It's Monday - Team Training - Swaps & More!

Yes, you guessed it! It's Monday and I've taken a much needed catch-up day. 

I took a bazillion pictures at the recent team training event in Ottawa, and I'd been promising to post for friends who weren't able to make it and first my camera wouldn't share the photos and then things got busy.  


We finally got a chance to pick up my Swap cards from the Occasions Mini swap I did ages ago - you know what they say about the best laid plans right?  I'm starting to think my Dad was on to something.  He always said "Don't make plans"...  LOL   


The two cards pictured here (one open and closed to show how it opens) are two of the cards that I made during the team training/network event in Ottawa a few weeks ago.  


It is always great to get together with other demonstrators learn some new tricks, and play with some tools and toys that you haven't tried yet.  As always it was a blast and seemed to end way too soon! I still have some UFO's from this day to finish up in cluding a note card and box, scrapbook pages, and more so will post those as I have them done.  


As you can tell there was a nautical theme going on for this event.  Both of these stamp sets are featured in the Summer Mini catalog.  If you'd like to learn to make these cards, or something simaler - perhaps something completely different ~ give me a call and we'll set something up.  I have new classes starting weekly, and I can always book in a private class or workshop for you and your friends when you are ready. 


Team training events such as this one are just one of the many perks of becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  Interested in learning more information about the opportunity?  Get in touch with me and I'll get you some information. 


I'll give your inbox a break now, and post some pictures of the Sample boards and demonstrator theatres (mini workshops) tomorrow.. 




Until Next time..  Tammy 

Scrap Happens - Challenge - My Take...

Hey Gang..  Over the weekend I'd posted this photo as a challenge for those of you like me who really need to step outside the box and try to get back to playing.  For me it's a lot about finding better organization solutions for my toys, both old and new, but mostly about making time to sit down and just create.. 
When I saw this photo I can't say why exactly, but my mind immediately spat out Chocolate Chip and Vanilla which in itself is kind of weird, because they're not normally my "go-to" colors as far as playing goes.  Though I'd completed my color family and wanted a good excuse also to open up some new untried colors so Here I went.  


 

First I chose a sheet of Vanilla Card stock as my base.  I stamped the flower from my new favorite hostess set (Sumer Mini) in Early espresso three times on the page down one edge.  Then I chose 3 other shades chocolate chip, soft suede and river rock and stamped until I had a full sheet of flowers.  I carefully cut out one of the flowers and then started sliding it around the page to see how it looked with the other flowers.  I am always amazed at the ideas that come along simple because you allowed yourself to just play with it.  

The beauty of Stampin' Up! is that since all of the colors came from the same color family , they all coordinate beautifully.  I'm so glad that we moved things around and made some more room to play.  I'm envisioning many long afternoons and evenings in the cool basement when it's hotter than blazes outside.  


I ended up stamping 3 flowers on the base of the card, Early Espresso, Soft Suede and River Rock.  I used a pop-up to make the flower i'd cut out pop-up, and then embellished the card with our new baker's twine and then added some pearl bling to my popped up flower. I'm thinking I might make another one and pop up all 3 flowers.  If I do, I'll post so you can see it too. 

So what did you come up with?  I'd love to see! 

Scrap Happens! Scrap From Your Stash - Challenges!

My apologies if you get this through syndication twice..  I'm getting weird errors so I am trying to put it through again..   ~ Tammy 

I've decided that I'd like to devote some more time and a section of my page to something that I affectionately call "Stashbusting". 

I'm finally at a point past all of the medical ups and downs, well into reno-recovery, and looking eagerly forward to the days that come next.  With that in mind I'm moving forward...  I don't know what your craft area looks like, but if it's anything like mine, there are many toys, tools, paper and other assorted bits and pieces that seem to multiply when you're not looking.  I thought that if I posted some regular challenges to my blog then I would have to be accountable for having made my plans and maybe others might decide to go on a road trip with me.  

I started with first sorting all of my supplies and since starting a few weeks ago I've already found myself re-thinking the "plan" a few times and re-doing things.  

