I needed a batch of cards to send out to folks that recently placed an order, so I decided to dig into my stash of goodies that are retiring in a week. There are so many great products that will be discontinued, and I just had to take an opportunity to show off a handful of them. I have a soft spot in my heart for the items that I used on this card. Here are the highlights:

• I’ve had a lot of fun creating over the last 3 years (I think that’s right) with these great butterfly stamps. The different styles of the butterflies have different feels – whimsical, realistic or artsy. And this is also a great set for the versatility of the different sentiments included as well. It’s a fantastic set for any stamper – newbie to experienced!
• I also love the Ornate Garden Specialty DSP for the variety of images included. The one that I used on this card reminds me of Mary Engelbreit artwork. There are a couple of other designs in the paper pack that have a similar feel, but there are other looks, too. In fact, the reverse of this paper is white with gold foil flower outlines – perfect for coloring with various tools, especially the amazing Blending Brushes.
• My last favorite retiring product that I want to call out is the Dainty Diamonds 3D embossing folder. That amazing folder has only been around for a year, and it has become my favorite of them all. It adds just the right amount of subtle texture without overpowering the rest of the card. This one item really has me super sad because I’ve come to rely on it so often when whipping up a project for just the right amount of “extra”. The cool thing is that this folder is discounted as part of the retirement list, so you can get it a little cheaper while supplies last.

I used this current sketch challenge as the inspiration for my card layout. It feels like ages since I’ve participated in a challenge and I’m excited to get back into the game with this one. I have to say that I’m going to miss the Layering Ovals dies because they are absolutely perfect to replicate the look on this sketch and so many others. Thankfully, the designers typically indicate (like they did here) that “any shape” is acceptable. So I’ll have to go a bit further afield when a design has an oval image in the future. Thanks Claire for the fantastic sketch challenge!

Butterfly Gala Photopolymer Stamp Set [148580] $21.00	Butterfly Duet Punch [148523] $18.00	Dainty Diamonds 3D Embossing Folder [152702] $9.00	Layering Ovals Dies [151771] $35.00
Pearl Basic Jewels [144219] $5.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00	Ornate Garden Specialty Designer Series Paper [152488] $15.00	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229] $8.25
Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119686] $8.75	Terracotta Tile 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [150884] $8.75	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100702] $8.75	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276] $9.75
Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114] $7.50	Bumblebee Classic Stampin' Pad [153116] $7.50	Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad [147106] $7.50