Mother's Day Gift She wouldn't Give Herself

• Paper Pumpkin April Kit
• Mother's Day Gift idea
• Stampin' Up! Retired list means a new catalog arrives soon

April Paper Pumpkin

I finished my April Paper Pumpkin kit today.  I loved working on this month's kit while watching my favorite TV show.  Such a relaxing evening!  The kit includes everything you see here except the Daffodil Delight ribbons for the tags.    After I saw the cut flower buds I hunted through my ribbon collection and jumped for joy when I found a spool of 1/4" Daffodil Delight cotton ribbon hiding among my stash.

April 2016 Paper Pumpkin - Click for more info about Paper Pumpkin

As I was finishing my April Paper Pumpkin project I realized what a great gift idea this kit would be for Mother's day.  

Give Her the gift she won't give herself

Wouldn't you like to give the special mother or mother-in-law in your life the gift of time to be creative, and maybe spend time with you. her friends or family members who also love to see her relaxing and enjoying herself doing what she loves?  That's exactly what she'll get when you buy her a subscription to Paper Pumpkin.   (Please feel free to pass this along to your husband or brothers who may be struggling with what to get their wife or Mom this year.)

There's still time to give the most thoughtful Mother's Day gift yet.  Read more about Paper Pumpkin and then  Order on - line today  You can select a 1 month, 3 month, 6 month or 12 months subscription.  Paper pumpkin is a great gift for someone without a lot of time or space, but enjoys being creative.  Pick one up for yourself and stamp with the special mom in your life. 

2016 Retiring Items

The Stampin' Up! retiring list was announced last week.  Retiring products are going fast, including some of my favorite In-Colors accessories, papers and matching markers!  Some retiring products are discounted up to 50%, so pick up some bargains, today.  

A couple of surprises on the retired list are the Craft Scissors (AKA Ribbon Scissors)  108360, and the Candy Dots.  Yes, the new catalog includes an assortment of acrylic shapes, but we old-school stampers will really miss our lovely brad and candy dot accents...sigh.  Have I really been stamping for over 10 years?  Why is it so hard to give up all the wonderful tools and accessories every time we receive a new catalog; yet I want everything in the new catalog as well?

Click here to access the retiring items: 

New Catalogs coming soon...

Demonstrators already have the new catalog and you're beginning to see sneak peeks from the new catalog all over the web.  I'm placing my bulk order for new catalogs this week.  Customers who have placed an order this year are already on my mailing list for new catalogs.  Place a $50 order this week and I'll place your name on my mailing list for a new catalog.  New catalogs will arrive in May and orders from the new catalog can be placed beginning June 1, 2016. 

Quick Links

• Want to purchase at a discount?  Sign up for $99 and get $125 worth of product in your starter kit.
• Paper Pumpkin can be ordered month to month or as a 1 month, 3 month, 6 month or 12 month subscription.  Order now!
• Download a 2015-2016 Annual catalog.  Place an order for $50 this week and I'll send you a new 2016-2017 annual catalog in May.
• Clearance Rack - Products available while they last

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Private Classes for 1 or a small group of friends:  http://cardmaking.meetup.com/71/

To place an order: Place an on-line order through my Stampin' Up! store - 24/7 Shopping 

Current Promotions

Start You Own Business

Host a workshop

Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs

Mint Botanical

• Mint Botanical
• Get a new catalog on my catalog preorder with a $50 order
• What will you miss the most from the Retired list

Mint Macaron Botanical

I love the fresh look of Mint Macron with the crisp Whisper White card stock on this card. I used a sponge dauber to color the center of the flower before adding the white flower center, which I also colored with a sponge dauber.

Mint Macaron cut with Botanical Builder Framelits Dies

Recipe

• Stamps: Grateful Bunch (Sentiment)
• Paper:  Whisper White, Mint Macaron
• Ink:  Mint Macaron
• Accessories:  Botanical Builder Framelits Dies (140625)  Big Shot Die Cut Machine, Cutting pads, Magnetic Platform, Basic Pearl, Sponge Daubers. 

2016 Retiring Items

Stampin' Up! announced the retiring list last week.  Retiring products are going fast, including some of my favorite In-Colors papers and matching markers!  Accessories are only available while they last.  Pick up some bargains.  Some retiring products are discounted up to 50%.  

