Unfrogettable Stamping!

Retirement Sale today!!!!

I'm holding my first-ever Retirement Sale today from Noon-3 pm and have I got a lot to sell!  I've been a customer with Stampin' Up! since 2004 and have accumulated quite a collection during that time!  I have been a demonstrator since February of 2005 (and my own BEST customer) and I find that I generally do not use anything retired except for a few favorites for craft show and gift items.  So, to make room for new goodies, I am putting up for sale 250+ stamp sets (most priced $8-$15), 70+ full packs of brand new Designer Series Paper packs ($8 each), several jumbo wheels ($6 each) and past years' brand new Idea Book/Catalogs ($5 each).

I think my husband almost had a cow when he walked into my stamping studio and saw my 4 tables full of stamp sets!!  But I'm hoping to give these beloved stamp sets and other retired items a new home where they will be given some love instead of sitting around collecting dust.  I also hope to free up some space in my cabinets so I can be a bit more organized.

 

For those of you unable to attend, if you're interested in seeing a list once my sale is over tomorrow, just drop me an email and I'll be happy to provide one.  If you see something you like, I can mail it to you or you can drop by and pick it up.  I can also have a private viewing by appointment if you are local.

Thanks for stopping by... have a wonderful weekend!

Fabulous Friday project - candle and matching card

It's Friday again and you know what that means... it's Fabulous Friday over on the Sisters in Stamping blog here.  This month we're focusing on Christmas stamp sets and this week's featured set is Serene Snowflakes, found in our Holiday Mini catalog.

 

I was having a hard time coming up with a project to create, but knew I wanted to make something 3-d that could be used as a gift.  My sister Cindy, also a demonstrator, suggested I stamp a candle... she's brilliant!  I haven't made one in a while and they're so fun and easy to create.

I used ballet blue classic ink along with platinum shimmer paint to create this candle and matching 3x3 notecard.  The candle was a bit too plain so I embellished it by sticking clear rhinestone brads into the candle in the centers of the snowflakes (another suggestion by Cindy!).  The candle was warm from adding the stamped images so the rhinestones went in very easily.

The snowflake on the card was created by first inking the stamp with ballet blue and then edging the outside of the snowflake stamp with a sponge dauber dipped into the platinum shimmer paint.  I added a clear rhinestone brad to the center to match the candle. 

I really like the way this project turned out... I have a craft show coming up on the 21st and I think I'll create a few more of these sets to sell.

Thanks for stopping by... please be sure and check out the other Fabulous Friday projects from my fellow Sisters!  Have a wonderful weekend...

November Stamp-a-Stack cards

As promised, I am posting my stamp-a-stack cards for this month's sessions.  I have a daytime class scheduled for Monday, Nov. 10th at 10 am and my evening session is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17th at 6:30 pm.  I only have one spot remaining in each session so if you want to join us, please be sure and contact me right away!

Because I've been focusing on 4 Christmas card designs at each of my stamp-a-stack classes since August, I am only offering two designs this month.  The first one features the Wandering Words stamp set from the Holiday Mini catalog.  Do you notice the texture along the bottom of the card?  That was achieved by cutting my Finial Press impressions folder - GASP!  Yes, I said it... I cut it!  I got the idea from Sandi MacIver's blog here.  You may not be able to see it, but I also edged the whisper white piece with dazzling diamonds so the card really sparkles!  I then used my Uniball white gel pen to highlight the dots on the textured piece and kept with the dots by adding a piece of real red polka-dotted ribbon to embellish the card further.  I love handsome hunter with real red - a great Christmas color combination!

 
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The second Christmas card design is this one featuring The More The Merrier hostess level 3 stamp set.  It is a card that was designed by my Design Team and downline member Sherri Gough.  I love the colors and the large polka-dot texture on the night of navy piece just finishes it off nicely.

I wanted to include a birthday card this month and used the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set for this card along with melon mambo and basic black.  I just can't seem to have plain cardstock for backgrounds any more... I just love the texture I can create with my Big Shot and the Texturz Plates! 

Here is the final card - an all-occasion card using the Bella Toile background stamp set along with Sincere Saluations.  That is such a great all-around set and my stampers can create whatever kinds of cards that they'll need with this set - thank you, thinking of you, birthday and even a get well card.  Elegant Eggplant is such a great color and I love it with whisper white.  This simple yet elegant card is finished off with silver brads and would be very easy to duplicate for a nice gift set for someone on your list for Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by.. be sure and come back tomorrow to see my Fabulous Friday contribution for the Sisters In Stamping blog!

