h{art} Strings

Today's the Day!

Today customers can finally order My Digital Studio!  I have been using it for almost a month and am still just as excited as the day it arrived.  I have learned to use the scanner on my new printer, and so am motivated to get caught up on some of my personal scrapbooking.  Here's another sample:

 

I love being able to edit and size my photos while I'm working.  With traditional scrapbooking, I either need to use the printed photos I have, or I frequently would print a photo in several sizes so I could decide later which I preferred. 

While I don't see myself making too many cards using MDS, I did create a couple of samples.  The first card is 6" x 6" - and even though I added a strip of digital Chocolate Chip ribbon, I knew that I would cover it up with the real stuff later.  

Better, don't you agree?  I was really pleased with the print quality.  But the best part of this card was being able to design the inside and have that be included with the printing cost. 

How cool is that!  And here is another 5" x 7" card sample:

You can see that I added ribbon to this one as well - just couldn't resist!

There is something in this software for everyone!  There is more detail including a video on my Stampin' Up! website. 

I'm working on holiday card samples and some special kits I'll have available for the holiday season.  Stay tuned for some sneek peeks in the next few days!

Just can't get enough . . .

. . . of this Holiday Mini Catalog!  Here are two more samples:

 How pretty is this?  It was so easy and the result is so elegant!  The new ornament punch makes it quick work to punch out the embossed image - no cutting!  And notice the embossing on the red layer - I used the new Petals-a-Plenty Textured Impressions Folder with my Big Shot.  They look just like poinsettias, but they could pass for daisies - so this could be used at any time of the year.  This card is likely to show up at my Holiday Stamp-a-Stack Class in November!

Supplies used:

Stamps:  Delightful Decorations

Inks:  Versamark

Paper:  Whisper White; Brushed Silver; Real Red

Accessories:  Ornament Punch; Petals-a-Plenty Textured Impressions Folder; Big Shot; Silver Cord; Whisper White Organza Ribbon; Silver Embossing Powder; Heat Gun; Stampin' Dimensionals

Now, this next card is probably my favorite, but I have to admit that the design is totally CASE'd!  Does it look familiar?  If you read this post, then you'll remember that I won one of the new Simply Adorned Charms at convention that was signed by Shelli Gardner (her Royal Stampingness) and made by Shelli and her family.  I love the charm, and needed to come up with a card for a recent swap using the same stamp set.  So here's the result:

I sponged the bejeepers out of every layer, which doesn't show up very well in this photo.  The Charming stamp set is really elegant and versatile.  I'll be using it on more than just the new charms! 

Supplies used:

Stamps:  Charming

Inks:  Soft Suede; Crushed Curry; Rich Razzleberry

Paper:  Soft Suede; Crushed Curry; Rich Razzleberry; White Naturals; Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper

Accessories:  Stampin' Write Markers (Always Artichoke, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry); Stampin' Sponges; Circle Fire Rhinestone Brads; Mini Glue Dots

Holiday Mini Catalog

I'm loving the new Holiday Mini Catalog and wanted to give you a peek at some of the samples I've made lately:

Pretty darn cute, huh?  Both samples use the Beary Best Friends as well as the Beary Nice Wishes stamp sets from our new Build-a-Bear Workshop products.  Both use paper piecing on the dress using the Pawsitively Prints Designer Paper.  The second sample is a card we made at my recent stINKers (downline) meeting.  The border is made using the slit punch spaced evenly along the edge (OK, so mine is not spaced quite so evenly, but it was my first attempt!), and then you fold it back and line it with a contrasting color (in this case, Bashful Blue).  It's a cool technique that we learned from watching a Workshop Wow DVD that SU sells to demonstrators; this particular technique was shared by Pam McLean of Edmonton.

Supplies used:

Stamps:  Beary Best Friends; Beary Nice Wishes (both cards)

Inks:  Black Stazon; Chocolate Chip (both cards)

Happy Bearthday Card:   

Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Watercolor paper; Pawsitively Prints Designer Paper

Accessories:  Eyelet Border Punch; Watercolor Wonder Crayons; Aqua Painters; White Taffeta Ribbon; Stampin' Dimensionals

Thank You Beary Much Card: 

Paper: Confetti White; Bashful Blue; Chocolate Chip; Pawsitively Prints Designer Paper

Accessories:  Slit Punch; Watercolor Wonder Crayons; Aqua Painters

The watercoloring was much easier and turned out much better on the first sample.  I really love to use the watercolor paper.

