Christmas & Bears???

I've been missing in action for a few days....but I'm back now!  A little R & R in Northern Wisconsin bear hunting...and we had a BLAST!  Here's one of the bears our hunting group treed....

  
These photos don't do the beauty of the forest justice - it is truly breath-taking!  Me and my daughter Hailey....

 
We had a ton of rain in our state - so Hailey decided to take full advantage of the rubber boots I received as a gift at Founder's Circle last year - they really are very useful! And it's important to every 16 year old to be fashionable at all times - LOL!

 

And now for the CHRISTMAS part of this post....

I know this is really scary...but my 12 Weeks of Christmas Ideas start this week!!!!

Each week for the next 12 weeks you'll receive an email with a NEW holiday idea - perfect to get your creative juices flowing!!!

If you'd like to be included, just email me to sign up:

[email protected]

Put 12 Weeks of Christmas in your subject line.

If you are already receiving my emails - you don't need to resign - you're already in! Don't get this confused with being a subscriber to this site - it's different.

And now for a fun holiday card from a swap:

 
I am in love (as you should be - wink!) with everything in the NEW Holiday Mini Catalog!  I think this little snowman is too stinkin' cute....and combine that with the Northern Flurry Embossing Folder and you just can't lose!

Jolly Old Saint Nick 121711 $24.95 (Wood) 121321 $17.95 (Clear) 

 
Northern Flurry Embossing Folder 120902 $7.95

If you'd like to order anything - please visit my online store:

SHOP NOW

Thanks for stopping by....

Mojo Monday Challenge

I just had to try the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  I was designing cards for the Black & White class at Hobby Lobby on Wednesday and thought this layout would be perfect.  Very clean and crisp....

 

 

Here's my card...

 
 

I used the new Holiday Mini stamp set called Day of Gratitude and Elegant Thank You.  Day of Gratitude is available in Wood Mount (120835) for $26.95 or Clear Mount (121148) for $18.95:

 

If you'd like to order the Day of Gratitude stamp set you can go shopping

HERE

Thanks for stopping by....

 

FREE Big Shot!!!!!

 

Who wants a Big Shot?  You know it's the best product on the market!  I don't know how we lived without these incredible machines!!!

I'm giving one away...

 

FREE BIG SHOT!!!!

 

Today through September 30th -

with every $50 you order on-line, you'll be entered to win!!!! 

Order $100 and get two entries,

Order $150 and get 3 entries, a FREE Level 1 Exclusive Hostess Set and $15 to spend…..and it just keeps getting better!!!!  You'll be entered as many times as you'd like!

Everyone is eligible!!!!

REMEMEBER – the deadline is September 30^th!!!

($50 before shipping & tax)

Already have a Big Shot – then you can be entered to win $100 in Stampin’ Up! merchandise of your choice!!!!

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

 

 CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW

 

If you've never purchased from my on-line website - you need to create an account by clicking on CUSTOMER LOGIN under my name on the right side of the screen - it's super simple!

 Everyone placing a qualifying on-line order will receive a hand stamped card from me too!

Thanks for stopping by....

Black & White Card Class

 

 Always popular - Join me next week for a fabulous Black & White card class! 

We'll be making these stunning beauties!

 

Hobby Lobby (Oshkosh) Make-N-Take Class

Wednesday, September 29th

10 am or 6 pm

Cost:  $15

 If you'd like to know all the details about these cards so you can make them at home?  You can order the project planner for $3.95 - it includes all the ingredients, photos and dimensions:

 

Please register for the class or "Cards by Mail" prior to September 28th.  You can order the project planner anytime.

Thanks for stopping by....

Founder's Circle Day ? (I'm so confused!)

It's Pajama Party Day at  Founder's Circle!  Here's my friend Dawn getting ready for the BIG card swap!  We swapped 135 cards...oh boy - do I have a ton of fantastic card samples to show you all!

 

Here's Shelli and her daughter Sarah swapping....

 

When we got into the Gathering Place we each received a box of popcorn - NO WAIT - it wasn't actually popcorn, it was an adorable journal and pen!

 

Here's my friend Jane Wike in her STINKIN' CUTE owl PJ's...

