Important Update Note About Sale-A-Bration Hostess Benefits

See notes below in RED ... I didn't realize until today that to qualify for the tote and/or bundle that I had to place the order for you instead of you placing your order yourself on-line.

For every $50 of Stampin' Up! product purchased before tax and shipping you will receive one free item from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure!!!!  There is NO limit on the amount of product you can earn at no cost to you.

Remember too that during Sale-A-Bration (January 24th through March 31, 2012) if you have a minimum $150 order before tax and shipping, you qualify for hostess benefits too.   With a $150 minimum order, you will earn $25 in Hostess Dollars, a FREE tote (exclusive during Sale-A-Bration), and three Sale-a-Bration items of your choice.  If you have a minimum of $400 order before tax and shipping, you will earn $65 in Hostess Dollars, 1 item of your choice at 1/2 price, the FREE Tote AND Hostess Bundle (see Page 3 of the Sale-A-Bration brochure for details) PLUS  8 items from the Sale-a-Bration brochure of your choice.
  *Free shopping tote with workshop, customer and demonstrator orders only; offer does not include online orders. Free hostess bundle with workshop, customer, or demonstrator orders; offer does not include online orders. Offers are not incremental (i.e., a hostess does not receive two totes for a $300 workshop or two bundles for an $800 workshop). Contact me directly to put the order in for you to qualify for the free tote and bundle.

You can view the Sale-A-Bration Brochure by clicking HERE. 
Place an Order by CLICKING HERE, then click on Shop Now.

You may order from my Stampin' Up! website 24/7 by CLICKING HERE, then click on Shop Now or by contacting me directly. My e-mail link is at the top of the screen.

Mary Director
Stampin' Up! Senior Supervisor, Independent Demonstrator & Creative Coach
http://marydirector.stampinup.net
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

My Digital Studio Downloads - January 24, 2012

The latest My Digital Studio Downloads are now available HERE.


You may order from my Stampin' Up! website 24/7 by CLICKING HERE, then click on Shop Now or by contacting me directly. My e-mail link is at the top of the screen.

Mary Director
Stampin' Up! Senior Supervisor, Independent Demonstrator & Creative Coach
http://marydirector.stampinup.net
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Apothecary Art Card Using Framelits - Sale-A-Bration starts TODAY!!!

Sale-A-Bration starts TODAY!!!!  For every $50 of Stampin' Up! product purchased before tax and shipping you will receive one free item from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure!!!!  There is NO limit on the amount of product you can earn at no cost to you.

Remember too that during Sale-A-Bration (January 24th through March 31, 2012) if you have a minimum $150 order before tax and shipping, you qualify for hostess benefits too.   With a $150 minimum order, you will earn $25 in Hostess Dollars, a FREE tote (exclusive during Sale-A-Bration), and three Sale-a-Bration items of your choice.  If you have a minimum of $400 order before tax and shipping, you will earn $65 in Hostess Dollars, 1 item of your choice at 1/2 price, the FREE Tote AND Hostess Bundle (see Page 3 of the Sale-A-Bration brochure for details) PLUS  8 items from the Sale-a-Bration brochure of your choice.
  *Free shopping tote with workshop, customer and demonstrator orders only; offer does not include online orders. Free hostess bundle with workshop, customer, or demonstrator orders; offer does not include online orders. Offers are not incremental (i.e., a hostess does not receive two totes for a $300 workshop or two bundles for an $800 workshop). Contact me directly to put the order in for you to qualify for the free tote and bundle.

You can view the Sale-A-Bration Brochure by clicking HERE. 
Place an Order by CLICKING HERE, then click on Shop Now.

Are  you thinking of becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator?  Would you like to become part of my team?  Stampin' Up! allows business demonstrators (those that are in to make money) and hobby demonstrators (those that join to get our discount on Stampin' Up! products).    The starter kit is normally $175, but during Sale-A-Bration it is only $125.   The kit value is over a $340 value of product and business supplies.  PLUS during Sale-A-Bration, anyone that joins as a demonstrator will receive a free paper pack or digital download every month for the rest of the year!!!!  You get your choice each month of which you would like to receive.  Let me know if you are interested (e-mail link at top of page) and I will e-mail you additional information with complete details.

If you look very closely you will see a larger label shadowing the floral label.  I sponged this on the card base plus sponged the edges of the card.   Doesn't show up as distinctly as I had hoped, but it is a very nice contrast and adds to the look of the card.

The last two days I have realized just how much I LOVE the in-color "pool party".  It works for cards for a baby, a man or a woman by not being too light or dark.   I've made 5 cards using it, and am very pleased with the results.

Stampin' Up! Products Used:
Apothecary Art Stamp Set, item #125525 - Wood OR #125527 - Clear
Framelits - Label Collection, item #125598
Fleurettes II, item #115604
Rose Red Stampin Write Marker, item #100063 (to accent the Fleurette flower)
Pool Party Classic Ink, item #122938
Pool Party Card Stock, item #122924
3/8" Ruffled Ribbon - Pool Party, item #122975
Watercolor Pencils, item #101879
Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack, item#127279 (Sale-A-Bration item)
     Sale-A-Bration items available 1/24/2012 thru 3/31/2012 only


The Fleurette is white.  I used the Stampin' Write Marker to accent the fleurette with Rose Red.  The flowers of the stamped image were colored in using Stampin' Up! Watercolor Pencils.   The pencils can be used just like a regular color pencil, or you can use a Aqua Painter or Blender Pen to give them the watercolor effect.   Remember if you are creating the watercolor effect, you will want to be sure to use a waterproof ink:


Stampin' Up! Waterproof Inks:
StazOn - Jet Black Ink Pad, item #101406
     Use Staz-On Cleaner to clean stamps, item #109196
Basic Black Classic Ink, item #101179
Basic Gray Classic Ink, item #109120
     Use Stampin' Mist Stamp Cleaner for classic inks, item #102394 & refill item #101022.

