LAST CHANCE at the $169 "I Want It ALL" Kit

Yup, you heard it--this is your LAST CHANCE to become a demonstrator at a fabulous discount, AND get an EXTRA free stamp set of your choice from the main catalog!

Here's why NOW: * SALE! $30 off the kit,til March 31st only * FREE STAMPS! Extra stamp set of your choice (up to $47.95! til March 31st) * THREE EASY PAYMENTS! Choose to buy your kit over 3 months--each payment only $56.33 (add tax to Month 1, **available by mail kit order only, must be received by March 31st or price goes to $66.33/month) * CRAFTING IS UP! In the down economy, even the New York Times recognizes that home crafting is on an upswing as people try to stretch their dollars without sacrificing quality.

Here's what you GET: * STARTER KIT BEST DEAL: $335 + $48 bonus in stamping supplies, only $169!! Click here to see what's in the kit... * CUSTOM KIT: Includes favorite stamping supplies, but YOU choose your stamp sets and colors * DEMO SUPPLIES: Forms, Catalogs, etc. are included. Don't need these as a "discount purchaser" demo? Don't worry, you're not paying for them anyway! * PRODUCT DISCOUNT: Enjoy 20% discount on your own purchases, or up to 40% depending on your sales for the month! * DEMONSTRATOR IDEA WEBSITE: Exclusive access to professional videos, pattern libraries, card & project libraries, class and workshop ideas--1000's of samples at your fingertips! * MEG'S MONTHLY STAMP & SHARE EVENT: Attend in person or long-distance demos receive a DVD. Event includes demonstrations, idea sharing, business tips and Make N Take projects.

Click here to learn more and see what to do next when you're ready to sign up!

Easter Bunny Punch Idea

Need a cute Easter idea for school treats or coworkers? Here's a favorite of mine! This is a super-easy Punch Idea that starts out with the Scallop Circle #2 Big Shot Die (113469, $19.95). This die actually has two scallop circles--the larger is my bunny body (front and back), and the smaller is the cute bunny tail.

And sandwiched between the bunny front and bunny back is a Medium Cello Bag (102757, $4.50 for 50) filled with color-coordinating candy...nothing quite like matching candy, right? :-)


Here's the rest of the supply list:

• Paper: Pink Pirouette Patterns Designer Series Paper
• Pink Pirouette Cardstock
• Pretty in Pink Cardstock
• Whisper White Cardstock
• Basic Black Cardstock
• Punches: 1" Circle Punch
• Large Oval Punch
• Small Oval Punch
• 3/4" Square Punch
• 1/2" Circle Punch
• Other: Pink Pirouette Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• White Gel Pen
• Sponge Daubers
• Medium Cello Bag
  
• Classic Ink in Pixie Pink and Basic Gray

Only 2 days left for FREE STAMPS!

Do you have all the Limited Edition Sale-A-Bration stamp sets that you wanted this year? You can only receive Sale-A-Bration rewards on orders placed until Tuesday evening, March 31st!

If you missed the details, here you go... for every $50 you order in February and March, you get to pick out a Sale-A-Bration reward: four stamp set choices, a ribbon assortment and a jumbo Designer Series Paper pack. To see the selections, you can download the Sale-A-Bration Mini Catalog.


Looking for more Sale-A-Bration ideas? Here's a great one for Botanical Blooms. This is a terrific 2-Step stamp set, and works perfectly for the Poppin' Pastels technique!


Poppin' Pastels Technique:

1. Stamp the solid flower background using clear VersaMark Ink.
2. Rub a Sponge Dauber or cotton ball over one of the Stampin' Pastels to pick up color. Gently swirl the dauber over the stamped flower image. The color will stick to the ink.
3. Ink the 'outline' stamp in Basic Brown Ink, then stamp over the colored solid flower to finish the image.

Easter Chick from Big Shot and Punches

Okay, who doesn't love a cute card created using fun Stampin' Up! punch ideas? This card was adapted from a sample I saw, which was adapted from a sample someone else saw... you know how it goes :-)

In any case, it's a really fun and cute character to use on Easter projects. The grass idea is my own creation--just use scissors to cut small slits in your Kiwi Kiss cardstock strip, then crumple the 'grass' and attach so that the 'grass blades' stick out from the background.

