Stampin' Up Specials Going On NOW

Country Living Stationery Kit (Customer Order Dates: January 5-April 30, 2010, or while supplies last)

This exclusive Stampin' Up! kit (item 119113) includes the following products:

Dinner Party stamp set (set of 3)
Ballet Blue Classic Stampin' Spot
Preprinted stationery (24 sheets: 4 each of 6 designs)

$19.95 for the complete kit

While designed as a stationery kit, there are a variety of ways the kit can be used; for example, it can be used for menu cards, greeting cards, dinner invitations, etc.

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Not in the Occasions Mini . . . NEW! Sweet Treat Heart Cups & Stamps
Just in time for Valentine's Day! Stampin' Up!'s new Heart Treat Cups coordinate perfectly with the Sweetheart stamp set (also new, below) and the Full Heart Punch (113693).

Download the flier HERE and put in your Occasions Mini Catalog!

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NOW available! Simply Adorned Jewelry and Charms. 

Simply Adorned charms are lockets--they open up so you can insert your custom stamped image. The Charming stamp set, along with Rub-Ons, glitter, ribbons, and other embellishments, can help you create your unique charm insert. And don't forget that you can embellish the chains with ribbon, felt flowers . . . the possibilities are endless! The frame surrounds tempered beveled glass on the front and flat glass on the back. Because there's glass on both sides of the charm, you can display an image on one side or both. You can create a custom heirloom piece that you'll never want to change, or you can swap artwork in and out, depending on your mood and your wardrobe.

Check out Simply Adorned Jewelry (above), featured on page 28 of the Occasions Mini Catalog.

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And don't forget -

Sale-A-Bration: Jan. 5 - March 31. For every $50 you spend on Stampin' Up! products, you will receive a free Sale-A-Bration stamp set (including clear mount options), the amazing new Scallop Trim Punch or darling designer series paper. Click here to view the Sale-A-Bration Catalog.

Occasions Mini Catalog: Jan. 5 - April 30. You'll discover 43 pages loaded with new stamp sets (including clear mount options), new designer paper, ribbon, epoxy brads and so much more. Click here to view the Occasions Mini Catalog.

Haiti Relief via Stampin’ Up

On January 12, 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.

From now until February 28,  $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set sold 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.

The I {Heart} Hearts clear mount set sells for $18.95.  The wood-mount stamp set sells for $26.95.

This is a simple and straightforward plan; the more stamp sets sold, the greater the difference can be made. Often it is the simplest plans that work best.

Stampin’ Up is also sending hygiene kits to Haiti.  See Shelli’s pictures - http://www.soshelli.com/so-shelli-blog/2010/1/20/helping-haiti.html

Monday Mailer card

We are still in a "wait and see" mode for Ashley's deployment to Haiti.  Just wish they'd hurry up and tell her when she will be leaving!!  But I don't think the Army does anything in a hurry!!  She and I have both downloaded Skype and gotten a web-cam and microphone so that we can talk to each other .... IF she has internet connection there!!

Anyway .... I received two cards this week from my Monday Mailer partner.  Life got in the way last week and she wasn't able to get my card to me so she mailed two this week!  They are great cards. 

Final 2 Northwoods Cards

Here are the final 2 Northwoods cards that I will be doing in my class.  Would love to have you there!!

 

 

A clean desk and deployment info

I had a fairly productive day today.  While waiting to hear news from Ashley about her deployment, I cleaned my desk and some of my drawers!   You just can’t believe how many glue sticks, tape runners, etc. I had in my drawer just all jumbled up.  Now, let’s hope I can keep them somewhat organized!  Look at this desk -

I can’t remember when my desk was that clean!!  I even got all the bits and pieces of ribbon that I had laying around in their correct jars.

Of course, that’s not all the ribbon I have!

That’s still not all of it … what can I say?  I like pretty ribbon!

So all this cleaning inspired me to create a few cards!

This baby card is for Julie and Jim, friends of Ashley’s from med school.  Julie had a baby a couple of weeks ago (Charlie!).  She wasn’t due until mid February but because the baby was so large, they induced her.  I think he ended up weighing over 9 pounds!!  And he was early!!

