Card class

Boy I don't know weather to blame it on the hot weather or old age but I don't seem to get anything done.  But here is one of the cards from last Thursday's card class.  This stamp set is called Zoo Review.  There's also a zebra, giraffe, penquin and a polar bear in the set.  Great for masculine cards.  This Designer Series Paper is called Well Worn and this piece just screamed Africa at me.  I really like it with the Cajun Craze and the lion. 

This is a pretty simple card but I like it.  And most guys don't go the fancy stuff anyway.
Well, I'm going to give it up for tonight because I've got to get up early and get my order ready for Stampin Up!.  Tomorrow demonstrators can order out of the new Holiday Mini.  Boy, I can't wait until you all see it.  It's loaded with great stuff.  And by the time you can order things from it I'll have lots of samples for you to look at.  If you ever decide that you want the chance to see the mini's early I can help you.  Just let me know. Good Night everyone.

A Christmas Carol

When I first saw this stamp set in the new catalog I fell in love with it.  It looks like a Dickens Christmas to me.  So it was on my very first order on July 1st.  Then when it came I looked at it and thought "now what?"  It could be colored in but that looks like a lot of work.  But when I came home from convention and I was going through my swaps I found a card that was a detailed image like this and they had just stamped it and then did some sponging on it and I really liked it.  Now I know that the color on this isn't very good but the image was stamped in Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla.  Then I sponged some So Saffron and Crumb Cake on it.  Then I added the lace ribbon and some glimmer brads and it was done.  

 But, could I do better?  So here's the second attempt.  The image is Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla and then sponged like the one above.  Then I stamped snowflakes in Chocolate Chip on Crumb Cake.  I layeredd the carolers on the snowflakes and added a border made from the lace ribbon border.  Then wrapped some Chocolate Chip scallop ribbon around it and added the greeting on top of it.  And the last little detail is some pearls on the ribbon.

So what do you think?  Do you like the first one better or the second one?   Sometimes you need to take a second look and see if there's something better that could be done.  I like the second one better.  But it is a little more work. 
Don't forget that card class is this coming Thurs.  Hope to see you there.

Have I got a deal for you.

I need your help. Right now Stampin Up! is offering the starter kit for only $99.00. It's a value of over $170.00 dollars. If I can recruit one person I'll get a stamp set. And the more people that convention goers recruit the more stamp sets I can get.

And here's what this deal means to you. If you join my team you'll spend only $99.00 and then there's NO OTHER OBLIGATION. You need never do anything else except enjoy your product.

But if you join then you will be able to:

1. Place your first order and get a one time discount of 30%.
2. For 6 months you'll be able to buy product at a 20% discount.
3. You'll be able to attend any and all Stampin Up! events.

4. You'll have access to Stampin Connection, a demo only web page with thousands of ideas and lots of information.

5. You'll receive a monthly magazine called Stampin Success.

6. If you attend events you'll make lots of new friends.
7. You'll have 6 months to think about doing this as a business.

8. And then, if you still don't want to become an active demonstrator I'll trade you $50.00 worth of stamps for your business supplies.

PLUS. If you join by the end of the month then both you and I will get a free Christmas kit that is a Christmas memory box. And we can get together and make the kit up.

So please think about joining my team. If you have any questions call me or email me or just go to my regular Stampin Up! web site and join.

New catalog kickoff and retirement party

Don't forget that this coming Saturday is my New Catalog kickoff and retirement party. I'm trying somthing different this year. You can buy retired stamp sets at the regular value but then you get an equal amount to spend in the new catalog. Ex.if you buy a retired set for $14.95 then you get $14.95 to spend in the new catalog. And you'll get to see lots of things out of the new catalog including a couple of things out of the Holiday mini. If you've been following my blog you'll know that I won a SimplyScoring tool. Come and see what it is and how to use it.
The kickoff runs from 10:00 until 3:00 on July 23. Hope to see you then.

Last day of convention

Today was the last day of a wonderful convention.  Stampin Up! just seems to do it better every year.

Here's a picture of the line of people waiting to go into general session.

And this is the other end of the line.

Stampin Up! has many talented people and here are a few.  The people in this band all work for Stampin Up!  And they're really good musicians.

Kari and Elenor got to walk on stage for their 5th anniversary with Stampin Up!

This was a really great convention.  Saw so many great ideas and heard so many wonderful speakers.  It just doesn't last long enough.  One thing that I haven't mentioned is that the incentive trip in 2013 will be a cruise to Fiji.  Wouldn't you love to go on that trip.  Well, you can.  Just join my team and with a little hard work you can go to Fiji.  Or if that seems a little to much to hope for then you could win a trip to Hilton Head Island.  Stampin Up! now offers two incentive trips every year.  A Grand Vacation (Fiji) and a Getaway Weekend (Hilton Head Island).  Just let me know and I'll be glad to help you. 

Awards night at convention

Last night was awards night at convention.  Stampin Up! treat their demonstrators great and they really reward them for their accomplishments.  Here is the stage area all decorated for the "Grow" theme.

