Take A Spin Valentine

The new Occasions Mini Catalog started yesterday and boy does it ever have some cute things in it for spring! I love, love, love stamping Christmas projects but it's so refreshing to have something new when it's all over. Ü

Have a look at the Occasions Mini Catalog HERE.

Take A Spin is one of the new sets, and we also have these little Game Spinner Heads to go in them. You get 12 of these for only $3.95!

Cardstock: Real Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

Stamp Set: Take A Spin, Filled With Love (words)

Accessories: Game Spinner Heads, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, NEW 3" die-cut & Big Shot, Love Impressions Designer Series Paper, Boho Blossoms Punch, 1" and 1-1/4" Circle Punches, Whisper White 5./8" Grosgrain

January Stamp Club Filled With Love

Don't forget about the Valentine's bundle, Filled With Love!

From now until January 24, 2011, receive a FREE package of Bitty Buttons (a $4.95 value) when you purchase the Stampin' Up! Filled with Love Bundle.
The Filled with Love Bundle contains the Filled with Love Stamp Set (in wood-mount or clear-mount) and the exclusive Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack.

The Bitty Buttons are a great addition to the bundle. There are so many cute things you can make with using them!

To order the Filled With Love Valentine's Bundle or any other products, please visit my online store HERE.

This months Stamp Club projects are all made using the Filled With Love Bundle. These are the projects we will be making this week.

I snagged this card right from the arms of Mary Brown...I loved her version HERE. I changed the Designer Series paper to Botanical Gazette and made a little Valentine to match with the Two-Tags die-cut.

We will also be making one of these Candy Gifts as a Valentine project. You can find the pattern for this one in the 12 Days of Christmas 2010 edition tutorial, HERE.

And finally a matching card. This is a CASE of myself from last year, I just changed the stamp set. See the little Bitty Button on the heart of Feb. 14th? Remember you get those free when you purchase the stamp set and the Designer Series Paper.

Side view

My Teeny Tiny Stamp Space

I have edited this post at the bottom to answer a few of the questions.

My stamp space in the alcove of our bonus room. It is super tiny, approximately 8' x 8'....good thing small spaces are popular this year!

Right side - this is where I sit to stamp.
Left side - this is where I stand to cut die-cuts, cut with my big paper cutter and punching. I covered a big board with fabric and mounted towel bars on it for my punch rack. The furniture is actually the color in this photo, burgundy, not the brighter color it looks below. We bought them unfinished at an unfinished furniture store that was going out of business and pained them ourselves.

I have 2 drawers of stamps. I have about 5 clear mount stamps in the drawer below and about 10 rotating holiday stamps that I store under my bed, but this is all the stamp sets I have. If it isn't current in the catalog, I don't keep it.

The rest of the drawers have extra cardstock, ribbons, SNAIL adhesives, punches, chocolate, and back up supplies of all kinds.

To the right of my stamp desk, I have a file cabinet with all the cardstocks in there. The top drawer has my Stampin' Mist, Blender Pens, and extra markers. On top of the file cabinet is my stamp pad carousel (from CDJ Designs, which I think has gone out of business). I've had this for almost 10 years...way before SU! came out with their design. It has a place for the markers on the sides.

On the floor between my desk and file cabinet are all my Designer Series Paper and the In Color cardstocks.

Above my stamp desk are cubbies from Pottery Barn filled with In Color Pads, Ribbon and Markers, all the 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon as well as some of my favorite things.

On my desk I have a red caddy from Michaels that has files of Whisper White and Very Vanilla cardstock. I hang my hand held punches over the edge and the rest holds things I'm not sure what to do with . Ü

In the center is an 3 compartment office supply paper holder that has my paper cutter and Stampin' Scrub and Sticky Strip.

On the left is a container that holds my acrylic blocks and a few envelopes.

This vertical chest holds my ribbons, embellishments, smaller punches & border punches and other accessories. On top is my Clip It Up that holds Big Buttons, Jewels & Pearls, Linen Thread, and stuff I want to see at a glance.

The last thing to get off the floor is my Big Shot and die-cuts. I have to find a little shelf to put in the corner by the window to hold them.

