Stampin' & Scrappin' with Donna

MAKE THE SMART MONEY MOVE TODAY

There's good news if you are waiting to join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator ... not only has the Starter Kit been reduced to $125, but YOU get to pick the products you WANT in your kit - choose anything at all that adds up to $155 catalogue price, plus you'll also receive a business supply pack worth $70 ... all for only $125.

Here's more good news: if you are a former demonstrator who wants to re-join under a new upline, the wait period is now shorter. Here's the details from Stampin' Up:

"We have recently reviewed several policies, and would like to announce a change to our rejoin policy that became effective May 1, 2012.

The previous rejoin policy states that, once a demonstrator drops, she can either sign up again immediately under the same upline (if that upline is active), or wait six months and sign up under a new upline. The change, effective May 1, is that now a demonstrator must only wait 90 days from her effective drop date before signing up under a new upline. The effective drop date is the last day of the month in which she resigns, or the last day of the pending month if she fails to meet her quarterly minimum.

The purpose of this change is to reduce a barrier to returning to Stampin' Up! once a demonstrator has dropped. We recognize that many circumstances can contribute to a demonstrator deciding to drop or resign her business with Stampin' Up!, and there may be legitimate reasons for a demonstrator to join a new downline group.

While we want to accommodate these demonstrators' needs, we still need to protect the stability of an upline's business, therefore in addition to the 90-day waiting period, sales history, downline, and title cannot be restored when a demonstrator is dropped and rejoins, and she will be considered a brand new demonstrator."

I hope you'll consider joining me as a demonstrator - not only will I offer as much (or as little) support as you want, but you'll be a member of my super fun and supportive team, the Artful*Inkers!

Join online today simply by following this link: JOIN THE ARTFUL*INKERS TEAM 

Or if you have questions, please email me at donna@scrappinwithdonna.com and I'll be happy to assist you!

ABSENT

Due to a death in the family yesterday, I will be out of town for a few days and unable to blog. Watch for my sneak-peek projects next week. Hug the ones you love,

Donna

OMG

A nice box of brand new products arrived today from Stampin' Up! ... what a nice turn-around to what was a pretty crappy day around here!

Now, I can't legally show you pics of any of the new goodies, and I can't tell you the names of any of them either ... not until June 1st when the catalogue is officially available to everyone in North America. Awwwwww.

But .. and this is a GREAT BIG but ... I AM allowed to post pics of anything I MAKE with my new products, so I can give you a sneak peek of what June's classes and my OPEN HOUSE will have in store for you!

Soooo, off I go to my stampin' room to play - and I will get those pictures uploaded here for all to see tomorrow ... no really, I will!

I can't play all night; hubby will be home in a few hours looking for some supper, and the American Idol results show will be on tv soon .. but I'm leaving a BIG sticky note on the computer to remind myself to post lots of pics tomorrow!

until then,

 

EXCITING TIMES & FREE CATALOGUES

... if you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, that is. If the blog-o-sphere has been quiet lately and your demonstrator seems to have disapeared, it's likely that she/he is online, haunting other demos' sites for the latest and greatest news from Stampin' Up! <grin>

The top demonstrators just got back from their incentive trip at DisneyWorld's Boardwalk Resort ... they were the first to get a copy of the new 2012-2013 Catalogue, the lucky devils. Plus they received some new products - stamps, etc - to play with when they got home. The rest of us just drool on our keyboards.

Next, Stampin' Up! announced big changes to their Starter Kit for new demonstrators, which went into effect on May 1st. Pay only $125 and choose your own contents! Yep, you can now custom-design your own kit, choosing from ANYTHING Stampin' Up! sells ... how kewl is that!?!

And if that wasn't enough, we demonstrators got to see the new catalogue (the online version) as of May 7th while we wait for our paper copy to arrive in the mail. Now the saliva is REALLY making a mess on desks all over North America, because that new catalogue is GOR-GUS!!

