Christmas is coming ... will you be ready?

I can't believe it's the end of September already! At last night's class, my students were asking me 'what's going on with your holiday card-making sessions'? Thanks for the kick in the pants ladies!

For those of you who don't know, every year I offer Holiday Card-Making Sessions, where we all get together and make our cards. We have lots of fun, get our cards done early, and have the whole month of December to stamp great gifts!

Here's how it works: During the month of October I have several day & evening slots available for you to make an appointment for a private 1-hour session with me. You can view them on my calendar on my website at www.stephaniestampsalot.stampinup.net and they're colored Old Olive in the month of October. You can also email me at stefrick@optonline.net to request the file with the card dates and/or class schedule.

When you come over for your appointment, I'll have many samples for you to look through to get ideas & inspiration. You can then either choose to copy one, or I'll help you design your own.
Afterwards, I'll help you place your order and make sure you get everything you need.

During the month of November, and the 1st week of December (for you fellow procrastinators), I'll have several dates scheduled for Holiday Card-Making Sessions (also on my calendar on my website, colored Old Olive in the months of Nov. & Dec.). At each session, we get together and work on our own cards. I'm here to guide you in cutting your paper, mastering any technique you need, or just for the company. I'll have holiday music & light snacks.

The fee for each session is only $5, which reserves your spot, and gets you use of all my non-consummable items, i.e. paper cutters, punches, sissors, etc. I'll have a sign-up sheet for these sessions when you come for your appointment, so don't forget your calendar or datebook!

So, call me today so you can get the slot you need. Remember, Christmas is coming ... will you be ready?

Finally!

It's finally here! Brendan's Eagle Project has finally begun! And, just in the nick of time too! An Eagle project and all the requirements have to be completed before the scout's 18th birthday ... my son turns 18 on Oct. 17th. After the past 2 years of kicking him in the butt about this, I can't believe it's actually getting done, and just in time for his college application too. (That's him, the blonde on the right with the Vitamin Water, leading everyone in the work ... I'm soooo proud of him!)

His project is being done at one of his favorite camps in NJ, where he spent alot of time. He's cleaning up the boathouse by building storage racks & shelves for 10 canoes (there is very limited space there ... quite the challenge), power washing the 10 canoes & 10 rowboats, re-stenciling the leaf emblem on all the boats, and re-numbering them so they can be identified from land. We had a LOT of help from his Boy Scout troop, and we got a lot done this weekend, but alas, we still have lots more work to do, so one more weekend of work to go.

I helped alot with the work, but I made sure to get lots of pictures both for his report, and for my scrapbooking. At first, I was so focused on the project itself, that I was only taking shots of the actual work. The next morning, while getting ready for another day of work, I realized that I hadn't taken any photos for me! So, first things first, I wanted a shot of us, and a nice lady who was up there with her cub scout troop offered to snap one of all of us (this is the only picture of me ... gotta assign someone else as photographer next weekend! lol)

So, here it is Monday morning, and I'm just getting to posting photos from my last class. I wanted to put up pictures from the watercoloring techniques class, because it went very well, and the projects were very well received.

This first card was based on a beautiful card that was on Stamper's Showcase on the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator website by Emily Bash. As demonstrators, we can submit samples of our work, and if we're lucky, they make it onto the showcase. We're then allowed to CASE these cards (Copy And SE(something something--??) and use them ourselves. This is also my favorite place to go to get inspired because everyone does such great work. Anyway, her original design is a little difficult to see because the colors are so close, but on mine, I did the Fresh Cuts stamp in Elegant Eggplant, and then, using a Stamp-a-ma-jig and a Versamarker, I colored the larger leaves around the 3 edges, stamped again, and embossed with Black EP. I changed her Elegant Eggplant 5-Petal Flower Punch that she used with an Elegant Eggplant dyed small Pretties Flower. I stamped with Black Craft ink and highlighted with a black brad in the center. This card wasn't watercolored at all, but I thought everyone would appreciate learning how to 'dye' a Pretties flower.

This next card I designed myself, and I must say, I really stepped out of my comfort zone as far as colors go ... I rarely use Bold Brights, especially Only Orange, Summer Sun & Glorious Green! It was alot of work, with lots of steps, but I was rather pleased with it.

