Yellow Bear Stamping

Bird Ballad Suite – Free As A Bird Stamp Set

By Paula Reid | June 18, 2019

Hi there

Today’s card is another sample we made at our recent OnStage event. These events are great as we get an early ‘sneak peek’ at upcoming products. If you’d like to be able to see product early (along with loads of other benefits) why not join me and become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator – check out my ‘Join My Team‘ page for more info.

This card features the Bird Ballad Suite (pages 90 to 92). The stamp set has 6 outline images just waiting to be coloured – ink, watercolour pencils, Stampin’ Blends or Stampin’ Markers. Each method gives a different look to your project. The stamp set can be purchased on it’s own, as part of a bundle (saving you 10%) with the new Stitched Nested Labels Dies (page 196) or by buying the whole suite (again just one code to get it all).

Free As A Bird

Our colouring method for this card was the Stampin’ Blends. Did you know we now have 36 Stampin’ Blends colours to choose from plus Bronze and Ivory. Four new In Colours were added (Rococo Rose, Pretty Peacock, Seaside Spray and Purple Posy) plus So Saffron and Gray Granite. You can check out the Stampin’ Blends on page 179 of the new AC.

The background design is the Bird Ballad DSP. This comes in a pack of 12 sheets of 12″ x 12″ paper. You get two sheets of 6 double sided designs – one side has a design on it and the other side is more of a pattern. New to our range of ribbons and trim is the 3/8″ (1 cm) Scalloped Lace Trim in Very Vanilla. As you can see above it can be used to trim the edge of your image or ties to a lovely bow.

Within this suite is the Bird Ballad Laser-Cut Cards & Tin – check them out on page 168 – this would make a lovely gift for somebody special.

Bird Ballad Laser-Cut Cards & Tin

Don’t forget to check out pages 90 to 92 to see all the products included in this suite.

Well that’s all for now. I’ll be back soon with the third card we made which features the Follow Your Art Suite (pages 52 – 54).

Until then …

Perennial Essence Suite – Floral Essence Stamp Set

By Paula Reid | June 17, 2019

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Hi there

We have now returned from our holiday in Australia catching up with family in Melbourne and Sydney. I had planned to do some posts but things didn’t quite work out as planned – so I’ve got some catching up to do :).

First up is a card we made at our demonstrator event – OnStage in April. This card uses products from the Perennial Essence Suite – check out pages 106 – 108 0f the new catalogue. This is such a gorgeous suite – the Designer Series Papers are to die for. They are so beautiful and have a hand-painted watercolor look to them – you have to see them in real life.

To create this card we’ve used a piece of the Designer Series Paper as our mat then layered up a stamped image and cut out flowers. For the cut out flowers we stamped the outline image in Petal Pink onto the Petal Pink Vellum Cardstock (to see this better check out pg 169 of the AC) then cut two per flower with the new Perennial Flower Punch (pg 188 of the AC). Adhere the two cutouts together to create the flower, add a Perennial Essence Floral Center and your done. These fuzzy centers already have an adhesive backing on them and can be found on pg 176 of the AC.

The suite consists of the Floral Essence stamp set, Perennial Flower Punch (these two items have been bundled together to save you 10%), Perennial Essence Designer Series Paper, Perennial Essence 12′ x 12″ Vellum cardstock, 5/8″ Organdy Stripped Ribbon (in Petal Pink) and the Perennial Essence Floral Centers. All of these products (except the Organdy Ribbon) have been used in this project.

So when you want to order this suite – rather than writing down each code of every item – Stampin’ Up! have made it easy and created one code to capture everything – 152166 – how good is that? If you would like to purchase all (or some) of these products you can either hop on over to my online store or contact me directly to order them.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more projects using new products.

Until then …

Celebrate with Cake – In Colors 2019-2021

By Paula Reid | June 5, 2019

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Hi there

Along with the new 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue we also have a new Beginners Brochure. When you are new to stamping it can seem a little overwhelming—so many products you don’t know where to start and what to purchase. So Stampin’ Up! created a brochure with products and kits designed especially for the beginner stampers – but not limited to the beginner stamper.

