Sticky Saturday

I am happy to introduce my buddy, Jill S, to you all today. Although we live far apart, we have become friends through UDI.

Here is what Jill wanted to share with you all....

I was introduced to Stampin’ Up! from a friend that was trying to get her business started. I thought it (SU!) was a pretty cool thing to do, but “I” would never do it, let along become a demonstrator. Well, guess what…I just had my 3rd year anniversary last month of being a SU! demonstrator, and was invited by Max to become member of UDI a year ago after meeting her in another online group that was trying to form. These 2 decisions have been fantastic decisions for me. Since I have been with SU! and UDI, I have met many wonderful people and have made so many new friends. I have really enjoyed working with and getting to know all the wonderful UDI members. I am excited about where my stamping business is heading, one of the things is that I have recently started a technique class, and we are having so much fun in these classes.

I live in Cairo , Georgia , but my full-time “day” life consists of work at Florida State University in Tallahassee , Florida . I hope to have the opportunity (my wish would be soon) to run my stamping business on a full-time basis rather than working for someone else. I have been married going on 11 years to my husband Ken, who puts up with all my stamping and stamping supplies…he sends me to my stamping room when I misbehave (I try to misbehave as often as I can). I am mother to Harley (our cat), Zeus and Ginger (our Basset Hounds) and Grandmother to Bigboy (Zeus and Ginger’s son).

In my “spare time” I enjoy stamping “of course”, as well as other crafts, reading, watching movies, spending time outside, and most importantly spending time with my family and friends.

Jill has two amazing projects to share with us today. The first is the sticky note holder shown above. Below are the supplies used and a close-up picture of the flower.

Stamp Set:
SAB Friendship Blooms

Ink:
Elegant Eggplant

Cardstock:
Whisper White
Elegant Eggplant
Lovely Lilac
Old Olive

Accessories:
Old Olive Prints Designer Series Paper
Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen
Small Oval Punch
Corner Rounder
Stamping Sponge

5" x 7" plastic picture frame
3" x 3" Post-it Note pad

And...here's the second project and supplies used:

Stamp Set:
SAB Friendship Blooms

Ink:
Elegant Eggplant
Lovely Lilac

Cardstock:
Whisper White
Elegant Eggplant
Lovely Lilac
Old Olive

Accessories:
Old Olive Prints Designer Series Paper
Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen
Large Oval Punch
Corner Rounder
1/16" Handheld Punch
1/8" Handheld Punch
Boho Blossoms
Designer Label
Old Olive Eyelets
Puter Brad
Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter
Elegant Eggplant 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon
Stamping Sponge

Thanks to Jill for sharing with us today. Looking forward to seeing more of your creations. :) Take some time and check out Jill's blog when you get a chance jillsstampingcorner.com

Have a great weekend.

Alicia :)

TGIF!

This Friday I would like to introduce Adrian Gentilcore. We have become great friends becuase we have been supporting each other in our attempts to lose weight...ugh! She has been an inspiration to me, and I believe you will like her cute project too! Here is a blurb from Adrian:

I've been a demo for about four years and I've been a member of Divas from the beginning. I'm lucky enough to live in Salt Lake, so I get to go and hang out with Max and the other Divas every month or so. The thing I value most about Stampin' Up! is all the wonderful friendships, I've made over the years, Divas, other demos, and customers. It's all been great. I've just celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary with a Caribbean cruise with my husband Tony and we have 3 fantastic boys - Ryan 26, Matt 19, and Blake 9. They are the loves of my life!

This project is so cute, and so simple that we dont even really need a recipe! Just add some rub-ons, a tag and some ribbon, and you have an instant gift...oh, dont forget the chocolate! If anyone decides to make one of these for me, can you try using a BIG jar! LOL

Thanks for sharing Adrian! I look forward to being able to feature you here again!
Jennifer

PS Adrian has a great blog...http://www.AdriansCrazyLife.blogspot.com Check it out!

