PPA 133- Sketch Challenge

I got a few minutes to play the PPA Sketch Challenge this week.  I dusted off my Gnome Sweet Gnome set and put my thinking cap on.  I thought this set was adorable and was super excited to earn it for free through the Stampin' Up Book-A-Thon last December (another perk of being a demonstrator).  I hope you enjoy it!

PPA132- Color Challenge

Saige's 1st birthday has come and gone (more on that in another post) and I had some time last night to actually play around in my stampin' stash.  I really liked the colors in the PPA challenge this week so I was happy to carve out a little time.  I pulled out the Kindness Matters stamp set that I got for free during Sale-A-Bration (but you can still buy it from the catalog).  Have I mentioned that I love Sale-A-Bration?  I got so many great FREE items this year!  Back to the card... I felt like this set with Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery and Chocolate Chip was the perfect combo.  I must have been channeling my inner Ann Schach because I distressed the edges and added pearls (I even thought about getting out the spritzer tool, but decided I had done enough).

If you have any questions I'm just an email away!
Here are a few photos from the obligatory Texas Bluebonnets photo shoot :)  She had been fussy all day long, but once we got her outside she was happy just to sit and eat the flowers.  he he.

Club Cards

I had my March Card Club meeting a few weeks back and here are the cards that we made.  I tried to make good use of the Sale-A-Bration DSP.  I just love Sale-A-Bration time and I really enjoyed the matching suite of products that they had this year.  If you have any questions feel free to post a comment and I'll respond ASAP.

 I copied these two cards as well (I just love how people share their work!) but I can't find the blog of the person that I saw it on.  I'm so sorry.  It was the best make-n-take and I love the clean look of the card.

 This one is a take on Jenn Takacs' card here.

This one is a take on Dawn Olchefske's card here.

Birthday Calendar Class

Well, as promised, I'm posting the final images of my Birthday Calendar.  I did this workshop in January but went to the Stampin' Up Leadership Conference the next day and I'm not sure where the time has gone since then.  My apologies.  My stampin' friends really enjoyed making this calendar and we all had a great time socializing.  I hope you enjoy the photos.  If you have any questions please leave me a comment and your email address so I can respond.

Cover:

 January:

 February:

 March:  

(This one is hard to see in the photo.  It's the Fresh Vintage stamp set in Certainly Celery and Pink Pirouette)

 April: 

(There are also Bashful Blue crosses, but they're hard to see in the photo)

 May:

 June:

 July:

 August:

 September:

 October:

 November:

 December:

 Thanks for stopping by!

My First Stampin' Up Leadership Conference

I qualified to attend the Stampin' Up Leadership Conference this year and decided that since it was going to be in San Antonio (a short plane ride from Dallas) that I would attend and pick up some business tips and get back together with my Pals.  I attended the Stampin' Up Convention in 2010 in Salt Lake City and I had a blast!  I was excited to come, but also a little nervous to leave Saige for the first time.  I was mainly nervous that she'd cry a lot and be difficult for my dad and Matt to watch.  However....each night I received a text video of her just laughing up a storm in her highchair (isn't technology amazing?).  It was such a relief.

The opening session was great.  They gave us a free stamp set from the upcoming catalog, large pearls, a MDS content CD, regular pearls, rhinestones, Pool Party ruffled ribbon and a pack of 4 Occasions Mini Catalogs and 4 Sale-A-Bration catalogs (anyone need one?)  They had great announcements about the catalogs and new products.  After a delicious lunch there were breakout sessions.  I attended a session by Brian Pilling (from the Stampin' Up office) on how to Share the Stampin' Up Opportunity.  I saw him present at Convention and enjoyed it so I really wanted to see what he had to say.  He gave me some great ideas on how to share why I love Stampin' Up and how to create opportunities to share my story.  It was a good presentation and I'm glad I was able to get in it.  They tried something new and had several break-out mini sessions in the afternoon by seasoned demonstrators.  I attended one on workshop tips, recruiting, effective business tips and customer service.  I'm hoping to take small nuggets from each presentation and apply them to my business.  It was such a refreshing day and I'm so glad I was able to attend.

