Everyday Penguin

Whenever someone asks me “If you were an animal, which one would you be?”  I always reply “A penguin, because they are always so playful and having fun with lots of friends around!”

I received this card from my up, upline Karen Titus.  Isn’t he cute?  He’s from the stamp set Cold & Cuddly in the Holiday Mini Catalog.    I love that she used him as a birthday card, which makes him more practical than just coming out of the box for the winter season!  (All Images Copyright Stampin’ Up!)

She used Real Red card stock with Basic Black and added 3 Real Red brads.

This little guy has heart!

This is what the whole set looks like:

$27.95 for a set of 11.    The polar bear is the largest stamp at 2″ x 1-3/4″

Email or call me to place an order or you can order online (while you are in your jammies and everyone else is sleeping!) on my SU website at www.lindaheller.stampinup.net

Linda

1-866-460-4902

Holiday Cards To Share

I’ve got the flu.  Fever, chills, aches…the works!  It’s been such a long time since I had the flu, I forgot what fun it is.  On the bright side,  Matt’s been the best ‘nurse’ ever and just went to get me rice and soup.  He even took pics and uploaded for me for this post!

Here are a few swaps I received from Rhea’s swap group this month.  So pretty I just had to share with you although I loaned a few out so they aren’t all here:

(All supplies Stampin’ Up!)

Stamped by Sharon Skelton. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Sharon Skelton.   Stamp set:  Dasher

The base of the card is shimmery gold card stock and layered with Vanilla.  She embossed the greeting and Dasher with gold embossing powder.   She used Petals A Plenty embossing folder with the Oval resist technique.  (see technique here )   Then it looks like she sponged a little Champagne Shimmer Mist (from the Holiday Mini Catalog) on the flowers.

Stamped by Mary Hall. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Mary Hall.  Beautiful card!  Stamp Set is Scenic Season.  The base of the card is Whisper White and then layered with Shimmery Silver card stock that has been embossed with the Finial Press embossing folder.    The oval scallop frame (sizzix) is embossed with the same folder.  She embossed the trees with white powder on Navy card stock.  A little die cut snowflake and clear rhinestone brad finish it off!

Stamped by Sharon Burkert. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Sharon Burkert.  Stamp set is Berry Christmas from the Holiday Mini Catalog.   The base of the card is Whisper White and the Real Red card stock layer is embossed with Petals A Plenty.    There is a bird in that set also but saved the task of cutting it out by using the coordinating Sizzlet, Merry Details. (Holiday Mini Catalog)

Stamped by Denice Marshall All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Denice Marshall.  Soft Suede, Vanilla and gold with a snippet of Soft Suede ribbon tied with gold cord.   Really a lovely, monochromatic card.

Stamped by Rhea Hughes. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Rhea Hughes.  Stamp Set  Autumn Splendor from the Holiday Mini Catalog.   I love the unique color combo here of Sage Shadow and Ruby Red with a bit of Chocolate Chip ink and ribbon, too.

Stamped by Kimberly Allen. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Kimberly Allen.  Stamp set is Berry Christmas from the Holiday Mini Catalog.   Rich Razzleberry, Vanilla and Soft Suede are striking together!   The vanilla is shimmery and I think she rubbed the Frost White Shimmer paint on the edges and dotted the flowers on the embossed Razzleberry.

Stamped by Susan Gudmunson.   Stamp Set Dasher, stamped with Silver Encore ink on Night Of Navy card stock.   She used the Eyelet Border Punch on our Shimmer Silver card stock layer and White Organza ribbon with a Filigree Designer brad.    The greeting is stamped in Navy ink and punched with the Modern Label punch.

Well, that’s all for now – going to get another hit of Theraflu and hope it all goes away by tomorrow! Linda

Sunday Stampers

Our group of demonstrators got together yesterday to stamp and here are some of the swaps and projects they brought to share.  With another crazy week of construction guys finishing up on the house and moving back in, I’m afraid I might not get a chance to post details on these so I’m uploading a gallery so at least you can see ‘em!  

All Images copyright Stampin’ Up!   cick on pic to enlarge:

Stamped by Shantaie Fowler

stamped by Lorena Holmes

Stamped by Jackie Walker

Stamped by Karen Wagner.

stamped by Janet Munden

Stamped by Mary Taylor

stamped by Cyndra Alderman

Stamped by Lisa G

stamped by Carolyn Powers

By Susie Brown

Stamped by Myra Keefer

Stamped by Teresa Evangelista

stamped by Linda Goldhersz

stamped by Tammy Elliott

stamped by Angie Harris

Stamped by Marsha Perry

unknown artist – no name on back

Stamped by Toni Ballesteros

Stamped by Toni Ballesteros

Cased by Toni Ballesteros from Jan Tink

More Ideas For You…

Stamped by Cindy Baughman.  Pretty Sahara Sand and white snowflake card using Serene Snowflakes.  A little clear rhinestone brad in the middle adds just the right amount of sparkle!

Stamped by Tracy Komito.  Love the Build A Brad embellishment in the middle of the snowflake!

Stamped by Connie L Heisey.  Love that Dasher stamp!

More Holiday Show and Share…

Here are a few more of my favorite swaps I received at Founders Circle and a few other swaps I was lucky to participate in!   On the home front, we are knee deep in drywall dust and still living out of our office and bedroom while the rest of the house is getting a makeover.  Matt is still keeping his page on this blog updated with the progress (and sometimes the lack of progress – ah, county permits…) for those of you interested in non-stamping events of ours.

