Christmas Card Crunch!

Hi ladies-

Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 1st.  At 10AM, come on over to make your Christmas cards.

The card I have planned is shown here.  We will use the Petals a Plenty embossing folder rather than the one one used on this card.  (Petals a Plenty has the poinsettia flowers all over).

If you'd like to make this card, you just need to own the Frosty Friends stamp!  If you already own it, you're half-way there.  If not, let me know by Wednesday, Nov. 21st so I can order one for you.  With tax and shipping, the stamp is $13.94.

You'll also need a package of Basic Rhinestones, which, with tax and shipping, are $5.78.

Cards are $1 each.  Order in multiples of four.

So, to sum up:

$13.94 + $5.78 =  $19.72
Add on $1 each for the number of cards you wish to make.

If you already own this stamp, then your cost is $5.78, plus $1 each for the number of cards you wish to make.

RSVP by WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST so I will have time to order all the necessary card stock and accessories.

I could be persuaded to make cards with Come to Bethlehem or Ornament Keepsakes (Holiday catalog) if you'd like to own those sets.  Just let me know!

Happy Stampin'
Shari

Happy November!

Here is tonight's card for Birthday Card Bonanza!  Same place, same time, same price!

It's not to late to come over.  Just let me know how many you'd like to make when you get here.

$1 each, including envelope.

Next month on the First Friday, we'll have Gift Tag Mania and Christmas Card Crunch-time!!!  Watch for more info soon.

Happy Stampin'
Shari

VC_Rocks! August Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog!  If you've been hopping along, you should have arrived here from Stamping with Janice.  She's always got nice things to share!  If you just arrived here by chance and would like to see the entire hop, just keep going.  There is a link at the bottom of this post to get you to our next stop.  You can also start at the beginning at the VC_Rocks Blog.  (The blog hop starts on Saturday at 10 AM EST, so if you're here before then, be sure to come back to enjoy the whole hop).

Well, it's the last hop of the VC season, and the first one in which I can participate. I have had a busy, busy summer!  This week was no exception.  I lead a Harry Potter-themed week of summer camp at my school. We made these characters on Tuesday.  The camp kids got to make two of them, and they were quite a hit!

I know it's a bit of a stretch to fit in with this month's theme of Big Shot, Punches and Simply Scored, but I did use two of the three!  All the eyes on the four characters were punched with the circle from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack. Draco's eyes (bottom right) were then trimmed to look angry and menacing. Hermione's hair (bottom left) is, of course, the leftover frame from our ever-popular and versatile Top Note die for the Big Shot.

For those interested, I found pillows on Pinterest that looked like the boys, and immediately thought they'd be a cute papercraft for my summer camp.  The Hermione square is based on a card I also found on Pinterest.  You can find them on my "YAY HARRY POTTER!" board on Pinterest.  Yes, I do love Harry Potter!

The Gryffindor scarves are made with Cherry Cobbler and More Mustard.  Draco's Slytherin scarf is Wild Wasabi and Basic Gray.  Draco's hair is Whisper White sponged with So Saffron.  The base card is 4.25" square of Natural Ivory card stock. Contact me if you'd like more details.

I think I will frame the four of these together and hang them on my classroom wall! I'm going to frame a piece that says, "CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF.  HOUSE ELVES DON'T WORK HERE."  I already have three other Potter-themed posters framed and on the wall.  I will also make signs for my lightswitch that say "Lumos" and "Nox."  Hee hee!  It's going to be awesome.  But I digress.

Your next stop is Elizabeth's Stamp Room.  I can't wait to see what she's got for us!

Happy Stamping!
Shari

Holiday Catalog Party

By popular demand, I am hosting a Holiday Catalog Party! Very much like my annual New Catalog Party, we will make three projects using new stamps and products from our fabulous new Holiday Catalog. We'll also enjoy some fresh-baked cookies stamped with the Holiday Sweet Pressed Cookie stamps! It's time to get festive!!!

Like my annual Retirement Party, this will be a Mystery Hostess event. Earn tickets for being on time, bringing a friend, booking a workshop, and purchasing goodies. We'll divide up the Hostess Dollars between our winners. Everyone has a chance to win!

Join us on Friday, August 3rd at 7PM.  Email me ASAP to RSVP.

New Firm Foam Classic Ink Pads

Ladies, I have my first Firm Foam Classic Pad, and it's great!  I may just have to do some Color Clubs this year so we can all get the awesome new pads!  Once you try it, you'll want one in every color!

