Sale-A-Bration

Sale-A-Bration is here! For every $50 you spend, you get your choice of free products from Stampin' Up! Stamps, paper, accessories, and digital content are available. You don't want to miss your chance to earn some fabulous product.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Sale-A-Bration is Coming

A stampers favorite time of year- Sale-A-Bration is coming to a  Stampin' Up! party near you- maybe a Stampin' Up! party in your home!  Sale-A-Bration will begin January 24, 2012 and ends March 31, 2012.  Any workshops or orders placed during this time are eligible for Sale-A-Bration benefits.  During Sale-A-Bration, customers can earn free items for every $50 and this makes it a great time to be a hostess because customers have larger orders.  We've also just introduced the new Occasions Mini Catalog so there are lots of great new products for your guests to choose from.  The Sale-A-Bration Catalog is offering an exclusive tote for all hostess with a qualifying $150 show and an exclusive Hostess Bundle for all $400 workshops. 

Contact me today to book your workshop. 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

A Camping Themed Slumber Party

For Isabel's 13th Birthday, she wanted a camping themed slumber party.  Finally!  An excuse for me to order the Under the Stars stamp set.  I've wanted that set every since I saw those moving arm bear cards after convention a few years back.  I just couldn't justify it until I had a party to plan.  And, since the annual family camp for families affected by Juvenile Arthritis (KAT-FISH Camp) will have an outdoor/Great Northwest theme this year, I think my stamps will get some use again in July. 

First, Isabel's invitation, I saw several ideas on Splitcoast Stampers that inspired me, but one by Sarah Wills was the one I eneded up CASEing.  I did it a little differently and also added the little party banner but I have to give credit to Sarah for the idea.


I used Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, and Blushing Bride for the card base, grass and tent.  On the base, I sprayed Vanilla Simmer Smootz Spritz to mimic a starry night.  I ran the tent flaps through my crimper to make it look like it was gathered and pulled back.  The tent stakes are little pieces of twigs from a bush in our front yard and were tied to the tent flaps with linen thread.

The bear was stamped onto Crumb Cake and I colored his muzzle and stomach with my VersaMark marker.  His banner is made from Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo cardstocks, letters stamped in Basic Black using the Calendar Alphabet and Numbers, and then the Itty Bitty Punches.  I sandwiched bakers twine between the circle piece and the letter piece to make each banner.  I punched a small hole in each hand of the bear and tied the banner on.

The sleeping bags were stamped onto pieces of Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper. 

Now for the fun party favors and activities.  We decorated the house with our camping equipment and supplies.  We put some green balloons on the floor and added an old Christmas tree along with a few woodland stuffed animals.  We also made signs that you might find in campground- don't feed the bears, stay on the trail, etc. 

I also cut several stars from soda cans and tied them to fishing line and a black helium balloon.  We had 13 balloons in the living room with the stars hanging from them to be our starry night. 


We made tie dye t-shirts and played a game called Mosquito Bite.  Each girl was given a sheet of small dot stickers and they had to "bite" their friends by sticking stickers to their back without getting caught.  The girl with the least stickers on their back won the game and got a prize.  They also played a game where they teamed up and had a minute to toss marshmellows into their mouths.  Team with the most marshmellows won.  We had planned to have a race to set up a tent in the front yard and also do some star gazing but the weather did not permit.  We of course made smores. 

For crafts, they made lanterns by decopaging different shapes onto glass jars.  I let them use some retired Stampin' Up! papers for this.  They also used some old non-Stampin' Up! ribbon that I wanted to use up.  They tied the ribbon around the mouth to make a handle and we put a candle in each one.

The cake was a camping scene.  It was made by a sister of one Isabel's friends.  The candles were actually hidden in the modeling chocolate trees.  She did a great job.


Party favors included a S'Mores kit and a star chart with one of the soda can stars tied onto it.  Anyone who did not receive a prize also got to pick from the left over game prizes since we were not able to play all of our games.  The S'more Kit Tags were made using My Digital Studio and I tied them to the bag using Holly Berry Bouquet  Designer Fabric.







They watched movies and talked the rest of the night.  We sent them home in the morning after a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage.

God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
Charity


Sunday, January 15, 2012

Sweet Shop Party Invitations

Phoebe has decided she wants a Sweet Shop/Candy Shop themed birthday party for her 11th birthday so we are busy planning a great party.  Conveniently, pages 32-36 of the Occasions Mini feature the Sweet Shop product suite- papers, stickers, stamps, scented embossing powder and brads that all coordinate with a Sweet Shop theme. 

