I'm going to miss some of the retirement items. Here are some cards I made with some of the retiring items:
This one uses the Here, Kitty, Kitty stamp set.








This second one uses some of the gift cards that are retiring.



This third one uses some of the retiring Designer series paper in Rose Red.


This last one uses the Circle of friendship set and the love notes.

purse card tutorial

Okay, I finally have pictures for this tutorial. Here is how you make the purse card The swap card is the blue card. I'm also showing pink as another option. Also, I got the basic template idea from the SCS template site. I did modify the size to get two per sheet though.

First you take the cardstock and cut 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 (to get two bases per sheet). Then you score at 3 1/2, 7, & 7 2/16 (to help it close - if you'd rather just use a Velcro dot then you don't need this second score line.)

Once it is scored, you fold up the bottom side. Then you make a tick mark at the 1" and 4 1/2" marks (on the front piece only - see photo).

You then need to cut from the bottom corner to the tick mark, but not the top part. You will then cut from the tick line to the end of the paper along the score line. Do this for both sides, so it will end up looking like a T (see picture that looks like a modified T).

Next you will cut the top part. You start at the tick line again and then cut straight up. Do this for both sides (see picture).

Next you take the top part and fold the flap over like it would when you open the card. Next you take the flap and cut off the bottom right corner (to make it look like a tag might look). then you take the piece that was cut off and place it on the left side to use as a guide in cutting off the left corner. That way your two corners match. This will make the flap have a tag like feel to it. It should look like the picture on the left when you open it all up again.

Now you are ready to decorate your card. For the outside stamped color, I cut the paper 5 1/4 x 3 1/4.

You would make tick marks again on this paper, but at the 1" and 4 1/4" marks of your colored cardstock. Again cut from the bottom corner to the tick mark all the way to the top. It should look like this picture. Next stamp your image as desired. I used Boho Backgrounds.

Close up your card and add the stamped image to the front of the card. Then you embellish as desired. I cut about 7" of thin ribbon (grosgrain) or about 7 1/4" of thicker (double stitched). I attached it to the inside of my card to look like purse straps. I then used The Boho Blossoms and Five Petal punches along with a brad to decorate my cards. I then stamped an image on the inside, added a couple more punched flowers and then was done. Have fun. I'd love to see images you create too. If you make some share with me, please. Thanks.

Items I used for the pink card: Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Purely Pomegranate. Ink: Purely Pomegranate Accessories: Boho Blossoms punch, Five Petal Punch, Gold brad, Pomegranate Ribbon, Scissors, dimensional, piercer. The blue card I used Bashful blue and Night of Navy paper. Night of Navy ink, and Navy grosgrain ribbon.