I've pre-ordered a few choice goodies so I can get started on samples for my June OPEN HOUSE and classes (deets to follow, never fear) ... and that precious box should arrive before the weekend; I think I'll call it my Mothers' Day present, from me to me <wink>

As for getting YOUR hands on a FREE copy of the new catalogue ... I've already ordered whole cases of 'em, and I'll be handing them out to everyone who has placed an order with me between September 1st, 2011 and May 31, 2012. If you aren't on that preferred customer list yet, there's still time! Either place an order through my online store or email your order to me and I'll place it for you, but do it before May 31st so you'll qualify for your free catalogue.

Take a look at the retiring stamp list, the retiring accessories list, and the retiring Decor Elements list (the links are in THIS POST) so you won't miss out on your faves from 2011-2012 - it's a whole new ball game starting June 1st ... and I KNOW you're gonna love all the surprises coming your way!

cheers

Donna

 

Just a quick post to let you know what I'm up to this weekend ... too busy for my own good - there are 3 freshly-delivered boxes of Stampin' Up! goodies in my front hall and I DON'T HAVE TIME to open them!!

On a brighter note, the piles of hand-stamped cards are almost packed for tomorrow's craft sale ... 10 years worth of samples and swaps are being sold at a toonie a card (envelopes included) to raise money for Breast Cancer Research and Patient Support Programs .. if you're in the Guelph area tomorrow, be sure to drop by CRAFTER'S CUPBOARD on Laird Road and pick up some cards! While you're there, check out my line of SCRAP IT PAPER CRAFTING KITS ... I have 12 different ones now, with more in development - would love to get your feedback!

RETIRING ACCESSORIES LIST IS HERE

Get them before they are gone! The retiring accessories lists are now available and won't stay around for long--these items are only available while supplies last!

When you look at the retired accessories list, you'll note that it's REALLY long this year. That's because of the efforts Stampin' Up! is making to design the new 2012-2013 Annual Catalogue so that it's fresh, trendy, and half the price of the old catalogue - which means a reduced business-cost for me, which means I can afford to give FREE catalogues to more of my customers!

Here's a few of the changes that make this list so long:

• There are actually two lists this year - our Definitely Decorative product line (including Decor Elements) is being discontinued, so that we can focus our efforts on what we do best - paper crafting!
• On the Accessories list, you'll see that all of our Stampin' Pads are listed. This is for two reasons: (1) Craft Stampin' Pads will now only be available in black and white; and (2) we are introducing a new Firm Foam pad in our Classic Stampin' Pads with the 2012-2013 annual catalogue. The Firm Foam pads offer better ink coverage and, in turn, better stamped images. I haven't tried them out yet, but I can't wait to order some!
• Only select Stampin' Write Markers will be available to buy individually in the new catalogue, but don't worry - sets of Stampin' Write Markers in colour collections will still be available!
• 12" x 12" Textured Card Stock will no longer be offered in the new catalogue
• 12" x 12" Smooth Card Stock will only be available in select individual colours (solid packs) and in our colour collections - again, don't worry 'cause the best-sellers are staying!

So, check out the Retiring Accessories Lists today because these items are only available while current stock lasts or until May 31, whichever comes first. To be sure to get what you want, use my on-line store - the system will tell you right away if something is sold out. If you prefer to email me your order, give me a second or even third choice so I can make substitutions for you and submit your order quickly, without a lot of emailing back & forth, ok?

Ready? Set? GO!

RETIRING DEFINITELY DECORATIVE LIST (PDF)

RETIRING ACCESSORIES (PDF)

RETIRING ACCESSORIES (SORTABLE EXCEL FILE): Download Retiredlist-sort_en-CA

And here's the Retiring Stamps List once again - stamps are available until May 31st:

RETIRING STAMP SETS (PDF)

RETIRING STAMP SETS (SORTABLE EXCEL FILE): Download Retired_List_stamps_en-CA

cheers

A DAY FOR DIVAS

I had so much to do in planning and executing my team Diva Day on the weekend that I had to take Sunday AND today to recover .. just kidding!

The truth is that I'm so lucky to know such a great bunch of gals and I enjoy spending time with them so much that it hardly seems like work. The Artful*Inkers rock and I can't wait for the next Diva Day in July!

Thank you everyone who drove all the way to my place just to stamp and visit ... thank you for the great spread at lunchtime (potluck always seems to work out in the end) .. and a special thank you to our two youngest stampers (4 months and almost 1 month) who let their mommies attend and even finish their projects!

