Free Digital Download

                               About to Blossom Digital Download 134860  $9.95

Download includes:
* 13-piece SVG stamp brush set
* 12 Designer Series Papers
* 60 embellishments

Features:
* Digital exclusive
* Relax in an intoxicating array of blooms and see what inspiration blossoms for you
* Coordinates with the About to Blossom August Wallpaper

  Blossom August Wallpaper 134861  Free

If you are interested in the digital downloads, you can order them HERE.  Mary

Convention Make and Take

Hi everyone!  I hope you had a great week-end, ours was quite, we got up early and went to the City Market here in town, stopped first for breakfast.  We picked up some ears of corn, freshly picked the day before!  Yum can't wait to eat some, first of the season for us.  We had beautiful weather here in KC, low's in the 50's and high's in the 70's, can't get any better than that for July.

Here is a card that we made in the Make & Take area at convention.  Since I was a helper, we got to do ours the day before.  I really like the stamp sets that they gave us at convention this year, I always wonder how they pick which ones to give?  Now after I had my picture taken, I noticed that I was missing the button for the front (should be right next to the ampersand and towards the bottom left.  I've looked all over for it but I must have lost it along the way somewhere.  Oh well, it makes this card a "no extra postage" card this way and I could always add some baker's twine too, if I wanted too.  It's very grunge, which seems to be the "in" style right now too.

Products used:

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge and Hello, Lovely
Card stock: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Costal Cabana (Core-dinations)
Silver Glimmer paper
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Crisp Cataloupe, Coastal Cabana, Old Olive, Summer Starfruit
Marker: Calypso Coral
Baker's Twine (missing from mine)
Very Vintage Designer Button (missing from mine)
Washi Tape: Epic Day This & That
Punch: 1 3/4" circle

Well this is my share for today, hope too see you Wednesday, Mary

Artisan 3-D Entries

 Today I thought I would share with you some of the Artisan contestants 3-D entries.  Now I don't have names to put with these very cute items, but if you know who submitted them, I will be happy to add their names to the pictures.  The picture above uses the new Tag a Bag Gift Boxes, page 158 in catalog.  This person choose to make it into a cute little flower box!  Now that's thinking outside the box, hey.

 Now isn't this camp scene just too cute?!  The talent of some of the demonstrators is just amazing!

Here is a cute display of paper cupcakes.  WOW!

And last but not least, is a typewriter made out of card stock, another one that just is awesome!

Now remember, you can click on the pictures to enlarge the pictures so you can get a closer look at all of these wonderful creations!

I hope you all have a wonderful week-end and hopefully I can get into the craft room to make some cards and hopefully be all caught up on my sleep too!   Mary

A Few of My New Friends!

I thought I would share a picture of a few of my friends...

all 5,800 of them!!  Can you believe this!  This was the mass of demonstrators coming out of one of the general sessions!  Now normally there are not this many demonstrators at convention, but since this year was the 25th anniversary, alot more came to celebrate this milestone with Stampin' Up!

Mary

Convention 2013 Links and Projects

Here is a word document and a pdf of the projects that were made on the main stage during opening session.  These documents and pdf was complied by Jean Fitch, a fellow SU! demonstrator, thanks Jean for all you hard work too!

Convention 2013 Opening Session Projects.doc 

Convention 2013 Opening Session Projects.pdf

Here is the link to the opening session, just in case you missed it HERE

Here is the link to the closing session, just in case you missed it HERE

I got on camera during the last part of the closing session, after they announced "Crumb Cake"!

I hope you are enjoying your day, thanks for stopping in, Mary

Convention 2013

 This year when Stampin' Up! sent out e-mails asking for demonstrators to be Make & Take helpers, I applied and was selected!  It was so much fun and a very easy assignment to do to, I really enjoyed being able to help other demos with questions or replacing supplies that they may have needed.  This is the badge that they made for us to wear while in the Make & Take area.

 I also went to the Mini Make & Take and this cute little jar was sitting on the table holding supplies, the bow die will be available in the upcoming Holiday catalog, starting August 1st, there are two sizes that you can use to make this bow too.  Here it is made with the Silver Glimmer paper.  Since the class I was in was the last one for convention, they told us we could take the bows with us, lucky me!  It is so cute.

Next up is a picture of the convention bag that we got at opening session.  It was filled with our Make & Takes, stamp sets, our mini Make & Take, an MDS card and a few other goodies too!  All I can say is WOW!  These back packs are very well made and have plenty of storage too!

I will be back tomorrow with more pictures to share with all of you, until then have a great day!  Mary

New Thinlits Coming August First

NEW Thinlits Card Dies!

