My Eyes Are Getting ...

I  love to read,  but it often makes me drowsy.  Books slip right out my hands as my head falls forward.

But tonight for a few minutes I am going to start in on the latest issue of Stampin' Up!'s leadership publication  'Stampin' Success.'

This quarterly magazine is one perk - of many- of being a SU Demonstrator.  

Somehow I don't' think I'll be Up All Night tonight...

Everyone Is An Artist

I have never been terribly artistic, at least with paint and brush or pen and  ink, but I always enjoyed my coloring books and my school art classes. Even as we only went to art class one day a week in elementary school, we always had various art projects in our classrooms.

Oddly, I distinctly remember drawing assignments in Miss Phipp's fourth grade Virginia History class. I am old enough to have been in school when ONLY Virginia History was taught in fourth grade history class. On an oversized piece of manila construction paper I meticulously drew the Capitol Building in Williamsburg, brick by brick. I was pretty talented at shading those bricks ~  smell the Crayolas.

One reason I enjoy Stampin' Up! so is because I can't draw or paint, but I feel like I can when I use stamps to create a pleasing picture or design.

Artist's Palette is one of the first stamp sets I bought from the new catalog -  it was available during the pre-order season for demonstrators (another great reason for joining SU!). The Playful Palette Suite is on pages 118 - 119 in the new catalog. Aside from loving the washi tape and the cool sentiment 'your idea to have a birthday was simply a stroke of genius!' the catalog's props

remind me of The Color Kittens! Please tell me you remember The Color Kittens!!

I played with several card designs and then searched Pinterest. I discovered many pinned and posted designs in which the easel held a framed picture, not just the clever sentiments provided in the set. Somewhere along the way I met Stephanie Fischer (www.thecraftythinker.com.au) and a design that I wanted to try. Not identical, but ...

I have not yet received my set of the new Layering Square Framelits, so I had to experiment a bit to come up with my measurements, and it worked. I did not use as  many layers as I easily could have with the new framelits, but this is good - I like it.

In her instructions, Stephanie even provided a bit of artistic advice for shadowing - a little Soft Suede marker shadowing on the easel stamped in Soft Suede and the use of a white gel pen on the green leaves. All of which I conveyed to my art students in our class yesterday!

It is difficult to detect from my photo (never really had photography lessons), but the small 2 x 2 canvas of flowers ( Number of Years stamp set) is matted on 2 1/8 x 2 1/8 Watermelon Wonder, and that is layered onto the easel with a slightly smaller piece of fun foam for dimension. It is a great finished look.

Watermelon Wonder is one of the predominant colors in the new Affectionately Yours Specialty Designer Series Paper. I chose the same pattern Stephanie featured in her design, yet, the reverse side of that paper also complements the painting. In class, the students chose their favorite look.

Look through the catalog for small images, or larger ones which can be cropped,  for the subject of your next masterpiece. Think how you can personalize this idea for all of your friends and loved ones: a sailor in your life, a bird lover, a fairy princess ...

Let's stamp!

 

More, more, more please!

It has been called the Ultimate Bundle

The vast majority of Stampin' Up! demonstrators joined the SU family to support

their habit hobby, me included. Sometimes they are referred to as

Hobby Demonstrators. At one point in their stamping adventures they realized,

yeah, I can buy my own great Stampin' Up! product at a demonstrator's price! 

That's exactly how and why I joined Stampin' Up! I WANTED that Big Shot!

I had no intention of offering classes, in fact I still wanted to go to my upline's classes

AND join one of her clubs! And I did, still do ~ she's the best!

To get started, you purchase a Starter Kit for $99, only you get to choose $125

of product to make up that kit. Everyone's kit is different; SU does not dictate what must

be included in that kit. Should you need advice, I am happy to help. And then every once in a while

SU sweetens the pot and offers other incentives to join.

Like now! The Ultimate Bundle ~ You get to choose two additional stamp sets of your choice

(regardless of price) to put in your starter kit. And one more item: SU is adding a

Paper Pumpkin kit to all starter kits. That's a huge bundle made up from your greatest

SU desires and you will have saved more money that I can calculate.

That huge starter kit ships free! I guarantee you will be camped out on the porch

all day until your UPS man arrives.

There are many more perks to joining the SU family, but one that I am pleased to point out is

that you will join my team of SU Demonstrators, Nite Owls. You will be in the great company

of three other hobby demonstrators, plus me!

One reason that I am telling you this is because I have decided, after about a year and a half,

to make a business of my hobby. I am now wanting to have a team to stamp

with and to plan with; I love sharing this joy of creativity in classes

and workshops. I want more, too!

