Team Canadian Blossoms!

Good morning! I have a special treat for you today! Ordinarily, I don't share my Team Cards on my general blog, because I like them to be exclusive to my team. But today, I'm sharing the AUGUST team card with you!

Why? Because when you're part of my Canadian Blossoms Team, you get a card, from me, in your MAILBOX every month! Not an email card...a REAL card on which I put an actual POSTAGE STAMP!! In this day of email and blogs and the web, I just LOVE putting a smile on my team members faces each month.

Why am I telling you this? Because it's July 29th and there's only TWO MORE DAYS to take advantage of the Mini Starter Kit and join my team! Just click here, watch the video and read all about the goodness you get when you join the Stampin' UP! team. When you're ready click the "JOIN NOW" button on the left. And you don't have to be "local" to join my team! I'll support you (and send a card!) no matter where in Canada you live!

Ready for the card? Take a look:

Simple, elegant and duplicatable. Every once in a while, my team gets an "Over The Top" card, but for the most part, I like to send them simple cards that will get them thinking about ideas for workshops.

Now, here's something for you:

At my last workshop, I was asked about colouring options. I told my new clients about different ways in which they could colour their images. I used one of them for this card. Can you guess what it is?

BLOG CANDY!!!!!!

If you can figure out WHICH colouring technique I used for this card, I'll have a prize for you! A second prize will be given (by draw) to ONE person who takes a guess at the technique. So...even if you get it wrong, you still have a chance to win a prize! How does that sound?

Hope you have a GREAT weekend!! If you're in Canada, enjoy your extra day off!

Happy Stampin'!

August Workshop Card Sneak Peek!

Hi friends! It feels like FOREVER since I created something - YIKES!!!

Today, I have a sneak peek share for just one of the cards we'll be creating at my August workshops. I have two workshops booked already and my weekends are already FULL (both with workshops and other activities)! However, if you'd like to book an evening workshop, I'll be happy to talk with you!

Take a look at this:

Isn't that the CUTEST thing you've EVER seen? One of my favourite sets in the new Idea Book and Catalogue is the Pennant Parade Set.  Stampin' UP! has paired it with the Petite Pennant Parade Punch and there's even a BIGZ XL die with a big pennant on it. Can you imagine the possibilities??

The long weekend is coming up here in Canada and I hope you have some fun things planned!! And I hope those fun things involve some STAMPING!!!

Happy Stampin'

Join Stampin' UP! for just $119!

This limited edition "mini" starter kit has everything you need to start your very own Stampin' Business!

You'll receive Easy Events in clear mount, Pennant Parade in wood mount and a whole host of other goodies to get you started!

Plus, you'll get this:

I don't know about you, but I'd LOVE to have a Christmas Keepsake box! If you join my team before July 31st, we'll BOTH get one! Of course, I haven't decided if I want to keep it for myself or give it away - LOL!

Also, don't forget that there is a SUPER SPECIAL PROMO coming up on August 1st! If you join my team now, you'll hear all about it before our customers do! I just LOVE that demonstrator perk - early notice!

Perks of joining my team:

• Handstamped card delivered to your MAILBOX every month - that's the real deal! This won't come to your email inbox, it'll come to your mailbox, with a postage stamp and everything!
• A private team blog - where I keep everyone in the Canadian Blossoms Team up to date on the team goings on and the goings on at Stampin' UP! It's also where I congratulate you on your achievements!
• Discounts on my classes! When I hold classes, you'll get a discounted price to attend!

I'm SO looking forward to working with you!

Happy Stampin'!

The Official Convention highlight video

Join my team and next year, we can go together!

To sleep or not to sleep...

...that is the question.

If we sleep we could miss out on lots of fun conversation and forget to share every last detail of our lives. If we don't sleep, Mary Anne and I will be SERIOUSLY cranky travellers tomorrow.

And besides, it seems like this corner of Massachusetts is in some kind of freaky time sucking vortex where time is irrelevant or something...we think 5 minutes has gone by and when we look at our watches it's been 2 hours. How does that happen??

Mary Anne and I spent a good bit of time in the Container Store (if you're in an area with NO Container Store, I promise you, that's what it's called - you can't make that up!) and bought some fun stuff - mine was all pink (bet you didn't guess that). Then the three of us went for lunch and pedicures - DIVINE!

