Monday, January 24, 2011

Two Awards in One and Randomness

 
One of the really great things that Stampin' Up has done for it's many demonstrators is to provide us with a group site called Stampin' Connection.  It's through this site that I've met so many great demos and shared so many things from project samples to blog threads.  What a fun place this is! 

One of the great gals I met on this site is Dale Morin, a great paper crafter and shares her creations on her blog Dale's Designs.  I often visit her site to check out her latest post and so tonight when I visited I was happy to see she had received the Stylish Blogger Award.  Then when I read down to the end of the post I was absolutely surprised and delighted to see she'd included me in her list of recipients who deserve this award too!  Whoo!! Hoo!! Dale, thank you so much.  Please pop by her blog Dale's Designs and check out all her great offerings.  She's one talented lady.  

And speaking of talented ladies, I was also checking on Morgan's blog Stamp Cravings http://stampcravings.blogspot.com/ tonight and almost fell over because she also selected me to receive the same award.  What a double whammy in one night! Make sure you check out Morgan's work it's stunning. Morgan that was so terrific of you! 

As part of receiving this award the recipient must share 8 random things about themselves and then pass the award along to 8 other deserving bloggers!  So,  here are my random things:


1. I’m a recipe junky. I don’t necessarily like to make the recipes I collect and oogle over; although I’m pretty sure I’m a capable enough cook that I can actually turn out a creation or two…………. Move over Pioneer Woman (not).


2. I’m a poet although unpublished. I love rhyming words and wrapping my thoughts around what I visualize and hear. One day I’ll share them, but for now they are private.

3. My favourite pass time is probably day dreaming. Sitting in the warm sun and dreaming about what I can, might and will do is so satisfying.

4. My favourite beverage of all time is pure and simple black coffee………….. man I love the Java.

5. I will have been married to the man I love with all my heart and soul, for 42 years in another hour and a half. I’m looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him with no regrets. We share this famous anniversary date with Robbie Burns.

6. My favourite sound is “nothing”. I love quietness.

7. Before I became a paper crafter I was a “stitcher”, and oh man did I love to stitch. I did every form of embroidery and needlework and loved it. I would spend endless hours cross stitching and made some beautiful creations, most of which I gave away.

8. I have never minded doing dishes (my sister thinks otherwise). The simple fact is the warm water is soothing, the time spent doing a simple chore is rewarding, and when the kitchen sparkles after everything is done, I’m truly satisfied.

The following lovely paper crafters are also so deserving of this award.  Please visit their fantastic sites, believe me they are worth it! 

1. Andrea Gideon http://stampinlab.blogspot.com/   
2.  Sherri Barron  http://sherribarron.typepad.com
3. Julie Gearinger  http://stampingwithjuliegearinger.blogspot.com/
4. Yolanda Cook  http://yolanda-tryingtobecreative.blogspot.com/
5. Pauline from Calgary Alberta  http://thepursuitofstampiness.blogspot.com/
6. Maureen Rauchfuss http://www.crazystampinglady.blogspot.com/
7. Kim Jenkins  http://jenkins-journal.blogspot.com
8.  Debbie Martin http://www.cleverandcute.blogspot.com/


Happy Stamping Everyone! 

Just Hours Away - SALE-A-BRATION IS COMING YOUR WAY!!!!

That's right it's count down to Sale-A-Bration and it's only hours away.  Hope you're as excited as I am!

I couldn't pass up this opportunity to show you one last beautiful sneak peak...............isn't this card beautiful.  It was created by the very talented Sherri Barron and posted on her fabulous blog, Fun to Stamp with Sherri.  This baroque style stamp is aptly called "Bliss" and can be found on page 10 of the SAB catalogue. 

Along with this posting you will find some additional sneak peaks on Sherri's blog and these were created by the incredible Amy Ward.  Check out both these sites, and you'll be impressed I'm sure.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sale-A-Bration Count Down - only 2 more days!! Whoo Hoo!

With only two days to go until the Sale-A-Bration 2011 cattie is released I thought I would make good on my promise to share some more sneak peaks of great projects made with some of the Sale-A-Bration free products and accessories.  So without further ado I'm going to give you the link for Pamela Ledue's great blog "Stamp It With Love".  I've been following Pam's blog for a while now and I can assure you she really does Stamp It With Love..............she has so many great creations on her blog!  Here is one of the sneaks that Pamela has showcased and I'm sure you'll agree it is really sweet:


Check out the other samples she has posted and leave her a comment to let her know how great they are, and that you've come from my blog, I'm sure she'll appreciate it! 