I have a similar card that will be part of my September workshops.  If you live in the Seattle/Tacoma area and are looking for a demonstrator, I have lots of opportunities to stamp in September - just give me a shout out and come along for some stamping fun!

Oh me, oh My Digital Studio!

I have been working on several card samples from the new Holiday Mini Catalog, and had every intent of posting them two days ago.  But the Man in Brown (the UPS guy, who is one of my favorite people!) showed up to deliver my copy of Stampin' Up!'s new My Digital Studio (tm).  This will be available for customers to purchase on October 1st, but demonstrators can pre-order their copies in September. 

Now, I really am a paper and glue kind of gal, and didn't know at first how I felt about getting into the digital papercrafting and scrapbooking world.  But once I saw this at convention, I KNEW I had to have it!  (Not just wanted it, but HAD to have it!).  While I love the process of traditional scrapbooking, it is something that often takes a bit more time and space that I have, and so projects get put off.  And, so, well I'm something like 20 years behind on my scrapbooking.  (OK, confess it!  You are too!)

So when my new MDS arrived on Thursday, I immediately went to work and within 3 hours I had completed an 18-page 12x12 scrapbook.  What?!  Yes, 18 pages in 3 hours!  Now, I can't show you THAT book because it is a surprise for a friend . . . but I have created a few other sample pages like this one:

I made this 8x8 page for a frame that I bought recently, and my intent was to change out the scrapbook pages frequently to display what's up in our family.  Obviously, Jackson (aka El Diablo) was the August highlight.  (Sidenote:  Isn't he adorable?  But don't let those puppy-dog eyes fool you!  And please ignore the dandelions in my yard - I am!) 

This page took me about 45 minutes, and that includes time I spent with the learning curve, experimenting with some layout things, and figuring out how to print it on my own printer.  Of course for the 12x12 pages and also projects like calendars, bound scrapbooks, etc., I will be able to use the printer contracted by Stampin' Up! But how cool is this?  I am so stoked!  I'm like a scrapbooking madwoman! 

I really would like to get back to MDS and work on some more projects, but right now it's pretty easy to get sucked into it for hours - kind of like a good book that you just can't put down.  Instead, I gotta head to the kitchen now to deal with a bunch of produce that needs to get into the freezer.  I hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend!

A Royal Retreat

What do you get when you take 5 women from different parts of the country, have them travel together 4 weeks a year for over 6 years, throw in some drama from leading a volunteer organization, and add just the right mix of love and laughter?  You get the Queens.

If you've ever spent any time with  me and heard me refer to myself as a Queen, then you know the story of these women who play such a special part in my life.  We all served as national president of the Society of Design Adminstration in successive years - each one of us taking turn as "queen" (which, BTW, we never called ourselves in front of the members!).  Once we were done serving on the Executive Committee together, our travel times were over and we have made attempts, with only limited success, to get all of us together in the same place at the same time.  The efforts have been made more difficult as each one of us has faced personal and family challenges over the years.

I returned last night from spending an amazing 5 days with 3 of the other Queens (the 4th, Renate, was missed very much).  Carole hosted Elaine, Brenda and me at her cabin in Red River, New Mexico.  We relished the perfect days of visiting, relaxing, playing Spite & Malice (a card game which does NOT bring out the best in us, right Carole?), eating, drinking, shopping, and bear watching.  Her vacation home is a slice of heaven, and she is a wonderful hostess - not a single detail was overlooked.

(Me, Carole, Brenda, and Elaine)

Of course, we always bring each other treasures, and so I did a little stamping and altering before I left home:

  

So here's to the Queens - may it be a much shorter time before we can ALL get together again.  I am blessed to have you in my life, and I love each one of you! 

Heading Home

Well, today was the final day of convention and it certainly would be very hard to top yesterday's excitement.  The morning started off with an incredibly motivating presentation by Belinda Ellsworth - a specialist in direct sales - who challenged us to take our businesses to the next level.  I left the session inspired to work hard toward reaching some of my goals in the coming days and weeks. 