Downline meeting make-n-take and swaps

   
This past Monday night was my monthly downline meeting that I had re-scheduled from last Monday because we were all sick last week.  Lori created our make-n-take for the meeting - a fun Christmas card using non-traditional colors:  melon mambo and green galore.  We used the Patterned Pines stamp hostess level 1 set from the Holiday Mini along with the Warm Words stamp set.  Lori loved how the Big Shot texturz plate with the paisley matched the pattern in the tree.  The card was finished off with melon mambo polka-dotted ribbon along with a jumbo grommet in white.  What a great card!

At every meeting we also have our monthly swap due for those who choose to participate.  Last month's swap theme was Lori's idea - a fall-themed 6x6 scrapbook page, but it had to include some sort of texture along with an embellishment.  Here are the swaps - I hope you like them as much as I do!

Created by Michelle Arthur:

Created by Beverly Cole:

Created by Sherri Gough:

Created by Darlene Crockett:

Created by Evita Erk:

Created by Kacey Dean:

Created by Delores Wilson:

Created by Lori Subosits:

And mine, which I had posted previously for a Fab Friday project:

 
  

Thanks for stopping by... I'll be posting my stamp-a-stack cards tomorrow~

My first-ever retirement sale!

I have been a demonstrator for almost 5 years now and have never parted with any of my Stampin' Up! purchases I have made over the years, including the year and a half that I was a customer before signing up to become a demonstrator, so my collection has outgrown my storage capacity.  Therefore, I am holding my first-ever "Retirement Sale" this Saturday, November 7th, at my home.  Here's a photograph of just the stamp sets and wheels that I have pulled so far - I have not even begun to go through my Designer Series Paper packs nor other retired accessories including ribbon, Simply Scrappin' kits, rub-ons, etc.

My downline and current club members are invited to a special "Preview Hour" from 11 am until noon with the sale becoming open to the public from noon until 3 pm.  Anyone in the Lynchburg area is welcome to come - just email for directions if you need them!  I can only accept cash and checks for this event as I do not have the means to process credit or debit cards at this time. 

Please help me find loving new homes for these very worthy retired items!  Thanks and I hope to see you on Saturday!

New promotion for November and December!

Stampin' Up! announced a fabulous new promotion today!  With the release of the new Holiday Gift-Giving Guide, check it out here, you have a great guide for purchasing Stampin' Up! products for your favorite people or putting together your own wish list!  And when you purchase $50 in products from this guide, you will get to choose one Decor Element with a value up to $16.95 for FREE!  How great is that?!  There is even a Big Shot kit in the guide and if you purchase it you will be eligible for 4 FREE Decor Elements!  Not only that, but you will get your name on my $50-50 board 4 times AND earn hostess benefits of $25 and a hostess level 1 set.  A pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

Want some fun ideas for using the Decor Elements?  Here are just a few...

I have two armoires in my stamping studio where I store my cardstock and Designer Series Papers.  They were pretty plain so I jazzed them up by applying the long-stemmed flowers to one panel on each (pictured above).

I also added one of the 3 jack-o-lantern faces from Spooky Faces to a jar that I filled with candy corn for an easy Halloween decoration.  I recently added my family members to my laptop - I left my camera at a friend's home last night so am unable to photograph it. 

I have the words "Life is Good" to add to the back windshield of our Honda Element, but it's been raining for several days now and I haven't had a chance to do it yet.  As soon as I do, I'll be sure to post a picture!

These Decor Elements are so much fun!  Easy to put on and easy to take off when you're tired of the look.  They are perfect for your Teen who wants to change her room relatively often or your college student who can't do anything permanent to her walls.  Be sure to view the Definitely Decorative catalog here or click on the link on my sidebar.

Inspiration and a birthday card

My Techniques club member Wanda celebrated a birthday earlier this month and when she was at my house for our club meeting I noticed her cute little camera case.  I had not made her birthday card yet and thought - WOW!  I was completely inspired by the color and texture of it and wanted to create a fun card similar to it.  Naturally, I pulled out my Big Shot (can't imagine ever crafting without it!!) and used the Top Note die to give me the shape of the flap.  I then used the faux alligator technique with regal rose cardstock and created the outside of my card.  What do you think?  Did I pull it off?

For the inside, I used the "A Rose is a Rose" stamp set, one of my favorites, and spotlighted the flower image with my Stampin' Pastels.  I took a post it note, popped out a 1-3/4" circle with my punch, and then used it as a mask to sponge the pastels around the inside of the circle around the flower.  I finished it off with chocolate chip ink and the "A Little Birthday Cheer" stamp set.  Easy!!  I hope she liked her card.