Stamped by Angela McKay.   I think this was my FAVORITE card I received at Founders.  Can you believe she stippled these with our stenciils?  She used  the Vintage Ornament stencil from our Decor Elements catalog.  (see it here)   Really beautiful color choices and she did a fantastic job shading these.  (and remember she made 125 of these – oh, my, gosh)

Stamped by Michelle Rahal.   I’m guessing but I think she used the big scallop circle die cut and cut a wedge out for the tree.  She embossed the Olive card stock with our embossing folder and used a white gel pen for the middle of the poinsettias.  Clever!

Stamped by Kim Cagle.   She used the new Ornament Movers and Shapers die in the Holiday Mini catalog, which coordinates with the stamp set and punch.  Using it twice and overlapping like this is really over the top!

Mistletoe Kissing Ball Punch Art!

I had my monthly demonstrator get together last Sunday here in Florida.  We always have a great time and it’s a favorite part of my job!    This month Toni Ballesteros volunteered (or did I talk her into it? details, details) to show her cute, original idea of how to use a Valentine’s Day stamp set for Christmas.  We have a video camera set up so everyone can see it on the big projector screen and I hit the record button and captured it for you. It’s a live video, so you will hear everyone’s comments and cheers, too:

done

(clear your cache and temporary internet files/cookies if video stutters)

Original Design created by Toni Ballesteros. All Images copyright Stampin' Up

Thanks, Toni!  Really Cute!

Founders Circle Swaps Part 2

Tamye Dunbar

Lynette Zahradka

Heather Summers

Kim Peck

Founders Circle Swaps Part One

Here are the first batch of the fab swaps from the Stampin Up Founders Circle retreat!!  I was so excited to swap with 125 talented stampers.  I delayed in posting some of them until today because I had a Demonstrator get together with my downline yesterday and I wanted them to be a surprise! 

By the way, if  you received a wacky post in  your email feed yesterday, I apologize.  I was playing with an electronic signature for my blog and it created a post without my knowledge!  Anyway, life in blogdom is sometimes unpredictable.

All Images copyright Stampin’ Up!

Jill Olsen

 This card is stunning with red glitter but the photo just doesn’t capture it. 

Christy Harsch

I think this is done with tin foil!

Jen Jacobsen

 Love the VersaMark watermark background on Jen’s quick and easy card

Glenda Travelstead

This has a pretty shimmer sprayed on with a mixture of alcohol and our new API ink, Champagne Mist.

Christy Schroeger

I love that she used Rich Razzleberry for the main card color.  It wasn’t a color I thought would be great for Halloween, but it really works here

Kimberly Van Diepen

Love the colors, love the stylishious bow and it says Create…how perfect!

Founders Circle Last Day (sniff)

I had another relaxing day ( a girl could really get used to this) of eating, talking, eating, laughing, eating, sharing ideas, eating….you get the idea. Oh, and I did get my MDS (My Digital Studio) certification and class done today!

At 5ish, we hopped on buses and headed off to our suprise location.   We pulled into The Ledges, a golf club in St. George.   Before we got off the bus they told us that there was a box at our table and NOT to touch it!

About that box….

(p.s. see the table cloth?  Cottage Wall DS, of course)

Shelli spoke for a few minutes before we were allowed to open the boxes.  She spoke about our theme this week, blooms and growth and butterflies…

and on the count of 3, we all opened our boxes and released our LIVE butterflies!   It was magical to see them all flying in the air!

Some stayed a while when they found a shoulder to lean on, like the fabulous Joann Weimers at my table.  Some butterflies were a little confused with Jan Burnett’s Big Shot flower!

Lisa Schmid was truly the butterfly whisperer as her hung around quite a while and even drank a bit of fruit juice from her finger!

Then if ALL that wonderful-ness wasn’t enough, this was on my pillow when I returned to my room:

I’m sad to leave my friends and my new friends but home is a wonderful place, too!  I miss Matt like crazy and can’t wait to see him.   (poor guy has to pick me up from the airport at midnight and then I’ll be hungry so he’ll have to take me to eat, too!)

Thanks for stopping by and sharing the trip with me! Linda

Founders Share Night

 

Earlier tonight and after a relaxing day, Jan Burnett and I were walking through the lobby to grab a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant.  Shelli Gardner (cofounder of Stampin’ Up) and her daughter, Sara, were looking for someone to eat dinner with.  We were delighted to spend time with them and they are both so easy and pleasant to be around.  We walked next door to Iggy’s and had a nice meal together.  We didn’t talk about stamping much.  It was nice to get to know them on a personal level!

After dinner, we rushed back to our rooms to put our pjs on, grab our cards  for the big line swap!  We made 125 card fronts and I think I had 6 leftover, so a few short but wow!  Wait till you see  ‘em!

After the swap, we went into the gathering room to take our group photo.  Trying to get 120 women to sit still and practically on top of one another to fit into a camera frame is close to impossible but we did it!  I was sitting cross legged on the floor and I could hear the groans and cracking of knees around me as everyone tried to bend and squeeze in!