Stamps: All Holidays
Inks:

• Apricot Appeal (with Stamping Sponge for eyelid highlights)
• Chocolate Chip (for sign)
• Regal Rose (with Sponge Dauber for 'cheeks')

Cardstock:

• Whisper White (sign & eyes)
• Barely Banana (body and eyelids)
• Apricot Appeal (wings)
• Only Orange (beak and feet)
• Baja Breeze (card)
• Kiwi Kiss Textured Cardstock (grass)
• Close to Cocoa (signpost)

Accessories:

• Big Shot Top Note Die (body)
• Scallop Oval Punch (available April 1st--wings)
• 1" Square Punch (beak)
• Scallop Circle Punch (toes)
• 1-1/4" Circle Punch (eyes and eyelids)
• 1/4" Circle Punch (irises)
• Designer Label Punch (sign)

Sunshine Garden: ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT!

Don't miss out on registering for this fabulous Class or "To Go" Kit. If you haven't seen the project in person, you can check out my short video of how the album works.

Register online or find complete details at: http://flipalbum.eventbrite.com

Registration ends on March 28th--don't miss out on not only the great class (attend in person or have the full kit mailed to your doorstep) but also on the BONUS BUTTON PACK that you can purchase at a discount with your Class! (see website above for full details)

Manhattan Flower Texture: SUPER easy!

Oh My Gosh... Have you SEEN the new Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die yet?! And even better yet, have you run your finger over the design yet? :-)

Cards created with this special embossing die are not only gorgeous to look at, but they're also a fun tactile experience. And as a kinesthetic learner (I learn best by doing or touching), I am ALL about the texture :-)

To make this gorgeous design on my Whisper White cardstock, all I had to do was put my cardstock inside the new Manhattan Flower Textured Impression Die (114517, ONLY $7.95!!) and run it through my Big Shot. To add the fun Baja Breeze color to match my cardstock, and dipped a Stamping Sponge piece (101610, $3.50 for 3) into my Baja Breeze Classic Pad and rubbed the sponge in circles over the embossed design.

Oh, and if you're drooling over that Scallop Oval Punch (114889, $15.95) and the new matching Oval All (113790, $16.95) stamp set, they'll be available for order on April 1st!! And of course they coordinate perfectly with the Large Oval Punch (107305, $15.95).

Custom Shower Curtain Project Video

Want to see some Decor Elements in action? Usually I record my own video clips for you, but this one from Jaron Winder at Stampin' Up! is wonderful. Click on the picture below to learn how to apply Decor Elements in your own home projects... including on this fun shower curtain!

Birdie in my Kitchen: Decor Elements Fun

"Decor what?", you say? Yes, that's right, "Decor Elements!" Even though these have been available for order through Stampin' Up! since last summer, they're easy to overlook on a first cruise through the Stampin' Up! catalog. And if you haven't looked at the offering since last summer, you'll want to look again because there are MANY new designs and colors now.

Decor Elements are a fun and easy way to add some flair to your home decor. They're a sticky vinyl product that is super-easy to apply, will receive tons of compliments, and can be removed when you need to paint, tire of the design, or are moving. I've used many around my own home.

We recently painted our kitchen, and I was excited to find a home for the gorgeous bird from the "Always" stamp set, which is also available in the Decor Elements line. I chose it in the Medium size in White (114777, $15.95), although you can also get it in Certainly Celery or Chocolate. It's about 8" tall and 13" across, and the perfect size for putting on a backsplash in a kitchen!

I like to think that it's more fun to wash dishes with the little birdie nearby ;-) At least it always makes me think about getting my stamps out to play! (I mean work ;-)

Oh, and if you want to check out the Decor Elements line, you can download the product brochure here.

Life of a "Work At Home" Stamping Mom

"Meg, how do you fit it all in?" Yup, I suppose I get asked that fairly often. My real answer? Multi-tasking. Definitely multitasking.

This is what my stamping table looks like on a regular basis... see those Legos there? This is where I sit and help read directions for assembling Lego houses and cars, at the same time that I'm assembling stamped cards and scrapbook pages! Like I said, multitasking. (and I have a fabulous friend & assistant who helps me out about 2-3 hours per week :-)

Oh yes, and if you look carefully, you can spot the Sneak Peek of my card swaps and a stamp set from the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog (due out April 1st!).

This is the life I love... I get to be home with my kids and enjoy seeing them grow up, but I still have a chance to contribute to our family income and have an adult outlet. I highly recommend it--let me know if you'd like more information about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator!

Just "One More Thing"

At my workshops, people start to roll their eyes and laugh when I get to the end of every project, because I invariably use the phrase, "just one more thing", just when they think the card or scrapbook page is finished.

