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!

Arrivederci Eleanor!

Another favorite retiring set of mine is Everything Eleanor...especially the beautiful swirl image! I used it several times on this card, stamping both the die cut label and the Mint Macaron layer at the same time.

Lots of retiring favorites were used on this card. The Deco Label Framelits, the Venetian Crochet Trim and the Petite Pairs stamp set are all retiring as well.

Shop my Stampin' Store to get your favorites before they are gone.

Sayonara Serene Silhouettes

Serene Silhouettes...another favorite that is soon to be retired. We used it at my Retiring Favorites Class last week to create this card along with the beautiful retiring In Colors.

Swipe each of the five In Color Markers across a clear block and mist with water to create the background. Then just stamp your image with Black Stazon after it's dried. I shared this free tutorial a while back if you want more info.

The sentiment is from Petite Pairs...I use that set a lot, but it is retiring as well. A pretty bow tied with White Seam Binding Ribbon finishes off the card. I'm sad to see all the Seam Binding Ribbon retiring...it is so soft and easy to work with. The stamped Whisper White layer is adhered to a Blackberry Bliss base...which is my absolute favorite retiring In Color.

For this next card, I swapped the Seam Binding Ribbon for Gold Sequin Trim and stepped up the card a bit with a few extra details...

Dazzling Details in Gold Glitz to be exact! I used it on the flowers and the added butterfly from Papillon Potpourri. 

The third card uses retired Blackberry Bliss Striped Satin Ribbon and some Basic Rhinestone Jewels.

The "HELLO" sentiment is from the Crazy About You stamp set...that one will be sticking around for a while longer. Here's a look at all three of the cards...

Which one do you like best?

Goodbye Corner Garden

I'm here today to share another favorite retiring item...the Corner Garden background stamp. This is a card we made at my Retiring Favorites Class here on Tuesday.

This stamp is just lovely and so much fun to color! I stamped the image twice...the first time on Wisteria Wonder using Rich Razzleberry ink. The second time with Black Stazon onto Whisper White. The flowers were all watercolored using my Aqua Painters and Classic Ink pooled in the ink pad lids. The birthday greeting is from Petite Pairs...which is also retiring...sniff, sniff. I use that set ALL the time!

To finish the card I just matted the colored piece onto Soft Sky, added a couple Basic Rhinestones and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals lining the image up with the one on the Wisteria Wonder layer.

If you don't already have the Corner Garden background stamp in your collection...GOOD NEWS...the Clear Mount version is discounted during it's retirement for only $12.75. Pick yours up today!

So Long Little Letters & Numbers

So many awesome dies and punches are retiring this time around! Today I have a birthday card to share that uses the Little Letters & Numbers Framelits. These little dies are the perfect size to use on both cards and scrapbook pages.

I used papers from the It's My Party Stack and some from the Cherry On Top 6x6 Stack to pull in the more "manly" colors of Cucumber Crush and Bermuda Bay. I created a fun balloon bouquet using what else...the Balloon Bouquet Punch!

For embellishments I used Bakers Twine Combo Pack, Bermuda Bay 1/8" Stitched Ribbon and some assorted sequins scattered among the confetti background. Yes, a lot going on here...but a fun card I think.

Check back again soon for more projects featuring my favorite retiring products. If you would like to add them to your collection...better do so before they are gone!

Hello Life, Goodbye Eleanor!

My title sounds like an indignant breakup, when actually I'm just featuring some favorite retiring items again today. The "do more of what makes you happy" stamp from Hello Life is awesome! When first seeing this set I had plans to use it on some scrapbook pages, but I still have yet to use it on a page. Need to put that on my "to do" list! Anyways...today I have used it on a card.

I have used our gorgeous set of five retiring In Colors to create my watercolor background. I'm really going to miss these rich colors...especially Blackberry Bliss! If you want to try this watercolor background technique I shared this free tutorial a while back. It's a really fun, easy way to achieve the watercolor look.

I used the same background technique on a small scrap as well. Then stamped a flower from the Everything Eleanor stamp set. This is another set I have really loved...especially the swirled flourish. I used that on the corner where I attached the flower.

When I stamped the "do more of what makes you happy" image I had a little boo boo with the ink smearing around the "p" & "y". I hate when that happens! To make it less noticeable...hopefully you didn't notice it?, I added a little texture using the little honeycomb stamp from Butterfly Basics.

The Tangelo Twist card base is stamped using the textured polka dots from Timeless Textures...love that set!

Have a wonderful weekend..."do more of what makes you happy!"

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?

Going, Going, Gone...

Have you checked out the retired list yet? Lots of great products are retiring...some are discounted up to 50%!

A few of my favorite items leaving are the stamp sets Serene Silhouettes, World of Dreams, Swallowtail and Everything Eleanor. Favorite accessory is the Seam Binding Ribbon...I LOVE that stuff! Too many awesome punches and dies to name...

better check out the list to make sure you do not miss out on your favorites!