A face from Pick A Petal?

Okay, how crazy is this card? I can't even believe that someone would think of this but it's so cute! The face is stamped with images from the Pick A Petal stamp set... This was a make-and-take that Lucie prepared for our group meeting last week. Now, notice the eyelashes... this is Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon. You cut one side of the binding off and then pull all of the lengthwise strands of ribbon off and this is what you have left... What a great idea! The mouth is drawn on with a marker.

I've just updated the retiring accessories list below... things are started to sell out so time is really limited if you want to get any of these items. And, don't forget about the retiring stamp sets that will only be available to order until August 10th!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

Another new card

This is another creation from Sonia and was one of the make and takes at my downline meeting on Monday... this card uses the same Bella Rose Designer Series Paper along with the Heard from the Heart stamp set. Isn't this a great greeting? We used that great new Scallop Edge Punch on this card as well - look at how we offset it when punching the top and bottom so that it would look like ric rac ribbon. It was super easy to do and I love how it looks on this card! There's so much to look forward to in the new catalogue!!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

Sock Monkey

This is a card from my wonderful and creative friend, Sonia. Lots of new products on this one... The stamp set is called Sock Monkey. Sonia has also used the Bella Rose Designer Series Paper - isn't it cute how she used it for the monkey's clothes?!! The card stock colours on this card are all new too - Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red and Pink Pirouette. And, she has also used our new Scallop Edge Punch. This punch is so exciting... You can punch a small section or you can easily punch several times to do a longer scallop edge. I love it! Thanks for the adorable card, Sonia!

Don't miss the retiring accessories list - click here for the current list.

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

Retiring Accessories Updated

I've just updated the list of retiring accessories... a few items have sold out already. Don't be disappointed - order soon! Check the updated list here. Email me at bevennis@shaw.ca if you'd like to order anything.

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

Time for some new stuff...

And I don't just mean new cards! I mean new cards made with new products!! Stampin' Up! demonstrators are able to order some of the new products before the new catalogue is released and this weekend I found time to play with my new goodies! This first card is beautiful in real life. The new Bella Rose Designer Series Paper is gorgeous. I've used the new Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red and Pink Pirouette card stock and ink on this card... And, a new stamp set called Dreams du Jour.

This card also uses the Bella Rose Designer Series Paper. It's such a simple card to make thanks to this paper... Just one stamp - this one is from another new stamp set called Heard from the Heart. It's a great set of four.

So what do you think? Getting excited yet? Only a couple more weeks until the new Idea Book & Catalogue is here. Check back tomorrow... I'll share a couple more sneak peeks!

And, be sure to scroll down to the last post - there's a list of all the retiring accessories there and you won't want to miss out!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

Retiring Accessories

Update: August 9th at 9:30 am - there are some products that have already sold out... I'll be placing the last order from the current catalogue on August 10th at 8:00 pm! Scroll down to see the current status of the retiring accessories...

This will be a really quick post this morning as I'm on my way out to work, but I wanted to be sure to let everyone know that Stampin' Up! has just announced another special on the following retiring products while supplies last:

Item #	Pg. #	Description	Regular Price	25% Off Price
109117	167	Pocket Notes assortment Sold Out	$12.04	$9.03
110479	168	Jersey Shore Designer Series paper	$12.04	$9.03
110699	168	East Coast Prep Designer Series paper Sold Out	$12.04	$9.03
109159	169	Flowers For You Designer Series paper	$12.04	$9.03
110273	169	Spring Fling Designer Series paper Sold Out	$12.04	$9.03
110748	170	Notebook Designer Series paper	$12.04	$9.03
109153	170	Porcelain Prints Designer Series paper Sold Out	$12.04	$9.03
110751	171	Azure Designer Series paper	$12.04	$9.03
109164	171	River Rock Prints Designer Series paper	$12.04	$9.03
109175	171	Almost Amethyst Prints Designer Series paper Sold Out	$12.04	$9.03
109168	171	Groovy Guava Prints Designer Series paper Sold Out	$12.04	$9.03
109169	171	Close to Cocoa Prints Designer Series paper Sold Out	$12.04	$9.03
110284	182	Eastern Elegance Rub-Ons	$12.97	$9.73
110285	182	Urban West Rub-Ons	$12.97	$9.73
110281	182	Cherished Memories Rub-Ons Sold Out	$12.97	$9.73
109185	190	Jersey Ribbon Originals	$15.76	$11.82
109187	190	District Ribbon Originals	$15.76	$11.82
109189	190	Beachfront Ribbon Originals	$15.76	$11.82
110716	191	Wild Wasabi striped grosgrain ribbon	$9.77	$7.32
109062	191	River Rock double-stitched grosgrain ribbon	$11.11	$8.34

And, here's the list of all of the accessories that are retiring... only available until August 10th or while supplies last. Don't be disappointed... some items are already sold out so order soon so you don't miss out!

