2014 / 2015 Stampin' Up! Catalog Premiere

Demos flocked to theaters on Monday to get a glimpse inside the new catalog...me included!  Stampin' Up! had arranged a live simulcast from Long Beach, CA to local theaters around the country.  My sister and I decided to dress up for the occasion since it was billed as a red carpet event and we knew they were dressing up in Long Beach.

Shelli Gardner started the show and unveiled the cover art and teased us with a little of what was inside.  We didn't get our copy until we were leaving the theater.  Can you image the mayhem if we got them inside?...we'd still be there talking and looking.  Here's the cover.

We enjoyed stamping presentations, announcements, fun, and techniques including the new Blendabilities Markers in action.  These markers are alcohol ink markers, and demos can order them on May 1st.  There is a slight delay for customers...it will be a little after the June 2nd catalog date so that SU! has adequate supply from the manufacturer.

Brian Pilling brought gifts to every presenter after Bonnie told him he should.  Here he is bringing Diet Coke and a love note to Shannon West.

I can't wait to play with these markers!  Check out the depth of color on that flower!

They also had prize patrol (free new products to lucky demos with the right wrist band color), and we all received an awesome new stamp set along with our catalogs.  We also received the Spanish catalog.

I can only show you the cover online, but I can show you the whole catalog in person!  Come to one of my Stamp Nights in May (Friday the 16th, Tuesday the 20th, or Friday the 23rd) or my Open House to get your copy.  My Open House is on Sunday, June 1st between noon and 5pm.

It's a secret until then...

Happy Stampin'

Make a Wish Card

This one was inspired by a card from one of our Australian demos, Vicki Hodgman. I changed the colors, and the butterfly.  Plus I just had to pop up the "a" in "Make a Wish" from the Perfect Pennants stamp set.

Stamp Sets:

• Hardwood
• Perfect Pennants
• Petite Petals
• Best of Butterflies
• Summer Silouettes

Colors:

• Crumb Cake
• Bermuda Bay
• Early Espresso
• Whisper White

Extras / Tools:

• Basic Jewels -Rhinestones (colored with a Sharpie)
• Angled Tag Topper Punch
• Petite Petals Punch
• Elegant Butterfly Punch
• 1/2" Circle Punch
• Linen Thread
• Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper
• Dimensionals

By the way, I ordered all the Project Life pre-order items.  I'll share photos after I get my box.  Everyone can order them starting May 1st.  I can't wait to see the full line of our Project Life products that coordinate with Stampin' Up! on Monday when us demos get our copy of the new catalog at our movie theater launch party.  Woo Hoo!  We get swag bags too!

Happy Stampin'

The Easter Bunny's Girlfriend Drives a Lexus...

I hope everyone had a great Passover or Easter celebration.  We were at a birthday lunch on Easter and I spotted the Easter Bunny and his girlfriend(?) driving through the parking lot in front of me!

I thought about following them a little to snap a photo where I could see his face, but I find this photo rather humerus, don't ya think?

Don't forget to take advantage of the FREE SHIPPING until Friday this week!!!

I'm trying to catch up on my posts, so, here's one of the recent cards I made for my lunchtime card class at work and a home party.

It's Cantaloupe Crisp and Smokey Slate.  I also used the Gorgeous Grunge and Perfect Pennants stamp sets.  The designer paper is from Watercolor Wonder in the Occasions catalog.

Happy Stampin'

Stampin' Up!'s Retired Lists are here with FREE SHIPPING too!

Check the retired list (link) to make sure you got everything on your wish list before it's gone!  This year, all stamps and accessories are only while supplies last.

Oh, and just to help you get everything on your list...FREE SHIPPING starting today through Friday!

Email me if you'd like a pdf or excel version of the list.

Happy Shoppin'

Project Life Announcement...

Stampin' Up! announced yesterday that we've partnered with the amazing Becky Higgins to bring you Project Life products in exclusive Stampin' Up! colors and designs.  And you know what that means...coordination, coordination, coordination!!!

From the announcement:
If you've somehow missed the Project Life craze and are wondering what it's all about, it's a super simple, totally affordable way to get your photos into albums: you just slip your photos into Photo Pocket Pages and add designed cards.  It's a back-to-basics approach to documenting your life.  In a nutshell, it's all about spending more time making memories and less time scrapbooking them...you'll be able to order a limited selection of Project Life products starting May 1st.  And with the launch of our new annual catalog on June 2nd, you'll be able to buy from our complete line of Project Life products!

Here's the announcement video:

 Happy Scrappin'

Crafting in Style! We Tried Out a New Retreat...

The last week of March we tried out a new retreat that just opened last Fall.  WOW! I love it!  It's called Moments Retreat Center and it's in Lake Dallas, TX.  My downline, Becky, found this one for us and we had the whole craft studio to ourselves (5 of us) for the whole weekend starting on Thursday.

Here's a couple of photos of the studio.  See all my tote bags and card stock crates.  I took these photos after I packed up to leave.

