Beautiful

Hello Friends,

Just look at this beautiful card.  This was created by another of my most wonderful friends.  Maria Williams from Katy, TX created this using a stamp set and a variety of punches/die cuts.  Isn't it adorable? 

Don't forget this coming Sunday is Valentine's day! :)

Fifth Avenue Floral  #113734     Price: $24.95

The beautiful, modern flowers in the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set share the sophistication and styling of its namesake. You can choose to watercolor these line-art images, or leave them uncolored and layer them for a refined floral collection.

Set Quantity: 5

Shop online 24/7 by clicking here !

Decor Elements

Hello Friends,

I thought it very appropriate to show you one of our fabulous Decor Elements I put on the wall in my Stamp Studio. It is a constant reminder to me.  I am so grateful for my knowledge and faith.  If you would like one of our Decor Elements Brochures, please let me know and I will make sure one goes out in the mail ASAP. Alternatively, you can check it out online along with all our catalogs/brochures by clicking here.

All day long I have received such wonderful messages from friends.  Some have reduced me to tears.  I also received a phone call at the office from a fellow demonstrator and friend.  April Lopez from Texas, called for nothing else other than to let me know she was thinking of me and we had a wonderful chat.  In fact, at the latter part of our call, I could hear April gulping down the 'nasty stuff' as she was preparing for her colonoscopy tomorrow.  You can guarantee I will have April in my thoughts and prayers.  I was very impressed when April asked if she could offer a prayer whilst we were on the phone.  Of course, I obliged.  It was one of the sweetest prayers I have ever heard.  I had my eyes closed all the way through. *Can you imagine if someone had come over to my desk, they would have thought I was asleep*

I appreciate all of you for your compassion and your friendship.
With Love,

A message for my friends

Hello my friends,

No creation for you today, just a message for you :)

I have had a really rough day today!  I had to go to see the Doctor and NOT so good news.  The Nurse took my blood and I had to give a Urine Sample.  Both of them did not look good.  I have high blood pressure.  I have had major stomach pains and lower back pain for a while now. 

I have to go see a specialist for a colonoscopy.  YIKES!  So I have been majorly stressed about this not so good news. I need to find out what is going on and I do believe that the 'not knowing' makes you go crazy with worry.

Most of you know my Dad suffered with cancer and ultimately passed away due to this ugly disease.  There is a concern for cancer.

I went to several of his appointments when he had to have a colonoscopy and he did not like the "stuff" he had to drink in preparation for it.  I remember once, he took a little sip and his face said it all (and he was not a wimp when it came to meds and pain).  I said "Dad, just gulp it down".  He passed me the cup and said "Here love, you try 'just' gulping it down."  

I got the message. :) 

Now here I am having to go through that and I will be able to say "I KNOW EXACTLY how it was to have to drink that 'stuff'.

I will find out later today when this procedure will take place and I will let you know.  Please keep me in your prayers.

Here's one of my favorite pictures of my Dad and I.  It was taken at Hornsea Freeport in England.  It was to be one of the last days we spent together.

To read more about my wonderful Dad, you can visit the blog I created in his honor! http://www.johnsims-ourhero.blogspot.com/

With Love,

Sale-A-Brate GOOD TIMES!

Hello Friends,

Hope you had a fabulous weekend.  Sale-A-Bration is a fabulous time to earn free stamps/product, either as a customer or as a hostess.  Joining our Stampin' Up! family is the perfect time too.

The BEST thing for me becoming a demonstrator is all the fellow Demonstrators I have met.  Many of them have become my closest friends.  One of them happens to be Gretchen Barron from Illinois. Gretchen is so creative.  She makes such super duper projects.  Look at these cute goodies she made using the "Good Neighbors" stamp set.  You can choose this set for FREE when you place a $50 order.  There is a 6x6 paper pad to choose also. ("Welcome Neighbor")

Place a $50 order and receive any item from the Sale-A-Bration brochure FREE.  Click here to view the brochure.


Click here to learn more about becoming a Demonstrator. 

Spotlighting a very good friend - Mary Fish

Hello Friends,

I have many wonderful friends because of my association with Stampin' Up! as both a Demonstrator and an Employee.  I have been blessed to form a friendship this past year with one of the most creative women I know. 

Let me introduce you to MARY FISH.  Mary lives in Tucson, AZ and just when I think her creations could no longer amaze me...........she creates a beautiful card, shown above.

Mary was Rising Star #1 in the US for 2009/10. She has a wonderful downline, aka her pals and is a very successful demonstrator.  Her organizational skills are to be envied. I am her SAM (Service Account Manager) and appreciate our friendship so much.

What an adorable bear :)

Have a wonderful weekend !

Video - New Style Punches

Hello Friends,

I am super excited about Stampin' Up!'s new style punches.  I am always excited about new ways to organize.  If you are a visual person like me, this video is really going to help you.  Bonnie Thurber is fabulous.  I could watch and listen to her all day long.  Enjoy !!