This card is one I made and sent to my Monday Mailer partner.  Aren’t those little raccoons just darling??  They are in the new Occasions Mini Catalog.  Remember, you can order them either in the clear mount or traditional SU hard rubber.

So, it looks like Ashley will be going to Haiti and possible pretty soon – maybe even next week.  It just depends on how fast the Army can work.   Her name has been submitted to the person who is putting together the team.  She would be the MED AUG [medical augmentation] with the 86th Combat Support Hospital -- basically a tent hospital.  Hopefully, she will know more tomorrow so she can begin to get all her affairs in order.

Italian Tortelli Soup

Here is a great soup for those chilly evenings ~

♦ 1 onion, chopped
♦ 1 cup sliced mushrooms
♦ 2 cloves garlic
♦ 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
♦ 1 can [15 oz] low-sodium tomato sauce
♦ 1 green pepper, chopped
♦ 1 cup diced zucchini
♦ 2 tbsp dry sherry or apple juice
♦ 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning
♦ 9 oz reduced-fat cheese-filled tortellini
♦ 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Coat a saucepan with nonstick spray. Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and 3 tbsp broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onions soften, usually 5-6 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, green peppers, zucchini, sherry, Italian seasoning, remaining broth and tortellini. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 278 calories, 4.8 g fat, 34 mg chol, 325 mg sodium, 5.4 g fiber *5
—Prevention's Guide to Low-Fat Living, October 1997

More Northwoods Cards

Today I went to the Y.  Yes, after taking about a month (or more) off from exercising, I am hoping to make this a habit again.  I think it works best to schedule exercising.  If you just try to exercise when you get a minute or two or three, you never really work it into your day – at least, I don’t!   Something better always presents itself.  So, I took a couple of classes – fitness and stretch which I really enjoy.  At the end of the stretch class, we have a 5 minute meditation session.  So my meditation consisted of thinking about my family – my uncommunicative son, my moody husband, and my daughter’s possibilities of getting deployed.  When I finished and went out to my car, I had a missed call and voice message from my daughter.  If I’d checked further, I would have noticed that not only did I have 1 missed call from Ashley, but I had 6 missed calls from her.  So guess what she was calling to tell me???  Yep, she may be getting deployed in the next 2-3 weeks.  The good part is it would be a 6-month deployment to HAITI!  That would be so much better than Iraq or Afghanistan!!  Plus, as an Infectious Disease Pediatrician, she would be doing what she was trained for.  She wants this so bad.  I hope it happens for her although I would miss her terribly.  But six months in Haiti  is so much better than a year or more in Afghanistan.   Her boss is submitting her name to who ever is putting together the team.  She hope to find out in a few days.

Here are a couple more of the Northwoods cards I will be doing in my class.  My card is on top and the one underneath is from the Northwoods Stamp Board.

 

Northwoods Class

I will be teaching a class next weekend at my local stamp store.  It is based on a Northwoods Stamp Board.  I have modified the cards so that I can use some of the Northwoods stamps and also some of the stamps that I already have (to cut costs!).  The cards are Valentines, but I tried to leave out a lot of the Valentine sentiments so that you could use the cards for other occasions.   Here are a couple of the cards along with the Northwood cards from the board.    What do you think?  If you would be interested in taking this class, let me know or Brenda at Stampers Alley in Mooresville.

Ways to Cut Fat in Your Diet

Go for a finer grind: When buying ground turkey or chicken, look for ground breast meat. Other cuts are higher in fat.

Watch out for porky: Be suspicious of bacon that calls itself lean. Even turkey bacon is only slightly less fatty than regular pork bacon.

How low can you go: Can't quite make the leap to skim milk? Try moving to 1% low-fat milk. Many people don't notice a difference in taste between 1% and 2%. The 2% milk still derives more than 25% of its calories from fat.

Stack the deck in your favor: A 4-ounce piece of raw meat cooks down to around 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards. To minimize fat content, trim off all visible fat before cooking.

