Go Green

I recently started cleaning up some of my stuff in my craft room. I was trying to reorganize by getting out all of the retired items, in doing so I cleared out a lot of button and brad containers. I had them all stacked on my desk trying to figure out if I wanted to keep them or not. I've seen people use them to dye flowers with re-inkers so I definitely could keep a couple for that but what else do I need them for?

A few days later.... I was getting ready for a SU! Workshop and Malachi was wanting to be near his mommy so I put his play mat in the craft room so he could see me while I packed up my items. I had to lean over him to grab an item and he started crying because he thought that I was going to pick him up. I tried to calm him with some of his toys but it wasn't working when I grabbed a few button/brad containers and gave them to Malachi. He immediately stopped crying and started playing with them. It kept him entertained for at least a half hour. So over the past week he has kept playing with them. I love it! I have found a way to recycle those containers, they make great toys for Malachi! Yea for going green with one thing in my life. Maybe this can be my excuse to be able to buy more buttons and brads. Sounds like a good reason to me.

The workshop I was getting ready for, was Roberta's. Here is one of the cards I created for the workshop. Roberta wanted me to highlight the use of the brayer and I was happy to do so since it is one of my newest tools and one of the newest techniques I have learned. I will share the other card I created later.

I am happy to report that I booked another workshop for next week. So this week I need to work on the projects for Lorraine's workshop. I have no work tomorrow, its my day off with my little man. Maybe I can get some stamping done during one of his naps. Goodnight.

Stamping Again

Believe it or not I have been stamping on a regular basis these past couple of weeks. It feels good to be getting back into the swing of things again. I even have a SU! workshop tonight at Roberta's house. So Malachi will be hanging out with Daddy tonight while I go and have a Stampin' Up! party! Fun, fun, fun!

I also had a SU! workshop on Monday at Sharon's house. We had a great time. This is one of the cards that I demonstrated at the party. Elements of Style is one of my many favorite stamp sets at the moment. I am especially loving the color combo of Early Espresso and Cherry Cobbler.

I've gotta run, I need to finish the rest of my day at work so I can get home to see my husband and baby boy for a little while before heading over to Roberta's house. I have my fingers crossed that someone else will want to book a workshop.

Stamp Club

Tonight was my monthly Stamp Club meeting and these are the two cards we created. I just purchased a brayer because I wanted to be able to try these techniques.

I am loving these SU! Big Shot Embossing Folders, it seems like I use them on all my cards lately.

In the first card I used the Tropical Party Stamp Set form the Occasions Mini Catalog. The sky is brayered with Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, and Night of Navy, for the sand I used Sahara Sand and Crumb Cake. Card stock: Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand, Early Espresso, and Whisper White.

Now for the second card I used one of my favorite new stamp sets in the new catalog, Just Believe. I received it in my Stampin' Up! convention bag, whoo who!!! Anyway I embossed the crumb cake card stock and then used the brayer to apply the Early Espresso Ink. I used Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, & Very Vanilla card stock.

I am looking forward to using the brayer techniques over and over again.

Hostess Special

I decided I am going to stop apologizing for not blogging and just start blogging on a regular basis. Then I won't have to apologize every month.

Anyway I just got back from the SU! Convention in Salt Lake City, and boy was it a fun and exciting convention. It gave me a little boost of energy to start working on my SU! business. After not doing much for the past 6-8 months I am ready to get back out there and hold some workshops, classes, and be creative.

If you haven't held a workshop in a while, now is the time to do it. From now until August 31st there is a Hostess Special that offers an additional $25.00 in merchandise monies with a qualifying workshop total of $350. So instead of getting $40. you'll get $65. plus a Hostess Level one and two stamp set.

Don't know who you'll invite?? I can help you create a guest list. I am excited to book those workshops so contact me to set a date.

April Stamp Club

Yea! I am posting to my blog. This mommy thing has been a huge transition for me. My time is no longer my time but Malachi time. It is getting easier but I am still adjusting to this new life of mine.

Anyway I purchased this new stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog, Messages for Mom but when I sat down to make a card I was stumped. I looked online to see if maybe I could case someone's idea but I didn't really find what I wanted so I sat back down at my desk and started playing but then Malachi woke up and I needed to feed and change him. When I finally got back to work I still had no ideas. I started a couple of cards but they didn't look very good in real life, they were so much better in my head. I finally worked on this card but actually stopped half way through and thought "I don't know." I worked on my other project and eventually came back to this one and I am actually please with it.

