Greetings from Salt Lake City, UT

Hey everybody. I'm here in SLC getting ready for Stampin' Up!'s convention: Celebrate '08, which starts tomorrow. I can hardly wait. I've got 8 of my 9 swaps done (that's 20 cards, 46 card fronts, 16 bookmarks, 100 photographs, 22 sets of card candy, and 11 altered paperclips, plus 11 more card fronts to go).

Our flight out of Atlanta left at 7:05 this morning, and I was up at 4:00 to get ready for my ride to pick me up, so even though it's only 3 0'clock here in SLC, I'm going to bed...well, at least for a nap. Then my roommates are going to put me to work helping them finish their swaps. Anyway, I just wanted to check in.

Remember that my Super Retiring Stamp Set Sale ends tomorrow, and be sure to check out the updated discontinued accessories list. I'll try to post more later including a few samples featuring some of the retiring stamp sets.

Sweet wishes!

A Blog Hijack

Hi! Michael here (the DH). Kelly is at her grandmother's and has very limited internet access. She asked me to update her blog. Here is the card she made for the swap at her hostess appreciation dinner. It uses some of the new In Colors and the new Wow Flowers stamp set.
Sweet wishes!

More Fun Times

I am about to fall asleep at the computer, but I knew I needed an official Friday post, so here it is. Yesterday afternoon we left Myrtle Beach and headed over to Columbia, SC. We met some friends of ours for dinner. Here DJ is holding their 4-month-old son (with a little help from Michael).
And here are the girls. AJ is a month shy of being one year older than their daughter, and they certainly kept each other occupied. I wanted to include a link to Melissa's blog, so you could see more of their adorable family, but again, since I'm away from home, I don't have the address. So I will try to update with the link later.

Speaking of updates, make sure to check out the updated Discontinued Accessories List, and remember my Super Retiring Stamp Set Sale that runs through Wednesday, July 31.

Sweet wishes!

And one last "Thursday" post

I thought it was time for another stamping related post, so I wanted to leave you with this last one for the evening. I made these color inventory charts to give my hostesses at my Hostess Appreciation Dinner last Friday evening. I got the idea from stampinCPA over on Splitcoast. Here are her very cute creations. I, once again, felt compelled to use the new Bella Rose DSP. I hope you all don't get sick of seeing it before you are even able to purchase it. ;)Here's a close-up of one. I really like how they turned out. I created the ric-rac using our new Scallop Edge Punch. I found a tutorial on another Splitcoaster's blog, but I can't remember whose right now, and I'm not at home to look it up in my favorites. So whoever gave me this idea, THANK YOU! The day I had stumbled across her tutorial, I had made some ric-rac using some retired SU! scissors, but I was glad to learn that I could make it using a new product as well.

Sweet wishes!

More Myrtle Beach Fun...cont.

In previous posts, I've tried to line up the pictures and words in an aesthetically pleasing way, but it is a pain in the rear to try and get the words exactly where I want them around the pictures. So until I find a better way, I will be centering all the pics and typing above or below them. Anyway, after dinner, we let the kids each choose two fair rides. First the older four road on this car ride. It was originally the boys' idea, but the girls couldn't resist joining them on this fun one.

While the others were on the race track, AJ rode the train with Daddy. This was the only pic I got of her actually looking at me. Sorry Michael.

Next the boys chose the airplanes. They could control whether they went up or down, but they went up and stayed up until the ride came to an end. I got lots of great pictures of the bottom side of their aircraft with just the tops of their heads showing, so I insisted on capturing this shot before they disembarked.

Finally, the girls finished the night on the Merry-go-round. There were several animals to choose from, but they LOVE horses, so we found the ONE row that had three horses in it. This time it was Michael's turn to capture us in motion, but once again, it proved to be too difficult a feat, so when the ride was over, we posed for this picture.

Sweet wishes!

More Myrtle Beach Fun

Yesterday we spent some more time down at the beach. I forgot to change the batteries in my camera, so I didn't get too many pictures.