 

Keeping with the theme - we enjoyed old fashioned bottles of soda and popcorn.  The popcorn was especially good because they had bottles of butter that we got to drench the popcorn with ourselves!!!  If the movie theaters would have this benefit - I'd be there more often!

 

Here's the wonderful Stampin' Up! staff - all dressed up for the ocassion!

 

Here I am with my friend Joyce...

 

When I returned to my room at 2 am....this is what I found.  What's that?  Another pillow gift - I LOVE PRESENTS...how did they know?

 

OH MY GOSH...a bowling shirt!!!  How adorable!

 

And now for a few of the outstanding projects that were shared...here's a couple cute banners designed by Kimberly Van Diepen...

 

 

 

And how about this....lovin' that Stampin' Up! material!!!

 
Check back for more great Founder's Circle photos!

P.S.  I got my laptop back today...no upgrade for me - BOO!  My PRECIOUS is terminal - it only has about 6 months left...DOUBLE BOO!

Thanks for stopping by....

Founder's Circle Day 3

And the fun continues....today (Friday) was my big day.  I was asked to be a presenter at the Regional that was taking place while we were in St. George.  HOLY COW...now I was a little nervous.  I can do "my thing" in front of a million customers...but I was going on stage in front of 120-something demonstrators - not just any demonstrators, but the BEST in the United States and Canada.  OMGosh - what on earth was I thinking???  LOL! I demonstrated the "Soot Stamping" technique that some of you enjoyed this month.

As the time grew nearer, the nerves started to subside (a little).  Stampin' Up! would not have asked me - if they didn't think my presentation was good enough.  And I must say - I thought that my hands would be shaking so badly that everyone would have to put their cameras on the "action" setting to get a decent photo! LOL!

The big day came and I didn't even have butterflies!  REALLY?  REALLY! (that's for you Dawn - she teases me about my "really's!")  I did talk a little too fast and I called my acrylic sealer "adhesive", but these ladies knew what I meant!  My big 5 minutes on stage went GREAT!  Everyone loved my presentation and so many came up to me in the days that followed to tell me that - WOW!  These ladies are so very gracious...and I am very grateful to them for that. 

Here's our presentation room.  See that lady waaaaaaaaaaayyyyy up there in the front?  That's not me - but that's where I was. 

 

I started off my presentation with the candle that I embellished...as I was getting everything ready - I realized that as a "Stampin' Up! demonstrator"  I couldn't possibly go up on stage (for my big moment) with a plain Vanilla candle - right?  So I had some fun with a little bling and my favorite Halloween stamp set - Wicked Cool!

 
 

Here's one of the sample cards that I presented:

 

Here's the inside:
  

Of course - I wasn't going up on that stage without my Hailey...so I made a 6" x 6" scrapbook page using the Grunge Rock stamp set!

 
I was able to enjoy my morning with my friends Dawn, Barb, Penny, Mary and France!

 
Later, when we returned to the hotel we had more gifts waiting for us!!!  The tan bottom is made with the Perfect Setting die and you have to LOVE the ribbon and Dazzling Diamonds on it! 

 
 
These beautiful Simply Adorned necklaces were handmade made by Shelli and her daughters!!!!

 
I hope I can share more photos with you tomorrow.  My computer is gonna be gone for an upgrade...I've run out of disk space! LOL!  Imagine that?

Thanks for stopping by....

More Founder's Circle!

 Hey everyone....I am home from Utah!  I have so many photos to share with you - I don't know where to start!  We all had an amazing time - the only "time" you can have on a Stampin' Up! trip! 

I spent my 2nd day lounging around in the gathering place making our Make-N-Takes with Stella, Patty, Joann and Sandy....

 
Here's my friend LeeAnn checkin' out the My Digital Studio album that I made for Hailey for her birthday...

 

I loved the "retro" style that SU used for our theme this year....

 
These are buttons from our button collection on the pillows - how fun is that?

 

The taffy was delicious...I just couldn't get enough of it!  I can't understand why I didn't get sick...I ate so much!

