Have you checked out the Stampin' Up! Retiring Stamps set list?  Here it is if you have not.  I 've been feeling a bit nostalgic for some of the stamp sets and accessories that are retiring so I decided to do my own little Best of Series,   Best of the Retirement lists.  

Today's Best of the Retirement list will focus on the versatile and adorable set...Button Buddies!

I love this flower in this set.   Being able to punch it out with a 1-3/4" Scallop Circle punch makes it so easy to use and don't even get me started on the Silver Glimmer paper under the polka dot brads!  You can read abou this card here.

This is kind of a cheat since the only thing Button Buddies is the cherry stems but there would be no cherry hearts without the stems!  More about this card here.

This little vase also got a lot of use.  It is just a cute, simple image.  More on this card here.

This was a card box I made using a tutorial from Craft Project Central.  You can read about the Card box here and about all the cards i made to go in the box here, and here.

One last one that was so fun to make.  To read about this card go here and to see the video on who to use the 2 folders go here.

Thank you for indulging me on my blog walk through some of my favorite projects  from the Button Buddies stamp set.  Have a wonderfully creative day and hope to stamp with you soon!

SharonB

Today we are mixing a little old, Button Buddies stamp set and a little new, Hearts a Flutter stamp set and framelits and I am pretty tickled with the results.  There is only one problem.  I could not decide on  which layot I liked best so i am going to show you all three.

Here we have a little side banner action.  Don't you  love the cherry hearts?  Both of the hearts were stamped in Real Red ink and the images are from the Hearts a Flutter stamp set.  The cherry stem was colored in with Gumball Green and Soft Suede Stampin Write Markers.

Here the banner was placed in middle with the cherries layered on the Real Red Polka Dots from the Polka Dot Parade DSP.

So, right about now you are wondering why didn't I just make all three cards.   Here's the sad truth....I only had that one little strip left of the Real Red Polka Dot Parade DSP!   I have two open packs of Polka Dot Parade DSP and just that one little strip of the Real Red.  I guess it is plain to see what colors I like to work with.  I am going to try and exercise some willpower and not order more of the Polka Dot Parade DSP until I use up some of the other colors.  We shall see how long I can stand it.  

Are you wondering which layout I decided to commit to with my last little bit of Real Red Polka Dots?  Which one do you like best?  I am posting the finished card to my Facebook page.  I am working on posting more often to my page so click on over and see the finished card and let me know if I made the right choice.

Today is the start of the Online Extravaganza!  So exciting!  See the post at the top for all the details but here is a recap.  Today ONLY these 3 items are 20% off: Simply Scored Diagonal Plate (125586 retail price $11.95 sale price today only $9.56), Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine ( 113439 retail price $99.95 sale price $79.96)  Big Shot Doctor's Bag (113474 retail price $69.96 sale price $55.96).    There are lots of other items included in the Extravaganza and you can see the full list HERE.   The Online Extravaganza runs from November 19-28th.  On the 28th there are  3 items that are 20% off,just on that day:  Clear Block Bundle (118491 retail price $66.95 sale price $53.56), Clear Block Storage Caddy(120279 retail price $16.95 sale price $13.56), Stack and Store Caddy (109127 retail $34.95, sale $27.96).

Today's Mailable Monday card features one of the sets that you can purchase at 50% off during the Online Extravaganza...Button Buddies!

Button Buddies is a  fun set and I love this flower.  I have used this set a lot and you can see some of the samples here, here, here , and probably one of  my favorites,  here.  You can also go to the left hand side of the blog and click on Button Buddies under the Categories and it will show you other samples I have made using this set.  

I usually like to combine the glimmer paper with a brad for the center of these cute flowers but to keep with the Mailable Monday thene i did not on this card.  

I punched out a circle with the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack and glued it on the Champagne Glimmer paper.  Here's how the flowers look using the Basics Glimmer Brads.

The Basic Glimmer brads are also on the Online Extravaganza list and are 30% off.  For $3.47 you get 40 brads-8 each of 5 colors.  

Here's one more look at the Mailable Monday Button Buddies card.

If you have any questions about the Online Extravaganza  please contact me and if you want to place an order, please go to my online store .  I would really appreciate it and like the card says grateful.

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  Today's card is very similar to what I posted on Sunday! It is almost like the game where you need to find 6 things that are different between the 2 pictures but here there really is only one thing different.  

I couldn't decide if the big layer of red and white polka dots was too busy.  When I covered some of the polka dots up with the black cardstock it certainly toned it down but maybe too much?

