Blog Project

This is a birthday card I created for a dear friend.  It actually started out as a card for the Birthday 10/10 but it quickly got a bit too complicated for a class!  The list of supplies is below.  The top cupcake is actually stamped on one of the tags from the Two Tags Sizzix die and slides into the card. 
Real Red  and Whisper White c/s
Real Red and Close to Cocoa ink
Real Red and Close to Cocoa markers
White chunky glitter and 2-way glue pen
Two Tags Sizzix die and Sizzix Big Shot machine
Scallop Trim corner punch (new in the Occasions Mini)
two Real Red brads
Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
Glue Dots
Party Hearty (catalog) and Well Scripted (Occasions Mini) stamp sets
Ruler

Updated Class List

I pushed the next two Thursday classes back a week, so the Birthday 10/10 is next Thursday, and Easter Fun is the Thursday after.  Here's the list, followed by two more samples.  Cool, huh?!
Dear Friends,


Birthday 10/10 The cards that most of us need most often! Ten great birthday cards, with several for men - these are hard to find! Sign up fast for this one, as the seats get filled up right away. Sunday, Feb. 28 from 2:00 - 5:00 $20 and Thursday, March 4 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30

Easter Fun This class is for ages 8 and up. Children must be accompanied by at least one adult. We'll make some wonderful projects for Easter, including the new mini milk carton Sizzix die cut. This class is a combination of cards and containers, but is mostly cards. Sunday, March 7 from 2:00 - 5:00 and Thursday, March 11 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 Adults $18.00, children $15.00

All Occasions 10/10 Ten cards for all the special occasions in life - Mother's and Father's Days, wedding, baby, graduation, sympathy, and so on. As always, you are welcome to change the sayings to fit your needs! Sunday, March 21 from 2:00 - 5:00 and Thursday, March 25 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 $20

Friday Fun Five See what fun I have cooked up for this month! Friday, March 26 from 7:00 - 9:00 $12

Friday Fun Five Ah, the infinite creativity of stamping!!! Friday, April 9 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. $12

Pack a Punch Sizzix Fun Can you imagine a chef made out of circle, squares, and other shapes? See what fun stuff you can punch and cut! Seven cards, as these take TIME! Sunday, April 11 from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. and Thursday, April 15 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 $20

Summer Fun 10/10 Ten beautiful and useful cards with summer themes. Lots of flowers and fun! Sunday, May 2 from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 and Thursday, May 6 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 $20

Friday Fun Five Mystery of mysteries...what surprised do I have in store for you?! Friday, May 14 from 7::00 - 9:00 $12.00

In the first card below, the cardstock is actually the same color as the ink.  My scanner !!!

The last card is a hybrid card - I printed the bird cardstock from My Digital Studio!!!

Haitian Disaster Relief

Dear Friends,


On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving in its wake devastation so overwhelming that the Haitian people and their leaders can only look for help from the outside to cope. You can help make a difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer from the effects of this earthquake by purchasing the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set from the Occasions mini catalog.
From now until February 28, 2010, $2.00 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you purchase will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount (block D recommended) 118571 $18.95




I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount 117010 $26.95

In the past, when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers, when a tsunami struck Indonesia, when a hurricane destroyed New Orleans, and when wildfires ravaged Australia, Stampin′ Up! demonstrators have stepped forward and showed their commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. This time is no different. Help us make a difference in Haiti!

To increase the gift, I will also be donating my 20% commission (from $3.80 to $5.40) from these sets to the Red Cross. The need for help doesn't end in these places when the news stops running stories. The rainy season is starting and many of the survivors still have no covered place to sleep. Let's help, okay?!



Sarah

Mystery Hostess Workshop and Open House

All the fun of a workshop and none of the mess in your house!  Plus, two lucky people will win the hostess sets and merchandise from the order.  Join us, won't you, on Sunday, February 21 from 2:00 - 5:00.  We'll do five Make n'Takes, and there will be door prizes and things to purchase, such as retired items.  Here are four of the projects which spotlight new sets and accessories from the Occasions Mini and Sale-a-Bration Mini.  Remember, for each $50 you spend (before s/h and tax), you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration item...and this year, for the first time, sets from the main catalog are one of your choices!!  Don't miss out!  RSVP PLEASE so that I can cut paper for you.

Friday Fun Five

Dear Friends,


It's appropriate that the first Friday Fun Five - being held right after Valentine's Day - is about kissing! Kissing? Well, KISSing. As in "Keep it Simple & Stunning". You know me - I like my cards to be WOW all the time, but frequently that means that the cards are a bit, well, complicated...am I right?!

