Stampin’ Up! Cottage Greetings In the Meadow Silhouette and…Blog Candy!

Happy Hawmp Day, y’all!  Days are just flying by – one short week from today, Amy Koenders and I will be winging our way West to attend OnStage Live in Salt Lake!  Where we’re going to get to see the new 2016-2017 Annual Catalog!  Yikes – can you believe it’s that time already?!?  That, of course, means it’s almost time to say good-bye to the current catalog and the 2016 Occasions Catalog – the retiring list will be released on 18 April (right after OnStage).  So, you’ll want to be thinking about getting stocked up!

Well, today was productive.  I updated my Inventory Spreadsheet, alphabetized my stamp sets, and got a new Office Chair!  Yeah!  It actually has padded parts – and it swivels.  And will roll – once I get one of those plastic mat things you put over the carpet.  Makes a huge difference over that wooden kitchen chair I’ve been sitting in.  It’s the little things, isn’t it?

So, the card I have to share with you today is a quick and easy, Clean and Simple birthday card, using one of my favorite Occasions stamp sets – In the Meadow.  And one of the pretty sentiments from Cottage Greetings.  Take a look-see:

My color scheme comes from the Stamp, Ink, Paper Challenge #42:

To start with, I cut two pieces of Whisper White card stock to the same size (4″ x 5 1/4″).  On one, I used my Squares Collection Framelits to cut a square in the center of the panel.  Then, I stuck the framelit back in the hole I’d just cut – but I moved it towards the top of the panel a little – so that it would enlarge the hole and make it a rectangle.

I used some Sticky Note tape to secure my uncut Whisper White panel to my work surface so it wouldn’t wiggle around and laid the cut panel right over the top, also securing it with the tape.

Starting with Pool Party ink, I used a Sponge Dauber to carefully sponge about a third of the way up my “window”.  Then I switched to Bermuda Bay for the center section.  Finally, I sponged Night of Navy up to the top of the window.  For each color, I just kept adding ink until I was satisfied with the depth of the color – and I made sure to just lightly blend the boundaries between the colors.

I pulled off the mask and spent a few minutes enjoying the fact that somehow I hadn’t gotten ink all over the pristine white expanse of the rest of the panel!

I used a couple of images from In the Meadow to add the silhouettes.  Basic Black Archival Ink yields really dark black – so that was my pick.  I inked up the grasses image and stamped it partly on and partly off the colored rectangle.  And then I did the same with the cute little flying bugs.  Since these are Clear stamps – I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig on both stamps to be sure I got them right where I wanted them!

And then I spent a little more time staring at the card.  I pulled out some Black Satin Ribbon.  Considered Linen Thread.  Flipped thru my embellishments.  And decided not to add even one more thing.

It wasn’t easy – but I did it! 🙂

I SNAILd the perfectly-simple-and-unadorned panel to a Bermuda Bay mat and headed for the inside!


The inside is another panel of Whisper White matted on Bermuda Bay card stock.  I stamped the birthday sentiment from Cottage Greetings in Bermuda Bay – using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to get it lined up just right.


And used that handy Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to add the little In the Meadow bugs right over the top of the sentiment!  I SNAILd the panel into my Basic Black card base, popped the card front on with Stampin’ Dimensionals, and the card was done! 🙂

The Whisper White Medium Envelope got another of the In the Meadow grass and little flying bugs images, in Basic Black Archival Ink…

…and added a simple Bermuda Bay striped design from the Brights DSP Stack on the inside, cutting it with my Envelope Liner Framelit.

Et Voila!  Super simple, super pretty.  And super super versatile, yes?  Change the inside sentiment to anything you need and you’re good to go!

So – in honor of it being one-week-to-OnStage….and just a little over that to the retiring list coming out….let’s do a little Blog Candy, shall we?? 🙂

Here we go.  Up for grabs this time around is….


That’s the Flowering Fields stamp set (in wood), the Wildflower Fields DSP – in a 6″ x 6″ stack, a spool of Whisper White Satin Ribbon, and a Calypso Coral Stampin’ Pad.  The wrapper is off the ink pad – but it’s never been used.

How to win?  Well, leave a comment on THIS post before 8pm eastern time this Sunday (10 Apr) and tell me which of the 2014-2016 In Colors you’re going to miss the most!

I’ve got comment moderation turned on, so it may take me a few minutes to see and approve your comment. Don’t worry if your comment doesn’t show up right away, it’ll be there just as soon as I see it. 🙂

One lucky winner will be chosen by the random number generator from all of the comments received and I’ll announce the winner on Monday, 11 April!