Ultimately I need to find more time to play with my toys, and in order to do that I need to get more organized. While the first thing that comes to mind is downsizing, I find myself more concerned about the sheer volume that I'm carting around needlessly whenever I host an event - more aptly my loving teddy bear is carting unnecessarily..  so I've really had to re-think the way that I'm packing those bins and boxes.  So much so, to the point that I asked my hubby for his input.  I figured since he's the one carrying them that asking him what would make it easier for him makes sense, right?

Over the last few weeks there have been many discussions about storage solutions and different ideas for repacking things.  I never take for granted the wonderful blessing I have in having such a supportive teddy bear.  I even overheard him up-selling product at one of my events recently.  It was certainly a big "aww"  moment in my world.  

So I welcome you to a corner of my world, as I try to find a quiet place to play, and challenge myself to step outside the box in playing with different color choices, old forgotten tools, and new toys that haven't been used, or even visited in way too long. 

I have a feeling that much of this is going to feel like visiting with old friends..   for those of you who are joining me on this journey.. Welcome to my Scrap Room!  I hope that you enjoy your visit. :) 

As always, I want to be a gracious host, so let me know if I can be of any help. :)


Happy Monday! 

Scrap From Your Stash Challenges

I've decided that I'd like to devote some more time and a section of my page to something that I affectionately call "Stashbusting". 

I'm finally at a point past all of the medical ups and downs, well into reno-recovery, and looking eagerly forward to the days that come next.  With that in mind I'm moving forward...  I don't know what your craft area looks like, but if it's anything like mine, there are many toys, tools, paper and other assorted bits and pieces that seem to multiply when you're not looking.  I thought that if I posted some regular challenges to my blog then I would have to be accountable for having made my plans and maybe others might decide to go on a road trip with me.  

I started with first sorting all of my supplies and since starting a few weeks ago I've already found myself re-thinking the "plan" a few times and re-doing things.  

Ultimately I need to find more time to play with my toys, and in order to do that I need to get more organized. While the first thing that comes to mind is downsizing, I find myself more concerned about the sheer volume that I'm carting around needlessly whenever I host an event - more aptly my loving teddy bear is carting unnecessarily..  so I've really had to re-think the way that I'm packing those bins and boxes.  So much so, to the point that I asked my hubby for his input.  I figured since he's the one carrying them that asking him what would make it easier for him makes sense, right?

Over the last few weeks there have been many discussions about storage solutions and different ideas for repacking things.  I never take for granted the wonderful blessing I have in having such a supportive teddy bear.  I even overheard him up-selling product at one of my events recently.  It was certainly a big "aww"  moment in my world.  

So I welcome you to a corner of my world, as I try to find a quiet place to play, and challenge myself to step outside the box in playing with different color choices, old forgotten tools, and new toys that haven't been used, or even visited in way too long. 

I have a feeling that much of this is going to feel like visiting with old friends..   for those of you who are joining me on this journey.. Welcome to my Scrap Room!  I hope that you enjoy your visit. :) 

As always, I want to be a gracious host, so let me know if I can be of any help. :)


Happy Monday! 

Confused about the new digital studio products featured in the summer mini?

