by Susan Itell | Apr 24, 2018 | Uncategorized |
Good Morning! We had a FABULOUS WEATHER WEEKEND on the East Coast over the weekend and we were deep into the fun and chores that Spring brings to us! If you can…please read to the end as I have a super sweet story for you!
I did not go into my Craft Room to do the COUNT…..until yesterday and I am a bit embarrassed to say the amount of stamps that are on my shelf that are retiring…..as I shared on Friday…I had several downline text me what their numbers were…and I was wondering what mine will be?
It’s kinda like that feeling when you need to get weighed at the Doctors Office….that REALITY of that number, yikes…that is just the worse but here you go…..the number is 46. YEP, I had 46 stamps and/or bundles that are being retired. Now before you fall off your chair (that’s what I kinda did) remember that there are stamps that have been around for years that are leaving the catalog.
This happens…and we all know it and just seem to deal with it. What will I do with them? WELL….I will pull out the ones that talk to my heart and make me smile….and the others, will find new homes. When I sell my retired stamps I know that they are going to GREAT homes and will still get the love that they deserve!
We have a winner – winners…as 3 of you guessed 47 and I just couldn’t pick one of you as this is just silly that I have this amount so guess what….you all get to pick a stamp from the stash that is retiring! Please email me and I will be back in touch! I will not be able to send them to you until after June 1st!
Many thanks for the comments and emails. By now…you know me….I am very upfront and honest about my love for paper crafting and I also love to share my tips and have fun on my blog with Blog Candy!
Willy Wonka was one of my FAVORITE movies and Candy Lane was one of my FAVORITE games when I was a grass-hopper…. I just like being the candy man as I know it makes you smile!
Now here is to a sweet story. You know that my dad has been having health issues over the past several months. Because his doctors are mainly where I live, he has had to stay in the area. Probably 20 years ago, my parents decided to purchase a home here so in case they needed care….they would be close to me. (I am the youngest of 4 and my siblings do not live near)
Well…that time is here and trust me, he would much rather be at his home on the water…but in due time. If you think I am active…he is like me at 87 so you know that I get it honestly. He is hard to keep down as he wants to go but his heart is telling him he needs to slow down!
I have been trying to do something with him about every other day to get him out of his house and give his care-takers a break so on Saturday I asked him if he wanted to go with me to get hay for the horses and to the nursery for flowers. Naturally he said YEP….I would love it so on Saturday we made the trek!
John said to me, how is your Dad going to get up in the truck? I said….let’s put the mounting block in the trailer (this is a big 2 step block that I use when I get on a horse to mount them) and in it went and off I went! I pulled into his retirement development with my truck and trailer….he was waiting for me outside and I popped out….pulled out the block and up he went!
We went for breakfast in a charming little town….then up to the “Hay Man” and they put 100 bales of hay in my trailer….then off to the nursery and I put the items in the trailer and then back home we came! He had SOOOOOO much fun! If anyone was on I-81 and saw a white truck and trailer rollin’ down the road….you would have seen a beaming father/daughter team!
I have bought hay from the same family for about 15 years and even though it is over an hour away…it is a destination of happiness for me as this family is a special family that are super hard workers! T
hey had baby goats….cows….and Dad was just thrilled to be out and see beautiful sights and talk with special people! Farming is a super hard job and a job that many of us do not understand the amount of labor. Next we rolled down the road to a nursery and as I pulled in he said…these people look like they have never seen a horse trailer before…we both laughed!
To wrap it up….we had a GREAT WEEKEND…John’s Birthday was super….my Dad had a great time and my joy tank is filled! What am I doing today……GOING TO THE MOVIES WITH DAD!
He calls me every morning when he wakes up…. and as it is to rain today I said – wanna go to the movies? He quickly said YES – I bet I haven’t been to the movies in 5 years!
So….the moral of the story is – there are times that we need to adjust life as simple adjustments bring lasting joy!
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by Susan Itell | Apr 20, 2018 | Blog Candy, Uncategorized |
Hello and Happy Friday!
I wanted to pop on and share with you
some of the things
that I am going to miss…..
maybe a bit surprised with….
and also share with you what has already sold out thus far…
and…..how about some BLOG CANDY!
You might have been wondering….what the heck has Susan been up to?
