New Catalog Sneak Peek!

If you've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 2008 Spring-Summer collection well, here's a sneak peek!  These cute bags were made with the new Ginger Blossom designer series paper and the Embrace Life stamp set.  They're not even released yet so I can't even give you a link to see the rest of the sets, but take my word on it, they are beautiful! 

You can pick up your copy of the 2008 Spring-Summer collection at my open house on the 4th and you'll also be able to see it right here on January 2nd so stay tuned!! 

Christmas Scrap Club Pages

Here are my Scrapbook Club's layouts for December.  Note that the large ornament is made with a circular piece of chipboard and the round tab punch!

The title is stamped with the Jumbo Outline Alphabet and then colored in with a Versamarker to get this look! 

Holiday Wreath

Merry Christmas!  This wreath was designed and created by my friend and downline Diane Pappas.  Diane showed me her creation and it just blew me away so I had to make one to hang in my house!  Can you guess how it's made?  I'll give you a hint - look for the images of our five flower punch, and this is a creative use of our chipboard to make a sturdy backing for the wreath!  That's really two hints! 

Diane is such a talented stamper and I am lucky to know her!  But, that is one of the things about my group of demonstrators - we just have a great time sharing and learning from one another!  It really helps to make it fun and easy to be a demonstrator! 

In The Spirit of Giving

During this time of year I always find myself doing some "spring cleaning" - it's a great time to go through my clothes, jackets, mittens, etc and donate them to those less fortunate.  Well, this year I'm doing one more thing to help. 

Stampin' Up! supports the Ronald McDonald House charities through sales of the Just Like You stamp set, donations and demonstrator volunteers.  Did you know that the RMHC also accepts pop tops to be recycled and earns money this way too?  I've started saving my pop tops but just had to decorate a jar to save them in. 

I made this jar by punching out the RMHC logo from my Fall-Winter Collection using the small tag punch, layering it and tying it around the jar using some Wild Wasbi double-stitched grosgrain.

If you are interested in helping, you can bring your pop tabs with you the next time you come over for a class or club, or donate them at your local McDonalds!  Thanks for making a difference this holiday season! 

Retiring Accessories List is Here!

The list of retiring accessories is here!  Unfortunately this year there is not a list to click on to view updates.  So, I've created my own and added a link for you to view.  It is not updated daily so please email me to make sure that your retied accessories are still available! 

December 2007 Retiring Accessories List

Be sure to get yours before they're gone and I'll see you on January 4th for my New Catalog Party!  Woo Hoo!!! 

Holiday Glitz

This past weekend I was working on my Christmas cards and I had a pack of the Holiday Glitz cards and I must say that I wish I had ordered enough to make all my cards this way!  Here's the design that I used for my cards using Holiday Glitz and they were so fun and easy to make!  These will be available only through December 15th so there's still time to take advantage of the Holiday Glitz pre-cut kit! 

In addition, the Wrapping Up the Holidays promotion ends this Saturday too! 

Phone-a-Thon Sunday!

Don't forget to call in for tomorrow's phone-a-thon from 11AM to 4PM!  Each caller will get a prize which may be free product or a discount on orders!  And, on Monday the retirement list will be out so if you're on my mailing list you'll be getting it delivered to your inbox bright and early!  If you want your phone-a-thon order held until Monday in case you want to add to it I can do that for you too!!  If you need the call in number just email me! 

Monogram Alphabet $100 Off!

When the Monogram Alphabet was first released, many people saw the potential in these huge letters!  They are great for scrapbooking, cards and just displayed on your shelf as I have done.  You can spell out words, the alphabet, initials, etc, the possibilities are endless!  And, since they're both a stamp and a display item they have two uses! 

Since the large letters are retiring at the end of the month, I've decided to offer them individual letters at a 10% discount all month.

Or, even better, you can buy the whole uppercase alphabet (A-Z, &) for $100 off the retail price!  You also get hostess benefits with this purchase!  If you've been debating about getting these letters, email me today to take advantage of this generous offer!   