This just goes to show how inspiration for a card or scrapbook page can be found anywhere... just open your eyes and take a look around!

 

Thanks for stopping by... hope you all have a very Happy and safe Halloween!

My Digital Studio focus for Fabulous Friday

Our product focus today over on the Sisters In Stamping blog is My Digital Studio (MDS), a digital design studio software package released by Stampin' Up! this month. 

My contribution for the week was to create a new blog banner for the site.  This is what I came up with, using elements from the "Happy BDay" design kit.  I started with a blank page and added designer paper, punches, flower embellishments, brads and the text.  I also created a button for each of my "Sisters" to put on their personal blogs to link to the SIS blog and that is below.  I took the same flower embellishments, designer paper and colors to create it.  I'm just so amazed at all you can do with MDS!!

I find it incredible that this entire software package, jam-packed with so many features, is priced at $79.95!  Any hostess who has a $400+ workshop through November 30th, can get MDS for just $39.97 with her hostess benefits!  WOW - that's 50% off!  For anyone wanting to join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator, there is even a new Digital+ Starter Kit priced at $185. I have details on that kit at the end of this post.  AND *I* have a special offer in place for any of my customers who purchase My Digital Studio from me this month - choose one $10 or less item for FREE!  But hurry, this offer ends on October 31st!! 

Here are some of the details about MDS, courtesy of the Stampin' Up! website:

Exclusive Stampin' Up! Content

• Stampin' Up! artwork and accessories available in a digital format.
• Stampin' Up! colors allow for perfect coordination when embellishing professional print projects with traditional embellishments. Add depth and dimension when you combine digital with handcrafted.
• With My Digital Studio, your favorite images and colors need not retire--you can keep using them for years to come!

Software

• My Digital Studio starts with nearly 2,000 unique elements--stamps, embellishments, templates, kits, punches, Designer Series papers, card stock, borders, and more.
• Intuitive design for easy navigation and project creation.
• Plenty to do for more advanced users including
  • Customizable stamps and embellishments
  • Photo, background, accent, and page editing
  • Multimedia features including music, videos, and links
• Automatic photo fill for effortless design.
• Program is on 2 DVDs, making downloading quick and simple.
• The program is stored on your computer, not on the web, so you can take it with you.
• PC and Mac compatible.
• Training and quick start materials available to help you learn more.
• Use My Digital Studio as a design tool--create projects digitally before crafting it in paper, or create flyers to print or e-mail to customers.

Digital Downloads

• Download new embellishments, stamps, kits, and templates to My Digital Studio on a regular basis. Digital downloads are also compatible with other design tools.
• Digital downloads feature exclusive Stampin' Up! artwork and colors.
• Embellishments are true to size, making it easier to combine digital projects with paper crafting.

Print

• Professional print service available--print your photo albums, calendars, and cards. Professional printing for individual pages will be available soon.
• Stampin' Up!'s professional print services ensure that printed colors match with our paper products. Because personal printers and other print services use different settings, their prints may not match Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors within acceptable tolerances. Stampin' Up! has worked to make sure that our professional print services match our colors perfectly!
• Don't limit yourself to print projects! You can also create digital projects like DVDs, interactive albums, and e-cards.
• With My Digital Studio, you can print your projects from your home printer (depending on your printer's settings, printed colors may not match Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors).
• Stampin' Up!'s professional print services use only the highest quality products--papers, album covers (linen, leather, and photo covers).
• My Digital Studio is competitively priced at $79.95.

 

With the introduction of My Digital Studio, Stampin' Up! is now offering an all-new business opportunity with the Digital+ Starter Kit. Priced at just $185, the Digital+ Starter Kit contains

• My Digital Studio software
• Party Hearty and Petal Pizzazz stamp sets
• Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
• Earth Elements assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
• Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, and Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin' Pads^®
• Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and Real Red Stampin' Write^® markers
• Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
• Real Red 1" double-stitched grosgrain ribbon
• Button Latte Designer buttons
• Stampin' Dimensionals^®
• Mini Glue Dots
• SNAIL Adhesive^®
• Business supplies (product catalogs, order forms, training DVD, and other supplies)

Combining My Digital Studio with traditional embellishments and other Stampin' Up!^® products allows you to not only effectively showcase hybrid projects, but also demonstrate projects using non-digital elements. Contact me today to get started!

Halloween Gifts for the Teachers

I really appreciate all that my kids' teachers do and to say "Thank You!" I try to send in little goodies throughout the year.  Since Halloween is right around the corner, I beaded some cute Halloween earrings for them and packaged them in Big Shot matchboxes that I created and embellished with Cast-a-Spell DSP and the Little Boo stamp set.  You'll notice that one of the 3 boxes above has white dots on the scallop circle - that is because it is for my son's teacher and is a little different.  I delivered them to school today while I was there for lunch with Brandon - he was named "Kid with Character" this week and was allowed to eat on the stage... fun!

