Big Shot to the rescue... again!

Hello friend!

I just don't know what I did before the Big Shot!  Not only do I use it for scrapbooks, cards, and my quilting, but time and again it is the solution to some way-out kind of need.... like this:

I made over 30 of these in the last couple of days for our All-Daughter Banquet next week.  We have a country theme going (including a quilt show) and we've got pieced quilt tops for the centers of the tables, on which we are putting "Grandma's sewing basket".  We've filled the baskets with fabric, scissors, threads, etc. but I just KNEW they had to have a pincushion-- which really were not in the budget.  I ended up cutting a Scallop Circle with the Big Shot, gathering it together for the bottom, and then cutting the green flower top from another die.  They were quick & easy--the hardest part was putting all those pins into 32 of them!

Anyone need a pincushion?  I'm going to have 32 extras after next Tuesday....

--:¦:- ) *
¸.·´ ·´¨¨)) -:
:- ((¸¸.·´ .·´ Wendy *· -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* -:
:- *

Looks like spring! (even though it doesn't feel like spring)

I've been wanting to show you these flowers for weeks, and finally went out and got a photo.  When our first big snow melted, I noticed a bit of purple in my flower bed.  This was LONG before any crocus or daffodils came out, so I went to see what it was and found these pansies.  At that point they were small and didn't look like much, but they have really exploded in the last month.   I had no idea how hardy these could be!

This is the new set, Awash with Flowers that is available this month from Stampin' Up! 

I've decided I want to feature some of the retiring colors over the next couple months, so I made this card with Pink Passion, Lavender Lace, Cameo Coral, Yoyo Yellow, and Handsome Hunter--and was very happy with the way they came together.


Wendy

Big News from Stampin' Up!

Hello friend!

We got some big news today about our color line.  Now, I will warn you that when I first heard it I wasn't sure I'd be very happy, but the more I've studied the information Stampin' Up! has given us, the more EXCITED I'm getting about these changes! 

Starting with the 2010/2011 Idea Book, this will be our collection of colors:

Click here to see a larger copy of the list:

http://204.228.150.61/color_revamp2010/USENG/New_Colors_US_0310.pdf 

Did you notice some of our In Colors from previous years are coming back?  And three from this year are becoming a part of our regular line!  (Woohoo to that!)

Now, of course to make these changes (and this is the tough part), some of our colors are leaving to make room for the new colors.  These are the colors we will no longer carry after June 30:

  

Click here to see a larger copy of the list:

http://204.228.150.61/color_revamp2010/USENG/Fond_Farewell_Colors_US_0310.pdf

If these are colors you absolutely can't live without, then please stock up on your ink refills, card stock, markers, and accessories before the end of June.  (actually, my recommendation is not to wait even that long--who knows what the availability will be at the end of the catalog year)

We will also be getting 5 new In Colors this year (in July), and the really good news is that they will be sticking around for two years, instead of just one!  (Woohoo to that, too!)

As a demonstrator, I'll be able to pre-order these items--if you were a demonstrator, you could do the same thing--hint, hint!   :)   I'll be sharing samples with you here as soon as I can, and as I get more information, I'll pass that on, as well.

When you think about this, I think you will agree that these changes are going to be good ones.  PLEASE let me know what you think, or if you have questions!

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

My Rag Bag!

Hello friend!

I had such fun making this rag bag!  All you need are basic sewing skills and supplies--and of course the Big Shot to cut all the squares....

I wanted a long handle, so that's what I put on it... you can make this to suit your style & needs!

 
If you'd like to make one of these with me, reserve your spot for next Saturday, March 27.  The cost is only $15, and I need you to make your reservation by March 25. 

It will be "sew" much fun!  :)

Wendy

A good day....

Hello friend!


The brownies are in the oven. The corned beef & potatoes are almost done. Tim’s at work, Nick’s at baseball, and Nat is at bell practice. This means something very unusual has happened… the house is QUIET!

It also means I spent some time in the Stamp Cave.  Let me show you what's been going on....

