Friday, July 22, 2011

Stamp Club In July

I had stamp club this week.  Luckily, I had all the project made before I left for convention so I wasn't rushing around like a crazy person too bad!  I had a new club that started last Tuesday and my regular club on Thursday.  They made the same projects except for the nautical card.  My Thursday club had already done that one so I substituted the Triple Layer Card.

Open Sea Card
 Supplies: 
Cardstock:  Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy, Nautical DSP (Summer Mini)
Stamp:  Open Sea
Access:  Markers, Circle Punches

Emboss Resist Card
 With this card, everyone did a different color using the In Color DSP stack found on page 186.  If you've never done Emboss Resist, it is a great technique!  First stamp the image with Versamark and emboss it with clear powder.  Next sponge ink around the embossed image.  When done, wipe the ink off the embossed image.

Recipe:  Stamp:  Curvy Verses, Friends Never Fade
Cardstock:  White, Pacific Point, In Color DSP
Ink:  Versamark, Pacific Point
Access:  clear embossing powder, sponge, brad

Summer Fun Card
 On this card everyone got their choice of which image they wanted from the Summer Fun set - the flip flops, popcicles or the little kids.  We colored the images with markers.

Supplies:  Stamp:  Summer Fun
Cardstock:  White, Tempting Turquoise, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade
Access:  Ribbon, Scallop Punch, Dotted Embossing Folder, Big Shot

Triple Layer Birthday
Recipe:  Stamp:  Word Play, Decor Wheel
Cardstock:  Night of Navy, DSP from In Color stack, Poppy Parade. Peach Parfait, Pear Pizazz
Access:  Wheel, Triple Layer Punch (blossom). markers

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Ribbon Share

I have had several requests for RIBBON SHARES so this is what I have come up with.   Many of you, plus myself, hesitate to buy a whole spool of ribbon, as it's just  too much ribbon of one color.  Instead, you would like a little bit of all colors and different types of ribbons for different projects.  So a ribbon share, is just that, a share of a spool of ribbon of all the colors of one type of ribbon.  You can join one or both ribbon shares, and you can purchase as many shares as you would like.  Just let me know what ribbon share you would like to have and I will add you to the list.   As soon as I get enough people, I will place the order.
                                                     
Here are the ribbon shares I am offering  as of now.  

3/8" Ruffled Ribbon Share (*new ribbon!!*): Each share receives 2 yards of the 5 in-colors (10 yards total) - Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, and Wisteria Wonder.  Cost: 14.00/share
 
3/8" Scallop Dots Ribbon Share (*new ribbon!!*): Each share receives 2 yards of 10 colors (20 yards total) - Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Elegant Eggplant, Marina Mist, Melon Mambo, More Mustard, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Tangerine Tango.  Cost: $20.00/share

I will probably be offering other Ribbon Shares later.  If there is a particular one you would like, please let me know.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

New Friends

I made a few new friends at convention.  That's what it is all about ... friends and fun!

This is me and Nancy (my roomie from Wilmington).  We hit it off great and had such a good time hanging out with each other.

This is Lee Conrey.  She lives in Florida and has a great blog.  She posted about me HERE.
Marianne's best girlfriend, Sharon R., lives in Jacksonville.  I introduced her to stamping a few years ago when she was here visiting.  When she asked me to find her a Stampin' Up demonstrator in Florida so she could go to some classes and workshops, I did a search and found Lee's blog.  So Sharon told Lee to find me at convention.  What a small world!  On Saturday after my Make and Take session, I ran back to the hotel to drop off my packet.  When I was getting on the elevator, there was Lee and Sandi MacIver.  We chatted for a bit and both gave our cameras to Sandi to snap our pictures.

Me on stage!  I hit my 5 year mark with Stampin' Up last year.  Since I didn't go to convention last year, I walked the stage this year.
On Friday, Nancy and I took the tour over to the home office.  It is always such a treat since it is decorated so great.  The "pick line" was closed since it was after working hours but we were able to go down and view it anyway.

This darling topiary was on someone's desk!

Yummy cupcakes .... made with paper!

No calorie chocolates!

