Last Chance!

Today is your absolute last day to order from the retiring list...and in my rush to show you all the great stamps that are retiring, I neglected to tell you that a LOT of Decor Elements will also be bidding us farewell.  There is a big change to this product line starting tomorrow which will be great...but also means you can't buy Many Welcomes, which now graces my door, any more.

Why do I love Decor Elements?  Well, the reasons are many, but #1 on my list is the fact that I'm a renter...so my home decor isn't in my hands as much I wish it were.  You know the drill--white everything, with no hope of painting, and restrictions on hanging "decorations".  This is where Decor Elements fit in!  I put Many Welcomes on my (very plain) door, since I don't have an entryway.  This doubles as our welcome mat, since our door is at the top of a staircase, with no room for a real mat!  When it's time to move, I can peel these right off and throw them away without harming the paint, thus keeping my ever-important deposit in tact.  Or I can change them sooner, if I change my mind about welcoming everyone in.  (You might recall I had snowflakes on the door around the holidays).  With few other decorating options, Decor Elements are a win-win for me.

Cheers!
~Melanie

A Pop of Color

I know I showed you the color embossing powders from the Summer Mini once before, but I don't think I had grasped their full potential.  While it's fun to emboss in color on white, these powders really strut their stuff on darker cardstock.  That's why I say hello hello hello to a Melon Mambo embossed delicate doily on Basic Gray cardstock.

See anything new here?  You should--it's a double sneak peek for the 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog, which goes live this Friday!  The main image is from a new stamp set, Delicate Doilies, that is oh so much fun to play with (embossed or no!).  But my absolute favorite thing about this card is the the new punch, Lace Ribbon Border.  That's another great pop of color.  The sentiment is from Happy Greetings, which you can find in the Summer Mini.  Sadly, this great set of sentiments did not make the cut for the IBC, but I happen to think that this edition of the idea book has the best sentiment sets ever, so I can't feel too bad.

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Delicate Doilies, Happy Everything
Ink: Versamark
Paper: Basic Gray, Melon Mambo
Extras: Melon Mambo embossing powder, Wild Wasabi embossing powder, Lace Ribbon Border punch

Something Old, Something New

Here's one of the projects I was working on last week for Kiran's bridal shower--favor tags.  In keeping with the paisley theme, I used Paisley Prints (from the Holiday 2010 Mini)...which I had to borrow from Kiran.  That's my something old; the something new is the medallion I mounted the heart on, which I cut out using the NEW die Perfect Pennants which will be available on Friday when the new Idea Book and Catalog goes live.  I hope you're ready!!

While this was a simple project, made even easier by the Big Shot, I did have to make quite a few.  I think they look great all lined up together, don't you?  And they were perfect coordination for Kiran's shower invitations.  It's so fun and easy to have a coherent look when you make the details yourself!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Paisley Prints
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Extras: Full Heart punch, Big Shot, Perfect Pennants die, Basic Black Marvelous Marker

I Can't Believe It's Retiring!

Here it is, my "How can they retire this stamp set?" pick for 2011.  Compliments to the Chef  After June 30th, you won't be able to get these fantastic pieces of silverware any more (except for My Digital Studio).  This means you won't be able to emboss them and create the best dinner invitations ever.  Okay, I might be a little biased, but these did make an impression on my guests.

Rest assured, I am going to be keeping my set, and guarding it carefully.  I have plans to use this again...but if you want to use it yourself, you'd better ORDER ONE TODAY!  Just think how perfect this would be for a recipe swap, cookie swap, crop share, fancy dinner party, not-so-fancy dinner party, or any food-centered event.  Don't miss out!  :)

Cheers!

~Melanie

Don't Miss It!

It's been awfully quiet around here again--that's what too many weddings will do to you!  Last weekend was my best friend's wedding in Maine (road trip!), and then I got back and was working on top-secret projects for Kiran's bridal shower yesterday.  Hence the silence.  But I can report that both events were wonderful, and I'll be sharing some of the shower projects this coming week.

But first, a few updates on the retiring stamp set list.  Every year I hold my breath when the list is announced, worried about which favorite I'll need to remove from my active collection.  At first glance, I was a happy camper this year--I thought I was going to keep all of my favorites.  But no such luck.  Just this week, Stampin' Up! announced that For the Bride will no longer be available after June 30th.  I really like this stamp set, and Kiran loooooves it, as you might have guessed.  And I have borrowed it from her many time to make some fantastic cards and invitations like those pictured here.  

Kiran's shower invite was a success; all of the guests loved it.  It definitely set the tone for this fun event, and could not have been done without For the Bride.  So if you've been thinking about this set, my advice is ORDER IT TODAY!!!  I once didn't buy a set that I really liked before it retired, and it took me forever to find it elsewhere...I won't be making that mistake again, and I don't want you to either.

Check in tomorrow for my favorite set from the retiring list.  

Cheers!

~Melanie

More Birthday Mojo

Sometimes it's better to go simpler, and that was exactly what I did with this take on Mojo Monday 194. I actually started with the same layout that inspired yesterday's card, but when I got part way through, I realized that I didn't want to cover up the contrasting circles, so I saved myself lots of steps and paper.  I'm really happy with the result, which I think I could easily mass produce to address my current lack of birthday cards.