THESE cards are WOW but not complicated. We'll talk about several techniques that are surefire ways to make a simple card really pop and we'll make five great samples. Don't miss out! Join me this Friday, February 19, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. to make these beautiful cards. The cost is just $12.

Here's two samples to tempt you! Call or email soon, as this class is likely to fill up FAST.

Stampin' Up! website updated

Visit my SU! website to see the list of classes and camps coming up and to see lots of great project ideas and some wonderful technique videos.  The birdhouse is my favorite project!!

Upcoming Classes

Sorry it has taken so long, but here - finally! - is the list of all upcoming classees through the end of May.

Mystery Hostess Open House- all the fun of a Stampin' Up! workshop and none of the work or mess for you!  I hold a workshop at my house, and you all come and have a good time.  We'll have five FREE Make n' Takes and then you can order and take advantage of the cool free stuff available for SAB.  One lucky person will win the free SAB sets and hostess set(s) and another lucky person will win the hostess dollars to spend.  Also, there will be great door prizes, such as paper, brads, ad so on and things for sale, such as Build-a-Bear sets and retired stuff.  Sunday, February 7 from 2:00 - 5:00  FREE


Friday Fun Five I can't do Thursday nights any more - Fringe and Bones! - so I'm trying something new.  This class will change each month.  We'll do five fun DIFFERENT projects each time, so each month is entirely new.  Friday, Feb. 19 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00  $12

Birthday 10/10  The cards that most of us need most often!  Ten great birthday cards, with several for men - these are hard to find!  Sign up fast for this one, as the seats get filled up right away.  Thursday, Feb. 25 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 and Sunday, Feb. 28 from 2:00 - 5:00  $20

Easter Fun  This class is for ages 8 and up.  Children must be accompanied by at least one adult.  We'll make some wonderful projects for Easter, including the new mini milk carton Sizzix die cut.  This class is a combination of cards and containers, but is mostly cards.  Thursday, March 4 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 and Sunday, March 7 from 2:00 - 5:00  Adults $18.00, children $15.00

All Occasions 10/10  Ten cards for all the special occasions in life - Mother's and Father's Days, wedding, baby, graduation, sympathy, and so on.  As always, you are welcome to change the sayings to fit your needs!  Sunday, March 21 from 2:00 - 5:00 and Thursday, March 25 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30   $20

Friday Fun Five  See what fun I have cooked up for this month!  Friday, March 26 from 7:00 - 9:00 $12

Friday Fun Five  Ah, the infinite creativity of stamping!!! Friday, April 9 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. $12

Pack a Punch Sizzix Fun  Can you imagine a chef made out of circle, squares,  and other shapes?  See what fun stuff you can punch and cut!  Seven cards, as these take TIME!  Sunday, April 11 from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. and Thursday, April 15 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30  $20

Summer Fun 10/10  Ten beautiful and useful cards with summer themes.  Lots of flowers and fun!  Sunday, May 2 from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 and Thursday, May 6 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30  $20

Friday Fun Five  Mystery of mysteries...what surprised do I have in store for you?!  Friday, May 14 from 7::00 - 9:00  $12.00

Love You Much class samples

Here's some of the great cards we did this weekend at the Love You Much class.  I'm running this class again on Thursday, January 28 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30, and if there are at least three people interested, I would also open up a Friday night class.  Ten cards for just $17.50 - you can't beat that!  Just let me know if you're interested.

My scanner is VERY old, so it doesn't do colors really well.  My greens in particular don't turn out, so if something looks like it doesn't match, it's the scanner.  Really!    Also, this first card looks blue, but it's actually Bermuda Bay, which is a new In Color and it's more green than blue.

Happy New Year...Happy Sale-a-Bration!

Welcome to 2010!  Sorry it's been so long between posts.  I've had some medication issues and haven't felt all that great but I think I'm back on track now.  I'm looking forward to a FANTASTIC Sale-a-Bration!  For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, SAB is Stampin' Up!'s annual "Thank You!" to all of our customers.  First, the wonderful designers create new stamp sets, Designer Paper, and other great items to give you FREE when you spend $50 (before s/h and tax).  FREE!!!  This year, they've made it even MORE wonderful by adding an extra MONTH to the promotion and adding an incredible new twist.  You can choose from a big list of $15.95 or less stamp sets if you'd rather have something from the catalog! As if the promotion wasn't awesome enough already...

