Would you like to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator?

I am looking for individuals who are interested in being part of my team while working as an Independent Demonstrator for Stampin' Up! Whether you are interested in making it a business for yourself to earn extra money or as a hobbyist who wants to receive some great discounts on your purchases; there are opportunities with Stampin' Up! that you might be interested in.

I joined the Stampin' Up! team back in August 2009 as a hobbyist. I wanted to receive the discount offered to demonstrators. Now 1 1/2 years later, it has become a very good part-time job for me. Where else could I have the opportunity to work and sell products that I love and believe in. This is truly a win/win situation for me.

There is a complete section on my Stampin' Up! website on how to become a demonstrator. Click here to find out more.

Purchase your Starter Kit—there are two options!

• The $199 traditional Starter Kit contains over $335 worth of stamping and business supplies!
• The $185 Digital+ Starter Kit contains over $295 worth of stamping and business supplies, including the all-new My Digital Studio^™ software.

Please contact me if you have any questions about Stampin' Up! and joining my team. Remember too, you can live anywhere in the United States and be part of my team. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

How to Make Shimmer Mist Tutorial

Shimmer Mist ... here's a quick and easy way to make your own at home using Stampin' Up! Shimmer Paint, tiny bottles of Hand Sanitizer, and an eye dropper.

Before we get started, I want you to be aware that our Shimmer Paint is NOT in any of the catalogs but is STILL available. I used Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint in my tutorial as I really like the gold glitter in it. I know other demonstrators have made the mist using the Frost White and also the Platinum with great success. Here is the product information for you:

Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, item # 116806, $5.95 (gold - only one with glitter)
Frost White Shimmer Paint, item #116854, $5.95 (white)
Platinum Shimmer Paint, item #116807 (silver)


I purchased Walgreens brand hand sanitizer. It comes in individual packs for around $1.69 or packs of 5 for $4.99. You could use any brand you want, just be sure that the active ingredient is alcohol. In the Walgreen's brand the active ingredient is: Ethyl Alcohol 62%. I like this brand too as it has a mild smell, not over powering.


Products you will need:
Hand Sanitizer
Eye Dropper (use for this project only) - some pharmacies will "give" you an eye dropper.
Shimmer Paint from Stampin' Up! - color of your choice
Plastic Cup
Water


Directions:
Unscrew the top of the hand sanitizer and pour out a small amount (this will not be used).
Drop in 5 to 7 drops of shimmer paint into the hand sanitizer.
Screw lid back on.
Shake extremely well before misting. If there is paint showing on the bottom of the hand sanitizer bottle, you need to shake it more.
Put some water in a plastic cup and clean the eye dropper so that all the shimmer paint is removed. May need to do a couple of times.

Use some type of container with sides to it, this will prevent the mist from spraying on things other than your project.
I line the container with paper towels, set my item on the towels, then spray.

When spraying, don't be concerned if you see water spots or rolling of the paper. This is normal and the spots will dry and fade PLUS the paper will flatten out as it dries. Just don't over saturate the product with the mist. Allow items to dry thoroughly before using. They will dry quickly.

What amazed me was how smooth the paper feels, not gritty like you would think glitter would feel. You really can change the look of a piece of paper or an project item by misting it.



When you make up your Shimmer Mist, be sure to take a marker and label the hand sanitizer so there is NO DOUBT in anyone's mind that it is NOT to be used to sanitize hands. If someone would accidentally use it on their hands, trust me they will be one sparkling person. I store my shimmer mist separately from the regular hand sanitizer and store the container vertically NOT horizontally like shown in the photo above.


The shimmer mist can be used on card stock, silk flowers, etc. All the sparkle in the photo above is from the mist that I made used Champagne Shimmer Paint.

Let me know if I can be of any help placing an order for you or you can order on-line thru my Stampin' Up! website.

Hope you enjoyed today's tutorial and that you have a "sparkling" day.


Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Puff Flowers - 3D Flowers Tutorial

I think you are going to really love this new technique that I'm calling Puff Flowers or 3D flowers. It really adds dimensions to your cards and other creations. Andrea Walford was the person who gave me inspiration for this card.

