More from Stampin’ Up regionals

I have so many awesome things I saw or made at last weekends regionals that its going to take me a few posts to share the best with you.  I can’t imagine how many pictures and ideas I’m going to come back from convention with.  It should be a blast though!

 

I just had to share a picture of Mom and me, waiting to get let in to the conference room.  The energy was high and when they opened the door, hundreds of women started cheering as they raced (yes, literally running!) to grab their seats.  Shelli Gardner, the owner and co-founder of Stampin’ Up!, was there to talk to us about the direction of the company and share some of her tips and ideas.  She seems really nice and a lot of fun to listen to.  So after one of the sessions, we got a chance to say hello and snap a picture with her.  I have to say, I was very impressed that when I asked her a question about the product line and gave my thoughts, she was very open with me and seemed to care what I thought. 

 

Finally, here are a couple of the make and takes we made during the day.  This uses one of the new sets in the Occasion Mini – Soft Summer-  and at the end of the day, I won the stamp set we used at our table for the make and take.  Woo Hoo!  I can’t say no to a free stamp set.  🙂

30 card swaps in 3 hrs

This weekend has been awesome!  The weather has been perfect – in the high 70’s and sunny all weekend – and I got to go to the Stampin’ Up! regional seminar on Saturday up in Seattle.  Oh my gosh was it tons of fun, super inspiring, and a chance to reconnect with the folks in my Stampin’ Up family.  I’ll posting more this week sharing the swaps and idea boards with you but for today I had to tell you about the feat of craziness I embarked on on Friday night. 🙂

 

Since I live in Portland, the drive to Seattle is about 2.5 – 3 hrs which means I would have had to get up at 4 in the morning on Saturday to head up to Seattle in time for regionals.  Well, anyone that knows me knows I’m not a morning person, so I decided to head up on Friday night and share a hotel room with my mom (who was coming down from Bellingham) so we could get some sleep and be up early, but not too early on Saturday.  So 10pm on friday, I arrived at our hotel room.

 

Now, the silly thing is, I decided at the last minute that I wanted to participate in the card swapping that happens at every Stampin’ Up event.  So instead of getting them done early like a sane person, I only had time to plan in my head and grab supplies before heading north to meet my mom. 

So once I got in the hotel room, I set to stamping and cutting and glueing everything I needed for my 30 swap cards.  From 10:30pm to 1:30 am, I power crafted with moral support (and then gluing support :)) from my mom.  In the end, I was so glad I made my swaps because I got to trade for some amazing cards.  Plus, I guess it was a good way to warm up for an all day stamping fest on Saturday.   But until I get those photographed and up, here is the swap I came up with:

One more card using the BigShot

Hi all!  I know, its been a little bit since I posted on my blog and I blame it all on the Twilight series of books by Stephanie Meyer!  My friend Kally got me hooked on the series and I found myself spending the last two weeks spending my lunch breaks and evenings powering though all four books in the series plus watching the movie and all the behind the scenes extras.  It is seriously addictive! 🙂 

 

But I managed to pull out of the books to get things together for my technique night this week.  Like I mentioned before, we met at a Roundtable Pizza and it actually worked reasonably well.  The biggest problem was that where we were sitting didn’t have the best light after the sun went down.  But if we were in the offical meeting room area I think it would have been fine.  I’m thinking I’ll try hosting my card class there on the 27th (the class is open for more people to come, email me if you want to join in!) 

 

Here is the final project we did for the Technique Night.  We used texture plates and an embosslit for this card.  These are probably my two favorite items for the bigshot and what pushed me over the edge to buy mine.  Texture just makes everything cooler and having a perfectly embossed AND cut-out image in one is awesome too.  Add in the fabulous kiwi kiss satin ribbon and a half pearl and you’re done!

