Flashback Friday - Retiring Favorites

This is the last Friday before the new catalog comes out so I thought it would be fun to do a flashback post sharing some of my favorite creations made with some of my most loved retiring stamp sets. So I don't "play favorites with my favorites", here they are alphabetically...

Big News - Fun sentiment stamps in a large size to be the focal point on your card.

Chalkboard grad card also uses Hardwood background (not retiring!) and Blue Ribbon (previously retired)

Big News is a fun set! My favorite image is the little WOO HOO! banner used on the card above...but the stamp I used the most in this set is the thank you stamp. It is the perfect size in a clear font that I found myself grabbing over and over.  The Zig Zag Embossing Folder used on this birthday card is also retiring. See an alternate version of the birthday card here.

Corner Garden is so much fun to color!

This vibrant card was colored using the Blendabilities Markers...I miss those.

Festival of Trees along with the Tree Punch was a great pairing to make beautiful Christmas cards and much more.

 This Christmas card really sparkled.

This coordinated gift set was fun to make.

A Christmas flip card using the Circle Card Thinlits...which is also retiring.

I just loved making this Christmas Keepsake Pocket Album! There are a few new Christmas stamp sets in the new catalog...but I always look forward to the Holiday Catalog to see all the fun new Christmas and Halloween stamps.

Perfect Peacock  is a beautifully detailed single stamp. If you love to color you need this stamp!

See all the details for the Perfect Peacock easel card  here.

This Perfect Peacock card was water-colored using my Aqua Painter in colors from the Bohemian DSP... see more here. 

Serene Silhouettes Is a beautiful set for any occasion. 

I especially loved using it for the emboss resist technique. Shown on the anniversary card above and on the birthday card below.

An alternate version of this card can be seen here.

I rather like the color combo and the layout used on this card. More info here.

It's not a stamp set, but the Spiral Flower Die has been one I have used quite often for a variety of projects...and to think at first I thought I didn't need it! More info on the Sweet Sorbet Topiary here.

 Roses adoring a sweet little bird house.

 More roses adorning battery operated candles.

and finally, a shadowbox scrapbook page.

Swallowtail - Who doesn't love butterflies? This stamp is larger than life and so very detailed.

This is the first card I ever made with this gorgeous stamp. More details here.

This one looks like it's going to fly right off the card! See more here.

This card uses the spotlighting technique. See more info along with an alternate version here.

World of Dreams - I absolutely love this set and have used it a lot.

The "thank you" sentiment is from the Big News set. I used that stamp quite often.

I created a trio of cards using the same technique along with Typeset Specialty Paper. You can see the entire set here.

Some of the retiring stamp sets have already sold out...but many retiring products are still available until May 31st (or while supplies last) Shop Now to get your favorites before they are gone!

I hope you enjoyed this Flashback...and the long Memorial Day weekend as well!

Flippin' Friday: Flippin' For World of Dreams

I used to try and do a Flippin' Friday post weekly, but it's been a while! I used the Circle Card Thinlits Dies at my recent Retiring Favorites Class earlier this week so I figured it was a good time to revive the series for a final farewell. This card sure uses a LOT of retiring items...can you spot them all?

I used one of my very favorite retiring stamp sets - World of Dreams for the main image on this card. I just love the sweet little nesting birds. After stamping, it was punched out using the 2-1/2" Circle Punch. The 2-1/2" circle layers nicely onto the circle of the flip card. I'm really bummed they are retiring this large circle punch...it is one of my most used punches.

The Hardwood background (don't worry...Hardwood isn't on the chopping block!) along with the leafy image from World of Dreams was used to stamp the Lost Lagoon card base. That leafy image is really great for randomly stamping the perfect background for any of the images in this set. Lost Lagoon is one of the five retiring In Colors. It's one of my favorites in the set, second only to Blackberry Bliss.

The Crumb Cake label was cut with one of the accessory dies in the Circle Card Thinlits Set. The sentiment is from my much used Petite Pairs stamp set. It was punched using the Large Oval Punch, which is also retiring.

The flip side has one of the verses from World of Dreams along with the leafy image stamped off for a lighter look.

If you don't already have these favorites in your collection, visit my Stampin' Store to get yours today! The Circle Card Thinlits Dies are on sale for the discounted price of only $23.10
Have a wonderful weekend!

