Poppy for Men

Ok, one last time. I'm going to miss Poppy Parade.
Admittedly, this color took a while to grow on me, but once it did, I fell in love.
It's a different kind of red, kind of tropical in my eyes and I like that. Hey, anything tropical is good, right?

Anyway, today's card is pretty simple and I think would be a great "man" card.
I designed this for my May card classes and it was a favorite.

It's nearly impossible to see, but the white panel background was embossed with the Stripes Embossing Folder in my Big Shot. Gave it a little texture to this otherwise clean and simple card.
The Designer Series Paper is from Just Add Cake and I used Early Espresso cardstock for the contrast. The greeting comes from Perfectly Penned and I added a red Rhinestone Fire Circle Brad for an accent.

Here's a look at the inside:

A different piece of designer paper on the bottom and the greeting comes from the retiring stamp set On Your Birthday.

Today's the last day stampers! Don't mull it over too long, those retiring goodies are gone forever at midnight MT. You can e-mail me or facebook me with your order, or just visit my Stampin' Up! website and place your order in the Online Store. However you do it, Just Do It!

Have a great day stampers - tomorrow is a Happy New Year! WooHoo!!
~~Robin

Place your order for Stampin' Up! supplies at this link here: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!

Christmas Goes Patriotic?

Wow, what a weekend!
I know, it's been four days since I posted, but I know a lot of you took a three or four day weekend too, AND since it was my Birthday weekend, I got to celebrate the whole time!

Before I share the card I want to thank all of you who participated in my Birthday Bash Special. It is something I'll definitely be doing again next year, so be sure to watch for it, ok?
The winner of the $25 Gift Certificate was Laura Thompson! I've notified her via e-mail so hopefully she's jumping up and down with joy right now. :)
All of you who placed orders, you can expect to see your Surprise Packages in the mail next week. You're gonna LOVE them!

So, the card today came about because of a challenge. One of my downline team was lamenting the fact that we had very little patriotic items in our catalog, so I took it up as a challenge to think outside the box and be creative with the awesome things we DO have.
Here is the result:

What's that you say? You don't recognize some of the items I used on this card? Weeelllll, that's because you can't buy them until June 1st! Oh yeah, they are coming out in the NEW Stampin' Up! Catalog!

And what's even cooler than that - I used a piece of NEW Christmas Designer Paper for the main panel. It's from the Be of Good Cheer package - you'll love it - and I thought it looked a bit like fireworks. What do you think? It's Cherry Cobbler color and I combined it with a NEW In Color - Midnight Muse (which you'll also love!).

Here, take a closer look at the focal point:

The embellishment is made with the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set - also NEW - and the Bitty Banners Framelits Dies for the Big Shot. I added them to a Naturals Button - yep, NEW too! - and tied it all up with some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine.
If you look very closely at the Very Vanilla background panel, you'll see some diagonal score marks. I made the design with my Simply Scored Tool and the Diagonal Plate. So quick and easy!

Here's a peek at the inside:

A very simple Vanilla panel stamped with the circle image from the My Friend stamp set. It was new in last year's catalog and again, reminded me of fireworks.

Isn't it cool how you can mix and match Stampin' Up!'s products in so many ways? It's one of my favorite things about SU!.

So, now I bet you're really wanting to get your hands on the NEW Catalog, huh? Well, if you're not coming out for my Open House and Clearance Sale on Friday, June 1st, you can message me and I'll be happy to send one out to you. If you don't already have a demonstrator that you work with, I'd be happy to fill that role for you!

Have a great day everyone - go stamp something out of the box and FUN!
~~Robin

Robin's 48th Birthday Bash!

Hey stampers!

Friday, May 25th is a BIG day around here.
It's my Birthday and I'm turning 48 years old!
I KNOW! I can't believe it either. WHERE have the years gone??

Well, while I'm celebrating with something like this:

 
and this: (Hey! A girl can DREAM, right??)

Ok, maybe something like this: (but probably not....)

It'll probably be more like this:

And really, that's what means the MOST to me! LOVE my family!!

Anyway, this year I'm doing some extra special celebrating! I'm celebrating with you!

I've got a FUN special and GIFTS just for YOU! How does that sound??

Here are the SWEET Details:
From Midnight (est) on Friday, May 25th to Midnight (est) on Saturday, May 26th - 48 FULL Hours - For EACH $48.00 merchandise order you place in my Online Stampin' Store, you receive a SURPRISE 25 piece package of Stampin' Up! supplies!

