October Hostess Club

The holidays are a time to give things away! You might as well give it to them in a pretty package :) This box seems perfect for holiday cookie giving, or any other yummy treats!

If you would rather, put some cards in it! It is the perfect size for a set of cards and some dividers for sorting. The dimensions for this box came from Michelle Fischer. She did a "Back to the Box" demonstration at Convention this year, and made some A-Mazing stuff! Unfortunately, I didn't end up getting dimensions for anything! So, I did some surfing thru her splitcoast uploads and (lots of drooling later. . .) found a box with measurements. You can see it *here*

I made it into a cookie box, but as you can see-it makes a super cute card box!

The supplies I used are as follows: Stamps: All Holidays, Perfect Presentation; Paper:Dashing DP, Old Olive cs, Real Red cs, Very Vanilla cs; Other stuff: markers, circle punches, slit punch, real red 1/4in and 5/8in grograin, cello bags (I used my big ones that have the SU logo).

I did have two other boxes made as samples, using different colors and greetings (Merry Christmas, and Peace, Love, Joy-both from all holidays) but I gave them away as door prizes at workshops before I took pictures. . .Niiiice Job, Robin :)

Have a great Halloween tomorrow!

Classes thru the end of the year:

Stamp Camp
Tuesday, November 6th @ 6pm
R.S.V.P. by November 2nd (that's this Friday!)
Cost: $10

We will be making three cards, using stamps and materials that are provided for you! Please bring scissors and adhesive.

Stamp a Stack
Saturday, November 17th @ 10am
R.S.V.P. by November 5th
Cost: $44

We are making 8 projects (6 cards, one treat holder, and one chipboard ornament) using the stamp set Season of Joy. Your stamps will be mounted and ready for use when you arrive, and are yours to keep! All you need bring are scissors and adhesive.

10 for $20
Tuesday, November 27th @ 6pm
R.S.V.P. by November 23rd

We will be making 10 cards (2ea of 5 designs) using my stamps and supplies. Please bring your scissors and adhesive.


10 for $20
Tuesday, December 4th @ 6pm
R.S.V.P. by November 30th

We will be making 10 cards (2ea of 5 designs) using my stamps and supplies. This is your last chance to get those cards made with help from me! Come and hang out. . .I will bring my xmas music :) Please bring your scissors and adhesive.

Free Crop-a-Dile Class
Friday, November 30th @ 6pm
Supplies must be ordered by November 16th

For those of you who took advantage of my offer:
Buy the Crop-a-Dile, Accents and Elements tin-Build a Flower, and 5/8in Choc.Chip Grograin--come to the class for free.

We are making a card tin, and four cards to put inside.
If you would still like to attend, order your supplies by the date listed above and you will be all set!

Marker Club Card Class
Monday, November 19th @ 6pm

For my marker club girls (Dana,Lisa,Kristi, & Morgan), this is your free four card class! All you need to bring are scissors and adhesive


I have mentioned to a few of you, and I will mention it again:
Get me your wish list!!!!
Now is the time, as I will soon contact "your people" and offer them an awesome idea for christmas! I will gift wrap and deliver any purchases, and if more than one person orders for you you may even get hostess benefits!

One last thing. . .

November's special: Paper Party!

Purchase any three designer paper packs and get a fourth one FREE! That is a 9.95 value :) Woot! No limits, no restrictions. We have 35 different packages of designer paper (including the ones in the mini), so you can go crazy deciding!

September Hostess Club

Thursday night was the third meeting of my hostess club(s) for the year. I don't know if they realize that this was the first month we have *all* been there together! How fun!

There are twelve ladies in all, two groups of six, who order for each other and receive benefits from the group. I love this get together! We have so much fun chatting :) I have to say, I do more running around than chatting. . .but that is the way it is supposed to be, right??

Over the next week or so, I am going to feature a few cards from my hostess club swap, and a Halloween swap I have participated in (with permission from the artists of course :). In the meantime, here are a couple of our projects from Thursday night!

