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

Welcome to the Paper Pumpkin Possibilities Blog Hop! 

Paper Pumpkin is a monthly crafting kit.  The beauty of Paper Pumpkin is you can follow the directions provided in the kit to make the projects as they were designed, or use the supplies as a starting point and let your creativity take over. On this blog hop we will be sharing lots of ideas with you on how to use April's Paper Pumpkin kit: Sentimental Rose.  This kit includes an awesome stamp set, 9 note cards and envelopes, acetate card box, lots of labels/die cuts, and embellishments.  

I have 2 different projects to share with you .  This first alternate project uses just the products that come in the Sentimental Rose Paper Pumpkin kit except for an additional scrap piece of Whisper White card stock.

This flower trio is so pretty!  The flowers are printed on the panel and so are the splatters.  I stamped the leaves with the Gray Granite ink spot that is provided in the kit and applied the 3 enamel dots. 

Yes, it is an easel card!  I scored the front of the card base in half at 1-3/4".   The only other alteration I made was to cut the white corrugated piece so it measured 3-1/2" x 3-1/2".  I stamped the sentiment on the label die cut from the kit and stamped the leaf on the scrap piece of Whisper White card stock.  The label and the leaf are popped up using the provided dimensionals.

One of the things that makes this kit so special is the stamp set.  The stamp set contains 7 sentiments and 3 image stamps.  The flower image in this stamp set is  so pretty,   which is what inspired me to make my second set of projects.  These are a little more time consuming and do require extra supplies.  I wanted to play with the flower images and really show it off.

The colors I used are Fresh Fig and Powder Pink.  They are both retiring In Colors and I am going to miss them.  

First let's talk about the box.  I used the Window Box Thinlits which are on the Retiring List.  You have the option of cutting out the design on the top of the box or not.  I chose to cut it and line the top with vellum.  I stamped the flower image 3 times in Fresh Fig ink on Powder Pink card stock.  I fussy cut the flowers to create 3 sizes of flowers.  I built the flower using dimensionals between each layer to create height and dimension.  In the center I placed the largest Clear Faceted Gem.  The leaves were stamped and cut out using the Rooted in Nature bundle.  This stamp set and dies will be in the upcoming catalog but no longer available as a bundle.  If you have been wanting this bundle you can save 10% if you buy it before the 2018-19 catalog ends.

The card is note card size (3-1/2" x 5" and mailable).  The base is Fresh Fig and the layer is Powder Pink.  The flower stamp was inked in Fresh Fig ink and stamped off once before stamping on the Powder Pink layer.   I stamped the flower again on a piece of Powder Pink card stock in Fresh Fig ink.  I cut out the flower and lightly sponged the edges with Fresh Fig ink to soften the cut edges and attached it using dimensionals.  The leaves again were stamped and cut in Old Olive ink on Old Olive card stock using the Rooted in Nature bundle. 

Hope you enjoyed the 2 different ideas of ways to use the Sentimental Rose Paper Pumpkin kit.  Now it is time to hop on over to see what Janey has created for you!

Next month there is a very special Paper Pumpkin kit, the Hugs from Shelli kit.   Shelli Gardner (co-founder of Stampin' Up!) worked closely with designers and concept artists to create a Paper Pumpkin kit that is uniquely hers. It includes an exclusive photopolymer stamp set, paper and crafting materials to create 12 cards (3 cards of 4 unique designs), 12 exclusive, coordinating envelopes, and a Classic Stampin’ Spot.  To receive this very special kit you must sign up for Paper Pumpkin by May 10th.  You won't want to miss this kit!

If you are interested in subscribing to Paper Pumpkin and do not have a demonstrator you are working with, I would love to be your demonstrator.  You can use this link to sign up for Paper Pumpkin or contact me and I would be happy to help you.  

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

I am back from a fun weekend away at the Stampin' Up! On Stage local in Vancouver BC.  Stampin' Up! sure knows how to put on an event. One of the fun perks is that we received the new 2019-20 Stampin' Up! Annual catalog.  This just might be my favorite catalog yet!  In anticipation of a new catalog, I spent part of the last few days pulling stamp sets, ribbons, dies and other accessories that are being retired.  Here is the list of the items retiring from the 2019 Occasions catalog.  Here is the list of items retiring from the 2018-19 Stampin' Up! Annual catalog* (please note that the items shaded will be available in the 2019-20 Annual Catalog as Cling stamp).  Over the next few weeks I will be focusing on products that are retiring.  I look forward to playing with them one more time before they are no longer available.