Go skinny dipping: Next time you're topping off at the salad bar, keep in mind that most salad-bar dippers hold 2 tablespoons of dressing.

—Prevention's Guide to Low-Fat Living, October 1997

Ten Important Traveling Companions to Take With You

1. Confidence: for when things get tough, when you're overwhelmed, when you think of giving up.
2. Patience: with your own trials and temptations, and with others.
3. An adjustable attitude: one that doesn't react, but responds with well-thought-out actions and feelings.
4. Beauty: within yourself, in your surroundings, and in nature.
5. Excitement: new things to enjoy and learn and experience.
6. Fun: laughter and smiles any way you can get them.
7. Companionship: people to share your happiness and sorrows, your troubles and joys.
8. Health: mental, physical and emotional.
9. Peace: with others, yourself, and in your environment.
10. Love: pure, unconditional, and eternal.  

—Barbara Cage

 

New Stamps in the House

I took time today to PLAY!!  I put together my new stamp sets that I got from SU yesterday.  I'm loving the new "clear" stamps.  They're not really clear but are packaged so much better for storage now.  I've had a few questions about the stamps so I took a few pictures of how you put them together.  They come pre-cut so you just have to punch them out from the rubber sheet.  Sometimes, I still trim a little off the stamps. 

There is a sticker sheet with the pictures of the stamps on them. 

So you peel off the white protective cover from the stamp and put the sticker on the stamp.  The sticker will cling to the acrylic block and you will be able to see how to place the stamp on your project.

I played around today with the Love Bandid set from the Occasions Mini.  I fell in love with this set!!  It is really cute.  I just love the little guys!  Check it out (remember - you can click on the card to make it bigger):

I made a little scene card!

Card stock:  Melon Mambo, Green Galore, Garden Green, Crushed Curry (sun); Bashful Blue, White

The decorate punches on the corners are from the new Scallop Trim Corner Punch (Occasions Mini).  I tore the Green cardstock to simulate grass and snipped it a little bit.

How do you like it?

You can use material in the Big Shot to make neat things!

I finally had time to play today - at least half the day.  This morning I just had to sweep my kitchen and give my poor neglected plants some water.  Then I decided it was past time to take down the Christmas Thanksgiving decorations!  Yes, my friends, I said Thanksgiving!!  Isn't that sad?  Since we were gone during Christmas for 3 weeks, I never put up any Christmas decorations and had just left my Thanksgiving ones up.  But, truthfully, I have only gotten them as far as the kitchen table.  Tomorrow maybe they'll make it out to the garage!  Sonny wanted to go into town and I figured if I'd ride along with him, I'd get lunch in a restaurant instead of a sandwich at home!!  Score!  We had good intentions of going to the Y, but neither of us were in the mood or felt up to exerting the energy.  I guess we can blame it on the colds that we have had!   When I returned home, my Stampin' Up order was waiting for me!  I didn't order much - really trying to conserve the $$$.  I got Love Bandit from the Occasions Mini, the Big Shot Bigz XL Flower Folds Die and Whimsical Words free from Sale-a-bration Catalog. 

I have been wanting the Flower Fold Die to make a pin/brooch like I've been seeing all over the internet.  I need to go to a fabric store and get some vintage-y material.  My sister brought me some scraps of her material so I used some of it to make this brooch:

For this brooch I started by cutting out four flowers of the same size. I folded each of the flowers in half, then I laid each of the flower halves down, with one half of the petals overlapping onto the previous flower half, almost like weaving the flower petals together.  After you have the four flower halves interlapping, I loosely tacked them together, with large stitches. Then I repeated this several times, making as many different little flower pieces as I wanted. For this brooch, I made a set from the smallest flower and one set from the next size up flower. 

When I finished the flower pieces, I layered them on top of each other, kind of overlapping and random.  Next, hot glue a small circle of felt over the stitching on the back and secure a pin (or hair clip or whatever). Finish off the flower by adding the flower center which in this case was a purple button with a Kraft Cordurory Button on top.  I used my hot glue gun for the buttons also.

