Fresh new banner for our world-wide monthly New at SU! blog hop – and for the new catalog release in May, we are showing off those vibrant new 2024-2026 In Colors!
All the RETRO-feels of the “Tune In” bundle were impossible to resist, so I’ve made a wiper card with Summer Splash, Peach Pie and Petunia Pop:
This is the card when it’s closed and then…
…up pops the “You’re Super” message!
Quick video clip to see it in action:
What other gorgeous In Color goodies await you along the hop? Visit to find out:
Still here? Today is the LAST DAY to join my In Color Club, where you will collect ALL the products in each of these new 2024-2026 In Colors over the next few months, PLUS the Basic Beige FREE in September! Each month you’ll also receive complimentary supplies to create an exclusive project with your new colors.
Too impatient to collect one each month?! Consider starting your own Stampin’ Adventure with the May 2024 Starter Kit Special!
The Stampin’ Up! Incentive Trip* to Mexico was more marvelous than I even imagined! It’s a memory I will treasure and enjoy for years to come, so today I printed my photos and while the details are still fresh, I’m putting them into the album SU! generously gifted us at parting:
*Results aren’t typical- less than 1% of demonstrators earn the Incentive Trip each year. But even if it takes you 32 years (like me!) it’s worth the effort!
The 6″ x 8″ album didn’t come decorated like this…I embellished it with memorablilia collected along the way! The note that came with a set of luggage tags before we left home became the front focal point, the lanyard for our name tags is wrapped around and since rubber stamps got me to this adventure, I picked up a stamp for the Mayan symbol of 4 directions at the Cancun Mayan Museum gift shop.
Watch how I’m using pocket pages to add my photos and the new Ephemera packs to add fun details to every page:
A package of pages and an album are LESS THAN $20 – just IMAGINE what a great gift this would be for a graduation, a family vacation or birthday!
Here are the supplies I used (not including the card stock strips on the front of my album) so you can order them ASAP for your next celebration: You may want to order an extra to have on hand at this price!
If you aren’t interested in my vacation pics, now’s the time to move along- but for those who want to see the highlights of this incredible experience, have a look-see!
If you ever have the opportunity to stay at Hotel Xcaret Mexico…SEIZE IT! As Cody said, “I didn’t even know there were places like this.” We also visited Tulum and Chichen Itza on different days. I met some demonstrators that I admire at the First Time Acheiver’s reception, along with the opportunity to visit with beloved Stampin’ Up! leaders.
Jill Taylor & Shelli GardnerWith Heidi CollinsWith Tracy TravisHeather Thomas, Yvonne Van Bruggen, Kristien Saeys, Ingrid Hermens, me, Jenna Carr, Emma GoddardWith Sara Douglass
We were also gifted a photo package which we used at the Xcaret Mexico park and the Xenses park: It was genius to be able to swipe your wristband and have a personal photographer of all of the adventures!
Throughout the month of May 2024, there is a fabulous Starter Kit Special: You’ll get to choose $125 worth of your favorite products for just $99, then Stampin’ Up! will add FOUR 2024-2026 In Color products added to your kit FREE!
I wanted to show something you could make with these colors and potential items in your kit, so I demonstrated a simple stamping project on my Facebook page, inspired by a layout from the new annual catalog:
I failed to mention that this card is the ideal size to include a gift of ca$h, and here’s what I would stamp on the inside:
Basic masking and fussy cutting techniques are shared in the video you can watch here:
Did you know…
…there are no hidden requirements to buy the starter kit? You can purchase the kit and give the demonstrator life a try, and if you like sharing your love of paper with others, you’ll learn how to personalize your business or support your hobby as a demonstrator. But if you just want to take advantage of this great opportunity to add some color to your life, you can just coast along and enjoy the demonstrator discount until you no longer meet the quarterly sales minimum.
While that’s the smartest way to collect the colors quickly, you could also opt to add them one-at-a-time to your toolbox over the next 5 months by joining my In Color Collectors Club, including getting the new Basic Beige color collection FREE!
If you are in southern Utah, don’t miss my Catalog Carnival Open House this Saturday from 1-4 pm in Hurricane where you can craft a card, snag a snack, capture a new catalog, AND shop from my ONCE-A-YEAR-BOGO SALE!!
Attention Shoppers: I’m always delighted when you choose me to serve your creative needs – thanks for ordering your genuine Stampin’ Up! supplies from my Stampin’ Store by adding the products you love below to your cart, and watch for your thank you card in the mail when you allow me to inspire you!
