Hooray for Getting Things Done!!

Posted on February 7, 2012 by mauistamper

Oh, I do love a good, productive day!

I’m an organizer. I make lists, block out time for important tasks, and when they are done I love to check them off. I’ve heard the comments – call it what you want, I don’t care – it makes me happy. Lately, however, MY important tasks have taken a back seat to OTHERS’ important tasks. It’s not that those other tasks were unimportant – but they kept crowding out the things I wanted to do. I’ve been out-of-sorts as I’ve seen things like “Complete the FAFSA” and “Prepare the minutes for the Pastoral Council meeting for distribution” get checked off, while things like “Make Valentines” and “Unpack new Stampin’ Up! goodies” remain on my list. (If you don’t know what the FAFSA is, be grateful – and if we receive some financial aid for my son when he attends university next year, I’ll be grateful.)

This morning I was able to slay enough dragons (yes!! it’s the Year of the Dragon!) on my list that I could justify an afternoon in my studio. I did a little straightening up (just enough so I could find my mojo) then cracked open a few ink pads. There were so many cards waiting to get put to paper!!

Branch Out (retired) and Pennant Parade stamp sets
Very Vanilla, Early Espresso and Pool Party card stock
Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (Sale-a-bration)
Early Espresso Classic ink pad
Triple Heart punch
Calypso Coral Bakers Twine
Rhinestone Jewels
Simply Scored

I know I shouldn’t keep using Branch Out. It’s a retired stamp set. Oh, but it makes me so happy!! There are other trees in the IBC – you could substitute Season of Friendship – but this one is my all time favorite. The card base is Very Vanilla, but it has a pinkish cast in my photo. I gave up on that dragon.

If you haven’t placed a Sale-a-bration order yet, maybe it’s time to scoot yourself over to my Online Store and place a $50 order so that you can have your own package of Everyday Enchantment (#126154). I’m ashamed to admit how many packages I have stashed away! I love every single pattern, I love the colors, and I love the way it all works together. Isn’t that how it is with Stampin’ Up! Designer Series Paper??

I also have a few Occasions Mini Catalog Ribbon Shares left – for $15 (plus shipping) you’ll get 1 yard each of the new pleated ribbons in Blushing Bride, Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze and Pear Pizazz, plus 5 yards of each of the new Bakers Twines: Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Island Indigo and Wisteria Wonder. I’ve even included a yard each of the Sale-a-bration skinny organza ribbon in Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade. Contact me if you’re interested.

Thanks for stopping by! Writing this post was the last thing on today’s MUST DO list – now it’s back to the studio for some play-time.

The Maui Stamper’s Computer: DOA or CPR?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by mauistamper

Yes, it’s bad news in the PC department. The wunderkinds at Q and A Computers are resuscitating my machine as we speak, but they hint of trouble in the monitor as well. The good news is that most if not all of my files are safe, but improvising while they do their good work is a challenge!!

Life has been VERY busy in the Maui Stamper household, and though I’ll spare you most of the details I do have a little more to share about Stampin’ Up! leadership conference in San Antonio. It was a lovely work/play balance and a fabulous trip overall. First some eye-candy:

I participated in a Secret Sisters swap with Janet Wakeland’s Dreambuilders group and this is the bag I gave to Linda Hunt. I’ll share her gifts to me another time but I have to tell you I had a BLAST with this swap! Here’s the gift box I made for her:

I am CRAZY IN LOVE with the new Sale-a-bration DSP and I hope you are too! Free PLUS gorgeous – it doesn’t get better than that, friends!!

Linda got a couple of cards too – here’s one:

Our new Framelits and Edgelits are injecting tons of new creative inspiration into my projects – my busy stampin’ fingers can’t keep up with all the ideas running through my brain!

If you are a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator – or if you are interested in being one – check out the requirements to attend Leadership. (Senior Supervisor is the minimum title level). I’m telling you – this is the cream of the crop. As a company, Stampin’ Up! goes over the top to reward and acknowledge their demonstrators and Leadership was no exception. The demos who are there are at the top of their game – some of the loveliest, kindest, smartest women – and a few men – you will ever meet in your life! That in and of itself made the long trip worthwhile.

However, Stampin’ Up! also provides outstanding resources and training. I spent such valuable time with SU staff developing my business plan, learning about technological resources (that I will use when my pc is reborn!) and seeing and trying new techniques.