You are gonna LOVE this new style of framelit that creates a cool "flip flop" card base in one pass through the Big Shot!  Beginning August 1, both the Circle Thinlit Card Die and the Label Thinlit Card Die (sample shown above) will be available!  Look for more info coming soon! 

These new Thinlits are going to come in so handy with making a flip/flop card and each set comes with additional thinlits to help dress up your card even more.  After they have been released, we will be able to show you the actual product!

While at convention last week, Stampin' Up! had an onstage presentation done by Shannon West, where she spotlighted this new kit that is now available!!  Now when you want or need a stamp that you want a specific saying for, all you have to do is carve it!  We did something similar to this when I was in high school art class.  Don't know where to start?  Well, they include some sample images to help you get started, it looks so easy to do too!

Have you ever wanted a stamp but couldn't find the perfect image? Maybe you want a special family logo, a personalized stamp or a sketch you'd like to have as a stamp. Well now you can! Undefined is Stampin' Up!'s new stamp carving product line. You define the rubber stamp any way you want.

When you carve your very own stamp, you have will have an entirely new and different creative experience. And when you're finished, you will have created a one-of-a-kind stamp!

How exactly do you carve a stamp? Watch the video for a tutorial.

Undefined-Stamp Carving

Intrigued? We know you want to get your hands on the kit and start carving your own masterpieces. Here are the item numbers you'll need (we suggest adding a refill kit on your first order . . . trust us, you're gonna want it).

Item #	Description	Price
133402	Undefined Stamp Carving Kit	$19.95
134808	Undefined Refill Kit	$9.95
124236	Clear-Mount Cling Foam*	$10.95

*Add a sheet of Clear-Mount Cling Foam (pg 197) to create your own clear-mount stamps. Mounting your stamps on the cling foam allows you to make stamps any size you want, not just what will fit on the blocks in the kit.

Included in the Stamp Carving Kit:

• 2 carving tools
• 3" x 4" rubber
• 3" x 4" foam
• 4 wood blocks (various sizes)
• 1 Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker
• 3 postcards
• Instruction sheet
• Stamp image templates

Included in the Refill Kit:

• 3" x 4" rubber
• 3" x 4" foam
• 4 wood blocks (various sizes)
• Instruction sheet

Express your personality, thoughts, feelings, etc. with a stamp you've carved all on your own! We know you'll have a "look what I made!" moment.

Shannon showcased several stamps she had design, one was of fried eggs and another was of bacon.  She stamped the images and had "We go together like bacon and eggs".  It was a really cute example.    Mary

Being a Tourist in Salt Lake City, Utah

Today I thought I would share a couple of pictures from downtown Salt Lake City.

The first one is a picture of The Beehive House, isn't it pretty?  The second picture are how the grounds are planted around the temple area.  They are so beautiful, even in the summer heat.  While it does get hot there during the day, when early evening comes it is so nice, the heat just seems to disappear and it is so nice to be out and about.

If you ever have the chance to go to Salt Lake I would highly recommend it, it is a very nice city to visit.

More pictures tomorrow.  Mary

Live Stream From Convention Closing General Session

You can watch the closing general session of the Stampin' Up! Convention on July 20th, 4:00-5:30 pm (Mountain Time) HERE.

Live Stream From Convention Opening General Session

You can watch the opening general session of the Stampin' Up! Convention on July 18th, from 5:30-7:00 pm (Mountain Time) HERE

Pick A Free Project Kit

Purchase the starter kit and pick one of four project kits for FREE  until August 31, 2013. 

Kit Options: 
The first three project kits are from the holiday catalog and the last option is from the annual catalog. 

Option	Kit Description	Item	Total Value
1	Build a Banner Simply Created Kit AND Halloween Banner Simply Created Accessory Kit	133507 132698	$29.90
2	Build a Banner Simply Created Kit AND Christmas Banner Simply Created Accessory Kit	133507 132697	$29.90
3	Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit	133463	$19.95
4	Tag a Bag Bundle AND Tag a Box Bundle	131371 131372	$22.45

Do you... 

• Love to stamp?
• Looking for a creative outlet?
• Love to purchase your supplies at a discount?
• Maybe interested in earning extra income doing something you enjoy?
• Want to explore a whole new level of stamping and resources?
• Want to join for a discount and not have to sell?

 For $99, you'll get your choice of

•  $125 in products
• FREE shipping on the entire kit and ink pads 
• No risk!
• No obligation to purchase anything further!  
•  If you have ever thought of joining the Stampin' Up! family, here is a nice little gift to receive.  If you have any questions, just send me an e-mail and we can talk.

HERE is a video of convention 2012 highlights from last year, which you can attend as a SU demo, yes, even hobby demos can go too!

