Colors, Mashups, Retirement and Special Card

Give me a good challenge...or three...and set me loose! Today I was anticipating the opportunity to join the inagural challenge over at TGIF Challenges with the uber-talented Mercedes and her "dream team" of creators and serendipity happened when the Friday Mashup gave me an excuse to use my Chalk Talk stamp set once more before it retired! Here are the challenges~ A color combo, sketch and retired set:

And this is my creation:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

That was fun~ I may have been a little excited to be the VERY first TGIFChallenge entry...it's a stampin' thing, I guess!!

Chalk Talk was one of my favorite retiring stamps and if you love it, get it today in my store! I've shared a few other projects using this soon-to-be-gone set on my Creative Juice by Loni Facebook Page ...join me there for daily inspiration, fun and creative juice. 

We'll Miss You...Retiring Stampin' Up! Products

It's that time of year when we clear out the old to welcome the new, but there are always a few painful goodbyes: Like the Top Note die for the Big Shot and some of my favorite punches!



Are any of your favorites on the retiring list? They are only available while supplies last in my store.
Use hostess code UC6RKPXM when ordering through May 15 for a chance to win a Designer Series Paper Stack!

Grab 'Em Before They're Gone!

It's time to say goodbye to some of our wonderful stamps and accessories as Stampin' Up! makes room for NEW product to come in the 2014-15 catalog! And isn 't it thoughtful of them to offer FREE SHIPPING this week to make parting a little easier?

Click below for the retiring stamp list:

And this one for the accessories: 

Ready to order? Shop in my store ASAP because both stamps and accessories 

are available WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

When you place an order on my website before April 30th, enter hostess code DCQ2GPS4 and I'll send you a thank you gift in the mail :)

More from the Retirement Parade...

Retirement: You've been good, but now you're gone...

A bittersweet day at Stampin' Up! when the Retirement List is posted: Parting is sweet sorrow for many of my favs (So long, dear stamps...for some, I never used thee!) but the anticipation to fill my shelves with NEW products cheers my heart. I will warn you as you look at the following lists: Everything is available while supplies last (some are already gone!!), so grab your highlighter and mark the ones you must have and ORDER them ASAP!

Click on the images for a printable PDF file including retiring accessories

OR CLICK HERE to see them in my store

Here is an appropriate and elegant card I made at a Shoebox Swap during Convention (designed by demonstrator Sharon Fisher?) that showcases a few of the *soon-to-be-retired products:

Card Recipe:

• Stamps: *Build a Blossom and *Word Play stamp sets
• Ink: Basic Black and Versamark
• Paper: Very Vanilla & Basic Black card stock, First Edition Specialty DSP (121878)
• Accessories: *Blossom Petals punch (121808), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402), Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder (120175), Big Shot (113439), Heat Tool (129053), Black embossing powder (109133), Dazzling Details glitter (124177),  2-Way Glue Pen (100426) and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

*Soon-to-be-retired products

Helpful Hints for creating a card like this:
1. Ink one side of the embossing folder with Versamark and place DSP inside and run through Big Shot to emboss design. Immediately sprinkle the wet (Versamark) side of the DSP with black embossing powder, shake off excess and heat to set.

2. After stamping, punching and assembling flower, "paint" on petals with 2-Way glue pen and sprinkle on Dazzling Diamonds glitter. Shake off excess.

Time to Say Goodbye

The end of a year is bittersweet...there are stamp sets I've loved a long time that will be leaving and it's hard to part with. But I love change, too...so I look forward to the new catalog arriving on July 1st!

You can click on the image above to access the retiring lists. Some of the accessories are discounted up to 40% off, but are only WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. One point to make: SU! WILL still carry 12x12 card stock (even though it is listed on the Last Chance Accessory List), it's just being re-configured. Everything else is gone for good on June 30th! When you order through my website, you get PREFERRED PRICING!

Toodle-oo, Doodle This

There is only ONE WEEK left to order the retiring stamp sets, and here are a few samples from another versatile retiring set, Doodle This. To add the all-over-sparkle on this card (and the one from the Heartfelt Thanks set I shared last week), simply stamp your image and color it in, then lay your card stock face down onto a Versamark Pad, covering the whole area. Add Iridescent Ice embossing powder to cover, shake off the excess and heat.And this technique is called "Crayon Resist": Use Stampin' Up! glossy white paper, stamp images in black ink and let dry. Next, use a white crayon and "doodle" anywhere you want white to appear. Finally, sponge classic ink over the images with a sponge or sponge dauber, then wipe card with a tissue for the white to POP OUT:
I'd LOVE to have more friends coming to the Stamp-a-Stack class this Saturday at 10 a.m. in Spanish Fork, Utah...call me ASAP to register (801-376-8685). Nothing says "I cared enough to send the very best" like a hand-stamped card!!

Adieu and Au Revoir

Here's a final backward glance at the Happy Heart Day stamp set that will also be retired at the end of June...Don't worry, little elephant, I will never forget how you made me smile!

A Fond Farewell...

...to one of my favorite stamp sets, Heartfelt Thanks:It has been a staple for many of my favorite cards, so soft and subtle:It is one of the stamp sets that will be retired at the end of June, so if you need to add it to your collection, order it soon before it's gone forever.

Tune in tomorrow for another farewell and a look at one of the cards you could make at my upcoming Stamp-a-Stack class!

Retiring Stamps...on Sale!

Dozens of stamps from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog are dusting off their golf clubs in anticipation of their retirement! This is your last chance to get them--AND while they are available through January 18, 2009, they are all 10% OFF through December 23rd! Combine this great offer with our Free Shipping and Fall/Winter Sampler Sale and you can really stretch your stamping dollars. Click on the picture for more details and to print the retiring list.