A Wonderful 10 year Stampin' Up! Anniversary!

WOW!  I just can't believe it's been so long since I started Stampin' Up!  I mean, it just doesn't seem possible that I signed up on January 24th, 2005.  10 whole years of creativity and friendships...I hope for many more with this great company.

Since then, many things have changed but also many things remained the same.  I appreciate all my family and friends (and friends who are like family) who have helped me with my business through the years.  I've met many many people and have created thousands of cards and scrap book pages.  I've attended many different events and met great people!  And continue to meet new people everyday.

I do have to say, that Stampin' Up! has given me something that I've always felt inside.  I had that creativity and the NEED for something more.  This company has let me explore while meeting new friends and bridge a gap of expression.

As I write this little post, I am  at the Leadership Conference in Orlando with many numerous other demonstrators.  The love I feel from everyone I meet is just amazing.  Fellow demonstrators and executives with Stampin' Up! treat you like family without knowing anything about you.  On Tuesday when I arrived, I was waiting for my room mates and working on swaps in the hotel and Sara & Sean Douglass walked past.  Well they both stopped to chat and check out what I was making.  Even though I could kind of tell that Sara had a long day already preparing for her presentation on stage (she's the co-founder of Stampin' Up!'s daughter), she took time out to check out what I was doing.  And for sharing with me her thoughts and love of the new occasion's catalog.  And then TODAY, as I was walking into one of my classes, Shelli Gardner (THE CO-FOUNDER of Stampin' Up!) was walking to go backstage.  She could have just kept on walking but she turned to me and commented on how cute my bag was.  Along with me to hold my swaps, I had the "Stampin' with Elizabeth Giles" tote bag that I give to all my club members.  I explained to her what I use it for and she said she just loved it.  She chatted with me for a few minutes and asked about my business.  Hey she even pronounced my last name right!  It was just awesome!  It really made my day.  What other company has such awesome people working for them?  What other company can you run into the Co-Founder and have a chit chat that can be so relate-able and personable?  Anyways, I could go on and on.  I hope that some of you can join me in the future with my endeavors and Stampin' Up!

BELOW are pictures from my sister's house.  She agreed to have a Stampin' Up! show and it just so happened to fall on my 10th anniversary....what a perfect day!  

TO LOVE WHAT WE DO AND SHARE WHAT WE LOVE,

AS WE HELP OTHERS ENJOY CREATIVITY AND WORTHWHILE ACCOMPLISHMENTS...

IN THIS WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

My sister Holly and her daughter Abigail score the card base.  Look at the concentration on Abigail's face!  You know what a little tongue sticking out makes it straighter!

My downline Rochelle Ott, Deb & Dawn (who are sisters) create valentines from the Paper Pumkpin Kit for February.  Dawn has been a customer of mine from almost day 1!

 My best friend Christina helps my niece, Lilly, sponge the background of the card.  Christina watches Lilly for daycare too.  Christina and I graduated together and she's my bestie!

Here's my two nieces with their finished cards.  Look at the job and glow in their eyes from their lovely creations!  THIS MY FRIENDS is what it's all about!

LUMBERJACK LOVE!

I live in Central Wisconsin, close to the Wisconsin River and the Wisconsin Dells.  We love to take the tour in the Dells of the Upper part of the river there.  They often talk about the Lumber Jacks who worked the rivers to get the logs down.  There are several bends where the river narrow and many men lost their lives.  Our area was known for paper mills on the river.

This stamp set is great!  I just wanted to use the outlined image instead of making him two toned or colored in and thought our new chalkboard paper and ink would be a great match!  Who doesn't love a PINK LUMBERJACK!?!? 

Stampin' Up!'s new Chalkboard Paper is super awesome!  You can see the Chalkboard Paper to the right and the black paper to the left.  I used the Rose Coral ColorBox Chalk Ink for my Lumber Jack.  Ooohhh  lalala!

The card is a 3x3 card, so I use 12x12 paper and cut it in half.  Then I cut each half at the 3, 6, 9 marks so I get 6 cards out of each sheet!  Here you can see I stamped the Timber saying on the inside :)  Later you can see I added the tree slice with the heart in it as a background too.

   For a few added details, I threaded the Basic Black 1/8in" Taffeta Ribbon through the Subtle Designer Button.  The red glimmer paper adds just enough sparkle too!

Thank you....thanks "so" very much!

Check out this gorgeous paper!  When I first saw this in the Sale-A-Bration catalog, I wasn't so sure about it.  I've had glossy paper before and haven't used it.  When I got the paper I really liked the patterns.  The trick to this is the glossy areas.  These areas will be white after you wipe them away.  So you have to keep in mind that you need to have something white on your card to bring out the details of the glossy pattern.