I am loving the new clear mount stamp sets. It makes it so much easier when stamping sentiments.

My second project is using the Friends 24-7 stamp set. I love this set and I hadn't used it in a while but when I thought of this card this stamp set immediately came to mind.

I created my own background paper with the images and added some bashful blue ink to the flowers. I also distressed the edges of the whisper white with bashful blue ink, its subtle but it adds just a little to the card.

The second picture of this card is the inside of the card. I left it blank so that it can be written in when the time comes to use it.

Hope you enjoyed these two projects, I hope it won't take me as long to post to my blog again. There is hope since I am having a scrapbook class next week before I head out to Texas on my vacation.

Card Class

Join me for a card class you're going to love on April 10th at 10:30 AM. In this class we will create 8 cards with the Medallion Stamp. The class fee is $30.00 and includes the Medallion Stamp (value $17.95) and all the materials needed to make the cards including adhesive. Please RSVP by April 2nd.

MDS Birth Announcement

I haven't had a lot of time to play with my stamps since I became a Mommy but I did squeeze in some time to make this birth announcement with SU! My Digital Studio. After I created this announcement I sent it over to Costco to be printed so that I could send it to some out of state family. The great thing was that it didn't take long to make, MDS is very user friendly.

If you are into digital scrap booking or have been thinking about getting into it I would definitely recommend this program. If you have any questions let me know.

Haitian Disaster Relief

On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving in its wake devastation so overwhelming that the Haitian people and their leaders can only look for help from the outside to cope. As a Stampin′ Up! demonstrator, you can help make a difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer from the effects of this earthquake by purchasing the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set.

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you sell will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

Product Name	Item #	Price
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount (block D recommended)	118571	$18.95
I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount	117010	$26.95

Contact me if you are interested in ordering this Stamp set.

Malachi Mason

In my last post I mentioned that I wasn't having any signs of labor and that I would more than likely have to be induced but I was wrong. That Friday morning I woke up in labor and by that evening I had our little guy.

Malachi Mason made his arrival on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 9:19 PM. He weighed 6 lbs 11 oz and was 20 inches long. He is the most precious little guy and he screams at the top of his lungs when he isn't happy! I am getting use to my broken sleep patterns and changing diapers with one eye open. Motherhood is such an amazing experience.

I can't believe the love you feel for your child the instant they enter the world. My life is forever changed and I'm lovin' it!

Thank you everyone that has sent emails and text messages to check up on us. Hope you'll get to meet him soon.

Sale-A-Bration & Occasions Mini Catalog

I completely been away from my blog for so long now, it's embarrassing. With the holidays and getting ready for the baby to come, I just haven't had the energy to focus on my paper crafting. The baby is due on Sunday but I'm not progressing towards labor so if I don't have him by next Tuesday my doctor will schedule me to be induced.

Well I am waiting for this baby to come I thought I would tell you about the great new things SU! is offering. First off it is Sale-A-Bration time which means for every $50.00 you spend you can earn a free stamp set or the new punch that is in the Sale-A-Bration Brochure. If the Sale-A-Bration sets don't fit your fancy, there is a list of stamp sets at the back of the catalog from the regular SU! Catty for your to chose from. What a great offer! Contact me if you have any questions about Sale-A-Bration.

Not sure what to order for your $50.00 purchase? SU! just came out with a great new Occasions Mini Catalog. For me the most exciting news is that SU! is offering Clear Mount Stamps. Its still the great same rubber stamps but you now have the option of buying them unmounted (not on wood block) and using the stamps on a clear block. The clear mount rubber stamps are a little less expensive and they come in a slim DVD like case for storage, which means they will take up less space. Don't worry if you don't want the clear mount version of the stamps you can still order the set just like you normally would.

OK, enough about the clear mount rubber stamps. There are some really great new items in this catalog. There are some great new punches with a new design, new paper choices, buttons, brads, and new Big Shot items. I can't wait for my order to get here so I can get some stamping done this weekend.

If you want to view the catalogs click on the pictures and it will bring it up for you. If you have any questions please call or email me. The only way I won't get right back to you is if I am in labor and then it will take me a couple of days to get back to you. Have a great day everyone.