I've been MIA but for a good reason

I'm sorry that I haven't been posting lately. I've been MIA because my computer motherboard died the other night! My computer was only four years old - what's up with that?

Fortunately we have an on-line backup, but it is taking a l-o-n-g time to get everything downloaded and then, of course, it's not where it's supposed to be. I'm still trying to find my e-mail addresses and some of my documents. Frustrating!!!

So I can't locate my pictures to upload to Blogger and I don't have my software for adding the "watermark" to the pictures on this computer yet.

So I promise as soon as things are back to relatively computer normal, I'll be back posting. In the meantime, we'll be working feverishly to get things back up and going again!

Only a Couple of Days Left for the Stampin' Up! Online Spectacular

During Online Spectacular, you can get great discounts on Stampin' Up! products. There are products 50% off (like My Digital Studio and Designer Fabric), products 40% off (like select Big Shot dies), products 30% off (like the Accessory Assortment Bundle), and 20-40% off My Digital Downloads! Take advantage of these great deals before they end November 30! If your merchandise totals $150 or more, you will get FREE shipping in addition to the regular hostess benefits (free hostess item and $15 in free merchandise)!

SHOP NOW!

Stamping with Friends is Fun - and Productive!

My good friends Pam and Judy were back last Friday and we made some adorable projects. Pam was in charge of bringing the ideas, I provided the supplies, and Judy brought a yummy chocolate and peanut butter dessert. We make a great team!

The first thing we made were these adorable pine cones. They are made with DSP and egg-shaped Styrofoam. I can't remember where Pam got the pattern from, but I think the blog was called The Hybrid Chick. Basically we cut 1" square pieces of DSP, then folded one side into a point and used small pins to attach them to the Styrofoam. They actually went fairly quickly!
This is Pam's. She used Candy Cane Christmas DSP for her pine cone.
This one is mine. I too used the Candy Cane Christmas DSP, but I used a piece that has glitter stripes. It really catches your eye!
This one is Judy's. She used a retired Stampin' Up! DSP that I had in my stash. Pam had brought along the ribbon and we all agreed that this one looks so elegant with the color of the pine cone and the green and gold ribbon.
Then Pam had a picture of this cute turkey made from the owl punch and scalloped circle punch. Each one is a little different, but they are all too cute. I don't think they have to be worried about being eaten on Thursday!
Our last project that we made were these notebooks covered with a punched Santa. Since the colors of some of the pads were so bright, Judy and Pam used some retired DSP from my stash to coordinate with the color of their pad. I made the one in the middle (which was black) and used a little bit of the current Play Date DSP. The ribbon is more that Pam brought. We just loved the sparkly bling of the green dots!
I hope you enjoyed looking at the projects we made almost as much as we did making them! So make a date to get together and stamp with some of your friends soon!

HAPPY STAMPING!
jayne@jaynestamps.com

Online Spectacular Stampin' Up! sale - discounts up to 50% starting Monday, November 22

Online Spectacular--a one-week sale with discounts up to 50 percent--is during the week of Thanksgiving. THAT'S THIS WEEK!!!!

On November 22, log onto my Online Store to take advantage of never-before-seen discounts. You won't want to miss this sale - so run right over and check it out NOW! You can get to it here. But if for some reason you have any problems finding the right place, give me a call!

Some of the "door busters" include:

• My Digital Studio - 50 percent off!
• Designer Fabric - 50 percent off!
• Free shipping on online or demonstrator orders of $150 or more!

I love a good sale - especially on our wonderful products! Don't miss out - this is for one week only!

Stamp-a-Stack Cards

Here are the cards that were made at my Christmas Stamp-a-Stack last Thursday. All of the ideas were CASE-d from other stampers - either something I saw on someone's blog and had bookmarked awhile ago or something that was shared on the Late Night Stampers Yahoo group. I don't remember who the original cards were made by, so if you recognize one of these as your creation, please let me know!