Each strip is 1" by 4" long, and I used the 1" circle punch.  The colors are Marina Mist and Perfect Plum, and my finishing touch is the sentiment from Curly Cute, inked in Marina Mist.  So quick and easy!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Curly Cute
Ink: Marina Mist
Paper: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Perfect Plum
Extras: 1" Circle punch

Birthday Mojo

I'm a huge fan of this week's Mojo Monday Sketch #194, and that was my launching point for this card. Engraved Greetings is also on the retiring list, which means we bid farewell to this great stamp set in a few short week.  Since I've recently been caught unprepared for a couple birthdays, I decided to put this stamp through its paces and stock up on some birthday cards.

I started by making the medallion, and then had to flip the sketch because the medallion took up too much space horizontally.  I inked my stamp in Pacific Point and stamped on Whisper White, then used my 2-3/8" Scallop Circle punch to cut out the sentiment.  I punched a second scallop from Pacific Point and adhered the two to create the offset look, and then got out my Circle Scissors Plus and Glass Cutting Mat to quickly create a 2-1/2" circle of Rich Razzleberry.  A little ribbon and my medallion was all set.

Next up were the stripes on the card base, which are 3/4" strips of Pacific Point evenly spaced (hint: lay out 7 strips, and then adhere only those you need.  Remover the others for perfect spacing!)  Instead of the card sketch's big scallops, I used the scalloped edge punch on both sides of a strip of Rich Razzleberry, and then layered a piece of Pacific Point punched with the Dotted Ribbon punch.  My finishing touch was a row of Basic Rhinestones, because what birthday card doesn't need a little bling?

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Engraved Greetings
Ink: Pacific Point
Paper: Whisper White, Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry
Extras: 2-3/8" Scallop Circle punch, Scallop Edge punch,  Dotted Ribbon punch, Basic Rhinestones, Circle Scissors Plus, Glass Cutting Mat, Whisper White 5/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Tart, Tangy, and a Thirst Quencher

I am so sorry to see Tart and Tangy go.  This is a great, fun set that is perfect for summer...and almost any other time.  I've had this project in mind for a long time, and just had to sit down and put it together now that my time is limited.  I think jelly beans or runts are the perfect filling for these mini milk cartons, which would be a great party favor for a fun summer event.  Do you have any planned?

Cheers!

~Melanie

Stamps: Tart and Tangy

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Cherry Cobbler

Paper: Whisper White, Real Red

Extras: Big Shot, Mini Milk Carton die, Mini Library Clips

So Many Thanks

I'm eagerly waiting for the 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalogs to arrive on Wednesday.  But in the meantime, I'm going to be sharing projects using the retiring stamps that are only available until the end of June.  First up is this great single stamp, So Many Thanks, that makes a card all on its own.  I used last weeks sketch over a Mojo Monday, Mojo193.  Kiran recently sent me a card that reminded me of how great a color combination purple and green is.

I went with the In Colors Concord Crush and Pear Pizazz, and found this great polka dot paper in the hostess patterns pack.  I inked my stamp in Pear Pizazz, then used the Concord Crush marker to make "Thanks So Much" stand out.  The ribbon is Pretty in Pink 5/8" Taffeta Ribbon, which is also retiring.  My bling is a large Filigree Brad, for which I used a Concord Crush Glimmer brad as the center.  

Cheers!

~Melanie

Stamps: So Many Thanks

Ink: Pear Pizazz, Concord Crush

Paper: Whisper White, Pear Pizazz, Concord Crush, In Color dsp patterns pack

Extras: Pretty in Pink 5/8" ribbon, Filigree brad, In Color Glimmer brad

Paisley Bridal Shower for Kiran

If you've learned one thing about Kiran by now, it's that she LOVES her paisleys!  Her decor radiates between paisleys and peacocks, and is quite a thing to behold--just beautiful.  So when it came time to make her shower invitations, there was only one place for me to go--For the Bride.  Kiran has been saving this stamp set and planning its deployment long before her lucky groom popped the question, and I was both excited and nervous to finally make her vision a reality.

The good news is that Kiran LOVES the invitations, so I did something right.  I went with a color combination of Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla because Hindu brides wear red on their wedding day.  I used my trusty Big Shot and the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder to create the textured edge.  I stamped the "paisley bride" (Kiran's name for the stamp set) on Very Vanilla with the matching Cherry Cobbler ink, and added the invitation sentiment in Early Espresso.

The back has all the details for the shower...and there is loads of fun in store for Kiran at the end of June.  I hope she's ready!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: For the Bride
Ink: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Extras: Big Shot, Framed Tulips embossing folder

Fresh Look for June

Happy sultry summer everyone!  It is definitely hot here--more than hot enough for me.  So I went with a cool and crisp look for June's blog, courtesy of the brand new My Digital Studio Download, Hello Baby.  This went live yesterday, and if you haven't read about it yet, you MUST check it out, so click here to read all about the download and see samples on My Digital Studio.  If you're planning any showers or parties this summer, this download is for you!  I've already marked out a few different color schemes that I'll be using it for, and I promise to share pictures.  :)

As I mentioned yesterday, I got my first sneak peek at the new catalog's offerings this morning, and I am BEYOND excited!  I can't wait to share the catalog with you July 1...but in the meantime, we are bidding farewell to a number of well-loved and well-used stamps, accessories, and definitely decorative items.  The lists are all available below, and these are available in limited quantities this month only.  If there's something you'd like to get, let me know ASAP and I'll do my best to hook you up.

Retiring stamps:  Clear Mount, Wood Mount

Retiring accessories

Retiring Definitely Decorative

Next up--Kiran's shower invitation.  Stay tuned!
Cheers!
~Melanie

My Digital Studio: Hello Baby