• The firm foam is nice and flat and will not become wavy.  (No dip in the center!)
• The firm foam material does not imprint on the stamp images like the felt pad sometimes did. However, because the firm foam material is a foam base material, the stamp image can momentarily leave an imprint on the pad, which can transfer to a second stamped image. By inking your stamp on different areas of the pad or waiting momentarily for the ink to rise back to the top, you can easily avoid this situation.
• The firm foam material is soft and has a nice bounce to it. It’s not hard like the felt is.
• The ink lay-down (how the ink is absorbed into the card stock) is even, not blotchy, and dries quickly. It has an increased opacity and stamps solid images beautifully.

Please note: Five ink colors have undergone formula changes to improve functionality and color stability with the new firm foam pads. These colors are

• Basic Black
• Basic Gray
• Marina Mist
• Perfect Plum
• Tempting Turquoise

All five colors of the reformulated inks have been fully tested and approved. While using the new ink formula in the old Stampin’ Pads is fine, we do not recommend using the old ink formula for these five colors in the new firm foam pads. Any refills purchased after April 30, 2012, will contain the new formulated ink.

Here are some FAQs:

Q: Why did we switch from felt pads to firm foam pads?
A: We have worked very hard to improve the functionality of our Classic Stampin’ Pads. The firm foam allows for better ink coverage; plus it stays juicer and lasts longer.

Q: Do old Classic Stampin’ Ink Refills work with the new firm foam pads?
A: Yes, with the exception of Basic Black, Basic Gray, Marina Mist, Perfect Plum, and Tempting Turquoise, which have been reformulated to work with the new foam pad material. We do not recommend using old ink refills in these colors with the new firm foam pads.

Q: Before I use my firm foam pad, do I need to tap it and massage the ink around?
A:  No. The firm foam pads are ready for use immediately. The best stamping technique with the firm foam pad is light tapping.

Q: Will Stampin’ Spots use the new firm foam pad?
A: No. Stampin’ Spots will remain the same.
Q: Can I use the reformulated ink with my Stampin’ Spots?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I use the reformulated ink with my Stampin’ Around Wheels?
A: Yes.

June 2012 Birthday Card Bonanza

Hello, Stampers!

This month I have two cards for you!  The first can be for Father's Day (shown), birthdays, anniversaries... whatever you need.

The second is obviously a graduation card - isn't the owl so cute?  This card can be made using different colors to match your favorite grad's school colors.  (Mom, I have dibs on this one for Zachary!).

We'll be stamping Friday, June 1st at 7PM.

Cards are $1 each, as always.  Just let me know how many you'd like to make.

Happy Stampin'
Shari

Mystery Hostess Retirement Party

Retirement Party May 4th at 7 PM

***Mystery Hostess***

I’m sure you have a few on your Wish List that will soon be gone. This will be one of your last chances to get these sets!  And WOW are we losing the accessories!  I can't wait to see what amazing new goodies we'll have in June!  Contact me to get a PDF of our Retirement Lists.

What is a Mystery Hostess Party, you ask?  Here’s how it works:  You come to my house for a fun night of stamping.  We’ll do three projects using stamp sets on the Retiring List.  After orders are complete, we’ll pass out tickets.

You will get one ticket for each of the following:

·         RSVP by May 2nd 

·         Being on time

·         Every $15 you spend in catalog merchandise

You will get TWO tickets for:

·         Booking a workshop (firm date) the night of the party for July, August, or September

·         Bringing a friend that I did not invite

You will get FIVE tickets for:

·         Booking a workshop (firm date) for July, August, or September when you RSVP

We will have at least two winners.  One person will win a Level 1, 2 or 3 Hostess Set, depending on the total.  Another person will win the Hostess Credits.  If the party goes over $500, we’ll split the Hostess Credits between two or more people.  Everyone has a chance to win!

May 4th is also Stampin’ at Shari’s Night, so if you’re still in a stamping mood, stay for a while.  It Cinco de Mayo night, too!  I will do my best to make some fresh salsa.  Bring your own margaritas!

Call or e-mail (by May 2nd!) if you plan to attend.

sharistamps@gmail.com

April Birthday Card Bonanza

Hello, Stampers!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter with your families.  I'm holding Stamp Night this Friday, April 13th at 7PM.

There are two cards again for you this month.  As always, you can change the greeting to suit your needs. Cards are $1 each including the envelope.  Let me  know how many of each you'd like to make.

I hope to see you on Friday night!

Shari

SUStars Blog Hop - My Digital Studio

Welcome to the last stop on the SUStars My Digital Studio blog hop. I'm sure you've seen lots of great ideas!  If you've been hopping along, you should have arrived from CJ Stamps.  If you started here, you can just continue the loop from the link at the bottom.


Did you know?  When you download MDS Express from your demonstrator's website, it's yours FREE for 30 days!  You'll get:

* Full access to the software at NO COST for 30 days.
* Full design functionality.
* Exclusive artwork that comes with My Digital Studio Express—that’s $50 worth of content!
* Opportunity to purchase additional downloads from designer templates to stamp brush sets--and everything in between.
* Access to our professional print services.