This one was fun, mostly because it is so different from my usual style, which is much simpler.  I decided I wanted to use lots of products and see what I could come up with.  I just kept adding and adding, and it was fun!  Every part is stamped, sponged or punched--and sometimes all three!  The hummingbird is from one of my new favorite stamp sets--and you'll be able to get it from the Summer Mini Catalog, which will start on May 1.  (be patient)

This next project is one I've been thinking about since last summer.  One of my friends at work is a Civil War buff.  To be more accurate, he's totally into the Battle of Gettysburg.  Because he is such a great guy, we (I mean the court employees, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and other involved in the legal system) went together and gave him this special gun last July.  I took photos that day, and intended to give them to him...  but somehow I just never got it together.  This is the scrapbook I came up with.   

You might recognize the Flower Fusion tin, and Hodge Podge Hardware.  To make it look like this I beat it with a hammer, sponged it with Stazon ink, and did my best to distress it.

On the inside lid and bottom I distressed Chocolate Chip card stock in an effort to make it look leather-like.  The photos are printed in sepia tones, and I mounted them on a thin chipboard to give the appearance of cabinet cards.

This is a description of the gun, directly from a soldier's Civil War diary.  

This lady was not there when we presented the gun.  :)  Actually, this photo is from a cabinet card from approximately the 1880's.  My mom has it in an old album, and I took it to Spectrum and copied it.  I've researched these cabinet cards and this lady in particular on line.  I believe she was a snake charmer in a circus, and her name might have been "Miss Uno".  Lovely, isn't she?  I just added it as a joke--and he kept referring to her as his wife.  (I can't imagine Lisa's going to like this comparison!)

The color on those other photos was not good.  this is a little more true.  I've certainly had fun putting this together.  I love scrapping, and when you can do something just a little bit differently, I think it is even better!

It's almost time to head out and get Nick.  Thanks for stopping by!

Wendy

the Borg....

Hello friend.

No stamping today.  I went this afternoon to get "fitted" for my cpap machine.  Tim has been teasing me that I was going to look like a jet fighter pilot, and sound like Darth Vader.  Actually, I think I'm going to look more like one of the Borg (If you are not a Star Trek fan that won't mean much--but it isn't good).

Wish me luck, this will be interesting tonight!

I have a couple ideas for projects, so I'll be bringing them to you later this week.

Wendy

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

Hello friend!

Today is Hannah's 20th birthday (gasp!) and tonight I wanted to show you her card: 

Last week Janet Hamilton sent me a photo of a card, and asked if I knew how to do the technique.  (I think she referred to it as "newspaper reveal")  Anyway, we figured it out, and I thought it would be an appropriate thing to make for Hannah because of her journalism minor.  This is my version.  

It is so easy--all you have to do is clear emboss over newspaper, then use your brayer over top (I used Mellow Moss.)  Use a tissue or paper towel to buff the excess ink off the embossing, and there you have it. 

Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and did not allow the newsprint to dry before I glued it on the card, so I ended up with all these ridges.  Next time I'll know better--and now you can learn from my mistake, too!

Wendy

Ink Spots Newsletter

Hello!

There is so much to tell you, and I've decided I need to start with an apology. It seems that in the last 6 months (or year, or more?) I've just been having a hard time getting anything done. My newsletters are late. I don't make phone calls the way I should. Well, the list goes on. I'm tired all the time, and just seem to be getting the essentials done, and feeling guilty because I want to do more but just don’t seem to be able to. (I'm lucky I have a fabulous husband, because he's been helping more and more around the house, too.) Well, I've had several sleep studies done in the last couple of weeks, and have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Soon I’ll be using a CPAP machine at night, and I’m looking forward to not being tired all the time and maybe having some energy back. At that point, hopefully you will see the “old” me again. I am truly sorry to have put you and my stamping business on the back burner, and hope to be able to make it a priority gain. Thanks for your patience.


Now for the fun stuff....


Time flies when you are having fun, and Sale-A-Bration ends on March 31. There is still plenty of time to take advantage of this, so give me a call. You can place individual orders, or collect orders from friends & family and earn hostess benefits. There are also Sale-A-Bration benefits for new demonstrators—so ask me about that, too!



