Stamping with Karen

WOOOO HOOOOOO! It's Here! It's Here!!!

My one Demo copy of the new Fall-Winter Collection 2007 arrived in my mailbox today!!!  Must be my lucky day because the mailman even came early!  All I can say so far is that it looks absolutely beautiful!  So many beautiful samples inside!  It is only slightly thinner than the current catalog, which is amazing since it will only be good for half the year.  That is an idea that is hard to get my head around right now!  New stamp sets, new papers, new accessories!!  I won't spill the beans (at least as long as I can hold it in!) of what everything looks like, but if you want to know something in particular just ask!  For those who want to be excited to see their own new catalog first, I don't want to spoil the thrill.....at least not yet!  I'll keep my fingers crossed that the catalogs I ordered for my customers will come tomorrow.  We can always hope!

Waiting for the New Catalog...A UPS "Memo" to enjoy!

Other Demos are so clever to come up with these things!

UPS Memo

To: Drivers and Security
Date: June 20th , 2007
Subject: Crazy Stampin' Up! Ladies

This time of the year has come around once again. Stampin' Up! is releasing the New Idea Book and Catalog. Please be extremely cautious of Stampin' Up! demonstrators (SUDs) for the next two weeks.

Watch out for the following:

1. At the distribution centers, please be on the lookout for SUDs. In the past they have been known to cut fences and sneak inside covered with Close to Cocoa ink in hopes of blending in with the trucks.

2. The ladies have been known to run after your trucks. If they catch you and ask if you have a "package" for them, be careful with your answer. They do not take "no" for an answer. If you do not have it, just say " I will double check in the back" and turn and run as fast as you can to your truck and drive away. Do not turn back and look, just keep going until you are a safe distance away.

3. They have also been know to drive up next to you at a stop light in their mini vans and SUVs and ask if you have a package for them. Turn up your radio and pretend you cannot hear them. Do not let them approach your delivery truck at an intersection. SUDs have been know to stop traffic and throw all your packages off the trucks until they find their new Idea Book and catalog.

How to Deliver the New Idea Book and Catalog

1. Be sure you have fixed your squeaky brakes, If not - park your truck two blocks away so the SUD can not hear you coming.

2. Put in your earplugs and secure your safety glasses.

3. If you see children looking out the window, put your finger up to your lips and say "SHHHH".. They are on a "lookout" for you and are being paid to "alert" their mothers (SUDs) when they see you coming to the door.

4. Approach the front door and very quietly, set the package down in front of the door (Make sure you place it in FRONT so when she opens the door, the box will be in the way and give you a little more time to escape).

5. Back up as far as you can and reach for the doorbell, (BE READY TO RUN !!!). Ring the doorbell and make a mad dash back to your truck and drive away....DO NOT LOOK BACK !!!

The UPS corporation is informing you of this because in the past years, SUDs have been known to scream at the top of their lungs with excitement and try to tackle you with hugs for delivering their catalogs. After you have been smothered with appreciation for getting them their catalogs on time, watch out for flying packaging material as they will open up the box before you have had a chance to leave , or they have gone inside. Best of luck to you with this mission, and remember

Let's Be Safe Out There!!!!

Easy Project!

Someone gave me a box of tins and this is what I decided to do with them for a recent stamp camp.  Amazingly I just used our SU Anywhere Glue Stick on the tin and on the Au Chocolat Designer Series Double-Sided Paper in the Spring Mini and it has really worked!  The ribbon around the middle is from the Winter Mini and is no longer available.  For the centerpiece I stamped my initial, but you could also use some other small design.  The Au Chocolat paper it is layered on is punched on all four corners with the Square Steps Punch and then each corner is folded down....a very unusual and fun way to use that punch, an idea shared by another demo Cambria.  If you want more details, just contact me.

Preview Goodies!

Here is a sneak peak at the new goodies in the Fall-Winter Preview 2007!  This is most of my pre-order that I received the other day....new stamp sets, new Designer Paper, new In Colors and new Rhinestone Brads! Click on any of the photos for a close-up.

Brocade Background Designer Series Paper

Soft Sky Designer Series Paper

                                                                              

      

                                      

 OnBoard Blossoms & Basics

Fun Online Catalog Tips

If you haven't played around with the online Stampin' Up!(R) catalogs, you really should!  Just go to www.stampinup.com and click on "Our Online Catalog".  Select the Idea Book and Catalog or the Spring Mini Catalog.  Open the catalog either by doing the Quick Flip at the top or moving the bar at the bottom to the page you want.  At the top you can also select whether you want the double-page layout or a single page.  You can even get thumbnails of several pages at once!  There is a zoom tool (the plus sign) and next to it a Magnifier!  Click on that and then place your cursor over what you want to magnify in the catalog!  Really neat!  You can move it around, too, on the page.  If you notice the "Tools" next at the top,  you can bookmark a page....a little tab comes up on the side of the catalog page and then you can always click on that tab and go back to that page.  You can write yourself a note with the Checkmark box or you can Circle an item.  There is also "Help" if you need it with the Question Mark box or you can print a page.

Another neat feature is if you put your cursor on any project in the catalogs, including the covers, it will say to click and then a zoomed view of the project will come up plus a list of stamping supplies!   You can even zoom in closer if you want.  Try it!

 

Now you'll be all set to look at the new Fall-Winter Collection 2007 when it is available July 1st! Contact me with any questions or additional information.

A Senior Year Journal

                                                                   

Many years ago I saw this idea somewhere and actually remembered it when my children were older.  The idea was to keep a journal of their senior year, just a diary really.  It was supposed to be all positive, which we all know is a little bit difficult that senior year!  But it is possible to do!  I kept the notebook on my nightstand and was pretty good at keeping up with it.  Then before graduation I decorated the cover with stamping.  I am under no illusion that they appreciate this book now, but I've told them that someday when they are 40 or 50 and find it in a box, hopefully they will really appreciate and enjoy it then, a glimpse into their life when they were 17 or 18.

Graduation Time!

We have a new high school graduate in our house!  And the last one!  In the fall we will be empty-nesters.  I don't know yet if that will be good or bad or a little of both.  Among other things, I have been busy stamping a few graduation cards.  Here are a few, again mostly copied from other stampers.

This is the card I made for our son mostly using the Office Accoutrements set, inspired by Pam S on SCS.  The circle is from Riveting, and the graduation cap is from a retired set called Sketch an Event.  That set was so great; fortunately a new set is coming with a graduation cap!  The greeting comes from All Year Cheer III.  This set is on the Retirement List as is Riveting since it is a Hostess Set.

Here are some other cards I made, CASEd from dawnsing, imastampin, and brodonbaby.  My alphabet stamps came in handy on these cards!