Monday, July 18, 2011

More Convention Chatter

I'm still recovering ... didn't get dressed till noon today!!  Finally got to talk to my gal today though and that made me happy.  I wasn't able to Skype with her while I was gone and was missing my daily "Ashley fix."  We chatted for about an hour today!  Sonny finally made me hang up so we could go to the "Y" and to lunch.

Here are more convention pictures for you.

Lamp covered with paper petals!

Display highlighting the Home Suite from new catalog - note the paper strawberries

Display highlighting the Big Top Suite

Cute slicker - it has Decor Elements on it.

Hand towels decorated with ribbon!!

Sweater with ribbon trim!  So much you can do with ribbon.

Some of our newer ribbon - note the ruffled and scalloped!!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

I'm Tired but I'm Home!

I'm back home from convention.  Whew!  What a whirlwind.  Sorry I was such a slacker on blogging but I was usually wiped out when I got back to the room at night (as mentioned in an earlier post).  Nancy and I finally got to have a real sit-down dinner Friday night!  She finished her swap with Late Night Stampers around 6:15 and we were able to catch the bus that took us to Stampin' Up's corporate office.  I had been before (in 2006) but Nancy never had and it is an experience you shouldn't miss.  When we got back to the convention center, we found a nice Asian restaurant right across the street.  It was really yummy!  On Saturday we wrapped up convention with a couple more classes and the closing general session.  We finished around 4:30 and then walked a couple of blocks to Gateway Mall with two of our Wilmington friends, Jeria and Peggy.  We had a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant and then wandered around the nice outdoor mall .... well, just Nancy and I.  Jeria and Peggy headed back to the hotel for bed.  Nancy and I decided to catch the Trax Lite Rail back to our hotel.  We weren't too sure where we were supposed to get off and missed our stop.  We ended up getting off way past our stop in a not so good part of town and getting on the next trax rail going the other way.  We made friends with a nice man on the rail who helped us find the right stop!  Then it was back to the room and try to get all our stuff in our suitcases and carry on bags!

Here are a few pictures I have had time to sort through.

 
The theme was GROW - this was Main Stage and it was beautiful!!

Me and my upline, Carol Bartle.  She lives in Tacoma, Washington and I found her in the crowd the first night.

Shelli on stage


Me relaxing in the garden!!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Tired but having fun!

Too tired for much of a post but just wanted to tell you I'm having a blast here in Salt Lake City.  I've made a bunch of new friends, seen some old friends and am learning a bunch!  Things have been going at a break-neck speed though and I haven't had any dinner in the two days I've been here!!  I arrived at the hotel around 2 pm yesterday and hurried over to the Convention Center (located right next door!!) to pick up my FREE stamps and convention tote bag (pretty cool!).  Of course, while there I had to run into Momento Mall and buy a few goodies!!  Our room wasn't ready so Nancy and I and a couple of other new and old friends hung out in the lobby.  While there, we met a gal who wanted to teach us how to make a rose.  So we found an empty conference room and she had all the ingredients for us to make a super cool rose and a little box that will hold small note cards!  By then, we checked into our room, unpacked and headed over to the Convention Center for the Convention Kick Off Party.  It wasn't over until after 8:00 and we were too tired to try and find a restaurant.  Lucky for me, my roomie likes a glass of wine as I do so we headed to the hotel restaurant and had an appetizer and a couple of glasses of vino!!  Then it was bed time and we were beat.  We were up bright and early this morning to have a quick bite (yogurt and a peach) before heading back to the convention center for our first general session and classes.  By the time all that was over, I had to head over to do some swaps and then back to Momento Mall!!  I also took some time to look over all the wonderful displays and demonstrations of the new products we'll be offering soon (like a Scoring Board!!).  A quick trip back to the hotel  to look over all my goodies and then back to Awards Night.  There was an After Party after Awards Night.  Nancy and I hung around a few minutes - enough to eat a dessert and for me to do the Electric Slide!!  Remember .... 2nd night - NO Dinner!!  So back to the hotel lounge it was for another appetizer and vino!  Tomorrow, I AM GOING TO EAT!!  We get a box breakfast and box lunch so you can imagine!! 

