Freebies and Friendships

Browsing through retired card samples! 10 free samples to take home - what fun!

I'm not sure how Sandy managed to get in here and find a quiet corner!

"Stamping events...a place where friends gather..."

It's All Fun At The Make & Takes!

Here are a couple of my make & take stations! I had four set up in my kitchen. I am blessed with lots of counter space and a big kitchen! I will post close ups of the make & takes later so be sure to check back!

Mom and daughter having fun stamping together! What a fantastic way to spend time with your kids and to help them explore creativity!

Jess patiently waiting for her turn at the make & takes!

It's all fun at the make & take stations!

Open House Display Boards

"It's a buffet of ideas!"

These were my display boards at my open house! I was able to get a few beautiful ladies to look away from the boards and give me a smile!

Eat Yummy Treats!

"Eat Yummy Treats!

Wow! It's a good thing I had a few of these left! I thought I had taken a picture of them before my Open House guests started arriving! This was how I packaged my famous cookies for my Open House! I made my Eat Yummy Treat tags in My Digital Studio...and when I say made...all I had to do was open up a template, change the color, print, punch out, and layer on strawberry slush scallop circles! I used the Tag a Bags as decorative packaging. The cookies were in our cello envelopes sealed to keep fresh. Two cookies to a bag! I had two big containers of these. I decorated the containers with a bow made with our new bow die...very simple but it really added to how it looked! I have more pictures to share of my open house this week...so be sure to check back!

Supplies used on this project are listed below. Remember to click my order online button (above right) to be taken to my demonstrator business website and click the shop now button to purchase any of the following items!

	GIFT BOW BIGZ L DIE Item: 129977
	TAG A BAG GIFT BAGS Item: 131370
	2013-2015 IN COLOR DESIGNER SERIES PAPER STACK Item: 130136
digital download items
	MDS DOWNLOAD - DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Item: 130646		DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Items will be available for download after checkout
	HAPPY HOUR ENSEMBLE - DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Item: 132721		DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Items will be available for download after checkout

Sweet 16 Banner!

"It's a perfect fit!"

Here is a peek at my completed banner as promised! It is a perfect fit between the banisters in living and dining room area! I am so proud! I made paper tassels to go in between the banner flags. It turned out so cute! Even my husband commented on it! To see video how to's; go here.

I used the Build a Banner Simply Created Kit to make my banner!


To purchase your own Build a Banner; go here and click on the shop now button!

Sixteen Years of Stampin' Up! Pins and Buttons!

"That's a lot of bling!"

16 years of pins and buttons and I am running out of room on my lanyard! My open house is the only place I will wear it. It is heavy and I am afraid of losing any. I wore it to convention one year and lost a pin. I was so distressed! However, it was a year that my hubby went with me as a supporting demonstrator and he was adamant that I take his! I would have had to start a 2nd lanyard if I had went to every event all 16 years! I will eventually start a 2nd because I do have to go to Stampin' Up! events every so often! It is hard to stay away!

Calorie Free Parfaits!

"Calorie free parfaits equal stamp more eat less!"

I am so excited! My open house is this Saturday! Of course...I am nowhere near ready! I have all these bits and pieces done and ready...but it is not all pulled together yet! I have 80 pounds of peaches to freeze, a garden to keep harvesting, and a house to clean...anyone want to come and help! lol! All of my guests will be receiving a calorie free parfait! They will also get some of my famous cookies...which are baked and in the freezer ready to package up on Friday. I hope I don't have to pull an "all-nighter" to get it all done! I have been working on things since I got back from convention in hopes of avoiding one of those...but like my husband says...I just can't help myself...I always find something else that I think I must add or do!

Build a Banner!

Building banners is fun! I have been creating a Sweet 16 banner for my open house! I did use the alcohol instead of water so they would dry faster. Very easy. I do recommend the practice spritz to make sure that your spritzer sprays a fine mist. I also recommend refilling your spritzer before it gets too low so that the spray stays fine. When my banner is complete and I have it hung up for my open house I will be sure to share it with you!

Here is another video with a Christmas theme...both holidays will be here before you know it!


Remember to click my order online button (above right) to be taken to my demonstrator business website and click the shop now button to purchase any of the Build a Banner kits!

Voila' Bon Appetit!

"Creative Iron Chefs Competition!"

Enter 2007 and Stampin' Up! has a new set called Voila' featuring a chef. My husband loved watching the Iron Chef shows and a theme for my 10 year anniversary open house was born! I asked my oldest if he would be willing to join his brother and dad to help me out...and he agreed! I will have to dig out their projects and take photos for you and blog about those! We did it just like the show! I had a table of stamping supplies and they each had to run over and grab what they wanted and make something out of what they took! And...we had a timer set! It was a lot of fun! They also demonstrated new products and competed throughout the day making things. At this open house I was wondering why I was the demonstrator...their ideas were awesome! These guys have helped me out over the years...cutting cardstock, stamping images, and assembling swaps! I kind of miss the help! lol! Left to right in the photo; Aric (my youngest), Jim (my hubby), and Aaron (my oldest). I love these guys! They keep me laughing. Aric is in the military now and we miss him being around. Aaron still lives close but work, family, and church keep him busy!