I also attended a number of classes that were professionally as well as personally VERY fruitful. One of my favorites was taught by Ellen Richardson, a dynamic (and gorgeous) woman who led a discussion group around a book called Change Anything by Kerry Patterson et al. This book is clearly written and offers a step-by-step approach to creating change in your business and your life. It doesn’t promise any easy answers, but as we discussed the fundamentals of the approach offered, I realized a number of individual steps and tasks I could implement to bring about changes I wanted to see in my life. And yes, I’ve begun that work! As I said, Leadership conference really benefited me in my business and personally.

That’s enough soap-box for today! I’ll be back soon with more photos – thanks to Brett, Ben and the Q&A team!

Checking in from San Antonio

Posted on January 19, 2012 by mauistamper

I’m attending my first Stampin’ Up! leadership conference in San Antonio, Texas. My trip started out with a quick visit with one of the most fun people I know. I met Karen within a week or so of moving to Maui almost 22 years ago with a 3 year old in tow and a baby due in 8 weeks. She took one look at me and said “You’re gonna need some help!” and a friendship was born.

She picked me up from the airport and we talked non-stop until she dropped me off at the Convention Center 24 hours later. I haven’t seen her in probably 8 years but it was as though we’d left off yesterday. Friends like that are precious gifts indeed.

When she dropped me off I hit the ground running: first order of business was my convention bag and Make and Takes. For the uninitiated, M&T is a Stampin’ Up! event tradition – projects and products for the demonstrators to make (and take home!) I never seem to finish all of mine – too busy gabbing – but I did manage to finish one:

Sorry -not such a great photo from my phone! I also snapped a shot of our special gift from Shelli – a fabric folio that could be used for anything from a junior legal pad to a Kindle – along with a fancy favor box full of white, milk and dark chocolate bark:

Our leadership tote bags are made from the same fabrics and we have gotten compliments as we have walked all over San Antonio – something tells me we’re going to see more of these cute fabrics 🙂

Last night was the Manager’s Reception – a fabulous performance by Chinese acrobats and a FREE NEW STAMP SET!! Can’t show you a picture but just as soon as I get home I’ll get some ink to that new rubber and show you what I’ve made! Those are the rules…

I did get a photo at Managers with Becky Evans, the #2 Rising Star last year and someone I look forward to seeing whenever I can. She rescued me from meltdown at convention last year – long story, but trust me, she was a true friend:

This morning Kay and I were up early – first timers at leadership got a set of Polka Dot brads for finding other first timers and checking in together. Our morning session was full of announcements including a DIAGONAL SCORE BOARD for the Simply Scored tool! I wasn’t sure what I would need that for, but Pam Morgan quickly answered that question with a whole bunch of projects. There was yet another NEW FREE STAMP SET – same rules, sorry my friends – and then an SAB give-away of One Big Sale-a-bration MDS plus loads of bling – good thing I filled with suitcase with stuff to give away here, because I’m gonna need that space to get all my goodies home!

After lunch – and at leadership, it’s sit-down – I went to my first session. Carrie Cudney talked about Why Women Buy – and I learned plenty but we laughed plenty too. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to brief but really useful presentations from everything from Express Workshops to using Google Analytics! Very very cool.

Now, if you’ve stayed with me this far I have a reward: one of the things I love about a Stampin’ Up! event is seeing all the samples, and I’ve got a few of my favorites to share:

Look! Little spools of Bakers Twine! So cute!

The color is off but you get the idea – a heart made from the Twitterpated buttons from the Occasions Mini.

I really love these little buttons, and that stitching is the perfect touch – but that new diagonal plate for Simply Scored would make those diagonal lines in a heartbeat!

Little flags made with our new Hatpin Embellishments from – yes – the Occasions Mini!

I loved the Vintage look of this Fancy Favor box…

This is brilliant – the Fancy Favor box turned into a gabled box-top!

Kay and I finished the evening at a RemARKable gathering – our upline Janet Wakeland invited 20 or 30 of her nearest and dearest demo friends to her room for pizza and swaps. I’m surprised the management of the hotel (and I won’t name names but it’s a very nice hotel) didn’t throw us all out on our ears. We were loud – and we were all sure the bed would crash down 2 or 3 floors when ALL of us piled on for a group photo. Don’t have one of those to show you, but here I am with Jan:

Leadership has been a great experience and there’s one more day ahead. I’ll just close by saying if you are a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, this is something well worth striving for.