Your package could contain buttons, brads, ribbon, stamps, paper, pearls, stickers, chipboard, fabric, ANYTHING - really, a FUN surprise for everyone! 
So, if you spend $48, you get ONE Surprise Package;
$96, TWO Surprise Packages;
$144, THREE Surprise Packages!
You get the idea!
Hey, if you go over $150.00 you earn FREE Hostess dollars as well! That's a deal!

As an EXTRA BONUS, for EACH $48 order I receive, your name will go into a drawing for a $25 Stampin' Up! Gift Certificate to spend on your choice of products from the NEW Catalog!
How's that for a Birthday Celebration??!

The drawing will take place on Monday, May 28th and the winners will be notified by e-mail.
WAIT! Did I say Winners?? Yep!
For every TEN $48 orders I receive, I will draw ONE winner for the Gift Certificate!
Your name could go in one, two, four - as many times as you want!

So, don't be shy - share this special offer with all your Stampin' Friends! It increases your chances of Winning even MORE of the Stampin' Up! products you love!

Birthdays are special in my world and I love celebrating it with you!!
I can't wait to send out your GIFTS!!

Here's the link again to SHOP: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!
Don't forget - this is a GREAT opportunity to purchase all the retiring stamps and products that are still on your wish lists! They will be G-O-N-E, gone on May 31st, so might as well get them with a BONUS, right?? All Clearance Rack items count as well, so don't wait - Midnight, May 25th - get shoppin'!!

Happy Stampin' everyone,
~~Robin

Eleanor Blossoms

Did you guys see Dancing With the Stars last night??
Yes, I know that has nothing to do with the card I'm sharing today - but really, did you?? Listen, I don't watch much tv outside of the Food Network, but DWTS is one show that we rarely miss around here. And this season has been by far the best.
The finale last night was amazing and honestly, I couldn't have chosen a winner out of the three remaining. I would have been happy for any of them, they were all that good and were all, by appearances, wonderful people too. 
I'm not gonna give it away in case you haven't seen it, but if you DVR'd it you HAVE to watch it! Just Wow, end of subject.

So, my card today may not be a just Wow!, but sometimes less is more and wins the day, know what I mean?

I designed this card in early April for a special Evening of Stamping for a group of my achieving downline team. They got to come to the studio and make several projects using upcoming products from the NEW Catalog and enjoyed a special dinner with treats as well. It was a really fun event and I plan to repeat it - are you reading this team?? Get ready!

Little did I know that the Marina Mist Satin Ribbon that we used on this card was retiring at the end of May, but, it's a small detail that can be substituted, right?
We used the Everything Eleanor Stamp Set and colored the flowers with Real Red and Old Olive. Combined with the Marina Mist, it was a color combo straight out of the Color Coach.
A little sponging around the cardstock and First Edition Designer Series Paper in Crumb Cake gave it an antiqued feel, so the Antique Brad added to the ribbon bow was a great final touch.

Does this qualify as Clean and Simple? I think so, plus it's pretty flat and could be easily mailed - a bonus!

Have a great day stampers! I'm off to my Weight Watchers Weigh in and crossing my fingers that I've reached the 15 pound loss mark. That would be a great birthday present, right?

Speaking of, My Online Birthday Bash begins at Midnight EST on Friday, May 25th and ends at 11:59 pm EST. Be watching for details here on the ol' blog tomorrow, or if you are on my mailing list, look for a special message in your inboxes tomorrow!

Happy Wednesday stampers!
~~Robin

Scrappin' with Sweet Shop

Brace yourselves stampers - I'm about to share some scrapbook pages!
HA! I know, it's been like, forever, since I've done some scrapbooking for you. Since December and the 20 page album, right??
Actually, there's been a lot of scrapbooking going on around here lately. You know I'm teaching a new class right? Yep. It's called "Oh Scrap! It's Monday!" -borrowed that from someone - and it's 2 hours, 2 12" x 12" pages for just $10 complete! 
Anyway, I keep forgetting to take pictures of my pages, so the other day when I was playing catch up with the camera, I pulled these out as well.

Now, I  know that the Sweet Shop Suite of Products has been retired, but listen, I KNOW you still have some of that very cool paper and those cute stickers and those sweet jelly bean brads hanging around your stamp table, so now you have a new idea to justify keeping them around, right??

So, here's the left side page of the 12 x 12 spread:

I took my inspiration from a spread I'd seen on Stampin' Connection by Cathee Anderson and my pages just took off from there. This product suite was perfect for some photos of us on one of our skating trips to Lowell, MA. The picture on this first page was taken at Johnny Rockets. Emma and I were enjoying the Dark Chocolate Milkshakes - yumm!!

