JenStamps

You won't want to miss this!

2009-05-31T16:40:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I'm a hoarder. There really ought to be 12-step programs for people like me. And, well since I just admitted it, I've only 11 more steps to go, right?

Since I started stamping like 8 years ago, I've been stockpiling my stamps & other accessories. It's relatively organized (I know where all my stuff is), but it's still a bit out of control (I just have too much). And so, after much consideration, I'm just going to do it. I'm going to sell a bunch of my stamps, inks, papers & other accessories.

I already have a list of stamp sets that I'm willing to part with - so far I have 54 sets to sell. Next on the agenda: figure out the pricing. They will be discounted, but how much exactly, I'm not quite sure yet. My goal is to sell enough to pay for my trip to Convention next year (upwards of $1,000).

Right now, I'm thinking about doing an Open House in August for a few reasons:

The new catalog will be out
I'll have time to get some new product for a make & take
This gives me plenty of time to get my items ready for sale
This gives you plenty of time to save your pennies for all that you'll want to buy :o)

So, stay tuned for the date. An evite will go out in the upcoming weeks.

Yeah, Baby!!

2009-05-27T22:30:00.001-07:00

Here's a super quick card I made tonight. I didn't have a whole heckuva lot of time to spend on it, but needed a quick *something* to get out in the mail tomorrow. If you haven't guessed, a couple friends of mine are expecting. And since it's still way early on, they don't know (& they're not finding out) the gender until he/she is born.

Yeah, baby!!

Huge Apologies

2009-05-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

First of all, I gotta send out huge apologies to anyone who has been coming back to this blog for any updates. No excuses, I've been slacking on getting anything posted. I'm back, though. And, I hope you enjoy!

Earlier this year, I was asked by my employer to do the invitations for this year's "holiday party". The information I was given was it was going to be at a Beach Club & there was going to be a "casino". First, I looked for "beach-y" themed cards at their request, but those are almost always too "summer-y". So, another suggestion from the Social Committee was to make the invitations more classy. This is the almost final product (click the picture for a bigger image):

The final product had the following changes (sorry, no photos of the final invite):

Name changed from Autumn Extraordinaire to Autumn Royale
The font on the bottom (date/time/place, etc) matched the font on top
The RSVP card had the red stamped image in the lower left corner instead

Unfortunately, the event has been canceled for this year (everyone is tightening their spending habits & this was one area my employer has cut back, but I'm SO incredibly thankful that I am still employed).

Oh where does the time go?

2009-03-30T22:04:00.001-07:00

This is a new stamp set (available from the occasions mini catalog beginning April 1st) called Scene in a Garden. I just loved it immediately & had to buy it. And then, I signed up to participate in a swap with a few (8 to be exact) other demonstrators, each taking a different stamp set & creating a card with it. This is mine. Click on the picture for a bigger view & then leave me a message & tell me what you think.

Happy 1st Birthday!!

2009-02-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

First things first, click the picture & see how beautiful it is bigger. If only I had one that you could check out in person, it's SO STINKIN' CUTE (if I do say so myself)!!

This is a card (I actually made two) that I had made last week for 2 little girls turning one year old. Isn't it darling? I just love the bunny from the (retired) stamp set A New Little Someone. The more & more I watercolor, the more & more I'm enjoying it. It was a little bit challenging cutting out around the bunny, but I think it just looks so sweet this way. And, I cut around the front paws (arms?) so it looks like it's holding the scalloped saying.

So cute! I just might have to make another one...

Just Buzzin' By...

2009-02-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to show you another picture from one of my favorite new stamp sets - Just Buzzin' By. This was one of the cards at my last stamp camp. So easy & so cute!

I love it!!

Thank You!!

2009-02-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

I know I say I've been saying this on more than one occasion, but I REALLY ought to post more pictures & posts on this blog.

This is a card I made for a friend who recently adopted her baby girl. I love this (retired) stamp set - By Ones & By Twos. I just love the onesie. It's so cute, easy to stamp on some Designer Series Paper, cut out & adhere to your card with a dimensional. So stinkin' cute!! Click on the image for an enlarged image.

I also love when someone else finds some value in what I do & wants to help support my business, my craft & my creativity. A HUGE thank you to those who've supported me in either coming to my stamp camps & open houses, hosting a stamp camp for your friends, purchasing cards from me & telling your friends about what I do. Virtual hugs to you!!

Eastern Blooms Birthday

2009-01-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

I needed a quick birthday card for a male co-worker & I saw this & thought, "perfect!!" It uses the Eastern Blooms stamp set, which I just love & don't use nearly enough. I think it can easily be one of the 'go-to' stamp sets for almost any occasion.

Oh, and I'm not sure if there's a name for the technique I used on this one, but it is WAY awesome. So, I took the stamp & inked it up in my classic Night of Navy inkpad. Then, I took the blender pen & took away the Night of Navy ink from the branches - leaving them essentially un-inked. Then, I took the Close to Cocoa marker & colored in the branches. Gave it a huff w/my warm breath & voila! A beautifully stamped image.

As always, for a closer image, click on the picture.

Love You Much

2009-01-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

Stampin' Up has this Valentine's promotion right now (through January 31st) where in the bundle, you get the Love You Much stamp set, Candy Lane Designer Series Paper & the Heart to Heart punch. If purchased individually, it would cost $51.85. The promotion has it on sale for 20% off or $41.48. This is the first card I've made that I've taken a picture of, but let me tell you... I am LOVIN' this set!

My picture turned out a little bit on the dark side, but the colors I used are (retired) Blue Bayou & Wild Wasabi.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

How cute are these little guys? This is a new stamp set (Just Buzzin' By) that will be in the new catalog. I'm so thrilled that I was able to get it early & start playing with it. My first thought was, "Oh boy! What am I getting myself into with all that needs to be colored?" But, I just used the blender pens & ink pads on regular Very Vanilla cardstock & it was SO easy & it turned out very nice! I tried making like a honeycomb background by using bubblewrap. It didn't turn out quite the way I imagined it would. Overall, I'm very pleased with the way the two cards turned out. Click on the pictures if you'd like a more close up image.

Love You Much Promotion

2008-12-28T11:19:00.001-08:00

Stampin' Up is currently offering a Love You Much promotion. Check this out:

Description	Retail Value
Love You Much stamp set	$25.95
Candy Lane Designer Series paper	$9.95
Heart to Heart punch	$15.95
Bundle Retail Value	$51.85

Love You Much Bundle (20% off retail value; item 115405)	$41.48

I took advantage of this & (as a demonstrator) picked it up early & I just LOVE it!! I especially love the Candy Lane designer series paper. It's just so pretty. And, it can be used for Valentine's cards & projects, Anniversary cards & projects & Wedding cards & projects.

Here's a sample of this set being used (click on the picture for a larger image):

By the way, my camera software has been found & installed so I'll be able to post my own pictures soon. Stay tuned!

Merry Merry!

2008-12-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

I'm still alive....

2008-12-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

I swear... it was just yesterday that I posted on here. Okay, it seems like it was yesterday, but believe it or not, nearly a month has gone by.

