Alaska Achievers Blog Hop

I'm excited to be participating in the Alaska Achievers Blog hop!  The theme this month is the Share What you Love bundle.  Demonstrators from all around the world will be sharing what we have created using this Share What you Love Suite.  Make sure to use the blog hop list below to hop around and see all the great projects! 

For the month of May, Stampin' Up! is letting everyone get the chance at some free products when you purchase one of the special Bundles that are now available.   There are four possible bundles you can choose from which I will post below. 

Here's what I created using the Embellishment kit that is a free gift with the " A little more bundle" and the "Gotta have it all bundle"

Share What You Love Embellishment Kit

Kit includes:
* 4 large labels
* 8 small labels
* 8 yards Tranquil Tide Baker's Twine
* 8 yards pearlized thread
* 8 silver adhesive-backed roses
* 8 silver paper clips
* 8 Grapefruit Grove paper clips
* Designer box, 6" x 4-3/4" x 1"

The box is just so pretty.  I was thinking the cards I've made would be perfect in the box as a gift for Team S.T.I.C members. 

I am absolutely in love with the Share What You Love Specialty Designer Paper.  The paper has gorgeous pearlized accents and you have to see it to fall in love with it.  I'm hoping this photo gives a little bit of the taste of the shine embedded into the paper.

The pretty notecards I am using will not be released until the new catalogue goes live on June 1st but if you want them now then you can order them on a demonstrator preorder.  That's just one of the demonstrator perks!  Join the fun of the Stampin'  Up! family and my Team S.T.I.C stampers! 

Thanks for dropping in today!  I'll paste a video and the bundle options for this special promotion below and feel free to head to my online store to order yours! 

Make sure to hop around to the blogs of my fellow demonstrator achievers for more inspiration with this beautiful Share What you Love Suite. 

Another Stampin4fun Paper Share!

In just a few short weeks the new annual catalogue will be releasing! This means there is a whole batch of beautiful new designer series papers that need to be owned!!

Of course you can feel free to purchase full packs of all the papers but why not consider the option of participating in my paper share so that you get a sampling of all the papers so you can see what you like best before committing to a full pack?

Here's how my Stampin4fun paper share will work. 

All papers will be 6" X 6" in size and you will receive at least 2 samples of each design from 13 different paper packs! (since our papers are double sided you need to have the opportunity to experience both sides right?)

(The only exception is the Graceful Glass Vellum which is single sided so you will only receive one of each design) 

Participating in this paper share is easy!  It's $80 for everything listed below and you will be able to pick up your share from me by the 25th of June.  Live long distance?  No problem!  Anyone in Canada can participate in my paper share.  Just tack on $15 for shipping direct to your door! 

Once you register for your ticket choice,  (paper share for pick up or paper share with shipping) then I will send you an invoice which you can pay by credit card or you can send me an Electronic money transfer. 

You must pay for your share by June 10th! 

That's it! 

12 sheets Tea Room DSP
12 sheets of Broadway Bound Specialty DSP
12 sheets Share What you Love Specialty DSP
12 sheets Graceful Glass Designer Vellum
12 sheets Twinkle Twinkle  DSP
12 sheets Under the Mistletoe DSP

12 sheets Nature's Poem DSP

12 Sheets Petal Promenade DSP

12 Sheets Tranquil Tide DSP

12 Sheets Animal Expedition DSP

12 Sheets Best Route DSP

24 Sheets Garden Impressions DSP

24 Sheets Tropical Escape DSP

That's 180 sample sheets of NEW Designer Series Paper! 

There's no question that Designer Series Paper really dresses up a card in an easy way! 

Look at this card using the Nature's Poem DSP

A sample of the new DSP is a great idea to me!  Ready to reserve your Stampin4fun Paper Share? 

Click HERE

Happy Mother's Day to Me

This past weekend was a bit of a whirlwind but I was very grateful to have been recognized by my kids and husband.

When I got home from my girls getaway  I was greeted with these pretty flowers.

