Coaster Caddy

Just ignore the fact that this project used Bella Rose DSP yet again and rest assured that I have new papers in the mail. By the end of the week you will see other DSP besides this (if I can stand to tear myself away) beautiful, made especially for Becky, Bella Rose! :o) Have I mentioned lately how much I love Riding Hood Red cardstock...oh, and Pink Pirouette too? OK, maybe you've noticed!

This particular coaster box was originally done by Julie Griffith of Paper Jewels.

That girl has some amazing creativity in her head! Too bad she works for that other stamp company, we could be enjoying her ideas in Stampin' Up! style :o) It's OK, she's nice!

1. I started with five 4" medium weight coasters from Eclectic Paperie ,

covered them with assorted DSP and Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive then gently filed the edges with a sanding block.

2. I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch the holes then laced them up with Light Pink Grosgrain Ribbon. Lay them out flat to do this then attach the two end pieces together making sure it is pretty even and tight all the way around.

3.Finally wedge the bottom coaster in the bottom and adhesive the edges with Tombow. I did not lace the bottom piece, just glued it on. Now it was time to decorate!

4. First side has just a standard 3x3 post it note pad. I used 1/2 of a pad. The topper is a 3" width of Kiwi Kiss scored and folded around the top & punched with the Scallop Edge Punch.

5. Second side is a photo page. You can decorate it like a mini scrapbook page or add a framed photo.

6. Third side is a calender. I ordered mine from Vippies They are the large 3 x 2 1/4 size self adhesive calenders.

7. Fourth side is a dry erase board. Add a piece of window sheet or over head transparency paper to the coaster before you punch the holes and lace it right on. So slick (literally, get it??!) and easy and works like a charm!

8. The last thing I am going to do and I haven't done it yet is to cut one of the coasters in half and make a divider for the inside so it has 4 sections. I am going to use it for pencils, pens, rulers, you know, all the desk stuff.

Another great Christmas gift! Guy gifts are so hard in the fluffy stamping world and this would make a great guy gift for his desk or remote controls, etc. You could fill it with all kinds of cool things.

Next week you can look for the mini backpack tutorial. I'm almost finished with it. Thank you for all your e-mails on this project!!!

Coffee and Chocolate...yum!

Two new cards for another Jackie Topa stationary box. I needed a nice gift to thank Nicholas teacher from last year for honoring my teacher request for this year. She is so wonderful!

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette

Stamp Sets: Pun Fun, Big Bold Birthday, Smarty Pants

Accessories: Top card used new 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Small and Large Oval Punches for scalloped edge around the circle, Scallop Edge Punch, Chocolate Chip Wide Grosgrain and Bella Rose DSP. Bottom card used Scallop Edge Punch, OdldOlive Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Bella Rose DSP. I stamped the cupcake frosting in Pink Pirouette, smeared a little Riding Hood Red on it in a swirly fashion with my finger and used a Blender Pen and the ink pad to accent even more.

First Day of School

Today is the first day of school for my kids so I thought a backpack project would be perfect. Besides, they are all the rage over at Splitcoast Stampers. You can check out the forum and project links http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=375759 . The pattern is a little vague, it is basically a 2,4,6,8 box with a flap for the top. It makes the backpack 4 1/2 " tall, but you know me, I love tiny things so naturally I cut mine down to 3 1/2" and it's so cute!!

I closed the flap and the pocket with Velcro circles, used the new In Color ribbons and, shocking I know, Bella Rose DSP. These would be cute with candies oh...,and especially cute for Teacher Appreciation Week. I better lay low till that's over so I don't have to make 50 of these :)

Nicholas has a man teacher this year who is very athletic and outdoorsy, so I am making him a backpack in guy colors. Should I fill it full of loose granola? That ought to get his attention (insert cheesy grin)! Guy teacher gifts are kind of hard. How much fun can you have creating packaging for a Home Depot gift card?????

Inspired By Nature

A couple of cards based on the many ideas I found at convention.