When it's not pouring down rain, I enjoy looking out the window at the beautiful mountains. I can watch the kids play outside and see them get off the bus after school. As you can see, this is where Eric, our cat is suppose to sit instead of sunning himself under my lamp on my desk. He actually does hang out here a lot...he just hates rainy days.

There you have it...my teeny tiny stamp space!

Happy New Year!

1-2-11 Edited to Add:

What do you do with all of your wonderful finished projects and samples? Do you store them somewhere else?

I keep very few. When I make something I usually have a pretty good idea where it is going. I do keep all of my tutorial samples in a tote in the garage. I pull them out for Open Houses and Craft Shows. The cards I make I send out. I send thank you cards with every order.

Where did you get that perfect table that fits over your filing cabinet??

It came that way from Staples many years ago.

What is in the cupboard over the red dresser?

Prop stuff for photography, my Rubi Coil machine, office supplies, a big basket of junk that has no home and treasures I've received from other stampers.

You say you only keep current stamp sets what do you do with everything that is retired??

Once it becomes retired, I box it up and put it in the garage. I don't carry a huge volume of stamp sets so I'm rarely hit very hard. You have to sell five of a stamp set in order for it to pay for itself, so I make that a goal each selling period. Once it's paid for I don't panic about it being discontinued. There have been a few I really miss though, don't get me wrong! But the answer to your questions is, I sell them at my Open House. Occasionally I post them for sale on my blog (which I am going to do this spring) or I donate them. The alphabet sets go to the school as well as any discontinued papers. Stamps and pads in great shape go to Ronald McDonald House, etc.

A Year In Review Part 4

October

Always my favorite month because it's my birthday! However, since I have been blogging, October is now the release of my yearly 12 Days of Christmas tutorial. The 1-12th are preview days and are filled with wonderful comments and anticipation of what is coming each day.

Here are all of the 12 Days of Christmas in the 2010 edition tutorial.

My favorite of this years project was this one.

The biggest surprise was this one! Who would have thought a cupcake would get this much attention! I probably have 100 e-mail asking about these. The idea came from the cupcake that was given to the demonstrators who attended Founders Circle this year. The box was shown at convention. All I did was figure out the measurements and put my twist on it!

I always love what people have to say and here are a couple...

Oh Becky - how I wish you were in the corn state and not the potato state! I would love to come to your workshops! Is there a tutorial on the darling cupcake?

...Do you have a tutorial on the ribbon cupcake? Please tell me it does not involve sewing!!!

...I loved the cupcake. Are you going to share the pattern ?

...These cupcake boxes are adorable along with the cupcakes that have no calories. Thank you for sharing them with us.

November

I'm not sure I can get through November in a quick review...so much happened!!

I did the Holiday Bazaar at Nicholas old school again this year and posted a picture of my booth. Out of all the things pictured, this little nugget holder got a lot of attention.

Here are a just a few of the e-mails...

...Love the projects! What are the dimensions of the red box the Hershey Nuggets are in?

...How did you wrap the nuggets? Is there a pattern for that or do you just wing it? Thanks for helping.

...I have a quick question for you, what are the dimensions for the cardstock holder behind the nuggets in the bags? I have not seen this done before, and I think it really gives a completed look.

...I would love to know your dimensions for the box in the Hershey Nugget Bags

I tried to answer all the e-mail and I hope you all made them for your craft shows! The bags are Wilton pretzel bags that I cut down a few inches. The dimensions for the nugget tray were 2-1/4" x 5-1/2" or however long you need depending on how many nuggets you put in there. Score at 1/2" down each long side.

My favorite project of November was the Individual Cupcake Box. I made them earlier in the month for the craft show and promised to do a free tutorial on them. During the days between the posting and the promise, I received many, many anxious e-mail and comments. Some of them just cracked me up!

...I'm sure that your email box is already full. And I bet I can guess the question. Probably the same one that I have. Are you going to be putting directions or a tutorial on the individual cupcake boxes? Measurements?

...Can U email me personally about the cupcake boxes. Do u sell a template for these?

...I know you will be sharing the cupcake box tutorial on Wednesday but can you tell just me right now how to make them? I need one tonight for a birthday gift.

...Way to FREAK ME OUT on a Monday morning with that AMAZING cupcake box PLUS the news of the free tutorial...I have to go lay down..it's too much for me on a Monday morning !! You're freaking amazing!!!!!!!

