I'm Back!

So sorry for the delay in my posts! I didn't even have a chance to tell you I was leaving! As soon as I returned from Convention, I had 2 days... 2 BUSY days to get prepared to go to New York with my oldest son for a mother/son trip. We were there an entire week and did just about everything there is to do in Manhattan - and we even went down to Coney Island in Brooklyn. We had an ABSOLUTE blast together and it was a trip we'll never forget! (now I've gotta get busy with My Digital Studio and make a book to commemorate our special trip!)

Anyway, I'm back and trying to dig my way back out of laundry, e-mails, and other duties such as re-stocking the fridge! It's good to be home... and I even have a box of Stampin' Up! goodies just begging to be opened and played with! (aka: incentive to get the less-desirable chores done quickly!)

Here's a lovely card that is very simple to make using the gorgeous Wetlands stamp set. It just takes some Watercolor Paper and a few swishes of ink watered down with an Aqua Painter.

Easy-Peasy! Okay... back to that laundry. :)

Blessings,
Michele

Pretty Print Sneak Peek!

Here's a fun card I made recently using a NEW product - the Pretty Print embossing folder that is in the upcoming Holiday Catalog (available August 1)!  I know I will get a lot of use out of this little guy - it makes a wonderful background!

I should dedicate this card to Stampin' Up! to thank them for all of the FREE Convention goodies, don't ya think?!

Sometimes hard to tell in the photos, but the colors here are Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Island Indigo, Whisper White, and the DSP is Venetian Romance.  The ink is Crisp Cantaloupe.  I cut off one half-circle from the Apothecary Accents framelit, and stuck a Candy Dot to the other side - I sure do love those Candy Dots!!

Have a great week!

Michele

I'm Back!

Wow!! What a convention THAT was! Of course, with it being the 25th anniversary, you'd expect a party, and a party we certainly had! Besides the singers, the dancers, the carnival games, the product displays, the World Record we set (yes, we did!), and the service project we completed together (just to name a FEW things)... take a look at all this FREE stuff I came home with!

Although we always get free goodies at conventions, this year, they gave away more freebies than ever before! I got stamp sets, washi tape, a Paper Pumpkin kit, make & takes, and even a Bigz die! Oh, and a beautiful Stampin' Up! backpack in which to put it all (as if it would all fit!).

A convention wouldn't be complete without a hug from Shelli Gardner herself, cofounder and CEO of Stampin' Up!

Shelli is the most down-to-earth person - very loving, very giving, and what a beautiful smile! It is always an honor to chat with her for a few minutes.

Everything was so exciting and fun, but I will have to say that one of the highlights for me was finally getting to hug my dear friend, Marelle Taylor, who came all the way from Sydney to be with us! Their Grand Vacation (sponsored by Stampin' Up!) is being held in Park City this year, so it was nice that they could come a few days early and experience the craziness that is the American SU! convention!

We shared an afternoon together, and then had a wonderful dinner at the Melting Pot along with two of her friends, Teresa and Tanya. It was so great to meet after all of these years!

...and, to top it all off, as I was leaving Salt Lake, I managed to find this handsome Aussie as he was just arriving to join his lovely wife! (aka: David, Marelle's husband)!

It was a wonderful weekend - always inspirational, always a lot of fun! If you've ever even thought about joining Stampin' Up!, I would LOVE the opportunity to share more information with you! It's a decision that you won't regret! And now is a perfect time to join - see this post for their latest promotion for new Demonstrators!

Okay, now it's back to "work!" (that's always so funny because my job is too much fun to ever be considered "work!")
Michele

Discounted Paper Pumpkin!

Thought about trying Paper Pumpkin? Well, now's the perfect time to give her a shot! From now through August 31st, all NEW Paper Pumpkin subscribers will pay only $10 per month for the first 2 months! (plus tax where applicable, but this price includes shipping).

What IS Paper Pumpkin, you ask? Well, it's a beautiful red box that comes to your door each month filled with all the supplies you need to create gorgeous stamping projects! You'll find ink, stamps, embellishments, cardstock, instructions... and your first kit even comes with a free acrylic block to use in future kits! (Plus, the first kit contains my very FAVORITE stamps - it's worth it just for those!) It's truly a wonderful and easy way to treat yourself to a 30-minute creativity session each month, and you certainly deserve it! There is no commitment, and you are able to cancel (or skip a month) at any time. You've got nothin' to lose!

Click on the thumbnail below for full details:

What are you waiting for?! Sign up today and remember to use PUMPKINDEAL as your promo code (found just under the quantity) and I'd love it if you would choose me as your Demonstrator (Michele Force in Evergreen, CO). If you find that Paper Pumpkin is not for you, you can certainly cancel at any time... but I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!

Michele

Convention Swaps!