Day 2 of Leadership was another great day.  We had two general sessions where we heard presentations on the State of Stampin' Up!  They really are a great company to work for and I feel like they do very ethical business.  We were able to choose our break-out sessions and I attended one on Why Women Buy presented by Carrie Cudney.  I really got a kick out of her "mall map" showing how guys buy (they go in, straight to the store, spend $35 and 15 minutes) versus women (who go in, stop at almost every store, spend $376 and 3 1/2 hours).  It was a really fun session.  I thoroughly enjoyed my Title Benfits session with Bonnie Thurber focused on my current Stampin' Up title.  I always enjoy her presentations and her humor.  (Bonnie, if you're reading this- I'd really like a project sheet for all the great video tutorials that you provide.  Just something with a photo of the project and a list of supplies used.)  They ended the day with a project session with Shellie and I won the prize patrol!  I won the Apothecary Art stamp set and the Labels Framelits!  We all received a pack of the Everyday Vintage Designer Series Paper and the coordinating stamp set.  It was a great way to end the conference!  They always spoil us with goodies.

Overall, I'm so glad I went and I'm looking forward to next year.  Here's a photo of me and my roomies.  I love how Stampin' Up can connect you to fabulous people from around the country.

L to R: Ginger Tiovonen (Montana), Ann Schach (Iowa) and me.

Pals Valentine Blog Hop

Love is in the air as the Stampin' Pretty Pals share the love with cards and projects for today's Pals Blog Hop!

You've probably hopped over from Frenchiee Hum at Frenchiee's Spot, I'm stop number 12 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in! I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find great ideas for love themed paper projects from the Stampin' Pretty Pals! Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the Pals Hop Line-up below and you'll be back on track

My project is the February page of my upcoming Birthday Calendar class.  These calendars are available in the main catalog and allow you to write in birthdays and other special dates so you have them handy each year and don't miss a date (they aren't year specific so they'll last a long time).  I used the I {Heart} Heart set and the new Outlined Occasions Sale-A-Bration stamp set and I stamped them in Rose Red.  I think the I {Heart} Heart stamp set might be one of my favorites in the entire catalog.  I love the clean heart images and how well they layer with one another.  I'll be sure to post photos of the other 11 months after my class.  I hope you'll stop back by to see them!

1. Linda Fisher at Linda's Stampin Loft
2. Maggie Mata at MaggieMadeCards
3. Kim Luithle at Kim's Stampin Stuff
4. Barb Furlong at The Love of Stamping
5. Dawn Tidd at My Stampin' Blog
6. Maxine Conrad at Stamp to the MAX!
7. Susan Lankford at Stampin' Crafty Corner
8. Nina Dee at Deesigns by Nina Dee
9. Kim Czenszak at Live Love Stamp
10. Cindy Hall at Pretty Impact
11. Frenchiee Hum at Frenchiee's Spot.
12. Kylie Nicolosi at Kylie's Crafty Corner
13. Jennifer Takacs at My Stampin' Blog
14. Angie Blake at Angie's Musings
15. Nicole Watt at Impressions By Nicole
16. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty
17. Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts
18. Amanda Cramer at Mrs. C with Style!
19. Sandie Conner at Pretty Provisions
20. Nancy Gleason at My Stampin' Space
21. Sue Bendinsky at My Color Creations
22. Leah O'Brien at Leah's Stampin' Corner
23. Patti MacLeith at Papercrafts by Patti
24. Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter
25. Emily Steggell at Em's Creations
26. Julie Trevett-Smith at The Stampin' Affair!
27. Beth Beard at My Little Craft Blog
28. Jessica Ying at YoYoStamping Studio
29. Leslie Davis at Ellalicious Elements
30. Joan Norris at My Creative Impressions
31. Mikki Sarkisyan at Mikki's Creative Corner

Now hop along for more inspiring ideas from Jennifer Takacs at My Stampin' Blog, stop number 13 on the Love Is In The Air Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for "hopping" by! 

PPA 126- Color Challenge

Today's card is a 1st birthday card for one of Saige's friends.  This will be her 4th birthday party and she's only 9 months old!  I think she has a better social calendar than I do. :)  In all honesty, we've been extremely blessed with a mommy group that formed out of the hospital where she was born.  I think staying home with her would not be nearly as enjoyable if we hadn't met so many great new friends.  Most of her group is girls, but there are a couple of boys and I needed a boy birthday card.  I thought the PPA color challenge was great for a boy birthday card.  Let me know what you think. 

Be sure to stop back by on Tuesday for the Pals Valentine Blog hop.  It's going to be one of the biggest yet!