However, I changed the batteries during lunch, and came back down to take some pool pics. AJ was napping, but I got this picture of DJ. Most of the other ones I took were of Michael's brothers wrestling, but those just weren't blog-worthy. ;)

For dinner that evening we went to The Crab House at Broadway at the Beach. Outside there was a large pond. The kids grabbed some bread and french fries and fed the ducks and these crazy fish.

The Carp were just swimming around on the top of the water waiting to be fed. It was the weirdest thing to watch, and a bit disturbing too.

Sweet wishes!

Some Myrtle Beach adventures

On Monday evening we went and played putt-putt at a Dinosaur themed course. It was fun, but even at 10pm, it was HOT & STICKY!!!


My little man is *almost* a Tiger Woods in the making. ;) And he wasn't the least bit worried about the anamatronic T-Rex. (But the pic I took w/ the flash didn't show the dino, so I had to take it with the night function and hold it while lying on my back...hence the blur.)

Yesterday we spent most of the day down at the beach. I think DJ left the condo around 10am and returned around 5pm. Of course he then crashed before dinner and would not wake up for anything.

Here are AJ and I in a wonderfully fun tube. She didn't last much longer after this pic was taken, though. And, yes, she is darker than her mama. :[

Sweet wishes!

ps. remember to check the updated discontinued accessories list.

Time again for some stamping

I have been a stamping fool lately; up until all hours of the night; yes, I even packed an entire suitcase full of stamping supplies to come on vacation with us. However, it's all for my swaps and roommate gifts for convention , and I don't want the surprise to be spoiled for anyone. So, I can't post anything I've been creating recently. This was a simple thank you card I made a month or so ago. The focal point is from a current hostess set that will be retiring on August 10, the background is a previously retired hostess set. I added some Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware, which is on sale now~while supplies last, and some Apricot 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.


Sweet wishes!

Discontinued Accessories update

The following items are already sold out:

109020 Classic Stampin' Ink Wild Wasabi
105515 Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter
109060 Ribbon Double-Stitched Blue Bayou
109061 Ribbon Double-Stitched Purely Pomegranate
109228 Simply Sent Simple Delights
109229 Simply Sent Three Thoughts

After today's update, I will be editing the original post to indicate those items which have been sold out, so keep an eye on this post.

Sweet wishes!

More BIG sale news!

Hey everybody! I'm back with more news on our retired accessories. A select few are now available at a 25% discount, again WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! And there's even a new product offer! Click here to download the promotional flyer. Don't forget that the Hodgepodge Hardware is also still on sale for 25% off as well. So what are you waiting for??? Contact me to place your order today!

Sweet wishes!

Good morning ME!

Here is the sight that greeted me this morning. We're at Myrtle Beach for a few days with Michael's family.

On the drive over yesterday, we stopped at a gas station with remarkably clean bathrooms, so much so that I thanked the lady at the counter and the manager for keeping them so clean. However, outside was this sign that struck me as EXTREMELY funny. Oh, if all dirt were "clean dirt!"

Be sure to check out the post below for Stampin' Up!'s discontinued accessories list.

Sweet wishes!

Discontinued Accessories List

Here it is! In years past some items have been reconfigured in different packaging. This year it has been announced that none of the accessories will be reconfigured. All items included on the list are available until August 10, or WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, so if there is something you want, place your order ASAP!

Updated as of 4:30pm, 7/29.

