And a final Balloon Bash Pop Out Swing Card…

Many people asked whether this card can be made using Framelits other than the Squares.

So I had to conduct the relevant experiment for you…. and … I can happily report– of course it can….  here is the Circle Version…

One for the girls this time – nice and bright and pink! Well Strawberry Slush actually…

So which do you prefer? Squares as yesterday’s card or Circles!??

Link to the Tabbed Pop Out Swing Card Tutorial here….

And on a final note… exciting times today…. as it is the day that Stampin’ Up! reveal the new 2015-16 Catalogue to us demos. Can’t wait till 1 pm to see….. So excited!!!

The Catalogue will be released to the big wide world on 2nd June…. Can’t wait till then…. why not Join My Team… you too could be looking at it this afternoon!!

Balloon Bash Pop Out Swing Card

Another in the Balloon Bash series – and another Tabbed Pop Out Swing Card for which I shared the tutorial here.

Slightly brighter and more lively this time…. and the co-ordination of the cardstock and paper stacks make this type of card a simple task!

And for those of you checking in for the Weekly Deals…. there appears to be a little delay today …. I guess they will go live about 4-5pm UK time. So do come back and check them out then….

How I shall miss thee! Retiring List Stamps Review

As promised…here is my review of stamps on this years Retired List that I shall sorely miss using…. click on the product picture to go straight to my store or click on the project picture to go to the relevant earlier blog post…

So not in any particular order…..

Around The World. Gosh this has had a lot of use for mini books & Project Life. Think this will probably be a keeper… Still available in wood and clear.

Apothecary Art. Used this set so much over the years…really sad to see it go… still available in Wood & Clear. Ooh… Wood only £2 more than clear. Though the co-ordinating Labels Collection Framelits now out of stock so gone forever… Can’t believe I didn’t blog these Diorama cards before…

Memorable Moments. Really great Numbers and Words set. Hope there is a good “replacement” for me in the new catty…… or these will have to be another keeper! Still available in both wood and clear – again wood mount less than £2 more than the clear now….

@So Social. Just really really surprised to see this go so soon… We have had great fun using this is in our Project Life sessions and on quite a few cards too… Think this may have to be a keeper for me actually!! Still available in both Wood & Clear.

Sorry no projects to share as I can’t find them in my Pictures folder… but I can share one of the cards in its previous form… and note that the Make Note Rotary stamp in that one has also retired… and now I have just realised why all my customers have rushed to buy this little stamp at just £2.75!! I think there may be a few of you that will need the Word Window punch now too!!

 

Embellished Events. Many of you will be surprised to see this on here… but I use this stamp set for my “Beginners” classes…as there are great images and words too… so one stamp set, a couple of inks and a bit of card mean ladies go away with a simple kit they can make cards etc with for so many occasions straightaway….and then forever more… Only left in Wood…

It really is a great little set… and used for some of my favourite cards – whether the very very simple ones or the easy but fancier… none of which I appear to have blogged before…..

 

Label Love – still available in Wood & Clear. Artisan Label punch retiring too…. but punch has already gone forever…

Petite Pairs… EDITED TO ADD… Appears this has had a reprieve – I can definitely see it in the new catty!!
I used this one SO much over the years. Though I am sure SU! will give me a good replacement in the new catty….. Still available in Wood and Clear mount. But no reduction on this one!

Wildflower Meadow So Sad! Still available in wood , clear and the embossing folder is still there too…

And lastly my one definite keeper – Dictionary – gone for good in stamp form – though still available as a MDS download… I really hope that there is a great new alternative to this stamp….

Remember my Convention swap card… which I naughtily nicknamed the car tax disc card!

And  the Too Kind stamps used here are also on the Retiring List… still available in Wood only… Definitely one I will miss…

And here was a CAS Christmas Santa’s List card that I don’t appear to have shared on here before…

So another bit of a trip down Memory Lane here… and as a result - unfortunately for me - now a few more stamp sets moving over to the Keep Box… Maybe Memory Lane is not such a good idea for me after all!!!

Clean & Simple Balloon Bash Men’s Card

Here is the third of my trio of Men’s cards using Balloon Bash.

So staying on the Crumb Cake, Night of Navy & Old Olive colour theme.

Clean & Simple with sprinkles on top! Yes it has seriously got sprinkles….love this little stamp in the Balloon Bash set….

And now time for  a personal update…..

As many of you know I have been REALLY struggling with doing anything on the PC or crafting since I was involved in a minor Road Traffic accident in December.

Bit of whiplash then has caused me major pain if I spent more than 5 minutes on a PC… which has made even simple blogging difficult – and the writing up of tutorials virtually impossible!! Think I have managed 2 in the last 5 months… and they took me about 2 weeks each!

Well this week has finally seen some improvement…. I have been up to almost 20 minutes on the PC at a time and I have managed to sit down to craft rather than having to stand up all the time….

And as of this afternoon – I have a new chair to trial and a new set up for my PC etc.. I won’t bore you with details ….! But I can already feel such a difference! So finally I now realistically hope to be able to “catch up” with the many tutorials I have been asked for over the past few months. Thank you for being patient & keeping with me in the meantime!

So I am plotting a new series of Fancy Fold Fridays (and maybe even some Make it Mondays!) – in order to finally share the details with you…

I have a list of projects I am plotting to do & the order in which I will do them…. but if you have been desperate to know how to do a project I have published over the past 4 months and would like to email me or comment – then maybe that project will move up the priority list…..! Or in some cases go onto the List!

Another Small Square Double Display Card

Here is another version of the Double Display card I made for Training last weekend. Brighter and aimed at the younger males… Again using the fabulous Balloon Bash stamp set….