Stamps: Button Buddies, Petite Pairs
Ink: Old Olive, Black Stazon
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Polka Dot Parade, Daffodil Delight
Punches: Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
Big Shot: Stripes Folder,Window Frames Framelit
Ribbon: 1/2" Striped Satin Ribbon 

Do you fiddle with your cards a lot or are you quick and decisive?  I am working towards quick and decisive but I have a LONG way to go!  Have a fabulously creative day and if you need any crafting supplies let me know!

Have you noticed I have totally given up on clever titles?  Someone told me that the title of the blog post is very important and I needed to work on coming up with better titles.  I tried for a little while and realized I could either try and strain my brain tryng (emphasis on trying) to come up with something clever or write the post.  I opted to just write the post and hope for the best.  

I love the layering behind the Window Frames framelit.  I learned that trick from Mary Ammar. The black layer behind the Window Frames framelit is a 2-3/8" sqaure.   Fun and an easy way to really focus on the cool shape of the framelit.

Stamps: Button Buddies, Petite Pairs
Ink: Old Olive, Black Stazon
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Polka Dot Parade, Daffodil Delight
Punches: Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
Big Shot: Window Frames Framelit, Delicate Designs Folder, Large Scallop Edgelit
Ribbon: 1/2" Striped Satin Ribbon 

I have not used Button Buddies very much lately.  I used to be obsessed with the big flower image.  You can look at  other samples by looking under the Categories in on the left side of the blog and find the stamp set.   Click on the name and it will bring up all the posts that mention Button Buddies. Here is a link to one of my favorite cards using Button Buddies.   Have a wonderful day and be sure to stamp something cute and tell me about it!

Here's another sample of the Designer Frame and Texture using the Button Buddies stamp set.

The video should be up tomorrow.  Thank you for being patient with me.   I am just learning how to do the videos and editing so  bear with me.  I hope to get better with time.  

I was tickled to discover that the Button Buddies vase and flowers fit perfectly in the frame.   Gotta get back to the editing.  Thanks for checking in and if you need any Textured Impressions Embossing folders just let me know!

Here's another sample of the Designer Frame and Texture using the Button Buddies stamp set.

The video should be up tomorrow.  Thank you for being patient with me.   I am just learning how to do the videos and editing so  bear with me.  I hope to get better with time.  

I was tickled to discover that the Button Buddies vase and flowers fit perfectly in the frame.   Gotta get back to the editing.  Thanks for checking in and if you need any Textured Impressions Embossing folders just let me know!

My batteries are charged and I am ready to show you more cards that will go in my Button Buddies card box.   Here's the view I was trying to show you when my batteries died.

I really like the  Petite Pockets die for the Big Shot.  You can make a gift card holder so quickly and effortlessly.

Here's another card that will go in the box.

Simple and quick to make.  I love these 2 In Colors together, Lucky Limeade and Island Indigo.  It is a fresh and happy color combination.  I love polka dots so I was totally sold on the these cute In Color Polka Dot brads.

Here's one more card for the Card Box.

I used the Ovals die to cut out the Pool Party DSP  and the sentiment is from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.   

Have a crafty day and hope to stamp with you soon!

Yesterday I shared this card box using the Button Buddies stamp set and a tutorial from Craft Project Central.   Here is one of the cards I am going to put in the box.

A couple of the flowers pull out and can be used as a book mark or a place to write a secret message.

You can also attach a gift card.  I will show you a picture of that tomorrow.  My camera's battery needs to be charged so I am done taking photos for tonight.   The sentiment is from For All You Do and the pocket was cut from the Petite Pocket die for the Big Shot.  

In case you have not heard Stampin' Up is celebrating Digital Scrapbooking day with some free digital downloads.  You need to act fast and go  to http://mydigitalstudio.net/ for all the details.   You can learn more about My Digital Studio and digital scrapbooking.  Don't wait cause the free digital download offer ends on 11/7!

I am cutting it close but I made it!  It has been one of those days where  there were so many competing interests at work.  I finally got a chance to sit down and craft something.  Do you know what I did?  I went to the Craft Project Central site and used one of the patterns for a project designed for October by Kris.    

Her is Kris' project.

I followed her tutorial for the card box and here is what I made.
Here it is open.

The tutorial saved me a lot of time and figuring and I love how it turned out. You still have time to enter to win the Craft Project Central tutorials for October that I am giving away.    Just go to THIS POST before midnight and leave me a comment and Sunday morning (the 6th) I will draw a name.  

Check back with me tomrrow and I will show you the cards I made to go inside the box!