Lakeshore Stamping

Treasured Friends!

Earlier this week I decided to take a few hours and just stamp for fun.  It is someting I don't get to do very often because I am always on a mission on what I am creating for.  Don't get me wrong...I do enjoy creating for classes and events too but I didn't have to worry if I had enough of something I added to a card for everyone attending the class.  It was the sky's the limit during this stamping time I put aside for myself.

I had new product just staring at me and I really wanted to get my hands on it.  I still had a couple of events yet this month so I knew I couldn't use the new stuff yet.  So once I finished this card I made a couple more of the same card and sent it off to two great friends who I only get to see a couple of times a year.  I wanted to let them know how much I appreciate their friendship even though we don't talk as often as we'd like.  Plus, I knew they'd like to receive a card unexpectantly especially with new product on it as they are also Stampin' Up! demonstrators!  That's why I love being part of this amazing company, I would have never have met them if it wasn't for Stampin' Up!

So let's go over everything on this card because most of it is new product coming out in the new catalog on June 1st!

1)  The card base is the rich Midnight Muse!  I love the look of sponging on this color!

2)  The Crum Cake piece is stamped with Layered Labels and cut out with one of the Apothecary Accents Framelits.

3)  The Summer Starfruit oval is first of all cut with the "retiring" Ovals Originals Die and then put through the Fancy Fan Folder Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

4)  The 1 3/4" circle is cut from the Comfort Cafe Designer Series Paper.

5)  The Early Espresso Designer Label is stamped with a image from the Papaya Collage set.

6)  The banner's greeting is from World Treasures stamp set.  I just markered the greeting and not the outline image.

7)  The ribbon is the new Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon.  This comes in all the new In-Colors.

8)  The strip of Designer Series Paper along the bottom is also from Comfort Cafe.  I actually love every sheet of the DSP!  I will us A LOT of this!

I hope you enjoy seeing all these new items on this card!  It won't be long and we can order from the new catalog and purchase all of these items!  If you don't have a new catalog be sure to contact me so I can get one out to you!  You won't want to miss out!  Or go to my website at www.lakeshorestamping.stampinup.net on June 1st and shop my online store!  You'll always receive a stamped card from me in the mail as a thank you!

I hope you are having a fabulous long weekend!

Team Time!

Last night we had our monthly team gathering.  It is always a great way for me to visit with my downline, who have become my friends, and keep them informed with the lastest news and updates.  This month I decided to give them some ideas on how to continue to build their businesses during the summer months.  My biggest tip...don't take it off!  Keep working your business even though it is summer and everyone wants to be inside.  Consistency pays off!  So their first challenge is to get 100 No's by contacting at least 20 people.  No one wants to hear "no" and sometimes it is hard to swallow but by the time they left last night they were chit chatting on who they are going to call and I heard more than once, "I am going to call Sally, she will probably say yes to holding a workshop but if she doesn't then I can count it as one of my no's!"  I was excited to hear their excitement even though they may get a no.  Yes, I am also going to do this challenge with them and we'll all report back at the next Team Gathering in June.  They receive a gift from me if they complete it by the next meeting!  Plus it will keep me and them accountable!!

I wanted our make-n-takes to be new product from the new catalog.  There were a couple of stamp sets and embellishments I had received while at Disney that I knew they didn't have yet and I wanted to get their hands on them.

This is one of the cards we made.  It uses the beautiful Everything Eleanor stamp set which will be out in the new catalog on June 1st.  The "kind thanks" is from the set Fabulous Phrases which gets a lot of use by me.  I have three new In Colors on this card.  The scallop circle is Raspberry Ripple, the postage stamp is Primrose Petals and the little banner is Summer Starfruit.  I actually used the front of the new catalog as my inspiration for the color combination. 

Look at this new button!!!!  These are one of my very favorite items from the new catalog.  They are called Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons and they come in three different sizes.  I only have one container and it is just killing me not to be able to order them.  I received these free while at Disney when one of the kids spun the wheel.  It was a good spin :)

This next color was for us to show off our new In Colors all at once on a card.  From left to right the new In-Colors are:  Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple and Midnight Muse.