After lunch, it was time for the closing session with more wonderful product demonstrations and announcements about upcoming events.  Next year's convention will be back in Salt Lake City from August 4th through 7th.  Would you like to come along and join the fun?  If you are on my stINKers team, I hope you will seriously consider it. If you are not a demonstrator, and don't have a demonstrator that you are currently working with, feel free to contact me about how you can be part of the fun! 

Another announcement was an advance announcement about an upcoming Hostess Special from September 1st through November 30th.  It's a great deal, and you'll be hearing more about that soon!

I didn't get my make-and-takes photographed and so will have to post them later.  We are driving home starting tomorrow morning - and then once I'm home I'm quickly heading off on a trip to see the Queens.  We haven't visited IRL for a very long time and I am looking forward to my time with them in Red River, New Mexico.

Holy Ink Pads! . . . THANK YOU! Prize Patrol!!!

Every year, there are lots of door prizes given away at convention.  In years past, they used to drop prize parachutes from the ceilings, or throw out foam balls that could be redeemed for free products.  Now, if you want to see crazy women closely resembling starving piranhas fighting over prey, just start throwing out free stamping stuff in the middle of a bunch of Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  Fortunately for everyone's sanity and safety, that practice was abandoned a few years ago and now we are given colored wrist bands.  When it's time for door prizes, they announce which color wrist band is the winner, and the "Prize Patrol" - i.e. Stampin' Up! employees - come to your seat and deliver the coveted goods.

There are lots of different colors and designs on wrist bands.  So when we checked in at convention on Wednesday, Rhonda, Bobbie and I were very surprised to see that we all had the same design on our wrist bands . . .  yellow circles.  Rhonda warned us that she never won anything, so we were all doomed to yet another year of heading home empty handed.

At this morning's general session, Shelli Gardner - the Queen of all Stampingness - did an on-stage demonstration of fabulous gift ideas and included Stampin' Up!'s new jewelry products.  These will be in the new holiday mini catalog - just one more thing for all of you to look forward to!  At the end of her presentation, she showed a beautiful charm necklace that she had hand-stamped and personally signed and told us that a lucky few would win one of these personalized necklaces . . . hand stamped by the first family of Stampin' Up! and also signed by Shelli.  This was the most wonderful of all door prizes, not to be purchased, and everyone wanted one.  So . . . drum roll . . . hold your breath . . . wish hard . . . think positive thoughts of yellow circles . . . is it? . . . do I believe my eyes?  could it really be? . . . YES it is! . . . is that me screaming and jumping? . . . no, it's Rhonda . . . and me!  and Bobbie!  Not only did the three of us win, but so did Rashelle, one of our fellow stamping friends from SBStampers.  We are still giddy with excitement and also VERY glad that we all won.  After all, if just one of us had won, she would have to sleep with one eye open tonight to guard her precious treasure.  Here is a look at the front and back of the charm:

(Sorry for the fuzzy picture - camera operator issues again!)  The silver chains are yet to come.  Oh yeah - we also won the stamp set "Charming" that was used to create them!

I got to walk across the stage twice at this convention for reaching some sales goals - once yesterday and once today.  Bobbie took this picture of me today - and though I was really happy to have the chance to be recognized, my smile really was because of winning the necklace!

After this excitement, we were entertained by a presentation from Spencer Willis who showed some more fun things from the catalog.  As has become somewhat of a tradition, he closed with a song - such talented folks at Stampin' Up!

This afternoon was our opportunity to do our make-and-take projects.  There were 8 projects to complete in 2 hours, but actually at least 2 of them were "multiple" projects within the project.  We were exhausted when they finally started kicking us out!

I will have to finish assembling my projects tonight and hopefully will post them tomorrow. 

Today was much cooler here in Salt Lake City . . . it felt good after having been in the heat for so long at home and then here.  We're hoping it will last through tomorrow - our last convention day.

Another day in paradise . . .

