For the June Bride

This last weekend we had a big family gathering to celebrate my anniversary and my husband's parents anniversary. Its amazing how many June weddings there are! Here is a card we made at the June Stamp-a-Stack that could be used for a wedding card or an anniversary card.

This card uses 2 retiring Stamp Sets. The heart is from a lovely set called Always (#113620) and the background is a background stamp called Bella Toile (#111598). This card is so easy and quick to make and the Vanilla and Artichoke color combination looks very elegant. You just stamp the heart with Versamark (#102283) and sprinkle with gold embossing powder (#109129) and heat set. Cut out the heart with a scissors. Use the Eyelet Border Punch (#119853) on a strip of Vanilla Card stock. Layer on a strip of Always Artichoke card stock and tie a Vanilla Satin ribbon (#117291) and bow. The final touch is a Self-Stick Rhinestone (#119246) in the center of one of the flowers in the heart.

             

left: Always Stamp Set                                            right:Bella Toile Background Stamp

Wow, can you believe there's only 9 days left to purchase retiring stamps and accessories. Be sure to check my website for the lists of retiring product. Stamps are available through June but accessories are only available while supplies last. And wheels are considered accessories.

 

The picture to the left is my Stampin'UP website. Click the Shop Now button in the lower right. The image to the right shows the shopping site. The top item in the product list on the left of the shopping site is the Last Chance items. When you click the words "Last Chance" it will expand to show you the list of stamps, accessories ... This will bring up a series of images of the retiring product.

Have fun taking a last look at all the retiring product - and as always - contact me with any questions.

Happy Stamping
--Katie

Salute to McIlroy

Did you happen to watch the US Open yesterday? Thats golf for those of you who don't follow the sport. Rory McIlroy won the tournament, by a huge lead. He is a very promising young player (only 22) who is as gracious and charming as he is talented. This card is a salute to his victory.

The card is also a sneak peak at some new product that will be in the catalog coming July 1st. To make the grass I just tore some paper and sponged the torn edge. The hole is the Small Oval Punch (#120908). To make the golf ball I embossed white paper using the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and punched the circle with the 3/4" circle punch. To make it look like a golf ball I displayed the debossed side!

Now the flag pole is just a strip (1/8") of black paper. The Flag itself is from a new stamp set called Pennant Parade and this set goes with a new punch called Perfect Pennants. The sentiment is from a stamp set called Happy Greetings which is in the summer mini-catalog.

This stamp set is available in both wood mount or clear mount. I see so many possibilities for this set. I love the elegance of the Happiness Always. The sentiment I used on this card - Congrats - is a sentiment for graduations, promotions, retirements, awards, special achievements . . . . . And remember you don't have to use the whole stamp, if you ink with markers you can select just part of the stamp. I considered using just the "way to go" part on this card and then decided to use the whole stamp. What do you think of the font for the word Thanks; inking with markers you could use just the word Thanks or just the word friend. This set is really so very versatile.

This sentiment set is in the current Summer Mini-Catalog. Sadly it did not make it into the new catalog so its only available until the end of August. To order this sentiment set or any other stamping supplies, go to my online store.  While there be sure to check the lists of retiring stamps and accessories. Remember that the stamps that are retiring from the main catalog are available only until the end of June, 10 more days and then they're gone! DO NOT DELAY! The retiring accessories are only available while supplies last.

Contact me with any questions. To ensure that Stampin’UP! does have the stock to fill your order, I suggest that you place your order online. By placing the order yourself you can be assured that the product is available and you can have it shipped directly to your house.

Happy Stamping

--Katie

Build-a-Brad Retiring

Here is another product that is retiring - the Build-a-Brads. This product is so cool, you use a circle punch to make a paper insert for the brad and then cover it. You can use Designer Paper or a stamped image. This way the brads can match any color or pattern on  your project. Its really a unique idea and I have not seen this product anywhere else. I'm not sure why this product is retiring.

Now check out what my upline Karla Anders made with the brads - Earrings! Can you believe it, she is one clever lady. She cut the legs off of the brad to shorten them a bit and looped them around to hold the jewelry ring. She added a hook to one end and the little beads to the other end. So simple to do.

Be sure to check out all the retiring product AND the clearance rack. There are some amazing deals right now and its your LAST CHANCE for some of these great stamp sets and accessories. Scroll to the bottom of the website and click the Shop Now button to get to the lists of retiring stamps, accessories and Decor Elements.

Be sure to contact me with any questions
Happy Stamping
--Katie

Technique: Wax Paper Resist

Participants in this weekend's Stamp-a-Stack got a bonus! In addition to the 10 greeting cards we also made a Technique Card.

The Technique card was made using a retiring stamp set called Animal Stores. Isn't this a fun technique? Its called Wax Paper Resist. The dragonfly card also uses the wax paper resist technique. Sadly that cute little dragonfly is also from a retiring stamp set: Bugs and Wishes. Its such a cute set, I really hate to lose it. In fact I've used it on other technique cards. I used it for this card when we did Bleach Stamping. And check yesterday's post to see another card we did with the Bugs and Wishes set and a retiring punch.