As you read this, I'm heading off to Salt Lake City to enjoy a few days with hundreds of other Stampin' Up! Demonstrators - yay!!!

Here are the swaps I made... I cranked out around 60 of them and it wasn't hard at all! Gotta love good-looking, simple cards! And what's even better is that this card can use virtually any Designer Series Paper, which makes every one look different! Here are a few of my favorites:

All of these used the absolutely adorable Storybook Friends stamp set (a new favorite of mine, especially the little duck!) as well as the stamps in the Paper Pumpkin Welcome Kit - oh boy, do I LOVE those! Seriously - you have to join just to get those! (ask me how)

But the neatest thing about this card, I think, is that although it LOOKS like I used Delicate Details Lace Tape on each one, I actually only used ONE strip for ALL of them! The idea came straight from Patty Bennett, and it will be a technique I use over and over, I'm quite sure! It's as easy as positioning a strip of Lace Tape on your cardstock and then sponging over it.

When you remove the tape, it leaves the beautiful essence of the lace and you get to use the tape over and over! I'm not kidding - I used this SAME piece of tape for all 60+ of my cards and it could easily do another 60 more. Although it is easily repositionable (another feature that I LOVE), it has some sort of bionic adhesive that NEVER loses its stick!

Thank you, Patty, for such a wonderful way to make our Lace Tape go miles and miles further!

So, this is me - signing off until after convention! (I hope they like my swaps!)
Michele

Delicate Details Lace Tape

#130966, $9.95

Storybook Friends

Wood: #132079, $24.95

Clear: #126737, $17.95

Perfect Blend

Here's a little set that is so much fun to work with - Perfect Blend!

I used the Dictionary background, some DSP for the label on the cup, and the stamps from the Paper Pumpkin Welcome Kit (the first kit you get if you join!). I love how the splotches look like spilled coffee! Colors are Crumb Cake and Pistachio Pudding.

I'm headed off to convention tomorrow - Don't worry, I'll post my swaps before I go... I worked too hard on them not to share!
Michele

Pick a Project!

Stampin' Up! is a terrific company to join - not only do you enjoy a fantastic discount on all your favorite stamping supplies, but you get inspiration from all over (including exclusive Demonstrator sources), new friends, early sneak peeks, extra income, and a fun venue to bless others!

From now through August 31st, there's an even sweeter reason to join Stampin' Up! - you get to choose a FREE project kit (listed below) to accompany your already terrific starter kit! Click on the thumbnail at left for full details. I would LOVE to have you join my team - whether you're local in my area or not. I will support you in any way I can and make sure your Stampin' Up! adventure is as wonderful as mine is!

Option	Kit Description	Item	Total Value
1	Build a Banner Simply Created Kit AND Halloween Banner Simply Created Accessory Kit	133507 132698	$29.90
2	Build a Banner Simply Created Kit AND Christmas Banner Simply Created Accessory Kit	133507 132697	$29.90
3	Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit	133463	$19.95
4	Tag a Bag Bundle AND Tag a Box Bundle	131371 131372	$22.45

Join today! You won't regret it!
Michele

Thank You!

I love making Thank You cards... because when you're making those cards, it's because someone was especially nice to you and you need to tell them so! Here's one I made recently:

Black and Very Vanilla go so well together - especially when you pair them with the elegant Modern Medley Designer Series Paper!

I'm busy finishing up preparations for convention, so no time to sit and cyber chit-chat! Gotta run! Enjoy the rest of your weekend! (we're having major rain here, so I don't feel so guilty about spending time at my stamp desk - and it's helping with our wildfire issues... it's all good!)
Michele

Modern Medley Designer Series Paper

#126926, $10.95

Gift Card Holders

I saw these gift card holders among a bunch of swaps a few months ago (I'm sorry I didn't make a note of where it came from) and I had to make my own version. They are super simple, super cute, and super functional - what could be better than that?!

Here is a version closed:

 ...and here is how it opens:

Here are some basic instructions, and then you can see more samples below.

Start with the base piece (8-1/2" x 2-3/4," scored at 4-1/4").  Apply Sticky Strip as shown below:

Sandwich a "pocket" piece (4" x 4," scored at 2") inside to keep the gift card from falling down too far.

The top piece is 9" x 1-1/2," scored at 4-1/2."  It gets sealed shut with Sticky Strip as well. The top and bottom pieces get "hinged" together with a decorative brad. (If you still happen to have a Crop-A-Dile lying around, that works best for poking the hole all the way through the layers.) Decorate as desired, and there you go! Here are a few more of my samples:

Now go make some of your own and get to gift card giving!
Michele

Fine Feathers

I love feathers, so naturally, I had to have the Fine Feathers stamp set! Here is a group of cards I made with it recently:

The colors are Island Indigo, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, and Raspberry Ripple. Super Simple! We even made the Indigo one at a recent Stamp-a-Stack - only I didn't have enough ribbon for everyone so we used a strip of Crumb Cake cardstock instead - looked just as good! Here they are individually:

I love making coordinating sets - there's something so delicious about making a card you like and then seeing it in several different colors!

