Take a Deep Breath

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   Retiring from your job after 30 years takes a LOT of planning. It's a big step. And it must feel like stepping out into the wide unknown. (I don't know myself, of course, because I'm still working. Confounded children!) My advice whenever someone is making a big change is to take a deep breath and step out. 

I think the "just breathe" sentiment from the "Colorful Seasons" stamp set is a perfect sentiment for a retirement card! I made this card with a tranquil scene so the recipient can picture how relaxing retirement will be.

To make this card, I started with a 3-3/4" by 5" Whisper White Card Stock panel. I used an Aqua Painter to lay down messy watercolor washes in Balmy Blue, Pear Pizzazz, and Crumb Cake. I stamped the sentiment in Fresh Fig Ink and adhered this to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Crumb Cake Card Stock mat and then onto a Thick Whisper White Card Stock card base.

I stamped some of the flowers from the "Colorful Seasons" stamp set in Berry Burst, Cherry Cobbler, Fresh Fig, and Powder Pink and cut them out with the corresponding thinlit from the Seasonal Layers Thinlits. With the corresponding thinlits from the same set, I cut an Adirondack chair from Whisper White Card Stock and some tree branches from Crumb Cake Card Stock.

I adhered the chair and branches to the card with the Fine-Tip Glue Pen and adhered the flowers with Stampin' Dimensionals. So pretty and tranquil. Ah. I could just sit there and breathe in the fragrance all day, couldn't you?

tams# 25734

Product List

Colorful Seasons Photopolymer Stamp Set [143726] $27.00	Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad [147105] $7.50	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad [147104] $7.50	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [147116] $7.50
Fresh Fig Classic Stampin' Pad [147144] $7.50	Berry Burst Classic Stampin' Pad [147143] $7.50	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad [147083] $7.50	Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad [147147] $7.50
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.75	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies [143751] $33.00
Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00	Fine-Tip Glue Pen [138309] $7.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00

Thanks For Your Service

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   I really love the Best Route Suite of products on pages 52 & 53 of the annual catalog. I love the stamp set, the Maps Etc. Embossing Folder, the washi tape, the Best Route Designer Series Paper, and the Memories & More Cards. I also love the Blueberry Bushel, Gray Granite, and Mango Melody color combination. 

I have a friend retiring from the Air Force and I wanted to wish him well as he steps into civilian life. I used all kinds of goodies from the Best Route Suite for this card.

I started with a 3-3/4" by 5" Whisper White Card Stock mat. I added a 2" diagonal strip of Mango Melody Card Stock. On top of that, I added 1/2" strips cut from Best Route DSP and Best Route Memories & More Cards. I stamped the sentiment from the "En Route" stamp set in Blueberry Bushel Ink. I adhered this piece to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Blueberry Bushel Card Stock mat and then onto a Mango Melody Card Stock card base. The Mango Melody card front is embossed with the Maps Etc. Embossing folder. 

I punched three different pieces of Best Route DSP with the 2", 1-3/4" and 1-1/2" Circle Punches and layered them on the striped element. I cut a strip of Mango Melody Card Stock and layered on a strip of Blueberry Bushel Card Stock and used my Paper Snips to turn this into an arrow heading for the bullseye. I added the "congratulations" sticker from the Best Route Memories & More Card Pack. Finally, I added some Blueberry Bushel and Daffodil Delight En Route Enamel Shapes.

I cut down one of the Best Route Memories & More Cards for the inside of the card. I love the way Stampin' Up coordinates everything! It makes card making so easy!!

tams# 25733

Product List

En Route Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146594] $21.00	Blueberry Bushel Classic Stampin' Pad [147138] $7.50	Mango Melody 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146989] $8.50	Blueberry Bushel 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146968] $8.50
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	Best Route Designer Series Paper [146897] $11.00	Best Route Memories & More Card Pack [147036] $10.00	Maps Etc. Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [146822] $9.00
2" Circle Punch [133782] $18.00	1-3/4" Circle Punch [119850] $18.00	1-1/4" Circle Punch [119861] $16.00	Best Route Enamel Shapes [146900] $7.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00

Tranquil Adventure

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   I'm at the time in my life when many of my coworkers are retiring. I'm not jealous or anything. No, really. I'm not. OK, maybe a little. I actually have the time and the age where I can retire, but I still have a couple of kids in college and I still really enjoy what I do for my "day" job. Plus it keeps me stocked with pretty Stampin' Up gear for my "side hustle." So, I'm not retiring quite yet.

This week I'm featuring cards I've made for those folks who are lucky enough to be retiring and starting a new phase in their lives. Stampin' Up has a good assortment of images, framelits dies, and sentiments to use for making retirement cards. First up is this beachy card made with the Seasonal Layers Framelits and some clever non-computer cutting and pasting!

I adhered a 3-1/2" by 3-1/2" piece of Tranquil Textures Designer Series Paper to a 3-3/4" by 5" Tranquil Tide Card Stock mat. I adhered a 1-3/4" by 3-1/2" piece of Wood Textures DSP to the bottom of this piece to form the deck surface. I adhered this to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Tranquil Tide Card Stock mat, then a 4" by 5-1/4" Whisper White Card Stock mat, and finally onto a Balmy Blue Card Stock card base.

I cut a 1/2" by 3-1/2" piece of the same Wood Textures DSP to form the deck railing. I then cut several 1/4" pieces of the same DSP as the posts for the deck. I adhered these to the Tranquil Textures DSP piece so that it looks like the deck overlooks the water.

I cut two Adirondack chairs from Whisper White Card Stock using one of the Seasonal Layers Framelits and adhered these to the card. I stamped two tropical drinks--one in Lemon Lime Twist Ink and one in Fresh Fig Ink, and both with Powder Pink straws--onto Whisper White Card Stock and cut them out with the matching Seasonal Layers Framelit. I adhered these to the card with a Glue Dot.

Finally, I stamped a sentiment from the "Sea of Textures" stamp set in Tranquil Tide onto a Soft Sea Foam Card Stock and cut it out with the Pretty Label Punch. I adhered this to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

 

tams# 25732

Product List

Sea Of Textures Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146488] $20.00	Tranquil Tide Classic Stampin' Pad [147146] $7.50	Fresh Fig Classic Stampin' Pad [147144] $7.50	Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin' Pad [147145] $7.50
Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad [147147] $7.50	Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146982] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	Tranquil Tide 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144246] $8.50
Soft Sea Foam 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146988] $8.50	Tranquil Textures Designer Series Paper [146331] $11.00	Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack [144177] $11.00	Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies [143751] $33.00
Pretty Label Punch [143715] $18.00	Fine-Tip Glue Pen [138309] $7.00	Glue Dots [103683] $5.25	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00