Item # Product Description
109200 Accents & Elements Build A Flower SOLD OUT
110718 Accents & Elements Lucky Star
110719 Accents & Elements Messenger
103158 Acrylic Graph & Grid
108638 Card Stock 12 X 12 In Color
108642 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Blue Bayou
108643 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Groovy Guava
108637 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 In Color
108640 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 River Rock
108639 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Soft Sky
108641 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Wild Wasabi SOLD OUT
108644 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Purely Pomegranate SOLD OUT
103975 Card Stock Brushed Copper SOLD OUT
108694 Card Stock Textured 12 X 12 In Color
107312 Cards & Envelopes Gift Whisper White
107292 Cards & Envelopes Greeting Whisper White
109116 Notes & Envelopes Long Notes
109118 Notes & Envelopes Love Notes
109117 Notes & Envelopes Pocket Notes SOLD OUT
110729 Notes & Envelopes Scallop Notes
109119 Notes & Envelopes Gift Notes
109018 Classic Stampin' Ink Blue Bayou SOLD OUT
109019 Classic Stampin' Ink Groovy Guava
109017 Classic Stampin' Ink Purely Pomegranate SOLD OUT
109016 Classic Stampin' Ink River Rock SOLD OUT
109015 Classic Stampin' Ink Soft Sky
109020 Classic Stampin' Ink Wild Wasabi SOLD OUT
109013 Classic Stampin' Pad Blue Bayou
109012 Classic Stampin' Pad Groovy Guava
109011 Classic Stampin' Pad Purely Pomegranate
109010 Classic Stampin' Pad River Rock
109009 Classic Stampin' Pad Soft Sky
109014 Classic Stampin' Pad Wild Wasabi
110751 Designer Series Paper Azure
110696 Designer Series Paper Bali Breeze
110749 Designer Series Paper Berry Bliss
109154 Designer Series Paper Cutie Pie
110699 Designer Series Paper East Coast Prep SOLD OUT
109160 Designer Series Paper Fall Flowers SOLD OUT
109159 Designer Series Paper Flowers For You
110697 Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom SOLD OUT
110479 Designer Series Paper Jersey Shore
109151 Designer Series Paper Le Jardin
110748 Designer Series Paper Notebook
110750 Designer Series Paper Olive Press
109153 Designer Series Paper Porcelain Prints SOLD OUT
109175 Designer Series Paper Prints Almost Amethyst SOLD OUT
109177 Designer Series Paper Prints Always Artichoke
109173 Designer Series Paper Prints Blue Bayou SOLD OUT
109174 Designer Series Paper Prints Brilliant Blue
109178 Designer Series Paper Prints Certainly Celery
109169 Designer Series Paper Prints Close to Cocoa SOLD OUT
109168 Designer Series Paper Prints Groovy Guava SOLD OUT
109171 Designer Series Paper Prints Lovely Lilac
109172 Designer Series Paper Prints More Mustard SOLD OUT
109176 Designer Series Paper Prints Old Olive
109170 Designer Series Paper Prints Pumpkin Pie SOLD OUT
109164 Designer Series Paper Prints River Rock
109167 Designer Series Paper Prints Rose Red
109166 Designer Series Paper Prints So Saffron
109165 Designer Series Paper Prints Soft Sky SOLD OUT
109163 Designer Series Paper Prints Tempting Turquoise SOLD OUT
110698 Designer Series Paper Spring Break
110273 Designer Series Paper Spring Fling SOLD OUT
110271 Designer Series Paper Spring Silhouettes
110272 Designer Series Paper Western Sky SOLD OUT
107299 Envelope Confetti Cream Medium
105320 Eyelets Basic SOLD OUT
100375 Eyelets Bold Brights SOLD OUT
100381 Eyelets Earth Elements SOLD OUT
107233 Eyelets Fresh Favorites I
107234 Eyelets Fresh Favorites II
105316 Eyelets Rich Regals
100378 Eyelets Soft Subtles SOLD OUT
105515 Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter SOLD OUT
105531 Hodgepodge Hardware Antique Brass SOLD OUT
105532 Hodgepodge Hardware Aged Copper SOLD OUT
101120 Metallic Art Pencils
107307 On Board Accents
109181 On Board Blossoms & Basic
109179 On Board Ginormous Pieces
107306 On Board Simon Lower
102678 Paper Mulberry White SOLD OUT
109227 Punch Box Three For You SOLD OUT
102686 Punch Handheld Rectangle
100271 Pure Color Pencils
109060 Ribbon Double-Stitched Blue Bayou SOLD OUT
109063 Ribbon Double-Stitched Groovy Guava SOLD OUT
109061 Ribbon Double-Stitched Purely Pomegranate SOLD OUT
109062 Ribbon Double-Stitched River Rock
109059 Ribbon Double-Stitched Soft Sky SOLD OUT
109058 Ribbon Double-Stitched Wild Wasabi SOLD OUT
109189 Ribbon Originals Beachfront
109187 Ribbon Originals District
109188 Ribbon Originals Fairy Tale
109185 Ribbon Originals Jersey
109184 Ribbon Originals Sherbert
109186 Ribbon Originals Theater
110716 Ribbon Striped Grosgrain Wild Wasabi
110281 Rub-Ons Cherished Memories SOLD OUT
110284 Rub-Ons Eastern Elegance
110285 Rub-Ons Urban West
110557 Simply Scrappin' Boho Blend
109610 Simply Scrappin' Confetti SOLD OUT
110572 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Boy
110567 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Girl
109597 Simply Scrappin' Home Again
110562 Simply Scrappin' Rose Cottage
109648 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Boy
109627 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Girl SOLD OUT
110587 Simply Scrappin' Summer Days
110577 Simply Scrappin' Tie The Knot
111184 Simply Sent Friendly Notes
109228 Simply Sent Simple Delights SOLD OUT
109229 Simply Sent Three Thoughts SOLD OUT
106662 Stampin'Around Wheel Daisy Field
107561 Stampin'Around Wheel Garden Annuals
109681 Stampin'Around Wheel Good Dog
109678 Stampin'Around Wheel Kisses
107482 Stampin'Around Wheel Lily Pad SOLD OUT
109680 Stampin'Around Wheel Meow
109677 Stampin'Around Wheel Mistletoe SOLD OUT
106610 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Basics Outline
107467 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Birthday
109571 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Baby
109570 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Friends
109569 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Party
108423 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Leaves A La Carte SOLD OUT
107468 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Nature Hike
108980 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Petals
107464 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Rough Texture SOLD OUT
111261 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Spunky Spots
109554 Stampin' Color Index Labels SOLD OUT
106694 Stampin' Kids Markers
102673 Zig Painty SOLD OUT