 

 
One of my favorite things about Founder's Circle is the sharing.  Christie Daughtery brought along a quilt swap that she participated in...aren't these the BOMB?  The "tree" is made from our Big Shot Pennant Die - you can cut 8 layers of material with it!  These are our buttons, our Chantilly Lace, the Scallop Oval die and our NEW Tasteful Trim die in the Holiday Mini Catalog!!! 

 
Some of us were invited to Jill Olsen's house for dinner, make-n-takes and lots of fun.  Here's a quilt she just completed - she used the scallop dies for this one.  Jill is the one that introduced us to quilting with the Big Shot!

 
Ruth Bingle shared her quilts with us...this was my favorite!  It's made with the Lattice Die - truly stunning!

 
Check back for more photos tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by....

From Sunny Utah!

Hey everyone - coming to you from Founder's Circle....we are having a BLAST!!!!  Of course!  The scenery here is gorgeous!

 

I get this big beautiful room all to myself!



 

Our gathering place is spectacular....filled with candy, flowers and other goodies!!!  Stampin' Up! makes us feel like ROYALTY!

 
 
 
 

Everyday we get to play PLINKO - drop the little disk in and see what you win when it hits the bottom....

 
Yesterday I won this embossing folder!

 

Everything is set up like a 50's diner - aren't these tables adorable?

 

 

Our welcome dinner was so much fun last night!  Here's the group of talented ladies I dined with...

 
Do you love the glasses?  We all got a pair!!!

 
And here's a couple photos of our food....OOOO LA LA!  Does that Beef Wellington say SU - why YES it does!  The creativity never stops!

 
 

PRESENTS, PRESENTS AND MORE PRESENTS...you all know how I LOVE presents!

This take out box was sitting on my bed when I went to retire for the night....

 
When I opened it...this was what I saw:

 
And under that paper...

 
Now...I hate to tell you this part...but we can't show you what's under these 4 ink pads and the gorgeous ribbon....because it hasn't been released to the public yet...BUT I can show you some samples with those fabulous products....

And now for some sneak peeks.....

Here's a few samples from a "not yet released" stamp set and NEW PUNCH...did I say NEW PUNCH???

 
 
 

Check back tomorrow for more fabulous news from sunny UTAH!!!!

This is Packer Country!

Green Bay Packer Birthday Card Class

Holy cow - this was challenging....but I came up with 6 different birthday cards for the PACKER FANS in your life!!!

Join me for this class at Hobby Lobby in Oshkosh...

DATE:  Wednesday, September 22nd

TIME:  10 am or 6 pm

 

Call or email to register!

Thanks for stopping by....

More Paisleys for FALL!

Paisleys are back with the Paisley Prints stamp set!!!  I have had so many customers tell me that they really don't "like" paisleys, but they HAVE TO HAVE this one!  It's so versatile - fall, Christmas and Valentine's all in one!  The pumpkin fits perfectly in the 1 3/4" Circle Punch, which layers GREAT onto to the NEW 2 3/8" Scallop Cirle Punch and the heart matches up with the Full Heart Punch!

This color combination was a little out of the box for me...but I fell in love with it - it's different!  I stamped the pumpkin in Pumpkin Pie ink (of course!).  Then I wiped off the stem with a tissue and colored it with Old Olive ink.  I wanted a little color in my pumpkin so I used my Not Quite Navy marker to dot a few of the smaller paisleys - make sure you huff on your stamp to remoisten it before you stamp - and WAAA LAAA!

 

Here's the inside - decorated, of course!  Use the standard wheel to decorate the flap of your envelope - VERY pretty!

Ingredients:

Stamps:  Paisley Prints; Paisley Party Standard Wheel; Grateful Greetings

Ink: Not Quite Navy; Pumpkin Pie

Accessories:  Standard Wheel Handle; Dimensionals; Old Olive Satin Ribbon; Mini Glue Dots; Cutter Kit; Old Olive Marker; Not Quite Navy Marker; 1 3/4 Circle Punch; 2 3/8” Scallop Punch; Craft & Paper Scissors;

Dimensions:

Very Vanilla     8 1/2 x 5 1/2

Not Quite Navy    2 1/4 x 3 3/4

Pumpkin Pie     3 1/4 x 3 3/4

Scraps:  Chocolate Chip

 

 
  

Thanks for stopping by....