Inspire Create Share 2015 (aka Stampin' Up Convention) Pre-Day 1

Whew--I got into Salt Lake City which is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains on Tuesday evening.  I was lucky enough to meet several ladies from the Wichita area on my flight and had fun talking with them during our 4 hour layover in Las Vegas!  Convention doesn't start until Thursday but I got up fairly early on Wednesday, worked on some swaps and then headed up to the convention center to see if I could catch a bus out to Riverton to take a tour through the SU offices.
Riverton is about 20 - 30 minutes south of Salt Lake City and the SU building is beautiful!  The famous stone is at the end of a long drive (there are actually 2 of them). Of course I had to take my picture there!!

Then I headed into the building--here's what I saw when entering!

Yes-the center atrium on the lower level has a waterfall area surrounded by tables for people to sit and work or eat at--so calming and relaxing!

SU had a little walking tour set up for us so we could see many of the areas of the facility.  First we went to the Legacy Room which has vignettes set up using SU product--a bedroom with a wall of flowers, a wall of chalkboard sayings, and so on .... so much beauty....I couldn't take enough pictures! Here's a sample of what I saw:

This was from 1 of probably 7 or 8 scenes.  Next we headed into demonstrator support offices where they had all the cards donated for Ronald McDonald house set up for us to see and workers were there to chat with us as we went through.

After that we went to a balcony overlooking the floor where orders are filled.  This was so fascinating to me as much of it is automated/computerized.  Here's a quick video of what I saw:

The gal putting the boxes together slaps on 2 computer generated bar codes that tell what to put in the boxes.  So interesting!  I always was a lover of Mr. Roger's "how it's made" videos so this was right up my alley.

I was lucky enough to meet up with Shelley and Molly from Wichita on this tour which made it so much more fun!  I'll be back later tonight or tomorrow with details from the first (official) day of convention!

I Think You're Great!

At our last party I messed around a bit with this stamp set intended for "kissing."  We tried inking up the solid stamp and then "kissing" it to a dry stamp with no ink on it....here's what we got:

It just seemed very undefined and although there is a pattern in there on the background, it looks like I squiggled the stamp around and blurred the image (which I didn't--I don't think).  

When we inked up one stamp in a darker ink and one lighter we got this--which I turned into this card using the Cherry on Top wash tape:

I like it much better!

Right now I'm sitting in the LasVegas airport waiting for my connection flight to Salt Lake City, Utah.  I'm heading there for the Stampin' Up Convention.  I have been working like crazy on all of my swaps--I don't know how people have time to create 300 or 500 swap cards.  I've been working non stop on my 160 cards that I'm making for the swaps that I joined.  I didn't make any to just do general swapping with--thought I'd be less stressed this way.  Hmmm....  Here's what I've been doing as I sit in the airport--working on my WOW swap of 51 cards....

I'll post reports of what's happening at convention this week as well as photos of my swaps!  I'll be sending out an e-mail with the info. for weekly deals when I get into my hotel room tonight!

Thoughts & Prayers and some sweet Kissing....

Although the two groups I stamped with met just two days apart there were a couple of projects that weren't the same.  Sally the hostess for my first group requested a sympathy card idea.  I've always loved Thoughts & Prayers--its sweet tree and lovely sentiments...here's the idea that I got from several different cards on Pinterest...

Punch your circle out of a post-it and then place it where you want your moon to be.  Then sponge with soft sky before adding your tree and sentiment out of soft suede.  You may not see it very clearly, but we added some details with the scoreboard on the piece behind the main image on the card.  The soft suede piece is embossed with woodgrain (love).  

Since the McPherson group had already done the in color card with butterfly basics and the new lace ribbon I showed them the new set, "I Think You're Great" which was intended to use tie the technique of kissing.  I messed around a bit with the kissing and will post that in my next post...but I loved this card that was featured on Pink Buckaroo's blog and I think she got it from one of her friends Krista Jensen.

First card is tip top taupe and daffodil delight and the 2nd is watermelon wonder and tip top taupe.

I'll be back soon with some kissing!

July Stamping Fun!

Wow!  The lazy days of summer (when I tend to post more often) just haven't happened for me this year!  I've not had nearly enough time to stamp like I would like to--especially with all my goodies from the new SU annual catalog.

We had 2 parties in 3 days this week and it was so much fun to stamp with these two groups of ladies!    On Sunday evening I met with the Hillsboro group and then on Tuesday our McPherson group met--here are the cards from both parties:

 This was a card that I forgot to take to the June party in Hillsboro (still feel awful about that) featuring some new in color colors and product:

This featured Butterfly Basics and the beautiful lace ribbon in Tip Top Taupe.  The sentiment came from Banner Banter.

 I shared a couple of quick tips--cleaning your photopolymer stamps with an alcohol wipe (I got mine at Wal-Mart) when they won't stick to the block anymore, and how to make a mask using 2 Way Glue.  Here's the card I did using the mask with the set You've Got This:

The colors are Calypso Coral and Crumb Cake.  I colored the flower using a blender pen and calypso coral ink.

 I got the card idea and instructions for the next card on Stamping School.  I love that it uses the 6 x 6 packs of designer series paper.  Choose 4 coordinating prints and cut them to 1 1/2" x 3" strips and you can get 8 cards out of them.  This is a 5 x 5 card and features Friendly Wishes.  Here are 2 samples:

I used the Venetian Crochet Trim, the heart punch from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack and the small flower is from the Tree Builder Punch.