I love getting new In-Colors each year.  They always make great color combinations with colors we already have and I love something new!

Don't forget our Stater Kit is just $99 and I'd love to have you part of Stampin' Up! and my team.  The kit is also completely customizable too!  You can visit my website at www.lakeshorestamping.stampinup.net or contact me and I can help you get started!

Have a fabulous start to your Memorial Day weekend!

New Product Surprise!

I've been wanting to share this card with you for a week but it has been busy.  I had a great Mother's Day with my family.  I want to share with you my Mother's Day gift but I took it to the studio before taking a picture.  Hopefully I can get one this week for you.  I am excited about it!  This is why Mother's Day is so special to me!  These two great kids who call me Mom!

I made a card for all my club members.  I love surprising people with cards in the mail and this is what I made and surprised my club members last week.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on some of our new product coming out on June 1st.  The great thing about a demonstrator is you can get your hands on some of the new product a month before anyone else.  If you are interested in having this great benefit contact me today to sign up or go to my website to sign up!  I'd love to have you join my team.

The blue frame image is from the upcoming Everything Eleanor stamp set and the blue is the new In Color Midnight Muse.  It will be a favorite!  The banner is made from the new cardstock In color Summer Starfruit, another favorite!  The flowers around the DSP circle is from the new set Forever with You.

I am already in LOVE with this new Designer Series Paper which is called Comfort Cafe it also comes in matching fabric and just screams vintage!!!!

The label which is embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder is a new framelit die coming soon called Apothecary Accents Framelits which has four different dies in the set.

And I almost forgot the new button!!  The new Naturals Designer Buttons are a trendy, wood-like adornment perfect for any project!

I hope you are excited as I am for the new catalog!  But before then, don't forget to check out the Retired Stamp Set and Accessories Lists before they are gone for good. 

Let me know if you have any questions!  Have a great rest of your weekend!

 

Weekend Excitement!

What a great weekend!  On Friday, my friend and upline, Kimberly Van Diepen came to visit me and my downline here in Michigan.  I had won a team challenge back in fall of 2010 and the reward was to have Kimberly come in for a weekend and help me run a team meeting.  We had a little delay of her visit because her husband was then deployed to Iraq.  He is now safe at home so she was able to come for a visit and we were very excited for her arrival.

She arrived Friday evening and we met up with four of my downline members who earned the title of DIVA for promoting during Sale-A-Bration for a DIVA dinner.  We had an amazing dinner and lots of laughs.  It was a great time for the four ladies to get to know Kimberly.  As soon as I get the picture that was taken I will post it, I had forgotten my camera as it was a crazy day!

On Saturday, we meet up with seven of my amazing team members for a team gathering at my studio.  Everyone had a great time meeting Kimberly and listening to her Stampin' Story and ideas.  It was great for them to hear someone else talk about running a Stampin' Up! business and I was grateful Kimberly shared so much with them. Here is a picture of the group.

My WONDERFUL friend, Jamie, always loves to surprise me and my team.  I should say SPOIL!  I sent her some Summer Smooches Fabric and she made these faboulous little pin cushion jars! 

I added some little single stamps inside the jar and had one for each of my team members who attended the gathering.  I just love these and I am so appreciative of Jamie for helping me make my business successful!  THANK YOU JAMIE!  From all of us!

I love sharing new stamping ideas using new product with them.  Here is one of the cards we made on Saturday using the Summer Smooches line, Bright Blossoms stamp set, Daffodil Delight Seam Binding and Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper.

Remember the month of April, we have a Sneak Peak of the Summer Smooches Suite available.  Download Summer Smooches Flyer

I had to show them the fun Petite Purse Bigz Die too!  I just love this die.  It only uses two pieces of Sticky Strip to put the purse together and then two itty bitty pieces to adhere the handle on.  I used the Bordering Romance stamp set to decorate the front of the purse and some Twitterpated Designer Series Paper and buttons to decorate the flap of the purse. 

