I'm in LERV!

So, the last Stampin' Up! mini catalogue really didn't rock my socks as much as I'd hoped. The Sale-a-bration sets had me humming and ha-ing about whether I really needed any of them. And along came the Autumn/Winter mini catalogue...

Oh. My. God! I'm in LERV again! I didn't think it was possible for Stampin' Up! to blow my socks clean off my feet again - but they did! Here's why I'm in love... The Clear Mount Blocks... Well, as you can see in this picture, the stamp sets themselves are foam mounted as usual - storage is in slim DVD style containers with not only an index of the stamp name, but teeny images of each stamp that's in the set! No more photocopying the sticker sheet for the wood mounted blocks, no more searching to see whether one of the stamps is missing! And storage? well, how many more sets can I hide from my husband in these skinny boxes! :) The acrylic blocks, well, I dived in and bought the lot. With a saving of just over $13 by purchasing the "set" of blocks, I felt it was well worth it. And when I received them, I was NOT disappointed. They are gorgeous to hold, smooth edges, weighted beautifully and very easy to see through (with a teeny bit of magnification for my tired eyes!).

BUT WAIT! There's MORE! New punches in a slimline design. And matching stamps to go with them. The cutest has got to be the little bird which can be pieced together. Again, a sleeker storage solution to one of my bulkiest crafting items. I love the little locking mechanism that keeps them closed. I love the reference image on the edge of the punch too - again, easy to store AND pick out the one you need quickly.

Lastly, but certainly not the least, is the Big Shot with exclusive Stampin' Up! dies and embossing. The other day I trawled through the Sizzix website searching for a small envelope die similar to the one available through Stampin' Up. Well, I couldn't find one! In my travels, I was distracted/attracted by a number of other dies and every time I clicked on them, I found they were Stampin' Up! exclusive!

So, all in all, the Autumn/Winter 2010 mini has proved an expensive exercise for me, but I am LOVING every inch of it. Two new hostess sets available, three of the US in colors (Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Soft Suede, YUM) and very cool new products! This is why I love Stampin' Up! And this is why I love being a demonstrator. Now, to nail those socks onto my feet for the next Idea Book Catalogue!

Oh, PS! I am intrigued by the ideas offered for punch-art, thanks everyone, and am currently working on some designs. I'll post my creations soon!