Versatile Wednesday is Back!!

I'm actually on time for this post LOL!

The new Summer Mini catalogue that came out last month (contact me if you haven't received your copy yet) has a great stamp set called "The Open Sea" (item #123032 for clear and item #123030 for wood)and the awesome coordinating Designer Series Paper (2 sided remember!) called "Nautical Expedition" (item #122343. My UPS man delivered it to me yesterday and I was so excited to finally get it!!!

I have to admit, this stamp set is different from what I usually purchase. I usually go towards the frilly, the feminine, the girly type of stamps. But I see so many possibilities and versatility with this set. It has such a rustic charm to it that can be used on any masculine cards, travel diaries, ATCs, travel scrapbook pages, notebook covers, and keepsake boxes. I chose a generic greeting because I didn't want to you to be tied down to a specific sentiment like "Happy Anniversary". I am really in love with this stamp set and I hope you give it a try.

A Break From Our Normal Programming....

You know, I was looking over the Retired List of stamp sets and accessories that Stampin' Up released June 1st and I realized that there are a lot of great items that are being retired. I don't want you to think that because these items are on the Retired List, it means that they are not valuable anymore. Not at all. Stampin' Up every year releases new products and to make room for them, they have to retire some of the older ones. I still use retired products and the ones found on the Clearance Rack. I know I will be placing an order to stock up because once they're gone, that's it.

For example, the Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware that I had used on a similar post is on that list AND it's at 40% off ($22.77) which you can also get in silver. It's a wonderful product for cards and scrapbooking. Remember, it's 200 pieces of hardware that will last you FOREVER.

There's also the Pewter Build-A-Brad that I was going to showcase tomorrow for Versatile Wednesday. This kit is awesome and to me, a must have. You can make your own brads to match your cardstock or patterned paper! It is so easy...takes less than two minutes to make. It's on the retired list for $12.95. I am going to buy a few of those for sure. I am posting a mini scrapbook page in which I used this product. The theme for this album is "Things That I Am Grateful For"..and obviously, I'm grateful for the crazy fashion choices my parents had back in the day. LOL.

Gorgeous Ribbon is also on sale at a discounted price for some. For projects, you can never have enough! My favourites are usually the Taffeta which is so elegant. Make sure you check to see which ones are discounted. And the cardstock to go with it.

And there are punches on sale. There is one that I am eyeing - don't laugh. It's the Bitty Bat Punch (item #119279) which is being discounted and offered for $13.77. I look at it and it looks like the Batman symbol which I think is awesome if you were doing any boy invitations or scrapbook pages on Super Heroes.

Its exciting times ahead fellow scrappers. I too have to pace myself with my purchases but I'm telling you, you will never regret what you buy from Stampin' Up. Good quality and always huge quantities to keep you going for a while. As I mentioned, if you put in an order through me, I will give you free shipping. But now I'm adding another element. If you can get a friend to order through me, YOU will get free shipping and NO TAX. You would be crazy to miss out on this opportunity.

Just Because

Hello stampers! Today is a special day because as of now until June 30th, if you place an order with me, the cost of shipping is on me! That's right, I will personally pay the cost of shipping if you decide that now is the time to get those retired Stampin' Up products or if you want anything from the Summer Mini catalogue (I know, I will be sending these out shortly - pending Canada Post). I just wanted to do something special for those who have supported me along this journey and have encouraged me to keep doing what I love.

So please, go to www.stampinup.ca and see what the Clearance Rack has, catch up with the Retired List of stamp sets and accessories or browse the Summer Mini. The new catalogue will be here in less than a month so there will be always exciting times ahead!!

Scrapbook Saturday AND Sunday

I know I should have posted this yesterday but I've been busy making party invitations for my brother-in-law's graduation party in Rochester. We are going to see him graduate (going to college on a basketball scholarship)in a few weeks. It's definitely a joy and a privilege to do this. But it's also an anxious time because I want them to be nice and reflect his personality. When I get the finished product done, I'll post it.

But back to the scrapbook layout that I did today...

Sometimes, you have one great picture and you just want to tell the story behind it. There is nothing wrong with blowing up the picture to a larger size and making it your focal point. I love this picture of my daughters and I. Well, it's the only picture that I look half decent in. There's no particular story behind it. Nothing significant was going on. It was just one of those times that we were leaving the house and my husband took a picture of all of us standing by the door. So I chose this picture to make my layout.

To me, I use the colours in the picture to determine the colour of paper that I'm going to work with. I used the pink in Gillian's dress and the slightly grey colour in my dress to inspire me with which cardstock I was going to use. I did some paper tearing, used some flower punches and embellishments. And I'm happy with the way it turned out. I mean, I could have added more paper and more embellishments but I like a clean look instead of trying to put a lot of eye candy on the page. I like clean space, it gives your eye somewhere to rest. But as I said, there's no right or wrong way to scrapbook.

It's your story and you can tell it any way you want.

Try it Thursday

Stamping is not just stamping with ink pads. With Stampin' Up, you can use their Stampin' Up Write Markers which have a tip at each end - one for writing and the other one for broad strokes that you can colour the stamp with. The effect is quite stunning. And simple.

The Stampin' Up Write Markers come in 45 colours that you can purchase in sets - I have the "In Colour" Stampin' Up Markers (Item 3119801 @ $19.95) which I used to make this card. It gives it a different look than using an ink pad.

It gives you another way to play. Try it!

Spring Song Stamp Set (retired)

Ta Da! Tuesday - Later Than What I Had Planned

So I'm going to try to post this since I couldn't last night. Now I'm two days behind in my blogging (sigh). No matter..here's something that I've been working on that will hopefully give you a Ta Da! (much like Oprah's Ah Ha! moment)on your next project.

Stampin' Up offers a wonderful product called Stampin' Pastels which is a kit that contains 40 different colour pastels, 6 applicators and 1 eraser. Now, you don't have to be an artist to know how to use these chalks - I'm telling you, I have no artistic side to me at all. I can't even draw a straight line. But if you use these, I think you're going to be pretty surprised with the results.

What I did for this project was stamp this image of a tree (from the Lovely as a Tree stamp set, a personal favourite of mine) in a soft, light colour. In this case, I used Soft Suede. Then I took an applicator and literally placed small BLOTCHES of colour all along the foliage - colours that would look great on a fall day. Then I took a darker colour, in this instance Chocolate Brown (another favourite)and stamped the image again and instantly, those blotches were transformed into something a little more clearer and refined. I'm happy with the end result..and it only took me ten minutes. You gotta love that.

Stamping Pastels
Item #120962 $30.95
Lovely as a Tree
Item #115026 (only wood-mount) $33.95
Chantily Crochet Trim (my go to ribbon for everything)
Item #118480 (5 yards) $9.50

Technical Difficulties

Well I had a post and pictures all ready to go and then I LOST IT. Seeing how it's 1:15 a.m. and I'm EXHAUSTED, the only thing that I am going to post for tonight is this:

Today, Stampin' Up released the "Time to Say Goodbye" list of stamp sets and accessories that will only be available from now until the end of June. If there are any of my stamps that I used on this blog that you liked and are on the list (Hodgepodge Happiness as an example)then you might want to jump on the bandwagon and get them in time before it's too late. Once they're gone, they're gone. Or if you want to browse the list, please go to www.stampinup.ca.

I'm sorry that I couldn't post my original idea for tonight but hopefully, I will be able to tomorrow. So much for technology......