321 Stamp: Launching Creativity

Meet Stampin' Up's Build a Bear!

One of the most exciting new things that will be in the holiday mini catalog (beginning Sept. 1) is a new partnership with the fabulous company Build a Bear. My kids have always loved Build a Bear workshops -- the store where you stuff and make your own bear. So coming Sept. 1 there will be special stamp sets -- and dies for the Big Shot die cutting system that will let you make the cutest projects. Because both Build a Bear and Stampin' Up feature workshops that are interactive, it's a natural partnershp.

This little bear is something we could just buy at Stampin' Up's convention for demonstrators going on right now in Salt Lake City. She even has her own SU apron and little Melon Mambo In COlor ribbon bow. She also has her own little real rubber stamp that says "Life without stamps...unbearable." And look at her cute paw below. My daughter is going to claim this when I get home from convention! But this little bear will also be meeting many of you in person to help me demonstrate some Build a Bear projects come September.


I wanted to share some fun from convention. I have a big 3-D swap today and will be posting the how-to video tutorial for the project later today -- so be sure to check back.

Stampin' Up! Convention Time

One of the things I love about being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator is going to our annual convention -- which starts today in Salt Lake City! And I also love making little gifts for those in my 3-2-1 Stamp "downline" group who've gone along with me to convention so they know how much I appreciate the time and money they've invested in this fabulous training event. (Okay -- it's also just plain fun.) I love giving my dowline perks all the time - but convention is a little extra special so each person is getting the cute goodie box, mini composition notebook and pen set that you see here -- all dressed up with papers from the Raspberry Lemondade Designer Series Papers. Take advantage of the $85 demo starter kit right now and I'd love to make a convention gift for you next year!

Here's a close up view of a different version of the notebook as they are all a little different. The accent on there is the new THANKS Embosslit -- then I stamped "Favorite Things" using a Rich Razzleberry marker to get just that part of an image in the new Favorite Things stamp set. It's stamped on Crushed Curry and then punched out with the Modern Label punch, which fits right over the same shape where it says THANKS on the die cut. Love that! The brads are the Fire Square Rhinestone collection.

And here's the "bag tag" each person is getting -- customized with their initial to mark the special Convention bag that Stampin' Up gives us so we can spot it in a crowd. (thanks Patty Bennett for the bag tag inspiration -- she made these with teens for school backpacks -- a great idea for this time of year!)

To make the tags I first glued paper onto our Onboard Chipboard -- the uncut sheets -- using SU Glue Stick. Once it dried I shaped it with the larger circle on the Scallop Circle #2 Big shot die (because it's a BIGZ steel rule die it will cut right through the chipboard). The initials are cut from Melon Mambo with the Naturally Serif alphabet die. The hole was punched with our Crop-a-dile and then finished off with a Jumbo Eyelet in Pewter. The ribbons are the new In Color polka dot.
Here's a peek at what's inside the little box -- tissues, chocolate, mints and the little ice tea packs that you can add to a bottle of water. The scallop accent on the box was made with the smaller circle on the Scallop Circles #2 die and the letter was cut with the new Timeless Type Junior Alphabet -- love this! It's a medium set of sizzlet dies (so they're chemically etched and cut card stock not chipboard) -- and they come with their own storage box! (Item #115951). Each letter in the set is about 1 inch tall. FYI -- the pencil box with the slide out came from Office Depot -- just 79 cents and they had lots of colors. They were even one box free with each $10 purchase for awhile during back-to-school shopping time.

Hope you've enjoyed this peek at my convention gifts and can use the ideas for some little gifts you need to make for some special people in your life! Teachers would love the pencil box -- and so would students of course.

A new catalog means new In Colors & Goodies

It's July 1 and that means a brand new Stampin' Up! catalog! Have you gotten your's?? If not then get in touch with me (or at least check it out online at the link in the right column).

I love these new In Colors for the 2009-2010 year! They really grow on you and to me are very in sync with the color trends that I see in the stores. This little handy dandy In Color bookmark is just one of the fun make-and-take projects at my New Catalog Open House on Sat., July 18 from 10 am to 2 pm. If you live near Florida's Space Coast and you'd like to come, send me an email for more info. I wanted everyone to have their own stamped samples of the colors -- and the bookmark can be used in your new catalog.

Links in the right column will take you to view the new catalog and to the current specials -- where you'll find the Deal of the Week!! Stampin' Up! is offering a special item on sale each week and this week it's Scallop Edge Border Punch for just 10.99 instead of 15.95 until Monday, July 6th at 9:50 am MT -- then a new deal of the week will be announced! Each Monday in July there will be a new "deal of the week." Fun to be surprised each time.

Also on July 15  one of the coolest opportunities starts if you'd like to become an SU demonstrator -- it's an $85 mini starter kit that includes ALL 6 of the new In Color ink pads. So if you've been thinking about being a demonstrator anyway and want all the new colors, then watch for more info on that before July 15. Stampin' Up welcomes all types of demonstrators -- from those who just want to get their own craft supplies at a discount to those who want to make extra money from their SU business (and everything in between of course.)

I love having new colors to play with but I also love how well they integrate into our existing 48-color system (and that's not even counting neutral colors). Download IncolorCombos_0910 Click that link and you'll download a pdf file that suggests color combos using the new In Colors and SU's long time colors.

My favorite part of the new catalog is how many great accessories and designer papers there are that coordiante with our beloved older colors -- I love being able to freshen up the colors I've loved for years with some new accents.

Open House Sneak Peek

 I wanted to share a little preview of one of the projects we'll be making at my Celebration Open House events on Fri., July 11 and Sat., July 12. What are we celebrating? Two big things -- my 10th anniversary as a Stampin' Up demonstrator and we're bidding a fond farewell to the stamp sets, In Color items and decorative papers that will be retiring from the Spring/Summer catalog as of August 10 (that's to make room for all the great new things available in the Fall/Winter Idea Book & Catalog on August 11!)

If you're in the Brevard County area of Florida, I'd love to have you stop by. Just send me an email for details on the when and where. It's free of course with lots of stamping, ideas to browse and prizes.

DECOR ELEMENTS ARE HERE!!
Also be sure to check out the new Decor Elements line from SU available starting today. These great vinyl wall decorations are self-adhesive, easy to apply and feature fabulous Stampin' Up! artwork. You can watch a video about Decor Elements on my demonstrator website by clicking here -- once there click on the Learn More icon and you can see how cool they are. There's a link to the Decor Elements brochure under the catalog links in the right column of this blog.