It's hard for me to decide what my favorite Sale-a-bration product is, but the stamp set, Feeling Sentimental, is definitely in the top 5. I'm drawn to the line art images and the vintage style of each stamp.  So many possibilities with this set!

I like having all-occasion cards on hand.  I love when I can reach in to my card box, add any sentiment and get the card in the mail.  That was my intention when I made these:

Do you see that gorgeous paisley blue paper?  Most people don't realize that it is Stampin' Up! paper, but it is!  It's a hidden jewel that I'm about to un-hide.  On page 16 of the Spring Catalog...the Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack, #129312.  This stunning pack of paper has 48 sheets of 4-1/2"x6-1/2" sheets in the following designs:

The paper is double-sided and unfortunately the picture only shows a snippet of the other side.  That's where I found my beautiful paisley paper!   Priced at only $6.95 US, this is a GREAT way to add color and pop to your projects. The assortment is fantastic!

SALE-A-BRATION - For every $50 of product you spend, you earn a Sale-a-bration product for FREE! You could choose the Feeling Sentimental Set above or choose from 18 other products!  Learn more about Sale-a-bration here.

 Have a GREAT day!

With all the new products and promotions Stampin' Up! has going on these days it's easy to forget or overlook some of the great stamps and accessories that are in the 2012-2013 catalog.  It's human nature to want the latest and greatest, but there are times when everything I need is in the main catalog.  Such was the case for today's card. 

A sympathy card was needed for a co-worker and sometimes simple will do.  There's a time and place for flashy, over-the-top cards but this wasn't one of those times. You know the acronym...K.I.S.S. 

The 2-step stamping technique has always been one of my favorites and it always produces a beautiful image.  The two colors used in the flowers are Pool Party and Island Indigo.  The Field Flowers stamp set is perfect so nearly any occasion.  The sentiment is from the set titled So Sorry.  A set of 10 sentiments, this set is also a great addition to any crafters collection.

With over 200+ pages, the 2012-2013 catalog is chock-full of stamps, papers and accessories for every occasion.  Want a copy to call your own?  Contact me and I'll arrange to get you one.

Crafters are fascinating people.  We can take something ordinary and make it extraordinary.  We can look at a piece of fabric and see a new color combination for a card or scrapbook. We take paper and create something 2-D, 3-D or just a flat masterpiece.  Objects all have multiple purposes to crafters and that's what makes us so...crafty.

Take this for example:

This is the packing paper that comes in every Stampin' Up! order.  It does a great job securing our orders during transport, but it is such a shame to throw it away or to just put it in the recycle bin.

So my packing paper goes from a crumbled mess to flat 8.5" x 15" sheets of brown crafting paper.

After a little ironing (yep, literally a hot iron!), the sheets smoothed out beautifully.  These sheets now have enormous potential to be a variety of things, but today I made mine into an envelope to match a card I made for a friend.

So, I folded my sheets in half, grabbed my sewing machine and stitched it closed along three sides.

For some envelopes I made I trimmed them to fit the card exactly.  For others I kept it a bit longer so I could fold the edge over.  Plain packing paper then morphed into a really pretty envelope:

After adding some designer series paper and a few embellishments, that packing paper had a brand new purpose in life!

So, the next time you come across packing paper try converting it into something else and giving it a new life!   Not only will you be crafty but saving the environment too!

Thanks for stopping by!

I recently stumbled across this article about Shelli Gardner, Stampin' Up!'s fearless leader.  Grab some coffee or tea and see why Stampin' Up is such a great company - it's run by really great people!

Scrapbooking.com -- Article - Shelli Gardner, CEO and Cofounder, Stampin' Up!®.

Have a blessed day!

It's official!  Sale-a-bration has begun!  For the next 60 days you can earn FREE product for every $50 you spend.  It's a great time to be a Stampin' Up! customer and demonstrator!

Are you ready to join the fun?  The store is OPEN!

While you're trying to figure out what to add to your order, here are a few more demonstrator Sale-a-bration samples for your viewing pleasure.

All the cards above use one or products available in the Sale-a-bration brochure.  The creativity is endless!

Happy shopping!

So, here we are on the Eve of Sale-a-bration...the most wonderful time of the year!  I can already feel the excitement among my long-time customers.  Some have had their orders to me for over a week now!  Yup, it really is a GREAT time of year.

Maybe you're new to my blog or perhaps new to Stampin' Up! - so you're asking, "What is Sale-a-bration?".  Hard to believe that everyone doesn't know about it, but with nearly 7 billion people in the world I suspect there might be a couple that don't know.  So, for those 2 or 3 of you that don't know what Sale-a-bration is, here is a brief and simple explanation:

• For every $50 in product you buy, you earn free product from the Sale-a-bration brochure.
• There is no limit to how many Sale-a-bration products you can earn.
• Sale-a-bration is for a limited time only - Jan 22nd through Mar 22nd!  Get free stuff while you can!
• Want to earn A LOT of product?  Contact me to have a class, workshop or a private party.  Any class workshop or party order totalling $150 or more earns you hostess benefits, free Sale-a-bration product and an opportunity to hang out with ME (priceless!).
• Not interested in a class or workshop? You can place your own order in my ONLINE STORE.

Don't think about it too long...the calendar is filling quickly.

Contact me today to reserve your date.

I want to give you a peek at some of the awesome cards you can create with Sale-a-bration products.  I had the opportunity to swap cards with some talented demonstrators around the country.  The creativity is really endless with these products!

Aren't these fabulous?  I am honored to be a member of this swap group.  Want to see more samples?  Be sure to come back tomorrow!

And, of course, the PAR-TAY begins tomorrow! 

See you then!

Let's take a break from all the promotions posts, shall we?  It's time to get back to the craft room and CREATE! 

This afternoon I am teaching a class on how to make the stationery portfolio on page 147 in the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! catalog.  It's a perfect accompaniment to the beautiful and elegant English Ivy Stationery also list on page 147.

The sample in the catalog uses the color Summer Starfruit with the Crumb Cake, but I was drawn more to the jewel colors in Raspberry Ripple and Primrose Petals.  Any color could be used, it's just a personal preference.

This is a perfect gift to have on hand for a hostess, friend or just for yourself!

Thanks to my friend and fellow demonstrator, Linda Heller, for the instructions!

Have a great day!

Do you like the versatility of choosing just one stamp instead of having to buy an entire set? Then you are going to love this new promotion! 

Due to the overwhelming response to the single stamp promotion last year, Stampin' Up! is releasing 10 never-before-seen images  - for a limited time only!  From now until March 31, 2013, you can add these one of kind stamps to your collection.

Here's a sample of one of the stamps:

Check out the rest of the stamps here and complete details.

 Have an AWESOME day!

Now that I've gotten a bit of rest and my creative high is stabilizing, I had the opportunity to sort through some of the pictures I took over the past few days.  One of the highlights of every Leadership conference is the Managers Reception.  This year's reception was held at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  I understand from a SU staff member that there were over 700 people there!  The nicest part of the the event is that it was a private event.  We had the park to ourselves.  Sweet!  Thanks Stampin' Up! for an awesome evening!

Waiting in line for the bus to take us to the park. My friend, Linda, and I had the privilege of bringing our husband's to Harry Potter too!

This sign and a red carpet greeted us as we entered the park.

The food was awesome too!  Here's Steve enjoying a just a little turkey.

The food was spread throughout the entrance of the park and there was something for everyone!  The weather was perfect too making a really great evening.

You can't go to a Stampin' Up! event without getting a picture with Stampin' Up!'s Co-founder and CEO, Shelli Gardner.

Poor picture because it was so dark, but this castle was amazing.

None other than Professor Dumbledore.

And finally, what's Harry Potter without Butterbeer?  A perfect way to end the night! (And it tasted really good too!)

Thanks for letting me share my trip down memory lane.  I can't wait for next year's event!

Funny title, eh?  It will make sense by the time you get to the end of this blog post, I promise.

Have you ever experienced a creative high?  You know the feeling where you have so many ideas and it's hard to keep a single thought.  I'm experiencing it now.  I've just returned from Stampin' Up!'s leadership conference and I am giddy with creative excitement!

Stampin' Up! has so many great products and programs on the horizon.  There truly will be something for everyone - including for the special men in your life! (More on that in a minute...).  Honestly, over the coming weeks and months you will be blown away by the exciting things Stampin' Up! will be unveiling.  And, I am happy to assist you every step of the way.

One of the most exciting announcements was the introduction to Paper Pumpkin.  Paper Pumpkin is a monthly paper crafting kit program that gives you the excitement of creating fresh and innovative projects every month with an all-inclusive kit (except adhesive). 

• projects will vary each month and could be card kits, 3-D kits or even home decor items! 
• kits are delivered right to your door for only $19.95 (which includes shipping!)
• all cutting and measurements have been done for you with coordinated products too.
• If you're one of those people who are afraid of commitment, no worries...you can cancel your subscription at any time. 

Not sure if you want to commit to a subscription? Then the Try-It kit is for you.  Get a taste of what the program is about for a one-time fee.

If you are interested in reading more about it now, check it out here.  

Already now this is a program for you?  Then don't delay!  Subscribe Today! 

(If you are one of my customers, I kindly ask that you indicate that I am your demonstrator.)

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And now for the special men in our life.  Are you one of those women who long to receive a hand-made card from the special man in your life?  I had the privilege of receiving a hand-made card from my husband once - a long time ago.  You may remember this post.  I was so touched by and have that card in a special place. 

Will my husband ever made another one?

Likely not.  Why?  He is overwhelmed in my craft room and doesn't know what half of the tools are. 

Introducing....Dude, You're Welcome!

Take a look:

Look for more information tomorrow regarding this great kit.

I encourage you to check throughout the week.  I will be showcasing cards from Leadership, which include great products from the new Spring Catalog.  And, there will be more information about the new programs too!

Have a great day!

Mary Ann