On Saturday March 27 I will be hosting a Rag Bag/Big Shot Class. You will SO want to make this darling purse/tote! I’m making one now, and will post it on my blog when it is done. The cost is $15, and I will provide you with the list of needed supplies. Classes will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will be staggered—depending on whether you have your own Big Shot and sewing machine. (Class size will be limited to the number of sewing machines we can set up in my house.)


Two-Step into Spring product sneak peak in April! Are you curious to hear about a stamp set coming in the 2010/2011 Idea Book & Catalog? It is called Awash with Flowers, and it will definitely make you think SPRING! I will post samples as soon as I have it, but for now, here are the details of the promotion:

Hostesses:  Host a $350 workshop and receive the brand-new Two-Step Awash with Flowers stamp set FREE, in either version—wood-mount or clear-mount!

Customers:  Two-Step into spring and be the first to add the Awash with Flowers stamp set to your collection.

117062 Awash with Flowers (wood-mount) $39.95

120549 Awash with Flowers (clear-mount) $27.95

Plus, purchase spring-themed Two-Step Stampin' sets at 20 percent off the retail price--no additional purchase necessary! The qualifying stamp sets are listed below:

113824 94 Greenhouse Garden $20.76

113734 98 Fifth Avenue Floral $19.96

111578 101 Flower Fancy $29.56

113258 112 Trendy Trees $14.36


The next Scrapbook Fundraiser at Trinity is on April 23, 2010! We’ll have the same great fun, with a twist on the times. You're gonna like this! The regular cost is the same: $15 from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, with a pizza supper, snacks, beverages, make & takes and door prizes. Then, if you would like to extend your time, you can pay $3 more to scrap from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and/or $3 to stay from midnight to 2:00 a.m. (For example, the total cost from 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. would be $21.)


Please save the date for my annual Hostess Appreciation Brunch! Yes, its time to be thinking about the Brunch again! We’ll be having fun on Saturday, June 26, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. If you have been a hostess with me, or a member of a club, or have even placed a book party order since the Brunch last year, you are invited! The “real” invitations will go out at the end of May, so save the date!


All Day Scrap & Stamp will be on Saturday, October 2, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and the cost is only $25.  We’ll be back at the Holiday Inn on State Route 250. There will be a potluck lunch (with a sign-up sheet so we have a wide array of foods) that we can snack from all day long. To keep the costs down, I won’t be providing any additional food—but of course there are plenty of fast food places close by if you want a sandwich.  (Of couse, a lack of food has never been a problem before, and I don't anticipate it this time either.)

That's a lot of information! 

Wendy

Swaps from the Overnight Scrap & Stamp

Hello friends! 

One of the things I really love about the Overnight is our swap.  On Friday night, the twelve of us participating sat down in a circle on the floor to show off our projects and start trading.  I want to share the swaps with you here, cause these are some clever ladies:

Sheri's darling St. Patrick's Day cup (with a bag of chocolate inside)

Carol said each time she wanted to go buy supplies for her swap, it snowed & she was stuck at home.

 She gave us these neat Gooseberry Patch books... and chocolate!

Jessica's adorable purse was filled with kisses!

Vickie's beautiful black & white snowman was embossed with both white and clear for a great effect.

Jen made a cute gum holder... see, chocolate wasn't a requirement!  :)

Melissa made each of us a cup of hot chocolate.  (Truly I tell you, there was not a chocolate theme required.)

Janet made us a beautiful card.  Love that Chocolate Chip card stock!  (I know, now I'm being silly.)

Beverly made these cards with fabric accents... I think I'm going to mat & frame mine.

Jillian made us cute coasters!

Deb's Easter card has no real chocolate, but it does use our Chocolate Bunny stamp.  Don't you love the way she added real Easter grass?

Tia made us tags!  I think mine is going on a scrapbook page.

My swap used the Big Shot and an old pair of Nick's blue jeans to make a fabric flower pin.