The Create with Connie and March Challenge #CCMC557 is a color challenge.

While I was sorting my stamp sets I found stamp sets that I hadn't used in a while and Painted Harvest is one of those sets.  I decided it was perfect for the color challenge.

I am so happy this set is not being retired.  Painted Harvest is a set that is easy to work with and create beautiful cards with very little fuss. There are 2 stamps that are used to create the flower.  I inked the bolder stamp in Pineapple Punch and stamped it off once before stamping it on the card.  The second stamp I inked and stamped in Pineapple Punch full strength.  After I was done stamping I used the Subtles embossing folder to give it a little texture. 

Be sure to take some time to check out the retiring lists, especially the 2017-19 In Color Products.   Once they are gone, they are gone!

Check out what the other members of Create with Connie & Mary design team created.  

Product List

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set [144783] $21.00	Blueberry Bushel Classic Stampin' Pad [147138] $7.50	Pineapple Punch Classic Stampin' Pad [147141] $7.50	Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad [147095] $7.50
Pineapple Punch 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146971] $8.50	Blueberry Bushel 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146968] $8.50	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101650] $9.75	Very Vanilla 5/8" (1.6 Cm) Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon [147629] $7.50

Ready for another fun  Create with Connie & Mary Challenge?   Today's challenge #CCMC556 is a sketch challenge.

Here's what I made for the challenge.

I used the Needlepoint Nook DSP which helped guide the choice of using the coordinating colors, Poppy Parade and Crushed Curry.  The sentiment and flower were stamped using the Needle and Thread stamp set.  The flower was cut using the Needlepoint Elements dies.  The rhinestone in the center of the flowers were created by using a Dark Poppy Parade Stampin' Blend to color the rhinestone jewel.  

I used the Subtle embossing folder to add a little texture and interest to the Poppy Parade card stock.  I know I have said it many times but the Subtle folder is one of the hardest working embossing folders in my collection.  

Did you know you can play along with the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge?  You can post your card to the Create with Connie & Mary Facebook page in the comments of the post announcing the challenge.  I hope to see you play along in the challenge.  If you need some inspiration be sure to check out what the other members of the design team created for this challenge.

Product List

Needle & Thread Photopolymer Bundle [150626] $45.75	Poppy Parade Classic Stampin' Pad [147050] $7.50	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad [147087] $7.50	Dark Poppy Parade Stampin' Blends Marker [146879] $4.50
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.75	Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131199] $8.50	Poppy Parade 8-1/2" x 11"" Card Stock" [119793] $8.50	Needlepoint Nook 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [148807] $11.00
Regals 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146965] $11.00	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $30.00	Layering Circle Framelits Dies [141705] $35.00	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220] $5.00

I was cleaning up my craft table and found these hibiscus images from the Humming Along stamp set.  They were colored, matted and ready to use.  

The Tropical Escape DSP was a perfect one to use and coordinated so well with the hibiscus.  The card base is a 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" piece of Blushing Bride card stock and scored at 2", 3", 5-1/4", and 6-1/4".  This card style fits in a standard A-2 (Medium Envelope).  I put a piece of Whisper White card stock measuring 2" x 5-1/4" on the back of the middle panel.  This is where I would write my note.   

Product List

Humming Along Cling Stamp Set [148758] $20.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.00	Shaded Spruce Classic Stampin' Pad [147088] $7.50	Granny Apple Green Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147163] $3.75
Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [131157] $3.75	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [131158] $3.75	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131198] $8.50	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101910] $9.00
Tropical Escape 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146916] $11.00	Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies [148551] $35.00	Layering Circle Framelits Dies [141705] $35.00	Blushing Bride Baker's Twine [134577] $2.95
Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $5.00

This card is a gate fold card.  I thought it was a another fun way to use the hibiscus panel.  Don't you love how  Poppy Parade looks with Mossy Meadow?  This fold is simply a 5-1/2' x 8-1/2" piece of card stock scored at 2-1/8" and 6-3/8".

Product List

Humming Along Cling Stamp Set [148758] $20.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.00	Poppy Parade Classic Stampin' Pad [147050] $7.50	Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [133651] $3.75
Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133676] $8.50	Poppy Parade 8-1/2" x 11"" Card Stock" [119793] $8.50	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101910] $9.00	Neutrals 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146967] $11.00
Layering Ovals Framelits Dies [141706] $35.00	Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies [148551] $35.00	Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $5.00
Poppy Parade 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Mini Striped Ribbon [146938] $8.00

As I continue to clean up my craft table I sure hope I find more almost completed cards so I can share them with you!