Sale-a-Bration Hearts

One of the fun parts of a Stampin’ Up! event is the swapping – there is different kinds of swapping and it starts as soon as you are on your way to a Stampin’ Up! event.  At the airport you can usually spot another Stampin’ Up! demonstrator and it’s not uncommon to start swapping at the airport while waiting on the plane, in the plane – especially when you are seated near the bathroom then everyone stops by to talk to you and if the swaps are out then we start swapping.  At every event I come home with swaps and I have a bunch from Leadership.  I usually pick out my favorites to use in my classes or hang on my display board.  The card I’m going to show you today is one of my swap cards from Leadership – I have been using it in my clubs and classes since I returned from Leadership and everyone has loved it.  The swap that I received was from Linda Purvis from Texas.  I made a few minor changes from her swap but not many. Here is my version:

And you could use this same concept with butterflies, flowers, stars, even balloons.  Most of the hearts are punched from the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series paper using the Heart to Heart punch.  You can get this paper for free during Sale-A-Bration.  The ribbon on the card is from the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad pack that you can also get for free during Sale-A-Bration.  Both of these are my favorite items to choose from and I have already gone through multiple packs of each.  Here is a full list of supplies that I used on my card.  For the big heart you can either punch it with the Full Heart punch or use the new Heart Framelits to cut it out.

Stampin’ Up! Supplies:

  • Card stock:  Poppy Parade, Whisper White
  • Ink: Poppy Parade
  • Stamp sets: P.S. I Love You, Candy Conversations (both in the Occasions Mini Catalog)
  • Accessories:  Heart to Heart punch, Full Heart punch, Small Heart punch, Everyday Enchantment Designer Series paper, Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad pack (used the Lucky Limeade ribbon), Stampin’ Dimensionals.

To order Stampin’ Up! Supplies to make this project click here.

I have more to share about the Leadership conference and I also plan to share more Valentine ideas since it is approaching quickly.  My Hands on Class this Friday is going to be themed “Love is in the Air” – we’ll be making some projects for those that you love.  It should be fun!

 

It’s Cookie Time

Hi Stamper’s!  Well it’s cookie time – at least around here I have been making cookie dough and cookies using the Stampin’ Up! Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps.  The Occasions mini added 3 new designs – a flower, clover, and a bunny – ready for the spring.   I made cookie dough last weekend and everyone at my PAWS downline meeting got to stamp a cookie and make a little cookie pouch to put it in –

This idea was shared at the Leadership conference.  One problem with packaging cookies is that they have they leave a greasy spot on paper because of the butter in them so I thought this idea was really great.  This was from Donna Griffith’s on stage presentation – she lined the Designer Series paper with wax paper – how do you do it – well it is easy – you use the multi-purpose adhesive sheets that we sell.

I cut the piece of Designer Paper to fit inside the 4×6 cello bag.  Then cut a piece of the multi-purpose adhesive sheet to the same size.  Peel one side off the adhesive sheet and adhere to the top of the Designer Paper (the side that you want to see).  Now cut a piece of wax paper (I cut mine bigger this time).  Peel off the other side of the adhesive sheet and add the wax paper on top of the designer paper.  Use a bone folder or decor elements applicator to smooth out the wrinkles and then trim off the extra edges.  Now you have wax paper covered Designer Paper and you can put your cookie on top without it staining the paper.

For this pouch – insert the wax covered paper into the bag, insert the baked cookie, punch two holes with the crop-a-dile, add ribbon, then add a tag.

I made cookies again this weekend to take to an open house on Sunday.  While making them I took some pictures and here are some tips on what I did.  First I used the Shortbread cookie recipe that comes with the Sweet Pressed Cookie stamps.  I did have to add more flour to my recipe – I think I added 1/4 cup more.  I live where it is humid and I think that is probably why I need more flour – that just my logical guess since Stampin’ Up! is in Utah and they said the recipe is perfect for them but their climate is much dryer than mine.

There is my cookie dough.  Then what I do is put the extra sugar on a plate and I use a cookie scoop to make balls of dough – roll them in my hand, roll them in sugar and then put them on a tray.  I roll all the balls and then stick the tray  in the fridge to cool.

Last weekend I made them a couple of hours ahead and this weekend I made them the night before.  I had to let them sit out a little longer this weekend so they would be soft enough to press.  I use the cookie press to press each ball of dough – then I use a biscuit cutter to cut them into a nice circle.  You don’t want to press them too thin though.  And if you get one that doesn’t turn out – just roll it back into a ball, roll it in some more sugar and then do it again.  If dough gets stuck in the cookie press use a tooth pick to get it out before doing the next cookie.  I hand washed the silicone pieces but it says they are dishwasher safer.  And then just wipe the wooden handle clean.

The cookies were really good.  Have  a sweet day!

Oh one more thing – when I came home last night – Ryan had been working on a school project – he has out card stock, snail, dimensionals, cutting mat and craft knife, paper trimmer, Stampin’ Write Markers, the gel pen, and lots of tools from Greg’s workshop.  He is suppose to be finishing it today to take to school tomorrow – I’ll have to take a picture once the creation is complete – and I better check my supply of card stock and dimensionals to see how much he used.

