"Retirement Blues" is the theme of this month's blog hop. Though I am happy about the new Stampin'Up! Annual Catalog, soon to be released, I am sad and a little blue about some things retiring. Being a flower and butterfly person, you will see a theme to my "blue" creations. 

You arrived here from Kath's blog. She is such an inspiration, her creations are always awesome.

My first card features a retiring In Color, Coastal Cabana,  and a background stamp, Pleasant Poppies.  I also used the retiring Labels Collection framelit. Coastal Cabana was one of those colors that you could call green with blue undertones or blue with green undertones. For the purpose of my "blue" creations, I am calling it blue.

I stamped the poppies in Versa Mark and embossed with the Pool Party EP (also retiring).  With a blender pen and Coastal Cabana ink, I watercolored the flowers.  After cutting my top layer and cutting the opening with the Labels framelit,  I ran the piece through the Woodgrain EF and then rubbed Coastal Cabana ink on the raised portion. It was then attached to the watercolored piece and I wrapped the end with Bakers Twine and adhered all to the card base, also in Coastal Cabana. Then I added a pearl for accent. Sad to see this color go.

My next card is done using the retiring  Beautiful Wings Embosslit which I am VERY sad to see go. I also used the retiring Perfect Dots EF and the retiring Scallop Edge border punch.

After cutting all my butterflies from Pacific Point CS and Watercolor paper, I used Pacific Point ink and a blender pen to color the butterflies. The Soft Sky CS layer was run through the Perfect Dots EF and the edge trimmed with the  Scallop Edge punch. The sentiment was stamped from the Petite Pairs stamp set and punched using the retiring Curly Label punch. The butterflies have bodies created using the smallest Rhinestone Basics.  

Though my last project is not all blue, I used the Soft Sky side of the beautiful Painted Blooms DSP with all the beautiful flowers. I was so sad that this DSP and it's matching Painted Petals Stamp set and the other gorgeous things that went with it did not carry over.  Needless to say, I have a stash of this paper. I am anxiously waiting to see the English Garden DSP in person from the new catalog. 

I decided to decorate both front and back of this gift bag. Almost everything on this bag is retiring or not being carried over (retiring) except the ink. 

The bag was created using 2 sheets of DSP. The flowers and leaves were cut using the Flower Frenzy Bigz L die. The center pearls came from the beautiful Artisan Embellishment Kit that I wish I had ordered more of and stashed away. The lace and ribbon edging were also from this kit. I made the handles using last years retired Rose Red seam binding by braiding it.  The flowers and leaves were edged using Blackberry Bliss, Rose Red, Pacific Point and Mossy Meadow inks.

There were so many other retiring items I had ideas for but my contributions would have taken up several pages.  Though sad and blue to see favorites retire, I am excited about new things coming out.   That means I won't be blue very long.

Your next stop is to the wonderfully creative and talented Buffy's Blog. I wonder if Amelia has learned to stamp yet.

Like all of our hops you can go either to the previous blog or the next blog as this hop runs in a circle.

Enjoy and try not to be too blue.