Always

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Today's Diva I have had the opportunity to receive her beautiful work in one of the SCIAB swaps I participated in. (SCIAB - Stamp Camp In A Box ~ one will be coming up real soon...)
Here's what Charmaine wrote :

"I just celebrated my sixth year with Stampin Up last month. I met many of the members of Divas in another web group, and joined up with our current group shortly after they formed this site. In my normal life I am the Vice President of a growing engineering firm and have just gone back to school to earn my engineering license. I have two regular stamping groups that keep my business going and force me to stay creative when sometimes it gets difficult. I am the mother of one grown son, Alex and a Scottish Terrier, Duncan. I recently traveled to Egypt and completely fell in love with the country, culture, and people. I am trying to go back later this year. "


"This is a simple basket Shelly demonstrated at the Anaheim regionals. I used Real Red and White card stocks, Basic black Classic ink and the Always stamp set. The white heart is stamped, embossed in black, cut out and mounted with dimensionals."

How wonderful to be able to travel and visit new places and see a different culture!! Thanks for sharing with us today Charmaine!!

Until next Thursday, I wish sunny days on all of you no matter where on the globe you are! ;)
~Maria :)

Framed!

Sorry to be running a bit behind schedule today and I hope I didnt stress too many of my Diva's out! Its so good to be part of the Diva's as I had one check in on me to make sure I was ok so that was nice.

Its a gorgeous sunny day here in Sydney Australia and I do hope that where you are the sun is warming your back too!

Today it is my pleasure to introduce to you our Diva, Jaynell Giliberti from Pennsylvania.

This is what Jaynell says about Stampin' Up! and Utah Diva's International ...

The very first time I picked up and used a SU Stamp was in Feb of 2002, after my youngest was born. I said I would never be a demonstrator because I hate pushy sales. But on Oct 4, 2002 I decided to be a demonstrator.. not for the sales aspect, but for my discount mostly and secondly because I would rather consider myself as a teacher verses a sales person.

I joined UDI in January 2005 and was invited by Max herself when we ran into each other on the Stampin Discuss. UDI is sooooo supportive and such a loving group.... so without UDI, there is NO Stampin Up!. They just go hand in hand :)

Stampin has been the one creative outlet I could use and feel good about it. To this day, my youngest is the biggest admirer of my work.. she will just sit down and look through the scrapbook pages that I actually accomplished and just stare at them... just loving the books. Of all the books we have in the house, she loves to browse my scrapbook pages the most.

I originally started only doing cards.. then got into gift items.. I was terrified to do scrapbooking thinking it was harder than it really is. But, one day I sat down and realized how similar a card and scrapbook page is similar and only difference is one is bigger and put on the front of one page verses creased and opened... read then thrown away. The scrapbook pages are kept and valued more.
So to this day.. I remain a demonstrator for ideas and discounts so I may catch up on my scrapbooking. I have slowed down quite a bit as a demonstrator since I started but one thing has not changed - I have tons of pictures that need a home on a page that I can create with all the Stampin Up! supplies I have.

Jaynell created this lovely framed Family using the Simply Scrappin 'At Home' kit. These kits are such good value with 18 sheets of coordinating products including patterned papers, cardstock and self-adhesive diecuts. She has combined this kit with stamps, twill and brads to enhance her finished frame.

This kit is one of the kits that will be retiring here in Australia at the end of March so if you would like one you had better email your friendly Australian demonstrator quickly!

I think I need one of these kits myself to do something similar to Jaynell's gorgeous frame!

Techniques Tuesday

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Sue E, a sweet and fun lady who lives all the way up in Alaska. I haven’t had the opportunity of meeting Sue in person yet, but her sweet nature and creativity flows across the miles.

The following is a brief summary from Sue:

I have been a Stampin' Up! demonstrator since February of 2001 and joined UDI May 21, 2005. I live on a large island in southeast Alaska with my husband of 43 years and two dog children, Roscoe and Little One. We have three grown children, ten grandchildren and four great-grandkids with another one expected in June. I love to share stamping techniques and the pleasure of creating beautiful things with others. My day job is tutoring dyslexic children with the Barton Reading Program. I am quite active in my church teaching Sunday School, playing the piano for worship, playing in the bell choir, and singing in the vocal choir. I also enjoy gardening both outside and inside with house plants.