The cards I am showing today, are featured in Stampin' Success--the demonstrator publication we receive monthly. Can I just say how much I **LOVE** when they have super cute cards that I have the supplies to make!!! Such a bonus! I designed the box to fit a small set of this card as a gift. I will post the directions when I get a chance.


Deets: Paper:Soft Sky, Old Olive, More Mustard, Whisper White; Ink:White Craft; Other stuff: Petals embossing template, 3/4inch circle punch, jumbo pewter eyelets, crop-a-dile, white embossing powder, heat gun, soft sky stitched ribbon, word window punch.

Okay, here is a funny moment at my hostess club:

Have you ever had a person show you that you have been doing something wrong at a club or a workshop? I freely admit that I do NOT know everything. . .I have learned most of what I know thru trial and error, and from tutorials I have seen here or there. . .

Occasionally I will have someone show me something I have never seen before (ex. the "perfect" bow--really just a flat knot--that my upline taught me. . .and now I show everyone I know!) but usually I find that I am figuring stuff out at my table by myself. Such is the case for dry embossing. I have been doing the same thing since I started. . .outline the image. . . then fill it in. Yes, I scribble in the middle with my embossing tool until the entire image is flattened! What a dufus!

I had one of my hostess girls explain. . .

"Robin, have you ever just outlined the image?"

and I say, "well that would look different. . . "

and she says, "but it really doesn't. . ." and she shows me. . . and my jaw hit the floor!

All this time I had made that so much harder than it needed to be! Just because I had never had anyone actually dry emboss something in front of me before. . . I just assumed that you had to fill in the image! I think she felt bad, like I would be embarrassed :) I just don't embarrass that easily I guess. . . As I said, I don't know everything, but I still know lots!

Some of my hostess girls have been stamping longer than I have. Can't wait until they teach me something else I don't know :)

Here is another card from Stampin' Success. I made it a standard size, as I didn't have the long envelopes to make it a 3x6 card. . .I have ordered some however. Seems it would be a fun size to make! This one uses the following:

Stamps: Baroque Motifs; Paper: Old Olive, Soft Sky textured, Really Rust, Whisper white; Ink:Versamark, Really Rust; Other stuff: 5/8 grograin, clear embossing powder, 3/4in circle punch, earth elements brads, heat gun.

Well, that is all for now. Hope you all got a laugh from my "I'm and Idiot" moment :) We can't take ourselves *too* seriously, you know? Or at least I don't. . . Ciao!

More Halloween Madness. . .

Here are some more goodies!

This is a treat bag, made with the small cello bags in the catalog. I used the spider from Booglie Eyes. The paper is Only Orange and Gable Green. Super easy to crank out for school!
A close up of one of the large ornaments. . . Batty for You is so awesome!
The centerpiece. . .I used paper instead of Ribbon for the belly band. Everyone is already getting a package of Jersey Ribbon Originals. . .I didn't want to make them get a whole other package to complete the project!
Here is the Garland from Convention 2007! We are making this in my October 2nd Decor class at the Book Shoppe. . .Woot!

~This is going to be such a fun class~

Perpetual Chaos

Well, I have said before. . . I will get this cleaned up and then take pictures for you. Or in this case, I will just skip the clean up part and take pictures for you! Seriously. . .I had it so nice and clean for my open house! Then of course there was work to be done. *Sigh* I guess it is better to show you how it looks most of the time, rather than how it looks once a year ;)

This is the view when you come up the stairs. I work in a nook off of the hallway. My husband *HATES* that there isn't a door that can be closed! And if I am not careful (which is most of the time) I can work my way out to the hall. . . oops! All cabinetry is from IKEA (I believe it is the Effektiv line? correct me if I am wrong. I could look it up, but I need to get stamping!).

