Sunday, July 31, 2011

Gorgeous flowers - on a garden hat?

Stampin' Up!'s Convention is always filled with so many creative ideas - from the people in the home office to the other demonstrators you meet. On opening night before Convention "officially" started, we had a kick off party. This year's Convention theme was "GROW", so one of the challenges was to make a garden hat and/or wear a gardening outfit. It was fun to see how creative many of the demonstrators were with making garden hats and costumes. Smiley from millan.net

I was heading towards the door to meet up with my roommates when I walked past this table with a lady sitting there. She had made this AMAZING hat and I just had to stop and get pictures! These flowers are not "real" - they're all hand made. But it's hard to tell because the quality is so good - they look real. I almost wanted to bend down and smell them!
I sat and chatted with her for awhile and I know that I wrote down her blog, but do you think I can find it right now? So if you are the creator of this beautiful hat, let me know so I can give you credit - or when I find the information (because I KNOW I have it someplace), I will add it to this post.
EDITED ON 09/22/11 TO ADD: The creator of this hat saw my blog and let me know the address to her blog. If you want to check it out go to http://1stampingnightowl.blogspot.com/ I'm heading there now to check it out myself!

This hat looked beautiful from every angle. She had so many gorgeous flowers just spreading out all over this hat. Smiley from millan.net
Here is a close-up of some of the flowers and strawberries she had on her hat. Everything you see was made with cardstock. Amazing, huh? Smiley from millan.net


Here is a picture of the whole hat.And another close-up of some of her flowers. Check out the purple hydrangea. The detail on that flower alone was beyond amazing!
And this is what she had on the top of it all - an adorable little bird house with a little cardinal getting ready to fly inside!The night was full of activities and events for everyone: beach volleyball, picnic tables, photo booths with dress-up clothes, demonstrator presentations, music, games, a pie-eating contest, and of course prize patrol. It was a fun way to start off a wonderful Convention! And that was just the beginning! Hope you've enjoyed this little peak of how my Convention started off - I'll be back to share more soon!

Until then...

Jayne Stenstrom
jayne@jaynestamps.com

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Earn a FREE Exclusive Christmas Keepsake Project Kit!

You have through tomorrow evening, July 31st, to get this free Christmas Keepsake Box! It comes with basically all the supplies you need to create it - including a free stamp set, free Designer Series Papers, cardstock, ribbon, buttons, glitter, and so much more!
Everything is more fun when you are surrounded by great friends! Stamping is no exception--it's an art, a creative outlet, and a fun way to bring people together. Now it's easier than ever to get stamping with friends because as a new recruit in July 2011, you and I will each get a free Christmas Keepsake Box project kit--a $40 value--to work on together!

Imagine an afternoon spent chatting with friends while creating something beautiful--isn't that what Stampin' Up! is all about? This project kit isn't offered anywhere else, so be sure to take advantage of this special offer.
Maybe you've thought about becoming a demonstrator but weren't sure where to begin. With the $99 Starter Kit, it's a great time to support your love of stamping and paper crafting. The limited-time $99 Starter Kit--valued at more than $180-is full of product favorites, including items from the brand-new Idea Book & Catalog.

Have you been a previous hostess of mine or are you someone who is familiar with and love our products? If so, joining Stampin' Up! is the next natural step! Some of the great perks of becoming a demonstrator are:
  • A 20 percent product discount on every order! (And a 30% discount on your very first order!)
  • A free monthly issue of Stampin' Success, Stampin' Up!'s demonstrator-only magazine!
  • Sneak peeks at brand-new products!
  • Invitations to exclusive Stampin' Up! events!
  • Regular get-togethers to stamp!
  • Free access to a community of 30,000+ crafters/stampers and creative artists, as well as 160,000+ project samples!
In addition, as a new recruit, you will be eligible for TWO FREE months of Demonstrator Business Web Services (DBWS)--including your own business website and Online Store, access to a blog, calendar, a monthly e-newsletter, project gallery, and e-cards--if you signs up within 21 days of becoming a demonstrator.

Maybe you've thought about doing this, but you're not sure what to do next. Come on over to my house to stamp! As we create together, you'll experience firsthand how great it feels to be surrounded by friends and great products. I love being a demonstrator and I want to share that feeling with you! So think about joining me and the Stampin' Up! family--and the $99 Starter Kit, free Christmas Keepsake project kit, and free DBWS are just the icing on the cake!

