A few new cards

Here's a card I made using Inspired by Nature & Flight of the Butterfly for my husband's grandma as a thank you:

Supplies -
Cardstock: Bashful Blue
Ink: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss, & Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Inspired by Nature & Flight of the Butterfly
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch & Stamp-a-ma-jig

This is a card I made using Dreams du Jour, one of our BRAND NEW sets! It is a thank you I made for my aunt:

Supplies -
Cardstock: Kraft, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Black, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Bashful Blue, VersaMark
Stamps: Polka Dot Background, Dreams du Jour, & Flight of the Butterfuly (for Thank you so very much stamped inside the card - my new favorite stamp! Love the font!)
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Scallop Edge Punch, Basic Black Narrow Grosgrain, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Square Punches, Blender Pens, Dimensionals

This card was one of my swaps for convention using the baby wipe technique (I used it for 1 swap and ended up using it for 2 more - I LOVE that technique)! It was the best swap I was in - my TRACK 8 swap!!!

Supplies -
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, So Saffron, VersaMark
Stamps: Priceless & Absolutely Fabulous
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop punch, 1", 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Whisper White Narrow Grosgrain, Dimensionals, Silver Brads, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Paper Piercer (love to poke holes in the scalloped edges, Baby Wipes (non-SU!)

Stampin' Up! New Catalog & Mega Specials!

Hi! Stampin' Up!'s exciting new catalog just went into effect yesterday! I was so excited about ordering new goodies that I forgot to post about all the specials going on!

If you want to find the new catalog (it is a giant PDF): click HERE

Additionally, we have a really exciting 15% off of 10 Brand New Stamp Sets: click HERE for that flyer with details.

Also, you can sign up to be a demonstrator with a mini starter kit in 3 different focus groups (Stamp Focused, Scrapbook Focused, or Home Decor Focused). The mini starter kits are $99 and just like the traditional starter kit, you can substitute selected items to personalize it to your taste: click HERE for more details.

Finally, if you would rather sign up with the traditional $199 Starter Kit, currently you can select an additional stamp set up to a $47.95 value from anywhere in the catalog!

The recruitment promotions expire on October 11th and the stamp set promotion ends September 30th.

Contact me now for more details or with any questions!!! Have a fantabulous day!

Convention Roomies

I said I'd post a pic of my roomies from Convention and I still hadn't yet!!! We met somewhat randomly on Splitcoast Stampers and I think we were all surprised with how well we got along as we only knew each other from SCS and through messages! They are truly awesome ladies! What a privelege to room with such amazing people - I was the young demo of the bunch and they were all so willing to share and give me new ideas! So from left to right are: Sheri, me, Vil & Michelle. It was especially cool because we were from completely different areas...the 4 of us represented Canada, Missouri, Florida & California.




The two pics above are from our whirlwind trip to see Stampin' Up!'s Riverton Main Offices! It was really cool but we missed the rooms that are set up with products and photographed for SU!'s catalog!


Awards Night was on Thursday, so Vil & I slipped out to take photos of all the display boards while they were reading the 100 Best Demos. It was not crowded at all so although we missed the rest of Awards Night it was totally worth it as I got pics of ALL the boards that night!


Waiting for the general session to start - new face here is Amber, another SCSer that Sheri met because they were both from Canada and looking for room info on SCS. I love the connections that website allows us to make!


The night of my birthday, we signed up for an 80s Mania Night and Sheri, Michelle and Amber all dressed up. Vil & I did the 80s hair and makeup but not the clothes. It was a fun night although we were all exhausted by Friday!

Anyway, we are about 30 minutes until the new catalog goes live so I've got to finalize/figure out what I'm getting for sure!!!

Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge #18

I LOVE this week's colors! I totally thought that the Summer Sun/Green Galore confusion could be easily solved with the brand new 2008-2009 In Color KIWI KISS (I'm sure Kristina didn't put it in there as it isn't availabe for customer order until MONDAY - let me know if you need me to order you some of this amazing color!)



Anyway I thought I'd do double duty by making the card for my new friend Amanda's birthday which is tomorrow. My family is coming into town tomorrow so we're celebrating tonight! (HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMANDA!!! Come to think of it I don't think she knows anything about this blog so I'll have to tell her after I give her the card tonight!)

Sorry Kristina for the terrible picture - one of these days I'm going to invest in a better camera. She does her videos with the Flip Ultra and I saw a PINK one the other day - now do I have enough viewers to warrant a video camera? NO - but the idea of a pink one was almost enough to send me over the edge - plus it is so cute and compact!

Supplies:
STAMPS: All Holidays, Jumbo Outline Alpha, & Dotted Lines Jumbo Wheel
CARDSTOCK: Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red
INK: VersaMark, Classic Basic Black
ACCESSORIES: Scallop Edge Punch (order that MONDAY too!!! LOVE IT!!!), Flower Fusion, Black Brad, Pumpkin Pie Narrow Grosgrain, Paper Piercer, VersaMarker, Old Stamp Discarded pieces (instead of Dimensionals - gives more height! Used Glossy Accents to adhere the rubbery portion to the card & just peeled off the other side), Glue Dots (to make the awesome bow - my new favorite kind after making one on the Make and Take gift bag at convention), Clear Embossing Powder

Everybody have a FANTASTIC day!!!

