Oh my, it is getting real.  So many favorite things are being retired!  Today's card for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge #CCMC561 uses so many retiring products that it would be way easier to tell you what isn't retiring.  First here is what this week's theme is for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.

I know it is a little strange the combination of orchids and coffee but I love them  both so i decided to combine them.  The Climbing Orchid stamp set and the coordinating Orchid Builder framelits are both retiring.  I believe this particular orchid is a Phalaenopsis aka Moth orchid.  They always remind me of my Mom, who doted over her orchid plants. 

The Coffee Cafe set and the coordianting Coffee Cups dies are also retiring.  If you give coffee/tea/drink gift cards you need this set and dies, so useful and quick to fancy up a card.

Oh how I am going to miss the polka dots and stripes 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper!  I loved being able to get this in all the colors.  So sad to see this DSP on the hit list, oops I mean retiring list!

Be sure to check out what the other members of the Create with Connie & Mary design team created for #CCMC561. I think you will be inspired by all the different ways this color combination was used.  Also take be sure to take another look at what is on  the Last Chance products list.

Product List

Climbing Orchid Photopolymer Stamp Set [143723] $27.00	Coffee Café Photopolymer Stamp Set [143677] $21.00	Fresh Fig Classic Stampin' Pad [147144] $7.50	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad [147094] $7.50
Fresh Fig 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144242] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $8.50	Brights 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146964] $11.00
Orchid Builder Framelits Dies [143747] $25.00	Coffee Cups Framelits Dies [143745] $30.00	Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $5.00

Today's card has a little bit of everything.  It has something new, a lot that is  retiring, and a few things sold out.  

On this card I used the Florentine Thinlits die (sold out) to cut out the Wood Textures DSP(retiring)  I love how it looks like a lattice.  The branches were stamped using the Best Birds stamp set(retiring)  and then cut out using the Birds & Blooms Thinlits (retiring).  The pretty pink flowers were punched using the Bitty Blooms Punch Pack, which is  sold out. 

What is new?  The 2 cute little birdies were cut out from the upcoming Bird Ballad DSP.  It is another gorgeous pack of paper and definitely one to put on your shopping list.

This is a tricky time of year.  The stamp sets on the Annual Catalog Retiring List and the Occasions Catalog Retiring List are guaranteed to be available until May 24th but the other items on the list are only available while supplies last.  I hate for you to miss out on something you really want so be sure to place your order soon.

Enjoy the rest of the hop!

Stamper's Dozen May 2019 Blog Hop

1. Patty Chenail – Stamp-Patty’s - Stamping In My Flops
2. Judy Garza – Creativity Released
3. Sharon Hashimoto Burkert – As the Ink Dries
4. Kelly Acheson – A Stamp Above
5. Carol Payne – Carol Payne Stamps
6. Joanne Cantrell – Keep It Simple, Stampers
7. Rachel Yurkanin – Rachel’s Stamping Place
8. Debbie Naylor – Unfrogettable Stamping
9. Bonnie O'Neill – Bonnie Stamped

You know I love stripes and florals!  The Festive Friday Challenge of Armed Forces Day and/or Stripes was a perfect one for me to use stripes and  florals in a red, white and blue theme!

My project uses some retiring items Celebrate You thinlits and the Neutrals  6" x 6"  DSP.  I will miss them both.  

This is a quick and easy card to make and is a template that can be used for lots of different kinds of cards.  Here are all the details on how to make this card.

Supplies

140272 Thick Whisper White card stock 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2"

102482 Real Red card stock 1-7/8" x 5-1/2" &  2" x 5-1/4" (flowers)

146967 Neutrals 6" x 6" DSP 1-3/4" x 5-1/2"

146957 Sparkle Glimmer Paper 2" x 3-3/4"

143749 Support Ribbon dies

146840 Celebrate You Thinlits

144106 Multipurpose Adhesive sheets 2" x 3-3/4"

104430 Stampin' Dimensionals

104332 SNAIL Adhesive

1. Adhere  the Night of Navy striped paper from the Neutrals 6" x 6" DSP pack on to the Real Red strip using SNAIL adhesive.  
2. Adhere the Real Red layer on to the card base using SNAIL adhesive.
3. Remove one of the protective layers from the Multipurpose Adhesive sheets and adhere it to the back of the Sparkle Glimmer paper.
4. Cut out " amazing" using the die from the Celebrate You dies.  
5. Remove the Multipurpose Adhesive sheet backing from the "amazing" and adhere it to the front of the card.
6. Cut three 1/2" x 1/2" squares from the remaining Sparkle Glimmer paper.  Use the flower from the Support Ribbon dies and cut out the center circle of the flower from the   1/2" x 1/2" Sparkle Glimmer paper.  Repeat 2 more times.
7. Cut 3 Real Red flowers.  
8. Place 3 Stampin' Dimensionals on the striped strip where you want the flowers to be placed.  Remove the top protective piece from the dimensional and place a Real Red flower over it.  Take care to center the flower so the dimensional doesn't show.
9. Adhere the Sparkle Glimmer dots you cut out in the flower centers.

