Hundreds of stamps and accessories from the 2011-2012 catalogs are retiring and this is your chance to get them before they're gone.  The stamp sets on this list are available through May 31, but when the Retired Accessories List is shared on April 25, many products will only be available while supplies last. 

You may notice that this list is a lot longer than in years past.   That's because Stampin' Up! is transitioning to a new catalog schedule!  This year the new annual core catalog will be available on June 1st.   Two seasonal catalogs (they aren't mini any more!) will be available throughout the year.

Without further ado...

Click here to see what Stamp Sets are Retiring!

(If you'd prefer to print out a list and look at your catalog, here's a list.)

Aloha!  I'm currently on vacation in Maui with my mom and sisters.  If you'd like to see pictures and hear more about our adventure, hop on over to my Facebook page!  http://www.facebook.com/inkitup

Before I was introduced to rubber stamping and card making, I did not consider myself to be creative. What makes someone creative? To me being creative means making something beautiful or more useful. I can be creative by making a beautiful card or figuring out a new way to use something I already have.

Reasons to Live Creatively

Some people like to create with paper, some digitally and some like to combine the two.  I'm mostly a create with paper kind of gal, but I am intrigued by digital scrapbooking and love the idea of it.  

Here are some pages that were made by my friend Ginny Miller in My Digital Studio.

So cute!  If you'd like to give digital scrapbooking a try, you can now download a free 30-day trial of My Digital Studio. 

My friend Kerry McDonough gave me this cute little treat holder filled with Hershey's Kisses.

She created it following the directions that I gave in this video:

What will your treat holder look like? Pull out some supplies and see what you can come up with!

If you follow me on Facebook, then you might remember a top secret project I was working on and how the cherry stamp was giving me fits!  Well the project was my swap for the bus ride to the Milwaukee Stampin' Up! Regional and here it is:

Supplies Used:

Mouthwatering stamp set	Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set	Lucky Limeade Classic Stampin Pad	2011 In Color Stampin Write Markers	Real Red Stampin' Write Marker
Whisper White 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock	Lucky Limeade 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock	Designer Series Paper Patterns Stack - 2011 In Color	Lucky Limeade 3/8 Inch Ruffled Ribbon	2-1/2 Inch Circle Punch
Word Window Punch	Silver Mini Brads	Paper Snips	Stampin' Dimensionals	Snail Adhesive

I am just so stickin' excited about this card!  Awhile ago I did a video on how to make a fun fold card with the Movers & Shapers die.  Cool, but you have to have the Movers & Shapers die to make it.  This card can be made with any shape framelit die that you have!

Watch the video below to see how I made this card.

Supplies Used:

Upsy Daisy stamp set	Fabulous Phrases stamp set	Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin Pad	Concord Crush Classic Stampin Pad	Whisper White 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock
Wisteria Wonder 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock	Concord Crush 8-1/2X11 Card Stock	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Labels Collection Framelits Dies	Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die
Wisteria Wonder 3/8 Inch Ruffled Ribbon	Stamping Sponges	Snail Adhesive	Bone Folder

Yesterday I shared about how I taught my daughter Rachel how to make a card that looks good.  Of course her younger sister had to get in on the stamping too.  Here's the card that Emily made:

She's been eyeing up my Sweet Shop Designer Stickers ever since I got them, so she chose to use an ice cream cone as her main image.  I did help her put the pieces together, but she picked the colors and ribbon by herself.  Pretty good for a 5 year old!

Supplies Used:

Sweet Shop Designer Stickers	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Labels Collection Framelits Dies	Whisper White 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock	Pink Pirouette 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock
Cheerful Treat Designer Series Paper	Melon Mambo 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon	Snail Adhesive	Stampin' Dimensionals

This weekend Rachel, my 7 year old, asked me if I would teach her how to make a card.  I told her that she already knew how to make cards - she makes them all the time!  She responded that she wanted to learn how to make cards that look good, like mine.  How nice that she thinks my cards look good and that I can teach her something!

I had her pick a card that she liked and said I would teach her how to make it.  The card she chose was this Cherry card from my March Virtual Stamp Club Class.

To begin, I had her pick a main image.  She chose to use the watermelon stamp from the Mouthwatering stamp set with Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade markers.

From there I had her pick the colors of card stock she wanted to use, the design she wanted on her designer series paper, and the color of ribbon.

Next I showed her how to cut her card stock, use the Big Shot to cut out her label and put it all together.

Here is Rachel's finished card:

I think she did a great job!  A couple of things that make it easier to make nice looking cards are knowing what size to cut your card stock and following the design of a card that you like.

You might not be able to stamp with me in person like my daughter, but Video makes it possible for you to watch me make this card. 

If you'd like to watch the video, print directions that include measurements and make your cards look better, join my Virtual Stamp Club.

Yes, I am still alive!  I've had a crazy busy week with spotty internet access and just haven't found the time to blog.  Yesterday I had a friend over to stamp and this is one of the cards we made.  The Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder was our most used tool of the day!

Lots of texture on this card!

The Rich Razzleberry flower is from the Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit. I never would have bought this kit, but it was given to me and I love it!  It's got pre-printed flowers in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors that you can just punch-out and quickly use.  Gotta love time savers like that!

Supplies Used:

Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit	Loving Thoughts stamp set	Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad	So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad	Rich Razzleberry 8-1/2"x11" card stock
So Saffron 8-1/2"x11" card stock	12X12 Textured Card Stock - Brights Collection	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Blossom Party Die	Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Stamping Sponges	Designer Buttons - Brights Collection	Mini Glue Dots	Snail Adhesive