retiring accessories

Here is a list of the retiring accessories. I will try and keep this updated.
Item Number Page # Product Description Availability
109200 177 Accents & Elements Build A Flower - Not available
110718 177 Accents & Elements Lucky Star
110719 177 Accents & Elements Messenger
103158 184 Acrylic Graph & Grid
108638 163 Card Stock 12 X 12 In Color
108642 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Blue Bayou
108643 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Groovy Guava
108637 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 In Color
108640 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 River Rock
108639 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Soft Sky
108641 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Wild Wasabi - not available
108644 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Purely Pomegranate - not available
103975 166 Card Stock Brushed Copper - Not Available
108694 163 Card Stock Textured 12 X 12 In Color
107312 167 Cards & Envelopes Gift Whisper White
107292 167 Cards & Envelopes Greeting Whisper White
109116 167 Notes & Envelopes Long Notes
109118 167 Notes & Envelopes Love Notes
109117 167 Notes & Envelopes Pocket Notes* - Not Available
110729 167 Notes & Envelopes Scallop Notes
109119 167 Notes & Envelopes Gift Notes
109018 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Blue Bayou - Not Available
109019 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Groovy Guava
109017 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Purely Pomegranate - Not Available
109016 163 Classic Stampin' Ink River Rock - Not Available
109015 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Soft Sky
109020 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Wild Wasabi - Not Available
109013 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Blue Bayou
109012 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Groovy Guava
109011 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Purely Pomegranate
109010 163 Classic Stampin' Pad River Rock
109009 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Soft Sky
109014 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Wild Wasabi
110751 171 Designer Series Paper Azure*
110696 169 Designer Series Paper Bali Breeze
110749 169 Designer Series Paper Berry Bliss
109154 169 Designer Series Paper Cutie Pie
110699 168 Designer Series Paper East Coast Prep* Not Available
109160 170 Designer Series Paper Fall Flowers - Not availabe
109159 169 Designer Series Paper Flowers For You*
110697 169 Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom
110479 168 Designer Series Paper Jersey Shore*
109151 170 Designer Series Paper Le Jardin
110748 170 Designer Series Paper Notebook*
110750 171 Designer Series Paper Olive Press
109153 170 Designer Series Paper Porcelain Prints* - Not available
109175 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Almost Amethyst* - not available
109177 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Always Artichoke
109173 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Blue Bayou - not available
109174 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Brilliant Blue
109178 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Certainly Celery
109169 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Close to Cocoa* - not available
109168 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Groovy Guava* - Not available
109171 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Lovely Lilac
109172 171 Designer Series Paper Prints More Mustard - not available
109176 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Old Olive
109170 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Pumpkin Pie - not available
109164 171 Designer Series Paper Prints River Rock*
109167 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Rose Red
109166 171 Designer Series Paper Prints So Saffron
109165 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Soft Sky- not available
109163 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Tempting Turquoise - not available
110698 168 Designer Series Paper Spring Break
110273 169 Designer Series Paper Spring Fling* - not available
110271 170 Designer Series Paper Spring Silhouettes
110272 170 Designer Series Paper Western Sky
107299 167 Envelope Confetti Cream Medium
105320 189 Eyelets Basic - not available
100375 189 Eyelets Bold Brights - not available
100381 189 Eyelets Earth Elements - not available
107233 189 Eyelets Fresh Favorites I
107234 189 Eyelets Fresh Favorites II
105316 189 Eyelets Rich Regals
100378 189 Eyelets Soft Subtles - not available
105515 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter - Not Available
105531 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Antique Brass - Not Available
105532 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Aged Copper - Not Available
101120 183 Metallic Art Pencils
107307 179 On Board Accents
109181 178 On Board Blossoms & Basic
109179 178 On Board Ginormous Pieces
107306 179 On Board Simon Lower
102678 166 Mulberry Paper White - Not Available
109227 181 Punch Box Three For You - not available
102686 180 Punch Handheld Rectangle
100271 183 Pure Color Pencils
109060 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Blue Bayou - Not Available
109063 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Groovy Guava - Not Available
109061 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Purely Pomegranate - Not Available
109062 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched River Rock*
109059 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Soft Sky - not available
109058 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Wild Wasabi - Not available
109189 190 Ribbon Originals Beachfront*
109187 190 Ribbon Originals District*
109188 190 Ribbon Originals Fairy Tale
109185 190 Ribbon Originals Jersey*
109184 190 Ribbon Originals Sherbert
109186 190 Ribbon Originals Theater
110716 191 Ribbon Striped Grosgrain Wild Wasabi*
110281 182 Rub-Ons Cherished Memories* - not available
110284 182 Rub-Ons Eastern Elegance*
110285 182 Rub-Ons Urban West*
110557 174 Simply Scrappin' Boho Blend
109610 174 Simply Scrappin' Confetti - not available
110572 172 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Boy
110567 173 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Girl
109597 175 Simply Scrappin' Home Again
110562 174 Simply Scrappin' Rose Cottage
109648 173 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Boy
109627 173 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Girl - Not Available
110587 175 Simply Scrappin' Summer Days
110577 175 Simply Scrappin' Tie The Knot
111184 15 Simply Sent Friendly Notes
109228 16 Simply Sent Simple Delights - Not Available
109229 16 Simply Sent Three Thoughts - Not Available
106662 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Daisy Field
107561 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Garden Annuals
109681 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Good Dog
109678 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Kisses
107482 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Lily Pad - not available
109680 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Meow
109677 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Mistletoe - not available
106610 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Basics Outline
107467 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Birthday
109571 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Baby
109570 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Friends
109569 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Party
108423 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Leaves A La Carte - Not Available
107468 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Nature Hike
108980 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Petals
107464 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Rough Texture - rough texture
111261 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Spunky Spots
109554 193 Stampin' Color Index Labels - not available
106694 194 Stampin' Kids Markers
101399 185 Stipple Brushes Not Available - error - will be in new catalog
102673 183 Zig Painty

working on swaps

Today I'm going to have to work on swaps some. I'm behind there. hopefully, I can get another group done, because I'm suppose to meet up with another group going to convention tomorrow and swap with them. I'll have to post pictures of them soon. Here is one I'm thinking about for convention, so please don't use. Thanks.
This one opens up and you can insert a message inside. I also did one with pretty in pink and pomegranate but can't use that for swaps. I like the pink one better, but I like this one too.