Ahoy Matey!

"Argh, it be stampin' time!"

We had a new stamp set in 2006 called Ahoy Matey that inspired my 2006 Open House theme! The guys LOVED that theme! They had fun with it. Since they were demonstrating new products for me...they made up their own signage, there be "Demon-strations" here! Ha! My guys crack me up! I am usually behind the camera...but Linda B. took a photo of us 3 and sent it to me! Jim is on the left and my youngest, Aric is on the right! They be handsome pirates!

Creativity at Work!

"Creativity at work!"

This was the convention 2005 theme...and I scooped it up and used it for my 2005 open house! It was fun! We wore hard hats and safety vests and I had construction cones and signs around the house for different areas; displays, make & takes, etc. Jim is wowing the ladies demonstrating the watercolor crayons! The swatch book that I created in My Digital Studio was easy...it was a template so all I had to do was drop in the photos! I did update the colors in the template to the new In Colors! I can't wait to see the books...they are not here yet! Swatch books are 26 pages...great to document an event or trip...and quick, easy, and inexpensive! Professional print is only $9.95!

Feel the Magic!

"16 years of Stampin' Up! Magic!"

Sadly, I have lost a few photos over the years. The digital world has its hazards! I have finally learned to pay for a back up service. These photos are from 2004 and they are in one of the three swatch books I created in My Digital Studio. I chose to use the convention theme from that year for my open house! Convention was also in Orlando. It was my first trip to Florida...and my first trip to Disney. It was definitely magical! Jim was demonstrating new product for me.

Open House Preparations!

"Celebrate the Good Times!"

This year I celebrated 16 years as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator! I am amazed that I am still a demo and how quickly the time has passed! There have been times when discouragement and life has tempted me to give it up and then I think about all the wonderful people who support me and I just can't do it! I look forward to my Open House every year! I probably put way too much time and effort into it...but I have always wanted it to be special and fun! It is one way I can say "Thank You" to everyone who has supported me whether it is the occasional order, being a hostess, a regular customer, a class attendee, a hostess club member, etc. No matter how you have supported me through the years I want to say thanks and show my appreciation! I haven't done much stamping to share with you because I have been preparing for my open house which will be Saturday, August 24th from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. This year we will be celebrating 16 years of good times! This is the signage and my fall class schedules that I have prepared in My Digital Studio. I created 3 swatch books in My Digital Studio that I am having professionally printed in MDS. These are of past events and for those that have been with me it will be fun to reminisce. For those who haven't been with me as long...it will be fun for them to see my past themes! Back in the beginning I got the wild hair to do my open house with a theme...and I have done that at my annual open house every year since! I have usually picked out a stamp set as my theme...and it has always been fun to come up with ideas. This year I picked the Happy Hour Set. For me...stamping is my happy hour! I will share some of the themes with you in future blog posts!  My husband and boys helped quite a bit in the past...I haven't used them so much the past few years...the boys have grown up and moved on. Jim usually ends up helping with all the cleaning and set up!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone who can make it this year!

Oldie But Goodie!

"It's an oldie but goodie!

If I remember right...this card was a complete CASE...from somewhere! I seldom find cards that I want to copy exactly but this was one! I loved the scenic focal point on the woodsy background and the earthy, neutral embellishments. Great guy card! The other wonderful thing about this design...it didn't require a new stamp set if it wasn't in your budget! If you own Lovely as a Tree it would work perfectly with this design! Update the older set with the Coordinations cardstock, woodsy folder, and neutral buttons and you are good to go! Sometimes new accessories are all that is needed to update your stampin' inventory!

Supplies used on this project are listed below. Remember to click my order online button (above right) to be taken to my demonstrator business website and click the shop now button to purchase any of the following items!

	SERENE SILHOUETTES CLEAR-MOUNT STAMP SET Item: 127324
	NEUTRALS CORE'DINATIONS Item: 129956
	BASIC BLACK 8-1/2X11 CARD STOCK Item: 121045
	BASIC BLACK CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD Item: 126980
	TANGERINE TANGO CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD Item: 126946
	CAJUN CRAZE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD Item: 126965
	STAMPING SPONGES Item: 101610
	WHISPER WHITE 8-1/2X11 CARD STOCK Item: 100730
	NATURALS DESIGNER BUTTONS Item: 127554
	WOODGRAIN TEXTURED IMPRESSIONS EMBOSSING FOLDER Item: 127821
	CIRCLES COLLECTION FRAMELITS DIES Item: 130911
	STAMPIN' SANDING BLOCK Item: 129367
	ITTY BITTY BANNERS CLEAR-MOUNT STAMP SET Item: 126257
	BITTY BANNERS FRAMELITS DIE Item: 129267