The ribbon is Soft Suede Striped Grosgrain which is still available until May 31st. 
This embellishment was done with the Labels Framelits, Sweet Shop DSP and Lucky Limeade cardstock. I stamped the main image from Sweet Cake with Whisper White craft ink and heat embossed it with White Embossing Powder. The phrase was done the same way and popped up on dimensionals after punching it out with the Modern Label Punch. I added some bling by punching the cherry and heart from Red Glimmer Paper. Too fun!

This little medallion at the top left corner is one of those cute stickers on a punch of Whisper White. It's layered on a punch of Wisteria Wonder and layered again on more DSP punched with the Scallop Circle Punch.

The right side page has photos of Mark and Emma enjoying a celebratory dessert after her competition at the Eveready Diner in Brewster, NY. They discovered this restaurant on a trip a few years ago when I was in Phoenix for Leadership Conference and now whenever we travel north, it's a must stop for us. Yummy food and even better desserts!
I used the Scallop Square Dies with the Big Shot for those photo mats.

This little embellishment is from Button Buddies. I added two Real Red buttons for the cherries and a Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon bow as an accent.
My family is really the cherry on top for me!

Well, I hope I didn't shock you today with some traditional scrapbooking pages! I have a few more to photograph and show you, so if you're a loyal reader, you'll be seeing them soon, I promise!

Have a great day everyone - go stamp something fun!
~~Robin

Almost Time for Butterflies!

"Rain, rain go away. Come again another day!"
That's my mantra today.
Have I ever told you that i do not like rainy days??
I can appreciate them because I know we NEED the rain, and I'm grateful for it, but I'd be such a happy girl if it could just rain at night while we're sleeping and be nice and bright and sunny in the morning. Now that would be bliss!

This weekend was so beautiful here in Virginia - we had perfect temperatures and sunny skies and soft breezes. It was wonderful to sit out on our deck and enjoy a few meals and our morning coffee. That's one of my favorite things - to sit outside and just be. Enjoying the crisp morning air, sipping my coffee, listening to the birds and watching them fly across our yard. We'll have butterflies soon and I'm looking forward to that too.
Even though our butterfly population isn't out in force yet, I was certainly thinking of them when I created these projects.

I was inspired by the retiring Designer Series Paper Beyond the Garden. It has such beautiful and bold colors and patterns, you can't help but think of Summer when you use it. I combined it with the Beautiful Butterflies Die for my Big Shot, the retiring Flight of the Butterfly stamp set and the retiring Rhinestone Circle Ice Brads to make these pieces.

The color combo is Whisper White, Daffodil Delight and Pacific Point. I used the Fabulous Florets stamp set to stamp the cardstock for the white butterflies then cut them out with the Big Shot. The notepad has a belly band around it to keep it closed and I added a Whisper White 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon loop for the pen.
If you're wondering about the notepad itself, I took a pile of small size legal pads to my local print store and had the cut in half with their saw. The cost was minimal and the size was perfect for these pocket pads.

We're going to be making these projects at my next Chick-Fil-A event - Crafty Chicks n' Chickn' on Monday, June 18th. The event is posted on my demonstrator website and on my Trinity Design Studio Facebook page, so you can RSVP easily! You should come out an join us, I think you'll really enjoy making them.

For now, if you just can't wait - you can visit my Online Stampin' Store and purchase the supplies while you still can. All the retiring products I used are going away on May 31st, so don't miss out!

I hope your day is sunny and warm wherever you are, I'm going to be making my own sunshine in the studio today, can't wait!
Happy Stampin'!
~~Robin

Place your order for Stampin' Up! Supplies at this link here: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!

Farewell Poppy Parade

Well, it's finally Friday and time for the last color in my Farewell to the Retiring In Colors tour. I know I've told you all week that I couldn't decide which was my favorite, and that's true, but the more I look at Poppy Parade, the more I know I'm going to miss it. A lot.
Heck, I even bought a jacket in this color last year! (and Patty Bennett, if you're reading this, I know that will come as no surprise to you! LOL!)

I had another card I was going to show you today for Poppy Parade, but I got a little time in my studio last night and decided to play a bit and came up with this one:

I used a piece of 4 1/4" x 11" Poppy Parade cardstock and created the folded cardbase. I also scored it at 2 3/4" to make the fold for an easel card. The top layer card front is 4 1/4" x  5 1/2" Poppy Parade and I ran it through the Big Shot with the Framed Tulips embossing folder. Next, I used a Stamping Sponge with my Whisper White Craft Ink pad and rubbed ink all over the raised frame to make it stand out and give a soft edge.