Item Number	Page #	Product Description	Availability
109200	177	Accents & Elements Build A Flower	Not Available
110718	177	Accents & Elements Lucky Star
110719	177	Accents & Elements Messenger
103158	184	Acrylic Graph & Grid
108638	163	Card Stock 12 X 12 In Color
108642	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Blue Bayou
108643	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Groovy Guava
108637	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 In Color
108640	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 River Rock
108639	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Soft Sky
108641	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Wild Wasabi	Not Available
108644	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Purely Pomegranate	Not Available
103975	166	Card Stock Brushed Copper	Not Available
108694	163	Card Stock Textured 12 X 12 In Color
107312	167	Cards & Envelopes Gift Whisper White
107292	167	Cards & Envelopes Greeting Whisper White
109116	167	Notes & Envelopes Long Notes
109118	167	Notes & Envelopes Love Notes
109117	167	Notes & Envelopes Pocket Notes*	Not Available
110729	167	Notes & Envelopes Scallop Notes
109119	167	Notes & Envelopes Gift Notes
109018	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Blue Bayou	Not Available
109019	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Groovy Guava
109017	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Purely Pomegranate	Not Available
109016	163	Classic Stampin' Ink River Rock	Not Available
109015	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Soft Sky
109020	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Wild Wasabi	Not Available
109013	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Blue Bayou
109012	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Groovy Guava
109011	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Purely Pomegranate
109010	163	Classic Stampin' Pad River Rock
109009	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Soft Sky
109014	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Wild Wasabi
110751	171	Designer Series Paper Azure*
110696	169	Designer Series Paper Bali Breeze
110749	169	Designer Series Paper Berry Bliss
109154	169	Designer Series Paper Cutie Pie
110699	168	Designer Series Paper East Coast Prep*	Not Available
109160	170	Designer Series Paper Fall Flowers	Not Available
109159	169	Designer Series Paper Flowers For You*
110697	169	Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom	Not Available
110479	168	Designer Series Paper Jersey Shore*
109151	170	Designer Series Paper Le Jardin
110748	170	Designer Series Paper Notebook*
110750	171	Designer Series Paper Olive Press
109153	170	Designer Series Paper Porcelain Prints*	Not Available
109175	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Almost Amethyst*	Not Available
109177	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Always Artichoke
109173	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Blue Bayou	Not Available
109174	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Brilliant Blue
109178	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Certainly Celery
109169	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Close to Cocoa*	Not Available
109168	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Groovy Guava*	Not Available
109171	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Lovely Lilac
109172	171	Designer Series Paper Prints More Mustard	Not Available
109176	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Old Olive
109170	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Pumpkin Pie	Not Available
109164	171	Designer Series Paper Prints River Rock*
109167	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Rose Red
109166	171	Designer Series Paper Prints So Saffron
109165	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Soft Sky	Not Available
109163	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Tempting Turquoise	Not Available
110698	168	Designer Series Paper Spring Break
110273	169	Designer Series Paper Spring Fling*	Not Available
110271	170	Designer Series Paper Spring Silhouettes
110272	170	Designer Series Paper Western Sky	Not Available
107299	167	Envelope Confetti Cream Medium
105320	189	Eyelets Basic	Not Available
100375	189	Eyelets Bold Brights	Not Available
100381	189	Eyelets Earth Elements	Not Available
107233	189	Eyelets Fresh Favorites I
107234	189	Eyelets Fresh Favorites II
105316	189	Eyelets Rich Regals
100378	189	Eyelets Soft Subtles	Not Available
105515	188	Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter	Not Available
105531	188	Hodgepodge Hardware Antique Brass	Not Available
105532	188	Hodgepodge Hardware Aged Copper	Not Available
101120	183	Metallic Art Pencils
107307	179	On Board Accents
109181	178	On Board Blossoms & Basic
109179	178	On Board Ginormous Pieces
107306	179	On Board Simon Lower
102678	166	Mulberry Paper White	Not Available
109227	181	Punch Box Three For You	Not Available
102686	180	Punch Handheld Rectangle
100271	183	Pure Color Pencils
109060	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Blue Bayou	Not Available
109063	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Groovy Guava	Not Available
109061	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Purely Pomegranate	Not Available
109062	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched River Rock*
109059	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Soft Sky	Not Available
109058	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Wild Wasabi	Not Available
109189	190	Ribbon Originals Beachfront*
109187	190	Ribbon Originals District*
109188	190	Ribbon Originals Fairy Tale
109185	190	Ribbon Originals Jersey*
109184	190	Ribbon Originals Sherbert
109186	190	Ribbon Originals Theater
110716	191	Ribbon Striped Grosgrain Wild Wasabi*
110281	182	Rub-Ons Cherished Memories*	Not Available
110284	182	Rub-Ons Eastern Elegance*
110285	182	Rub-Ons Urban West*
110557	174	Simply Scrappin' Boho Blend
109610	174	Simply Scrappin' Confetti	Not Available
110572	172	Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Boy
110567	173	Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Girl
109597	175	Simply Scrappin' Home Again
110562	174	Simply Scrappin' Rose Cottage
109648	173	Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Boy
109627	173	Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Girl	Not Available
110587	175	Simply Scrappin' Summer Days
110577	175	Simply Scrappin' Tie The Knot
111184	15	Simply Sent Friendly Notes
109228	16	Simply Sent Simple Delights	Not Available
109229	16	Simply Sent Three Thoughts	Not Available
106662	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Daisy Field
107561	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Garden Annuals
109681	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Good Dog
109678	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Kisses
107482	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Lily Pad	Not Available
109680	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Meow
109677	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Mistletoe	Not Available
106610	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Basics Outline
107467	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Birthday
109571	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Baby
109570	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Friends
109569	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Party
108423	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Leaves A La Carte	Not Available
107468	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Nature Hike
108980	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Petals
107464	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Rough Texture	Not Available
111261	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Spunky Spots
109554	193	Stampin' Color Index Labels	Not Available
109553	193	Stampin' Color Index Labels (French)
106694	194	Stampin' Kids Markers
102673	183	Zig Painty	Not Available