Then the following day we went for a family movie outing and then out to dinner at a restaurant of my choosing.  I chose a little Mexican family restaurant called Celito Lindo.  I love their food.  I feel like I could eat there at least once a week!  (I'm sure my waistline wouldn't thank me but the food is good! ) 

I was given this lovely handmade card stamped by my daughter: 

I don't know if I have ever put Melon Mambo and Soft Sky together but they look great! I love how she chose to make a gatefold card with the sentiment from the retiring Just Add Text Stamp Set  (browse all products on my online store) 

The family chipped in and bought me something that I didn't realize I needed until I went on the girls getaway last weekend: A Dymo Label maker! My friend Hattie who dropped in on the girls weekend insisted that this was a must have device. 

What is so awesome about this label maker?  It can make address labels for me!  It's true.  You'll start to receive thank you cards from me that are neatly addressed on these special labels. It's much faster than doing it by hand! It's also much neater than my messy scrawl! 

I spent the evening uploading addresses and printing labels.  I just feel that thank you card and Christmas card mailings are going to be easier from here on in!  I don't know if you can tell but I am very very very excited!!!!

The following day we went to church where there was a special service honouring women.  They had some of the men serving chocolates to the women on silver platters.  Very cute. 

I am very grateful for my husband and children who helped make the weekend special for me! 

Thanks for dropping in. 

tams# 22720

Product List

Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[115320]

$10.00

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad

[126948]

$8.50

Soft Sky 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[131203]

$10.00

Layering Circle Framelits Dies

[141705]

$46.00

Flower Shop Wood Stamp Set

[130939]

$32.00

Flower Shop Clear Stamp Set

[130942]

$24.00

Pansy Punch

[130698]

$21.50

Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack

[144177]

$12.50

Just Add Text Wood-Mount Stamp Set

[143931]

$33.00

Just Add Text Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[143934]

$24.00

Make time to take time for you

I know this is a very late recap from the spring Ladies Retreat Weekend but I figured better late than never!     I understand life.  It's so easy to be busy and easy to get caught up with taking care of work, kids, housework etc etc but then the days fly by and you forget the last time you did something that gives you joy and rest and happiness. 
I want women to enjoy little moments of time where there's nothing to worry about.  I believe a little escapism can be recharging and good for the soul.

The Ladies Retreat Weekend is meant to be that kind of weekend.  A weekend to do whatever makes you happy and to provide some sweet, pampering touches.  There is no need to worry about food because meals are delivered right to the ballroom of the hotel and you can leave your crafts out on your table all weekend long. 

Here's some photos.  I hope you can join in for the fall retreat which is scheduled for October 12th weekend.  Check out the registration HERE

Here I am ready to hit the road.  The car was super full since I bring all my punches, big shot dies and a whole lot of prizes!

Everyone gets a full bag of crafting goodies valued at over $30 which is waiting for them when they arrive

Once the room is set up, we open the doors to welcome the ladies!

I love how the ladies just make themselves at home.  Slippers, shelving, snacks...it all came out. What I loved most was the conversation and the smiles. 

Many thanks to my helper Melissa who made some extra pretty touches.

The weekend is a place to have fun with friends,

 perhaps participate in a fun game of bingo

(here's the grand prize bingo winner)

Receive pampering gifts such as this homemade lemon body scrub

 Do whatever projects your heart desires...(here's Katelyn doing some sewing)

It truly was a wonderful weekend!  I felt very blessed and hope the ladies did too!!

So that's a quick although belated recap of the weekend.  Won't you join us in October? Make sure to register with the early bird rate!  Details HERE

My helper Melissa and I will be so pleased to pamper you...because you deserve it!

Stampin' girlfriends are the best!

One of  the greatest blessings of my Stampin' Up! journey is the friendships that I have made over the years.
One girlfriend that I have stayed in touch with is Jennifer Cotton.  We met since we were called to the Advisory Board in the same year.

Here's a photo of us when we didn't know each other but were called up to the stage

We didn't know it then but it turns out we have become excellent friends.  Even though she lives in Texas, our friendship has only gotten stronger.  With the greatness of technology we often text each other multiple times in a week.  I admire her because she works so hard at her Stampin' business and 

she may be very quiet and shy but that means whenever she spoke up on our advisory board meetings, I made a point to learn and listen!

