tea-drinking stamper

I fear I haven't used this great stamp set, Sweet Cupcake, as much as I should have because it is now retiring. I am so sorry to see it go. I recently designed this card using the Springtime Foils Specialty Designer Series Paper from the Sale-a-Bration flyer. I just love that paper! I had thought I would make it masculine by using the blues, but it still looks feminine to me. The card base is Marina Mist and the inks are, I believe, Soft Sky, Pool Party and Marina Mist. The cupcake paper is actually cut from a copper foil sheet, as are the word "wish" and the spirals across the bottom. The coordinating Cupcake Cutouts Framelits Dies, which include the words "sweet" and "wish", are retiring with the stamp set.

I found this new technique that is so simple yet makes for such a charming card. Simply cut a 4-inch square from Designer Series Paper and then cut it in half. For this card I cut two equal triangles by cutting from one corner to the next, but you could also cut at any angle or even straight across. By placing the triangles on a Whisper White card front, I had enough space to stamp my greeting in the middle and then decorate with some Botanical Blooms. I used coordinating Candy Dots and one Candy Dot base for flower centers, all retiring (although Candy Dots are coming back in a new form with a new name—Enamel Shapes). Products Used: Cottage Greetings stamp set (12), W 138940, $26.00; C 139962, $19.00 Botanical Builder Framelits Dies (14), 140625, $33.00 Whisper White 8½" x 11" cardstock (40), 100730, $8.50 until May 31; $9.00 June 1 Night of Navy 8½" x 11" cardstock (24), 100867, $7.00 until May 31; $8.00 June 1 Mint Macaron 8½"x 11" cardstock (2...

I don't always know what to do with some designs on our papers, but when I looked at this one, my first reaction was, "What a happy print!" So I designed this card to be simply that: happy. This print is included in the Painted Blooms dsp, which retires with the current mini catalog June 3. I already had the Blackberry Bliss bow sitting in my work room and decided it would be perfect combined with our new word thinlits, introduced in the Occasions Mini Catalog and carried over into our new annual catalog. However, as I look at this photo of the card, I realize the top bow has slipped. I think I'll add an extra glue dot beneath one of its loops. Products Used: Daffodil Delight 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 119683, $6.95 Blackberry Bliss 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 133675, $6.95 Painted Blooms 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (12), 137784, $10.95 Hello You Thinlits (4), 137363, $25.00 Bow Builder Punch, 137414, $18.00

How appropriate to use a stamp set called "Lovely Romance" for an anniversary card! This design is very simple, the easiest of the bunch we made at my May stamp class using retiring products. Two of my favorite In Colors are on this card as well as an embellishment from the previous catalog. Products Used: Lovely Romance stamp set (5), W 130264, $19.95; C 130267, $14.95 Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (24), W 128748, $36.95; C 127802, $26.95 Very Vanilla 8½"x 11" card stock (40), 101650, $8.50 Baked Brown Sugar 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 131296, $6.95 Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad, 131176, $5.95 Baked Brown Sugar Classic Stampin' Pad, 131174, $5.95 Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad, 126983, $5.95

My May card class was designed to use products and stamps that will no longer be available after June 3rd. This card resembles the cards in my previous post in that it uses the same basic design and stamp, yet looks so very different because of the different products. Everything but the Whisper White card stock and the doilies is retiring. Alas, the ribbon is from the 2013-14 catalog and my loyal class attendees were helping me use it up. Products Used: Tea Party stamp set (5), W 129135, $22.95; C 129138, $16.95 Coastal Cabana 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 131297, $6.95 Whisper White 8½" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $8.50 Lullaby 12" x 12" double-sided Designer Series Paper (12), 133695, $10.95 Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad, 131175, $5.95 Tea Lace Paper Doilies (24), 129399, $2.95 Ovals Collection Framelits (7), 129381, $26.95

Although I was planning to make cards for my class using retiring products, I found myself distracted and used more designer series paper from my older stash. These two cards are alike except for the color ink and the greeting stamp. The dsp is from the Venetian Romance pack (I had ordered two packs of that paper since I liked it so much). Since it is the retiring In Color Pistachio Pudding, I still have card stock to coordinate. In fact, I'm so sad to see that leave our catalog, that I actually ordered extra card stock and an ink refill so I can keep using it. Baked Brown Sugar is another departing In Color, also used on these cards. Even the Victoria Lace dates back to the 2013-14 catalog. But not the sequins! They are still available until June 3rd. The retiring stamp set used here is Tea Party, which made its debut in the 2013-14 catalog and is just now retiring. That is my favorite stamp from the set. The greeting on the front of the card on the right is from the ret...

I am so sad to see the Flower Garden Embossing Folder leave our catalog! But I spotted a new technique in the upcoming catalog that I just had to try while using retiring items (check out page 174 when you get your copy of the new catalog). I merely used the folder like a stamp, inking it with VersaMark, stamping my Basic Black card stock and then embossing with the white embossing powder. Then I used my White Stampin' Chalk Marker to color it in. The Garden Green Designer Series Paper is from an old dsp stack (Regals). The ribbon and button are also retired and we are saying good-bye to the Adorning Accents Edgelits, one of which I used on this card. Products Used: Flower Garden Embossing Folder, 123113, $7.95 Adorning Accents Edgelits (2), 125595, $9.95 Basic Black 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 121045, $6.95 Garden Green 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 102584, $6.95 VersaMark ink pad, 102283, $7.50 White Stampin' Emboss Powder (½ oz), 109132, $4.75 Whit...