I will be attending convention again this year, so my post may be hit and miss, but if you "like" my Facebook page you will get more up-to-date post on what is happening at convention!  I leave tomorrow, very early in the morning and will return Sunday afternoon.  Hubby will be home with the dogs taking care of them!  If you want to join in on the live stream from convention, I have pre-posted the links, dates and times from the Stampin' Up! YouTube channel on those two days.

Have a great week!   Mary

Simply Sketched Bird

Today I will share with you one last card using the Simply Sketched stamp set.  This is one of three images that come with the set.  Here I made it into a sympathy card, I need to make some to have on hand just in case I would need one.  There is also a Thank You sentiment include too, so you can see that you can create many different types of cards with this set.  If you click on the picture and look at the background, you will see the third image also.  I used Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake and Soft Suede card stock.  For the image and sentiment I used Soft Suede ink.  I sponged the edges with Soft Suede and at the bottom, Always Artichoke.  I used my blender pen to lightly color the image in with.  I took my paper piercing tool and punched some holes in the top left-hand corner to add interest and wrapped some Linen Thread around the piece of card stock, tying a know to hold it together.  I popped that up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Once I figured out what I wanted to do, the card came together quickly.

I hope you all are having a nice day and will also have a great week-end too.    Mary

Secret Garden Meets Washi Tape

Today I want to share with you a card that I made the other day, it uses the Secret Garden stamp set and the matching framelits.  It makes this card come together really fast too!  For the sentiment I used one from the hostess set, Simply Sketched, I really like that set too!  As you can see, I used the new washi tape that is in the new catalog, Gingham Garden Designer Washi Tape.  The colors I used for the stamp pieces, Island Indigo, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Pear Pizzazz.  Card stock is Whisper White and Daffodil Delight.  I added some Rhinestones to the center of each flower.  This card should not require any extra postage either!

Thanks for dropping in to see my card!   Mary

NEW COLOR MARKERS In the 2013-2014 annual catalog, we offer the Stampin' Write Marker New Color Kit (item 130034, page 163) to help you update your Many Marvelous Marker pack. Now, we've sweetened the deal. For a limited time, from June 26 until October 31, you can buy any of the new colors in the pack or on their own! Go ahead, fill in the missing pieces in your collection or buy the whole lot. ITEM PRICE DESCRIPTION 130034 $28.95 Stampin' Write Marker New Color Kit Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry, Island Indigo, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Soft Sky, Wisteria Wonder 131899 $3.50 Bermuda Bay Stampin' Write Marker 131265 $3.50 Blushing Bride Stampin' Write Marker 131902 $3.50 Calypso Coral Stampin' Write Marker 131901 $3.50 Crushed Curry Stampin' Write Marker 131905 $3.50 Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker 131266 $3.50 Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker 131904 $3.50 Pool Party Stampin' Write Marker 131898 $3.50 Smoky Slate Stampin' Write Marker 131900 $3.50 Soft Sky Stampin' Write Marker 131903 $3.50 Wisteria Wonder Stampin' Write Marker

Simply Sketched

Hi everyone I hope you had a nice week-end and ready for the new week too!  I got to play in the craftroom on the fourth of July and made this card.  Oh I wish you could see this in person, it is so soft and pretty!  I do notice, though, that my sentiment is off just a tad, but that is what makes it homemade, right?!

I used the new hostess set in the catalog called Simply Sketched, the first time I saw a card made with this stamp, I knew I had to have it, it's really a nice set too!  I stamped the image with Black Stazon ink on Whisper White card stock and used my markers and blender pen to color the image in with.  The blue around the image was applied with my aqua painter and the new Soft Sky to help "ground" the image and to stand off the white background more.  Add a Doily cut in half behind, applied a few pearls and a rhinestone.  The purple flower is made with the new Simply Pressed Clay and forms, painted with Wisteria Wonder ink and the Aqua Painter.  Card stock is also Wisteria Wonder.  I embossed the background with the Fancy Fan embossing folder.  The ribbon is brand new 3/4" Chevron Ribbon also in Wisteria Wonder.  Now I usually surf the net and find different demonstrators doing paper, ribbon, embellishment shares, that is how I purchase some of my stuff, I don't really use alot of these to justify buying a whole package of say Designer Series Paper, so I participate in these shares myself and that way I get to see and feel and use alot of the new things in the catalog, heck I still have paper from a paper share that was a couple years ago!  I like it but just don't use it a lot, but I'm trying too get it used up!

I was inspired by this card HERE.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the card I shared with you today and feel inspired to do some "coloring" and stamping too!   Mary

A card is just a hug with a fold in the middle.

New Photopolymer Stamp Set for July

July 2013 - Settin’ Sail Photopolymer Stamp Set

Life’s better at the beach. Or on the sea. But wherever you are, you’ll find lots of reasons to use the images in this set—for vacation memory-keeping, nautical parties, summer fun.

