Last Week for Stampaganza and a little secret!

The month of June is the perfect time to add the best quality and designed acrylic stamp sets to your crafting supplies.  Let me tell you why!

1.  When you buy two stamp sets, you get a third for FREE.  You can see the details of the special here. 

2.  Some wonderful Close to My Heart Stamp sets will be retiring at the end of July. So this is the perfect time to look at your wish list and get a great deal.

3.  If you own the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge or if it is on your wish list, then you may want to purchase the stamp sets that coordinate with the images on the cartridge.  (I have put those in RED in the list below.)

4.  Finally, if you when you place your Stampaganza order on my website this week, you will become eligible to win  $25 in select product drawing that I will do at the end of the month.  Place your order here and select "Stampaganza Special" for the order group.  I will put your name in the drawing for each group of three you order. 

Interested in the retiring list?  Remember all these sets are up for retirement July 31st, those in RED coordinate with the Art Philosophy Cartridge, and those in BOLD, well, those are my favorites. 

C1466 Instant Memories                               $13.95

B1391  Zoology                                              $9.95

C1463 Harvest Happiness                             $13.95

C1465 Unscripted                                          $13.95

C1467 Sweet Moments                                 $13.95

B1392  Key Moments                                    $9.95

C1462 All Hallows Eve                                  $13.95

D1494 Christmas Cheer                                $17.95

B1390  Countdown                                         $9.95

D1480 Snowflake                                          $17.95

C1468 Winter Joy                                          $13.95

C1419 Harvest Home                                    $13.95

C1426 Thanksgiving                                      $13.95

B1395  So Grateful                                   $9.95

C1423 Captured Moments                            $13.95

B1359  Fright Night                                        $9.95

D1437 Party Animal                                      $17.95

A1109  A Sip                                                  $6.95

C1424 Nature's Gift                                       $13.95

C1420 Snow Days                                        $13.95

C1472 Bundled Buddies                                $13.95

D1384 Snow Flurries                                     $17.95

D1308 All Decked Out                                  $17.95

A1115  A Holiday                                           $6.95

B1381  Holiday Cheer                                    $9.95

D1446 Adorn-able                                         $17.95

A1107  A Twinkle                                           $6.95

B1361  Tannenbaum                                      $9.95

D1493 Fill in the Blank--Holiday                     $17.95

C1427 I Believe                                             $13.95

D1449 Father Christmas                               $17.95

A1110  A Timber                                            $6.95

B1356  St. Nick                                              $9.95

D1483 Glory to God                                      $17.95

A1099  Angel Sent                                         $6.95

B1394  John 3:16                                           $9.95

D1436 The Present                                       $17.95

A1108  A Flitter                                               $6.95

D1306 Treasure Life                                      $17.95

C1429 Party Pennants                                  $13.95

A1095  Always Remember                             $6.95

B1362  Tag the Occasion                               $9.95

C1471 Happy Clusters                                  $13.95

B1393  Joyful Jar                                           $9.95

C1425 Month by Month                                 $13.95

C1470 Gnome Garden                                  $13.95

A1113  A Game                                             $6.95

B1396  School Rocks                                    $9.95

C1408 Live Inspired                                       $13.95

D1373 Childhood Portrait                               $17.95

D1492 Christmas Love                                  $17.95

C1469 December 25th                                  $13.95

D1388 Card Chatter--Christmas                    $17.95

D1440 Everlasting Life                                  $17.95

C1379 Holiday Commentary                         $13.95

C1382 Holiday Commentary--Spanish          $13.95

C1383 Holiday Commentary--French           $13.95

D1283 Say It in Style                                     $17.95

D1444 A Little Thanks                                   $17.95

D1401 Authentic                                            $17.95

D1387 Made with Love                                 $17.95

D1499 Live Your Style                                  $17.95

D1386 Save the Date                                     $17.95

D1397 Save the Date--French                       $17.95

D1398 Save the Date--Spanis                      $17.95

E1006  Baroque Alphabet                               $29.95

C1401 Friendship Alphabet Small                  $13.95

E1013  Field Trip Alphabet                              $29.95

E1016  Friendship Alphabet Large                  $29.95

D1136 Giggle Caps                                       $17.95

D1137 Giggle Lowercase                               $17.95

D1267 Rustic Numbers                                 $17.95

E1002  Rustic Alphabet                                   $29.95

And if you have made it this far in this post, here is a little artwork I wanted to share using the A BowWow stamp set.  A new favorite of mine and I am glad it is staying around. 

Footloose and A Bow Wow.  Footloose paper is retiring July 31. 

Inspired by Allisa Chilton. 

Created with Victory Paper packet.  This paper is around for another six months.  Perfect for a variety of themes.  Inspired by Dawn Montagano.

Created with Roxie Paper packet which is also on the retirement list.  So sad to see this fun paper packet go.  Inspired by Aaron Booth. 

Road Trip!

Summer is the time for road trips and this fun set is perfect for yours! We will create layouts using the Crusin' kit and Stickease. And, I will also show you how to use the large flip flaps to create an interactive page (and one that gets more photos on your page). Please request the shopping list so you can purchase exactly the embellishments you want to add. Products must be ordered by June 30th.

