While trying to decide which retiring stamp set to highlight today, it turned out it was this Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper #113976 that caught my eye.  The bold Real Red flowers really looked so summery and I was still in a red, white and blue mood.  The Brilliant Blue paper is retiring also in the Color Renovation.  In spite of all the colors that are going out, I can guarantee you are going to LOVE the new colors and color combinations!  Wait till you see them all in the new catalog in the new projects!  And the new Stampin' Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog begins tomorrow!!!

For some reason I was happy with this card as is and didn't add a sentiment. But I always could later.  So if you ever just feel like making a card, leave off the greeting until you have a occasion for which you want to use it and you can add something later.  Hopefully you can see in the photo that I cut out a flower from another scrap of paper and popped it up with dimensionals over the same flower on the DSP.

Today is the LAST CHANCE for retiring Stampin' Up! stamp sets, accessories and Decor Elements as well as outgoing colors due to the Color Renovation.

Be sure you have want to need and want!  Click HERE to order Last Chance items and anything else you want!

I thought it would be fun to begin celebrating July 4th with Sock Monkey #111552! It's not the idea I started with, but once I looked over my stamp sets, this one jumped out at me. Sock Monkey is happy he isn't being retired tomorrow, too! But with the 4th of July coming up, I wanted to do something red, white and blue!  So here is Sock Monkey and a few things that are retiring.  What ever will we do without "Itty Bitty Backgrounds" #114996?  I've had that stamp set since I started stamping!

Tomorrow is the Last "Last Chance" Day!!!!!!!!

Check your list and get in your order!!

I thought I would make a Father's Day card for my husband in honor of our new Weber grill we bought recently!  Lots of people were making punch art bbq grills either for Father's Day, July 4th, or bbq party invitations, but our grill is a a different shape.  I just cut rectangles and rounded the corner of the grill top and used my Zig Painty pen to draw in the handles and doors.  I stamped the flowers and butterfly with the new Itty Bitty Bits stamp set in the Summer Mini. and the sentiment with Teeny Tiny Wishes #115370.  Just a quick little card!

Looking for some fun stamping ideas?  Check my Stampin' Up! website for projects!

Stampin' Up! Projects

Don't forget…..the Last Chance List and the $99 Mini Starter Kit Promotion both end June 30th!

I think this would be a fun project to try with your kids if they are out of school already.

Crayon Resist:

Stamp your image in Black Stazon on Glossy White card stock.

Color in some areas with your Whisper White Watercolor Crayon, some other light colored Watercolor Crayon or a regular crayon.

Apply ink to the entire piece of card stock using a brayer, sponge daubers or a sponge.  Where you applied the crayon, those areas will resist the ink.

Use a tissue to wipe off any excess ink.

Then you can go back and color in the areas you masked off with the crayon if you wish.

Try it!  I bet your kids will have fun trying all sorts of combinations!

And this is what I made after mounting my new stamp set, Because I Care. This is a new sneak peek set that will be in the new 2010-2011 Stampin' Up Idea Book & Catalog.  As demos, we were able to order some of the new products a month ahead of time!  What a perk!  I also used the new texture folder for the Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper, for the background layer.  I have seen some beautiful cards made with that.  You'll love it!

Father's Day is coming up Sunday, June 20th.  Here's a fun card to make….really any time for the man in your life.  Instead of the tropical paper, you could make a dress shirt and even add a necktie.  Have I said before that I LOVE this Island Oasis Designer Series Paper in the Summer Mini??  You could choose any of the patterns in this package of paper and it would look great.  The card base is Kraft, which after July 1st will be known as "Crumb Cake"!  This Striped Grosgrain Pumpkin Pie Ribbon as well as the Bold Brights Brads is on the Last Chance List so don't wait too long to get it!

The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes #115370, a great set for lots of occasions.  You will use it a lot.

Just go to my website and check out the Last Chance items (some are 25% and 50% off!!) so you won't be disappointed!

You never know where your inspiration will come from to make a card or project!  When I saw these Gianna's sugar cookies at Whole Foods today I immediately thought of our Sweet Scoops stamp set from the Stampin' Up! !  I also thought about how yummy these cookies looked! So for art's sake, I decided to purchase a box so I could make something. Here is the very simple card I made, just to go along with the cookies!

Click on photo to enlarge.

I know the card is a little bit in the background, but it really is all about the cute cookies, isn't it?!

Stamps:  Sweet Scoops (p. 10, Summer Mini)

Ink:  Apricot Appeal, Yoyo Yellow, Rose Red, Only Orange

Paper:  Bermuda Bay card stock, Whisper White card stock, Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper #115673

Accessories:  2-Way Glue Pen #100425, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter #102023, Bermuda Bay 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon #115610

If you want this darling stamp set, in either wood-mount or clear-mount from the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini, just go HERE to my Online Store and order yours today!

Watercolor Trio is a beautiful set in the Summer Mini AND it is also a stamp set in the $99 Mini Starter Kit Promotion!  This is a great opportunity to start your own stamping and scrapbooking business right when the new Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog comes out!

This card uses some of the retiring colors, Pink Passion and Mellow Moss.  If there are any retiring colors you "need" before they are gone you really need to place your order soon.  Some are already not available or backordered.  I also used the new Textured Impressions Embossing Folder "Square Lattice" #119976  for the Big Shot as my background layer on this card.  And as a final touch, I couldn't resist spraying on some of the Gold Glow Smooch Spritz #118770 that is in the Summer Mini using my Color Catcher #121093.  

You can see the gold spritz in this photo although you might not be able to see the shine.  You can also see that I distressed the edges of the stamped layers.

If you are reading this and haven't signed up for my newsletter yet, this would be a good time because the June newsletter will be going out very shortly!  Just click on the Mailing List signup box in the upper left!

This new stamp set in the Summer Mini, Sweet Scoops, reminded me of a Stampin' Up! set from a long time ago when I first started stamping.  It was called "Perfect Party" but the ice cream scoop and cone were larger than these.  I remember being so amazed back then that somebody would think to make something besides an ice cream cone out of those stamps!  Don't these look like little bears with party hats on??  We also used to have a face stamp but since we don't now, I just drew in a little face with a marker.  

The little poofs on top of their hats are made with the new Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack in the Summer Mini also.  Sweet Scoops is a cute little stamp set perfect for summer and hot weather when some ice cream cones or a sundae is just the thing!  And how perfect to use for kids' birthday parties!  Get your set ordered now at my Online Store!  You can order it wood-mount (#117078) or clear-mount (#120078)!