So Long World of Dreams

Over the next couple of weeks I will be highlighting some of my favorite products that will soon be retiring. (I actually thought this card posted the other day...guess I forgot to hit "publish"? DOH!) Anyways...this springlike card features the beautiful set World of Dreams. I remember getting this set on my first new catalog order when it was first available. I fell in love with the images...especially this bird nest one. It's a great set for techniques.

I used the leafy image stamped randomly all over the Mint Macaron background then I stamped the Hardwood background stamp (I'm glad that one is sticking around!) inked in White Craft ink over the top of it. Wink of Stella Glitter Pen added some sparkle to the bird nest image and the die cut flower. Here's a closer look...

Don't you LOVE the gorgeous papers in the Birthday Bouquet pack of DSP? I used one of my favorite prints here for a slightly different version. I used the Bird Builder Punch to create the leaves...that's one of the many punches that is retiring.

What are you sad to see on the retiring list?

Springtime World of Dreams

During my last stamping session sponging the Irresistibly Yours DSP to reveal the lovely patterns made me think of one of my favorite techniques...emboss resist. So I pulled out one of my favorite stamp sets for this technique...World of Dreams.

The sponged on colors of Calypso Coral, Pistachio Pudding and Coastal Cabana along with the subject show that I am dreaming of spring.

I was inspired by the simple layout of a card on page 7 of the recent Stampin' Success magazine. They used a stamp set I don't have, so I swapped it out for another image that took about the same size.

Thanks for visiting.

Mossy Cajun World of Dreams

The pretty colors of Autumn are everywhere right now...so it's no surprise I found my color inspiration for todays card by simply looking out my window.

This pretty image from World of Dreams was embossed using the Offset Embossing technique...described in more detail here, and then sponged using:

•  Lost Lagoon
• Mossy Meadow
• Cajun Craze
• Early Espresso

You may recognize this card as I copied a previous card I made and just added the Cajun Craze for a totally different look.

Autumn World of Dreams

With the start of September I thought an Autumn inspired card would be nice to share today.

The World of Dreams stamp set combined with the Hardwood background stamp makes a nice masculine themed card. I used Cajun Craze & Mossy Meadow ink & card stock as well as Early Espresso & Crumb Cake ink

A touch of Natural Chevron Ribbon adds a nice accent yets still keeps the card masculine looking.

World of Dreams Trio

In my previous two postings this week I shared cards using the same set...World of Dreams and the same technique, but with different color combos. This is the third and final card to the set, and I think perhaps it's also my favorite.

This one uses the beautiful new in color Blackberry Bliss. Check out another version using Wisteria Wonder Seam Binding Ribbon...

For this one I also added some Basic Rhinestones colored with my Medium Rich Razzleberry Blendabilities Marker. Here's the entire set of three cards.

Earlier this week we made this set at my first All Occasions Card Class using new sets. If you live local be sure to check out my calendar of events so that next time you don't miss out!

Now that you've seen all three cards in the set, which one is your favorite?

Mossy World of Dreams

Today I would like to share the second card of a set using World of Dreams. This card would be perfect for any occasion.

I used the Offset Embossing Technique and then sponged over the top of it using Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake & Early Espresso inks. I describe this technique in a little more detail in my previous post...just scroll down to see the first card in this set of three.

I will share the final card on Friday...so don't forget to check back! Have a GREAT day!

World of Dreams

When first looking through the new catalog, one of the first stamp sets to catch my eye was the beautiful silhouette style set World of Dreams. It reminds me of a couple old favorites...Just Believe (retired) and Summer Silhouettes.  This is the first card I created using this pretty new set.

The sweet bird nest image was stamped twice onto the new Typeset Specialty Paper. The first time in Early Espresso and the second time it was stamped offset (using the Stamp-a-ma-jig) in VersaMark ink and then embossed in white. Offsetting the two images creates a shadow that really makes the image pop. Then I sponged Lost Lagoon, Crumb Cake & Early Espresso inks over the top of the image. The Typeset Specialty Paper is Very Vanilla with Basic Black print so you can color it any way you wish. (or leave as is).

I created my own DSP on the Crumb Cake layer by stamping the leafy image from the set all over using Crumb Cake ink. The thank you sentiment is from the Big News set. I finished off the card with a pretty bow using Lost Lagoon Stitched Satin Ribbon.

This is the first card in a set of three that I created using this set...check back to see the other two.