Sweet wishes!

Super Retiring Stamp Set Sale!

Order any ONE set from the list of retiring stamp sets, and receive a second retiring set at a 10% discount.

Order any TWO sets from the list of retiring stamp sets, and receive a third retiring set at a 20% discount.

Order any THREE sets from the list of retiring stamp sets, and receive a fourth retiring set at a 30% discount.

Order any FOUR sets from the list of retiring stamp sets, and receive a fifth retiring set at a 40% discount.

Order any FIVE sets from the list of retiring stamp sets, and receive any other retiring sets at a 50% discount.

PLUS, spend $75.00 or more (excluding S&H and tax) and receive a FREE copy of the new Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog when it becomes available on August 11.

All discounts will be taken from the lowest priced stamp set(s). Simply call or email me with your order, I will calculate the total amount due, and contact you to arrange payment. As a reminder I accept Visa, Master Card, Discover, checks, and cash. I do not accept fresh or canned vegetables, frozen meat, or live animals as payment for products or services. Once I heard the story of another demonstrator whose customer gave her a pound of frozen ground beef as payment for a class, I decided to add this disclaimer. :)

This special promotion is only available through me, your independent Stampin’ Up!® demonstrator. All orders and payments must be collected by Wednesday, July 30, to receive any discounted merchandise. Any qualifying orders placed after Wednesday, July 30, but before Sunday, August 10, will still be eligible to receive a free copy of the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog.

And don’t forget that all Hodgepodge Hardware Kits featured in the Spring-Summer 2008 Collection are 25% off while supplies last. The regular cost is $27.95, and the discounted price is just $20.96!

Go to this post to view the retiring stamp set list.

Sweet wishes!