Well…I did a big project for my team that went in the mail to them today…I will share that with you next Wednesday….as I want them to receive “Happy Mail” and be surprised and the big reason…TAX SEASON is over (whew….this was a rough one for John this year) and he has taken some well deserved time off and we have just been enjoying the slower pace!
You see….I am like you….I love to craft and I get surprised just as you do when the retired list comes out. I have YET to pull off the shelf the stamps that are being retired but hopefully I will do so over the weekend. The other day, several of my team friends were texting with how many stamps they had….and I thought – wonder how many do I have?
SO….how about some BLOG CANDY?
Leave me a comment with a guess of how many stamp sets I have that are retiring from the Annual Catalog! This will be fun and I guess a bit scary at the same time..but reality is…we have some newbies around the corner!
I heard their numbers and it will be interesting to see if I am in the same ballpark! If there are multiple that guess the correct number, I will use random.org. WHAT IS THE CANDY?...The winner will get 1st pick of a stamp or bundle of her choice from the ones that are retiring that I will be selling starting June 1st.
Once I pull the ones that are leaving off the shelf…I can go through and spot the ones that will NEVER leave Randall Lane…and then the rest…I will add to the Vault of retired goodies and sell them to a loving crafter that will give them a very good home!
Now to some scoop…I talked with Demonstrator Support as in the past they always updated the list and then we could easily send it to YOU via our blogs. I was told that this year they will not be doing it in that fashion so I will do my best to update it for you to see. Below you will see as of this morning what has been sold out.
As a Demonstrator, I also can see that there are many…..many items that are already on the low inventory and then you know what that means….
THEY WILL HAVE WALKED OFF THAT PLANK and BE GONE FOREVER!
I wish that I would be able to take a screen shot for you the items that are on the “low status” but it is not in a convenient format like you see below! I guess that you can say the moral of the story is…not to wait of there is something that you really have wanted and/or something that you enjoy using and it is leaving the Stampin’ Up! line.
This time of the year is very bittersweet for all of us as it saddens us to see some favorites leave but at the same time we get super excited with what will be blooming in the New Catalog! Trust me, “I get it” as I feel the exact same way.
One thing that I truly hope that you embrace is… just because it is retiring….it doesn’t mean that it needs to leave your craft room and also that you should not like it because Stampin’ Up! has put it on a retired list. Please do not look at in this way. I am sure that it is super hard for Stampin’ Up! to figure what stays….what goes!
These are the things that I am surprised about and yep, I love them….no particular order…just flippin’ through and looking at the BIG X’s over them! I am sure that there are many that I have missed…at the end of the post you will find all of the links to them in the product lineup!
- Fast Fuse – that
is WAS the BEST and STRONGEST adhesive we have had in a convenient format. (application) I think that many had a hard time using it…and found it to be more of a pain that a pleasure! I am sad and I was hoping that SU was coming out with an alternative for that…but nope! Personally I am not a snail lover but I know many of you love it….the Fast Fuse and refills are already sold out. - The Stamp-A-Ma-Jig – (page 217)YEP….I am really surprised on this one as I think that it is a tool that EVERY CRAFTER needs. (pg. 217) You know how I feel about tools…..TOOLS ARE WHAT MAKE THE PROCESS OF CREATING FUN and REWARDING! True, we all know that the Stamparatus is a dream addition (LOVE IT) but there IS a time and place for the Stamp-a-ma-jig…..
- Bakers Twine – (page 199)You all know how I feel about Bakers Twine (page 199)…I LOVE IT as it is not only super easy to use…it is a product that is so inexpensive and delivers a great end result! I would not worry one bit if the Bakers Twines that are being retired are a retiring InColor….this simple twine always seems to be a great mix-in with many colors!
- Basic Black Metallic Thread – (page 198) This pick might surprise you as honestly I do not use it a bunch…BUT….any of the threads come in handy for making a simple enhancement to a card. You know how we look at something and say…what could I add to give it some simple pizzazz? YEP, wrapping thread around your hand and then slapping it down….works every time!
- Lovely Words Framelits -(page 214) You also know how I feel about sentiment words…I adore them as they add a simple yet effective touch! I have used these framelits just for the sentiment words. A quick snip and presto!
- White Perfect Accents – (page 196) – Another simple accent that makes a statement to add a bit of bling and after all…white goes with anything!