Today we got our first real peek at the new digital scrapbooking program, "My Digital Studio", that SU! will have available "sometime" after September 1st.  I have to admit, I like the old fashioned, paper-and-scissors method of scrapbooking.  But OMG, I can't wait to add this program to my arsenal of stamping and scrapbooking tools.  It will be a great complement to the  more traditional form of scrapbooking and paper crafting, and will make it easier to play around with  my digital photos, make duplicates of scrapbooks and memory books, and - well, it's just plain FUN!  I know it will help me get more personal scrapbooking done.  I'll keep you posted more on My Digital Studio, since there really aren't any photos to show you (but there is a brief teaser in the holiday mini catalogs which customers should be receiving in the next couple of weeks!).

After that excitement, we got a chance to see the new Build-a-Bear Workshop line of products that is also featured in our upcoming holiday mini catalog.  You all know that I love bears, and I have had a stamping bear, "Sparkle", that has accompanied me to convention over the last several years.  Well, look what Sparkle got today:

What's that you say?  Here's another view:

And just in case you didn't notice some of the details:

Sparkle is excited to have a new stamping friend (who is yet to be named), but she is just a tad jealous that her new friend has her own Stampin' Up! apron.

We spent the afternoon in business-related classes, and then this evening was the awards ceremony followed by entertainment from Tonic Sol-Fa.  This a capella group is really, really, REALLY good!  They were here last year and I have really been looking forward to hearing them again.  If you get a chance, look them up.

Tomorrow is a more creative day for us.  We'll be seeing more new ideas and new products, and then we'll do our make-and-take projects at the end of the day.

Day 1 in Stamping Mecca

For a demonstrator, there is nothing quite like the excitement and madness of Stampin' Up!'s convention.  Actually, today was registration and a few other favorite activities such as shopping at Memento Mall, tours of the home office in Riverton, and lots and lots of swapping!  Rhonda, Bobbie and I got up early and headed to the convention center around 7:30 am. 

We got in line for Memento Mall and swapped while we waited for it to open at 9:00.  The lines were long, and it was 10:00 before we got to enter this hallowed hall of demonstrator paradise, but it was well worth the wait!  Look what we found:

These beautiful Christmas ornaments are designed after a new stamp set in the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog.  They are stunning! 

Over the last couple of days, I told the others I would NOT be purchasing any more Stampin' Up! logo clothing.  But how was I to know that the heavens would open up and shine a bright light on this gem?  It sang to me like the angels, and shimmered from the far corners of the room, just calling my name . . . and you know that I had to answer.  After all, the weather will cool down soon and I'll need something stylish for those autumn evenings!  Look at this, and I know you will understand:

I couldn't resist!  And there were some great cosmetic bags and related products - after all, every girl needs a nail file with a Stampin' Up! logo on it!

We didn't buy much!  Really, not much at all!

OK, all of this stuff is Bobbie's, not mine!  The green bags are our convention bags which contained some FREE stamps!  (Stamps are great, but FREE stamps are even better!)  In the afternoon, we headed out to SU's headquarters in Riverton where we left a few suggestions - in the form of a little graffiti on the wall. 

We raced back to the convention center to meet up with other SBStampers for swapping and a group photo.  We're off to bed now - a very early day tomorrow with the opening session, more swapping, and tons of inspiration!

Squash Book

Cottage Wall is one of my favorite new designer papers in the Idea Book & Catalog.  It was the perfect paper to use when I put together these "squash books" as a July project for my stamp clubs.  I also made enough to share with other demonstrators as part of a 3D swap here at convention.

When you  make a squash book, you can use cardstock for the covers, but I chose to use some 4"x4" chipboard coasters that I had on hand.  I covered the front and back of each one with designer paper, then stamped the inside folding pieces as well as the flower on the front using Eastern Blooms stamp set.  Here's the inside:

It can be a little tricky to score and fold the first time, but after that it's a cinch to make these.  The belly band around the outside of the book keeps everything together.  Squash books are great for adding photos and making a little memory book, or use it for a greeting card for a co-worker where you want room for lots of people to sign! 

Supplies Used (All SU!):  Stamps:  Eastern Blooms; Inks:  Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry; Cardstock:  Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Cottage Wall Designer Paper; Accessories:  Earth Elements Brads, Paper Piercing Tool, 1-3/8" circle punch, scallop circle punch, Razzleberry polkadot grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

There is a great tutorial for making Squash Books on Splitcoaststampers, which you can find here.

I'll keep you posted on all that happens here at Stampin' Up!'s convention!