For some reason, I can't seem to add in any photos to this post, so I'll call it a night and come back tomorrow to show you our projects and our two little cuties.

cheers

Donna

 

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

In preparation for the upcoming 2012-2013 Annual Catalogue on June 1st, hundreds of stamps and accessories from the 2011-2012 catalogues are retiring, and this is your chance to get them before they're gone. While retiring stamp sets are available until May 31st, products on the Accessories list will only be available while supplies last, so be sure to get your orders in early!

When you view the retiring stamps list, you may notice it's longer than in years past. During this transition to the new annual catalogue, there are a higher number of stamps being refreshed and replaced than usual. While many stamps are going away, most are being replaced so that the breadth of our stamp lines is every bit as broad as ever!

And, starting with the 2012-2013 Annual Catalogue ... aside from the A la Carte single stamps and some of the background stamps, ALL the rest will be available in BOTH Clear Mount AND Wood Mount, to give you more choice!

And when you're placing your order this month, don't forget my EXCLUSIVE APRIL SPECIAL - free stuff to stretch your crafting dollars even further!

Available April 15 - May 31, 2012 PDF Sortable Excel file

Coming Soon! Available April 25 - May 31, 2012, or while supplies last PDF

Coming Soon! Available April 25 - May 31, 2012, or while supplies last PDF Sortable Excel file

DRESDEN PLATE, ANYONE?

Have you checked out the new Dresden Designs die for the Sizzix Big Shot? It's just one of the items featured in Stampin' Up!'s Occasions Mini catalogue, which is about to expire. (April 30th)

I was so excited when this die came out in January - I'm a novice quilter so I recognized this popular pattern, and I love using the Big Shot to cut out multiple layers of fabric all at once - it's a real time saver!

I took these photos at the Leadership Conference in Texas in January - this fabric is called "Twitterpated" and it's also in the Occasions Mini catalogue. But the Dresden Designs die isn't just for fabric - it works great with our Designer Series papers, too! There are some more kewl ideas for this die in the Mini itself - I've already started to make the shadowbox frame shown on page 13 .. remind me to share a picture of it here once I finish it up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: when cutting with the Dresden Designs die, it allows for a 1/4" seam allowance, which is great for sewing the fabric pieces together, but not so great for paper crafters. To get all the paper petals to line up correctly, just overlap each piece until the centre circle looks right, or trim off 1/4" from ONE SIDE ONLY of each petal. Once you have some in your hands, you'll see what I mean.

 

The products featured in this blogpost are from page 12 of the Occasions Mini:

• DRESDEN DESIGNS Bigz L Die, #125597 $40.95
• TWITTERPATED Designer Fabric, #125412 $12.50
• 3/8" PLEATED SATIN RIBBON, Riding Hood Red, #125569 $9.50

Want to check out the rest of the Mini Catalogue before it expires? Just click on the cover to view it online!

Until next time,

 

THIS LAST YEAR HAS FLOWN BY

Yesterday the family gathered to celebrate Miss Norah's very first birthday. We marveled at how one little girl has the power to draw all of us together ... two years ago I didn't even know some of these people, and now I consider them all members of my extended family. She is one lucky girl to be sooo loved by so many.

The guest of honour, meanwhile, marveled at the silly antics we all went through .. fourteen people singing Happy Birthday to her and showering her with gifts ... it was a hoot to watch the puzzlement on her face as she looked from one person to the next.

 

But the best part was watching her "discover" chocolate cake ... when placed in front of her, she daintily poked her fingers into the icing and gingerly tasted the sugary icing for the first time in her life - an instant hit!

I have to confess that I didn't make my grandbaby's birthday card this year, so I can't share that card today ... instead, I have a photo of one of my favourite cards from the Make & Take session at Stampin' Up!'s Leadership Conference, held back in January in San Antonio, TX.

With a little modification, I think this would make a great kid's birthday card - the rotating wheel could be stamped with numbers instead of kites ... then just twirl the wheel to the right number for a personalized birthday greeting. Oh, and check out the adorable closure on the envelope .. now how cute is that! (Stamp set is "Send Me Soaring", found on pg 37 of the Occasions Mini catalogue).

