So now it begins, the sad task of saying goodbye to some favourite Stampin’ Up! products. The retiring list was released yesterday and there’s a link to that section of my online store on the right. All products with the exception of the stamp sets are now only available while stocks last. So if there’s something you want, please order it straight away as some items have already sold out and been removed from the store. Stamp sets are actually manufactured by Stampin’ Up! so availability is being guaranteed until May 24th. One set that’s retiring is Bella & Friends, so I thought I’d give her one final outing.

JUST BELLA

I began my Bella bookmark with a 2″ x 5-1/2″ piece of Thick Very Vanilla Card punched at the top with the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch.

Then using Soft Suede ink I stamped the sentiment at the bottom of the bookmark. Above that I stamped Bella with her balloon (I covered up the parrot part of that stamp).

I don’t think I’ve ever used Stampin’ Blends to colour Bella so that was my choice today. I started with dark Crumb Cake on one leg, the ear and around the eye. Then I coloured over all the fur with the light Crumb Cake.

Next, using dark Balmy Blue I coloured in Bella’s collar and around the bottom left of the balloon. Then I coloured over the whole balloon with the light Balmy Blue leaving a little patch of highlight towards the top.

All that remained was to thread a loop of copper/Very Vanilla 1/8″ ribbon from the Tea Room Combo Pack through the slot at the top. Then once I’d passed the ends of the ribbon through the loop to secure it, my bookmark was complete.

So today it’s my sad duty to go through my craft studio and mark up all the items that are retiring. Then I’ll move them so that all the new stuff that left Stampin’ Up! yesterday has a home as soon as it arrives! There’s always a silver lining…

PRODUCT LIST

From my project today the following items are retiring: Bella & Friends Stamp Set, Tea Room Ribbon Combo Pack and Stampin’ Trimmer.