After our team meeting, our DIVA's stayed after for some special stamping time with Kimberly and I which they earned too!  Kimberly brought seven projects for them to make, I will share those with you in an upcoming post.  It was a great time and we also spoiled them with some goodies of product and Memento Mall items.  They earned it and I loved spoiling them!

We only had about 2 hours of daylight left so I took Kimberly around to show her a little more of our resort community.  We were able to visit the quaint town of Pentwater where I grew up and then off to show her the breath taking Silver Lake Sand Dunes.  It was a nice visit but it always goes by too quick.  We didn't have a lot of time for any other extra activites, like shopping, but we did get to sit and chat each night and it was some great one on one time together!  Even better, I get to see her in Disney in two weeks for the Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip and our husbands will finally get to meet!

I am thankful for having a great upline who is willing to help us grow our businesses!  It was a fabulous weekend and I can't wait to see all of them continue to grow with Stampin' Up! in their lives! 

Have a great week!

Milwaukee Regional & Sneak Peek

I attended the Milwaukee Regional on Saturday along with 7 of my favorite stamping friends, my downline!  For 6 of them it was their first ever Stampin' Up! event and they loved it!  I knew they would!  I was so happy when they announced the Milwaukee Regional, I knew it was something my downline could attend. We had such a wonderful time and I am SO glad they were able to attend!

We all love gifts and it is a tradition to have a little something for your downline and/or roommates.  I made each of them a few gifts that were waiting for them on the table when they arrived.  I want to share with you two of the three gifts I had for them.

Starting on April 1st, customers will be able to order some items from the Summer Smooches line which will available in the upcoming catalong on June 1st.  As a demonstrator, I was able to pre-order them in March and I wanted to share some samples with my downline.

This card uses three new items from the Summer Smooches line. 

The stencil is the Summer Smooches Decor Stencil and will be available April 1st-April 30th, it will not be carried over to the new catalog in June so get it while you can!  The Designer Series Paper is one pattern from the Summer Smooches Designer Series Pack available also available April 1st and will be in the new catalog.  The yummy ribbon is the 1/2" Daffodil Delight Seam Binding Ribbon which will also be available April 1st and in the upcoming catalog.  The greeting "Happiness" is from the Loving Thoughts which is available now in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  I really love this greeting set!

This is the CUTEST purse EVER!  I couldn't believe how much chocolate I could fit into this purse!  It was super easy to put together too!  I can't wait to use this Petite Purse Bigz L Die more as it will be carried over to the new catalog.  Contact me now to book your April Private Class at your home or my Lakeshore Stamping Studio!  I would love to show you and your friends more of these wonderful products!

I have a very special friend I meet 7 years ago named Tara.  She was in scrapbooking way before I was and has been on top of the scrapbooking world ever since.  She is a huge inspiration to me and our styles are so much alike which makes me smile.  Tara keeps me up to date on the scrapbooking world which helps me out.  In February I applied to be a Workshop WOW Presenter for the Milwaukee Regional at the last minute.  Tara helped me create the finished product and I was so thankful.  I was lucky enough to be able to have her come along to Milwaukee with me as a guest and be there for me when I presented the project we created together. 

I am looking forward to sharing with you the project I created for my Workshop WOW presentation in the next few days. 

I am thankful to have such great stamping friends which makes up my Lakeshore Stamping Team!  We are growing together and it is so much fun!

 

 

Happiness!

Shortly after I returned from our fabulous family vacation, a great friend of mine hosted a workshop at my stamping studio for all her friends who live near.  She now lives an hour away and she knew I was looking at building up my business her locally and she volunteered to help!  What a great person and hostess she is!  I did meet 4 new stamping friends and a couple of them only live a few blocks away from the studio and I was thrilled to get to know them.

My friend loves vintage just as much as I do so I knew I needed to make my projects geared towards her.  It was easy to do as I love making the projects too!  Here is the card we made at her workshop.

I just love the new Adorning Accents Edgelit dies.  I love being able to cut off part of a card and give it a fun look when done just like on this card.  The Designer Series Paper is actually the front of the card.  I stamping friend of mine gave me this idea when I participated in a swap I was in and her card was done like this.  Since then I've used this fun technique a lot, a great way to show off our fun Everyday Enchantment DSP from the Sale-A-Bration catalog. 

