Friday, March 26, 2010

All this could be yours...HALF PRICE!

If you dream about stamping, OR
 Take millions of photos to scrapbook, OR
Hoard paper and embellishments, OR
Send hand-made cards for all occasions, OR
Need adult conversations, OR
Love sharing creativity, OR
Live in a world of color, OR
Love to travel, OR
Want to earn some extra money, OR
Just WANT IT ALL...
This is your chance!!

Through March 31, 2010, you can purchase the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Starter Kit (worth $335) for just $169...that's 50% off the retail price!! BUT WAIT...that's not all! You can also choose ANY stamp set in the Idea Book & Catalog or current mini catalog FREE as a bonus!

So really, what are YOU waiting for?

Click HERE for your starter kit (my password is "stampwithme")

Monday, March 22, 2010

Royal Blog Tour


I'm on the Royal Blog Tour!  It's launching April 30 through May 3.  I'm so excited I've been chosen to be a Princess!  I hope you'll become a Royal Tourist and ride along in a Royal Coach. Please come and visit my castle during the tour! For more information, please check out these links!



Website: RBT Website


Home Blog: RBT Home Blog

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Getting Punchy: Scallop Edge and Border Punches

I am so grateful to Gretchen Barron for making the new Scallop Trim Border and Scallop Trim Corner punches so easy to use with her tutorial

For this card, I started with a 2 7/8" x 4 1/4" piece of Mellow Moss card stock. You can combine any of the measurements she gives for her squares to create rectangles, as shown. I can say that to get this perfect, you really need to cut your paper to the exact measurements and punch upside down (looking through the bottom of the punch to line up your paper). If you are in the 40+ age bracket, you may need to use your reading glasses to get it lined up :) I also used the watercolor technique: Color your stamps with Stampin' Write markers, spritz inked stamp with water and stamp directly onto watercolor paper. It's a lovely, soft look, don't you think?

The Scallop Trim Border punch is something you can earn FREE during Sale-a-Bration (through March 31) with a $50 purchase...click on the link to the right to see the brochure, then visit my website to order! The corner punch is in the Occasions Mini catalog, FYI

 Gretchen also has a tutorial for the Pinking Hearts Border and Corner punches (also available in the Occasions Mini Catalog). Gretchen is a prolific and wonderful creator! My job is to share all the great ideas with you...even if I didn't come up with it myself ;)

Ready for more instruction on the Border and Corner punches? Here's a video from Stampin' Up!'s YouTube Channel :

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

28 Days of February


What I did in February (in no particular order):
  1. Went (snow) tubing at Soldier Hollow with JDRF
  2. Received See's Candy from my Valentine :)
  3. Held 3 Stampin' Up! workshops and 1 Class
  4. Ironed 37 shirts
  5. Attended niece Emery's baptism
  6. Hosted Ward Valentine Party
  7. Taught the Relief Society a Primary Song
  8. Cleaned the church every Monday 
  9. ...and Saturday (it was our turn)
  10. Attended "Killer Uno" Party with friends from Israel
  11. Sewed my first rag purse (using the Big Shot!)
  12. Date to SPARK with Mr. Spendlove
  13. Attended Uncle Bill's funeral
  14. Watched 10 nights of the Winter Olympics
  15. Read the Pearl of Great Price
  16. Vacuumed my bedroom (see #20)
  17. Worked 50 hours at Deseret Book
  18. Ate dinner with Chris and Kristin
  19. Went clothes shopping with 2 teenage boys
  20. Found my missing glasses!
  21. Cleaned off my desk...
  22. Twice!
  23. Played too many games of Wordsplay
  24. Changed sides of the bed
  25. Had a cavity filled (possibly related to #2)
  26. Sent 7 hand-stamped Birthday cards
  27. Lost 4 pounds
  28. Came out in the black for the budget!

      Wednesday, February 24, 2010

      My Stampin' Story, Pt. 1

       
      While some people spend their money on clothes, furniture or electronic gadgets, I have always had a weakness for office supplies. 
       