Stampin' Up! Products Used:
Sweetheart Stamp Set (item #120780 clear mount OR 120415 wood mount)
(this works with the heart shaped sweet treat cups too - item #120435 - 12 cups for $2.95)
Well Scripted Stamp Set (item #118601 clear mount OR 117072 wood mount)
Scallop Trim Border Paper Punch (item #118402 -- this is a Sale-A-Bration free product option)
Scallop Circle Paper Punch (item #109043)
1 3/4" Circle Paper Punch (item #104403)
Patterns Designer Series Paper Perfect Plum (item #112158) - 1 piece 6" square
Basic Black Card Stock (item #102851) - 1 piece 1" x 5 1/2"
Pale Plum Card Stock (item #101658) - 1 piece 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"
Designer Brads Flower Assortment (item #112583)
Bone Folder (item #102300)
Paper Piercing Tool (item #116631)
Mat Pack (item #105826)
SNAIL Adhesive (item #104332)
Stampin' Dimensionals (item 104430)
Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink Stampin' Pad (item #115658)
Old Olive Classic Ink Stampin' Pad (item # 102277)


Designer Series paper has designs on each side which will add to the look and dimension of your flower.

Using the 1 3/4" Circle paper punch cut out 1 circle.
Using the Scallop Circle paper punch cut out 4 scalloped circles.

I have turned 2 of the scallop circle over to show the two prints in the photo above. This is how you will be working with them, so keeping the designs this way is important. One side is dots, and the other side is a white print.

Using your paper snips, cut the 4 scallop circles in half.


Starting with the white print facing up, fold over 2 scallops lengths of the piece of paper.

Flip the paper over and fold 2 scallop lengths. You will notice there are none 3 scallops left not two.

This is the final fold for this piece. Fold it at 1 1/2 scallops. Do all 4 of the white print and set aside.

The next 4 photos are the folds for the dot paper.


Now complete all 4 pieces of the dot scallop paper.


Here's your circle which will be the base of the flower and all 8 petals.

Liberally cover the circle with SNAIL adhesive. This is what you will be sticking the petals to to form your flower.

Start adding in the petals making sure that the 1 1/2 scallop sides are facing down and that you are alternating the patterns. There will be a slight overlap so that they will fit.

See how puffy the flower is once you have all the petals in place. So many great color combinations too that you can do depending on what paper you choose to use.


Using the paper piercing tool and your mat pack (be sure the firm piece is under the foam to protect your work surface), poke a hole in the very center of your flower.


Then add in your flower brad thru the hole and secure tightly. This will help keep your petals puffed too.

Gently fluff the petals to add dimensions. Set your flower aside.


Score your large piece of paper at 4 1/4".


Crisply fold it using the bone folder.


Create your border on the 5 1/2" side using the Scallop Trim Border Punch. On the inside of the card back, adhere the 1" by 5 1/2" piece of black paper to give it contrast.


Next we are going to use the Sweetheart stamp set. It is great that it can be used alone or with the new Heart Shape Sweet Treat Cups. We are going to use the leaves and stem stamp for this project.

Using Old Olive classic ink, stamp your the leaves and stem on your card front. Isn't is great how you can judge the stamps now with the clear mounts and being able to see thru them. Of course, for precise placement using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig is still the best way.


Once leaves and stem is stamped, adhere your flower using Stampin' Dimensionals. I used 3 on the back of the flower.


The next stamp set I used is called Well Scripted. For this card, I chose the Happy Birthday sentiment.

Stamp Happy Birthday using Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink.

The following 3 photos of flowers and cards I have made using this technique. I hope you will all want to try it too. It is very easy once you understand the folding to form the petals.



Sale-A-Bration will last till March 31st, 2010. It is a fantastic way to earn free stamp sets, paper, and even a paper punch. For each $50 in merchandise purchased from our main catalog or the Occasions Mini, you will receive 1 free item from the Sale-A-Bration mini catalog. There is NO LIMIT to the amount of free items you can earn.

If you have questions or would like to place an order, please contact me directly or place your order on-line via my Stampin' Up Website.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Sneak Peak - Puff Flowers

I just finished making the cards above and will be posting a tutorial on how to make the flowers. The look is so 3 dimensional, I'm sure you are going to like making them too. I got the idea from Andrea Walford.

So pick out your favorite 2 sided designer series paper, and you will be ready to try this tutorial later this weekend.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Busy Week

It's been a bit hectic this week here. I'm working on a new tutorial for you. It is a easy way to add dimension to your card using the scallop circle punch and folding to create flowers. Wait till you see it. It really looks awesome. I found too that it as a perfect fit for the leaves and stem from the new stamp set called Sweetheart, item #120415 (wood mount) or item #120780 (clear mount).

