Hi everyone!   Right now Stampin’ Up is cleaning out closets with the Retiring List and just today, the Clearance Rack has been updated!

(If you haven’t printed the entire list, click HERE to see the lists)

Here are a few things I think are great to have in your craft room before they are gone.  If you have been with me a while, you might own all of these since I used them so much!

Vintage Leaves  #138802   $26 and  Leaflets Framelits  #138283  $27

These leaves are rubber stamps that are etched with such detail, they look real!  Perfect for masculine cards or fall or sympathy.  I love all the techniques you can do with these leaves, too!

Rose Garden Dies #140619 $31 and Rose Wonder Photopolymer Stamp Set  #140697  $27

This is a pricey set but they are BIG and make a statement.  Even if you get just the framelits, they are gorgeous on their own.  The stamps have so many perfect sentiments, it works on it’s own also.

Butterflies Thinlits Dies  #137360  $27  and Watercolor Wings Photopolymer Stamp Set  #139424  $26

My heart can barely take it…why the butterflies?!   Such staples for paper crafting!  There is only one new butterfly die in the new annual catalog and it’s just one.  Maybe more are coming later next spring?  You just can’t go wrong with these 4. Even just the dies would be great to have on hand!  The largest butterfly die above is about 3-1/2″ x 4-1/2″!

The 2 framelit sets coordinate with each other and both coordinate with both stamp sets.  I’m keeping mine forever:)

Butterfly Basics Photopolymer Stamp Set  #137154 $24 and Bold Butterfly Framelits Dies #138135  $17

Sweet & Sassy Framelits Dies  #141707  $35

At first glance you may not tell that there are 2 different heart shapes in this set!  There is a basic heart set AND a curvy, sweetheart set.  15 dies total. There isn’t a new heart set in the annual catalog, a few random hearts that match a stamp set, but not a complete layering set like this one.

Hearth & Home Thinlits Dies  #139666 $20

Maybe they have more coming out in the Holiday catalog but this one is a great die all year round.  Use it for flower boxes and window scenes, animals and Santa peeking through!

I did this card way back in August 2015!  Succulents were just starting to get popular again and i created my own from card stock pieces.  You can see my video and post about it HERE

AND the Clearance rack has been updated!  Be sure to check out last year’s closeouts…below are 4 of my favorites:

12×12 Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper  #144623  $4.40  If you have the sunflower set, grab this paper!

Quilted Christmas 6 x6 Designer Series Paper  #144617  $3.60 for 48 sheets!   If you have the quilt set and dies, grab this paper! 

  Year Of Cheer Specialty Designer Series Paper  #144640  $5.20    This foil paper was a BIG hit! Gorgeous copper, silver and gold patterns.  12×12

Old Olive & Real Red Stampin’ Write Markers #145058  $2.80

 and LOTS more!  Go HERE to see all the new clearance items!

That’s all for me today!  I’m heading down to the stamp room to work on this week’s videos and start pulling my retiring items off the shelf.

Hope you find time to stamp today!

The RETIRING LIST is here!

It’s that time of year to say bye to stamp sets and accessories to make room for the new ones in the upcoming catalog in June!   Grab your highlighters to mark the ones going and be sure you have the ones on your wish list!

To view the Annual Catalog Retiring List by Page Number, Click HERE

To view the Annual Catalog Retiring List in a sortable Excel List, Click HERE

(DON’T freak out with ALL the ink pad colors being listed.  The ink pad cases are changing to an updated design, so they are clearing out the current cases.  Only 13 colors retiring, keep reading:)

The Occasions Catalog will be ending May 31st, also!

To view the Occasions Catalog Retiring List by Page Number, Click HERE

To view the Occasions Catalog Retiring List in a sortable Excel List, Click HERE

All accessories like ink refills, ribbons, papers, dies and punches are while supplies last.

Stamp Sets will be guaranteed available until May 25th, then they will be ‘while supplies last’ after that.

It’s been over 5 years since Stampin’ Up has freshened up the color palette so it’s time!   I’m so excited to get some more updated, trendy colors!!  There are still 4 color collections and an added Basics with black, white and vanilla colors.  We still have our 10 In Colors, too.  

Retiring 13 of the Core Colors

13 colors will be retiring:  Always Artichoke, Elegant Eggplant, Island Indigo, Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise, Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi and Wisteria Wonder.  (see my post below with item numbers and pics)

10 New Core Colors!

5 New In colors (2018-2020) and 5 current In Colors (2017-2019)

6 Returning In colors!

(I’m SO excited about all of these!)

And we are keeping 27 of our core colors!

That makes 53 colors total in our new catalog that starts June 1st!

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GET YOUR REFILLS TODAY!

The ink refills notoriously sell out quickly so check your inventory.  I’m posting the ink refill and card stock numbers for those that have these already and need refills.  Classic ink pads and marker sets are also available while supplies last in our current catalog on pages 184-186.