The Retired Stamp List is Here!

It's December 1st and the Retired Stamp list is here!  The stamps on this list will be available through December 31st and then they will retire forever!  Some of my favorites are here, including the Headline and Letterpress alphabets and that cool Monogram Alphabet line! 

You can view the list in two formats:

• Retired list in Alphabetical order



• Retired list by Page Number

Stay tuned because the retired accessories list will be out on December 10th and those items will only be available while supplies last! 

November Scrap Club Pages

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you had a wonderful day and have much to be thankful for!  Here are the Thanksgiving pages that my scrapbook club made in November!  There will be a few club openings starting in January so email me if you're interested in learning more stamping and scrapbooking techniques! 

Don't miss my Thanksgiving weekend sale!  Details were announced in a newsletter today but the special is free shipping for your order of $35 or more!  Just email me with your holiday shopping list (for others and for yourself) to take advantage of this great offer! 

Halloween Scrap Club Pages

These were the pages we did for scrapbook club back in October.  In November we'll be doing Thanksgiving pages so check back later in the month for photos of what they look like! 

If you are interested in more information about scrapbooking or joining our scrapbook club just email me!   

All In The Family Promotion

Recently Stampin' Up! lost a member of their team:  Dave Abbott, the General Manager for Australia passed away from a rare blood disorder.  To help support Dave's family, Stampin' Up! is donating 100% of the profits from the sale of the All in the Family stamp set during November. 

This is a great stamp set and to help this good cause I'm offering you 10% off the purchase of this set and several accessories that coordinate:

• All In the Family Stamp Set $36.95



• Family Accessories $17.95



• Neighborhood Jumbo Wheel $8.50



• Stamp-a-ma-jig $11.95

You can order the stamp set and any of the accessories at the sale price and help contribute to this great cause!  Just email me to place your order and mention this offer when you do.  Email me today because this offer ends on November 30th! 

Thanks for helping to support Dave's family during this difficult time. 

It's Holiday Shopping Time!

It's that time of year, time to stock up on supplies for your holiday card making and for all those Christmas and Holiday gifts!  I have loaded new samples in my Art Gallery for you to view.  This is an easy way to just pick out a card that you'd like to make for your Christmas card.  Of course, once you've picked out your card just email me to order all your supplies.  Orders can be shipped directly to you so there's a minimal wait from the time you place your order and when you can start stampin'! 

I also have lots of great products for loved ones on your gift list!  Simply Sent kits are perfect for new and experienced stampers alike!  Or, consider getting your favorite crafter a fun new tool, like the Crop-a-Dile, Build-a-Brads, Pretties kit, Watercolor Crayons or more!  If you'd like to receive some of these items for Christmas then just pass my email along to your loved ones with a wish list and I'd be happy to help them out! 

Simply Sent Kits on Sale

From now through Sunday all of the Simply Sent kits are on sale for 20% off their original price!  The kits are:

• Happy Day, Sale Price $43.95



• Sending Happy Thoughts, Sale Price $43.95



• Friendship Shapes, Sale Price $34.35



• Simple Delights, Sale Price $34.35



• Three Thoughts, Sale Price $34.35

Simply Sent kits are card kits in a box and you can click on the links above to see what each kit contains.  They include everything needed to make a set of cards including a stamp set, cardstock, inkpads, adhesive and embellishments!  And, everything is already cut for you so you just have to open the box and start stampin'!  And, once you've used up the cardstock included in the kit, you still have a great stamp set to use time and time again!

These versatile and fun kits are great for you but also make a great gift for anyone on your Christmas shopping list!

Don't wait, this offer ends on Sunday, October 7th!  Email me today to take advantage of this great special! 

Boho West Journal

If you like the embossing on chipboard instructions that I posted then you'll like this too, it's the same technique and the only difference is that before I embossed with Iridescent Ice I stamped on the star and colored the edges (all with Craft Ink). 