Here's a link to the pdf file if you would like to see the stamp set. This stamp set is a perfect match too for the heart shaped sweet treat cups, item #120435.

Will have the tutorial posted by this weekend for you.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Mini Mailbox - Shhhhh, These are a Surprise

Hope you all can keep a secret. A very special lady in our lives gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on the 8th of January. She has a wonderful son too. I wanted to do something special for Mia and Ben. I got busy last night and created these little mailboxes for them. My plan is to get them into the mail tomorrow so they have them by Friday. Now if you know them, please don't share the surprise .... OK. I just couldn't wait to share the surprises with the rest of you.


Mia's mailbox has been decorated with Sending Love Speciality Paper (item #117153), Pretty in Pink ribbon (item #109032), and Rose Red ribbon (item #111366). The ribbons are 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. Heart was punch with our Full Heart Punch (item #113693) using Pretty in Pink cardstock (item #100459) and highlighted with our Uniball Signo Gel Pen (item #105021)

Ben's mailbox was decorated using Tall Tails Designer Series Paper (item #115678), Old Olive Ribbon (item #111368) which is 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon. Heart was punch with our Full Heart Punch (item #113693) using Brilliant Blue cardstock (item #100721) and highlighted with our Uniball Signo Gel Pen (item #105021)

Inside of Mia's mailbox there are 3 pairs of snuggly warm socks in pink and white.


And inside Ben's mailbox there are bags of M&Ms. Yummm, he might have to share with his Mom & Dad.

These little mailboxes are the perfect size for small gifts and can be decorated for any occasion.

Here's the link to the tutorial on how to make them.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

My Sister, Karen

My beloved sister, Karen, passed away yesterday in the early morning hours. She was such a fighter against her many health issues and inspiration to us all. She will be greatly missed, but will remain in my heart forever. She is now without pain or suffering, and that is such a blessing.

Karen and I have always been close and even tho we did not live close by each other we talked all the time (thank goodness for unlimited long distance calling plans). We shared the good and the not so good things in our lives knowing that the other was always there to listen.

Funny the things we remember. Last night I was telling Hal about the time when we were probably 5 and 7 that our Grandmother went to Hawaii and brought us back real grass skirts. We had an Oriental Cherry Blossom tree in our front yard and Karen, Joan (a friend) and I all made lais from the blossoms. We dressed up in our swimsuits, put on the lais and grass skirts and did the hula in the front yard. What a site we must of been, but what fun we had that day.

I remember one photo of the 3 of us kids (Karen, me, and Tom) sitting on a ladder that was up against the peach tree in our backyard. I'll have to see if I can find it. Oh how we loved mom's homemade peach pie and I can remember jars and jars of canned peaches in the basement. Karen's absolute favorite pie was lemon meringue. Oh how she loved to barbecue and eat outside on the picnic table.

Karen was so much like our Dad, she always kept busy with projects. I remember one visit she made to our home in CA. I got up and found my sister washing down walls in my kitchen. It wasn't that she thought I was a bad housekeeper, it was that she knew I couldn't do it myself at the time and she wanted something to do. Later in the week she painted our wrought iron fence that went around our yard. We often teased that we when we had a project that we were going to call her to come for a visit. Such energy, such drive.

I'm going to miss her laughter, her compassion, and our phone calls. Most of all I am going to miss her. She was such a wonderful part of my life. Memories of her will bring smiles to my heart. She was a very special person, and THE BEST SISTER ever.

Don't take your friends and family for granted. They are not here forever. Take time to save "I Love You" and to give hugs.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Stampin' Up! - Disaster Relief - Haiti

I {Heart} Hearts Stamp Set
set of 8 ... item # 117010 ... $26.95 ... wood mount
set of 8... item #118571 ... $18.95 ... unmounted, uses clear block

On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving in its wake devastation so overwhelming that the Haitian people and their leaders can only look for help from the outside to cope. To help make a difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer from the effects of this devastating earthquake, Stampin′ Up! will set aside $2 from the sale of every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set and donate it to the American Red Cross. Help to make a difference. Order your I {Heart} Hearts stamp set today!

