Unique

I took a break from cleaning out my stamp stuff. And let me tell you, there is quite a bit that is ready for pricing and selling!!! While taking a break, I decided to do something fun - and what could that be? Stamping of course!

I broke out my favorite colors - purple, red and black.  I swear someday I am going to have a room decorated in those colors.  Ahhh, what a dream.  Anyway, back to reality.  I was feeling a little sparkly so threw in some chunky glitter.  A simple card, yet fun.

Stamp Set:  Define Your Life
Paper:  Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant and Shimmery White
Ink:  Elegant Eggplant and Real Red
Accessories:  Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Fire Rhinestone Brads and Red Chunky Essentials Glitter

Cleaning Day 2

Another day of cleaning, sorting and organizing. I decided I needed to tackle my accessories and find out what I have that is current and what has been retired.  Boy, oh boy, what a job that turned out to be.  I'm not sure that I'm completely finished, but I am done for tonight.  It's time to spend a little time with the family.

Here is what I sorted through tonight:

• Craft Pads
• Ink refills
• Punches
• Eyelets
• Brads
• Ribbon (I have quite the selection of retiring ribbon)
• Coloring items including pencils and watercolor crayons
• Glitter
• Embossing powders
• Wheels - both regular and jumbo sizes
• and so much more

I must admit, it did feel really good to get stuff cleaned out.  You should see how wonderful my shelves are looking.  And now, I have two boxes full of accessories and paper and a rather large stack of stamp sets.  All of them will be looking for a loving home to reside in & to be used!  I will let you all know when I have everything priced and ready to sell.  And, let me tell you, they will be great deals - because I need the room for fun new items to start using in upcoming classes.  So far, I am planning the following for stamp classes:  Christmas, Birthday and Halloween.  I'm getting more and more excited about new stamp sets, new papers, new colors and new accessories!  WOOHOO!!!

I love the phrase included in this stamp set: 
Inspired by Nature

Some Stamping Fun of a Different Sort

It is time to get organized, or at least get a start on getting organized. Since, honestly, it seems like getting organized is an ongoing process for me. It has been a couple years since I was a Stampin' Up! demonstrator so I really need to clean house.

First things first, I really need to see what current stamp sets I own.  So, with the new catalog in hand, I turned to the Index page and began pulling out sets that have retires.  There were many that I was sad to see go.  Some that I didn't think I would ever see go - Itty Bitty Backgrounds comes to mind!  I'm thinking that I may start with a garage sale to help me clean house better.

My stack of retired stamp sets.  Wow, over 35 sets that have retired and are in need of a good loving home:

While I was cleaning out my stamp sets, the doorbell rang and a few minutes later, my son came up to my office to inform me that there was a box from Stampin' Up! waiting for me downstairs. Woohoo! My starter info has arrived:

A peak at what was inside the box! Fun times here tonight:

After sorting out my retired stamp sets, I decided it was time to sort through all of my stamp colors. I know that Stampin' Up! did a major color overhaul this year and couldn't believe how many had changed. These are my retired stamp pads. Wow! But, I must say the new colors are beautiful. I can't wait to start working with them!

And you just can't overhaul your stamp pads without updating the paper as well. I went through all of my folders, updated the names and moved them around according to their new color families. There are a few colors that I'm going to have to order so that I can get completely updated.

I think tomorrow will hold some more organizing for me as well.  For tonight, I am ready to call it a day. 

Have you ever had one of those days?

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel like you've been so busy, but you don't really know with what?  It seemed pretty non-stop for me today, but I'm not sure what got accomplished.  So, let me see if I can come up with a few.

Played Lego Star Wars with my son for a bit.  That's a good one.  We always have fun playing and it's good to spend time on activities he enjoys (even if I really do enjoy it as much as he does.)

