APOTHECARY NOSTALGIA

How many times have you experienced the rush? That feeling that you get when you spot something that you just know you have to have as part of your life? The excitement. The I GOTTA HAVE IT syndrome! That NEED to add something to your stash. The realization of the virtually endless POSSIBILITIES?

Well, that's EXACTLY the feeling I got when I first set my eyes on the Apothecary Art stamp set introduced by Stampin' Up! a few years back.

When I finally got it in my hands, I cherished it, and used it time after time after time. The gentle perfection of it was just so precious.

Imagine my chagrin when it was retired WAY BEFORE ITS TIME! Oh, woe is me! I was CRUSHED!

I happened upon these wondrous images the other day, and, I must tell you, I could not resist using it once again.

I really don't care that my favorites are retired and not considered CURRENT PRODUCT. If I love it, I love it, and I WILL use it! Unlike many demonstrators out there who immediately rid their stash of retired product, I hang onto forever those things that I love. Retired or not. 

Thus, on occasion, I will be sharing with you creations I have made with -- OH NO!! -- retired products. 

Bear with me -- and ENJOY!

For the card in today's post, I stamped the beautiful design in Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto 140-pound cold press watercolor paper. I then used an Aqua Painter and retired -- GASP!! -- inks in my attempt to make an old-fashioned cabbage rose concoction. 

I wanted to come up with an old-fashioned color scheme for my card also, finally incorporating shades of the primary colors.

To add to the nostalgic look, I used current product -- well, sort of -- in the form of the gorgeous tissue paper that comes in my monthly Paper Pumpkin box. I love that tissue and will never never throw any of it away!

Faux Silk was the technique I chose to utilize this beautiful tissue paper by crumpling it and pressing it against a Glue Stick (oh no! Glue Sticks are retired too!) covered piece of white cardstock.

I layered the blue background against a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of white cardstock that I edged with RETIRED Washi Tape. I love how this adds to the nostalgic feel. 

I must admit that ONE thing on this card is current product from the catalog! Yessss!! That is the lovely 5/8" Organza Ribbon on page 178 of the catalog. This classic ribbon has been a staple for several years now. And that makes me so happy!

The texture and dimension of this card is luscious -- if you ask me!

The moral of this post is this: If you fall in love with a product -- ANYTHING! -- enough to go ahead and purchase it, don't give up on it just because it becomes retired. If your love remains long after retirement, keep it and USE IT! 

As demonstrators, we are expected to use current product in the hopes that our customers will buy what we share. Yes. This is important. But, what about those wonderful things you were convinced to buy? Just because they retire does not devalue their worth. You love it! Use it!

Nostalgic

Smiles.