Let me assure you friends - you are NOT alone.. I found myself reading and re-reading trying to figure out what this new product was as compared to what I already had, and if these booster packs would help me any.   I dug this up as it makes it pretty clear for everyone.  Please let me know you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to help..  First, choose one of the software options that best meets your needs: My Digital Studio Software Options My Digital StudioDVD Software (item 118108) $106.95 Full software Over $600 worth of content 400+ Designer Series Paper Patterns 62 Stamp Brush Sets 650+ embellishments 25 punches 140 Designer Templates My Digital Studio Express (NEW)Downloadable Software (item 124483) $49.95 Full Software Over $65 worth of content 12 Designer Series Paper Patterns 1 Stamp Brush Set 81 embellishments 26 punches 5 Designer Templates Who it's best for: Customers who want the software and a large collection of digital content up front--enough to get started right away. The software and robust offering come in one quick order for a "one-stop-shop" purchase. The packaged DVD version of the My Digital Studio software is commissionable and can currently be added to a demonstrator order, workshop order, or online order. Who it's best for: Customers who want to pick and choose their digital content and don't want all of the content that comes in the packaged DVD version of the software. At a lower price point, they can get their feet wet and purchase an Express Booster Pack later, or customize their digital content through purchasing individual downloads. My Digital Studio Express is commissionable, but only available as an online order, or demonstrator order. Second, add additional content to your software: Additional Content Options for My Digital Studio Express software ONLY* Pair one of the Express Booster Packs (containing over $600 worth of digital content) with My Digital Studio Express to enjoy the same digital content as the packaged DVD version of the software. My Digital Studio Express Booster Pack DVDs (item 124889) $49.95 My Digital Studio Express Downloadable Booster Pack (item 124484) $49.95 The Express Booster Packs do not include install files for use with applications other than My Digital Studio Express. Both Express Booster Pack options are commissionable, but only My Digital Studio Express Booster Pack DVDs can be added to a workshop order. *In the Summer Catalogue, it says to choose a Booster Pack to get the same digital content you enjoy when you purchase the software; to clarify, you should only consider purchasing a Booster Pack if you have the My Digital Studio Express downloadable version of the software (since the DVD version already includes this digital content). Regardless of what software option you purchase, you can infuse additional content into your program by purchasing downloads. All downloads released to-date can be viewed at www.stampinup.com/downloads-ca Download the My Digital Studio FAQ as a quick reference for additional information, here. Don't forget that until tomorrow our "I want it all kit" also known as the Demonstrator Start Up Kit -Digital Version is on sale at a huge discount.  IF this is something you've been thinking about there's no better time than now to take a second look!  Let me know if I can be of any help.  To order YOUR copy of my digital studio, or any of its many add-ons please visit my SU Demonstrator website www.iscrapnstamp.stampinup.net  or contact me directly for more personalized service.

Project Share - My Girl Photo Book - Enjoy

Stamps

• Printed Petals
• Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Lower
• Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Upper

Paper
• Baja Breeze Card Stock
• Daffodil Delight Card Stock
• Old Olive Card Stock
• Rose Red Card Stock
• Whisper White Card Stock

Ink
• Baja Breeze Classic Stampin’ Pad®
• Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Rose Red Classic Stampin’ Pad

Accessories
• Old Olive 5/8" Satin Ribbon
• Brights Designer Buttons
• Rhinestone Basic Jewels
• Crop-A-Dile™
• Heart to Heart Punch
• Small Heart Punch
• 1" Circle Punch
• Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
• Big Shot™
• Alphabet Simple Letters Bigz™ Die
• Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die
• Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder 
• Needle and thread

To Order supplies, check out what's new, sign up for a class or workshop - View my Bllog - Check Out My Website - Or E-Mail Me.   Shop online 24/7 and ship direct to you or contact me for more personal service.  My service doesn't stop once you place your order.  I am happy to help you sort your order, mount stamps, or answer any questions you may have. All you have to do is ask :)

Project Share - Strength & Hope Scrapbook Page - Enjoy!

STRENGTH & HOPE SCRAPBOOK PAGE

Stamps
• Strength & Hope*

Paper
• Certainly Celery Card Stock
• Pretty in Pink Card Stock
• Soft Suede Card Stock
• Very Vanilla Card Stock

Ink
• Certainly Celery Classic Stampin’ Pad®
• Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Soft Suede Classic Stampin’ Pad

Accessories
• Certainly Celery 5/8" Satin Ribbon
• Linen Thread
• Stampin’ Dimensionals®

*From the 2011 Summer Mini Catalog; $2 from the purchase of this set will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®

To Order supplies, check out what's new, sign up for a class or workshop - View my Bllog - Check Out My Website - Or E-Mail Me.   Shop online 24/7 and ship direct to you or contact me for more personal service.  My service doesn't stop once you place your order.  I am happy to help you sort your order, mount stamps, or answer any questions you may have. All you have to do is ask :)

Project Share - Love Scrapbook Page (12 X 12)

LOVE SCRAPBOOK PAGE (12" X 12")