Here is a shot of the gift for Kelsey's 5th grade teachers - she has 2 main teachers and a student teacher.  They received jack-o-lantern earrings, since I had exactly 6 of those beads, along with a caramel Ghirardelli chocolate (everyone needs chocolate on Halloween!).  I made a little notecard to go inside the box, too, using the Little Boo stamp.  I love this stamp - and it's from the "Under $10" page so is very affordable!

Here is a picture of Brandon's 2nd grade teacher's gift - I had 2 witch's hat beads and made earrings with them for her.  I found out today that she has a sign on her door that says "The Witch is in" and she loved them... even put them on for the rest of the day.  I gave her a white mint Ghirardelli chocolate - yum!

I love my Big Shot and don't know how I ever lived without it before!  It is so easy to put a package together to throw some candy or other small gift in... just check out the box that my downline Lori came up with below.  She was kind enough to give me one when she borrowed my Fancy Favor Box Big Shot die to create her prototype (hers had not come in yet).  Believe it or not, she made 25 of these for her son's classmates.  She also made 25 of these boxes in the shape of Frankenstein's head using lots of punches for her other son's classmates.  What a Mom!

Thanks for stopping by... I hope you've been inspired to make a Halloween goodie for someone you appreciate or care about!  Be sure to stop back by tomorrow... it's Fabulous Friday and our product focus this week on the Sisters in Stamping blog is My Digital Studio!!!
 

Scrapbook Club projects for October

Each month my Scrapbook Club gets together to turn in their orders and complete two 12 x 12 layouts.  The hostess gets input on one of the pages - she can choose the theme, a color scheme, stamp set or Big Shot item for it. 

My hostess for this month, Jettie, had also hosted an in-home private class this past weekend to add to her club orders bumping up her hostess benefits (something I urge my club members to do - you get quite a lot of freebies this way!).  She decided she'd like a "family" page.  I used the colors from her class 6x6 project to create this page so she could use it in a 2-page spread with the larger page I had given her (shown in yesterday's post here).  In addition to the Falling Leaves and Warm Words stamp sets used for the decorative border strips, this page incorporates the All in the Family stamp set.  Each club member was able to personalize her own family - I only put my kids on my page along with our two dogs.  Somehow Amanda's arm was stamped all wonky and up in the air so I thought, hmmmm - embellishment opportunity (a saying Missy Shipman shared during her session at Convention).  I thought the "thankful" leaf looked sort of like a balloon so I stamped it on the end of Amanda's arm. 

Here's a close-up of the collaged decorative border piece... I really like making these instead of always reaching for DSP.

And last, here is a close-up of the word "family."  Since the chocolate chip letters were sort of lost on the not quite navy background paper, I took my Uniball Signo white gel pen and added some lines to highlight the letters.  It really makes it pop!

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The second layout I created for the club this month is an "All About Me" page.  If you're like me, there are very few pictures of you with your family because you are always the one behind the camera.  Will our children and grandchildren know who we are?  Right now at this point in our lives?  I thought by doing an "All About Me page" we could share this chapter of our lives with our family - who we are, what we love, etc.  I read somewhere that it is a good idea to photograph our every day lives.. the technology that we use, the ordinary details that make us who we are.  I need to photograph my beloved laptop, a giant cup of coffee and my stamps - those are the things I love!!  The journaling box was created with a piece of whisper white cardstock and the spiral punch and then stamped on with the sentiment from "Things I Love" stamp set with melon mambo ink.  The only other color on this layout besides basic black is bermuda bay - I love these colors together!

The daisy embellishment was created with the Big Shot.  Check out the corduroy button - I dyed it with melon mambo ink.  How cool - now you can have corduroy buttons in a plethora of colors!  It is a bit messy, though.  And be sure you give them ample time to dry (I pre-dyed mine before the club meeting).

To add some interest to this relatively simple layout, I used background stamps on my melon mambo (En Francais) and bermuda bay (Pretty Posy) mats.  The title was stamped using the Taffy Alphabet in bermuda bay ink.  I'm hoping the journaling and photographs will help my children know what kind of person I am when they look at this page years from now.  Who knows, they may laugh out loud at the outdated technology I'm using today... think back to those huge cell phones 10 years ago and you'll know what I'm talking about!

Thanks for stopping by... I hope you take some time to scrapbook about yourself!!