This first one is made with the Builder Wheels from the Holiday Mini Catalog and some of the Candy Cane Christmas DSP.
I don't think I can get enough of this adorable little owl! And here he is all dressed up in a red "suit" pretending to be Santa Claus. Someone was VERY clever in figuring out how to make his clothes - it's one of the stamps in the Tags til Christmas set! (You can see the complete set below the card.)
Simple and elegant snowflakes in blue. You can't really tell in the picture, but the Marina Mist cardstock is sprayed with some Frost White Shimmer Paint mixed with rubbing alcohol. It gives it a beautiful shine!
Love this "flat" snowman idea! Simple but soooooo cute!
And I think this last one is my favorite because it's so elegant in its simplicity. I first saw the idea on Debra Currier's blog. She's in one of my swap groups - the Upscale Swappers. Thanks for the inspiration Deb! I love the idea of the front door with the wreath on it. The depth comes from the sponging around the edges of the "panels". And would you believe those are our Basic Rhinestones - simply colored red with a red Sharpie marker?Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun and now they have 15 cards ready to send out for Christmas greetings, or to make into birthday, thinking of you, or whatever! Thanks for coming ladies, I had a great time!

Fun with Fabric

At our Tickled Ink meeting last month, my friend Lou Ann showed us some of her creations using fabric. The first two use some of Stampin' Up!s fabric found in the Holiday Mini Catalog. This is the Candy Cane Christmas fabric. (I love that striped fabric!)Isn't this an adorable ornament?
This is a type of pin cushion. Cute, cute, cute! If you notice, the fabric actually isn't just Christmas or winter designs - the Candy Cane Christmas fabric is dots and stripes. It could be used anytime of the year, making it so much more versatile!

Then these next ones use fabric from a store. It has to be sort of silky-like and the edges need to curl when it gets close to a flame. The flowers are made by cutting different size circles with the Big Shot, curling the edges by holding them close to a candle flame, and then gluing them together.This is a beautiful necklace.And how about this gorgeous card with the same flower layered on the Medallion stamp? Lou Ann doesn't have a blog of her own, but she let me share her creations with you - and I'm so glad she did!

Addendum to Yesterday's Post

If you click on the first link to shop for your Simply Adorned Charm special in my post from yesterday, it only takes you to the general Stampin' Up! shopping link. You MUST go through my Stampin' Up! website to get the preferred pricing (which would be the price I was referring to). If you shop through the SU! website without going through mine, it will cost you a little more. I've removed that link, but the e-mails have already gone out with that link in there. I'm just looking out for all of you!

More Simply Adorned Charm Inserts

Can you stand to see some more Simply Adorned Charm inserts? I think I'm addicted! It's almost as bad as chocolate!

I participated in another charm insert swap with a few of my fellow stampers. The first one is mine. I used the Lovely As A Tree stamp set, blender pens with various colors of markers, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (cut in half), and Gold Glow Smooth Spritz to make mine. If you look closely, you can see the golden shimmer from the Smooch Spritz. So pretty!

This is the back of my insert. Sorry that the picture is a little blurry. The background is a colored metal sheet that I ran through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder, then sanded the top to take some of the color off. I stamped my initial from the Lovely Letters Alphabet (LOVE that set!) in Cajun Craze on Very Vanilla cardstock and cut it out.
Here are the other ones that I received back. I wanted to take individual pictures, but my camera was not cooperating.
The blue one on top was made by Brenda Passon. She used the level 1 hostess set "Because I Care". The one on the bottom left was made by Laura Barto and I think she used the "Leaf Lines" stamp set, although I'm not sure. (Laura, if it's something else, let me know!) The pink one was made by Debra Currier and that adorable little heart and saying are from the "Filled with Love" stamp set in the Holiday Mini Catalog. Let me tell you, it took me some looking before I figured that out! I KNEW that I had seen that heart someplace..

Remember that Stampin' Up! has a special going on with the Simply Adorned Charms right now. You can get this charm, chain, and the Charming stamp set for $39.88 - that's 20% off the regular catalog price! The Simply Adorned Gift Bundle contains the Charming wood-mount stamp set, a Simply Adorned 1” x 1-1/4” charm, and a Simply Adorned 24” chain. Use this specially-discounted bundle to create a beautiful and unique charm necklace for that special someone in your life!