Please note, anyone is welcome to leave me a comment but per the Demonstrator rules from Stampin’ Up!, I’m only able to ship Stampin’ Up! merchandise to addresses within the United States. Thanks for your understanding. Good luck!! 🙂

See you tomorrow.

TTFN!
Mary

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HOST CODE FOR 1 APR – 15 APR 16: FJJRBUGX

Use this host code when you order and receive a free gift from me! But, if your order is over $150, please don’t use this code (you’ll miss out on your own Stampin’ Rewards if you use it) but you’ll still get the free gift. The free gift is your choice of any item valued up to $8.00 in the 2015-16 Annual Catalog or the 2015 Occasions Catalog.

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2016-2017 ANNUAL CATALOG COMING SOON!

The time is growing near when we’ll say good-bye to the 2016 Occasions catalog and the 2015-2016 Annual Catalog!  The announcement of the Official Retiring Product list will be made on 18 Apr.  That’s when those In Color products we’ve loved for the last two years will start to leap off the shelves – so be sure to stock up now!

About two weeks later – in the first week of May – I’ll be sending new 2016-2017 Annual Catalogs to those folks who’ve ordered $50 or more from me in the past 12 months.  

If you haven’t ordered from me – there’s still time!  Just click on my Online Store icon over there to the right side of your screen and get shopping!  Just be sure to check “Yes” at the screen that asks you if your Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator (that would be me!) can contact you!  I promise I won’t bug you – but if you don’t select that, I can’t see anything about you – so…I can’t send you your ordering gift, sign you up for my Rewards Program or send you a catalog!  Nuthin’!

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Remember – after 18 April, Stampin’ Up! will periodically issue Special Offers – with more products and more levels of savings!  This week and next will be the last of the traditional Weekly Deals.

WEEKLY DEALS FOR 5 Apr – 11 Apr 16!! Click here to see the Weekly Deals from Stampin’ Up! in my online store. The Weekly Deals are only while supplies last and only available at these great prices through 11 Apr!

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STAMPIN’ UP! PRODUCTS USED IN TODAY’S CARD 

In The Meadow Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140754] $20.00	Cottage Greetings Clear-Mount Stamp Set [139962] $16.00	Basic Black 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock [121045] $7.00	Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Bermuda Bay 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock [131197] $7.00
Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad [140931] $7.00	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin’ Pad [131171] $6.50	Pool Party Classic Stampin’ Pad [126982] $6.50	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin’ Pad [126970] $6.50	Squares Collection Framelits Die [130921] $27.00
Envelope Liners Framelits Die [132172] $27.00	Medium Whisper White Envelopes [107301] $6.50	Brights Designer Series Paper Stack [138434] $22.00	SNAIL Permanent Adhesive [104332] $7.00	Stampin’ Dimensionals [104430] $4.00
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig [101049] $12.00	Sponge Daubers [133773] $5.00

CARD CUTS USED IN TODAY’S PROJECT

Basic Black Card Stock: 4 1/4″ x 11″ (card base, scored and folded at 5 1/2″)

Whisper White Card Stock: 4″ x 5 1/4″ (card front – also used same size to cut mask out – and inner liner)

Bermuda Bay Card Stock: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ (card front and inner liner mats)

Brights DSP Stack (in Bermuda Bay): envelope liner

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TICK TOCK TICK TOCK

ALMOST TIME TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THE 2014-2016 IN COLORS!

Don’t forget to stock up on these 2014-2016 In Color Supplies – once they’re announced as retiring (coming up in the not-too-distant future!) these are the things that fly off the shelves like Krispy Kreme Donuts when the “HOT” Sign is lit up!

Mossy Meadow 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [133676] $7.00	Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [133651] $3.25	Hello Honey 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [133678] $7.00	Hello Honey Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [133649] $3.25
Lost Lagoon 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [133679] $7.00	Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [133650] $3.25	Tangelo Twist 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [133677] $7.00	Tangelo Twist Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [133652] $3.25
Blackberry Bliss 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [133675] $7.00	Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [133648] $3.25	2014-2016 In Color 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [133681] $7.00	2014-2016 In Color 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock And Classic Ink Pads Kit [133673] $32.50
2014-2016 In Color Stampin’ Write Markers [133654] $15.00	2014-2016 In Color Designer Washi Tape [138382] $8.00	2014-2016 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack [138433] $22.00	2014-2016 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack [138433] $22.00

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If you need any stamping supplies, I’d be very happy to be your Demonstrator. Just click on the Order Stampin’ Up! Online Now button on the right side of the screen to go directly to my online store or drop me an email if you have any questions. Happy Stamping!