So, what will you miss the most from the retiring list?  For me, its probably the World of Dream stamp set.  I've used that set for so many swaps because it can look so dramatic with so little effort.

Click here to access the retiring items: 

New Catalogs coming soon...

Demonstrators already have the new catalog and you're beginning to see sneak peeks from the new catalog all over the web.  I'm placing my bulk order for new catalogs this week.  Customers who have placed an order this year are already on my mailing list for new catalogs.  Place a $50 order this week and I'll place your name on my mailing list for a new catalog.  New catalogs will arrive in May and orders from the new catalog can be placed in June 1, 2016. 

Quick Links

• Want to purchase at a discount?  Sign up for $99 and get $125 worth of product in your starter kit.
• Download a 2015-2016 Annual catalog.  Place an order for $50 this week and I'll send you a new 2016-2017 annual catalog in May.
• Clearance Rack - Products available while they last

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Private Classes for 1 or a small group of friends:  http://cardmaking.meetup.com/71/

To place an order: Place an on-line order through my Stampin' Up! store - 24/7 Shopping 

Current Promotions

Start You Own Business

Host a workshop

Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs

Baby Card Made with Love

• Baby card Made with Love
• Retired list means the new catalog is right around the corner
• Purple Prince

I'm an great aunt again - for the twelfth time!

I needed a baby card for my niece and nephew who added there fourth child -- whew --makes me tired just thinking about the schedules needed to keep a busy family with four on track .  So I broke out the Made with Love (138662) stamp to make this cute card congratulate them on their newest edition.  One of the sentiments is ...the world just got cuter..and that's so true! See the card and recipe below.

Made with Love (138662)

I also used another stamp to add the lace to the top and bottom of the Pirouette Pink layer of the card.  Its from the Grateful Bunch (140691) stamp set.

Recipe

• Stamps: Made with Love, Grateful Bunch
• Paper:  Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Melon Mambo
• Ink:  Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette Marker.
• Accessories:  Melon Mambo Thick Baker's Twine (retired), 2015-2017 in Color Blossom Accents, 1-1/4" Circle punch, 1-3/4 Scallop Circle Punch, Square Collection Framelits, Big Shot Die Cut Machine, Cutting pads, Magnetic Platform

2016 Retiring Items

Last Monday, April 18, Stampin' Up! announced the retiring  list.  Retiring products are going fast, including some of my favorite In-Colors papers and matching markers!  Accessories are only available while they last.  Pick up some bargains.  Some retiring products are discounted up to 50%.  

Click here to access the retiring items: 

New Catalogs coming soon...

Demonstrators, like myself, already have the new catalog and you're beginning to see sneak peeks from the new catalog all over the web.  This week I'm placing my bulk order for new catalogs.  Customers who have placed an order this year are already on my mailing list for new catalogs.  Place a $50 order this week and I'll place your name on my mailing list for a new catalog.  New catalogs will arrive in May and orders from the new catalog can be placed in June 1, 2016. 

Passing of Prince...Pure Purple Love  

Yes. I admit it.  Growing up in Minnesota, I was heavily influenced by the music of Prince.  Minneapolis has an incredible live music scene.  My physical therapist was very surprised that this overweight, late 60ish woman in Texas even knew what a live music scene was, let alone participated in it.  Back then music and live bands were a big part of my life in the 80s. Prince was known to turn up unexpectedly in clubs and just start jammin' with the bands on stage, and those impromptu performance were always something special.  And for everyone who tells you "nice girls don't go to bars,"  I want to let you know that not only do I cherish the years of music experiences I had in Minnesota, but I also met my wonderful husband in a bar -- another "no-no" -- and he turned out to be the greatest husband on earth!  For those of you who, like me,  are mourning one of the greatest and most prolific musicians of our era, here's his 2007 Super Bowl performance, one of the highest ranked Super Bowl performances of all times, where he performed in the middle of a rain storm.  RIP Prince.

Click here for link to Prince's Super Bowl Performance.

