Create with Connie & Mary Color Challenge

Today I have a card I created for the color challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary.  The color challenge this week is perfect, because I was already making Halloween projects for a new Blog Hop that I am a part of that starts tomorrow.  So be sure to come back tomorrow to see lots of other Halloween ideas!

Here is the card I made:

I used the new Label Thinlits die to make a flip card.  The greeting is from the Tags 4 You set from the Holiday Catalog, used with the new Label Bracket Punch.  I embossed the greeting in silver to make it pop a little.

The candy corn punch are is from a Pinterest inspiration from Cristy Butzen. 

Thanks for looking at my card!  Have a great weekend!!

Double Challenge Birthday

I decided to try and make a card using the color challenge over at The Paper Players, while using the sketch from Mojo Monday.

Here is my card:

For my card, I was able to use my new In Color stack.  I love the new In Colors!!  I also used the new Label Love stamp set, with the coordinating Artisan Label punch.

JUGS Shaker Card

I had so much fun making this shaker card for the Just Us Girls challenge.  I can't believe I have never made one of these before.  They are so fun!  Click on the link above and play along!

I took my color combination from the Afternoon Picnic Designer Series Paper.  I used Coastal Cabana, Wisteria Wonder, and Pear Pizzazz.  My flower is from the Best of Flowers set.  Remember, when you order six of the Best Of sets, you get to choose any stamp set of your choice for free!  ($14.95 value!)  My greeting is from the Perfectly Penned set. 

Last bit of Convention

For the last day of convention - I had to be sure to use my daughter's string cheese cooler.  A few days before I left for SLC, my hubby and daughter were at the grocery store.  There happened to be a Sargento lady there, handing out samples.  She also gave my daughter this adorable little cooler.   My girly insisted that I bring it with me to SLC, because it looks similar to some of the other bags I have.  It worked!  I ate my cheese about halfway through the day, and it was still cool.  

Saturday also saw most of my friends winning prize patrols!  Yay!!

Jean won the Halloween Bash set from the holiday catalog - AND a punch!

Candee and Jacque won the Christmas Messages stamp set!

They ended general session with another all attendee giveaway! We were gifted the Real Red Goodie Gear Simply Created Kit, and the Oh, Goodie! stamp set!

For lunch Stampin' Up! provided us with a delicious chicken sandwich!

 We spent the afternoon in classes, learning new ideas for growing our businesses.  

They closed out the convention with a last general session. The Heart of Stampin' Up! award was announced, as was the location of Leadership 2014.  Leadership will be held in Houston, in January 2014.  It was also announced that the Incentive Trip that we are all working towards for travel in 2015 will be to Hawaii.  I know that for some people, that isn't very exciting.  But for my family - it is super exciting, and hubby is totally on board to help my business grow this year!  They ended the session with one last all attendee giveaway!  Everyone received the Yippee-Skippee stamp set.

I love how Stampin' Up! goes all out for convention.  They decorate the outside as nicely as they do the inside of the Salt Palace.

When the general session ended, a group of friends and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner.  I had never been to a dinner like this before.  It was so fun, and the food was amazing!

Look at all this free stuff I was able to bring home from SLC!

Sunday morning, my friends and I had one last breakfast together before we all headed off to the airport to travel home.

More Convention

Friday was packed full of surprises, friends, and fun!

New Thinlits big shot dies were announced - and are available now for purchase.  This picture shows a card made with the circle thinlits.

Here is a picture of a card made with the label thinlits.  They are just so much fun, and so easy to do!  We will be making a card with the label thinlits at the August Stamp Camp - you can register here: 

REGISTER NOW

During the general session - I won a prize patrol!  I was given the new Decorative Window Gift Boxes from the Holiday Catalog, along with Linen Thread, a pack of Hardware Clip Essentials, and an awesome personalized stamp.

After general session was done, we were free to spend the day in the Demonstrator Resource Center.  One of the things we were invited to do was to take part in a service project.  We put together 3,000 "Birthday Kits" for kids who have to spend their birthday in the local Children's Hospital.  The kits included banners, journals, and other fun stuff.

On of the other new products announced was the new Undefined line.  Undefined is Stampin' Up!'s new stamp carving line.  The kit comes with everything you need to carve your own stamp!  It sounds a lot more challenging than it is; and it is so much fun!  My friend Lisa and I decided we wanted to make puzzle piece stamps, in honor of our girls who are both on the Autism Spectrum.

After a full day in the Demo Resource Center, it was back to the hotel for a quick change.  We then rushed back to the Salt Palace for Awards Night, which was followed by a 25th Anniversary Party.

Throughout the whole party, we had live music provided to us by The Spazmatics.  