The focal image was fun! I wanted to use the Beveled Windowpanes one more time before they retire so I pulled out my Charming stamp set - also retiring - and got to work. The stamped piece is done with So Saffron ink and the 'words' stamp and then I overstamped it with the floral spray. I colored on the stamp with my Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Markers for the multi-color look.

I adhered that piece to a piece of Poppy Parade which was adhered to a piece of Whisper White. For the windowpane, I added two pieces of Whisper White Satin Ribbon - also retiring - and simply knotted them off on each side, trimming with my Craft Scissors (ribbon scissors in my house!). The whole element was adhered to the card front with Mini Glue Dots, carefully hidden. The whole panel was popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

Here's a look at the 'easel':

I used the Decorative Label Punch - NOT retiring thankfully! - to punch out the swirly frame image that I stamped in Poppy Parade on Whisper White. It's sponged in So Saffron ink. I added the greeting from the It's Your Day stamp set - also retiring - with the Word Window Punch. I stamped it in Poppy Parade, punched it out and inked the edges with more So Saffron. The whole piece was popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals to act as the 'stop' for the easel front.

Here's a look at the inside:

It's a simple Whisper White panel sponged with So Saffron and stamped in the corner with the little fleur-de-lis stamp in Poppy Parade. This way, you can include a sweet personal message that stays hidden when the card is on display.

So, there you have it - these lovely In Colors are saying Good-bye and I hope this week long tour has inspired you to either use what you have or stock up on what you need before you can't anymore. My Online Stampin' Store is open 24/7 and you can shop right from the Retiring Accessories list. And don't forget the Clearance Rack while you are there - it has some great bargains on some old favorites!

Have a wonderful weekend stampin' friends! The weather is going to be great here, but I plan to get some stampin' time in as well as being out in the sunshine!
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Place your order for Stampin' Up! supplies at this link here: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!

OOPS!

No photos with this post, just a sincere apology.
I know many Stampin' Up! demonstrators follow my blog and read my stamping related posts on Facebook and I am grateful that you like me and my stuff enough to do so.

Yesterday, I did a really stupid thing and I fear it may have potentially caused others to follow suit.
I attached a photo of the cover of the new catalog to my client e-mail which posts to my Facebook page. And, I had a photo of it on my blog sidebar as well.

This is a no-no with Stampin' Up! We are not allowed to post any photographs of printed materials from upcoming catalogs or promotions until the live date. We are allowed to post projects made with products, but nothing else.

In my excitement to "tease" the new catalog - it really is awesome! - I completely forgot this rule and showed the catalog cover online.
If you know me, you know that integrity is everything to me and I would never want to do something that breaks a rule and especially if it leads someone else to do the same.

As you've probably guessed, someone saw my photo in one of those places and contacted Stampin' Up! to notify them of the violation. To whoever that was, I am grateful that you did and I thank you for being diligent and acting quickly.
Stampin' Up! contacted me and within minutes of receiving the message, I had removed the photos and posts. I was mortified to say the least.

I debated on whether to post this, but I've seen a few demonstrator posts on Facebook that spoke of violations being noticed and warnings given. Believe me, I never want to be the example where a warning has to be given! So if I caused you to do the same because you trust me, then please accept my apology for leading you astray. I'm humbled that you trust me to do the right thing, but we all make mistakes and this is one time I did.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate you all so much!
~~Robin

Farewell Blushing Bride

It's day 4 of my Farewell to the retiring In Colors and today - I cannot "resist" Blushing Bride! Ha!
For this sweet card, I used one of my favorite techniques - Emboss Resist - and I did a little stamper's happy dance when it was finished.

Now before I go any further, I know you're gonna say that I used retired ribbon. Yep, I did. But it was perfect for the card, I had a whole bunch of it left over and I KNOW you have it too because it sold like crazy! So don't pick on me, you know you love it! :)

I used Blushing Bride cardstock for the card base and it's layered with Early Espresso and Very Vanilla. The vanilla layer was stamped collage like with different images from Circle Circus with Versamark Ink. That gave this stamp set new life in my studio, I haven't used it in ages and had to blow the dust off the case! But hey, didn't it turn out cool??
Once I did my stamping (largest to smallest image) I covered it with Clear Embossing Powder and heat embossed it with my Heat Tool.