** Stampin’ Up is updating our ink pad cases, too!  We will still have the awesome foam pad but the case is being streamlined.  I’ll show you as we get closer to the new catalog.  The updates include a hinge that won’t come off accidentally (it still flips and stores with ink upside down, yay!) and a thinner case that stacks if needed!  They will still fit in the carousel if you have that.

Here are the 4* In Colors retiring from 2016-2018

*Flirty Flamingo will move to our core colors and not retire!

From the Regals

We bid adieu to Always Artichoke, Elegant Eggplant,Island Indigo, Perfect Plum and Rose Red.  Artichoke looks so washed out compared to Mossy Meadow, so I’m thrilled that is taking it’s place!  I liked Rose Red but we have melon mambo and berry burst and the new Merry Merlot!  Island Indigo stings a little…that was one of my favorites.

From the Neutrals

The Archival Basic Black and Archival Basic Gray are retiring and being replaced by StazOn for the waterproof ink pads.  Memento Black will remain for a non-waterproof black.   I personally really like the archival black so I’m stocking up on a new pad and a few refills.    The Basic Gray will change to a regular ink pad and move to the neutrals. 

Chocolate Chip is also retiring from the neutrals. Can’t say I use it much because early espresso is my favorite!

From the Brights

We say goodbye to Tangerine Tango and Tempting Turquoise.  We are getting back Coastal Cabana, which I think is much prettier than the turquoise!  And Tango isn’t needed as much when we still have Pumpkin Pie.

From the Subtles

Farewell to Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi and Wisteria Wonder. This group was the largest hit and I’m crying a little over Soft Sky.  (I stocked up on the card stock:)  We have a new blue but it’s not as soft or light as Soft Sky.  Sniff.  But moving on, progress!  Wasabi was replaced by Granny Apple Green, which is more fresh. We still have Pear Pizzazz and that’s close, too.  Bye, Wisteria.  Not going to miss that much.  People love Marina but I think Balmy Blue will be an ok substitute.  Pink Pirouette gets replaced buy a softer Petal Pink that is a few steps lighter than Blushing Bride.

Here are are new color  collections but seeing them in person is SO much better!  Once I get them all I’ll post more.   This is how the color families will look in June in the new catalog!

That’s it for me today!   There is a sneak peek suite coming out in May, I’ll post more on that this week. For now,  check your retiring supplies to see if you need anything and order quickly!

I made this card a few months back for a team demo and haven’t been able to give it away yet!  I don’t really like bees flying around me but on paper, they are sweet.  Adding a Mini Embroidery Hoop helps them be the focal point!

Touches of Texture stamp set is one of those sets that falls flat in black and white but once you start adding color to the stamps, it’s magic!   I used the splatter stamp in soft sky for a light background.  The long textured flower stamp looked like honeycomb to me so I stamped that in curry behind the bee in the hoop.

I added the Stampin’ Blends markers in Daffodil and just a touch of the Light Razzleberry.  It turned into a Sweet Sugarplum color so I added some of that at the bottom of my card to help add some pop.

To add the hoop, I punched my bee and stuck the hoop right onto a Sizzix Adhesive sheet.

This stuff holds so well!  You may get some strings of adhesive on your hoop but just rub off any extra before adding over the stamped circle.

I hope you find time to stamp this week!

OH BY THE WAY…

The Retiring List will be out on April 9th at 1 pm MST!  (that 3 pm for those eastern time stampers)   I’ll be back here then with all good info!     I’m heading to Milwaulkee for our Stampin’ Up mini convention this weekend where I get to see the new Annual catalog!  Be sure to follow me on my Stamping School Facebook page for updates!

I admit I know very little about all this hoopla over basketball this week. My friend Jan is totally IN it, watching every game and I don’t even know who is playing.  So I played my own hoops with our Mini Embroidery Hoops from the Occasions catalog:

You get 8 wooden Mini Embroidery Hoops for $9.50,  4 each of 2 sizes (1-1/2″ and 1-3/4″)   Item #146243    They have real working screws, so cute!

Step 1:  I stamped in Archival Black ink onto some muslin fabric and colored it in with our regular markers.  The alcohol markers bled on the muslin so the regular markers worked best for this little image.

Here is the stamp set that is in the Occasions catalog that coordinates with the hoops but anything that fits, works!  This one is called A Good Day  # 145873  $19

Step 2:  Punch 5 thick vanilla circles, 1-1/2″ each.  Glue them all together.   This fits the larger Hoop.

Step 3:  Add circles under muslin and slide hoop over circles.  You can add a little tape inside the hoop if it feels too loose.

Step 4: Add dimensionals in the ‘well’ of the hoop.  They should be just the right depth!

Step 5:  Trim your muslin and adhere to card!

By the way, March 31st is the LAST day to get a free gift with a $50 and $100 order!  Click the banner below to see the freebies:

Go Stamp Something!