...Did you make the boxes too?

...These cupcake boxes are adorable along with the cupcakes that have no calories. Thank you for sharing them with us.

...You're an "awesome possum". Can't wait, thanks!

Then the biggest news of November...

As many of you know, Stampin' Up! had a goal to recruit 10,000 new demonstrators in 2010. Who could have ever guessed that little old me in Boise, Idaho would be the lucky one to recruit the 10,oooth demonstrator!

You can read ALL about it HERE.

Me, the 10,oooth recruit of 2010 - my friend Farida Jararah and Shelli Gardner in Florida.

I can't even begin to tell you how many awesome e-mail and comments of congratulations I received. What an exhilarating experience! Here are a few of them...

...I just watched that video of the 10,000th demo and your delivery with Shelley ...... as soon as she walked into that building to get you I screamed, "That's Becky Roberts!!!" After all that you have done, and continue to do with blessing others, I'm so glad this happened for YOU!!!

...As soon as I heard there was a video, I thought, I bet Becky signed up the 10000 consultant, then I watched and saw they were in Boise, ID and was more sure. Of course, there you are! You are fantastic and I know the new demo has a great upline!!!!

...PLEASE, CAN I TOUCH YOU ??? Dude, you are, like, so famous! Oh my gosh!!! You've have been in Shelli's private jet??? Congratulations; that's so way cool! I clicked on the 10,000 demos link and the video came up, and I saw "someone" and I though, hey, that looks like Becky, that would be cool. Then I see Shelli walking somewhere and it said Boise, Idaho and I'm like, oh my gosh, it's totally Becky! That's so awesome!!! I'm so happy you were the one who got that experience!! You go girl!

...Congrats on the 10 thousandth recruit. I felt like I knew a celebrity! Couldn't have happened to a nicer person and I mean that!

...OMG !!!! How fun. You are the perfect person to have recruited the 10,000th demo! You're like the poster child for Stampin' Up! Congratulations to you ... and welcome to Farida! What a great week you've had :-)

...I saw your blog, I am SO impressed! I kept reading and my eyes kept bugging out of my head!....I cant believe you spent the night at Shelli's HOUSE! I am so envious! (But love the fact that I can at least say I know YOU, LOL.)

...Becky,Let's just say it couldn't happen to a nicer person than YOU! I'm so thrilled to witness on the SU! website about your venture!! I cried through the whole story on your website!!! Especially when I realized SU! does make a difference in peoples' lives!!! Congratulations on this adventure with your new recruit!!! May you always have blessings through the coming years!!! I'm so grateful, this story has touched my heart!

...Wow! How exciting-as I watch the video, it is so like an Oprah moment. Something she would do. I love it!!!!!

...Becky, I usually don't comment but like a lot of the others, I have been a loyal follower of your blog for a couple yrs. I know this is going to sound super corny, but your story made me shed a tear! I just think we live in a world that is so fast and frenzy that people don't have the time or resources to do random nice things anymore. This was such a kind thing for SU to do for you and your recruit, YAY to them for putting a smile on two people's faces by doing something random...proof that nice things do happen to good people! Congrats, it was well deserved!

December

I loved this project!! This was my creative gift packaging for my Stamp Club gift exchange. You can see the details HERE.

Sorta CASED from a card I loved that Vicki Burdick showed on Stampin' Connections, this was definitely my favorite December project! I used these for my Stamp Club swap cards. You can read about them HERE.

Keeping in mind that I was going to do a year in review at the beginning of the year, I kept track of the things that got a lot of attention over the year. Two of the biggest non-stamping surprises that generated a TON of e-mail were these two things.

This refrigerator door is a magnetic easel that I picked up at Quilted Bear in Salt Lake City during the Stampin' Up! convention. My intention was to use it for display in photographing fun projects on my blog. I posted it once and OH MY WORD, never again!

To date I've had over 300 e-mail on this cutie! Where did you get it? Does it have a brand on it? Where can I get one?

There isn't a mark on it, I don't know where you can get one, this was the last one at Quilted Bear and they have no idea where it came from. Sorry.