You can shop now by going to my website http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/jaynestamps/ and then click on the Shop Now button.

Join Stampin' Up! and the Chalk-a-holics Stamp Group for 50% off!!

I am soooooo excited to let you know about Stampin' Up!'s amazing starter kit offer! You can join Stampin' Up! and my Chalk-a-holics stamp group for half off the regular starter kit prices from November 15-30, 2010!

We'd love to welcome you to the "Stampin' Up! family"!

JOIN STAMPIN' UP! FOR 50% OFF THE REGULAR START KIT PRICES

FROM NOV. 15 - 30, 2010

Demonstrator Starter Kit for 50 percent off!

If you've been wanting to JOIN STAMPIN' UP!, it has never been better to do than now!

From November 15 through November 30, 2010 you can purchase the Standard or Digital+ Starter Kits for only $87.50!! --that is 50 percent off the regular price of $175 for over $310 worth of paper or digital crafting and business supplies!

Promotion Deadlines:

• New demonstrator paperwork or ONLINE submissions must be submitted by Tuesday, November 30, 2010; 11:50 PM (MT)

Promotion Details:

• Both the Standard Starter Kit and the Digital+ Kit are available at 50 percent off the regular kit. These are full starter kits, not mini or reduced-content kits.
• Recruits can still add the Stampin' Memories or Digital+ Add-On and will pay the regular add-on price.
• Recruits who join Stampin’ Up! and my Chalk-a-holics stamp group during the Simply Amazing Recruiting Promotion are still eligible for any programs available to a new recruit. This includes but is not limited to the extra 10 percent Instant Income offer, Stampin' Start, the opportunity to purchase a Business Booster Kit, and a free two-month Demonstrator Business Web Services (DBWS) subscription.
• Any new recruit who signs up during the Simply Amazing Recruiting Promotion will receive 50 percent off the Starter Kit.
• The promotional price of the Standard Starter Kit and the Digital+ Kit is $87.50. The kits include over $310 worth of crafting and business supplies.

Email me with any questions at: jayne@jaynestamps.com

JOIN TODAY - http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/jaynestamps/startyourownbusiness

then click JOIN NOW on the left -

PASSWORD: snickers

Two options for your Starter Kit: Either My Digital Studio Starter Kit or the Regular Starter Kit!

See below for more details!

Digital+ Starter Kit Price: $175 (over $320 value!)

Digital+ Starter Kit Contents:

• My Digital Studio software suite
• Three complete stamp sets (including a clear-mount set and clear-mount block)
• Assortment of card stock
• Four Classic Stampin' Pads
• Two Stampin' Write markers
• Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
• Brights Designer buttons
• Songbird Décor Elements and applicator
• Adhesives
• Stampin' Scrub and Mist
• Box of Idea Book & Catalogs
• Business forms and tools

Stampin' Up! Starter Kit: $175 ($310 value)

The Standard Starter Kit is created exclusively for new demonstrators and contains Stampin' Up! essentials you'll need to get started in your new business, including:

• Five complete stamp sets (including a clear-mount set and clear-mount block)
• A Stampin' Around wheel, handle, and ink cartridge
• Assortment of Designer Series paper and card stock
• Four Classic Stampin' Pads
• Two Stampin' Write markers
• VersaMark Pad
• Whisper White 5/8" satin ribbon
• Songbird Décor Elements and applicator
• Adhesives
• Blender pen
• Stamping sponge
• Stampin' Scrub and Mist
• Box of Idea Book & Catalogs
• Business forms and tools

As a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator you get:
1. To enjoy 20% instant income on all purchases (that's an instant 20% savings).

2. To earn up to 40% commission on personal purchases and customer sales.

3. Extra income. You'll earn extra income based on your sales and recruiting - how much extra income is up to you. Maybe you just want enough income to pay the electric bill every month, or maybe your goal is bigger--the monthly payment for your new car - it's your decision!

4. To receive our monthly full color Stampin' Success magazine - great tips, techniques, samples.

5. To host a Demonstrator only website that allows your family and friends to shop online from you 24 hours a day.

6. To attend Stampin' Up! demonstrator events - Convention, Regionals, Local Chalk-a-holics group events, and up-line meetings.

