Kinda Fun, Kinda Versatile, Kinda Eclectic!

I love Convention for the friends, the happy chatter and gathering, the business stuff, and the stampin!  We are treated with lots of goodies from the upcoming catalogue, and while I can't show you that just yet, I can show you this card we made during one of the Make and Take sessions. It's using a new set called "Kinda Eclectic" and I think I'm in love - sort of grungy but elegant at the same time.
It also features some of the new In Colors, Mossy Meadow, Tangelo Twist, and Hello Honey
Let me know what you think :-)

Get these lists and check them twice... Colour Refresh Time!

Back in 2010 we had a major "Colour Renovation" which resulted in the retirement of 29 colours (with associated tears and heartache, as well as a bit of a buying frenzy!), and the introduction of about 10 new colours.  There were a couple of colours I did genuinely miss, but for the most part, the replacements really revived the Colour Collections and had me looking at them in a new way.

  We were told that there would be regular, much smaller updates in future years, and SU told us back then to make sure to keep our In Color pads, and many of my stamping friends started ordering reinkers for pads at the same time as the pads themselves. And that, is a very good thing, as COLOUR REFRESH IS HERE!

I'll get to the urgent bit first, so you don't miss out on getting supplies for retiring colours while you ooh and aahh over the changes.  Inkpads, reinkers, cardstock, accessories like ribbon etc in the retiring colours will be available ONLY WHILE STOCKS LAST!  That means that we cannot expect all items to be still available when the retirement list is released in a couple of months time.  I strongly recommend that you do a stocktake of your colours, and lay your hands on the pad, reinker, marker and cardstock right now.  If there's anything missing, please give me a yell, and I can order it for you if possible.

Retiring Colours - while stocks last:

 SUBTLES
Yes - you read correctly - BAJA BREEZE.  Which reminds me I've used this colour so much, I need a new reinker for it!

CERTAINLY CELERY, PRETTY IN PINK, BASHFUL BLUE - Classic baby colours!

REGALS
Riding Hood Red!!  Not Quite Navy - go perfectly together, and will be sadly missed :-(  I'm personally not a fan of Bravo Burgundy and More Mustard, but they do have their uses, especially for brayering techniques, sunsets, and masculine cards.

BRIGHTS
Just Regal Rose on the chopping block - another solid coral-ish pink

NEUTRALS
River Rock - I do love this colour, and it fitted in nicely between greens, greys and browns.

Off to double check my stash...  Email or phone me with your order today!  Or, go online HERE to shop online via my DBWS site.

Owl punch, Pennants and Calypso Coral

This was a bit of fun, I hadn't played with the Owl Builder punch since late last year (maybe the 60 Santa Owls I did for the kid's classmates turned me away for a while??).  I also wanted to use "Calypso Coral", an In Color for 2012-13.  I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it for the first time, as I was not a fan of "Cameo Coral" that retired with the Colour Renovation project.  Combined with "Pool Party" and "Daffodil Delight" it makes a bright yet sophisticated combination that is very on-trend at the moment.  This colour combination was inspired by the "Attic Boutique" Designer Series Paper in the Autumn/Winter Mini.  At first glance you'd never think this paper would work for a fun card, but the patterns are remarkably versatile. Here I have simply hand-cut small triangles and strung them along a piece of "Calypso Coral" bakers twine with Stampin' Dimensionals to make them appear to float in front of the card.
Mr Owl is punched from scraps of Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Baja Breeze and Soft Suede and glued together with 2-way glue pen (ideal for fiddly little bits like eyeballs!)
The top layer is Whisper White, and the backing layers are a piece of retired specialty cardstock "Parisian Breeze" and a scrap of fabric that was a good match for Daffodil Delight. The sentiment is from "Curly Cute", a versatile font that fills a card nicely, stamped in Soft Suede.   So quick, so easy, I went on to make a few more. (But not 60!)

Here's a list of some of the items I used here:
118074 Owl Builder Punch - $33.95
100425 2-Way glue pen - $6.50
125573 Calypso Coral bakers twine  - $4.95  (Autumn Winter Mini - one month to go!)
121500 Curly Cute (wood) - $34.95
125407 Attic Boutique Designer Series paper pack (12 sheets 12x12, double sided) - $18.95 (A/W Mini!)