Had a follow up doctors appointment.  That was a good one.  Had to have some surgery on my big toe about a month ago.  It was fine.  The medication they used to numb my toe had a pretty funny side effect.  Every time anyone touched my toe, I could not stop laughing uncontrollably!  My family loved it!  I did have some complications and those have officially cleared up!  Yeah, I am on the mend and can now wear shoes that do not have to accommodate a bandaged toe.  Yippee!!!

Finished reading my book!  That's a good one.  And, I did most of my reading for today waiting in the doctors office.  My son has gotten me into one of his favorite series of books.  The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver.  They are pretty good.  The second one was definitely more intense than the first one.  This also means that I can take another book off the large stack of books waiting to be read - and get going on a new one. 

I did not get to work on anything creative.  Maybe that is why it felt like a whole lot of stuff went on but nothing that really stuck out in my mind. 

On a good note, I should be receiving my starting material tomorrow.  This means more fun stamping stuff to look through and start planning some fun classes.  I have got a rough idea of the first three that I want to do.  I'm not ready to share just yet, but trust me, you will be the first to know!

This is another card from Diana's class.  It was pretty quick to make, but tons of fun.  I really love the wood background!

Good Day

It's been a very good day & weekend for that matter.  I have been sending and receiving emails from several stamping friends telling me how excited they are to learn that I have returned to stamping.  It warms my heart.  Thank you to each of you that have been so encouraging!  And it has made me even more excited about my decision!

I wanted to share another card from the stamp class that I attended the other day at Diana's.  This is a simple card yet elegant.  It used two of my favorite things to do - embossing and sponging!

Created by Diana G.

Feeling the Love

Thank you to everyone that has replied with such enthusiasm about my decision to get back into the stamping game.  I'm even more excited now than I was before! 

I meant to get a post in last night.  I was looking forward to stamping at my friend (and new upline) Diana's house for a masculine card stamp class, and since I got in a little later than I thought, the post is coming at you today.

I've been looking forward to the class for over a month.  Diana & I always have fun together and now we get to have fun together stamping again.  And even, better a newer friend, Kim went with me.  Which was great.  It's a bit of a drive to Diana's house and since I don't get out there as often as I used, I needed directions again.  So, printed them off on the computer and Kim was my navigator.  She knew the area pretty good and got us there in great time & with much ease (thanks Kim!).

It was especially nice to have someone to chat with on the drive as well.  As most of you know, I am a bit of a talker, so that made it nice.  Otherwise, I would have been listening to my iPod and just singing like mad, probably getting strange looks from other driver's.

Kim & I having fun stamping:

I had a great time at class and learned some new things. Nope I'm not gonna tell you what they are. You will have to watch here, or better yet join me in some upcoming classes to learn all about them!

This is one of the cards that we made in Diana's class.  I love the tire tracks and the texture - not to mention the pop of that orange motorcycle!  Beautiful. 

Stamp Set: Motorcycle, Fabulous Phrases

Paper: Basic Gray, Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Jetblack Stazon, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Basic Gray
Misc: Neutral brads, Square Lattice embossing folder, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Texture wheel

Thanks for stopping in.

Just got the word!

No pictures on the very first post. Shocking to some, I know. But I am too excited to get a photo ready to go.

I just got the word . . . it's official . . . I am back with Stampin' Up!

You see, Stampin' Up! has made a great offer to those of us that used to be demonstrators with them, but no longer are, a great deal to come back. After encouragement from a wonderful friend (Hi Diana!), I decided it was time to get back in the game! I still have all my stuff from the good old days and am ready to put them to good use again.

Once I get my starter package, I will be ready again for some fun stamping classes. I have spent several nights drooling over the new catalog and planning things I would like to offer to anyone that would like to stamp with me! I think I'm going to get that catalog out again & look it over one more time, or one hundred more times! My hubby is watching a Clint Eastwood movie right now, so it's the perfect time to get it out and start making my lists again.

A list for class ideas. A list of stamp sets that are just calling my name. And a list of accessories that need checking out.

I just have one final word for you all:
WOOHOO!

Oh, and it's good to be back!