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, More Mustard, Close To Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Stamp Sets: Inspired By Nature, Best Yet (1st level hostess set), All Holidays
Accessories: Wide Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Old Olive 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Word Window Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch

My Dad is So Cool!!

My dad was in town last week for the 2008 Western States Police & Fire Games. They were in Boise this year...and so are we, how cool! The boys and I went to watch the ole man do his thing. They've never seen him shoot and I've talked about it their whole lives. Dad entered the Archery competition senior division, since he is 70, but found out when we got there that no one else had entered the senior division and he was going to have to shoot against the 40-45 year olds for 2 days. Never one to back down from a challenge, he continued on. The first day he won the Silver Medal! He's always taken the gold but was particularily proud since he was playing against the 'kids'. The second day things were back to normal as he took the GOLD!!! Yeah Daddy! You still got it ole man! We are so proud of you :o)

New Colors, New Toys, New Cards!

I was sitting at my desk trying to make a few cards for the displays at my Catalog Kick off on the 5th, trying to get inspired when the door bell rang. It was my best friend, Mr. Brown from UPS delivering all my new catalog stuff! So after finishing this card, things got a whole lot more fun!

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Real Red, Whisper White

Stamp Sets: Pun Fun, Seeing Spots

Ink Pads: Staz-On Jet Black, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Watercolor Crayons, Blender Pads, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, 1/4" Circle Punch, Horizontal Slot Punch, Striped Red Grosgrain Ribbon

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette

Stamp Sets: Flower Fancy

Stamp Pads: Pretty In Pink, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories: 1/4", 1", 1 1/4" 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Scallop Circle Punch, Trip Flower Punch, Paper Piercing tool, Kiwi Kiss Striped Grosgrain, Bella Rose DSP

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White

Stamp Sets: Flight of The Butterfly

Ink Pads: Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Basic Black

Accessories: Pink Pirouette Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Flower Brads, Earth Elements Brads, Bella Rose DSP

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

Stamp Sets: Define Your Life, Garden Whimsy, Happy Everything

Ink Pads: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories: Pink Pirouette Striped Grosgrain, 1/2" Circle Punch for the dots on the bottom, Stampin' Dimensionals, Riding Hood Red and Bella Rose DSP

I'll be posting a few cards to share with you of course as I am preparing for Catalog Kick-Off, but I am working on new classes and tutorials plus Fall and Christmas things to share. I'm also very excited to tell you I will be doing a 'Twelve Days of Christmas' posting with pictures and patterns or instructions each day featuring fun little goodies you can make for the holidays!

Flight of the Butterfly

Man, I can't tell you the last time I used Mellow Moss. It seems so...old...

Cardstock: Mellow Moss, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Whisper White

Stamp Set: Flight of the Butterfly, Canvas

Accessories: 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Square Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Rhinestone Brad from the Pretties Kit, Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon (frey one end, pull one or two little strings from the middle and your whole ribbon will scrunch up. I paid $280 in convention fees to learn that trick...cool, huh?), Chocolate Chip 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon YEAH!! it's back!, 1/8" Hole Punch, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Paper Piercing Tool

Mini Magazine Tote Tutorial

Start with cardstock 8 3/4" x 7 ". Click on picture to see the scoring and cutting lines.
Cut on the cut lines, score and pre-fold all score lines.Fold the bottom section up.
Fold the center sections that you've scored at 1 1/2" in the middle over the bottom section to make the sides of the box thicker and more stable.
Fold the top section up and inside the box.

Mini Magazine Notes Tutorial

This is how it should look all folded up. (yes, you're seeing an extra score line on the side but don't look at it, it will be covered up next!) Place Sticky Strip on all sides that will be connected to something. Adhesive it down tight.
I added Designer Series Paper 10" x 1 1/4 to the center section around the bottom. That size leaves you a 1/8" margin on the top and bottom. I added a piece of Sticky Strip all around and a ribbon. The 'notes' was done on the computer andpunched with the Word Window. It is about 1 1/8" long mounted on colored cardstock. I added Earth Elements Brads and attached the little label with Mini Glue Dots.
Finished project. It is about 4" x 3 1/4" x 1 1/2". Perfect for 3x3 note cards and envelopes. Enjoy the tutorial! Send me a picture of the Mini Magazine Note Holders you do!

