Thank Goodness for (self-stick) Googlies!!

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Am I the only person who is incredibly grateful for self-stick Googlie Eyes?  I can’t tell you how many times I have stuck my fingers together with Tombo (the Wonder Adhesive) in the attempt to put Googlie Eyes on a project.  Maybe I’m a klutz, or maybe I’m just too stubborn to dig out the tweezers, but I am very happy to have a sheet of peel-and-stick Googlie Eyes 🙂

Stampin' Up! Ghoulish Googlies Luminaria

The Ghoulish Googlies Designer kit makes perfect Halloween luminarias – as long as you put a battery operated tea light inside instead of a real wax candle!  I ran the bag through the Big Shot with the new Chevron TIEF (Textured Impressions Embossing Folder) and used a little Champagne Mist Shimmer paint to sparkle it up, thought it doesn’t show well in this photo.  It was quick, easy and fun, and the kit includes supplies for 10 bags, tags and twine, PLUS a full sheet of Googlie Eyes.  Just add stamps and you’re set!

Checking in from South Bend…

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I can’t begin to tell you all of the things that have taken place in the past month. Let’s just say there have been amazing peaks and terrifying valleys and I am grateful that we are all where we are today. Mr Maui Stamper and I are in the midst of fledging the last little stamper – well, he wouldn’t care for that title – let’s call him Son of Stamper 🙂 He is moved into his new home in the dorms at Notre Dame and tomorrow we begin Freshman Orientation, which is targeted to the parents as much as to the newly admitted students. Our oldest daughter graduated from ND in 2009 so this familiar territory. Notre Dame is a very special place and we have already had so many affirmations that our son is right where he belongs. Thank you to all of you who have kept my family in your prayers.

Through the recent ups and downs I did manage to do a little bit of stamping – when I was able to get back to stamping that’s when I knew life was regaining a semblance of normalcy. A couple of weeks ago I had a special day of stamping for the Maui Stamper All Stars, the teammates that promoted this past year. One of our projects was inspired by Sara Douglass’ convention demonstration:

Inspired Mason Jar

LOVE those new Flourish Designer frames from the Holiday Mini catalog! They are absolutely beautiful and they have just enough give that you can curve them to fit around the shape of the Mason jar. (Hint: if you’re going to do that, shape them BEFORE you attach them to the jar – much easier – ask me how I know!)

I cut a scallop circle from our Twitterpated fabric for the top, attached ribbon to the rim with sticky strip, and sewed a button through Cherry Cobbler scalloped dotted ribbon to embellish the top.

I think Summer Silhouettes is my favorite new stamp set this year. Just remember you heard it from me first!

I made some bookmarks to put inside. I wanted something a little unexpected. At convention, Sara put a vintage photo inside. I really liked that concept, but since we were doing this as a group project I wanted it to be fun and stress free for my team – no searching for that perfect photo!!

It’s late and we’ve had a very full day. I think we’ve made 4 trips to a certain popular “You want it, we’ve got it” type of store as well as half a dozen other stops. If Son of Stamper doesn’t have it now, he doesn’t need it. We were blessed with a beautiful day on this beautiful campus – I think you’ll agree:

Notre Dame: Stonehenge, the Basilica and the Golden Dome

Go Irish!

Scrappin’ Inspiration

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I am…inspired to scrap!  Convention is a great place for new ideas and I saw TONS of great scrapbook pages.

One of the projects on my List (admit it, you have one too) is a family history scrapbook.  I loved the combintation of sepia and pink to create this vintage but feminine page.

This has a completely different feeling, but it still has a family archive/vintage feeling.  The buttons holding the banner are a perfect touch.

This is so well done for a baby – sweet but not too sweet!  Easy to adapt to any age – and look at those birds on the wire!  Ah, birds…

I’ve never used this layout – 2/3 photo, 1/3 embellishment and journaling – but it’s bold without having to rely on graphics.  This one is very soft despite the strong block layout.

Inspired to scrap?  I am!

 

Amazing artists

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Hit the floor running this morning – good way to work in some WW Activity Points, I guess!  So much to do in so many different areas of life.  I guess that’s part of the definition of Woman.

My suitcase is unpacked although most of the Stampin’ Goodness is in heaps on the counters in my studio.  Captain Stupidhead (aka the cat) has wasted no time in telling me how horribly mistreated he was while I was gone, how no one loves him the way that I do, and that the only thing that will make it better will be for me to sit and hold him on my lap and pet him until tomorrow.  Oh well, Pookie, you’ll get over it – I don’t have that kind of time!  I did take him upstairs when I went to bed around 9:30 (BLISS = your OWN bed).  Mr Maui Stamper put Pookie out before he came to bed as the Captain can’t seem to sleep past about 3:30am.  Most annoying.