Next, I used a Sponge Dauber and rubbed Blushing Bride ink all over the embossed images. I was careful to start in the center of the image and work outwards so the color wouldn't be too dark on the edges. This gives you better control of the color depth. After all the ink was applied, I rubbed it off with a paper towel to remove the ink that the glossy embossed images 'resisted'.
That layer was adhered to the Early Espresso layer and I wrapped the ribbon piece around them and secured it with SNAIL. The whole thing was adhered to the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals to pop it up enough to give the ribbon space to lay properly.

The focal point was next:

I used a greeting from the Pursuit of Happiness stamp set (which is NOT retiring thank goodness!) and stamped it in Early Espresso ink on a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. I used another circle image from Circle Circus and stamped it in Blushing Bride on the greeting and added a Large Pearl accent to the top corner. a little sponging of Blushing Bride ink around the edges of the vanilla set it off nicely and the whole piece was popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals to float over the ribbon nicely.

Lastly, a peek at the inside:

More of the same circle image in Blushing Bride ink and a greeting from Sincere Salutations in Early Espresso completes the card.
Listen.....Sincere Salutations is RETIRING! It's been around a long time, but I know some of you still don't own it. It's a must have for your greeting stamps for a number of reasons and trust me when I say you'll be sad that you didn't get it before it was too late. I'm not selling my set in my Clearance Sale, so no second chances either. So hop on over to my Online Stampin' Store and order it today before you forget about it. There's no crying in baseball - wait, in STAMPING - so I'm not gonna listen to it on June 1st, k?

Either way, have a GREAT day stamping friends! I'll be back tomorrow with the last retiring In Color - Poppy Parade!
~~Robin

Place your order for Stampin' Up! supplies at this link here: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right to get started!

Farewell Concord Crush

Well, here we are - day 3 of the Farewell to the Retiring In Colors tour.
I'm having a hard time deciding which card to show on which day - I was going to do them in the order that I like them, ending with my favorite, but I'm really sad about saying goodbye to them all.
Ok, Peach Parfait is not my personal favorite color - BUT in my defense, I'm not a peach girl. I don't wear it well and I don't decorate with it anymore after living with a peach and hunter green living room in my single-girl townhouse. By the time Mark and I got married, I'd had enough peach to last a lifetime and you'd be hard pressed to find it anywhere in my home still today.

Don't get me wrong, Peach Parfait is a great color - and some sort of peach has been in my opinion necessary for our spectrum the past two years - it's just not what I'd go to first, know what I mean??

Some of you may not like purple - I can't possibly understand why - you must not like chocolate chip cookies or pictures of cute kittens and puppies or cupcakes either, but that would be judgmental of me to say and I'd never do that......
:)
So for you purple lovers out there - this card is for YOU!

 

This card started with a base of Concord Crush cardstock and I layered it with Whisper White that had been run through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. the middle layers are Wisteria Wonder cardstock (a current In Color) and a piece of Concord Crush Designer Series Paper. They are popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals and have a piece of Whisper White Satin Ribbon knotted and wrapped around them. That ribbon is retiring as well, so better get it while you can. ALL the Satin Ribbon is retiring!

The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (not retiring - thank goodness!) and is stamped in Concord Crush ink on Whisper White. I punched it out with the Word Window punch and adhered it to a piece of Wisteria Wonder punched with the Modern Label punch. I added a Basic Rhinestone for a little bling-bling. 

The focal image is the Triple Treat Flower (yep - it's retiring!) stamped three times - twice in Wisteria Wonder and once in Concord Crush. I punched out the flowers with three punches - Fancy Flower, 5-Petal Flower (retiring!) and the 1/2" Circle. The petals were curled up with my Bone Folder and then all the layers were adhered together with Stampin' Dimensionals. One more Basic Rhinestone was added to the center.

Here's the inside:

Just a simple Whisper White panel stamped one time with the Triple Treat Flower. I added a greeting from Curvy Verses (also retiring and you NEED this stamp set! You can't stamp it crooked and the greetings are great!).

As you can see, I used quite a few retiring products on this card so be sure to check out my Online Stampin' Store so you can get them before they are gone for good. You've got 15 days, so get movin'!

Have a great evening stampers and I'll see you tomorrow with another Farewell card.
~~Robin

Place your order for Stampin' Up! supplies at this link here: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!

A "Golden" Mother's Day!

Mother's Day was extra special this year.
Not only did we have my Mom and Mark's Mom here with us for the weekend, we all got to watch Emma skate in the May Day Open competition on Sunday morning.
It's her second competition of her singles season and once again, she did a beautiful job!