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you buy will be donated American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

Product Name	Item #	Price
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount (block D recommended)	118571	$18.95
I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount	117010	$26.95

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

A Dozen Mailboxes

I was busy last weekend making mini mailboxes for my co-workers and our neighbors. Had so much fun and the time flew by as I was making them. The mailboxes are from Target ($1 bins). I absolutely LOVE the new Sending Love Speciality Paper (item #117153) that is in the Occasions Mini catalog. One side has glitter on it, the other side is no glitter.

Inside the mini mailboxes we put 1 bag of regular M&Ms and 1 bag of peanut M&Ms. YUMMMM.

Here's the link to my tutorial on making the mailboxes.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

My Sister, a Very Special Lady

Karen, Dennis, Mary (me) and Hal
Carnival Spirit to Acapulco
January 2006

As many of you know my sister is in the hospital and in critical condition. The last week has been a week of reminiscing, tears, and laughter as family and friends share stories of things we all did together, whether as kids, young adults or adults. Please keep my sister in your prayers. She truly is a fighter, but we all need extra help at times from the big guy upstairs.

One of my favorite fairly recent memories is a cruise we took with Karen, Dennis, and their son. It was their 35th wedding anniversary and our 19th wedding anniversary that year. What a fabulous time we had, and the Carnival Spirit is a beautiful ship. Since we live in different states we don't often get to see each other, so having almost 2 weeks together was such a pleasure and so much fun. We spent a week on the cruise and I think about 4 days in San Diego afterwards exploring the area. What an amazing time for all of us.

I have made 10 mail boxes this weekend. Have 2 more to go then will post photos. I didn't get as much done as I originally planned because of lots of time on the phone with family. So the new ideas/projects won't be posted for a little longer. Thanks so much for understanding.


Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Insomnia

Insomnia hit at 2:30 am this morning. It's now 5 am and I'm headed back to bed in a few minutes. Since I was awake any way, I put the time to good use. I decorated 4 of the mini mailboxes. Pictures will be posted later today, but I am really pleased with the results. Will use them as gifts for my co-workers and our neighbors.

Thank you all for the positive thoughts and prayers for my sister. She is still in ICU.

Sale-A-Bration is such an awesome time to add to your stamp sets and even a paper punch at your additional cost to you. For each $50 in Stampin' Up! merchandise purchased (before tax & shipping), you will receive one free gift from the Sale-A-Bration mini catalog. There is NO LIMIT on the number of free gifts that you may earn. This year Sale-A-Bration is for 3 months!!!! Always before, it has been one month only. If you have questions or want to place an order, please contact me directly and/or use my on-line website (link in my signature).

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

New Projects to be posted soon

This has been a very hectic week for us. My sister is very ill and in the hospital, so my spare time is being spent on the phone with friends and family to keep everyone up to date. I work today and tomorrow, but am planning a couple of projects that I want to post and share with all of you.

Monday was Hal's and my 23rd wedding anniversary. Oh my gosh, where has the time gone. I feel very blessed to have such a wonderful husband, and can honestly say that I love him more each day. The 23 years have flown by. He's been my rock this week, and always there when I need a big hug. (Hal, I love you soooo much.)

Just a short blog post today (it's 4 am) but I wanted to let you know that I am working on new items, just got a bit behind on getting them completed to post. Family comes first this week, and I know that you all will understand.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Sunday - Hope you had a great weekend.

Hi,

It's been one busy weekend for me. Yesterday I had the honor of teaching two Stampin' Up! classes here in my home. Had people here from 9:45 am to almost 6 pm. What a great day it was.

I had all of my new Stampin' Up! products laid out for all to view and to play with. After introducing the new products, we got busy and decorated mini mailboxes and made pedestal cards. We decorated the mailboxes with the Sending Love Specialty Paper (item #117153). It has designs with glitter on one side and the other side is a print (no glitter). The paper was absolutely perfect for the Valentine Mailboxes.

Everyone tried our new slimline paper punches. The only disappointment were the corner punches for my customers with arthritis/hand problems. They couldn't punch them easily. All the other slimline punches tho were a big hit and easy for them to use. I have an order coming this week, and I will finally have the Extra Large Fancy Flower Punch (item #118073). Can't wait to try it. I am going to contact demonstrator support about the corner punches.

