Welcome to this months RemARKable Stampers Blog Tour! On the 2nd Thursday of each month starting at 8 PM EST, we feature a new theme. We invite you to also check out our Pinterest Pages to see additional ideas so you definitely want to "Like" my Pinterest Page.

This months theme is Fond Farewell! So, welcome to the May 2015 RemARKable Stampers Blog Tour as we say a Fond Farewell to some of our favorite Stamp Sets, In Colors, embellishments and more.

RemARKable Stampers Blog Tour

Fond Farewell

I'm sad to see so many favorites retiring and it is with a Fond Farewell that we say good bye to these Stampin' Up! products from this past year. So many stamp sets, accessories and Designer Series Paper will no longer be available after June 1st. While I'm sad, I'm also excited about the new year and all the lovely new products but if there is one product group I'll miss the most I would say it would be the 2013-2015 In Colors and the Perfect Blend Stamp Set. The 2013-2015 In Colors have been some of my absolutely favorite In-Colors, so it is with a Fond Farewell and much sadness that I must now say goodbye.

Project #1 – Yippee Skippee In Color Card Fond Farewell

If you look closely at this card you may see a few tears! Oh, how sad I am to see these beautiful In Colors go… Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Baked Brown Sugar – yes, I weep and already miss you. Let the swan song begin as we praise your gorgeous hues and say a Fond Farewell.

Fond Farewell-Pam010

Here I am starting off with a card featuring most of the retiring In Colors. On the Whisper White Card Front, I started by stamping the background using Gorgeous Grunge – my absolute FAVORITE STAMP SET – using the Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana. Next, I wrapped the Coastal Cabana Thick Baker's twine around the card front and tied a tiny little bow.

The sentiment is from the Yippee Skippee Stamp Set and stamped with the Strawberry Slush and cut out using my favorite framelit from the Apothecary Accents Framelits which is layered over the Thick Backer's Twine. Next, I stamped flowers from the Petite Petals Stamp Set using the Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Ink. The Whisper White card front was attached to a piece of Strawberry Slush Cardstock then attached to the Whisper White Card Base. For the final touch, I added the Basic Pearls to the center of each flower.

Project #2 – Fond Farewell to a Perfect Blend

Let me just start by saying I only became a coffee drinker (well, my husband would say more of "fru-fru" coffee drinker) a few years ago otherwise I HATED anything with coffee in it. I'll chalk it up to having a child and needing caffeine! When Stampin' Up! first introduced the Perfect Blend Stamp Set, I was just starting to develop a taste for Iced Coffee's and Frappacino's. I'm really sad to see this stamp set go because I loved taking it to Starbucks with me for some Mocha Monday stamping fun.

This card has to be one of my most recent favorites. I pulled out my favorite retiring background… the Dictionary Stamp and stamped the background with Baked Brown Sugar but I used the "Stamp Off" technique to lighten the color just a little. Then I stamped a "coffee spill" using the Gorgeous Grunge Stamp Set which sets the scene for my two coffee cups.

The coffee cups are stamped with the Coastal Cabana first on Very Vanilla Cardstock then again on Real Red Designer Series Paper Stack. I'm not one to do much fussy cutting but this stamp set was really easy to "fussy" cut so I cut out the coffee cups and the middle portion of the coffee cups from the Real Red Chevron Designer Series Paper Stack design. Before I attached the coffee cups, I added some Natural Cotton Ribbon attached with staples. So, now that the coffee cups are attached, it was time to add some fun embellishments.

I love embellishing the coffee cups with the flowers and the Boho Blossoms Punch was the perfect tool to use for the little flower with a basic pearl added to the center. The flower also anchors the "What's Up?" banner which is layered with Coastal Cabana cardstock. The "What's Up?" is found in the retiring stamp set of the same name. I also stamped the arrow from the What's Up? Stamp Set and attached the arrow pointing towards the fun sentiment. Oh, and before I forget, I added a fun feature by curling the corner of the stamped very vanilla card front which I also stamped on the backside so you would see the "dictionary" print on both sides of the cardstock – a fun effect, kind of like you are just about turn the page!

On this card, I also decided to finish off the inside of the card by using one of the sentiments from the Perfect Blend Stamp Set stamped with Real Red Classic Ink that just happens to fit perfectly with the "What's Up?" on the front of the card. I also added a splash of layered color inside the card with the use of Real Red cardstock. Coffee shops are a great place to meet with friends and socialize.

Project #3 – Box In A Bag

I LOVE the Box In A Bag project and they really are fairly easy to make and it is easy to adjust the measurements based on what you want to put in the bag. The key to the Box In A Bag is the "box" base as that sets the tone and once you have your box base you just need to add the sides based on how tall you want the bag to be. My bag is large enough to hold the standard 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card along with envelopes. Stop by tomorrow after 8 PM EST to see the cards that I have made to go inside this Box In A Bag.

The bag features the Back to Black Designer Series Paper with black accents using the Basic Black cardstock with white "stitching" that I added using the White Stampin' Chalk Marker. I used the Antique Brads to attach the handles to the bag. For a splash of color, I created a flower using the retiring Mixed Bunch Stamp Set along with the retiring Blossom Punch. The flower was stamped using Strawberry Slush Classic Ink and is created using three punched images with two of the layers having either a slit or notch cut to make the center petals fold together for fewer petals. Just behind the flower is a banner I added and created using a NEW product called the Banner Triple Punch which will be available from the upcoming 2015-2016 Stampin' Up! Catalog.

Of course, I needed a tag for my Box In A Bag so I pulled out the Chalk Talk Stamp Set and Scalloped Tag Topper. The tag is Basic Black layered with the Chalk Talk image stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Whisper White Cardstock. I then added the "For You" using the Basic Black cardstock stamped with White Craft Ink and heat embossed with White Embossing Powder. The tag is attached with the Strawberry Slush Thick Baker's Twine and can actually be tucked inside the bag.

I invite you to pin any of my creations to Pinterest and to share your thoughts or questions by leaving me a comment. I love hearing from all my readers!

To continue on with the next blog on the RemARKable Stampers Blog Tour, you'll want to visit Janet Wakeland! I'm certain you'll enjoy the projects she has to share with you! To view her blog, you can click on her name or on the Pinworthy Button.