Do talk to me about my experiences with Stampin' Up!

and let's stamp!

BINGO!

I can't believe it! I did not take one single picture at BINGO yesterday!

I was so excited to offer my first Stampin' Up! BINGO! I chose a busy weekend, unknowingly; but I had a full table of six anxious-for-prizes guests as I called out the first number.  Oh, but wait, I am far, far ahead of myself.

After I begging and bribing and refusing to think that I may have to cancel the event, I left much of the preparation till the last minute. In my mind, I was well prepared. I had seen a video by Ronda Wade covering the ins and outs of hosting BINGO parties. I had chatted several times with my upline and colleagues about their BINGO parties (thanks Susan Elise, Monica and Kathy!) and sat in on a party just a couple of days before mine (thanks Kathy!). And at the same time, SU had a huge facebook event centered on planning for parties ~ lots of valuable info.

I designed the day to include four games plus a jackpot game and stamping time to create three make and take cards. As you know, staying up all night is what I do, so I did stay up well, well into the AM cutting paper and preparing for the stamping. I took inspiration from Julie Davison and Tami White as I found their super cards on Pinterest.

I left just a bit to have to finish up Sunday before the gaming stampers arrived.

As I was beginning to feel the heat while bustling around my husband looked at the thermostat and said, 'the temperature is going up instead of down,' and looked at me with a face of dread that I just cannot even describe. I was feeling the heat all right!

Oh, I just did not want to cancel ~ my guests had made their plans, I had prizes from the new catalog and chocolate!

I recognized the caller ID name on the phone. 'Is the Midtown Tunnel closed?' she asked. I swear I read the highway advisory sign to say the tunnel was closed 8 PM - 5 AM Fri - Sun.  I interpreted that to mean it was closed each night, not all weekend! So I gave her alternate directions.

The next name on caller ID was also familiar. She was detouring because of the tunnel.

My cell phone dinged with an IM: accident on interstate - but on the way.

When the next caller ID name appeared I knew what route she was taking so I knew she would be a bit behind, too.

And the temperature slowly rose.

With a couple pitchers of mint iced tea we made the most of it. They came for the prizes! And actually, for the good company they knew they would find.  They just didn't know they would find a house with no air, which did make for some good 'remember when' stories.

Except for the heat, we had a lovely afternoon full of stories and laughter and sweat and stamping and melted chocolate. We played with the new In Color markers and papers and the Painter's Palette stamp set and washi tape. There really is something extra special about stampers ...

As the afternoon was headed into an evening threatened with storms, and the stampers were spent from their excitement, they elected not to create the third card I had planned. So this afternoon I made their cards and will mail them to those stamping guests, who really were and are 'the nicest.' Julie Davison included directions on her site that I will pass along to the stampers so they can re-create this themselves, too.

AND I crafted them in a once again cool house, thanks to my Oh, What A Guy husband! He was at the supply store when they opened this morning and had the AC running in no time!

Color Me Happy

It's here ~ the NEW 2016 - 2017 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog

They're here ~ the NEW 2016 - 20018 In Colors !

Ready for the names that only SU could create?

  Flirty Flamingo    Dapper Denim   Emerald Envy  

Peekaboo Peach   Sweet Sugarplum

Which might you think is my favorite color?

It may be just a little too early to tell, but I can tell you that the colors are amazing. And what I have found very interesting is that I think I prefer, for the most part, a stamped-off version of each color.

The color combos are beautiful, too ~ Dapper Denim and Emerald Envy are gorgeous sea colors when stamped off. Peekaboo Peach and Flirty Flamingo go together like two scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Actually, the Peekaboo Peach reminds me of Creamsicles!!  These are just In Color with In Color, think how they will pair and combine with our standard color families.

The Color Coordination section in the new catalog begins on page 168. And if you have never noticed, SU 'bundles' together all of the stamp pads in each color collection to sell as one unit, saving you money. The In Color ink pads are $27.50 for the five colors.

Likewise, SU has also conveniently packaged, at a savings, the ink refills. Refills are handy to have when you find that you have been overly enthusiastic with a particular color and the pad is low on ink. It's easy to refill - squeeze the ink from the refill bottle directly onto the ink pad and smooth it over with the back of a plastic knife, as if you are icing a cake. I am borrowing that comparison as we all know the last time I iced a cake! There are also creative coloring and stamping techniques that call for liquid ink ~ I'll show you the shaving cream technique next week.