No green thumb needed

On Monday, August 4 (the day I get back home after Convention), from 6-8pm, I will be having my next pre-order class featuring the Accents & Elements: Build-A-Flower. All those in attendance will receive their own Build-A-Flower Accents & Elements tin, which we will alter, and two sets of 20 note cards with envelopes. We will be creating 40 cards, 4 each of the 10 designs pictured below. The cards are great for just about any card-sending occasion--thank you notes, birthday cards, thinking of you, get well wishes, or just because. The cost of the class is $30.00. Please RSVP by this Monday, July 21, because if my suspicions are correct, the Build-A-Flower A&E will be included on the retiring accessories list, which is to be posted that day. Then they will only be available while supplies last. So call, email, or post a comment to this post to reserve your spot. (To post a comment, just click on the blue "# comments" found just below the bottom of this post, and a window will pop-up.) Can't come to the class, but you still want to make the cards? Just let me know, and I'll get you all the supplies you'll need through my Stamps-in-the-mail program. Have the kit delivered right to your door for just $40.00, or pick it up from me at your convenience for $35.00. Since this item is an accessory, I cannot guarantee availability after Monday, July 21, but feel free to contact me anytime before August 10, to see if it is still available.

Sweet wishes!
ps. I got the idea for this class, and several of the layouts from hfetzner on Splitcoast. Here is a link to her original creation. Isn't it AWESOME?!?

Still life by Kelly

So this is just a silly post, but Wednesday night, when we got home from some adventures that I will share with you another day, we found this HUGE head of cabbage sitting on our porch. I'm telling you this thing is 12" in diameter! The next day Michael picked up some bananas at the grocery store and they were all 8-10" long! What is up with the ginormous produce? The cabbage was with some tomatoes and jelly (not pictured), the cucumbers came from someone else in the community, and the onions were store bought and just happened to be there.

Sweet wishes!

Well, it finally happened...

...I missed a day of blogging! Not bad for almost three months, though. I did think about it before I went to bed, but it was quarter to 1, and I just didn't have it in me. Okay, Beth, I'm ready for my punishment. ;)

This past Sunday, there was a baby shower at our church for Shanice and her daughter Myesha. I wasn't able to attend because Michael had other obligations and AJ was napping. The family asked only for the essentials: diapers, wipes, and everything having to do with baby's bottom, but I couldn't give her JUST diapers, so I made this name plate as well. The background paper is from the new Bella Rose DSP, I embossed her name with Winter White EP, and used rub-ons in the bottom right corner. I attached a white taffeta ribbon to the outside of the glass using gluedots. This project was quick and easy, and I was pleased with the final project.
Sweet wishes!

For my hostesses

I didn't have a chance today to get the information about my retiring stamp set sale together to post on here, so keep an eye out for that in the days to come. The sale lasts until Monday, July 28, so be prepared to order any retiring stamp sets that have caught your eye before then (the sets will still be available through August 10, but the sale prices are only good through July 28).

In the meantime, I am having a Hostess Appreciation Dinner on Friday evening. These are the invitations I sent to my hostesses. I printed the information on vellum paper, layered that over the new Bella Rose Designer Series Paper, and used the new scallop border punch to punch the bottom border. Both of these new items will be available to purchase in our upcoming Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog, which premiers on Monday, August 11.
Sweet wishes!

Retirement party

Okay, to explain to those of you who aren't familiar with my Stampin' Up!® business, each year the company retires a long list of stamp sets to make room in the catalog for new stamp sets. So this past Saturday, I had a class centered around the stamp sets on the retired list. For our first creation I re-CASEd toknighton’s card, only I stayed a little closer to her original creation this time using the Polka dots and Petals stamp set, and keeping her same color palate with River Rock filling in for the browns.
Our second card came from another Make-N-Take kit that I ordered from SU! a while ago. Like the other MNT kit using the Be Happy stamp set, this one also used some old In Colors, but it was easy to switch the True Thyme to Always Artichoke and the Cranberry Crisp to Purely Pomegranate. My guests enjoyed the non-traditional size of this card (3x6).