This little baby tops them all!!!!!! I've seriously lost count after about 500 e-mail this year on the photo holder that I use over and over again to photograph cards I've created in multiples. As I've said several times, I bought it about 3 years ago at Target in the photo section for $4.99.

No, I didn't have it made, no I didn't make it, and I do not know how to make one. No, I won't ship them internationally and no I won't call Target to see if they still have them. Ü Everytime I get an inquiry on this I just smile! It never ceases to amaze me what catches my readers attention!

This has been a great year and I thank you all for your support!! Thank you for your e-mails, for leaving comments and for all your encouraging words. You truly mean the world to me. I've enjoyed sharing my projects with you, my family with you and above all my personal experiences with you.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year!!

A Year In Review Part 3

Continuing on with my favorites of the year...in July I released my Tres Chic Handbags tutorial. This was the first time I've ever done a printable pattern and I must say it's been quite a success! Perhaps you've seen a couple hundred here. Ü

I love it when people send me pictures of what they make with my stuff. It makes me SO happy!!

July

I think out of all I've made, these prints were my favorite....or maybe it was the Christmas ones...or the birthday ones... I love them all!!

During the 3 sneak peek days, my favorite comments were ...

...Oh gees Becky, you are killing us all here, I think we are all teased out totally!!!! Please please please don't make us wait too much longer, am bursting to make these NOW!!!! Thx Becky for your 'awesomeness' once again :)
and
...The suspense for #3 is killing me!!! I've been stalking your blog since midnight waiting to see what it will be ... and then the TUTORIAL needs to be available (um) NOW!!! As usual, they are AWESOME!!!
and
...AWESOME!!! I love everything Becky and these are no exception!! I look forward to the tutorial!!!

July was also the Stampin' Up! convention and a huge highlight for that month! I love meeting up with friends and seeing all the new things!! July was also the month my blog hit 2 million visitors!!! Wow!

August

In August I shared some of the gifts I made for convention friends. This was my favorite ensemble. Love the Play Date Designer Series Paper. You can read about these HERE.

Who would have ever thought these little Post It notes would cause such a stir? I copied these from some Angie Kennedy Juda did a year or more ago and I guess we have a whole new bunch of stampers that had never seen them before!! I probably had over a hundred e-mail on these alone! You can get instruction HERE.

Favorite comments were...

Just too cute! You'll make tons of loot, cuz you are so astute! (I never claimed to be a poet so forgive the corny puns)

and

...Oh my gosh, these are just a hoot! You come up with the cutest convention gifts - loved the Tess matchbook covers with notepad and calendar that you posted last year, too!

and

...I *so* want to run into you at convention Becky! I love your work, and this guy is adorable. He needs to come to my home. :) You should do an Inking Idaho meet & greet one year. It would be amazing!

September

September was a fun month also. I traveled to Montana to help my downline and BFF, Kim do her first Stamp Camp. She has a growing downline there and it was great to meet them all as well as so many blog friends who attended her camp.

You can read about it HERE.


Our Spooktacular Projects!

Favorite comments were...

Of course, you know that this means you will have to publish instructions on doing this kind of an event so we can be just as successful here in Texas, right? Ya right!

This was also the beginning of a whole lot of cupcakes which I will tell you all about tomorrow!!!

Another September highlight was being invited to participate in Diana Gibbs swap. I really liked the way these cards turned out and I REALLY like Diana Gibbs!! Here's the scoop.

Here are a few of my favorite e-mails that came in over these months...

I'm not sure this one was suppose to be sent back to me, but I got it! Sue you are NOT going to believe this but Becky Roberts of Inking Idaho looks at MY BLOG!! she sent me a "good job" comment!! Now I feel I have made the big time!!

Becky, do you know how incredibly talented and amazing you are??? Talented, 'cuz everything you come up with is so darn cute, and amazing, because I am SO amazed at how much you stamp and wonder how you have time to stamp so much and still keep up with your family. You are the BOMB!

Please can you move close to me too!! These are awesome!! Will you do this class through the mail? I love all of your projects! I'm sort of thinking about it...no promises yet!

Thanks SO much for visiting my blog AND leaving a message! It made my day!! I went squealing to my husband to tell him 'THE Becky Roberts' had visited MY blog and left a message - he didn't quite understand my excitement until I explained who you were and how cool it was that you visited someone’s blog from the other side of the planet!

