for the Big Shot
Sponge
Dimensionals

If you don't already own the fabulous Mixed Blossom set, be sure to get it before April 30th, when the Occasions Mini Catalog expires.  We're all hoping it will appear in the new catalog, but no one knows for sure.  This is the best new flower set we've had in a long time and the 3 different flower patterns make it incredibly versatile. 

Well, stamping friends, it's back to the paper cutter for me!  I'll be rockin' out to tunes on Pandora while I cut, cut, cut for the card design class, the Stamp-a-Stack AND the big Retirement Party on Cinco de Mayo (that's May 5th to you).   You'll be getting an evite for that soon!
Thanks for stopping by today.  I'll miss you tomorrow, as I'll be babysitting, but don't forget to come back on Friday for another classic card!
Happy stamping!
Susan