The Best of Both Worlds!

Today marks the last day of the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Catalog.  BUT you can also begin ordering from the new 2013-2014 Annual Catalog today!
You can find the links to the PDF and Flip Book versions of the catalog on the sidebar.  Remember that you can shop anytime you like by ordering online. 
On the sidebar, you will also find a link to the Supply List for the new catalog.  So if you are wondering, "How did they make the card on p.36?"  You can take a peek at the supply list and see what was used.  Usually this will help you determine how a project was made. 

As a final hurrah! I made two cards using retiring items.  The first is a Birthday Card using Circle Circus and Word Play.  Both are sadly retiring.  Technically, you can purchase these sets through June 3rd.....but I would not wait too long to order.  The second card is based on the first...I changed the sentiment and turned the card on its side.  The sentiment is from a long retired hostess set but I am fairly confident that you have a similar sentiment in your stash. 
I designed the Father's Day card for my little guys to do as a craft project.  It was the first time that I have given them a "class."  Usually, they don't have to follow a design.  Logan, my 7 year old, was ready!  Gavin, my 5 year old, was very reluctant to follow my instructions.  In the end, they both turned out great cards and had fun....I would post pictures of their cards too but they couldn't wait to get them in the envelopes.


I am not going to include a full list here due to lack of time to write this post, but here are the important retiring items:
Stamp Sets:  Circle Circus, Word Play
Paper: Summer Smooches DSP
Accessories: Brights Designer Buttons

Have a Creative Day!
-Staci

The retired lists have arrived!

Retiring Product Lists now available!
The buzz of excitement is in the air!  As Stampin' UP! demonstrators, we are all anticipating the upcoming new annual catalog.  I am in the process of pre-ordering items from the new catalog and I look forward to getting my hands on new product!

At the same time we have to say good-bye to many of our favorite stamp sets.  So here is the sad list of stamp sets that are retiring from the current annual catalog. Here is the pdf of retiring stamp sets. These sets will be available until June 3rd.

Many accessories are also retiring. These are only available while supplies last.  You will want to order these right away. You can email me your order or choose shop now from my website.  Please note that there are discounted items on the first part of the list. Also note that x's at the right hand side indicate that the item is no longer available. Click here for the PDF.

Get $155 in product for only $99 by joining my team today.  When you become a demonstrator you can see the upcoming catalog now and you can also order select products from it.  You can also include these items in your starter kit.  Click here to reach my "Join the Fun" page.  From that link, scroll down and click on the "sneak peak items" picture.  The download is a little slow- so be patient.  I will probably make another blog post soon about all the benefits of being a demonstrator.  Remember that you can choose to ONLY purchase the starter kit.  You are not obligated to make any further purchases or host parties or hold classes, etc.  There is also no penalty if you drop....so if you want to give it a try- it really is risk-free and you will enjoy all the benefits of being a demonstrator until Oct 31, 2013 (if you choose not to remain active.)  So what are you waiting for?  Contact me if you want to hear more about your options....

Embossing Folders, Blender Pens, and Cork

I was having fun using my new embossing folders.  Both the houndstooth and the stripes made there debut in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog (the big one.)  I used the houndstooth embossing folder on the base of the card.  I think you will be able to see it if you click on the picture for a closer view.  I used the stripes embossing folder on the island indigo panels.

I love the cork sheets and was glad that I was able to find a place to work them in.  And look! I even worked in some ribbon (black 1/8" taffeta ribbon!)
I used blender pens and my ink pads to color in the bonsai tree.  If you have never used a blender pen before, then check out this short video:



Stamp sets: Plant Hope
Paper:Very Vanilla, Island Indigo, Basic Black
Ink: Staz On Black, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Accessories: Black 1/8" taffeta ribbon, silver brads, cork sheets
Tools: Blender Pens, Houndstooth and Stripes Embossing Folders, Big Shot

Happy Stamping!
-Staci

Sandpaper and Sponges

This scrapbook layout has my signature grunge feel with lots of stamped elements layered in.  I created this page for when Logan and I traveled to Florida to visit family.  I waited until Logan was about 3 months before making the trip out there.  As a new mom, I was worried about being on the road with a little one.  It turned out to be a great trip and I learned that it is a bit difficult to trapse around Florida with a 3 month old who likes to nurse every 2 hours.