Oh my Becky!! Thank you so much!! I have to tell you that I was out with a group of my gal friends and when I got your e-mail on my phone I couldn’t believe it!! I shrieked and told them that Becky Roberts liked my card!! They were just as excited as me...we are all huge fans!!

and those that left me scratching my head...

I’m “new” to this wonderful thing called stamping. What type of machine if any do I need to make these cute purse’s? Please list all the materials, and again sorry!!!

Thanks for the instruction. But I have a problem...I don't know, how I have to glue the sides of the bag. I can´t see it on a photo. Can you send me a photo of the side of the bags?

See you all tomorrow with the final 3 months of 2010. You better make a pot of coffee and settle in... they were AWESOME!!!!!!

A Year In Review Part 2

April began with being invited to participate in the Royal Blog Tour as an Honorary Queen. My project was the Cardstock Cabinet using the Pun Fun stamp set...one of my all time favorite sets! After the tour ended, I released The Cardstock Cabinet tutorial for sale.

April

Details and more photos of The Cardstock Cabinet and the Royal Blog Tour can be found HERE.

Also in April I took out my first ad in Paper Crafts magazine and used my Traveling Trio project for the advertisment. You can read about that HERE. If you found my blog from Paper Crafts magazine, thank you!

Favorite comment said...

OMG you are KILLING me! I just had to pick myself up off the floor! That is so stinkin' cute! You must be exhausted at night with your brain working like that all day! I wish I could see a picture of a everyday item and turn it into a card! Fantastic! Love Love Love it!

Favorite comment said...

Absolutely stunning. At first I was wondering why you were sewing purses and stamping and then I realized the purse is made with designer paper, how clever!!!! Love, love, love it!!! (This was on one of the postings of the purses we did in my stamp club.)

May

I absolutely loved both of these cards! We did them for May Stamp Club and they were a hit! I've not done many masculine cards and ♥ this Totally Tool set.

Favorite comment said...

Thank you so much for showing the 'man cards'. They are wonderful! I have bald spots from pulling my hair out trying to think of a great father's day card for my class next week. Hope you don't mind if I use some of your ideas.

Favorite comment said...
Oh man, I hope my card club girls never see your blog. ;) They may feel ripped off. Hee hee!

May was also full of Teacher Appreciation week posts. Part 1 & Part 2

Man, I can't believe I got all that stuff done! All total...I made 60 cake mixes for the teachers birthdays that school year! You can see a quick tutorial on how to make them HERE.

Favorite comment said...

Sometimes I think I have too much on the go, then I read your blog and just feel like a whiner!! LOL!! You are amazing.

Favorite comment said...

I know that I have appreciated all the cute treats this year! I don't want to use/eat anything that we have received because I don't want to wreck anything!! I have to keep it all for my files for the future! We will definately miss all that you have done for us next year!!

Favorite comment said...

I really need the name of the school you do teacher projects for. My daughter will be teaching SOMEWHERE after fall semester. I will help her fill out her application at your school. If she doesn't do it, then I guess I go back to school for teaching, I apply, and we move. LOL Your teachers are BLESSED!!

June

In June, I make one of the Purse-onally Purses (for the July Stamp Club project) with brand new Designer Series paper that demonstrators could get on pre-order from the new catalog coming out in July! Although this was actually a July project, you can see all the purses with this new DS HERE.

I made a lot of things with this Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper. These were notebooks I made for my downline meeting when I traveled back to California in June.

Blog post comment...These notepads are absolutely adorable...TFS! I'm curious though, where do you get your notepads? Are they already that size or do you have to cut them down? And for my final question, if you have to cut them down, what trimmer do you use? Thank you for the inspiration, Becky - you are incredibly creative & talented!!! ;)

You can read about them and get instructions HERE.

E-mail question...I am in the process of inventorying, reorganizing, and alphabetizing my (300+) wood mount stamp sets and am at somewhat of a loss as to how to do it. I searched your blog for a picture of your stamp room and to see if there was a picture of how you store your sets but I didn’t find anything … so my next thought was to drop you an e-mail. I will have photos of my teeny tiny stamping area for you all this weekend.