7. To know about specials, retiring items, company announcements before the public is informed. (It's fun being the "first to know"!)

8. To earn extra income for holidays or to help out in these economic tough times.

9. Support from Stampin' Up! with support materials including a monthly magazine, workshop ideas, and audio and video trainings on all kinds of topics available on our Demonstrator Web Site.

10. To enjoy the perks on your terms - as little or as much as you like - what days of the week, how many days of the week, and what types of events.

11. Credit for your personal purchases - anything we purchase as Stampin' Up! demonstrators counts toward our low $300 quarterly minimum, great rewards program, career milestones, monthly overrides, promotions, free mini catalog program.

12. To receive the catalog and minis mailed to you FREE throughout the year.

13. To enjoy hostess benefits and income - as Stampin' Up! demonstrators we are allowed to be our own best customer and receive all the perks of being a hostess AND a demonstrator.

14. To enjoy tax benefits of owning your own business - wouldn't you love to write off travel for business, designer series papers, the BIG SHOT, and more?

15. To be recognized for your efforts of sales, recruiting and promoting.

16. Flexibility in how you generate sales - home parties, catalog shows, clubs, classes, direct orders, personal orders, craft fairs, sales of finished product - Stampin' UP! provides multiple streams of income - there is no one way to generate income from sales of product - find the way that works best for you or enjoy several avenues.

17. To see the new Catalog and each Mini Catalog First!

18. To take advantage of Demonstrator only bulk buy items.

I know that you will have fun, make new friends and never pay full price again as demonstrator!

Email me with any questions at: jayne@jaynestamps.com

JOIN TODAY - http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/jaynestamps/startyourownbusiness

then click JOIN NOW on the left -

PASSWORD: snickers

Christmas Ideas

Have you missed me? I've missed posting for the past few days. I've been busy and a bit distracted. I just found out that I'm going to have to have surgery on my right shoulder to repair a torn rotator cuff. I injured my shoulder back in June and have been fussing with it for the past 4+ months. I wasn't expecting that surgery was going to be the result, but I've tried everything else and nothing has worked.

On a brighter side, I will be going through my pictures and posting samples and ideas for your Christmas (and Thanksgiving) cards and decorating. These samples were taken at the Stampin' Up! Riverton office.I love the candles wrapped with the music DSP! (It's in the "Newsprint" pack.)

If you have any questions or would like more information about any of these projects, let me know and I'll do my best to pull from the back of my mind what was used to make them!

Play Date Z-fold Envelope Mini Album

Last week my friend Donna came over (hi Donna!). We had so much fun and I made another Z-fold Envelope Album!

I used the "Play Date" DSP for this one with the intention of printing out some of my pictures from Convention and using this as a my memory album of Convention. The first picture is the front of the album with just the DSP on it. Behind it is the front of our Convention booklet. I'm hoping one of my pictures has the "Share What You Love" logo so I can put that on the cover along with the dates of Convention this year. After I get my pictures printed, I'll add some extras to make it a little more interesting.

I did use some retired ribbons that I had, but they were so perfect for this paper that I HAD to!I love how the DSP on these two pages lined up.The brads are Build-a-Brads with 1/2" circles punched from the DSP. One is an owl, one is a mushroom, and a couple of them are flowers.I completed this book in about four or five hours - start to finish. I think I'm getting addicted to them!

Beautiful poinsettia from the French Foliage Stamp Set

When I saw this box yesterday, I couldn't wait to show it to you! My friend and downline member, Diane Kipp, created this. I asked her for permission to show it to you because it is sooo pretty! Diane is just getting started in blogging, and she came over yesterday to learn a few things about posting pictures and putting other things on blogs. (Image - I was the "newbie" a few months ago, and now I'm the one giving the tips!) Anyway, you should check out her blog HERE. I don't know how much she has posted on it yet, but when she starts putting her creations there, you won't want to miss them!
Diane stamped one of the leaves from the French Foliage stamp set (pg. 14 in the Holiday Mini catalog) in Cherry Cobbler ink on Cherry Cobbler cardstock. She also stamped the same leaf in Old Olive ink on Old Olive cardstock. After cutting them out, she added some pearls and then attached it to the Bitty Box Bigz XL Die that she had covered with some of the Designer Series Paper from the Regals Stack (pg. 175 IB&C). Gorgeous, isn't it?
French Foliage - set of 6
120845 (wood mount) $19.95
121166 (clear mount ) $14.95

Remember, you can shop anytime by going to my Stampin' Up! website HERE.

