SUOC71 and a Fond Farewell

This week's theme at SUO Challenges is Favorite Retiring Stamp Sets. It's that roller-coaster time of year......sad to see so many favorite stamp sets retiring, and thrilled to see the new ones coming!  This Fond Farewell also marks my last post as a design team member at SUO Challenges. I have been so honored to have been a part of such a talented team, but I think it's time for me to move on and let some new members with fresh ideas take over.

There are so many sets that I could call my "favorite", but right at the top would be Countryside (with that fabulous old pickup truck), and this one - Up, Up & Away.  Since it's graduation time, I thought this card was appropriate.  It also uses another retiring set, Word Play.

Stamps: Up, Up & Away, Word Play
Cardstock: Whisper White, Real Red, Midnight Muse
Ink: Real Red, Midnight Muse, Smoky Slate
Accessories: Big Shot, Cloudy Day embossing folder, Real Red Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

That Cloudy Day embossing folder is only available until for another 10 days, so better get yours while you can! The stamp sets will be available through June 3rd, then they'll be gone, too.

Retiring Accessories (through May 31, while supplies last)
Retiring Stamps (through June 3)

My Growing Family

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, let me make it clear I am NOT pregnant! Perish the thought!!! It would be a miracle if that happened, and anyone who knows me would know I'm not a likely candidate for that kind of miracle. *snort*

And no, I'm not expecting any grand babies, either. The two precious punkins I have are all that I will ever be blessed with.  So, just how is my family growing?

I'm so glad you asked....it's my STAMPIN' UP! family, of course! Patty joined during Sale-A-Bration, and Clarisa is the newest member of my stamping team. Not only did she sign up last week, but she did it the day before 300 new spots opened up for Convention, and she's going to Convention, too!

This is the little welcome card I sent to Clarisa. I'm just so happy she's one of "us" now!

And here is Patty's welcome card. She's going to Convention, too!  Look out, Salt Lake City, here we come!

If you join my stamping family, I'll send you a pretty welcome card, too (along with some other handy-dandy stuff*!). It doesn't matter where you are located, as long as you are within the United States. You will be included, long-distance, in our activities. How does that work? Just ask me!

And, until May 30th, you get an extra $30 in product of your choice in your starter kit. That's $155 of stamping goodness for only $99! And YOU get to choose what you want in your kit!!!

So what are you waiting for? It's easy, it's fun, and there's no obligation whatsoever to do anything further, if you don't want to. (But I have a feeling you'll want to!)  JOIN NOW!

* New 2013-2014 Color Refreshed Chart. And yes, I punched all those colors out and glued 'em one by one on the chart.....that's how much I love my girls!

SUOC70 - The Theme is Butterflies!

We have another fun challenge this week over at SUO Challenges! I mean, who doesn't like butterflies, right?! They're like little flowers that can fly. And what a timely challenge, too, because the "Best of" stamp set for April was butterflies!

I went with an unusual color combination (for me, anyway), because I really wanted to make the butterfly the focus of the card.  And, because thank you cards always seem to be in short supply around here, I made it a TY card.  Naturally, there was a little bling added, because that's just what it had to have. There are a couple of sneak peeks on there, too, for you sharp-eyed observers!

I hope you'll join us in the challenge this week.....it's so easy to make a card with butterflies because Stampin' Up! has so many products* that are butterfly-related!

Stamps: Best of Butterflies, Simply Sketched (greeting from Hostess set in 2013-2014 annual catalog)
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Early Espresso Core-dinations, Basic Black, Sunshine & Sprinkles DSP, Champagne Glimmer
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Soft Suede, Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral, Early Espresso
Accessories: Big Shot, Fancy Fan embossing folder, Modern Mosaic embossing folder, Stampin' Sanding Block, 1-3/8" Circle Punch

*A sampling, and this doesn't even include all the digital stuff!
Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die
Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die 
Bitty Butterfly Punch
Elegant Butterfly Punch
Swallowtail
Papillon Potpourri 
Serene Silhouettes
Papaya Collage
Nature Walk
Kindness Matters
Creative Elements
Collage Curios

SUOC #69 - Sizzix Sizzles!

Sometimes when I see a new craft item, my first impression is "meh". Take Washi Tape, for instance. I didn't get what all the excitement was about. I mean, I could see using a little snippet to hold something down on a scrapbook page, but I do very little scrapbooking.

Well, being the cheap frugal person I am (okay now, quit laughing), I can't pass up a bargain. The Epic Day This & That bundle has Washi Tape in it. All I really wanted were the other items (journal, DSP, stamp, stickers), but purchasing them separately would have been more than the whole bundle. So, Washi Tape made it into my craft room and onto my craft table.

Well, I could not have been more wrong about the stuff! I used it to make background paper for a masculine card a few days ago, and am using it again today for the SUO Challenges sample. (And I know there are more styles coming in the new annual catalog - Wahoooo, can't wait!!!)  This stuff is awesome!

Our theme this week is anything Sizzix, the caveat being it must be sold by Stampin' Up!. Now you know how much I am in love with Mr. Big (my Big Shot), so this was a really fun challenge for me. Embossing folder? Check! Die cut? You betcha! Embosslits? But, of course!

I am so happy that Calypso Coral is going to become a Core Color. I just love the summer-y, tropical feel of it.  And, while I don't have any of the upcoming new In Colors yet (which should be remedied by Friday *wink*), I think it might coordinate well with the new Crisp Cantaloupe. We'll just have to see, won't we?

Oh, and by the way, that epic deal on the Epic Day This & That bundle ends April 30th. Just so you know.

Stamps: Friendly Phrases, French Foliage
Cardstock: Calypso Coral, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Ink: Calypso Coral, Basic Gray
Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Pennants die, Square Lattice folder, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Calypso Coral Ruffled Ribbon, Pearls Basic Jewels, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, Epic Day Washi Tape