Workshop July 6th 7:00 p.m. at the Rowley Residence

Both pages with flip flaps closed.

Left side with flip flap open

Left flip flap closed.

Right flip flap closed.

Right flip flap open.

Second set of pages. 

Banners! I love them

Some of my favorite creations and banners...all sorts, shapes and styles.  I have three different banners, make that four, hanging in my house right now:

Hearts:  a string of hearts that I put up in the guest bathroom for Valentines day and I don't have another banner to replace it so up it stays.  Must make a different one soon.

Gather:  This primitive looking banner hangs under a big star in my living room (photo shows a wreath)  One of my favorites. 

Freedom:  I just reversed my spring banner yesterday to the "freedom" side made from Fanfare paper last year.  Love it for the summer celebrations.  Should have reversed it Memorial Day weekend

Time 4 Tea:  I created this one for my Tea Party last February.  I love it so much it hangs in my studio area to show off. 

One that is not hanging in the house right now...but could go up anytime cause my birthday is right around the corner is the Cupcake banner. 

Mr & Mrs:  I made this one for a friend's daughter who is getting married.  Sadly, I don't have a photo of it...but I think it was one of my best...so you will just have to take my word on it. 

If you could make a banner, what would it look like? 

For some more inspiration and to see how easy making a banner can really be, watch this short video. 

You are Darling

Every year Close to My Heart hosts a convention for their consultants.  I started going in 2003, when it was in Portland OR and cannot miss it.  It is such an inspiring time!  (More on that later.)
This year, the inspiration begins before convention with 5 Studio J layouts.  The corporate office gave us 5 layouts with directions on using different techniques in the program.  I had a blast putting these layouts together with the step by step instructions.  And I hope to host a workshop where you can learn these techniques as well.  But until then, you can enjoy the layouts I have created. 

This tips in this layout featured:

• Deleting unneeded photo wells
• Using text boxes to cover up portions of the pattern
• Cropping My Stickease® borders to make ribbon streamers

You can enjoy playing with Studio J without any cost.  Just visit my website here and start playing.  Got questions?  Give me a call. 
To see the unique layouts using the same “tips and techniques” created by other convention going consultants you can see them here, here, and here. 

Product Highlight: Color-Ready Seam Binding Ribbon

See how to make this pretty, soft white ribbon a stunning color to match your projects. It’s as easy as pie!

Here are some projects that have Color-Ready seam binding. 

This card was created by Lalia Harris!

Here I used it for a tie for the banner.

Did you know that "girlfriend time" can be as healthy as jogging?

Almost every year my friend Paula and I visit the tulip fields in LaConner WA.  Sometimes just us, sometimes with our kids.  But every time, I come away feeling full, refreshed, and energized.  I didn’t know that this special time was also contributing to my health. 

Read on:

They Teach It at Stanford

In an evening class at Stanford the last lecture was on the mind-body connection - the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends. At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.

Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences.

Physically this quality “girlfriend time" helps us to create more serotonin - a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes. Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf?  Yes. But their feelings? Rarely.

Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our sisters/mothers, and evidently that is very good for our health.  He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym.

There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged—not true.

In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking!

So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health! We are indeed very, very lucky. Sooooo… let's toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it’s very good for our health.

Thank you Linda for sharing this with me. 

How can I help you be healthier?  How can I help you find some girlfriend time?  Take a look at the calendar below, pick an event and bring a friend!  Or schedule a creative time, I will provide the activity, you invite the friends. 

Did you know?

Close to My Heart My Acrylix^® stamps are clearly the best in the stamping industry, giving you incredible creative freedom loaded with possibilities. You will love our stamps because:

• My Acrylix stamps are ready to use right out of the package—no cutting out, mounting, or applying stickers required. Just place the stamp on your block, apply ink, and you’re set!

• My Acrylix stamps and blocks are clear, making it easy to stamp in exactly the right spot.

• My Acrylix stamps can be used to create a variety of popular looks, including:
• base and shade stamping

• creating your own patterned paper

• sponging on multiple inks for single-impression, multi-color images

      Many My Acrylix stamps coordinate with Cricut^® Art Philosophy cartridge shapes, giving you lots of creative possibilities. Cut the shape on your Cricut^® machine, stamp the image on the shape, and attach to your project! In the Idea Book, the images outlined in red coordinate with Cricut^® shapes.

• My Acrylix stamps are super easy to maintain, store, and transport. 

And this month they are even more affordable!  Buy two, get a third set for Free.
Shop here or contact me about how you can make your shopping a PARTAY!

Need a quick gift! It’s all in the wrap!

Want to say thank you to a special neighbor or friend? Dress up your gifts beautifully to show how much you care. In this video we show you how to create the gift packaging featured on page 82 of the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book.

June Card Café

 

Florentine Die Cut Cards

Create 10 uniquely shaped cards with the lovely Florentine paper and stickease. Envelopes to match. Workshop fee: $15 You can add Mocha pearls for an additional $3.50.

Thursday June 21^st, 7:00 p.m. or Friday June 22^nd, 10:30 a.m.

RSVP no later than June 14^th.

Cards were inspired by Lisa Stenz. You can see her beautiful artwork here.