Retiring Stamps and Colors

First, today was my nursing home crafts class.  I know I'm BIG there because their activity bulletin for the day said "Crafts with Diane".  In the past it's just said "Crafts".  Made me smile!! Here are the 2 bookmarks the ladies created today. They are made with the Two Tags die for the Big Shot along with a couple of punches.  It's hard coming up with a variety of ideas that are simple enough for them to do.

The card I created today is a CASE from Ann Clemmer.  I used the color selection and image from her card. Some of the supplies for this card are on the Retired List for stamps and accessories!  The accessories are only available until supplies run out, so if it's something you really want, don't wait too long. The stamp set is available until May 31.

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Inspired by Nature (retiring)
Cardstock - Pear Pizzazz (retiring), Concord Crush (retiring), Whisper White
Ink - Pear Pizzazz (retiring), Concord Crush (retiring)
Accessories - Pear Pizzazz 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon (retiring), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Sponge

C Is For Cat (Mojo238)

I haven't done a challenge for a while and I've been wanting to make some cards with the C is for Cat and D is for Dog stamps since they are on the retired list. So I thought I'd play along with the Mojo Monday Challenge.

I don't own a cat. Actually, I've never owned a cat, but I do believe the statement is true (as every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat).  I'll be sending this card to my cousin Patty. I know she'll appreciate it!

Supplies:
Stamp sets - C is for Cat
Cardstock - Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla
Ink - Cajun Craze
Accessories - 1 1/4" square punch, Extra large oval punch, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Stampin' Sponge, Stampin' Dimensionals

Button Buddies Welcome Baby

Man, it's been almost a week since I've posted anything.  Things have been kind of hectic for me, though I have been stamping.  Last Friday's visit to the nursing home went well.  The ladies are so sweet and really enjoy the projects. I think I look forward to going and working with them as much as they look forward to me coming.  We made birdhouse cards and they were a big hit. This card is one we made at the Button Buddies Camp last Saturday.  This set is a lot of fun to work with!

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Button Buddies, Short and Sweet
Cardstock - Perfect Plum, Very Vanilla, Subtles Designer Series Paper Stack
Ink - Perfect Plum
Accessories - 3/4" circle punch, 1/8" Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, Subtles Designer Buttons, Stampin' Sponge, Basic Pearls, Cutter Kit (for distressing), Stampin' Dimensionals

Sweetest Stems

Today's card is a CASE from a Mary Brown design. I changed the Little Leaves to Sweetest Stems and used DSP, but I loved her design and wanted to try my hand at it. I usually make my cards of this size 3 x 6, but for this one I made it 6 1/2 x 3 1/4 to make the designer paper squares large enough to accomodate the Sweetest Stem embosslits.

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Sincere Salutations (on the retired list!)
Cardstock = Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Twitterpated Designer Series Paper
Ink - Baja Breeze
Accessories - Sweetest Stems Embosslit, Large oval and Scallop oval punches, 3/8" Whisper White taffeta ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Pinwheel Correction

I have another post for today because I realized I made the first two pinwheels wrong!  I didn't leave a second border when I mounted the small squares on the 3 x 3 squares. When I made the first one I thought the color cardstock that I chose for the 3 x 3 would show but when it didn't, I thought oh well. And I wondered why I had such a big hole in the middle.  DUH!!
But I'm not taking my first two down.  We go to these blogs to learn, and I'm still learning too! Hope you learned something today!  Here's another pinwheel done correctly (I hope).

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Pennant Parade
Cardstock - Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP (Occasions mini)
Ink - Lucky Limeade
Accessories - 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" square punches, Word Window and Modern Label punches, 3/8" Whisper White taffeta ribbon, Designer Brad, Stampin' Dimensionals

Pinwheel Cards

I was on Gretchen Barron's blog the other day and she had some ideas for using up scraps. I liked the pinwheels and I need to use up some of my Designer Series Paper (DSP) so I thought I'd try a couple. 

Supplies:
 Stamp sets - Teeny Tiny Wishes, Sanded (retired)
Cardstock - Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Mocha Morning Specialty DSP
Ink - Soft Suede
Accessories - ! 1/4" and 1 3/8" Square punches, Word Window and Modern Label Punch, 3/8" Soft Suede taffeta ribbon, Neutrals brad, Stampin' Dimensionals

Supplies:
Cardstock - Rose Red, Baja Breeze, Twitterpated DSP (from Occasions mini catalog - available only until April 30)
Accessories - ! 1/4" and 1 3/8" square punches, Boho Blossoms punch, Whisper White 3/8" taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls

I made this card a 5 x 5. The pinwheels are big so I was experimenting with sizes.
The directions for making the pinwheels are on http://www.gretchenbarron.typepad.com/ and it's the April 12 post.

Thinking Spring

Yesterday at our Card Club, I used an old favorite of mine that the girls had never seen before.  I love the softness of it!