Her party will be in early February so I'll have more to post later on the decorations, cake, activities and party favors which will all incorporate the Sweet Shop products.  But, as a little teaser, here are her invitations- pieces of salt water taffy to enjoy with the eye (and nose since we just had to try out the scented embossing powder).


We used the Sweet Shop Designer Series paper and the 3 1/2 inch circle die cut to cut our circles.  For the candy centers, I printed my text onto Calypso Coral (you're INVITED) and Whisper White (invitation details) and then cut with the 2 1/2 circle punch.  I used My Digital Studio for the design and printing (so easy and simple!).  On the front pieces I used VersaMark and the Melon and Cherry Scented Stampin' Emboss Powder to stamp a piece of candy.  The candy is from the Sweets for the Sweets Stamp Set in the Idea Book and Catalog.  I used clear basket wrap to wrap my "candies" and then tied the ends using 1/8" Organdy Ribbon from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog (this is part of the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack Bundle you can earn during Sale-A-Bration).  The Organdy Ribbon comes in Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral, we used some of both.

In anticipation of her party, we've also purchased more card stock in colors that coordinate with the Sweet Shop DSP as well as the following:

  • Sweet Shop Designer Stickers
  • Mouthwatering Stamp Set
  • Bakers Twine - Calypso Coral and Wisteria Wonder
  • Jelly Bean Brads
  • Sweet Shop Trifold Card Designer Template for My Digital Studio
  • Something Sweet Stamp Set
  • In Color Designer Printed Brads
We'll also be doing more with the Sweets for the Sweet stamp set for the party.

Come back in February for more details on the party.  And, don't forget, Sale-A-Bration starts January 24, 2012 so if you are interested in that Organdy Ribbon, now is the time to check your calendar and book a show or plan to place an order.

God Bless and Happy Stampin!
Charity

Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Occasions Mini Catalog is Here!

I have Occasion Mini Catalogs and I'm booking shows for January, February and March.  A Stampin' Up! Party is a great way to beat the winter blahs and touch base with friends.  I do the work- planning the fun activity- you just invite a few friends and keep the snacks simple.  We can make cards, scrapbook pages or a 3-D item that will knock your socks off.  Book your show today while there are still openings!

The latest Occasions Mini Catalog is full of great new products.  Some of my favorites:

  • Scented Embossing Powder
  • Totally A-maze-ing Stamp Set and Maze Games
  • Dazzing Diamonds in Cherry Cobbler
  • Framelits and Edgelets Dies for the Big Shot
  • Great New Designer Fabrics
  • Simply Scored (Carryover from the Holiday Mini)

The new Occasions Mini has something for weddings, a new baby, Valentines, upcoming birthdays, Father's and Mother's Day, Easter and more.  Email me today to book your show, request a catalog or place an order.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Better Late Than Never- Christmas Card Samples and 2011 Holiday Mini Carry Over Items

My holiday season was so busy I never got a chance to post my Christmas cards here.  They only made it to Facebook.  My apologies.  However, I do want to post them here so that you can see the techniques as they could be applicable to other cards and designs.  I did use The Sounding Joy stamp set from the Holiday Mini which is no longer available, however, all other items are available either in the Idea Book and Catalog or as a carry over item from the Holiday Mini.

I had two card designs, one using Riding Hood Red and one using Baja Breeze.  First the Baja Breeze design because I have to admit that I think it might be my favorite.


The overall dimensions of the card are 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches but the front is short allowing a peak of the inside of the card.  You can see I put the Joy stamp in the corner so you get just a hint of it when the card is closed.  I used the Petals A Plenty embossing folder to emboss just the front part of the card.  To me, they looked a little like poinsettas.  I used Very Vanilla cardstock for the front, scoring at 1/8 inch on each side.  I stamped the star which has the first two verses of Joy to the World using Baja Breeze.  Then I embossed "Let Earth Receive Her King" using the pewter embossing powder (available on the Holiday Mini Carryover list).  For a bit of embellishment, I added some Baja Breeze Seam Binding and a Basic Rhinestone.

My second card design used the Riding Hood Red Card Base and was a traditional 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card.


For this design, I used the same technique with the star and and embossed the "Let Earth Receive Her King".  Before that, I sponged Early Espresso ink around the edges of the Very Vanilla to add a bit of distressing.  I wanted the same poinsetta look so I embossed strips of Early Espresso using the Petals A Plenty embossing folder and sponged Frost White Shimmer Paint over the top.  I think it looked a little like the those tin ceiling tiles. 

More carry over items:


God Bless and Happy New Year!

Charity