The brochure:

introduces you to the company, products and culture
offers a simple ordering experience
provides products that will give you a successful stamping experience

One of the product offerings is Celebrate with Cake (pages 10 & 11). There are some sample cards made with this stamp set and then it lists all the items needed for you to recreate the cards shown. With one easy order code you can purchase everything you need or you can individually order the items and change the ink colours to ones you prefer. If you are unsure which colours to choose I can help you with that.

I was fortunate to receive this stamp set at our April OnStage event and have created a set of Note Cards using the Celebrate with Cake and the new 2019-2021 In Colors. The new 2019-2021 In Colors are (from L to R): Terracotta Tile, Rococo Rose, Purple Posy, Seaside Spray and Pretty Peacock.

Here is a close up of each card so you can see the new In Colors. First up we have Terracotta Tile

The flowers have been stamped with Terracotta Tile, the stems are Pear Pizzazz and the birthday banner is Mint Macaron.

For the next card I swapped Terracotta Tile for Rococo Rose

There are a total of 14 images and sentiments in this stamp set.

The next new In Color is Purple Posy

I’ve changed the stem colour to Old Olive for this card – the banner is still Mint Macaron.

Our fourth In Color is Seaside Spray – I went back to Pear Pizzazz for the stems on this card.

The Whisper White measures 3″ x 4 1/2″ while the coordinating coloured cardstock measures 3 1/4″ x 4 3/4″.

and finally we have Pretty Peacock which has been paired with Old Olive

I haven’t got a favourite new In Color yet but I think I’m leaning towards Pretty Peacock – which colour will be your favourite?

I’ll be back soon with more projects using products from the new catalogue. If you haven’t got a copy of the new 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue and would like one please contact me and I’ll get one sent to you.

Until next time …

It’s finally here – the 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue

By Paula Reid | June 4, 2019

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Hi there

The moment we have all been waiting for – the new 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue is now here and ready to be ordered from. Check out my catalogues page to see the new catalgoue plus a new brochure that is aimed for beginner stampers. As a beginner stamper it’s hard to know where to start and what to buy. This brochure gives you some options for all-inclusive kits and special designed kits. If you would like some help deciding what is best for your needs please contact me and I can guide you through this brochure.

I’ll be back soon with some projects that showcase a stamp set from the Beginner Brochure and then new 2019-2021 In Colours.

Until then …

Butterfly Gala Pop Up Card

By Paula Reid | May 30, 2019

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Hi there

I made this card for my cousins 60th – from the front it just looks like an ordinary card front – but when you open it there’s a surprise inside.

The butterflies are from the Butterfly Gala stamp set (which is carrying over to the 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue) and have been punched out with the coordinating Butterfly Duet punch. These products can be purchased as a bundle (which means you save 10%) until 3rd June. After this date they will be available as individual products so be in quick to get the 10% discount.

When colouring in images with our Stampin’ Blends make sure you stamp your image with Memento Black ink, leave it for a few seconds before coloured in. I find the best card stock to use is the Thick Whisper White (or Very Vanilla). For my colouring I’ve gone with the Light Pool Party and Highland Heather. The sentiment is from Beautiful Bouquet and was again stamped in Memento Black then die cut with the Rectangle Stitched Framelits. I love these dies and the effect you get with the stitching and being able to die cut the next size up to coordinate and add a contrast colour. The DSP is the Gingham Gala in Highland Heather. The background embossing folder is the Polka Dots Folder.

And then when you open the inside of the card – out pop two little butterflies – how cute are they? I coloured them in the same as the butterflies on the front, punched them out then attached them to a piece of Window Sheet. You will need to have a bit of a play to get the positioning correct then adhere the end of the Window Sheet to the card insert.

When closing the card the ‘fold’ goes into the centre and the butterflies get hidden from view. The numbers are from the retired Large Numbers Dies. This inside sentiment is also from the Beautiful Bouquet stamp set. I loved how this card turned out – my first attempt at this style.

Until next time …

Happiness Blooms Memories & More cards

By Paula Reid | May 28, 2019

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Hi there

The 2019 Occasions Catalogue is about to retire – only one more week. One of my favourite suites from this catalogue has been the Happiness Blooms suite. Included in this suite are the Memories & More Note Cards & Envelops and the Memories & More Card Pack. These can be used for memory keeping or as I’ve done created quick and easy cards.

