A Sneak Peek and Savings

SO many fabulous things are going on right now with Stampin’ UP! and I’m super excited! Some I can share right now and some will have to remain a secret for a bit longer… 😉 Below I’d like to share with you a SNEAK PEEK from our next Mini Catalog and special savings!

Isn’t this set GORGEOUS?! I’m a sucker for flowers and for the hand-drawn look. I can’t wait to use this on all my upcoming layouts and cards. 🙂 Although this is a BRAND NEW set that will be in the next Idea Book and Catalog you can get it NOW! How great is that?! Something to tide you over until this summer!

What’s even better is that you can get this set FOR FREE with any qualifying workshop! And that leads me to my next big announcement: Workshop information is now available on my SU! website! Visit Host a Workshop for all the details and let me know if you’d like to earn Awash with Flowers for FREE!

Now for even more savings:

Order ANY Two-Step Stampin’ set from the current catalog and receive 20% off – no coupons or additional purchases necessary! Here are the available Two-Step Stampin’ sets:

Item	Page	Description	Discount Price
113824	94	Greenhouse Garden	$20.76
113734	98	Fifth Avenue Floral	$19.96
111578	101	Flower Fancy	$29.56
113258	112	Trendy Trees	$14.36

You can view these and all our great Stampin’ UP! products in my online store, just press the button to your right that says “Shop 24/7”.

I don’t know about you, but I’m so ready for Spring! I can’t wait to Two-Step Stamp up a storm and work up some beautiful spring floral cards and layouts! Thanks for visiting, and please give me a shout! ~T~

Layouts and a Haiti Update

Hi friends! I hope you’ve had a great week! I have a couple new layouts to share with you and a Haiti Relief update!

“You Make Me Smile” – 12×12 layout using all Stampin’ UP! products

Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack

Beautiful Wings Stampin’ Up! Embosslits Die

Always Stamp Set

White Stampin’ Emboss Powder

The “You Make Me Smile” stamp is retired. I also used a 1.5″ circle punch and corner-rounding punch on this layout.

“Friend” – 12×12 Layout, Stampin’ UP! products only

Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Pack

Scallop Border Punch *AVAILABLE FOR FREE DURING SALE-A-BRATION!*

I {Heart} Hearts – Clear Mount Stamp Set

Clear Block D

I also embossed these hearts and used a 1″ and 1.5″ Circle Punch, then popped-up the circles with Dimensionals.

Speaking of I {Heart} Hearts…

At last count Stampin’ UP! customers and demonstrators have sent over $15,000 to the American Red Cross’ Haitian Relief efforts!! WOO HOO!! If you haven’t picked up this set yet be sure to order it before February 28th and $2 of the sale will go to the Red Cross! This goes for both the wood-mounted AND clear-mounted sets! Be sure to see the set here: http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ItemList.aspx?categoryID=708

Have a great weekend! Love, T

Why people don’t scrapbook (or continue scrapbooking)

Aby Garvey posted a great article yesterday on her blog at simplify101.com about the parallels between why people don’t scrapbook and why they don’t get organized. Take a look at the post (HERE) and read below how Stampin’ UP! And I can help you start (or get back into) scrapbooking.

Reasons

Feeling Overwhelmed

I completely understand the “deer-caught-in-the-headlights” feeling from the shear number of scrapbooking products on the market! I also understand a mounting pile of photos just itching to be cherished.

Perfectionism

I used to keep my favorite photos in a box for “when I’m good enough to scrapbook them”. Aby said it best, “But I find it so ironic that our desire to do something perfectly often prevents us from doing it at all.”

Time Constraints

We’re all pushed to our limits each day with work, family, home, and hobbies vying for our attention and time. However, as with organization, the sooner you set up a plan the easier and faster it will be to get things done.

How SU! and I can help

Feeling Overwhelmed

One of the most common phrases I hear from new scrapbookers is “how do you know what matches?” Stampin’ UP! has a solution for that problem: everything coordinates. Papers, inks, stickers, stamps, markers… it’s all created by designers using coordinating color families, and all SU! embellishments coordinate with everything else! All you have to do is choose your photo(s), pick out one color from the photograph and use scrapbooking products containing that color – SU! does the rest for you!