We came home for a bit and worked on our product folders (pictures tomorrow!) and went back out again for dinner (Legal Seafood), ice cream (Cold Stone Creamery - 'nuff said) and Target. Brenda and Mary Anne are familiar with Target, but me, as a Canadian, only shop there on my few trips to the US. So, I wandered...and wandered...and bought a couple of "organizing" type things. Target is coming to Canada soon though, and I can't wait!

And now we're back home and it's time to start packing because tomorrow we have to say goodbye - not cool.

I'll be blogging from Logan Airport tomorrow as I wait for my flight...hopefully there will be no more frightening pictures like the one from Wednesday.

Happy Stampin'!

It's 3:45 p.m. - do you know where YOUR stampin' projects are?

So, here we are on day 2 of ConBrention...have you seen our stamping projects? No? Us either...

So far, we've eaten mexican, done the business chat (three in the same room on THREE different computers - HYSTERICAL!), exchanged gifts, asked each other how we made them, yakked some more and FINALLY got around to some stamping...of course, the projects aren't done yet - I mean really...what were you thinking?

We went to bed at some point between 1 and 2 a.m. Mary Anne and Brenda dreamed about stamping all night. This morning we got up and went right to our computers...crazy! The Convention updates started coming in and we just couldn't tear ourselves away.

We had breakfast - yummy scrambled eggs - and scoured blogs to find all the information we could about what's going on at Convention.  Next year, I tell you, I am SO there!  There is NO way I'm missing out!

Brenda went out to get her son from camp and brought back this:

Well...it was full when she brought it in, but then I ate a piece...and another one...and another one...then I decided that because the fruit was in there, the chocolate had no calories. Yeah. Talk about YUMMY! I wonder if we have Edible Arrangements in Canada?

And now, the convention chatter has slowed down (a little), but trust me, it'll be back up to NUTS in a little while and what we've already seen will BLOW. YOUR. MIND.

Now I think we're FINALLY going to get some stamping done! We have to! Brenda has all these things she bought for us to alter and play with, so we need to get to work.

Check back tomorrow for (hopefully) some stamping projects.

Happy Stampin'!

BOSTON BOUND!!

Let me be clear about something. I travel. A LOT. And as a frequent flyer, I have a routine. And that routine begins with arriving at the airport at LEAST three hours early for a cross border flight. That's THREE hours, as in 1, 2, 3 - 3 hours.

Now, just because YOU decided to hit the snooze button does not mean that you should get to jump ahead of me in the customs line. You being a lazy @ss is YOUR problem.  You know the saying..."Lack of planning on YOUR part, does NOT constitute an emergency on MY part."

You know what that means? It means that if your flight is at 10 a.m., you should NOT be standing in the same line as I am at 8:45. You should have been here at 7 a.m. Even Transport Canada recommends a 90 minute gap between your arrival at the airport and your departure. By 8:45, YOU'RE TOO LATE!!! If you were holding up MY flight, I'd be pissed! And HELLO!! It's summer!! Kids out of school...families travelling...

And while I'm ranting about airport etiquette, it's probably a good idea to turn the light on when you get dressed in the morning.

So far I've seen:

• A "businessman" wearing jeans, a polo and a suit jacket (all different colours of blue) and black dress shoes.  Really? Business or casual - pick one.
• A "businessman" wearing a suit and sandals *sigh* To his credit, at least he wasn't wearing socks with those sandals.
• A young lady with ripped jeans - I mean REALLY ripped - in more than one place. Have some pride in your appearance.
• A granny who I thought looked lovely in her matching pants and jacket...till I looked down at her feet and noticed NEON pink toes and Birkenstocks.
• And this little gem:

I only WISH I had photoshoped this look, but I didn't.  PLAID short-shorts with matching jacket. And you don't even get the BEST view...from the front...where you could see the muffin top peeking out *shudder* And those shoes...also some kind of plaid, with peep toes and...are you ready for this? ACRYLIC toe nails. You know, like when you go to get a manicure and request acrylic nails because your nails aren't quite up to snuff? Yeah...on her TOES!!

It's going to take a whole lot of BRAIN BLEACH to erase that little gem from my cerebral cortex!

I just found out my flight was delayed by 20 minutes...POOP! That means ConBrention will now officially start 20 minutes later.  Sorry girls! See you soon!

Hostess Dollars are the NEW and IMPROVED Hostess Benefits!