They made up for the pain and increased blood flow by feeding us mammoth butterfly cupcakes and tropical drinks with paper umbrellas:

 

 They also gave us a special notebook and pen to take notes during the Share:

 

The microphone was in the hand of Bonnie Thurber who was like Oprah in the old days where she went out into the audience and encouraged participation.   Demonstrators got up, introduced themselves and shared a business tip.  As the night went on, I knew she was coming my way but I just kept my head down, doodled and avoided eye contact!  (I’m not the most comfortable at getting up in front of 100 people in my pjs)   I took great notes with my new pen and book.

We raced up to our room to see tonight’s pillow gift, which I thought the notebook  and pen gift was already enough for today.    I heard squeals of delight in the halls so I couldn’t wait to get to my room to see what the SU fairies left on my bed:

Too fun!  Garden boots with our Cottage Wall DSP on them!

 

Founders Circle Make & Takes!

 I’m SO excited!  I just talked to Bonnie Thurber who said we are now allowed to post our new stamp sets and samples we received here!  They will be making a formal announcement tonight – yay!  I really love sharing what we see with you and it made me sad that I had to keep in under wraps.   This will be the same for the cruise in April, so that will be great, too!  I’m glad they listened to our requests.

Here are the 2 new stamp sets and I think both will be in the Occasions mini in January along with what we made! 

I’m adding the display samples, too.  Those start with the lattice picture.

Click on pics to enlarge…

 

GARDEN FROM THE HEART (all images copyright Stampin’ Up!)

TINY TAGS (all images copyright Stampin’ Up!)

SET OF 6 ENVELOPES ROLLED OUT WITH BIG SHOT (all images copyright Stampin’ Up!)

CLOSE UP OF LITTLE ENVELOPE AND CARD (all images copyright Stampin’ Up!)

LITTLE VANILLA CARD STOCK BOX AND TAG (all images copyright Stampin’ Up!)

INSIDE BOX – FLOWER DIE CUT (all images copyright Stampin’ Up!)

FLOWER OPEN (all images copyright Stampin’ Up!)

Founders Circle Day Two

I slept in today – it was glorious!  I think I woke up at 9 am (which my internal clock was reading 11 am eastern time) and was STARVING!  I had to run downstairs to be sure I caught breakfast in time before it closed.  There was a full spread from omelet bar to bisquits and gravy. Yum

Funny thing is that I was there at the same table for I think 4 hours!   I had made plans to meet Joey Pogorel and Debbie Moczek about a Florida event we are planning.  (more on that later!)  Debbie Naylor joined us and we had a fun just shooting the stampin’ breeze.  People would stop at our table, pull up a chair and we’d bounce around topics.  It was a revolving door of demos!

This was the last group at our table – thanks girls for the great conversation, ideas and laughs! From back left: Debbie Moczek, Debbie Naylor, Joey Pogorel, Ruth Bingle, me, Martha Armstrong and Patty Bennett

So after my bum was numb for sitting so long, I headed down to do our make and takes.  I wish I could show you but since the stamp set won’t be out until January in the Occasions mini, they asked us not to post pics.  We did 2 projects but one had 5 little envelopes and cards/tags.  The other was a flower die in a box,  Cute!

We had a great relay stamp team going here!  We each took parts of the project and did them in bulk.  So whatever my job was, I did it 5 times so we were all finished in an hour (or so)  From left:  Debbie Naylor, Debbie Moczek, me, Robin Merriman, and Tiffany Bauer.  I usually don’t like stamping publicly but it was a blast with these girls!

Table for 71?   Yep, Robin organized a dinner at Olive Garden for 71 of us!   We all walked over and the service was amazing!  Robin had us all sit with others that we didn’t know well so we could make new friends.   I enjoyed getting to know Jane Wike, Susie Wood and LeeAnn Greff, my table mates!

After way too much pasta and ice cream, I rolled back to the hotel and caught a bus to Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida.  It was at the Tuachan Ampitheater, which is gorgeous!  We sat outside in comfy seats with the mountains behind the stage.  As it got dark out, there were bats flying here and there (catching mosquitos as good bats do) and we would catch glimpses of them in the stage lights. 

Lisa Schmid and I, just off the bus, holding our tickets in front of the scenery

My view from where I was sitting of the stage before the show.  We weren’t allowed to take pics once it started.

After a good cry over the love story about the soldier and the princess we headed back to the hotel and straight to the rec room (as I call it) for more chocolate!  Then we were too wired to go to bed…

By the way, for those quilters out there,  I wish you could see these in person!  Jill Olsen brought a bunch of quilts she made to share with all of us.  She uses the Big Shot to cut the shapes and it is incredible to see them all up close.   Here are a few pics of them -

 

(That’s Jill, holding up one of them)

Ruth was in love…

And finally, back to my room where there was another Pillow Gift waiting for me:

A beautiful hardcover edition of Secret Garden, to go along with our Bloom and Grow theme.  It’s was a thoughtful gift and the best part, which really touched my heart:

Founders Circle Dinner and Pillow Gift

Just had to share how Stampin’ Up went all out for us tonight.  The tables and chairs were dressed in a celery satin:

The chargers are terracotta planter bottoms (my brain is not pulling up the correct name for those)  There was a stamped card and napkin ring:

And our pillow gift tonight!   A new stamp set along with ribbons and markers!

We have our make and takes tomorrow – I’m sure these will come in handy!

Founders Circle Trip Day 1

I’m here!   