      When I spent a semester in Israel in 1987 (that's me in the skirt, with my roommates Jenny and Lisa!) much of my college student budget was spent in the Mid-Eastern equivalent of "Staples" where I gloried in the vast stacks of paper, envelopes, pens and blank books. With this fondness for fiber and ink, it should come as no surprise that I fell in love with rubber stamping!
      By 1992 we were living in Kanab, UT and had just welcomed baby #2 (Kayson--so precious, above with my sister Mindi and her hubby Russ in background) and I was looking for a rubber stamp company to join as an excuse for adult conversation and a creative outlet. The idea of being my own office supply store was also appealing, since Kanab didn't have many shopping opportunities! I wanted the best company, so I was looking at all that I could find and before the internet, that took some effort. One Sunday at church, my husband took the fussy baby out to the foyer where he ran into a high school classmate, LaVonne Crosby. As they visited, Vonna mentioned that she and her sister Shelli had started a rubber stamp company... and just happened to have a Stampin' Up! catalog in her van. She referred me to her neighbor, Sherrill Graff, who became my recruiter and dear friend.

      Stampin' Up! has been a blessing to me in so many ways: I have learned to be a better teacher and presenter. I have learned how to share creativity and overcome some shyness (believe it or not!). It has helped me set and reach goals. Finally, it has blessed me with some of the most wonderful friends in the world...my demonstrator family, my hostesses and my customers continue to enrich my life every day. I invite YOU to discover what Stampin' Up! could do for you! If you want to CREATE, HOST or JOIN my Stampin' Family...discover the benefits, then give me a call: 801-376-8685. 

      More of my story to come...

      Saturday, February 13, 2010

      Simply Adorned: Wish

      My sister Mindi hit the big 4-0 last week and I wanted to make her a gift with some bling for her Shiny Surprise party (that I was sad to miss), so what better than one of Stampin' Up!'s new Simply Adorned charms with a personalized insert? I think it will be right up her alley, even if it is late. But she expects no more from me than to be fashionable late :) If you know her, she is all about *sparkly* stuff...and even goes so far as to embellish her feline house-mates with be-dazzled beauty. Since the inserts can be changed according to mood/outfit, I am going to make her a few other glittery choices, too.

      This is the 1"x1 1/4" nickel-plated rectangle charm and I love the beveled glass on the front! The back is also glass, so I filled it with the Sending Love Designer Series paper that it is sitting on. You can change out the insert to match whatever you are wearing...and try putting in photos of you and your VALENTINE, or show off those darling offspring! Try adding it to one of our stainless steel bracelets or chains (available now in the Occasions Mini catalog).

      GOOD NEWS FOR YOU: If you order this or the 1"x1" charm from me OR on my website before April 30th, I will send YOU the same insert as a Thank You!

      Tuesday, February 9, 2010

      Big Shot Quilting/Fabric Class

      I'm in love.......with the Big Shot! Did you know that it can cut through 50 different types of materials in addition to paper and card stock? Like our wood sheets, vinyl (yes, Stampin' Up! sells large vinyl sheets in over 20 colors), foam, felt, foil, and of course FABRIC! I have had such fun exploring the world of fabric (and copying great ideas from other demonstrators) that I am holding a class to share it with you AND you will can go home with a beautiful fabric flower that you can wear, pin to a hat or coat or bag, use as an accent on a gift, put on a band for a little girl's hair, etc, etc....If you would like to make the flower, the cost is $3 or you can just come to watch and learn for no cost :) This is a sample of one of the flowers we made at our Winter Stamp Camp in Dixie, but we'll be using Spring Colors for the class:
       
      You'll also see quilts and purses and much more! It's just a half-hour, but you'll love getting new creative ideas...and find out how you can get $85 of Stampin' Up! product FREE when you order a Big Shot and a few dies during Sale-a-Bration (through March 31).

      Monday, February 22 at 1 p.m.
      ~OR~
      Tuesday, February 23 at 7 p.m.