Finally we made this candle using Blossoms Abound stamp set. I love this set (in case you didn’t notice yet), and I LOVE this candle. The colors are perfect together, and it smells really good too.

Hey, one last thing: EXCITING NEWS ABOUT A RETIRING STAMP SET SALE COMING TOMORROW (or later today)! So stay tuned.

Sweet wishes!

Gone Country!

For those of you who know me, you know that I’m a city girl. Born and raised in Atlanta, GA. When we moved to Columbia, SC for Michael to begin seminary, I thought that was a small town. Well, now we are in rural east TN. It has been a big adjustment. Now to my fellow east Tennesseeians, please don’t take offense. We really enjoy living here, and we love “you-uns.” Our number one complaint is that, no matter how long our grocery list is, we will never make it home with everything we need. This is why we stockpile in the basement. Thank goodness the parsonage has an extra fridge and full size freezer down there as well. But the point of this post is to let our city folk know…WE’VE BEEN COUNTRIFIED!!! Here is how we spent Saturday afternoon:
Shuckin' corn!

AJ’s first ear was a little odd. It had a few HUGE kernels including this MONSTER one. Michael broke it open and it was all brown inside. He said it was dirt, but I don’t think so.

Then the next ear she picked up was this tiny one, she kept going, “Aaawwww! It’s a baby one.” With her very southern drawl. (Where did that come from for this Yankee-born child!?!)

Later that evening the youth group went fishin'.

AJ didn’t fish, DJ and I didn’t catch anything, but Michael caught three. This was the final and biggest. (The first one fit in the palm of his hand.)

ETA: all fish were thrown back in!

Sweet wishes!

So call me a liar

Well, yesterday I promised good posts, but Blogger is having, and I quote, "internal errors," and is not uploading my pictures. I will attempt to get all of my post composed in Word, and then copy and paste when Blogger gets over itself. Sorry.

Sweet wishes!

Sunday's post

CRAZY day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good updates coming tomorrow! I promise!!!

Sweet wishes!

Happy Birthday, Michael!!!!!

Yesterday was DH's b'day. We each made him a card. I CASEd the layout for mine from toknighton over at SCS. I used a different stamp set and different colors because I wanted to play with my new stuff, but here is her beautiful card. In my card, I used 5 of the 6 new In Colors (all but Pink Pirouette) and the new stamp set, Wow Flowers. DJ didn't do much in the way of helping make this card, but he chose the colors, the layout, and the design. Of course when you ask a 5-yr-old what colors he wants to use, he's going to name them all, but he did say, "Green and yellow and red and blue...oh a rainbow! I want to do a rainbow!" And I needed to use some chipboard, so I asked him what shape, and he chose a star, which of course had to be yellow (why did I even ask that?). Then I asked if he wanted it sideways or up-and-down. And he definitely wanted Birthday wishes in blue. He usually loves to use the SNAIL adhesive, but was too preoccupied with who-knows-what to even bother with that. He did, however, write the entire message inside by himself.

And here's AJ's card. Again, I let her choose the colors. And I had another card with a Pun Fun hippo laying next to my desk, and as soon as she saw it, she HAD to have a hippo on her card for Daddy. I tried to show her other stamps, other cute animals even, but it was no use. She was set on using that hippo. She helped me ink it up and stamp it, I helped her sponge the edges, and then she got to color him and help me stick it all together. She "wrote" a message inside too. ;)

Sweet wishes!
ps. Tomorrow (Saturday) is going to be a super busy day, so we'll let the cow post count for Friday and this post count for Saturday, okay? If not, TBFY (too bad for you)!

Burning the midnight oil, again

It was Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A today. If you dressed like a cow, you got a free meal! We got two #1 combos, two kids meals, a Caramel Coffee Milkshake, and an Ice Dream for the kids, and all we had to pay for was the milkshake! Here are my adorable calfs:

And here's the whole herd:
Sweet wishes!

Wahoo!