Don't you love the great ideas these ladies used?   Bet you'll copy something!
Wendy

Overnight Scrap & Stamp

Hello friend!

The Overnight Scrap & Stamp was so much fun!  There were 22 of us last weekend--the biggest one I've hosted yet!.  I took my camera, but forgot to get shots of the room and the group. :(

After very little sleep during the 25 hours we were there, I was exhausted.  How about the rest of you attendees?

The good news is that I've booked the conference room again for Saturday October 2, and we'll be scrapping and stamping from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.!  More details to follow--but plan to save the date!

Wendy

Tonight is the night!

It's finally here--my Overnight Scrap and Stamp is tonight!  Woohoo!  I've still got lots to do, so I won't be posting any photos here today.  Hopefully on Sunday afternoon I'll get them to you.

Talk to you on Sunday!

Wendy

Father/Daughter Dance!

Hello friend!

Each year we have a Father/Daughter Dance at our church.  It is so much fun to put together!  It was held last night, and I just have to show you the pictures I took during set-up.




The theme was the game Candyland. (gotta admit, I never liked the game, and when our leader suggested this I thought, "Ugghhhh". But it turned out very well!)

Walking into the church, this is the first thing they saw, and it led our dancers and their dads to...

 

(Decorated by Deb Carmoney)

the entry to the gym! Doesn't this just make you want to go see what's next?

(Decorated by Janel Barr)

And then we arrive inside the gym!

The dance floor had giant lollipops!

Now picture that the lights have been dimmed, the candles on the tables are glowing, and almost 60 couples of dads & daughters are dancing away to the chicken dance!  (I really wish I had a video of that!)  I was told that this year was "the best year yet" so we must have done all right!

Now that the dance is done, my total concentration goes to the Overnight Scrap & Stamp on Friday and Saturday!  This will be the largest one I've ever had--there are only 2 spots left! 

Have a great day,

Wendy

Polar Bear Valentine

Hello friend!

Well, I'm a little frustrated right now!  I wanted to show you the adorable Valentine I made for Hannah... but I can't get it to load.  Grrrrrr!  I believe I'm doing all the same things I've done every other time I've loaded a photo here, but something isn't working. 

Perhaps I'm just too tired to think straight.  Time to relax and go to bed... maybe I'll go watch the last hour of "Emma" recorded on Masterpiece Classics the other night.  Emma and Jane Austen didn't have to worry about downloading photos... I'd probably have been better off back then!  :)  Actually, I take that back, because I truly do love modern conveniences like running (clean) water, indoor plumbing, and computers--when I can make them work! 

Wendy

Ok, so you know how I said I was tired?  Yeah, we'll use that as my excuse.   Here is the story behind Hannah's Valentine:

Isn't this adorable?  As you may know, Hannah attends Ohio Northern University.  ONU's mascot is a polar bear, so when I saw this card at Leadership month, I knew I had to CASE it.  I wish I knew who the original creator was so that I could give her credit.  One of my friends had this swap, and I just photographed the front.

Well, I needed a card for Hannah, so of course I went with a polar bear Valentine:

The original creator lightly sponged the edges of the punched circles, and I didn't think to do that until it was all put together, but it still came out well.  She'll like it!

Ok, now I'm going to go watch Emma, and then go to bed!

Good night!

Do you believe this snowstorm?

Good morning, friend!

This morning I let poor Goddard out to do his business... and the snow was almost up to his belly!  He loves to play in the snow, I guess I would, too, if I wore my winter coat year-round.  We'll go out to shovel later, and I can't wait to take some pictures of this mess!  Natalie had a friend spend the night, and when I talked to her mom earlier she said their road (in the county) has not seen a plow since this all began.

The Stamp Cave has become a total disaster.  I'm heading down in a few minutes to do some damage control... see if I can clean and re-organize it back into being the room I love!  While I'm down there, I'm also hoping to have some inspiration for the make & takes and door prizes for the Overnight Scrap & Stamp.  It starts two weeks from yesterday--please let there NOT be a snowstorm that weekend!

Talk to you later!
Wendy

Christmas and Valentine's Day this weekend!