Ronda and Tamie both placed in the top 100 demonstrators in Stampin Up!  In fact they both placed in the top 20.  Tamie was #17 and Ronda was #11. 

After the awards were all done they had an After Party.  It wasn't my cup of tea ( no place to sit ) so I just got something to eat and drink and then I came back to my room.  My body is still on Michigan time.  I was wide awake at 4:30 this morning. 
It's hard to believe that convention is now more than half over.  It seems like we just got here but it also seems like I've heard and seen so much that it seems like it's been a week.  I've been taking notes so fast that I probably won't be able to read them.  Learned so many new things that I can't wait until I get home to try then out. 

 Sandy, Lori and Diane at general session today.

Diane and Kari at general session.

It seems like every time I go and look at the displays I see something new.  I don't even remember seeing this bench before.  Everything is just beautiful.

More convention

Here's one more reason you should become a Stampin Up! demonstrator.  This is the bag that we got at convention.  It's very similar to our business bag but this one was free.

Here it is with the front unzipped.  There's lots of pockets in it.  

Check out the design on the front.

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Today we got a look at the Holiday mini which starts in September.  Boy is it awesome.  I know, that word is overworked but you haven't seen this mini yet.  The coolest thing in it is the "Simply Scored Scoring Tool"  It's like the Score Pal but of course it's better.  Mostly because I won one.  And then they introduced the beautiful bag that we could buy to store the tool in.  Of course I had to get one.  I would show you what the tool looks like but that's against the rules.  You'll have to come to my New Catalog/Retirement party next Sat. 
Some of the other new things in the mini are tiny jingle bells, cookie molds, mica flakes, stitched felt, shaker frames and so many new stamp sets, bigz dies, embossing folders, DSP and new fabric and buttons.  I can hardly wait for you to see it.
Well, I'm ready for bed.  Hope my body finally realizes that we're in Utah and decides to sleep until 6:30 in the morning.

Dinner last night.

Last night we had a very full evening.  First we went to supper at the Shilo with all of the Rubber Queens and a few other people from Ronda's training group.  Then we went back to the Salt Palace for a Picnic in the Park.  Then we went back to the Shilo for some make and takes and a swap. 

For the Picnic in the Park we were suspose to wear out favorite garden hat.  Most of us didn't but Susan did.  It's really cute.  

Here's Dianna in her garden hat.  

And here's Sandy's garden hat.  I should have backed up a little.  Those are garden tools hanging off the hat. 
Tonight is awards night with an After Party.  Not sure what that will be but I'm sure it'll be fun.

More convention

Blogger seems intent on driving me crazy.  It's giving me fits about the spacing of my pictures and where I can type.  So anyway, the above picture is of the box made out of the kit that you can get if you sign up to become a demo during July.  And more important is the fact that if you sign up then I get the kit too.  Please think about it.  I really want one of these kits.

The next pictures are of the product displays.  They always have beautiful displays where we can see all of the new stuff in the catalog.  And of course if we can see it then we want it even more.  Anyway thats the way it works for me.  I don't know who's creative idea's these are but everything is beautiful.

And here's my favorite.  This little cupboard, is it called a pie keeper, is so totally cute.  There's lots of detail that probably doesn't show up in the pictures.  

And here's some of the birds that live here.  There's a ton of work on these and then "what do they do with them" after convention?  But they're sure cute.  

I'll try and post some more tonight but I'll have to see how it goes.  My body is still on Michigan time.  I was wide awake at 5:00 (7:00 Michigan) and tonight will be another late night because it's awards night.  Ronda and Tamie both got into Founders Circle so I'm sure that they'll be up on stage for some awards tonight.  Can hardly wait.  So it'll probably be tomorrow before I get a chance to post again.  I still haven't had time to even look at the swaps that I've got.  And now it's time to take a shower and get going. 

check in day at convention

The theme for convention this year is "Grow"  Grow your business and downline.  So the theme is anything that grows in a garden.  I don't know who comes up with these ideas but they're awesome.  First there were these big wooden flowers around the area.

And there were these huge baskets of flowers.  We could each have one to plant if we signed up to recruit one person by August 14th.  So I signed up and now someone has to decide to join Stampin Up! with me.  Do you want to?  Just let me know and next year you could be going to convention.

These cool vines and flowers are all made of card stock and were "growing" on an arch way into the display area.

Here's just another garden vignette.  These aren't the best pictures.  I think my camera is dying.

Just some more garden.

These little potted plants are so cute.  I think everyone needs a pot of flowers.

Well, there's lots more pictures but I'm done for now.  I'll post more tonight if I have time.  Or maybe I'll put an albumn up on Facebook.

Here in hot and sunny Salt Lake

Got all checked into the hotel about 4:30 mountain time.  Unpacked and went to find something to eat.  Those airline peanuts are pretty good but they're just don't fill me up.  Since nothing much has happened yet I decided to show you my swap cards.  Here's the first one.  Don't know what happened to the color.  It's really Always Artichoke and Naturals Ivory.  Not sure what's going on.  Hope it's not my camera dying.