This party had everything that a great party should have.  Yummy dessert - check!  Party Favors - check!  Fun music - check!  Games - check!  We even had a fun green screen photo opportunity.  

From L to R:  Me, Lisa, Jacque, Jill

Convention 2013 - The Beginning

Hello, Friends!

I have been home from convention for a week now, but am just now getting the opportunity to share my convention fun with all of you.

I left Seattle for Salt Lake City on Wednesday.  I was up all night Tuesday finishing up swaps and roomie gifts.  When I arrived in SLC, I was happy to find that all of my luggage arrived safely with me, with only a minor rummage from TSA.   I met my first new friends at the airport.  There were SO MANY demonstrators there, and they happened to also be looking for their luggage, and waiting for shuttles.  Stampin' Up! demonstrators are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

I was very impressed with the DoubleTree as soon as we pulled up.  Our shuttle driver, Boyd was so kind and friendly.  The staff was eager to help make your stay better.  I didn't have much time to look around though.  I was able to drop off my bags, and pack my shoebox for a swap I was signed up for across the street at the Little America hotel.  I wasn't as impressed with that venue, but once again met nice new demonstrator friends.  We made seven beautiful projects - but my favorite is this one, designed by Rose Castillo.  

On Thursday, I had to be at the Salt Palace bright and early for my 8am Riverton Tour.  Thankfully, one of my new friends Jill was also taking the tour at the same time, so we decided to go together.

Here we are on the bus, headed to Riverton.

We were so excited, we took a picture with the sign.  LOL  See that carry-on bag on the left?  That is my bag with my organized swaps for Thursday.  Aye Aye Aye!  It was a pain pulling that thing around everywhere, but the swaps I got back were so worth it.  

I love that they decorated the home office for our visit!

This is one of the walls in the museum.  I just love it!

There is an idea room in the home office that is floor to ceiling whiteboards on three walls.  During home office tours we are encouraged to write messages there for Shelli.  This was my message.

We are allowed to walk through demonstrator support on the tour.  I loved this little guy sitting on one of the desks.

Here I am, with one of the two giant, beautiful rocks that can be seen from the road.

After we were shuttled back to the Salt Palace, it was time to start my swaps.  I will post more about the swaps later. 

We had our opening General Session that evening, followed by an Opening Social.  Our theme song for this year was sung by one of the contestants from The Voice.  Ronald Mcdonald made an appearance to announce that Stampin' Up! is now a global sponsor of the Ronald Mcdonald House.  We have been a sponsor in the USA for about 10 years already.  We were given our convention bags, and the first couple prize patrols happened.

There was lots of great fun to be had at the Opening Social party.  We could take pictures with Ronald, sing karaoke, check out the different labs going on, and/or help to set a new world record.  Stampin' Up! set the record for the most greeting cards mailed from a single location at one time.  It was so exciting!  We had a representative from the Guinness Book of World records there to make it official.  I believe the final count was somewhere near 2,500.   The USPS was also there to sell stamps to those of us who forgot them.  So many of us demos took a photo with the mail man too.

I don't think he was planning on 5,500 + women all wanting to take a photo with him that night.  LOL

At the Social Media lab, they had this fun photo opp.  :)

I was surprised at how many brave demos got up there and sang karaoke!  They all sounded pretty good!  Lots of fun!

So, there you have it.  That is a whirlwind wrap up of the beginning of convention.  I'd love to have you join me there next year!  If you think this sounds like fun, send me a message, and we'll chat.

3x3 Cards

Three by three inch cards are so cute.  They are fun, easy, and quick to make, and the perfect size to attach to a gift.  You could also put them in your kids or hubbies lunch boxes for a fun midday note from home.

I am in a swap for 3x3 cards at the Stampin' Up! convention.  I can't believe how fast convention is coming! Only 4 more weeks!!

Here's the card:

I made this card with the Mosaic Maddness stamp set, and the Quatefancy Specialty Designer Series Paper.    I really like the printed acetate sheets that come in the DSP pack.  I've used them here on this card.  I used the Mosaic punch on my whisper white cardstock.  I then used glue dots to adhere the acetate sheet to the backside of the cardstock.  

Let me know what you think!

Have a great day!

Items used for this card:

Mosaic Madness Stamp Set

Whisper White Cardstock

Pool Party Cardstock

Strawberry Slush Cardstock

Quatrefancy Specialty Designer Series Paper

Island Indigo Ink

Strawberry Slush Ink

Daffodil Delight Ink

Pumpkin Pie Ink

Mosaic Punch

Modern Label Punch

Word Window Punch

Rhinestones Basic Jewels

Stampin' Dimensionals