Using fabric with the Big Shot and dies is very popular, and this is such an easy project.  Here is another project made with the Big Shot and SU's Scalloped Square Die.  My sister, Marianne, made me this bag for Christmas.  She also made a Beatles bag for Ashley and normal purses for our Mom and our other sister.

Vintage Vogue

It's past my bedtime but wanted to quickly share a card I made last week for a good friend.   This card is like a box card.  It is open in the middle with a piece of acetate over the front.  Maybe you can make out what I'm trying to say from the visual!  I used the new Vintage Vogue stampset from the Occasions mini catalog on the card.

Tomorrow I will be getting some new goodies and hopefully will have time to play!  I have been gone every day this week and hope to have most of tomorrow and Friday to myself to do what I want.  I am going to try and go to the Y in the morning .... I have GOT to get back to exercising!!  My weight is just starting to creep up on me again.  Think it has anything to do with that bag of Dove Chocolates I keep popping in my mouth?

Stay tune for some creativity in the next couple of days!!

Getting Old, Jeff Reed and Monday Mailer .... all in one!

I've decided that I don't like getting OLD!!  But I guess it beats the alternative until someone finds a fountain of youth SOON!!  Last night, I noticed a spot floating around in front of my right eye.  I got pretty scared after my eye problems from a few years ago.  For those who don't know, a couple of years ago, I woke up one morning and the vision in my right eye just wasn't right.  I went to my opthamologist who examined me and eventually referred me to a specialist who examined me, did some tests and referred me to another specialist.  This took about 3-4 weeks.  The final Retina Specialist determined that I had suffered a small Retina Artery Occlusion (or retina stroke).  A portion of my center vision was lost.  It really bothered me quite a bit at first but over the years, I've gotten used to it.  So, first thing this morning, I called my eye doctor and begged to me squeezed in to his appointments today.  After dilating my eyes and examining me, he told me it was called a Vitreous Detachment.  These clumps occur when the vitreous gel begins to liquefy or shrink, usually with aging, and detaches from the retina.  A couple of friends have told me that they also have these and eventually, I will get used to them and not notice them.  So, along with not having central vision, I now have a floating spot! 

Ashley returned from her cruise today.  She was cruising to sunny, warm Cozumel!  She said the temperature highs were maybe 50 degrees and it was windy, cold and rainy!  But, she still had a good time.  She has taken this cruise for 4 years.  It is called the Rock Boat Cruise and is hosted by Sister Hazel (a band).  A bunch of other bands are on board and I believe it is a virtual rockfest!  She was hoarse when I spoke with her this afternoon so I believe a good time was had by all.  And to top it off, she called me again tonight and was UBER EXCITED!  She and her friends were having dinner in Tampa and Jeff Reed .... the Pittsburgh Steelers KICKER was sitting at the table next to her!  Well, folks, she is as big a fan of the Steelers as anyone!  She went over and told him she was a super fan and could she have a picture please!  I can't wait to see the picture!  The only thing better would have been to have Big Ben sitting there too with Hines Ward!

OK - I do have a card to share with you.  I received this Valentine card last week from my Monday Mailer partner.  Yes, our program has started up for January.  Our theme this month is Hearts and Flowers.  I'm hoping to get some good ideas for some heart cards.   I really like this card and I don't have this flower but I have always admired it.  (NO .... I don't need more flower stamps!!)

Tomorrow I am expecting a delivery from Stampin' Up.  Unfortunately, I have a busy day and may not get time to play with my new goodies!  I have a mammogram in the a.m.; then taking my Mom to lunch.  Then we are going to hear a program put on my Newcomers group from a Cardiologist.  And tomorrow night, I have Bunco!  I'm making up for lost time!!