But really, I find that the "one more thing" is often the difference between me looking at my card and thinking, "eh, it's okay," and me looking at my card and thinking, "yup, now it's done!"

That was certainly the case here when I used the upcoming Matchbox Messages stamp set (113800, $25.95, available beginning April 1st!) and the Matchbox Bigz XL Die (114890, $42.95, also coming April 1st!). The 'Celebrate' stamp was stamped on the Whisper White tag layer (cut from the Matchbox die), and then layered on the Baja Breeze Patterns Designer Series Paper tag, also cut from the die.

But the card didn't look quite finished until...
I added in the brads at the ends of the swoopies on the tag (yup, 'swoopies' is a technical term, be sure to write it down so you don't forget ;-)

So there you have it, "just one more thing!"

Have It All: become a demonstrator!

Yup, that's right, as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator you can have it all:
Discount, Endless Ideas & Inspiration!

Ever considered becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator?
NOW (before March 31st) is the BEST time!

Stampin' Up! embraces all types of demonstrators:

• DISCOUNT PURCHASER: Buys from herself, enjoys both the discount and the access to ideas on the Demonstrator Website. LOVES the bargain on the Demonstrator Starter Kit.
• HOBBY DEMO: Gets together with friends monthly, her income helps to support her own purchases.
• PART TIME DEMO: Works a job (or raises children) & does 1-3 events a month, enjoys extra income to help pay bills or splurge on 'extras' at home.
• FULL TIME DEMO: Seeks this as a career, enjoys recognition and bonus perks, plus income that pays household bills.

Which type do you picture for yourself? When you sign up as a demonstrator with me, I can help you be successful in WHICHEVER group you choose to belong!

Why now? Let's see... the kit is on sale, you get EXTRA free stamps, plus you can choose to pay for your Starter Kit with THREE EASY PAYMENTS (but you get your kit with your first payment!).

Click here to see more details about the Kit Special and why you should sign up now.

LovenStampfuls Stamp & Share Swaps

I shared our Make N Take project last week, but here are a few of the swaps from my demonstrator event last Saturday!

Beautiful Blue Butterflies

Can you tell how much I love my Big Shot? :-) I can't imagine how I ever stamped without it! The Beautiful Butterflies die is the one I used below to create the Bordering Blue butterfly, then I stamped it with the swirl image from the Simple Friendship stamp set, and added texture to the die-cut with the Stampin' Up! Texturz Plates (and my Big Shot, of course ;-)

The blues I used here go nicely with the Chocolate Chip background... Here are the ones you see:

• Bashful Blue (the Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon)
• Bordering Blue (the die-cut butterfly, and the Bella Bleu Designer Paper Scallop half-circle)
• Brocade Blue (the stamped Simple Friendship Butterfly)
• Ice (Ice Rhinestone Brad)

This is actually one of the cards from Month 2 of my current Stamps in the Mail Club featuring the Simple Friendship Stamp set--let me know if you still want to sign up and just do 2 of the months instead of 3!

Sale-A-Bration Big Shot Pennant Banner

Spring is nearly here, right? I'm sure getting ready with my stamping! This Saturday I'm holding my demonstrator Stamp N Share, for the demonstrators and potential demonstrators in my LovenStampfuls Group. We'll be gathering at Za's Restaurant by Marketplace Mall in Champaign, IL if you want to come as my guest! You can still RSVP online: http://lovenstampfulsmarch.eventbrite.com

Oh, and for all the long-distance demonstrators in my group, you can watch for your DVD of the meeting to arrive sometime at the end of next week :-)

Anyway, I'm excited for everyone to make this fun Welcome Banner for our event Make N Take project! We'll be using the Big Shot Pennant Banner Die, and the Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper that is one of the Sale-A-Bration choices (free with a $50 order til March 31st--click to download the sale Mini Catalog)

The stamp sets I used are Friends 24-7 (113218, $25.95) and Lovely Letters (115030, $42.95 for the WELCOME). And I also added in the Beautiful Butterflies Big Shot Die and the Scallop Circle Big Shot Die. I love how the colors in the Designer Series Paper (Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, So Saffron and Sahara Sand) coordinate with the Ribbon Bundle that you can also pick for free as a Sale-A-Bration selection. And of course I used the free ribbon (So Saffron) for the banner here.