The Sale-A-Bration catalog offers so many choices of free items. You receive one free gift for each $50 in merchandise purchased from our main catalog and/or the Occasions Mini. The $50 is before tax & shipping. If you choose stamp sets on the back page of the Sale-A-Bration catalog, be sure to copy that item number rather than the item number in the main catalog. If you don't use the Sale-A-Bration number, you will be charged for the stamp sets.

If you need help placing an order or would like me to place it for you, please contact me. You can also order on-line thru my official Stampin' Up! website.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Shimmer Paint Still Available

Shimmer Paint Will Be Available as Catalog Write-In

Due to the popularity of our shimmer paint offered in the Mini Catalog, we will continue to offer it as a catalog write-in after the Holiday Mini sales period ends. Starting January 5, 2010, you can order the following products as catalog write-ins:

116806	Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint	$5.95
116854	Frost White Shimmer Paint	$5.95
116807	Platinum Shimmer Paint	$5.95

We hope you continue to enjoy using this fun new product!

I was thrilled to see that Stampin' Up! is continuing the sale of these products. The paints are fantastic and are a great accent for paper crafting.

This is my 2nd post for today ... be sure to check out my tutorial for the pedestal card that I posted earlier this evening.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)

Valentine Pedestal Card - Tutorial

A while back I was asked to do a tutorial for a pedestal card. With all the new products premiering tomorrow (Jan 5th), this was perfect card to showcase a number of our new items.

The above photo is a side view of the pedestal card. It lays flat for easy storage and mailing and then is propped up by using a button or brad. Really showcases the card design, don't you agree.

Supplies - Stampin' Up!
Whisper White Card Stock (item #100730) - 1 piece 4" x 8" -- 1 piece 4" x 4"
Real Red Card Stock (item #102482) - 2 pieces 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad (item #103133)
Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad (item #100908)
Pretty in Pink 5/8" Satin Ribbon (item #117289)
Stampin' Up! Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die (item #117332)
I (Heart) Hearts Stamp Set (item #117010 Wood Mount OR Item #118571 Clear Unmounted)
Well Scripted Stamp Set (item #117072 Wood Mount OR Item #118601 Clear Unmounted)
Sending Love Epoxy Brads - Real Red 1/2" (item #117270)
Scallop Trim Border Punch (item #118402 in the Sale-A-Bration catalog)
Sticky Strip (item #104294)
SNAIL Adhesive (item #104332)
Bone Folder (item #102300)
Paper Piercing Tool (item #116631)
Mat Pack (item #105826)

You will be starting with 2 sheets of Whisper White Card Stock. The 4" x 8" piece is the base of your card. The 4" x 4" inch piece will become the card front.

Score the larger piece at 4" and at 2". Then crease the folds using your bone folder.

Use the Scallop Trim Border Punch to add a border to your card.

Measure approximately 2" up and 2" over ... mark with a pencil. This is where the brad or button will go to hold the card/create the pedestal.

Using Paper Piercing Tool and the Mat Pack (to protect your work surface), punch a hole where you have the pencil mark.

Insert a brad or button of your choice.

Stamp the sentiment (chocolate chip) and the heart (real red). I also stamped the outside of the envelope.

Lay one of the 5" satin ribbon strips on the card front. Secure the ends on the back side using tape.

Take the other 5" piece of satin ribbon under the secured piece and tie in a knot style bow.

This bow is just a simple knot. Looks nice and is easy to do.

Using one of the embossed heart (embosslit), center it and secure above the ribbon.

On the card base, put Sticky Strip around the front edge (see above).

Remove protective film on the sticky strip and now attach the card front.

Finished Card

Side View of the finished card.

If you used a brad, there will be the prongs showing on the back of the card.

I took the 2nd Heart embosslits and covered the exposed prongs on the back of the card.

Here is a 2nd pedestal card that I made using the embosslits and also the Small Heart Paper Punch (item #117193). I added in tiny stitch marks using Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen (item #105021). The border was made using the Pinking Hearts Border Punch (item #117649).

I'm having so much fun using all of the new products. Remember they are available as of tomorrow (January 5th) and it is the start of Sale-A-Bration too. For every $50 in merchandise (before tax & shipping), you qualify for a free gift from the Sale-A-Bration catalog. There is NO LIMIT on the amount of free merchandise you can earn.

Please let me know if you have any questions OR you need help placing an order, please contact me. I check e-mail daily.

Mary
http://marydirector.stampinup.net/
Stampin' Up! -- Discover Your Creativity
(On-line ordering now available thru my website)