It’s CATALOG PREMIER DAY and I am doing the happy dance! Do you have a favorite suite of products? Or pretty paper you can’t resist?
My top pick will be no surprise: The Mediterranean Blooms Suite reminds me of the island of Capri, Italy and that’s where my inspiration came from for this card…plus, I have a tutorial for you!
Lemons are plentiful in Capri, and while I chose to use Peach Pie Stampin’ Blends to color my citrus fruit, it still feels like the island, with the blue & white tiles that reflect the ocean.
I’m still enjoying the sun in another beautiful part of the planet, so I’ll update links when I return, but you can start shopping today at my Stampin’ Store!
Meanwhile, print out this tutorial and be prepared to answer the call of Capri- by mailing a little sunshine this summer:
It’s *FINALLY TIME* and hopefully I’m sitting on the beach as you read this! One of the last things I did to prepare for the Stampin’ Up! Incentive Trip was to create swaps, and thought you might like to see my card:
I used the Leaf Collection stamp we received as an all-attendee giveaway at OnStage last month to emboss a Shaded Spruce and Pretty Peacock background onto Shy Shamrock card stock. The stamp arrives on WEDNESDAY, May 1st in my Stampin’ Store! The ink stayed wet just long enough to cover it in clear embossing powder:
See that new color on the card base? It’s called “Basic Beige”
I added the sentiment in the Hexagon punch and a few leaves and sprigs using the Bough Punch and a sweet bow (if I made it, it probably has ribbon on it).
Looking forward to sharing more about our Mex-capade…when I have the time! And because I’m supposed to say this about earning the Incentive trip: “Results are not typical. Fewer than 1% of Demonstrators world-wide achieve this reward”
THANK YOU for your support and orders from my Stampin’ Store. I hope the value, teaching, and service offered to my friends & customers is equal to my deepest heart-felt appreciation!
If there were a contest for the “most cheerful flower”, don’t you think ZINNIAS would take the prize?
Today’s card(s) feature the Simply Zinnia bundle (an online exclusive available now in my Stampin’ Store) as well as the 2024-2026 In Color products that will be in my store on May 1st!
This slanted background is a handy template to remember (or PIN!) because you can create TWO cards in about the same time it takes to make just one!
It all starts with a 6″ x 3-3/4″ piece of In-Color Designer Series Paper. Mark it at 2″ on the bottom long edge (on the back side of the design you want to use) and at 4″ on the top long edge. Then cut it from the 2″ mark to the 4″ mark. Layer each of those pieces onto a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Basic Black card stock and you are halfway done.
TIP: The leftover 6″ x 2-1/4″ piece of Designer Series Paper fits perfectly on the flap of your envelope, giving you terrific coordination!
Watch the tutorial (speed it up, if desired) to learn how to finish up the card:
And why stop at 2 cards when you can make 10? Two in each of the 2024-26 In Colors: Petunia Pop (shown above), Summer Splash, Peach Pie, Pretty In Pink and Shy Shamrock!
These colors coordinate beautifully, so you can even mix up the colors on the flowers- with the alcohol-based Stampin’ Blends markers, the colors bleed together smoothly:
Here are a few wonderful ways to collect the new IN COLORS:
Join my IN COLOR COLLECTORS CLUB and receive a package each month (May-September) filled with a sampling of ALL the products in each of the colors, including an exclusive projects each month…PLUS a FREE BASIC BEIGE BONUS the last month!
Too impatient to collect slowly? Purchase ALL the colors in May or June from my Stampin’ Store and earn the Basic Beige Bonus FREE!
What a creative challenge we have for April’s New at SU! Blog Hop! We are “CASE”ing (= Copy And Share Everything) each other on the design team, and I was inspired by Karen Henderson’s fabulous MINI ALBUM that she made for our last hop AND her OnStage 2024 experience!
Nature’s Sweetness Mini Album for New at SU! Blog Hop – March 2024
If you didn’t see Karen’s album last month, you’ll be visiting her Furry Cat Designs blog next, or you can click on the link above to see how she used the Nature’s Sweetness products to create her album in March.
I chose to use the Lighter Than Air Designer Series Paper and the Mini Alphabet Dies to capture the fun of being GRANDparents and make my album with a fold over closure to keep it all together.