This is the first I have used our new Hat Pins which are in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  I saw this idea at Leadership using one of our Itty Bitty Punch to add a little something to the hat pin. 

The new Loving Thoughts stamp set I received free from Leadership and it has been a great set to have on hand!  I use it a lot on a card and it gives the perfect touch to a card.

Sale-A-Bration is a great time to get into stamping!  Our customizable Starter Kit is on SALE for $125 until March 31st.  It has over $300 worth of product and on sale for $125!  That's over $175 in saving which is what the starter kit normal sells for!  So don't delay!  Be sure to ask me or your demonstrator on more information.  A sheet with all the items in the kit can easily be emailed to you!

Take a little time to stamp today!

Wonderful Downline Members

I have a great group of downline members who I've enjoyed getting to know because of Stampin' Up!  Most of them were customers of mine before they signed up.  I enjoy hearing from them and helping whether they are a business demonstrator or hobby demonstrator.  I am just glad I get to share it with them.

Every couple of months I make a special card and send one to each of my downline.  I currently have 28 in all my levels so it usually takes me a few days to get the cards out once I design it.  I know how much I enjoy getting a hand stamped card in the mail and I know they do too!  I usually try to use new product and sometimes even a different technique. 

This is the card I made for them this month...

I sometime forget about vellum.  I love the softness it gives to anything is lays over.  In this card I used our yummy Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper that anyone can earn free for placing a $50 order!  It is one of the BEST DSP's we've had yet...even better that it is free!!!!

I pulled out my heat tool and used white embossing powder to emboss this great image from the Elementary Elegance stamp set, which you can also receive free, on the vellum cardstock. 

I hope my team of demonstrators loved receiving this card as much as I loved creating it for them.  Yes, I do write a little something in each card too for them!  Hand stamped and written means so much!

Some information regarding Sale-A-Bration time... (to see the SAB catalog...click on the image to the right of my blog)

- You can choose a FREE item from the Sale-A-Bration catalog for every $50 you spend from now until March 31st. 

- Earn a FREE tote ($150 in sales) and a FREE bundle of items ($400 in sales) if you host a workshop during Sale-A-Bration.  You can invite your friends to your house or my Lakeshore Stamping Studio for a night of great crafting! 

- Joining my Lakeshore Stamping Team now is a fabulous time because of Sale-A-Bration!  You can purchase the full $175 Starter Kit for $125 now which is $310 worth of product.  That's a great savings and LOTS of product!  You will also receive a FREE pack of Designer Series Paper (your choice) or FREE My Digital Studio Download (your choice) for the rest of the year!

Plus, you will be invited to attend my special meetings for my team and other special events throughout the year just for being part of my Lakeshore Stamping Team!!!

Sale-A-Bration has great benefits for any kind of stamper you are!  It is an exciting time with Stampin' Up! and I hope I can share the excitement with you somehow soon!

Have a wonderful day!

 

Leadership 2012 - San Antonio!!

This week I attended Stampin' Up!'s Leadership Conference in San Antonio and I returned last night full of excitement.  It was a great relaxing time with beautiful weather and great company!

I flew in on Wednesday afternoon and met up with my amazing friend and roommate, Mandy Grant.  We checked in, visited with friends, took pictures of displays and soaked it all in.  In evening we both attended the Manager's Reception...

and it started out with a BANG from Shelli...

The entertainment was chinese acrobats and this was when I stopped breathing...

He only put the rope on just before doing this last step so I was at the edge of my seat during this part.  What a wonderful group of VERY flexible entertainers!  It was a fun experience.

At the end of the night we all received a NEW stamp set from the upcoming catalog.  You can see the edge of it in this picture but we are unable to post a picture of it now.  The fan was our invitation and we also received SU! personalized chop sticks with the stamp set. 

Thursday morning started out at Main Stage with a Welcome Session.  The theme this year was "My Way".  The stage is one of my favorite parts of a Stampin' Up! event.  Always looks great!

