I don’t know about you but when I am not feeling creative, I can use all the help I can get. And thanks to the Product Suites in the Stampin’ Up! Idea Book & Catalogue, I can easily coordinate stamps, paper and accessories.

For this card, I used the Timeless Portrait Product Suite from pages 78 – 79 of the catalogue. 

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Stamps:  Forever Young (122570 Wood, 122572 Clear), Petite Pairs (122492 Wood, 122497 Clear) 

Inks: Basic Black Craft (102192)

Paper: Timeless Portrait Designer Series Paper (122352), Cherry Cobbler (119685), Basic Black (121045), Crumb Cake (120953)

Punches: Small Oval (120908)

Other: Cherry Cobbler 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (125056), White Baker’s Twine (124262), Regals Buttons (119744), Neutrals Buttons (119743), Black Embossing Powder (109133), Embossing Buddy (103083), Heat Tool (100005)

Last Day for the Buy 3, Get 1 Free Designer Series Promotion. Stock up on your favorites now. There is no limit to the number of free packages of Designer Series Paper you can earn. Specialty Designer Series Paper and Hostess Designer Series Paper are not part of this promotion. Click here for the flyer.

Summer Mini Catalogue ends today. Have your purchased everything on your wish list? Click here to view the catalog.

Don’t think it, ink it!

One of the many benefits of being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator is the free stamp sets that I earn during the year. Since the beginning of the new catalogue on July 1st, I have received more than 15 free stamp sets thanks to Stampin’ Up!

People often assume that I am paid in Stampin’ Up! product. I’m not! I receive a generous cheque each month that pays the mortgage and more. But I do receive lots of product bonuses that I love! Whether you want to pay some bills, save for a special vacation or just pay for your stamping supplies, click here to join today as a demonstator.

The stamp set that I used on today’s card is called Raining Flowers (Wood 122765, Clear 122767, page 111) that I received free for attending the annual Stampin’ Up! Convention this month. I stamped it in two of the new in Colors – Wisteria Wonder and Lucky Limeade. I added more Wisteria Wonder to the card with the Ruffled Ribbon (122973) and Designer Printed Brads (122940).   

Although we have had lots of wet weather here lately, I really don’t mind when it is Raining Flowers!

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I was really looking forward to playing with the Field Flowers stamp set (wood 122760, clear 122762) that I choose for this card. I must say though that you will want a Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049) with this stamp set. I don’t use a stamp positioner often and it actually took me a few minutes to find it but it is a really handy tool when you are using a two step stamp set like this one.

I am still having a tough time choosing my favourite new 2011-2013 In Color so I thought I would use Calypso Coral on this card for the ink (122939), cardstock (122925) and Ruffled Ribbon (122976). For this card, I added some Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta ribbon (119261) and an Antique Brad (117273)  in addition to the First Edition Specialty designer series paper (121878).  I hope you like it!

Don’t forget about my In Color Kit Special for my catalog owners and newsletter subscribers. If you don’t know the details, please e-mail me.

Remember there are only 6 days left to purchase the $119 Starter Kit including the Christmas Keepsake Project, a $50 value as it includes the not yet released Pines & Poinsettias Stamp set.  An absolutely gorgeous set of 5 for all your Christmas stamping! Click on the button below to purchase the kit and for more details.

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products in Canada, Click Here 

My family and I have been away on vacation for the last couple of weeks. We drove to Salt Lake City to attend the Stampin Up! annual convention and then spent time with family on the drive home.

While it was great to be away, I was just a little impatient knowing that my first order from the new Stampin’ Up! catalogue was waiting for me at home. 

But today is the day! Although I have lots of e-mails and other thing to catch up on, I also plan to find time to stamp and use my new products. This card featuring the Button Buddies stamp set (Wood 122735, Clear 122737) is my very first creation and I managed to use lots of the new products!

I stamped the flower from the Button Buddies stamp set onto Whisper White card stock with Whisper White Craft ink and then heat embossed with the new Tempting Turquoise embossing powder (122950). Don’t you love having all of the new coloured powders?

I punched the image with the 2-1/2" circle punch (120906) and then layered onto a Tempting Turquoise 2-3/4" circle of card stock cut with the Circle Scissor Plus and Glass Mat. The Basic Black card stock border was made with the Scallop Circle #2 Bigz Die for the Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine. 

A couple of other new products were used as well – the Stripes Embossing Folder (123128), Basic Black 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon (124145) and the Perfectly Penned stamp set (Wood 122890, Clear 122892).

Please stop by my blog often this week for lots of new product samples and some other announcements! Better yet, subscribe by reader or e-mail in the column to the right so you don’t miss a thing!

