Confession time:  I will admit that I was not wild about the Tea Shoppe Stamp Set from Stampin' Up! when I first saw it, certainly not enough to make a video tutorial using the set (shhhh, don't tell anyone).  It was pretty, the tea cups were cute, but really, what would I use it for?  I normally chose sets that when I see them, they are so versatile that I can imagine at least 25 different uses for them.  Anyone else feel the same?  And the biggest image in there was not my favorite, if it had polka dots on it, I would have been all over it! 

But the sets that I have like this one haunt me.  I leave them on my counter as I play in my stamp room and a lot of times they collect dust, or become a coaster.  So imagine my surprise when I started to play this morning and the set that came to mind was Tea Shoppe, and the big tea cup too!  I just stood there analyzing this.  I could not think of any other image to use and the more I used it, the more excited I got about it! 

Now, I did use this set for a card in the VIP program that I adore!!!  It was one of my favorite cards that month!  If you are not a VIP member, then you missed out (but here is a hint, you just might be able to view it in the near future! – and it did use the polka dot tea cup 🙂

So it was fun for me to analyze how this card came together.  I have been (hoarding) saving this particular DSP pattern from the Attic Boutique DSP pack for a special card.  And really, I was going to use this special DSP pattern that I have been (hoarding) saving for a special card for a card with the big tea cup?  Have I lost my mind?  Lost my marbles?  Not had enough coffee or Dr. Pepper this morning?  (yes, I have already had both)

I wanted the card to be simple, cute and special.  The simple part is the design, I kept it very simple.  The cute part uses the DSP I have been (hoarding) saving.  And the special part is the special person that I had in mind for this card.  I think I covered it all. 

Here is the card that I created this morning using Stampin' Up!'s Tea Shoppe:

Supplies used to create this card:

Stampin' Up! Stamps:  Tea Shoppe

Stampin' Up! Ink: Blushing Bride, Soft Suede

Stampin' Up! Cardstock:  Blushing Bride, Soft Suede, Whisper White

Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper:  Attic Boutique

Stampin' Up! Accessories:  Scallop Border Punch, Word Window Punch, Blushing Bride Poly Stitched Ribbon

And I will be posting a video tutorial later today showing you how to make this card.

I will let you in on one of my creative secrets, I already hinted about it earlier.  Do you ever catch yourself saying, "I really wish that stamp was sold individually."?  You want one image out of the set, but aren't too sure what to do with the rest of it – when this happens – leave it out! Leave it out where you will see it every time you go and play.  I really do not leave them out to collect dust, I leave them out so that I see them all the time, until that day (like this morning) when I know the perfect use for it.  And now that I have used it for this card, I can think of about 20 more ways that I am going to use it!  I have a bulletin board that I have been really wanting to decorate, and I wanted to use a tea cup in some way, and have been focusing on the smaller cups, and they are just too little, but now I am anxious to use the big tea cup!  It is like the creative flood gates are open.

Wow, I have rambled this morning, I blame the coffee and Dr. Pepper 🙂

OK, so be sure to check back later today to see the video tutorial featuring Stampin' Up!'s Tea Shoppe stamp set!