Does the Lovely Letters alphabet look expensive to you? Don't forget, you could select it for FREE if you sign up to be a new Demonstrator before March 31st!! Oh, and of course it's all DIE-CUT, so you only have to mount all those gorgeous letters--no cutting!!

In the close-up you can see a SNEAK PEEK of the upcoming Basic Jumbo Grommets Designer Hardware (order after April 1st, 114348, $6.95 for 20 pieces). These are SO fun!! The color shown here is Whisper White, and they coordinate perfectly with the 1/2" Circle Punch.

Oh, and even cooler, I figured out how to get all 3 of these pennant banners from a single sheet of 12x12" Designer Series Paper... I'll be posting a quick 'how-to' video on that next week!

Embrace Life Birthday Card

Isn't this a gorgeous card? My friend and downline member Dixie Finn sent me this card for my birthday back in November. That's right, my birthday was 5 months ago and I'm just posting this now :-) Dixie was right on time though!

This card uses the Embrace Life stamp set (114958, $25.95) along with Sincere Salutations (115068, $23.95). Actually, that Sincere Salutations stamp set has a fun story--it was the stamp set that Shelli Gardner (the CEO and co-founder of Stampin' Up!) sent to all us demonstrators for Christmas a few years ago. What's the perfect Christmas gift for a demonstrator? Shelli guessed it--FREE STAMPS!

Class or "To Go" Kits available til March 28th

Did you see the class I'm offering this month? The pictures are nice, but seeing the Flip Album in action is really the best way to experience the fun!

And yes, you can still get kits after March 28th... I have several remaining into May/June, so just check the link below to see if they're available "on sale" still...

You can view the original post about the album here,
or go directly to the details and registration page: http://flipalbumkit.eventbrite.com

Okay, time for a mini-commercial. :-)

You may have heard of Hearts At Home, in which case this needs no introduction :-) But for the rest of you, Hearts At Home (www.hearts-at-home.org) is a wonderful group that offers conferences, online forums and other support for Moms at home. Jill Savage, author and founder of Hearts At Home has a new book, just released: Real Moms…Real Jesus.

Here are some messages from Jill about her new book:

Real Moms…Real Jesus is a book designed to help moms understand that when Jesus lived on this earth he was fully God, yet fully man. We don’t often think about the fact that he was a human being and he lived the full human experience: pain, hunger, fatigue, frustration, betrayal, disappointment. He experienced it all!

There’s one verse in the Bible about Jesus that simply says “large crowds followed him everywhere he went.” Well, isn’t that the life of a mom? Large crowds follow her to the bathroom. They follow her to the kitchen. To the grocery store. She’s in high demand! And when Jesus lived on this earth, He was in high demand, too.

Why did you want to write this book?
Most of us long for a friend who understands. Yes, we need girlfriends who understand what our life is like. But we also need to understand that we have a friend who understands in Jesus. Too many of us think of God as being distant and unable to relate to our daily struggles. But nothing could be further from the truth! He understands and he wants us to build our friendship with Him. He wants to not only be our Savior, but also our Friend.

What unique elements will the reader find in Real Moms…Real Jesus?
Each chapter looks at some character trait in Jesus’ life that can help us in our life as a mom. In between the chapters are interactive vignettes that provide brief, refreshing glimpses into our real, messy, busy lives.

There are also questions at the end of the chapter for further consideration and suggested Bible reading in the book of Matthew. If the reader chooses to pursue the suggested reading, she will have read the book of Matthew completely by the end of the book!

There is also a leader’s guide in the back of the book so it can be used in a group setting.

Any closing thoughts?
I am very excited about this book! I believe that if a mom can strengthen her relationship with Jesus Christ, she will feel more equipped to be the mom she wants to be. I’m also offering an online book discussion on my blog beginning Tuesday, April 7. If you’d like to join us, you can subscribe to my blog at www.jillsavage.org.

You can purchase your own copy of Real Moms…Real Jesus by clicking here.

And be sure to check out Hearts at Home, their conferences for moms, and all their online resources here.

Stamped Wedding Invitation Idea

A few months ago I helped my friend Carol design some fun wedding favors and placecards plus program folders for her wedding. She had already sent her invitations but I've been playing lately and came up with a fun matching invitation.The Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla combination has been VERY popular lately. These invites would be a snap to make, even if you need 150 or 200!