I woke up at 5 am, Matt drove me to the airport at 6, and plane left at 8 am.  I had to work on my swaps while I had 4.5 hours of uninterupted stamping time and I was hoping I had someone next to me that could deal with the little gear noises the snail glue makes and my punch clunks!  Out of a completely full plane, I get an aisle seat and no one next to me!  A nice man was in the window seat who slept almost the entire time with the exception of an occasional minute just to survey and then nodded off back to sleep.  Perfect!

I was the only one coming in from Orlando and Stampin’ Up had greeters there at the baggage.  From there, others joined from various states and we boarded a bus to St. George, which was about 2 hours.

This is what we saw when we arrived:

Hard to see the window details, let me zoom in for you:

It’s the theme of the event, our Cottage Wall Designer paper all over the windows! (and it’s glittery)

It’s everywhere!  On the pillows, on our tags…

This is what was on my door to my room:

I can’t take it home with me – it is a Decor Elements vinyl!

When we checked in, there was a table set up with butterflies and nets:

It was a Get-2-Know You game. We had to find 5 other people with different color butterflies and each one had a bit of trivia about ourselves.  When we found all 5, we could get our stamp set!  I’ll have to find out if I can show you  the stamp set – it will be in the Occasions Mini and it’s a nice set.

Of course Stampin’ Up loaded the room with candy and chocolate again this year:

Garden theme….these are what we hold the candy in.  Just like an old time potting stand!

I don’t know what these are, but holy cow, hold me back!

They have a place set up for the My Digital Studio, too!

And my good  friend Lisa Schmid who is here made me  this adorable notebook purse with the Cottage Wall paper!  Isn’t it the sweetest?!

That’s all for now!  Tonight we have a dinner all together, which will be fun!  Just having the time to get to know these talented demonstrators!

 

 

Linda

Off to St. George!

It’s 2:30 a.m. and I know I should be in bed BUT I feel like I just had a Mountain Dew and chocolate! I just finished packing, made a few videos for Stamping School and cut all the paper for my swaps. (yup, doing them on the plane but it’s 4 1/2 hours and some lucky stranger sitting next to me may end up with a crash course in assembling swaps!)

I’m still shaking my head that I made Founders (the Top 100 Stampin’ Up demonstrators) again this year. I feel so lucky to go and guilty all at the same time since so many are having a difficult year. I worked hard to earn it this past year and I’m going to enjoy relaxing for a few days. I wish I could take ALL of you with me! Keep an eye on my blog – I’ll be posting every day. To my wonderful customers and downline, thank you so much for helping me get to #40!

Keep on stampin’, Linda

Shoebox Swap Pics

Oh my gosh!  I cannot believe it’s been 10 days since I have posted.  Bad blogger..  We are in full swing of our house renovation and it is really a mess around here!  I naively thought I wouldn’t get caught up in it, could just carry on my stamping way.   I didn’t exactly calculate it all out in my head for the packing, the moving, the cramming, the stuffing and the people everywhere!  Matt and I have an old 1960 house that is going to the beauty shop and getting a makeover.   We are also expanding a room for a new stamp room!  Very exciting and I will be able to say goodbye to the unpredictable facility rentals and have some stamping events here at home.   If you want to see how our progress is going, Matt is updating his page here on the blog.

Our FL group had a fun time stamping recently and we had a shoebox swap.  Here are some of my favorites:  (p.s.  I ask them to note on the back of the card if it was cased or inspired by another stamper.  If they forgot or didn’t know, I’m sorry and just let me know it was your original design and I’ll edit the entry. )

Design by Emily Turner. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Estell Brickhouse. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Tammy Elliott. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Kathy Yip. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Marsha Perry. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Connie Hobbs. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Linda Goldhersz. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Linda Goldhersz. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Estell Brickhouse

Stamped by Vil Maldonado. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

No Name on card! All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

No Name on card! All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Estell Brickhouse All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Tammy Elliott. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Jennifer Crakes. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

Stamped by Jennifer Blank. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

no name on card. All Images copyright Stampn’ Up!

August Swaps Part 3

Part 3 of my favorite swaps from my long distance swap group!

Stamped by Rhea Hughes (our fab swap organizer)  Love  the DSP, Cast A Spell! The stamp set is called Pumpkin Patch, which will be available Sept 1 in the Stampin’ Up Holiday Mini Catalog.

More tomorrow! C’mon back or sign up for automatic udates here!

Orders can be placed anytime on my Stampin’ Up! Website here or just call or email me if you prefer not to order over the internet.  US orders only.

August Swaps Part 2

More of my August Swaps from my  long distance swap group!

Stamped by Carol Gilmore.  Beautiful colors including Old Olive, Ruby Red, Crushed Curry and Chocolate Chip.  A perfect card for fall and Thanksgiving using the stamp set Autumn Days.

Another Autumn Days card stamped by Susan Gudmunson.  The main card is Always Artichoke, then some designer paper, then the Top Note die cut in Mellow Moss and the oval die cut in vanilla card stock.

Beary Cute!  Stamped by Sharon Skelton.  Pretty in Pink card stock and pink taffeta ribbon  with  a SU flower brad. I thought the little designer paper strip accent was clever!  The  Build-A-Bear stamp set called Bearly Best  Friends will be available Sept 1st in the Stampin’ Up Holiday Mini catalog.