I hope you will join in the challenge and add your project to the Festive Friday Challenge #FF0033!  I would love to see what you create using the theme/s.

The Hanging Garden stamp set is one of my favorite stamp sets and it is on the Last Chance list!   I chose it to use for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge #CCMC559.

The Create with Connie & Mary Challenge #CCMC559 this week is a color challenge.

I used a mix of Stampin' Blends (Smoky Slate and Real Red) and Lemon Lime ink refill and Blender Pens to color in the images.  The baskets are not very big so the coloring process goes pretty quickly.  I particularly like how the succulents turned out in the succulents only basket.  

The sentiment is stamped on ovals cut using the Layered Oval Framelits.  The tiny butterflies were cut using Butterfly Beauty Thinlits dies.  

Hope you will check out what the rest of the design team created using these colors.  If you are a fan of Lemon Lime Twist, now is the time to order your ink refills, card stock and coordinating DSP.  

Product List

Hanging Garden Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146239] $19.00	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $6.00	Real Red Combo Pack Stampin' Blends [147935] $9.00	Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [145058] $9.00
Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [144092] $3.75	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $8.50	Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144245] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75
Subtle Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [143706] $10.00	Layering Ovals Framelits Dies [141706] $35.00	Butterfly Beauty Thinlits Dies [148536] $39.00	Blender Pens [102845] $12.00

Can you believe that this was the first time I inked up the hummingbird stamp in the Humming Along stamp set?  It surprised me since I really like hummingbirds, in fact I have a feeder right outside my stamp room window.  I happily watch them coming and going from the feeder all day long.

I colored the hummingbird using Stampin' Blends.  It was a fun one to color even if it doesn't look like any hummingbird I have ever seen.  The hummingbird was cut out using the coordinating Hummingbird dies.  The label was also cut out using the Hummingbird dies and it is a great shape. 

Pretty fancy right?   

The vines are from the Delightfully Detailed Laser Cut Specialty paper in the Annual catalog.   I attached little flowers to the vines that were punched using the Bitty Blooms Punch Pack.  I used a bone folder and gently poked the center of the flowers to create some dimension.  Everything I used except for the pearls, Bermuda Bay and Mint Macaron card stock are on the retiring products list.   

Be sure to place your order for retiring products soon.  I would hate for you to miss out!

Product List

Humming Along Cling Bundle [150621] $42.25	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $6.00	Mint Macaron Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [147283] $9.00	Bermuda Bay Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [144600] $9.00
Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131197] $8.50	Mint Macaron 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [138337] $8.50	Delightfully Detailed Laser-Cut Specialty Paper [146907] $14.00	Bitty Blooms Punch Pack [148532] $23.00
Pearl Basic Jewels [144219] $5.00	Whisper White 3/8" Classic Weave Ribbon [144159] $7.00	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141897] $8.00

It is time for me to say goodbye to the Graceful Garden stamp set.  It is on the retiring list and I am going to miss this beautiful rose.  

This lovely rose is a joy to color.  The petals are not very large so it doesn't take very long to do.  Here I used an Aqua Painter,  Berry Burst and Old Olive ink refills.  I inked the rose in VersaMark ink and then used white embossing powder and heat embossed it.  When I know I am going to be using an Aqua Painter and lots of water to color an image I use either Shimmery White card stock or Watercolor paper.  The water doesn't absorb as quickly on these papers allowing me to move the ink around.  

I used the Quilt Top embossing folder which is on the retiring list.  It reminded me of one of the stamp images in the Graceful Garden set and thought it  coordinated well.  I also used Berry Burst card stock and the Berry Burst 3/8" Metallic Edge Ribbon.  Berry Burst is one of the 2017-19 In Colors that is retiring.  The other colors that are retiring Powder Pink, Lemon Lime Twist, Tranquil Tide, and Fresh Fig.  Be sure to get your In Color ink refills, card stock and any retiring In Color items.  They always seem to sell out and once they are gone, they are gone.

Product List

Graceful Garden Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143849] $19.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.00	Berry Burst Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [144089] $3.75	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [100531] $3.75
Berry Burst 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144243] $8.50	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101910] $9.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	Quilt Top Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [144687] $8.50
Berry Burst 3/8" (1 Cm) Metallic-Edge Ribbon [145489] $7.00	Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $5.00

I am working my way through my stamp sets that will soon be retiring.  This stamp set, Oh So Eclectic makes the prettiest cards.  I am not sure I will be letting this one go.

