Summer mini advice

[lisastamper]

Okay, now that the summer mini is about to go away and we have to wait until next year to see what makes it into the catty, I need advice. If you could only choose one set from the mini, what would it be? I know mixed bouquet is very popular, but I can't seem to make myself love it. If you do, can you convince me? Is there anything else you can't live without? Thanks for any advice you can provide!

[Jeanne S]

All I can say is that I have used Mixed Bouquet and Mixed Greetings more than any other summer mini sets. I really like the set.

[CrazyStampFrog]

I chose "Along the Shore" as my only buy from the sumer mini. It is sooo beautiful, and the cards in the gallery were so inspiring that I am glad that I ordered it. Now if it would only arrive soon!!!! My seconf choice would be "Sage Advice", I think the sayings would be perfect for many different cards, and I already have florals that I could pair with them.

[jkstieber]

As far as flowery sets go, I did not care for Mixed Bouquet at all. I know that I would have a very difficult time figuring out what to do with it. The only set I ordered out of the summer mini was backyard BBQ because I would use that in scrapbooks a lot. I did like Take Shape, Along the Shore, and the Tag Alphabet, but not enough to order them now. If they make it into next years big catalog, MAYBE I'll get them then. But Mixed Bouquet? Not my style at all.

[JustMelissa]

I haven't read through this thread so I'm sorry if this has been suggested:

Why don't you go to the Gallery and look through the samples made using the different sets? Often if I can't decide whether or not to get a set that helps me to decide if I do or don't want it. (Yes; I have actually decided NOT to get some sets, based on their limited use.) Really, it's a huge help to me and I think that you might find that the same is true for you. HTH

[Doris]

I purchased mixed greetings....and should be receiving it tomorrow. That was the only set that I 'had" to have. I think I will use it alot.

[lynnewithane]

I liked the tag alpha and numbers. I saw ideas for it that I liked, so I bought it. Easiest set you will ever cut! I also love the Mixed Bouquet, but decided to see if it makes it. I like the two that go with it as well - Mixed Greetings and Bouquet wheel. I loved the sage advice, but wasn't sure what card I would make with it, and who I would send it to. I've seen some cute things with Take Shape as well, but......

[cindy_canada]

I don't know if you like that style or not, but personally, I bought Fairy Nice from the Summer mini and I love it a lot. I've been using it with my watercolor crayons and there's a lot of possibilities. The little striped legs reminded me of the shopping lady in the Spruced Up set, which is a set that slowly grew on me and that I now love.

The flower set is also very nice and versatile, but if you're like me, if you don't already like it before buying it, you'll be wondering what to do with it. I second the suggestion of taking a look at the gallery to see what jumps out at you.

Cindy

[azrobint]

I can't believe nobody mentioned those! They are both sooooooo cute! I normally don't buy mini-catty sets until I see if they'll make it into the big one but I think I'll have to get both of those!

--Robin

[Estrovan]

MONKEYS !! MONKEYS !! MONKEYS !!Yeah for Monkies! Using them today - I can't seem to put them down!

[stampysister]

Your concern that the items may or may not be in next year's catalog indicates that either a) you're a demo and don't want to buy something that you can't demonstrate or b) you're a customer who can only afford to buy one and hope that you are getting one that won't be in next years catalog so that others you like can be bought next year.

I have the same advice in either situation. BUY WHAT YOU LOVE MOST. If the floral set is not exactly your style, don't buy it. Stampin Up! comes up with tons of great floral sets in many different styles. I've been a demo for quite a while now and frankly, I realized that buying things simply because they are "good for the business" doesn't make good sense. I found these sets never got bought by my customers and later I regretted the money I spent on them because they were just things I was waiting to sell once they retired.

On the other hand, when I bought what I loved, even if my customer's didn't necessarily like the set, I found that I made cuter projects with them because I loved them and my customers loved the projects and techniques I showed them, even if they didn't love the set.

As a customer, the only reason to worry about retiring sets is to get what you love before they retire. Again, buy what you love most. Oh, and what seems unique. For example, I bought Balmy Breezes when it was in a mini. It is really unique. Stuff with a similar style in the catalog, but not the same theme-- sort of exotic travel and topics meets shabby chic. LOVE IT. On the other hand, there were some really cute floral sets in that catalog. Didn't buy them cause there are always tons of cute floral sets. There will always be a new floral set out there.

So that means if you love the fairies or the monkeys or whatever, just buy them. If the floral set isn't your style although tons of people in the gallery use it, don't buy it. (Love without End is my example of a set that everyone bought but not me-- not my thing).

Good Luck

[jess_witty]

I bought Mixed Bouquet & wheel, as well as Sage Advice. I agree with the others... if you don't love it, don't get it. If you end up regretting it, don't worry, it will show up in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum a lot as soon as the mini catalog goes away. Remember how everyone was dying for The Art of Life? It's on BST all the time now.

I think Sage Advice is the most unique of SU's "saying" stamps as well as versatile enough for a lot of cards. To me, there are two in that set that are sort of "thank you's", one "friendship", and one other. I make thank you and friendship cards the most, so I find that set extremely useful.

[CR8V QUEEN]

I want them all please! But unfortunately my DH doesn't feel the same....so I have bought Monkey Business and Taking Shape! I would have to say it is so hard to just pick one that I love! I would sit with a nice cup of tea(or watever you love to drink) and really think about what you're gonna use more! I love my Monkey set because I call my son my little monkey and as for taking shape I really haven't use it much! Good luck!

[scrappinkar]

I bought Godsend to make cards to send in the care packages that we send from work. I'm hoping that the soldiers would love to send a note home inside the card. I have made 50 already, pretty much cased from the notebook sample in the mini catty!!!

[rcmarroquin]

I bought the Monkey stamp set because my daughter was born in the year of the monkey. I personally like the Mixed Bouquet set. To me, it seems pretty versatile. You could use it for many different occassions.

[anniem888]

I vote Sage advice!! I've used it on so many cards. I love the verses. You can never have too many words.

[CPLN4]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrappinkar

I bought Godsend to make cards to send in the care packages that we send from work. I'm hoping that the soldiers would love to send a note home inside the card. I have made 50 already, pretty much cased from the notebook sample in the mini catty!!!

I bought Godspeed too. My husband's a Marine and that'd be a good set to make cards for him and other Marines when he's deployed. The examples in the gallery are great.

The only other set I thought about in that mini was Fairy Nice but opted not to get it.

I agree - if you don't love it, don't get it.

[newstamperamy]

I LOVE my Mixed Bouquet bc it has such versitility of style. You can do a crisp card or a more muted one using the flowers that look like paint prints or you can go bold with that gorgeous large rose. I only had Burst into Bloom for a floral set and now that I have Mixed Bouquet, I feel like I don't need anymore. Using a combination of the flowers with versamark or the same color ink on paper makes an awesome background. A someone else suggested, check out the Mixed Bouquet gallery. It is overwhelmingly amazing. I also bought Fairy Nice bc I have 2 young DDs and I think it will get a lot of use over the next few years of birthday parties.

I am still thinking about Walk This Way and those Monkeys. I also love Sage Advice. I wish I could order more - I love this Summer Mini!

[jailbirdstamper]

I wish I had got Monkey's - well I did get Monkeys and my daughter was visiting from school and loved it, so I said 'take it - I'll order another one.' THEN forgot to order it before the summer mini went away and I'm heartbroken. I can always borrow it back but she lives four hours away and this is a set that is so versatile -any occassion (like cool cat) and I could use a hundred different ways..... so I'm desperatley watching the BST board for someone who has a set to trade and (this is the hard part) that I have somehting they want. ..... woe is me