It's that time of year. Time to go through the catalog with the lists of retiring product in hand and see if there is anything you should get before its ABSOLUTELY GONE!  Remember, the retiring stamps are available through the end of June, but the retiring  Accessories and retiring Decor Elements are only available as until the supplies are gone. Click these links to see images of the retiring products.

Also remember that you can shop 24/7 here and have it shipped directly to your own house.

Contact me with any questions 608.220.3450 or by email

Happy Stamping

--Katie

Bye Bye to the Bugs

Usually when we say Good-Bye to bugs we mean Good Ridance. Not this time. The oh-so cute Stamp Set: Bugs and Wishes is retiring this year. I used it in the June Stamp-a-Stack and realized all over again how much I really like this set.

The card we made using this set was this cute little filmstrip card. And by the way, the Spiral Punch used to make the filmstrip is also retiring. Isn't this a great card?  The grass is from a stamp set called Inspired by Nature. The sentiment is from Short and Sweet and created with the retiring Small Oval Punch and then layered with the Large Oval Punch.

Be sure to check out the full lists of Retiring Stamps, Retiring Accessories and Retiring Decor Elements.  The stamps will be available until June 30th. The Retiring accessories and Decor Elements will only be available as long as supplies last.

Also be sure to check out my calendar of events. Now that I'm retired I'm increasing the number of monthly events. Next up is a Mommy and Me event on Tuesday the 21st and then a Fancy Folds class on the 24th.  Join my MeetUp group (new) to receive regular announcements of upcoming events.

Large Oval Punch #119855 Small Oval Punch #119863   retiring Spiral Border Punch #119872   retiring

Bugs and Wishes - retiring

Inspired by Nature #111656 wood mount only double mounted

Don't miss your last chance on the retiring stuff, be sure to check out those retiring lists and remember you can order 24/7 from my website and have the product shipped directly to your own house!

As always, contact me with any questions
--Katie

Meet-UP to Keep-UP with my Stampin'UP! events.

Hmmm... I just re-read the post title. I guess things are looking UP!

If you are local to the Dane County area you are invited to JOIN MY MEETUP GROUP, the Stoughton Stampers.

I just discovered this cool website that's like a community bulletin board. Its called MeetUp.com. On this site you can
**browse the events in your area and you can define your search by interest area
**you can indicate your interest areas and the website will send you a notice once a week of any meetups happening that week
**you can JOIN a group and get notifications for that group's events. You can also RSVP online and see who else is going.

I thought it might be an interesting way for some folks to RSVP to my events. People have different comfort levels with technology so I know this won't be used by everyone who comes to my events, but I'm hoping that my regular stampers will join the group.

Officially Retired

As of today, officially retired! Me that is, not the stamp sets yet. That happens the end of the month. The new catalog comes out July 1st and to make room for all the wonderful new product thats coming (can't wait to see the new catalog!) we must clear out some of the old stuff. Out with the old and in with the new. Thats what I've been doing at work the last 2 weeks - clearing out my old stuff from the file drawers so the new staff can put their new stuff in.

There are 3 retirements lists to check:

1 - the list of retiring Decor Element products,
     check this list often, items on this list are only available while supplies last 

2 - the list of retiring Accessories

     check this list often, items on this list are only available while supplies last
3 - the list of retiring Stamps,
     items on this list are available until the catalog retires

Feel free to contact me with any questions about any product.

608-220-3450 or by email.

--Katie

Replacing the Old with the New

Look what I found in the chicken yard when I got home from work today. They're so fun to watch, especially at this young stage. And the mother is very protective. She keeps them away from the rest of the birds and really watches over them. Our normal replacement cycle for the birds is to buy new meat birds mid-summer and butcher in the fall. We buy new egg layers only as we need replacements. These little ones were a surprise, the mom must have had a nest in the corner of the chicken house where we didn't see it. Not to worry, you are looking at future layers.

Well, the reason for this post is not my new chicks. This post is to be sure you understand the way Stampin'UP! replaces product. Stampin'UP! is always introducing new product: new colors, new images, new accessories. Along with introducing new product they also retire old product.

The new catalog comes out in July and the list of retiring product is available June 1st (today!). The retiring stamps are available through the end of the month, but papers and punches and wheels and ribbon - all the accessories - are only available until supplies last.  I strongly urge you to check the Last Chance lists on my website.  If you find things you'd like to order before they're gone forever then I suggest you place an on-line order. Don't even wait to process it through me. Some of the retiring accessories go really really fast.  Some of the wheels sell out in less than a week so don't wait to look at the list. Check the list NOW.

Be sure to contact me (608-220-3450) if you have any question about any of the retiring items. 

Also, I've had to change the dates for the June Stamp-a-Stack. It will be Sunday June 12th and Monday June 13th.  Please RSVP if you plan to attend either date.

--Katie

Switching Careers

Its official - I am retiring this year. Actually in 7 days, but who's counting. My apologies, the website has been neglected recently. There is so much to do at work before I go. I'm slowly chipping away at it and am eagerly looking forward to June 11th. My first day of doing Stampin'UP! full time.