Strength & Hope Campaign

Campaign Dates: May 1-August 31, 2011
As part of our Making a Difference program, Stampin' Up! is proud to partner with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation in the Strength & Hope Campaign.

Throughout the 2011 Summer Mini Catalog sales period, Stampin' Up! will donate $2 from the sale of each Strength & Hope stamp set and Strength & Hope digital kit to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

Item	Description	Price
118100	Strength & Hope wood-mount set	$17.95
123660	Strength & Hope clear-mount set	$13.95
124475	Strength & Hope digital kit Includes a four-piece stamp brush set, 12 Designer Series Papers, and 10 embellishment piece	$9.95

Slacker Blogger Message

     Hello readers!  It has been so long since I've posted.  For those of you who keep checking back, I apologize.  I really always planned to start posting again, but kept putting it off.  I am still a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and plan to keep doing that.

     I found out in December that we are expecting our 2nd child in August.  So, I have really toned down what I am doing as far as classes and workshops.  My current clubs end in June and I will not start any new clubs until January of 2012.  However, when those clubs start, there will be spots open to those of you who wish to join.

     I will be doing a class or two each month beginning in July. I will keep you all updated on those events once they are planned.  I will be having some hosting incentives for those who plan a "book" party in July and August.  Stay tuned for more information!

     I am also working on having my used stamp sale in the next few months as well as a Kids Cards Stamp-a-Stack  (cards for kids' birthdays, etc.).

For those of you who do not know, I am hosting a Stampin' Weekend March 18-20 in Houston.  Registration was due March 5, but I can extend it until March 10.  To allow the late registration, I will be omitting the $50 order which brings the price down to $120 for all weekend.  The weekend will include your meals, 2 make and takes, door prizes, and lots of fun!  Contact me ASAP if you wish to register.  Click here to view the registration sheet.

   

Lunch Box Notes #1

Images copyright Stampin' Up!

I participated in a Lunch Box Swap years ago and want to share them with you over the next couple of days to give you some ideas for your own lunch box notes.  These two samples above are "postcard" notes--meaning they don't open up like a traditional card.  The smiley face card has a fun shape and super fun googly eyes.  The balloons on the right were made by heating up some fun foam with your heat tool and stamping on the foam.  The sets used in these notes are all retired, unfortunately.  They are perfect for lunch box notes!

Don't forget about my Lunch Box Note class on August 9 at 7:00 pm.  We will make 5 notes for $10--you can see 2 of the 5 projects in the post below.  You can also sign up for an optional swap to get more fun notes.  RSVP is due by this Thursday, July 29.  Final total will be emailed out on Friday.

Product Shares, New Class, & Clubs!

Images copyright Stampin' Up!

CLASSES:

Lunch Box Notes
Date:  Monday, August 9 at 7:00
Cost:  $10
Details: We will be making 5 special "notes" to put in your child's lunch box or folder for school and swapping notes so that we have a pretty good selection to give our kids the few weeks of school. The picture shows two of the five we will be making.

The notes you will be making here will be a little more than just a note card. I will teach you how to use the Sweet Center Cups, make a pencil worm, Smarties holder, and more.

SWAPPING:  This is an optional part of this class.You will make a special lunch box note for everyone who participates. I truly don't expect more than 10 people to sign up for this swap. Lunch box notes are small little cards or postcards that will fit in a lunch box or folder. The cards don't have to be a full card---they can be any size and be like a post card, if you wish. You can use up a lot of your larger scraps without having to order anything additional.

RSVP for the Swap by (7/30) (sorry for the late notice!)I will email everyone with the total on Friday


PRODUCT SHARES
***RSVP and payment for product shares is due on August 10

Designer Buttons $21
Receive a total of 144 buttons---2 each of 3 designs in 24 colors.

Flower Brads
Half share includes a total of 48 flower brads—2 each of 24 colors $11
Whole share includes a total of 96 flower brads—4 each of 24 colors $21

Vintage Assortment  $11
Brads (10 total—2 each of 5 designs)
Vintage Trinkets (24 total—4 each of 3 colors in 2 designs)


Marker Clubs
$44/month for 4 months

Want all the markers in the case, but can’t shell out all the cash right now? Then join my Marker & Cardstock Club. Each month for 4 months, you will receive a color family of colors and an assorted pack of 12x12 smooth cardstock. One month, you will be the Hostess and earn at least $15 in merchandise and a level 1 hostess set PLUS the case for your markers. I will need 4 people to fill this club.payment will be due on the 15 of each month beginning in August.

Don’t want the cardstock, you can substitute another product each month as long as it’s price is $9.95! Join the Marker & Accessory Club! 
Ideas:  Designer Paper, Jumbo Eyelets,Fleurettes, 1 ¼” grosgrain ribbon


New Scrappin' Clubs
My new round of clubs begins in September. I have 3 spots available in my club that meets on the 2nd Monday of the month. I have 1 or two spots available in my club that meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. The Club commitment is $25 order (before shipping and tax) each month for the duration of the club--6-8 months depending on the number of ladies in the club. One month you will get to be "hostess" and receive at least $15 in free merchandise and a level 1 hostess sets. The best part of club is swapping--we swap layouts every other month. RSVP for club by the end of August.

Contact me to sign up for any of these classes, clubs, or product shares asap!

Hi Debbi!

This post is for Debbi, who so gently reminded me that it has been almost 3 months since I've posted.  I think she might be the only one who has noticed :) !  Anyway, for Debbi and anyone else who happens to read this blog, I offer my apologies.  I don't have any good excuses other than just not being in a stamping mood and being on vacation or the pool this summer.

That said, I will let you all know that I am making a comeback!  I have some things to share with you and some classes in the works.  The new catalog came out at the beginning of the month (let me know if you need one!) and it has SO MANY great new things that you will love just as much as I do.  Stay tuned!

Tealight Lollipops

This is the 2nd gift I made for the teachers for Teachers Appreciation Week. I saw this idea on another blog and had to try it. I used my glue gun to attach a 6" lollipop stick to the back of a clear tealight and adhered a 1 3/8 cardstock circle to the back of it. Our small cello bags are perfect for the cover. I actually trimmed mine a little--maybe to around 4 1/2". I used some old cording to tie the bag shut and adhered my blue gingham bow with a mini glue dot. I printed out the saying "Thanks for Lighting the way!" on my computer and punched it out with the small tag punch. The flower stamp is from the set Awash with Flowers. It will be available in the next catalog that comes out in July.

Mini Backpacks

I volunteered to make a couple of gifts for the teachers and staff at Kyle's school for Teacher Appreciation Week last week. I decided to make this adorable mini backpack that uses the Fancy Favor XL die for the Big Shot. This die is a MUST HAVE if you like to make mini boxes. It is SO easy to put together. I filled the mini backpacks with Hershey Kisses.

To make the backpack:

1. Use Big Shot to cut out one fancy favor box. I recommend using the Extended Premium Crease Pad for this! Do not fold or adhere box together, yet.
   
2. Cut a 3x3 piece of cardstock and rounded the edges of two corner. Score the straight edge at 3/4" and 1 1/4". This piece was adhered to the back of the box.
3. I attached my star punches to this piece before I adhered it to the box.
   
4. I used my Crop-a-dile to punch 2 holes through the lid and box-(I folded the lid at the crease so that I could punch through both layers.)
5. Punch 2 holes near the bottom corners.
6. Cut a 16 1/2" piece of ribbon.
   
7. Thread the ribbon through the top 2 holes on the lid. Be sure the ribbon is even on both sides and leave a little handle at the top for the backpack loop. Tie knots so the loop stays put.
8. Thread the ribbon through to the back of the box.
9. Thread the ribbon through the bottom holes.
10. Tie knots and trim.
11. Use Sticky Strip to adhere box.
12. Add Velcro dot underside of lid to close box.

Now, I just realized that you can see the ribbon that comes out of the back to look like the backpack straps! I'll take a picture of the back soon so you can see it.

Pony Party

How fun is this stamp? It is part of the Pony Party stamp set found on page 86 in the catalog. It is a 2-step set that includes a unicorn horn, party hat, and wing images. I love line images like this because Kyle enjoys coloring them in for cards he gives out. This card was made for his friend Olivia for her 6th birthday. Kyle was clearly in a hurry when he colored this card, though!

I like to make a stack of 5 or so simple cards like this and pair them with a pack of crayons as an easy gift. Kids love them!

Simple Paper Flowers

This is a page I did for a club swap a couple months ago. I used the fun paper pad that was available in the Occasions Mini. I sure hope SU! comes out with additional packs like this one. Anyway, I used my Inspired by Nature stamp set for the grass along the bottom. My paper flowers were made from various circle punches. After I punched each circle, I crumbled it up to give it some texture. The leaves were made with the circle punches, too.

It is neat the difference color makes. This next picture is the same layout, but with different designer paper. I had run out of Old Olive and Chocolate Chip, so I used what I had left---Certainly Celery and Close to Cocoa.