Karen’s idea to score the 6″x6″ pages at 4″ was brilliant, so I did the same. On the “short” pages, I added a photo or journaling flap:
Here are some of the pages in my album (just starting to journal our recent visit to see the grandkids…):
Because my pictures are larger, I cut some of them to spread across two pages.
The album base is 6.5″ x 11″, scored at 4.25″, 4.75″, 9″ and 9.5″ and used 11 sheets of the 6″ Designer Series Paper to create the pages, gluing them back to back. On a few (like the tulip page above), I just adhered the edges and bottom of two pages together, so I could create a pocket between them with a large tag I can pull out and journal on! Other supplies listed below.
Perhaps this type of album should be a class? Would you be interested in attending?
I’m so glad you visited me and hope you’ll leave a message for me before you hop over to Furry Cat Designs to see how Karen was inspired by Angie!
April 2024 New at SU! Blog Hop: CASE a Team Member
When you have the right tools, any project becomes easier.
Adhesive sheets are a type of double-sided adhesive that make any piece of paper into a sticker, and they are indispensable for a project like PAPER PIECING. The Ice Cream Swirl dies are a perfect example of how you can create sweet cards to drool over, using adhesive sheets:
Start with a 5.5″ x 6.75″ card base (scored at 4.25″) and “build” layers with Designer Series Paper. The Lighter Than Air designs have creamy colors that I used to cut 3 swirls from, then built up my lemon-raspberry ice cream swirl. This is a card you’ll want to make triplets of at one time, just to use up all the pieces:
Today (April 9th) is the last day to register for my Crafting Happiness class on Friday, April 19th, where I’ll be featuring the Ice Cream Swirl Bundle (and you get a discount on the class if you purchase the bundle from my store)- OR you can use one of the stamp & die bundles you may already have.
I appreciate your order of genuine Stampin’ Up! products from my store! Your support give me the opportunity to continue sharing creativity with you. I’m always tickled to mail a hand-stamped card as a thank you for online orders!
I’ve used the Sweetest Cherries stamp set with the coordinating Cherry Builder punch over the last few years for everything from Christmas to birthdays and will be sad to see it retire this month. Here is my card for a fond farewell to this crafting friend:
I made a “basket” for my cherries on this tall card base (11″ x 4.25″) by folding the bottom corners up to meet in the middle, stamped the cross-hatch designs on the front, then lined it with some Designer Series Paper before filling it with the mouth-watering fruit.
When I shared the retiring lists last week, I mentioned that the “Last Chance Sale” didn’t start until April 9th. What I *neglected* to mention that you may NOT WANT TO WAIT for the sale if there is something you REALLY want to get! There are already MANY products that are sold out and discontinued.
Check these lists to make sure you have collected the items you need in your craft room:
As we near the end of a Stampin’ Up! catalog year, it’s time to spotlight some of my favorite retiring products. These products are available while supplies last or until April 30, 2024 (download full retiring product list at end of this post).
Since the TGIF Bonus Challenge #tgifc466 was to create a “simple gift set” of cards, it gave me the opportunity to stretch outside my comfort zone of bright colors, and use some of the black & white designs from the Delightfully Eclectic Designer Series Paper. But you can’t take ALL the color out of my life, so I added Calypso Coral, which also shows up on some of the paper designs.
These cards use the paper, PLUS the Good Feelings stamp set and Rays of Light background stamp, all of which will NOT be returning to the new catalog premiering in May. The Rays of Light background is the one I will grieve over losing the most!
This simple fun-fold card style is strategically planned to make the most of your patterned paper! If you score a full 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of card stock along the long edge at 4.25″ and 9.75″…THEN cut it in half at 4.25″, you’ll have two 11″ x 4.25″ cards ready to fold, meeting on the front of the card,
Use a 4″ x 4″ piece of DSP on one side and a 4″ x 1″ piece on the smaller fold. This pattern can be used in landscape or portrait orientation.
Now, HOW should we “gift” all these simple co-ordinating cards?
A quick folio made from a 12″ tall x 10″ wide piece of the Designer Series Paper is just the thing, and can hold all the cards plus envelopes!
Score it at 4.75″ and 5.25″ to give a center binding back, then add a ribbon to tie closed:
What else is retiring? Click banners to download the lists of items from the ’23-’24 Annual Catalog AND the January-April Mini Catalog which will be retiring.
>>> NOTE THAT THE LAST CHANCE SALE STARTS APRIL 9th <<<
These are the supplies I used for my simple set of cards and the folio to gift them in. I appreciate your orders so much and will mail you a thank you card! THANK YOU.