Terrific Tips Tuesday

All right, are you ready for one of my favorite tips? It has nothing to do with stamping or creating. Surprised? Well, I was, too. This is a tip that I had never even considered before, but once someone clued me in, my Stampin' life has been the better for it. OK, so maybe it has something to do with stamping and creating. Even though it doesn't involve using stamps, ink or adhesive, this tip will help with something you will hold in your hands over and over again. How often do you flip through the Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog looking for inspiration? If your answer is, "Duh, Cheryl! All the time!" then you are going to love this tip:

Get your catalog spiral bound!

Most office supply stores like Office Max and Staples will do this for you, and often only for around $2-$5. Not only does this help protect your catalog from all the use and page flipping, but having the ability to lay it flat makes it so much easier to look at. Your pages are protected because you will have the option to add a plastic cover to the front and back of the catalog. You will love being able to lay the pages flat and even fold the whole catalog in half to save room.

Oh, and are you ready for a bonus tip? I like to highlight the items I own. That makes it so much easier to flip through the catalog and come up with new projects or helps me see what I might want to add to my wish list. This is also helpful right now with the retiring lists. In the picture below, the items highlighted in pink are punches I own. The items highlighted in green are punches on the retiring list. As I go through my catalog and highlight items, I can easily see if there is something I want to add to my collection before it's gone for good!

The new catalog will be coming out in just a few weeks. Now you're all ready with some helpful organizing tips when that beautiful, glossy catalog lands in your hands!

New Bloomin' Bouquet Project Kit - While Supplies Last

As the school year winds down and we start searching for the perfect teacher gifts and Mother's Day rounds the corner, I am very pleased to share a new project kit with you. The Bloomin' Bouquet kit would be perfect for either occasion, or for general gift giving or to just brighten a corner in your own home! These paper flowers are a great gift since they don't require and long-term care, watering, trimming, weeding, etc. The kit comes with the petals, stems, buttons and ribbon you need to make someone's day.

Ordering information:

Item 134542 $12.95

• 2 sheets of preprinted and precut flowers on 12" X 12" cardstock; makes 13 flowers using Pool Party, Gumball Green, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, and Rich Razzleberry

• 13 Vintage Faceted Buttons

• 13 green floral wire stems

• This kit makes a great gift, both assembled and unassembled. You may want to give it as a fun do-at-home project, or create it yourself to give.

• This kit can appeal to both stampers and non-stampers; the ease of assembly means anyone can do it!

• Add your own finishing touch to the bouquet: place it in a vase, wrap it up in tissue paper, decorative ribbon, or twine.

Available starting April 29, while supplies last.

Adhesive not included. (Glue gun recommended.)

My Paper Pumpkin

I received my first Paper Pumpkin package in the mail last month. I was so excited that I just had to open it right away.

Here is what was inside:

A clear block and everything you need to make a set of adorable cards! The fun thing is, there are so many different ways you can create a card using these elements. And when you're done, you have 2 stamps, a clear block and an ink pad to keep and use on other projects!

In case you haven't heard me gush about your very own Fairy Godmother of Creativity, you might be wondering just what My Paper Pumpkin is.

My Paper Pumpkin is a monthly surprise project kit which will help you cards, journals, decor and more! 

Here are some of the details: 

• Each month you will be sent a unique, surprise kit with a project-cards, journals, décor, and more! (We've even color-coordinated, measured, and cut everything for you!)

• Each kit includes stamps, ink, paper, and accessories-everything but adhesive.

• Each kit gives you a 30-minute creativity escape.

• We will ship your Paper Pumpkin on or around the 15th of the month.  

• You need to sign up for a kit by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit. If you sign up on the 11th of the month, your first kit will come the next month. (Let's say you sign up on May 10th, we'll send your kit around May 15th. If you sign up on May 11th, we'll send your first kit around June 15th.)

• A Paper Pumpkin membership is $19.95 per month (and shipping is included!)

• There's no commitment, you can cancel your monthly Paper Pumpkin at anytime. You can also skip a month if you want.

• You can also purchase a Try-It kit if you'd like to try Paper Pumpkin for one month.

How exciting is this?! Every first kit is the same and will include a free clear acrylic block so you can begin using the stamps right away! I am offering a time each month for my customers to come over and work on our kits together. As soon as I get these cards (plus the ones from the kit this month!) done, I will share our finished projects. Let me know what you think!

May Stamp Camp Sneak Peak #4

Last but certainly not least is this adorable birthday card. Right off the bat I hope you noticed my use of the new Designer Typeset Photopolymer Stamp set. When you see the images, the banner looks like it's straight. That's one of the great things about these stamps - they are flexible! You can bend them to fit where you want and they stick so well to the clear blocks that they stay where you want them to also. The letters "W", "I", "S" and "H" are also from this set. I lined them up where I wanted them on the card front, pushed the clear block onto them and picked them up, inked them and voila! They stamped exactly where I wanted them to - following the same curve as the banner! And to add even more fun, you can change what word you spell there! If you know who will be receiving the card, put their name! If another word means more to you (ex. JOY, FUN, HAPPY etc), then by all means, use it! 

A side note, the ribbon totally doesn't match. Can you believe I didn't have the right coordinating ribbon?! Never fear: It's on order!

Retiring Stamp Set List

Retiring Accessories List

May Stamp Camp Sneak Peak #3

Oh, hello! Don't you just love this stamp set? I have fallen head over heals for it. I have used it for masculine birthday cards, thank-you cards, random cards for friends... You get the idea. The oval Chevron pattern is so on trend right now. I was recently told that gray Chevron fabric was all sold out at a local craft store. That's why I love stamps - I will never run out of way to create using this set as long as I have ink. 

Don't forget to check the retiring lists daily, as the accessories will run out!

Retiring Stamp Set List

Retiring Accessories List

May Stamp Camp Sneak Peak #2

Time for another Stamp Camp sneak peak! 

I have loved the Artistic Etchings stamp set for a long time. I struggle, though, to find uses for it. Obviously it's a great wedding or anniversary set. However, during Sale-A-Bration this year, there was a stamp set called Feeling Sentimental that had outline images of antique items such as an old fashioned big wheel bicycle, an old phone booth and a ferris wheel. Those images were similar enough to the Eiffel Tower in Artistic Etchings that it really got my wheels turning and I came up with this card.

This card conjures up a long lost love story, written on a lost piece of paper. The little touches of splatter and French script from the French Foliage set ties everything together. You would think these two sets belonged together. Like Amour. Wink.

Currently, the card base is Island Indigo, a 2011-2013 In Color that I adore. Thankfully, it is being added into the Regals Color Family and will be here to stay. However, I ended up using the same color in another card for Stamp Camp. I try not to do this too often. You probably wouldn't have even noticed unless I pointed it out. I reserve the right to change my mind, but we may just end up using a new color that I can pre-order as a demonstrator... So I guess you'll just have to come to find out!

Retiring Stamp Set List

Retiring Accessories List

It's Hard to Say Good-bye

Once a year Stampin' Up! Releases it's retiring lists and we must say, "good-bye" to some of our favorites. I always think it's worth it, though, because sometimes things need to go to make room for something new. And, I've had a peak at the new catalog coming out and I know you're going to love it! But, that's getting a little ahead of ourselves. For now, take a few minutes and browse the lists. Once these items are gone, they are gone for good. It doesn't really have to be, "good-bye" if you don't want it to be. Place your orders soon! While the stamp sets will be available through June 3rd, the items on the Accessories list will only be available while supplies last.

Retiring Stamps List

Retiring Accessories List