Would you like to try My Digital Studio for free?

Guess what—now you can!

Starting Feb. 1, 2012 anyone and everyone—can download a free 30-day trial of My Digital Studio Express.

With the FREE trial, you’ll get:

  • Full access to the software at NO COST for 30 days.
  • Full design functionality.
  • Exclusive artwork that comes with My Digital Studio Express.

You can even check out our additional digital downloads and print your projects through our professional print services.

All the details about this free trial offer are here—its time to get excited!

To order visit my online store – click here.

I’m working on a project now for my niece who has a birthday this month.  I need to finish it up soon so I can get it printed and back.

And I have a My Digital Studio Club planned to start this month – there are limited seats available for each club class.  If you want more details please let me know. My signature below was created using My Digital Studio – I used embellishments from the Convention 2011 Designer Template digital download, and Lucky Limeade Ribbon & a brad from the One Big Sale-A-Bration CD.

 

 

 

The rest of day 3

Thursday at Leadership was a busy day – the opening general session was full of information.  Our afternoon was full of breakout classes and a Share Fair – this was something new and part of the My Way theme.  We had lots of breakout classes to choose from and the first one that I went to was Why Women Buy and presented by Carrie Cudney.  Women notice the details more than men and we examine all the available options before making a decision.  Women are more people oriented than men and are more verbal – women talk about people, about the people in their lives and they are what is most important in any situation.

Next we headed to the Share Fair – there were 8 or 9 different areas set up with various speakers touching on different topics.  Every 30 minutes we moved to a new area and listened to a new speaker.  We all chose different things to listen too based on our interests and what we needed for our own businesses.  I listened to Effective Business Tips – which had lots of good information that I shared at my downline meeting on Saturday.  My second session was on Online Business – some of this I am already doing and I learned a few things to add – so on my list is to try my hand at videos – I’m not sure when but at some point I hope add videos to my blog.    Another session was PR & Marketing and also Vendor Events.  I am participating in one of those this Sunday before the Super Bowl – I just sent the information out in my newsletter and it is also on my events schedule on my website.  I listened in on a few other sessions and then headed out to browse the Demonstrator Resource Center – Stampin’ Up! had lots of samples on display and then we had all of the demonstrator entries into the Stamping Contest.  Here are a few pictures –

My Digital Studio Display

My friend Cindy Schuster was selected to create projects for the MDS display - one of her projects was a family cookbook.

Bakers Twine - how cute are these?

 

Valentine projects using the Heart Framelits

 

Sale-A-Bration - Fresh Vintage and Everyday Enchantment

After are day of classes was done we regrouped and then headed out on the Riverwalk for dinner.  Except we got side tracked by a taping of Extreme Makeover Home Edition.  We had heard earlier in the week that one night we might see the Christmas lights turned back on for a special taping.  Well it turned out to be Thursday night and we decided to stay in the amphitheater as part of the taping. Its a special episode that will not air until December.  At the end Lee Greenwood sang  God Bless the USA.  The show was about wounded warriors and building them new homes.

they gave everyone flags to wave - Becky, Monika, Michele, Linda

 

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Designers

 

Ty Pennington

 

Lee Greenwood preparing to sing

It ended up being a long night and a really late dinner – we ended up at the open 24 hours Mexican restaurant – I don’t remember the name.

A long fun day.

 

San Antonio/Day 3 Leadership Begins

My third day in San Antonio and the official start of the Stampin’ Up! Leadership Conference.  It was Thursday and we started with everyone in the Theater for the opening general session.  Our theme this year is MY WAY.

Stampin’ Up! CEO and cofounder, Shelli Gardner, welcomed everyone.  One of the first announcements was about a re-design of the Stampin’ Success Magazine – an exclusive magazine just for demonstrators.  All of the changes that I saw look really exciting and the March issue will be the first one.  There was a leadership march on stage for anyone that had a promotion during the last year.  So I got to walk for my Manager promotion.

Donna Griffith made an announcement of a brand new product that will be available in March – a Diagonal Score Plate accessory for the Simply Scored Tool.  It will be easy to create your own envelopes and here is a cute little card idea that she showed us –

Something everyone looks forward to at Stampin’ Up! Events is the Prize Patrol and my friend Michele was one of the lucky winners of a Diagonal Score Plate –

Michele Diagonal Score Plate Prize Patrol

This years Leadership had a large number of All-attendee prize patrol give-a ways – that meant we all got a prize – one included a brand new stamp set from the next catalog – along with a package of the large pearls from the Occasions Mini Catalog.

Monika & Linda - prize patrol

The morning was full of more announcements including changes to our Catalog program.  Our current Idea Book & Catalog will be ending May 31st with a brand new annual catalog starting on June 1, 2012.  That is one month early than past years.  We will also be switching to two seasonal catalogs instead of the 3 mini catalogs.  Each seasonal catalog will run for 5 months with the Holiday catalog starting in August.  There won’t be a summer mini this year.  And the seasonal catalogs will be bigger too.

Lunch at leadership is always a nice affair with service by waiters, nice linen table cloths and napkins and a fancy dessert – yummy cheese cake today.

There was so much going on that I’ll have to finish the day in another post! I’ll be  back tomorrow with more.