I've been quite busy working on a couple of different things - a couple stamp camps, a vendor fair, my Christmas cards. And, of course, I don't want to post a picture of my Christmas cards until after they've gone out. I don't want to spoil the surprise... I do think you'll like it, though. I know I do!

My computer also crashed over the long, holiday weekend & so I actually don't even have my camera software installed on my new hard drive to upload any pictures. Soon. Soon, I'll get that fixed & some new pictures uploaded.

In the meantime, please enjoy a very pretty card from one of my favorite retired stamp sets: Solemn Stillness:

Lovely as a Tree

2008-11-02T21:58:00.000-08:00

I found this card online & thought I'd try it myself. It's SO pretty, simple & easy to make (though, I have to admit, my first attempt has glitter on it... Now, I have glitter ALL OVER my stamp room).

This card uses the non-traditional Night of Navy, Baja Breeze & Shimmery White cardstock. I'm waiting to receive my newly ordered Many Merry Messages before stamping a greeting on the front.

A Waterfall Card

2008-11-02T19:46:00.001-08:00

I was asked to make a Waterfall Card for someone to give to their friend who is having a baby boy any day now. This is the card I came up with. If you've never seen a waterfall card before, they are incredibly awesome. They're not too difficult to put together, but can be a little time consuming.

Basically, what happens is when you pull the ribbon (at the bottom of the card), the little pictures flip up & your greeting appears on the long cardstock as you pull it out. Click on any picture to enlarge it.

This card would be great as a unique birth announcement (with pictures of the newborn on the squares & the birth information on the long piece) or congratulations on your new little bundle of joy (like this sample). Using different stamps, it would make a fun happy birthday card as well.

This card uses Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue & Very Vanilla
cardstock & ink along with a variety of retired Stampin' Up! stamps.

Giftcard Holder

2008-10-29T20:59:00.001-07:00

I was asked to do some "generic" giftcard holders (no specific occasion) & this is what I came up with. I have some designer series paper that would be perfect (there's stripes & polka dots, paisley & mini-flowers, also a variety of colors - pretty in pink, real read, bashful blue, apricot appeal, always artichoke).

SUPER CUTE!! I just love these little guys.

Another New Favorite?

2008-10-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

I decided 1. that I needed a few more "masculine" cards & 2. that Happiness Always just might be my new favorite stamp set & 3. my camera still sucks for getting good pictures.

In this one, I used Always Artichoke for the background cardstock, Old Olive for the solid leaf print & then Always Artichoke for the top leaf layer. While I did do the two step stamping technique, I did not use my stamp-a-ma-jig & I like the way it turned out.

I also just added "FOR YOU" instead of a "Happy Birthday" greeting in case I need something other than birthday. I feel like this card could be used for sympathy, good luck or congrats.

Lastly, I used my new spritzer tool. If you click on the picture, you'll see little black "sprays".

I like it (even though it's a bit distorted because of the camera).

O Christmas Tree

2008-10-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Last night, while laying in bed, I was thinking about my stamp-a-ma-jig & what can I do with it. Then, I remembered this retired stamp set from (about 2 or 3 years ago) called Trim the Tree.

I remember liking this set but had such a hard time lining up the garland or ornaments on the tree that I didn't use it much. Tonight, I tried it with the stamp-a-ma-jig. No more issues with it not lining up because the stamp-a-ma-jig is pure awesome, allowing me to line it all up with ease.

Yay!!

Open Stamp Day - What a success!

2008-10-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

I had my first ever Open Stamp Day yesterday & I have to say it was quite a success. Even though only 3 people came, they all seemed eager to come to something like this again.

If many more had come I would have had to re-organize some things. As it was, the 4 of us sat around the one table without any troubles, but I could totally see it being much more crowded with more people & their things taking up space.

So, this is the Thanksgiving card I had been hoping to make for a couple of weeks now. It uses all punches (except the eyes which are drawn on & the hat which I just cut out of scrap). I thought it would be a cute card to do at one of my upcoming stamp camps, but as it turns out, those punches are far too difficult/time-consuming to fold to do at a camp. It's a cute card, though.

Stay tuned for the next Open Stamp Day.

Deer Friends

2008-10-15T21:51:00.001-07:00

I was getting several cards ready to go out today & realized that I didn't have much in the way of masculine birthday cards. I still don't, but I was able to do a little (by little, I mean only 2 cards-worth of) stamping tonight.

If you click on the picture, you might be able to tell a little bit better that this card has "FOR YOU" on the right side & also a scalloped edge over there. And I'm pretty sure you won't be able to see if you clicked on the picture, but the scallop circle in the center is raised up with a few demonsionals.

This card was totally inspired & well, pretty much copied from another card I had made over the past weekend at a stamp camp I had gone to. I did use some retired Designer Series Paper on this. I just LOVED last year's holiday DSP & am not in such a rush to buy this year's stuff.

Happiness Always

2008-10-12T20:54:00.001-07:00

I was looking on my shelf of stamps this afternoon & found one title I didn't recognize by the name called Happiness Always. It was on the bottom of one of my stacks of stamps & so I pulled it out to see. It's a level 3 hostess set that I was able to purchase prior to Convention & I haven't done anything with it.

So, I went to my trusty website to take a look at what other demonstrators have done (no need to re-invent the wheel) & here are two of the samples that I thought were just incredible! Click on the picture to enlarge it.

The butterfly card also uses two of the In Colors for this year - Pink Pirouette & Riding Hood Red. This is also the first time I've used these colors since receiving them a couple months back.

It's A Soup Party

2008-10-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

I was asked to make some invitations for a Soup Party. I knew immediately what I wanted to do. I used this bowl of soup & steam from a retired stamp set, Under the Weather.

It's kinda hard to tell, but the green is raised up with some double sided foam tape & there's a window sheet keeping the alphabet pasta from falling out.

So, so cute!!

One more

2008-09-30T21:43:00.001-07:00

I couldn't resist. I found a GORGEOUS card that was a bit similar to this one & had to try it out. I love the technique, but need a little bit more practice to perfect my cards.

By the way, I LOVE my Upsy Daisy stamp set!!

As promised...

2008-09-30T20:32:00.001-07:00

As promised, I got out my paper, ink & Upsy Daisy stamp set.

I fought with the two top cards just a little bit before getting an image I was happy with. I'm happy that paper has two sides to it! I wanted to try the Rock n' Roll technique, but I really don't think you can with this particular stamp. At least not too easily. So, I ended up coloring the whole thing in Apricot Appeal & then using a Blender Pen to take the ink off the stems (a technique I learned at Convention) & then using the Certainly Celery marker to color the stems green.

On the third card, I used my stamp-a-ma-jig (Seriously. How did I ever survive without the darn thing?? I LOVE this tool!) & did a little shadow effect using the retired Soft Sky & retired Blue Bayou. If you click on the picture, you may be able to see the shadow effect a bit better.

New post with pictures coming soon, I promise!!

2008-09-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

Ugh!

That pretty much describes how I've been feeling the past week or so. I've been fighting some sort of sinus something-or-other. Not fun, let me tell you.