Check this out:

Hostess Dollars

• Any workshop or online order that totals $200 or more, will earn Hostess Dollars
• These Hostess Dollars can be used to purchase exclusive hostess products (see pages 10-15 of the 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog) or other full price catalog merchandise
• Stampin' Up! has discounted the price of the hostess products to make your Hostess Dollars go further

50% Off Item(s)

• In addition to Hostess Dollars, workshops or online orders that total $525 or more, will have the opportunity to purchase any full-priced catalog item for 50% off! (Hostess items are excluded) 
• At $650 you receive TWO 50% off items and it goes up from there!
• Yes - you can choose anything in the catalog with your 50% off items, including the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, the Color Caddy, the complete set of Stampin' Write Markers, stamp sets and more. (MDS Print Products and Hostess items are not included)

New Promotion - Coming August 1st!

It's MDS Monday today but I have a busy day planned and since I was out of town for the weekend, I didn't get a chance to create.  I was having a SLEEPOVER downline meeting!  How AWESOME is that???

Anyway, I probably won't get a chance to MDS, but I DID want to take a quick minute to let you know that there is an AWESOME promotion coming in August that you won't want to miss!!!

Keep watching my blog posts...and if you're NOT a subscriber or follower, you should go ahead and do that now so you don't miss out!

Take a look at these images and see if you can guess what the promotion MIGHT be and leave me a comment with your guess!

Happy Stampin'!

STAMP-A-RAMA!

Coming soon to Mississauga!

August 20th, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This is an EXCLUSIVE event limited to only 8 people!

Check out one of the projects we'll be making:

All your projects will be pre-cut and pre-scored ready for you to assemble!

Full details can be found here, then go to: http://stamparama2011.eventbrite.com to purchase your tickets.

Can't wait to create with you!

So you don't miss me...

Uncharted Territory:

I pulled this off the Stampin' UP! website - I just LOVE that there are SO many ideas there for us!

The image was stamped in Soft Suede Ink on Very Vanilla Cardstock and coloured in using markers and blender pens.

This little card was stepped up with some stitching and a button threaded with linen.

Contact me if you'd like to order the supplies used to make it.

Happy Stampin'!

Flashback Friday!

Welcome back to another round of Flashback Friday! My apologies for the late posting, but with the kids out of school they are occupying a lot of my time...and giving me more laundry!!

Let's get started with Sketch # 20:

I chose Baja Breeze and Whisper White for this one. I have a few male customers, so this is going to one of them. Are you one of my customers who's placed an order in the last year? Do you want to be? One of the perks of being my customer is that I send out cards ALL. THE. TIME. So, if you're one of MY customers, look for a card in your mailbox!

The set I used is Uncharted Territory and I'm happy to report that it is still in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue. Since The Open Sea didn't make it into the new Catalogue (there's always next year!), this will be my new go-to set for boats.

Sketch # 21:

As some of you know, I'm hosting my very first Stamp-a-Rama event in August! We'll be using the Playful Polka Dots Simply Scrappin' Kit. I designed and completed all the projects and still had LOTS of Paper left over from the kit, so I'm STILL using it!

I also used one of my FAVOURITE sentiments from the Smarty Pants Stamp Set.

Sketch # 22:

I created this one as a love not card (3x3) and I'll be giving it to some of my girlfriends over the weekend - shhhhh!

I used a greeting from the Happy Greetings Set which is in the Summer Mini (only available till August 30th) and MORE of the Designer Series Paper and cardstock from the Playful Polka Dots kit.

Sketch # 23:

I've been doing some custom work for a new client. Her save the date cards are quite unique and require a special folder. I designed one like a gift certificate holder with which she was quite pleased. This card is the same basic design and can be used to hold a gift certificate.  It's 3 7/8" x 8 1/2".

I used even MORE paper from the Playful Polka Dots Kit and a stamp from the Short and Sweet Set. The card is further embellished with the Scallop Trim Border Punch and some Daffodil Delight 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon.

Sketch # 24:

I just started taking John Sanpietro's Stamping Business Basics course and one of the first things we were to do was determine our OBJECTIVE for doing what we do. It couldn't be about the MONEY specifically, but we had to choose something to work toward to keep us motivated to keep working the business.

