Sketch Challenge - In Honor of my Dad

Hello my friends,

I hope my American friends have had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We had a fabulous time!

Today is a bittersweet day for me.  My dear Father would have been 70 years old today.  The pain I experience from missing him so much is the hardest thing I have had to bear in my life.  To read more about my Dad and his life, you can visit the blog I created in his honor by clicking here.

I obviously had my Dad in mind with the card I created today. I am loving MDS so much that I have created another card for the sketch challenge using this fabulous new software from Stampin' Up!  

Up until Monday, November 30th, you can order this at a 20% discount.  This is one thing you won't regret buying.  Just think you could get caught up with all your scrapbooking so quickly. Look how easy it is to create wonderful cards too.   Click here for more details.

Click here to see what my Diva friends came up with for this weeks Utah Divas International sketch challenge :)

Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

SALE!!!!

Hello Friends,

This is so very exciting!  For this whole entire week, Stampin' Up! is holiding a Holiday Extravaganza Sale. 

Click here and enjoy shopping :)

No need to leave the house! No need to stand in lines!

ENJOY :)

A special card for YOU

Hello Friends,

Unfortunately, I did not create my card for the Utah Divas International (UDI) Sketch Challenge Team :( I didn't want to waste your time visiting my blog so I created a card especially for you and all my blog readers.

I created it using Stampin' Up!'s new wonderful "My Digital Studio".  This card took less than 5 minutes to create.  The wonderful thing about this new software is that you can create a card and use that idea to make a stamped card.  No wasted card stock, no wasted images, a perfectly tied ribbon ;) 

This is a 6x6 card using Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White Card Stock.  Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon with a bow, Chocolate Chip Brads, Photo Corner Punch.  The images were taken from the "Friends 24-7" Stamp Set.

Friends 24-7* Item #113218 *Price $25.95 *Set Quantity:6*

What would you do without your friends? There'd be no one go shopping with, paper craft with, or to chat with for hours on end! Luckily, you have your friends, and with the Friends 24-7 stamp set you can tell them how much you appreciate their friendship and their company. This set is part of the Shelli Signature Collection, and coordinates with the Friendly Words jumbo wheel.

All these products can be bought for your crafting pleasure on my website.  Start by clicking here

You can learn more about "My Digital Studio" by clicking here.  Order this by e-mailing me at maxstamps@yahoo.com on or before November 30th, to receive a 20% discount.

Hope you like the card!  I will be back to my regularly scheduled UDI Sketch Challenge next Saturday.  Be sure to check out our blog by clicking here. The Divas on the sketch team have done a fabulous job of creating cards using 'Window Sheets'.

Enjoy your weekend!

Dasher Card Class/Kit in the Mail

Hello Friends.

A friendly reminder that our "Dasher" Card Class will be here soon.  Click here for the details.

Remember, if you are out of State or cannot make the class, you can order my Kit in the Mail.

Have a wonderful day!

An afternoon of fun !

Hello Friends,

I don't normally post anything on my blog that is not promotion details or creations but as I work at Stampin' Up! my life is pretty well......full of Stampin' Up! I work as a Service Account Manager (SAM). I have been a Demonstrator for 5 1/2 years and an employee for 2 years.

One of the other SAM's, who happens to be one of my favorite friends at work is going through a divorce just now, so we planned an afternoon of fun in her honor.  Natalie and I became good friends at work through 'post it notes'.  Can you believe that?  Natalie worked the early shift and I worked the late shift so we never worked together.  We would leave post it notes on each others computer screens with fun things such as "Have a great day my friend" or "How are you doing today?" Fortunately as our shifts changed a little, we get to work together for 30 minutes every day.  Not much, but better than not at all :)

Every year, Stampin' Up! holds a Leadership Conference and in January, Natalie and I will travel to Phoenix together and spend a fabulous time with our Demonstrators for a week.  We are both really looking forward to it.

Anyways back to our awesome Saturday afternoon..........It was snowing and actually looked beautiful outside.  It was definitely a day to go to lunch and a movie.  Saturdays are precious to me with working all week.....I like to spend the day with my kiddos and clean the house....(Oh I DON'T like that part). I told myself if I cleaned the house I could go to the movie. Oh boy did I scrub and clean in the morning as I did not want to miss out on the movie.