Stamped by ?  No name on the back but I’m sure one of the girls will email me and let us know!  Lovely card made with Rich Razzleberry and Cottage Wall designer paper.  The little mini library  clip on the focal image is really sweet.

More tomorrow! C’mon back or sign up for automatic udates here!

Orders can be placed anytime on my Stampin’ Up! Website here or just call or email me if you prefer not to order over the internet.  US orders only.

August Swaps Part One

These are some of my favorite swaps I received over the last 2 months.   Most are created by a talented group of stampers out of state and we swap monthly.  (Thank you, Rhea for organizing us each month!)  I love getting them in the mail!

Stamped by Sharon Burkert.  The cute stamp set is from the Holiday Mini catalog (avail Sept 1) called Twick or Tweet. The Basic Grey card stock background is stamped with the coordinating wheel called Haunting Hill.  Don’t you love the wide striped ribbon?  It is 1-1/4″, 10 yards for 8.95 in 4 colors.  See them all here

Look at the fun detail!  She used Stampin’ Up new designer paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog called Night & Day.  It has the cool houndstooth design she used for the bird. She cut out the pumpkin treat basket and used Crystal Effects on it for the glossy shine.

This is such a cool card!  Stamped by Carol Gilmore.  The frayed black grosgrain ribbon adds the right pirate feel and the skull is stamped on black card stock with white pigment ink.  The stamp set is Pirate Time (also can be part of tteh Pirate Party Kit)  The black card stock is cut at the bottom and layered on red card stock .

More tomorrow! C’mon back or sign up for automatic udates here!

Orders can be placed anytime on my Stampin’ Up! Website here or just call or email me if you prefer not to order over the internet.  US orders only.

Stampbusters Video: Alcohol or Water?

(if viewing from a feed in your email, you may need to come to my  blog to view video)

It’s been a while since I made a Stampbuster’s Video.  I haven’t really had many stamping myths to prove lately until today!  If you missed a few, most of them are HERE on this blog.

On with my experiment!  If you have a cuttlebug, Big Shot or other machine that embosses paper, you may have you tried spritzing your paper with alcohol or water before running it through to get a sharper, raised image.   There was a hefty debate with my stampin’ buds lately about which works better, water or alcohol.    Seriously, you would have thought we were debating an issue of greater importance, such as which is worse for you – pink or blue packets of sugar substitute.

To put the speculation to rest for me,   I set up a controlled test area (my usual messy desk) and cut 6 pieces of 3×3 squares of card stock.  2 were Regal Rose card stock and 2 whisper white.   I spritzed one white and one rose colored card stock 3x with water and the other set of papers 3x with alcohol.   I ran them through the Big Shot with the Squares Texturz Plate.

My results?  Although the water did help the embossed images to pop up more than without any spritzing,  the paper took longer to dry and curled up more. By the time it dried out enough for the glue to stick to it, I’d lost interest and moved on to something else.  The alcohol sprayed paper had a more pronounced, embossed design and dried so fast!  So the conclusion (for me anyway), is to use alcohol in a spray bottle for dry embossing plates and folders.

I used 70% Isopropyl alcohol from the drug store.  If you have any other ideas or experiments you’ve had great success with to improve your embossing, just drop me a comment!

Addendum:  Eileen left a comment the day after this was posted and said spray the texture plate instead of the paper for less curling.  Brilliant!  I tried it, same results as spraying the paper but dried faster and less curling paper for sure.  Worked great! Thank you, Eileen!

Here is the video:

done

If you are interested in purchasing any of these Stampin’ Up Texturz Plates for your own experiments and enjoyments, you can order on my Demonstrator Website or contact me by phone or email if you don’t prefer to order online (my info is at end of post).   I take all credit cards including American Express.  US order only please.

The set of 3 Double sided Texture plates below are Stampin’ Up Exclusive Texturz Plates #1.  $11.95 for the set of 3 plates, 6 designs.  Item # 114512

This individual Texture Plate is a Stampin’ Up! Exclusive design called Perfect Details.  It is only $3.95 and is double sided.  Item #115962

All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

The plates below are called Texture Plates Kit #4.  3 Plates for $9.95, 6 designs.  Item # 114531

All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

To place an order for the Texturz Plates, click here!

Linda Heller, Ind. Stampin’ Up Demonstrator

Sr. Manager

1-866-460-4902

Lindastamps@cfl.rr.com

Spanish Samples from Convention

1At our annual convention a few weeks ago in Utah, Stampin’ Up had a display of artwork from our Spanish catalog.   It is a beautiful catalog with 47 pages of ideas and projects!   I thought you might enjoy seeing the samples and I wish I knew who created them to give them credit.  I’m not sure if they were stamped by a demonstrator or the home office.    If you would like your very own copy of our Spanish Idea Book and Catalog free,  sign up HERE.  If you live in the Florida area, we have several spanish speaking demonstrators I can introduce you to so you can attend classes or workshops!

On with the samples!   Because there were so many, I inserted them in a gallery.  Just click on the pic to enlarge.  All Images Copyright Stampin’ Up!

Big Shot Hero Commercial

Matt here…

We’re very excited to finally be able to share this!  It was our entry into the SU Make your own commercial contest!

After some very anxious waiting here in Florida, Linda just sent me a text saying we won!!!  I wish I was there to see the reaction!