Hello friend!

This year for Christmas, one of the gifts I gave Tim was a gift certificate to Olive Garden (his favorite) and a note that said I thought we should make the time to go “on a date” every month. Quite a lofty goal, actually, because he and I went out last night and couldn’t remember the last time we had dinner & a movie all by ourselves. It was wonderful to get away for a couple of hours! (And I recommend the new Mel Gibson movie--though I must admit I jumped practically out of my seat multiple times and had to look away from blood more than once.)
This weekend I also made time for sewing… and I have my first wall hanging done for my dining room!  I cut the hearts with the Petal Card die, and trimmed off two of the petals to create the hearts.  (this would also work on card stock if you are looking to make hearts for Valentine's Day)
 

It is not a blurry photo, or an optical illusion, the edges are not straight.  The hearts were sewn to the quilt top and then I snipped around the edges so that when it was washed it "ragged".   Gives it kinda of a fuzzy look.
It isn’t perfect—I know where all the flaws are and what I’d change if I were doing it again--but I’m still quite happy with the results. In fact, I’m thinking I should be planning a Big Shot Quilt class, or club…. Gotta think about that, but if you have any suggestions or would be interested, let me know!

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

Sale-A-Bration Fun!

Hello friend!

As you know, Sale-A-Bration is happening, and I just quickly wanted to show you something fun.  Not only has Stampin' Up added the Sale-A-Bration logo to the sides of our packing boxes, but look at this:

This should have been on our boxes all along!

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

Happy January 19th!

Hello friend!

There is so much going on right now... where do I start?  Well, I got back last week from Phoenix, Arizona.  I spent four fun-filled days there for Leadership Conference!  It is so great to spend that time sharing with demonstrators from all over the country... I wish I could take everyone with me!  (actually, I can, so if you are interested, just let me know!) 

The first night of Leadership I was thrilled with our stamping and training.  There were several great demonstrations, but the one that caught my attention was given by a demonstrator named Jill Olsen, and it was all about using the Big Shot to make quilts.  Some of you know that I used to quilt... a long time ago, before three kids!  Quilting has been a thing of the past--until now.  I've been bitten by the bug again.  In fact, after that first night, if someone had told me I had to go home I would still have been happy with what I learned in Jill's demonstration!  I took a ton of photos of her display, but this is one of my favorites:

Dont' you just love this quilt?

On Friday, our co-founder, Shelli Gardner was on stage.  It was nearing the end of the conference, and she had just given an award to Jill for her sharing her quilting ideas & expertise.  Shelli made a comment like, "we wished we could send a quilt block home with everyone."  I just laughed... how could they provide quilt blocks to 1,000 demonstrators?  What am I thinking?  Of course they did it!  Out came the Stampin' Up! employees with stacks of quilt blocks--one for everyone!  Turns out, they asked factory employees to bring their own sewing machines in to the factory, and they made enough blocks for everyone!  Thank you Stampin' Up!

This is one of the blocks made into a pot holder:

Here is another made into a pillow:

Mine is a different color scheme, and it is absolutely beautiful in my dining room.  I need to figure out exactly what to make with it.  I've also bought some more fabrics, and I'm going to make a Valentine wall-hanging for the dining room.  I'll let you know how that goes!

What else is happening?  My clubs all met last week, so that was fun.  (I hope my club members enjoy club as much as I do!)
Last Thursday night our Card Group met at church.  There were three of us, and I brought Natalie.  We had a very unexpected guest.... a bat!  Ugh!  Our first hour was not spent in stamping Valentines for the Baskets of Love next month.... instead it was spent in containing the bat.  Luckily, Tim came in and took care of it for us.  None of us wanted to get anywhere near it!  We'll meet again in March, and hopefully will only have human guests!
This Friday night is the Scrapbooking Fundraiser at Trinity.  We'll be there from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, so join us if you like.  Go to http://www.trinityashland.org/ for a registration form.

And how could I forget?  Sale-A-Bration is going on now.  Can you say, "FREE STAMPS?"  (some of my favorite words!)