I am working on another one for regular size cards next!

Magazine Holder Card Set

I wanted to make a different kind of box for the 3 x 3 cards that I love so much so I came up with this little magazine holder. The box is about 3 1/4" x 4" x 1". I think I'll make the width about 1 1/2" next time so it won't tip over. This is surprisingly stable but I think a little wider would be better. Plus it will allow me to put a label on the front which I wanted to on this one but it'a too narrow. Stay tuned, you may see this again after slight remodel!

Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red

Stamp Set: Pun Fun

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Light Pink Gingham Ribbon, 1" Circle Punch, Bella Rose Designer Series Paper, Paper Piercing Tool

Edited to add: Ya, ya, ya, I'm working on a tutorial, don't worry :o) I'll have it posted by next week. Thanks for all the cool e-mails tho!

New 2009 Spring-Summer Wish List

Your new 2009 Spring-Summer Wish List is ready for you to print off!

Out With The Old, In With The New!

Today is the last day to order from the current Stampin' Up! catalog. If you have been putting it off, you literally have just hours to contact me :) Current In Colors, Groovy Guava, Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate, Sky Blue, Bayou Blue and River Rock are gone as of tonight! Take one last look at your current catalog to make sure there isn't anything you can't live without.

InWith The New

Tomorrow we will begin taking orders from the new 2008 Stampin' Up! Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog. She's a beauty! There are bunches of new stamp sets, fun accessories and all new In Colors that are georgous! If you are in the Boise, ID area and would like a catalog, please contact me.

I know a lot of you haven't had a chance to see it yet and are waiting for Kick-Off's and Open Houses, but you can take a look at it on line tomorrow...yeah!!

And guess what???

Stampin' Up is offering 2 exciting promotions right off the bat!

You can order selected brand new, never seen before stamp sets at 15% off by viewing the flyer here.

AND
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to join the Stampin’ Up! family…this is it. You asked, they listened. Stampin’ Up! knows that over time customers accumulate lots and lots of great Stampin’ Up! products…and those of you that want to become demonstrators may be feeling like you don’t want or need a huge starter kit…so for a limited period of time, Stampin’ Up! is offering 4 Starter Kit options.
The first is the original $199 option - a great value with over $350 worth of products and business supplies PLUS one FREE any price stamp set from the NEW catalog!

The next 3 are $99 Starter Kit Promotions here offering different products designed for your specific interests! Choose from

Stamp Focused, Scrap Focused or Home Decor Focused.

Offer runs from August 11th and October 11th.

This is a great time to try Stampin' Up! either as a business or even to get a discount on the things you order all the time anyway. You are automatically active for 3 months after you sign up, that is plenty of time to get you through the holiday stamping and gift giving months before you decide to continue or not.

I'd LOVE to have you join my Inkin' Everything team!

See you tomorrow with a BRAND NEW CATALOG!!!

Woo-Hoo! Time To Kick Off A New Catalog!

Catalog Kick-Off plans are underway!!! Stacy and I are busy making samples, favors, door prizes, make & takes...all the good stuff you want!! If you are in the Boise area and would like to attend please let me know, yasou@cableone.net. I'll be posting lots of pictures for this event especially after I get to order new products on Monday!

WOO-HOO! WHO LOVES NEW STUFF????