Special thanks to our demonstrator/actors:  Toni Ballesteros, Janet Munden, Lorena Holmes, Connie Hobbs, Trish Niedergeses, Mary Taylor and Susie Brown.  Also a big tip of the hat to Wayne “D.W.” Martin for lending his vocal talents!

If you have trouble with the video, try clearing your cookies and temporary internet files (click here then scroll down for a how-to video).

Enjoy!

done

Matt

General Session Day 3 AM

I have so many pictures to post but with all the activities of the day here, I have to wait a day!  We had our make and takes & classes all day today and I snuck out early so I could photo the displays.  After classes, I came back to the hotel and put on my PJs, ordered room service and a bunch of  demonstrators came to the room to look at swaps.   We pass around our bags of swaps, take pics, ooh and ahhh over our favorites and have the best time!  It’s late and the room is now back to just the 3 of us and I can hardly  keep my eyes open. 

Here are a few of my favorites:

Cards in an origami box

Look at the box trimming with the large twill and buttons!  Shelli said they looked like the boxes at Anthropolgy

this magnetic board was made by covering a galvanized steel sheet with Designer paper

Love the Designer paper memo board

We had a great time at the awards last night! My good friend Jan Burnett and I were sitting together, sweating it out as they announced the order of the Top 100. It’s very exciting and as close to the Oscars as I’ll ever get! We knew we were in there somewhere and I thought I was probably in the 90’s. (which is great and I would have been thrilled!). They call the demonstrator names 10 at a time and I was just stunned to be called at number 40! I know that my wonderful customers and downline were a huge factor for my award so thank you, my friends! (and for those of you who know Jan, she rocked it at number 35!)

Thanks for stoppin by!

Linda

General Session Day 2 am

2pm thurs:  Thanks so much for all the comments you left me on the blog, giving me cyber hoorays for Founders.    I appreciate  it so much and how fun it is for me to share all the fun things from here.   I know there are so many who couldn’t attend convention this year and I hope it helps to see a little bit here.

Here are some highlights and pics from our 1st General Session here at the Stamnpin’ Up annual convention here in Utah.    Shelli Gardner, cofounder and CEO,  gave an inspiring illustration about Hot Yoga, which is a new excercise class she is taking now where you learn yoga but in a very hot atmosphere so you sweat out all the toxins and she says she feels great! Of course she turns it all back to stamping.    She loves this yoga so much she tells everyone about it,  just like stamping.

SU honored the demonstrators for their 5 yr, 10 yr, 15 and 20 year anniversaries during a stage walk.   They also honored Lisa Fast, who just last week hit her One Million dollars in career sales! 

 

Yes that is a VERY large basket of Holiday Mini goodies and a $10,ooo check!  Way to go, Lisa!

6 demonstrators are walking their 20 year aniversary!
Margaret Goodfellow,Janet Baker, Jill olsen, Hollie Martin, Julie Shaw, an Susie Reno.

Brent Steele came on stage, showing off our new My Digital Studio software:

 

How cool to create those neat hard cover photo books online but use our stamps, ink colors and papers!

This is a framed art project he made and added some punched snowflakes, which would be called Hybrid scrapbooking by adding embellishments to printed projects.

Of course Brent always creates a bird card.  This is Cheap  Talk, digitally printed (not stamped). The birds can be made into any size of course since they are digital!  

Brent said to look for an announcement in Sept when we can start order this and it will be available before the mini catalog ends.

 
Guess who won a FREE My Digital Studio??   3 of us in our group!   Jessica Davis, Jackie Walker, and Susie Brown !  

 Jill came on stage to show us projects with the new Build A Bear workshop products coming out in the Holiday Mini catalog!

Build A Bear came out to share a NEW bear…wait for it….SO cute and only one per demonstrator here at convention….

With a certificate and stamp!  There is a Stampin’ Up logo on his paw pad, too!  Notice her  SU album and ribbon in her ear?  This one belongs to Laurie Hobbs

Once she brought that little bear to the table, we all couldn’t resist, including Emily!

Here are some really cute projects Jill created on stage:

 

These were just stamped with StazOn and watercolored with aquapainters on watercolor paper. 

Guess who won a free Build a Bear stamp set?

Toni Ballesteros, proud new mama of  Build a Bear!

We also have the Build  A Bear Sizzix Die Cuts!  Here is a magnetic board with bears cut out on magnetic sheets.

I’ll get better pics up later when they post them on the boards…

 This one is fabric with the iron on backing for a cute little tote.  She also stamped some cards and included crayons to color as a gift.

Ok, are you tired of me yet??

 Here are some of our Make and Take Projects!

all images copyright stampin' up!Stamp set is Things I Love, available now in the Stampin' Up catalog. all images copyright Stampin' Up!

all images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamp Set Hello Again

 That’s all for me for a while!   I have Demonstrator Theater (one of my favs here) where i get to sit in a chair and watch (on a nice big screen)  demonstrators show off cool projects they have created!  Then tonight is our annual achievement awards.  I’ll find out where I fall in the top 100.  Could be #99 – - who knows?    I found out the Founder’s Circle trip is in September and in the same place as last year, St. George Utah!

LInda

 

 

 

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Stampin’ Up Convention, Day One

Well,  I made to Salt Lake City, Utah for our annual convention.   Some demonstrators arrived yesterday but I chose to come in today.  My suitcase was loaded up with swaps (and too many clothes that I won’t get around to wearing) so I’m finally in my room and exhausted already!’

