SU! Catalog Review

Stampin' Up!'s Idea Book and Catalog for 2011-12 is out. I CASEd this card (almost identically) using the Fifth Avenue Floral set which is still available in the new catalog.  This year's CAT was not the massive change of last year when all the color families changed along with lots of other things.  Apparently some of last years' changes were not embraced as they have changed again.  Here's my take on the new catalog:

• I like all of the new In-Colors.  In Colors are now for 2 years so the ones introduced in this catalog carry through the middle of 2013 and last year's In Colors are still good until July 2012.  Finally, someone realized we needed another purple!  Wisteria Wonder is a mid-tone grayish purple sort of lavendar, sort of not.  It looks pretty.
  
• However, it is hard to tell as the color swatches are so very small.  They are using a garden theme throughout the catalog and while I love themes you have to be careful that your theme doesn't diminish your message.  The color swatches are shown as tiny flowers and leaves.  They are just not big enough to really get a good look.
  
• 12x12 cardstock is back in packages of smooth only!!! And they are 12 sheets to the pack which is a much more realistic quantity for scrapbooking than the 20 sheets we had before.
  
• Now if only I could get them to realize ribbon doesn't need to be sold in 10-15 yard rolls!  One very positive rollback on ribbon is having almost every color come in at least one ribbon.
  
• I don't do children's cards; however, I thought the children's stamps were much improved in variety.
  
• I am disappointed in most of the other new stamps.  I guess they just aren't to my taste.  So far I haven't found a single new set I want.  I do wish they would offer background stamps as unmounted red rubber.  Most of the time I turn over the background stamp to use it so I don't need the wood block at all.  At 17.95 + tax and shipping, they are almost $20 each.  Yikes!  I've bought a couple in the past but that is just too much.
  
• One of the biggest changes is the hostess program.  You earn hostess dollars to apply to selected stamp sets and papers.  You get nicer sets and I think you can use the money towards other things in the catalog but I'm not sure.  There is a lot of hostess stuff to choose from so this may work.  It will be interesting to see how the change is received.
  
• The projects in the catalog are some of the prettiest and most interesting they have ever done in my opinion.
  
• The punches are displayed in a way so you can see much better what the image is and what punch is called what.
• Simply Scrappin' kits are more general and less themed which I really like.  They have gone up $2 in price though.  I didn't notice other price increases though I've certainly not checked them all.

The catalog should be on-line July 1st or check with your demo about getting one.  They are great idea books as well as for purchasing product.

The card above is almost entirely Stampin' Up product except for the cardstock.  I think the one in the catalog is a new In Color.  I matched it pretty closely with Berry Sorbet from Papertrey Ink.

Ingredients:  Fifth Avenue Floral

Cardstock:  Berry Sorbet by Papertrey Ink; Crumb Cake by SU!

Liquid Pearls by Ranger

Ribbon:  Old Olive