For the Settin' Sail Photopolymer stamp set, we recommend clear blocks sizes A, C, and H (not included in the set) with this exclusive photopolymer stamp set.

To see the other sets still available go HERE

On Your Birthday

 Hi everyone!  Well this week is almost over and hopefully we have all survived the recent fourth of July holiday.  I had a very quite one, well, as quite as it can be anyway on this noisy holiday!  The card above is a card that I recently from my friend, Anne Venci.  She is one of three demonstrators that I swap with each month and this card is one that she sent to me, I love it!  So I wanted to try my hand at using her card as a template for my card below.

I like how bright and cheery mine turned out.  I made mine into a birthday card and I used the Floral Fusion Sizzlits, held together with a 1/8" Mini Brad, instead of the Bitty Butterfly punch, Anne used a Large Pearl Basic Jewel for the center of her butterfly.  The Whisper White scalloped square is made using the 1 1/2" Scallop Square punch (retired) and the squares behind that are just cut at 1 1/2" x 1 1/2", very easy.  I measured down 3" and ran my Whisper White card stock thru the Fancy Fan Embossing Folder.  Anne used Loving Thoughts for her sentiment.  Anne used Tempting Turquoise, Real Red and Old Olive, I used Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise and Daffodil Delight (I found this color combo from my Color Coach).

Well there you go, see how easy it is to use the same idea and layout and make two different cards, I hope you give it a try!  Mary

 A card is just a hug with a fold in the middle.

Best of 25 Years Stamp Set for July-So Shelli

Best of Shelli Clear-mount Stamp Set 133488 Price: $14.95 Who better to pick a “Best of” stamp set than the person who helped start Stampin’ Up! out of her garage 25 years ago? Shelli Gardner, our CEO and Cofounder picked her favorite stamp images from the past 25 years and helped combine them into a single set just for you! Even better, this set includes a never-before-seen flourish image, and the flower image coordinates perfectly with the 3/4” Circle Punch (item 119873).Set Quantity: 7

My Fourth of July Card

Happy Fourth of July, a day earlier, that is!  I know alot of you will be busy with family and friends tomorrow, so I wanted to wish you a great day!

Here is a card that I copied from one I found on Pinterest HERE.  This lady came up with the brilliant idea to use her Bitty Banners Framelits to make the white stripes for the flag!  Genius!  I did the background on mine with the Stripes Embossing Folder, she used a different one.  I used the retired Star punch for the big star using Whisper White and the new Designer Series Paper stack paper (Midnight Muse), love the new designs on this too!  The smaller stars were punched out using the Merry Minis Punch Pack, 126882, which is still available.  I used the Ticket punch for my banner and used Loving Thoughts for the sentiment.  Card stock is Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler and Midnight Muse, using Midnight Muse ink.

Well this is my share for the day and have a good celebration tomorrow too!  Mary

 A card is just a hug with a fold in the middle. 

Designer Series Paper

Offer Dates: July 1-31, 2013

Offer Details: Buy three packs of select Designer Series Paper and get one for free!

The Fine Print:

• These items don't qualify for the offer:
  • Designer Series Paper Stacks
  • Specialty Designer Series Paper
  • Designer Series Paper ordered through hostess benefits
• Orders may be placed on any type of order 
• No limits. Order six? You'll get two for free. Nine? You'll get three for free.
• Check out our Designer Series Papers in the annual catalog pages 151, 153, and 154.

Reason to Smile

Good day to everyone, sorry about no cards last week, but I was very busy working, no time to play.  This week should be better!  Is everyone ready for the upcoming holiday?  Hubby has to work, so I'll be home with the fur kids, keeping them save and sound from all the noise.

Today I'm sharing alot of retired products, so lets get started.  Now my Whisper White 5/8" satin ribbon I colored with my Tempting Turquoise marker, it doesn't look like that color in this picture does it, oh well I wonder why, maybe I applied too much ink?  The stamp set is a set called Reason to Smile and I think it makes a cute card.  I don't have the new In Colors except for the Pistachio Pudding, so I went with what I have, it's so bright and cheery, hopefully the person who receives it will be cheered up seeing it!  Oh the sentiment is from a set called Sincere Salutations, I really like that set too.  I also used the retired square punches, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" ones, using those punches makes those squares super quick to make too.  Now if you look behind the squares, you'll see I used the Adorning Accents embossing folder, that one is current!  Also current is the card stock, Whisper White and Tempting Turquoise.

Well, off to make some more cards, trying to make them as the ideas pop into my head so I don't forget, Mary

 A card is just a hug with a fold in the middle.