Behind the Scenes info, and a Card to share

Wow, yesterday was an exciting day for Stampin' Up! demos! You have no idea how frantic we get waiting for catalogues, retiring lists, and anything else SU to be announced. Retiring lists always bring surprises!

And then there is the twitter back and forth between demos - oohing and ahhing, and getting all our details straight. Some demos (whose name(s) shall not be mentioned) even take their little laptop to bed so they can check the info at 3am without having to get up.

But enough behind-the-scenes action. I finally have a card to share with you again!

When I made this card I had no idea that two of the major elements would be retired, and I will be sad to see them both go.

The colours used are Rich Razzleberry, Pretty in Pink, and Old Olive. The punch (which is being retired) is the Pinking Hearts Border Punch. The stamp set is Vintage Vogue (also retired), and the sentiment set is Perfectly Penned.

This card takes less than fifteen minutes to make and is a simple stunner in real life. I especially love the Vintage Vogue set because it is so versatile, and it will not be leaving my collection!

I hope the sun is shining where you live and that you have a wonderful day!

Carol

Accessories Retirement List - Get Them While You Can

While the Retiring Stamp Sets are available until May 31st, the Retiring Accessories lists are 'while supplies last'. That means some could be gone today, some tomorrow, some next week. But there are dozens of items (some up to 70% off!), so have a look!

Retiring Accessories and Décor Elements

Click here to see the lists with images.

When you look at the retired accessories list, you'll note that all of our Stampin' Pads are listed. This is for two reasons:
 (1) Craft Stampin' Pads will now only be available in black and white; and
 (2) we are introducing a new Firm Foam pad in our Classic Stampin' Pads with the 2012-2013 annual catalog.
The Firm Foam pads offer better ink coverage and, in turn, better stamped images.

• Only select Stampin' Write Markers will be available individually (Stampin' Write Markers in color collections will continue to be offered)
• 12" x 12" Textured Card Stock will no longer be offered
• 12" x 12" Smooth Card Stock will only be available in select individual colors and color collections

The best way to order is directly on my Store site http://www.attherookery.stampinup.net so that you can order as soon as possible - especially if there is something you 'must' have before it's gone. 

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Happy Shopping!
Carol

The Retirement List is Here!

Be sure to check out the list to see if you have any of these 

stamp sets on your 'must have' list before they are gone 

on May 31, 2012!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE LISTS

You can order on-line or contact me.

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

Even though we're supposed to have 10-15 cm (4-6 in) of snow tonight I'm still in a spring mood! And I wanted to share it with you!

Here is a set that I made using the Heaven Blessed stamp set from the Occasions Mini:

The watercolouring is done on watercolour paper* using our Watercolour Wonder Crayons and an Aquapainter. The bag on the left is made with the Fancy Favour die, embellished with the new Paper Doily die. The card and the Number 2 box uses the new Framelit dies. The Designer Series Paper is from the Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack.

And just for fun I cased these bunnies from Kay Sha:

I couldn't resist them!

*Tip: Using watercolour paper makes such a difference in your projects. It allows you to blend colours, add or take away colours, all without the paper pilling or warping. Although it is more expensive than regular paper, it is well worth the price when you see the finished product.

Happy Stamping!
Carol

Upcoming Catalogue Changes for Stampin' Up! & A Sneak Peek!

Even though today is April Fools Day, this is no joke! Stampin' Up! is making some changes to its catalogues and its catalogue schedule.

First of all the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalogue will run only until the end of May this year as the new annual catalogue goes live on June 1st instead of July 1st (this means you won't have to wait as long to see all the gorgeous new products!!). So mark you calendars!

In a nutshell, starting June 1, 2012, Stampin' Up! will release one annual catalogue, comparable to (but smaller than) the current Idea Book & Catalogue, and two seasonal catalogues, comparable to (but larger than) the current mini catalogues.

Pretty simple, right? Here are the details:

Annual Catalogue

• The annual catalogue will run from June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2013.
• The annual catalogue will be reduced from over 240 pages in the current Idea Book & Catalogue to 208 pages.(This is mainly due to the reduction of the Home Decor Vinyl Art and the Jewellry lines)
• The annual catalogue will be printed on lighter-weight paper.

Seasonal Catalogues

• The Occasions, Summer, and Holiday Mini Catalogues will be replaced by two seasonal catalogues called the Holiday Catalogue and the Spring Catalogue.  
  • The first Holiday Catalogue will run from August 1, 2012 through the beginning of January, 2013
  • The first Spring Catalogue will run from the beginning of January, 2013 through May 31, 2013.
• The seasonal catalogues will be larger in both size (8 1/2" x 11") and page count (about 40 pages) than the current mini catalogues. 

So there you have it, annual catalogues that are more environmentally friendly and  seasonal catalogues that are larger (be still my heart!!). I'll have more information in the near future so stay tuned!

AND even better, here's sneak peek of what will be coming in that new catalogue...

These adorable little purses (3" wide at the base, 1 1/4" deep, and 2" high - not including the handle) are made in a snap from the brand-new Petite Purse die!!

Oh, and did I mention that you can purchase this die NOW, during the month of April, along with other selected items that will be in the new catalogue!!! (You can see them all at my Stampin' Up! store)

But before you go, look at some of the extra cute ideas demos have come up with that you can use to dress up your petite purses for special occasions:

 

Baby Showers or New Moms

Wedding Favours/Shower Favours

Girls Night Out

And just so the men won't feel left out

here's one for Father's Day/Birthdays/Fishing Fiends

(All of these special purses were designed by 

Stampin' Up! demo Cristy Butzen, 

and cased by me!)

I hope that got you excited enough to play with your stamping toys today.

Happy Stamping!

Carol