Just a quick post today… and somewhat later than usual…. as I can see you are all loving the Retiring List and its discounts!! Been mad hectic around here for the last 48 hours…. Work wise and personally too!

Oh but whilst you are perusing…. don’t forget to look at the Weekly Deals and the Clearance Rack too… even more bargains to be had on those….

Particularly loving the Ornate Tag Topper Punch on the Weekly Deals. You too can make tickets like mine!

Ornate Tag Topper Punch  137416   Price: £19.95 £14.96

Most tag punches punch out the entire tag, so you're limited to one size. But the Ornate Tag Topper Punch cuts out just the top of a tag so you can choose how long you want your tag to be. It also punches out the hole for a tassel or thread so you don't have to do it separately. Make quick tags, bag toppers, bookmarks, and more. Tag width: 2" (5.1 cm). Tag length: any length you want!
■ Push to punch--no squeezing
■ Large surface area offers precise cutting and leverage
■ Slim and sleek--easy to store

Hope to be back soon with my Not to Miss items from the Retiring List… though know quite a few from my original list have gone…. and need to check the others now before I can post!

Though I have to point out my favourite “must have at the price” on the Retiring List!! Especially if you haven’t got any Tag Topper Punches yet…  50 % off and fabulous…

Mine is a keeper….punches your standard Tag shape!! 2” wide…Any length… But also you can do so many of the other fantastic Tag Topper Punch projects we demos like to share ….

And it was still there last time I ordered….

Angled Tag Topper Punch

Price: £20.95 £10.48

Ready, Set… Retired List 2015… most items 15-50% discount

It is that time of the year already… Time to say goodbye to stamps, punches, dies, papers, inks & card and accessories that will not feature in the new 2015-2016 Annual Catalogue that will soon be published on 2nd June.

So here is the European Retired Items list published by Stampin’ Up! Go here to view on my Online Shop (with product pictures!) or here to download the pdf version.

But WOW… for the first time… most items are discounted….from 15 to 50% off. Items only available while stocks last or until 2nd June.

But don’t forget… if you are ordering on-line and your order is over £20 but under £150  – enter hostess code 2XJTDA9A – as then a little gift to say thank you will be sent separately from me to you!

But if you are ordering over £150+… do not use this hostess code… claim your Stampin Rewards instead…!!! I will still send you the extra gift!

And more Retiring news… Stampin’ Up! will retire the entire My Digital Studio programme and product line on June 2nd. So all items now have 30% off as this is the last chance you will have to purchase them… Software and items you have purchased (or those you purchase now) will continue as normal (unless your PC or software malfunctions!)

Go here to view these discounted MDS items on my Online Shop (with product pictures!) or here to download the pdf version.

I will be back with some highlights fairly soon– as I know there are a few key items there for my customers….

So there you have it… there will be many of these items that will be sorely missed… So if you have them on your Wish List – please do buy them now….

Small Square Double Display Card–and some Mass Production Tips

Before I share today – NEWSFLASH – THE ANNUAL RETIRING LIST IS PUBLISHED TOMORROW….. make sure you come back & check it out!!

Last Saturday was our Quarterly Team Training meet. A really great day with a great bunch of girls. Lots of inspiration from fellow demos – and lots of fabulous makes and swaps. I now have a great selection of men’s cards to inspire!

So this was my swap card for our Men’s Theme… kept clean & simple in decoration as for a male … I am so loving this Balloon Bash set…. which is code for more coming…

I don’t normally do a Fancy Fold card for a team swap – but there were fewer of us than usual on Saturday so I grabbed the opportunity…and this card really is quite a quick card format once you know what you are doing!

So … a few tips for you if you are making a few of any cut and fold type card….

Mark your trimmer cut bar with Sharpie pen dots where you need to cut from and to… speeds up the process 100 fold….

If you are not using a scoreboard for quick scores – mark your trimmer again along the top bar to speed up that part of the process…

Do all your long scores first – then go back and do those short scores at the top and bottom – less to remember at a time and again quicker…

Then you can just use your Staz On remover to remove the dots when you are done….

And before you have to ask… this small square version is made from A4 card rather than the 12x12 needed in the Large Square Tutorial posted here (Metric) and here (Imperial). So I will be back to share the details another day….

Sorry for going AWOL for a few days… interesting week with a few unexpected surprises for me!!

Basics Kraft Stickers Tip & Weekly Deals 15-21 April 2015

Tried using the great little Kraft stickers?

Can’t see where the stickers are!? Just pull off the excess Kraft paper-and there you go – easy to see and use now!

Great for stamping up with the co-ordinating stamp sets – or just with any greeting/image – or even handwriting….

Useful little item in your stash…. and only £2.75

Check out this week’s Weekly Deals. All at 25% off… Go here for more information on Weekly Deals…

And don’t forget all the discounted items on the Clearance Rack whilst you are there – discounts up to 80%

But before you go..here are some projects highlighting some of my favourite products on the Weekly Deals this week… Click on the project pic to go to the original blog post – or on the product pic for more details from the SU! web site…

Price: £6.25 £4.69

Price: £8.95 £6.71

Note to those of you that have asked - I am still typing up the tutorial – but – and I am so sorry - my new projects for my classes next week are now having to take priority…so I guess it may be a while yet!

 

Price: £29.95 £22.46

Great for Christmas obviously but also super for Men’s, Kid’s & Congratulations cards.

And finally. Can’t find my photos or my original projects – but I love this one too!

Price: £13.95 £10.46

With matching Framelits too…. But do note… if you want the bundle with the dies – then you are still better off buying the bundle… shown below…

Price: £26.50