Until next time,

APPARENTLY, MARCH IS BABY MONTH

A year ago this month our family was blessed with our first grandbaby ... it's hard to believe she's already a year old, and at the same time I can't remember what life was like without her being a part of our family... I am in Grandma Heaven!

On the same day our granddaughter arrived last year, my cousin Sherrylee in St. Catherines became a grandmother for the first time too! Her little grandson is quite the handsome dude.

 

And my nephew's little angel celebrated her first birthday this March out in British Columbia with her big brother and sister.

Now fast forward to March of this year ... my cousin Marlene became a grandmother on March 2nd in Guelph, ON; ANOTHER cousin  (yes, I have a lot of cousins, lol) became a first-time daddy about week ago in London, ON (yay Scott!) and today a good friend and member of the Artful*Inkers team, Janessa, gave birth to her second child up in Barrie, ON!

Something tells me I've missed one in there somewhere ... no doubt I will hear about my forgetfulness, pronto.

It's doing me a world of good to hear about all these new little babies ... it reminds me that life goes on, even after someone you love passes away. I look forward to telling little Miss Norah all about her great-grandad someday.

Here's an adorable birth announcement card that I recently received from another friend, neighbour and team-mate, Joanna - celebrating the birth of her precious little girl in December.

This card was made using Stampin' Up! punches, cardstock and embossing folder ... inside is a picture of her sleeping beauty and all the details of her birthday.

Go ahead, click on the photo for a closer look. Now, how cute is that!

MARCH 31st IS APPROACHING AT WARP SPEED

For all you frugal paper crafters out there (like me)  - who's hobby sometimes takes a hit when the family budget won't budge - take a minute to assess your stash and buy what you need now while SALE-A-BRATION freebies can boost your limited dollars to a whole new level.

Even if you aren't stamping or scrapping right now, the time will come when you have an hour to yourself and it'll be soooo much easier to pick up where you left off if you have the necessary supplies at hand.

SALE-A-BRATION (SAB) works like this:

• Place an order of $60 CAN or more and get a FREE item from the SAB Brochure. Order $120 and get TWO FREE items, and so on.
• If your order is $200 or more, you also get FREE Hostess Benefits of your choice AND a FREE tote.
• If your order is $525 or more, you also get a FREE SAB Hostess Bundle AND one item from the catalogue @ 50% off.
• If you buy either of the Demonstrator Starter Kits (Standard or Digital+) during SAB, you save a bundle of cash (pay $150 instead of the regular $215 AND you'll also receive a FREE pkg of Designer Series Paper OR a FREE Digital Download each month in 2012 that you remain active, PLUS all the regular Demonstrator Benefits from Stampin' Up! and from my team, the Artful*Inkers. You don't have to sell a thing if that's not your thing - just enjoy the Starter Kit and save money on your own purchases from here on in.

So, why the warp speed reference in today's title?

Well, all this SAB goodness ends at midnight, March 31st, 2012 - yep, that's just 3 short days, or roughly 84 hours (as I'm typing this) left to place your order and MAXIMIZE your hard-earned money.

Hey, it's springtime, and you know what's coming up in the next few months: Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations, teacher gifts, maybe even a few showers and weddings ... here's your chance to replenish your stash, give your cards and gifts a more personal touch, and S-T-R-E-T-C-H the dollar.

Sounds good to this Frugal Stamper.

I OWE YOU ONE

I'm posting this while it's still Monday because I did promise you some more projects today ... but the projects will have to wait ... best laid plans, yada, yada, yada and all that stuff.

Why? Hubby has two days off ... need I say more?

Yes? Well, let's just say that his plans took presidence over mine today and before I knew it I was ripping up the kitchen floor while he rewired the front hall. Now I'm in bed with a bandaged hand and more sore muscles than I thought possible, lol.

Round two ... installation of the new flooring ... starts tomorrow. My regularly scheduled life activities will resume on Wednesday. See you then!

Donna

ACRYLIC DISTRESS TECHNIQUE

Stampin' Up! featured this technique in their March issue of Stampin' Success, a kewl monthly magazine they send to all their demonstrators.