The line to the Memento Mall is SO long and a 3 hour wait so I opted to take pics of the displays outside through the glass and go back later!   Above is a SU eco friendly  water bottle.

Rubik’s cube, Stampin Up style

Cosmetic bag?

I have to get this artsy hoody!  Hard to see it here , but it is all Razzle Dazzled!

Want to see our convention bag?  It is so cool!

is

It is canvas AND it reversible!

And in the bag are my free stamp sets!

The biggest surprise of all was that I made Founder’s Circle!!  They surprised me with this special backpack with suede trim:

I’m just so thrilled to make it for a second year and be in the top 100.  I’ll find out on Thursday where I ranked but  honestly, I feel grateful to place at all. 

Tomorrow is our General Session and classes so I’ll update more later!

Linda

Wood Sheets Basket Video

Hi Stampers!   If you caught the Catty Cruise Blog Tour here last weekend, I showed some projects with Stampin’ Up’s Wood Sheets.   One was a basket and I promised a video tutorial.   Scroll down to the next post see the Wood Sheets projects and basket if you missed it.

I warn ya – it’s a 10 minute video because there are a few steps to the basket!   A labor of love but worth it! Linda

done

Off to make some swaps for our annual Stampin’ Up convention next week!    I’ll be updating with news and pictures a few times a day so save me as a favorite and check back starting Wedneday, Aug 5th!

Linda

Avast! Catty Blog Cruise is Underway!

C’mon aboard the  Catty Cruise Line!   Our blog hop starts on July 25th at midnight! (central Standard Time)    We have a manifest of  12 talented stampers sure to muster up your stamping creativity.  You voyage  to the next port by clicking on the port hole at the end of this post. But, if we somehow lose you along the way, you can always rejoin us by visiting our home port, Catty Cruise Line.  Each blog on your journey is a new port highlighting new products from our Stampin’ Up Catalog.  Grab your grog (or cuppa joe) and enjoy the ride!

Did you come by way of  LeeAnn Greff’s blog, Flowerbug’s Inkspot?   Ay, she’s a talented stamper that one!

While you are docked here,  I have a few projects to show you with our new Wood Sheets.    You can find them on page 158 of the new US Stampin ‘Up catalog.  You get 4 big sheets per pack, 5-3/4″ x 13-3/4″  for 9.95.  They are very thin, flexible birch wood with a heavy paper backing.

The easiest way to use them is just to stamp on them!  I love how the dark brown ink looks like the wood was carved with a wood burning tool.  I made this for Matt to leave on his desk:

I colored with markers after stamping with Basic Brown.   I used our little corner rounder to see if it would work and it did easily!  The heart on the envelope is also the wood.  A little tougher to punch but it did!

For the wood oval, I ran it through the Sizzix and it cut like butter!  So easy to stamp on it with Classic Ink, too.    I used Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Celery leaves from the Little Leaves sizzlet and a saffron flower punched from the  Simple Flower Embosslit die in Saffron.  The dotted paper is the Chocolate Chip Patterns paper.

Getting brave and more grog in me, I played around with Resisting on the wood sheets.  I stamped the big flower from Wedding Sweet on the wood in VersaMark.  Poured on some clear embossing powder, heated with my heat gun (could almost smell a campfire!)  Then I wanted to try ’staining’ the wood with classic re-inkers and aquapainters:

The left is stained with Creamy Caramel, the middle is Chocolate Chip and the right is Bravo Burgundy (looks like cherry wood!)

After that, I played around with some weaving with the wood strips.   I was on the phone with my demo friend, Toni, who sent me a pic of how to get it started and 5th grade came back to me!  Macrame and basket weaving in the 70’s!

The left is my first basket, pretty basic.  The right is a bushel basket and I stained the rim.  I added some fruit candies and a tag.  The handles are a strip of Choc Chip card stock with the faux suede technique.   I’ll be doing a video on how to make the basket next week so c’mon back or sign up for auto updates.

Thank you for stopping by!  It’s time to weigh anchor and sail to the next port, Linda McClain’s Catered Crop Blog!

Click the port hole here to get to the next stop!

More Swaps

Here are more swaps from my Demonstrator Get together!  Did you know you can try out being a demonstrator for only $85 right now?  As a hobby demonstrator, you can save 20% or more on what you buy for yourself.  As a business demonstrator, you can make extra money.  Read more about it here.

ROUND 3 OF MY PAPER SAMPLER IS OPEN BUT ENDS MONDAY!  SEE DETAILS HERE!

Stamped by Connie Hobbs. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Emily Turner. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

This is a sweet napkin holder for a shower.   I believe Emily punched the arches with a circle punch and the dress out from a larger circle.

Stamped by Jackie Walker. All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by? No name on the back! All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Deborah LaRue All Images copyright Stampin' Up!

Demonstrator Swaps

Here are a few of the wonderful  swaps from our last Demonstrator Get Together here in Orlando!

Stamped by Linda Goldhersz. All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

Stamped by Estell Brickhouse. All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

Love the Orchid and new Razzleberry together!

Stamped by Cindy Whitaker All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

Cindy is a great scrapbooker and I think the circles are fun!

Stamped by Linda Goldhersz. All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

How about this one?!  This is the new Crushed Curry and Soft Suede Combo.  I wasn’t sure I liked this set until I saw what Linda did with this card!