But you’re not here to hear about the Captain, you want to see Stampin’!  I don’t know if I’ll get organized enough this week to share photos that flow together or tell a story or anything, but I have a few I think you’ll like.  Every year I struggle with what photos to take.  If my photos contain too many objects I never go back and look at them because they are overwhelming.  If I take one project at a time it takes ETERNITY!!  I tried to find a happy medium and will start by showing some of the things that really caught my eye.  I’m not saying I would actually make some of these, just that I admire the artistry and craftsmanship.

Amazing, isn’t it?  I wish there was enough room on the Stampin’ Up! convention display boards to acknowledge each artisti individually.  This was one of those projects that caused me to just stand there and stare.  Here’s a little more detail:

There is a name for this type of paper art but it escapes me – if you know it I would be grateful for your comment. (Ed:  it’s called Iris Fold.  Thank you Kay and Sharri!) If you are the artist or know who she (maybe even he?) is, I would love to give you credit here too!

4 September 2013:  Edited to add…

The artist is Julie Olivier, and her blog is www.madewithpaper.wordpress.com  Go visit her and tell her how fabulous she is!

One more close-up:

Isn’t the detail on this awesome???

Now for a few other 3-D items that were grouped together and also fit into the “awesome” catagory:

I loved this paper topiary.  I made one quite a while ago out of felt but this one has a completely different feeling.  There are so many layers, and the subtle colors give this depth and a lush feeling.  I know it would be a ton of work but I feel an irresistable urge to make one myself.  Stay tuned…

Here’s a “Two-fer” – and I think they’re both beautiful and romantic!  All those pearls…and the glitter on the butterfly.  I really, really, really love Mr Maui Stamper but I wish he didn’t have such a strong dislike of glitter.

Another take on the topiary concept..and seriously, can you believe this artist inked EVERY SINGLE BLOOMIN’ Boho Flower???  At least I think they’re Bohos.  Oh my goodness.  The resemblance to real life Lilacs is amazing, but WOW.

Enough for now, got a Maui Stampers team meeting tomorrow night and we have lots to talk about!!

En route home to Maui: PDX

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Such an early call this morning – felt as though I would never wake up! Crystal an I were in the back of the plane but we whipped out our catalogs and started planning classes (stay tuned Maui peeps the dates are coming!)

We must have been a little noisy because we attracted the interest of our neighbor across the aisle. Turns out she’s a newlywed on the way home from her honeymoon. She also loves paper crafting so that flight went by quickly!

Just a couple of quick pix from convention – they’re from my phone so I apologize about the quality – as a taste of what else is to come:

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Stampin’ Up! Convention 2012: It’s a wrap

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My bags are packed, I’m ready to go…

And I have to tell you that having my bags packed – within weight limits – is an absolute miracle.  I’m taking home 7 new stamp sets, oodles of completed projects, loads of swaps, and heaps of Memento Mall swag.  There also might be a little bit of shopping in my suitcase that is unrelated to Stampin’ Up! (just maybe!)

The classes today were excellent.  I know there are people who come to convention and spend most of their time socializing, networking, (shopping, eating) and doing things besides the classes – but I LOVE the classes.  I am inspired, I am challenged, I am learning new things!

Our final session was memorable for so many reasons.  Dale Hampshire, the manager for the Candian business, showed off some pretty impressive dancing as he entered the stage to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Stampin’ Up! in Canada.  Carrie Cudney showed off some pretty impressive bagpiping (with her “baby” brother) as she entered the stage to demonstrate all sorts of hand-crafted flowers.  Shelli and her daughter Sara revealed the destination for the Grand Vacation 2014 in a hilarious skit with CEO Rich Jutkins.  The location?   A Western Carribbean cruise on the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas.

 

Then Shelli – well, Shelli did what she does best.  She talked about the company and the people – staff and demonstrators – that make Stampin’ Up! what it is. Shelli also gave away stamps – our 2012-2013 Ronald McDonald House benefit set, Moving Forward, as well as the new hostess set for the Holiday Mini catalog, Mixed Medley.  We also earned a fabulous demonstrator-only set, and when you add all of those together with our Make-and-Take sets, it was some pretty impressive loot!


I apologize for the quality of these photos – they’re from my phone, which doesn’t give the best results in the darkened environment of Main Stage.

Time for bed – shoot, I’m always saying that – but it’s an early call in the morning and home to Maui and my boys.

 

 

Look what My Digital Studio can do!!

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Just saw this card and had to take pix!! MDS and the Storytime Suite!! Rock my socks!!

