A Few of My Favorite Things…The Stamp Set Edition

By now, you’ve already spent some quality time with your Stampin’ Up! 2013-2014 Annual Catalog.  The pages of your book are earmarked, and your sticky notes are already curling up on the edges.  You’ve tried to make your “wish list” a couple of times, but you keep stopping part way through because it’s WAY TOO LONG.  How in the world are you going to trim it down?  I want to make things a little easier for you by giving you the first 5 stamp sets you should buy.  You’re welcome.  🙂  Yesterday, I shared my 5 Favorite Things (so it was really 6 items) in the catalog – today I am shining the light to the stamp sets.  So, here’s my list of the 5 new sets you can’t miss [make a drumroll sound by lightly beating your hands on the desk in front of you]:

  1. Sentiments.  With only a few exceptions, cards need some sort of sentiment.  As Suzie said to me last night, “I need to build up my sentiments, but it’s just so easy to get distracted by cute, fun and lovely sets.”  This catalog is chock full of great sentiment sets, which is awesome!  (I see Colleen nodding her head in agreement.)  My favorite sentiment set?  Lots of Thanks (page 29).  We can never say “thank you” enough, and this awesome set gives you LOTS of great styles for any note – modern, cutesy, elegant…they’re all here.  Thank you, Stampin’ Up! 
  2. The Adorable Factor.  One of the first sets to grab my attention in the new catalog was Zoo Babies (page 54).  I don’t make a lot of baby cards, but how can you resist these sweet babies?  This set is on its way to me now, and I can’t wait to ink it up and start playing around with it.  Such wonderful, tiny patterns  in each of these images!  Check ’em out!
  3. Bundle set.  Because Mosaic Madness and Label Love were a part of our demonstrator pre-orders, you’ve seen lots of great projects featuring these bundled sets.  As I said before, Stampin’ Up! listed to our requests for great bundles in this catalog.  Let’s all give a big “woo hoo!” for bundles!  I’ll wait while you scream….OK, possibly my favorite bundle in the catalog is the less-talked about Flower Shop (stamp set on page 94, bundle on page 95).  Just like the reason why I chose Lots of Thanks, this floral set has a little bit of everything – modern, rustic, beautiful – and it doesn’t get much easier than a coordinating hand-held punch.
  4. Hostess set.  When I talk about all the things I love in this catalog (and believe me when I say I can talk and talk and talk), I always mention my love affair with this year’s hostess sets.  Rarely do I ever feel the urge to collect so many of the hostess sets.  This year, there’s a real incentive to place a hostess order (either combining orders or placing a big’un by yourself.  There are amazing sentiment sets (Banner Greetings and Express Yourself), but I’m really in love with Morning Meadow (page 203).  My mind races with ways to use this set, so rest assured you’ll soon be seeing some projects with it. 
  5. Personalized stamps.  Stampin’ Up! really “brought it home” with this year’s selections of personalized stamps, too.  Here’s the problem – I can’t pick just one.  My favorite (and I don’t have a picture to show you here) is Casual Monogram Stamp (center of page 135).  MUST have it.  Important note about the personalized stamps – you can’t order them directly through your online account (a demonstrator has to enter the request for you), so you have to plan for these (makes them special).  🙂

BONUS:  There’s only one stamp set in the catalog that forces me to make an annoying noise every time I see it.  I smile and then begin saying “weeeooo weeeooo”.  Such fun!  This set, too, is on its way, and I can’t wait to ink it up.  It’s a kid’s stamp set, but you better believe I’ll be working with this set – You’re My Hero (page 51):

What do you think?  Did I share something you’d not seen until now?  Did I leave something important off my list?  What are your favorites?  What do you just HAVE to have?

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Brian

16 Comments

  1. I’m with you on the zoo babies! Cute 🙂 We have to wait a little longer for our catalogues over here. But I know my demo Jo ordered them last night (does an excited wiggle!!) Vx

  2. A very good selection. You have chosen a wide variety that can be used in so many ways. I have learned through the years that it`s best to hold off a tad when the new catalog comes out and see what and how others are using or designing with the new stamps . I like a variety of styles usually (I`m well rounded like that ) and so I will pick a mixture of stamps . BUT….when I saw that Gingham strip my heart went pitty pat !! I adore gingham . And I must admit that bowl of gold fish with their silly faces tug at me . Plus the fact my friend Maria was putting the “add water” to the test for me (page 58) after I told her I really thought that would make a cute and different card .
    I just love new catty time !!!!

  3. Love many of the same choices. Think Zoo Babies has lots of other possibilities for kids cards and silly adults as well!

  4. Great picks…there are so many awesome new products it’s hard to choose favorites.

    Congrats on your PPA pick AGAIN!

  5. Yes, it happens to me every time a new catalog comes out…… I don’t “see” something until it’s pointed out to me by someone else. Thank goodness for blog sharing. I must have the Flower Shop Bundle, and so glad SU now has candy dots.

  6. I too overlook so many great things in the catalog until they appear on a blog. When I receive one of the new catalogs I look and look and look and look and finally make a list for my first order. Then I submit it. That very same day I will find another dozen things I really want……………so I finally save up enough for that second list, submit the order and BANG! Something else I have to have shows up. I just want to win the lottery and say Brian – when the new catalog comes out just send me one of everything! LOL

  7. Wow great minds really do think alike….or is that insane minds think alike?! Which ever it is, I’m with you all the way!!!

  8. Thanks, Brain, for honing in on your favorite new stamp sets … there is just too much to take in all at once for me otherwise. And I DON’T have my pages flagged yet! Yikes!

  9. Totally agree with the Flower Shop bundle! I can’t wait to order that one!

  10. You’re My Hero – I too have to make that noise whenever I see that set..funny. I have the Lots of Tnanks and Flower Shop bundle on the top of my wish list! I never paid much attention to Zoo Babies, but seeing the stamp image here have made me reconsider that one. I work in a Natural History museum and using that for co-worker birthdays would be so much fun!

  11. Thanks for bringing so many stamp sets to our attention. I truly appreciate another “voice” helping me through the catalog. This year I’m getting ‘down and dirty’ with Clockworks and Gorgeous Grunge firstly as background, and then moving on from there as focal points along the way. How about ideas from you on these two sets………… just sayin’ ! 🙂

  12. I missed the “You’re my hero” looking through…Have to put that on my wish list for my 5 yr old grandson. Thanks!

  13. The Zoo Babies caught my eye right away too! I think they will need to be in my next order. Can’t wait to see what you do with them.

  14. Great job with this list of wonderful stamps, Brian! Going to add to my new list! LOL…been written and re-written for a while now! ;D

  15. I must admit that my first trip through the catalog, making my list of favorite things as I go, I wrote down 24 stamp sets that I wanted. Placed my first order, and I ordered 8 stamp sets. My first love was Kind and Cozy, which I am using for a swap at convention. And, Lovely Romance is my other first love I can hardly wait to get my hands on and ink it up. I just hope the drooling doesn’t smear my ink 🙂

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