This one uses the following: Papers: bashful blue and chocolate chip; Ink: Night of Navy; Ribbon: Navy grosgrain; Boho Blossoms and Five Petal Punch; and a brad. It uses the Boho Backgrounds stamp set. The card design base idea I found on SCS but modified the decorations to some degree. Oh, I also modified the size too. With this size I can get at least 2 cards per sheet, whereas before it was just one.

Just an update

Sorry, it's been a few days. My afternoon tea (3 item) class went well, but took way longer then I expected. It's just fun making new stuff though. I hope they come out with more carousel notes to do more like this.
Trying to get ready for so many classes has made it harder to keep up here (24 cards with sskit, 2 SAS and a club to start), sorry. That in conjunction with my real job, kids being in camp and VBS, other activities and also getting swaps ready for convention, life has been hectic but fun. Not complaining just letting you know life is happening.
I am so excited about all the new products I've seen recently though. I just got my pre-order shipment last night and have barely had time to look at it. It's so exciting. I like the new punches, sets and accessories I've seen coming out. I can't wait for convention. Gosh I can't wait to go home and play with my new stuff. But again I have to wait, I have a meeting tonight. I'm hoping to post some pictures of some of the new stuff soon. Maybe I can talk my husband into helping me out there. He's so good to help out when I need it. He especially likes the techie stuff. I'm definitely blessed there. Well, I need to finish up here. I hope everyone is doing well. I hope to post more soon, with pictures.

Afternoon Tea class

Tonight I have my Afternoon tea class. I hope it goes well. The projects were so fun to make. We are making a scrapbook out of envelopes, a purse scrapbook out of envelopes and a little carousel note purse. Many of these ideas I got form other demos and modified. I'm sorry. At first I couldn't remember who. I've seen so many projects lately. I will definitely need to get better at documenting who I've gotten something from. Being new, I forgot to write it down and wasn't even thinking about doing something like this. All the items were decorated with the Afternoon tea set, thus the name. Being new, I always worry if everyone will like what I teach. I guess that gets better as you go. I hope so anyways.
Here are some pictures of my version.









From left to right: Envelope scrapbook front, scrapbook purse, scrapbook purse inside view, carousel note purse. Okay, I felt I really needed to put who I got them from so I went out and searched. I got the Envelope scrapbook idea from Shawna Mackenzie, The purse scrapbook from Jan Tink and the Carousel purse idea from Cambria Turnbow. I do have more pics of the Envelope scrapbook too. If there is interest, I'll add those as well.

Finally got pictures in the post

I finally got pictures to go inside my post. It took a while and it was backwards, but it worked. I'm excited. I wanted them to archive with the post, so now they will.
I haven't posted much lately. I have 3 classes and a stamp a stack to get ready for and I haven't even started swaps yet. Yikes. We just got back into town from our adventure to the river, which is always an experience with younger kids. :) So things will be busy the next few weeks. I'll try to post when I can. Hope everyone is doing well.

frustrations

Sometimes I feel really old. I have to say learning to use this is really frustrating. I guess I'm showing my age and lack of computerease. My children could probably figure it out so much faster. Not really they are too young but give them a year or two. I have to say I'm out of my element with all the new stuff. This is so different from what I learned 15 years ago. It's like learning a new language almost. Hopefully, I'll have it all figured out soon. If not prepare for lots of changes. :)

12 x 12 scrapbook pages

I added pages of my scrapbook class I'm offering this month. They were fun and easy. It was really fun creating them. Two of the page ideas came from the Stampin' Up! package. I thought my son's kid party went so well with this paper and theme. He's such a character and so full of life right now. He's so creative it's funny.