Blessings, Sue

The following card was created using the Chalk on Chalk technique from PatStamps Technique Junkies Newsletter June 2006 issue http://www.techniquejunkies.com/

Stamp Set: Embrace Life
Ink: Versamark, Glorious Green, Basic Black
Cardstock: Glorious Green 8 1/2" x 5 1/5", Soft Sky 5 1/4" x 4", Night of Navy 5" x 3 3/4"
Other:
Chalks - Rose Red, Pixie Pink, Summer Sun, Glorious Green, Taken With Teal, Old Olive
Cotton balls, black embossing powder, Blender pens, Large Oval punch, Distressing tool, Whisper White Taffeta ribbon, Glue dot

Directions:
1. Use cotton balls to burnish Old Olive and Taken With Teal chalk all over the piece of Night of Navy cardstock.
2. Stamp images on this piece of cardstock with Versamark and emboss with black embossing powder.
3. Pick up chalk with the blender pens and color in the images using the remaining colors of chalk.
4. Distress the edges of the Night of Navy and Soft Sky cardstock. Mount the Soft Sky to the Glorious Green base and the Night of Navy to the Soft Sky layer.
5. Stamp the saying on a scrap of Soft Sky cardstock with Basic Black ink. Punch it out using the large oval punch.
6. Mount the oval in the upper right corner of the card.
7. Tie an overhand knot in the Whisper White Taffeta ribbon, trim the ends on a diagonal and mount in the lower left corner with a glue dot.

Stamp Set: Live Your Dream
Cardstock: Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Afternoon Tea designer paper
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Markers: Regal Rose, Always Artichoke
Other: Heat & Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds, Old Olive, Twill Ribbon, ribbon slide from silver Hodgepodge Hardware, 2 way glue

To get the glitter on the ribbon slide, I put 2 way glue into the groove on the front of the ribbon slide and dumped Dazzling Diamonds on it. Then I dumped off the excess and allowed the glue to dry.

Stamp Set: Never-Ending Joy

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink 8 1/2" x 5 1/2 ", Whisper White 5 1/4" x 4"

Ink: Garden Green

Markers: Pixie Pink, Garden Green

Other: Soft Sky Designer paper 5" x 3 3/4", Corner rounder punch, Pink Taffeta ribbon

Directions:

1. Cut both the whisper white and designer paper diagonally in half. Save the upper half of each one for another project.

2. Layer the Whisper White cardstock on the folded Pretty in Pink card base.

3. Take the paper guide off the corner rounder punch and punch the scalloped edge along the diagonal of the Soft Sky designer paper. Then adhere it to the Whisper White layer.

4. Color directly on the rubber with the markers, huff on the stamp and stamp your image on a scrap of Whisper White cardstock. Cut the image out and adhere it to the card.

5. Stamp the saying in the upper right corner with Garden Green ink.

6. Tie an overhand knot in the pink taffeta ribbon, trim the ends, and adhere to the stems of the bouquet using a glue dot.

Thanks, Sue, for sharing your beautiful cards with us and for directing us on how to recreate these creations ourselves. I look forward to trying the Chalk on Chalk technique.

Have fun stampin' and creatin'!

Magical Monday

Happy Monday Stampers!

I am so excited to welcome our newest member of UDI, "Andrea Walford". When I saw Andrea's projects and organizational skills, I just knew I had to invite her to be part of our group. She totally amazes me and judging by the reaction of our Divas when she joined, I knew she was popular in the Stampin' Up! world.