 This page includes a home made embellishment.  I started with a square piece of crumb cake.  I stamped the dots from the Extreme Elements stamp in versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I matted this square with a Night of Navy square.  I punched a hole (with that retired punch that I can't remember the name of) and ran chocolate chip 5/8" grosgrain through it.  Then I added two elements- the compass and the circle brad.  I stamped the compass from the Sentimental Journey set, embossed it, cut it out, and then placed a silver brad in the center.  I added interest to the designer circle brad by rubbing it on the chocolate chip craft pad. It took a long long long time for the ink to dry because the brad is non porous and the ink just sits up on top. 

 In the picture above you will notice the tear right under the embellishment.  It looks like it is there on purpose right?  Well to tell the truth I had to work that tear in because I didn't have a 12" length of crumb cake.  I only had a 8.5 x 11 inch sheet to work with so I basically pieced it together.  So instead of piecing it together at the end I pieced it together part way through.  I then tore it and sponged it to make it look like it fit with the rest of the page.
The title is a combination of the Jayne's Type Alphabet set and one of the words in the Sentimental Journey set.  The letters from this alphabet set are very nice.  I added to the grunge feel by using the kissing technique on the letters.  ie. Ink up the "B" then press the star stamp to the inked "B."  Then stamp the "B."  Don't forget to add stars to the title to add to the layered look!

On the stamped squares I just collaged the images from the extreme elements and sentimental journey sets.  I experimented with different colors for each to give the page more variety. And I sponged around them too -as if I needed to tell you that!

The journaling is handwritten with a Stampin' Write marker I also sanded the Designer Series Paper to get some of that fabulous white core to show through.
I do not think it was intentional at the time of creating this scrapbook page but I made it out of 100% Stampin' Up! products. Go me!  Go me!  Oh yeah.  Oh yeah.  So the Designer Series Paper and the sentimental journey stamp set and the designer brads are retired (but you can easily substitute them with other items.)
Thanks for looking at my artful, grungey, yet baby scrapbook layout! 

Stampin' Up! products used:
Stamp sets:  Jayne's Type Alphabet, Sentimental Journey, Extreme Elements
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Night of Navy, Chocolate Chip DSP, Bashful Blue
Ink: Bashful Blue, Versamark, Night of Navy, Chocolate Chip (Classic and Craft)
Accessories: Designer Circle Brads, Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, silver brads
Tools:  Square punches, hole punch (I still can't remember the name and my old catalog is buried in a box in the depths of my closet...and it's late and well you get the picture.)
I also used sandpaper and sponges, hence the title.

Happy Stamping!
-Staci

Here comes Fall

It is so hot here (in Tucson) that it is hard to believe that it is September.  As the calendar turns, my anticipation for cool crisp days increases.  Soon...soon.  So in honor of Fall, which is my favorite season, I made this quick card.  I used the new Gently Falling set from the Holiday Mini Catalog (pg 16 and 17.)  The holiday mini catalog releases today, yeah!  I just love all the accessories in this one- from several new kinds of ribbon to mini jingle bells.  I know!  Mini jingle Bells!

The Gently Falling has oodles of 2 step stampin' images.  I chose the maple leaf for the middle of this card because I liked the size of it.  It is a maple leaf, right?  I live in Arizona and before that in Florida so you will have to excuse me, I don't know my leaves.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to get it perfectly lined up.  See the video below for a 2 step stampin' tutorial and follow this link for a tutorial for the stamp-a-ma-jig.  The stamp-a-ma-jig video is not mine....
The main panel is created by stamping the outlines in Cajun Craze all over the Cajun Craze cardstock.  I tried to do this randomly.  Simple.  Fast.  Yet pretty.  Yeah!

Stamps: Gently Falling
Paper: Naturals Ivory, Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, More Mustard
Ink: Cajun Craze, Riding Hood Red
Accessories: Basic Pearls
Tools:  Stamp-a-ma-jig

Happy Stamping!
-Staci

In a Christmas kind of mood

Christmas in August???  Sure.  Why not?  I just love Christmas and it is NEVER too early to start working on those Christmas cards.  In years past I usually make a bunch of one card.  This year, thanks to my card clubs, I will have a variety of cards ready to go.  So this is the Christmas card that I designed for the girls this month.  It looks pretty simple except that I snuck in some embedded embossing just behind the ornament- take a look at the close-up.

