Swap #2

I just received my second swap back in the mail.  It was an ATC swap---think of it like baseball cards in the stamping world.....they are small--2.5 in. x 3.5 in. and can become the focal image for a full-size card.  I decided to do two-- the retired ATC and the current ATC.  They were fun to make and didn't take a huge amount of supplies due to their size.

For my retired ATC I used the newly retired "Puns from the Past" with Love Letter dsp and my flower came from the solid on the new triple flower bouquet punch.  I really like the look of this stamp set with this designer paper and I'm sorry that both have retired now that I'm ready to use them....isn't that the way it always seems to work?

I used black embossing powder on the pot and a riding hood red button from long ago.

For my current ATC, I used one of the cutest new sets (I think) from last year--"Friends Fur-Ever."  I think it's because the dogs in this set remind me of my white miniature schnauzer Daisy--who is my 4th child now that I have an "empty nest" at home!

I used the red glimmer paper for the heart--so excited that it's in the new catty!  The sentiment is from "A Word for You" I think--I may have to edit this if it's not!  =-)  

I'm participating in the VC Rocks Blog Hop this weekend--my first one ever.....hope I can figure out how to do all the techie links!  

VC Rocks--Swap #1

I decided this summer I was going to try and do more with my stamping....so step 1 was to become a part of a couple groups that deal with stamping.  Step 2 was to participate in some swaps (my first ever).  I just received my swaps back so I can post the swaps that I sent in.  This was a 6 x 6 Punch Swap and I for sure didn't know what I was doing---but I think they turned out okay.

I made it a bit bigger than normal so you can read my writing!  =-)  Loved both Pooh and his friend Piglet which I made earlier this year here.  They are cased from a blog called Eve's Offcuts and the link is in my original post.

Enjoy!  I'll be back with my other swaps as I get them back in the mail.....

New Catalog and Demonstrator Offer!!

I hope you have your new catalog--there are many beautiful new papers, stamp sets, dies for the Big Shot, punches, ribbon, and embellishments.  If you don't have one yet--let me know!  I've got them available for $5 and I'd love to put one in your hands!  Contact me and we can make it happen.

                                 

The other thing I wanted to let you know about was the $99 July special for becoming a new demonstrator....

......whether it's as a hobby demo or someone interested in building a business.  Here's some info about that.  If you've ever given this a thought or would like to learn more about it give me a call and we can talk!

If you have thought about becoming a Demonstrator, now is a great time to start, for a limited-time you can join with a $99.00 Starter Kit--valued at more than $180.00 and it is full of product favorites, including items from the brand-new Idea Book & Catalog.  Here are some of the perks of becoming a demonstrator:

•               A 20 percent product discount!

•               A free monthly issue of Stampin' Success, Stampin' Up!'s demonstrator-only magazine!

•               Sneak peeks at brand-new products!

•               Invitations to exclusive Stampin' Up! events!

•               Regular get-togethers to stamp!

•               Free access to a community of 30,000+ crafters/stampers and creative artists, as well as 160,000+ project samples!


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

Additional Supplies Needed

•               Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker

•               Real Red Stampin' Write Marker

•               Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Marker

•               Adhesives

•               3/16" Corner Punch

•               Scallop Circle Punch

•               Paper Cutter

•               Paper Snips

•               Needle

•               Glue gun

________________________________________________________________

Your $99.00 starter kit will include the following:

 Easy Events Clear Mount*

Pennant Parade Wood Mount*

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

Brights 8 1/2 x 11 Assorted Card Stock

Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad

Whisper White Note Cards (20)

Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper*

Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon*

Blender Pen (1)

Clear Mount Block C

Snail Adhesive

*New to the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog!

Business Supplies 
The business supplies in these promotional mini kits will be the same business supplies that are in existing starter kits; no alternative selections can be made for business items.

•               Getting Started DVD

•               Getting Started Guide

•               Guest Invitation Postcards (100)

•               2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog (8)

•               2011 Summer Mini Catalog (8)

•               Stampin' Up! logo vinyl

•               Décor Elements applicator

•               To My Hostess Envelopes (10)

•               My Digital Studio Marketing DVD

•               Recruit Folders (5)

•               Recruit Brochures (20)

•               Customer Order Forms (50)

You can sign up on my DBWS here!  Or contact me by phone or e-mail to talk about it!

The new year for Stampin' Up is always a fun time--like Christmas in July!

I Heart Strawberries!

I really do love strawberries just about anyway that they are fixed--yummy!  One of my favorite fruits!  When I saw the idea to make a strawberry out of a heart I thought it was too cute!  Here's my first try at this.  I used the same card format as I did for the graduation cards that I posted earlier (in June?).

I used a bunch of punches along with  Tart and Tangy (retired) and On Your Birthday.  The base is Real Red with layers of Garden Green, Whisper White and Crumb Cake.  Embellishments included--taffeta ribbon--So Saffron? and So Saffron brads for the center of the flowers.
Big Shot Dies:  Two Tags and Scalloped Heart of Hearts
Punches:  Boho Blossoms, Bird punch, 5 Petal Flower, 1 1/4 in. circle

Sudsol Challenge

I became a member of SUDSOL for SU demos earlier this summer and have had great fun following all the e-mails and getting great information and ideas from its members.  Last night I decided to join a chat for the first time and it was a hoot!  Somewhere in the midst of all the good tips for my SU business a challenge was issued to create a single layer card.....so here's my first response to a challenge ever!  I used Flower Bouquet embossing folder, Love & Care stamp set, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and Crumb Cake ink.

I'm really enjoying having some time this summer to do more stamping on a regular basis--and ladies...I tried the Power Hour concept on cleaning my refrigerator this morning!  Yay!  Got it done!

Long Ago and Far Away.....

Here's a card I made a loooong time ago.  I was reading some blogs and came across a color challenge (and can I just say here that I've never entered a challenge) and I thought the colors looked hard to use together so I gave it a try and here's what I came up with...and I really, really liked it!  It went to my niece Jessica when she graduated from college a little over a year ago.  It was so long ago that I don't even remember what colors I used.....

I think this bike is so sweet....it was in a mini catalog a couple of years ago I believe--it also had a little bench in its set.  Maybe its name was Time for You?  I'll have to check.  Anyway--I like this bike and the saying from an old retired set with a bike.  It says, "On the ope road of life, may happiness be your destination." I think the dsp grass is not SU--this card is from pre-demonstrator times.  Have a happy day!

Heading to Family Reunion....

I've been spending my week with my mom and dad at our lake cottage in Indiana.  We've had horrible lake weather--raining on and off again every day--but I've enjoyed spending some time (just me) with my folks! Here's a card I did a looooong time ago, but I still love it!  It uses the retired set-- A Tree for All Seasons.

Enjoy!  I won't be back here until Monday or Tuesday when we get home from the reunion.