Off to finish prepping for a workshop PARTY! tomorrow, looking forward to it!

Wisteria Wonder and Forever Young with Happy Greetings

Another card I whipped up in the inspiring environment of Miss Clare's house:  I loved love love the tree stamp in the Forever Young set, and I am coming to like the clock and silhouette stamps too.  Check it out on page 45 of the main IBC, from $40.95 in clear mount (122572).  On this card, I have concentrated on using a 'dynamic duo' of Wisteria Wonder and Concord Crush (an In Color leaving us in September).  The background is wheeled with Very Vintage Jumbo wheel in Wisteria ink.  The top panel has a few layers, and I have used something a little different for the 'sky' layer - a piece of the delectable Flirtatious Specialty Paper, a delicate all-over doily pattern.  I used a scallop circle punchie to sponge over with Wisteria ink, moving the scallop around to sponge cloud-shapes, to create a thundery sky look.  The little 'hills' are made by tearing some lengths of cardstock and sticking them down over the DSP layer.  I stamped the tree last, in Concord Crush ink, and added the "Thanks for being a friend" greeting from the Summer Mini set, Happy Greetings -  125792, $35.95 in wood mount.  This set has a useful collection of greeting stamps in a selection of classic fonts.   The "Happiness Always" is my favourite wedding/engagement/anniversary stamp of all time, and it also includes a Congrats/Well done stamp, Take a look to see if it is a good addition to your collection before it's gone on March 31st - it would also make a good set for a beginning stamper because of the versatile sentiments.

You are Loved - Quick card with In Colors - have you ordered your reinkers etc?

I love Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz - and I am going to miss them terribly, along with Blushing Bride and Concord Crush.  I never quite came to like Poppy Parade, but I know others for whom it was their new favourite red!  There are a few short months left to purchase these colours, as they will rotate out of the In Color range as of August 31st.   That's right, after 2 years they leave us!  After then, you'll no longer be able to buy cardstock, markers, reinkers, inkpads or ribbon accessories for these colours.  I do like to give my lovely readers plenty of warning, so they can take inventory and stock up appropriately.  With a marker and reinker along with your inkpad and a pack or two of cardstock, you can create with these colours for years to come.  If you're thinking of an item or two from the current (but soon departing) Summer Mini, and need some ESSENTIAL filler items to make up a Sale-a-bration order of $100, these In Color products are just perfect.  

Anyway, this card was made during a visit to a playland during the summer hols, while my kids ran themselves ragged, not to mention hot and sweaty!  The base layer is Peach Parfait, and it has been stamped with the flower background from the SAB set "Fresh Vintage", free with your order of $100 before March 31st.  The band is Pear Pizzazz, punched with the Scallop Trim punch.    The greeting has been stamped using "You are Loved", $47.95 in clear mount, 123779, from the Summer Mini.  I used markers to ink the stamp, even including little bits of Poppy Parade and Blushing Bride, and stamped it onto the fabulous Glossy White cardstock.  This smooth coated white cardstock is a great choice for markers and solid stamps, as the surface absorbs ink beautifully, and leaves a crisp printed image.  And, it's a bargain at $9.50 for 25 sheets.  It's tucked up the back of the cardstock section with the other specialties, page 125, and the code for ordering is 106555.  This stamp set co-ordinates with both the Decorative Label (used here) and Large Oval punches.  The Decorative Label punch can be used with a neat trick to create a mat, simply by punching a second shape and cutting it neatly in half.  Spread it a smidge and trim off the tiny points, and you have a shadow layer that adds instant depth.  Twice the punch for the price, and it's a great size for larger greetings.  You can find it on page 150, #120907 ad $33.95.  The finishing touches for this card are some of the Pumpkin Pie narrow taffeta ribbon across the band, and I have used a handy technique with the wide stripe ribbon, taking advantage of the semi- twill weave of the ribbon to create a floral accent.  It is secured with a stitch or two and was attached with super dooper Sticky Strip tape. 

Enjoy your day everyone, I have 50 more words to finangle into a 500 word science teaching website critique, so best go, although I am pretty sure I'd rather be stamping!