I also added pearls to the swirls.  I thought that I wouldn't use the pearls all of the time.  But now that they are in my stash I use them a lot.

I punched out the Riding Hood Red piece and stacked it on the Early Espresso piece and then stacked that on top of the Marina Mist matte.  Be sure they are securely adhered together then place them in the houndstooth embossing folder and run them through the Big Shot.  And Voila!  you have created an embedded embossing card.  Easy, right? 

I used the Letters from Santa Designer Series Paper (DSP.)  I challenged myself to use one of the busier patterns.  Plus I couldn't bear to use the delicious stripes included in this paper pack.  I love striped paper and usually keep them in my stash for an extra long time because I admire them rather than use them.  How silly!  I did recently create a scrapbook layout with the stripes from this pack.  Maybe, I will get that online soon. 

Stamp Sets:  Delightful Decorations

Paper:  Letters to Santa DSP, Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Whisper White

Ink: Old Olive

Accessories: Basic Pearls

Tools: Houndstooth Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Decorative Label Punch

Thanks for looking!  Your comments are appreciated.

-Staci

It's in the details

Today, I want to share a page with you that I created awhile back. It is the first page, the intro page, to Gavin's Baby Scrapbook. It is also one of my all time favorites.
As you read my entries for scrapbook layouts you may notice that I jump around a bit. That is how I like to do it. I like to let inspiration hit me. So I typically do a few now pages, stuff that recently happened, followed by older pages. The older pages I do in no particular order. Although, recently I have been trying to finish both of the boys' baby books. I have also noticed a strong deviation from my normal level or intricacy of scrapbooking. So I think I am going to halt on pushing to finish the books and just finish them when I get to them. It so funny how demanding my self-imposed deadlines can be.

I think this one is a favorite of mine because of all of the little details.  I guess it helps that I love, love, love this photo of Gavin.  So here is a detail of the embellishment that I made.  The cardstock and designer paper is SU but the pewter thingies (can't think of the word right now) is from my stash.  You know that stash of stuff you have in your craft closet.  What a great idea!  I should use something from my stash.  I do not know if it is called a stash but in the knitting world it is so from henceforth the stuff in my craft room is called the stash.  I started with the square of DSP and crumpled and sanded it.  I love how our DSP has a white core so that you can actually sand it and see white!  The strip on the right was created by running Chocolate Chip cardstock through the crimper.  The other piece is just corrugated cardboard.  I inked it up with craft ink.  Maybe I sense a video tutorial coming......

I love the title too.  The letters are from some cheap set that I picked up at the local craft store, on sale of course.  Do you see that I used eyelets?  Is that not vogue anymore?  I got the feeling that it has gone out of style but I am not a fashionista and I guess there are no scrapbook police so I used them anyway.  The small letters are ribbon slides but I used a piece of paper instead of ribbon.  I liked it better because they don't slide around as much.

The little letters are from this cute retired set from SU.  They fit in the little hole punch perfectly.  I hope they come out with another set like that.  Here and above you can see the serious amount of spongeing that I did.  The paper was cute (also a stash piece from a paper sale- I can't resist those 4 for a $1 sales or whatever they are) but it was too plain it definitely needed some distressing.  I think I used direct to paper technique with a Not Quite Navy craft pad. The ink is much wetter and looks like paint.  I also used a stipple brush and added in more texture that way too.

And then I have the half pocket and journaling tag.  I just love the Satin Ribbon tied with twine.  The intro page always includes a letter to the recipient, in this case Gavin. 

I am not going to list everything that went into this one because I don't remember but I thought you would like to at least know the color combos.
Paper:  Blueberry Crisp, Chocolate Chip DSP, More Mustard, Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla
Ink:  Not Quite Navy craft and classic ink, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip Craft
And for the SU junkies, I used Alphabits and Sanded.

The more I do this blog thing the more I like it!  I hope you are inspired to get creative!
Happy Stamping!
-Staci