But, over the past week, I've finished up my company's Autumn Extraordinaire invitations (in the dark no less - my house lost power last Thursday & without a television to keep me occupied, I put on the headlamp & finished assembling the invites). I'm thrilled with the way they turned out. I can't wait for everyone to receive them & give feedback once they learn I made them.

I went to the Vendor Fair two Sundays ago. It was more successful than I thought it would be (these things aren't typically very successful for me as people say they already know someone who does stamps or they're not the 'crafty' type of person). But, I met some really cool people there, had a couple sales, and a few were interested in Stamp Camps. Yee!! I'm really excited to really meet with these gals & show them how they can be crafty too. So much fun!!

I'm blogging here at work (on my lunch break) & so I don't have any pictures of my own to post, but since this sinus thing is seemingly going away, I feel like I'll be doing some stamping tonight. I'm super excited about that (except I'm slightly limited because some of my products are packed for a stamp camp I'm doing this wknd... I just have to be careful to remember to put it back in the box & not away).

One thing that I want to stamp for sure tonight is a Thanksgiving Day card that I recently saw (not exactly like this one, but similar). It used punches to make a turkey & it was SO incredibly cute!! Guess what's going to be part of my November stamp camps???

Happy Halloween

2008-09-19T19:39:00.001-07:00

Isn't it cute? It's a lil pumpkin made out of a bunch of punches. And a ribbon stem. So cute & so easy to make!! (Other) Stampin' Up! demonstrators are so darn creative!!

Sock Monkey

2008-09-18T19:33:00.001-07:00

I needed to make a birthday card tonight to give to someone tomorrow. I'm LOVIN' my Sock Monkey stampset & accessories. I think it works really well for masculine birthday cards.

Halloween Cards

2008-09-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

I made these two cards tonight at a Stamp Club that I belong to. Neither of them used any stamps (just cardstock, punches & ink). Aren't they super cute? They were so easy to make, too! If you book (or attend) a stamp camp before Halloween, Frankenstein & The Mummy will be on the agenda.

Snow Swirled Christmas

2008-09-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

I want to have my Stamp-a-Stack cards ready to go by Saturday, my Vendor Fair day, so that passersby will see what's upcoming. I already knew I wanted to use my new Snow Swirled stamp set & this is what I came up with. It's simple (you don't want a complicated card when you're making so many).

For this card, I actually mixed some silver embossing powder with gold embossing powder & then threw in a little dazzling diamonds. When you look at it in certain light, you can see the 'rainbow-y-ness' of the dazzling diamonds without it being too over-glittery (I don't know that you can tell in the photo, but in real life, it's very pretty).

I also thought it needed a little something-something on the background, so I used the small snowflake from the same set & stamped it with VersaMark on the left side of the Bravo Burgundy cardstock.

Flight of the Butterfly

2008-09-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

Here's another set that we got for FREE at Convention this year - Flight of the Butterfly. To be honest, I kinda forgot that I even had it... until I was searching online for some ideas on what to do for my next stamp camp. I saw a really cute card using this stamp set & thought to myself, "oh yeah!" So, then I went searching for other samples using this set & found a ton that I love.

You can click on the picture for a bigger view since it's kinda hard to tell, but I used some clear embossing powder on flowers on the white background piece.

I've also been using the heck out of my Stamp-a-ma-jig, which helps to line up the images. I used it to center the brown flowers against the pink wings & also to line up the words in the center of the butterfly. This tool is amazing!! I wonder how I lived so long without it...

Getting ready for Christmas already?

2008-09-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Leave it to me to wait til the very last minute to work on some sort of project. Next Saturday, I'm participating in a vendor fair in the Bothell/Mill Creek area with other direct sales & crafty folks (Tastefully Simple, Partylite, Southern Living at Home, hand-crafted jewelry, hand-crafted quilted items, etc).

Here is a picture (er, two) of a gift card holder that I'm making. I love the simplicity & the colors of this gift card holder. I'm just a hair sad that I used almost the end of my retired Blue Bayou cardstock. Once it's gone, it's gone for good. But, it was just too pretty not to use with the Real Red & Whisper White.

If you're interested in some custom-made gift card holders, for any occasion (birthday, anniversary, thank you, shower), send me an email & I will do all the creating. I am selling them for $2 each or 3 for $5.

If at first you don't succeed....

2008-09-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

I came across a really pretty card recently with this image:

And then I tried to copy it:

And I was so unhappy w/how dark the middle turned out, so I tried a different method (using the pastels instead of the classic inkpad & this is the end result:

And I'm really not happy with this result either as you really can't see the scallop square in the center of the card (like you can on the first picture.

So I went back & read the tutorial on how to create the center & my problem was I am using the wrong color (I used Mellow Moss instead of Sahara Sand).

But since I don't have Sahara Sand, I sought out the next best thing - River Rock. And, I just put one flower in color vs. 3 across the whole square scalloped background.

For the most part, I'm pleased with the way it turned out. I think for my 'next time opportunity', I would use my stamp-a-ma-jig to center the colored flowers a little more evenly against the square scalloped background.

Happy Birthday

2008-09-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

I like the new In Colors that Stampin' Up is offering for the '08-'09 catalog year, but I can't help but use the leftovers I have from the '07-'08 catalog year. I used (once again) retired Blue Bayou & Soft Sky on this birthday card for a co-worker. I also used (for the first time), my new square scallop punch, Heard from the Heart stamp set & Pocket Silhouette stamp set. You can't tell in the pictures, but the scallop squares are raised with dimensionals. Too cute!!

Jill & Justin's Wedding

2008-09-06T14:54:00.001-07:00

Two nights ago, I was invited to a wedding which is happening tonight in Olympia. I love weddings (even if they're last minute invites) & I love my new stamp set that I got today - It's a Stretch.

I put this card together in just a few moments. It was SO incredibly easy & I love the colors - retired Soft Sky & Blue Bayou, plus retired DSP & ribbon. BUT, I also used (for the first time) my new scallop edge punch. I can't say thank you enough to Stampin' Up for creating a scallop edge punch.

Autumn Extraordinaire, part 2

2008-09-01T20:55:00.001-07:00

A few posts back, I posted about me making my company's holiday invitations. This is the final product. Originally, when I had the idea, I showed Shannon a version of this using Real Red cardstock because I had quite a few leftovers from my Convention Swap. She thought the red screamed winter & since our holiday dinner is in the fall (not winter), she wanted more autumn-y colors. The final choice was Bravo Burgundy for the background, Baroque Motif stamped in Creamy Caramel on the Very Vanilla with the information printed on vellum. I died the organdy ribbon with the Creamy Caramel ink pad. A slightly messy process, but I LOVE the way this card turned out. Great choice in colors, Shannon!

2008-08-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a dream (er, nightmare) that I went out to Enumclaw to do a stamp camp & the only thing I brought with me was my catalog (not even catties for the girls; just mine) & order forms. Not much of a stamp camp... So, then I hurried & went home to get supplies, but nothing was prepped. Oy!! It seems that I often forget at least one thing when I go do a camp, but this was rediculous. I hope this never happens in real life.

