Ahhhh... Nashville - Day three

Day Three went from included more onstage demonstrations. The CFO's presentation was hysterical as he attempted to stamp and demoed the cute baseball card.

LOTS of ideas were everywhere. There were display boards lined with hundreds of cards. One of my swaps made it to the display boards! (It's the yellow card in the upper-left.)

The official day ended with 1,000 women all stamping in the same room! The actual day didn't end until the wee hours of the morning.

Open House on Saturday!

Stampin' Up Open House on Saturday....

Saturday, January 22nd - Mini Catalog, Sale-a-bration Open House - 12:00-5:00

- Stop in to browse the hundreds of card samples I'll be bringing back from Nashville

- Make a FREE card

- Sign up to participate in product "shares" (exclusive accessory bundles)

- Place your first Sale-a-bration orders! (get something FREE for every $50 you spend!)

- Earn a square on the Bonus Board for every $50 you spend (yes, that's on top of Sale-a-bration rewards and raffle tickets!)

- Earn raffle tickets... I will be raffling off 3 stamp sets!

-- How to EARN raffle tickets?

- RSVP by 1/16 and earn 2 tickets

- Attend the open house and earn 2 tickets

- Bring a friend and earn 2 tickets

- Bring a friend new to stamping and earn 10 tickets

- Place an order at the open house and earn 5 tickets

- Place an order of $50 or more and earn 5 tickets for each $50 you spend

- Book a workshop and earn 10 tickets

- Join a hostess club and earn 10 tickets

- Sign up as a demonstrator and earn 20 tickets

Ahhhh... Nashville - Day two

My girls... Amanda, Lisa and Mandy.

Day Two was chocked full of FUN! While waiting to go into the Stampin' Up! store (with all the cool logo merchandise), we stamped cards for Ronald McDonald House. There were LOTS of amazing on-stage presentations that made all 1000 of us go OOOH, AHHHH. I even got to walk on stage with my recent promotion to 'Manager'. Lunch at the Mexican restaurant came with a little staff attitude, but we had fun!

Can you believe all of this gorgeous scenery is INDOORS?

Ahhhh... Nashville - Day one

As you know, I just got back from Stampin' Up's Leadership Convention. The weather in Nashville was 20 degrees, but who cared? Not me! We were indoors at the Gaylord Opryland Resort! It was AMAZING! There were 3 main sections. Each section had 7 stories of hotel rooms and a 7 story atrium in the middle! In the picture you can just make out the balconies off the room that overlooked the atrium. The atriums had waterfalls, a river, bridges, walkways, shops, restaurants and lush gardens.

Later that night I went to a Manager's Reception at the Wild Horse Saloon where there was a southern buffet and line dancing. Did I dance??? No way! I would rather get up and speak in front of all 1000 ladies than dance in front of 2!

After the Manager's reception, we all caught up in a bar and hung out for a while. Needless to say -- not much sleep on day one!

Leadership SWAP

I'm off to Stampin' Up's Leadership convention this week! With the help of my mom and my friend Chris, I made 220 swaps to trade at convention!!!!! We have a tradition that when you meet someone, you trade a card front.

I have about 50 of this design to trade.

Sooooo.... I will be coming home with 220 new card ideas. Wooohoooo!

I was inspired by our winter weather for this card. This monochrome card includes two layers of embossing and features the "Always" stamp set. (Did I mention that you NEED a Big Shot so you can do this embossing too? LOL)

Create a Cupcake!

For this month's hostess club, I had to use my NEW stamp set from the Occasions Mini catalog, Create A Cupcake! Since it has a matching punch, it was a set that I NEEDED. The punch cuts out the wrapper, frosting and cherry! No scissors needed!

Over Christmas vacation, I vowed I needed to learn some new ribbon tricks. Here is one that I learned. It is using the 1 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and has a bit of Linen Thread tied around the center. It adds a bit of texture and interest to a pretty simple card.

Clean and Simple - Baroque Motifs

Here's a Clean and Simple Card using the Baroque Motifs Stamp Set.

Rhinestone jewels are in the center of each medallion adding a little "bling".

This clean and simple card could be used as a birthday, thank you, anniversary, sympathy, friendship or thinking of you card. Add a simple greeting on the inside and you are good to go!

Button, button SWAP

Here's a card from my friend, Maureen. It was a SWAP I received during our team meeting. Maureen used the new Stamp set -- Button, Button and the Simple Friendship Stamp Set.

My picture doesn't do the card justice. She used our rhinestone jewels on several of the smaller buttons. It really made them "pop".

Did you know the rhinestone jewels have adhesive on the back and there are 150 rhinestone jewels in each pack! (only $4.95!)

More Embossing with the BigShot...

I had to try posting from my phone, which is why the previous post of this card showed up sideways. :) This post looks much better.

I am totally addicted to embossing with the Big Shot. Over Christmas vacation it seemed that I couldn't make a card without embossing at least one layer. This card has four layers of embossing.