Here is what Andrea wrote:

“Almost four years ago, I was invited to my first ever Stampin’ Up! Workshop – and it was love at first sight! Within two days I had signed up to become a demonstrator. I had no clue what a life-changing experience that would be. Never before had I considered myself to be “crafty” or “creative” I was astounded at how easy it was. Although my reasons for joining were purely selfish – I wanted the discount and the “freebies”– after about a year, I realized that Stampin’ Up! could be the means for me to stay home with my kids. Although my profession was as a Registered Dietician, I really did not want to re-enter the traditional work force. Stampin’ Up! has helped me realize that dream. It allows me to stay home with my four children (ages 9, 7, 5 and 1 ½) while living my passion to teach, to share and to inspire others towards creativity. Now that I am expecting our fifth child & my husband has taken on a job that involves a significant amount of travelling I’ve started to take my business in a new direction that has proven to be both rewarding and fulfilling. I am now focusing on providing creative inspiration and tools for other Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators to help them grow their own businesses”

The project Andrea shares with us today is a cute little box for 3x3 cards and envelopes.

For the base of the box, cut a sheet of CS to 5 3/8” x 8”, align the 5 3/8” side with the top of your paper trimmer at score at 1”. Flip the CS 180 degrees, then score on the other end at 1”.
2. Flip your CS 90 degrees so that the 8” side is aligned with the top of your paper trimmer. Score at 3 ¼”, rotate the CS 180 degrees, then score on the other end at 3 ¼”
3. Fold along the score lines. Along the 8” side, cut along the score lines of the small middle flap, just into you reach the 1” score line.
4. Place a small piece of sticky strip along the outside edge of the small flaps. Keeping your box bottom flat on the table, fold up one side of the box. Place a piece of sticky strip along the edge (on the inside) of each of the long flaps.
5. Again, keeping your box bottom flat, fold up the other side of the box. Note that the box flaps do not overlap completely.
6. For the lid, cut a sheet of CS to 4 3/8” x 2-9/16”. Score in ½” on all four sides.
7. Fold along the score lines. Cut on the score lines along the short side of the CS, just until you reach the intersecting score line to create two small flaps.
8. Fold the smaller flaps to the inside and tape them to the side flap. Repeat on the other side. Your box lid is now done.
9. Decorate your box as desired.

If you are a visual person like me, check out Andrea's tutorial by clicking here

One of Andrea's objectives is to help Stampin' Up! Demonstrators with their class planning. Check out her "Class Planning Service for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators by clicking here.

If you have been or are going to be featured in any of the Stampin' Up! publications, 'Stampin Success'/On Stage, Andrea would like to feature you! Click here for more details.

(Look for one of our very own Divas in the upcoming ON STAGE! The project is adorable.....and so is the Diva!)

Have a very 'creative' week everyone!

Happy Stampin'

Max

Silky Saturday-Faux that is :)

It is my pleasure to introduce Sue B to you all today. She is one of our creative Canadian Divas. Here is what she has to say.....

"I will be hitting the milestone of 50 years May 1st. I am happily married to my wonderful husband Ed, and he is one of my biggest supporters in crafting. I had three children from a previous marriage (he died) and they have grown up into wonderful adults. Henry, our son, is 24, married to Ariel, and have a 6 month old baby boy, Lennox. Bridget, my daughter 23, married to Dan and have a one-year old son, Hunter. Samantha is my baby, at 22, her partner is Richard, and they are expecting Marshall in May. Becoming a grandmother is one of the best things that has happened to me. I have been a SU! Demo since June, 2006, and am enjoying the friendship and fun that comes with being a part of Utah Divas International. Thanks for letting me share a bit about myself."

I have had the pleasure of receiving one of Sue's creations using the faux silk technique and it is absolutely stunning.

Stamp Set: Give Thanks
Card stock: Bashful Blue, Whisper White, tissue paper
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Stampin Up! Summer Sun, Certainly Celery and Barely Banana markers, Stampin' Up! Glue stick, Crop-A-Dial, Stampin Up! Ice circle rhinestone, Certainly Celery Grosgrain, Corners were ticket punched using the 1/2 circle punch, and using the marks in the center of the punch to get the corner done, and adhesive to hold everything together.

Thank you so much for sharing with us. May you all have a wonderful weekend.

--Alicia :)