Throwback Thursday: Love Simple Cards

Sometimes I create cards faster than I can post them on my blog. I thought that once I stayed home and no longer had my day job, I would have more time to blog, but this is not the case. I'm amazed at how much more busy I feel these days staying home with my daughter. The other day I told my husband that I felt like I had more free time when I was working than I do now. This isn't a complaint, just one of the many misperceptions I had when I was working and envisioning my life as a stay-at-home mom. Bottom line: I love staying home with the booger. I do miss work, but I don't miss GOING to work.

Anyways, here's a card made with some now-retired product in honor of Throwback Thursday. I CASEd it from a card featured in Stampin' Success, the awesome bi-monthly magazine I get from Stampin' Up for being a demonstrator. Getting this magazine is one of the many perks of being a demonstrator.  Visit my website to learn more.

Happy Stampin'
~Cita

Saying Goodbye: Moving Forward

I always think it's sad when I have a stamp set for months and months before I even open the case and put it together to use it. Moving Forward, the 2012-2013 Ronald McDonald House Charities stamp set, is one of those stamp sets. I received it at the 2012 Convention and I didn't touch it until May, when I found out it was retiring. As I prepped for my Saying Goodbye class, I decided to use this stamp set, and oh my, fell in love with it. It's such a cute and simple stamp set and so easy to use to make cute and simple cards, such as this one. This card is so easy to make and was one of the favorites among the Saying Goodbye class attendees. Pretty much everything is used on this card (except for the Whisper White Cardstock) is now retired, but the layout it such a simple, basic layout that you can use almost any stamp set with.

Happy Stampin'
~Cita

Last Call for Retiring Stamp Sets and Accessories

You excited about the new catalog? I know I am. It definitely takes away the sting of saying goodbye to all those favorites. I've already made new favorites!

Just a reminder that today, June 3, is the LAST DAY to order anything you see on the retiring lists. If you are lamenting over anything in the old catalog that is not in the new one, hurry over to my website and place your order by 11:59 pm MST.

Happy Stampin'!
~Cita

Saying Goodbye to Raining Flowers

I've been having a fun time trying to use all the retiring stamp sets before I have to say goodbye. Some of these stamp sets I have only used once, such as the Raining Flowers stamp set. I kind of regret having shoved this set in the depths of the stamp shelf.

With Mother's Day on the horizon, I thought for once I would make my mommy a beautiful card to send to her for once. (I'm horrible at sending her cards). However, unfortunately, she will not be getting her card by Sunday because I need it for my Last Chance Card Buffet class. She has been notified of the situation and is agreeable to receiving her card late. My mommy is awesome. :-)

I CASEd this card from Mary Brown's I found on Pinterest. ( I love Pinterest). I changed up the colors and the layout quite a but, but I love how she used the flower from the Raining Flowers stamp set to make a beautiful background.

Stampin' Details:

• Color scheme: Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder, Perfect Plum, Chocolate Chip 
• Stamp Sets: Raining Flowers, Wonderful Mother, Wacky Wishes 
• Accessories: Designer Printed Brads, Decorative Label Punch, Circle punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pak. Stampin' Dimensionals
• To create the background, stamp the big flowers first in Wisteria Wonder. Then the little flowers in Lucky Limeade. Finally stamp the tulip outline in Chocolate Chip
• Stamp the little flower in Wisteria Wonder and use paper snips to cut out the flower. Use a paper piercer to pierce a hole in the middle of the flower to make inserting the Designer Printed Brad easier.  
• Stamp a greeting in Wisteria Wonder on Whisper White cardstock and then punch it out using the Decorative Label Punch. Remember, when punching out stamped images, stamp first and then punch out the image. 
• Punch out a piece of Perfect Plum cardstock using the Decorative Label punch . Cut the label in half and the adhere the pieces to the top and buttom of the Whisper White cardstock.

What's great about this card is that it's so easy to switch out the sentiment and make a different card, such as a birthday card, thank you card, or something else. I made about 20 of these things, with all different greetings. This card is a great one to case. Change up the color scheme! Change up the brad!

Happy Stampin'!

~Cita

Ladybug Ink Blog Hop: Retired Style

Hello! Welcome to May's edition of the Ladybug Ink Blog Hop. If you are just joining our hop, we are showcasing retiring stamps and accessories. It's a bittersweet time as we say goodbye to some of our beloved stamp sets and accessories, yet eagerly await the release of the new 2013-2014 Idea Book and Catalog that is filled with such amazing products that most of us soon forget all about the stuff we just said goodbye to.

Anyways, I'm having a hard time saying goodbye to the color Baja Breeze. It's one of my favorite colors and am I'm pretty sad that it is retiring (If you follow me on Twitter or like my Facebook page, you will see me lament in real-time). So, in honor of my beloved Baja Breeze, my card for this month's blog hop features this amazing color as well as the Bordering on Romance stamp set.

Stampin' Tips:

• Retiring items: Baja Breeze cardstock, Certainly Celery Stampin' Write marker, Regal Rose cardstock, Regal Rose Stampin' Write marker, Bordering on Romance stamp set, Parlor Prints background stamp
• Color scheme: Baja Breeze, Regal Rose, Basic Gray, Certainly Celery, Basic Gray 
• Other materials (not retiring): Blender pens, Modern Label punch, Fabulous Phrases stamp set, Basic Rhinestones, Stampin' Dimensionals, Black Staz-On Ink, 3/`6" Corner punch  
• Use the Parlor Prints stamp set and Baja Breeze ink to stamp the background. Remember, when using a big background stamp to lay the stamp upside down to ink it. 

• Stamp the three flower image from the Bordering on Romance stamp set using Staz On ink. Let it completely dry before using your Stampin' Write markers to outline the image. Finally, use blender pens to color the inside of the images. 
• Add rhinestones to the middle of each flowers to make it sparkle!
• Stamp a sentiment from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set (not retiring, thank God!) on Regal Rose (retiring). Use the Modern Label punch to punch it out and adhere it to your card using Stampin' Dimensionals. 

The good thing about retiring product is that it makes room for new stuff. I have to remind myself of this. I hate change, but I love surprises, and I think you will be pleased to see all the amazing product Stampin' Up! made room for. 2 weeks until the new catalog comes out!

Head on over the Cassie's blog to see what she has for your viewing pleasure. 

Happy Stampin' 

~Cita 

Ruth Norton http://ruthsstampingcorner.blogspot.com

Amber Wilson http://amberladybugink.blogspot.com/

Nichole Gonzales Jaramillo http://nicholesu.blogspot.com/

Kay Jantz http://ktmyldyandlife.blogspot.com/

Liz Kay http://www.kraftasticmrskay.blogspot.com/

You are here: Camelita Wasson http://carmenacita.blogspot.com/

Cassie Rogers http://lucyslovelies.blogspot.com/

Michelle Carrion http://www.ilovecrafttime.blogspot.com/