That alone was my best Mother's Day gift - being able to watch my girl do what she loves best and do it beautifully.
Here's the video of her skate that day:

In all honesty, it wasn't her best skate, but it sure made her coach happy!
Here they are waiting on the results to be posted.
I had to laugh, because they are already listening to music possibilities for next season!

Here is a photo of the results sheet. I had to take this photo because you RARELY see all the judges in complete agreement over scores. That was fun!

My girl at the top of the medal stand - they all look pretty happy, don't they?

Another photo of Emma and Rosemary - they make such a good team. We love our coach!

And me with my golden girl!
Yes, she is about 2 inches taller than me - even taller in her skates - and I had on wedge heels that day. She's only 14, is she gonna get any taller??

I wish we'd gotten a photo of her with the Grandma's, but everything was moving so quickly, we totally forgot!

So, that's how I spent my Mother's Day - my best ever - wouldn't you agree??
~~Robin

Farewell Pear Pizzazz

Hello stampin' peeps!
I cannot believe I am just now sitting down to get this post done - it's been quite a day to say the least. Everything I've touched today has either spilled, torn or broken; Susie threw up on the sofa and I have a killer toothache which means a trip to the dentist probably tomorrow. Joy.
I'm not even gonna ask what else can go wrong - I really don't want to know.
It's also National Chocolate Chip Day and I haven't had a single Chocolate Chip - not one! That my friends is a tragedy. Just sayin'.

Anyway, I'm settled in my comfy chair in the corner now, Cupcake Wars is on - just waiting for the Dancing With the Stars results show - and I figured it's time to bring you the second installment in the Farewell to the In Colors week!
Today's card is done with Pear Pizzazz - really one of  my favorites of the colors saying farewell. It's a great green to go with many other colors and I've paired it here with Garden Green for a monochromatic look. You're also getting a little sneak peek at a new stamp set - Everything Eleanor - that's coming out on June 1st. It's an awesome set with some fun elements so be looking for it when you get your new catalog, ok?

My card base is Garden Green and I used Pear Pizzazz cardstock for the first layer. It's run though the Big Shot with the Finial Press Embossing Folder - which is also retiring - and I rubbed it with some Pear Pizzazz ink to bring out the texture.
The next layer is Garden Green and the stamped layer is Very Vanilla. I stamped the background image in Pear Pizzazz (it's from Everything Eleanor) and then overstamped it with the grassy flower stamp from Just Believe (it looks like weeds to me, but it's still pretty!) in Garden Green ink. Those layers were popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals and I wrapped a piece of Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding around them and tied it off in a nice big bow.

Here's a look at the inside:

I used a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and stamped the background image with leftover Pear Pizzazz ink in the lower left corner. It's also got a few weeds stamped there in Garden Green.
The greeting is from the Sweetly Said stamp set - which is also retiring - and I stamped it in Garden Green as well.

We've only got 16 days left to snap up all the items that are retiring this year - so be sure to check out my Online Stampin' Store to get yours before it's too late!
I'll be back tomorrow with your third installment of Farewell In Colors so be sure to come back and visit!

~~Robin

Shop for your Stampin' Up! supplies at this link here: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!

Farewell Peach Parfait

Good morning stampers!!

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend - mine sure was. I received the BEST Mother's Day gift EVER!
Emma skated in a competition in Maryland on Sunday and earned her second gold medal of the season! WooHoo!!! It was just wonderful to be able to watch my daughter go out and do what she loves best and be blessed with the huge smile of accomplishment from her as she received her medal. It truly makes all the hours worth it to see her so happy and satisfied.
It was even better to have both my Mother-in-Law and my Mom here over the weekend to celebrate with us - you think I was excited about that gold medal - you should have seen them!

On Friday, I showed you the card I made for my Mother-in-Law, here is the card I made for my Mom:

We all know that Peach Parfait is retiring forever in just 16 days, so I took full advantage of being able to use it one more time. This whole week will be devoted to saying "Farewell" to the all 5 of the retiring In Colors, so be sure to check back each day.

My card uses not only the retiring Peach Parfait, but also some Poppy Parade, the retiring stamp set Upsy Daisy and the retiring Whisper White Satin Ribbon. It's kind of an ode to the retiring list!
I used the Flower Garden Embossing Folder to add some subtle detail to the top layer of Peach Parfait, then I sponged lightly in Peach Parfait ink all over it and the edges too. The Upsy Daisy flower stamp was inked first in Peach Parfait, then I used a sponge dauber to add some Poppy Parade ink to the flower tops.