Scrunchy Flowers and Family Christmas

I finally had time … and felt a little better …. to make a few cards.  This is one of them.  (all items by Stampin’ Up)

The card is made with SU Red cardstock.  I ran the white piece through my Big Shot using the Finial Press Embossing Folder.  I cut the red and black piece out using the Top Note and ran the black piece through the Big Shot using the Elegant Bouquet folder.   I used the Filigree Brads on the side and SU Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (turned over to the solid side).  The “scrunchy flower”  is 5 pieces of pieces of DSP (Night and Day from Holiday Mini) punched out with the Scallop Circle Punch and scrunched up.  Then I poked a hole in the middle for a brad and put a Red Corduroy Button on with Dimensional Tape. 
I was going to send this card to my Secret Sister, but then I realized the Night & Day DSP is retired now!  Her loss!! 
I’ll be making some more of these “scrunchy flowers.”  They’re pretty cool!

I’m feeling much better today and finally was able to sleep good last night.  Friday night I slept downstairs in my chair wrapped up in Sonny’s Snugglie and my Steeler blanket!   And Saturday, I felt about the worse I’d felt all week.  I thought my cold was coming back for a second round, but guess it was just giving me it’s last hurrah.  Today, Sonny has been sneezing and blowing.  I sure hope he hasn’t caught my cold …. you know what babies men are when they are sick!  I have been really careful and have been washing my hand much more than usual.  But, I’m sure after being cooped up in the car with me for two days, those germs were having a field day.

Today we celebrated Christmas at my Mom’s.  She actually kept her Christmas tree up which is a big deal for her!  She is usually pretty superstitious about not having the tree up when the New Year arrives.  All my life, she’s told me that was bad luck.  We all had a nice visit and my brother even came with his two kids (without his wife, of course but that’s another story).  My sister, Marianne and her family and me & Sonny & Ashley all chipped in and bought Mom and Angela (my sister who lives with Mom) a Wii!   Every time we get together Marianne brings her Wii over to my house or if we’re at her house, Mom & Angela play with her Wii.  And Mom has been wanting to buy it for Angela (who’s she kidding?)  We thought this would be a good way to get them both up and moving.  Now they have to pool their money to buy the Wii Fit.

Let's Burn That Fat Away!

Here is a little info that may be helpful as we try to cut back on the calories for 2010.  I don't know about you, but I have quite a few pounds I need to shed before putting on my bathing suit this summer!!

These are some food items that basically help your BODY to burn fat more efficiently.

GREEN TEA - A crucial compound in green tea is EGCG which has been shown to speed up metabolism. The caffeine content helps with that as well. Green tea contains about five times the amount of fat-fighting EGCG as black tea, BTW. And get this... Green tea specifically targets visceral fat, a.k.a. belly fat.

FAT FREE AND LOW FAT DAIRY -  Protein and calcium are the power-duo in this equation. These two nutrients help keep your body's muscle mass intact while promoting weight loss. Studies have shown that people on lower-calorie diets that included dairy lost more weight than people who ate the same amount of calories without dairy. Plus, research suggests probiotics found in some low-fat dairy can help your body fight fat. 

BEANS - Beans have the double-whammy of protein plus fiber. Consuming protein is a great way to help your body burn fat -- it gives your metabolism a boost and keeps you feeling full and energized. And dietary fiber, among other things, can help regulate your appetite. One type of bean in particular worth trying is soybeans. They contain helpful compounds that assist in keeping the cells in your body from accumulating fat and also break down fatty deposits.

WHOLE GRAINS - Munching on whole grains adds fiber and complex carbohydrates (much better than refined, white carbs) to your diet. When the carbs are complex, they break down more slowly, keeping them in your system longer. Since your body processes them slowly, you don't crash. This also keeps your insulin levels steady -- a good thing, since insulin spikes tell your body to hold onto fat.

SALMON AND TUNA - These fish contain omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to being good for your heart, hair, nails, etc., those omegas can help control the amount of leptin in your body. Leptin, a protein hormone, is linked to appetite and metabolism.

Here are some additional tips to help with the weight loss:

DRINK WATER - When you're drinking water, you're NOT drinking soda, juice, or another calorie-packed beverage. And here's a fun fact: In one study (albeit it a small one), researchers found that the metabolic rates of study participants went up about 25% after drinking a couple cups of water. 