Here are the supplies:

• Baroque Motifs Stamp Set
• Ink: Chocolate Chip & Mellow Moss
• Cardstock: Chocolate Chip & Very Vanilla
• Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Texturz Plates, 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon

The words were printed on Very Vanilla cardstock, to match the Chocolate Chip stamping ink.

Stamp Club Project: Raspberry Tart Butterfly Notepad

Haven't convinced you to come to Stamp Club with Meg this month yet? Well here is the other 'wow' project that we'll be creating (tonight the 9th, and also the 10th and 12th--email me and join us!)

We'll be making this Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper notebook, using several of the Big Shot Dies: Beautiful Butterflies, Scallop Circle, and the Lovely Leaves Embosslit.

The main color is Kiwi Kiss (yum!) and I accented with Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon on the butterflies, and Kiwi Kiss 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon on the side to tie the notebook closed. The little tag is made with the Curly Label Punch Bundle (it includes the Punch plus a set of 4 matching stamps!) And I added the greeting, "to thine own self be kind" from the Botanical Blooms Sale-A-Bration stamp set.

And of course every notebook needs a pen! This little pocket pouch was created using Sticky Strip (gotta hold tight!). The notebook is 4-1/4" x 8-1/2". I got normal letter-sized pads at Staples, then had Staples chop them off at the bottom and again in half to make this size notepad. So the cardstock notebook cover is 8-1/2 x 11" and I scored it at 4-1/4", 4-1/2" and 8-3/4".

Manhattan & Central Park: Stamp Club Card

I've been having fun lately with the Manhattan Style Watch from the front of the new Spring/Summer catalog that debuted in January. The colors and style are a bit different from the colors I normally gravitate towards, but I've enjoyed stretching my horizons.

Oh, and Basic Gray is my new FAVORITE color! Seriously--it's a wonderful neutral and I go through packages of cardstock nearly as fast as the Chocolate Chip cardstock flies off my shelf.

Okay, maybe not quite that fast, but it's getting close! Just ask my Stamp Clubbers--they've seen Basic Gray quite often lately :-) And they're going to see it again next week!

This is a Sneak Peek of one of my Stamp Club with Meg projects for next week. If you're in the Champaign-Urbana area, you're welcome to come on over and join us as a guest for Stamp Club this month! You can either place a $19.95 minimum order (like Stamp Club hostess members do) or you can pay a $10 supply fee. Either way is fine with me! We make 2 'wow' projects, plus you get two Technique Cards that you can use to build a Technique Library each time you attend Club.

We meet the 2nd Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of each month, 6:30 to 8:30 pm in my Stamping Studio in Mahomet, Illinois. If you'd like to come on over, just drop me an email or give me a call (217)586-7484.

Here's the card with the buckle shown partially open. I LOVE this unique fold! And the Kiwi Kiss Corduroy Button works perfectly as a little stopper. This card also uses several other new supplies: Urbana Oasis Designer Series Paper, Lots of Tags Big Shot Sizzlits Pack, the new Central Park stamp set, plus some other product staples: Word Window Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Corner Rounder.

And of course it features the Manhattan Stylewatch Colors, which are wonderful for figuring out how to use your rubber stamping supplies for masculine card ideas:

I also used these recently on a Baby Announcement for a little boy!

Yes, the 'belly band' on this card wraps all the way around. It's a 1-3/8" x 12" piece of the Urban Oasis Designer Series Paper, and it tucks perfectly into the slot created with my Word Window Punch. Talk about a great set of Stampin' Up! punch ideas!

Love You Much Scrapbook Pages

My friend Michelle Self-Ballard created a FANTASTIC album for her hubby for Valentine's Day this year, and now that he's had his surprise (you never know, he might read my blog! ;-) I asked Michelle if she'd be willing to let me share her gorgeous work.

For her title page on this 6x6" album she created a grid pattern using Designer Series Paper. All the supplies she used are from Stampin' Up!, with the except of a few brads and a few ribbon scraps.

The cardstock and Designer Series Paper she used are from the Love Sparkles Simply Scrappin Kit and the Candy Lane Designer Series Paper. Plus she used the Love You Much stamp set on many of the pages, along with the Heart to Heart triple heart punch.

I love the way Michelle used color blocks for these pages. Plus the colors from the Simply Scrappin Kit complimented her photo subjects beautifully.

That Scallop Circle Punch certainly came in handy here, too.

Didn't she do a fabulous job? Oh, there's the Scallop Border Punch on these pages, too! Thanks so much, Michelle, for sharing your fabulous project!! (and this is only a few of the 20+ pages she created!)