My daughter suggested world travel - pretty awesome since I've never left the North American continent. So, my FIRST objective is a trip to Paris. I've always wanted to have breakfast on the Champs Elysées, so this is my motivation!

I used images from the Artistic Etchings Set and a sentiment from On the Grow since it seemed PERFECT for this card.

Sketch # 25:

This one uses Fabulous Florets and paper from the Pocketful of Posies Pack. The colours I used remind of a paper called (I think) Tea Garden.  Everything old is NEW again!

I stamped the flowers for my background using Pear Pizzazz and Calypso Coral. Then I stamped my focal flowers using Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron and Calypso Coral.  LOVE this combination! The Calypso Coral flower was stamped three times and cut out to add dimension.

The sentiment I used is from the set You're a Gem, which was first in the Occasions Mini earlier this year and is now in the Idea Book and Catalogue.

Well, that's it for today! I have a BUSY weekend with my girlfriends and my downline planned, so I likely won't be back till it's time for MDS Monday.

Next Wednesday, I am heading to Boston to hang out with Brenda and Mary Anne as we have our own CONBRENTION!!! We couldn't go to Stampin' UP! convention this year, so the three of us are going to have our very own version.  Can't wait!!  Brenda says she even has pillow gifts for us - WOOT!

While there I will DEFINITELY be posting about all the fun and crazy things we're doing as well as posting about any news we hear from Convention.

Have a GREAT weekend and Happy Stampin'!

STAMPS: Short and Sweet, Uncharted Territory, Happy Greetings, Smarty Pants, Artistic Etchings, On the Grow, Fabulous Florets,  You're a Gem
INK: Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Melon Mambo, So Saffron, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Calypso Coral, Versamark
PAPERS: Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Melon Mambo, So Saffron, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Stampin Dimensionals, Big Shot, Dies, Ribbon

MDS Monday - Scrapbook Sketch

I found this sketch (somewhere online) and thought I would try to reproduce it with MDS. I'll get some pics and maybe try to do it up as an MDS page (with pics) - we'll see how that goes - LOL!

Here's the sketch:

This is a short and sweet post today because we've got a busy, busy day today!!

Did you notice the new colours??  The background in Pool Party and the big circle is Island Indigo.  If you have MDS, this is a FREE upgrade!!

Happy MDSin'!

OH. MY. GOSH.

This is my second post for today, so scroll down to see today's Flashback Friday.

I was going to wait till tomorrow to post this (so you could enjoy Flashback Friday and not be overwhelmed by two posts in one day), but when I logged on to the Stampin' UP! website this morning, I just KNEW that you needed this information NOW!!!

Check this out:

Yes, that's right. You can now join my team for just $119! This discounted kit is designed with the "Stampin' UP! junkie" in mind. (I don't know anybody like that...do you? LOL!) It's not the COMPLETE starter kit (which you can, of course, still purchase), but a smaller one for those of us who might have...well...a lot of stuff already.

Take a look at this:

Here's a list of what you'll get:

• Easy Events Stamp Set in Clear Mount*
• Pennant Parade Stamp Set in Wood Mount*
• Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black and Real Red Classic Ink Pads
• Brights Assortment of Cardstock
• Whisper White Note Cards (pack of 20)
• Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper*
• Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon*
• Blender Pen (1)
• Clear Mount Block "C"
• Snail Adhesive

*New items in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue

You'll also get the business supplies to help you get your business off to an AWESOME start:

• Getting Started DVD
• Getting Started Guide
• Guest Invitation Postcards (100)
• 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue (8)
• 2011 Summer Mini Catalogue (8)
• Stampin' UP! logo Vinyl
• Decor Elements Applicator
• To My Hostess Envelopes (10)
• My Digital Studio Marketing DVD
• Recruit Folders (5)
• Recruit Brochures (20)
• Customer Order Forms (5)

But WAIT! There's MORE!!!

Check THIS out:

Join my team in the month of July and we'll BOTH get a FREE Christmas Keepsake Project Kit!