Last, but certainly not least, the Overnight Stamp & Scrap is a little over a month away.  I'm planning my gift packages, projects, and such.  I think the soups were a big enough hit that we'll be having a soup & bread lunch again on Saturday.  I'm always up for suggestions on anything--and while I can't promise to put your idea in action, I'm certainly willing to look into it!  Keep those registrations rolling in!

Happy Stamping!  (and Quilting!)
Wendy

Happy New Year!

Hello again!  I usually take most of December off for Christmas... but this year I went a little bit overboard...  thanks for your patience!

There's lots to talk about now, because Sale-A-Bration and a new Occasions Mini are coming on the 5th. 

Stampin' Up! has added something new to Sale-A-Bration, and I'm anxious to see how you respond.  Not only are there 6 great Sale-A-Bration gifts you can receive for FREE when you purchase $50 in products, but this year there is also a long list of regular-line items from our main catalog that are also an option--for free!  Your dilemna will be whether to choose that limited edition item you'd like to have, or one of those stamp sets you've been thinking about but just have not purchased yet....  Decisions, decisions.

Another choice you need to make in both the SAB catalog and the Occasions Mini is whether to purchase our stamps to be mounted on our wooden blocks, or stamps that are clear-mounted!  If you need to play with them to decide, let me know and you can come on over.

This week I'll be attending Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, and I'm hoping to learn more so I can help you with your "wood-mount or clear-mount" decision.  Honestly, I'm still coming to terms with it myself, and don't have an answer yet. Luckily for us, if your decision is the clear-mount and mine is the wood-mount, we can both be happy, because Stampin' Up! is giving us a choice.  Whew.

While I'm in Phoenix, I'll have classes and can't wait to see what I learn--and can share with you!

See you soon!
Wendy

(By the way, if you wondered after that November post what I did with my dining room, the answer is red.  It was perfect for Christmas... and now that the decorations are coming down I am anxious to decorate it again!)

Gotta show you what I did....

I told you yesterday that I've been spending a lot of time on a ladder... so I'll show you what I've been doing.

Here is the "before".  Tearing down that paper was difficult, because I really loved it--but it was just

 time for it to go....

...and here is the decision I'm trying to make.

The gray is out, but the red is a possibility.  I'm still thinking.  What do you suggest?

Wendy

I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!

I feel like a "Who" from Dr Seuss's book, Horton Hears a Who.  You may not have heard me, but I really am here!  What a crazy couple of weeks this has been!  On November 3 I had my Stamp Tramps here, and within a few days I was sick enough to go to the doctor for a bronchial infection.  Then we've had the excitement of our high school football team going into post season play (two wins so far--Go Arrows!), and I got the brilliant idea to paint my dining room ceiling on Veteran's Day (I was either out of my mind or feeling better, I'm not sure which.)  Of course the new paint made the wallpaper and woodwork look old & tired, so pretty soon we'll have a new dining room!  (I'm really tired of being on that ladder to paint and strip wallpaper!)  So let me show you what I've been up to...

This is a card I designed for a new stamping group at my church. 

This is a card I made for my nephew, Jake.  He is a starting defensive player for the Arrows, and it has been SO EXCITING watching him play this year!

I'll have to take a picture in my dining room and post it later.  Normally I have no trouble deciding on a color when I want to paint, but for some reason I'm having some difficulty making a decision.  Right now I've put my third test color on the walls.  There are actually two colors up there now--gray and red.... looks like Ohio State!  (Go Bucks, beat Michigan!)  Maybe I should leave the final decision for after the game Saturday....

And have you heard the news from Stampin' Up?  In January we get not only our Sale-A-Bration catalog, but also the Occasions Mini catalog... and the big news is that we will have clear-mounted stamps!  From what I understand, they will be the same great rubber stamps we all know and love, but you can mount them on clear blocks.  When you are done stamping, you remove the images to a special storage container.  If you are looking for a way to save space in your stamp room, it sounds like this will be something you'll want to check out.  I can make my first purchase of these stamps in December, and then they will be here for you to see.

Take care!

Wendy