I just love the Boho West line that was introduced this year!  I made this journal at an incentive event that I held with several of my downline who earned a night of stamping and pizza with me!  I taught the basic technique and then we each made an on board art journal with our choice of designer paper and chipboard. 

I just love chipboard and this is my absolute favorite way to embellish it!  And, if you're wondering where the Sage Shadow wide grosgrain ribbon came from well, it's straight out of the District Ribbon originals! 

Embossing on Chipboard

This year at the Stampin' Up! convention I was honored to present a Workshop Wow on main stage.  If you've been reading my site then you know that I did heat embossing for my Wow and it certainly is! 

One of the things I love to do is to emboss on our chipboard.  When I first started using chipboard I would color it by using a sponge dauber and craft ink and basically covering the entire shape with the ink.  This gives a great look but takes awhile to dry.  One day when I was thinking that there must be a faster way I threw some embossing powder on top of the craft and Voila, I was hooked! 

Now, when I use chipboard I use a two-step embossing process to get a shiny, glittery look which is pictured here and on the journal that I posted earlier.  The way to achieve this look is as follows:

1. Ink up your chipboard shape with craft ink.  The easiest and least messy way to apply the ink is with a sponge dauber.



2. Cover the colored shape with Iridescent Ice embossing powder and heat.  This will give you a glittery look.



3. Then, apply Versamark over top the glitter layer.  You may want to give the embossing powder a few seconds to cool before doing so.



4. Cover the whole embossed shape with Glassy Glaze enamel and heat again.

The resulting look is a smooth shiny chipboard shape with color and a subtle glitter inside.  The picture just doesn't do this justice - it is absolutely stunning in person!  Enjoy!    

Last day to sign up for Holiday Stamp-a-Stack

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Friday, September 14th is the last day to sign up to attend my Holiday Stamp-a-Stack!  At this event you'll make 12 cards for just $20 and they will all be Holiday cards so you can get a jump start on your Holiday cardmaking!!  There will be 4 different designs and you'll make 3 of each! 

You can also come make holiday cards for you and for our troops serving overseas at my World Card Making Day event during the afternoon of October 6th.  There will also be drawings for free product for those in attendance and those who place an outside order on that day!  Please see my calendar for more details! 

It's a Fall Frenzy!

Stampin' Up! is caught up in a Fall Frenzy!!  From now through the end of September when you purchase $30 in product you can purchase six special stamp sets at 30% off! 

These sets were chosen with fall and upcoming holidays in mind and they're just a great deal!  If you haven't already, use the links below to view each stamp set and then vote in my poll for your favorite one! 

Here are your choices for a frenzied fall special:

• Bitty Boos $12.57 (discounted price), page 26



• Haunting Halloween $13.27 (discounted price), page 29



• Thoroughly Thankful $16.07 (discounted price, page 30



• Elementary Essentials $19.57 (discounted price), page 91



• Autumn Fest $16.77 (discounted price), page 108



• Stem Silhouettes $22.37 (discounted price), Holiday Mini page 17, this stamp set is diecut which means it's peel and stick and assembly is a snap!

So, what are you waiting for?  Check out some great project samples online and then email me to take advantage of this great deal! 

Faux Cracked Glass Tutorial

This is a new technique that I came up with for my presentation at convention and it's really easy to do!  It gives the look of cracked glass without having to use a freezer! 

Here is how you go about achieving this look:

1. Stamp desired image on a piece of cardstock



2. "Smoosh" versamark all over the cardstock.



3. Pour Glassy Glaze Enamel over the cardstock and heat.



4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 so you have two layers of Glassy Glaze. 



5. While the image is still hot, press a Weathered stamp that has been inked with dark ink (I used Close to Cocoa) into the Glassy Glaze.  Voila, it's as simple as that! 

This is another sample using the same technique - this is the card that my stamp club did this week!  I will have an opening in October for stamp club so if you're interested in learning cool techniques like this email me to find out about joining the best club in town!   