While preparing supplies for the students to make this card, I realized that I was pretty much out of the Pumpkin Pie DS polka dot prints paper from last year, so we improvised with other designs from the pack. I used a pin stripe paper, and Anabel chose a swirl design that was just perfect! I'm going to finish up my cards with her choice because her card came out stunning. I should've taken a picture so I could post that too.

This last card was another one I designed, and it's my personal favorite of the 3. While making it tho, I realized that I ripped the wrong side of the shell paper, so all my torn edges ended up on the left-hand side, when I meant for them to be on the right. So, picture this card upside down, but the shell is in this position (does that make sense?).

Oh my! My clock is chiming 11am and I still haven't showered yet! After that, I'm going to get to work on the cards for this Wednesday's Stamp-a-Stack. I've got a full house coming, so the projects have to be just perfect!

Deadline to register coming soon ...

I've been working diligently on my Linen 6x6 themed album for the class I'll be teaching on Friday, Oct. 3rd. The entire book is made with the 'Winter Retreat' Simply Scrappin' Kit, and I just love making these themed books to showcase a favorite vacation.

For this book, I've been using photos from our last vacation to Cape Cod this past June/July. Kelly was going to another Lead America program in Boston for 10 days (this time she studied Medicine & Healthcare ... I'm always so proud of her!), so we did our regular trip to the Cape. Usually, Kelly spends the whole time in Boston, but this year she was able to spend the weekend on the Cape with us before we took her to her program.

We rented a house in W. Harwich (my favorite town so far!), and we brought Brendan's girlfriend, Jaymiee, with us (she's just adorable!). They were so cute all week, and it was so nice to see my son have such a great time on vacation. They went everywhere with us, and most of the time, I felt like we were on a double date!

Anyway, back to the task at hand, which is to post a few photos of some of the layouts you'll be making. I used 'Winter Retreat', which has Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Bordering Blue, & Mellow Moss textured card stock. I thought these colors went great for summer, beachy pictures.

But, you don't have to go with these colors! You have an option to use the 'Summer Home' kit, which has exactly the same elements and patterns, but in different colors ... Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, and Riding Hood Red. You can choose the color of your 6x6 book as well ... I think the Real Red book would go great with this kit! I used Navy for mine, but I could've used the Mellow Moss book as well.

The cost of this class is only $60 and you'll receive your choice of the two SSKs, either 'Winter Retreat' or 'Summer Home', and your color choice of 6x6 linen album. You'll receive 'recipes' with color photos for each layout in the book, and the book will go together very quickly. I supply any ribbon, embellishments, stamps, inks, punches, etc. used in the book. All you'll need to do is add your photos!

You'll need to bring your paper cutter, adhesive & refill, and a pair of sissors to class with you. Also, you only have until Saturday, Sept. 20th to register for this class (yikes! that's this Saturday!) because I'll have to order your kit & album for you.

I only have a few spots open for this class, so you don't want to miss your spot. To register, just shoot me an email at stefrick@optonline.net with credit card info, or you can send me a check. Don't forget to include your kit choice & album color! Hope to see you there for a fun night!

Scrapbook Fun

I wanted to post photos of my last scrapbooking class for a couple of reasons: 1) I used the House of Haunts stamp set, which is my SSTM for the month of September (Purchase it this month, and I'll give you 15% off the price of the set!); 2) I came up with a new technique (more on that later); and 3) my student, Jen, did a completely different look (I love when my students do that ... you don't always have to copy teacher!), and I think her pages came out awesome!

OK, so the technique ... I wanted a tone on tone, which is difficult to do with black cardstock, so I made up a title mask using scrap paper and my Cricut machine. I laid a sheet of scrap paper across my page using temporary adhesive to give me a straight line. Then, I attached my letter masks with temporary adhesive.

I sponged around the letters using Black Craft ink, and embossed with Black Embossing Powder. I thought it came out great! Black on black, and real Halloweeney!

I showed my daughter, Kelly, and she thought it looked cool, but she thought the title was hard to see. My husband, Rick, came in, and he agreed with her. Kelly suggested I do the title using the green or orange embossing to match the striped paper I was going to use. I told her I didn't have those colors, so she suggested white. I thought, "Yuk! Not only will it defeat my Halloweeney look, but the white will clash with the colors in my striped paper."

When my student, Jen, arrived, I showed her the pages, and she loved them. I then told her what Rick & Kelly said, and she thought about it. She decided to do hers with white embossing powder instead of the black.

Neither of us was really impressed until I suggested she use one of the other papers instead of the stripes. She chose the black & white skull paper, and since her daughter's costume will be pink, she opted for Pink Passion layers for her embellishments & photos ...