Stampin' Up!'s Beautiful Home Office

The Legacy Room in the home office is a place to showcase Stampin' Up!'s history of where they've been and how far they come. Very impressive improvement in the past 20 years and a solid future and plan to move forward. Stampin' Up! realizes the importance of trends, even setting trends and the value of the internet and also our scary economy and is doing all they can to help us suceed and make Stampin' Up! products available to everyone. They are and will continue to branch out into Home Decor, Art and any other medium that rubber stamping can enhance. There is no end in sight for all the possibilities you can do with rubber stamping!

There are also little room vignettes set up displaying how you can best show Stampin' Up! products in your own home. This one I particularily love because it shows how you can incorporate products into your home decor ;o)

Pictures of the Stampin' Up! home office in Riverton, UT. What a beautiful place to work! Can you imagine coming through the front door each day and seeing that huge waterfall. The sound was so peaceful and tranquil...how could that NOT inspire creativity?? There are tables and chairs all around it for employees to eat lunch or take breaks.

Can You Feel The Excitement???

Sit down with a cup of coffee for this one...it's long!

Can you feel the excitement in the air? I can! Stampin' Up!'s 20th Anniversary Convention was so exciting and exhilarating. I'm exhausted but thrilled to be back to see my family and share with you the exciting things Stampin' Up! has in store for this year!

Where should I begin?!

First, the 2008 Fall & Winter Catalog & Idea Book is absolutely beautiful! It has a scalloped edge on it just like our new punch. It is full of new stamp sets and accessories you are going to love! As you know, we can begin ordering August 11th. You still have until the 10th to order from the Spring and Summer Catalog anything that is being discontinued that you may want.

One of the most exciting announcements is that Stampin' Up! has partnered with Sizzix to make a Big Shot die-cut machine exclusively for Stampin' Up! You can create multiple die-cut shapes, tags and envelopes quickly and easily. The Big Shot machine works with more than 50 materials, including card stock, Designer Series Paper, fabric, CHIPBOARD, plastic, vinyl and more! The Big Shot uses our exclusive die-cuts made to coordinate with our stamp sets or regular Sizzix dies - plus it is compatible with other dies on the market!

How exciting is that???

OK, so the machine in and of itself is pretty exciting...but wait until you see the new Stampin' Up! logo black and white checkered bag that goes with it. I need one for my Sizzix, one for my Stampin' Up! catalogs and show stuff, one for traveling, one for the kids, oh man!!! The call it a Doctor's bag (it's that shape), and it is huge and beautifully constructed to hold a lot of weight. Oh ya... you NEED one or two or three ;o)

Phase Two of the Decor Elements is on it's way soon. We saw some of the new vinyl wall decor last week. It is gorgeous and so versatile! We are now layering colored vinyl over colored vinyl like our two-step stamping! The flowers they demonstrated are in Pixie Pink, So Saffron, Gable Green and I think it was Chocolate Chip. They were darling!

Shelli, our co-founder and CEO is starting her own personal blog beginning Monday, August 4th. www.SoShelli.com.

During the first general session of convention, Shelli announced the launch of Shelli's Signature Collection, a line of products that span the entire Stampin' Up! product line, including stamp sets, home décor, and accessories. These will be products that she either personally loves or, in some cases, even played a part in developing.

For the second time, Stampin' Up! will partner with Country Living magazine to offer an exclusive holiday kit. The Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit will include exclusive stamps, a combination of Designer Series paper, and coordinating accessories that will only be available by purchasing this kit.

The kit and project ideas made from the kit would be featured among 20 pages in the magazine's December holiday issue!

Any day now if you haven't already, you should be receiving your Fall-Winter Sampler catalog. It's a sneak peek of what is in the new Fall & Winter catalog and offers some fantastic promotions!

Fall-Winter Sampler Promotions
Dates: August 11, 2008-January 18, 2009

Promotion Details:
New Recruit Incentive:

August 11-October 11, 2008

Join as a demonstrator with the standard $199 Starter Kit and choose one stamp set out of the Fall-Winter Sampler or Idea Book & Catalog for FREE.

I would LOVE to have you join my Inkin' Everything team! Come on, it's FUN!