Front of Christmas Keepsake box:
Side view:The Christmas Keepsake Box Project Kit--a $40 value--contains the following products (quantities are 1 unless otherwise noted):
  • Pines & Poinsettias Set* (wood-mount)
  • Keepsake box
  • Scallop borders (cut from Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die)
    • First Edition Designer Series Paper (3)
    • Holly Berry Designer Series Paper (6)
  • First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper strip (2)
  • Holly Berry Designer Series Paper piece*
  • Real Red Top Note (cut from Top Note Bigz Die)
  • Real Red Decorative Label (cut from Matchbook Bigz XL Die)
  • Wild Wasabi Card Stock strips (3)
  • Naturals Ivory Card Stock piece
  • Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Fabric*
  • Real Red 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
  • Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon
  • Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim
  • Linen Thread
  • Champagne Fine Galaxy Stampin' Glitter
  • Vanilla Pearl 1/2" Simply Adorned Bauble
  • Pearl Basic Jewels (1 pkg.)
  • Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Buttons*
    • Large Wild Wasabi
    • Small Real Red
  • Mini Vintage Tags
Additional Supplies Needed
  • Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker
  • Real Red Stampin' Write Marker
  • Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Marker
  • Adhesives
  • 3/16" Corner Punch
  • Scallop Circle Punch
  • Paper Cutter
  • Paper Snips
  • Needle
  • Glue gun
I hope you will seriously consider joining me before this special offer runs out. You would have until the end of the year to decide if Stampin' Up! is for you, and if you decide that it's not, there is no penalty. You get to keep all of the items in your kit plus all of the items included in the Christmas Keepsake Project. What have you got to lose? Joining Stampin' Up! anytime is a good idea, but it's hard to pass up joining when they have this extra-special offering!

Hope to hear from you by Sunday, July 31. That's also my birthday, and having you join me in Stampin' Up! would be the best present I could get!

Until next time...

HAPPY STAMPING!
Jayne Stenstrom
jayne@jaynestamps.com
(269) 501-5956

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Button, Button, Who's Got the New Button Buddies set?

Do you like buttons? I remember one of my favorite pastimes as a little kid was going through my Grandma's button box. I would pour them all out on the floor and sort through them, setting aside my "favorites". I never took any of the buttons (she might need them for something), but I spent many happy hours at her house just looking at all of the buttons she had.

Stampin' Up! has an adorable stamp set this year designed especially for buttons! When I saw this stamp set in the catalog, I knew I HAD to have it! it's called Button Buddies and is on page 71 of the IB&C.

I also love Stampin' Up!'s Designer Buttons. They have such a wonderful variety of colors, sizes, and shapes in all four color families! Check them out on page 197 of the new Idea Book & Catalog. And the price is so reasonable - only $8.95 for a package of 72 buttons! That's only about 12 cents apiece!

Here are some adorable samples on display at Convention that were made with the Button Buddies stamp set. Of course, the buttons can be used for lots of other things, but I just adore the stamp set designed especially for them! We have cherries...
And snails...
A pig...
A pumpkin...A snowman...Plus a few more shapes to use.

Even these simple little note cards look so much cuter with buttons added to them, don't you agree? And how simple are these?

(Love the baby rattle!)
Button Buddies is a set of 8 stamps, available in wood or clear-mount.
Wood: #122735 for $29.95
Clear: #122737 for $21.95
Aren't they just the cutest? I think you'll love this stamp set just as much as I do! Until next time...

Jayne Stenstrom
jayne@jaynestamps.com

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Flower Fest Samples AND $99 Starter Kit with FREE project kit!

Are you drawn to flower stamps as much as I am? Smiley from millan.net I really try to resist the "pull", but I usually end up giving in. They're just so much fun to use and you can make such beautiful cards with them!

A new stamp set available just this spring is called Flower Fest. You can find it on page 124 of the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog. If you notice, most of the images have a coordinating punch - so you can stamp, punch, and get your card making or scrapbooking done faster!

Here are just a couple of samples of cards that I saw at Convention done with this stamp set.


(Don't you just love these bright colors on this card?)

Plus, if you remember, I used this stamp set to make one of my swaps for Convention. I just used a different flower image and I decided to cut it out by hand. (That's my way of relaxing. I like to cut things out.)

And don't forget - you only have until July 31st to purchase the special Stampin' Up! starter kit for only $99! Even if you don't want to "work" as a demonstrator, you can save yourself at least 20% on all of your purchases. AND with your first purchase after you sign up, you get 30% OFF your entire order!

$99 Starter Kit + Free Project Kit!

During July, you can join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator for only $99! This limited time Starter Kit - valued at $185 - comes with the following high-quality products:
  • Easy Events Clear-Mount Set*
  • Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set*
  • Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock
  • Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper*
  • Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon*
  • Note Cards (20)
  • Clear-Mount Block C
  • Blender Pen (1)
  • SNAIL Adhesive
  • Business supplies
*Brand new to the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog!
You can also change up what comes in the starter kit to personalize it to what items YOU would like. Really, there's nothing to lose! Plus look at this gorgeous Christmas keepsake project that BOTH you and I would get for free when you join before July 31st! I would love to get together with you and make this. (And I can only get it if someone signs up with me before July 31st!)

Join in July and get a FREE Christmas Keepsake project kit - a $40 value! Imagine an afternoon spent chatting with friends while creating something beautiful! Isn't that what Stampin' Up! is all about? But act now because this special kit is only available as part of this limited-time offer.
Join Stampin' Up! in July and get brand-new products, including an exclusive project kit - all for just $99! CONTACT ME TODAY to take advantage of this terrific offer before time runs out! I'm waiting to hear from you! My e-mail is jayne@jaynestamps.com.
Until next time...

HAPPY STAMPING!
Jayne Stenstrom
jayne@jaynestamps.com