You may order from my Stampin' Up! website 24/7 by CLICKING HERE, then click on Shop Now or by contacting me directly. My e-mail link is at the top of the screen.

Mary Director
Stampin' Up! Senior Supervisor, Independent Demonstrator & Creative Coach
http://marydirector.stampinup.net
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Scalloped Circle Valentine Wreath Tutorial

I was blog surfing yesterday and came across a great heart wreath made by Wendybell .  Her wreath was my inspiration for my circle wreath.   We both used the Scallop Circles #2 Die (item #113463).  The difference is that she used the large scallop circle and I used the small.

Here's my finished wreath.  I accented it with Stampin' Up! ribbon and framelits die cut hearts.

Materials Needed for this project:
2 yards polyester felt 72" wide *
10 inch Styrofoam circle
450+ straight pins with heads --- Size 17 that were 1 1/16" (you can use different size, this worked well for me.
1  12 x 12 sheet of your favorite Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper
Scallop Circle #2 Die (I used the smaller circle)
Framelits Dies - Hearts Collection, item #125599
Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, item #113439
5/8" Organza Ribbon, item #114319
Magnetic Sheets, item #119816

*Note:  Felt comes in different varieties such a polyester and also a wool blend.  If you are making this for a gift, do NOT purchase wool felt unless you are sure the person is not allergic to it.   Wool felt costs almost double the amount of polyester felt and honestly I didn't see a great difference in the two styles.   I'm actually allergic to wool, so was glad I had noticed the signs telling of the different types.

Directions:

 This is showing you how the scallops will look on the 10" circle as you start to attach them.

 A closeup photo.

 Let's start by cutting squares.   I used 3 x 3" squares.  Cut 300 squares for 3/4 of the circle to be covered (open space in the back) or 450 squares to completely cover the styrofoam circle front and back.  Because I was using the Big Shot to cut the scallops, I was able to cut 3 to 4 layers at a time instead of just one!!!   Really saved on time.

 Always wonderful to have someone to help cut.

(Thank you Hal, you are the BEST!)

 

As I cut the scallops out using my Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, I put them in a plastic container.

 Fold the scallop circle in half.

 Fold in half again (making it a quarter)

 Put a headed straight pin thru all 4 layers in the bottom corner.

 Attach to Styrofoam wreath.  Press pin in firmly.  The closer they are to each other, the fuller the wreath.

Stampin' Up!'s magnetic sheet (scrap of it) was great for holding my pins.

 Part way thru the process.   I made sure scallops went down to the table as I made this.  At this point I hadn't decided if I would fill in the back of the wreath or not.

 This shows the back side of the wreath.  I did go back and filled in 100% of the wreath on the front and the back.  

 I think it looks like tiny roses or carnations.  It is really dense.  So pleased with it.

 Before I finished the back, I took a loop of ribbon and attached with straight pins to the back.  Then built the scallops around it securing the loop even more.  You could also hot glue gun the ribbon, but then would be able to attach more scallops over the ribbon area.

 Items need to be multi-purpose.   You could use it as a wreath or as a base for a flower vase.

I cut out all 6 framelits, layered them with SNAIL adhesive then attached to a ribbon I had gone over the wreath with.  

Just a reminder that you can view a larger photo of those above, just by clicking on the photo.

Hope you enjoyed my tutorial today.   You can choose any color felt that you would like, and make this very versatile by switching out the center hearts for other holiday designs.  Also you could do this type of project with card stock or other fabric.   Be creative, try different ideas.

You may order from my Stampin' Up! website 24/7 by CLICKING HERE, then click on Shop Now or by contacting me directly. My e-mail link is at the top of the screen.

Mary Director
Stampin' Up! Senior Supervisor, Independent Demonstrator & Creative Coach
http://marydirector.stampinup.net
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Stampin' Up! Catalog Changes & Items to be Discontinued

The Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference just ended on Friday in San Antonio TX.  During the conference many new things were announced including a major change to our catalogs.   I'm really pleased with the change and feel it will benefit us all.


Overview of the catalog changes:
"In a nutshell, starting June 1, 2012, Stampin' Up! will release one annual catalog, comparable to (but smaller than) the current Idea Book & Catalog, and two seasonal catalogs, comparable to (but larger than) the current mini catalogs." 

The current Idea Book and Catalog 2011-2012 will expire at the end of May instead of the end of June as originally planned.  

• The Occasions, Summer, and Holiday Mini Catalogs will be replaced by two seasonal catalogs called the Holiday Catalog and the Spring Catalog.
  • The first Holiday Catalog will run from August 1, 2012 through the beginning of January, 2013
  • The first Spring Catalog will run from the beginning of January, 2013  through May 31, 2013.
• The seasonal catalogs will be larger in both size (8 1/2" x 11") and page count (about 40 pages) than the current mini catalogs.

Items that will be discontinued as of June 1st, 2012:
Décor Elements and Simply Adorned

There may be other retirements/items discontinued (which is normal at the end of a catalog time frame), and these will be announced later in the year.   Decor Elements and Simply Adorned is being announced now as they are complete product lines not individual product that is being discontinued.  This way if you love the line, you can still pick up items before they are no longer carried by Stampin' Up!.
 
You may order from my Stampin' Up! website 24/7 by CLICKING HERE, then click on Shop Now or by contacting me directly. My e-mail link is at the top of the screen.

Mary Director
Stampin' Up! Senior Supervisor, Independent Demonstrator & Creative Coach
http://marydirector.stampinup.net
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)