- Petal Passion Memories and More Card Pack – (page 24 Occasions) I know that most of my customers are not Memories and More kinda people BUT…..the Card Packs are a very useful and oh so simple addition to enhance a stamp set! I know that the Petal Palette Bundle was SOOOOOO popular with the Occasions catalog and YIPPEE….it IS being carried over BUT NOT AS A BUNDLE. I hope by now you all have gotten in the swing that they are only at that bundled price for the longevity of that particular catalog. So if you do not have this bundle and have been eyeing it up…I would hop on it as face it, every bit of savings helps!
- Woven Ribbon In Colors (page 198) – I am not surprised that this ribbon is discontinued as they always seems to change up the ribbons with the new colors but I will say, this particular ribbon is beautiful to work with!
- Whisper White 1/4″ Organza Ribbon (page 23 Occasions) – Now this is one ribbon that I AM SURPRISED about – this is simply the best and YEP, I have stocked up on it as how much more classic is a simple white ribbon??? This is a dream to work with and it is my FREEBIE with orders of $75 this month. If you are remotely bow challenged…this IS your kinda ribbon!
Well….thoughts? What is your biggest surprise that is leaving? It is funny that we all see things differently as to what we will miss etc….Please do not forget to leave me a comment with how many stamps I personally have on my shelf from the ANNUAL CATALOG that is being retired! I admit, it is a bittersweet time when you see them come off the shelf!
Have a FABULOUS weekend….we sure plan to! Today is actually John’s Birthday so I guess that is a gift he gets each year after Tax Season! We are having a dinner together with James, Ashleigh and my Dad at the BEST RESTAURANT around us….15002 Randall Lane…..YEP, we are all foodies, we all love to cook and having a yummy dinner at home is always sure to please and as the saying goes….there is no place like home!
I am sure many of you join me with the sad news of this week, the passing of an AMAZING women, Barbara Bush. WOW…what a lady! I adore this picture….it is in the current issue of Town and Country Magazine…4 generation! She truly was an inspiration to us all and what a love story…married for 73 years!
I think that it is fair to say…Pearls are and will always be a classic and I will say Mrs. Bush wore them proudly! I adore the bill boards that have gone up over the country for this special lady!
SO much to be thankful for…have a super weekend and I will see you on Monday! Don’t forget to leave a guess on the stamps and I will announce the winner on Monday!
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by Susan Itell | Apr 17, 2018 | Uncategorized |
Good Morning!
I popped on this morning to give you a “head’s up” that Stampin’ Up! has added some goodies into the clearance rack!
Take a peek and grab some deals! When the clearance rack gives refilled….it goes quick and there are some things in there that I would take a peek at.
I always try to look at ribbons as they get used all year long with gifts/packages etc…..here is a head’s up – I see that the Mint Macaron Stripe Ribbon from years before is in there. Don’t forget – we are bringing back the Mint Macaron Color with the upcoming re-vamp of colors!
Here is another “smart shopper” pick….the Quilted Christmas 8 1/2 Cardstock Pack….this is a FAB-O price and all 3 of these colors will be in the Stampin’ Up! line so why not…..it is soooooo much cheaper than buying the colors individually!
Another one that caught my eye…the Watercolored Christmas Project Kit.…I adored this kit last year and trust me, you could cut down the fronts of these cards to utilize the fun paper if you did not want to use it in the traditional way….also – the gold liners…LOVE THEM – and for just $8.00 you can get a bunch of stuff to do up to 20 cards!!!! LOVE IT!
Take a peek….lots of fun stuff and to me, it looks heavy on the side of Christmas but that is a good thing as we can still remember how pretty our paper was from last season! That Quilted 6 X 6 DSP was a HUGE favorite of mine as the prints are super easy to use for envelopes and also to make holiday poppers and also perfect for wrapping hershey nuggets!
Have fun looking around….have a great day……..don’t forget to look at the PLANK WALKERS as well!
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by Susan Itell | Apr 16, 2018 | formula |
Good Monday to you! Did you miss me, did you think that I walked the plank?
All I can say is a big deep breath and let it all out! In a quick nut shell….Dad is good (in and out of the hospital)…John is hanging in there (one more day of tax season)…Peeps are great….Pups are enjoying the spring weather and Daisy…well, she’s not looking too pretty as she has scratched off hair off of both sides but I still love my piggy!