This isn't a card that I made, but I would have loved to create it. Isn't it gorgeous? I think I'll take out some paper, ink & my Upsy Daisy stampset tonight & put my own spin on it (probably just a different color as I don't have this particular color yet).

2009 Calendar Class

2008-08-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

I was searching online how to make a calendar into a scrapbook page & found this layout. Don't you think it would be a perfect layout for a December page? I need to figure out the logistics of a class (pricing, paper, etc), but the more I think about it, the more I want to do it. If for nobody else, I'll do one for myself. Everyone needs a calendar & I'm no exception. SU! sells some desktop calendars for $9.95 that would be perfect for my desk at work.

2009 Already?

2008-08-27T20:46:00.001-07:00

I came across some of these coaster calendars from another demonstrator's blog. I thought the idea was SO stinkin' cute (not to mention, I had almost a bajillion spare coasters sitting on my shelf), I thought I'd try making one. Except for the ribbon which is sitting pretty wonky, I LOVE the way it turned out.

I just might see an upcoming Calendar Class in my near future. Would you be interested in such a class? Leave me a comment (or shoot me an email) & let me know if it's something I should explore further.

By the way, I probably wouldn't base a Calendar Class solely on this one calendar. It wouldn't take very long to complete. Instead, I was thinking of a calendar that can be transformed into a 6" x 6" (or greater) scrapbook once the month has passed. I've seen some AWESOME samples & am a bit eager to try it out.

I was inspired!!

2008-08-26T21:51:00.001-07:00

One of the perks of going to Convention is we get FREE stuff. This year, among our 4 FREE stamp sets was one of my new favorite sets: Inspired by Nature.

This afternoon, while looking at a gallery of other demonstrator's photos, I came across something similar to this one. One look & I knew I had to CASE (Copy And Steal Everything) it. The only difference was the ribbon. She had used a taffeta ribbon & I don't have that particular one so I dyed what I had (white Organdy) with my Chocolate Chip inkpad. Not 'quite' the same, but I still love it.

I think I mostly love the Poppin' Pastels technique. I don't think I've ever used this technique. SO easy! SO cute! SO versatile! I can easily see this card being used as a thank you, get well soon, thinking of you or good luck card.

As always, clicking on the picture will enlarge it for you for a better view.

I'm So Sad!!

2008-08-25T21:19:00.001-07:00

When I was at Convention, one of the things that was demonstrated was this awesome cookie jar with a new Décor Element of a 'spooky spider'. I, like most other ladies at Convention, wanted to recreate that same jar, except I didn't want to use the Décor Element. I wanted to try the new Halloween rub ons that are in the new Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog.

So, why am I so sad? Well, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way my jar turned out, but I HATE HATE HATE how the pictures turned out. You're just going to have to see my jar in person (by booking a Stamp Camp before Sept 20th - at which point, my jar will be raffled off at a vendor fair I'm participating in). You can also see a slightly better, up close version simply by clicking on any of the pictures above.

A couple things about the jar: I put a placemat inside the jar so that it would photograph slightly better. It is a gallon size cookie jar (with a lid, but the lid didn't photograph nearly as well as the jar itself). It will make a wonderful storage container for Halloween candy to the winner of the jar.

Loads of Love

2008-08-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

There are several stamp sets that I own (many retired) that I can't bring myself to get rid of. But, I need to keep (start!!) using them, otherwise I really can't justify holding onto them.

Tonight I thought I'd use my Loads of Love stamp set & the accessories set that goes along with it (for the pumpkins). I'm quite pleased with how this simple card turned out.

I'm pretty sure the recipient of this card doesn't read my blog much & so it'll be a nice surprise for her to receive it when I give it to her in October.

Sock Monkey

2008-08-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

I recently picked up the Sock Monkey stamp set & have not done anything with it... Until now. I think it's the cutest darn thing, but was having troubles figuring out how I was going to color it. Other than piecing it together with different colors of paper (a LOT of work because you have to cut out each piece & then put it together like a mozaic puzzle), I think I've found the best way to color him - with the pastels. I LOVE the way this monkey turned out!

Autumn Extraordinaire

2008-08-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

One of the gals on our Social Committee knows that I like making cards & other crafts. She had asked me to make the invitations to our "holiday party" (that's actually held in the fall & this year, will be called, "Autumn Extraordinaire").

I found a bunch of samples of really cute invitations, but thought better of making 140 difficult, time-consuming invites. I came up with this card & I LOVED it. I still do. I think it's just so 'elegant'. And, what's more is I have a ton of red ribbon & several pieces of red cardstock already cut from my swaps that I ended up not using for my trip to Convention.

One of the gals who was approving the design loved it too, but thought it screamed "winter" & since the Autumn Extraordinaire is in November, something a little more muted in colors (browns & yellows) might be more suited for this particular occasion.

We've come up with a great invitation & I'm just waiting on approval on the verbage before I post the real deal.

Here's an update on the stamp sets that are left for sale:

Too Terrific Tags - $4
So Many Scallops - $3
Oh How We Danced - $4 - SOLD
Holiday Blocks - $6
Kid Prints - $8
Little Shapes - $2
Around the Block - $2
Send a Celebration - $2 - SOLD
Watercolor Minis - $4
So Many Sayings - $4
Hip Hip Hooray - $8 - SOLD
Reverse Prints - $2

Retired Stamps for Sale

2008-08-09T09:53:00.001-07:00

I'm finally saying good bye to some of my beloved retired stamp sets. I've had some of them for 8+ years! I've definitely made some beautiful projects with my sets, but it's time to say goodbye for good so that I can make more room for some more current sets.

Let me know via a comment if you're interested in any of the following retired Stampin' Up stamp sets (they are available on a first come, first serve basis):

Around the Block - $2
Best Blossoms - $4 - SOLD
Birthday Whimsy - $4 - SOLD
Burst into Bloom - $2 - SOLD
Celebrate the Season - $8 - SOLD
Fresh Flowers - $6 - SOLD
Friendship Blooms - $3 - SOLD
Hip Hip Hooray - $8 - SOLD
Holiday Blocks - $6
Kid Prints - $8
Little Shapes - $2
Made From Scratch - $2 - SOLD
Merci - $4 - SOLD
Oh How We Danced - $4 - SOLD
Peace on Earth - $6 - SOLD
Reverse Prints - $2
Send a Celebration - $2
Sidekick Sayings - $2 - SOLD
Small Script - $2 - SOLD
So Many Sayings - $4
So Many Scallops - $3
Something to Celebrate - $6 - SOLD
Stippled Stencils - $2 - SOLD
Tags & More - $6 - SOLD
The Art of Life - $2 - SOLD
Timeworn Trim - $2 - SOLD
Too Terrific Tags - $4
Watercolor Minis - $4
Word Search - $6 - SOLD

Where do I begin?

2008-08-06T19:44:00.001-07:00

I just got back from my first Convention. I have no idea where to begin... I had SO much fun. I can't wait to go back.

Convention-goers got a sneak peek at the new Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog while at Convention & there, of course, were SO many stamp sets & accessories that I'm excited about. I remember last year at this time thinking that there just wasn't a whole lot that was new & that I wanted to buy. That is absolutely NOT the case this year. I can't wait for August 11th to roll around so that I can place my order.