*25% off!

Don't forget the retired stamp set list which you can see here. You can email anytime with your order... bevennis@shaw.ca. And, remember, pre-order your new Idea Book & Catalogue for only $8 or book a workshop to receive it free!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

Ahoy, Matey

This is another creation from Stacey... This one was a make and take at our last meeting and I think it's just adorable! This one took a bit of work, but it was well worth it. It's actually a square card - 5 1/4" x 5 1/4". The main card is Bashful Blue. The first thing we did was tear some scraps of Bashful Blue card stock for the water and we used a Sponge Dauber with Whisper White ink to highlight to torn edges of the water creating some white caps. Then we ripped some Creamy Caramel card stock to create the island and used a sponge to add some Creamy Caramel ink along the torn edge as well as sponging all over the card stock to make it look more like sand. Next we arranged to pieces of card stock and we had to stamp both the ship and the pirate onto the main card. With the ship, we needed to stamp it so that the hull would be below the water line and with the pirate, we needed to stamp him so that he'd be standing on the island. Then we stamped both images again onto Whisper White card stock which we coloured and then cut out. For the ship, we stuck the hull directly on top of the stamped image and then the sails are popped up using Dimensionals. The pirate is attached directly to the card stock. Finally, we created the clouds using the Sponge Dauber and Whisper White ink again. Isn't that a clever idea? This is another fun card, perfect for all the little pirates!

Before I sign off tonight, I just want to send a big thanks out to everyone who responded to my Mac troubles... Today was the big decision day - to keep or not to keep the Mac. Well, it's staying with many thanks to everyone who offered tips and suggestions. It's working much better now and we are getting used to each other! There are lots of features that I love and I know I still have lots to learn.

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

New In Colours

One of many exciting things about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is that we have a chance to pre-order a few things from the new catalogue... We've had a sneak peek at a few stamp sets and an exciting new punch and we were able to pre-order the new In Colour card stock and inks. I was excited to receive my pre-order last week with all the new die-cut stamp sets and I was anxious to see the new colours. Many of you know that I wasn't super excited about the colours this year, but I have to tell you that now that I've seen them, I'm warming up to them. My new favourite, believe or not, is Pink Pirouette. Yes, I just went to get the stamp pad to know how to spell pirouette! : ) When I first saw pictures of this colour, I thought it looked too similar to Pretty in Pink but it's actually much lighter and a very beautiful shade of pink. I also really like Pacific Point and Baja Breeze. The other three, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red, are still growing on me...