Friday, January 21, 2011

Count Down to Sale-A-Bration - Only 5 Days To Go

Thought I'd share another sneak peak at one of the wonderful stamp sets that Stampin' Up is offering in the upcoming Sale-A-Bration 2011 catalogue.  This card by Karla Anders is just tooooo cute!  She's made it using a set called "Punch Bunch" and features what I'm sure will be a very popular Sale-A-Bration stamp.   Just click on this link and you can check out her blog Work of Heart, it's awesome.  You can also join Karla and her friends Rachel Yurkanin, Deb Naylor, and Jacquie Craig at their Sisters in Stamping blog (a site dedicated to showcasing Stampin' Up samples) where you'll see other awesome cards made with the six stamp sets featured in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue.  I know you're going to fall in love with them too!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Count Down to Sale-A-Bration 2011

Hi everyone, hope you're having a fantastic day!  Mine's been great so far.  I've been on the golf course all morning, had a great round and I've got the rest of the day ahead of me.  Couldn't ask for more; except for stamping time that is!   And I hope to get some in! 

From now until the start of Sale-A-Bration on January 25th, I plan to share some samples made by other Stampin' Up Demos that I'm sure you're going to enjoy as much as I did.  So without any more ado, I'm going to share a beautiful little 3x3 card set made by Diane Sisneros.  Diane who is an avid stamper and blogger has done a fantastic job of showcasing the 2011 Incolors by combining  cardstock, DSP and Ribbon along with the UBER cute stamp set "Punch Bunch", when she designed these 5 little cards.  Check out the pics of the individual cards by clicking on her name link above.  I know you'll want to drop by her site to see them. Have fun and enjoy and leave her a comment!


Saturday, January 15, 2011

2011 Planners

I like to start the year off with a new planner and this year was no exception.

I found some cute monthly planners at the local dollar store that came with a plastic protective cover and a great monthly layout inside. These little planners were just screaming for some Stampin' Up product alteration so I bought a few of them and here are the results. 

I used a Simply Scrapping Kit called Love Birds #118707 on Page 178 of the 2011 Idea Book and Catalogue, to decorate the cover of my planner.  It was quick and easy to do and there was more than enough Designer Paper, self-adhesive die cuts, and coordinating cardstock to make not only my planner, but one for each of my team members.   Here are some pictures of my finished planners. Let me know what you think.

Love Birds Simply Scrappin Kit # 118707
Here are the 3 planners I made in less than half an hour - told you it was quick!
Here's my planner.  I've added some basic rhinestone bling to dress it up. This is the front cover
A view of the back of the planner
A peak at the inside.  The column on the right is all the SU events for the month at a glance. 

Sale-A-Bration - Just Ten More Days - Join the Fun!!!


Sale-A-Bration is coming!!!  This is Stampin' Up!s biggest sales event of the year and runs from January 25th to March 31st, 2011.  That's right in  ten more days,you'll have three great ways to earn FREE products.  Here's how:

SPEND:  Place an order for $60* and you'll earn one free Sale-a-Bration product of your choice.

HOST:  Host a workshop of at least $300* and earn one free Sale-A-Bration product in addition to the generous hostess benefits.

JOIN:  Join my Stampin' Up! team by becoming a demonstrator during Sale-A-Bration and get 15 percent off your Starter Kit, plus a special Bonus Bundle of products valued up to $60! That’s right an additional $60.00 bundle.  If you join up to be part of my team the following items will be included in your Starter Kit (whether it's the standard kit or the Digital+ Starter Kit):


  • 121620 Color Coach (or multiple languages Color Coach), page 165 IB&C
  • 120806 Something Special Simply Sent (or any Simply Sent kit), page 183
  • 117114 Live, Laugh, Love Stamp Set (or any Simply Sent Stamp Set valued at $14.95 or less) page 183
  • 119883 Heart to Heart Punch (or any punch valued at $23.95 or less), page 202
*NET SALES before shipping and handling and tax

Quick and Simple Treat Holders



Today I thought I'd share my directions for these cute little Valentine Treat Holders made with some of the gorgeous "Love Patterns" Designer Series Paper.  These treat holders are quick and easy to make and are suitable for any occasion simply by changing the DSP and the embellishment on the front of the holder.

Directions:
  • Cut one 3 1/2" x 10 1/2" piece of  Pretty In Pink DSP from Love Patterns paper pack*.
  • Score at  3 1/2 and 7" (see diagram).  Once scored fold piece C over B and A over C to form a little package.     

A
B
C






Measure down 1 1/2" on the outside of the C panel and cut on an angle to the center line.  Once you've removed the cut piece add sticky strip to the inside bottom and middle of this panel and adhere to B panel.   You now have a little pocket for enclosing a treat (Ghirardelli squares or Dove chocolate pieces).