Have a great weekend, my friends!
Michele

Fine Feathers

Wood #132578, $16.95

Clear #126517, $12.95

Post Card

I've been hard at work these past few days making swaps for the upcoming Stampin' Up! convention! I head to Salt Lake on the 17th and one of the things I'm most excited about is that I finally get to meet IN PERSON my dear friend Marelle who will be there from Australia! That, along with Stampin' Up! inspiration, new friends, and goodies??? Who could ask for a better way to spend a few days?!

When I saw the new Post Card stamp in the catalog, it was immediately marked as "Gotta Have!" I used it and the Postage Due set and created this fun card:

This one begs for some sponging to antique it up a bit!  The "hello" sentiment came from Four You, another one of my new favorites!

What are YOUR new favorites?
Michele

Post Card

Wood: #130366 $17.95

Clear: #130369 $13.95

Postage Due

Wood: #132064 $21.95

Clear: #126397 $16.95

Single Markers

When the new catalog came out, I found that I was lacking only a few of the markers... but they didn't offer those colors individually! I didn't need the whole "New Color" kit because I had most of those. It was definitely a source of frustration for me, to say the least! To have EVERY color except 3?? That is simply intolerable!

...so, I told Stampin' Up! that they need to allow us to purchase the markers individually. And guess what! They listened! ...okay, so perhaps I wan't the ONLY one who gave that request. But since they made this announcement on my birthday, I like to think they did it just for me. :)

Now I have ALL of our colors and I'm a happy girl once again!  Click on the thumbnail above to see the full details... you have until October 31st to complete your collection, so don't forget about it! Order the ones you're missing today!

ITEM	PRICE	DESCRIPTION
130034	$28.95	Stampin' Write Marker New Color Kit Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry, Island Indigo, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Soft Sky, Wisteria Wonder
131899	$3.50	Bermuda Bay Stampin' Write Marker
131265	$3.50	Blushing Bride Stampin' Write Marker
131902	$3.50	Calypso Coral Stampin' Write Marker
131901	$3.50	Crushed Curry Stampin' Write Marker
131905	$3.50	Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker
131266	$3.50	Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker
131904	$3.50	Pool Party Stampin' Write Marker
131898	$3.50	Smoky Slate Stampin' Write Marker
131900	$3.50	Soft Sky Stampin' Write Marker
131903	$3.50	Wisteria Wonder Stampin' Write Marker

Thanks, Stampin' Up!!

Michele

Designer Series Paper Sale!

One of my favorite things about Stampin' Up! is their fabulous selection of Designer Series Papers! They are always so beautiful and I always find at least a few that I fall in love with. This is the month to try them out, too, because Stampin' Up! is offering a Buy 3 Get 1 FREE sale on all new Designer Series Papers*!  Click on the thumbnail below for full details.

Go ahead, stock up! You'll not regret having a terrific selection of papers to keep you inspired! Sale ends July 31st.

Happy Stamping!

Michele

*Designers Series Paper Stacks and Specialty Designer Series Papers not included.

Easy Treats!

For my recent New Catalog Launch, I wanted every person to walk away with a little treat made with some new products. The Chalk Talk bundle fit the bill and these treat bags were a cinch to whip up!

I can see some Halloween treats in the makings, can't you? I've had the pleasure of previewing the upcoming Holiday catalog and there are some super-cute Halloween stamps that would be adorable on this tag... not to mention Christmas goodies! Whatever the occasion, pair the Chalk Talk framelits up with some cellophane bags (item #102757, $4.50 for 50) and a spool of ribbon, and you're all set to make someone smile! ...oh, and don't forget to buy extra chocolates for yourself!

Have a fantastic week everyone!
Michele

Chalk Talk Framelits

#129983, $24.95

Stampin' Success CASE

Yup - I CASE like the best of 'em! When the creativity wavers, that's when I pull out my catalog, or my Stampin' Success magazine (publication for Demonstrators only), or visit Pinterest. They're all good sources, and they can all provide you with a jump-start on that card you're struggling with.

In this case (ha!  Pun not intended, but it works!), I just fell in love with a particular article in the latest issue of Stampin' Success and had to give it a try. Here is my version:

I used the Labels Collection Framelits to make the border around the strips of Designer Series Paper (I used Venetian Romance here).  Everything is sponged, and the little splatters came from the first Paper Pumpkin kit (have you gotten yours?!).  The sentiment is from A Dozen Thoughts, which has a lot of great stamps that I keep pulling out.

Nothing like a good CASE to get you re-energized!

Have a super-fantastic week, everyone!
Michele