Here's a peek at the inside:

I used the greeting from the You are Loved stamp set which was in the Holiday Mini, but is RETURNING in the new catalog on June 1st! Yay! I loved that stamp set!

Both Moms loved their cards too, and isn't that what it's all about??

I'm off to get ready for Just Cards class this morning - hope you all have a great day!
~~Robin

Vintage Doily Mother's Day

Excuse me for a minute - I need to talk to my Mom:
"Mom, I love you. But this is not your Mother's Day card. I know you read my blog - thank goodness because at least I know someone does! - so I would not be so foolish as to post your card here before YOU could open it. This is the card I made for Mark to give his Mom. Rest assured that I have one created with YOU in mind, but I'm not gonna spoil the surprise. You'll just have to wait until Sunday!"

Thanks stampers for letting me say that. My Mom is so supportive - she reads my blog everytime I post and in true Mom fashion, loves everything I make and comments on Facebook for just about all of them too.  I just didn't want to get her all excited that this was "her" card, know what I mean? I'll post hers on Monday - promise! Actually, I think Mark's Mom reads my blog too, but she probably won't get around to it today or tomorrow, so I think I'm safe.

So, let's get to it, shall we?

I got a few Sneak Peek products in over the past week (three separate orders to be exact, but who's counting?) HA!
This card is showing off the gorgeous NEW In Color - Raspberry Ripple. LOVE it! It's so deep and rich, really perfect for so many different projects, but here I decided to go vintage.

The card base is Raspberry Ripple cardstock and I layered it with Basic Black and Very Vanilla.
The Very Vanilla layer was stamped with Hello, Doily in Versamark and Heat Embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. Then I used one of my very favorite WOW techniques - Emboss Resist - and rubbed a combination of Raspberry Ripple and Primrose Petals ink all over the image. The Primrose Petals (another NEW In color) is rubbed between the inside of the doily image and the outer edges. Those were rubbed with Raspberry Ripple. It's hard to see the two tone effect in my photos (stupid camera!) but it's really lovely in real life.

Once that was done, I sponged the edges with a bit of Crumb Cake ink. The next layer is a strip of Raspberry Ripple cardstock punched along the bottom edge with the Eyelet Lace Border Punch. I layered it with a piece of Very Vanilla that I stamped with the Music Standard Wheel in Basic Black. It's also edged in Crumb Cake.

The greeting layers were done with a piece of Raspberry Ripple cardstock cut out with the Labels Framelits then embossed with the Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder. I sponged a bit of Raspberry Ripple ink on the edges and layered it with a piece of Very Vanilla that I cut out with the next size down. I'd stamped my greeting from Delightful Dozen first in Raspberry Ripple ink and simply cut around it with my Framelit. Like a punch for the Big Shot - so cool!
It's sponged with some Crumb Cake ink and adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I added a Large Pearl (carrying over from the Occasions Mini Catalog!) to the label and then made my double bow as a final accent. The Rose Red Seam Binding Ribbon is a perfect tone to use with these two In Colors - a sweet discovery! I paired it with some 1/8" Taffeta in Basic Black and adhered the bow with Mini Glue Dots.

I really hope she likes the card. She's very musical and has sang in church and in a gospel group for years so it seemed appropriate for her.

So, I bet you can't wait to get your hands on those New In Colors now, eh? I've got more samples to show you, but next week is my daily farewell showcase to the retiring In Colors. Be sure to check in each day and get ideas for how to use those still gorgeous colors!

Happy stampin' everyone!
~~Robin

Place your order for Stampin' Up! supplies Online in my store: Robin's Online Stampin' Store.
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!

A Digital Kind of Day!

Well, it's been a week - so I figured I'd better get my behind in gear and post something to the ol' blog for you all! HA!
I don't want to be one of those bloggers that frustrates you. You know, the ones who you love to visit, but they don't post often enough! Believe me when I say that I'm tryin', I'm really tryin'! And I don't mean tryin' your patience! At least I hope not.
Thanks for hanging in there with me folks, it really has been non-stop once again around here and lately I've been working with my downline team and working on upcoming classes along with all the Mom stuff and Wife stuff and, well, the list goes on.

Anyway, I did take a few minutes yesterday to download some of the newest additions to My Digital Studio (MDS) and there were some fantastic ones!
I especially love the ones that have pre-designed layouts that I can just insert my photos and text and call it DONE!

My share today is a layout I did literally, in 5 minutes!~ You gotta love that!