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Convention 2012: Final day

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Time has flown by! Can’t believe we’re at the end – waiting for the General Closing Session. Great classes today – learned so much from Carrie Cudney in I am Open for Business, got great inspiration in Donna Griffith’s I am Savvy (super projects by Dawn, Meg and Laura) and was so inspired by Pam Morgan in I am Making Money (an yes, I’d you’re wondering, I AM making money!!).

We got our exclusive convention stamp set and had a few minutes for some more project pix. Took a triple espresso to get me going this morning! The barista at Toasters looked worried for me but I assured him I would be ok.

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Demos, check in for the live feed at 10am HST!! Can’t wait to hear the big announcements and see what else Shelli and the team have for us!

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Stampin’ Up! Convention 2012: Day 3

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Fantastic day – but oh, my feet!

Crystal and I stayed up past 2am last night – that’s only 10pm Hawaii time so it was ok – planning and comparing notes and laughing at the dumbest things.  It was a little grim getting up this morning but we made it to the Opening Session this morning with time to spare.  Found seats with our new friends Tara and Shannon:

Crystal, Anne, Tara and Shannon

The always charming, always stylish Shannon West shared Halloween projects from the new Holiday Mini (live to customers on August 1st!) and she did it in Shannon West Style:

Shannon West sharing Halloween projects and dressed for Trick or Treat!

Sorry, this is shot from the video screen – don’t you LOVE her??

Before she left the stage – and I’ll be sharing some photos of her projects another post – she shared a sneak peak bonus available to new Stampin’ Up! demonstrators in August.  Buy the completely customizable $99 demonstrator kit, get a discount on all your Stampin’ Supplies, and get a kit with everything you need to make this project:

Everything you need to create this project – including the tray – when you buy the completely customizeable demonstrator kit in August! Get your Stampin’ supplies at a discount – come stamp with me!

We had great morning classes – the presentations by the Stampin’ Up! home office have been wonderful.  Brian Pilling did a great job sharing leadership skills in “I am a Leader” and had us all cracking up with his examples of bad leadership style (“I am in charge.  I can do what I want because I learned it.”)

From Brian’s class we went to Karen Hauley’s “I am earning an Incentive Trip” panel.  We were ALL EARS as we listened to three successful demonstrators share their tips – but before they started, Karen shared her personal “I am” story.  She  told us of getting that dreaded telephone call from her doctor and showed us her new favorite tee “Of course they’re FAKE; my real ones tried to KILL me”!  A sense of humor is essential in life, but as Karen told us, she’s a survivor!

We took a break for lunch and spent some time looking at the AMAZING project samples.

Stampers to the right of me, cards and projects to the left of me…as far as the eye can see!

I have a lot of project photos and will do my best to share as many as possible over the next few days!

After lunch it was back to Shannon West – the QUEEN of FUN.  Who else could run the I am having FUN class?  She had us dancing in the aisles, sharing what was on our nightstands (talk about an ice breaker!) and laughing at her Back-Street-Boys-Groupie stories.  Her message was a simple and to the point – keep it fun!

Our final session of the day was Main Stage presentations.  The highlight was Shelli’s stamping presentation, and everyone’s favorite project was her gorgeous altered book.  Because of the personal nature of the book she said she wouldn’t display it in the Demonstrator Resource Center, so I took photos from the video screens.  It’s similar to a Smash Book, if you’re familiar with that concept, but she designed it as a creative journal:

This is the cover – complete with a tulle rosette (tulle ribbon coming in that Holiday Mini!) She covered an old book in gesso and then inked, spritzed, and stamped it to get that shabby chic look.  This photo doesn’t do it justice.

Shelli shared a few of her interior pages with us – and I’m telling you, she moves her hands around a LOT when she is showing a project!  I think 75% of my photos have one of her hands blurring through the middle.

She took her photo from our Convention workbook (a masterpiece in and of itself) and added it to a page.  Her personal style is as distinct as she is, and it’s always fun to see what her projects look like!

Try as I might, I couldn’t get a decent photo of this page – she was so exited about it her hands were flying!  She cut out the largest heart framelit and used it to mask the right hand page, then spritzed like made to get this look.  I loved how she took advantage of the written page and how she allowed the elements to layer – the book was very chunky.

There’s so much more to share – I would use the word SATURATED right now to describe how I feel.  I’ll leave you with a few final thoughts:

  • Stampin’ Up! is an amazing company that puts service to both demonstrators and customers as a top priority
  • Our experience at convention is colored in every way, shape and form by the people and relationships we encounter all day and well into the night – these are lifetime friends
  • There is more creativity in this Convention Center than I have ever seen in one place at one time
  • Shannon West has it right – We ARE fun!

Tomorrow is the last day – we are going to bed before 2am tonight!