Trying out the BigShot – a card, a box, and the matchbox

I wanted to put up a quick post before I had to run into work.  This week has gone by so fast and has seemed so busy, but the rest of the week should be more relaxing.  On Tuesday, I was hosting a Technique Night focused on using the BigShot.  Unfortunately, that night I had some folks cancel because of illness, unexpected time conflicts, delays, and getting lost, so it ended up not happening.   One the upside, my friend Jennifer recently decided she wanted to make a baby book for her daughter but had been overwhelmed by where to get started.  So, since she had come over, I helped her figure out what she needed.  She ended up deciding to get the Stampin Up! Baby Girl simply scrappin kit, and after looking at it more closely, I can’t wait for her to get it because I think it is going to be so stinking cute.  Then last night we went to Michaels and picked out an album to go with it.  So, I’m feeling good that we got something productive done. 

 

So, since the Technique Night didn’t happen this week, I rescheduled it for next Tuesday.  I’m trying something different this time.  I created a meetup group called Portland Card Makers recently and since some of those folks were going to come, I thought I would try out a public location that most people could easily get to and find parking.  So, I ended up finding a Round Table pizza that had side sections with long tables that you could reserve for free.  It may seem odd crafting in a pizza place, but I’ve been to an event at a Fuddrucker’s so, hopefully this will work out.  I guess we’ll see!

 

Here are some samples I was playing with for the BigShot.  The first is a card using the Top Note die.  It was an interesting and different way to create a card since the inside of the card is the inside of the Top Note die.  Then, I was going to do a box/basket using the Scallop Envelope die and some ribbon.  The last thing we were going to do at the technique night was a card using texture plates and an embosslit but I’m reworking that card right now.  And then finally I thought I would share a box I made with the new Matchbox die.  It was sooo easy to make since everything is cut and scored for you.  You only need to use one piece of sticky strip or snail and its together!  Plus the die punches out the label that I stamped and put on top.  Easy peasy.

 

Get Connected Promotion plus upcoming events

I suddenly realized that I hadn’t shared with you all the latest promotion from Stampin’ Up!  I don’t know about you, but I am always one for a deal and so I had to be sure you all knew about the latest deal from SU.  From now until April 30th, every $40 you spend from the new Occasions Mini catalog earns you free stamps!  How awesome is that.  I love it when I can get cool free stuff just for buying what I want anyway.  🙂  In this case, you have your choice of any of the under $10 stamps in the back of the catalog or one of the under $10 mini note kits.  I think those are definitely the best deal because you get stamps, note cards, envelopes, AND an ink spot… all Free!  If you host a workshop, every $150 worth of orders gets you another free stamp or note kit.  That could add up to a lot of free stuff. 🙂 So, here are the pretty pictures and details:

Peruse all the super cute new items

Spend $40 in the occasions mini and get anything on this page free!

 

If you live in Portland, I’d love to have you join us for one of the classes in April.  Email me for all the details.

BigShot Night – April 7^th 7pm.  The first Tuesday of each month I host a technique night.  This month we will playing with the BigShot die cutting machine.  The BigShot can cut out over 50 different types of materials in fun shapes plus create embossed patterns and textures on your standard paper and cardstock.  Try it out and make a couple projects and samples.  RSVP with your $5 supply fee.

 

Glass Etching with the BigShot – April 19^th   2pm.  Create beautiful etched glass items from your home quickly and easily using the BigShot.  We will be using the BigShot to cut out the shapes that will then be etched on to your own glass.  I’ll provide all the supplies including a glass.  RSVP with your $10 supply fee by April 15^th.

 

Card Night – April 27^th  6:30 pm.  Whether you are a card making pro or just starting out, come join us for laughter and fun as we make 4 cards using different stamps and fun embellishments. RSVP with your $8 supply fee by April 23rd.

A craft fair card

What a weekend!  The usually cold and rainy Pacific Northwest turned beautiful and sunny for the weekend.  It got up to almost 80 today, which was just nuts!  I was at a craft fair all weekend so I mainly got to see the sunny weather from afar but thankfully it stuck around though the evening so after the fair ended at 6, I raced home to spend a bit of time lounging in the sun.  Now if only this weather would stick around for a few days!

 

 However, even though the weather was so nice and most people were playing outside over the weekend, I am still really glad I was at the craft fair.  I met a ton of nice folks who stopped by my table and chatted with me about their hobbies and experiences card making and scrapbooking.  And the other vendors were a blast to hang out with during the slow periods.  I think it would be fun to do another fair with many of them again in the future.  And if you need any of the products you purchase from in-home parties, I probably have a reference for you now. 🙂  

 

 I had hoped to spend my downtime making a ton of samples and projects but instead spent it chatting and finishing up a number of cards that were in various stages of completion.  In the end, I only created one completely new and original card.  (Though I made a few partials from BigShot die cuts).  I was trying to use some of my Occasion mini catalog goodies and so pulled out the paper, Oval all stamps, and the new fabulous scallop oval punch.   The flowers are punched out with the BigShot. 

 

And speaking of the BigShot,  my next Technique Tuesdays is this coming Tuesday and we will be focused on using the BigShot.  We will be making 2 cards and a small 3D project.  Let me know if you want to come join us and I’ll send you all the details! 

 

Hope you all had a great weekend!  Here comes monday!

Another baby card

I told you that the card I posted earlier in the week was only first of many to come.  🙂  Last Thursday, my co-worker had her last day at work before spending the next week or two preparing for the birth of her baby girl.   I couldn’t let her leave without making her a card.  Again, I waited until the last minute but I guess sometimes pressure is a good thing. 

 

Almost every piece of this card started as scraps from my pile.  I had to use the new, fabulous scallop oval punch.  i just love punches that let me layer cardstock.  Once I had the card done, I suddenly remembered that they had nicknamed the baby “Lady Bug”.  So, I had to add a little ladybug on the inside.  She is created completely with circle punchs (3/4″ circle, 1/2″ circle, double circle punch).  Such a fun punch art and my coworker loved the fact that I had a ladybug in the card.

Craft Fair #2 – Jantzen Beach, Portland, OR

Last winter, I set up a table at my first ever craft and vendor fair.  It was a holiday fair and I spent a lot of time preparing craft items I thought would be great for the holidays.  Unfortunately, somewhere between the bad weather and the slightly hidden location, attendance was low and so it turned in to all the vendors shopping each others table. 🙂  I did come away from that fair with some yummy orange cranberry bread, though.  Now, its spring time and I decided to give craft fairs another go.  This time, it is a 3 day affair in the local Jantzen Beach shopping mall. I’ll be here till 9pm Friday, all day Saturday, and 9am to 6pm on Sunday! Whew!   If you are in the area, I’d love to have you stop by and say hello!

 

This craft and vendor fair benefits the charity New Chances.  New Chances offers support and services to women and families in crisis and this fair is helping them support 12 families for Easter.   So, it is a pretty cool thing.  There is a carousel in the food court, tons of fun vendors, and a great cause we’re supporting.  

 

I’ll be offering specials to folks who visit me at the fair and have a drawing for a free workshop.  Check out the  flyer for a list of the participating vendors and a coupon for a free raffle ticket. 

Thank you Stampin’ secret sister!

  One of the wonderful ladies in my stamping group decided to organize a secret sister group.  When you signed up for this group, you agreed to send your secret sister a handstamped item plus anything additional you want to send.   We were supposed to send out our first gift by the end of March and boy did that deadline come up faster than I think most of us expected!  I know it did for me. 🙂 

 

Yesterday, I got home from work and had this very cute card waiting for me in my mail box.  She used the Manhattan Flower die for the BigShot to make this simple yet cute card.  And then, she included a movie pass, which with the skyrocketing movie ticket prices is very generous. She knew I liked movies, so now I just have to decide what movie to use it for.  Anyone have any recommendations?

 

Thanks, Secret Sister!

The Occasion mini is here! New punches, new stamps, oh my!

Wow time has flown and its already April!  But that means it’s time for the new Occasions mini catalog to come out – and boy is this a good one.  There are lots of cool new items in this mini.  There are tons of new stamps, a new awesome scallop oval punch, a new matchbox die for your bigshot, colored rub-ons, courderoy buttons in super cute colors, and more! 

The mini is good from now through June 30th, but don’t wait until the end to get all the good stuff.  🙂