This one isn't much better.  It's Crumb Cake on Chocolate Chip and the light color is Very Vanilla.

This last one is Basic Black and Real Red.  Can you see the shimmer paint on it? 

Well it's only 8:44 here in Utah but that's 10:44 Michigan time and I got up at 5:00 Michigan time so I'm about ready to hit the hay.  Tomorrow is just check in day so there's no hurry to be up bright and early.  We'll get our convention bags and Momento Mall will be open.  And tomorrow night Ronda is having a big dinner from 4:00 - 6:00.  Then we'll go to the convention center for the opening night party from 6:00 to 8:00 and then it's back to the Shilo hotel for Ronda's make and takes.  I can hardly wait to see what our convention bags look like.  The ones that we got at Leadership were fantastic so these should be pretty good.  And of course our stamp sets will be in them and our new catalogs that will be in a special binder and the Holiday mini.  The mini should be great because the last few have been wonderful.  Well, gotta go.  Need to sort my swaps and get some in a bag ready to go in the morning.   I'll be back tomorrow night.

So Excited

I'm getting really excited.  I'm leaving in the morning for Salt Lake City and the Stampin Up! convention.  I still don't have my suitcase packed but that won't take me long.  Everything's laying on the bed.  But I thought that it's been to long since I posted anything so here goes.  This card is using the new stamp set Delicate Doilies, new colors Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party and the wonderful new punch Lace Ribbon Border. 

But here's a little surprize.  It open's up to reveal a little box.  You need something flat to put in the box and gift tags are perfect.  It makes the card a little thick for mailing but it's worth the extra expense just to have such a cute gift for someone.  I think we'll be making these at my tag class in Nov. 

I'll post the directions sometime next week.  If I don't forget.  In the meantime be watching for news from convention.  I'm planning on posting every day but you know how it is.  I might get so busy or so tired that I forget.  But I'll do my best. 

Don't forget about the special going on right now.  Sign up to be a demonstrator for only $99.00 and get a beautiful gift box kit.  Let me know if your interested.

And then if you need some new stamps plan on coming to my New Catalog Kickoff and Retirement Party all rolled into one.  For every dollar you spend on retiring sets you'll get a dollar to spend in the new catalog.  And you'll get to see all of my goodies from convention.  It's on July 23 from 10:00am to 3:00pm.  Come anytime.

New Catalog Kickoff

Yesterday was the first day that we could order from the new Stampin Up! catalog and I was a very good girl. I didn't get up at midnight to put in my order. In fact I still haven't done it because I'm still trying to whittle the list down a little. I know that some of you already have the new catalog and maybe you've started a wish list and I want to help you out. So I'm having a "New Catalog Kickoff" and a retirement party all rolled into one. The date is July 23rd right here at the Paper Palace from 10:00am until 3:00pm. You'll be able to see all of the goodies that I'll get at convention, which includes lots of new swap cards, and you'll be able to buy some retired stamp sets while your here. I'm trying something new this year. I'll sell the retired sets at their book value but for every dollar that you spend on retired sets you'll get that amount to spend in the new catalog. Ex. if you buy a retired set that is $19.95 then you get $19.95 to spend in the new catalog. And I need to clear out all my samples of 3-D items so for every stamp set that you buy you'll get to pick something from the 3-D items. Does that sound like fun? Tell everyone that you think might be interested to come and join us.

New Recruit Special

For the month of July you can become a Stampin Up! demonstrator for only $98.00 and if you sign up you'll get this bonus kit.  It's a Christmas memories box and you can only get it by signing up during July.  And if you sign up then I'll get the kit too.  Let me know if your interested.  I'm hoping someone will love the idea so that I can get the kit.
The Christmas Keepsake Box Project Kit--a $40 value--contains the following products (quantities are 1 unless otherwise noted):
•Pines & Poinsettias Set (wood-mount)
•Keepsake box
•Scallop borders (cut from Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die)
◦First Edition Designer Series Paper (3)
◦Holly Berry Designer Series Paper (6)
•First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper strip (2)
•Holly Berry Designer Series Paper piece*
•Real Red Top Note (cut from Top Note Bigz Die)
•Real Red Decorative Label (cut from Matchbook Bigz XL Die)
•Wild Wasabi Card Stock strips (3)
•Naturals Ivory Card Stock piece
•Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Fabric*
•Real Red 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
•Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon
•Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim
•Linen Thread
•Champagne Fine Galaxy Stampin' Glitter
•Vanilla Pearl 1/2" Simply Adorned Bauble
•Pearl Basic Jewels (1 pkg.)
•Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Buttons* ◦Large Wild Wasabi ◦Small Real Red
•Mini Vintage Tags

New catalog is live

Today is the first day to order from the new 2011-2012 catalog.  If you haven't got a new catalog just let me know and I'll get one to you.  Now I'm off to the Paper Palace to finish up some new projects that are using new product.  I'll try and get some posted later today.