Well, Nancy has gone to bed and I think it is time for me to do the same.  Another full day tomorrow!!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

I'm Ready for Convention!



I'm packed and ready for convention.  I leave tomorrow.  I have all my swaps done, my suitcase and swap bag packed and I'm ready to have some FUN!!  Salt Lake City - be prepared for some crazy demonstrators!!

I don't know how much I'll be able to blog while at convention but I'll do my best.  If you don't hear from me, check back next week for pictures and details of my trip!!

SWAP BAG with my bag tag attached.
I made bag tags for myself and for my roommate so we will be able to spot our bags without too much trouble.  Stampin' Up gives us bags filled with goodies and everyone's will look the same!

Roomie's bag tag


Roomie's bag tag - front


I made notepad holders for my roommate and myself to take down all that important knowledge we will be getting!  It was so easy because I made them using My Digital Studio!!   I used an empty clear stamp case for the holders.  You can order the empty cases from the catalog.
This one uses paper from Flirtatious DSP. 



I added a pocket inside for receipts and loose papers.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Monday Mailers - July

Isn't it funny how great minds think alike!!  Our theme for Monday Mailers this month is to use color you don't usually use.  So, last week, this is the card I made using Rose Red and So Saffron which I don't seem to use much.   I love these little kids from the Summer Mini and hate that they didn't make it into the new catalog. 

RECIPE:
Stamp Set:  Sunny Fun
Paper:  So Saffron, Rose Red, Choc. Chip, Wild Wasabi, WW
Access:  Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon, Border Punch, Dotted Embossing Folder, Markers

So this card (below) is the one I received my Monday Mailer partner:

Kathy used this card to spotlight all the new In colors.  Isn't it funny how alike the two cards are!  Great minds I tell you!!

We had some crazy weather this weekend.  We went out to dinner Friday night with friends and it was pouring down rain when we left and mostly through dinner.  When we got ready to leave the restaurant, it started up again with the pouring rain so we stayed at the restaurant a little longer.  (It was an Irish pub and they had Sonny's new favorite Irish beer so it wasn't hard to twist his arm.)  Anyway, it probably rained really hard off and on for about 4-5 hours.  The next morning when I got up, I looked out in our back yard and boy, what a mess!  Sonny built a drainage area on the side of our house a couple of years ago - about a 10 x 3 foot area filled with rock because we had been having trouble with water washing away our yard.  It's been working ok until Friday!  Half the rock washed away into our back yard and down through the woods into the creek bed beside our house.  Sonny and I spent several hours Saturday trying to recover the rock.  We ended up recovering about half of it but it was a hot and humid day and we were drenched when we finished.  Later in the day, we rewarded ourselves by going to the movies.  I finally talked Sonny into going to see Mr Popper's Penguins.  It was really cute.  I remember reading the book when I was a child and wanted to see it.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Convention Swaps

I have been busy getting my swaps together for convention.  Next week this time, I will be there!!  Can't wait!   I've only been to convention once before - back in 2006 - just a year after I started with Stampin' Up.  So, I am looking forward to seeing all the changes that have been made since then.

I have signed up for just two organized swaps - one is for just 11 cards and the other I have made 50 cards to swap out.  The rest of the cards - about 50 - I will just use for general swapping on the floor of the convention.  So, I will be coming back with a lot of new ideas and samples!!

I love this snowman!!

Recipe:
Stamp:  Snow Much Fun
Paper:  Night of Navy, White
Accessories:  Markers, Dazzling Diamonds

This is one of the cards for the general swap.  I ran the Vellum through the Big Shot with the Dotted embossing folder (stamp the sentiment first!)

Stamp:  Vintage Vogue
Ink:  Calypso Coral, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Blog Problems

I want to apologize for my lack of posts this week.  I found out yesterday that my Image storage was full.  I didn't even know I had a limit but evidently, I do.  So, I have been trying to delete a bunch of un-needed pictures.  If you scroll way back to some of my posts, you may find missing pictures.  Sorry about that!  I may end up having to go to another blog server but not sure yet.  I'll let you know!

In the meantime, hang in there with me until I can get it all straightened out.