Stamping "The Rock" with Lynda

Wednesday's Open House hours.....

are 9:00 am - 9:00 pm.  Come anytime in between.  And bring a friend or two, if you'd like!

Deal of the Week & the New Idea Book & Catalog - Beginning July 1st

Beginning tomorrow, July 1st, Stampin' Up!® will be offering a "Deal of the Week" for the entire month of July.  Due to the catalog change-over and some other internal changes going on that day at the Home Office my demonstrator website (and associated links from this blog, too) may be down for a time in the morning.  But when it all comes back up again you should be able to visit the promotions page and see what the current "Deal of the Week" is. And remember to do that every week throughout the month of July!

As a reminder, my demonstrator website (for online ordering, online demonstrator sign-up, current promotions and additonal project ideas and videos) is:  http://StamptheRock.StampinUp.net

And the address above will have the most up-to-date info you'll want to explore when it does come up tomorrow.  I will be busy with my New Catalog Open House all day on Wednesday so I will not have a chance to update any specials or news announced that day, nor verify that links still work here on this site - until the next day or two afterwards.  So until I can get those details caught up, please check out my demonstrator website for the latest and greatest! 

Oh!  And I hope you'll drop in to my Open House tomorrow - and of course pick up your new catalog if you've got one here with your name on it!  (Complimentary new catalogs are already prepared for upcoming Club members, hostesses of this past year, upcoming summer/fall hostesses with workshop dates booked, and regular customers and class attendees of this past year.)  But even if you don't fit any of those descriptions, you're invited to come to my Open House anyway.  And I'll have a limited supply of catalogs available to purchase at my price - that day only!

Don't you just love our adorable Matchbox dies for the Sizzix Big Shot?!?  I just can't get enough of 'these cuties, myself!  

This is a set of goodies I showed at a recent workshop.  The cardstock box is Real Red, and the sleeve is a piece of Specialty Designer Series Paper from the "Rockabilly" set - which, although retiring in only a matter of hours, still remains one of my all-time very favorite Designer Series Papers.  (That is, the "cherries", "stripes", and "polka dot" sides are my faves; I'm not so into the skulls and crowns, lol.  What an odd combo of images, eh?)

 

Anyway, inside this little box I had tucked a few individually wrapped cherry candies with tiny toppers made with the Curly Label insert from the Movers and Shapers die (for the Big Shot, of course).

Once that little "label" shape was punched out I used my metal straight edge and a stylus to score a line exactly across the middle and folded it over the end of the candy wrapper.  BTW, can you see the subtle, glossy black stripes in this close-up?  Another feature I love about Rockabilly! 

Well, then you know ME!  I had to go and cut out those fussy little cherries from another paper from that same Rockabilly DSP set.  (Yes, I do think I was quite out of my mind drunk with a momentary overdose of creativity, but once I had the first couple done I HAD to finish up the rest of 'em, lol.  Anyway, I liked how they turned out, and the whole set made quite the presentation.  So it was worth it.  (And thank GOODNESS for Paper Snips!)

If YOU think they're adorable, too, but you haven't yet picked up a package of Rockabilly for yourself yet, guess what?!?  You're in luck!  As of the time I'm writing this on Monday afternoon, it's one of the FEW retiring Designer Series Papers that are not sold out yet!  So click on over to my online ordering system and grab yourself a package or two - and if YOU don't happen to be into skulls or crowns, either, tell 'em Lynda said it was totally ok NOT to use those sides of the paper!

So here are the main supplies I used for this project (besides the candy):

Paper:  Rockabilly Specialty Designer Series Paper

Real Red Cardstock  (Or although it's already sold out, Riding Hood Red would work too, if you still have some hanging around.)

Big Shot for Stampin' Up!

Die:  Movers & Shapers (Btw, the price of this die will be going up $3 in the upcoming catalog.  And since there are more insert shapes on the horizon, I'm sure its appeal will be greatly broadened.  So if you think you may want this die, you might want to think about getting it before the price goes up on Wednesday!)

Die:  Matchbox Die (Oh, and I like to use the Extended Premium Crease pad with my Matchbox die.)

Paper Snips

5/8" Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon

Have fun!

Another video from Stampin' Up!®

Although the video was probably made a while ago, Stampin' Up! just posted it, and since the project they show is a classic it will work ANYtime!  Here are some ideas for embellishing a Forget-Me-Not (Card) Keeper from Stampin' Up!

(You can see another Forget-Me-Not (Card) Keeper project at my New Catalog Debut Open House on Wednesday, too.)

Something Old, Something New

Something old, Something new, Nothing borrowed, Something blue.....

Here's a sneak peek at an upcoming hostess set "Wings of Friendship" (new), stamped with Pacific Point (old & blue), along with Sincere Salutations, which is one of my very favorite greeting sets.  Want "Wings of Friendship" for yourself?  Let's get your fall workshop on the calendar!