Sharie, Natalie & Beth

We met at Red Robin for lunch and the food was yummy.  I chose soup and salad and made a point of everyone listening to me as I ordered Chicken Tortilla soup - NO CHEESE AND NO SOUR CREAM :) That caused some laughter amongst my friends as they all know I don't like cheese!!! I can eat cheese if it is in a sandwich BUT it can't be a hot sandwich as the problem is melted cheese. (For the record, I eat baked potatoes with salt! No butter, no sour cream and NO pizza for me ::)

Jennelee, Max & Hayley

Not only am I a SAM, I have a SAM! I earned the incentive trip to Hawaii and am looking forward to going to the Southern Caribbean in April.  Beth is my SAM and she has proven to not only be a wonderful SAM but also a wonderful friend.  (She took me to lunch when my Dad passed away and that will be something that will never be forgotten:) We work the late shift together and enjoy each others company.

Terri and half of Sharie

So glad Terri was able to join us.  She is awesome.  It was fun spending time with Terri away from our desks! I admire Terri so much.  She is a hard worker and a great Mom.  She was telling us how she needed to go home and make her daughter a dress for an event.  She had to make a MINNIE MOUSE dress.  Now isn't that a fabulous Mom?  I would be racing around trying to find one for hire.  Not just for my sake, but for the sake of my daughter :)

It was great to see Jennelee. She was a SAM when I worked as a Call Center Agent and didn't get to know her as well as I would have liked to. Who knows if we plan on these fun afternoons often, I will get to know her better.  She left Stampin' Up! as she decided to stay home with her kiddos and is now a SAHM. (Stay at home Mom).  

It was fun to hang out with Sharie too.  We have been Facebook friends for a while. I met her briefly at Beth's wedding reception but this was fun to actually chat and get to know her a little.  Sharie used to be a SAM and left Stampin' Up! when she was expecting her son, Alex.

Another of my fabulous friends, Hayley from the EDS Team joined us too.  Hayley is awesome but when I saw what she ordered for lunch (Alfredo)...oh that cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese LOL!

After lunch, we went over to the movie theater to watch "Couples Retreat" and caused more laughter as I was going to share popcorn with Sharie and Natalie, UNTIL............. I realized they would not only be having butter on their popcorn but EXTRA at that :) So I ordered some delicious caramel popcorn.

Max, Beth, Natalie (and her BUTTERED popcorn), Sharie & Jennelee

It was a fabulous afternoon and I can't wait to do this again - only hoping Natalie does not have to go through her rough time too much longer :)

Have a wonderful day!

Utah Divas International - Sketch Challenge

Hello Friends,



I love the Sketch Challenge for Utah Divas International this week.  I used a Stamp Set (Baroque Motifs) that I bought a long time ago and have never used. Does that sound familiar? :) I am not sure why I have never used it but then when I think of all the Stamp Sets I own it really does make sense.

I used my favorite color Card Stock of all time - Chocolate Chip.  It is such an easy and wonderful color to work with.  I also used one of my favorite techniques - Heat Embossing. 

Carol asked us to use Punches for this weeks challenge.  It was a challenge for me as I wanted to use my Big Shot, and my Circle Scissor Plus and Glass Mat. I made the larger punch using the Scallop Circle punch.  I punched Whisper White Card Stock 4 times and folded the scallops in half, then adhered them together to make one large scallop circle.  I used a couple of flowers out of the Pretties Kit.  A Rhinestone Brad gave it the finishing touch in the middle of the embossed flower.

To order Stampin' Up! Products, Online 24/7, CLICK HERE and click "Shop Now" in upper right hand corner.


Stampin' Up! products I used to make this card :


Stamp Set - Baroque Motifs, (113490)


Card Stock - Whisper White, (100730) Chocolate Chip, (102128) Bashful Blue, (105120)


Inks - Versamark, (102283)


Embellishments - 1" Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon: Chocolate Chip, (111849) Rhinestone Brads : Clear, (113144), Pretties Kit, (109114)


Accessories - 1 3/4" Circle Punch, (112004) 1 3/8" Circle Punch, (104401) Scallop Circle Punch, (109043) Heat Tool, (100005)  Mat Pack, (105826) Paper-Piercing Tool, (116631) Embossing Buddy, (103083) Powder Pals, (102197) Stampin' Emboss Powder: White, (109132) Bone Folder, (102300), Snail Adhesive, (104332) Stampin' Dimensionals, (104430)  


Hope you enjoyed my take on the sketch challenge. Be sure to take a look at what my friends came up with by checking out the Saturday Sketch Challenge at http://www.utahdivasinternational.blogspot.com/


Every month, I hold Card Classes in my home. Contact me for more information. Cannot make the classes? Ask about my Kits in the Mail.

The elegant flowers and swirls in the Baroque Motifs set makes it an ideal choice to create projects for weddings, springtime celebrations, and tokens of friendship. Don't miss the coordinating Baroque Border wheel.