Paper
• Playful Polka Dots Simply Scrappin’®*
• On Board Alphabet Soup

Ink
• Old Olive Stampin’ Write® Marker

Accessories
• Old Olive 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon
• White Baker’s Twine*
• Brights Designer Buttons
• Subtles Designer Buttons
• Stampin’ Dimensionals®

*From 2011 Summer Mini Catalog

To Order supplies, check out what's new, sign up for a class or workshop - View my Bllog - Check Out My Website - Or E-Mail Me.   Shop online 24/7 and ship direct to you or contact me for more personal service.  My service doesn't stop once you place your order.  I am happy to help you sort your order, mount stamps, or answer any questions you may have. All you have to do is ask :)

Wow.. It's the weekend again already? Weekend Challenge

I have decided that I truly have to stop the practice of blinking at any point during the beginning of my week immediately.  Seems that I do, and immediately things get crazy busy and before I know it, another week has gone by and I'm looking back at it wondering where the time went.  This week was certainly no exception.  Made much headway in my progress to reno-recovery, among other things and got a lot of spring cleaning of the electronic variety taken care of in my efforts to take a minor step back and plot ahead again..  


A comment my hubby made to me the other day got me thinking.  Until he'd mentioned it, I hadn't really thought about it much but much as I hated to admit it, he had a point. (Shh.. I didn't say that out loud, right?)  He said he often sees me in preparation for classes, or workshops,  planning items for swaps with other demos but it's not very often lately that I sit down just to play with my toys for nobody else but me.  


Like I say, I had to admit he's right.  Sometimes you just have to take a step back from all of the crazy hustle and bustle in your life, put in the brakes and say :"This moment right here.. is MINE."  pick a project and go after it with all the gusto you've got.  It is with that in mind that I started looking at hosting a few small swaps, and challenging myself to create something daily.  I also want to step out of my regular comfort zone and routines.  I find that I always gravitate towards the same colors and there is a whole color palette to choose from.  


I decided that I was going to start posting weekly challenges on my blog.  I thought it might be fun to have others join in and share what they've made.  


So earlier in the month I was talking to a lady about - yep, you guessed it - Girl Guide Cookies - I understand that there was a real shortage of them in our area this year and many that wanted didn't get them.  That conversation led me to trying to find the group closest to me, and in that trek, I came upon the photo I have displayed here.  Somehow my brain jumped to the new chocolate chip ink pad that I bought recently and I thought that it was the perfect challenge to start with.  


Do these colors inspire YOU?  I'd love to see what you've come up with.  Please post a comment with a link to your project so we can take a look too!  I'll play around a little with it this week and post some samples too.  


Have you signed up for my newsletter?  It takes only moments to register and just for subscribing to my newsletter, I will enter your name in a monthly drawing to win a FREE class for you and 4 friends.  You can keep the coupon, or gift it to a friend.  Sign Up Via My Website, or send me an e-mail.

Have you downloaded your copy of the Summer Mini Catalog yet?  If you'd rather have a physical copy of your very own please feel free to e-mail me and I'll arrange to get you one. 
For 24/7 Shopping and delivery right to your door anywhere in Canada visit my website.  Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  I am here to help!   

TGI - Friday! With a long weekend Chaser - Gotta Love it!

You may have noticed that I've been tinkering a bit this morning.  I'd set up networked blogs a while ago via Facebook but hadn't done anything with it, and I've been trying to streamline things a little bit more so that it's not a matter of manually re-posting things everywhere they need to be - even when it's something you love - it's still a real PITA sometimes.  


I apologize for not having posted promised pictures before now, for some strange reason my camera wasn't making a proper connection to the computer for the upload and this morning I finally stripped it of it's USB card figuring I'd do a work around and the card wouldn't read either - strangely enough when I put it back in the camera it worked fine and now the pictures are whirring onto my computer as I type this.  I have to wonder if perhaps I scared it into submission... well I can HOPE, can't I?  ;)


I've been working on some incentives and some features that I hope to make regular occurrences here on the blog including some new customer appreciation bonusses.  Keep your eyes on the blog - more to be revealed soon.  :) 


Here's a little inspiration for this rainy Spring day - there's a little family of robins that have made their home on top of one of our patio lights.  Started out with Mama and eggs, and then there were 3 little heads in there with her.  Come to find out this week there are actually 4 - and they've grown so big so fast they almost look like they're going to burst out of the nest.  When we stand at our kitchen sink we get a front row seat right out our window to see these little guys.  I thought I'd share. 