This is not a limited-time special, this is an on-going offer.

OK, on with the project.  Since we've been having unseasonably warm weather this winter, and especially with this week and next in the 70s (I'm in Michigan!  It's MARCH!) I did a wintery page for this hop.  My family went to the upper peninsula of Michigan last month to find some snow.  We had a great time.  

For this page, I used one of the Photo Only options.  The photo layout was already there for me.  I just had to drop in photos, choose colors and add accessories and words.  You can click on the picture to see it larger.

There are also Designer options, where the colors and accessories are already there.  All you have to do is drop in photos and add titles.  No time to scrap?  There's your solution!  Of course, there are also Design Your Own options, where you get a blank canvas to create to your heart's content.

If you already have MDS but don't know where to start, check out MyDigitalStudio.net.  There are tons of tips, ideas, video tutorials and more to help you on your way.

I hope you've been inspired by this month's hop.  If you'd like to start at the beginning, just click here.    We also have a bonus blog here.

Happy Hopping!

Shari

March BCB Cards

Welcome, Stampers!

Here are this month's cards for Birthday Card Bonanza.  We'll start at 8PM (instead of 7PM) this month.

We have two zebra cards this month, since zebra print is so hot right now, especially with pink for the girlie girls!  Looking at that one, I think I'll add another layer of black behind the main image.  That'll look better.  Ebony & Ivory is the look for our masculine card.

Of course, we have a bonus card this month!  St. Patrick's Day will be here soon, so why not send out a few cards?  These are great for kids or adults.

Cards are still just $1 each, including envelope.  You can click on the image to see them larger.



See you Friday night!

Shari

SUStars Stampin' Spaces Blog Hop, Feb. 18-19

Welcome, Hoppers!  This month, we're sharing our stampin' spaces or our unique ways of storing our stampin' supplies.  You should have arrived from Charlotte's blog.  If you came here first, you can go through the entire hop starting at the link at the bottom of this post.

I am one of the lucky ones who has a dedicated room for my stamp stuff.  My amazing husband built it for me a few years ago.  The first picture shows the right side of the room when you enter.  You can see at the back that I have a small sink (which is great!).  I keep my business supplies in the cabinets, like catalogs and forms.  Above the cabinets are cubbies for display pieces.

Jeff wanted to put cabinets like that on the left side as well, but that wasn't going to work for me.  I told him that I needed to be able to lay my hands on my stamps and card stock.  So he designed this awesome shelving unit!  (Please note the clean tables - this doesn't happen often).


If you look closely, you can see some color coding on my stamp sets.  My brilliant friend Simmy Ogg gave me this idea.  I put a small strip of card stock inside the box, just behind the stamp name.  This way, people know where to find stamps and where to put them back.  I have red for general all-occasion stamps, green for holidays, pink for flowers, brown for nature (animals, leaves) and orange for word sets.  I need to update the colors and mark my newer sets!  You can click on the picture to see it a wee bit larger.  They are grouped in threes.

In the large drawer on the far left, I have my old punches.  This is not all of them.  The drawer next to that has my new flat punches.  I have more of these, too.  This is NOT an ideal storage system, but I can't do anything else with them right now.

Lastly, I have my back wall, which is mostly dedicated to Captain Jack!  Yes, that is a life-sized cardboard stand-up.  I love it.  I have two.  LOL

Thanks for stopping by!  If you'd like to start at the beginning of this hop, just click here for the full list of this month's bloggers.

If you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like to join SUStars, we'd love to have you!  Just click here and then click on "Join This Group" to get started.

Happy Stampin'
Shari

PS:  How about some Blog Candy???  I will randomly pick someone who comments and she will receive a variety pack of punched shapes.  You can choose which color family and which punches you'd like me to use.

It's SALE-A-BRATION Time!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 at 7PM

It's my annual Sale-A-Bration Kick-Off event!  Come on by to check out the new goodies, see some great samples and do a couple Make-n-Takes using our exclusive Sale-A-Bration products.  There will be prizes for anyone who books their own workshop when you RSVP for this event, or books at the event itself.  Please RSVP so I'll know how much I need to prep for our projects.

Our two projects are shown below.  Apparently I'm feeling a bit side-panel-ish today.

The blue card uses Fresh Vintage, one of our SAB sets this year.  It is also our BCB card for this month, so if you like it, you can make more for just $1 each.

The pink card uses Take It to Heart, a set in our current Occasions Mini Catalog.  I also used our new Hearts Framelits dies for the Big Shot, also in the Occasions Mini.  You can make more of this card, too, if you need some Valentine cards for friends and family.  Also $1 each for extras.