12" x 12" Layout created with the Oh Splat! Overlays MDS Download

I know you can't really tell from the photo here, but it's on a 12" x 12" Whisper White Background, but it looks kinda cool with just the design and the photo showing up, huh?

So, if you haven't given My Digital Studio a whirl yet, maybe it's time. You can visit my Stampin' Up! Online Store and download a FREE 30 Day Trial Version that has all the bells and whistles so you can check it out. You can even create projects and print them during the 30 Day Trial. After that, you'll have the option to purchase the software and I think you're gonna want to.
Listen, I'm not a computer gal - they confound me at every turn - just ask my hubby. So when I say that even "I" can use My Digital Studio, you should have faith that YOU can too! Plus, there's nothing lost in trying it out for FREE for goodness sake!

When you visit my store, just click on the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner. It opens a window for you to the store and over on the right side is an icon that says "MDS Express Trial". You can click on that to get all the details and download information.
Oh, and one more thing. If you purchase any downloads during your 30 days, you'll still be able to use them in ANY other digital design software that you may have - pretty cool, huh?

Have a great day! I'm off to stamp - gotta make something new to show you tomorrow!
~~Robin

My Golden Girl!

Wow! What a weekend!

Before I get started, this is definitely a NON-stamping post - but it is also a PROUD Mommy post! :)

Last week was a BIG skating week in our house. Emma was preparing to skate in her first solo competition since our home rink collapsed in the record snow over 2 years ago. (Click HERE for the story) My daughter, who has been skating since she was 4 - she's 14 now - was so upset by losing her home away from home that she came close to quitting this sport which she loves so much. It was a very long 18 months for her and for us as we traveled at best 45 minutes one way to just get her ice time at another rink. She missed her friends, she missed her familiar surroundings and she missed the routine we'd been so used to for so long. Who can blame her for losing heart for a while? Not me. To be honest, it was hard for me too. Nothing was the same anymore and it really stunk.

As I look back on those 18 months, I'm so grateful for the synchronized skating team that Emma skates with - the National Blades. I truly believe that if it weren't for her involvement with synchro, she would have quit. But the fact that all of the girls were affected by the rink collapse helped strengthen their bond and kept them focused and together.
It's kind of ironic then that at her first solo competition back, she got to skate with several of her National Blades teammates. They were all doing their own individual routines, but their camaraderie was so evident as they encouraged each other and cheered loudly for each other.
That's what TEAM does for you.

Here's a photo of four of them together right before their group was called:

Don't they all look beautiful?

Here is Emma with her freestyle coach of 4 years, Rosemary. They have a fantastic relationship and at the end of THIS day, she was ecstatic with the results!

Which were pretty good for Emma!

She took first in her group of 7 skaters!!

Here she is on the top of the medal stand with her ribbon:

The last time she earned Gold in a solo competition was at our old rink. She was wearing a white costume that day too, so I think white is her lucky color! hahaha! This dress she designed herself and the Mom of the skater in the aqua dress made it for her. In fact, she made all three of the dresses in this photo. We are very lucky to have her close by!

Here is our Gold medal girl with Mark and I after the awards:

And me and my awesome girl:

Love this girl!
She competes again on Mother's Day and I'm so excited to see what might happen there. We are so blessed and very grateful.

Happy day everyone!
~~Robin

Shimmer Makes it Special

Happy Tuesday stampers!

I wanted to share this card with you before the embossing folder I used sells out. I made this with the Finial Press folder and somehow, it's found it's way onto the Retiring Accessories list. Yes, it's true, so if you want this beauty, you need to order it before it's too late!

The card is my take on a similar one I'd seen on the web somewhere. It was so lovely, I had to re-create it for my classes in April.

I used Very Vanilla cardstock for all the layers. The Finial Press Embossing Folder was used for the central layer and I used the Houndstooth Embossing Folder for the front heart layer. It's punched out with the Full Heart Punch. The second heart is from the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit. I added a border of Very Vanilla that was punched with the Eyelet Border Punch.

You can see the special touches I added better from this photo. all of the embossed and punched layers were lightly painted with a sponge dauber and Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint. I added two of the Large Pearls and a wrap around bow of Pool Party Seam Binding. The greeting is from the now retired Loving Thoughts stamp set.

I loved this card so much! The Shimmer Paint makes it for me, that stuff is awesome.

So, I'm getting off the computer for today - been on here a LOT today with all the great announcements that Stampin' Up! made today. It's been a busy one for me!
I'll be back tomorrow with a family post and to share some of the news with you all!

~~Robin