Have a fabulous Saturday!

Christmas Card class with Dasher

Hello Friends,

I simply cannot believe Christmas is almost here !  You are invited to a special Christmas Card Class this year.  You will make 8 cards (includes envelopes) using "Dasher". The really cool thing is that you will get to take the stamp home with you so you can create more of these fabulous cards to give to those special people on your Christmas Card List. 

Here he is:

Date:   Tuesday December 1st or Wednesday December 2nd

Time:   7:30pm

Place:   My House

Cost:    $20/$15 if you are in any of my clubs, place an order that night or bring a friend.  Both prices include the Dasher Stamp Set.

RSVP:   On or before November 25th

* Out of State or cannot make the class?  No problem, contact me at maxstamps@yahoo.com for details of a kit in the mail.

* Earn your stamp and cards for free by inviting your friends to your home (or mine) for a fun girls night out. (Minimum of 6 people for FREE offer).

Click here to shop online.  The item # for Dasher is 115560 and the price is $7.95

"When you only have room for one of the reindeer, Dasher's your man! Stamp him once for a simple card, or multiple times to make up Santa's famous team!"

Have a wonderful day!

Kits in the mail

Hello Friends,

I have had many requests for a solution for those who cannot make classes, either because they live out of State or their schedules are too busy. (Imagine that :)

Starting in January, I am going to offer 'Kits in the mail'. The kits will be available on a monthly basis.

More details to come.

Have a wonderful day :)

Hostess Club - Thanksgiving Turkeys

Hi Friends,

Hostess Club is this upcoming Tuesday, 7:30pm at my house.  One of our projects will be one of these cute Thanksgiving Turkeys.  Thanks to the Big Shot from Stampin' Up! and a couple of dies, this is a very easy creation.  One of my very good stampin' buddies, Heather Summers came up with this fabulous idea.

You are welcome to attend the club even if you are not a member.  The cost for the projects we will make are $5 or FREE with a $15 or more order.  Bring a friend and you will receive a goody from my treat basket. 

Please RSVP on or before Sunday November 15th.

Cannot make the class?  Ask about my kit in the mail :)

Enjoy your day!

Utah Divas International - Sketch Challenge

Hello Friends,

I am so excited to let you know I am now a part of the UTAH DIVAS INTERNATIONAL (UDI) Saturday Sketch Team.  UDI was formed 5 years ago as a way for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators to form friendships and share ideas, tips and techniques with each other.  If you are a Demonstrator and are interested in joining, shoot me an e-mail at utahdivasinternational@gmail.com If you are interested in becoming a demonstrator, email me at maxstamps@yahoo.com

For this weeks sketch challenge, I used Crushed Curry, one of Stampin' Up!'s In Colors.  It is a color that I haven't really fallen in love with but knew when I decided which stamp set I was going to use, I just had to break open the pack of Card Stock.  I knew Very Vanilla would be my coordinating color and I also used Basic Black.  I stamped the honey pot stamp from the 'Just Buzzin' By Stamp Set in Versamark ink.  The Crushed Curry Ribbon added a soft yet elegant touch.  I colored the cute bee with the Crushed Curry marker. I am thrilled Stampin' Up! sells the In Color markers. 

To order Stampin' Up! Products, Online 24/7, CLICK HERE and click "Shop Now" in upper right hand corner.

Stamp Set - Just Buzzin' By (113228)

Card Stock: -Crushed Curry, (115319) Basic Black, (102851) Very Vanilla, (101650)

Inks - Basic Black Classic Ink, (101179) Versamark, Crushed Curry Stampin' Write Marker, (116329)

Embellishments - Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, (115614)

Accessories - 1 3/8" Circle Punch, (104401) Scallop Circle Punch, (109043)

I used the Marker for the honey in the inside of the card. 

It added just a little 'extra touch'.

Hope you enjoyed my take on the sketch challenge.  Be sure to take a look at what my friends came up with by checking out the Saturday Sketch Challenge at www.utahdivasinternational.blogspot.com

Every month, I hold Card Classes in my home.  Contact me for more information. Cannot make the classes? Ask about my Cards in the Mail.



Have a honey of a day! :)

About Stampin' Up!

Many people ask me what Stampin' Up! is all about.  Click on the icon above to learn more about Stampin' Up!  I am very fortunate to not only be a demonstrator but an employee of this fabulous company too.

Please feel free to ask me questions.  If there is anything you would like to learn, just ask, I would love to teach you.

Enjoy your day!