The kit contains:

• Pines & Poinsettias Set (wood-mount)
• Keepsake box
• Scallop borders (cut from Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die)
  • First Edition Designer Series Paper (3)
  • Holly Berry Designer Series Paper (6)
• First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper strip (2)
• Holly Berry Designer Series Paper piece*
• Real Red Top Note (cut from Top Note Bigz Die)
• Real Red Decorative Label (cut from Matchbook Bigz XL Die)
• Wild Wasabi Card Stock strips (3)
• Naturals Ivory Card Stock piece
• Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Fabric*
• Real Red 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
• Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon
• Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim
• Linen Thread
• Champagne Fine Galaxy Stampin' Glitter
• Vanilla Pearl 1/2" Simply Adorned Bauble
• Pearl Basic Jewels (1 pkg.)
• Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Buttons*
  • Large Wild Wasabi
  • Small Real Red
• Mini Vintage Tags

And...see those little asterisks up there? Those items will be featured in the upcoming HOLIDAY 2011 Mini Catalogue!! This kit is a $50 value and is yours absolutely FREE!

I just KNEW you'd be excited as I am!! 

But WAIT!!  There's STILL MORE!!!

As an added bonus, ANYONE who joins my team in July will receive a colour coach (complete with the 2011-2013 in colours) as well as THEIR choice of ANY PRICE stamp set in the current 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue.

You can't beat that!  Who's first???

Flashback Friday!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

NEW CATALOG YEAR THAT IS!

I'll have more information for you all about the new catalog tomorrow.  For today, you won't be able to order ANYTHING until after 12 noon MST, that's 2 p.m. EST as Stampin' UP! will be updating the online ordering system.

For today, enjoy Flashback Friday and come back for another visit tomorrow - I can't wait to "see" you!


Welcome back to another Flashback Friday! My apologies for last week's absence, but the kids were less than a week from being out of school and things got just a little hectic!

Let's get started, shall we??

Sketch # 13:

For this card, I used the retiring Cheep Talk (sad face) and some NEW paper (happy face!) from the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog, called Just Add Cake! I'll "just be adding" a couple more packs to my first July order since I've already used up a lot of the first of the two packs I ordered on my pre-order. YIKES!

I also used Calypso Coral (paper and ink) and Poppy Parade (ink).

Sketch 14:

This one also features Cheep Talk. I used quite a bit of liberty with this sketch, but the spirit of it is still there - LOL!

I used Early Espresso Ink to stamp the bird, but before I stamped him, I used my blender pen to remove the ink on the beak and then coloured it using my Pumpkin Pie Marker.

This card uses the retiring (sad face) Sweet and Sour Specialty Designer Series Paper).

Sketch 15:

You saw this card here, so I won't got into all the details again.

Sketch 16:

This is the card I did this past Wednesday, so you can read all about it here.

Sketch 17:

This little set, Best of Everything is so darn cute! I love the whimsical look of the images. They sort of remind me of a quilt.

For the little tree image, I used my Chocolate Chip and Old Olive markers and used the direct to rubber technique (this is where you colour directly on the rubber using your markers, as opposed to stamping the image and then colouring on the paper).

I used Designer Series Paper from the Bright and Neutral Paper Stacks - LOVE these! Pieces of Designer Series Paper to match EVERY. SINGLE. COLOUR. Yep - LOVE!

I used the direct to rubber technique on the sentiment too. Then, I added some buttons for extra dimension.

Cute, yes? The buttons are Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry, despite the fact that the Rich Razzleberry looks more like a Rose Red.

Sketch 18:

This one I did for the Monday CAS challenge on SplitCoast Stampers. The challenge was to use Red, White and Black. I did have to add the yellow button for that extra little punch of colour!

Sketch 19:

Not gonna lie...I LOVE this set!! Snow much fun is right up my alley because if you ask anybody, they'll tell you about my love of snowmen!

Would you believe that this paper is from Pocketful of Posies? You wouldn't think of some of the paper in this pack as winter/Christmas paper, but some of it is just perfect!

More direct to rubber here and on the second snowball, I didn't colour the bird. If you look REALLY close, you can see the glitter on the snowballs!

What do you think?

STAMPS: Cheep Talk, Touch of Kindness, Little Friends, Best of Everything, Snow Much Fun
INK: Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade, Early Espresso, Rose Red, Staz-ON, Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Soft Suede
PAPERS: Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Pretty In Pink, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Basic Black, Real Red and Soft Suede Cardstock; Just Add Cake, Sweet and Sour, Beyond the Garden, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry and Chocolate Chip Designer Series Paper; Watercolour Paper
ACCESSORIES: Ribbon, Punches, Brads, Buttons, Watercolour Crayons and Aqua Painters

Happy Stampin'!