Check out the Sale-A-Bration Catalog HERE!!!  I used the Irresistibly Yours Specialty Designer Series Paper (FREE!!!) and the Simply Wonderful Stamp Set (FREE!!!) for this card.  How do you get these for free???  Easily...spend $50....for every $50 you spend, you get an item free!!!

I love the different hues of the same color.  I just used a sponge and daubed where I wanted it the darkest first and then brought it out to the edges for the lighter coloring.  I wanted it darker where I put the saying just to make it more of a focal point.  After sponging, I just used a tissue and wiped off the ink on the glossy white areas.

Of course, remember that when you are layering, you can punch out of it before you adhere it.  This works perfectly for this card as we're going to use the label for our greeting.  (Yes it's Rich Razzleberry, even though in the picture it looks brownish).  The Decorative Label Punch is easy to use and easy to mat.  All you have to do, it punch one out and then cut it in half to get your mat!

Here's a close up of the embellishments.  Tangelo Twist 3/8in Satin Stripe Ribbon and the Button just bring out the other colors used to accent the greeting.

I found a card like this on Pinterest and tweeked it a little bit.  Below is the original.  You can also click here to look at it on Pinterest

  

Rich Razzleberry Ink Pad $5.95      Tangelo Twist Ribbon SALE $6.71         Rich Razz. Card Stock $6.95   

Daffodil Delight Cardstock $6.95           Decorative Label Punch $16.95          Regal Designer Buttons $7.95

 
Stampin' Sponges $3.50             Stampin' Dimenstionals $3.95             Brights Stampin' Write Markers $28.95

 
Jet Black Stazon Ink Pad $7.95      Whisper White Cardstock $8.50

If you have to purchase everything to make this card, you would have ordered enough to get the two free Sale-A-Bration items!  Happy Stampin'!

THE ENVELOPE TRANSFORMED!

 Is it a envelope?  or a bag?  I'm not sure...what do you think?  I think it's a BAGELOPE!

I remember making these a long time ago.  It was my first ever Stampin' Up! party...when my Aunt Kim hosted one.  I was still in high school (I think around '97 or so).  My Aunt and Mom co-hosted a show and we all got to make great great cards and items!  She showed us how to make this bag out of an envelope!  So easy to do and so many different sizes you can fold it into.

All you do is stamp the envelope (here I used the heart from the Epic Alphabet Photopolymer Stamp Set). Then seal the back.  After sealing it you can either rip it or cut it across the top for your "bag" opening.  Next you'll fold the bottom and sides inward (can vary to what size bag you need but keep all the sides equally folded in).

 

You'll fold each side back and forth and then start by opening up the side.  You'll then work your way around the envelope until the whole envelope is opened into a bag.  I like to just tape down the flaps on the bottom.  And presto...you have a BAG!

As you can see it makes a wonderful little bag for the sweetest little treats.  And with different size envelopes, comes different size bags.

Next it was time to make a cute tag to go with our bag.  I just love the new stamp set in the Occasions Catalog called Hey, Valentine.  It's perfect for all those valentines for school especially!

To color them easily, we're going to stamp them in the Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad and use the Blendabilities to color in the images.  This ink is water based so you need to use this with the alcohol based markers.  If you use the alcohol based ink, it will "blend" right along with the markers.  So make sure to get a pad and a refill right away!

 I like to start my blending by using the darkest color in the 3 color hues first.  I think the colors blend better by having the dark color and then working my way lighter and lighter.  I used Cameo Coral Blendabilities for the base of the fish.  I accented with Coastal Cabana Blendabilities.    AND GUESS WHAT?!?!  You can earn these blendabilities for FREE by purchasing $50 worth of other merchandise.  Check out the Sale-A-Bration flyer here SALE-A-BRATION PDF.

OH AREN'T THEY SO CUTE?!?!?  To finish up the tag, I added a coastal cobana mat and punched a large hole in the corner.  To the bag I added Whisper White 1/4" Cotton Ribbon.  I tied it around the bag and knotted it.

To add the tag to the bag, I put both ends of the ribbon through the hole.  I then added Calypso Coral Pompom Trim and a piece of Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim and tied a knot around them.  This kept my tag in place and my lovely little trim accents.

Add your candy or other goodies and you have such a sweet little valentine!

Remember that for every $50 you order right now, you get a free item from the Sale A Bration catalog!  And of course the new Occasions Catalog started too!

Uninspired in the craft room?

Ever get bored in your craft room?  Well I was messing around with my phone.  Have fun at my expense!