I love the window cut out by the Eclectic Layers thinlits.  It is hard to see but I placed Sparkle Glimmer paper behind the cut outs to add some shine to the card. 

Don't you love the flowers?  These flowers are some of my favorites because they are different from the other flowers in my collection. I love the delicate outlines which are a snap to make using the Eclectic Layers thinlit dies. 

The only thing I used that was not in either the Oh So Eclectic stamp set or Eclectic Layers dies is the label I stamped the sentiment on.  The label is the Classic Label punch.  My original plan was to emboss the sentiment directly on the card but I got a little carried away arranging the flowers and the leaves.

If you are interested in the Oh So Eclectic stamp set and/or Eclectic Layers thinlits be sure to order them soon.  The items on the Retiring lists are only available while supplies last.

Product List

Oh So Eclectic Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143940] $23.00	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $6.00	Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad [147147] $7.50	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [147090] $7.50
Powder Pink 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144244] $8.50	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	Sparkle Glimmer Paper [146957] $5.00
Eclectic Layers Thinlits Dies [143774] $30.00	Classic Label Punch [141491] $18.00

It is a tough time of year in my craft room.  I have gone through my room and separated out the stamp sets and dies that are retiring.  I want to stamp with all of them before they retire on June 3rd.  I am not sure if I will accomplish this but I am going to try!

This week the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge is a sketch.  This sketch is another great one, so many possibilities.

I looked through my pile of retiring stamps and I didn't have to go very far before I found the set I wanted to use.  

I saw the branch and thought it would be a perfect for the horizontal line on the sketch and I saw the 2 circles as flowers. Do you see it too? From the Best Birds stamp set I stamped the branch, 2 flowers and the bird in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I used Stampin' Blends to color them and the Birds and Blooms Thinlits dies to cut them out.  The Whisper White circle is one of the dies in the Stitched Shapes framelits.  I wanted to soften it a bit so I lightly inked up the Crackle background stamp with Crumb Cake ink and placed the circle on the stamp and lightly tapped the back of the circle it to get an even more irregular crackle background.  The Designer Series Paper (DSP)  is from the 2019 Occasions catalog, Floral Romance Specialty DSP pack.  

Hope you enjoyed my take on the #CCMC558 challenge.  Be sure to check out what the other members of the design team created for this challenge.

Product List

Best Birds Photopolymer Stamp Set [141525] $21.00	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $6.00	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [147116] $7.50	Old Olive Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [144597] $9.00
Crumb Cake Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [144601] $9.00	Petal Pink Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [147272] $9.00	Pool Party Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [144605] $9.00	Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [144603] $9.00
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.75	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100702] $8.50	Floral Romance 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [148586] $14.00	Birds & Blooms Thinlits Dies [141477] $27.00
Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $30.00	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220] $5.00

Wishing you a  Happy Easter!

Ready for another fun Festive Friday Challenge?

I decided to focus my project around Pink but when I was all done I realized it actually can be for both, Mother's Day and Pink.

The pink I chose for my card is Powder Pink.  This color is a part of the 2017-19 Stampin' Up! In Colors, which means it will be retiring when the current catalog retires on June 3, 2019.  I love this soft pink and will definitely miss it when it is no longer part of the Stampin' Up! Color Collections.

Dragonfly Dreams stamp set and the coordinating Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits are also on the Retiring Products list.   This large dragonfly makes quite a statement and will  be missed.   I added some sparkle to the wings of the dragonfly by cutting the solid wings out of Sparkle Glimmer paper.  I colored the wings in Powder Pink ink to add even more pink goodness on the card.

The vellum on the card is part of the Graceful Glass Designer Vellum.  This pack of paper contains 24 sheets: 2 each of 12  designs.  The lines on this design made me think of movement or wind and perfect for the dragonfly.

I prepared a tutorial on this card which includes how I attached the vellum without the adhesive showing.  You can access the tutorial HERE.

Be sure to check out what the other members of the design team created for the challenge.  We would love for you to participate in the challenge.  You have until April 29th to submit your card, scrapbook page, and/or 3-D item.  Remember you can enter up to 3 times and use either the festivity of Mother's Day or the color Pink or use both!

Product List

Dragonfly Dreams Photopolymer Stamp Set [142924] $21.00	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $6.00	Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad [147147] $7.50	Powder Pink 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144244] $8.50
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	Sparkle Glimmer Paper [146957] $5.00	Graceful Glass 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.X Cm) Designer Vellum [146344] $11.00
Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies [142749] $31.00	Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies [148551] $35.00	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220] $5.00	Basic Black Solid Baker's Twine [141682] $3.00