SPICE IT UP - Just 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon added to your food can help prevent insulin spikes (which, as you just read, are BAD). The capsaicin in chilies gives your heart rate a boost and jump-starts your metabolism, so try some cayenne or chili powder. Ginger expands your blood vessels, which helps to  increase the metabolism.

EAT YOUR FRUIT -  Research has found that people with low levels of Vitamin C in their systems burn fat less efficiently. So eat citrus fruit! Grapefruit, a super source of vitamin C, also has fiber and not too many calories.


(from Hungry Girl website)

Home Sweet Home

I'm finally HOME!!  I had a great time in Texas but, you know, it's always nice to get home and sleep in your own bed which I did last night.  We left San Antonio Monday and took a little different route home but still Sonny had the "petal to the metal" and was hell bound for home.  I picked up a bad cold as we were leaving Texas and slept for two days straight in the car.  I woke up long enough to say "pull over - I gotta go to the bathroom" or "pull over, I want something to eat."  If not, I don't know that we would have stopped much!!  We pulled into our driveway about 7:30 pm Wednesday night.  Believe you me, I'll be flying on my next trip!!  It was cold the whole way home and has not gotten any warmer since we arrived.  The forecast for here tonight is snow flurries and cold for the next week or so. 

I'm hoping to spend a little time tomorrow in my craft room making something!!  I've been missing making cards.  But, I've gotten great at making calendars!  Here's a coaster calendar I finished today for my hair dresser.  I've got to go get my hair cut next week and I always give my hair dresser a calendar for her work station.  Since I didn't make it to get my hair cut before I left, it'll be a late Christmas gift.

Texas Armoire

The whole time we were at Ashley's house, we were shopping off and on for furniture for her huge den and trying to find bath items to match her 3 bathrooms.  I can't begin to tell you how many sets of towels, rugs, etc. we bought and returned to Bed, Bath & Beyond and to Ross!!  I think we finally found a match though yesterday.  On New Year's Eve we had gone to the San Marcos outlet stores and visited a Rustic Furniture store.  There we found the perfect piece for her den.  So, Saturday she & her dad rented a U Haul and drove back to San Marcos to pick it up.  It really makes her den come together and looks great!  Now I can go home and know her house is a home!

Of course, we were watching Sunday Night Football.  She is going to get a larger TV and mount it on the wall in the center of that cut out.

On another note, my Steelers played a hard fought game on Sunday against Miami and won.  BUT, because of the other teams that also won on Sunday, we were knocked out of the play offs.  Hopefully, we'll come back even stronger next year.  It's hard for me to believe that watching my Steelers on Sunday will have to wait until the fall!  Boo Hoo...

Calendar - February

Here's more calendar pages to share - February this time.

Apache Blessing for you

I received this from a friend and wanted to share it -

May the sun bring you new energy by day,

May the moon softly restore you by night,

May the rain wash away your worries,

May the breeze blow new strength into your being,

May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life.

(Apache blessing for the New Year)

Calendars for 2010

I'm still in Texas!  Ashley had a little housewarming party tonight and a few of her friends came over.  We grilled chicken outside on her new BBQ grill that we gave her for Christmas.  Tomorrow we'll be finding a place to watch the Steelers ... hopefully WIN!  We will be leaving here on Monday headed home and will hopefully take a slower route back to NC!  We are thinking about going up to Dallas and seeing some of our friends before hauling a*s*s back to NC.  Just have to get home by the weekend to celebrate Christmas with my family there.

I've made several calendars this year for family and friends.  Sonny made a calendar stand for them.  Here are a couple of the January calendars that I gave to Melinda and Katrina.

Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-a-Bration Catalog

There has been a delay mailing out the Sale-A-Bration brochures and Occasions Mini Catalogs from Stampin' Up. All of the Sale-A-Bration brochures have now mailed, and the rest of the Occasions Mini Catalogs should mail by the end of this week.   Because of this delay, you are able to view the catalogs NOW at the Stampin' Up Customer site HERE.

Start making your list and give me a call!