Convention Projects

Yesterday I talked about my presentation at Stampin' Up's convention.  Well, here are a few additional samples.  This first sample is a journal I did and the flowers are some of the new chipboard available.  I embossed the chipboard with two layers and then created this fun journal! 

This next sample is a scrapbook page that I did using the same technique.  This is my sister and I onboard the MS Zuiderdam on the Stampin' Up! cruise to the Panama Canal last April!   

There are many more photos from my convention presentation in my Art Gallery, in the Convention Presentation Folder.  Enjoy!!   

One Crazy Summer

Wow, what a summer this has been!  You may have noticed that I haven't been posting as much this summer, well, it's been crazy!!  I am definitely looking forward to a busy fall but returning to a more relaxed pace! 

So, what have I been up to this summer?  Well, last spring Stampin' Up! asked me if I would present at our annual convention in late July.  Of course I said yes!  What an honor!!  I did what is called a Workshop Wow and talked about how heat embossing is always a Wow!  Since convention was a week after the new Harry Potter book came out, I tied my presentation in - my heat tool was my magic wand and well, you can see how much fun I had by the photo! 

I even came up with a new technique for my presentation called Faux Cracked Glass.  Watch for a tutorial later this week on how to do Faux Cracked Glass!  In the meantime, you can at least see the finished product!  We'll be doing Faux Cracked Glass at my stamp clubs this week so if you're interested in learning how, just email me to come learn!   

While backstage at convention, we had a little bit of fun!  One of the Stampin' Up! staff came on stage early in the first day in a silver sequined jacket.  Well, we found the jacket and as a scrapbooker, I had to have a photo op!

So, obviously the summer was spent with things other than stamping.  While in Denver for convention, I got to meet my sister's new puppy, pictured here.  I also spent a little time in Wisconsin enjoying sunset cruises and what I call the land of plenty.  For the most part it was a good summer but I'm ready for fall and to get back into my stamp room! 

   

More Scrapbook Club Pages

We had a great time in August at our Scrapbook Club!  Here's a copy of what the pages we did look like!  The club is full but there is sometimes room for an extra person or two.  If you'd like to come try it out, check out my calendar for upcoming dates and then email me to RSVP!   

The Holiday Mini is Here!

The Holiday Mini Catalog is here and wow, there are some awesome stamp sets and accessories!  I recently did two card swaps and this is one of my favorite swaps!  It uses Holy Triptych and is stamped on Vellum and colored in!  Great job on your card Betty!! 

I've also uploaded a bunch of samples to my Art Gallery (link to the left for future reference).  There are new samples from the Holiday Mini, Displays from a recent demonstrator event I attended and all of the swaps I received at convention!  You can make my album a favorite to get updates when new things are uploaded and to come back and visit often! 

I love swapping and I love to share the swaps I receive with you!  My Art Gallery is a great place to go to find a sample that you can copy to make your own Christmas or Holiday cards, just pick out a sample and email me and we'll figure out what you need to make it so you can place your order!  Better yet, have a live or book party and get some of your supplies for free! 

Join my Family... of Demonstrators!

From now through the end of September when you sign up to join my family of Stampin' Up! demonstrators not only do you get to join an awesome team but you also get to choose a family of inkpads for free!!  That's an additional $57.95 in product added to your starter kit just for signing in August or September!  Here's a picture of a few in my group at the Stampin' Up! convention that was just held in Denver!  We had so much fun stamping, laughing and exploring the town! 

Being a demonstrator is a fun and rewarding experience no matter what you do with it!  We have demonstrators in our group who just enjoy stamping and joined just so they could purchase supplies for them and their friends at a discount.  We also have demonstrators who are building businesses which is a great way to earn your supplies for little or no cost and to make money doing what you love!  No matter what kind of demonstrator you aspire to be, I would love to get you started and to train you to be successful! 

You might be wondering about what to do if you're not in the Chicagoland area.  Well, if you're interested but don't live close rest assured, I have several in my group who aren't close in proximity but I offer them training to get started and my group does teleconferences to keep in touch and share ideas.  Not to mention email sharing and our team website!