Layer 1 - Framed Tulips Embossing Folder ($7.95) on Very Vanilla Card Stock

Layer 2 - Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder ($7.95) on Pear Pizzzaz Card Stock

Layer 3 - Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (again!) on Very Vanilla Card Stock

Layer 4 - Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (yes, again!) on Baja Breeze Card Stock. Flower Petals punched with the NEW Blossom Petals XL Punch ($16.95). Flower leaves stamped in Pear Pizzaz ink on Pear Pizzaz Card Stock using the NEW Build-a-Blossom Stamp set!

The greeting is from the Simply Said Stamp set.

Gift Card Holder....

This stocking has a hidden surprise. The top flaps opens up to show a pocket to hold a gift card. I made these for Sarah and my nephew, Zack, for Christmas.

My hostess club gals already let me know that I need to hold a class next October to make these and gift tags.

I learned the "inlaid embossing" technique at our demonstrator meeting from my friend Lorena. I used the "Vintage Wallpaper" embossing folder with the Big Shot to emboss the stocking.

waiting for an x-ray....

So, back in early December, I had broncitis and was in the waiting room waiting my turn to get an x-ray...

I noticed these pictures on the wall and thought they would make good card layouts!

Where do you get inspiration?

A card from my friend Jean

Love the colors and layout!

Another post from my phone.

Embossing w the bigshot!

Testing a post from my phone.

Holiday Stamp-a-stack #3

Holiday Stamp-a-stack #3

Nov 19
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Eastern )

My most popular events are back... Holiday Stamp-a-stacks! This is the third class in the series.

Come make 12 Christmas cards for $15! Space is limited. RSVP now to save your spot!

Clean and Simple

Here's a quick card using the Elegant Lines embossing folder, Baja Breeze Card Stock and Baja Breeze ink. Any butterfly from the Butterfly Prints Stamp set would work with this design. Or, you could substitute any flower and punch.

Clean and Simple

Very Vanilla Card Stock, 1 1/4 inch Grosgrain Ribbon, Short 'n Sweet Stamp Set and Decor Wheel....

Choose your color and greeting and you have a clean and simple card in minutes!

Wicked Cool

Here's a CASE of one of Maureen's convention swaps. Color combo - Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Basic Black.

Stamp set - Wicked Cool

Halloween with the Big Shot

Another present from my friend, Lorena!

Frankie is made with the Sizzix Top Note Die, Round Tab Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch and 3/4" Circle Punch, Black Stampin' Write Marker and Uniball-Signo Gel Pen (White).

NEW!! Artisan Card Class

This is a NEW class! Are you interested in stepping it up a bit creatively? This class is for you! We will make 5 cards for $12! Kindly RSVP by Wednesday, October 6th.

Paisley Prints

Here's a quick card using one of my favorite, new stamp sets, Paisley Prints!

Color Combo - Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait

Wheel - Friendly Words

Wondering how this technique was achieved? Join us at Margaret's workshop on September 17th at 7 Pm at my house!

Just For You

It's funny how my card designs come about. This one was for my friend Terry's workshop. Terry said she wanted to learn how to "smootch" and how to "color spritz". I know my friend Jean would be there, who does not like to cut and who loves blue. My other friend Kerstin would also be there who likes the earthy colors and layers. I also knew that I would have at least one person new to stamping, so I wanted a card that was pretty easy, but interesting. And you thought it was just a card... I guess "JUST FOR YOU" really pertains here as it was made 'specially for my friends. :)

This all-0ccasion card features a color combination that I adapted from the Color Coach. The Color Coach called for Old Olive, Cajun Craze and Baja Breeze. I used Marina Mist instead of Baja Breeze with a little Vanilla Shimmer Smootch Spray.

The flowers are punched with the Fancy Flower Extra Large Punch and the Boho Blossoms Extra Large Punch. The leaves are punched with the 5-Petal Extra Large Punch and spritzed with the Color Spritzer. The greeting is punched with the 1 inch Circle Punch.

Accents - Antique Brad, Chatilly Lace
Greeting - Just for You from Tiny Tiny Wishes (my most used stamp set EVER)

Hope you like it!

Holiday Stamp-a-stack #1

Come join us on Friday, September 24th at 7 PM, OR, Sunday, September 26th at 2 PM, for the first of my holiday stamp-a-stack classes!

For only $15, you will make 12 cards (3 of each design)!

RSVP now to reserve your spot!

Back to School

My friend Lorena gave me this cute little box as a thank you for lending her one of my Sizzix dies. She put two pencils in the top of the ribbon like chopsticks. So cute!

Lorena used the take out box from the Candy Countdown Calendar kit. The kit includes 25 fast-fold boxes, die cuts, ribbon and twine -- perfect for an advent calendar or Christmas tree ornaments. The kit is now available in the NEW Holiday Mini Catalog on page 24!

Look who came to visit!

A surprise visitor arrived in my craft room last week!

My baby girl's going to high school....

My baby girl is a Freshman this year. I wanted to make her something special, so I made this little backpack and plan on filling it with gum and chocolate.

Sarah's favorite color is turquoise. I used Rich Razzleberry as the accent color.

Scrapbook Envelope Class!

front view...