One of the big announcements at Convention was their new partnership with Sizzix. Stampin' Up will now offer a die-cut machine called the Big Shot that works with cardstock, paper, cardboard, fabric, leather. The possibilities seem almost endless. Using the Big Shot, we were shown an apron that the CEO & Co-Founder, Shelli, had made (too cute!!), some fun masks & even Christmas ornaments (Santa & Rudolph). I have pictures on my Flickr account & will gladly forward them to you if you'd like to see.

During Convention, many demonstrators make "swaps" which are cardfronts that they swap with other demonstrators. It's just another way for us to get inspiration for our camps & classes. I, apparently, made a swap that turned out to be too much. It's a fun card, but after making card after card after card, your mind gets tired, your hands get cramped & then you just don't make as many as you had planned on. I originally planned around 150 or so, but then I got tired, cramped hand & then just lazy. I forced myself to complete 100 swaps. This, as it turns out, is not enough (in my opinion). After I had swapped my last card with another demonstrator, I was sad & thought to myself, "Aw, that's it? I want to keep going..." But, I had nothing to keep going with. Next year, I will have more.

My roommates both have Convention (build-a-) Bears & so they got me one too for my first Convention. They even bought matching pink bathrobes & bunny slippers for my bear. From here on out, for every Convention I go to, Stamperella, my Convention Bear will go with me too. And, if anyone chooses to join in all the fun I have & come to Convention as part of my 'downline', they too will get a Convention Bear.

After attending Convention, I've decided that I 'really' want to work my SU business into more of a business (compared to hobby) & take it more seriously. There were people who've just really been an inspiration (with their sales & recruiting efforts) & it was amazing. Who knew that one person could sell $130k worth of stuff in one year? It can happen.

I'm off to go stamp something with my new / free stamp sets (demonstrators got at least 4 freebies just for attending Convention).

I just LOVE it!!

2008-07-17T20:02:00.001-07:00

In my last post, I mentioned a new item that Stampin' Up has introduced for the new catalog year - Decor Elements.

There are several images to choose from (from letters, words & phrases to decorative images & flowers). The one I bought was the definition of 'create' to put in my stamp room.

One really cool thing about these is that they won't damage your walls if you decide you no longer want the image posted (if you move or change your room's decor, for example).

You can view the Decore Elements brochure here. And pictures of the process here.

Yeee!

2008-07-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

I had my Advanced Techniques class a couple weeks ago. I swear, it was the hottest day of the year! There was just a small crowd & we all just pretty much just sat there in our pools of sweat. Quite gross, really. BUT, we survived & some really super cute projects were made as well.

If you weren't able to attend my Advanced Techniques class last month, I still have some supplies cut for an Advanced Techniques class if you would like to host one in your home with your friends &/or family.

I'm really excited about a couple of things:

1. Stampin' Up has rotated their calendar just a tad. It used to be that one catalog was issued once a year (in July). Then, more recently, they went to two catalogs - a Fall/Winter Collection & a Spring/Summer Collection (issued in July & January). NOW, the new Fall/Winter Idea Book & Catalog will be issued near the beginning of August. I've had a chance to get a sneak peek at a few things & I can hardly wait for August to arrive! One thing I know already in the catalog (& I'm able to buy early - yay!!) is a Sock Monkey stamp set. It is so incredibly cute!!

2. Stampin' Up has started a new product line called Decor Elements. Decor Elements are like a "rub on" you can put on your wall as art. What's really cool is that it's not permanent. If you live in an apartment (or if you like change), you can take it down without damaging the walls. I bought one & hope to get it up really soon. It's the definition of "create" & it's going in my stamp room, of course. I love it! As soon as I get it up, I will take pictures for sure.

3. I'm having my Adios Amigos stamp camp at the end of the month - July 26th - at 11am. We'll be using all retiring stamp sets. I'll also have my retiring sets that I'm selling at my Adios Amigos camp. You'll definitely want to come & check out my goodies. Stay tuned for an Adios Amigos evite.

By the way, I've decided after my last stamp camp that if July 26th is insanely hot, we'll be stamping in the garage with the fans going. It's just a little bit cooler out there than inside the house.

As Promised...

2008-06-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

I swear... I really ought to get a new camera... Or, learn how to operate the one I have just a tad bit better!

Here are two of the five cards we'll be making at my Advanced Techniques Camp on Sunday:

This one uses the Cracked Glass technique. It has a really neat appearance when done. I'm not sure you can really see the awesome effect in this picture (with the camera flash). If you click on the picture, you can see it up close, but it still doesn't capture the cracked glass all that well. You can really see it in person. You'll also get to use pieces from the HodgePodge Hardware Kit on this card.

This one shows a different way to fold your cardstock to get a different look. It's called a Criss Cross card & as you can see, the card crosses in the front & is held together with a belly band. On this card, you'll get to use the Build-a-Brads, which you can see up close on the belly band if you click on the picture. The Build-a-Brads are SO cool & really easy to make. This is one of my favorite cards (I especially love love love the pink/brown combo).

And the winner is...

2008-06-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Kelle! Of her 50 guesses, 17 stamp sets are retiring. As the winner, Kelle will be receiving $10 in free Stampin' Up product. Carrie came in a close 2nd with 13 guessed correctly. As the 2nd place winner, Carrie will receive $5 in free Stampin' Up products. Yay!! Thanks for playing...

Now on to the bad news (for me)... of the 68 retired sets on the list that Stampin' Up has provided, I'm losing 14 of them. The good news is, however, that I will be selling several of them at my retired stamp camp at the end of July so that I can make room for some new stamps.

If you would like to purchase any of the retiring stamp sets from Stampin' Up, you have through August 10th to place your order. Click here for a peek at the retired list.

Advanced Technique Class

2008-06-11T20:58:00.001-07:00

Yeee!! I'm so excited. I have 3 of the 5 cards we'll be doing at my Advanced Techniques Class completed. My darn camera has run out of 'oomph', otherwise I'd post a picture or two... But I'm so happy with the way all 3 have turned out so far.

So far, I've got the Cracked Glass, Criss Cross & a Diorama card ready to go. If you scroll down a bit, you can see samples of the Cracked Glass & Criss Cross cards I made a couple months back.

Here's a sneak peak of a sample diorama card that I pulled from online. It's hard to really see the full scope of this card, but it is 3-D and more "boxy" than it looks in the picture (click on the picture for a more up close image). It's really fun & easy to make!

Next on the agenda: Design an Acetate card that will WOW! you as much as the one I made a couple months ago WOW'd me. The only thing I don't have for the Acetate card I made back then is some jumbo eyelets. I *may* pick some up before the camp, but probably not.

Also, I need to choose what I want to do for the 5th technique. I've got some ideas in my head, but I just need to narrow it down.

One last thing, I will most likely have a sneak peak of what I will be selling at my Advance Techniques stamp camp on the 29th. These items won't be available for sale until my Adios Amigos Stamp Camp (stamp camp using only retired stamps) at the end of July. Stay tuned for more info on date/time, etc.