Please let me know how many of each you'd like to make so I can prep everything you'll need.

What is Sale-A-Bration?

From now until March 31st, you will get a free Sale-A-Bration item for every $50 you spend on an order!  You can order online at http://sharistamps.stampinup.net or contact me directly with your order.

Hostesses get even MORE goodies this year, too!  Every hostess that has a $150+ workshop gets a free tote!  It's really cute - it's got the flower pattern from the SAB-exclusive Everyday Enchantment Designer Series paper, with detail like our new Adorning Accents dies and embossing folders (tote shown above).  When your workshop total is $400, you get ANY one catalog item at half off, the free tote, and a hostess bundle that includes the Fresh Vintage stamp set, Everyday Enchantment DSP, and the Everyday Enchantment ribbon and brad pack!  A sample made with these products is shown above.  You can see it all on pgs. 6-7 of the SAB mini.  You get even more goodies with higher party totals.  Plus, you can get more SAB freebies when you order as a customer at your own workshop!

I would love to show these great products to you and your friends and family.  Contact me today to schedule a fun girls' night out!  You can host at your place or mine.

Sale-A-Bration 2012

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!  

Sale-A-Bration has begun!

From now until March 31st, you will get a free Sale-A-Bration item for every $50 you spend on an order!  You can order online at http://sharistamps.stampinup.net or contact me directly with your order.

Hostesses get even MORE goodies this year, too!  Every hostess that has a $150+ workshop gets a free tote!  It's really cute - it's got the flower pattern from the SAB-exclusive Everyday Enchantment Designer Series paper, with detail like our new Adorning Accents dies and embossing folders (tote shown at bottom).  When your workshop total is $400, you get ANY one catalog item at half off, the free tote, and a hostess bundle that includes the Fresh Vintage stamp set, Everyday Enchantment DSP, and the Everyday Enchantment ribbon and brad pack!  A sample made with these products is shown above.  You get even more goodies with higher party totals.  Plus, you can get more SAB freebies when you order as a customer at your own workshop!  You can see the entire SAB mini at my website here.  Just click on "Shop Now" at the top right.

I would love to show these great products to you and your friends and family.  Contact me today to schedule a fun girls' night out!  You can host at your place or mine.

This is also a great time to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.  Click the "Join My Team" tab at the top of this page for more information.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 at 7PM

It's my annual Sale-A-Bration Kick-Off event!  Come on by to check out the new goodies, see some great samples and do a couple Make-n-Takes using our exclusive Sale-A-Bration products.  There will be prizes for anyone who books their own workshop when you RSVP for this event, or books at the event itself.  Please RSVP so I'll know how much I need to prep for our projects.

We will still have Birthday Card Bonanza on this evening, it'll just be a little later.  I'll have a Valentine Card for BCB, too!

Happy SAB!

Shari

SUStars Blog Hop January 2012: Ebony & Ivory

Welcome to the last stop on the SUStars Ebony & Ivory Blog Hop.  You should have arrived from CJStamps. If you'd like, you can start at the beginning here.  The hop starts at 10AM on Saturday, January 21st and runs all weekend.  If you're here early, be sure to come back!

My project is B&W with a pop of color.  It was made on My Digital Studio.  I like the tape.  I hadn't used that before.  I need to spend more time with this program!  I have seen some REALLY impressive stuff.

This was a very quick page to make.  I spent the most time figuring out which picture of Dave Grohl to use!  I LOVE that man and I LOVE the Foo Fighters!  (They'll be playing the Grammy Awards so be sure to tune in on Feb. 12th).  I chose to make the splatter Marina Mist because that is about the same color as Dave's guitar.  I do not have the skills to make the guitar blue and keep the picture B&W!  :o)  Just visualize.

Thanks for hopping along with us.  I hope that you are feeling inspired!

If you are an SU! demo and you'd like to join our little group, just click here to get started.

Happy Creating!
Shari

Birthday Card Bonanza - January 2012

Happy New Year, Stampers!

Now that the holidays are over, we're diving right back into stamping with Birthday Card Bonanza on Friday at 7PM.  This month we're using a brand-new set from our Occasions Mini-Catalog, which just went live on January 4th.  LOTS of great goodies in there, of course! Here's a little peek:

This set is called Mixed Bunch and it has three different large flowers.  We're also using the new coordinating Blossom punch.  The greeting is from On Your Birthday, found in the Idea Book & Catalog.

As always, cards are $1 each, including an envelope.  Just let me know how many you'd like to make.

We start stampin' at 7PM on Friday, January 6th.  It's also Stampin' at Shari's Night, so we stamp until we can't stay awake any longer.

Happy Stampin'
Shari