VERY VINTAGE

Okay, so one day I AM going to have an original idea in my head.  Guess what?  Today is not that day.  My card today was inspired by this card created by Ann Schach.  I love the Vintage Vogue stamp set in the Stampin' Up! Occassions Mini.  The best part is, is that this set is going to be in the new 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog.  Hooray!!!  I love, love, love vintage.  You just can't go wrong with it - know what I mean?

My color combination consists of Basic Gray, Kraft, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry.  I used  a Basic Gray corduroy brad  and some silver brads to jazz things up a bit.  (I'm also trying to quit hoarding and start using all these great products.)  If you look closely you might notice I used the Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch for the leaves of my flower.  The bird's wing in this punch makes excellent leaves.  Gotta love that!  I also pulled out my sponges to give the card a more vintage feel.

I'm glad to see that Rich Razzleberry and Melon Mambo will be returning as part of Stampin' Up!'s color collection in July.  I have to admit that the idea of retiring some of the current Stampin' Up! colors terrified me at first, but I am embracing the change.  I may be embracing the change slowly, but I am embracing it.  I actually think I'm going to be excited about it after I absorb it.

Well, that's it for me today.  I'm heading to Bible Study in a couple hours.  We're studying about the role of a family and the component that every individual plays in a family.  It's good stuff and really makes you think about your role in the family.  Well, that and it makes me realize that I need to step up to the plate a little more and try harder to keep my family a spiritual family.  Thanks for peeking in on me today!  Have a beautiful evening blogging friends!

IT'S TIME TO RENOVATE!

Stampin' Up! just announced the all new Color Renovation with the release of the new 2010 - 2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog beginning July 1st.  So what's all the hoopla?  Stampin' Up! is reorganizing and renaming the color families - getting rid of some of the old, bringing back oldies but goodies and bringing on a few brand new colors.  You can see the updated Color Renovation Chart below.  Please feel free to click on the charts to enlarge them for better viewing. 

So what changes will you see?  Well, let me tell you.  Stampin' Up! is changing the names of the collections from "color families" to "color collections".  There will be four new core color collections with ten core colors in each collection.  You will also see the return of core colors you have come to love along with some current and older "In Color" core colors.  Some colors will be retiring altogether.  You can view the Farewell Color Chart below.  These colors will be retiring with the current 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog in June, 2010.

The new Color Renovation consists of four different color collections:  Brights, Subtles, Regals and Neutrals.  Five new core colors will be introduced:  Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Cajun Craze and Cherry Cobbler.  You will also notice the name change from Kraft to Crumb Cake - same color, different name.  These new color kits will be availabe to customers beginning on July 1st.  You will not need to purchase all new Stampin' Write markers, Water Color Wonder Crayons or Stampin' Pastels.  Stampin' Up! will offer color kits, including card stock, classic ink pads, Stampin' Write markers, Watercolor Wonder crayons and Stampin' Pastels to help make this new transition.

Honestly, it was probably time Stampin' Up! revamped their color collections, but I don't do change well.  I love the all new core colors, but I'm going to miss some of the retiring colors.  I guarantee I will make the transition and will most likey fall in love with the new collections.  I just need to breathe and tell myself, "It's all good!"  Do you know what I mean? 

That's it for me today.  Thanks for peeking in on me.  I would love to know what you think about Stampin' Up!'s new color renovation.  Will you go down kicking and screaming or will you embrace the colors with all your love?  (Insert smile here.  LOL!)

"TWEET" WISHES TO YOU

I know! I know!  I hear you loud and clear.  You're thinking, "What in the world is with that corny title?"  I say, "Hey, if you have something more catchy, by all means be my guest."  (Smile!)  Sometimes snazzy titles don't fall into my lap.  As you can clearly see today is no exception!  Oh well, you'll have that sometimes.  Anyway.............I loved the design of Chat's card shown here, but I wanted to change the colors up a little bit.  I love the color combination of Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive together.  I tend to lean toward earthy and jewel tone colors, so this color combo speaks to me.  This card actually has very little stamping on it.  It's mostly comprised of punched images but the the finished project is stunning.

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but the Southern Ohio weather is absolutely gorgeous today.  It sure beats the hail we had last night. I think I'll get off here and go outside and soak up the sunshine while I can.  Thanks for peeking in on me today!

Hoppy Easter

Happy Easter, everyone!  Hope you are enjoying it surrounded by family and friends.  This year my family and I decided to escape over Easter break.  As you are reading this, I am hopefully returning from a wonderful weekend in the Tennessee mountains.  I say hopefully because I am actually typing this post on Thursday evening before I even head out on my trip.  The weather forecast looks great for Tennessee this weekend and I'm hoping to get some hiking done.  Anyway, you did not come to here me ramble on, so on with the card.  Shall we?

Oh, how I love this cute little Chocolate Bunny stamp from Stampin' Up!  It looks good enough to eat!  Now I know this may come as a shock, but this card layout was not my original design.  Shocking, I know!  I got the idea from the oh so talented Becky Roberts at Inking Idaho.  I decided to change up the grass a little and I used my paper snips to relic the look of real grass.  It is amazing how the wide oval punch looks just like Easter eggs.  I wish I was talented enough to think of that, but alas, not so.  Well, that's all for me today.  Thanks for peeking in on me!

BRIGHT AND CHEERY THANKS

Here's one of the cards my fabulous stamping  friends made at my Spring Fling card classes.  As you can see, there isn't much stamping on this card.  It's made using mostly punches.  Cards made with punches are fast and easy which is great when you need to whip up a card in a flash. 

I also ran the Flower Folds die through my Big Shot to make the large outer layer of the flower.  To give my flower a little depth, I used the edge of a bone folder to curl the petals.  (Similar to how you would use scissors on curling ribbon - KWIM.)  As an added touch and an effort to quit hoarding all my wonderful Stampin' Up! products, I attached a lovely Real Red corduroy button to my sentiment banner.  I used the edge of my square punch tilted sideways in order to get the nice "V" edge along the outside of  my banner.  Believe me when I say this is so much easier than eyeballing the edge and cutting it with scissors.  Try it some time!  You'll see what I mean.  Well, that's it for me tonight!  Thanks for taking time to peek in on me today!

Supplies:  Stamps - Thank You Kindly; Ink - Basic Brown; Paper - Kraft, Bermuda Bay, Very Vanilla, Summer Sun, Real Red, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper; Accessories - Big Shot, Bigz XL Flower Folds die, Tombo Adhesive Glue, Real Red Corduroy Button, Linen Thread, Bone Folder; Punches - Small Oval Punch, 1 1/4" Square Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch