Announcement

New Class Tutorials Just Added!

I just added several new class tutorials (click the Free Class Tutorial link at the top of the page). These classes are $4.95 or FREE with a $50 or more online purchase! Two of them are great Christmas classes!

This is the Letters to Santa Card Class

and this one is the Over the Top Christmas Card class.

Irene Stopped by for a Visit!

This is what I saw when I got up Sunday morning and looked out the back door. This is thanks to Hurricane Irene who swept in on Saturday. It is hard to tell how big this tree is since I don't have an aerial view but it was about 30 ft tall….way taller than our house. I was so devastated. We have had this Bradford pear in the yard for 15 years and it was the main source of shade for our pool and backyard. I just can't believe it is gone. I am thankful that it fell to the left though instead of towards the house.

Here is the view from the end of the pool. I spent all day Sunday cutting the top half of the tree back that was laying in the pool so we could actually turn the pool on and run it. The tree guy is coming tomorrow to cut the rest apart and haul it away.

This is the view from the back. The fence is 6ft tall if that gives you an idea of how high that is sticking up out of the ground. Well, I have lots of stamping things to show you soon. I am finally getting back into the swing of things now. I promise to be better about posting from now on.

Stampin Up Fabric is so Gorgeous!

Here are just a couple of samples of some projects that were on display at convention using the new Stampin Up designer fabrics. This one shows off the Timeless Portrait fabric which can be found on pg 196 in the big Catalog. There is also matching designer paper to go with it so you could make a card or scrapbook page to match the fabric projects you create. The possibilities are endless!

There is always hope…..

Back From Convention!

Hey Everyone,

I am back from convention and had such a great time hanging out with my stamping friends from all over the country and also Canada. Stampin Up demos are the nicest and most fun group of ladies! I always look forward to any kind of Stampin Up event but this one was super special to me. As many of you know, I am going through a divorce and I must have gotten several hundred hugs and well wishes from so many of you (some that I have never even met before)! Thank you all for your support, love and prayers. You are all a special group of women and I am so glad to have you all in my life. Stampin Up is the best company to be a part of. I never would have met all of these super women if I hadn't signed up 10 years ago. I will have these friends FOREVER! It is hard to describe the feeling of having so many awesome ladies genuinely caring about you and coming up and saying hi even if they had never met me…..just to show their support. Ok, I will stop now before I start crying again……

If you were at convention, you might have seen me in one of the booths demonstrating the distressing kit. Here is one of my favorite samples…..It is a 4×6 notepad I covered in River rock cardstock and then topped it with the Well worn designer paper.

This is a close up of the front part. I used the distressing kit to rough up the edges, curl the corners and color the white paper. Then I added an antique brad also.

Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July. Thanks to all of the military men and women who are protecting us and giving us all of the freedoms we have. Say a prayer that they stay safe from harm and come back to their families soon!

A New Beginning!

That title seems appropriate for today. Today Stampin' Up is unveiling their new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog and I am so excited to share that with you. I have included the link in my right sidebar if you haven't gotten yours yet. Also there is an AWESOME Starter Kit Special starting today!! You can sign up for $99 and get a free $40 Christmas Keepsake project!

I also have another new beginning in my life. I am getting divorced and will be starting a new chapter in my life. I am sorry I have been MIA for the past month but I have had a lot to deal with. I won't bore you with all of the details but basically my marriage is over after 23 years. My husband found someone else and he has moved on so it is time for me to do the same. I am going to focus on things that make me happy and that would be stamping and spending time with my awesome friends. For any of you that might be going to the Stampin Up covention in the next week and and a half, I will be presenting at the opening party. I have lots of cool techniques to show you so please stop by and visit my booth.

$99 Starter Kit and Free Project Kit Promotion

Dates: July 1-31, 2011

Promotion Details: It's always more fun to stamp with friends! The limited-time $99 Starter Kit is the perfect choice for the lover of Stampin' Up! products. Use this exclusive Starter Kit to share the opportunity with your friends and hostesses who want to get the products they love at a 20 percent discount. 

Plus, when you sign up in July, you will get a Christmas Keepsake project kit absolutely FREE–a $40 value! This exclusive kit contains everything you need to create a beautiful Christmas Keepsake Box to hold your most treasured Christmas memories.

$99 Starter Kit
Contains over $180 in products and business supplies–including new products from the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog! All items below are recommended, but a new demonstrator can substitute a similar item of equal or lesser value.

Download our $99 Starter Kit flyer here.

*New to the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog!

Business Supplies
The business supplies in these promotional mini kits will be the same business supplies that are in existing starter kits; no alternative selections can be made for business items.

• Getting Started DVD
• Getting Started Guide
• Guest Invitation Postcards (100)
• 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog (8)
• 2011 Summer Mini Catalog (8)
• Stampin' Up! logo vinyl
• Décor Elements applicator
• To My Hostess Envelopes (10)
• My Digital Studio Marketing DVD
• Recruit Folders (5)
• Recruit Brochures (20)
• Customer Order Forms (50)

Things to Remember

$99 Starter Kit

• Prospective recruits may still purchase either the standard OR Digital+ Starter Kits instead of the promotional $99 Starter Kit. 
• Recommended catalog products are included in the $99 Starter Kit. However, just like our standard and Digital+ Starter Kit, new recruits can select alternate items. For example:
  • An alternate stamp set of equal or lesser value.
  • An alternate color assortment of card stock of equal or lesser value.
  • Alternate colors of Classic Stampin' Pads of equal or lesser value.
• Recruits can still add the Stampin' Memories, Definitely Decorative, or My Digital Studio Add-On to their $99 Starter Kit for the regular price.
• Recruits who join Stampin' Up! by purchasing the $99 Starter Kit are still eligible for any programs available to new recruits. This includes, but is not limited to, the Extra 10% Instant Income offer, the newly refreshed Stampin' Start program, and the opportunity to purchase a Business Booster Kit.

Christmas Keepsake Box Project Kit

• The exclusive kit is part of the Shelli Signature Collection.
• The box included in the kit is limited to this kit.
• Demonstrators and new recruits who earn a kit will be able to order it with their first demonstrator order beginning August 1. Demonstrators and new recruits will have until September 30 to redeem their free Christmas Keepsake project kit.
• Visit the Earn a Free Christmas Keepsake Project Kit page to see a list of products included in the kit.

Say Goodbye to all of the retiring products!

Clear-Mount Wood-Mount Accessories Definitely Decorative Discounted Products             To place your Stampin’ Up order online  24-7, click here

Stampin Up Scrapbooking Promotion!!!

Since May is National Scrapbooking month, Stampin Up is offering a great special…..30% off stamp select sets and digital downloads!

To place your Stampin’ Up order online  24-7, click here

To place your Stampin’ Up order online  24-7, click here

Strength and Hope

A few weeks ago I went to visit my good friend Kimberly Van Diepen and we made this card together.  I love stamping with her because she can come up with a gorgeous card right off the top of her head.  What I wouldn't give for that talent. I showed her how to die the flowers and she pretty much did the rest of the card (she is definitely the more creative one!) I love this new stamp set which is in the Stampin Up Summer mini catalog. Stampin Up will donate $2 from the sale of each set to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. So, you will not only get a gorgeous stamp set, but you will also be making a donation to a worthy cause.

Here is a close up of the key elements. We used the ribbon rosettes and you put them in a little plastic container filled about half way with water and about 5 drops of the reinker color of your choice. For this one, we used the blushing bride reinker. Just drop it in for a few seconds and then let it dry face up on a paper towel for about 30 minutes. The butterfly is done with the rock and roll technique. We stamped it in blushing bride and then rolled the edges n peach parfait. The background paper is the new Paisley Petals which is on special this month. We added a little shimmer spray to the finished card to give it that extra wow factor.