The card pack includes 50 double-sided cards (2 each of 25 designs) in 7.6 x 10.2 cm and
10.2 x 15.2 cm sizes; 6 single-sided 10.2 x 15.2 cm speciality cards and 4 sticker sheets. I’ve also used some of the Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots (which are carrying over to the new 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue).

I love the vibrant colours that have been used in this suite – not everybodies ‘cup of tea’ 🙂

A lot of the cards and stickers already have sentiments printed on them so it’s a quick way to create a card. On some of them I’ve added a mat to the sentiment using the Rectangle Stitched Dies (which are also carrying over).

If you would like to purchase these products contact me by Friday night so I can order them before they are gone for good.

This time next week and the new Annual Catalogue will be live – if you still need to get your hands on a copy let me know and I’ll get one sent to you.

Until next time …

A Good Man ‘sneak peek’

By Paula Reid | May 26, 2019

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Hi there

Today Phil and I celebrated our birthdays starting off with breakfast at our local cafe then lunch out with my parents at the Auckland Botanical Gardens. It’s been a lovely day. Thank you for all the birthday wishes and cards – we’ve been spoilt.

I always struggle when it comes to making masculine cards but help was at hand with a new stamp set from the upcoming 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue. It’s called A Good Man and is a line art set with three images, sentiments and an ’embellishment’ image.

I’m in need of a couple of male cards in the next few weeks so thought I’d create two now – one for Phil and one for a friend – while I had the stamp inked up. At the time of creating I wasn’t sure which one I’d give to Phil but after a poll with some on-line demo friends the decision was made – Night of Navy.

The image is stamped with Memento Black ink on Thick Whisper White. I then coloured it in using the following Stampin’ Blends: Ivory for the skin, light and dark Crumb Cake for the shorts and sand, light and dark Night of Navy for the T-shirt, light and dark Soft Suede for the hat and light Balmy Blue for the deck chair. This image is then matted on a piece of Early Espresso.

I found a piece of Crumb Cake that was the perfect width in my scraps folder and embossed it with the Corrugated 3D embossing folder. The piece started out at about 6″ long but by the time I’d run it through the Big Shot it had shrunk to about 5 3/4″ which was a bit short for my card front so I gave it a little ‘stretch’ till it got to the right length :).

My ribbon and trim supply is a bit low at the moment but the Braided Line Trim worked well with the colours and it being a masculine card. Instead of a bow I just tied a small piece around the vertical piece which had been adhered on the back of the card.

There’s another new stamp used on these cards – it’s the background stamp called ‘Birch’ and I think this is going to be very popular. I’ve stamped it with VersaMark which takes on the colour of the card base – nice and easy when doing two different coloured card bases – no need to clean the stamp :).

Here’s the second option using Granny Apple Green

This time the shorts are coloured with light and dark Soft Suede, the t-shirt is light and dark Granny Apple Green (love this colour) and the hat light and dark crumb cake.

Well that’s all from me. Don’t forget to check out the promotions page for details of this month’s specials – Everything is Rosy and Hugs from Shelli kit.

Until next time …

Floating Frame Technique

By Paula Reid | May 23, 2019

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Hi there

In a previous life I used to do cross stitch and for the last couple of weeks I’ve been busy trying to finish a project for my Great Niece – well it’s now finished and I can get back into my papercrafting :).

In my recent desk clean-up I found some stamped images from past projects so rather than waste them I decided to give the Floating Frame Technique a go – have you seen this style of card before?

You start off by arranging your stamped cut out images to a card front (they’re not going to be adhered yet). Once you’re happy with the way it looks then apply Glad Press’n Seal over the top of the stamped images. Press’n Seal is lightly sticky on one side kind of like a Post It Note. I got my Press’n Seal from the supermarket – near the Gladwrap/Cling Film. I then die cut a Stitched Rectangle from the centre. Then carefully peal the Press’n Seal layer from the card front (use the card base frame for another project). On the back side of the images apply dimensionals to all the pieces. Peal the backs of the dimensionals and adhere to your chosen card base – I went with a Thick Whisper White card base. Once it’s adhered to the base carefully remove the Press’n Seal. The Press’n Seal is sticky but if you peal it back carefully it won’t rip the stamped images. You may need to trim some of the edges. Complete your card with a sentiment.