It's called Acrylic Distress and the only thing you need besides your Stampin' Up! stash of goodies is a bit of acrylic paint (the kind that is sold everywhere in squeeze bottles for a dollar).

Here's a photo (left) of the card we made at our last team meeting when Samantha Forrest demoed this technique - I put the embossing folder backwards onto the painted card stock, so mine is "de-bossed" by mistake & you don't get the same stand-out effect, but ...

... this second photo (right) is from Stampin' Up! - same colours, different design - but you can see the effect better on this card since the embossing was done right side up (grin).

 

I can see all kinds of uses for this technique with all of Stampin' Up!'s embossing folders and with all kinds of different colours of acrylic paint. Click on this link to download a prointable PDF instruction sheet, and give this one a try!:  Acrylic Distress Technique

PS: The DEMONSTRATOR STARTER KITS (both Standard and Digital+) are on sale right now for $150 CAN (regular $215). With this purchase, you recieve a minimum 20% off all purchases, the Stampin' Success magazine, password-access to Stampin' Connection and the Demonstrator Website, a ton of free and discounted Stampin' Up! products, and lots more. I mean, it has to be a good deal or why else would I still be with this company after 10 years, right? For more information, CLICK HERE. Sale price ends March 31, 2012.

I'll be back on Monday with more paper crafting projects to share - have a great weekend!

 

HEARTS & CLOVERS

Ok, the actual holidays may have passed me by this year, but I was still thinking of all of you on the day and I still received some very kewl cards for Valentines Day and St. Patrick's Day this year ... both of the cards shown here are by a very talented member of the Artful*Inkers team, Robbyn Sorli. (Not to say that the rest of my team has no talent .. no, no! They are ALL very gifted and very creative stampers!! ... removing my foot from my mouth now)

BAck to the topic of today's post ... I love how Robbyn created her own unique background on this Valentine, using a variety of romantic stamps & ink colours. Almost all of the stamps shown came from P.S. I LOVE YOU stamp set on page 8 of the OCCASIONS MINI CATALOGUE ..  the only exception (I think) is the dotted pink heart in the upper right corner ... I'm not sure which set that belongs to)

Robbyn "aged" her Valentine by roughing the edges of the card, sponging some light brown ink (possibly she used Stampin' Up!'s DISTRESSING ESSENTIALS KIT, pg 203 of the current Idea Book & Catalogue) and topped it all off with a few squirts of BLUSHING BRIDE SMOOCH SPRITZ from the OCCASIONS MINI.

 

 

 

Robbyn made this all-green card both for St. Patrick's Day and for a team challenge to "Think Green". Not an easy task to make a card using only one colour, but I think she pulled it off brilliantly!

The banner is from TAKE IT TO HEART stamp set and the greeting is from TEENY TINY WISHES stamp set.

Unfortunately, Stampin' Up! doesn't have a shamrock punch, so Robbyn created it using the new HEARTS COLLECTION FRAMELITS DIES from the OCCASIONS MINI ... pretty clever, eh?

 

 

 

Tomorrow I'll show you the card & envelope we made at last Monday's team meeting - featuring a kewl technique with acrylic paint and the new DIAGONAL INSERT for the SIMPLY SCORING TOOL.

 

SOME STAMPIN' THERAPY

Life is slowly returning to normal after losing my father to Cancer earlier this month. The spring bulbs are blooming this week, which gives us a sense of renewal and a fresh start. I've been edging myself back into my routines, and I thank you all for sticking by me while I find my way back to a creative frame of mind.

Last Monday I got a real boost in the arm when I attended our team's monthly meeting which Samantha Forrest and Diane Hilborn had all planned out (thank you both, and Julie Leblanc too in February for keeping the team going in my absence!) Having friends is always a treasure, but having Crafty Friends just brings an extra special bond and warmth ...  and the Artful*Inkers team are true-blue crafty friends. Thank you all for being there for me on Monday, and over the last few months too.

So, back to getting creative again ... so much has happened while I was absent - I missed sharing my Leadership projects with you in January; Valentines Day has come and gone without a single card from me, and St. Patrick's Day is history too. Now we're all focusing on Spring themes in our creations, along with Easter and Mother's Day - whew! I have a whole pile of cards I received over the last couple of months that I plan to share here with you, as well as some of my Leadership projects. Since the products are still all currently available, I hope you'll bear with me as I play catch-up over the next few weeks with my posts.

