Prepping

Well I feel like I've been on a whirl wind ride! Since getting back from convention, I've been working, weeding, or creating samples for Fall Fest. The garden is starting to turn out gigantic tomatoes, lots of peas, zucchini, and beans to climb to the sky! I even got some flowers growing! The pool on the other hand has given us nothing but trouble. Hopefully my husband has that fixed AGAIN!
At convention I won the new label thinlit that makes the flip cards! So I'll be showing a demonstration at our semi annual Fall Fest using this exciting new product. Here is a sample of one of the cards I made.

It's been a long time!

Grouted Tiles

Well I know, it's been a long time. The Stampin' Up! year has just begun and I've also started a new job working full time now as a 2nd Assistant Sales Manager at Coldwater Creek. I'm really enjoying my time there. I've been there over 3 years! I get to wear fun clothes and able to use my creative side as well! I am learning to manage my time better though so maybe I'll be posting more often! Who knows! I had my technique class a week late this month and here are some pictures of what we did in class along with some of last month projects. It's been a very busy year and it seems to never end. My garden is in and doing well this year so far. The pool is even looking pretty good and not so cold! I'm also hoping to get my kitchen this fall! We'll see how that goes.

Cutaway Window

Triple Embossed

Embossed Scraps

Big Buckle

July Technique

Yes, I know it's not July, but I'm so far behind it isn't funny. It was easier to just use my ipod to take the pictures and upload them then use the camera. Hope these pictures turn out ok. The first  card is a double embossed.
Oh boy! I just found this unfinished post from last year! Well I guess better late then never!

Extra Hostess Benefits!

As if the brand-spanking-new 2012-2013 Annual Catalog isn't enough, Stampin' Up! is also offering two spectacular promotions during the month of June!  One is an amazing incentive for Hostesses and the other is a cool bonus for New Demonstrators!  Here are the details...

We {Heart} Our Hostesses Promotion—June 1 thru July 31, 2012
Hostesses!  You'll earn an additional $50 in Hostess Rewards when you have workshop sales of $450 or more.  That's on top of the already amazing Hostess Benefits you would earn at that level, meaning you would earn at least $115 in Hostess Dollars to spend, plus one 50% off item.
Take a look at how the Rewards add up as your sales increase:

Do you realize how easy that number is to hit when there is a new catalog release?!  Your stamping friends are going to want to get as much on their wishlist as possible!  It's a great opportunity to play with the new stuff, have fun stamping with friends and GET LOTS OF FREE STUFF!  Oh yeah!
Let's get your new catalog workshop or private, customizable class on the calendar! Contact me today!

Technique of the Month - May

Here is the Technique of the Month for May. It's called "Cut Borders" I got this idea from Technique Junkie This is a pretty simple technique. You can do this on any size card, using one or more images stamped one under the other. Depending on your stamp (clear mount, acrylic, or wood mount) you may want to use a stamp-a-ma-jig. To start, fold your card in half, then open card base and stamp your images, one under the other. Have them touch or overlap is good. Then cut along the outer edge. Depending on the images used, you may want to color in your image. On my sample, I used two blue colors. To help this stand out, I also matted the inside of the card. Now le'ts see some of your samples!



















Below are a couple of other projects we did at my May Technique class. The first is a slider card, showing it closed, then opened. The second is called Quilted Paper. Another really simple technique, but a bit time consuming. Using the Stampin' Up! score board with the diagonal plate makes it real easy. If you're going to be at my uplines shoebox swap May 9, I'll have it with me and show you how simple it is to do!

 See you soon!

May Happenings.

Well it's been another month since my last post, sorry. I was going to post a couple of weeks ago this book I made for my mil for Mother's Day, but one thing leads to another and it just never happened. I got the idea from my Stampin' Success magazine that I get each month from Stampin' Up! I had such a great time making this book and my mil absolutely loved it. I must say, I do have a wonderful mil. She has been there for us when we needed her & we're there for her when she needs us. 

Back & Front of Wonderful Mother Book

The next is the inside cover & first page. That first page took a long time to make, but I love the way it turned out!

first inside pages

The page on the left has a small pocket to put little messages in for her to read about why we love her.


 These next pages show one side of an envelope that is used as a page as well as some place for additional pictures or memorabilia.

Lately I've been prepping for a class I'm doing for the Girl Scouts and my open house this Sunday! There's another thing on my "To Do List"! is get out my email for that! Besides all my stamping, I've been working in my garden, that's close to being done. My asparagus should really be producing by next season. It takes a few years to establish before you can harvest. My blueberry bushes are finally going to give me some blueberries this year! That's another plant that takes awhile before you get anything from it as well. My strawberries are coming in and looking good. I still have to thin them out and hope to pick the berries before the birds! The rest of the garden has been planted & weeded. I just have to put down mulch to keep the weeds down & it helps keep the roots cool & damp from the hot sun over the summer. The rest of the yard is coming along. I'm close to being done with all the weeding. I'm waiting for a delivery of mulch for that and then it's just a weekly maintenance thing. But everything is looking good! Here is one last picture. My husband made me for mother's day. It's a garden work table. He put a slide out for catching loose dirt when planting, so I can reuse. I want to put some hooks on it for some tools, but I just love it. We're also going to re-finish a cabinet so I can keep tools I want out of the weather also. BTW, that's part of my garden in the background.

April Technique of the Month

Well I know it's late this month, but I had to re-schedule my class a week late, so hopefully next month will be earlier. So this month the technique is paper quilling. This is something I've been wanting to do for a very long time. Stampin' Up! even had a video & tutorial on this a few months back (probably last year!). It really is very simple to do, it just takes a little practice. Hopefully I'll get a chance to make more samples. There is really so much you can do with this technique. I also was a vendor at a local crop this past weekend and did a demonstration on this technique. Some tips before you get started. My sample shows regular Stampin' Up! cardstock, which works fine, some might find the DSP is easier because it's thinner. In one of the videos she used a bone folder on the paper first to break down the fibers. Also, to dampen the end of the strip helps to get it curling around your tool. Also if you go to youtube & search paper quilling, you'll find quite a few videos. I can't seem to find the original video I saw but here are a couple of links for watching a video: paper quilling video 1 and paper quilling 2 Below are my instructions on quilling.

Paper Quilling

 By Cyndy Ponczek

SUPPLIES

Strips of cardstock 1/8” wide

     About 4 ¼” & 8 ½” long

Cardstock for base of card

Coordinating stamp(s) & ink

Liquid adhesive (ex. 2 way glue)

Scissors

Paper piercer

Embellishments

DIRECTIONS

1.   To make basic flower, you will need 5 strips of 8 ½” long cardstock. Wet the end you will start with and begin to roll it around your paper piercer tool. Roll to end of strip.

2.   Remove from piercing tool and put aside to let the paper rest. Repeat Step 1, four more times.

3.   Take one of the “curls” you just made and put some liquid adhesive on the end and hold it to the “curl” until set. This should take about 15 seconds or so, depending on the adhesive you’re using.

4.   Once you’ve glued all your “curls” you want to pinch a section to create a tear drop look to each “curl”.

5.   You’re now ready to assemble your flower. Stamp the stem of your flower on the cardstock base.

6.   Using the liquid adhesive, put some on the bottom of each petal and place on cardstock base, putting all points toward center.

7.   If you want to make a “bud”, repeat Step 1. While the strip is still on your tool, apply your adhesive, keeping the paper tight. Hold together while glue dries. To give it a bit of a dome effect, use the backside of your piercer or something that has a bit of a curve. Adhesive to flower as in Step 6.

8.   Finish flower/bud with a half purl, button, or brad.