Hostess Incentive:

October 1-November 30, 2008

Host a $350 workshop and choose one stamp set from the Fall-Winter Sampler for FREE!!!

Call me today to book your holiday show! There are some fantastic new and easy projects we can make together, perfect for holiday gift giving!

Product Offer:

December 1, 2008-January18, 2009

Spend $20 and get 20 % off any stamp set from the Fall-Winter Sampler. What a great deal!!

Have you heard enough yet? Ready for some pictures??

The convention theme was Celebrate...for their 20th Anniversary.

20th Anniversary symbols were everywhere. These were chocolate, the best kind!

Seven Inkin' Everything Team members were in attendance!!Standing: Lori Terry, Becky Roberts, Trina Tarczy & Danee Hoang. Sitting: Paulina Hoang, Kim Sinclair & Jennifer Valk The production line in the Stampin' Up! shipping warehouse in Riverton, UT
I'm sure one of these boxes getting ready to be filled is MINE!!
Every year they play a game show with audience contestants. This year was Stamptionary. East Coast vs. West Coast and Oldies vs. Newbies.
At the end of the closing ceromonies, the door bell rang. The crowd went balistic!!!! Yes, it was the UPS man at the door with a Stampin' up! box...and FREE stamps for everyone!!! Yay!! The place was full of the men in brown--and UPS delivered a free stamp set to all demonstrators attending the last session of convention. A UPS truck actually drove on stage and numerous UPS delivery employees poured out of the back, toting boxes of free stamps.
The stamp set--Say It with Scallops--is this year's Ronald McDonald House Charities set. Because Stampin' Up! is such a valuable UPS customer, UPS donated the stamp set for the giveaway as a gesture of thanks. Demonstrators always look forward to the UPS truck driving down their road, but the arrival of the truck during convention was an unexpected and unforgettable treat!
Confetti cannons shot off confetti everywhere! It was so thick you could barely see around you. It was so exciting!!!!

This was my seat when I turned to sit down...FULL of confetti!! I put my stamp set down and took a quick picture!

Nice hair accessory, huh?? Who cares! It was FREE stamps!!!

I have to tell you, I had the BEST time this year!! The demonstrator classes were great, presentations were pure Stampin' up! quality and best of all I got to see some of my team and LOTS of CA and past convention friends. I met Lorri Heiling of http://www.stampingaddict.blogspot.com/ and Jill Hilliard of http://www.jill031070.blogspot.com/ and so many other blogging friends! Thank you also to everyone who stopped me and said such nice things to me about this blog ;o)

More to come in the next few days...

More Stationary Box Contents

All four stationary boxes have different 3" x 3" cards in them. The first picture shows the cards I made using the Slit Punch. This was a fabulous idea offered by Andrea Walford on her Demo To Demo site. The second photo shows one of all 4 different sets. After a while they all started to look a like and I just needed to get them done!!!

The third photo shows one of the gift tags. They all have different colors of cardstock and a different piece of the Bella Rose paper. I left them blank so they could be stamped with a sentiment of their choice, depending on what occasion they use them for.

Finally, the picture of the Birthday Book. I didn't want to make an address book like Jackie Topa did with her original instructions, so I had my fantastic little man, Benjamin create a monthly Birthday Book. I ran the pages on regular printer paper and cut them to size. I may be willing to share those pages if you leave a nice comment. E-mail me at yasou@cableone.net if you want a copy. Edited to add: If you have received the calender pages but can't open them, let me know. We have a newer version of Word (so my comperter guys tell me anyway) and they've fixed it so all computers can read it now. Also, a wonderful lady e-mailed me with a very complimentary note...and I accidently deleted it without sending her the calender pages. PLEASE write back if you are the one who hasn't received them, so sorry!!

I attached the book to the box with 2 sticky Velcro circles so it can be removed and reattached easily.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures of the stationary boxes! I'll be back Sunday afternoon with all kinds of new photos, the NEW catalog and tons of inspiration to share.