Boy did I get some stamping done today! I can't show you everything because some of what I did was for my Convention swaps, and I want those to be a total surprise for everyone. But I did another of Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration challenges (#15).

Here is my creation:

As soon as I saw the white lacework on the pillows, I knew I needed to play around with Stampin' Up!'s new Scallop Edge Punch. That is how I made both white trims. I CASEd this layout from someone on SCS. Unfortunately, I didn't save the card in my favorites, I just sketched it in my challenge journal, so I can't give credit. I don't even know what the original stamp set or colors used were because I wrote my own color ideas on my sketch. These weren't them, but as soon as I saw the colors and the bedding, this sketch popped into my head, and I knew I had to try it. I did change the Certainly Celery to SU!'s new In Color-Kiwi Kiss.

Sweet wishes!

TOO TIRED TO BLOG!

I did get some stamping done today (yea, finally!), but I am simply too tired to post anything. AJ was up at 2:15am screaming at the top of her lungs that there was a snake in her bed. Michael had taken her to the doctor because her elbow was dislocated (again), and then they went across the street to the library, and there was a man at the library with a snake. AJ isn't scared of snakes, and she's willing to touch one before her brother, but that is the only thing we can think of that set her off. We calmed her down and 5 minutes later she was screaming again. I rocked with her for about 15 minutes, laid her back down, and another 5 minutes went by before she was screaming again. Michael went up that time and came back down with her and she slept in our bed the rest of the night. Oh, I was NOT a happy camper. Anyway, that's one reason I'm so exhausted, aside from the fact that I had just finally gone to bed 30 minutes earlier.

Sweet dreams! ;)

Oops, late again

Well, here is my Tuesday post. It was Tuesday 4 minutes ago, right? With the busy, long weekend, full of house guests, in the middle of summer break, I've lost track even further of what day it is. But I think "yesterday" was Tuesday, and "tomorrow" is Wednesday, and I'm caught somewhere in the twilight zone in between. Anyway, I SO should have been stamping today, but it just didn't happen. I'm involved with so many swaps for Convention that I just don't know where to start. I also have Hostess Appreciation Dinner invitations to make and mail, and my July newsletter to email with info about my upcoming events including a few this weekend. Fortunately, some of my customers keep up with my Demonstrator Business Website, where all that kind of information is located under the Events tab.

So here is some more stuff from Andy. This is the Create definition and the Décor Elements brochures. You can find out more about Décor Elements by clicking on the Products tab of my website.

I haven't put it up on my wall yet, and even when I do, I won't be able to share a picture with you all for a while, because one of the swaps I just joined for Convention is a photo swap of Décor Elements ideas, so I don't want the picture I'm going to swap up on my blog where someone might see it before the swap. I appreciate the element of surprise. But I promise I will share it as soon after Convention as possible (or as soon as I remember). I'm sure I won't have anything else exciting to share. ;)

Btw, if you are an SU! demo, and are going to convention, and are interested in participating in this swap, check out the thread over at SCS (you have to be a member on the demo side to view it): New & Open DECOR ELEMENTS Swap.

Sweet wishes!

Look what I got!

Hey everybody. Still have family visiting, and another busy day, but Andy stopped by. Andy is my UPS man. :D Look what he brought me!

These are all items that will be available in the upcoming Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog premiering August 11. Seen here are the new In Colors: Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, and Tangerine Tango; four new stamp sets: Deer Friends (the one with all the circles) and Happiness Always (the one with the purple rubber) will be Level 2 & Level 3 Hostess Sets respectively, Wow Flowers (the set of 4) and Sock Monkey (that would be the one with the monkey ;)); there are also new buttons from an all new "Button Bouquet," the new Bella Rose Designer Series Paper, and a new Scallop Edge Punch. I obviously mounted all my stamps...which was super easy because Stampin' Up! has officially announced that all NEW stamp sets will be die cut! So while you still have to put them together yourself, you no longer have to cut them out. Existing older sets which were not previously die cut will still have to be trimmed and mounted, but all NEW sets will be die cut! Anyway, I mounted all my new stamps, but I haven't gotten a chance to play with them yet. All of my remaining swaps for Convention will be using the new sets, so I'm really going to be getting these things inky soon! Well, enjoy the eye candy. TTFN!