Here is my messy desk, with stamp cabinets above. I really do know where everything is! I love having the window right by my table, but I have to be careful not to leave the shades open unless I am working. Things tend to fade. . .
Retired on the top, current on the bottom. . .these need organization *badly*

Difficult to see, but I have a file cabinet (also IKEA) under my table for punches/necessities/filed paperwork/etc. I also have a rack on the wall for my paper cutter and scrubbie. A chair at the end in case one of my friends/customers wants to stamp with me. Or to just hold bags of stuff :)

I have the DVD holders from IKEA holding my ink. The little stickers from the catalog are on all the ink pads, and on the holder also. LOVE the labels!
I have my ribbon in the rain gutter endcaps that nest together, as seen on splitcoast. I like them because they telescope, and I can make it short/long as needed. . .

Apparently one of the punches is on my desk, because there is *no* room in this drawer if they are all put away. . .like they are ever "all put away"?
The paper in the files approach keeps me sane. I can't fit all of my new packages in there so they are kept separately. I would post more pictures of the inside of the cabinets, but this post is huge already. . .Anyway, there it is :) My stampin' space in all its messy glory. I am thankful to have a place I can work and keep it out if I need to.

Even if it is just off the hallway!

Pop Quiz

I don't normally take quizzes. . . but this one is compelling! Of course, since my husband and I are grammar police, I had to see how I would do. . . .Mind you, I am not without my faults. But if I notice something grammatically incorrect,I am compelled to make a comment. . .It is a curse!

I don't do it to everyone--mostly my husband :) So if I make a mistake he does a little dance and makes fun of me. . .I like to think it is because it doesn't happen very often! Anyway, give this little quiz a try:

You Scored an A

You got 10/10 questions correct. It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors. If anything, you're annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs. As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human. And it's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

Another Halloween Swap

I've got it bad over here :)

Halloween is my absolute favorite time of year! The cool weather season, the fun, dressing up and goofing off. . .I just love it! And in honor of my favorite holiday, I joined a mega swap. (or at least when you sign up for two spots in three groups it *becomes* a mega swap!)

For those of you who may never have swapped before: I make my assigned cards, mail them off to the swap "hostess", and she in turn trades them with other swappers. I end up with a different card for every one that I have made, less one as a gift for our swap hostess. *Bonus*

Here are some pictures of some of the projects I made:


This is one of the 3x3's: Booglie Eyes, Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black paper, Scallop punch, 1 3/8 and 1 inch circle punches, & black gingham ribbon.

To get the scalloped frame, punch a 1 3/8 circle from black, then center and punch it out with the scallop circle. You would get more of a border if you used the 1 1/4 inch circle for the opening. The little pumpkin *just* fits inside the 1in circle punch :) Too Cute!

**********edit**********
I changed the pictures of the 3x3 card, as they were just fuzzy enough to drive me crazy. Hope these are a little more clear for 'ya all! I am now noticing that the next picture isn't the greatest either. . . .I am going to have to let that one slide :)

This is a snack size bag of popcorn, wrapped in Elegant Eggplant paper. The "batty" belly band is punched randomly with the 1 1/4 circle (possibly the 1 3/8 circle, but you get the idea--it was a late night!) along the edge of the Basic Black paper. The Scallop Circle is Wild Wasabi.

This last card is one we are making at my Halloween Stamp a Stack:

This card a design I saw on SUDSOL (a demonstrator only website I frequent), by Fran Sabad. It uses the new Basic Grey Paper, spooky skyline wheel, and the hostess set-Party Punch. The rest is pretty self explanatory. . Can't wait for this class!

World Cardmaking Day!

~Get ready for an all-day stamping event~

On October 6th, 2007
I hope you can all join me for my first-annual:

World Cardmaking Day at
The Book Shoppe!

We are starting at 10am and going until 4pm, so wear your comfy shoes. . . You MUST register for this event-so I have enough materials prepared-don't delay!

First on the agenda:

~10 for $20~

We are getting started early this year!
Who says you have to wait until November to get your cards made???

Come and make 10 holiday cards (2 each of 5 designs) for $20! We will be using a variety of stamp sets, and the latest in Stampin' Up! products. Who does all the hard work??
That would be me :) Lets have some fun!

This portion of the day begins at 10am and goes until approximately 12pm.
Please bring scissors and adhesive. . .everything else will be provided :)


~Break Time~

What should you do with your break time??