We did a card featuring the Braid Technique.  Here's the link to the directions and download of page of cutting patterns.  Love how special this makes a card look!  We decorated with a design that I found on Simply Simple Stamping--Connie Stewart uses a technique she calls Flash Cards where there is no waste of cardstock.  Check out her site!

Love, love, love the font on Cottage Greetings.  It is such a sweet set!

The last card was featured on stampinup.com and I think was created by Mary Fish.  It uses the adorable set You're Sublime.  I made a few minor changes in paper, but the design is basically the same.

I used the Schoolhouse designer paper and put a layer of So Saffron behind it.  I colored in my image stamped with Staz-On ink on shimmery white paper with a blender pen.  The colors I used were:  Melon Mambo, So Saffron, Pool Party, Smokey Slate and Memento Tuxedo Black.  I stuck it down with Everyday Chic washi tape and the hearts were punched with the Confetti Heart Border punch.

I'll be back tomorrow with the cards that were specific to each party.  

  

Farewell to the Old....Hello, New Catalog!

Our May gathering in McPherson was a time to say goodbye to some retiring sets and hello to the new catalog and in-colors....

Two of my favorite sets that are retiring are Perfect Blend (especially when you use it with Gorgeous Grunge).  This is cased from Stampin' By the Sea.

And....this card, using the set From My Heart.  I love the sayings in this set and really like this card.  I pretty much cased this from Mommy Stamper found here, but added the little flowers from the Itty Bitty Accents punch set and did my blushing bride banner behind with 2 of the banners punched out with the banner punch.

It also used the retiring Label Collections framelit (sniff!) and fancy fan embossing folder.

My next card that I demonstrated uses the beautiful Painted Blooms designer paper that is retiring...tomorrow.  I'm hoping there's a replacement for it in the new catty.  The paper makes the card and I used the Banner Blessings photopolymer set which will not be around for much longer since SU only guarantees its availability for 6 months after it's introduced.  I got the idea from Susan Campfield's blog here.

I used an old olive card base with soft sky layered on top of that then the designer paper.  The sentiment was stamped with versa mark and then embossed with black embossing powder.  I used a blender pen and pink pirouette ink to fill in the banner.  I then highlighted the letters with soft sky ink and a blender pen.  Cut it out with the framelit from Apothecary Accents (also retiring) and you have a quick, easy and striking card!

The last card I made for the group used watercolor paper, melon mambo, crushed curry, and island indigo ink and an aqua pen.  But first I had to emboss the Watercolor Thank You with white embossing powder.  I found this on pinterest from catherinelovesstamps.com

The card I demonstrated used crushed curry baker's twine.  After the party, I added long retired island indigo twine to the second card which I liked a lot better than crushed curry.  The melon mambo heart

had dazzling details spread over it which makes it shine (which you can't see).

After this was over we made a notecard sized card using a few of the new in-colors--and everyone got a new catalog!

SU Party continued...

Hi all--I intended to post these pictures of projects that we did at our Hillsboro party on Saturday morning, but life got in the way!  About 3 in the morning we got a text that said we needed to head to Kansas City to welcome our granddaughter into the world!  Let me tell you she is oh, so sweet!

Meet Payton Jo--we are in love with this little one!

Now onto the projects that I need to post!  I was so excited when I heard that the butterfly thinlits were once again available!  I had had a project ready to go for the first party when they went "unavailable." 

First I shared a card that I made using the butterfly bundle and then the make and take which I cased from Mary Fish.  I believe I shared that earlier when I was able to have it as a make and take for my McPherson Group!

This is so easy and simply, but elegant!  I offered it in 3 colors--pink pirouette, wisteria wonder and soft sky.  I love how creative each person was with where they placed the butterfly and sentiment!

We also used Guy Greetings to create a Father's Day card (or card of choice for a guy)

Here's the inside...

I had an example using the shoes stamp all ready to go and it got time for the party and I couldn't find it anywhere!  Crazy!  But when I got home---there it was in my pile of cards...go figure.

All of the examples are on the note card sized cards in Crumb Cake from SU--I think they are one of the best deals in the catalog! 

Our last project was a cute little box made with the curvy box framelit which I'm so excited to see is in the new catalog!  I got this idea on pinterest--here's the link.  I changed it a little, but it's the same general idea!  Loved the little bug candies so ordered them on amazon.  =-)

Cute on the outside....but it's what's inside that makes this special! Take a look!

The little Lindt chocolates come in bees, ladybugs and beetles.  I used the stamp set And Many More for the sentiment inside.  

It's a busy week ahead, but I'm heading to my stamp room right now...hopefully I'll get to do more than just clean up and put away!  

          

SU Party Time!

It's been a crazy week at school so I'm later getting this post made than I wanted to be....but here goes...

Can I just say that I love being a Stampin' Up demonstrator?  I get to meet the nicest people and have a lot of fun too!!  I had a great time seeing the "Hillsboro Area Stampers" last Saturday!

I shared Dawn Olchefske's cool box pop-up card (and messed it up a bit -ha!) because I thought it is a versatile WOW card that folks can make for graduations that are coming up in May.  Here were my examples:

This first is an exact case (copy and share everything) of Dawn O.'s card that she demonstrates on her video here.

When it's closed it fits in a regular A2 envelope --very cool!

Then I tried a couple of graduation samples.....sold one at the party so I don't have a picture of it (Hi Rita!)  

I don't have anyone graduating this year so I didn't by the stamp in the occasions catalog, but it's perfect for this card (made in whatever your school colors are).  If I were doing this again I would have moved my image up a bit higher and I would stamp and emboss the year 2015 to the right of the little diploma.  

If you have any questions be sure and give me a holler!  I'll post the pictures from the make and take projects tomorrow!