Sweet wishes!

Great day for a "Thank You"

Today Michael and I hosted a Thank You luncheon for the members of the call committee, church council, and congregation who were responsible for bringing us here to St. James. We set up and decorated and provided entertainment, and we asked everyone to bring a dish to share. I was a little worried that we wouldn't have enough food, but we had a TON of food. Michael didn't think there would be a very big crowd, but there was a large crowd. He predicted about 40, and we easily had over 70. A "sub purpose" of the luncheon was a sort-of-surprise b'day party for Michael. He knew the celebration was happening, and he knew who would be there, but when he walked in, we sang Happy Birthday to him, and a little later he discovered his gifts that were there: Rock Band, Lego Star Wars Episodes 1-3, and Lego Indiana Jones for PS2. Here's the cake I made. I'm sure I'll have pics of jam sessions on Rock Band soon enough. I can already kick butt on the drums in Weezer's "Say It Ain't So."Michael's dad, grandmother, and older brother and his family came into town to celebrate with us. The kids spent the afternoon outside playing in the water with our slip-n-slide, water balloons, and the Elmo sprinkler. Here's the crew after the water balloon fight.

And here's a video of them playing in the sprinkler...well, sans AJ, she had had enough by this time. ;) It looks like it might be a little fuzzy, sorry if it is.

Sweet wishes!

Another busy weekend

We've got family in town, we've been out all day, and we've got a big "Thank you" celebration after church tomorrow that we are hosting. We got the community center cafeteria all decorated, the tea is almost done, the cake is baked, but I still have to make icing, ice it, and decorate it, and I've got to make a batch of lasagna roll ups. I was planning to make two batches, but I don't have enough noodles, so I only have to make one...I'm glad I have this problem. Everything else is over in the refrigerators at the community center for me to stick in the oven tomorrow morning.

On top of it all I'm sick. Don't know what, though. DJ has strep again, but I'm pretty sure that's not what I have this time. It may be a sinus infection, or just sinuses and allergies (which I've never had before) acting up.

All this equals a lousy blog post. Sorry! I promise tomorrow will be better....

Sweet wishes!

Happy 4th of July!

Hey everybody! I hope you all have a very happy and safe July 4th weekend! We went to the Greeneville Astros game last night. The kids and I saw very little of the game, but we had tons of fun in the play zone where they had several "bouncy things." And the fireworks after the game were TOTALLY awesome!!! No, I don't have pictures of the fireworks, but I was inspired to make this card by AJ's patriotic skirt.

The beginning of July is full of birthday celebrations in our family. Today is 'Aunt' Liz's b'day. She is a dear friend of ours from PA. Her card is the strawberry scratch 'n' sniff one in this post. Then Monday is Granny's b'day. After yesterday's color inspiration from KWernerDesigns, I decided to seek out other inspiration. I went over to Beate's blog to check out her weekend sketch, but wouldn't you know that she had the brilliant idea to take a break this summer, so I used her Be Inspired Challenge from June 17. Unfortunately I used some non-SU! patterned paper, so I can't post it on here because I'm trying to keep my blog SUO (Stampin' Up! only), but you can view it in my Splitcoaststampers gallery by clicking here.

The inspiration piece was this beautiful cake from Martha Stewart's website.

And Tuesday is my BFF, Rachel's b'day and Gram's b'day. Rachel's card is shown below and was CASEd from a card by Jennifer Weide on Stamper's Showcase which is a feature on the demonstrator side of Stampin' Up!'s website. Sue Ellen's card (aka Gram) is the Blossoms Abound card shown in this post.

We've got two more birthdays and an anniversary next week, so stay tuned. In the meantime, Happy Birthday 'Aunt' Liz, Granny, Gram, and Rachel!

Sweet wishes!