Take it easy, browse, get a bite or a beverage at the coffee bar (the egg salad on focaccia is AMAZING), browse my samples for upcoming classes, and prepare for more stamping!

Break time runs from 12pm-1pm.

Round Two:

~Free 2 card Camp!~

Come out and stamp for free! We will be making two cards. . .one for you, one for the Ronald McDonald house of Lansing. This class is entirely free of charge with a non-perishable food donation for the Gratiot County Food Bank. Projects can be made any time between 1pm and 4pm . What a great reason to get ink on your fingers!

Please bring scissors and adhesive, everything else will be provided!

All Registered Guests will receive a FREE raffle ticket toward an amazing gift basket full of Stampin' Up! products!

~Bring a friend new to me or mention my blog. . .get ANOTHER ticket!~
~Ask me how you can earn more free tickets when you call/email~

Please don't wait to get your name on the list! We are limited by space, and have many interested persons, so let me know!

Stamp Camp for September

Was a hoot :) Here is one of our projects. . .

We made this cute box from convention. . .with a few minor changes and the addition of the wireworks handle. This may pop up in some upcoming in-home workshops I am doing, as it is cute as anything. . . They will be posting the pattern on the Demo Website soon, I hear. . . I will be sure to get it to you when it shows up! I tried to look for it today, but the website is down. Deets:

Stamps: Seeing Spots, Happiness BG, Three for You Punch Box; Ink:Chocolate Chip, Versamark, Ruby Red; Paper: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, River Rock, Confetti White; Other Stuff: Antique Brass brads, Chipboard (the piece matches On Board Blossoms and Basics I believe. . .I got it from Convention in the packets they had for demos), 1 1/4 and 1 3/8 circle punches, Chocolate Chip Taffeta, Caramel Gingham, Markers, Wireworks (. . . did I forget anything??? There was a ton of stuff on that bad boy!), Chocolate Chip shredded/crimped paper for stuffing.

Here are some of my stampers working hard and making cute stuff. . .I was full of it tonight :) Sorry if I was teasing you all, but I was in a funky mood! Thanks for being a good sport about it. . .

*sigh*

I have been absent from reality. . .

Where you take a short walk thru the woods. . .
and find yourself in paradise :) a.k.a. Lake Michigan

My hubby and I had a wonderful break from all things required of us. . .and spent three days soaking up the sun and being lazy! My daughter is as brown as a little biscuit. . .

The first day was at a semi-rocky beach. . .SO fun for looking for petoskey stones.
We found quite a few! I love having little mementos like that for Regan to look at and think of how much fun we had. (and Mom, too :)

Our youngest niece on my husband's side was with us. What a sweetie!

Days two and three were at sandy beaches.

Here is the "bunker" my husband dug out of the sand. . .The umbrella kept flying away, so I used the thermos to pound it into the sand as far as it would go :) The girls were like little prairie dogs in and out of that thing!

Here is the view from my beach chair. . .

What an awesome vacation! Thanks to my mother-in-law for feeding us like royalty for three days while we invaded her home :) She waited all summer for us to come up, and I am so glad we made it. One last hurrah before school starts. Definitely a "must do again" for next year. . .

I am so excited!

I just want to take a moment and welcome Lori Q and Mary P to the Stampin' Up Family! You guys! I am so excited! (okay, enough yelling. . .but YAY!)

I had my Biz Info night on Monday, and I didn't know I had so much to say. . .but I guess I did :) Fun times, and lots of questions answered to the best of my ability. Hopefully I was well informed-this was my first attempt at an in depth explanation of the myriad of benefits there are to what I do.

We made this project (mini matchbook/box):
This is based on products you get in the starter kit--as seen in one of the three starter workshop wizard templates (SU! demonstrator website).

It is small and perfect for passing out at Christmas time to every single person you know (and every single one of their kids), for very little expense! A cute little Christmas candy bag, or a little cookie in a cello bag would be perfect inside. You open the top flap and the sentiment reads, "All Spruced Up". Flippin' Cute. . .Thanks, SU!