***DON'T FORGET*** to send me your guesses as to what's going to be on the retired list. All entries must be received via jenstamps@hotmail.com before 11:59pm on Saturday, June 14th. Remember, the person who has the most correct guesses will win $10 off their next order.

$10 in Free Stampin Up Product!

2008-06-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's another FREEBIE GIVEAWAY, but this time, you'll have to work for it.

On June 15th, the 2008 retired list will be available. Send me your list of what stamp sets you think (or hope) will be retiring & the person who has the most correct guesses will receive $10 off their next order (no minimum order required).

Here's a couple hints -

1. There's usually at least 50 stampsets that retire.

2. Hostess sets do NOT count towards guesses.

3. Accessories, In Color products, Designer Series Papers do NOT count towards guesses.

4. Email all guess to me at jenstamps@hotmail.com

*Received guesses must be rec'd by 11:59pm, June 14th.

*Redemption must be placed before the new catalog comes out (in August).

And yes, as the image above suggests.... I will be selling some of my old sets, projects & supplies to make room for some new ones. Stay tuned for more details.

It has been far too long!

2008-04-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since I've posted anything. I'm really excited about 3 name frames I've recently completed. I hope the recipients love them as much as I do. It's kinda nice having the creative freedom to do as you wish in making them, but at the same time it can be challenging to not have 100% guided instruction.

Ryan, from what I gather, is 100% all boy. He is into computers, sports & tools. Ryan's name frame is out of the frame because I'm still in the process of painting it. I also chose just a plain green background because of all the different items on it; I felt if there was patterned paper as a background, the tools & sports equip. would get 'lost'.

Malia is a "girly-girl". She loves the color pink. She also loves flower & ballerina-type stuff - the same things I loved when I was a little girl. Oh heck, who am I kidding? I STILL love that kind of stuff.

James loves anything that moves - cars, planes, scooters, bikes, etc. His frame was a little more challenging because, believe it or not, it was really hard finding some decorations that were "mobile". I ended up using a few more "hardware" pieces on James' frame. I also like the red accent that is on the letters.

As always, you can view the frames closer by clicking on the pictures.

Advanced Technique Projects

2008-03-13T19:54:00.001-07:00

As requested, here are the 5 advanced technique cards I made last weekend. I (will) have most of the materials to make these cards.

Leave me a comment & let me know what you think.

A very pretty Acetate card we made for Mother's Day. I made one quite similar as a birthday card for a co-worker using the new She's All That stampset from the new Occasions Mini Catalog.

I also thought this Brayered Sky card turned out SO pretty... except for the middle of the big tree that didn't get inked up enough. D'oh!

This picture turned out better than I thought it would. You can REALLY see the cracked glass by clicking on the picture.

I don't really care for the colors used in this Criss Cross card, but I do like the concept of it. I've already purchased materials to make a card like this using the Berry Bliss Designer Series Paper. If you click on the picture, you'll see an up close image of the Build-a-Brads that we carry. I've never used 'em before so it was fun being able to try 'em out. I also bought some of these to demonstrate in future camps.

This card is such a beautiful card demonstrating the Faux Silk technique. Even though by clicking on the card to enlarge it, I feel you need to see it in person to really see the true beauty of it.

Advanced Techniques Class

2008-03-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I hosted a stamp camp here at my home. Originally, I was going to have it on a Sunday (last weekend), but several gals couldn't make it due to prior commitments but some could make it. So, I had this brilliant idea... I'll have one on Sunday & then one the following Saturday. I have a big house, but not a huge stamping space & so I thought having it broken up into two days would fix that issue...

Well, it would have worked out that way if everyone from Sunday's camp hadn't cancelled to come to Saturday's camp. I had 10 people stamping at my house yesterday afternoon for 3 hours.

I love these gals who came over. I don't get to see some of them all too often & so it's fun to catch up on what's going on in each other's lives.

After my camp, I went to a camp to do a little stampin myself. We learned 5 'advanced techniques' & they turned out beautiful:

1. Acetate Card
2. Criss-Cross Card
3. Cracked Glass Card
4. Brayered Sky Card
5. Faux Silk Card

I wouldn't incorporate all of them into one camp (unless I did *JUST* an advanced technique class), but maybe throw one in every now and again to demonstrate something new.

You're a blast!

2008-02-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

I got a bunch of new stamp sets this week (8 - yes 8!! - to be exact). Some of them were regular stamp sets out of the Spring/Summer Collection, some were Sale-a-Bration sets & 1 was from pre-ordered from the upcoming Occasions catalog.

One *REALLY* cool thing is that several of the sets are die-cut, which means instead of having to get out the scissors & manually trim around the rubbah to mount it on the wood block, you just sorta 'punch' it out of the excess rubber. This makes mounting your rubbah SO easy & VERY quick.

I'm participating in a demo swap on Saturday at my upline's meeting. Each demo was asked to create a card & bring all the supplies so that everyone can make it too. It's kinda like a Stamp Camp for demonstrators, but instead of designing 6-8 projects for everyone to do, everyone does just 1 & in the end, we all get a bunch of cards (one from each demo).

This card is from the Spring/Summer Collection & features the stamp set Pun Fun. I was inspired by a few other demonstrators who used similar color combos. I'm pretty sure I've never used these colors together before; I kinda like it. I think it would make a great birthday card for a young boy.

Leave me a comment & let me know what you think.

Snowflake & Flower Punches

2008-01-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

Michelle - Here's the flower & snowflake punch I have. I'm not quite sure what happend to the bottom flower out of the paper... it's like a big ol' chunk came out of it. Hmm... I put a nickel, dime & penny next to the flower so you can kinda tell how big they are. And, a card next to the others. Just for size comparisons. Ummmm... The flowers can be used as either the punch out or in the solid paper. The snowflake is just a bunch of little specs of paper once punched; you can only use it on solid paper (does that make sense??). Let me know if you like what you see & they're all yours to borrow. By the way, by clicking on the image, it'll open up into a bigger image & you can see the detail better.

Where DOES the time go?

2008-01-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

The holidays are officially over & I'm officially done with being on the slightly lazy side; I'm ready to get back into things. I've had to take a moment (or two!) to organize my stamp room. It was quite atrocious for awhile with many things being stuffed in there that didn't quite belong (Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, gifts that I didn't want my husband to see nor my kitties to get into). But, that's all put away now. I've got my retired sets labeled with a big red "R". I also created a binder of my sets (I stamped all my current stamp sets on a blank page so that if I'm looking for a specific image, I just have to pull out the binder & flip through the pages rather than pull out each individual set; next is to stamp all my retired sets).

I've got my first stamp camp scheduled for my good friend Kat for mid March. That leaves me plenty of time to come up with some fabulous projects.

BUT, my goal is to have at least one more camp around the end of Feb and at least one more before Kat's camp in March. If you would like to help me reach my goal by hosting a camp, YOU will stamp for free. Also, this is a wonderful time to host a camp because we're quickly approaching Sale-A-Brations - for every $50 you spend, you get an exclusive stamp set for free!