With some of the changes to the Stampin' Up events schedule, there seemed to be less opportunity for top demonstrators to gather and learn from each other and less opportunity (excuse) to travel.  So, I suggested to Jennifer that we take a mini getaway once saleabration was over.  I imagined we would relax and chat and maybe even learn some business tips from each other.

We had no idea where to go but settled on Myrtle Beach since neither of us has ever gone before and we figured a destination with the word "beach" in it could not be a bad thing.

She flew from Dallas and I flew from Toronto.  We arranged for the same connecting flight in Charlotte North Carolina and then off to Myrtle Beach!



I'm having a great time.  I've already had at least two uncontrollable laughing fits and have napped, shopped and had several "southern" meals.  I don't know how Jennifer feels but I think this should be an annual trip.  I've even made a hastag for us "jengenadventues" so that when we meet on incentive trips or anywhere else we can search for our photos on social media using our hashtag.


We had a great hotel right on the beach.  This is the view from our hotel room. 


Our hotel lobby seemed to have that clean, fresh, southern charm and it includes breakfast!  (hello biscuits and gravy!) Jennifer and I were very pleased with our choice considering we were both too busy to do much research so we picked a hotel that had good reviews on trip advisor.  We were pretty impressed with this 2.5 star hotel.  Grin.




Anyway, this was all a long introduction to today's watch it wednesday video.  I could NOT figure out how to save my facebook live videos onto you tube and today Jennifer taught me how to do it.  Therefore, here is the facebook live video I did on my facebook group when I came back from the Stampin' Up! On Stage event.  I know some people are not on facebook so you may not have seen it.  If you are on facebook, make sure to be a part of my facebook group so you can stay in touch and see special offers and posts. Join here
Enjoy!
Thanks for dropping in!

I'm sharing what I love!

So many things in my life are worth sharing!

Stamping is definitely one of the joys in my life which I love to share!

Stampin' Up! knows all about my passion, hobby...ahem ...addiction.  In fact they've known all about it for 30 years!  Stampin' Up! is celebrating their 30 year anniversary!

They are celebrating all year long and this month's promotion is a part of that celebration.

There are 4 bundles available with some sneak peek new catalogue products.  Get a smaller bundle or get the big bundle, but don't miss out on these bundles since they will give you free products!

Read about it HERE at this blog post

Whether you are shopping for these sneak peek products or are nabbing retiring goodies or just need to buy some basics, you can get a free class kit from me! 

When you place a minimum $40 on my online store before May 30th and use host code: GZDK2RS6, I will send you a class packet to make 4 cards using the beautiful new Love What you Do Stamp set and the pretty Share What you Love DSP. 

You will receive the cardstock and embellishments to make 4 pretty cards. They will be mailed straight to your door.  You'll also get the photographs and tips for making the cards via email. 

Just use your own ink and stamp set to make up the 4 cards in the comfort of your own home.  

Here's a peek at one of the cards

I just love the new paper and stamp set so I'm sharing it with you by mailing you a class kit when you place an online order (min. $40) before May 30th. 

Remember to use host code: GZDK2RS6

Thanks for dropping in! 

Happy Stamping! 

Watch it Wednesday Technique Video

Happy Wednesday!  Thanks for dropping in for #watchitwednesday.

Today's video is a technique video from Stampin' Up! on a faux metal embossing.  I remember doing this technique at one of my technique classes many years ago.  It is super cool!  Make sure you have lots of embossing powder!

Note: The vintage leaves set (item 138802)  being used in this video is on the retiring list so make sure to nab it along with the retiring framelits (item 138283)before they are gone!   Head to my online store to browse everything! 

Heat embossing is such a timeless, tried and true technique.  We just used heat embossing in technique class recently to make this card:

We are always doing fun and interesting things in technique class!  If you are local to the Markham, Ontario area, please join in on Monday for technique class and check it out! 

We're doing three fancy cards that all have different peekaboo features. 

You can RSVP for the May 7th 10am class

or RSVP for the May 7th 7pm class