Big Shot Teaser Card - Endless Possibilities!

I wanted to share with you today a card I put together for Mother's Day.  I'd been dying to play with my new punches and try out a couple of techniques I'd been reading about but life's been a little too crazy lately so I just haven't gotten there.  


So when my hubby came in to my Crop on the weekend and asked me to make a Mother's Day card, I said SURE!  though not before teasing him that I wasn't making my own Mother's Day card! ..  LOLs


I started out pulling out a sheet of one of my favorite colors "Rich Razzleberry" and then realized that in pack-muling all of my gear to the hall we'd inadvertently left my Paper trimmer on the chair in the living room -- OOPS!  


At that point I started looking through my tote bag since I normally keep a bag of extra card cuts from previous craft days on hand.  I found a number of cards already cut on whisper white, as well as some card fronts cut a little smaller than the card (also whisper white) - Not what was going on in my brain at the time, but I figured I'd work with it.  


Of course on any normal day I'm usually the one who does the reminders for birthdays and other special events in our family, but for some reason this year making a card completely slipped my mind.  Maybe it was somewhat freudian - who knows.  My own mom hasn't been in my life for quite some time,  and I'd already taken care of my Dad - calling him to wish him a Happy Mother's Day has been tradition for many years.  I realized this year that this was his 30th Mother's Day as a single Dad - That's pretty impressive.  Last year I'd sent him a dozen long stemmed roses in blue - his favorite color.  The flower shop near his house will likely never forget me as any time I call now they comment on the blue roses..  in any case I digress..  


So I punched out a plain heart in Rich Razzleberry and one in Real Red and laid them on the card - my intention was for one to represent my teddybear and one to represent me on a card for his Mom.  I hadn't brought any stamps beyond the brand new offerings from the new mini so I was kicking myself for that.  


About that point I remembered a big shot technique I'd seen online somewhere over the last few weeks and had wanted to try.  I used my Top Note Die to cut on the background shape from a piece of In Color paper from the level one hostess set offerings and laid it on the piece of white cardstock - I liked how that looked so I glued it there.  Then came the lattice textured impressions embossing folder.   I love the way it makes the whole piece look like a piece of fabric.  

Now at this point I could have used my Embosslit Scallop heart die for all 4 hearts, but I wanted to use my heart punch so I took the first two heart punches and laid them in the Sizzix polka dots embossing folder and ran them through the big shot. I decided that two hearts just weren't enough so I made two more and I wanted a different texture on them the scalloped heart of hearts was a big bigger and I didn't like how they worked together in this application so I punched out two more hearts and dropped them into the scallopped heart of hearts embosslit - the heart punch sat just inside the frame so I was able to emboss this different texture on the other two hearts. 


After arranging them all on the page, I decided it needed "something"..  so I took a bright yellow piece of my scrap card stock (I think this piece was Crushed Curry) and used my triple layer punch popped up to make the centre piece.  Then added the pearl as a little bit of Bling.  


To step it up, in hindsight I might have added a scalloped tag with a saying on the right hand corner but for today I liked it just the way it was.  I was also trying to prove a point to a friend who'd told me that she couldn't stamp so card making wasn't for her - that you didn't *have* to stamp to have fun making cards.  :)  


I used the Scallopped heart of hearts sizzlit die to make this heart on in inside of the card, and borrowed the "With Love" saying from our new Mini Catalog Level 2 Hostess Set "Love & Care".  


I find myself challenged daily in trying to decide which is my favorite stamp set, favorite tool, favorite die etc..   It's just MEAN to make me choose just one!!  I've loving the embossing folders though, and have started to collect a number more punches.  I really want to get more into punch art so the hunt is on.. :) 


For what it's worth, my mother-in-law loved her Mother's Day card. That feeling of joy that comes when you give someone something you made with your own two hands will never get old..    


Until Next Time.. I'll be hiding in the Crafty corner playing with my toys..  See you soon!