We both thought her pages turned out great! She promises that after Halloween, she'll finish the pages and send me photos so we can all see the finished project.

I wanted to show you these, because you can do something like this with everything! You can spot a card or scrapbook page in a magazine, website, our Idea Book & Catalog, project from my class, anything. Then, change the colors, stamps, or even the layout, and make it all your own!

I saw a photo of a card on the Demonstrator section of the Stampin' Up! website. For some reason, Old Olive calls out to me for this card. I'm going to make one and change the color. I'll post it when I'm done so you could see how I do.

Why don't you challenge yourself, and pick a card out of our catalog? Change something, and then show me. I'd love to see what you come up with.

Repeat class

At last week's technique class, 3 of the 4 ladies there were shown the cards we made during the embossing technique class, and they loved them! So much so, that I'm going to repeat the class for them this Friday, Sept. 12th at 7:30pm if anyone else would like to join us. The cards are the Haunted House with chalks (see below), the More Mustard Gratitude card (one of the projects I posted on my Stampin' Up! website), and this card. This 3rd card is completely embossed over with Irredescent Ice EP, and it's soooo sparkly that I new my good friend, Denise, would love it, and she didn't dissapoint. Anyway, just give a shout if you want to join us ... we love to have you.

LOVE the online order ordering projects!

Well, I just went onto my website to see if the online ordering was enabled yet. I clicked on SHOP NOW in the top right corner. I went to the catalog, and it's fabulous! Bright, clear photos of every product. Then, I noticed in the left column at the bottom of products, is Projects. I clicked on that, and I was amazed at all the beautiful projects they've got there! Enough to fill a book! You can click on cards, scrapbook pages, or projects. You've got to check it out!

Online Ordering additonal information

I forgot to mention below, that any special offer I make (15% of the SSTM, and this week's special for blog readers only) can only be received when ordering through me, as these are my specials, and not SUs. If you order those items online, you'll still be charged the original price, and I won't be able to accommodate you.

24/7 Online Ordering Now Available!

Great news! Online Ordering will be up & running and officially offered at 1pm MT (I believe that's 3pm ET), and you'll be able to place an order yourself directly to SU from my website at http://www.stephaniestampsalot.stampinup.net day or nite, 24/7. In doing this, you'll be afforded the exact same benefits that you've been receiving when ordering through me: price, shipping fees, and hostess benefits (for orders of $150 or more, which will be called "Stampin' Rewards for online ordering), but you'll be able to do it anytime day or nite. After you place your order, I'll receive an email notification, and I'll still be able to thank you & follow-up for you.
Eventually, two more options will be available, but I need to explain them to you so you understand the benefits for you to order only through my website:
Option 1 will be to order from the SU website, where you'll be asked for my name, and I'll still receive my same commission, and you'll still receive the same prices & shipping fees, but you WON'T be able to receive any hostess benefits (Stampin' Rewards) if your order is $150 or more.
Option 2 will be to order from the SU website, but you opt NOT to choose a demonstrator. You'll then be charged higher prices & premium shipping fees, and the commission will be split between SU and a pool of demonstrators who have websites. The reason they're doing this is because they truly believe that their demonstrators are one of their best assets, and they want to deter customers from not using us. They're only offering this option to reach out to those new customers who've not ordered from them for fear of getting a demonstrator who might 'bother' them. Hopefully, though, once those people try our fabulous, high quality products, they'll realize the other benefits of having a demonstrator who is a liason between them & the company, and also a new friend who shares information about products & techniques.
So, for now, the only way to use this is through my website, but I want to remind you that even when the other options are available, this will still be the best option for you. Your order will be received by SU as soon as you place it (not when you contact me, and I place it), and they'll be less chance for errors (not that I ever make any errors! lol). So, try it out sometime, and call me (but not 24/7, please! lol) or email me if you have any questions. I'm still, always here to help.

Blog Reader Special Offer

I want to do something special for my blog readers, so to coincide with my SSTM, I'm going to give you the matching jumbo wheel for FREE when you order the House of Haunts set in a $50 merchandise order. You're already saving $3.44 on the SSTM, and the free wheel is worth $8.50*! To receive this special offer, the code is "Trick or Treat" when placing your order. This is a very limited time offer--it ends 9/13/08, so order yours this week!
*You will need to pay tax and S&H on the free item.