Sue Daly's Summer Challenge

Hello again! Sue Daly had a fun idea and since I have very few people frequenting my blog I thought I'd try it to get some new reader/viewers. So she sent me a beautiful card (the photo seriously doesn't do it justice) and supplies to make a creation of my choice. My favorite part is the gorgeous paper piercing!!! Amazing - I think you can at least see that detail in the crummy photo of mine. Go to her blog to see more of her work...but here's a little sampling:



Ok - here's my creation using supplies she sent me, besides the Pink Pirouette and Kraft cardstock, punches, and hemp. I also used stamp sets of my own including the brand new Inspired by Nature (grass), Flight of the Butterfly (small flower stamp), and Wow Flowers (Happy Birthday circle)as well as the oldie but goodie Short and Sweet. Ink used was VersaMark, Ruby Red, and Chocolate Chip. I tied the hemp through the button and stitched a stem (mostly covered by ribbon) for the large flower. I super heavily distressed the edge with a scissors - a skill I had to learn at Convention as the Cutter kit (with distressing tool) was no where in sight) - I thought it made it look rougher and more grass-like. FUN! The DSP, chipboard flower, hardware, ribbon, Old Olive & More Mustard cardstock were all sent to me by Sue.



Although I don't have much left over I am going to try to make another card or other creation using what is left of Sue's goodies. My family is coming to visit this weekend and next week is crazy so I don't know when it will happen but be on the lookout. I was pretty productive today and also made a card for Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge #18 so I'll be back in a sec with that! :)

Celeb-Blogger Anxiety at Convention!

So probably one of the highlights of convention was getting photos with 3 of the 5 bloggers that I HAVE to look at everyday!

So first of all I have to tell my Kristina Werner story...

I LOVE Kristina Werner! Her creations, her personality...she's just too fun! Anyway I had the thought that she might be at Convention since she's an SU! employee but when I saw it posted on her blog that she was excited to take photos with us I was just hoping for the opportunity.



I know I totally sound like a stalker now...but I just think that she is FABULOUS! So I was running through the convention main hallway on my way to my hotel on Wednesday (check in day, Riverton tours, and of course the SCS dinner) and I saw her taking photos - I even said to my upline (who I was on the phone with at the time) "I just saw Kristina Werner!!!". I think I had to repeat myself because I may have been screeching it...hahaha :) but my swap was coming up in no time so I could not stop.

Fast forward to Friday, my 26th birthday - I was walking in about the same area and just thought darn wouldn't it be a great birthday present if I could take a picture with and meet Kristina Werner? So I keep walking and guess who I see? It was perfect birthday karma!

There was another lady getting her picture taken with Kristina and chatting with her and as I stood there I just got more and more nervous. I'm such a total dork around anyone I don't know. So I finally get up there and stick my hand out and say "Hi I'm Sarah" oh and wait for it...my favorite part - Kristina says to put that thing away and hugs me. She's just as warm in person as any avid lover of her blog would think! I just hope that both of us are at convention next year and I don't spaz out again! My new Canadian friend Amber took the photo and began conversing with Kristina about the P.F. Chang's phone number (Kristina looked it up for her) and about local scrapbooking stores. I just stood there...although I vaguely remember saying something like "I'm the girl who emailed you asking for names of great local scrapbooking stores"...could I be a bigger dork?

I'm sitting here laughing right now because this is so funny to recall. Oh and I'm thinking that Kristina will probably read this and agree that I'm a total nerd...

Ok onto my other 2 favorite bloggers...

I have another story about this one...I was going to my upline group meeting (SWAS Ink.) and as we're driving I said something about a great video I had watched on Angie Juda's Chic n' Scratch blog. My lovely upline Beth says "You know she's going to be there today right?" I said "Why?" and Beth says "She's in our group too"...



So again I was a total dork the first time I met her...I'm pretty sure I said something super eloquent like "Hi, I read your blog everyday" Anyway, thank goodness Angie's super nice as I occasionally have to email her with questions (ps if you don't have her Chic Stand for your paper piercer you've got to get it - wonderful for traveling) and of course look forward to seeing her at group meetings and CONVENTION!!!

So I randomly saw Angie when I was wondering around the Sizzix Big Shot Marketing area (woohoo Stampin' Up! What a great area to branch into!!!) and we took a photo together. She also gave me some great business advice! Thanks Angie!

So Angie and I are walking together and guess who comes up to talk to Angie? Dawn Griffith !!! Anyway they apparently know each other and they were such a hoot to watch interact. I think between the 3 of us we definitely had more energy than normal humans should!!! :) It was great to meet her as well but I think meeting her with Angie helped ease my celeb-blogger anxiety.



And of course our brand new blogger, the cofounder and CEO of Stampin' Up Shelli Gardner! I was so lucky to get a picture with her! As I walked up to her she said 2 more pictures so I was really happy that I got in there in just the nick of time! I was hoping to get one with her at regionals but someone said that she doesn't attend every regional so I was hoping for an opportunity at my first convention! What a special photo for me to have! Her blog just went live Sunday and it is so CUTE!!! Go check it out by clicking on her name. Isn't she super photogenic? I look so silly next to her!



Anyway more pics to come soon...I gotta get one up of my awesome roomies!!! (Hi Michelle, Vil & Sheri! Miss you gals already!)

Convention & First Post in a Month!!!

WOW!!! I can't believe how long it has been since I've posted! I've seriously been working on my 16 SCS swaps day and night, night and day for the last month! I didn't even get to making any general swaps...oh well. Today I'll be working on getting some Stampin' Up! Convention photos to all of you. It was so amazing and I have oodles to share - not the least of which is my excitement! Check back later!