Contact me if you'd like more information about being a demonstrator!  I'd be happy to answer any of your questions and would love to help you get started loving what you do and sharing what you love with others! 

August Punch A Bunch Promotion

All throughout the month of August you can take advantage of the great Punch A Bunch Promotion!

When you purchase the Three For You Punchbox in August you will receive a pack of 30 textured love notes, a $12.95 value!  The love notes are in Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate and So Saffron and you receive 10 of each!  With a punch, inkpads and stamps included in the punchbox, this would make a great gift for any stamper on your list, including you!   

Scrapbook Club!

Here are the projects from our first month of Scrapbook Club!  We had a fun night of stamping our first sets of scrapbook pages and I'm looking forward to seeing the completed pages with photos at our next gathering!  While the club is full, you can still attend club and make the same projects as our club members!  I will have a few extra spots each month, all you need to do is RSVP by the deadline on my calendar to attend!  The fee is the same as all other club members and you can join my waiting list for the next club go-around! 

I Really Do Have a Green Thumb!

Well, at least from stampin'!!  I spent some time earlier today working on some of my projects for my convention presentation.  While I can't post them here until after convention is over, I can definitely show you the result and that is one very green thumb!  Want to take some guesses on what I'm working on?   

Introducing the 2007 Fall-Winter Collection!

It's July 1st which means that the new Stampin' Up!® 2007 Fall-Winter Collection is here!  And, it's beautiful!!  Click on the link to the left to view the catalog or email me to get your own paper copy to view again and again!  Just like the previous Idea Books, this new collection is filled with lots of great samples to inspire you!  Remember, with Stampin' Up! we encourage CASEing (Copying and Sharing Everything) and I encourage you to copy straight from the new catalog if you wish! 

Now, grab a cup of coffee or a cool glass of lemonade and enjoy browsing the pages of this wonderful new collection! 

While we're waiting...

While we're waiting for the new catalog to be posted, I'll give you a little preview of what is in store for my guests when they come over today to pick up their catalogs!  You can see the cover of the catalog on my specials page now.  the full Fall-Winter Collection should be available for online browsing later today so check back this afternoon! 

This is a couple years worth of retiring stamps but hopefully many of them will find new homes.  If there is something that you're looking for just email me and I'll let you know if I have it available for sale.

The New Catalog is Almost Here!

The 2007 Fall-Winter collection will be available soon - look for it here on July 1st!  Remember that you can also come to my new catalog open house on the 1st!  I'll be selling retiring stamp sets, there will be a make and take and of course you can pick up your new catalog!  Click here for more details. 

A Few Notes about the Retiring Accessories

Many of you have taken advantage of ordering your retiring accessories already and that's great because they're going FAST!!! 

Remember, you can view the list here:  2007 Retiring Accessories

A few important notes:

• Accessories are available on a first come, first serve basis.  Once something is sold out, it's gone!  And, the list is updated each night by 7 PM with the latest availability.



• Items in Green are Sufficient Supply



• Items in Yellow are Going Quickly



• Items in Red are No Longer Available

Be sure to get yours before they're gone and I'll see you on the 1st for my New Catalog Party!  Woo Hoo!!! 

I Did It!!

I know that some of you are wondering why I am posting a picture of an empty box on my website.  Well, a few weeks ago I posted a challenge that I had set for myself and by posting it here you know that I was going to complete it!  So, today I did! 

When I started my challenge I had 11 sets in the box and during the course of the challenge I added two hostess sets that I was able to pre-order from the Fall-Winter collection as a demonstrator plus the sets that I had pre-ordered from the preview brochure!  Wow, I put a lot of sets together but now I can and will use them all!  :) 

You may also be noticing the lack of samples posted recently and that's because I've been busy wrapping up the Stampin' Up! Bermuda cruise so thank you to all of you who helped make that possible!  I've also focused my energy on stamping for the Stampin' Up! convention!  I've been asked to present at convention this year and have been stampin' for my presentation!!  Unfortunately I can't post those samples until after convention so check back in August for those.  In the meantime, I'll post some other great samples soon with new colors, new stamps and new accessories!!! 