Click here to see Stampin' Up!'s fabulous punches.

Spend $50 and you can choose this punch for FREE as part of Sale-A-Bration

Have a great day!

The Big Shot meets Broadway .....starring Connie Stewart :)

Hello Friends,

One of my SAMee's, Connie Stewart from Oklahoma shared with me THE most wonderful project I have seen using Vinyl and the Big Shot.  I asked Connie if I could spotlight her on my blog and she said she was 'honored'.  How cute.  You know Connie and I were separated at birth.  We have so much in common.  We have even gone through the same trial together - our Fathers passed away within 2 months of each other.

Well here we go!  LOOK at what Connie did to her daughter, Christina's bedroom.  Imagine having a wonderful room at 13 years of age.  I would have LOVED this......

Here are some tips Connie shared :)
If you are cutting a lot of words, write them down. Make a list with A-B-C-D, etc. Put a tic mark next to every letter so you know how many letters to cut. This will make things go so much faster because there are 4 letters on each die and will speed things up to cut all the letters at once.



You can cut 2 pieces of vinyl at a time.


You MUST use the transfer paper that comes with your vinyl sheets (vinyl purchased from the craft stores DO NOT include the transfer paper and this is all but impossible to do without it).


Draw a straight line on the front of the sticky side sheet.


Peel back a little of the paper backing to expose the sticky side. Place the the first letter of your word on the straight line, vinyl side DOWN. leaving its paper backing in place.


Continue placing letters, keeping the spacing the same.


Place the sticky side to your wall and use a bubble level along the straight line and level it out, moving it until you have it perfectly level..


Place a piece of painters tape (blue tape) along the top.


Peel off the backing from the letters (this is very easy to do and you don't have to burnish it).


Press onto the wall but DON'T take off the sticky paper yet!


Move on to your next word and use the straight line from the previous word to help you line up the next one. Use the bubble level again along BOTH words to insure that are perfectly straight.


Place blue tape along the 2nd word and remove the paper backing from the letters.


You can now burnish the letters and remove the sticky paper from the FIRST word (leave the 2nd word so you can use the straight line to level your 3rd word).

Thank you Connie.  Such an awesome project to be very proud of.  How's your back doing girl? ;)

Heartfelt Thanks Card

Stamps

Sweetheart stamp set

Paper

Bashful Blue textured card stock

Old Olive textured card stock

Whisper White card stock

Ink

Bashful Blue Classic Stampin' Pad

Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

Accessories

Heart Treat Cup

Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon

Full Heart punch

Scallop Edge punch

Stampin' Dimensionals

Instructions

Punch scallop strip from Old Olive textured card stock with Scallop Edge punch. Adhere to card.

Adhere strip of Whisper White card stock to card over scallop strip.

Stamp heart image in Real Red ink on square of Whisper White card stock.

Punch out center of heart image with Full Heart punch. Insert Heart Treat Cup and fill.

Peel off adhesive cover and adhere Heart Treat Cup to card.

Stamp Heartfelt Thanks in Bashful Blue on card.

Tie Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon around card.

Stamp leaves and bird image in Old Olive and Crushed Curry ink on Whisper White card stock. Cut out and adhere to card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, our new Heart Treat Cups coordinate perfectly with the Sweetheart stamp set and the Full Heart punch.

Stamps

Sweetheart stamp set

Paper

Bashful Blue textured card stock

Old Olive textured card stock

Real Red textured card stock

Whisper White card stock

Ink

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

Accessories

Heart Treat Cup

Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon

Full Heart punch

Scallop Edge punch

Instructions

Adhere strip of Bashful Blue textured card stock to center of card.

Adhere to Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon to card.

Stamp Be Mine in Old olive ink on square of Whisper White card stock.

Punch out center of heart image with Full Heart punch. Insert Heart Treat Cup and fill.

Peel off adhesive cover and adhere Heart Treat Cup to a second square of Whisper White card stock to seal the cup.

Punch scallops from Real Red textured card stock with Scallop Edge punch. Adhere scallops to back of Whisper White square.

Adhere Whisper White square to card.

Contact me for more information about my monthly card classes and Kits in the Mail.  No need to buy a card ever again. You can make cute cards just like these.

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Advertising using Decor Elements

Hello Friends,

At Leadership, we had the chance to purchase lots of cool things at Memento Mall.  Most of you have seen my Van and so I was ecstatic about these 'babies'. 

 

Lance bought me a netbook for my birthday last year and as you can imagine, I spend hours on it.  I thought this would be a wonderful way to advertise my business as I take this everywhere with me :)

Interested in joining my Stamp to the MAX team?

Call or e-mail for more information

maxstamps@yahoo.com

801 897-0429

http://www.stampwithmax2.stampinup.net/

Click on Join now.  The password is stamptothemax

Have a great day!