If you have piles of photographs and don’t know where to start, let me know! We can set up a time to go through your photographs, one-on-one or with a group of friends, and pick out supplies that match perfectly. You haven’t ever scrapbooked before? No problem! Just let me know and we can set up a fun “Scrapbooking 101” class for you and your friends, or a crop night for scrapping fun!

Perfectionism

I say this to my daughter all the time: There is NO wrong way to make art. Scrapbooking is about memories and the stories of your life, plain and simple. The art is just your personal way of expressing those feelings and telling those stories. My first “scrapbook” was made in high school: construction paper, photos (cut into some interesting shapes) and Crayola markers. These were stuck in regular page protectors and a blue school binder. While it won’t ever be published in a magazine or win a design award, I wouldn’t trade that scrapbook for the world! Those memories and that time in my life (heart-dotted “i”s and all) are too valuable!

The easiest way to begin scrapbooking is to copy a scrapbooker’s layout(s) until you feel comfortable branching out on your own. Check out my blog for scrapbooking layouts and designs using SU! products, or set up a scrapbooking time with me to re-create some of my favorite layouts with your photographs. Don’t let the fear of “perfect” stop you from sharing your story!

Time Constraints

With Stampin’ UP!’s coordinating products, scrapbooking can be quick! When I have a moment to create, I want to get as much accomplished as possible. With SU! there’s no wasted time trying to coordinate colors, match ribbons, or find the perfect paper – everything coordinates! This goes back to organization – once you have the tools you need the necessary time to create a project decreases significantly. Look to Stampin’ UP!s Simply Scrapin’ kits for papers and stickers in one package – just open the package and you’ll be ready to create! And when you need embellishments – just let me know which color palette you’re using and I can suggest products that will take your layouts to the next level.

 If you’re ever in doubt, just ask me! I’m here to inspire and share with you. J

Interested in Stampin’ UP! scrapbooking supplies? Just click the link to your right and browse my online store, or send me a comment or note saying “I need a catalog!” and I’ll pop one in the mail to you.

Love Sparkles Simply Scrapin’ Kit

Workshop Saturday

If you’re in the Austin area and would like to join my dear friend (and up-line) Missy and myself for a fun workshop, just let me know and I’ll send you all the details!

Saturday, Feb. 6 at 3pm at my home in Round Rock

Hope to see you there!

Create or Computer? The age-old question…

I’m not gone, I’ve just been creating instead of blogging! 🙂 Here are a few things I’ve been up to:

New Ribbon Storage

I wanted a fun and functional way to store my SU! ribbons so I used a couple Bell glass canning jars! I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch holes in the canning lids, threaded my ribbon through the holes and spun on the screw-top lid. Now they sit on my bookshelf and I can see at a glance what I have.

I wanted to make a Valentine’s banner, so I took my daughter’s old shoebox…

And used my Big Shot to cut out the backgrounds for my banner (using the Top Note die). I then die cut my Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper and Kraft cardstock with the same die.

I attached the paper to the box dies with adhesive. I bought a glitter “Love” banner a few years ago at Target and found the letters in my stash (I never throw away a good craft project ;)) and attached those to the die cuts with Sticky Strip. I then used my Crop-A-Dile (can you tell I love this thing??) to punch holes in the dies.

Next I stamped hearts from the I {Heart} Hearts set on Crushed Curry cardstock and embossed with White Stampin’ Embossing Powder.

After cutting out the letters I adhered them to the letters with Sticky Strip. I then threaded Melon Mambo Polka-Dot ribbon through and VOILA! A custom Valentine’s banner! 🙂

Remember that Stampin’ UP! will donate $2 from the sale of every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set to the American Red Cross. You can purchase this and hundreds of fabulous products by clicking on the link to your right.

Have a great Wednesday! 🙂