For today, I wanted to show you some cards that my team mates and I made for a creative challenge called "white spaces" - which just means keeping the card clean & simple, letting lots of white show through .. you know, the type of stuff we RARELY do when we get out all of our stash and start adding layer after layer of goodness. Well, sometimes CLEAN AND SIMPLE is good too! Enjoy ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#1- by Diane Hilborn, featuring SPRINKLED EXPRESSIONS stamp set, EVERYDAY ENCHANTMENT ribbon, & DESIGNER FRAMES embossing folders from the SALE-A-BRATION brochure (expires March 31, 2012)

#2 - by me, Donna Henley, featuring ADORNING ACCENTS embossing folders & Edgelets dies, LARGE PEARL BASIC JEWELS, MIXED BUNCH stamp set, & BLOSSOM punch  - all from the OCCASIONS MINI CATALOGUE (expires April 30, 2012)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3 - by Samantha Forrest, featuring one of the 2011-2012 In Colours, CONCORD CRUSH, as well as the ELEMENTS OF STYLE stamp set from the current Idea Book & Catalogue (expires May 31, 2012 - NOT June 30th, by the way!). Samantha used the SPOTLIGHT technique, one of my faves.

#4 - by Vanessa Manklow, featuring LOVE & LAUGHTER stamp set (from the Occasions Mini), Basic Black 1/8" TAFFETA RIBBON, the FINIAL PRESS embossing folder & Big Shot, and silver embossing powder to really make the stamped image stand out.

I'll have some more team swap cards to share with you all tomorrow...

SAD TIMES

Please excuse my absence from blogging and scheduling classes .. our family is spending as much time as we can with my father as he slowly says goodbye to this world. Cancer is a terrible thing.

Thank you to all who have sent me supportive emails - your kind words have helped to make these few weeks a little more bearable.

I miss all of you and look forward to the day when I can return to my craft room - I've always found it to be a very therapeutic and nurturing place.

Hug your loved ones often,

Donna

TRY MY DIGITAL STUDIO FREE FOR 30 DAYS

Stampin' Up! now offers a FREE 30-day trial of My Digital Studio Express!

How do you get it?
You can download the software and access the free trial just as you would a Stampin' Up! digital download by going to the online store on your demonstrator's business website (that's me!) .. it's item # 129600

What do you do once you try it and like it?
Once the 30-day free trial period is over, you can purchase the downloadable or disc version of the software to continue using it. You'll simply open up the trial version you already have on your computer, and will be prompted to enter the product registration key you received after purchasing the software. (You'll receive this key via e-mail if you purchase the downloadable version, and you'll find it along with your shipped software if you purchase the disc version.) 

Enjoy your free trial - wait til you see just how quick and easy it is to create a card, invitation, flyer or scrapbook page with My Digital Studio - if you get stuck, give me a shout ... that's what I'm here for!

cheers

ANNOUNCING A NEW TECHNIQUES CLUB

I am so happy to announce that my teammate Diane Hilborne and I have put together a brand new Card-Making Techniques Club ... and the Winter/Spring '12 session is all set to run monthly from February to June 2012 at Crafters Cupboard in Guelph!

Techniques are my favourite thing to learn and to share - this is where you throw all the rules out the window and truly get to be creative! As I'm typing this, it occurs to me that this series of classes is the closest we can get to the fun we had in kindergarten - remember?

Your registration includes 20 fun techniques spread over 4 classes, one class per month. We've actually designed five class dates and 25 techniques, so you have the flexibility to choose which four you'll attend, according to your schedule and needs.

Diane & I have added another new twist - at your first class you'll receive your supply kit (retail value $30) - it's got all the tools that you'll be using throughout this session, and they're yours to keep afterwards so you can continue to create at home! The supply kit also includes a 6x6 album for storage of your samples and instruction pages - with each technique you learn, you'll be building your very own Techniques Album to refer back to, again and again.