One last thing to mention... I recently signed up to have a stampin up website. I'm still figuring out how to get everything set up on it (pictures, editing the default text, etc), but check me out at: www.jennifermccarthy.stampinup.net

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-26T21:32:00.001-08:00

Wow! I feel like I should have posted something a week or two ago. But, I'm sure you all understand how busy it can get around the holidays. We tried not to "do" Christmas this year, but really, can one "NOT" do Christmas?

We had some decorating & some baking & as much as we tried to limit ourselves, we still had shopping to do.

I'm thankful for all my friends, family & customers (who feel like new friends to me) who make the holiday season a wonderful time of the year.

I am thrilled to announce that I received my new catalog about week ago. I've already got my covers laminated & the spine spiral bounded. The lamination just protects the covers & the spiral binding makes it so easy to flip through the pages & the catalog will stay open. If you're ever interested in spiral bounding your catalog, I'd be happy to take one to Fed Ex/Kinko's for you (across the street from my work). The cost would be about $12.

In addition to the new Spring-Summer Collection catalog, February1st marks the first day of Sale-a-Brations, a 6-week annual sales event that Stampin Up offers to it's customers, hostesses & new recruits. During Sale-a-Brations, for every $50 you spend as a customer, you get a free limited edition Sale-a-Bration stamp set (there are 5 to choose from). As a hostess, you receive a free Sale-a-Bration stamp set for each $300 increment your camp totals. And, as a new demonstrator recruit, you get to select any stamp set from the Spring-Summer Collection catalog, a $47.95 value!

I signed up to be a demonstrator 3 years ago, during Sale-a-Brations & chose the most expensive stamp set - an alphabet stamp set - simply because I had a hard time justifying the purchase on my own. It was such a nice 'bonus' to receive a new stamp set at such a high value, for free.

If you'd like to book your stamp camp with me (or place an order) & earn your free stamp sets, please get in touch with me; my calendar is filling up fast!

A Freebie Giveaway

2007-11-25T16:40:00.001-08:00

I'm curious who reads this blog... Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

To the first 3 people who post a comment, I will give you $5 off your next Stampin Up! purchase of at least $30.

From time to time, I will post a freebie giveaway like this. Stay tuned!

As Promised

2007-11-18T21:49:00.001-08:00

I love it when Brown (a.k.a. Mr. UPS) delivers some goodies on my doorstep. Two days ago, I received my box of goodies which consisted of a couple stamp sets, some designer series paper, some ink refills & some markers that I never got around to buying until now. I also got a couple random things like sanding blocks & the scallop punch. I'm really not quite sure if I need the sanding blocks, but I have them now. They may come in handy when doing my chipboard ornaments.

So anyways, as promised, I was going to post a couple pictures of ornaments we'll be making at the next camp I do. The pictures never do the actual item justice, but here are 2 more of my samples (the scallop ornament & the peppermint patty ornament); click on the picture for a closer picture:

I love 3D stuff!!

2007-11-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago, I did a Christmas Card Stamp-a-Stack for a gal who won my raffle drawing at a vendor fair I did back in July in Mill Creek. I didn't really think that particular vendor fair was much successful as I didn't feel confident that I had gotten any new customers out of it. But, then out of the blue, this particular gal called & I'm glad she did.

Her stamp-a-stack was small (only 3 stamped), but I had a great time stamping with & getting to know the 3 who were there. One gal even asked if I could do a camp for her making christmas ornaments.

I had to think about it, but after doing just a little bit of research, I do have several ornaments we will make. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of everything because I don't have all my supplies just yet (I ordered what I needed today).

Here's a picture of one of the ornaments & the inside of it. It was a bit challenging to get a "decent" picture of the ornament (lighting, shadows, movement - all problems), but you can see the jist of it.

Ornaments to make:
- chipboard ornaments
- peppermint patty ornaments
- acetate ornaments
- reinker ornaments
- scallop ornaments
- strips o' paper ornaments

It's finally done!

2007-11-07T20:36:00.001-08:00

I finally was able to finish my FALL/NOEL CD's that I first fell in love with at Regionals. Well, I'm not 100% done, but will be momentarily. I didn't color in the stocking that's on the "N" of NOEL.

I apparently didn't plan it entirely enough when I was putting it together. You see, I had painted most of the letters black, exept for the N & the E. I had originally intended for at least one of those letters to go on the blue background (the O is on). But, when I put together the FALL side first, I wasnt paying attention to what order the colors were going together. I also should have painted one L white to go on the black/web background for FALL. Instead, I put the black letter on white paper & put that on the black/web background.

Overall, I'm pretty thrilled with the way it turned out. I just know for the next couple I put together what I need to look out for.

In the picture, I have it hanging on a towel bar purchased from the local home improvement store. It's just sitting on top of the fireplace (not bolted down). The little brown piece in between the A/L & the O/E is a decorative piece on our fireplace.

As always, for a better, close up image, simply click the picture(s).

By the way, I am selling these at a craft fair this weekend for $25 (towel bar not included) & would be happy to make one for you too. Either leave a message in the comments section or shoot me an email. Even if you don't want me to make you one, leave me a comment & let me know what you think.

I woke up at 5am for this!

2007-11-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

This morning, I *woke up* at 5am with the thought of what to do with my blank CD cases. And, I knew I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep as long as I kept thinking about these CD cases. So, I got out of bed, got ready for work, & since I had an extra hour before I had to leave the house, I made my creation.

What is it? Well, it could be any number of "greeting cards" but this particular greeting card is a baby announcement. On the outside front, is a bunny that was watercolored. The inside left side has the announcement stuff (date, weight, length, etc). The inside right is where a picture of the newborn baby would go. The picture is a little fuzzy, but that black/white little circle says "welcome little one". Click on any of the pictures for a better, close up view.

What's great about these?

-They stand up on their own; I had this one displayed on my desk today at work so I could show it off to my co-workers.

-They can be customized for any occasion. This one is a baby announcement. Before the weekend is up, I want to make an "I love you" (great for an anniversary or valentine) & perhaps a Christmas one. Stay tuned for more pics.

-They make great, one-of-a-kind gifts.

My New Toy

2007-11-01T23:00:00.001-07:00

So, there's this thing & it's called a Crop-a-Dile. I sell it through my Stampin' Up! business, but I've never used it personally & had no idea what it even did... Until I went to Portland Regionals a few weeks back. In a nutshell, it's the best hand-held hole punch ever. It's really 'strong' & so easy to use. Tonight, to try it out, I punched through 3 chip boards (all at the same time) and I punched the holes for my NOEL/FALL CD decorations. Try doing that with an ordinary hand-held hole punch. I love my new toy.

Halloween - It's coming!

2007-10-28T16:46:00.001-07:00

Picture it: A tin that you might find a band-aid in. Alter it with a little black paper, some stamped Halloween images & some ribbon. What have you got? The Halloween gift I'm giving to my co-workers on Wednesday. I had fun making these cute little tins that I bought from The Oriental Trading Co. Now, I just gotta figure out what fun treat to put into them.

For a better view, simply click on the picture.

Stampin' Away

2007-10-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

For the next week or so, I'll be stampin' away! I've got a stamp camp this weekend at my home, which I'm just about ready for. I've got a stamp camp on November 4th & I'm almost done with prepping for that. And, most recently, I've signed up to work at a craft fair on November 10th. I'll be selling name frames, lunch tins & cards.