Don't miss out on some great classes coming up.  Join me this Sunday, January 24 from 2:00 - 5:00 for the Love You Much 10/10 (also Thursday, Jan. 28 from 9:30 - 12:30).  Create 10 great cards to show your loved ones how much you care for just $17.50.  Here are some of the cards we're making!

Merry Christmas

This post was on our SU! website this week, and Shelli has said so well something that I truly believe.

Wishing You Happiness



December 21, 2009


'Tis the season of commercials and advertisements. Recently a billboard along the highway caught our attention. It was large, bright, and straightforward--it showed a woman, larger than life, drinking a popular soda, with the simple message: Drink Happiness.


We live in a world where people want us to believe that if we drink just the right drink, eat just the right food, or wear just the right clothes, we'll be happy. In reality, of course, we know that's not the case. The world is full of people who have plenty of everything they could possibly want, yet who aren't happy, and those who don't appear to have much of anything, yet who are very happy.
Inspiring quotes about happiness abound, and most are rooted in the idea that we experience happiness most when we are not searching for it, when we are reaching out and serving others, and when we are focusing on the good things in our lives rather than the bad.


During this holiday season, we wish you happiness--a happiness that comes from spending time with those you love and celebrating what you value most.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Beautiful!

This card was on our SU! demonstrators' website this a.m. and I just fell in love with it.  It is really simple but looks like a million bucks.  It was designed by Becky Hay de Garcia, and shows a very easy technique called embossing resist.  You emboss the image in either clear or white, depending on the effect you want - I almost always use clear.  Allow it to cool completely, and then ink up a sponge with a coordinating ink - in this case, pale Bashful Blue.  Pounce the sponge up and down over the embossed images until you get the desired effect.  When you have enough ink, take a piece of paper towel or tissue (not the lotion kind!) and rub all over the design.  This will remove the ink from the areas of embossing ONLY, revealing the design in shimmering glory!

A beautiful woman

I have never blogged anything except SU! stuff, but today I will make an exception.  The Republic ran an article about an amazing woman - you may have heard of her.  Her name is Stephanie Nielson, and she was in a terrible plane crash and burned over most of her body.  She has spend over a year in recovery.  Her story is one of incredible strength and through it all is the grace and goodness of Our Lord.

Stephanie was a very pretty girl before the accident, with four young children and a loving husband and large family.  Like me, all she ever wanted was to be a mom. 

Now, she still has four young children, a loving husband, and large family but she's not a pretty girl anymore.  She's a beautiful woman.  Like Mary, our dear Lord's mother, she is full of grace and God's love.

You can read the article at Arizona Republic and you can read her blog at Nie Nie Dialogues.  It is an amazing journey.

Retiring Stamp Sets

As promised, many of the stamp sets currently on our dormant list have been available for a year and now it is time to say goodbye. The following stamp sets will be discontinued on January 4, 2010.



113407 Back Woods


114492 Beautiful Baby


114486 Birthday Wish


113200 Branch Out


114496 Celebrations


113732 Central Park


113206 Classic Sketches


113226 Classy & Fabulous


114498 Flowers in Silhouette


113405 Font of You


113216 For the Bride


114494 Forever


109425 Friend by Definition


114488 Fun Flowers


113716 Garden Greetings


114490 Glad Friends


111580 Grand Soiree


113242 Hit the Road


113710 Lexicon of Leaves


113236 Man's Best Friend


114423 Ocean Commotion


113728 Playful Petals


109276 Polka Dot


111544 Putt Putt


113240 Quilt Quips


113754 Really Retro


113403 Sip by Sip


113726 Sweet Stems


113250 That's Funny


113688 Wonderful Watercolors


114028 Para la novia


114032 Acuarelas Maravillosas






If any of these stamp sets are on your wish list make sure to purchase them before they are gone for good!  To see images of these stamp sets, go to the SU! website, put "dormant list" in the "search" and click on the first thing that comes up.  Have a wonderful December day!

Gorgeous Shutter Card

These cards are so amazing and are great to wow your friends because they're actually really easy to make once you know how.    This one was on our demonstrator's website today and was created by Kelly Acheson (wonder if she's a relative - my stepbrother and sister's last name is Acheson)  I love how she made the poinsettia by punching two Five Petal flowers and adding three gold brads!  Visit Craftiblog for a tutorial with pictures on how to make these!

Don't forget to take a break from your Thanksgiving preparations and visit my SU! website to see all of the fantastic bundles and items for sale!  Remember - the sale ends Monday, Nov. 30!!