I created two cards with my stamped images – one where the stamped images create the frame

and one where the card base creates the frame and gives a ‘floating’ centre.

The stamped images are from Jars of Love which is retiring at the beginning of next month and include a range of colours – some of these have now retired which shows how long it was since my desk got a proper clean 🙂

I’d love to see your creations using this technique so why not send me a photo.

Don’t forget to check out the promotions page and also let me know if you would like to receive a new catalogue.

Until next time …

Hugs from Shelli Paper Pumpkin Kit

By Paula Reid | May 14, 2019

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Hi there

One of Stampin’ Up!’s goals is to surprise and delight you with fun, new creative experiences. And we think you’re going to absolutely love what we have up our sleeve. Shelli Gardner, board chair and cofounder of Stampin’ Up!, has partnered with Paper Pumpkin to create a limited edition, nature-focused, Shelli-inspired kit.
So what is Paper Pumpkin? Paper Pumpkin is a monthly papercrafting kit offered by Stampin’ Up! that is currently only available in the United States and parts of Canada.
Though Paper Pumpkin isn’t currently offered outside of North America, we wanted to share this very special kit with everyone. And because our global markets have long been curious about the Paper Pumpkin program, we thought you’d love to have this unique opportunity to see what it’s all about.
The look and feel of this kit is all Shelli. It’s elegant and feminine, and so full of natural details that you’ll probably just want to take a walk, breathe in the fresh air, and then go home and stamp every card in the kit. And the box it comes in? We predict that you’ll be keeping it . . . like . . . forever. Wait and see.

To accomplish this we are offering the Shelli kit as an exclusive, limited release in all of our global (Europe, South Pacific, Japan and Quebec, Canada) markets starting 15 May.
The Shelli kit is the perfect product for all kinds of crafters, but Stampin’ Up! die-hards will love it the most. The fact that it’s Shelli’s kit and is a limited-time, exclusive offering gives it a level of collectability Stampin’ Up! fans won’t want to miss.
The Shelli kit from Paper Pumpkin cost NZD44.00 and includes the following:
An exclusive stamp set not available anywhere else
One Classic Stampin’ Spot® from our Classic ink collection
Paper and crafting materials to create 12 cards (3 cards of 4 unique designs)
12 exclusive, coordinating envelopes
Adhesives and embellishments for all 12 cards
Coordinating Stampin’ Up! colours: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Petal Pink, Pool Party, Pretty Peacock, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla
Shelli describes the kit as ‘A touch of earthy and elegant spring with lots of layers and texture.’ Here’s a quick video where Shelli ‘unpacks’ this exclusive kit.

If you are interested in purchasing this exclusive kit you can contact me directly or place an order online via my online store here. This kit is a ‘while stocks last’ so be in quick to secure your kit.

Until next time …

Dandelion Wishes – Happy Mother’s Day

By Paula Reid | May 13, 2019

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Hi there

Yesterday we celebrated Mother’s Day here in New Zealand which means I can now share with you the cards I taught at my April card class. Both cards feature the Dandelion Wishes stamp set, Watercolour Paper and a technique.

This first card is the one I gave my Mum and is a Fancy Fold card – I’ve called it a Double Front Card and you’ll see why.

I started with a normal card base, scored at 10.5cm then trimmed it down to 6 1/4″ (sometimes imperial measurements work better than metric). With the offcut I dry embossed it using the Basket Weave Embossing Folder then gave it a light sponge with Petal Pink before adhering it to the left panel. I haven’t used Petal Pink much but after creating this card I think I’ll be using it more. It’s got a nice peach hue to it.

The front focal image is heat embossed with White Embossing Powder before applying a wash of water and then the colour. I found by pre-wetting the paper it helped to get a more even flow when applying the colours (Pear Pizzaz and Petal Pink)

When you open the first layer you come across the second ‘front’ with another Dandelion image – stamped in Petal Pink. The sentiment is stamped in Sahara Sand.