Decorate the outside of the treat holder by gluing a 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" strip of coordinating DSP about 1" from the bottom of the holder. I ran a 1" by 3" strip of Real Red card stock through the Big Shot Vintage Wallpaper textured embossing folder, and glued this to the center of the DSP strip. For the embellishment, I stamped the heart from the Punch Potpourri stamp set onto a piece of Pretty in Pink DSP, and punched out the heart using the Heart Punch.  To give a bit of depth and stability, I glued this heart onto a piece of real red cardstock and then cut round the outside of the card stock to create a border for the heart. Dimensionals were used to mount the heart to the card stock strip. The "for you" sentiment from the Elements of Style, stamp set was stamped on Pretty in Pink DSP and then punched out with a 1 1/4" circle punch.  This circle was glued onto red cardstock and punched out with the 1 3/8" circle punch and then mounted with dimensionals to the center of the heart.  Three basic rhinestones were added to the bottom right corner for a touch of bling.  Voila all done!  Told you it was quick and easy. 




Note:  The exclusive Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack is only available during the "Filled With Love" Promotion which ends on January 24th, 2010. 

Friday, January 14, 2011

Birthday Wishes for January

My friend Wendy celebrated her birthday on January 3rd, and I decided I'd make an easel birthday card for her.  I love the versatility of easel cards and they are one of my favourite "wow" card styles. 

In October I purchased some retired stamp sets from Holly Smith including the one I used for this card.   When Holley sent them to me she also included the cards she made to advertise the stamp sets on her blog.  Because Holly's card was so beautiful, I decided to case it and I'm so glad I did.  It tured out so pretty.  I'll be making a few more of these.  Think I'll add some bling to punch it up a bit, even though it doesn't really need it. 
Recipe:
Stamp Set:  Garden Collage (2005 Retired)
Card Stock:  Bravo Burgundy, Black,Vanilla
Ink:  Chocolate Chip
Markers:  Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
DSP:  Designer Series Paper Patterns Pack (In Color) - Blushing Bride
Ribbon: Pretty in Pink 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon
Punches and Dies: Big Shot Scallop Circle Die, Small and Large Oval Punches, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Here's the finished card:

Friday, January 7, 2011

Cards in the Mail

 Every year I receive a host of Christmas cards from friends and family and I enjoy them so much. Each card is special as the sender took the time to sit down and jot down a Christmas message just for my family.  Along with the funny, sophisticated, showy cards, there are those that have been handmade with care and love and when you pull them from the envelope, your heart skips a beat.  
I thought I'd share pictures of 3 of the gorgeous cards I received from good friends and family that did just that!  Each is different and unique and I loved them all.  Hope you enjoy them!
Betty Lee's beautiful Dasher.  So many great elements in this card and I loved the embossing.
Ethel's beautiful Poinsettia card is simply gorgeous.  The detail in this die cut is awesome!

My beautiful sister's awesome card made with Merry Crittermas!  That little bunny is just flying by with good wishes!

Stampin' Up! - 2010-2011 Mini Carryover Items

Stampin' Up! - 2010-2011 Mini Carryover Items:
If you were like me 2010 ended too quickly with so much to do, and a few deadlines that were  missed.  For example I loved a lot of the items in the fabulous Holiday Mini but when it came to a close on Jan 3, 2011, I felt like I had missed out on some great products, that would never come around again.  Well I don't have to worry about that now, because Stampin' Up has just announced they are offering a carryover of items from the 2010-2011 Holiday Mini.  Can you hear me cheering!!!!  So here's a breakdown of what's still available:. 
Item #DescriptionPrice
120890 Candy Wrapper Bigz L Die$43.95
120903 Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die$29.95
120893Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die$57.95
120901Northern Frost Decorative Strip $29.95
120902Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder $10.95
120889Spider Web Textured Impressions Embossing Folder$10.95
120982Northern Trim Letterpress Plate $7.50
120980Trick or Treat Letterpress Plate $9.95
1209083/4' x 15/16' Oval Punch $15.95
120984Waffle Paper (Assortment 1) $12.25
1221248' x 8' Page Protectors (20) $9.95
120981Joyful Season Letterpress Plate $7.50
120910Vintage Frames Décor Stencils$18.95"

Click here to see the PDF version of the flyer and remember when you order using my Shop On Line button, you get preferred pricing!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Stampin' Up! 2011 Occasions Mini Is Now Available

The 2011 Occasions Mini Catalog (January 4-April 30, 2011) was released today, and it is just so exciting!  The Occasions Mini Catalog contains all-new stamp sets, accessories, Designer Fabric, dies, and more.

I think you're going to totally fall in love with all the new products.  A PDF copy of the catalogue is available in my sidebar until May 1st, so don't delay have a look at it today!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Rainbows, a Pot of Gold, Leprechauns green beer and shenanigans are all part of celebrating St. Patty's Day on March 17th. I have a sma...