Snow - how I miss it!

When I see a card like this, it makes me long for cold and snowy weather!  It was created by Annette Jensen, and posted on the demonstrator's website this a.m.  So gorgeous!  I think I'll make my own copy and put it above my worktable so I can have a snow fantasy while it's 81 stinkin' degrees here....YUCK!

Okay, enough complaining.  Don't miss out on the fantaastic Holiday Extravaganza sale, going on now.  There are some SERIOUS deals going on!

HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA SALE!!!

Don't miss out!  Savings of 30%, 40%, and even 50% on great SU! items!  Many items have been bundled together for even greater savings!  Visit my SU! website and place your order today, or visit the website to see the savings and then call or email me.  Remember - if your purchase contains an item or items that will be gifts, you get a gift bag and tag FREE from me.  The sale lasts ONE WEEK  and while there are NO LIMITS to most of the items,  the Ultimate Stamper's Starter kit IS first come, first served.
If you order through my website, you will have your order sent directly to you.  If you order through me, I can either wait and combine orders, to save you s/h - but you'll need to come and pick up the order - OR, you can have the order sent to you.  Have fun shopping!
Merry Christmas early!

What a beauty!

Every so often I come across a card which takes my breath away.  This card, by Michele Reynolds, was posted on our demonstrator website a couple of days ago.  The piece on the left side is made by running a piece of blue cardstock through the Petals of Plenty embossing folder for the Sizzix and then sponging the darker blue on the raised design.  Then it's just simple coloring in with a blender pen and finishing the card.  Simple  - and simply gorgeous.  Also incredibly simple to make in bulk, making it a great choice for a Christmas card, even at this relatively late date.

Did you know that if you buy most of your materials, including a stamp set, from me, I will happily help you create, cut, and complete your stamping project at no charge, so long as you let me know in plenty of time?

new My Digital Studio downloads!

As promised!  Your copy of My Digital Studio will NEVER get stale because SU! will always have great new downloads, like the ones which came out today.  These run from $1.95 - $9.95, very reasonable, and have such great stuff in them which you can use NOT JUST in MDS, but in any application which uses a .jpg format, like Publisher, MS Works, and so on.  If you've taken any classes recently you know how much I LOVE the new red and white flocked paper in the Christmas Cocoa DSP.  Well, now I can play with it online, in the Christmas Cocoa download, for $9.95!  Best of all, it loads immediately, so no waiting and NO shipping/handling charge!!  I made this tag in about five minutes, and I've already printed out several to go with some paper I bought last year.

Get ready for Christmas!

Here's a couple of inexpensive and cute ways to put yourself in the Christmas mood. The first is a Christmas ornament box. It's similar to last year's trinkets kit but much nicer to give as a gift! Here's what you get:

metal box suitable for decorating

approx. 35 shaped chipboard pieces

laser cut double sided paper to cover the pieces front and back (there are a few exceptions, see below**)

Felt Flurries - laser cut felt snowflakes in 3 sizes and 3 colors

silver wire

silver elastic cord

assortment of brads

six sheets of 6 x 6 double sided patterned paper

a finished ornament

sheet of ideas

You can make at least 30 ornaments with your kit - just add glue and glitter! Just $15.00.

** A few of the pieces will have only one piece cut to fit or won't have any. This is because I combined several kits, some of which did not have matching paper. You have plenty of paper in the kit to cover these and more! Just glue the piece face down on the wrong side of the paper ( leaving the paper that you want to show on top), Let dry, then cut out with a craft knife.

Next, try our Pop-Up Christmas Tree kits. These are from the new die in the Holiday Mini-Catalog and can stand alone or can be put inside a card. These come in patterned paper (patterns vary) or in Garden Green with colorful ornaments. This kit is just $5.00. Wouldn't a flock of these look beautiful marching down your holiday table or on a mantle or sideboard?

I have a limited number of both kits, so it's first come, first served. Remember that I no longer can take credit cards, but I do have a PayPal account. Have fun!

So creative!

As I've said before, I'm not good at thinking out of the box, so I'm very impressed by people who do.  This card was created by Alisha Linn.  She used our new Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder for the Sizzix, but, instead of just putting the paper inside and running it through, she got the bright idea to brayer ink on the inside of the embossing folder first!  Then, she put white cardstock in (very quickly, I'm sure, so it didn't dry!) and ran it through the machine.  Et voila, a wonderfully creative card!