This was my swap for Leadership.  I don't technically swap...I make about 30 cards to give to friends I've met over the years.  I also entered this into the first organized Stampin' Up! card competition.  I didn't win but I had a few friends who did and it was fun!  We had to use stamp sets from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  This stamp set is Apothecary Art...one of my favorite!

I also made another version of my swap card I did back in December.  I changed it to use Designer Series Paper from the Occasions Mini, Attic Boutique and the stamp set, Rue Des Fleurs.

The highlight of any Stampin' Up! event is Shelli Gardner on stage stamping.  I love her techniques and style and I just had to take this picture of her.  She's such a great person!

Our hotel was directly on the Riverwalk in San Antonio.  It is such a beautiful place and I hope to come back and visit so I can spend more time being a tourist.  We did walk part of it one night for dinner and I took this picture.  You probably are wondering why the Christmas lights are still up?  Well, Ty Pennington and his Extreme Makeover Home Edition was there filming for their Christmas special which will air in December.  They built 10 homes for 10 injured soldiers.  We did get to see them from a distance and they had a Christmas parade of boats go through the Riverwalk.  My friends, Sue and Joyce, were in the crowd while they were taping so I'll be excited to see this episode!

We drove by the Alamo so I did get to see it and snap this picture.  Next time I will plan more time for sightseeing!

I also wanted to share with you the free items we received for attending Leadership.  We always get a bag but the matching portfolio from Shelli was an extra special surprise.  They are beautiful!  We were surprised with FOUR ALL ATTENDEE GIVE-A-WAYS!  Yes, four different times during Main Stage presentations we were surprised with free items!  It was exciting.  Some of the other items are from our make-n-takes and we even received another free stamp set from the upcoming catalog in June!  Yes, you heard me right...our new catalog will be unveiling on June 1st instead of July 1st!  The announcement was made at Leadership and I am SO excited!

All Stampin' Up! events are filled with excitement and great information!  I never regret attending a SU! event, especially when it is located in warm weather in January!!!!

Now I'll be busy working my business this week and going through hundreds of pictures I took!  I can't wait to use my new items! 

Remember Sale-A-Bration starts on Tuesday!!  You too can attend these fun events when you become a demonstrator and during Sale-A-Bration is a great time as you can receive the full Starter Kit for $125!!!!  Contact me or your Stampin' Up! demonstrator for all the details!

Happy Stamping!  Enjoy your week!

Merry Christmas!!

This is a card I sent out to my loyal stamping customers this week.  I wish I could have sent out more but I ran out of time so I had to narrow it down to the ones who have attended events or have ordered recently.  I wanted to show them how much I appreciate them, wish them a Merry Christmas and thank them for the past year for being a customer of mine.  I hope they liked it!

And when they opened the flap...this was inside!

I am looking forward to another great year with my customers as they have also become my friends!

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy the time with your family!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to make sure I posted two more Thanksgiving ideas before Thanksgiving.  My kids have Wednesday off so we have lots of family time planned and I won't have much time to post on my blog.  You've probably wondered where I've been, I had my gallbladder removed on November 9th and it took me a good week to get back to normal and now trying to catch up.  I am feeling better and glad it is behind me just in time for the holidays!

This was a cute pumpkin I made for a couple of craft fairs I did earlier this fall.  It is one of my favorite fall items as I LOVE pumpkins!  It works perfect for a little something and I have a few left and plan on taking them to Thanksgiving dinner at Aaron's Aunts house on Thursday. 

Here are a couple fall pictures of a few things I am thankful for!  My two kids and my husband but he isn't in the pictures.

I also have a friend, Tara, who I am grateful for!  She is a crafting fool like me but she can sew!! LOL!  She made me these adorable pumpkins out of our Spice Cake Fabric.  Aren't they adorable!?!??!  I just love them and she also has a love of pumpkins like me!  (Don't ask me how to make them!  LOL!  I don't know and she is out of town for a week.  I believe she found it online somewhere!)

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are able to spend it with loved ones!