We have a tool sign up list that I made for the last retreat we tried so we can try not to all bring duplicate tools.  I brought all the punches.  It pretty much covered an entire table that someone would have used if other crafters were there.  I guess in the future, we'll need some folding tables to put tools on.

A sink and a mini fridge right in the studio was awesome!

The house is beautiful!  I wish my house was decorated this nicely.  Here's some photos of our room and the house...we stayed in the Master Suite which was called the Ruby Room.  I wish I had taken a photo before we messed up our beds, but all the rooms are beautiful!

We laughed, talked, watched movies, listened to classic rock, and created lots of fun stuff.  I can't wait to go to this one again.  Plus, the location is just 30 minutes from my house.

One of my projects was this banner I made with my Sale.a.bration Heartfelt Banner kit.  I photographed it on her fireplace 'cause, well, look how nice it looks there!  I currently have it hanging over the blinds in my craft room.

Here's what our stuff looked like after we took over the tables, lol.

BTW, I have a craft show this Saturday at Faithbridge Presbyterian Church in Frisco at College and Hillcrest Rd.  And, also be looking out for the retired list which posts on April 21st!

Happy Stampin'

Petite Petals Window Lattice Card

I saw a card on our demo site by Linda Creech that inspired my card below.  This is a Big Shot intense card...just sayin'!  Practically every piece runs through the Big Shot so I pre-cut a few of the pieces for my Stamp Night gals.  I look forward to Spring every year so I can start using purples and greens together.  That combination just says Spring to me.

Stamps:

• You're Lovely (Sale-a-Bration)
• Petite Petals

 Colors:

• Wisteria Wonder
• Old Olive
• Whisper White

Tools / Extras:

• Big Shot
• Lattice Bigz Die
• Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folder
• Little Leaves Sizzlits
• Deco Labels Framelits
• Window Frames Framelits
• Petite Petals Punch
• 1 3/4" Circle Punch
• Basic Jewels Pearls
• 2-Way Glue Pen
• Dimensionals

Tips:  Use the 2-Way Glue Pen in the corners of the Lattice to glue behind your window before running through the Big Shot Perfect Polka-Dots folder.  Also, you can use the tape or dimensionals on your flowers to hold your leaves in place.  I put dimensionals behind the card front window to create a shadow on the card base, and you can cut a tiny dimensional to place in the center of the Lattice if you don't like it dipping in toward the middle.

This would make a great Mother's Day card...just use a Happy Mother's Day stamp inside!

Happy Stampin'

Glittered Easter Eggs

Easter is just 2 and half weeks away!  Here's an easy way to add glittered Easter eggs to your scrapbook pages or cards using Silver Glimmer Paper and the XL Oval Punch:

Stamp Sets:

• Delightful Dozen
• Positively Chevron

Colors:

• Crumb Cake
• Very Vanilla
• Strawberry Slush
• Elegant Eggplant
• Bermuda Bay
• Wild Wasabi
• Gumball Green
• Garden Green
• Illuminate Glimmer Watermark Stampin' Pad

Tools / Extras:

• Stampin' Spritzers (link)
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Re-Inkers
• Silver Glimmer Paper (link)
• Fringe Scissors (link)
• Brayer
• Seam Binding ribbon
• XL Oval Punch

Egg Spritzing:  I have an old box with a lid attached on one side that I use to spritz in (practice safe spritzing...lol).  Just fill your spritzers with rubbing alcohol (drys faster than water) and 15 drops of re-inker in each color in each spritzer to spritz strips of Silver Glimmer Paper.  I tried with less drops, but it was not intense enough color on the Silver Glimmer Paper.  Stampin' Up! Glimmer Paper has a special backing that holds up to spritzing.  The color works itself under the glitter and dries in about 15 minutes.  Then, just punch out your eggs with the Extra Large Oval Punch. 

Tip: Once you designate a color to your spritzer, just label it and keep it that color.  They are inexpensive and so washing the color out of the spritzing mechanism isn't worth your time.

I also did an Ombre effect on the background of this card with the Brayer.  Here's my Technique Journal page.

Happy Stampin'

Because of Beautiful People Like You...

I love this People Like You single stamp set.  I did two layers and water-colored just a bit to color it in.

Stamp Set:

• People Like You (link)

Colors:

• Sahara Sand
• Canteloupe Crisp
• Pistachio Pudding
• Whisper White
• Early Espresso

Extras / Tools:

• Designer Label Punch
• Aqua Painters
• Dazzling Diamonds
• Sweet Sorbet (Sale-a-Bration designer paper)
• Dimensionals
• 2-Way Glue Pen

Tips - Just stamp your image twice and cut/punch one image and use the other for your base.  You only have to water-color the part you're cutting out on the top layer piece.  And, it helps you with where to cut if you only water-color that portion.  I used my bone folder to curl some edges on the cut out.  Also, I water-colored the stems with Pistachio Pudding, but used the brush tip of the marker for the label outline.

Of course it's hard to see in the photo, but I did little wisps of glue pen to add Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the flowers.

Happy Stampin'