      860 E 1050 S, Spanish Fork
      RSVP: 801-376-8685

      Monday, February 1, 2010

      Do the Can-Can

      Looking for a unique way to present a gift or gift card this Valentine's Day? Do the Can-Can!
       
      These are fun and simple to make: Use a clean-edge can opener (from Pampered Chef) to open any soup/fruit/vegetable can, wash and dry the can. Cans with the pop-top lid are fun to use and easy for the recipient to open...don't pop the lid open, just remove the whole lid using the can opener!

      Cover the can with Designer Series Paper and/or roll an image (shown here using the I {Love} Love Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel). Spray adhesive is good for applying your paper to the can.

      Add glitter, ribbon, accessories, etc. Don't forget to decorate the top of the can, too!
       
      And since it says Hugs & Kisses (from the Love You Much stamp set), what better way than to encourage that display of affection with the contents of the can:
        
      Once you have filled the can with your gift, seal the lid back on the can using Crystal Effects (from Stampin' Up!, of course). The recipient will have to open the can again with a can opener :)

      Wednesday, January 27, 2010

      Hearts for Haiti and Under Bed Disaster Kit

      My heart goes out to those in Haiti who have suffered loss and pain. So many are left without families, homes or even basic necessities like food and water. I have made donations and hope to continue to do all I can to help. As we assist the people of Haiti and help them rebuild, I pray we can also help them prepare for future crisis and become a strong independent nation. Since Utah has it's own active fault line, I have pulled out information from the newspaper to help my family prepare for an emergency like this, as well. (READ ON to learn what YOU should keep under your bed to be prepared in an emergency...)

      At times like this, I am grateful to represent a company like Stampin' Up! who has created 5,000 hygiene kits and are donating $2 from the sale of every I {heart} Hearts stamp set (through February 28th) to the Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund, which will be used to provide immediate relief as well as long-term support. Here are a few samples using this set (available in wood mount-$26.95 or clear mount-$18.95):

      I love the simplicity of that card :)

       
      We'll be making this card at the Stamp-a-Stack class this Saturday :)

      Have a Heart, Share Some Love! If you would like to order this set and do some good for Haiti, go to my website and click "Shop Now" on the top right under my name or give me a call 801-376-8685.

      Now, as promised, I recently learned that if you were sleeping when an emergency happened (such as an earthquake, tornado or hurricane), most likely you won't have time to find what you need or can't see to find these important items. Take just a few minutes this week to assemble this kit and BE PREPARED! This is NOT your 72 hour kit (which I hope you have and may also want to keep close at hand or in your car), but a 72 SECOND Disaster Kit. Not only is it CREATIVE, but it just may save your life. If you have children, help them make one, too.


      Under Bed 72-Second Disaster Kit -
      Keep items in a Bag/backpack (this will prevent glass and other debris from getting in your shoes)
      Sturdy Shoes
      Pair of Socks
      Emergency contact list
      Whistle (to attract the attention of emergency personnel)
      Dust mask (Useful in fires and earthquakes)
      Work gloves (To protect your hands when moving glass or debris)
      Several bottles of water
      Flashlight (Don’t use if you smell gas)
      Light stick on a lanyard
      Pry bar
      Portable radio with spare batteries

      On Bedside Night Stand Keep:
      Extra car keys
      Cell phone and charger
      Glasses
      Wallet

      Wednesday, January 20, 2010

      Music & Lyrics

      While I was at Stampin' Up! Leadership, I learned a fun idea from presenter Shannon West and it seems to fit my theme this week of Music and Lyrics. Her suggestion was substitute lyrics from your favorite song as journaling for your scrapbook! You saw a peek at our On Board Heart Book available in the Occasions Mini Catalog (also in Scallop Circle and Bird shapes) in this post, but check out the inside of her Valentine Album...she used lyrics from Diana Ross' song "Love Hangover":

       
       
       
       
       
      Now isn't that simply adorable? Thanks, Shannon, for the tip! If I was going to make a "song" book, I'd use "The Pina Colada Song" (official title: "Escape" by Rupert Holmes) because that is on the play list for my life :)

      What about you? Which song could you create a scrapbook to? Please comment!