Stamped by Mary Taylor All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

Melon Mambo, Kraft and Bermuda Bay!

Stamped by Jennifer Crakes. All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

Jennifer embossed the flower and I like the contrast between the black and Lilac.

Stamped by Jessica Jakobbson. All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!

Check back tomorrow and I’ll post the rest!

Linda

Just The Facts, Ma’am!

The following is an article I wrote back in January called Just The Facts, Ma’am!  All about the skinny on being a Stampin’ Up Demonstrator.

I get asked this question all the time “What comes in the Stampin’ Up Starter kit?” The next question is “Ok, so what’s the catch?” or “what do I have to do to stay active?”

(I realize that a lot of you reading this are demonstrators and already know the ins and outs so if you stop reading, I won’t be offended!)

With Stampin’ Up having their Starter Kits on sale , now is a good time to answer those questions for anyone who is wondering what the real scoop is. No sugarcoating- just the facts, ma’am!

What is the catch? Other than a totally addictive hobby, it’s pretty easy. I’ve had more trouble and headaches trying to switch cell phone plans. That took 3 hours. Signing up to be a demonstrator? 20 minutes. Online. And you get your password to go onto the Demonstrator Only Website right away while you wait for your kit to arrive in a week to 10 days. What if I decide to not place any orders and just enjoy my kit? Stampin ‘Up will just drop you after your quarter is up. No penalties, nothing to give back, no note sent home to your parents.

How much do I have to order to stay active? $300 retail. This Stampin’ Up quarter runs April, May June.  So if you sign up this month, you would get your first quarter free of minimums. July, Aug, September is the next quarter so you would have to your $300 in orders by the end of December!  It can be ALL at once, or in smaller orders. With just your own orders or friends adding to it. You can be your own hostess, so with your 20% off as a demonstrator, the 300 goes down to 240.00 but then add back in 10% shipping and then tax. If you are 7% tax like me, then it comes out to around 285.00. BUT as your own hostess, you can get a free hostess set and 25.00 free merch. So it pays off if you are looking for a discount and you are going to spending that much on stamp stuff anyway.

Bonus: This is why some people sign up if they have a huge wish list or want something big like the BIG SHOT: You get 30% (instead of 20%) off your first order over 150.00 if you place it within 45 days of signing up. Be your own hostess + get a big discount = no brainer.

How do I know who to sign up with?

Do you want/need lots of training in stamping techniques or computer help? Do you want to stamp with a group or attend events or meetings?

Then I would recommend that you should find someone local to sign up with. Find a demonstrator who has monthly or quarterly events or training so you can learn all you can and stamp often! Our group here in Orlando meets monthly and we have a great time stamping together. Use the demo locator on the SU website at www.stampinup.com and click on Find a Demonstrator. Look for someone with a website and check out her events. Even if she is an hour away, it is totally worth it so you can learn all you need to.

If you are already a seasoned stamper who doesn’t necessarily need one-on-one training, decent on the computer and is happy to do your own thing, then it isn’t as important to sign up with someone locally. Personally I would sign up with someone who has been doing it for more than a few years, is established and offers some long distance support. I offer a free membership to Stamping School ( my video tutorial website) to my long distance demonstrators. It is a way that I can show them new techniques and projects since I can’t be there to stamp with them as much as I would like to!

Do I have to have classes or workshops?

Some demonstrators do it as a career and support themselves full time with it. It’s a lot of work but it can be done. More than half of the demonstrators in my group do it just for the discount or hobby. There is no requirement to host or teach any classes. Now if you want help with putting in the orders, we call those Bread and Butter customers. Those are the friends or family that you can stamp with each month or every other month so they can order a few things from you. Every little bit helps! And if you are like me, one day you may need extra money and that’s how I started doing it more as a business. When times get tough, sell stamps!

What is in the Demonstrator Only Website?

Gee whiz, there is so much in there that I couldn’t list it all. 5 years of back issues of our Stampin’ Success magazines (which arrive in our mail monthly), projects, templates, articles, some videos, Stamper’s Showcase (3-4 samples uploaded daily from demonstrators who submitted their samples) and Workshop Wizard, which has more projects.

Some people sign up just for the preorders. Maybe this has happened to you: You are on a website and see this awesomely cute card and say “I want that set!” but it’s not available for another month and then you get mad because the demonstrators already have it and are using it? Then you should be a demonstrator and get the upcoming mini catalogs or promotional stuff before anyone else!

Congrats on making it through my longest post ever!

If you have more questions, feel free to call or email me anytime. I’d be happy to steer you to the upline who is right for you to sign up with or sign you up with me to be a part of my group.

How do I sign up? A lot of demonstrators have a DBWS, which is a Demonstrator Business Website.  As demonstrators, we pay 12.95 a month for it and it is wonderful!  Stampin’ Up keeps it updated for us and we can add our own projects, calendar and special touches.   One of the perks is that you can sign up online and get your demonstrator password immediately!  Mine is www.lindaheller.stampinup.net and you can check it out.   Whoever you sign up with, you will need a recruiter password.  (Mine is linda heller for those who are ready to sign up!)

Linda Heller

Maitland, FL

407-767-6971 or toll free 1-866-460-4902

www.lindaheller.stampinup.net

www.stampingschool.com