Quick Links

• Want to purchase at a discount?  Sign up for $99 and get $125 worth of product in your starter kit.
• Download a 2015-2016 Annual catalog.  Place an order for $50 this week and I'll send you a new 2016-2017 anual catalog in May.
• Clearance Rack - Products available while they last

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Private Classes for 1 or a small group of friends:  http://cardmaking.meetup.com/71/

To place an order: Place an on-line order through my Stampin' Up! store - 24/7 Shopping 

Current Promotions

Start You Own Business

Host a workshop

Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs

Botanical Builder Framelit Cards and Treats

• Build a card using only the Botanical Framelit die
• Matching treats using Polka Dot Cone Cellophane Bag
• 2016 Retiring List

Botanical Builder Framelit die

I'm still finding ways to create with this wonderful Framelit set from the Occasions catalog... and you can still order it from the Occasions Catalog until May 31, 2016.  These thinlets can be used to design without any additional stamping.  This is a sample card using only pieces from the Botanical Builder Framelits Dies

Card made with Botanical Builder Framelit die (140625)

The Botanical Builder Framelit die can be purchased alone (140625), but also comes as part of a bundle with matching stamp set (Botanical Blooms) and matching Designer Series Paper ( Botanical Gardens)  When you purchase the bundled stamp set with the designer paper and the Botanical Builder Framelit die, you save 15% off what they would cost if purchased separately.  The order number for the bundle is 140819.  I used sponge daubers to color the centers of the flowers with Pink Pirouette in and sponge daubers and then added a pearl to the center.

Recipe

• Stamps: Sentiment on inside of card:  Best Thoughts hostess set
• Paper:  Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
• Ink:  Basic Black Archival, Pink Pirouette ink pad, Pink Pirouette Write Marker (butterfly inside card)
• Accessories:  Botanical Builder Framelit die (140819), Pearl Basic Jewels, Dimensionals,  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Standard Cutting Plates, Magnetic Platform  130658.

Sentiment and butterfly on the inside of the card is from the Best Thoughts hostess set (139234).  The flower is another die from the Botanical Builder Framelit die.

Sentiment and butter fly from Best Thoughts hostess set stamp set

Treats matching Botanical Builder card

I love sending a few treats when I send a handmade card.  Here's what I made using the Polka Dot Cone Cellophane Bags (140578) from the Occasions catalog.  I used the same sentiment stamp from Best Thoughts hostess set (139233) as I used on the inside of the card.  

Treats using the Polka Dot Cone Cellophane Bags (140578)

Flowers is punches with the Petite Petals (133322) Punch and includes a small pearl center

The treats are tied with White 1-1/4" Jute Ribbon, which can be purchased until May 31 or until gone...one of my favorite ribbons from the current Stampin' Up! catalog.

2016 Retiring list

2016 Stampin' Up! Retiring ribbons

Last Monday, April 18, Stampin' Up! announced the retiring  list.  Retiring products are going fast, including some of my favorite ribbons!  Accessories are only available while they last.  Pick up some bargains as some retiring products are discounted up to 50%.  Last Monday the servers were overloaded and some of you had trouble getting into the site to see the lists and place orders.  Things are working fine now, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Click here to access the retired lists: 

New Catalogs

Demonstrators already have the new catalog and you're beginning to see sneak peeks from the new catalog all over the web.  This week I'm placing my bulk order for new catalogs  Customers who have placed an order this year are already on my mailing list for new catalogs.  Place a $50 order this week and I'll place your name on my mailing list for a new catalog.  New catalogs will arrive in May and new orders can be placed in June 1, 2016. 

Quick Links

• Want to purchase at a discount?  Sign up for $99 and get $125 worth of product in your starter kit.
• NEW - Weekly Deals -- every Tuesday, while supplies last - now available!
• Download a 2015-2016 Annual catalog.  Place a $50 order this week b by April 29, and receive a free new 2016-2017 catalog
• Clearance Rack - Products available while they last

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Private Classes for 1 or a small group of friends:  http://cardmaking.meetup.com/71/

To place an order: Place an on-line order through my Stampin' Up! store - 24/7 Shopping 

Current Promotions

Start You Own Business

Host a workshop

Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs

2016 Retiring List is now live

• See what's retiring, and order your favorites before they are gone
• Paper Pumpkin Kit for April is now available.

Stampin' Up! 2016 Retiring List is live

It is that time of year at Stampin' Up!  The large catalog introduced a year ago is retiring and the list of retiring stamps and everything else is now available.  If any of your favorites are on the list, you know the drill. Get them while they are still available!  Once they are gone; they are gone.  Retiring products are available until May 31st or until they are gone.