(my ribbon is a little droopy in the pic. . .sorry! Girls, put a little crystal effects inside the knot and it will stay nice and perky :)

I am recommending this set (over Greetings Galore) for the starter kit, as I think it is the cutest darn thing! I also have a bunch of fun ideas for it from Convention. However you get five sets total in the kit--so go crazy!

And for my addition to the crazy deal SU! has going right now. . .well, just call/email me and I will tell you all about it *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge* :) If you don't sign up right this minute. . .you are crazy loco!

Deets on the project:
Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes; Paper: Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White, Gable Green; Ink: Basic Black, W.Wasabi, P.Pomegranate; Other stuff: Pastels, blender pen, paperclip, black gingham

And because if I get my camera out, my daughter insists I take her picture as well. . .

"Mom, take a picture of me *with* the card! Good idea, right?"

Can you even stand it?!? I actually have several expressions captured. . .they are hilarious. . .but I will only make you look at one :)

I'm not ready.

For her to be five.

For her to leave me.

For her to go to. . . Kindergarten :)

I feel pressure in my chest. Slow it down, here. . . I can't only see my daughter in the evenings and weekends! She is with *me*. I'm her mom! Five years of pretty much every day, and all the sudden it is visitation?? I can't wrap my head around it.

I feel like nothing will ever be the same, well, because it won't. I feel a little lost at the thought that our time to be home together is coming to an end. A whole way of life for my daughter and I is just about over. My baby is going to "her work" soon . . .

A friend and I were talking the other day, and she told me that she went thru the same thing when she put her son in daycare. I know life as a mom has had periodic times of "passings", but this one feels HUGE.

Now it is time to remind myself *again* for the bazillionth time. . .five years at home with my little girl! How wonderful?! How fortunate am I?!

I am thankful :) Just a little sad.

She is eager to go. Ready to learn. We are sending her to the best school we know of. She is going to love it, and have a wonderful experience.

I am going to miss her so much.

So. . .I am loading up on hugs. Getting extra kisses. I am sure I have told her I love her at least three times in the last hour and a half. (While making a list of things I can volunteer for at her school. . .) Being as grateful as I know how to be. And trying not to think about it every minute.

Sorry for lamenting all over you :) Go kiss your babies, you will feel better. It is what I am going to do.

Punchin' a Bunch over here!

Well, I have to say. . .the punch box class was much fun!

I was a bit scattered, as I have been trying desperately to catch up after Convention (aka: time of my *life*) and then my PA vacation with my family (I know, rough life!). . .

Then a pottery demo that was scheduled the night before the class (oookay. . .now it is getting a bit ridiculous).

Luckily, my stampin' girls are the best and give me a break when I start searching the table for something that is right in front of me :) Thanks Ladies! I actually called my husband to check my stamp table at home for a spool of ribbon that was 3 inches from my face. . .does that ever happen to you?!?! *sigh* Time for things to sloooow down for a couple of days :)

Anyhoo. . .I am rested now, sooooo. . . .

Here's a couple of things we made at the class:

Inspired by a card in the IBC using the flowers as candle flames (if I have time to look, I will post the page #)

Deets: Three for You Punch Box; Paper: P. Pomegranate (textured love notes), W.White, P.Pie, B.Bayou, S.Sky, W.Wasabi, S.Saffron; Ink: P.Pomegranate, Versamark, Other stuff: Black Gingham, 2way Glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds


This mini scrapbook is going to Grandma Spinner


Complete with pictures of her son helping Regan on her bike. . .awwww :)


Deets: Three For You Punch Box; Paper:P.Pomegranate (textured love notes), S.Saffron, W.White; Ink, W.Wasabi; Other Stuff: Rhinestone brads (from the pretties kit-LOVE IT), W.Wasabi Double stitched ribbon

(Sorry these pictures are kinda dark. . .If I get a chance I will photo shop 'em and brighten 'em up for ya :)

RoseZan was the lucky winner of the door prize:
a bazillion punched flowers!
I saw this idea on splitcoast and had to make a version for my class. . .Hope you like it RoseZan!

