Beach Bucket Survival

I have been trying to get ready for the NC Demos Quarterly meeting this weekend.  We will be meeting in Taylorsville which I think is less than an hour west of me.  Unfortunately, the town is really small and there are no hotels so I will be taking Marianne's air mattress and sleeping with everyone else in the church where we are meeting!  I don't usually get much sleep when I have to do that but it is only for one night so I guess I can handle it!  I have signed up for the Shoebox Card Swap on Friday night, 3D swap, 6x6 Punch Art swap, Bookmark Card swap and the Beach Bucket Survival swap.  The Beach Bucket swap is really cute.  Everything listed below has to fit in a beach bucket and be decorated.:

B:     use a sand bucket 

E:     eatable project (I put candy in a couple of sand molds)

A:     anything to take to the Beach (decorated flip flops)

C:     chap stick (picture below)

H:     head or hair accessory (sun visor - stamped)

P:     punch art project (fish card)

A:     animal project (fish card)

R:     rolling Wheel project (Hershey miniatures)

T:      thank you card project (picture below)

Y:      your favorite stamp set project (box for Hershey minis)

Fish Punch Art (uses Ornament Punch and Word Window Punch)

Chap Stick Holder - closed

Chap Stick Holder open

Flip Flops

Thank You Card - from Convention Swaps

Candy Box Project

Top of Box

Hershey Miniatures wrapped with paper that is wheeled with SU's Decor Wheel

Beach Bucket

 Tomorrow I will share the other swaps I have made for the weekend.  I had a lot of rejects today trying to decide what to do!

Convention Cards

Thought I'd share a few more of my convention pictures.  These are cards that I liked that were on the display boards.  Enjoy!

A lot of cutting out of the Fabulous Florets!  This was on the Hispanic display.

Another Fabulous Florets flower - this time paper pieced on DSP

A cute punch art frog!

Button Buddies - love this set!!

Friendly Mr Owl!

These roses are beautiful!!

These pennants are going to be popular this year.

Keepsake Christmas Box

Isn't this keepsake box just gorgeous?  It can be yours simply by purchasing the $99.00 Stampin' Up! Starter Kit. Not only will you receive over $185 worth of product, you'll also receive the Christmas Keepsake Project Kit, a $40 value, for FREE.

Here's what is included with this project:

•Keepsake box
•Scallop borders (cut from Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die)
•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
•Mini Vintage Tags

AND the Christmas Keepsake Project Kit includes the exclusive Stampin' Up! stamp set, Pines & Poinsettias. How great is this?

The $99 Starter Kit is a terrific deal which can be customized with the stamp sets and colors of your choice. It's friendly on the budget, while still garnering you ALL of the perks associated with Stampin' Up! through December 31st. If you happen to reach $300 in total sales, you will be able to "renew" for three more months....which would take you right into Sale-A-Bration time.  Plus, by purchasing the kit now, you will be able to take advantage of the Holiday Mini preorder on August 1st. There is no commitment to host workshops or get outside sales, and there is no penalty to drop.

So, if you want to take advantage of this great deal, let me know and I can help you sign up!

Catching up with July Monday Mailers

I made two Monday Mailer cards for Laurie before I left for convention.  One I mailed when I left and the other one I left instructions for Sonny to mail (and he did!).  I didn't want to post them and spoil her surprise before I left.  I've finally have a few minutes and can post them now.  I've been trying to get my desk cleaned up this morning from the mess that I left it in when I went to Salt Lake City!  Think I can see the top now.

Remember our theme this month is to use colors that you don't usually use.  For some reason, one of those colors for me is River Rock.  I like the color and used it all the time back when it was an In Color.  But for some reason, I tend to grab the Crumb Cake instead of River Rock.  For this card, I used the new Postage Punch to punch out squares of the nautical DSP in the summer catalog and arranged them on the background of the River Rock cardstock. Then I ran the whole thing through the Big Shot and embossed it. (what would I do without this machine?)  I wrapped the Bakers Twine around it - tying it in a Sailor's Knot.  (I just googled Sailers Knot and found a tutorial for it.)  Then I adhered the whole thing to the Early Espresso card.  I used different circle punches to punch out the stamped world image and the compass image from the Open Sea set.  I also punched out circles in Cherry Cobbler and Marina Mist.

I'm really going to miss this stamp set!

Here are a few other colors I don't use much - More Mustard, Tangerine Tango and Cajun Craze.  The card base is Tangerine Tango; the next layer is Basic Gray that I distressed the edges; the next layer is More Mustard and I sponged it with Tangerine and Mustard.  The ribbon is SU's Vanilla ribbon that I dyed using a dauber and an ink pad.  I used the Fun Flowers Bigz Die to make a flower out of Cajun Craze and Newsprint DSP.  I used the Little Leaves die for my Basic Gray leaves and the Beautiful Butterflies Die for the More Mustard butterfly.  The sentiment is on a strip of Vanilla cardstock.  I hand cut the end BUT ...  I learned a neat trick  at convention.  Use your square punch to make this cut!

Hope you have enjoyed these cards and learned a little something today!  I aim to please!!

Monday is my Mom's 83rd birthday and since my sister is going to the beach again next week and it is Restaurant Week this week, we took her out to dinner last night.  We went to the Epic Chophouse.  It was very good.  I can't remember being that stuffed when I left a restaurant and I even brought half my steak home!  My only complaint about the restaurant is that it is a little loud.  But maybe during the week it wouldn't be so bad.  It is the type of restaurant that you would go to for a special occasion as it is a little pricey.  Sonny doesn't like to share meals but that is what I would suggest next time!

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

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.

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!

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!!

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!!

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!!