Christmas Collage

Do you love the look of collage stamping but find it difficult to create a collage that you like? Well, Stampin' Up! to the rescue! When I first saw the "Christmas Collage" stamp in the Holiday Mini Catalog, I knew I was going to get it. It is so pretty and there is so much that you can do with it!

I made this card for our Upscale Swappers group. The image was inked with a Crumb Cake pad and then I used an Always Artichoke marker to color in the circle design on the left. That was stamped onto Very Vanilla cardstock, the edges were sponged, and I also used the Color Spritzer Tool with the Crumb Cake marker to add a bit more "vintage" look.
The "25" was inked in Cherry Cobbler and stamped on another piece of Very Vanilla, punched out with the 1-3/4" Circle Punch, the edges were sponged, and the Color Spritzer Tool was utilized again with a Cherry Cobbler marker. I took some of the gold Waffle Paper (found in the Holiday Mini on page 21) and applied it to the back of the "25" circle, then attached that with dimensionals. The bow is simply two pieces of 1/2" Seam Binding in Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke held together with one of the Gold Glimmer Brads (pg. 36 in the Holiday Mini). Of course, to make your card have a bit more "richness", it's always helpful to layer it onto multiple colors of cardstock.

This card was made by Laura Barto (who is another member of the Upscale Swap Group). I love how she used the Christmas Collage stamp "sideways" on her card and used some different colors - Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, and Old Olive. It looks so rich!

So can you see some of the possibilities with this single stamp? You could use parts of the image too - just let your imagination go and see what you come up with! Such a beautiful stamp and so many wonderful possibilities!

More Simply Adorned Charms - and FREE class offer!

I am so excited about Stampin' Up!s line of Simply Adorned charms and chains. You can see the entire selection in the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog on page 189. And remember, there is a special bundle for the charms at 20% off (more details below)!! I showed you a couple of the charm inserts that I made a few weeks ago, but I also swapped inserts with some other demonstrators and I want to show you their creations.

The first picture shows most of the inserts as they look before you put them in the charm (one came in later). We used the 1" x 1-1/4" size for our swap. The one on the far right at the bottom is the first one I made.

The insert on the left in the necklace was made by Sara Bolz. She even added a Basic Rhinestone in the center of the spider web for some eye-catching bling!
This one was created by Judy Haney. Cute idea using one of the Itty Bitty Shapes Punches and small Basic Pearls.
This is Cindy Westerink's creation - very vintage-looking. I love how she added some lace on the left and the smallest of the Basic Pearls along the curved edge.
Diane Kipp created this next one. She made them all personalized with our initials and also added some Smooch Spritz spray to give it an all-over shimmer. Oh, look- another Basic Pearl! Looks like those are a great accent for these inserts! Must be you NEED to have them. (You do! Really!)
And this last one was created by Lou Ann Cruttenden. As beautiful as this is, it's even prettier in real life! The picture just doesn't do it justice.
It's so fun and easy to just switch out the insert to have your necklace match your outfit or the season. This would be a terrific gift idea for moms, daughters, sisters, teachers, friends - basically anyone! And if you purchase the charms bundle (shown below), I will offer you a free class to come and make FIVE inserts for free! So if you want to purchase it for yourself or as a gift, you will have five inserts ready to go.

Simply Adorned Gift The Simply Adorned Gift Bundle contains the Charming wood-mount stamp set, a Simply Adorned 1” x 1-1/4” charm, and a Simply Adorned 24” chain. Use this specially-discounted bundle to create a beautiful and unique charm necklace for that special someone in your life! Item 124076 - Bundle promotion price $39.88 (regularly $49.85).