Breaking Up is Hard to Do

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I'm so sad to see some of my most favorite stamp sets of all time retiring. *Heartfelt Thanks* is one of those sets. I'm having a hard time letting go of it and moving on to the new sets! There are so many things you can do with set, it's not even funny! This was one of those sets that you could use with the Watercolor Wonder Crayons, the Stampin' Markers, the Classic and Craft ink pads, the chalks... pretty much everything.

I'll be missing this set!!!!

I paired it up with the designer paper *Walk in the Park* and a silver basic *Jumbo Grommet*, both available in the *Occasions Mini Catalog*. The silver brads, white gel pen, grey taffeta ribbon and photo corners punch are all available in the main catalog.

For those of you who never had a chance to play with it, I highly encourage you to get it while you can. After June 30 it will be gone forever!

SUPPLY LIST:
Stamps
• Heartfelt Thanks (LAST CHANCE LIST)
Paper
• Whisper White card stock
• Basic Gray card stock
• Basic Black card stock
• Walk in the Park Designer Series double-sided cardstock (OCCASIONS MINI CATALOG)
Ink
• Baja Breeze Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Basic Black Classis Stampin' Pad
Stampin’ Up! Accessories
• White gel pen
• Basic Black Stampin' Write marker
• Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon
• Silver Brads
• Crafter's Tool Kit
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Basic Jumbo Grommets (Silver) (OCCASIONS MINI CATALOG)
• Photo Corners punch


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LAST CHANCE TO BUY RETIRING ACCESSORIES!

There are still lots of accessories left for purchase at discount prices! Check out the updated list. As of June 16, 2009. CLICK ON THE LIST BELOW TO ENLARGE IT!


If you'd like to purchase any of these, CLICK HERE - once you're at my website click on the SHOP NOW button in the upper right-hand corner!

Country Living Summer Cookout Kit! Available June 15 - August 31

Dates: June 15 - August 31, 2009

This summer, Stampin' Up! has partnered with Country Living magazine to create a unique craft kit, which they are featuring in their July 2009 issue. You will love how it can help create special memories with a fun and convenient, coordinated summer barbeque!

STAMP SET:

The exclusive Country Living Summer Cookout Kit includes the following products:

• 8 die-cut table tents (2 each of 4 colors)
• Die-cut components, bamboo skewers, and envelopes to create 8 shish kabob invitations
• 12 die-cut coasters (3 each of 4 colors)
• 16 die-cut tags (4 each of 4 colors)
• 24 12" x 12" printed food wrapper sheets (12 each of 2 colors)
• 4 printed recipe cards
• 5 yards linen thread
• Ruby Red Classic Stampin' Spot
• Night of Navy Classic Stampin' Spot
• Dig In stamp set (item number 116700)

See how Shelli Gardner, the founder of Stampin' Up! used the kit to throw a BBQ for her own family!

She even provided the directions to make this Origami Blitz Box that she used to hold the potato chips:

Using leftovers to create this cute little holiday decoration flag:

To purchase this kit, click here to go to my Stampin' Up website and then click on the SHOP NOW button!

Item #	Description	Price
118070	Country Living Summer Cookout Kit	$24.95

An inspirational verse for today:
Psalm 51:10-12
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Gratuitous Graffiti!

I had been wanting this stamp, *Gratuitous Graffiti* for a long, long time - so imagine my joy when I found out that I had earned a free stamp set from Stampin' Up!  During Sale-a-bration, you can earn free stamps according to how much your sales are. Woo-hoo!  I was so excited!

I just love the grungy, shabby-chic-ness of this stamp design, I think it's just awesome and there's so much you can do with it artistically.  I also love that it's all about thankfulness and gratitude, AND in different languages!  

So, to make this card I decided to heat emboss the stamp image on plain Whisper White cardstock using Versamark and Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder with my Stampin' Up Heat Tool.  After it cooled down I sponged on different colors, using each color of ink to highlight the different words.  I used cut up pieces of sponges and picked up ink straight from the ink pads, swiping the sponge over the ink pad repeatedly until it had a good amount of ink on it.  Then I dabbed the sponge onto the cardstock directly over the words.  Each word would emerge as I dabbed the ink on, it was really fun to watch.  Finally I made a shadow around each word with a permanent Sharpie marker, giving the words more definition.  Ain't it coooool?  I can't wait to make more!!!

To order any of these products, click on this link to go to my Stampin' Up storefront!

~SUPPLIES~

Stamps: Gratuitous Graffiti Background Stamp

Cardstock: Pink Passion, Basic Black, Whisper White

Inks Pads: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Always Artichoke, Real Red, Summer Sun, Pretty in Pink, Orchid Opulence, Pumkpin Pie, Pink Passion

Accessories: Heat Tool, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Sponges

Inspired by Nature!

This is one of my all-time favorite Stampin' Up! stamps, *Inspired by Nature*.  Isn't it a beaut?  (the stamp, I mean).  It's so cool, it's a double-mounted stamp - on one side of the wood block is this stamp image, and on the other side of the stamp is a matching long grassy stamp!  The two of them go perfectly together!

This stamp is also perfect for using with watercolor wonder crayons, or with the Stampin' Up! markers.

On this card I've used both sides of the rubber stamp.  Do you see how the long grassy image compliments the flowers?  I also used Stampin' Up!'s water-based markers and directly inked up the stamp using various shades of pink.  After I colored the entire stamp, I stamped it on whisper white cardstock. 

Here you can see the flower stamp used alone without the long grass.  

I basically did the same with this one.  I colored in the stamp with Stampin' Up!'s water-based markers *Tempting Turquoise* and *Summer Sun* and then stamped it on the specialty cardstock, *whisper white* which is an ultra smooth, silky and absorbent cardstock.  Do you see all the little black and grey dots in the background?  Those were done with the *Itty Bitty Backgrounds* set, which is a must-have for creating subtle shading and interest.  I also added touches of highlights with a white Stampin' Up! gel pen and Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker.

So, where is this stamp set, you ask?  Why don't you see it in the catalog?!

That's because Stampin' Up! has a *dormant* (sleeping) list!  It's basically all the stamp sets that are not seen in any catalog but still available for you to buy!  You can download, view and print it by clicking right here!

TO ORDER ANY OR ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS, CLICK HERE NOW!

~SUPPLIES~

1st card:

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Best Yet (retired)

Cardstock: Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Inks/Markers: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Close to Cocoa, Certainly Celery & Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories: Scallop Square punch, Pretty in Pink 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

2nd card:

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Thank You Kindly

Cardstock: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

Inks/Markers: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery & Green Galore Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories: Basic Black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, white Stampin' Up gel pen