GraniteStateStamper - Michelle Ide, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, Laconia, NH

Retiring Stamp Sets

When it is time for Stampin' Up! to announce the new retirement list I am always a little nervous to see the sets that will no longer be part of the catalog.

Even though I only have 12 sets retiring, they include two of my favorite sets.

Do you have a set that you always reach for when you need to create a card super fast?  This is that set for me : Bodacious Bouquet.  No matter what card design or color combinations I use, this set always works.

This card is 5¼" square and the base is So Saffron.  The colors that I used were : Rose Red, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, So Saffron and Chocolate Chip.  The 2-way glue pen and Dazzling Diamonds glitter give it a perfect amount of sparkle and to finish it I used the DTP (direct to paper) technique on the edges with Chocolate Chip.

Which of the retiring stamp sets are you going to miss the most?

Have a great day and happy stamping!

~ Michelle

We have a winner!!!

Update : A winner has been announced.  Please click on the link to see who it is!!

We're almost at 25,000 hits and to celebrate I'm giving away some blog candy.

Click here to enter.

A Super Simple Christmas Card

It is snowing, snowing, snowing here in the North East so I'm going to spend part of the day reading a book by the fire, another part helping my niece finish up her Christmas gifts (homemade candles and handmade little fuzzy teddy bears that are so stinkin' cute) and the rest in my stamping room finishing up my Christmas Cards.

But first I wanted to show you a super, simple card that I made using some of Stampin' Up!'s Dashing DP.

The card base is Real Red that has been stamped using The Snowflake Spot set in Real Red Ink.  I'm not sure why is is so faint, but the saying is from Many Merry Messages and is stamped with Always Artichoke ink.  Then comes the Dashing DP layered on Mellow Moss.  To finish it off I used some Real Red 7/8" Grosgrain Ribbon.  When I first saw this ribbon in the new catalog in July I didn't like it at all.  I thought that it was much to wide to use on cards.  I was mistaken and just love it now.

Well I'm off to stamp.  This Tuesday, December 18th, I am having a FREE stamp night in the Lakes Region at my home in Laconia, NH and all are welcome.  You bring your perishables (cardstock, ribbon, accessories) to use and a small snack to share.  I provided the use of all of my Ink Pads, Stamp Sets, Punches and Tools for FREE.  If you'd like to come give me a call at (603) 528-1612 or email me at michelle@granitestatestamper.com and let me know.

Also, please feel free to sign up for one or all of my newsletters using the box to the left at the top of the sidebar.

Have a wonderful day and happy stamping!

Michelle

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree . . .

When I created the cards to use for my December Christmas Card stamp-a-stack I tried to choose stamp sets that I hadn't used at the previous SAS.

This card is created using only one stamp set, Wondrous Gifts.  The main image  is stamped on Whisper White cardstock and then layered on Old Olive.  The doodle outline is stamped with Old Olive ink and then colored in with my Certainly Celery Marker, the star is stamped with Summer Sun ink and the base of the card is Certainly Celery with the stars stamped using Certainly Celery ink.

The design I was using had the saying punched layered on a scalloped circle but none of my punches were quite large enough so I used my corner rounder to soften the edges up a little.

To see other projects that are not posted on my blog then sign up for my newsletters (which is to the left of this post).

Can we have a drumroll please!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered my first Blog Candy Give Away celebrating my 25,000th hit.

And the winner is . . . . . .  Mandiannie!!!

Mandiannie please email me with your address so I can get your prize right in the mail.

Here is Mandiannie's winning comment : "I'm loving the new celebrate papers in the spring summer catalogue. Stampin' up has some wonderful stuff. Thanks for a chance to win some yummy papers.

Posted by: Mandiannie | December 12, 2007 at 09:05 AM"

What are you getting you ask?  A brand new, unopened pack of Stampin' Up!'s Apple Cider Designer Paper from their 2007 Fall/Winter Mini Catalog and a new 8" x 8" mini scrapbook from Target.  I love this little scrapbook, it is so easy to alter and matches this paper perfectly.

To enter just leave a comment on this post telling me which of the SU! Designer Series Papers is your current favorite.

This give away will remain open until I reach 25,000 hits.

Have a wonderful day and keep stamping!!

~ Michelle Ide

Holy Triptych Christmas Card

This is my favorite set from the 2007 Fall/Winter Mini Catalog but I've had a hard time creating a card with it that I really liked. 

This past Saturday I had my last Christmas Card Stamp-a-Stack and made myself use this for the last card I created.  I was originally using Brocade Blue for the card base but when I added the Brocade Blue Grosgrain they didn't even remotely match.  I pulled the image off the card and just stared at it for a while before trying to layer it on another piece of shimmery white.  Too much white!  I finally narrowed it down to Barely Banana (wings) or Blush Blossom (skin) and settled on the Barely Banana.

I know that they are not traditional Christmas colors but I really like how it turned out.  How about you?

Did any of you use a non-traditional Holiday color combinations this year?  What colors did you use?

Stay Tuned later today for my first Granite State Stamper Giveaway to celebrate the huge milestone of 25,000 visitors to my blog (only a few to go!). 

RETIREMENT LIST IS HERE!!