I Finally Have My Catalog!

I am so glad to say that I FINALLY have my catalog! I feel like the last person on EARTH to get it! I want to say... I am so pleasantly pleased with the contents.

As some of you know I have stopped doing classes and workshops. I basically depend on my close friends to keep me in the business and making my minimums. I started running some specials for those of you who read my blog (see my SU! website for those), and I am so grateful for the handful of orders I get from my faithful readers every quarter. I am never going to be one of those Stampin' Up! Cruise earners you read about, but I am happy to keep getting my discount and enabling everyone to buy more stuff from Stampin' Up!

Needless to say, I wasn't as excited as I have been in past years to see the new catalog. Maybe it's knowing I won't be MAKING any money SELLING stamps... therefore I have LESS money to BUY stamps. Maybe it's the fact that I have expanded my personal taste beyond SU! since last year... and also changed my personal business goals. So I avoided a lot of the new catty chatter and didn't wait on my doorstep for UPS as I did last year.

But now that I have the catty in my hot little hands I am THRILLED. I have a wish list that is ridiculously long... I love so many of the new sets and the ribbon... oh my goodness... RIBBON is where I will probably spend the most money! I thought I'd let you know what my faves were... and enable many of you BEFORE you even SEE the new catty! :)

Let's start in the back of the catty with the new accessories. (I will add links to the online catty as soon as it's up and live!)

• Don't miss the Neutral Assorted Markers set of 4 on page 165. I am so looking forward to using the new Basic Gray marker and Waterproof Ink.
• Textured 12X12 Paper... assorted packs available in all colors! And if you are strictly a stamper/cardmaker don't discount this paper. Just because it's textured doesn't mean you can't stamp on it! I have seen wonderful effects with tone on tone or watermark ink on textured papers. Try your bolder image stamps for this look.
• Page 169: Gift Notes, Long Notes, Love Notes and Pocket Notes in assorted colors... love them! The Gift Notes, which hold a gift card will be especially great for the Holidays!
• Wait until you see the new Designer Papers! The color combos are right on trend and some of my favorite patterns have been brought back in new fresh color combos! I will be ordering Fall flowers, Linen Prints, Wintergreen, Cerise (love this especially; Real Red and Vanillla... YUM!), Cutie Pie... AND... I love the new Prints Designer Papers. They are availible in sellected color packs... perfect for multiple card projects like holiday cards or invites! I will be ordering Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie and Tempting Turquoise... at LEAST!
• I have always been a fan of the Simply Scrappin' kits. While I am not a big time scrapper, I use them for gift albums, mini albums and even cards. The self adhesive Die Cuts that are included are repositionable, stampable and of cardstock thickness. Plus this year the kits all include textured card stock! Such a bonus! I especially love the new baby prints; Special Delivery (in Boy or Girl). They are perfect for baby stuff AND beyond, and they aren't in plain old pink and blue! I also love the Holiday set "Winter Bright". It's not for everyone; but if like me you dig that Pink, Red, Green, Blue modern Christmas thing you will love this kit.
• Moving on to the new Accent and Element kits on page 178. I am totally ordering the Borders and Blossoms kit. It comes in a solid assorted set of neutral colors; Basic Grey, Sahara Sand, kraft, River Rock, Very Vanilla and Whisper White. These are in a tin which you may remember from my past tutorial is PERFECT for a cool mini album. Plus I think they will be so cool brayered in color or stamped on. They look very versatile.
• Into the new Chipboard. I have already used 1/2 of my new Blossoms and Basics Chipboard... so I will need more of that. I love the new On Board Ginormous Pieces... perfect for making giftables and for embellishing altered items and scrapbooks. I have a million ideas for these. I also dig the new Lots of Letters set... it will be great to have smaller letters in multiple fonts, and because two of the fonts are outlined by shapes you really get double the letters.
• I am a little sad the ATC chipboard album is no longer available, but the new Chipboard Clipboards are super cool!
• Punches... again; this is where I will be going broke! I already have the Crop-a-dile... but if you don't you will NEED one. I will also be getting the 5 petal flower (matches the hostess set "In The Spotlight") and the new scallop circle. The Photo Corner punch is another must have, as is the new 3/16" Corner Rounder.
• The new Classy Brass Template for "Pick-a-Petal" is amazing! It's shaped like a large scallop circle! WOWZA!
• I am not YET sold on the Pretties Hardware Kit... dyeable flowers and hatpin pieces. But who knows how I will feel after convention is over and everyone starts sharing the demonstrated samples.
• Page 189 JUMBO Eyelets... yes... I want some! Very cool!
• Now the ribbon... oh the ribbon! Ribbon Originals; I want one of each please! 6 X $12.95 = $77.70 OUCH! ok... maybe I will have to wait a while on that (anyone wanna split it with me?)... but I LOVE the 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon... and the double stitched ribbon... and Taffeta Ribbon... well I need to find out what Taffeta IS exactly... but you know it's on my wish list.

Well that is it for me on Accessories... check back for my scoop on the new stamps... looks like I am in for a HUGE order! Hopefully my upcoming retired stamp sale will hook me up with some spending money! :)