With only 10 days left for Sale a Bration, I think I have used all the free stamp sets, papers and accessories except the Sweet Soiree Memories and More Card Pack. They look pretty ho-hum in the package until you open them up!

Each pack includes  72 total double-sided cards!  52 3″ x 4″ cards (2 each of 26 designs) and 20 4″ x 6″ cards (2 each of 10 designs)  FREE with a $50 order.

So a few weeks ago, I sat down to check them out and made 10 easy cards in an hour!  Here are a few tips I learned along the way:

The smaller cards are 3×4″, so I added a layer behind those sized 3-1/4″ x 4/4″.  I added an embossed layer behind some of them, like the new Basket Weave folder.

I just love how most of the work is done already!  Just add card bases and sentiments.

Since these cards can be used for memory keeping photos, the larger cards are 4 x 6″.  My cards are 5-1/2″ so I cut down one end, glued it on top to make it 5-1/4″.  Then I covered the seam up with ribbon!

Just add a greeting!  The flowers and frame are already printed on them!

I used 2 of the smaller cards on this one:

Adding a sweet scallop circle, ribbon and a stamped greeting on the printed floral cards created a pretty card in a few minutes!

On the card below, I combined one large card panel and one small together.  All I stamped was the greeting – all the rest is pre-printed!

I cut a flower out of one of the printed cards and added it next to my stamped greeting:

2 cards in one!  I cut apart the hello and used the extra strips on the card on the right:

For some cards, I added some Wink of Stella Glitter pen, epoxy dots and the Fine Tip Glue Pen to highlight areas:

The card bases I used were 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″, scored in landscape position at 4-1/4″.  So they are all A2 sized.  I used Old Olive, Basic Gray, Rich Razzleberry and Thick Whisper White.

Sweet Soirée Memories & More Card Pack is #147353  Price: Free with a $50 order

If you decide to give them a try and order with me, I’ll send you the PDF measurements for all of the cards!  You can shop on my website HERE

Go Stamp Something!

Just in time for the last two weeks of Sale-A-Bration, there’s more Sale-A-Bration freebies beginning March 15th!

Click HERE to view new flyer

Choose any of the items below FREE with every $50 purchase.  Be sure to use the item numbers listed rather than those in the catalog.

Color Me Happy Kit is also free with a $5o Order!  #150446 (reg price $25)  You can use greetings you already own or purchase the coordinating set called Color Me Happy in wood mount or clear mount is $19 #144069

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 I can’t believe these are free with a $100 order!   

You may want to purchase the coordinating stamp sets that go with the dies. Here are the stamp sets and item numbers in clear mount.

(You can click on the photos to see them larger. )

To see the previous freebies that are still available, see my post HERE

2 weeks left on an extra bonus in your demonstrator kit!  Join just for the discount, the stamping fun or extra income – it’s all ok!   Choose $125 of any product and pay only $99 plus tax AND enjoy free shipping!  If you join before March 31st, you can add TWO extra stamp sets of your choice, any price!

Join HERE

The coloring book movement is still going strong for therapy and calming the mind.  I read an article recently on CNN about why coloring is good for you!  (you can read that article here if you like)

I personally have moods where I want to sit down and just color something!  When I was young I would lie on the floor with my crayons and get lost for hours.  These days I’m lucky to color one or two cards but I still enjoy it!

You may have overlooked this kit in the Stampin’ Up Occasions catalog but if you want to spend some time in ‘therapy’ that doesn’t cost $3oo an hour, try this instead!

Lots Of Happy Card Kit – All inclusive kit for $35

This kit makes 2o cards with cute, striped envelopes.  There is a 7 piece stamp set, a clear block for mounting the stamps, a small ink spot, 4 watercolor pencils, ribbon and all the cut pieces that are ready to color.  All you stamp are the greetings.

Let me show you how they look up close.  This one is a full sized card and I love the bold stripes with the vellum leaves that come in the kit, too.

In the video from Stampin’ Up, they used the watercolor pencils without an water so they have a soft, pretty look.  (see above right photo)

To make the coloring go a little quicker, I used a Blender Pen to pick up the color from my watercolor pencil and transfer the color that way.

I didn’t think the vellum leaves were needed but when you see the card in person, it’s a delicate addition that is sweet. The one below is a full sized card.

The next two cards below are too little to mail on their own but I’ve used them with a gift bag and I also mailed one inside a larger envelope! If you really wanted to make it bigger, you could mount directly to a regular sized card base.

The left one is about 2-3/4 4-3/4 and the right card is about 2″ x 3-1/2″.

This one is about 4-1/4″ square.

Here is the photopolymer stamp set that comes with the kit:

What is really nice is that Stampin’ Up has refill kits!  If you love it and want to make more, you can get just the refill for only $21 without the stamps and ink and pencils.

here is the video from the home office:

Want one?  Drop me an email or order online in my store. The links are below and so are the blender pens if you don’t have those yet!

Go color something!

Linda