Deets: Stamps: Vases in Vogue (hostess level 3); Paper: um, yeah :)--for the lid: P.Pomegranate, G.Guava, W.White; Ink: same as paper, plus W.Wasabi and Jet-Black Stazon; Other stuff: Jelly Jar, G.Guava stitched ribbon, linen thread, three for you punch box, spring bouquet flower punch, blender pens


Aside from that fun stuff, one of my most wonderful friends drove a whole hour to hang out with me for the day and stamp (You are Awesome, and I had a great time. . .thanks for coming :) I laughed so hard on the way home I thought I was going to pee. (Can *you* make your tongue in the shape of a W? Not me!)

An awesome day, all said :)

Just in case. . .

You actually want to read this on a regular basis (I know, it is a bit far fetched :) I have added a subscription option (on the left hand column of "stuff"). Feel free to click over!

How fun is that?!?!?

You will only get email when I post. . . and for no other reason.

Thanks, for reading either way!

Stamping in the Moonlight

Halloween is my *favoritefavoritefavorite* time of year. The fall is so beautiful in MI!

Of course, as much as I love fall. . .it is still sweltering outside and I am making Halloween swaps! It is right around the corner, people! (Anticipation is how I make it last :)

I finally got some creepy crawly paper. . .and (since SU! has dealt with the quality control issues it was having) I can start using my scallop circle *yay* I was worried about it, but so far my original one is hanging in there. . .I have been afraid to use it in a workshop, lest everyone fall instantly in love with it and order it-only to have it quit working on the first try!

The medallion on the bottom goes a little somethin' like this: scallop circle punch, 1 1/4 punch, dimensional 1in punch. . . I pretty much stamped 22 p.pie bats, then 22 black bats, and punched accordingly :) It was fun! My right forearm is now 33% bigger than my left , but it was fun :) I considered adding google eyes, but everyone has those so you can add 'em if you like 'em.

Deets: (pretty self evident, but hey. . .gotta give credit to the IBC :)

Stamps:Batty for You; Ink: P.Pie, B.Black; Paper: P.Pie, B.Black, Creepy Crawly DP; Punches: Scallop Circle, 1 1/4in, 1in; Other stuff: 1/4in black grograin

The song "Dancing in the Moonlight" (by King Harvest) kept running thru my head last night at untold hours of the morning when I was punching my brains out-trying to get these swaps done. (I am addicted to swapping! Don't start, because once you do. . .it is all over!) You know you have a problem when you are changing the lyrics to:

Stampin' in the moonlight
everybody's feeling warm and bright
its such a fine and natural sight
everybody's stampin' in the moonlight

we like our fun and we never fight
you can't stamp and stay uptight
its a supernatural delight
everybody was Stampin' in the moonlight

(I think I have read JanTInk's blog one too many times if I am putting song lyrics on my blog :) I can't help it, the woman has influence!)

Trip to PA

Just thought I would update some of you who might be interested in one of the highlights of my trip to PA :) I am somewhat of a shutterbug, so I always have an abundance of pictures! Here are some from our trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. . .

Here is a view of the Aquarium over the water. . .The place is *huge*

Daddy and his girl walking the Inner Harbor boardwalk while we waited 1.5hrs just to get IN THE DOOR. (note to self: buy tickets online next time and pay the extra six bucks. . .)

Regan *mesmerized* by some brook trout that are in the entryway.

This theme continues thru the entire visit :)

Daddy's favorite part: The shark tank. A little crazy, being that up close and personal to something that would happily eat you. The top of that tank was NOT open :)

Regan's favorite part: The dolphin show. . .*big* surprise

This frog could comfortably perch on my thumbnail! This was mom's favorite part :) They had an entire exhibit dedicated to frogs. Some pretty interesting looking fellows!

And lastly, ascending to the rainforest
(how many people can say they have ridden an escalator to the rainforest???)

This was an incredible place, and *very* cool to take a four year old. Nothing quite like the wonder on a little person's face when they are watching dolphins soar thru the air!

Now I am off to get my cards done for this weekend's class. . . I need to get caught up!