Ok…let’s MOVE ON! Yesterday…(Sunday) I told John that I was not doing anything…not going anywhere until I had some “me time” to go through the retired list and mark off the catalog! True, I have glanced at it but I have never taken a “block of time” to cross it off and take it all in! Were there surprises? Yep, always are but we all know that this happens and then we all know that new kids will be on the block in no time!
I have yet to unpack from On Stage but today I have my swap card that I made for the event. The card that I made to swap with was made with the Layering Love Stamp Set. This one has been around for a while and it IS walking the plank. I guess it is a no-brainer to you that I love it as the sentiments and boldness of it speaks my simple stampin’ language!
In my posts I have been trying to share with you things that I look at when I purchase a specific stamp. I admit, in the past I was very “hit happy” with the button but what I ended up with is a bunch of stamps that I did not use as much as I thought! Is anyone else on this same island with me?
Even though this stamp has been around for a while I would buy it again for these 2 simple reasons….the sentiments are great with fun fonts and the price….$16.00 is a great price point. I invite you to look and ask questions to yourself as to how much would you use it…and can you make multiple cards from it.
I do hope that you know that I am just like you….a person that loves to craft and also I know that it all adds up really fast! Even if we had an endless pocketbook….we also have another concern to think about – SPACE. I am blessed that I do have a space to craft in but I am always trying to be very honest and upfront to you about making choices!
Yesterday I decided to make up cards using the other 3 stamps that are in the set….to go with the one that I made for my swap! I adored the boldness and clean lines that my swap card was….but I admit, I was on the fence about the white space on the left but I ended up keeping it!
You see…I go through the same things that you do. I decided to leave it as you see it because of the size and crispness of this fun sentiment and let the boldness of the DSP be the WOW factor! I loved it, and I think that this type of card goes the long haul with many cards we might need to make and send!
The paper collection I used for all 4 cards was from the Tutti Fruiti DSP 6 X 6 stack!
This has been a “go-to” paper choice for me. I think that sometimes we look at papers and see such a distinct pattern that we say to ourselves….“that’s not for me”….but be patient and look at the offering with a different set of eyes…..to me, I think all of my examples for you today are clean, classic and true blue keepers! Remember, paper does and adds SO MUCH and when you look at it….it is really an affordable part of the card making process…let IT do the work for you!
In making these 4 cards I used the same formula OVER AND OVER for each of them. You know that I am simple so using a great layout is catalyst for making multiples and feeling rewarded with a great end result. I encourage you to make up a card with this formula today even if you do not have the stamp set….
Before we get to the Formula I want you to notice on the cards how I added little touches here and there to make the end result a bit more interesting. There are so many little things that we have – the simply scored tool or embellishments laying around taking up space! I invite you to look and see what you have and USE IT UP!
Here you go….please feel free to email me if you have any questions and also feel free to leave a comment and let everyone know how you like using formulas to make cards!
Before you GASP and see how much paper I am using…always know that you can make adjustments to be more frugal with your paper. I am all about making a nice, heavy card and I also want to use up the DSP I have….cause’ you know what is coming around the corner – NEWBIES and yep, I will be doing a paper share!
- Card Base – vertical or horizontal in A-2 …4 1/4″ X 5 1/2″
- Cover the front panel with card stock – 4 1/4″ X 5 1/2″
- The white piece that you will stamp on is 2 1/4″ X 5 1/2″
- The mat behind this is a smidge larger…2 3/8″ X 5 1/2″
- For the envelopes…the solid piece is 1/2″ wide and the DSP is 1 3/4″
That is basically it – super simple! Now here is the fun part – how you add your touches….you can score…add dots…add embellishments..lift elements up with dimension – the sky is the limit. The only requirement is TO HAVE FUN! Yep, something rather simple to do but also something that many times we forget to do….just enjoy the journey of your card making experience.
I have a bunch of pictures for you…as I know you love pictures! Enjoy and I hope that you can carve out some time to give this formula a try. It is always so much easier to have a “tried & true” formula that can be used over and over….and your secret is safe with me! 🙂
Remember, the plank walkers are only while supplies last so I would take a peek and see what you cannot live without! Wednesday I am hoping to share with you the ones that I view as “you need to swoop them up” !
Have a fabulous day and let’s all have a great week. I am learning to really embrace that “one day at a time thing”…as even though I attempt to have a “to do list” on my day, there have been many things that have changed my plans. In the end…life is great!
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