This is a great time to pick up some bargains as some retiring products are discounted up to 50%.  For example, the Mini Muslim bags (132180) are 40% off and Project Life Happy Times Accessory Pack (138452) is 50% off.  

Click here to access the retired lists: 


I noticed the Stampin' Up! website was receiving heavy traffic earlier today and the lists weren't being served properly.  Obviously the site is very busy with everyone wanting to see the list to make sure they order their favorites before stocks are depleted.  If you experience problems accessing the list through Stampin' Up!, I've added a copy of the list to my Meetup site.  You will need to join Meetup and my site, if you aren't already a Meetup member, but this will give you a chance to see the list before the items you want are gone:

Alternative location for Retiring list:  http://www.meetup.com/NW-Houston-F-M-1960-Spring-CardMakers/files/

Paper Pumpkin packing extra punch in April!

My April Paper Pumpkin kit arrived and I'm busy putting my kit together.  This month's kit included an entire free stamp set.  

To see what's in this months kit, check out this video:

Quick Links

• Want to purchase at a discount?  Sign up for $99 and get $125 worth of product in your starter kit.
• Download a 2015-2016 Annual catalog.

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Private Classes for 1 or a small group of friends:  http://cardmaking.meetup.com/71/

To place an order: Place an on-line order through my Stampin' Up! store - 24/7 Shopping 

Current Promotions

Start You Own Business

Host a workshop

Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs

Flyin' High!

• Enjoying my free Sale-A-Bration stamp " Sky is the Limit"
• April Paper Pumpkin packs an extra punch (not really a punch; but it does pack an extra, free stamp set!)

Masculine card with Sky is the Limit set

I needed a couple of masculine cards this week.  One for my bother's birthday and one for my dear husband who has had to put up with me and my oversize shoulder brace after rotator cuff surgery. Even with the awkward brace I've managed to spend a few hours each day in my craft room.  I'm hoping the precision cutting and pendulum swings while using the paper cutter count towards exercises  for my healing shoulder.  Dear husband has helped remind me to take my meds, do my exercises,and has run to Wal-mart for more ice to keep the swelling down in my shoulder.   He's fashioned plastic coverings for my wound so I can shower, he's crafted coverings for the pressure points jabbing me from all sharp corners of the arm brace. What demented doctor invented these awful braces, anyway?  Could they make them any less comfortable? So I made him a special thank you card letting him know how grateful I am for his special care.  (Love that man... I really picked a good one )

Enjoying my free stamp set, Sky is the Limit, a 2016 Sale-A-Bration set

Once I finished stamping the bi-plane image, I used my Wink of Stella glitter pen to add a small amount of bling to the plane and to the dark lines on the maps.

Recipe

• Stamps: Sky is the limit
• Paper:  Hello Honey, Delightful Dijon, Basic Gray, Very Vanilla, Typeset Specialty Designer Series Paper (133704)
• Ink:  Basic Gray
• Accessories:  Wink of Stella Glitter Pen - Gold, Dimentionals, Ovals Collection Framelits Dies (129381), Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Magnetic Platform  130658.

Final thought:  Airplane travel is nature's way of making you look like your passport photo.

Paper Pumpkin packing extra punch in April!

I'm looking forward to April's Paper Pumpkin kit.  It will include a free stamp set commemorating Paper Pumpkin's 3rd year anniversary and 1 millionth kit.  You can still order the April kit until April 10 and get the free stamp.  Its a surprise; we haven't seen the images yet.  Look for the Paper Pumpkin category in the left hand navigation bar on the shopping page and place your order for April by April 10.  Order month to month or by 3 mo., 6 mo or yearly subscription.  These kits also make great gifts for your crafting friends.

Weekly Deals

Beginning each Tuesday, see all the new items on this weeks Specials. Here's four of the specials from this week.  Click link above to see more. 

This week, you can purchase the Envelope Punch Board, for only US$15; normally $20!

Quick Links

• Want to purchase at a discount?  Sign up for $99 and get $125 worth of product in your starter kit.
• NEW - Weekly Deals -- every Tuesday, while supplies last - now available!
• Download a 2015-2016 Annual catalog.
• Clearance Rack - Products available while they last

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Private Classes for 1 or a small group of friends:  http://cardmaking.meetup.com/71/

To place an order: Place an on-line order through my Stampin' Up! store - 24/7 Shopping 

Current Promotions

Start You Own Business

Host a workshop

Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs