Convention Day 1

Wow, what an exciting day! General session this morning was a wild thrill as always. Rockin' music, all the Riverton employees there to welcome us and tons of excitement. Shelli talked about the importance of growth (obviously the theme of convention) and it's benefits. Bonnie Thurber unveiled several super exciting products from the Holiday Mini and then surprised us all by giving us a pack of minis right then and there! Wait till you see it, I am in love! A Simply Score Tool, gorgeous fabric, stocking stamps, matching punches and a die, advent set (see pic), card keeper box and a stamp for cookies! Yes, you actually stamp on the cookie!



Then we broke for lunch and a few classes. I learned some great new techniques in the My Digital Studio class and Bonnie taught a great class on embracing change and keeping the right attitude about it. Very appropriate and timely for me.
The second general session featured Shelli's daughter Sara demonstrating some super ways to overcome the "I'm not creative, I don't have time..." etc excuses we often here when we try to share the art of stamping.
I skipped the Awards Night tonight in favor of a relaxed dinner with friends and some retail therapy. We did head back for the After Party though which was great. Usually they have a performer (band, group, etc) but this year they opted for the cheaper and much more fun, night club idea. Loud speakers, lots of bass, a great DJ, disco ball, dance floor and chocolate. There's no going wrong with that. It was a long day and I have Make n Takes at 8am so time to get some zzzzz. Good night from Salt Lake!

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Last Chance!

Hi Stampers,
I have 3 very important bits of information to share with you today.  Please read them through carefully!
* Last Chance Lists
* Open House Event
* Garage Sale (with special note to Club members!)

Its June 1 and you know what that means!  We are getting ready to say goodbye to some of our current stamps sets to make room for the brand spanking new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog which debuts July 1st!  Use the links on the side bar to view the Last Chance Stamp Sets and Last Chance Accessories Lists.  You will only be able to purchase the items on these lists until June 30.  After that they are gone for good.  Stamp sets orders are guaranteed to be filled but the items on the Accessories List are while supplies last and will likely sell out before the end of the month.  Please look over these lists and be sure to order those items you want as soon as possible.  You can place an order 24/7 through my website by clicking here! 

You are also invited to attend my New Catalog Open House on Friday, July 1 from 7-10pm.  Stop by for a chance to flip through the new catalog and begin creating your wish lists.  I will have several new stamps sets on hand as well as the new In Colors.  There will be a FREE make-n-take project available to get your creative juices flowing and special gifts and giveaways as well.    Desserts, snacks and beverages provided as well.  It will be a fun night of ooing and ahhing so let me know you plan to attend so I can have a catalog waiting for you!

Finally, since I cannot demonstrate or take orders for retired stamps sets, I will also be having a Garage Sale on July 1 during the Open House.  My retired sets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis and I can only accept cash or checks for Garage Sale items.  These sets will be sold at 50% off retail price!  If you are a member of my Stampin' Club, you will have first access to these sets during our June Club meeting so come prepared! 

Mother's Day

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and I am blessed to be able to celebrate it. There were many years when I was not sure I would ever be graced with the title of 'mom' but now I have 4 beautiful sons and my role as a mom is my favorite "job". I am also grateful that I have a wonderful mom to celebrate as well. She is spending her Mother's Day doing what she has done her whole life, serving others. She is currently in New Orleans helping to rebuild homes still devastated from the floods. This is her second or third trip there and she has also served as a relief worker in Haiti and as a nurse on several medical missions in the Dominican Republic.
One of my favorite parts of Mothers Day is receiving those beautiful hand made cards my kids proudly make. This year my oldest couldn't wait to share his so I received it tonight. He was especially proud of what he had made in school because it is "like you make in your stamping classes!" my response, "no sweetie, its even better!"


The flower on the giant clip comes out of the pot to use as a bookmark! You can be sure it will only be used in my favorite of books. I tend to think that even though I am no longer the cute little girl with the crayon and construction paper card, my mom will still treasure the handmade greeting she will receive when she returns next week. I taught this card along with 2 new techniques we used to my Club last night.


This is an easel card and can stand open as a display.


The card uses the new Strength and Hope stamp set in the Summer Mini. For every Strength and Hope stamp set sold, Stampin' Up! will donate $2 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation so not only do you get a beautiful stamp set but you help out a great cause as well.


The other technique I taught was how to dye our ribbon. Did you know that you can dye any of the white Stampin' Up! ribbon to match any SU color using the reinkers? Come back next week and I will share a tutorial on just how to do that!
Happy Mother's Day and remember, moms will always treasure a handmade card, even if you are no longer 5!

Heather
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Nothing Alive

I know it's a weird title but believe it or not that was a Challenge posted by a fellow demonstrator. I love when I see an interesting Challenge like this and am anxious to see what what gets posted. The Challenge was to make a card without using any images or representations of anything living (no flowers, trees, butterflies etc). Since that eliminated a great deal of my stamp sets I decided I would try a card without any image at all! Now THAT'S a challenge. What did I come up with? Shaving cream! Have you tried this technique? It's very easy and not nearly as messy as you might think.



The base card stock is Pacific Point embossed with then Framed Tulips Embossing Folder. The white is mounted on Certainly Celery and Pretty in Pink. The swirl pattern used Pacific, Celery, Pink and Perfect Plum reinkers. How would you have met this Challenge, I'd love to hear!

Heather

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Award

I received my first Blog Award today!  I received this Stylish Blogger Award from Kathryn Ricks who is a fellow WaterCooler Llama (a crazy fun group of fellow demonstrators).

Please take a minute or two to check out Kath's blog where she showcases her amazing work!  When you are the recipient of this award you must do 3 things.  First, you must thank the person who gave it to you and link back to their blog ~ done!  Second you must share 8 things about yourself so here goes...
1- I was just promoted to Senior Supervisor with Stampin' Up! last month and I am so excited.  That was my goal after last year's Convention.
2- I have the most adorable kids in the world.  Don't believe me?  Think I'm biased?  See for yourself.

3- I am a lefty.
4- I'm a bit OCD when it comes to organization.  Everything in my house has one place where it belongs. Apparently my children did not inherit this trait.  ;)
5- I am a NY Yankees fan.
6- I am a chocoholic and I am proud of it!  A moderately-sized chocolate treat can fix most anything.
7- Despite having lived most of my life in Upstate NY, I do not like winter. 
8- I start every morning with a cup (or two or sometimes three) of coffee.  It seems to be the only way to keep up with the energy level of the rest of my household.

And now I must pass this award on to worthy recipients.  I have chosen the following blogs and hope you will visit them as well.
 Stamp with Chris  - my adopted upline and wonderful friend
Doodlers, Ink - my downline, Carolyn
There's Glitter on the Dogs
Thank you for visiting my blog.  Now, go create!
Heather

Spring is Blossoming

I think it's finally coming! The temperatures look to be in the 50s all week with lots of rain. That seems like a Rochester spring to me. Spring is also blossoming at Stampin' Up! and they are celebrating by offering a sneak peek at the new catalog. During the month of April when you spend $20 on Stampin' Up! products, you are eligible to purchase the Four Frames Stamp Set and the Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper. Both of these items will be in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog but don't wait because after April 30, these items won't be available again until July. Click here for more details on how to order.
Last Friday my Club ladies made two great spring projects. The first one was an adorable little treat box that I got from fellow demonstrator Beth McAlexander's blog. It is the perfect size Box for leaving a little Easter treat for someone special.



Once we filled our little boxes with the M&Ms, we couldn't leave any the extras just sitting there so we gobbled up the rest and started on project #2. This card used a technique called Quilting that I first saw Becky Roberts do. The Springtime Vintage DSP just fit so beautifully with this technique and my gals loved how easy it was. They even started brainstorming all the other Embossing Folders they could use to create great quilted designs.



Are you like many in my classes and Clubs who struggle to make a 'perfect' bow or knot? You are definitely not alone and due to the overwhelming appeals, I will be offering a nuts and bolts class called Knots & Bows! This class will cover several different knot and bow styles in a hands-on learning environment. In addition, I will also teach you how to dye our ribbon to match any Stampin' Up! color. The class will be held on Sunday, May 1 at 2pm. The class fee is only $8 and includes an entire roll of beautiful organza ribbon but you must register and prepay before Easter to ensure your ribbon is here.
Did you know I teach private stamp classes? They are a great alternative to the traditional workshop for repeat hostesses and friends that want an excuse to get together and stamp on a monthly basis. Contact me to book your class today!

Heather

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Daffodil Delight

My tulips, daffodils and crocuses had just begun to pop through when we got another few inches of snow last week. Needless to say I wasn't too happy about it. Despite the continued cold temperatures the sun has managed to melt most of the snow - at least until we get more next week (so says the forecast).
I'm still fighting for Spring to come so I'm using a lot of spring colors and sunny designs. Here is one of my latest ones. I love the color combination of Daffodil Delight and Night of Navy. The Elegant Lines embossing folder (have I mentioned how much I LOVE these) created the light fluttery feel I was looking for to go with the butterflies from the Beautiful Wings embosslit.



Did you know you can emboss vellum too? Hopefully it won't be too much longer before the flowers are up for good and the butterflies are flying. Until then I plan to keep creating with these beautiful color combinations and spring inspirations!

Heather

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