Click here to get all the details ... which techniques we'll be teaching and when, what comes in your supply kit, payment options, and more.

You can register in person at Crafters Cupboard, 430 Laird Rd in Guelph OR by contacting me via email or phone. NOTE: payment is required when you register - click on the link above to see your options.

COMING SOON: PAYPAL LINK  for online registration.

cheers,

 

GOODIES FROM LEADERSHIP

I have a confession to make - there are sooo many brand new products sitting here on my desk that I don't know what to play with first! What a terrible predicament to be in, eh?

I blame it all on Stampin' Up! - they really spoiled us at the Leadership Conference last week .. just look at this list of loot I brought home with me:

• Totally A-maze-ing stamp set (Occasions Mini)
• pkg of Maze Games (Occasions Mini)
• Sale-a-Bration MDS Downloads CD (SAB)
• Fresh Vintage stamp set (SAB)
• Mixed Bunch stamp set (Occasions Mini)
• Loving Thoughts stamp set (Occasions Mini)
• pkg of Jumbo Pearls (Occasions Mini)
• pkg of regular Pearls (IB&C)
• pkg of Rhinestones (IB&C)
• roll of Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon
• pkg of Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (SAB)
• Blossom Builders designer Printed Kit
• On Board Art Journal (IB&C)

PLUS two sneak peek stamp sets that I can't even talk about until they come out in the new Idea Book & Catalogue - what a great haul, right? Stampin' Up! is the most generous and supportive Direct Sales company I have ever come across and I will always be glad I joined their ranks, that's for sure!

I still have to finish the five make & take projects that we were given - I was too busy talking with folk to get them done in the allotted time; big surprise there!) .. I'll post pics once they're done.

In the meantime, here are some of my favourite swap cards from Leadership ... enjoy! (I neglected to get the creators' names so if you see your work here, let me know and I'll give proper credit!)

And if you'd like to join the fun as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator so you can go to the events and get the freebies too - I'd be honoured to have you on my team, the Artful*Inkers. Now, during Sale-a-Bration you can purchase either of the Demonstrator Starter Kits for only $150 and you'll also receive a free pkg of Designer Series Paper or free My Digital Studio downloads every month for the rest of 2012! YOu can read all about it (and sign up online as an Artful*Inker) by clicking HERE

 

LOTS TO CELEBRATE

Hi everyone - I'm back from Stampin' Up!'s Leadership Conference in San Antonio ... we just flew in last night. It was a week of celebrating our achievements, our friendships, and our survival of North America's economic slump ... things are definitely looking better for 2012! And wait til you see all the terrific things Stampin' Up! has planned for customers AND demonstrators in the upcoming months .. it will blow your mind!

Today kicks off our biggest promotion of the year ... SALE-A-BRATION!! This is the one many of you wait for each year - there are lots of exclusive freebies to choose from if you ...

a) place a $60 order (2 for $120, 3 for $180)

b) host a $200 (free tote) or $525 workshop (free bundle) .. it doesn't have to be a home party/workshop; it can be a catalogue party, single order, group order, etc.

c) purchase either of the Demonstrator Starter Kits for the sale price of $150 CAN during SAB (you'll also get a FREE pkg of Designer Series Paper or a FREE My Digital Studio download EVERY MONTH for the rest of 2012!)

OK, I just had to highlight that in red because of the frugal stamper in me, lol.

(You gotta love the free stuff!)

If you don't have a Sale-A-Bration brochure, email me your snail-mail addy and I'll add you to my mailing list - my next trip to the Post Office is this Friday, January 27th. Or you can click on the brochure cover here to see it online (not as much fun, but it's instant gratification - no waiting)

Finally, you can place your SAB order in one of three ways:

a) shop through my online store and it will be delivered by UPS direct to your front door

b) phone or email me with your smaller orders and I'll submit them all together this weekend

c) drop by the house or one of my stamping events & place your order in person

Happy Shopping!!

 

Digital Brayering Technique by Julie Leblanc

Hey folks, if you are into digital scrapbooking or card-making at all, and especially if you use Stampin' Up!'s "MY DIGITAL STUDIO" software, please check out my team mate Julie Leblanc's new video on how to achieve a brayered background effect on your computer .. I'm so proud of her and want her to be known as the creator of this technique (at least in the Stampin' Up! world) because I've never seen this method used anywhere else:

 

NEW OCCASIONS MINI CATALOGUE IS HERE!