 A closer view of the Tempting Turquoise embossing powder

Announcing the Stampin’ Up! Canada Hostess Rewards Plan, new to the 2011-2012 Catalog.  This new plan is so simple and offers you, the hostess, more options than ever before when you host a workshop or place an order of $200 or more.  This includes orders placed in my Online Store too!

There are two parts to the new plan, Hostess Dollars & Catalog items at 50% off.

Hostess Dollars

  
50% Off Items

    • At $650 you receive TWO 50% off items and it goes up from there!

You can choose anything in the catalog for your 50% off items, including the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, the Color Caddy, the complete set of Stampin’ Write Markers, stamp sets and more (MDS print items are not included.)

I made the above card using one of my favourite new Hostess sets, Array of Sunshine. I also used some of the new 2011-2013 In Colors – Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Pool Party and Island Indigo.

Don’t forget that today is the last day to vote for your favourite new In Color and win a prize! See this post for the details and to leave a comment. Thanks!

If you remember this post, I mentioned that I loved the "hello" greeting in the My Friend stamp set (Wood 122585, Clear 122587).

Although this is a simple, monochromatic card, the swirls on the image make it special.

For this card, I stamped the image in Poppy Parade ink and layered onto Whisper White and Poppy Parade cardstocks and Pocketful of Posies designer series paper. The only embellishment comes from the Poppy Parade Glimmer Brads from the In Color 2010-2012 assortment.

This card was so quick and easy to make but I’m sure the recipient will never know.

Hope you like it!

You are going to love these!

The new In Colors (from top to bottom) are Island Indigo, Wisteria Wonder, Calypso Coral, Pool Party and Lucky Limeade. 

These colours will be available for two years and have great matching accessories including Designer Printed Brads and 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon.

For this card, I used the new Pennant Parade stamp set (Wood 122740, Clear 122742). This set is so much more than pennants. Can you spot the Christmas tree and ice cream cone?

Which new In Color is your favourite? Please leave a comment below letting me know and I will select one winner to receive a free Ruffled Ribbon in the winners choice of In Color. The winner will be announced on July 20th. Canadians only, please. 

My July newsletter will be out this week including the monthly coupon (hint: it’s for In Color products) . If you haven’t already signed up to receive my newsletters, please sign up below (or click here if you are reading this online):

My habit is to always show my husband, Phil, my cards after I make them. I think I do it because I just like to have a second opinion.

When I shared this card with him today his response was "well, that’s simple". I guess I achieved my stamping goal today!

For this Simple Saturday card, I wanted to highlight the new Lace Ribbon Border Punch from the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalogue. By using the punch in place of a stamped image as the focal point it was easy to create the card in only a couple of minutes. 

I stamped a greeting from the Curly Cute stamp set in Basic Black Classic ink and used Basic Black and Crumb Cake card stocks along with the Neutrals Patterns DSP Paper Stack.

Have a great weekend!

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products in Canada, Click Here

Stamps: Curly Cute (117014 Wood, 120510 Clear) 

Inks: Basic Black (101179)

Paper: Neutrals Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack (117157), Basic Black (121045), Crumb Cake (120953)

Punches: Lace Ribbon Border Punch (122362)

Don’t think it, ink it!

During July, you can join Stampin’ Up! as demonstrator for only $119. Whether you want to start your own business or buy products for yourself at 20% off, the launch of the new catalog is the perfect time to get started.

Click here and select "join now" from the left side to order your starter kit.  

The $119 Starter Kit can be customized to include your favourite stamp sets from the new catalogue. You can also use this opoortunity to purchase some of the new In Color ink pads. 

The value of this kit is $205 and it includes the following products:

Today is the last day!

Click Here to see the Last Chance Stamp Sets and Accessories Online

Save up to 40% off Select Accessories.

PLUS: Order 2 or more retiring stamp sets and/or accessories and receive 10% off your total order.

REQUEST the new Idea Book & Catalogue by clicking here.   

Don’t think it, ink it!

Today’s card is one of the projects we made last night at Viola’s workshop. Thanks  to all of the ladies who attended. I had fun meeting each of you and sharing our time stamping some projects.

This card is a great masculine card using some of the Summer Mini Catalogue products – The Open Sea stamp set (wood #123030 or clear #123032), Early Espresso Baker’s Twine (123124) and the Nautical Expedition designer series paper (122343).

One of the topics we discussed last night at the workshop is that we tend to buy alot of floral stamp sets and seem to not have a masculine set when we need it. My favourite two sets for masculine cards are Lovely As a Tree (115026) and this one, The Open Sea.

Do you have male influenced stamp sets in your collection? If not, purchase one today so you are ready to make great cards for the men in your life for every occasion.

 Viola’s Workshop Guests

My Special: Order 2 or more retiring stamp sets and/or accessories and receive 10% off your total order.

REQUEST the new Idea Book & Catalogue by clicking here.