Stampin' Showcase: Blog hop for Stampin' Up retiring products

Good morning! Welcome to my little kitchen table of craftiness!

Today, I'm showing some recent cards made with some retiring stamps from Stampin' Up. It's nearly time for the new 2013-2014 catalogue, and some old favourites are being retired to make way. If you'd like to have a looksee to pick up some bargains or that stamp set you keep thinking about treating yourself to, the links are here: retiring stamps and retiring accessories. If you see something you fancy, just let me know - my offers still stand on all retiring goods.

If you've joined me from Tracie's blog, then howdy! After you've read my contribution to the blog hop, then you need to go to Nicky's blog, but I'll put the links again at the end of my post.

So, back to the creative stuff. I've chosen "Morning Cup" as my stamp set to showcase today, but I'm sticking to my quick, clean and simple methods.

The first card is a simple A6 white folded card. I used the coffee pot, the mug and one of the sentiments all stamped with Stazon Black, and coloured the heart in with a Raspberry Ripple marker. I then cut co-ordinating Subtles Rose Red card and Pretty in Pink cardstock with some Sizzlits edgelits. There's a row of stitching along the middle of the card just to finish it all off.

The second and third examples are single A6 pieces of card with the sentiment and image stamped on, coloured with Gumball Green and Raspberry Ripple markers. They remind me a little of these postcards you used to get in the 1990's, which I cannot find the name of, but if someone knows what I mean, then please tell!

Then my most favourite. This teetering tower of teacups which I teamed with more coloured cardstock, but this time coloured with the watercolour brush and the 2012-2014 In Color markers. The marker colours in the sets go really well together, and I love that I don't have to mess about selecting shades that flatter each other.

Two cards and two postcards in ten minutes. You can't get much quicker than that!

I've got a whole mini-book planned about my love of tea, which is the main reason I bought this set, so it's definitely going to get more use. I can also envisage a use on the children's tea party/picnic/afternoon tea scrapbook layouts I've got lined up.If you fancy bagging yourself a set before they all go, they're £15.95 for the clear mount set, £19.95 for the wood mount set (see the right-hand column for my contact details).

So, thanks for stopping by! Your next port of call is Nicky, or, if you're going the other way round it's Tracie. Feel free to pop back later on in the week, when I'll be sharing some more colouring efforts, and my top tips for beginners (like me).

Bye for now!