I'm just going to miss Groovy Guava so much... I've already stocked up on card stock and made sure that I have a spare ink refill. If you want to do the same with any of the current In Colour products, I'd suggest doing it soon as supplies will go quickly once the retiring list is announced.

So, I don't have a new card to share today as we've just spent the weekend with the little baby who we look after once a month and I'm feeling a little wiped. I will get one posted tomorrow night!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

I've been tagged... again!

Well, I've been through this once before, but I'll play along again... hopefully I can come up with 7 different random but interesting facts about myself. I was tagged by my friend and upline, Alison.

Here are the rules:















So, here it goes:

1. I don't like different kinds of food touching on my plate... for example, I don't like my potatoes and vegetables mixing together. The worst is having something hot touch something cold - like having gravy run off the potatoes onto the salad. Buffets are nearly too much for me... If I'm at a restaurant and order fish and chips for example and the fish is served on top of the fries, I have to reorganize my plate before I can start eating.

2. I enjoy "reality" TV. Some of my favourite shows are Survivor, Amazing Race, Jon & Kate Plus 8, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and Canadian Idol (which I am watching right now!).

3. I love to travel and wish I could do more of it... Our next big trip will be to China, hopefully at Christmas time. This is not the adoption trip, but we are planning to go to be tourists and learn a bit more about this beautiful country.

4. I used to be a big rollerskater... I took rollerskating lessons and then after finishing all 8 levels, I joined a speed roller skating team, but never got to compete because we moved just before our first competition. I still have both pairs of my rollerskates and my little speed skating team jacket - from the 80s... it's lovely!

5. I love photography! I'm not a great photographer, but I hope to learn more so that I can become better. I'm always the one with the camera and my husband bugs me because I usually take way more photos of any event than most people would think possible! I need to get better at organizing my photos and actually printing some of them...

6. Fall is my favourite season. I love the cooler temperatures and I especially love seeing the leaves change and fall. Seeing the ground covered by colourful leaves is one of my favourite sights.

7. I enjoy cooking although I don't often have enough time for it. I'm trying to find more time to cook so I can use all of the great cooking spices and utensils that I have bought recently and over the years. I love to try new recipes and have a large cookbook collection.

Now, I need to tag 7 other bloggers to play along... I'll tag Sonia, Stacey, Alicia, Tanya, Robin, Eleonor and Elaine.

I'll be back soon with some more cards!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

It was a beautiful wedding...

This is the wedding card that I made for my little cousin... It actually looked much better in person because it had some sparkle. I stamped the swirls in the background with VersaMark ink and then embossed with Irridescent Ice Emboss Powder. After I stamped the bride and groom and coloured in the flowers, I used the VersaMarker pen to colour over the bride's veil then sprinkled it with Irridescent Ice Emboss Powder also. I was quite pleased with how the card turned out!

We had a good trip to Fort St John although it was very quick - we were there for only 48 hours and in that time, we attended the rehearsal dinner, enjoyed the beautiful wedding ceremony and reception, helped my parents cater the wedding dinner (turkey and ham with mashed potatoes, gravy, 2 salads, carrots and corn for 137 people!), cleaned up all of the dishes from dinner, served the wedding cake, danced a little, went to the gift opening and visited with all the relatives who were there... Seemed like a lot to pack into such a short time!!

So, after all of that, I'm taking an evening off and looking forward to watching Canadian Idol for the first time this season! I'll be cheering for Earl, CB! : )

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

A really quick post

My little cousin is getting married this weekend... I can't believe it! I was a teenager when she was born so let's see... she must only be 10 now and she's getting married?!! Oh wait, my math must be off a bit... Where does time go? Seriously, she's all grown up and is a beautiful young woman with a kind heart, a lovely personality and a fantastic sense of humour. I'm so proud of her!

So, I'm sure you will excuse the brief post here... As you can see from the time on this post, it's late. I just got finished making a wedding card which I will share with you next week - need to let the bride and groom see it first!