Retiring Accessories List is Here!

The retiring accessories list is here and the products are only available until June 30th or until supplies last!  The Products listed are limited to only the stock currently on hand at the warehouse so once each item is sold out then it's gone!  The items shown in green are sufficient supply, yellow is limited supply and red is sold out.  So, check the list and be sure to get the items you want right away! 

Just a few clarifications as well.  Embossing powder, 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and 12x12 cardstock will be sold in the future but will be packaged differently (I'm not sure how) and may be offered in just limited colors. 

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all you Dad's out there!  Check out this great card just perfect for Father's day!  Unfortunately the Power Up and All Year Cheer II sets and the Builder Bits Wheels will all be retiring on June 30th so get yours before they're gone forever! 

Spring Mini is Coming to an End!

Don't miss your chance to order from the Spring Mini (the link is over to the left) and get great stamp sets like this Crab & Company set!  We don't know which, if any of these sets will make it into the Fall-Winter Collection on July 1st so be sure to browse through the mini before the end of June!

Isn't this such a fun card?  It's just colored in using an Aquapainter and some Classic Real Red ink.  The image was embossed and then the raised embossing acts as a sort of fence to keep the coloring where you want it.  Think of it as an easy way to color inside the lines!!!   

Other Cruise Photos to share

Carrie and I really had a great time on this trip!  It was so much fun to see a lot of my stamping friends from all over the country again and for them to meet Carrie!  Here I am with my friend Cindy from Hawaii.  Cindy and I did a couple teleconferences for Stampin' Up! this spring and it was so fun to meet in person and spend some time together on the cruise!  On the last full day of the cruise about 5000 of us, yes you read that correctly, did a walk for breast cancer called On Deck for the Cure and Cindy and I walked together.  The walk was a great cause and it was fun that so many stampers and their guests came out to support it! 

And, here I am with a bunch of friends from Wisconsin before the second formal night on the cruise. You'll have to come over to stamp with me to see the rest of my vacation photos.  I hope you've enjoyed reading about my travels!  Thank you for making this trip possible!!

The Panama Jungle!

Once we entered Gatun lake after passing through the locks of the Panama Canal Carrie and I got off the ship and got on a bus headed to the heart of the Panama Jungle.  This is a picture of the two of us with our tour guide for the day.  The comedian on the ship that night joked that the tour stickers we wore were targets but unfortunately that was his only funny joke of the night. 

We rode the bus for about an hour (which was a great time for a nap after getting up so early) and then arrived at the jungle.  We stopped at a resort there and then went to the aerial tram.  The tram was neat but we were there in the heat of the day so didn't see that much wildlife.  But we did hear some Toucans.  The tram took us to the top of a hill where we climbed an observation tower.  While climbing we saw and itty bitty snake which we all very carefully sidestepped!!! 

Sleeping in the timbers of the tour roof was an animal called an Olingo, which is a member of the raccoon family.  He was pretty sound asleep but as we were leaving he shifted positions to have his front paws hanging over the beam he was sleeping on, one on each side (just like my cat). 

Being at the top of the tower we could see  a long distance looking over the canopy of the jungle.  It was neat to think about all the wildlife hiding below!  After leaving the tower and aerial tram we boarded the bus again and headed back to the coast.  It turned out that the ship was late coming in to pick us up so we did some shopping in the market on the pier.  I found a great stitched item, similar to a quilt square, in bright colors made by the local people.  It was a great souvenier and I plan on making it into a pillow for my office to always remember the trip!   

The Panama Canal

For those of you who have been reading along about my adventures at sea with Stampin' Up! here is what you've been waiting for, some photos from actually going through the Panama Canal.  We were lucky because there was a cruise ship in front of us and another behind us.  So, we got up very, very early in the morning and went up to the front of the ship to watch the boat in front of us go through the locks.  Notice in this photo how there is a road that extends across the waterway when the locks are closed!