After one more opening you reach the inside of the card 🙂 and another image from this set. The first two layers of the front image were adhered together then using dimensionals were adhered to the Sahara Sand mat. I love the White Satin ribbon which can be used as is, coloured with ink or as in my next card coloured using our Stampin’ Blends to create whatever coloured ribbon you want. Don’t forget to add a roll of this to your next order – it’s such a versatile ribbon.

Our second card creation I sent to my niece who has two gorgeous children – she is such a good Mum and it was lovely to be able to pen some words of encouragement and let her know how proud I am of her.

The Salt Technique has been around for ages but this is the first time I’ve tried it – I love how this turned out. Each time you do this technique you will get a different look. To start I used my Aqua Painter and wet the paper – I didn’t go right to the edge. My colour combo for this card is Pool Party, Coastal Cabana and Bermuda Bay. I applied the three colours (in the order above) using my Aqua Painter making sure there was enough water on the paper before adding rock salt. You need to put this aside for about 20 minutes so that the salt can absorb the water. Once it is really dry (you can use a heat tool to give it a helping hand) stamp you image and sentiment with Memento Black.

Using the largest Stitched Square from the Stitched Shapes Framelits I die cut the image out of the main card front. I wrapped a piece of ribbon around the matted card front and then placed the bow on once the image had been adhered. The matted die cut image was adhered with dimensions over the top of the ‘hole’ – the mat helps cover this us. The final touch for this project were some small rhinestones and a bigger one in the centre of the Dandelion.

I forgot to take a photo of the inside – I used the same image as I used on the inside of the first card which was stamped in Memento Black. My card base is Thick Whisper White.

I hope all the ladies (not just Mum’s) had a lovely day and feel valued for the contribution we make to the lives of others.

Until next time …

Happiness Blooms Fun Fold

By Paula Reid | May 2, 2019

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Hi there

I love the bright vibrant colours that have been used in the Happiness Blooms Designer Series Paper. I think this paper is a ‘love it’ or ‘leave it’ paper and I’m definitely in the ‘love it’ camp. Sometimes seeing the paper as a whole sheet of 12″ x 12″ can be a bit overwhelming but cut down into smaller pieces it’s more manageable and easier on the eye.

The card base of Night of Navy isn’t a full base but just the normal card front size of 10.5cm x 14.8cm. When you open the front panel out the card is able to stand on it’s own displaying the beautiful paper.

The only stamping on this card it the sentiment and a small bit on the inside of the card. I decided to let the paper be the main focal point. The Whisper White background card stock has been dry embossed with my favourite folder – Subtle. It certainly lives up to it’s title – it gives such a subtle effect.

When you lift the paper flap you find the area where you can write your message. The ‘flap’ measures 8.2cm x 21cm (scored at 10.5cm). The paper panel measures 7.6cm x 10cm.

My sentiment is from one of my ‘go to’ sets – Beautiful Bouquet. It has a number of images and sentiments for all occasions. The die cut is from the Stitched Labels set – another favourite of mine. The final finishing touch to this card was the Grapefruit Grove Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots.

We have one more month to enjoy products from the Occasions catalogue. I still have some Happiness Blooms paper so keep an eye out for some more creations.

Until next time …

Everything is Rosy – Product Medley

By Paula Reid | April 27, 2019

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We hope you’re ready for a ray of sunshine in your life, because the Everything Is Rosy Product Medley is coming! This exclusive, limited-time collection of coordinating, petal-packed products has everything you need to let your creativity bloom. The Everything Is Rosy Product Medley is our first product offering of this kind, and we’re so excited about it! We are already planning to release more in the future.

The Everything Is Rosy Product Medley will be available for purchase from 1 May until 31 May 2019—or while supplies last.