In the meantime, I'll post a swap card that I received from Stacey. I like the layout on this card, especially the rounded piece of Chocolate Chip card stock at the bottom - I imagine that Stacey likely used her Coluzzle to cut this. Stacey has used a stamp set that I actually don't have for this card. It's called Perfect Princess. Along with the Chocolate Chip, she has used Pretty in Pink and Taken With Teal. And, there's some glitter on the crown to make it sparkle. Oh, and I should mention that the card is not crooked as it may appear - that's just my poor scanning skills at this late hour.

Okay, I better call it a night here. I'll be back early next week with some new cards to share...

Until then, happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

Great news!

Here's some great news from Stampin' Up! today:

When it comes to quality stamp sets, Stampin' Up! has been an industry leader for several years. Our original, exclusive stamps have earned the prestigious Creating Keepsakes Readers' Choice Award for best rubber stamps eight years in a row, and every year we work to make them even better!

We're excited to announce that all new stamp sets in the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalogue (including new hostess sets) will be die cut for your convenience! We know you enjoy the flexibility of custom mounting your stamps, and with these die-cut sets, all you'll need to do is pop, peel, and place before you begin stamping.

So all new stamp sets will be die-cut! They will be easy to identify in the new catalogue because they will have a "die-cut" symbol. I know that this will have many of you (and me!) cheering!!

Speaking of the new Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalogue which will be released on August 11th, you can now pre-order your copy from me for a special discounted price. Regular price when purchased through me is $10, however, if you order before August 1st, it will be only $8! Order yours today by sending me an email at bevennis@shaw.ca.

Although one of the stamp sets on this card is already gone - the greeting was in the Occasions Mini Catalogue - I still wanted to share it with you. My friend and fellow demonstrator, Lucie, made this card for our swap and I included it as one of the cards at the last Stamp-A-Stack. What I really like about this card is the way that Lucie used the buckle from the Hodgepodge Hardware kit. I've struggled with incorporating this particular piece on a card but attaching it on with the 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon was the perfect solution! Remember, the Hodgepodge Hardware is retiring but is available right now at a 25% discount...

I've spent my evening playing with my new laptop computer... my previous laptop died a while ago, we had it fixed (spent a ridiculous amount of money doing that because of course the extended warranty didn't cover what went wrong... how is that?), it was better for a couple of moths and then it died again. So, I've been struggling with the decision of what to get and since I do so much with photos and hope to start doing more, I made the big leap to a Mac. Wow, it's going to take some getting used to... I started this post on my Mac but am now finishing it off on my husband's PC. Why is my Mac so slow using the internet and why can't I open more than one internet page at a time? And why can't I use the mousepad to double click like I would on a PC? Okay, I obviously need to do some reading up on this! If there are any Mac lovers out there who want to share any tips, I'll be happy to hear from you!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.

(All images copyright 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!)

Decor Elements and more!

Happy Canada Day! It's so great to see the sunshine today! Whatever you are doing with your day, I hope that you are enjoying the celebration of our great nation. So far, we are enjoying a rare day of relaxation and then are planning to go to the beach and to see the fireworks tonight. It's destined to be a perfect day!

With July 1st here, Stampin' Up!'s new line of Decor Elements is now available. You can see a brochure with all of the products here. I'm actually feeling quite excited about this new introduction and am planning to put the "Create" definition in my craft room... I just can't decide which size to order! There are a number of demonstrators who pre-ordered the Decor Elements products last month and I've been hearing how quick and easy these are to apply to walls, mirrors, glass, etc. Can't wait to play with them myself!

We all know that Stampin' Up! is getting ready for the new catalogue that will be launched on August 11th. And, we know that a number of the stamp sets are retiring, but there are other products that will also be retiring soon. We'll know the whole list on July 21st, but for now we can count on all of the In Colour products retiring - Purely Pomegranate, Groovy Guava, Wild Wasabi, River Rock, Blue Bayou and Soft Sky will all be gone soon. Please remember that once the retiring accessories list is announced on July 21st, all products will be available on a "while supplies last" basis so don't delay if you want to stock up on card stock, inks, ink refills, double-stitched ribbon or any of the coordinating products that have these great colours.

Another product that we have already heard will be retiring is the Hodgepodge Hardware kits from page 188. These kits are now available while supplies last at a 25% discount - only $25.08 each! They come in three different colours - Aged Copper, Antique Brass and Pewter. Don't miss out - order today!

Happy stampin'!

Bev.