Summer Cookout Kit (Country Living)

Stampin' Up!® has once again partnered with Country Living to bring you a really fun kit this summer:  this time, a Summer Cookout Kit! 

I just received mine and have had some fun today exploring it.  I will share photos of some of the elements from the kit, but they won't be as attractive as the staged photo from Stampin' Up! above.

Your summer cookout begins with invitations, of course..... and these are about as clever as they come!  Everything is included for your 8 invitations - right down to the skewers, envelopes, and stamps & ink to decorate the envelopes if you wish.  (I stamped the images over on the left, as the envelope comes plain white.)  But the images for the kabob are super-easy to use - just punch 'em out, write your invitation specifics, and thread them on the skewer.  But check with the post office before mailing; they'll probably need some extra postage.                            

The red gingham image wrapped around the napkin here was stamped with one of the 3 stamps and 2 ink spots (small ink pads) included in this kit, and the round tag comes preprinted with the colorful circle around the edge.  (I stamped the star in the middle.)  And aren't these 2 paper food pockets fun, too?!?  I'll be demonstrating the folds for assembling them at my upcoming events this summer.

Something else that really impressed me about this kit is that the coasters actually have a plastic-like surface, so they're waterproof - and the paper food pockets are waxed, too, just like at the drive-in!

Click here to view a listing of all the elements of this kit (including some more pictures).  Or click here to purchase this kit for yourself.  The kit (with supplies for 8 people) is $24.95 when purchased through my online store, and will be available through August 31st - as long as supplies last.

Have fun at your summer cookout!

Edited to add:  Download a PDF file with some folding tips (for the cone and burger wrap) here.

Box for 10 cards

 

A package of 10 cards headed for a local charity fundraiser......  (I've already posted most of the cards inside at one time or another here, so I'm not specifically featuring those again.)

Finished size of the box is 4-3/4 x 6-1/4 x 2-1/2.  (Measurements in inches.)  It is sized to accommodate each set of card & envelope in a cello bag.

Cut size for the box bottom is 9-3/4 x 11-1/4.  Score 2-1/2 from each edge.  Fold and assemble as usual for boxes.

Cut size for box top is 8-5/16 x 6-13/16; score 1" from each edge.  Fold & assemble as usual.

The band is 2" wide.

(If you don't recognize the Designer Paper and other elements, they're from a Simply Scrappin' kit from a while back.)

Great Rewards/Frequent Stamper Card revisions

Just a reminder that I will be making some changes to my Great Rewards/Frequent Stampers Cards - to go into effect this summer.  Beginning July 1, 2009, you will have two options for redemption of your full card: 

1. Redeem it for up to $30 in value towards a specialty class with me, or....
2. Redeem it for up to $25 in current catalog product - and I will pay the s/h & tax for you.

Another change going into effect August 1, 2009, is that cards will now expire if they've had no activity on them for 6 months or more.  (In the past, I have not enforced any expiration dates, but now I have many, many cards on my ring that have had no activity for well over a year.)  So if you'd like to keep your card up-to-date and enjoy the added value, please be sure to place at least one $50 order with me every 6 months.

More details and other pertinent information can be found here.

As a favor to those of you who may already have a card half-full or more, I will list initials & other pertinent info about the status of your card here.  If you recognize your initials - or even potentially those of a friend - I urge you to get in touch with me very soon to redeem your card (if it's full) or at least get up-to-date news of its status.  Remember, if you redeem your card before June 30th, I will give you a $30 credit on an order of catalog product.  Beginning July 1, the wording changes slightly so that you may choose up to $25 of catalog product and I will pay the s/h and tax.

Questions?  Please feel free to ask!

I'm baaaack!

Wow! Just realized it's been over a week since I posted here, but I guess that pretty closely corresponds to roughly a week of thoroughly enjoying my brother and his family here!  Got lots to catch up on, of course, so this will be brief, but I just wanted to share what a blessing it is to have the flexiblity that comes along with being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator - so that I CAN take some time off and enjoy such opportunities with family when they arise!  :-)

So today I'm back in the office - all fresh and excited to finish up the remainder of the Stampin' Up! year with gusto!  Remember the new catalog makes its debut on July 1, and if I've got your name on one (oops!  I don't think I've even documented who WILL have their name on one, but I'll be defining that soon, so stay tuned.....) - anyway, I'll be hosting an informal Open House on July 1, so you can come and pick up your brand-new catalog then.  More details 'bout that later!  In the meantime, gotta move on to the next "to do" on my list today!  Ta ta!

Just Buzzin' By - Swap Card from May

Just had to share another cool swap card with you from our May demonstrator group swap.  This swing card was done by Christie P., and as you pull the card farther open the center section changes from one design to the next.  Isn't it just the "bee's knees"?!?