The cost for the Everything Is Rosy Product Medley is $168.00 NZD and includes these exclusive products:

Everything Is Rosy Photopolymer Stamp Set—18 stamps; (suggested blocks to use – A, B & C)
Everything Is Rosy Dies—10 dies; largest die 2-7/8″ x 1″ (7.3 x 2.5 cm)
6″ x 6″ (15.2 x 15.2 CM) Designer Series Paper Stack—48 sheets; 8 each of 6 double-sided designs
6″ x 6″ (15.2 x 15.2 CM) rose gold foil paper—8 sheets
Printed die cuts—2 sheets
Rose gold die cuts—4 sheets; 2 each of 2 designs
Rose gold adhesive backed mirror embellishments—60 embellishments; 1/4″ (6.4 mm)
Melon Mambo 1/4″ (6.4 mm) Ruched Ribbon—10 yards (9.1 m)
Night of Navy/Rose Gold 3/8″ (1 cm) Metallic –Edge Ribbon—10 yards (9.1 m)
Rose Gold Shimmer Paint—1/2 oz. (15 ml)

If you would like to order this product medley then please contact me via email or you can place an order via my online store. We’ve made it easy for you to order – one code covers all the products – 150059.

Here are a variety of samples created with these products:

Until next time …

Stitched Labels Embossing Die

By Paula Reid | April 25, 2019

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Hi there

Did you know that some of our dies can be used for embossing? It took me a while too :). The stitched labels framelits has a wonderful die that gives a great background texture. To get this look you need to use the Embossing Mats (Be sure to purchase these before they retire – code 146327). This is the first card I made using this die and the embossing mats.

Now I’ll share a little secret with you – when I was putting this card together I accidentally put the adhesive on the wrong side (I had wanted the stitching recessed not raised!) and only noticed once I’d attached the Mossy Meadow piece to the Whisper White! Never mind – it’s original :). I then made another one and made sure I adhered it the right way up.

The Stitched Labels Framelits has a good range of shapes – 10 in total. The sentiment is stamped onto another of the dies.

I had so much fun making these cards I created another design:

I’ve paired the embossing die with the stitched effect with the Stitched Rectangle dies (which are carrying over to the Annual Catalogue). The DSP, ribbon and embellishments are from the recent Sale-A-Bration – I know I’m running a bit behind in sharing these – oops.

Here are some more samples that I created – I kind of got carried away with this design.

Balmy Blue and Grapefruit Grove

Daffodil Delight and Highland Heather

Lemon Lime Twist

Well I hope you’ve enjoyed see these samples and I hope you give this technique a go.

Until next time …

2019 Retiring List and OnStage Live highlights

By Paula Reid | April 22, 2019

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Hi there

I can’t believe it’s been over two weeks since I last did a post. Some of that has been down to the fact I’ve had a throat infection that has lingered for the last month – two lots of antibiotics and I am now back to 100%.

Every six months Stampin’ Up! hold a one day event for demonstrators called OnStage. One is held in each region with one region having a ‘live’ event which goes for 3 days. This year the live event was in the South Pacifc and New Zealand got to host it. It was so much fun – we had around 750 demonstrators from Australia, US, UK and Europe that made the trip to join us ‘Down Under’. Here’s a quick ‘highlights’ video from the event – make sure to take special note at 4:20 minute mark – you’ll see me and my team 🙂

At this event we get to see and play with new product that is coming out in the 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue along with receiving a copy of the new catalogue :). I will be ordering these in May so let me know if you would like me to send you one. The other big part of this event is catching up with fellow demonstrators and meeting new friends. Stampin’ Up! events are like a big family reunion. If you have ever thought of joining Stampin’ Up! either as a hobby demo or making it your business I’d love to have you join my team. So contact me for more information or check out my Join My Team page.

Don’t forget to check out the Retiring List of products. This list is while stocks last. Please note that some of the stamp sets listed as retiring are just retiring in their current Wood or Clear Mount form; they will be in the new catalogue in the Cling style.

Occasions Retiring List

2018-2019 Annual Catalogue Retiring List

Two big things to note in the retiring list is that the Stampin’ Trimmer and Big Shot are going. We have been experiencing some issue with the quality of blades and dies for some time so Stampin’ Up! have made the decision to pull these items from our product line. At this time no replacement products have been sourced but we will keep you posted on developments. If you have a Stampin’ Trimmer now is the time to stock up on blades so let me know ASAP if you would like to order some.

I’m excited about the new catalogue and I’m sure you will be too. I’ll have some ‘sneak peaks’ ready to share with you next week.

Until next time …