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Sincere Salutations
Cardstock - Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Gray
Ink - Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink (for sponging)
Accessories - Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Little Leaves Sizzlet, Fancy Flower punch, 5 Petal Flower punch, Flower Trio punch, Scallop Border punch, Subtles brad, Stampin' sponge, Stampin' Dimensionals

Flight of the Butterfly

This is a very simple card because it is the one we made at the nursing home today.  I have learned that the residents can't really stamp their cards. I have to do the stamping for them, but they love what it looks like and they have so much fun putting them together.  I know they really like it, because they have asked me to come every Friday instead of every other one, the residents enjoy it so much.  That makes me smile.

Hope your day truly is as happy as happy gets!

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Flight of the Butterfly
Cardstock - Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Ink - Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise
Accessories - Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Stampin' Dimensionals

Summer Smooches

I love the new designer series paper, Summer Smooches!  The bright colors are beautiful. I started out making a quilt background, but it was a little busy, so I went to a smaller, 2 color patch.  I may still use the patchwork quilt design at a later date.

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Bright Blossoms, On Your Birthday
Cardstock - Real Red, Island Indigo, Whisper White, Summer Smooches DSP
Ink - Real Red, Island Indigo
Accessories - Postage stamp punch, Large oval and Scallop oval punches, 1" and 1 1/4" circle punches, 5/8" Real Red Satin Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals

Corner Bookmarks

These corner bookmarks have been very popular on the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator's website. They showcased one in the Stampin' Success magazine to show an interesting use for the new diagonal plate that just sits on top of our Simply Scored  Scoring Tool.  I love to read, so making bookmarks appeals to me.

This idea is CASED from Jackie Topa. I took her card and turned it into a bookmark.
Supplies:
Stamp sets - Language of Friendship
Cardstock - Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabe, Cherry Cobbler
Ink - Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake (to sponge)
Accessories - Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Bird Builder, Heart to Heart, and 1" Circle punches, Stampin' Sponge

This bookmarl was CASED by Mary Fish.  Love her work!!
Supplies:
Stamp sets - Mixed Bunch, Loving Thoughts
Cardstock - Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight, First Edition Specialty DSP
Ink - Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black
Accessories - Blossom Punch, Blossoms Petals Builder and BohoBlossoms punches, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Basic Rhinestones

The Simply  Scored Scoring Tool and the new Diagonal Plate are both handy items to add to your stamping supplies if you don't already have one. You may want to add it to your wish list.

Petite Purses

Forget about your Easter bonnet. Look at these cute little Easter purses!

They are made with the NEW Petite Purse Bigz L Die that is going to be in the new 2012-2013 catalog but is also available during the month of April's Summer Smooches promotion.   I plan on making a lot of these with all my old designer series paper - and of course with some of my new DSP as well.  The one in the center is made with the NEW Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper.  They are large enough to hold several Hershey Nuggets or Hershey Kisses, money, lip balm, and I'm sure plenty of other things you could think of!

If you have a Big Shot, you'll want to check this out!!

Bright Blossoms

Today's card is a CASE from Mary Brown.  I just loved her color combination. This is another card made with the Bright Blossoms stamp set that is available during the month of April.  It will also be in the 2012-2013 catalog that comes out in June.  I can't wait!!

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Bright Blossoms, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock - Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Summer Smooches DSP
Ink - Read Red, Pear Pizazz, Daffodil Delight
Accessories - Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Word Window and Modern Label punches, Scallop Square punch, Pear Pizzazz 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

The Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper is also available in April as a preview for the upcoming catalog.  Check out the Summer Smooches promotion in the right margin or at http://www.stampwithdianecaron.stampinup.net/

Bright Blossoms from the Summer Smooches promo!

This cute little stamp set I used today is called Bright Blossoms.  It's from the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! catalog, but it is available during the month of April, along with some designer paper, brads, and fabric.  Sometimes I think the smaller images are harder to design a card around, but when they are finished, they have such a clean, crisp look to them.

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Bright Blossoms, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock - Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Ink - Markers only - Cherry Cobbler, Pacific Point, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight
Accessories - Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folders, Cherry Cobbler 1/2" seam binding, Curly Label punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

Service Project - Stampin' Up! Style

Tonight, a few of my stamping faithfuls got together and made tray favors for HOSPICE of Dayton. We needed 67 and we knocked them out in an hour.  Thanks to my granddaughters who helped glue them together!  We all have a lot of talent when it comes to stamping, and it's nice to put it to use for a good cause. I am looking forward to having a Service Project - Stampin' Up! Style quarterly.

SSC 249 Birthday Zoo Review

Stamping 411's Saturday Sketch Challenge made me think of the animals from Zoo Review. I wanted to make it colorful with a party atmosphere.  Looks like a great card for a "party animal"!

Supplies:
Stamp sets - Zoo Review, Petite Pairs, Beary Best Friends
Cardstock - Pacific Point, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Concord Crush, Real Red
Ink - Basic Black, Soft Suede, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Many Marvelous Markers
Accessoried - Stripes and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folders, 1 1/4 & 1 3/8" circle punch, 1 1/4" square punch, Small and Large Oval punch, Daffodil Delight 5/8" satin ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals