One of my good friends at work is retiring after 40 years in the classroom. Fortunately, she will still be working at school as the part-time math specialist. I couldn’t imagine it here without her! Another teacher threw a little party for her, so I used this sketch to make a card.  I used the sheet from the Just Add Cake pack of paper that looks very school-like — one side has a strip of numbers down the side, the other looks like notebook paper. I turned the sketch on its side so that the numbers would work with it.

Stamps: Perfectly Penned
Ink: Poppy Parade
Paper: Baja Breeze, Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper
Other: Champagne Glitter Glass, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Subtles Glimmer Brad

Both the Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper and the Subtles Glimmer Brads are retiring at the end of May. Get them while supplies last!

My husband’s uncle just got married last week, and I wanted to make him an elegant wedding card. I used the Lace Ribbon Border punch, which is particularly lovely tone-on-tone.

Stamps: Delightful Dozen
Ink: VersaMark
Paper: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Mocha Morning Specialty Designer Series Paper
Other: Gold Embossing Powder, Lace Ribbon Border Punch, Basic Pearls

Neither the Mocha Morning paper nor the Lace Ribbon Border Punch will be available after May 31st, so if you love these elegant accessories, be sure to pick them up before they are gone!

Ink: Old Olive
Paper: Pacific Point, Whisper White
Other: Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Modern Label Punch, Punch Windows Mover & Shapers Dies

In case you don’t have it already, the old style version of the Modern Label Punch is available through the Clearance Rack for less than $10! In addition to the Punch Windows Movers & Shapers Die, the Old Olive 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon is also retiring at the end of May.

In my ongoing quest to show you what I consider to be the “must have” retiring sets, I bring you D is for Dog. If you have a Lab in your life, you are going to want to get this stamp set before it is gone!

Stamps: D is for Dog
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise
Paper: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper
Other: Real Red Satin Ribbon, 3/4″ Circle Punch, 1″ Circle Punch, Crystal Effects

I had stamped and punched out the paw print at the bottom, when I realized I wanted to jazz it up a little. So I covered the entire piece with Crystal Effects. It makes it more like a button, as it adds dimension and depth. Here’s a close up look:

Remember neither D is for Dog or the Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper will be available after May 31st. Get them while you can!

Don’t have My Digital Studio? You can download a free trial of My Digital Studio Express. Head over to my online store, add the free My Digital Studio Express trial (item 129600) to your online shopping cart. Once you check out, you will be able to download it and install it. You can see all of the artwork that is included with the Express version here. For more information about this free trial, click here.

130162 Baby Prints Digital Stamp Brush Set $7.95

Download includes:
* 15-piece stamp brush set

130075 Lauren's Letter's Alphabet & Numbers Punches $9.95

Download includes:
* 36 punches

Features:
* Digital-exclusive
* A versatile alphabet and numbers punch for any need

130060 Season by Season Digital Kit $9.95

Download includes:
* 1 page designer template (12″ x 12″)
* 31-piece stamp brush set
* 12 Designer Series Papers
* 19 embellishments

Features:
* Digital-exclusive
* A cute collection to use on projects for every season

Coordinating colors:
Calypso Coral, Not Quite Navy, Pool Party, Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron

130064 Seriously Awesome Digital Stamp Brush Set $7.95

Download includes:
* 21-piece stamp brush set
* 1 page designer template (11″ x 8-1/2″)

Features:
* Digital-exclusive
* An awesomely sassy collection of sayings to use on cards, journal covers, note cards, or photobook pages

121006 Summer Sun Designer Template $1.95

Download includes:
* 1 2-page designer template (8″ x 8″)
* 2-piece stamp brush set
* 1 Designer Series Paper
* 14 embellishments

Features:
* Digital-exclusive
* Great template to capture favorite summertime photos

Coordinating colors:
Daffodil Delight, Going Gray, Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango

131094 Things I Love Digital Stamp Brush set $5.95

Download includes:
* 9-piece stamp brush set

You can purchase these or any other digital downloads through my online store. (Clicking on the pictures above will take you there as well.) The great news is that they are available for immediate use, with no shipping charges! Just click on Digital Crafting, then Digital Downloads, then Newest Downloads to see all of the recent additions! If you registered your copy of My Digital Studio, you may also receive end-of-the month emails from Stampin’ Up featuring that month’s digital releases.

There is a My Digital Studio tab to the top right hand corner of this blog. It is a handy reference to a variety of My Digital Studio resources, including a list of all of the downloads and a break down of the printing costs. There is also a Resources page on MyDigitalStudio.net that includes an MDS Catalog. It shows all of the MDS software artwork (contained in the boxed-version) and downloads from the October 2009 launch through March 31, 2012! The catalog gives a snapshot of the entire product line with artwork thumbnails followed by product details, which includes the colors of the designer papers! Because MDS is regularly coming out with new artwork, the catalog will be updated every month.

Stamps: Upsy Daisy
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Early Espresso 
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper
Other: Top Note Bigz Die, Early Espresso 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon

Quite a few items on this card will be gone after May 31st. Be sure to order  Upsy Daisy,  Early Espresso 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon, and the Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper (which is currently on sale) before it is too late!

Is crafting a big part of your life? Wouldn’t you love to earn money while doing something you enjoy? Or just get a discount on everything you buy? Maybe the chance to earn free products? How about the convenience of setting your own hours? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then Stampin’ Up! is the perfect opportunity for you.

Doing what I love, and sharing what I love with others are just a few of the benefits that made me decide to become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. I love sharing my passion for stamping with family and friends, meeting new people, and having the chance to build a great business doing so. I also get to set my own schedule and that is a definite plus!

And starting now, Stampin’ Up!’s New Demonstrator Starter Kit is completely customizable! Build your Starter Kit your way! For just $99, you get

• Your choice of up to $125 worth of any current Stampin’ Up! products!
• A business supply pack valued at $65!.

That’s a total value of $190! Visit my Stampin’ Up website for more information or to join today. I’d love to talk to you more about it if you have any questions!

Have you seen my Stamp of the Month kit? You still have few days left to order!

My mom loves rainbows, and she also loves the soon to retire stamp set Baroque Motifs, so I decide to combine them into a card for her. I embossed the thanks in gold, like it is gold at the end of the rainbow.

Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Ink: Garden Green, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry, VersaMark
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Other: Gold Embossing Powder

Less than 3 weeks left of the current Stampin’ Up catalog! Be sure to get everything you want off of the retiring lists before they are gone forever.