We stayed there until we started to enter the canal and then went back to the back of the ship.  One of my friends and sidelines, Laura earned the cruise very early in the year and as such had a large cabin on the back of the ship.  So, we had mimosas with room service and sat on the back deck while we went through the locks and also got to watch the ship behind us go through. 

Here is one of the "mules" that are used to help pull ships through the locks.  It was neat that these small cars could pull our large cruise ship through the locks!  It was really fun but really hot!  Even before 9 AM it was sweltering sitting in the sun like that and Carrie and I wondered how we'd make it through the day venturing through the Panama jungle, but more on that tomorrow! 

Relaxing on the Ship

Here we are after a day in the sun, relaxing at one of the ship's many lounges before dinnertime.   This is my upline Glenda on the right and my sideline Bobbi and her daughter Kirsten on the left.  We had such fun on our cruise so thank you for helping to make it possible!!

More Waterfall Cards

Here's another waterfall card that we stamped at my events this month.  This great card uses Doodle That from the Spring Mini Catalog and also the Au Chocolat designer paper.  It's a fun little flippy project that my stamp club members loved!  Clubs are filling fast so email me today if you want to take the last spot in my scrap club or the last spot in my stamp/technique clubs! 

Do you have Your Palette o' Prints Yet?

Did you order your Palette o' Prints yet?  Don't forget that the last day to place an order for this great designer paper sampler is Thursday, May 31st!  You will be able to order full sheets of this great paper starting on July 1st but don't miss your chance to  get your hands on these beautiful designer papers before everyone else!!

My Personal Challenge

It's great to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and there are so many benefits!  One of the great things that I get to do is to earn FREE stamps and who doesn't like that???  Well, my problem is getting them all put together to use!  Does anyone else have this problem?  Here is my box of unmounted stamp sets - there are twelve shown here.  And, I'm here to say that my plan is to get caught up with these by the end of June and then stay caught up!  I love to stamp and love getting new sets to stamp with so I don't like seeing any in this box!  I did put one set together yesterday so I'm officially at 11 to go.  I'll post my progress over time so check back for more updates! 

If you're like me and have a problem getting to putting your stamp sets together then consider making my challenge your challenge.  If you want to join me in my quest to get all your stamps mounted then feel free to post a comment to this post, either now or when your box of unmounted stamps is put together!

And, if you need a box of unmounted stamps to put together, consider browsing the list of retiring stamps and getting the ones you can't live without!! 

Stampin' on a Boat!

Yes, we did stamp on the Stampin' Up! cruise and here's proof.  This is me at my stampin' table with two of my sidelines, Laura and Bobbi and three other ladies that we stamped with that morning. 

The night before stampin' day I returned to my room after dinner to find a beautiful package which included a new stamp set (Flowers & Flourishes to be included in the Fall-Winter collection starting in July), inkpads, a new wheel and other stampin' goodies.  We used this to make three great projects two of which included some new designer papers! 

One of the very cool things that Stampin' Up! did was to include the large ribbon from the Seaside Ribbon Originals on everything they gave us - this is even what our nametag lanyards were made of!   

Waterfall Cards

Last Monday at the demonstrator gathering we held at my house for my downline, one of the projects we stamped was this waterfall card.  Waterfall cards are so much fun!  The confetti white squares flip to reveal the full image below when you pull on the tab with the ribbon. 

Once you pull the tab all the way out you see just the last image and the greeting underneath! 

When I was on the Stampin' Up! cruise I saw another demonstrator who had made a waterfall scrapbook page as a way to showcase a bunch of photos of one event without having to have a ton of pages on that event.  I am planning on having that be one of our projects in my scrapbook club that will be starting in July!  So girls, you have that to look forward to!  Speaking of cruise, watch for more photos to be posted this week on my virtual scrapbook!