Are you on page 168 of the catalog yet?  See the Assortments insert at the bottom? (Quick! What color is used for the background?!) Cardstock is available in collection assortments, both 12 x 12 and 8 1/2 x 11. Get a little to start with and then larger packs of your favorite colors. Not that that would work for me, but ... Designer Series Paper Stacks are stuffed with 40 sheets of double sided paper. Plus, SU is also offering Envelope Paper in In Colors ~ turn over to page 176 to get a better look at the colors and designs.

The Stampin' Write Markers are also sold as one unit ~ so convenient! And markers can be used to color on your stamps; great for multi-color images. (My July 11 class will feature coloring and will include a pack of the new In Color markers!)

I hope these colors make you happy! I'll be playing with them at BINGO this weekend and also during the June 13 and July 11 classes; please pan to come!

Still need a catalog? Come to class on June 13, or contact me and I'll get you one!!

It's a New Year at Stampin' Up! Hap - hap - happy new year!

and just one last thing, to help with your Wish List

I want it all ~ REALLY!

Product  / #	Page	Price

What’s first on your list?

In Colors/All Colors  p. 2, 168- 171

Big Shot p. 190 – 195

Stamp Sets & Suites :

   Birthday p. 10

   Christmas p. 26

   Thanks p. 38

   Love & Sympathy p. 44

   Babies & Children p. 56

   Everyday p. 66

   Artistic Expressions p. 92

Designer Series Papers p. 172 – 174

Embellishments p. 177- 179

Project Life p. 162 – 167

 Don’t forget :

   Cutting tools p. 189

   Specialty papers p. 175 – 176

   Coloring tools p. 180 – 181

   Adhesives p. 182

   Stamping Accessories p. 183

 

And when you are ready to order:

Call me : 757-483-9361

Email me : writer714@juno.com

Online store :

   www.upallnightstampin.blogspot.com

Stamped with Love for Baby

It must be the grandmother in me, but I just love stamping sweet baby cards. Stampin' Up! has a great collection of stamp sets suitable for babies and youngsters.  And of course, in SU style , there are coordinating punches and framelits.

I think this card is one of my favorites ~ it uses a clever fold, bright DSP, sweet images die cut with framelits and a delicate doily. I could make these all day using the Something for Baby stamp set.

What's REALLY exciting about this card is that it is the sample I made for a NEW CLASS I am offering on Monday, June 6 at The Velveteen Rabbit children's  store in Harbour View. It begins at 11 AM; class fee is only $10 for 3 cards.

Please  make your reservations early as space is limited. Call The Velveteen Rabbit at 757-483-0750. AND plan to come early or stay after class to shop for seriously sweet summer clothes.

Check out the website: www.thevelveteenrabbit.com and follow them at www.facebook/thevelveteenrabbitstore.

I can't wait to meet new stampin' friends, especially making this cute card; but of course, my 'old' stampin' friends are welcome, too!

We Are Family, Sort Of ...

It was a family reunion of sorts Sunday at the Stillwater House Tea Room in downtown Suffolk.

A group of regular stampin' friends met at the tea room for a Stamp & Tea Party. I was excited to offer the event because I knew the tearoom served delicious tea trays, and who does not enjoy scones and raspberry bars and creamy pimento cheese and ... and I knew the stampers would be up for creating unique and attractive cards. An equation for success if ever there was one.

I enjoy learning new techniques, too, so I asked a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator friend if she would show me, and my friends, some collage ideas using a variety of stamps.

The stamp sets used were Gorgeous Grunge (an odd name, yes?) and Timeless Textures. Punched flowers and punched leaves and lace ribbon built up one card for several layers of whimsy.

New Stampin' Up! In-Colors, available on June 1, were used with new Designer Series Paper for a second, similar card. Peekaboo Peach and Flirty Flamingo (colors) proved to be a terrific combo. Butterflies were punched out for embellishments and with the DSP, everyone's card was a unique design.

Celebrating together as family ~ Mary Kay brought a daughter and two granddaughters as guests. None of her girls had stamped before Sunday; you would never have known! Our instructor Sarah welcomed all of all experience levels and graciously provided encouragement as well as directions.

Mary Kay's youngest granddaughter confidently sat at a table across from her grandmother and immediately found her crafting mojo ~ Jeanne helped with questions, as needed. And across from them were Jeanne's girls, also first time stampers.

Mother and daughter stampers Catie and Cay joined us for the afternoon. (Catie has already received her new catalog in the mail and was busy putting together her wish list!)

The 'orphaned' stampers gathered together in an adjoining room ~ but by now, we are all family! And how thankful we are for that!

Thanks so very much to Stillwater House Tea Room proprietress Dianne: tea was delicious, the setting welcoming, your hospitality gracious.