All name frames are customizable with a "theme" and name. These make great gifts and are only $20. The lunch tins can also be used as a "recipe" box or a "storage" box for your small items. They are only $15. You can view any picture up close by clicking on it. If you would like me to make one for you, just leave a comment or email me.

Christmas Cards For Sale!

2007-10-16T20:24:00.001-07:00

I finally completed the design for the 4th card for my Christmas Cards this year. I'm selling them in bundles of 8 for $10 (2 each of the 4 designs). That's just $1.25 per card. What a bargain!

Click on any of the cards for a close-up view. The insides are intentionally left blank for your personalized greeting.

Portland Regionals

2007-10-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

Friday, I went to Stampin' Up's regional conference in Portland Oregon. Each time I go, I'm usually "Wow'd" by something presented there. This time, I was wow'd by the display in this picture. It's really hard to see the true awesome-ness, but I'll try & explain what you're looking at.

These are ordinary CD's covered in Stampin Up's Designer Series Paper. On the one side is the word "FALL" with "NOEL" on the reverse side. The letters are chipboard & there are little autumny/wintery decorations.

By clicking on the picture, you can see a better, close up version, but in all honesty, the picture doesn't do it justice. I'm going to try & make one of these to hang up in my entry way.

On the agenda...

2007-10-11T17:50:00.001-07:00

First of all, I don't think I've blogged so much on this particular blog than I have over the past several days. Usually, I go like *maybe* one post a month (usually less). So far, I've done like 4 posts in the past two weeks. Yeee!! I'm on a roll!

This is a picture of my stamp room that I just took. This picture doesn't even capture the entire room nor show just how messy it really is. On the agenda for this weekend: Get this sucker cleaned up & organized!

But for now? In about 10 minutes I'm heading out the door to head on down to Portland for Stampin' Up's Regional Conference, which will be all day tomorrow. I'll be back late tomorrow night & then Saturday, my dear Stamp Room, I'm all yours!

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-10-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

I was asked by a friend of mine to make some Thanksgiving Day cards. Here is my sample. The supplies were "leftover" from a Stamp-a-Stack I did for someone else, but I changed them slightly from the previous sample. I'm really pleased with the differences made & hope you are too.

The biggest change was the direction in which they open - the old way opened left to right; the new way opens top to bottom (hamburger vs. hotdog as one of my customers likes to call it). I changed the direction of the opening because on the backside, I stamped the "hand stamped/Stampin Up" copyright image on the "bottom" of the card. In my opinion, it would have looked silly to have that stamped on the "side".

The other change was in the old sample, I used black Staz-on for the stamped pumpkin image. In the new sample, I used Really Rust Classic Ink. The difference between the Staz-on and the classic ink pad is that the Staz-on doesn't "smear" with the water coloring. With this Really Rust ink, it didn't matter as the whole image is orange anyways & having the entire image that way helps to add "dimension".

The inside, by the way, is stamped with "Happy Thanksgiving" & embossed with gold embossing powder.

Moving Away

2007-10-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

One of my close friends has decided to move across the Atlantic to be with the love of her life. I'm sad for me, but SO incredibly happy for her. My gift to her is a pack of "Just Moved" cards that she can send to her friends & family with her new address. You can click on the card for a more close up, detailed image of the card.

Stamp - A - Stack

2007-09-30T16:44:00.001-07:00

Next weekend, I am doing a Stamp-a-Stack for one of my customers who asked to do 2 Christmas cards, a Halloween card & an "any occasion" card.

A Stamp-a-Stack is 4 each of 4 designs, 16 cards for $20. This equates to $1.25 per card. Not too shabby if you ask me. Can you get that at Hallmark? I didn't think so.

Here are the cards we'll be doing, ideas come from the lovely ladies at Splitcoaststampers:

Finally, an update!

2007-09-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

I've been debating for some time if I should keep this blog. I think I will. I'm just really bad about updating it because I keep using my other blog instead. I think more people read my other blog. But really, "more people" probably only consists of my Groovy Franken Friends & that's about it.

The reason, that I'm keeping this blog open is that I recently gave out a few business cards & when I got those business cards, I had this blog address printed on them. I don't know if they will look at it, but I should probably have a more recent post than June 14th, just in case.

I have been giving thought to whether or not I want to even keep my Stampin Up business going. I haven't been successful in getting new customers & the ones I do have, don't buy from me all that much. That's fine. I totally understand & am okay with it. If everyone I know just wanted to do a stamp camp, I would be TOTALLY okay with it. But, you can only stamp so much before you're bored of it or just can't afford it.

I have two upcoming camps for girls & then one of my own. I am committing to holding one camp a month for the next 3 months at my house. If I am unable to get new customers or maintained interest, then perhaps I will let my demonstratorship run out in January.

Card Update

2007-06-14T21:03:00.001-07:00

Tonight, I have been working on my cards for next week's Adios Amigos stamp camp. Here are two cards I made:

The top one uses the hostess set, Blooming with Happiness. I actually *just* got this set not too long ago. I think it's SO cute. On this one, I used black embossing powder on the dress & colored it in with the Pretty in Pink marker. I thought having it embossed would help me stay inside the lines. Not sure if you can really tell, but those are pink eyelets on the black portion of the card.

On this next card, I did get some inspiration from someone on the SCS website. I couldn't, however, see the enlarged/detailed version of their

sample because I think something is wrong with the SCS website tonight. I did change the color from what they had (they used red &/or shades of pink).

It's hard to see, but I used the Swirling Stars jumbo wheel, with Night of Navy ink on the Night of Navy cardstock, but only on half of the cardstock. The word "Celebrate" is from the retiring stamp set All Year Cheer II. Lastly, the focal point of this card is the gifts & that's from the Crazy for Christmas stamp set.

I think I need a new white craft inkpad as "Celebrate" looks more blue than white.

Adios Amigos

2007-05-27T09:19:00.001-07:00

I'm hardly prepared for my next stamp camp (in 3 weeks), but I've got a few ideas running around in my head. It's going to be a Mexican themed camp. I'm going to serve some chips & salsa (of course!!), margaritas (what's a fiesta without a 'rita?), some other tasty grub like quesadillas or taquitos. Yummy! I can't wait. I think it'll be fun.

I'm also going to switch it up a little bit. At camps I've had in the past, I've always had it where you, the stamper, sit in your seat & you grab the shoebox as you're ready for it. At my last stamp camp, I've found it to be a little hard for those who were in a hurry to stamp & go. They were stuck waiting for a couple of the cards & in the end, didn't make them.

This time, I'm going to have the cards staying at the station & the stamper moves to the next card.

It also appears there won't be nearly as many people attending my Adios Amigos camp as there were for my May camp(s). Hopefully, I'll get some good feedback from those who have attended both to see if this is the better way to go. If so, I'll do it this way from here on out.

Though I don't use it much, this is a card made from one of my favorite retiring stamp sets: Winged Things. It is from a fellow demonstrator, Kysmom. Perhaps I'll CASE it for my Adios Amigos camp.