I've had my hands on a single copy of the new Occasions Mini catalogue from Stampin' Up! since before Christmas, but of course I couldn't share it here online with you all until it actually started ..... and thank goodness, today's the day I get to spill the beans (I'm so terrible at keeping secrets when they're REALLY GOOD ONES like this, lol)

 

There are sooooo many new tools for the Big Shot in this mini ... including new thin dies that nest together so you can cut and mat with ease (just like Nestabilities, but these are designed FOR the Sizzix Big Shot!) Then there's the new Large Sizzlit die ... it cuts a 4-1/4" x 4-1/4" paper doily in any patterned paper or coloured cardstock you want!

Oooh, and we now carry Sizzix Edgelet dies and co-ordinating embossing folders to really make the edges of your cards, tags and pages POP!

Then there's all the very kewl stuff for Valentines Day ... Blushing Bride smooch spritz, scratch & sniff embossing powder, ready-to-stamp cards with intricate laser-cut hears on the front, Dazzling Diamonds in Cherry Cobbler, and BEAUTIFUL new Valentine stamp sets!

Several pages have been devoted to the new "Twitterpated" theme, with Designer Series Papers, fabric, buttons, and - hold onto your hat - pleated satin ribbon! (No more trying to tape down or sew through multiple folds of flat ribbon!) There are two new Bigz dies that work really well with the Twitterpated line, too .. "Elegant Bird" and "Dresden Designs".

There's a new floral stamp set to go with the extra large "Blossoms" punch (I can't remember if the punch is new too?) and on page 19 you'll find the most amazing stamp set called "Tea Shoppe".

OK, I could go on forever here ... new Cookie Press designs, the "Attic Boutique" themed goodies, the Maze Games, new digital downloads, and new stamps for Easter, Mothers' Day & Fathers' Day, weddings, and soooo much more; all in all, 44 pages of crafting goodness ... but I think you'd rather see for yourself, so if you haven't received your own personal copy in the mail yet, just click on the cover photo above and peruse online at your leisure - then swing on over to my online store and place your orders (or email me and I'll do the ordering for you) ... I can't wait to see what you create with your new goodies!

cheers

HOLIDAY MINI: CARRYOVER ITEMS

Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Mini Catalogue will expire next Tuesday (January 3rd, 2012) and since it is the best Mini they've ever published, be sure to check it out one last time before those awesome products are G-O-N-E!

For your convenience, I've added a link to the online mini - just click on the cover photo to the left.

While you're doing that, keep in mind that a few items from the Holiday Mini will still be available after the catalogue expires ... click HERE to see a flyer of the CARRY-OVER ITEMS

And while you're perusing the soon-to-be-gone items, check out the ONLINE CLEARANCE RACK for some bargains, too!

Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year! Cheers,

 

 

CLEARANCE RACK BLITZ

The CLEARANCE RACK section of my online store is chock full of retired items from Stampin' Up!s warehouse - unused and still in their original packaging - and this week Stampin' Up! has reduced the prices EVEN MORE - as much as 80% in some cases; plus they added a lot more products just for this Boxing Week sale!

TIP: Be sure that you enter the online store through my website so that you will receive the preferred (read: lowest) prices for each and every item ... just use the SHOP NOW link here on this blog ... plus by ordering online, your package will be delivered right to your door (UPS)!!

Here's just one of the fantastic bargains available in the CLEARANCE RACK this week:

Watercolor Wonder - New Color Kit	120949
Regular Price: $17.32
Preferred Price: $15.59
Catalogue Price $51.95 If you already have our Watercolor Wonder Crayons and want to switch out retired colors for new colors, you'll want this kit. It includes new core colors and an updated inlays for your Watercolor Wonder tins. ■ Includes 17 colors: Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Basic Gray, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Melon Mambo, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi, River Rock ■ Water soluble and easy to blend, allowing for an unlimited range of shades ■ Coordinate with Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive colors ■ Complete color collections available (sold separately) ■ Can also be used without water to color images